Actors seem to need to know the right questions to ask and are required to do a lot of their own character and script analysis.  It’s our job (as actors) and we study for this: to figure out the character’s ‘objective’, the ‘super objective’, the character’s goal etc. etc. — whomever you listen to or with whom you study.  Then the Director has his say — ideally before the actor has read his mind!

This is a full-time job, and one must research and become the character and not over-intellectualize.  Oh dear, ‘the intellectual actor’.  You may think this is a compliment, but it’s not!  You must come from the gut and above all — truth.

For acting classes in Sydney              http://wp.me/sXTWu-1560

“If you catch somebody ‘acting’ in a movie, that actor is doing it wrong.  The moment he’s caught ‘performing’  for the camera, the actor has blown his cover.  He’s no longer a private character in a private world.  Now he’s a highly paid actor on contract to speak these lines for the public.  Good-bye illusion.  Good-bye career.”

– Michael Caine

So? Stop acting even in acting class!

Do it, don’t do it, just be……………………xx

Because:  Preparation allows for SPONTANEITY – freedom of EXPRESSION, CREATIVITY, VULNERABILITY and ACCESSIBILITY!

If you are prepared, know your lines, are aware of your character and the situation, you will then be FREE to be DIRECTED and EXPLORE more.  Once you are ‘off the page’ and not in your head, but into the FEELINGS of your character and the ‘Given Situation’, you will  be amazed at how much further you can take your awareness!

More information on this at: www.audition-secrets.com

To honor this, we have been asked to wear something Orange.

I have really opened my eyes to the horrible harm caused by bullying.  I have volunteered and ‘worked’ with underprivileged and abused kids most of my life.  All the time I was thinking how lucky I was not to have been bullied nor had any of my friends.  Also realizing that most of the time these kids (and teens/adults) believe this to be ‘normal’ as they have never experienced anything different.

WELL!  After over 50 years on this earth, a friend of mine realized she had, indeed, herself  been bullied and is still being bullied.  It HURTS!  It hurts really badly.  It’s frustrating and when a person feels there is no way out, it just adds to the pain.

As bullying comes in many different ways, you may not think her experience is as bad as others.  It may not be, but when you are on the receiving end, it’s pretty much paramount.

Rebecca’s story, which she has just been able to put into chapters in her life now goes like this…..

Her brothers made fun of her, called her names, got her in trouble with her parents, punched her, tortured her cats and humiliated her when she was young.  She had lots of very good friends (one of which was me), a loving mother and father; so she thought, “this is just what boys do”.  She left home when she graduated from High School at 17.

Now more than 40 years later, she is still being bullied as she let her brothers back into her life hoping love would be there.  She is still tormented as  they are keeping her from seeing her father who is in a nursing home slowing succumbing to the disease of dementia.

She wants him to remember her as long as he can – but how can he when she is not allowed to see him?  She was hit, punched and tossed around by one of her brothers just recently.  That’s what she gets for leaving home?  Her brothers might say this, but NO!  These men are the same boys who bullied her when she was young.  Does it hurt?  Yes.  Will she survive and overcome?  Yes!  She has me and her loving friends who now know what she went through and is going through now.

I hope all of you who have been bullied or who are being bullied in ANY WAY can share your pain and overcome.  I will be wearing ORANGE on Friday.  I hope you do too.

Best Original Screenplay

1. Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg -The Kids Are All Right
2. David Seidler – The King’s Speech
3. Christopher Nolan – Inception
4. Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, John J. McLaughlin – Black Swan
5. Mike Leigh – Another Year
6. Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson – The Fighter
7. Derek Cianfrance – Blue Valentine

Best Adapted Screenplay

1. Aaron Sorkin – The Social Network
2. Joel and Ethan Coen – True Grit
3. Simon Beaufoy, Danny Boyle – 127 Hours
4. Debra Granik, Anne Rosselini – Winter’s Bone
5. Michael Arndt – Toy Story 3
6. Peter Craig, Ben Affleck, Aaron Stockard – The Town
7. William Davies, Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders – How to Train Your Dragon

Best Original Score

1. Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross – The Social Network
2. Hans Zimmer – Inception
3. Alexandre Desplat – The King’s Speech
4. AR Rahman – 127 Hours
5. Danny Elfman – Alice in Wonderland
6. Clint Mansell – Black Swan (Ineligible)
7. Alexandre Desplat – The Ghost Writer
8. Carter Burwell – True Grit (Ineligible)
9. Randy Newman – Toy Story 3

Chances are, if a film isn’t on one of those lists, it’s not going to get nominated. Still, making the master list below means there’s always a chance. Here are the lists.

Original screenplays

AGORA
ALL GOOD THINGS
ALPHA AND OMEGA
ANIMAL KINGDOM
ANOTHER YEAR
APARORIS
APPLAUSE
BIUTIFUL
BLACK SWAN
BLACK TULIP
BLUE VALENTINE
THE BOOK OF ELI
THE BOUNTY HUNTER
BROOKLYN’S FINEST
BURIED
BURLESQUE
CAIRO TIME
CASE 39
CASINO JACK
CITY ISLAND
THE CONCERT
CONVICTION
COP OUT
COUNTRY STRONG
CRAYON
CYRUS
DATE NIGHT
DAYBREAKERS
DEFENDOR
DESPICABLE ME
DEVIL
DREAMKILLER
THE DREAMS OF JINSHA
DROOL
THE DRY LAND
DUE DATE
EASY A
ESSENTIAL KILLING
EXPECTING MARY
THE EXPENDABLES
THE FIGHTER
FOUR LIONS
FRANKIE & ALICE
FROM PARIS WITH LOVE
FURRY VENGEANCE
GET LOW
GOING THE DISTANCE
GREENBERG
GROWN UPS
HAPPY TEARS
THE HARIMAYA BRIDGE
HARRY BROWN
HEARTBREAKER
HEAVEN’S RAIN
HEREAFTER
HIDEWAY (LE REFUGE)
HOLY ROLLERS
HOW DO YOU KNOW
HOWL
HUBBLE 3D
I AM LOVE
IDIOTS AND ANGELS
THE ILLUSIONIST
INCEPTION
INSIDE JOB
THE JONESES
JUST WRIGHT
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
KILLERS
THE KING’S SPEECH
KNIGHT AND DAY
THE LAST EXORCISM
LEAP YEAR
LEBANON
LEGION
LETTERS TO GOD
LETTERS TO JULIET
LIFE AS WE KNOW IT
LOTTERY TICKET
LOUIS
LOVE RANCH
MACHETE
MADE IN DAGENHAM
MEGAMIND
MICMACS
MIDDLE MEN
MISCONCEPTIONS
MONSTERS
MORNING GLORY
MOTHER AND CHILD
MY NAME IS KHAN
MY SOUL TO TAKE
NIGHT CATCHES US
OCEANS
ONDINE
THE OTHER GUYS
OUR FAMILY WEDDING
PLEASE GIVE
PREACHER’S KID
RED HILL
REMEMBER ME
ROBIN HOOD
ROZYCZKA
SALT
SEQUESTRO
SHE’S OUT OF MY LEAGUE
THE SICILIAN GIRL
SIX DAYS IN PARADISE
SKYLINE
SOLITARY MAN
SOMEWHERE
SPLICE
THE SPY NEXT DOOR
STONE
SUMMER WARS
TAKERS
3 BILLION AND COUNTING
THE TILLMAN STORY
TOOTH FAIRY
TOUCHING HOME
TRASH HUMPERS
UNBEATEN
UNSTOPPABLE
VALENTINE’S DAY
VAMPIRES SUCK
THE VIRGINITY HIT
WAITING FOR “SUPERMAN”
WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY
THE WARRIOR’S WAY
WATERCOLORS
WELCOME TO THE RILEYS
WHEN IN ROME
YOU AGAIN
YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER

Adapted screenplays

THE A-TEAM
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
THE AMERICAN
ANTON CHEKOV’S THE DUEL
BARNEY’S VERSION
CATS & DOGS: THE REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE
CHARLIE ST CLOUD
CHLOE
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER
CLASH OF THE TITANS
COCO CHANEL & IGOR STRAVINSKY
THE COMPANY MEN
THE CRAZIES
DEAR JOHN
DEATH AT A FUNERAL
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID
DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS
EAT PRAY LOVE
EDGE OF DARKNESS
THE EXTRA MAN
FAIR GAME
FLIPPED
FOR COLORED GIRLS
GET HIM TO THE GREEK
THE GHOST WRITER
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN
THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST
THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
GREEN ZONE
GULLIVER’S TRAVELS
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 1
HEMINGWAY’S GARDEN OF EDEN
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS
IRON MAN 2
IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY
JACK GOES BOATING
JOHN RABE
JONAH HEX
THE KARATE KID
KICK-ASS
THE LAST AIRBENDER
THE LAST SONG
LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA’HOOLE
LET ME IN
LIFE DURING WARTIME
LIKE DANDELION DUST
LITTLE FOCKERS
THE LOSERS
LOVE & OTHER DRUGS
MACGRUBER
MAO’S LAST DANCER
MARMADUKE
MY DOG TULIP
NANNY MCPHEE RETURNS
NEVER LET ME GO
THE NEXT THREE DAYS
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
NOWHERE BOY
THE NUTCRACKER IN 3D
127 HOURS
OSS 117 – LOST IN RIO
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2
PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF
THE PERFECT GAME
PIRANHA 3D
PREDATORS
PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME
PURE COUNTRY 2: THE GIFT
QUEEN OF THE LOT
RABBIT HOLE
RAMONA AND BEEZUS
RED
REPO MEN
RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE
THE RUNAWAYS
SAW 3D
SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD
SECRETARIAT
SEX AND THE CITY 2
SHREK FOREVER AFTER
SHUTTER ISLAND
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE
STEP UP 3D
THE SWITCH
TAMARA DREWE
TANGLED
THE TAQWACORES
THE TEMPEST
TINKER BELL AND THE GREAT FAIRY RESCUE
THE TOURIST
THE TOWN
TOY STORY 3
TRON: LEGACY
TRUE GRIT
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE
TYLER PERRY’S “WHY DID I GET MARRIED TOO?”
WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS
THE WAY BACK
WILD GRASS
WINTER’S BONE
THE WOLFMAN
A WOMAN, A GUN AND A NOODLE SHOP
YOGI BEAR
YOUTH IN REVOLT

Original Score

THE A-TEAM
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
THE AMERICAN
ANIMAL KINGDOM
ANOTHER YEAR
APAPORIS
BABIES
BARNEY’S VERSION
BIUTIFUL
BLACK TULIP
BROOKLYN’S FINEST
CHARLIE ST. CLOUD
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER
CLASH OF THE TITANS
CONVICTION
CYRUS
DAYBREAKERS
DESPICABLE ME
DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS
EDGE OF DARKNESS
THE EXPENDABLES
FAIR GAME
FOR COLORED GIRLS
FRANKIE & ALICE
GET LOW
THE GHOST WRITER
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 1
HEREAFTER
HOW DO YOU KNOW
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
HOWL
THE ILLUSIONIST
INCEPTION
INSIDE JOB
IRON MAN 2
JUST WRIGHT
THE KARATE KID
THE KING’S SPEECH
THE LAST AIRBENDER
LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA’HOOLE
LET ME IN
LOVE & OTHER DRUGS
MADE IN DAGENHAM
MAO’S LAST DANCER
MARMADUKE
MIDDLE MEN
MORNING GLORY
MOTHER AND CHILD
NEVER LET ME GO
THE NEXT THREE DAYS
OCEANS
127 HOURS
PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF
THE PERFECT GAME
PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME
PURE COUNTRY 2: THE GIFT
RABBIT HOLE
RAMONA AND BEEZUS
REMEMBER ME
ROBIN HOOD
SALT
SECRETARIAT
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
THE TEMPEST
TOOTH FAIRY
THE TOURIST
THE TOWN
TRON: LEGACY
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE
VAMPIRES SUCK
WAITING FOR “SUPERMAN”
WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS
THE WAY BACK
WILD GRASS
WINTER’S BONE
WRETCHES & JABBERERS
YOGI BEAR

There ya have it.  My favorite is MAO’S LAST DANCER.  Who says it can’t make the top?   Right-ee-oo, many.  It’s my top, so really now folks, does anything else matter………………………….?  Now now, no dart throwing or blood, I take the “Freedom of Speech” American-style.