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Author Archives: William Powell

Commercial Acting – Auditioning for Commercials

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  March 31, 2015   6 Comments   Uncategorized

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Commercial Acting- Auditioning for Commercials

By Wendy L. Vazquez 

This is my second article regarding Wilhelmina Rochester and it’s W Evolve Studios. In case you didn’t’ know this, W Evolve Studios provides a commercial acting class for aspiring actors. The class, which is taught by agency director Billy Powell, prepares students for the competitive world of commercial acting. Powell, who has a BFA in Theatre from Sam Houston State University, also attended Weist Barron and Bob Collier Commercial acting schools in New York. He teaches his students success strategies and audition techniques that will take the student to a professional level talent. Mr. Powell himself is no stranger in front of the camera. He is an accomplished actor who has worked in  TV Commercials, Film and Theater throughout his 25 year career.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down and audit the commercial acting class. I was given the chance to participate in an exercise, I was to audition for a spot in a commercial. For me, since I’m a student majoring in communications where reading is second nature, I readily accepted his offer to read. After all as a journalist, it’s what I do on camera. Easy peasy right?

Totally confident, I stood up in front of the camera on my mark, lights…camera…action and began to read the script that was my audition. So, I started  and completed my read. I thought I did okay. Even though it wasn’t a difficult script, Mr. Powell’s main objective in having me read the script in front of the students was to show them that just because someone can read well, does not mean they can perform the proper audition technique. Once I finished the read, he quickly pointed out my audition flaws. Yes…there were more than I thought. I was setting myself up for utter destruction. After he told me what I had done incorrectly, I wouldn’t have gotten the part for sure.

So, then he gave me instruction on how to perform the tasks and then gave me another shot at it. Using the technique wasn’t easy. As a matter of fact, even though I’d studied broadcast journalism, I was no where near this stuff. WOW! However, as time in the class progressed, I got more comfortable and more confident with this cool new technique and I started to feel the process coming together. And that was exciting! Whoa…more work here and I’m going to be a commercial actor!! Look out Flo from Progressive!

Some of the key things that were brought up in this class was the importance to memorize not all but key sections of the script and how to  prepare for changes. Saying the script out loud was another one. Another important thing to do with your script is to underline key words and remembering most importantly that the camera is your friend.

My experience auditing this class was an eye opener. You want to book commercials and open up a new career where big dollars are at stake?  W Evolve Studios is training actors to know what their job is on the audition trail, honing skills and to be confident in the process. But most importantly, they are giving actors the training they need to succeed and are providing their students with important skills and audition techniques to get work in TV Commercials. Check out the page and get registered! Class Schedule

W Evolve Studios – My Acting School Experience Here

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  March 5, 2015   4 Comments   Uncategorized

by Wendy Vazquez

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This semester I’ve had the opportunity of interning at Wilhelmina Rochester. I am currently enrolled at one of the more prestigious colleges in Rochester graduating with a Bachelor in Communications this December. As this is one of many internships per my degree, I was excited for the opportunity to work with such a brand name agency. In case you didn’t know, Wilhelmina was started by Wilhelmina Cooper some 40 plus years ago and has established itself as one of the biggest names in the modeling talent industry with offices around the world.

   So far, the “experience” has been a grand one. I have had the chance of filming the acting classes that Wilhelmina provides for anyone interested in becoming an actor. The class that I am filming is Acting Technique 1. This is one of the many professional training classes that Wilhelmina provides for a very reasonable tuition.

The acting instructor, Chris Dell, is a remarkable teacher. There are no doubts about his credibility because I learned that Mr. Dell is formerly from the Meisner Center in Los Angeles where he taught classes and now teaches the Meisner technique here in Rochester for aspiring actors. His passion for helping his students is evident from everything I’ve seen him work on with the students. He pushes the students until they are comfortable enough to do a scene on their own. If a student feels that he or she cannot capture the scene right, Chris, jumps in and helps them out. Chris main objective is to make sure the students feel at ease when performing. One of the exercises that Chris uses is the private moments exercise. The theory was considered by Konstantin Stanislavski but was made into an exercise by Lee Strasberg.

The private moments exercise emphasizes on the actors skill to be private in public. The actor has to create a private moment, on stage, that the public will understand is private. The audience is supposed to understand the moment by the way the actor plays it. In this exercise the actor has to act something on stage that they do in real life, but is also private enough that if someone walked into their room, they will stop doing it.

Another exercise that Chris teaches in his class is repetition. This exercise was developed by Sanford Meisner. This exercise is based on the moment, the truth of the moment, and the immediate and unplanned approach. This exercise is based on improv. The repetition exercises plays with the uneasiness of making it all up in the moment. How this exercise works is two actors have to face each other and place their attention on one another. The goal of the game is to make a connection with the person sitting next to you and to call out the person’s behavior in the moment. Without time to think about it, they name the behavior that they see in the other actor. As a director, Chris has produced and directed many films in the upstate area over the last five years. I think that his experience from that side of the camera really is an advantage for students.  You’re not just getting an acting instructor, you’re getting the directors eye as well; something which all actors will work with, and certainly want.

As a student who has taken acting classes at Monroe Community College, Wilhelmina, has a terrific understanding of how an acting class should be. While taking acting classes at Monroe Community College, I did not have the opportunity to learn the exercises mentioned earlier. Wilhelmina has taken the time out to teach their students a more professional method of acting. And most importantly, teaching them about the business. Something you don’t get in college. And in my estimation, this alone will help students be more prepared for professional work and be more productive in their auditioning skills.

In my next blog entry, I’ll be providing a video that I produced showing some excerpts from the class and interviews with the students. STAY TUNED!

7 Elements of a Great Monologue

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  June 5, 2014   15 Comments   Uncategorized

By Brian O’Neil | Posted  noon

7 Elements Of A Great Monologue

For ten years as an agent and personal manager, I watched monologues – hundreds, maybe even thousands of them. For the past fifteen years, I’ve been coaching monologues. Much of my coaching is based on what I discovered worked for actors and what did not. Certainly there are no rules, but there are some reasonable guidelines.

Although my work includes coaching monologues for all kinds of situations, for our purposes today, I’m going to talk about the nature of the material that shows your personality. Some would call this a “getting to know you” piece, as opposed to “character” work. Here are my observations for a successful monologue performance.

1. Castability. Choose something in your age range and gender, where the language is colloquial and a comfortable fit for who you are. For this “getting to know you” piece, avoid material that is highly theatrical, poetic, or heightened.

2. Relationship. Select material where your character is talking to one specific individual. As the great Emmy-Award winning actor Margo Martindale (“Justified”) has wisely said with regard to monologues, “When you do it for one, you do it for all.”

3. Conflict. The most compelling choice for monologue material is one where the speaker is in conflict with whomever he/she is speaking to. In short, something is not going “your” way, or the other person is not being who you want them to be and your objective is to change all that. Right now. This leads to an all-important sense of urgency and urgency is critical.

4. Clarity. There should be no potential for confusion on the part of the auditor/audience as to what the speaker is talking about or what he/she wants.

5. Response points. This is when the speaker has made a “point,” what many call a “beat” and the actor who is speaking then has the freedom to decide how the other character has responded emotionally. Shock? Anger? Enlightenment? The speaker can then decide the emotional tone of his own next “point.” In doing so, your pace and vocal pitch will organically change. Voila! The auditor sees a precious little asset known as “range”!

6. A Button. A monologue that ends in such a way that we know it’s over. The same way that a piece of music resolves, so your monologue should have a sense of finality. This creates a very powerful and satisfying conclusion.

7. Owning your space. Stand up. Walking into a room and pulling up a chair sucks the life out of you and the room itself. It has been scientifically proven that we think better and faster on our feet, and your physical presence will be much more poised and alive if you’re on your feet.

There you have it. No rules – only some guidelines.

Brian O’Neil is a former agent and best-selling author of “Acting As a Business: Strategies for Success” which was hailed by Entertainment Weekly as a “show-biz industry bible.” An acting career coach and an audition coach, he teaches at many of the country’s top acting training programs including The Juilliard School. For more information, please visitwww.actingasabusiness.com.

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  May 22, 2014   5 Comments   Uncategorized

The 1 Breathing Exercise That Will Dramatically Improve Your Audition

By Andrew Byrne | Posted May 21, 2014, 10 a.m.

Most of us realize that breathing is an integral part of doing great work as a performer. Proper breathing helps our voices to work efficiently, keeps our heart rate even, and brings a sense of calm and connection to our bodies. Before an audition, we may become aware of symptoms of nervousness and try to counteract them by “taking a big breath.” I’m going to suggest that you start your breathing work with the opposite movement—by exhaling completely.

First, let me give you a little background information about the diaphragm, which is the main muscle of breathing. The diaphragm is a large, dome-shaped muscle that separates the heart and lungs from the abdominal cavity. If you hook your fingers underneath your rib cage, and trace around the bottom of your lowest complete rib (your 10th rib) from the front to the back, you will have a rough idea of the muscle’s location.

The important thing to know about the diaphragm is that it works on inhalation. In other words, all day long as breath is entering your body, your diaphragm is engaging. When you exhale (or when you speak or sing), the diaphragm is actually relaxing and stretching. This stretching movement can provide many benefits to your audition. Here are the steps to stretch your diaphragm and help you book the role!

1. If possible, lie down on your back, with the knees up, feet on the floor, and pelvis tucked (lower back should be on the floor).  If you can’t lie down, doing this seated or standing is also fine.

2. Blow all the air out of your body—and I mean all the air. You should feel like you have none left in your lungs. The throat and the mouth should stay open as you do this. You will hear the sound of air rushing out of your body, and eventually it will turn into a soft sound, like a wheeze.

3. Once you have no air left, release your abdominal muscles and allow the air to flow into your body. You will notice a fuller, deeper inhalation of air with a greater range of motion in your torso.

Do 3 reps of the above. To progress this exercise, do the same thing with your hands over your head. If you are lying down, rest your hands on the floor above your head. When you get up from the floor, take your time; you can get a head rush from the increase of oxygen you just found.

If you do this regularly, you will drastically improve your posture and breathing habits, and you will find yourself standing up straighter in your performances and your life. Try this before your next audition, and see how your energy transforms in the room!

Inspired by this advice?

 

Andrew Byrne is a voice teacher, performer and composer/lyricist.  In the past few seasons, his students have been seen in over 40 Broadway shows.  He’s played in pit orchestras on Broadway, and has accompanied professional auditions for over 15 years.  His songs have been featured in movies, in Seth Rudetsky’s “Obsessed!” series and in many international concert venues.  He has served on the University of Michigan musical theatre faculty, and has taught internationally at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, The Banff Centre and the Danish Academy of Musical Theatre.

Website:  www.andrewbyrnestudio.com

Hear his original songs here.

Join his Online Studio (learn his vocal exercises and download them to make your own warm-up playlist).

Do You Really Love Acting?

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  April 20, 2014   0 Comments   Uncategorized

by Joseph Pearlman

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I know I don’t need to tell a single person just how difficult this career path is. I, and other experts, have discussed at length how truly thorny the field is—how the competition is as tough as the Olympic Games and the future is always uncertain. I’ll save you the speech about rejection, aging, the lack of good parts, the growing size of the competition each year, and the sometimes insurmountable challenge of just getting your foot in the door to audition for a role you’re right for—let alone the issue of booking the damn role.

The First Type of Actor

I’ve lived for years in Los Angeles, a city which is so oversaturated with actors, that when you meet someone between the ages of 18 and 50 with good teeth, you just assume they are an actor. You don’t even ask anymore. Here’s what I’ve observed: There are essentially two kinds of actors. The first kind of actor truly, truly loves the craft and process of acting. This is the actor who has made untold sacrifices to come to Los Angeles. They’ve left behind their family and friends, have made peace with living hand to mouth and the fact that they’re probably not going to follow the standard milestones of life (marriage, kids, buying a house) in any cohesive timeline.

These are the actors who will do theater to audiences of seven, who will go out for every audition they’re called in for—even for short films that pay nothing and are being directed by inept film students, and even for characters they find badly written or out of their age range. They’ll read for parts requiring Icelandic accents and fencing skills, and they will try their damnedest. They’ll accept one-line roles in Web series and will thank the director genuinely for the opportunity.

They do all these things with sincerity and eagerness from the bottom of their hearts because of the love of the craft. The pure desire to act shoots out of every cell and nerve-ending.

These are the actors who are going to make it, if they so choose. Sure, only a fraction of them will probably enjoy any big success, but the bulk of them, if they stick with it, will figure out a way to use acting to support themselves, and will be able to forge a lifelong career in some fashion. For some, this might mean doing commercials and industrials and booking a couple of guest star roles a year. For others, this might mean teaching acting to support the theater company they created. And still, others might run a successful blog on acting and be able to monetize it, while still having the time to go on auditions and pursue passion projects.

The point is, for these actors, their sheer love of acting will always be their guide—even when the career feels shitty, even when they haven’t booked a job in two years, and even when they walk into an audition waiting room and see eight other actors that resemble them so acutely, their great Aunt Irma wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. With a foundation of real love, they will all eventually figure it out.

The Second Type of Actor

The second kind of actor is just playing the lottery, and this is the type of actor that L.A. is just teeming with. This type of actor is way more common than the first kind and they are often the reason why this business is as hard as it is. They contribute to an oversupplied and overcrowded playing field, essentially making the field more competitive than it needs to be.

These are the actors who don’t truly enjoy the challenge of acting. These are the ones who will say things like, “I can’t afford to be in an acting class right now.” These are the ones who don’t audition for small parts because they have it stuck in their heads that they’re going to be stars. Showcasing themselves is their only concern, and ensemble efforts are also rejected. Money and fame are always the most important goals, and they trump every other aspect of the process.

Coincidentally, this is often the type of actor who is extremely attractive and married to the idea of playing the leading man or leading lady. This is the type of actor who is often content to just live in the bubble of L.A. and would never even consider going anywhere else. Being comfortable is a priority, and this actor drives to auditions from the comfort of his or her air conditioned car.

The good news with these actors, who are rolling the dice that they’re going to have a star on the walk of fame, is that they don’t have much staying power. These are the actors who generally pack up and start studying for the LSATs after a couple years of hardship in L.A. Unfortunately, there seem to be droves of actors ready and willing to replace them who are constantly moving into town.

Thus, I invite you to really consider which type of actor you are. If you’re the former, congratulations and welcome to the ranks of the strong. If you’re the latter, how about you do every one a favor and start figuring out what truly makes you happy?

Joseph Pearlman is a celebrity and on-set acting coach for Hollywood’s top actors, musicians, and comedians. He works with clients like Zooey Deschanel, Skylar Grey, Michael Welch, Julian Sands, and he also coaches presenters for all the major award ceremonies, including the Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys. Pearlman Acting Academy was voted Best Acting Studio in Los Angeles by Backstage’s Readers’ Choice Awards. Also located in New York, Pearlman Acting Academy offers private coaching and classes from celebrity to working professional and beginner.

Summer Acting Classes – Applications Being Accepted!!

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  March 25, 2014   0 Comments   Uncategorized

What’s not to like about acting? It’s fun, you learn boo-koos about yourself and you get to meet interesting people interested in performing! Not to mention, the big pluses learning a craft you can use for public speaking, job interviews and overall social skills. So how about getting into one of our 5 week acting courses with one of our professional and exceptional acting coaches. Come experience the team and learn first hand how to get started in acting. We’re building life skills that you can use for a lifetime!

 

Here’s the DEAL for SUMMER SESSIONS!   Teens 8-18   Classes meet 2x’s per week with intense session work!  So if you want a real New York City style acting class then here’s your chance!

DATES: One Two Week Session  Only $199 for the entire camp 20-hours

Session I: July 15, 17, 22 and 24 9am – 3pm

Courses included:

Scene study, Improvisation, Photo movement, Auditioning for TV commercials, Auditioning for Film

Accepting applications now!  Be the first 10 students per class per session and receive a FREE Wilhelmina Book Backpack.

SPACE IS LIMITED!  ENROLLMENT IS EXCLUSIVE AND LIMITED!

CALL TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION – TUITION INFO HOTLINE  * 585-244-0592 ext. 2 or use this contact form for a fast response!

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NEED MORE INFO?  SEE WHAT  TALENT ARE SAYING : WATCH VIDEO

 

 

3 Ways the Casting Industry Has Changed

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  March 22, 2014   0 Comments   Uncategorized

by Cathy Reinking

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There has been much change in the casting industry since 2000. Although what constitutes great acting and what makes for a great audition have not changed, what has changed substantially is the technology. Little did I know when I started casting 20 years ago, I’d now need the skills of a filmmaker.

1. Video cameras. You must own one. It’s imperative that an actor own some sort of digital camera (with a tripod) as well as have a basic knowledge of converting, editing, and uploading auditions on a computer via the Internet. Not only are you required to self-tape now but you must also practice auditioning on camera. The presence of the camera in the room changes the dynamic of the interaction between actor and casting director. It makes it harder for an actor to emotionally connect with the material and with the reader. Sometimes you have to stand a certain way in front of a wall or screen, which might feel awkward and self-conscious. Questions might float in your mind like “Where do I look? At the reader or directly into the camera?” This will, of course, avert your concentration from the task at hand, which is to be attractive and draw us in. You must be prepared to get in front of our camera by practicing on yours.

2. Electronic submissions. It’s not only easier for you or your agent/manager to submit on roles, but it’s a lot easier for us, too. I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent opening manila envelopes and organizing each 8×10 into piles. Now I send out a breakdown and receive submissions instantly, usually four columns of 25 rows per “page” per role, which means I get your headshot as a thumbnail. I don’t have time to click on each thumbnail headshot to get the larger view, so your headshot—now more than ever—has to be spectacular since it’s so small. Spectacular in that it has to look like you and be compelling, not necessarily wacky or “stand out.” In addition, if you don’t have a demo reel of some sort, and we don’t know you already, we most likely will pass. We just have too many folks to choose from.

3. Social media. In the age of social media, yes, you now have the opportunity to “friend” us, but if I confirmed all the actors who befriended me, I’d have a million friends. I can only speak for myself, but I like to keep my personal Facebook page to actors I am aware of already, and who are truly friends. There is a fine line between an actor connecting with me and overstepping boundaries. Direct emails and posts on my Facebook page are intrusive, while Twitter is not. In fact, I’ve grown to love interacting with actors on Twitter, but I’m not so much interested in reading an actor’s blog (more of a time constraint than a dislike) as I’m interested in good acting. If you send or post a demo reel on social media, it better be great. As with meeting someone live, first impressions are everything

Cathy Reinking has been a working casting director for 20 years and has accumulated hundreds of credits, including network TV: “Frasier,” with Jeff Greenberg & Associates for 8 seasons, “Arrested Development,” Manager of Casting at NBC when “The Office” was created, and multiple network pilots; Indie Films: “Herblock,” “Jackie’s Back,” “The One Who Loves You,” “Storage”; Web series: “Miss Mustard Glade,” “Frat House Musical,” “Jeff & Ravi Fail History”; Theater: National tour of “Spank! Harder,” currently running, The Fountain Theater, LA Theatre Works; Commercials: Honda & Nike. Author of “How To Book Acting Jobs in TV and Film: 2nd Edition,” which can be found on Amazon, iTunes, and The Drama Book Shop. Co-creator/writer/producer and casting director of “The British Invasion,” now on FirstRunTV. Her biggest joy is now watching her daughter, Kate, 26, perform

Free Acting Workshop with Director/Actor Howard Lester

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  February 27, 2014   0 Comments   Uncategorized

Wilhelmina Evolve Studios presents an evening with Director/Actor Howard Lester and his seminar “The Uniqueness of You” in Acting.

    March 13, 2014 at 6pm at Wilhelmina Evolve Studios located at 235 Alexander St. Rochester, NY

WATCH THE VIDEO

This is an opportunity to hear Mr. Lester discuss his unique approach to acting and the method by which he teaches the craft. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone interested in the craft of acting. From beginners to seasoned professionals, Mr. Lester will share his insights on how an actor progresses using his method to increase their acting skills and construct characters and performances much more rich and complex.

Howard Lester is an internationally award winning filmmaker, many of whose
films, including absurd comedies, documentaries, animations and experimental
work, have been included in museum and library collections around the world.
He also spent 20 years in Los Angeles working in all aspects of film/video
production, primarily as director or editor, and occasionally acting–his
most notable role being “Skids” in the Roger Corman Hell’s Angel classic
NAKED ANGELS.

He has taught at R.I.T.’s School of Film and Animation since 1985 (serving
as Chair for 17 years, and MFA director for 6) where his acting and
directing classes have earned a legendary reputation and are always full
with a long waiting list of students.

SEATING IS LIMITED! CALL TODAY 585-244-0592 TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT