Show Volition Aspire Courageous Talents!

Back of Tri-Met Bus

2017-03-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

Back in 2005-2007, I found myself advertising to myself to "Be Your Dream." I will share more.

My marketing sticker!

2017-03-24T09:49:00.001-07:00

What do you see valuable in my design? What symbolism to you see? Thanks for sharing!

2nd Class Notes on Acting

2012-08-09T12:28:00.000-07:00

What a 2nd session in class. We had a special guest and it was Daniel Baldwin. It was a thrill to perform a 30 second monologue in front of him. Of course it was a little more scary than not, because I am not well rehearsed at any material I am doing, hence I am taking class to learn the art of acting.

Nonetheless I did a monologue scene from "Good Will Hunting", where I know I brought a connection to it to some level of "internalization." The nerves did get to me, and I think as I study more and learn to be that person as real as I can be, as real as the character is, it will come across more natural.

Pacing myself through the many lessons and doing the activities will surely pay off, I imagine.

It was real neat to know that Daniel Baldwin did comedy standup as he first started. He answered my question about is it okay to do comedy as well as acting at the same time? His experience shared, that some actors will go to set and want to be called by their characters name throughout their shoot, however he himself can flip the switch to be the character at the scene as needed, so it depends on the person.

Now Daniel, brought a alternative personality to teaching acting compared to Jesse. Daniel is more of an extrovert person than Jesse, yet I think Jesse is one of the slickest guys I've come across. He said in his own words, "I'm a ladies man, but has retired". It's hard to not help but chuckle.

So Daniel, pointed out in class that we as actors working on film will not at all necessarily shoot in chronological timeline order. So it is crucial for us to activate our characters plot and mission accurately, being if we need, to find that one word that will click and launch us into the scene with the tone that would be most organic. The goal is to hit the zone on action.

So besides that, I have found another scene to do with a acting partner where it's comedy. A scene from 10 Things I Hate About You. My first scene partner and I had a very interesting improvisational exercise of the characters on Good Will Hunting.

Firstly, my partner was to play Mr. Lambaui, but as we were practicing outside of class, I mentioned to him how it is a big challenge for us, him to portray that character. He is around my age, but in the movie he's suppose to be my fathers age or older uncle. So I had another scene where he was more my peer and perhaps an older brother looking out for me. More accurate in seeing it as believable.

We went up there to do a cold read and boy did Jesse rip us a new one. I told my partner after trying the scene with him outside briefly, that you know you can actually find a script you see suiting your ability and likeness as Jesse's book suggests. But he insisted that we do it, so I said sure.

It became a well, intense learning moment.

Jesse got us to use personal experiences which we may have to make the moments real as possible. He asked my scene partner if he had a brother as the character of Will who he has become to the means of frustation and anger with? And also asked me to the same scenario and had us battle out or feelings into words that reached out of us. As Jesse was using his example he was ripping me with his experiences taking whatever I gave him and came down hard. But I realize he was not ripping me personally whatsoever, but the character I was giving him. Now I notice that if I am not in character, than the scene will not work out to it's nature, so I was able to pull it together and treat him as he were my brothers who I have had a deep history in and say things as it were them and have the scene be that much more engaging.

What a learning day, to have practice a new monologue, to be put in a real learning scenario and to have made stronger connections.

Having Daniel in class brought a valuable perspective to the class and buzz.

There are many things actors perhaps can do in a scene, but what I understand is more of what do we not do, to make the scene more real.

Find a spot of realization and react.

1st Class Notes of Acting

2012-08-02T11:53:00.000-07:00

So things have been kickin in class. Started the first session with a 30 second monologue reciting the infamous Bruce Lee's philosophy of pointing a way to the moon, and be like water my friend. And on the whim found a class mate to do a cold read from Good Will Hunting.

The scenes in the film written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, directed by Gus Van Sant is a classic and showcases the brilliance of the collaboration. So as I study acting, I know it will be crucial to study scripts and actors who have succeeded in the film world.

Jesse Vint has been a excellent teacher in getting us to "internalize" what we are doing in class. 1st week was nice just getting our toes wet and testing the nerves. It's kind of a challenge to get some scenes with an advance actor in class, but I am making the connections to do so.

In Jesse's book, The Film Actors Handbook, he suggest us to write down our notes to study them for our scenes and type it down as wisely as we see suiting. So I have decided to keep a blog of the progress of acting.

Here's the format practically of the class:

1) 30 second monologues.

2) Sign up to showcase the scenes you and your partner will perform.

3) Get feedback, take notes, study and practice scenes with partners.

After that, we go and and have a ball and the Radio Room to talk and discuss and interact.

As I engage in the adventure of acting here is what I have to be mindful of:

* Crystal clear to the core

* Concept needs heart and soul

* Tripwire to detonate a explosion

* Back and forward flow

* Be aware of misuse of skill

* Try hard, not too hard.

* Involuntary = Subconscious

What I truly enjoy about Jesse's class is his openness and flexibility to allow us to grow in our understanding. Things as from suggesting us to try accents in our monologues, despite us not being from that area of the world, Jesse mentioned who knows they may need a actor to portray such dynamics. Also we are allowed to write our own scenes, which I think will be a great creative opportunity.

Jesse Vint Acting Coach

2012-07-27T23:05:00.000-07:00

We meet at Starbucks on NW 23rd and Overton.

What a terrific day getting some intense detailed history of Acting from a veteran of the industry, Jesse Vint. I recall learning of the history of Theater in college and Mr. Vint gave me the details of how it came to be through his knowledge.

It’s so cool to know someone who was connected to “The Group Theater” aka “Marxism” of theatre. Also really neat to know that the leaders of that movement started teaching acting as we know it today.

So we learned of the arrival of method acting which was formulated by Anton Checkov’s play “The Seagull” and the application of Stanislavsky technique of; subconscious, involuntary, organic acting.

We learned that the actor, Marlin Brando has exemplified this technique across the oceans and against the criticisms. Beyond that we learned what to expect in the acting process and to have a strong understanding of what it is to be an actor and the difference of a star.

If you never had an acting coach and are in search of a person who has the in-depth experience, Jesse Vint is no stranger and I believe he will bring out that deepness we all seek to deliver as a actor.

In his words, “How does an actor make himself care about what is going on in a fictional screenplay with fictional relationships? The answer is--usually through a lot of hard work and study--but more simply, by knowing himself--or more specifically, by knowing his hot buttons.”

It's always the right time to show volition and aspire courageous talents and SVACT!

Sourixay Vilalay aka SV