HB Studio's William Hickey Remembered

When I started acting classes in the fall of 1989 at HB studios in NYC, I was energized and excited to be a part of a school I had heard so much about. Taking a train and then a subway down to Bank Street on Saturday mornings from Westchester Country was a veritable feast for the eyes as the metro north blurred the autumn landscapes from town to town down the West side of New York. Getting into Uta Hagen's calsses were never easy. You had to audition and you did need a certain level of skill to get in her class. Luckily I was one of them. But one of my most fondest memories had to do with another teacher named William Hickey or "Bill" as we called him. Bill had a way to keep you engaged in his stories that was unlike anything I had ever been a part of. Here was "learning" but not by classes, not by theories and techniques, but merely by listening.

Bill had a way of explaining certain instances on stage with him and Katherine Hepburn or a incident whereby his dog knocked him down backwards, landing him atop a glass table and subsequently in the hospital! But hidden in his stories were lessons about our humanity, lessons about the body and how we react, and even our reactions themselves to his stories incited conversation and philosophies. Hidden there in the mind and body of this frail and extremely thin man was a wealth of experience and knowledge teeming to be shared with his students.

Years later, I remember driving down the Bank Street and I stopped to watch Bill talking to a new class of wide-eyed students. I got out of my car and ran over and to my amazement bill greeted me by name.

When Bill passed years ago in 1997 the world lost a great actor and contributor to the arts. HB lost one of their greatest teachers.

William Hickey is best known for his role as Uncles lewis in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and as the Mafia Don in Prizzi's Honor.

Paul Brighton

www.auditionportal.com

Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath, No Stranger to Acting

Recently, we ( AP-RED.COM sister site of auditionportal.com) had the pleasure of interviewing a pop star in the back of his tour bus. Man, I love saying "back of the tour bus!"

Mark McGrath, lead singer of Sugar Ray, is known mostly for his vocals on smash hits like "Fly," "Someday," "Every Morning," "When it's over," and "Under the Sun," but the man has many talents, all of which he's very laid back about. Kudos for modesty!

Jason Drew, host of our new "Entertainment & Industry News" website has a particular way with artists and always seems to ask the in-depth questions most people wish they could ask IF only they could get a second with a celebrity. In this interview, Jason uses his candor and intuitive interviewing style to get Mark to trust and share. Mark talks about his career as a host on "Extra" and even delves into the good and bad experiences on the show, as well as other juicy tidbits about the amazing new album "Music for Cougars."

But as a company founded on Acting and Music, what we loved about Mark was his energy. If you watch the video you'll see a guy who loves to use his whole body as an instrument, and while he may be a singer he is obviously in touch with his "life" on stage as a singer and actor. While Mark laughingly confesses "in a sea of Marky Mark's there's landscape littered with Vanilla Ice's," he explains that he has too much respect for actors than to just jump in and be one. But is Mark headed for the big screen again? It's possible.

I guess the lines can get blurry for talented people, as they should. Music and acting have always been a package deal. Think about how Broadway requires such diversity and talent, or how a singer like Freddie Mercury from "Queen" brought drama and personality to a song on stage or even in a video. The ability to do both is analogous to "one hand washes the other," in that they can only help improve each other. If you're a passionate entertainer, there's no reason why you shouldn't do both. If you're an actor, study piano or vocals or anything musical. If you're a singer, study acting! Your acting skills will draw on the metering and rhythms that you already posses inside you, and you'll have a great head start.

Mark McGrath is an example of that as an artist. He posses a special gift to be alive and natural in front of a camera. Whether in an interview, on stage, or on camera, Mark exudes light, energy and warmth that seemingly sucks you in. You see– his acting, his body language, is musical and lyrical because as a singer he understands the foundations of music and how songs can move people. He uses those same natural skills to express himself when he's not on stage.

When going on an audition, on stage, or in front of a camera, try to bring that "light" with you. Trust me, it's contagious in a good way!

Now, go watch the interview to see what I mean! www.ap-red.com

Reporting for AP-RED.COM

Paul Brighton

Jersey Boys Interview with Dominic Nolfi

On a sweltering day last week, pre-matinee, Jason Drew, myself and a tech/assistant filmed a 20-minute interview with one of the stars of Broadway's "Jersey Boys," the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, for www.ap-red.com the sister site of Audition Portal.

Dominic Nolfi who plays Tommie DeVito, the original guitarist in Frankie's band was nice enough to take some time half hour before the show to talk to us.

We went back stage to the August Wilson Theatre and spoke to Dominic about in-depth acting challenges, how to keep focused on characters as an understudy, how he prepares for roles, and all the things us lovers of acting are always curious and hungry to hear about.

Jason asks all the questions you would ask, and even has a little fun with Dominic with our own "Actor's Studio" final question... "boxers or briefs!"

Hope you enjoy it! Just go to http://www.ap-red.com/stage.php?src=

Cheers

Paul Brighton

www.auditionportal.com

Studying Music Will Make You a Better Actor

Why is learning about music, playing and instrument or simply listening to music so important for actors?

Music is the foundation for almost every art, in theory and in truth. Without music we would be missing one of life's greatest joys. Movies would lose half of their emotional connectivity with an audience. "Jaws" without music–unimaginable. And, life in general would be missing those little memory triggers of our past.

But how are music and acting connected?

For actors, music has another special purpose, and that is to enlighten the actor to the use of space, metering, projection, timing, delivery, fluidity and natural body movement. Music's structure can provide an actor with a 4th dimension of references.

Any actor, no matter their level of experience or skill, can benefit from taking vocal lessons or learning to play an instrument. And, if you can play in a band, it will teach invaluable lessons about timing, waiting for the right moment and improvisation. It awakens the inner clock in all of us and provides us with the necessary rhythm actors need to bring depth and substance to the life of their character.

As an actor, who plays drums I learned about timing, waiting for the right moment to say the word or lines, just like a flam on my snare – or the dramatic punctuation in a powerful sentence, just as if it was a cymbal crash at the end of a bar. I always make those connections because music provides me a frame-of-reference for much in my life as a creative being. It even goes beyond acting to almost everything I do on a daily basis.

Playing in bands, with other musicians has been invaluable. Just like playing in an actin ensemble, a string ensemble or band taught me about improvisation and how to allow others to riff and jam with me so that they could give and take and riff right back. In dialogue on stage or on film we talk and listen and pause, and then emote or burst out in anger– there is rhythm and there are beats in every line–music is right there, in every single exchange. Words and the way we say them can be musical and even lyrical and often are. if you're a musician you're likely to notice that reference daily.

It's wonderful to see how life relates to music and vice-versa in the most elemental ways. I've always thought that the bass sound is the earth, grounded and strong– the mids are life, you and I and the people on earth, and the highs are the sun and the sky–the treble, if you will. Every play has lows, mids and highs. The way it's written is a landscape that has a beginning a middle and an end. Like a song, it has an intro, a chorus a guitar solo, a crescendo, and finally an end. Taking you on a journey, and that journey we go on in a movie or Play is much like a song in almost every way.

When we act in plays or on film if we understand music, then it opens our eyes to how a production or a movie is very much like an orchestra– each musician playing a part so that in the end, you have a final product, a single sound, a single message, derived from the efforts of many. That relationship teaches that you are a simply a cog in a wheel on stage as an actor– it enlightens you to how others depend on you, and how acting is really another form of singing a call and response and how you may be the drummer or guitarist in the band, or even the lead singer.

Even if you simply listen to music, understanding it's structure, you can learn so much about how it fits into the universe of acting. Listen to "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles.

Think about how that song starts out with a simple melody and hook, then builds into a full chorus...the song develops verse-by-verse, adding new instruments as it moves along–literally like the sun breaking through the clouds. Music opens up your mind and creates visual connectivity between words and sounds and also trains your brain to be creatively visual.

I encourage everyone I meet in acting, dancing or comedy to learn an instrument or take voice lessons. Look for a vocal coach that specializes in working with Actors or Dancers, as the approach and techniques are slightly different, especially in breathing. You'll see a marked difference in your approach, rhythm and confidence, and you'll land some great roles!

Paul Brighton

AuditionPortal.com

Memorizing Lines Made Simple!

Memorizing lines is something that I hated most about the stage. I was never very good at it. I was one of those kids in school who never really mastered memorization. It's a wonder I didn't get ink poisoning on my forearm!

If you're like me, then you'll appreciate these simple techniques that rely on something you already have inside you for memorizing a script. So what are those things you already possess?

They are these senses– Smell, Sight, & Sound and a little emotion for good measure!

Hear Yourself:

One of the things I find helpful when I receive a script is reading it aloud. Hearing my external voice, not my internal voice, helps my mind connect to my ears. It's like a thought you suppress, that finally comes out like a primal scream, once you get it out into the universe, aloud, it becomes real, almost tangible.

So don't rehearse in a place where you can't emote out loud, but rather, find a location conducive to reciting the lines in an unabashed way.

Record yourself and play back the tape repeatedly during the day or in the car or on your Ipod. Creating an MP3 file on your computer is easy. Record yourself on your computer and you can then convert it and play it back just about anywhere. The idea here is repetition.

Tape yourself on camera...this will also give you a visual of how you are delivering the lines

and while you're paying attention to the life of the character the words are being subconsciously driven into your memory banks.

Seeing The Words:

This has got to be the simplest way ever to memorize lines. It's something I started doing in 8th grade. Re-write all your lines and say them aloud after each sentence, or simply re-type them. Seeing the words develop letter-by-letter creates a visual connection to the lines.

Re-reading the lines, while an obvious memorization technique, can also create a visual connection.

Smelling the Words:

Uhmm yeah, do not, I repeat do not, smell the script! That's not what I mean.(lol)

Your sense of smell will help you create a set of sensory recollection values for the character that will help you remember a line by remembering where you are, who you are and how you are connecting to the character's words. If your scene is in a kitchen...then think about the smells in that kitchen, what is the character doing?  Remembering the characters motives, goals, and environment can help you literally smell the lines. Weird huh?

Yep, we actors are a weird bunch for sure!

Emotional Connectivity:

Reading the lines aloud, smelling the environment, seeing the words is like bombarding the mind with a cocktail of the senses. The mind is multi-dimensional in it's ability to grasp concepts words, sounds, so your techniques must not rely solely on one method but many.

Try these out. Let me know which worked and which didn't for you.

To be truthful I've found combining Sight and Sound to work best for me. Being a musician and artist also helps me to creatively visualize the lines as if they are emblazoned on my forehead.

Hhmmm, that would have been helpful in school...oh well,

You live, (you memorize), you learn.

Paul Brighton

www.auditionportal.com

Memorizing Lines

Filmmaking is a really dynamic area of study that has many angles, many approaches and many career levels.
If you're a young Filmmaker/ movie lover who aspires to work behind the camera, and do either directorial work or actual filmmaking here's a little guidance for you. A little kick start to get you in motion.

The best way to break into Filmmaking is to learn by doing, while getting some practical theory and technical knowledge under your belt.

Being Ahead of The Curve: 
With the advent of companies like RED (cameras) nailing the digital camera market and creating 4, 5k cameras that are completely affordable and filmic, as a young and new Filmmaker you really have to keep up-to-date with technology so that you're ahead of the curve. 

Finding a good Filmmaking school will be a part of your challenge. Not everyone can afford classed at NYU. But, the idea is to find a similar curriculum in your area and study everything from the Screen Trade, Adaptation, Cinematography, Videography, Scoring to Script Writing. To understand Filmmaking, you should be armed with broad knowledge of the trade in general.
As a Director, it's easier to tell others what to do, convincingly, when you've done it yourself.
You can be a more intuitive Director, if you've been an actor. You can be a better Director if you at least understand screenwriting and scoring a film. Going to a good school will give you a well-rounded understanding of your craft as a whole.

If you've never used a certain type of camera or film, then you don't have those elements as a point-of-reference in your tool box. If you've never written a script or a story, then you won't understand how to communicate and speak the language of a screen writer. Learning the film industry is like trying to learn world history. It has many parts and young filmmakers cannot simply get away with learning just one part of it, whether in school, or behind the camera in your backyard.

Investing in Your Passion:  If you're thinking about being a filmmaker you must ask yourself, how much are you willing to invest in your craft? Are you willing to devote your entire life to it?
Have you learned a great deal and feel like you're ready for the next step without formal training?
If you're thinking you're good enough to just go out there and "do it" then don't let anyone stop you.
Not everyone does well in school or with learning that involves dedication and an investment in time & money.
But, I truly feel you may regret that decision. True, you can learn on the spot by watching others. I've done it with many passions I'm half-invested in, but truthfully, I always feel like I'm missing something. 

As an example, on a  simpler level we all love photography to a degree. Some of us take amazing photos, we understand composition and even may know the basics of aperture and shutter speeds. But, think about how much better you'd be if you understood the true mechanics of Depth-of-Field. Think about how much better you'd be if you knew the mechanics that make a camera work. Or, if you're a musician and are able to sight-read versus playing by ear.
There a certain levels we must all aspire to. Understand all of the intricacies of creating your vision so that you can get closer to manifesting it on film. What you see in your mind's eye will be easier to create if you know how to get what you want, and how to get it technically.

For little quickies to wet your appetite and see if you really want to delve into it...Samuel French offers great books on Filmmaking and they're all pretty inexpensive and well-organized.
http://www.samuelfrench.com/store/index.php/cPath/215

But, the best training is to train in an accredited school, intern and work with people, touch and feel the equipment, and understand the business from the inside out.
Since Summer is coming,  get yourself an internship with a local film, video company or ad agency.
If you have a friend in New York or LA, think about moving in with them for the summer and getting some real life experience in places known for their industries in film and acting.

There is no fast track. Remember, there are guys out there who have been doing it for years, so the idea is to put passion into it and let your love of films drive you. Think about it as your life's work, not a career.
If you think about it as work, then it will feel like a job.
It should be an extension of who you are. You just do what you do, and people notice it. You don't create FOR the masses you create as an extension of yourself first, then you decide whether you want to be narrow or wide in focus. That means you ask yourself, do I want to be like George Lucas, Spielberg, Fellini, or a little known director who comes out of nowhere like Danny Boyle. Do you want to direct mega blockbusters or create art films and B-movies for fine arts theaters? 
That is a direction guided only by one thing...your heart.

If you already own a decent camera and equipment, you can certainly start by working and creating something every day. Get out your ideas and learn by doing. You'll thousands upon thousands of young Filmmakers are simply doing it on YouTube. Many of you are young students, out of film school and ready to work, but obstacles  like financing equipment or a project and lack of direction can clutter your mind and impede progress. Get out there and seek projects. Create projects by letting others be a part of your vision. Give others a chance to be a part of what you're doing. Find writing partners, actor friends from local schools or even your school. Offer pro-bono projects to local rock bands & charity organizations. Use your imagination and do what is true to your heart.....All the world's a stage!


If you have some examples of your work that you're really proud of you can pre-register on our site at www.AuditionPortal.com where you can post a film short, a trailer, clip,  bio and photo for free. Its a great way to be seen by other Filmmakers, Actors who may want to work with you, or screenwriters who may want to pitch a script or project to you.


-Paul Brighton
Director/Co-Founder/Actor/Talent Scout
www.AuditionPortal.Com