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An Interview with Casting Director David O’Connor How did you get into the industry? Oddly, I got into Casting because I didn’t know how to work with actors. I was studying filmmaking and writing and I was planning on going off to direct and produce. LA was my goal in my youth.  I had been wanting to get into this business since I was eight years old. How do the…

Acting Is Hard: 3 Ways of Dealing With The Rejection by Christy Arington We’ve all been there. You’ve auditioned, you got the call back and now you’re on hold for a part that you really want to play and that would give your career a boost. You feel really great about your audition and how you presented yourself in the room. And then the call or email comes a few…

Why Stage Combat? By Christina Gorman Christina is an actor and fight choreographer, originally from the Hudson Valley region of upstate New York. As an actor, Christina has studied in Chicago and abroad, including the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England. She teaches kids and Young Adults acting and stage combat at ASC. Stage Combat. Why do you need stage combat? Not only is it ridiculously fun, it’s a wonderful skill to have in your actor toolbox….

Embracing the Future as a Graduating Young Actor and Keeping the Freak Outs to a Minimum By Becky Keeshin So it’s happening. It’s finally happening. I am a Young Actor. As I lay here in bed at 1 a.m. in New York City, awaiting my senior showcase at DePaul and anxiously recalibrating the recent auditions I’ve been on (how could I have taken direction in a different way, what was…

Acting Skills are Life Skills. Drama camp can make a difference! by Sarafina Vecchio Sarafina has been working as a performer and teaching artist in Chicago for nearly 20 years. She holds a Post Graduate Award in Teaching Shakespeare from The University of Warwick, in conjunction with the Royal Shakespeare Company, in Coventry, England. She also earned a Bachelor’s from Roosevelt University and studied classical acting at Richmond College in London. Sarafina teaches…

6 Tips to Help You Memorize Your Lines by Christy Arington As an actor who does a lot of Shakespeare, I’m often asked the question, “How do you memorize all of those lines?” I’ve found that there are a lot of different techniques that can help you along the path of memorization and believe me, I’ve tried them all. There are a few sure tricks that I can suggest that…

The life of an actor can be exhausting. Auditions, classes, rehearsals, performances, day jobs, relationships, families, pets…sometimes it can be overwhelming. It’s natural that sometimes, we all have thoughts of quitting the business. Gina D’Ercoli offers some insight for those times when you feel like quitting. When You Feel Like Quitting by Gina D’Ercoli Quit for awhile.  See if you miss it.  See if you don’t. Quitting isn’t the end…

   7 Apps For Actors Cell phones. We all have them and we all spend a lot of time on them. In this crazy world of technology, why not use your phone to stay better organized, to learn lines or even rehearse with a partner.  As actors, our lives can get quite frenzied. These 7 Apps for Actors can help you achieve your goals and stay on top of your…

ADR – What the heck is that? By Dave Leffel One of the biggest loves of my job is simply telling people just how we get stuff done. Now I know I am not the only audio guy around, so my opinion and work practices may very well differ from someone else’s. However, with 27 years under my belt, I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of…

Get Physical! Voice Over VS On-Camera  by Allison Latta Folks occasionally ask me about the differences between preparing for  voice over vs on-camera auditions. A lot of people assume that preparation for VO is somehow less involved than on-camera.  You aren’t required to memorize anything and you can wear whatever you want, right? This is partly true, but I’m convinced that there’s just as much prep involved in a VO…