Blog Archives

Summer Fun For Actors and Filmmakers

6/30/2016

by Virat Pal

As the summer season is finally upon us, here are some events for all you artists out there to spark your inner creativity:

1. Outfest Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival

Outfest, the nation’s leading LGBT festival, which promotes equality by creating, sharing, and protecting LGBT stories will be held July 7-17. Film Festival opens at the Orpheum Theatre in Downtown LA, and will also be held at Ford Theatre, Harmony Gold Theatre, Redcat and Roy and Edna Disney/ CalArts Theatre at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
http://www.outfest.org/

2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in Concert

Experience the film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone like never before during this special one-night concert at the Hollywood Bowl. LA Phil, conducted by composer Justin Freer will perform every note from the magnificent John Williams score.
http://www.hollywoodbowl.com/tickets/harry-potter-and-sorcerers-stone-concert/2016-07-06

3. Egyptian Theater

On Saturday July 9th American Cinematheque at the Egyptian theater will be screening the ‘Back to the Future’ triple future. If you’ve not seen the trilogy, make a point to catch this screening, and If you’ve already have, well there’s nothing better than reliving the time travel saga again.
http://www.americancinemathequecalendar.com/content/back-to-the-future-trilogy-0

4. Anime Expo

Just weeks after the E3 expo, Anime Expo will take over the Los Angeles Convention Center this July 4th holiday weekend. Expect plenty of cosplay and special events as thousands of fans come to celebrate the art and culture of anime.
http://www.anime-expo.org/

5. Rooftop Film Club

Taking full advantage of the Montálban rooftop's beautiful city view, RFC promises to offer some of the most unique and incredible movie-going opportunities for film lovers. Throughout the month of July, Rooftop Film Club will be screening various different films, ranging from audience favorites to critical darlings. Hurry, tickets are selling out!
http://rooftopcinemaclub.com/la/tickets/

6. Sound in Focus

Sound in Focus, in their latest collaboration with the Annenberg Space for Photography, is a month of free, all ages outdoor concerts. Headliners include Nas and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. The concerts will be on the lawn at Century Park, right next to the Annenberg Space for Photography.
http://soundinfocus.kcrw.com/

7. Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters

Taking inspiration from del Toro’s extraordinary imagination, the exhibition reveals his creative process through his collection of paintings, drawings, maquettes, artifacts, and concept film art.
In addition, the exhibition will draw some objects from the director's personal residence-meets-museum, Bleak House. The gallery opens on July 31st at LACMA.
http://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/guillermo-del-toro-home-monsters

8. Out Door Movies

If you like films, music, the outdoors, and eating, this is the event series for you. Throughout the summer, Eat See Hear will be playing classic movies in outdoor venues. Experience a movie in a park, around nature and the best food trucks in LA.
http://www.eatseehear.com/

9. Pageant of the Masters

Classic paintings, statues and murals take on a new dimension as real people dress and pose to recreate original masterpieces. A professional orchestra, a narrator, intricate sets and theatrical lighting will help bring the works to life at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach.
http://ev3.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/EVExecMacro?linkID=foa&evm=main

We will continue posting events throughout the summer. And if you know of any other cool events going on this season, please share with the group!

0 Comments

What Makes a Great Acting Class:

6/24/2016

0 Comments

by Nicolas Pinzon

I believe that everyone should take an acting class at least once in their lives. Acting pushes us to confront our physical and emotional selves in a way that no other art form does. Before you can be somebody else, you must know and accept yourself. The right type of acting class will be challenging, will be demanding, but it will also bring a freedom and strength out of you that you never knew you had. The right acting class could change your life.

However, not all acting classes are created equal. Whether you are a seasoned professional with dreams of the big screen or a first time amateur with no other aspiration than to satisfy your curiosity, the acting class you go into must fulfill certain requirements for it to be really worth your time and money.

1. You should constantly be working.
So many classes and big name instructors today will make you spend the entire class sitting while the teacher lectures or works with other students. This is counter productive. Yes, every so often it is good to be passive for a moment and think about what acting is, but acting - as the word implies - requires action. You should go into a class that is structured in a way that maximizes your working time. An actor is like an athlete; a basketball player won't suddenly make more hoops because he has spent two hours seeing others do it, he will only get better at his craft if he does the work, and so will you.

2. You should feel comfortable to fail.
An acting class is a place to experiment, to push yourself, make bold choices and to fail - sometimes slightly, sometimes miserably. You are in an acting class because you want to understand your strengths and shortcomings a little better. You will never do that if you play it safe. A good acting teacher is a mentor; a caring collaborator who will not judge you if you fail, but will instead help you grow from that failure.

3. Your previous acting experience and techniques should not be disregarded.
If your teacher tells you that everything you learned prior to coming to them is useless and that you should forget anything that is not "their method," run away as fast as you can. Acting is a constantly evolving art form and many techniques and approaches have been developed to tackle its challenges. The truth is that some techniques work better for some people than they do for others, and some can be more relevant in some acting situations than in others. So it's never a bad thing to have a varied arsenal of approaches you can resort to. Certain acting schools (that usually spend more money marketing than in resources for their students) will want to convince you that they are the only approach that works, but the reality is that they probably just want to sell you more books and classes. The acting instructor you want is one that is respectful of your previous acting education and will take your background into account as he or she works with you.

4. Your experience level and aspirations are accounted for.
You want to be in a class with people who have a similar level of experience as you do and who take acting as seriously as you do. Just like acting does, this requires a lot of honesty. You must be realistic about the level you are at and the level of commitment you're willing to put into the class. You don't want to be too much above or below the average skill level of your classmates. The right acting teacher will have the honesty to tell you if your aspirations and skill level matches with that of the rest of their students.

5. An acting teacher should be a mentor.
I touched on this earlier but it's an important enough point for me to expand on it here. The right acting class is one that is lead by someone who is willing to be a role model; who wants to share their knowledge and experience without any reservations; who provides constructive feedback; who values the opinions and ideas of others; and who will approach each class with enthusiasm and a sense of curiosity. Your acting teacher should be someone you feel values your development and whom you are comfortable with.

Ultimately, these five elements will ensure that the class is very good. But only your dedication, creativity, and willingness to take risks can make it truly great. In acting, like in life, you are the master of your won experiences.

0 Comments

What Makes A Good Actor? - From The Perspective Of An Editor.

6/2/2016

0 Comments

by Nicolas Pinzon

There are certain traits that anyone would consider essential to good acting. Among them are obvious qualities such as believability, vulnerability, and truthfulness. What I want to talk about is what makes a good actor to the person sitting in the edit bay crafting a cohesive performance out of the numerous takes you did that day. The question is: What can you, as an actor, do to ensure that I, as an editor, am able to put together the best performance possible?

First and foremost, as many editors would tell you, I look at the eyes. Many times a single blink signifies the end of an entire thought. Think about it; in real life, when your mind goes somewhere, your eyes do as well. Then, when another thought comes, the position of your eyes usually changes - almost as if the movement of your eyes was following the movement of your mind. That is something I think actors should remember – if the scene requires intensity, keeping your eyes fixed usually allows the editor to hold the cut longer because your eyes will be telling the audience that your mind is still in that thought. Similarly, movement of your eyes can signify a thought process, where each motion takes the audience into a new thought. This is not a rule or something you should exaggerate, but when it comes to the screen, your eyes are everything, and I believe its something you should be conscious about.

In addition, a good actor gives the editor subtle variations. I love when an actor gives me different performances to play with, and not the same one in every take. But it absolutely drives me crazy when those differences are so big that it is impossible for me to match what the actor did in one take to what he did in another. Many times, when I’m editing less experienced actors, I am delighted to see a great take only to realize moments later that that take is unusable because the actor grabbed a prop or changed his position in a way that is completely different to every other take he did and so it destroys continuity. I rarely see this happen with more experienced actors. Variation is fantastic for the smaller movements: the eyes, the mouth, the fingers, but bigger movements should be consistent between takes. Consistency doesn’t only make my job easier, it also ensures that I can use your best performances. We’re on the same team – like you, I want your performance to be amazing, and I want to use your best takes.

Last but not least, great actors listen. It sounds like a very basic thing and it’s probably important in theater acting as well. But when it comes to camera acting, I believe listening to the other actor’s words is even more important than it is on stage. Often when I’m editing beginner actors I decide to cut to a shot of them listening only to find a complete deadpan expression. It is quite easy to tell the difference between someone who is listening and someone who is waiting to say their lines. It’s in the eyes every time. They are the window to your soul and a dead give away as to whether you're engaged or not. I end up having to recreate the moment by using footage from another part of the scene but it’s never as good as the actual reaction to the words.

At award winning reels we use our expertise in writing, directing, and editing to craft the best quality actors’ reels in Los Angeles. We are passionate about producing the type of footage that will impress casting directors and will showcase the individual that you are. We won't let you get away with an empty performance. In our vote, the "eyes" have it.

0 Comments

Authors

Anastasia Roussel is the head of Development at Award Winning Reels and White Swan Films.

Nicolas Pinzon is a filmmaker and storyteller currently enrolled in UCLA’s Professional Screenwriting Program. He has a B.A in Arts and Humanities with a concentration in both Music, and Gender and Sexuality.

FOLLOW

Become an Award Winning Reels' follower to receive special offers and tips for your professional career. Be sure to follow us on Social Media, sign up for our newsletter and check out our blog!

BLOG

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

"The absolute BEST demo scenes in LA!"

"My agent was thrilled and so am I!"

"The quality of their work surpasses anything that I've seen. "

"It is absolutely worth every penny. "

"Professional in all aspects. Experienced and helpful throughout the whole process. Bravo!"

"The company has heart, tremendous talent and a work ethic that is unmatched. "

READ THE FULL REVIEWS

LEAVE US A REVIEW

CONTACT

AWARD WINNING REELS
is a subsidiary of WHITE SWAN FILMS

Phone: 424 273 3468
Email: info@awardwinningreels.com
Web: www.awardwinningreels.com

BLOG

Summer Fun For Actors and Filmmakers

by Virat Pal

What Makes a Great Acting Class:

by Nicolas Pinzon

What Makes A Good Actor? - From The Perspective Of An Editor.

by Nicolas Pinzon

Authors

Archives

Categories

FOLLOW

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

CONTACT