Cheers everyone!
I'm back with part two! I hope you enjoyed part one of this blog. There was much feedback on part one, and I appreciate it all. I know some of you agreed with me and there are some of you who disagree with me, but, I think it is important that you understand that my blogs come from a place of truthfulness. I write, not to take sides, but to enlighten, to share my point of view, give tips and to help the actor to learn from my experiences and knowledge and grow from them. So read and enjoy the rest of this blog featuring, casting director, Wendy Mckenzie, Wink of an Eye, LLC. If you haven't read part one, read below to catch up. Also, if you like reading my blogs, please click on the icon below to follow me. Without out further ado....
....MY LEARNED LESSON AT WENDY’S WORKSHOP
I remember when Wendy screamed at me after doing a scene for her! LOL. Looking back, I feel that the scene I’d done for her was “good”…(there it is again, "good"!), but she’d told the audience, and me that I hadn’t listen. I’d ended the scene before her telling me to stop. Though I was made example of in front of 30 people, I learned to never make that mistake again! In fact, at the auditions in the DAG on January 17th, I decided that as the heroine addict, I will nod until I was fully laid out on the ground and sucking my thumb if I had to, but I would not stop the audition myself! LOL, that was my learned lesson. In fact, I always make sure now to TAG my scene at every audition so as not to rush the ends of my auditions. (You can learn what TAG is later in my acting classes!)
BACK TO…HELLO, WENDY IT’S ME…
After a little chatter, I’d gotten down to the business at hand. I said, “Wendy, people are pretty offended by your Brutality at the auditions,” and she told me in so many words that she cared what people thought, but she does what she does because she cares! Sort of like your parents telling you that they spank you because they love you! She said that for a while she’s been trying to figure a way not to lose who she is in her workshops, but to be truthful, because she wanted actors to walk away feeling that they are advancing toward the right direction rather than sending them on their way with their ego’s unbruised, but their career in a pigeon hole (my words not Wendy’s); meaning that, they remain as mediocre actors, never rising to the level of the “Great” actors and rarely or never booking a job.
FNALLY…I SAID IT!
Wendy shared with me that she wanted to be a motivational speaker. Admittedly, I was shocked. A motivational speaker!!! Wendy said she didn’t want people walking away from their careers because of something she’d said to them, yet she felt the truth needed to be said. At that point, I felt I owed it to Wendy to be truthful. I suggested to Wendy that she really needed to find a way to bridge the gap between telling the truth and motivating the actor. She admitted to working on just that, saying that she loved actors and she wanted them to feel like they can come to her and not run from her. I told her that I would blog about that and she was cool with that.
Here are a few questions answered in our interview:
Squeaky: What do you like for your actors to walk away with after workshopping with you?
Wendy: I want actors to have knowledge of self- they learn a lot about themselves in my workshops and you can see small things happening, at such a short time. I believe, once you know who you are and you are totally comfortable with self you are able to grow. Once you understand you, you can own it! I want actors to live with their past and future, and not to forget to use this while acting. If you need to, pull from a moment that made you cry. With knowledge of self, you can open up more…if you own all your experiences. Knowing and owning whom you are as a person can help the actor move forward.
Squeaky: Why do you want to be a motivational speaker?
Wendy: I want to inspire people, no matter what they choose to do in life; live their dreams and understand anything is possible. I never dreamt that I’d be here, casting movies, directing a play, and modeling (when I was a model). At first, I never saw myself doing these things. Now, I do them to prove a point to myself, if you want something bad enough you can find a way to get it.
As a motivational speaker, I like to inform the actor- to prepare them with tools to move forward. It takes more than talent; there are tools. I give knowledge and let them know whats expected of thm. Knowledge is power. I give them power by teaching; by showing them and really having them live in that moment. I want them to see what they are doing wrong and right. I owe them that.
Squeaky: What is the biggest mistake you see actors do when auditioning (in regards to their preparation)?
Wendy: Over acting!!! The thing is, actors don’t know to ask questions, ‘what’s happening here?’ or ‘What’s this about?’ For instance, at the auditions at the DAG some of the women were dressed like bumbs- that’s over acting…this is a woman who is living on heroine she’s not a bumb- don’t act, just be! That’s what I teach in my class. So many of the women read that role like a runaway slave…instead of just talking, as themselves.
LET ME END BY SAYING…
As actors we need to learn to not let opinions get the best of us- we have to come to grips with where we are and decide where we want to be. We have to know that every casting director, director and agent’s opinion will vary. They are all subjective. We must go on auditions knowing we did our best. In order to know this, we have to get coached before our auditions, go to acting classes and go to workshops to learn from the very people who have crushed our egos or have lied to us and told us that our auditions were “very good”. We need to know, in the world outside of these workshops, we will not get babied, although I agree with whoever said, “it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” That being said, we need to understand that this is a cutthroat business and because we can only control ourselves, we have to toughen up. These casting directors here it all from the producers and directors before, during, after casting. So I suggest that we don’t take it personal when we get cut from auditions, or when we don’t get the callback. It’s tough to not book jobs, I know, but the workshop is where you find out the truth, the “why”. Let that next, “NEXT, STOP, and THANK YOU, be the fuel to your fire and next time show that CD your growth. We all have choices, and to survive in this business, you must continue to grow or someone who’s “great” will take your job!
For all my fellow actors whose first love is acting…to you who have been hurt in this business, ego’s bruised, and to those who got back up and fought despite of….I leave you with this song:
At first I was afraid I was petrified
Kept thinkin' I could never live without you by my side;
But then I spent so many nights
Thinkin' how you did me wrong
And I grew strong
And so you're back from outer space
I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face
I should have changed that stupid lock
I should have made you leave your key
If I'd've known for just one second you'd back to bother me
Go on now, go walk out the door
Just turn around now
('cause) you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye
Did I crumble
Did you think I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not.I. I will survive
Oh as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive;
I've got all my life to live,
I've got all my love to give and I'll survive,
I will survive. Hey hey.
It took all the strength I had not to fall apart
Kept trying' hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart,
And I spent oh so many nights
Just feeling sorry for myself. I used to cry
But now I hold my head up high
And you see me somebody new
I'm not that chained up little person still in love with you,
And so you feel like droppin' in
And just expect me to be free,
Now I'm savin' all my lovin' for someone who's lovin' me
Go on now.. etc.
If you are interested in attending workshops with Ms. Wendy Mckenzie, please visit her sites:
http://www.winkllc.blogspot.com/
http://www.inthewinkofaneye.biz/
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