Putting the audience "in the moment"

I recently saw a video of Meryl Streep in which she shares what an actor has within them. All actors have studied method acting, and many other techniques that have been taught for decades. I totally get it. I was once in theatre and did the same thing. Pulling it out of me.   

 

As I have grown older, I worked on being a healthier human being in all areas in my life. It's a choice I made for myself. When I started to act almost five years ago, I was studying acting again and remembered a lot of what I had learned in my drama classes when I was younger. As an adult, I honestly didn't like it.  

 

My manager in Los Angeles encouraged me to attend a webinar in 2013 and I discovered a new "method" of acting; a unique and innovative technique where I didn't need to go down within myself to bring it out for the audience. I thought to myself, this is the technique I choose to use in my acting career. It was a healthier way to act. I read this man’s book, Action/ReAction, and it made logical sense to me. So I studied with him and learned this new technique for acting without getting into my psychic, down within my heart, mind, body and soul. This man is a director and wears many hats in the film industry. He created this technique for himself to have better actors for his productions back in the 80’s and 90’s. He didn't put it in a book and teach it back then, he just taught it to his tribe, a repertory company he created in Hollywood that had hundreds of actors.  

 

I'm so grateful he decided to put his technique in a book and began teaching the Action/Reaction technique. This is a book directors, producers and actors all need to read and learn this technique and language. In life, it is important to grow and get better with whatever it is we are doing. Well, in my opinion this is better than the rest. I choose to be a healthy, a well grounded actor. The man’s name is Stephen Mitchell. Thank you, Stephen, for sharing your experience and for creating Action/Reaction. I'm forever grateful!  

 

For those seasoned actors out there that cannot grasp the concept of getting out of what you have learned for decades. Check out this self taped footage I made for an audition. I only used Stephen Mitchell's technique. Can you tell the difference? The idea is not to feel the emotions but to make the audience feel them; to put the viewer in the moment: https://vimeo.com/165607341  

Stephen had seen too many actors in Hollywood stay in a state of depression after playing a depressing role unable get out of it because no one teaches how to get out of it.   

 

I suggest you read Action/Reaction and get in touch with Stephen Mitchell. You have a choice now, so choose wisely for your acting career. Stay well, in mind, body, soul and spirit.   

 

Remember this is just a job and maybe a lifestyle but it's not your life. Enjoy and be well!  

 

 

Judy talks about Alex Kendrick

I have been in this industry for a while now, and have been in many different productions playing all sorts of roles. I know now what my goals are after seeing and working with so many people.

I have been blessed to know and study with Stephen Mitchell for years. I admire his gifts and talents and for sharing them. I have grown to really have fun in acting the roles I’ve played, but also in screenwriting, producing, directing, and cinematography. The world of film making has so many roles that I can switch from one role to the other. What is important to me is working with professionals, that have an A game and brings their A game at all times, starting with communicating, being a man or woman of their word, following through to complete a project.

I was present at an event that a Christian radio station sponsored in my area. The speaker was promoting a film he made, he shared how he got started in the industry, the mistakes he has made along the way and how he kept going. He inspired me. I have seen his films and enjoyed them immensely. This man is a man of God and I admire him and his ethics. His name is Alex Kendrick, I desire to work with him because he writes, produces, directs and acts in his own films, he does it all! I like his films because they are wholesome and faith based. I enjoy working with like minded people.

I can only imagine working on a production with his team. Praying before the screenplay, funding, director, producers, all the players. And everyday on set praying first before we start rolling with the cast and crew. What a glorious day that would be, to be working with like minded people honoring our Father in Heaven with our calling.

Judy Go Wong talks about The Matriarch

Q: What is The Matriarch?

Judy: The Matriarch is a one-woman show written for me by writer, director Stephen Mitchell. It is a comedy about an affluent woman making a video to send to her family members on a DVD, in which she disinherits them all and innumerate her reasons.

Q: Tell us about the character you play?

Judy: She is a woman that is educated, sophisticated, of high society and realizes she needs to take control of her families misconduct over their free will of spending her fortune.

Q: What aspect of a new relationship does this piece address?

Judy: As we go through the play, we come to understand that while lots of decisions are made and considerations weighed giving one lots to think about and discuss, it is apparent that relationships form in a fraction of a second and we spend a great deal of time, if not the rest of our lives, dealing with the consequences of that split second.

Q: Was this produced expressly for television?

Judy: Yes, The Matriarch is available to rent or purchase on Amazon Streaming Video and DVD's are available on CreateSpace.

Branding

There is a documentary on Netflix called "That Guy". It cracked me up because it is so true. It's about a ton of actors that had never been branded and they have been in the entertaining business for a long while.

Strangers would approach them saying, "I've seen you before... Where did I see you? Oh, I know your that guy on that show... What was the name of that show again? You played a.....? The actors always hated that because people would want them to list what shows they had been on. It didn't make them feel very good.

Stephen Mitchell, the author of Action/ReAction, talks about branding in his book along with many other topics. Branding is very important to your career. As we all know, Clint Eastwood's emotional brand is antagonism, Julie Andrews' is enthusiasm, Woody Allan is anxiety. The list goes on and on for the well known actors. If you do not know that it is important to get branded you will end up... That Guy or That Girl.

I don't know about you but I don't want people to know me as That Girl in that show. So I connected with Stephen Mitchell to learn more from him because I truly desire to go as far as I can in my career. He has a lot of gifts, one being... he is able to "brand" anyone who studies with him. By being branded, I know what roles I am best at playing. I know in our field as actors we just want to work... Nothing wrong with that but I want more than that so I decided to be coached by a pro. Now I go after the the roles I enjoy playing most. It really helps to have a focus on my acting career.

So if you are serious about your career and you're tired of the hit and miss roles you've played in the past. I highly recommend you get connected with Stephen Mitchell. Whether you are a seasoned, mild or a new actor it is truly worth investing in yourself. Get his book, contact him, study hard and be a stellar actor!!! Best to you.

Submitting for jobs with inadequate tools leaves you with no auditions or bookings...

I notice a constant stream of ads for a prime time show on television asking for actors to submit for principal roles and background. Someone I know of (starting out in this industry) has submitted countless times this year. And she never got called in, not even for background! So, I've been wondering why haven't they called her yet? She fits the role perfectly! So I asked her to send me the head shot, resume and full length picture that she sent to the agency. She sent it immediately!

I see why they haven't called her. This agency is a pro in casting and they will not give her a call due to what she sent was not a head shot and her resume was too hard for them to read, it was in sentences (will talk about resume format another day).

What needs to be done is we need to make it easy for the casting directors and associates. They work so hard... They go through SO, SO many head shots and resumes that they do not have the time to try to picture you in the role. If the role asks for a nurse from the 1800's don't send in a shot of yourself looking like a biker in the 80's. Have some common sense to fit that description to the best of your knowledge. You are only wasting there time and having hopeful ideas of being cast. I'm not suggesting to spend a boat load of money in costume but look the part best as you can.

Put effort and thought into what you are submitting for. My last blog was on getting a professional head shot and I really mean it. YOU NEED A PROFESSIONAL HEAD SHOT! If you can't afford one just yet, then save up money before you submit. Really think about whether you really want to work as a professional actor. Think hard... Because you'll need to invest time and money in your new business. Every business needs presentable tools to promote their business. You are selling yourself and your talents. You must treat your career as a business.

Now on the flip side of this story. Someone I know had submitted for a role she really wanted and knows she can play the role very well. The agency wanted to see a picture of her in elegance wardrobe. She said she didn't have one. That was the end of that conversation! This young lady was not pleased that casting couldn't just picture her in costume. They wouldn't even let her come in for an audition unless she took a picture in elegance wardrobe for them to review.

I informed her that casting does not have time for picturing you in elegance nor will casting try to convince their client that you could look the part. They really need to see it. So she got a friend to take her picture in elegance wardrobe and she sent the picture into the agency and she immediately got invited to audition for this role. And this young lady is so excited! Now, you see it really works! Do the right thing and help out casting and show them you fit the role don't make them guess because they simply won't! And take a guess who looses out?

People sometimes ask me...

People sometimes ask me, “How can I get acting jobs in my metropolitan area?” I tell them, “In lots of ways!” I live in the Washington, D.C. area. There are plenty of jobs for actors, models and voiceover talent. In fact, any city within corporate America has jobs for us in the entertainment field. Every organization needs to promote and advertise their products and services. We are the faces and voices on print work, posters and brochures and for screen work for television, film and websites.

Make sure you have a professional head shot. I do not mean a glamor shot. I mean a head shot that truly captures your brand (more on branding later). Go on Google and look at sites for photographers in your area. Notice that many photographers take adequate or even nice pictures, but just a handful of photographers seem to capture a brand. For example, you can compare other photographers with Joe Henson, the head shot expert from New York. Check out Joe Henson's site and see if you can see the difference between “good” and “expert” results.

A stellar brand head shot of you shows what you are selling and promoting to directors, producers, agents and casting directors. Grab your current head shot right now and look at it. Are you humbly proud of how it looks? Are you thrilled to hand it to entertainment professionals?  When you mail it out, do you expect good feedback and good results?

Your head shot (along with your monologue and voiceover reel) are your business cards in the industry. Work on your headshot now so that it raises your confidence.

I’ll blog about branding, monologues and voiceover reels another day... Until then, stay healthy and focus on your trade. Be disciplined and work on something on a daily basis in your trade to be better for the next day, next audition, next booking.

Shoot for the moon because if you miss you'll be a star!

Judy Go Wong as The Matriarch