Category: Uncategorized

Are Online Acting Classes Worth It?

Online acting classes; man sitting at white table with his laptop, smiling

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I did what all acting studios had to do and moved my classes online. Now that I’m offering in-person classes again, I can reflect back on almost two years of online-only classes to answer this question: are online acting classes worth it?

In my honest opinion, there are pros and cons to acting online versus in person. 

The Pros of Online Acting Classes:

  • If you are new to acting and feel nervous, taking a class from your home feels comfortable and safe
  • You can act with scene partners from all over the world
  • You get to see other people’s acting close up and study them better
  • Your acting teacher sees YOU close up and can give you detailed feedback
  • You get comfortable being on camera

The Cons of Online Acting Classes:

  • You don’t get to fully block the scenes
  • You can’t work with your scene partner in person
  • You miss out on the energy of in-person classes

In my experience, online classes can still be fun, educational, and challenging. They are a great place for new actors to find their footing or for experienced actors to challenge themselves with a new medium. Plus, getting comfortable being on camera is a great way to prepare for doing self-tapes and virtual auditions, which are more common now than ever.

I also think that you can feel a lot of energy in online acting classes. In my classes, we spend the first part of class doing movement and focus exercises so that everyone is alert and engaged. 

Final Thoughts 

Good acting can transcend the online experience. When two actors do a scene together that they have emotionally prepared, which is another skill I teach my students, it feels like the walls of Zoom go away and you are watching a movie in real-time. 

The connection that the scene partners have can penetrate through the screen and it feels like they are in the same room together. At the end of class, you are amazed that you just witnessed such powerful work on Zoom! 

While I am excited to return to in-person acting classes in Austin, I appreciate the time I’ve spent with my students online, and I plan to continue offering both online and in-person classes. You can also book an online one-on-one coaching session with me. Contact me today to start your acting career on the right foot.    

How to Take Headshots For Acting

how to take headshots for acting
Photo by Joseph Gonzalez

My students always want to know how to start acting in Austin. After you have some training under your belt, it’s a good idea to get headshots made.

If you want to know how to take headshots for acting, keep reading. I’m going to give you all my best tips and the best Austin headshot photographers to book.

Use a Professional Headshot Photographer

Agents and casting directors can instantly tell between a professional and amateur headshot, so it’s worth paying for an experienced photographer. There are about to be more professional acting opportunities in Austin than ever before, which means you need a professional headshot to get an audition.

My favorite Austin headshot photographers are Kathy Whittaker and Steven Noryko. You can check out their portfolio pages to get an idea of what a good headshot should look like. Kathy Whittaker took my student DeAnna Ryan’s headshots, and DeAnna used them to get a background part on the CW tv show WALKER!

Create Character Prototypes

Your headshots say a lot about the type of characters you can play. Like it or not, a casting director will take one look at your headshot and decide what parts you are right for, and which ones you aren’t.

You can use this to your advantage and create character prototypes when you’re taking your headshots. For example, if you think you could play a nurturing character like a nurse or teacher, you can plan a whole headshot look around that character type.

Before your session, write a bio for your character. Choose wardrobe, hairstyle, and make-up based on what that character would look like. You can even bring in the music that helps you get into character to play during the session.

Create a couple of prototypes so that you have a variety of characters you can play. When you’re submitting headshots for auditions, you can choose the one that best matches the role you’re going out for.

DeAnna’s headshots are a great example of this. She created one “tough girl” look and one “straight-A student” look. When she is going out for auditions, she can use the right headshot based on the role, and it will help the casting director see her in that part.

how to take headshots for acting
Photos by Kathy Whitaker

Master “the Squinch”

New York photographer Peter Hurley has popularized the concept of “the squinch” in headshot photography. It’s a simple move that makes you look more photogenic.

He says that most people do a deer in the headlights look on camera. Squinching is when you slightly pinch your lower eyelid. It is NOT squinting, it’s a much more subtle movement that makes you look more confident.

Think about lifting your lower eyelid and just slightly lowering your top lid. I recommend practicing in front of the camera before your session so you can master it.

How to Take Headshots For Acting

Following these tips will make all the difference in good headshots vs bad headshots, and a good headshot will distinguish you from other actors.

Headshots are a great step on the path to becoming a professional actor; however, you need to start with training. Are you ready to take acting classes in Austin, TX? Sign up today to start honing your craft.

How to Memorize Lines Like a Pro

how to memorize lines

Memorizing lines is a crucial part of becoming an actor, but almost every actor has trouble with it. Yes, even the movie stars.

Luckily, there are some simple methods you can try to help you memorize your lines faster and make sure they stick. In this guide, I’m going to break down my top seven tips for how to memorize lines.

1. Try Retrieval Practice

Instead of reading and re-reading your script, put it down and quiz yourself. Recite as many of your lines from memory as you can, and then check yourself.  Memorizing this way will show you which lines you can easily retrieve and which ones you need to work on more.

2. Use Spaced Repetition

Don’t cram or practice your lines in one long sitting. Take breaks. Test your memory by spacing out your recitations.

3. Start at Different Spots in the Script

Thanks to the primacy and recency effect, our brains naturally remember the first and last things we see. This is why you feel really confident about the beginning and end of your monologue, but the middle is mushy. To combat this, focus on the spots in your script that need more attention.

4. Memorize Lines in Chunks

This tip is particularly helpful for learning how to memorize a monologue. Go back to your script analysis, break your monologue up into 3 acts and memorize your lines by acts. Breaking up the script into chunks will make it more manageable. 

5. Change Up Your Location

There is a phenomenon called state-dependent learning. Essentially, when we learn something, the environment we’re in becomes tied to what we learned. That’s why we have a hard time remembering our lines in the audition room when we learned our lines in the kitchen. Try practicing in different places like the gym, on a walk, while you’re doing the dishes, or simply in different rooms of your house.

6. Learn the Why Behind the Words

Exploring the meaning of the lines will help you remember them better. Pay close attention to the words. Think about why your character is using those exact words. If you have a clear understanding of the WHY behind your words, they will stick more easily.

7. Use the Image-Based Memory Technique

The human mind has a strong affinity to images. It remembers images better than anything else. While you’re learning your lines, look for the imagery in the words. The more vivid the images, the better you will remember the words. 

Final Thoughts On How to Memorize Lines

Memorizing lines is no one’s favorite part of acting, but it’s a crucial part of the craft. Different actors will do better with different memorization techniques. Try them all so that you can figure out which ones make learning how to memorize lines the easiest for you. 

If you’re ready to take acting classes in Austin, Texas at DuPuy Acting Studio, check out class info here.

Bold Behavior Makes for a Memorable Audition

UnknownWhen an actor prepares for an audition, making bold choices are more memorable than “safe” ones. Additionally, bold choices that remain true to the writer’s intent are the best choices. Actors and writers are both storytellers, however it’s the writer’s job to write the story, and the actor’s job to bring the writer’s characters to life.

To honor the writer’s intent, an actor will analyze the writer’s script by first identifying the circumstances, or the facts, of the story. If the circumstances are not given directly by the writer, the actor can infer the circumstances based on what is given. Sometimes, however, little information is offered to the actor so he or she will rely on his or her imagination to boldly conjure up the answers to the following circumstantial questions:

What is going on? What is the event?  An event could be an employee asking his boss for a raise; a doctor informing her patient that he has cancer;  a young man begging his girlfriend to stay with him. Or it could be something as simple as a father reading a bedtime story to his sleepy son.

Who am I? What’s my age? My vocation? My socioeconomic level? My level of education? And another important consideration is – what is the nature of my relationship with the other character in the scene? Are we married, newlyweds, or have we been married for 20 years and the passion has withered away? Are we old friends whom we trust with our lives? Or are we old friends who now strongly dislike each other? Are we mortal enemies? Loving or estranged family members? Cordial or competitive co-workers? A falsely accused (or guilty) criminal being interrogated by a sadistic (or fair) detective?

Where is it happening? The location of a scene is an often overlooked, but an extremely important and informative circumstance. People behave in certain ways depending upon where they are. A man will whisper in a church, but yell at a football game. A woman will tap her feet, shift her weight and sigh audibly while impatiently waiting in line at Starbucks, but sit frozenly on the medical exam table, holding her breath, as she anxiously awaits the doctor’s return to reveal her prognosis. A teenager will move cautiously in a dark alley but in a more relaxed and unselfconscious way in his bedroom.

When is it happening? The “when” takes into account the year, the season, the month and the time of day. Imagine your character is in a bar at 11 am. How would his behavior change in that same bar at 2am? (Also taking into account his level of inebriation.)  What century is it? Does your character live in the future? Is your character coming in from a winter storm? How would that affect her behavior?

Circumstances have a powerful influence on the behavior of a character. Often a character’s behavior is more interesting (and even more revealing of their true motives) to watch than the text he or she is saying. At an audition, when an actor makes the delivery of the words the top priority, he or she will be making “safe” (and often unconscious) choices and likely their performance will be unmemorable.

What’s the right acting technique for you?

What’s the right technique for you?

Unknown

Acting teachers are often guilty of holding onto a single technique they teach. Essentially they tell their students, “My way is the only way!” They may even disparage the techniques of other teachers in town. This condemnation may be rooted in their passion for their craft, but more than likely, it’s a product of fear; they are threatened by the competition.

But make no mistake, students! There is no one legitimate way to act. No technique can guarantee that you’ll will be cast or become a brilliant actor. If a teacher tells you that her or his way is the only way, walk away!

My recommendation to you is to check out any and all methods, and the teachers who teach them, in your town. Request a brief interview with the teacher, ask questions and see if their approach resonates with you. Trust your gut!

Finding the Right Acting Teacher, Step # 2

imagesSo you have taken the first step in finding the right acting teacher by avoiding the acting gurus. The second step is to ferret out the dishonest ones. As much as you may want to hear, “I can make you a star!”  it’s a deceptive claim and you need to run, not walk, from the teacher who promises that outcome.

At best, a good acting teacher can introduce you to the exercises, skills and practices that will uncover your pre-existing talent, mine it, shape it and ultimately allow you to express it in unique ways.  Some teachers may have access to agents, casting directors and producers, but any promise to further your career, other than providing you the skills required to do the job, is suspect. This includes teachers who suggest that by taking their class, you may be cast in the next movie they are writing, directing or producing.

If an acting teacher (or school) promises you an agent, a manager or acting work – based on signing a contract and paying a fee for the company’s classes and amazing career-launching services -JUST SAY NO.  Legitimate schools never promise students anything other than quality acting classes taught by skilled teachers.

Do your homework. Check on the internet, the Better Business Bureau or your local city and or law enforcement officials for complaints before associating yourself with any acting school  or teacher that offers expensive (and overcrowded) classes or a fast-track to stardom.

Bottom line, if it sounds too good to be true, it is!