Choosing Actors

When you download movies to watch, you may not think about what it took to bring the characters to life. However, the casting department had a huge part in this and you would be remiss to not have a clue of what occurred behind the scenes to bring about a perfect entertainment.

A lot of homework goes into preparing for the shooting of the film. A casting chief will read the script and picture what the scriptwriter intends. However, in order to decide whom to pick as the best actor for each role in the film, meeting with the film director and producer is imperative.

From that point on, with a clear concept of what the film director and producer envision, the casting chief plays a key role between the actors and the film director.

Casting actually means choosing the people who will be acting. The casting chief lines up prospects, searches for talent and auditions them. They know the strengths, weaknesses and background of the people trying out for a movie. They negotiate fees for the actors and ensure the actors are on the set when expected by the rest of the crew for filming.

Long hours are not something to be afraid of. It can take hours or even days to select the right actor for the part out of hundreds of photos, videos, and interviews. The more you know people in the industry, the easier the job will be, since contacts are the golden source of any activity.

Casting also means knowing how to deal with people. Not only do they have to contact actors, audition them, let them know if they are or not chosen for the part, but also they have to deliver what the film director expects and handle any problem related to the actor that can come up while filming. They will have to sell the director on the proposed actors. This may be a piece of cake for a well-known actor but not so easy for someone starting in the business.

Whatever it takes, a movie wouldn't be able to see the light of day without casting as it would be missing a key ingredient that brings it to life.

And what's more rewarding for a casting chief than to see one of his/her actor or actress take on an Academy award or some such other honorable recompense, acknowledging their talent?

Next time you download movies to watch, observe the actors and how their presence makes or breaks the story. The King's Speech is a typical example. How is it that Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush can keep the audience's interest up for almost two hours in a fairly empty room?

Essential Acting Techniques Aspiring Actors Should Understand

There are many different techniques that actors use. These techniques influence how they approach a role and develop their character. Actors may use just one technique or they may use multiple techniques. The techniques helps them with the process of how they will play a character that they are giving. It helps them get into the role and to really become the character. Most actors do not simply get a role and just dive in.

Preparation is a large part of acting and without good techniques an actor could appear flat and not be able to produce well-rounded characters.

The Meiser technique involves reacting off a partner. Instead of focusing on the character they are playing, an actor uses the other actors to form their character. The idea is to not focus on what or who the character is, but to just become the character and let it develop off the other characters in a piece. It relies heavily on imagination and creativity for character development. Actors trained using this technique include Sandra Bullock, Grace Kelly and Leslie Nielsen.

Method acting is the opposite of the Meiser technique. In this technique an actor is encouraged to draw off their emotions. They are to react using all five senses. An actor is encouraged to draw from their own experiences and really embrace the character. With this technique an actor really gives depth to a character and makes it personal. Marilyn Monroe, Robert DeNiro and Jane Fonda have all been trained using this technique.

The Stanislavski method involves using a what if thought pattern. Actors are supposed to think as if they are personally going through whatever the character is going through and imagine what if it were really happening to them. They are to focus on the actions happening and to use personal memories or emotions to add to the performance. This technique is similar to method acting and actors who used method acting use this technique. This is a common technique, so many of the well known actors have been trained using it, like Denzel Washington, Sean Penn and Johnny Depp.

Improvisation or improv is a technique where actors draw heavily upon creativity and react in the moment. Improv involves coming up with unplanned responses and really practicing creative thought processes. Actors react to other actors and perform on the spur of the moment. In many improvisation situations actors are given some type of cue or suggestion to respond to. An actor that often uses this technique is Drew Carey. Improv is often comedic in nature because of its non-serious nature.

All these different techniques may be used alone or in combinations by actors. Typically an actor will train using one technique or they may simply find the one they feel the most comfortable with. Actors all use some technique, though, even if they have not been formally taught. The best actors will use a technique that they really feels works for them and that is why they are so good at what they do.

Joseph Calleia: The Bit Part Actors' Actor From the Island of Malta

Joseph Calleia was born in Malta on the 4th of August, 1897. His official biography simply says Malta, but some of the people I have interviewed say he was born in the village of Rabat, others Sliema. Joseph had a very good singing voice and actually began his career as a concert singer in England and Paris. He came to Hollywood in 1931 and played the villain, Juan, in My Sin. His slightly menacing persona fit the role perfectly, and he was called upon to play similar characters often until his film career ended in 1963 with Johnny Cool. Perhaps his most famous role was the villain, Jeff Badger, in My Little Chickadee with W.C. Fields and Mae West. Though IMDb, which calls itself the world's largest Film Data Base, credits him with 57 films, he played bit parts in many others, including one of my favorites, After the Thin Man.

Although Calleia naturally spent much of his time in Hollywood making movies, he remained true to his native country and returned there as often as possible. The people of Malta appreciated him and started a fan club in the early 'forties. Unlike many Hollywood actors of the time, he always faithfully answered his fan mail and happily sent autographed pictures to anyone requesting them. Unfortunately for him, his name was probably as little known in his time as it is now. Asked about it, he is reputed to have replied, "Everyone recognizes my face, but no one knows my name."

One of his favorite roles was Buldeo in the 1942 version of The Jungle Book, starring Sabu. Buldeo as an old man tells a tourist about the jungle and the time when a young boy was orphaned and raised by wolves. Calleia liked playing the much older man and found getting made up to be enjoyable, though most actors and actresses of the time hated the process. He also liked his role in A Touch of Evil, playing a friend of the corrupt Sheriff, Orson Welles. He felt it showed a vulnerability that was lacking in so many of his roles.

Joseph Calleia returned to Malta to retire and died on Halloween in 1975. His fan club is still in existence and has several hundreds of members around the world. In July of 1997, the government of Malta issued issued a set of two stamps in his honor.

John Anderson is a Maltaphile who is interested in every aspect of the ancient island's culture and history. His novel, The Cellini Masterpiece, which was written under the penname of Raymond John, borrows deeply from three of its most important periods--the 16th Century, World War II and the present. If you would like to read a sample chapter of the book

How Hollywood Actors Gain Muscle For Movie Roles

Every once in a while, a Hollywood actor will make such a dramatic physical transformation for a movie role that it gets people talking.

For example, Christian Bale re-worked his entire physique when he gained over a 100lbs for his role in Batman Begins. Ryan Reynolds shocked everyone when he got ripped and muscular for his role in The Amityville Horror.

And Ed Norton was nearly unrecognizable after gaining 35 pounds of muscle to portray a skinhead in the movie, American History X.

How Did They Do It?

Guys everywhere are wondering how these actors made such dramatic transformations.

And while the exact training and eating plans could only be discovered by interviewing each actor individually, we can reverse-engineer a plan by reviewing some common training philosophies that each actor recently revealed in public interviews.

So without any further ado, here are the...

Top Five Keys To Massive Muscle Gain (Hollywood Style):

Key #1: Eat To Grow

There are some "arm-chair" experts who swear that you only need a small amount of protein to build muscle mass. The thing is... sometimes laboratory research doesn't hold up to well in the real world. The protein case is a prime example. Any guy who's actually gained a significant amount of muscle mass will tell you that you must increase your protein to make consistent strength and muscle gains.

It's been alleged that Ed Norton openly admitted to using steroids to gain weight for his role in American History X. I can't seem to find any of those admissions online anymore, but I do see in every interview that Ed Norton talks about upping his protein intake in order to increase muscle mass. Ryan Reynolds talks about eating 8-10 protein rich meals per day in order to make his transformation.

Key #2: Training Heavy To Build Muscle Mass

If you want to build appreciable muscle mass and massive strength, you cannot train with light weights. You must literally force the muscles to grow by training with ever-increasing loads.

Christian Bale attests to this fact:

"I couldn't do a single push-up and so we had months ahead of us. I was just down at the gym with this good crazy ex-marine trainer friend of mine who just made me lift just impossible heavy weights for... months on end and then eventually managed to get in shape like kind of just in time for the beginning of the movie."

Christian Bale, interview with Blackfilm.com

Key #3: Massive Motivation

Let's face it: When you've got millions of dollars on the line, it can be pretty motivating to make sure you get to the gym and get your protein down. Ed Norton now receives anywhere from $1-8 million dollars per film. And you can be sure that Ryan Reynolds and Christian Bale aren't working for peanuts either. And while money might be a very big reason why these actors are motivated to get into shape, the next key is what makes it all happen fast...

Key #4: Deadlines

There's an old saying in business that any project will always expand to fulfill the time allotted.

Translation:

If you're given six months to write a term paper... it will take six months. But if that very same instructor only gives you three days, that very same project will only take three days. The same principle carries over to muscle gain. If you give yourself a long time to gain muscle mass and strength, it will take a long time.

But if you give yourself a tight deadline and fully commit to the task, don't be surprised if you accomplish your goal in less than a fraction of the time. Deadlines are powerful and each of these actors had to gain muscle while working against a hard and fast deadline. Set up your own deadlines for maximum results. Don't just say you want to gain 20lbs of muscle. Set up an end date and stick to it.

Key #5: Make It Your Job

Finally, each of these actors made muscle and strength gain their "jobs."They didn't have to go to an office or a construction site each day. It was their job to get in shape for their movie roles.

You will have to work a little harder, but you can harness the same principle. Make it your job to gain muscle and strength. Sure, you probably already have a job but make gaining muscle and strength your second job.Clear out any obstacles that will hinder your progress.

And if you feel like skipping the gym, tell yourself that it's not an option because you've got to "go to work." Follow these five keys and you'll be on your way to building serious "Hollywood Muscle."

Matt Marshall is the author of the Tried and True Fitness blog - a site that reveals time-tested methods for building muscle, burning fat and achieving optimum health.

Gossip Girl Actors

Gossip Girl is a television series based on a book written by Cecil von Ziegesar. It talks about a bunch of youngsters from the elite society who attend private school at the Upper East Side of New York. These teenagers experience almost everything right from teenage problems, dangerous situations, drug addiction, to dealing with friends and family members. Each episode of Gossip Girl is narrated by an anonymous person voiced by Kristen Bell. The story revolves around twelve main characters out of which most popular are Serena van der Woodsen, Blair Waldrof, Dan Humphrey, Nate Archibald, Jenny Humphrey, Chuck Bass, and Vanessa Abrams.

The above mentioned characters of the series are played by young talented actors. Blake Lively plays Serena van der Woodsen who is a successful socialite and the most popular girl in the school. During the casting process Blake Lively was the first to be chosen to play the character of Serena van der Woodsen. Blake Lively has successfully risen to stardom in a short span of time. Before gracing the small screen she made a sensational debut on the big screen in her first movie "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants". She was nominated for the 2005 Teen Choice awards.

Leighton Meester plays the onscreen character Blair Waldrof, best friend to Serena van der Woodsen. Leighton Meester is perfect for this role and plays it with great panache. She has had a successful television career and has appeared in several other television series including "Entourage", "8 Simple Rules", "Numbers" and "CSI Miami". Her most recurring roles were in "24", "Veronica Mars", "House" and "Shark". Before starting her acting career she dabbled in modeling before sweeping the small screen.

Penn Badgley enacts the part of Dan Humphrey, a romantic character, who attends the private schools but does not fit into the elite circle financially. He starred in a television series called "The Mountain". After relocating to Los Angeles he was offered a guest role in "Will and Grace". There was no looking back and he soon played recurring roles on famous television series "The Young and the Restless", "The Brothers Garcia" followed by "Daddio". Penn was involved in Children's Theater in Seattle. The character of Nate Archibald is played by Chace Crawford. He has acted in the top box office opener movie of 2006 "The Covenant". Chace shuttles his time between Los Angeles where he is based and New York where Gossip Girl is being filmed.

Taylor Momsen plays the young Jenny Humphrey sister to Dan Humphrey and a budding fashion designer. Taylor Momsen is the youngest cast member of Gossip Girl. At only seventeen she has grabbed the limelight and become a successful actor. She acted in successful box office movies like "Spy Kids 2" and "We Were Soldiers". Ed Westwick is a British actor and plays the part of Chuck Bass in Gossip Girl. Chuck Bass is from a wealthy and sophisticated family. He loves all luxuries of life and makes no compromise. Ed Westwick plays this part to perfection. He has worked in Children of Men opposite Clive Owen and Julianne Moore. Westwick has movies lined up for release. When not filming for Gossip Girl, Ed lives at his house outside London. The character of Vanessa Abrams is played by Jessica Szhor. She has an ethnic background of both African-American and Caucasian. Jessica worked as a model before she was discovered and chosen to play the onscreen role of Vanessa Abrams.

Actors and Self Esteem - Boosting Self Confidence

"Mustering up enough self-esteem to say, 'I want to be an actor,' was a big turning point." Julia Roberts

Many talented and creative people report feeling incompetent, inadequate and having low self esteem at times. But there are ways to shift those feelings and build self confidence.

A number of film actors report they don't even watch their own movies. When you can be seen in close-ups on twenty foot high theater screens, it may be especially hard not to criticize your appearance and performance, and supposed faults.

Many actors are gifted and talented people, who may be very self critical and highly reactive to criticism from others, such as teachers, other actors and critics.

Gifted and talented people may also be perfectionistic, and measure themselves against outstanding and accomplished professionals, such as other actors, perhaps forgetting those pros have refined their talents over many years.

But even accomplished actors can feel low self esteem and insecurity.

Meryl Streep admits she has "varying degrees of confidence and self-loathing," and says she can have "perfectly horrible" days where she doubts her talent or ability to emotionally achieve what she wants in a certain scene.

She also admits fearing sometimes that she's "boring and they're going to find out that I don't know what I'm doing."

Kate Winslet has said that before going off to a movie shoot, she sometimes thinks, "I'm a fraud, and they're going to fire me... I'm fat; I'm ugly; I look like a whore!" [She laughs].

Bill Nighy has commented about feeling a "huge disparity" between what you might think of yourself and your work and how other people judge it, even positively - thinking they're "insane" for applauding your work, but realizing "you're sometimes quite good at what you do."

So what can you do about building up your self esteem and confidence as an actor?

One way is to pay more attention to the positive things people say about your performance, when it is authentic, and not paying so much attention to negative criticism. Or at least being careful to accept valid criticism only for what it is, and not exaggerate it.

Developing yourself as both a person and an actor, following your interests in art or sports or seeing friends, while also taking acting classes. Getting into commercials or community theater or any performance work can help feelings of low self-esteem.

It may help to seek out comments from a teacher or other actors about how you are working, instead of waiting for comments.

But building confidence may not be a matter of simply building up positive esteem or "getting rid" of low esteem feelings.

Will Smith admits he doubts himself every day. "What people believe is my self-confidence is actually my reaction to fear," he has said. "I've always had a horrible fear of not achieving."

But he has learned to use his self-doubt and fear of failure, as he says, to "flip that negative energy around and make it a challenge. I keep going because I doubt myself. It drives me to be better."

Energy psychiatrist Judith Orloff, MD works with many people including actors to help them transform strong negative emotions like anxiety into positive energy for creativity. She has specific techniques in her book Emotional Freedom.

The Self-Esteem Supercharger is a CD program based on sports psychology that can help enhance confidence.

Many athletes report that listening to the program before a game or match improves their performance. It may also help you before an audition or performance.

Are Actors Raging Narcissists?

Self-centered, vain, conceited, egocentric - these are some of the variations on the idea of being narcissistic. We need a healthy degree of positive self-regard, of course, but when it becomes distorted, it is considered narcissism, a personality disorder in its extreme form.

A number of actors have talked about some of the problems with being too self-obsessed, and how it interferes with creative expression.

Ben Affleck thinks narcissism is "the one quality that unites everybody in the film industry, whether you're an actor, a producer, a director, or a studio executive."

But, he adds, "It's a nightmare. Narcissism is the part of my personality that I am the least proud of."

Kristen Bell says that for her film "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" she "just looked into the depths of the most hard-to-admit or vulnerable or bad characteristics of my own personality and what an actress can become if given that kind of self indulgence or that amount of vanity."

She also thinks actors and especially actresses tend to be self-obsessed, because that's part of the nature of their career.

But what is narcissism? The basic idea is being obsessively self-absorbed, always putting your own needs first, having poor empathy or appreciation for other people's needs etc. But what is behind someone operating that way?

Alice Miller writes in her book The Drama of the Gifted Child about childhood harm leading to compromised emotional life as an adult, including those kinds of behaviors and thinking.

She writes in the book about "how inconceivable it is really to love others (not merely to need them), if one cannot love oneself as one really is."

For an actor, it may be difficult to maintain contact with and love of your authentic self, if you are continually portraying "other people" and getting notice or even fame for those personalities.

Stephen Sherrill writes in his New York Times article Acquired Situational Narcissism about how fame can stimulate narcissism.

He refers to the work of Robert B. Millman, professor of psychiatry at Cornell Medical School, who developed the idea of "acquired situational narcissism."

Sherrill explains, "People who aspire to stardom tend to be more narcissistic than others, but they don't develop a true narcissistic personality disorder until they begin to achieve success: the first platinum album, the first appearance in Vanity Fair's 'Young Hollywood' issue, the first public fling with Winona Ryder."

Having these sort of narcissistic tendencies doesn't mean you are "crazy" or necessarily need therapy.

But it can be helpful to our emotional growth and power as creative people to be more aware of how we operate emotionally and mentally.

Richard Gere once commented, "The more I grow, the less I become this egocentric thing that is prone to anger and hatred and all this other stuff. The trick is to get out of the way of the ego, so that whatever is of value illuminating inside you or me or the waiter or anybody else can be seen. The job of the creative person is to get out of the way."

Actor Vera Farmiga cautions, "This business is tough, it is so tough. But my first and foremost thing is like, ego always gets in the way. You gotta keep that in check - you got to."

There are many excellent personal growth books on emotional intelligence, spirituality, awareness and positive psychology that can help any of us develop healthy self-regard.