Inspirational

When RB asked me to guest blog, tell a personal story and give some advice, I shuddered. So much wisdom has been written. From great essays that went viral like Frank Langella's The Demon Seesaw Actors Ride to Julia Cameron's bible The Artists Way, there's so much to say and nothing to say ... The same demons the divine Langella and Cameron speak of remind me that I am an actor, not a writer, and what if no one wants to read my words? But just like when I walk onto a stage, onto a set, into...

Drive. Desire. Passion. As a creative, we must motivate ourselves every day. External forces work against us; it's the nature of the pursuit. It's how we rise above it all, the strength of the fire in our souls, that defines who we are, and the lengths we'll go to make our dreams a reality. So the question is: What have you done today to take another step toward your goal? Maybe you've joined a class suited to your creative endeavors. Maybe you've practiced a monologue in front of a mirror....

Thanks for bearing with the weird title... Recently I have been on several interviews for jobs, 'proper' jobs, some of them highly paid, with real responsibility. They went well, I have been called in for second interviews.... The thing is - I don't want any of them! Really, I couldn't imagine anything less appealing, I know what I really want to do and it's not that! My journey into the world of the entertainment industry has been short if you look at it from the point of me trying...

I was the clumsy joker in my family, if a plate broke it was my fault, if the milk spilled it was me who spilled it. When I was 13, I got my first job delivering papers and saved up to buy an ink fountain pen for school. I was so excited to show my friends. On my way back from school, I went up to my room to do my homework and noticed a trail of turquoise ink on the cream carpet following me into my room. I heard a shout from downstairs: CLARE what is all this ink on the carpet? My mother shoute...

Show business has always been in my blood. When I was 5, I stood on a stage and sang with a live band at my grandfather's infamous restaurant in New York, Moskowitz and Lupowitz. Based in the lower east side, the restaurant was a celebrity hangout for the likes of Henry Fonda, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Laurence Olivier and Paul Neman. The world's biggest stars walked through that door every day. Some of the effects rubbed off on me. My uncle Hy Anzel was an accomplished character actor who worked in telev...

When I find myself in between gigs, I end up reflecting like Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now. While I haven't punched out any mirrors--on or off the set--recently, being a Grip is a lot like being a Marine. We're action-oriented, and tend to get antsy when we aren't in the thick of it. There tends to be a lot of questions surrounding the profession of being a Grip. Most are from the general public that our industry serves -- questions like, "What is a Key Grip? (or a "Best Boy," or a "Gaffer"...

It all started in the back hills of Virginia. The run to the 'outhouse' was a cold and hurried experience... that's when I knew I had to act... not really but I thought that sounded good... After having performed in a few local productions and also "expressing" my extra/ background work with a couple of serious films, I was notified by a local casting organization, Erica Arvold Casting, that Mr. Spielberg was coming to town and that she was seeking a few actors to read for some desired roles...

Let's face it. As actors we all want the same thing - to work! We want the chance to joyously share our talents and we dream of being able to make huge artistic contributions in film, TV and theatre. But how many actors set specific goals? Do you know exactly WHO YOU ARE as an actor and what specific movies or TV shows you are right for...and why? If not, you're not alone. I've done guest stars with faces you'd recognize. I'm always amazed that when I speak with these other actors on set...

What a start to 2013. It seems many Stage 32'ers have to put the pedal to the floor as it relates to their dreams and aspirations. The success stories have been coming in fast and furious. Over the last few days alone, we've heard from: Two actors - one in Denmark, one in Chicago - who landed agents. An editor from Los Angeles who has cut no less than 23 shorts who scored his first feature job. A composer from Sydney who has been hired to score a film for a New York producer....

You can't do that! That won't work! You must do it this way! No doubt you've been told "no" a time or two if you've ever done anything in the moviemaking business. I sure have. Way too many times for my liking. I'm not sure it ever gets any easier to hear. Luckily for myself, no matter how painful or demoralizing it may be at the time of a particular rejection, I've been able to brush it off and eventually forget about it or sometimes, even turn it into extra motivation. Typically when someone...