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  PROFESSIONALISM IN ACTING by Neil Schell After having worked as an actor and having cast hundreds of actors in roles, I can count “professionalism” as one of those qualities I look for in an actor. I find it very favourable and will cast one actor over another if I know the one I cast…

“PRESSURE” OF AN AUDITION by Neil Schell What is the source of the pressure of an audition? How can it be that this necessary action can be such a daunting experience? Is there any way to effectively deal with the stress of it and put your best creativity forward? Most “pressure” an actor feels in…

THINK HUGE by Neil Schell Your thinking effects what acting work you are being considered for and what acting work you actually book with a contract. The truth is, if you don’t think huge you won’t even get large. It’s an interesting phenomenon; if you focus on a particular target of any given size it’s…

The Courage of an Actor Most actors, when they finally decide to do something about their incredible urge to get on stage or in front of a camera and transform into someone else in order to entertain large numbers of people, aren’t completely sure that they can do it. That they can “act.” I mean,…

  REDUCING THEIR ABILITY TO REJECT YOU by Neil Schell What an interesting career you have chosen! An actor for hire. Or, more appropriately, a character for hire, for stories. No matter how you look at it, a professional actor has to learn to deal with rejection. Fact. Most of the roles you will read…

Character in Auditions by Neil Schell With so many acting teachers always stressing the perfection of your acting technique, actors sometimes loose sight of what the key people who hire actors are looking for. After all is said and done, actors aren’t really hired at all. Characters are. This piece of wisdom was imparted to…

THE HARDEST PART IS NOT ACTING by Neil Schell I once saw an interview with Billy Bob Thornton in which he made a statement something to the effect of, and I paraphrase hugely, acting is easy, it’s not acting that’s the hard part. Often these short quips about acting, like “less is more”, trigger all…

See Neil talk about his Training Program for Actors HERE The Mind of an Actor I am an actor. I am an actor trainer. I am also a director. I have appeared in American TV shows and Hollywood movies. I have trained actors for close to two decades. I have directed actors in over 90…

The Responsibility of Actors by Neil Schell Actors carry many responsibilities. To many such a word as “responsibility” might seem a bit repulsive or scary. Equating the word “responsibility” with negative ideas is usually borne out of past experiences. You know, a parent coming down on you hard for not taking “responsibility” for the state…

WHAT I LOOK FOR WHEN I CAST ACTORS by Neil Schell When I cast I look to the essence of the actor. This essence is character. Like a heat seeking missile, I hunt down with my senses what is in the heart of this actor that I see before me. If the actor truly lets…