JOHN E.COLEMAN'S ACTORS GENIUS CHECK LIST @ 310-477-5052 tel/fax 310-963-2692 cell [email protected] 1- BELIEVABLE 2- INTERESTING 3- MULTIPLE COLORS = MULTIFACETED 4- MOST IMPORTANT + INTERESTING / IT'S THE BEST OR THE WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE 5- YOUR OBJECTIVE = STRONG CHOICES - BE TOTALLY SPECIFIC - WHY, WHY, WHY ??? 6- AFFLICTIONS AND OBSTACLES 7- CONFLICT - SOMETHING TO OVERCOME - IF THERE IS NO CONFLICT, THERE IS NO SCENE 8- TRY DIFFERENT WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH OBJECTIVE (FLIRT, THREATEN, BEG, GET SICK, ETC.) 9- PAST LIFE 10 MINUTES + RELATIONSHIP WITH SCENE PARTNER - YOUR BACKSTORY 10- PAST LIFE 2 WEEKS + RELATIONSHIP WITH SCENE PARTNER 11- PAST LIFE 20 YEARS + RELATIONSHIP WITH SCENE PARTNER 12- ANGER = PAIN LOVE = HURT - ALWAYS PLAY BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER 13- I GOT A SECRET (I'M GONNA LEAVE YOU, HIT YOU, KILL YOU AT END OF SCENE) 14- PERIODS AND PARAGRAPHS ARE LITERATURE - LOSE THEM 15- PEOPLE TALK IN THOUGHTS AND IDEAS AND BURSTS, - NOT SENTENCES 16- USE YOUR NERVES - IF THE SCENE IS IMPORTANT TO THE CHARACTER, HE IS NERVOUS TOO 17- DO NOT MONITOR YOURSELF - CAN'T WATCH AND ACT AT SAME TIME - FOCUS IS NOT TOTAL 18- TRANSITION OF CHARACTER - WHAT CHANGES THEM AND WHY 19- DON'T STAY IN SAME RYTHYM OF SPEECH (MONOTONE) - IT MAKES A CHARACTER BORING 20- RYTHYM / PROGRESSIONS/ TRANSITIONS IN SCENE AND IN FILM 21- START THE SCENE 30 SECONDS BEFORE YOU SPEAK SO YOU ARE ALREADY COOKING 22- MEMORIES ARE AN ACTORS TOOLS - THEY ARE NOT WHAT YOU THINK - EXPLORE THEM 23- IMAGINATION IS YOUR BEST FRIEND 24- TENDENCY TO DO IT THE SAME WAY WITH MINOR DIFFERENCES 25- REHEARSE WITH ACCENTS - SCOTTISH, SOUTHERN, BRITISH IT GIVES A DIFFERENT RYTHYM TO CHARACTER 26- REHEARSE OPPOSITES - YOU LOVE HIM, THEN YOU HATE HIM 27- REHEARSE CHARACTERS - ANYBODY YOU CAN THINK OF --- SPONGE BOB, BATMAN, KATY PERRY, PRESIDENT OBAMA, MICK JAGGER, JOHNNY DEPP THE PIRATE, STEVEN COLERT 28- BODY LANGUAGE - POSTURE 29- CRYING - PEOPLE WHO TRY TO CRY ARE NOT SYMPATHETIC, PEOPLE WHO TRY NOT TO CRY ARE 30- BE STILL + INTENSE - MOVEMENT IS NERVOUS ENERGY (FILM CLOSEUPS) - FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS 31- LISTEN. - LISTENING IS HALF THE SCENE 32- MANY GREAT MOMENTS ARE BETWEEN THE LINES - IT'S THE BEHAVIOR NOT JUST THE WORDS 33 - LEARN IT AND THEN FORGET IT AND DO IT (PREPARATION SETS YOU FREE) 34- RELAX AND BE READY TO POUNCE 35- THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS AND THAT IS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAMERA - IN BUSINESS THERE ARE 30 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO INCREASE YOUR ODDS OF SUCCESS AT GETTING THE JOB, BY 1%-2% EACH, FOR A TOTAL OF 30%-60% 36- IN ACTING THERE ARE 50+ THINGS YOU CAN DO TO LAYER, ADD TEXTURE AND IMPROVE YOUR PERFORMANCE 37- BREAKING DOWN A SCRIPT LINE BY LINE. - TAKE CHANCES - PEOPLE WHO TAKE CHANCES ARE MORE INTERESTING THAN NORMAL, EVERYDAY PEOPLE AND ACTORS WHO TAKE RISKS ARE MORE INTERESTING THAN THOSE WHO PLAY IT SAFE. JOHN E.COLEMAN'S ACTORS GENIUS CHECK LIST #2 @ 310-477-5052 tel/fax 310-963-2692 cell [email protected] 38- AT AUDITIONS FOCUS ON OBJECTIVE, - SHOW AT LEAST 3 COLORS AND TRANSITIONS - AND DON'T KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PAPER - LOOK UP AND LISTEN AND MAKE CONTACT. - THEY DON'T CARE IF YOU MAKE MISTAKES, THEY WANT TO SEE SOMETHING SPECIAL 39- SPEAK DIRECTLY TO A SPECIFIC PERSON, - DO NOT BROADCAST OR TALK TO EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, IT DISSIPATES YOUR ENERGY 40- TOTAL COMMITMENT - DOING SOMETHING TO THE TOTAL DEPTH AND SOUL OF IT 41- DIFFERENCE IN FILM AND THEATER ACTING (NO CLOSEUPS OR MICROPHONES IN THEATER) 42- COMMERCIALS ARE OFTEN NOT REALITY - (YOU ARE A PITCHMAN OR SALESMAN) EXERCISES 43- BREATHE - NOT BREATHING STOPS EMOTIONS 44- PRACTICE OUT LOUD AND IN MIRROR 45- DANCE AND DO SCENE/MONOLOGUE TO MUSIC (ALONE) 46- CHAIRS FACE TO FACE AND DO SCENE - FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS - PAY EXTREME ATTENTION 47- DO NOT MOVE - STAND TOTALLY STILL - CLOSEUP AND FOCUS - PRACTICE - LOTS OF ACTORS MOVEMENTS ARE MOTIVATED BY NERVES + COMFORT -- NOT THE CHARACTER 48- DRESS AS THE CHARACTER - OUTSIDE IN - LIMP, HAT, CLOTHES, BOOTS, TOOTHPICK, GUN ... 49- REHEARSE IT TIED TO A CHAIR AND THEN OPPOSITE 50- REHEARSE AS IF YOU ARE GOING TO STAB/KILL THE OTHER PERSON, AT THE END OF THE SCENE 51- REHEARSE THE WHOLE SCENE IN IMPROVE AND COMPLETELY MAKE UP THE WORDS, BUT GET THE SAME POINT ACROSS. 52- REHEARSE AS IF INSANE OR CRAZY - DO NOT SHOW INSANE, BE INSANE. - HEAD AND CAT EXAMPLE 53- REHEARSE SCENE WHILE DANCING WITH PARTNER 54- REHEARSE WHILE HOLDING FILLED 5 GALLON WATER BOTTLE (YEAH, I KNOW IT'S HEAVY) 55- DO NOT INDICATE OR SHOW WHAT YOU ARE FEELING OR THINKING JUST FEEL + THINK, IT WILL SHOW 56- DO THE SCENE FAST, WITH NO PAUSES - RUN LINES 57- PUT STONE IN SHOE, FOR A LIMP AND STAND ON IT DURING SCENE 58- SUCK ON LEMON WEDGE, RUB LEMON ON CUT DURING SCENE 59- HOLD UP WALL/ SITTING POSITION WHILE DOING SENE 60- DO 10 / 50 / 100 PUSHUPS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE STARTING SCENE 61- USE OF PROPS - DO NOT OVERUSE 62- JOY - HAVE FUN ACTING LIKE A LITTLE KID PLAYING PRETEND - GET TOTALLY IN TO IT 63- STOMACH ACHE -- GOING TO THROW UP 64- GET SHOT AT DOCTOR - 12 '' NEEDLE INTO KNEE OR SPINE OR NECK WITH NO NOVACAINE 65- IF THE SCENE IS NOT DONE IN 2 MINUTES YOU, YOUR MOTHER AND GIRLFRIEND DIE - URGENCY 66- FIND THE HIDDEN CAR KEYS, MONEY, EVIDENCE (WITHOUT BEING CAUGHT LOOKING) 67- YOUR DAUGHTER, MOM, GIRLFRIEND HAS BEEN RAPED AND BEATEN BY THIS GUY - TERRORIZE HIM 68- FREEZING (AND GETTING READY TO GO BACK OUTSIDE WITHOUT A JACKET) 69- HIT YOUR MARKS -- 2 PIECES OF TAPE FOR MASTER AND CLOSEUP (FROM HERE TO THERE) 70- INNER LIFE - USE YOUR IMAGINATION, THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING FASCINATING GOING ON 71- TAKE DELIGHT IN SURPRISING THE OTHER ACTOR DURING THE SCENE 72- REPEAT EXERCISE 73- DRUNK 74- HIGH ON DRUGS (HALLUCINATING) 75- HAVE FUN DOING THE SCENE - POLICE OFFICERS INTERVIEWED ON TV: - SOME WILT UNDER THE LIGHTS AND OTHERS JUST ANSWER THE QUESTIONS - THE DIFFERENCE IS FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS - LESS IS MORE - NO INDICATING. - DON'T SHOW WHAT YOU FEEL - TRUST THAT IF YOU FEEL, IT'LL SHOW - MOST ACTORS, LIKE OTHER PEOPLE, ARE HURT, DAMAGED AND LOOKING FOR LOVE, WHETHER THEY ADMIT IT OR EVEN KNOW IT.

BECOME A BELIEVEABLE AND INTERESTING ACTOR

I have been in over 50 movies and television shows, two dozen commercials, written a dozen books, produced a dozen documentaries and taught acting for over thirty years. My website is johnecoleman.com