72 Hours, 15 People, and 1 Film: How'd we do?

Last year around this time I told you what I learned working on a film for the Playhouse West 72 Hour Film Festival and I showed you the short we made.  I had such a great time, I formed a team and did it again this year with one small change: I directed the short.

So, the question is: did I learn from my lessons last year?  Mostly. 

But, there were some things I forgot and more lessons learned:

1. Having a huge cast can be a lot to handle in a 5 minute film.  I am proud to say that every member of my 13 person cast got a line and a close-up.  This was not easy to do.
2. Cat allergies are really rampant in this industry.  Seriously, we need zyrtec in every make-up bag.
3. Ladies like to wear very tall high heels.  When you have height differences of a foot between some of your actors, tall girls are going to have to do without them.  Oh, and they still make lots of noise on hardwood floors, in case you 're wondering.
4. Radio Flyer wagons with somewhat deflated tires are only slightly better at dollying than an office chair.  I would like to own some sort of real dolly by next year.
5. Next time I am aiming for a 4 page script.  This year we had exactly 5 pages and the first cut was still way too long.
6. Err on the side of too many takes.  (At some point during the shoot I turned into Ed Wood - "Was she is focus? did we get all her lines on camera?"-Me  "Yes, but, she fell over the table and knocked down a light."-Someone with more sense than me  "I'm sure we don't even see it.  Great, moving on!"-Me)  You and your editor will be so much happier with a wider selection.
7. I could have used a script supervisor: one too many takes unusable because of a glass being in the wrong hand, etc.
8. Once again, we created a film in a weekend.  So, why aren't we doing this at least once a month?

A few lessons still to be learned, but I am excited to say that our short won Best Comedic Short of the 72 Hour Film Festival!  You can watch it here: Little Bride Lie.

It's the hardest thing to do: JUST RELAX!

Right now I am in a post-Olympic, pre Fall TV season malaise.  So, I'm taking an online literature class to fill my time.  I'm telling you this so you know I have a darn good excuse for being late with my blog this week: I was writing a term paper on the theme of science vs faith in "Dracula" (makes me sound really smart, huh?)  Well, now that I'm finished writing and on to reading "Frankenstein" I figured I would take a break and write about my last piece of Olympic inspired acting advice.

JUST RELAX.

I found it fascinating watching how different athletes prepared for their events.  A big theme was relaxation.  One of my favorites was the high jumper who sang to herself while she waited for her turn.  She wasn't focusing on how high she was going to jump or going through the motions, she was just singing.  Or how about all the divers hanging out in the hot tub between dives?  Yes, it allows their muscles to stay warm, but it also relaxes them.  By relaxing an athlete can rely on all their training to come forward and they will actually do better by not thinking about what they have to do.

Acting is similar.  You go to classes and work day after day perfecting your technique.  Then when you get a script you pour over it, figuring out every single moment.  Then here is the tough part: you let all that go.  Once you are on stage or film, you can't be thinking about what you are about to do or worrying about the moments coming up because when you do that, you'll lose the moment right in front of you.

A key for me before any audition or show is to relax.  I don't sit there going over my lines in my head, because they should already be there.  You have to have done the work ahead of time and be able to trust in it.  I got a great piece of advice once: the moment before you begin an audition or go on stage - yawn really big.  This immediately relaxes your jaw and helps get rid of tension in your face and neck. 

Okay, well back to reading "Frankenstein."  Anyone got suggestions on essays topics for this one?

Believing You Belong Here

Watching the coverage of the Olympics, one of the announcers said a very interesting quote:

Confidence is a little voice inside your head that tells you that you belong here.

(I've done a little Googling and couldn't find the original source, so if anyone knows it please pass it on to me.)

As an actor, you find yourself in lots of intimidating situations like auditions, table reads, your first day on a new set.  Actors know that their job is always tenuous.  Just look at Eric Stoltz who shot for 5 weeks on "Back to the Future" before being replaced by Michael J. Fox.  That feeling of being replaceable is something that always sits somewhere in the back of my mind.

But, all that is in my head and it's my job to change the dialogue in there.  Change that little voice inside my head.  Of course, I know it isn't that easy. 

I wish I was one of those people who just exudes confidence that has never known a place they didn't belong.  My problem is that whenever I do get something I think it's a fluke.   And just try to give me a compliment - I am a master at deflecting them. 

Since confidence doesn't come naturally to me at all, I'm going to have to pretend.  Maybe if I pretend enough, I'll be able to change that little voice inside my head