The exception to the rule is the rule in show business…

Why we should follow the example of Irving 'Swifty' Lazaar...

P.T. Barnum and the Lamborghini Miura

Show business can't wait until someone calls "Action!"

The P.R. interview

Why it is important and how to prepare one...

Agents! Agents? Agents...

How do you get an agent? When do you need an agent? What does an agent want?

How to orchestrate an acting performance (and why you should)

Why paying attention to this can take your acting to the next level. Try it!

When one door closes, another slams open in your face

Acting: A cynic's perfect paradise or reflections on keeping one's head above water for as long as possible...

Are you a franchise or an employee?

A philosophical approach to acting can change not only the way you perceive yourself with regard to the industry but the results you achieve as well.

Mentors and mentoring

No one succeeds in the entertainment business without receiving help from somebody...

Smart marketing (versus sending out resumes)

Smart marketing makes your public want what you've got. In your experience, does submitting resumes to casting notices accomplish that?

"Is there anything else I need to know about the character?"

No! You don't need to know anything about the character! Find out why I say this...

The three types of actors

I encourage actors to think of their careers in strategic terms and to approach their acting from the perspective of taking control of what may seem to be uncontrollable.

Playing the game within the game

Once you have mastered the art of playing a character, there is another layer of performance you can confront. It isn't in the script and you have to give yourself permission to author and implement it but it can and will take you to another level as an actor.

Tonality

In my book, Action/ReAction, I advise actors to think of themselves as singer/dancers as the rules of those disciplines apply very effectively to speaking dialogue and expressing emotion. In this podcast, I talk about the use of vocal tonality in making a performance more organic.

That which makes you different

The better defined a product is, the easier it is to market and that which makes you different is what defines you for the audience. Let's find out...

How to do a sex scene (and other branded actions) for the screen

Everything you do on screen sends a message about you, the story and other things as well so it is best that an actor understand the impact of his or her actions--nothing should be random or arbitrary.

How a brand can propel bigger & better roles for an actor

“Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.”

This quote from Miles Davis was meant for musicians but is particularly applicable to actors and points to the essential part of acting. Dialogue is only 20% of the performance.

Branding vs typecasting for an actor

Branding and typecasting are at the opposite ends of the spectrum for an actor. Learn the difference and the consequences of each as it affects your career.

The importance of subliminal communication in acting

Most of what you communicate as an actor--both on and off the screen--transacts at a subliminal level. Learn what you are communicating and how to tailor your message to convey that you are a seasoned professional worthy of upgraded roles.