Talent Is Common; Workmanship Is Rare: An Article For Beginners and Professionals

Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on printMore Sharing Services1 by Jason Bennett (2010 Runner !p for Best "cting #oach in $%#&

"cting an' singing talent is far more common than most reali(e) But professional artists know talent is not at all enough to sign with a lea'ing agent an' maintain a career in film* television* theatre or musical theatre)

+his article contains a ,sample menu, of the main ingre'ients of ,artistic workmanship), -orkmanship is ,the pro'uct or result of labor an' skill. work e/ecute'), +he artistic workmanship re0uire' to be a professional actor an' singer is where most aspiring performers (an' professionals& fall short)

1o to any open call au'ition an' it2s clear most performers in the waiting area have little artistic training or mastery of the workmanship of being a professional) "n' what3s worse* most of them have no i'ea they have no i'ea)

+he below sample menu is meant to inspire4 5t is i'ealistic an' 'uring some phases of our lives* unrealistic) 5t shows how much 'e'ication an' commitment it takes to cultivate raw talent* establish an' maintain an artistic career) +his work has a si'e effect of being life changing in the most won'erful ways) -e2ll keep the below list simple* because a book coul' be written about each item)

"t +he Jason Bennett "ctor2s -orkshop* you stu'y whatever you nee' from this list) "ll this applies e0ually to film* television* theater or musical theater6

1) %ou e/ercise for at least 78 minutes* five times per week)

2) %ou know all about the latest views on nutrition My two favorite health sites* base' on years of research* are 'rmercola)com an' lef)org)

9) %ou get enough sleep) +he vast ma:ority of people in in'ustriali(e' nations are sleep 'eprive' an' ignorant of how essential a'e0uate sleep is)

"'e0uate sleep* proper nutrition an' a comprehensive e/ercise routine are re0uire' for optimal talent e/pression the highest levels of creativity* emotional e/pressiveness* memory retention* immune health* fat burning* muscle buil'ing* energetic en'urance* intelligence* etc) Books are written about these sub:ects an' their relationship to creativity)

7) "t least three 'ays per week* you free write for 20 minutes everything) ;ave the intention to really e/press yourself on the 'eepest levels* but it 'oesn2t have to be smart* seem talente' or be profoun') 5t clears you an' helps connect you to your highest intelligence an' creativity) See Julia #ameron2s* +he "rtist2s -ay)

8) %ou keep a :ournal by your be' an' write 'own any 'reams you can remember. an' you note any 'ay'reams you have) +his connects you to your talent because your 'reams <are< your talent) =reams solve your acting problems an' life problems when you learn their language) -e stu'y a'vance' 'ream psychology in our school because it lea's even the most establishe' performers to higher levels of fulfillment an' creativity)

>) 5t shoul' be a habit to know an' e/press how you feel on the 'eepest levels) Most people go through their 'ay with no i'ea what is really going on insi'e) ;ow 'o you feel? $o* really* how 'o you really feel? "re you e/pressing it? @in' a safe way to e/press how you feel physically an' vocally) "ctors an' singers must be free4 +his shoul' be 'eeply ingraine' in you) Spen' at least five minutes a 'ay improvising with soun' an' movement*

e/pressing how you feel)

A) #ultivate 'eep listening an' communication) Most people 'on2t listen to each other) Really listening means feeling another3s energy. listening to the nuance an' many layers of their voice. very specifically observing their bo'y as they communicate. hearing the wor's* but also sensing the intentions an' feelings un'erneath the wor's) +his takes specific training to increase energetic* sensory awareness an' communication for most* because our culture is communicatively retar'e') @or the great actor an' singer* 'eep listening an' communication is automatic an' the result of years of work) "n'* we work on staying open our entire lives)

B) %ou take si/ hours of 'ance or movement classes per week* specific to your nee's)

C) %ou take at least eight hours of acting classes per week* specific to your current nee's)

10) %ou vocali(e* whether you2re a singer or not* at least four hours per week) %ou take group voice classes for actors for four hours per week* an' i'eally at least one private hour with a voice teacher singer or not)

11) %ou stu'y yoga) Dripalu yoga is the best yoga for performers) +his is a conclusion reache' after 1A years of my stu'ying 'iverse yoga metho's)

12) %ou are always rea'ing a book about acting the newest* most comprehensive books) #onsi'er books about acting an' the business by Eric Morris* Farry Moss* Seth Barrish* Brian G2$eil* Haul Russell an' others) +he newest books about performing are far more sophisticate' than the ol') My own book will be publishe' in a couple years)

19) %ou see one play per week* whether you2re into film* television or theater) %ou see one movie per week) %ou rea' two plays or screenplays per week* written by awar' winning* respecte' writers)

17) %ou2ve been in great acting* voice an' movement classes for years) "n' so you warm yourself up at least three times per week* using tools an' metho's from all these classes* for at least an hour)

18) %ou2re always working on a new monologue or song)

1>) %ou2re always learning about psychology relevant to great acting =ynamics* integral philosophy* +he Hsychology of Selves* archetypal psychology an' humanistic psychology)

Spiral

1A) %ou2re an e/pert on the business of acting) %ou wake up every 'ay an' rea' the latest au'ition notices an' theater news at $%#astings)com* Hlaybill)com* Iariety)com* Backstage)com an' more) %ou know who the castings 'irectors are in $ew %ork an' Fos "ngeles) %ou get to know their personalities an' their likes an' 'islikes) %ou know who the agents are an' who their ma:or clients are) %ou know all the significant theaters* pro'ucers* 'irectors* screenwriters an' playwrights) %ou stay up to 'ate on how the in'ustry is constantly changing reels* vi'eo resumJs* hea'shots* electronic submissions* mailings* showcases* internships* an' on an' on)

1B) %ou2re always practicing altering your state of min' an' being) +he great actor an' singer is fascinate' by what it feels like to be all kin's of people) -ho is that person? -hy are they moving that way? -hy 'o they soun' that way? -hat are they thinking about? ;ow 'o they feel? Gbserve it. embo'y it) +his shoul' be a habit) %ou2re always in some kin' of consciousness training therapy* spiritual workshops* acting classes* etc)

1C) +he actor an' singer is 'eeply informe' about what is going on in the worl') %ou can2t feel a full range of energies 'eeply unless you are connecte' to the worl' 'eeply) %ou can2t have any artistic vision or know what kin's of stories nee' to be tol' if you are not connecte' to what is going on in people2s lives on profoun' levels) 1o to #ommon'reams)org* =emocracynow)org* ;uffingpost)com* beyon' the regular corporate ,news, outlets) Every successful performing artist knows that if the news is coming from a large corporation* it2s mostly :unk) %ou have to search to really fin' out

what2s going on in this worl')

20) 1reat actors an' singers are curious* skeptical an' open min'e') %ou watch 'ocumentaries that may* at first* seem absur' to you) %ou go places outsi'e your ,bubble*, to all kin's of churches* to all kin's of communities) %ou talk to an' spen' time with all kin's of people) %ou can put your :u'gments asi'e an' your upbringing asi'e* so you are free to really e/plore all kin's of worl's* people* values an' cultures) %ou treat yourself an' others with respect an' love)

"s state' before* this list is incomplete an' i'ealistic) $o one can 'o all the things on this list each week) "n' there is a lot left off this list4 But* the truth is respecte' performers have phases of their lives* often lasting years* where this is essentially how they live each week)

So* strive for it) But* 'on3t beat yourself up) +he 0uestion is6 "re you living in accor'ance with your priorities an' values? =o you feel creatively fulfille'? "re you really keeping your commitments* to yourself an' others* artistically? -ill you be satisfie'* later in life* by the level of artistic workmanship you achieve' 'uring your lifetime?

Many in the public have no un'erstan'ing of how 'eep the commitment an' 'iscipline of the most successful professional actors an' singers) +o yiel' the immensely rewar'ing spiritual an' material success of a professional performer takes far more work than most career paths K far* far more) "n' yet our :ob is to make it all look like magic* as if we 'i' no work at all)

+he irony is that if you work with great teachers that go into the work containe' in this articleLan' work* work* workL 5n the en'* your performing is most likely to feel an' appear mysterious* magical an' easy4 5t feels that way an' it is that way) "n' this is when au'iences receive the most entertaining me'icine our little planet has to offer K your performance K the work of the actor an' singer who lives a Hh= in "rtistic -orkmanship4

-e are now interviewing for our fall classes* workshops an' private coaching)

5f you have previous training* please submit a hea'shot an' resumJ to infoM:bactors)com* along with what you2re intereste' in) 5f you2re a beginner* please call 212 AAA A>09) Fook through our web site for all we have to offer4

Jason Bennett is an acting an' voice teacher in $ew %ork #ity* an' via Skype* all over the worl') %ou can rea' more articles he3s written by visiting JB"ctors)com* N+he Jason Bennett "ctor3s -orkshop)O

See more at6 http6PPwww)nycastings)comP'm/rea'yv2PblogmanagerPv9Qblogmanager)asp? postRworkmanship is rareSsthash)SElTvbI$)'puf