Taking an acting class

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Taking an acting class

    Anyone taken an acting class? I recently watched "The Dialogue" interviews with Billy Ray and Paul Attanasio. They both mentioned that taking an acting class was one of the best things they've done for their writing. I think Attanasio said it was literally the best thing he'd done. I recently went to a Meisner class in LA taught by Bill Alderson (a direct descendant, as it were, of Meisner). Anyone studied acting, Meisner, etc? Have thoughts, experiences they want to share?
    Ever thus to deadbeats.

  • #2
    Re: Taking an acting class

    I was a drama major in college, though I didn't finish my degree. For various reasons I never took it any further, which I regret today.

    One thing about the experience, it broadened my appreciation of films I'd otherwise have never bothered to see.

    Currently I am an actor in a Haunted House attraction for the month of October, and prior to that I was in a short-lived comedy improv group.

    If you can find a community theater group locally, that's another great experience.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Taking an acting class

      Acting was a huge part of my entry into writing. I wanted to act in order to understand it's perspective and was hooked. Took several classes as well. Meisner is fabulous and was my initial school of training. However my acting career was a joke and plummeted until I found my true calling, screenwriting.

      My acting career was short but fun. I got an agent and landed a speaking role (two lines) in the Showtime series, Sleeper Cell. Both lines were cut, however I'm still in a cool scene where the leads come into my RV and buy some anthrax from me. I then got a role on the show Numbers as Will Patton's aide but was fired after the first episode. They found someone else. I did get to follow Patton around an entire episode and act like a bad-ass, it's still on TV all the time, so is the Sleeper Cell episode. I also got an amazing role on Will & Grace as one of Sean Haye's flings. I was a bus boy he picked up at a restaurant. The scene we shot apparently was "too racy" and was cut. However it was an incredible day I'll never forget. I hung out with the cast and crew all day and ate lunch with Sydney Pollack and Megan Mullally. That was pretty much it for me and I quit. The awesome part about that one was the producer never told me it was cut and I had a premiere party at my house for that episode with family and friends. Most embarrassing moment of my life indeed. I called the producer the next day and he apologized for not informing me. I looked like a tool.

      Anyway, I know no one cares about my mediocre acting career, but thought it was funny enough to share

      Yes, acting is good for writing and helped a lot actually. I found truth and character development much easier.

      Good luck

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Taking an acting class

        Originally posted by Telly View Post
        Acting was a huge part of my entry into writing. I wanted to act in order to understand it's perspective and was hooked. Took several classes as well. Meisner is fabulous and was my initial school of training. However my acting career was a joke and plummeted until I found my true calling, screenwriting.

        My acting career was short but fun. I got an agent and landed a speaking role (two lines) in the Showtime series, Sleeper Cell. Both lines were cut, however I'm still in a cool scene where the leads come into my RV and buy some anthrax from me. I then got a role on the show Numbers as Will Patton's aide but was fired after the first episode. They found someone else. I did get to follow Patton around an entire episode and act like a bad-ass, it's still on TV all the time, so is the Sleeper Cell episode. I also got an amazing role on Will & Grace as one of Sean Haye's flings. I was a bus boy he picked up at a restaurant. The scene we shot apparently was "too racy" and was cut. However it was an incredible day I'll never forget. I hung out with the cast and crew all day and ate lunch with Sydney Pollack and Megan Mullally. That was pretty much it for me and I quit. The awesome part about that one was the producer never told me it was cut and I had a premiere party at my house for that episode with family and friends. Most embarrassing moment of my life indeed. I called the producer the next day and he apologized for not informing me. I looked like a tool.

        Anyway, I know no one cares about my mediocre acting career, but thought it was funny enough to share

        Yes, acting is good for writing and helped a lot actually. I found truth and character development much easier.

        Good luck
        Your acting career may have been mediocre, but the story about it was top notch, my friend.

        Have you seen the show Unscripted? Your premiere party fiasco is, like, a mirror image of something that happens to one of the characters. Hilarious!
        Ever thus to deadbeats.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Taking an acting class

          Originally posted by NoTalentAssClown View Post
          YHave you seen the show Unscripted? Your premiere party fiasco is, like, a mirror image of something that happens to one of the characters. Hilarious!
          No I haven't, but I'm glad my pain is greenlit in sitcoms

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Taking an acting class

            Good story. i was hooked.
            You only get one chance to rewrite it 100 times.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Taking an acting class

              Originally posted by Telly View Post
              My acting career was short but fun. I got an agent and landed a speaking role (two lines) in the Showtime series, Sleeper Cell. Both lines were cut, however I'm still in a cool scene where the leads come into my RV and buy some anthrax from me. I then got a role on the show Numbers as Will Patton's aide but was fired after the first episode. They found someone else. I did get to follow Patton around an entire episode and act like a bad-ass, it's still on TV all the time, so is the Sleeper Cell episode. I also got an amazing role on Will & Grace as one of Sean Haye's flings. I was a bus boy he picked up at a restaurant. The scene we shot apparently was "too racy" and was cut. However it was an incredible day I'll never forget. I hung out with the cast and crew all day and ate lunch with Sydney Pollack and Megan Mullally. That was pretty much it for me and I quit. The awesome part about that one was the producer never told me it was cut and I had a premiere party at my house for that episode with family and friends. Most embarrassing moment of my life indeed. I called the producer the next day and he apologized for not informing me. I looked like a tool.
              How have I never heard these stories? Too cool.
              twitter.com/leespatterson

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Taking an acting class

                Originally posted by -XL- View Post
                How have I never heard these stories? Too cool.
                Once my wife let's me go out to play we'll grab a pint and I tell you some good ones. Miss you mate.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Taking an acting class

                  Very cool, Telly. Why did you quit?
                  Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

                  Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Taking an acting class

                    Originally posted by umo View Post
                    Very cool, Telly. Why did you quit?
                    Because I sucked and thought I could write better than I could act. That's yet to be proven by the way.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Taking an acting class

                      Originally posted by Telly View Post
                      Because I sucked and thought I could write better than I could act. That's yet to be proven by the way.
                      Ahh, don't be humble. You know you can write; we know you can write. The market just sucks right now.

                      But the access you'd have as an actor would be amazing to advance your writing career, yes?

                      And dayam, I LOVED SLEEPER CELL!
                      Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

                      Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Taking an acting class

                        Originally posted by umo View Post
                        But the access you'd have as an actor would be amazing to advance your writing career, yes?
                        I never pulled those strings, but a more aggressive writer might. I always wanted to succeed on my own merit, to my own demise of course. We'll see. But I did meet quite a few wonderful producers and directors along the way. If things get real bad, sure, I might someday take a longshot with phone call or two. But when my reps do their job, I shouldn't have to...yet.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Taking an acting class

                          My sister (she's the pretty one) met her second husband during her short-lived acting career. Not to mention other doors that opened for her. Yeah, she's pretty, and her acting skills are so-so (don't tell her I said that) but the point is she was "there".

                          Just sayin' a screenwriter is rarely seen in front of the camera--that would make you & your work much more visible and marketable IMHO--with or w/o a rep.
                          Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

                          Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Taking an acting class

                            I'd also suggest writers take improv classes.

                            BTW: Nice story, Telly. Feel for you on that party scene.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Taking an acting class

                              Originally posted by umo View Post
                              ...that would make you & your work much more visible and marketable IMHO--with or w/o a rep.
                              It's an interesting theory Umo, I'm just not sure it really works in practice (RE opening doors). I think on the surface it looks like it should, but from my experience the benefit was understanding how scripts translate on set and through the actors voice. It was purely an educational experience. Using acting as a "way in" was never my intention and I'm not sure if it would really work.

                              In my position as an actor, nudging the producers during or even after a shoot with a screenwriting motive, for me, would be unprofessional and would come off just as lame as some guy who handed a script to a producer while he was eating at a restaurant. I don't know, it just NEVER felt like an appropriate thing to do on major studio sets. Yes, you could develop friendships with producers but like anything, if you're forcing that friendship with ulterior motives, it will be sniffed out and you'll end up being a douche.

                              In all likelihood, the friends you might make will either be production assistants or at best a 2nd AD. Usually, it's just other actors and to be honest, other starving actors will usually have zero benefit to your writing endeavors. I mean, as a small role on set, befriending the director, producer or even 1st AD is a LONG-shot at best.

                              I'm not saying it can't happen, just not very practical as a means to break in as a screenwriter. Landing the real acting jobs in front of people who matter is hard enough. Befriending those people when it happens is even harder.

                              Acting used as a tool to expand your knowledge of truth in film and dialogue is an excellent idea. Beyond that, stick to writing the best scripts you can and use the industry avenues that have been proven to work. For me, acting is not one of those avenues to "break in".

                              That's been my experience.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X