# data[].attributes.body
Life informs the kind of writing you do.

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.alternative_text
Life informs the kind of writing you do.

# data[].attributes.headline
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.subject
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.body
Influence from artist-like imagery that feels legitimate and intuitive, understanding what certain times was like and try to communicate it to people.

# data[].attributes.body
Networks don’t care if its serialized or procedural – Networks like to categorize shows as serialized or procedural.

# data[].attributes.headline
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.subject
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.body
Time is very fluid, time isn’t orderly, time is more emotional than chronological.

# data[].attributes.body
An incredible amount of freedom on premium cable than on network television on a creative level.

# data[].attributes.body
Does the network trust you to do the job? If they do you’re gonna get a lot of freedom or if they sense a void in leadership they’re gonna rush in to fill it, no matter what network it’s at.

# data[].attributes.headline
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.subject
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.body
As an actor you’re already interested in playing dynamic and interesting people and also the challenge of being seen differently than the way you are.

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.alternative_text
As an actor you’re already interested in playing dynamic and interesting people and also the challenge of being seen differently than the way you are.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There are many different acting challenges, but I wanted to work though some of those that I have faced everyday as an actor and a teacher. Each of us are blessed with strengths. Some actors I know can glance at a script a handful of times, and it's lodged securely in their memory. For others their vocal warm up consists of a cigarette and a can of Red Bull, and they sound better than me after my warm up (an hour of rolling around on the floor.) It's important to acknowledge your strengths, but if we really want to become great actors we have to work through our individual challenges. I want to look at some of those common challenges actors face, and see if I can offer any insights into how you can begin to move past them.

Memory

It frustrates us when people ask the perennial question "great work, how did you learn all those lines?" Don't they realise how much more work there is into putting a play on a stage! But learning lines is a challenge. And a big one. It can be a huge cause of stress, and if you can't confidently learn your lines, it can lead to mechanical, disconnected acting.

For me the solution is time, and planning. I have never been good at learning lines, but I am good at planning. I set dates when I want to be off book, and I make sure I get there. If you know it takes you 3 weeks to learn lines, then give yourself 3 weeks! If it only takes you a few days, then give yourself a few days.

I also make sure that I am never just learning the lines. If you truly understand your script, and the words you are saying, it will inherently be easier to learn those lines. This is why so many students struggle to learn Shakespeare monologues. They don't fully understand the script and then it is like learning a safety manual, in Spanish! You'll learn your lines much quicker if you do the preparation on your script first. Make sure you understand the intentions behind the lines, because if you can learn the thoughts, you can learn the lines.
For more on learning lines.
Fears

You could get on stage a 100 times, but if you always fall back to what you know and feel comfortable with, then that won't get you anywhere.

If there was one thing that would lead to an actors improvement more than anything else, it would be overcoming fears. It is our fears that hold us back from every element of great acting. Whether it is inhibiting our emotions, or stopping us from connecting with the other actor, or forcing us to be superficial and safe in our performances. For some, their fears might not require a bucket before every audition, but it can still be inhibiting their potential as actors. Either way we must try to abate these fears as best we can. Or in the very least, learn to accept and work with them - instead of against them.

The answer is practice. Like with anything, the more we work on stage or on screen, the more it becomes second nature. Our experience becomes a foundation for us to work from. I could encourage hypnotherapy, acupuncture and mantras, but the simple answer is you have to do it more. But here is the caveat: you can't keep playing it safe. You could get on stage a 100 times, but if you always fall back to what you know and feel comfortable with then that won't get you anywhere. Keep pushing yourself, work on challenging scripts, and explore characters outside your comfort zone. The more we stretch ourselves the less fearful we become.

Given Circumstances

I was watching two wonderful actors work on a scene from Revolutionary Road in class the other day. There was a line where Frank's character (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) references two friends who are waiting outside: Shep and Milly. But who the hell are these people! The teacher worked with the students to detail up those two names, getting them to substitute someone in their real life for Shep and Milly. And it worked. All of a sudden these two names that the actor had previously rushed over, came to life and had meaning.

This is one of the keys to great acting! We have to do the work in order to bring people, places, events and objects to life, when in reality - they are completely imaginary, and may mean nothing to us. Whether it's endowing a prop, or falling in love with your scene partner, it is imperative to connect with the given circumstances of any scene.

Acting teachers have been trying to solve this since Stanislavsky first formulated his acting method. For some teachers like Ivana Chubbuck the solve is substitution. For others like Stella Adler and Declan Donnellan it is the imagination, and finding ways to connect with the reality of the script. Whichever way you go, nothing can be rushed over and ignored. You must connect truthfully to your given circumstances and that is the key to an authentic and compelling performance.
For more on Given Circumstances.
Emotion

Emotion comes up more than anything else when actors reach out to me. How do I connect with emotion? How do I cry? How can I be more emotional? And the funniest thing is that most of the major acting methodologies put little to no emphasis on emotion. Emotion is the by-product of going after what you want in the scene.

Whilst we want to be open to our emotions, they are not the objective. There are countless examples of people experiencing tragedy and feeling completely numb, or pragmatic, or angry. Our emotions are unpredictable, and they should be that way in our acting. When we focus on achieving certain emotions we become self indulgent, and the story is lost.

The solution is to spend your time discovering the writers intention. If you are working with a director or other actors, work with them. Investigate the scene and why it is part of the story. Once you discover that and can work out what you want in the scene and why you continue to be there, you will be able to play the scene truthfully.

If you understand the scene and relax enough - the feelings will come.

Technical Issues

We've all met actors who hate theatre because it's not "real." They feel they have to project, or use stagecraft and they are all about "realism" and being "truthful". Well, first of all let me tell you that there is no medium that allows an actor to work without craft. Film and TV acting relies heavily on blocking, hitting marks, and having appropriate eye lines - just to name a few. What I find even more funny, is when actors hate theatre because it feels fake. In modern filmmaking, you are so often in big studios, working with green screens, and fake eyelines - that you often have even less to work with, than in theatre. The imagination has once again come to the forefront of acting!

So yes, technical issues will always be part of your work as an actor. The question then is; how do you marry technical proficiency, will being truthful? Practice.

Stage craft or screen craft, comes with time. The only way you can make hitting your mark feel natural is to practice hitting your marks. The same is true for finding your thoughts on the fourth wall in theatre. These things feel unnatural. And just getting angry at that won't help.

In all the mediums, if you can't be seen or heard then being real won't count for anything. If you do the greatest acting ever and are out of focus you won't make the edit. If you aren't heard on stage, your tears won't mitigate the annoyance of the audience who can't hear the story!

Understand the technical aspects of the medium you are working with and then practice them. Acting is a craft as much as it is an art.

Believability

One of the biggest challenges for actors is to be believable and truthful. In fact, for most actors this is all that they are after. And it is a noble goal.

For any story to come to life, it must be believable, we must "hold a mirror up to nature", and audiences are very good at seeing fakes. The answer is multifaceted...

First of all you need to relax. And yes nothing is more relaxing than someone just telling you to relax. But if you are comfortable and relaxed, for the most part, that solves the problem. Most actors, even early career actors, innately know when they are faking it. The problem is fear causes us to not commit, and to do weird stuff. The best way to find this relaxation is once again practice. The more you work on scenes and monologues the better you get. Especially if you can get on stage or screen and work in some environments that push you outside your comfort zone.

Second, you have to truly understand the world you're in. Once again this comes back to that relationship you have with the writer. Being able to understand and interpret the writer's intention is paramount to your success as an actor. If you can understand that intention, and connect with the given circumstances of the scene, you will be well on your way.

Finally, you have to let go of your ego. You could be relaxed, and have total understanding of the scene, but still be like a pantomime actor. "Big acting" or "fake acting" often comes from trying to impress an audience, or compensate for a lack of preparation. The key to believable acting is connection with your scene partner (or the audience in rare cases like a Shakespearean soliloquy). If you can let go of the desire to be liked and adored, and instead focus on the reality of the moment - your acting will be believable. We know what it is to be human, because we are one. All we have to do is understand the story, relax, and let go of trying to do anything other than connect with the other actor's.

Conclusion

Acting is hard. And these are just a few of the challenges we face as actors. But as you can see from this article there is hope. And mostly it comes back to two thing: practice, and understanding scripts. The issue is it's tricky for actors to practice, especially when you aren't working, or even auditioning. It can also be hard to find motivation to read more plays, and break down scenes. This is why created our online scene club. It's a place to work on scenes and monologues every month. You also get access to over 2500 plays, and many that you can watch (if you are particularly lazy). If you need some accountability to practice your acting, check out StageMilk Drama Club and join hundreds of likeminded actors who are getting better at their craft as each day goes by.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Challenges of Acting | Common Challenges for Actors

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Acting is hard. There are many challenges we face as actors, but here are a few solutions to the common obstacles we face in our acting.

# data[].attributes.headline
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.subject
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.body
Think about the central part of the story and how to take this first-person narrative character and get the voice out.

# data[].attributes.body
Networks are concerned with ratings; how many people watch the show.  If ratings are not good, they can cancel your show.

# data[].attributes.headline
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.subject
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.body
All of the emotional baggage had to come from somewhere.  It had to come from something I knew.

# data[].attributes.body
You don’t go into a tv show expecting good hours you go into a tv show expecting the worst.

# data[].attributes.headline
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.subject
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.body
The actor must make the character their own.

# data[].attributes.body
Networks pressure is due to a time crunch. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if it is good or bad, they just want you to do it.

# data[].attributes.body
It’s a collaborative art form.

# data[].attributes.headline
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.subject
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.body
Basic ideas and I think about the characters randomly throughout the day. I have thoughts and write ideas about the characters until the characters starts talking and then characters start guiding the story.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Rick Riordan | Welcome to the Online World of Rick Riordan

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Click any of the questions below to reveal Rick's advice.

What was your experience getting published?

The time I spent waiting to get published was mercifully brief compared to some. I'll be the first to admit I was lucky. However, the process I went through was the same as it is for many writers.

Once I had a completed manuscript for BIG RED TEQUILA, I queried agents. Many said no. One said yes. The only advantage I had at this stage was that a Bay Area creative writing teacher/author had done a line edit for me. She really helped me clean up the final draft, and then let me use her name in my query letter, "So-and-so, author of _______, suggested I contact you." Any foot in the door is good. Even if the agent doesn't know the author, she knows that someone in the business has endorsed your work. For this reason, I do think it can be helpful to pay someone for a line edit, if you have someone reputable in your area. A good place to look for freelance editors would be writing institutes at your local colleges.

Once I had an agent, she began shopping the manuscript around. Many publishers said no, all for different reasons. Some loved the story and disliked the characters. Some loved the characters and disliked the story. There didn't seem to be any consensus. Finally, however, we got an offer from Bantam Doubleday Dell, and the series was published.

I finished the manuscript of BIG RED TEQUILA just before my thirtieth birthday, June, 1994. It was published in June of 1997. So from first query letter to pub date took three years. About a year of that was after I'd signed the contract and Bantam was preparing the book for publication.

How do you develop characters?

Character development is paramount for me. I firmly believe that plot and character development must occur simultaneously. Plot cannot be left to chance. Neither can characters be automatons who carry out actions envisioned in the author's master plan. Below are some things I try to keep in mind when developing my characters:

Rick's Top Five Tips on CHARACTER

5. Define a character first through action, second through dialog and description, never through explanation.

A character should be primarily defined by the choices he makes, and the actions he takes. How does he respond to violence? How does he respond to love? Secondly, a character must be vividly but deftly describe through his speech, and through the initial view you give the reader (see #4 below). Never stop to explain who a character is when we can watch him in action and decide for ourselves.

4. Be impressionist rather than realistic.

Describe characters as Dickens did - with a single deft stroke. A laundry list of physical traits is realistic, but it is neither memorable nor compelling. A jarring metaphor for the character, or a focus on one mannerism or physical trait, can be very compelling. Example: She was a human tornado.

3. Do not be afraid to use real people as models, but do not be constricted by your models.

It is very natural to use parts of ourselves or the people we know when creating characters. Do not be afraid to do this because someone might get mad at you. At the same time, let your character develop. Do not force them to do what the real-life model would do. Characters seldom end up exactly like the real people they are based on.

2. The reader does not have to be told everything you know about the character.

It may be critically important to you that your character has blue eyes, or went to Texas A&M. But if these details have no part in the story, the reader will not care. Leave them in your subconscious. If you are having trouble figuring out a character, fill out a character profile, or do some journaling in that character's voice.

1. Your character must act, not simply be acted upon.

We care about characters because we are interested in the choices they make. We want to boo the villain, cheer the hero, and cry with frustration when the tragic figure makes the wrong move. A character who does not act, but simply receives information and is acted upon by outside forces, is not a character who will compel the reader. Remember, plot is what the characters do next. If the characters do not create the plot, the plot is hollow.

Here's a character profile worksheet I sometimes fill out if I'm having trouble understanding a particular character I've created:

Character Profile

Name:

Height:

Age in story:

Birthplace:

Hair color, length, style:

Race/nationality:

Regional influences:

Accent: (include voice, style of speech, slang, signature phrases or words)

Religion:

Marital status:

Scars or other notable physical attributes:

Handicaps: (emotional, physical, mental)

Athletic? Inactive? Overall health?

Style of dress:

Favorite colors:

How does the character feel about his/her appearance?

Brothers/sisters:

Relationship with parents:

Memories about childhood:

Educational background: (street smart? Formal? Does he/she read?)

Work experience:

Occupation:

Where does the character live now? Describe home (emotional atmosphere as well as physical)

Neat or messy?

Sexual preferences/morals/activities:

Women friends/men friends:

Pets?

Enemies? Why?

Basic nature:

Personality traits (shy, outgoing, domineering, doormat, honest, kind, sense of humor):

Strongest trait:

Weakest trait:

What does the character fear?

What is the character proud of?

What is the character ashamed of?

Outlook on life (optimistic, pessimistic, cynic, idealist)

Ambitions:

Politics:

How does the character see himself/herself?

How is the character seen by others?

Do you like this person? Why or why not?

Will readers like or dislike?

Most important thing to know about this character:

Present problem:

How it will get worse:

What is the character's goal in the story?

What traits will help/hurt the character in achieving this goal?

What makes the character different from similar characters?

Why will readers remember this character vividly?

How do you write good dialogue?

Dialogue is arguably the hardest thing to do well in narrative writing. Below are some points to consider:

Rick's top five tips on DIALOGUE

5. No two characters should sound the same.

You should be able to open to any page, read a piece of dialogue, and know which character is speaking, simply from the voice. Give each character his or her own style by using dialect (but keep it light), favorite colloquialisms, or speech patterns.

4. Avoid authorial intrusion.

Leave your characters alone and let them talk. Avoid descriptors or padding when possible. Only insert tags when: a. you need to delineate the speakers, in which case do it as simply as possible, i.e. John said.; b. you want to deliberately slow down the pace to give a sense of scene, or convey unspoken information; c. you have a first person narrator who is filtering the dialog through his or her thoughts.

3. Compress dialogue.

Dialogue often sounds more realistic if the sentences are compressed and abridged. Pick only the critical parts of the sentences and clip the rest. Try to cut anything that might be a throw-away line. Instead of: "Okay. That's a good point. But there's something I've been thinking. Do you think Bobby really went home last night? I don't know," it might be enough to say, "You think Bobby really went home?" This gets to the point without drowning in unneeded words.

2. Show only the dialogue needs to be shown.

Realistic dialogue is important, but don't make it mundane. Zoom to the part of the conversation you want the readers to hear. Do not repeat information the reader already knows. When Character A must retell part of the story for the benefit of Character B, simply say, I caught him up on what had happened since yesterday. Fast-forward to the part that is the most interesting.

1. Use dialogue to display conflict, not impart information to the reader.

Too often, dialogue is used as a way to let the readers get information the author thinks they need. The speakers end up having a conversation with the audience rather than each other. This is called a "false triangle" problem, because the speakers are making the reader a third party to their conversation. In every dialogue, the speakers should have opposing agendas. They do not want the same thing out of the conversation. Their words should reveal their character, not just backstory.

How do you plot an entire novel?

How I craft plot has changed radically over the years. With BIG RED TEQUILA, I did very little plotting in advance. I simply began writing, then went back later and tied up all the loose ends, of which there were plenty. With each successive novel, I've done more outlining in advance. Strangely, this has made writing no easier - it's only made the process harder in different ways.

My attitude about plot and how one develops effective pacing is evolving, but below are five points I stand by:

Rick's top five tips on PLOT

5. Don't write the parts the reader would skip anyway.

I'm paraphrasing the great Elmore Leonard here. Most readers, from time to time, have skipped over portions of a chapter to get to the "good stuff." For instance, many readers will skip a long paragraph of description so they can find the next line of dialog. One trick for keeping the reader's interest is to zoom in on the content they want to see and leave out the rest. Writers, especially beginning writers, tend to over-explain.

4. Distinguish between mystery and confusion.

It is good to keep the reader guessing. It is bad to keep the reader confused. The key to successful plotting is giving the reader sufficient information to keep them interested and engaged, but not so much information that they no longer care about what will happen next. The plot should be built in layers of compelling questions - "What will he do?" "What is his secret?" "Why does she hate him so much?" The reader should always have at least one question in mind, and be dying to find out the answer.

3. Get going!

Beginning writers tend to believe that they must "set things up" before they get into the real meat of the novel. They want to introduce characters, history, and setting before they start on the central dilemma. Chapter one is often limp, because of this. Even worse, some writers are so hesitant to get to the point in chapter one that they put off the action even further by writing a prologue. The problem is, until we know the dilemma, we won't care about the set-up. Get to the point! Often manuscripts are better if they start with chapter 2, as Lawrence Block once rightly pointed out.

2. Identify the moral dilemma driving the novel.

The successful novel will haunt a reader because it deals with some ethical or moral dilemma that makes the reader wonder what he or she would do in the protagonist's place. Action may hold a reader for a chapter. A surface dilemma like a kidnapping or a romance may hold the reader for fifty pages or more, but only a moral dilemma will hold the reader for an entire novel.

1. The protagonist must exert influence to solve the problem, and the antagonist must exert influence to stop the solution.

The book must be about conscious choices, carried out in active terms. It must be about conflict. A book about random events happening to passive people will not be compelling. Coincidence is taboo - things can't just happen. There must be a cause and effect.

Are the odds of getting published really that bad?

For traditional publishing with a major publishing house, yes, the odds are long. Don't get discouraged, but it's best to go into the submission process with your eyes open.

Some points to consider:

One agent recently told me she receives over 200 unsolicited manuscripts and query letters on her desk every week. Can you imagine that she has time to give all those submissions a carefully considered reading?

According to one survey of the publishing industry, 3 manuscripts out of every 10,000 submitted are actually published. Of those, only 1 out of 10 will actually turn a profit.

Depending on which survey you believe, the average salary for a published writer is between $2000-$7000 a year. Most writers keep their day jobs. Very few hit the bestseller lists, especially on their first time around. Yes, there are exceptions, but people win the state lottery a lot more often. Write because you have to. Not because you expect to get rich!

The publishing world is changing a lot with e-books. It is quite possible to publish your own book yourself, and sometimes people get noticed this way, but it is not really a shortcut to success. Most e-books sell fewer than 100 copies. Breakout successes do happen, but I would say the odds are about the same as breaking out through traditional publishing... not that great!

I've finished my book. Now what do I do?

Assuming you want to go the traditional route and send your book to a big New York publishing house, rather than e-publishing on your own:

The Process of Getting Published

1. Make sure your manuscript is finished. No one will want to talk to you otherwise. Anybody can write a great first chapter, or even a great fifty pages. Very few people can actually finish a book.

2. Send query letters or emails to agents. Spend a day in the reference section of your library, going through the LITERARY MARKETPLACE or similar book. (You can also find this online.) Make a list of agents who seem to represent the kind of work you do. Draft a one page query letter and submit it to a LOT of agents - 10-20 for starters. Some agents prefer email queries. Other still prefer standard mail. Honor their preferences.

Your query letter should:

Introduce yourself, including any publishing experience or expertise that is relevant to the subject matter of your book.

Explain what sort of book you have written.

Offer to send sample chapters and a plot synopsis.

If submitted via regular mail, enclose a SASE.

3. If asked, and ONLY if asked, send the agent sample chapters and a plot synopsis. Usually they will ask to see the first three chapters, or the first fifty pages. The plot synopsis can be short - no more than a page. The point of the plot synopsis is to give the agent a brief idea where you are going with the plot, and whether your ending sounds solid.
4. If asked, and ONLY if asked, send the agent the whole manuscript. By this time, months of waiting may have gone by, but if the agent likes the sample chapters, they may ask to see the whole manuscript. Send it and be prepared to wait some more.

5. If the agent likes your work at this point, the agent will offer to represent you. At this point, you have to decide whether or not the agent sounds like the sort of person you can work with. Refer to the web site of the Association of Authors' Representatives for more information.

6. If you agree to let the agent represent you, the agent will then begin submitting your manuscript to the publishers.

Do I really need an agent?

The short answer is 'yes,' if you can get one. Agents earn their commissions by getting you a fair hearing with the right editors - something that is almost impossible to get on your own. They also advise you on contracts and sell your foreign rights.

For more information on agents, I highly recommend visiting the Association for Authors' Representatives.

Yes, it is possible to get published without an agent, especially if you target the small presses or go with electronic publishing. However, I think it is always preferable to get an agent if you can.

If I sent you a few chapters of my work, could you critique it?

Sorry, but no. I get a lot of requests like this. I wish I had time to read everyone's work and offer individual comments, but I simply don't. Your best bet is to contact a writing institute or creative writing program in your area and get into a class that offers individual critiques. You might also want to consider hiring a freelance editor to do a line edit. This is not cheap, but it is the best way to get personal, detailed feedback from a professional. If you go this route, however, get recommendations, and be sure you're dealing with someone reputable.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Click any of the questions below to reveal Rick's advice.

# data[].attributes.headline
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.subject
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.body
Being fearless as an actor means your willing to do nothing and let what’s behind your eyes tell the story.

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.alternative_text
Being fearless as an actor means your willing to do nothing and let what’s behind your eyes tell the story.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Acting is Not Lying
Paul Kiernan
"Acting is not about being famous, it's about exploring the human soul." - Annette Bening
I've been on Quora lately, answering questions, reading articles, getting some answers to questions I've had and it's been interesting. One of the things I find ... let's say, puzzling, is the number of people who confidently answer questions on subjects they know nothing about. I've seen non-actors, people who are not in the business or even close to the business really, answer questions about acting. That's fine. It's kind of an odd occupation, there's a lot of subjectivity in it and people equate being famous with being good and so forth. Sometimes I answer questions about acting or theater but, mostly I read and ponder. I don't want to get into an argument, which seems to be one of the chief purposes of social media. Even if I disagree with someone's take on acting or theater or what actors do or don't do in movies, I usually stay out of the conversation. Recently, I've seen several people comment about acting, people who are bankers, or lawyers or, whatever, not actors and they seem to say this quite a bit: "acting is just lying, if you lie really well then, yes, you can be an actor."

I've heard this before, from many different kinds of people; acting is lying. Sometimes this statement is presented as a question: "are you telling me the truth or are you "acting" right now?" I've had this question asked of me by women I dated. Woman have told me that their friends don't know how they can date an actor because actors lie for a living. People who have never been on stage, in a film, taken a class, who know nothing of the art confidently exclaim: acting is lying.
Acting is Truth
I've been a professional actor for roughly 30 years and when I see this statement written, hear people in conversation casually call actors liars, it always gives me a little sting, a little pang. I wince for myself and for my fellow actors knowing that a liar is a bad thing, no one wants to spend time with a lair and most relationships break up due to the phrase: "he's a liar and a cheat." Imagine if your entire life was judged this way by someone who knows nothing about what you really do. It kinda sucks, frankly and I'm writing today in an effort to make it stop.

Let me state clearly and unequivocally: acting is not lying. The definition of lying, according to our good friends at Merriam-Webster, is; marked by or containing untrue statements. Right off the bat, for anyone who is familiar with acting, you can see the definition of lying does not relate to acting. For those who have no connection or are completely unfamiliar with what goes into acting, let me explain. No matter what technique you follow, Meisner, Strasberg, Adler, Kazanoff, Clurman, Stanislavski, the bottom line is all these techniques are working toward one thing; truth. An actor seeks and works and rehearse and builds a character in the pursuit of truth in imaginary circumstances. Actors are seeking to find truth.

"But," you may say, "they are pretending to be someone else, that's lying." No, no it's not, it's pretending. Yes, I said it, it's pretending. Acting is high level pretending. It is based in seeking truth and using techniques to portray that truth as deeply and faithfully as possible but, yup, bottom line is, actors pretend really, really well.
Let's Pretend
We pretend as kids, we pretend we're kings and princes, firemen, cops. We pretend the backyard is Dodge City and the bent stick in our hand is a six gun. We pretend the bag of green army men is a real army and we pretend battles with full sound effects and action. We pretended as kids and then, somewhere, somehow, we were told to act our age, grow up and pretending went out the window. So, actors, when we first start out, need to learn how to pretend and how to play as we did as kids again. When a kid sets up his army men in the back yard or his bedroom and spends hours moving each guy, giving them names, making the sound of explosions and helicopters and what not, is he trying to deceive anyone? Does he want you to walk into the room or into the yard and think, holy mother of God, there's a war going on here. Albeit one waged by tiny, sickly looking, nearly immobile men, but still, it's a war. No, he's just pretending, exercising his imagination. He is not lying.

I have a friend who makes a really really good living taking the games and exercises he learned in his beginning acting classes and bringing them to giant corporations and doing weekend retreats, helping corporate execs learn how to pretend and play and open up their imaginations. They want to learn how to play and pretend. No one is calling them liars.
The Opposite of Lies
Someone usually lies to protect themselves, to avoid being punished, to avoid being disliked, shunned by the group or hide the reality of who they are. Actors, when plying their craft, do not do that. In fact, actors do just the opposite. Actors, when doing what they do and doing it well, are actually exposing themselves, emotionally. They're laying bare for the audience and showing parts of their inner selves that most people would happily go a lifetime without anyone knowing those parts of them existed. What they are doing is really the polar opposite of lying.

Actors, when they are creating a character, understand that a character isn't something that is pulled on like a v-neck sweater. A character is developed by finding the connection to the character inside the actor. To personalize and specify who this person is, we have to look inside and find that person in us. What this means is, an actor has to look inside and admit, to himself and then to an audience of strangers that, yes, I have a serial killer in me, I have a cheating husband in me, I have an egomaniac, holocaust causing dictator in me. An actor is fearless, they don't lie because they don't hide, they admit to themselves and then share their darkness, their sorrow, their hate, their love, they find that in themselves. Hell, lying would be easy and would take much less of an emotional toll.
It's Work
In response to those who wonder about actors, dating actors and are actors just spending their entire lives lying to you, let me offer this, it's work. Acting is work. Just because it seems fun to you, and remember, you're not seeing the rehearsal or the shooting schedule and days onset, you're just seeing the fun and funny and exciting outcome, I assure you it is work. It's 12 hours a day, six days a week at the very least. It's work, it's difficult, it's draining and the last thing you want when you get home is to have to keep working. So, the idea that actors work all day and then want to continue working when they're done is kind of ridiculous. When we're done with the work, we want normality, conversation, love, a good meal, time with friends, we don't want to have to be "on" and performing all the time because then, we'd never stop working. So, no, when we're with you outside of work we are not acting. When you ask me, how do I know you're not acting right now, my answer would be; 'Because you're not paying me right now and I don't do that for free." There is a huge difference between being quick witted, naturally funny and gregarious and acting. Because actors train to be present and in the moment, because we observe and listen really well, because we work hard to get rid of our internal editor, we often can throw ina joke, make a witty observation and people can perceive that as being on or performing. But, Jake from the office is funny at a party and in the office and no one accuses him of being on or acting. Our training and our work tends to make us very present and that can be misinterpreted as being on. Believe me, the best actors I know don't want the spotlight, don't want to be the center of attention, they just want to buy their Cheerios, a dozen eggs and go home. It's ork and there is a time to do the work and there has to be a time when you're not doing work or you have nothing to bring to the world. So, if you date an actor you're going to have to put up with some odd things,weird schedules, emotional highs and lows, artistic self doubt and the like but, you don't have to worry about them "acting" all the time. Actors long for someone who knows them truly, deeply and unconditionally. Someone they aren't worried is reviewing them or saying behind their back how they could do it better. Remember, actors have very visible, very public jobs and there are people who get paid to write about how they do those jobs. Sure, you may have a boss at your job and you may get called into the office to be reprimanded but, as an actor, some guy in Louisville who writes the obituaries and is also the theater critic, gets to put in print that your Malvolio wasn't up to par and he would have done it differently. Everyone gets to have an opinion about you when you're an actor and they get to express that opinion in news papers online, in tweets, instagram or whatever other venue they decide to take to spit their bike on you. It's hard enough to deal with that when you're working, why would we want to continue that on our day off?
Not for Everyone
The simple fact is everybody lies. The level of lie changes, innocent white lies, lies we tell our kids, lies to get out of work so you can go to the beach ... we all have, or will lie in our lives, lie. Everyone does because everyone can. Not everyone can act. Acting involves skill driven training and a bit of talent. Lying is just a reflex.

So, why is this a bee in my bonnet? When you say acting is lying you're reducing the art to what a child does when he doesn't want to be grounded. You're ignoring the years of training, the experience, the work and you're making it some off handed thing that anyone can do with little to no thought or care. You're also creating an image that actors cannot be trusted. Believe me, trying to have a relationship and being an actor is tough enough, the last thing we need is people saying we are liars, cannot be trusted and you'll never know what we're really thinking and feeling. That's not helpful to any of us. Any person with any vocation can lie. A doctor can lie, an engineer can lie, any human being can lie but saying that actors do it regularly, that they are inherent liars, shows a lack of understanding of the art. When an actor is doing his job he is storytelling at a level that heightens the story to a work of art. He is not lying to you because he gains nothing by lying and everything by being truthful. We all know what's happening when we walk into a theater or a movie, we are going to see actors portraying people and telling us an interesting heartwarming, funny, dramatic or ridiculous story. No one thinks, unless they are going into a documentary, that the filmmakers are trying to make you believe what you're about to see is reality. No one is lying to you.

So, I hope this clear things up a little bit and do hope that, in the future, when someone asks a question about acting, you'll think on this and refrain from casually saying it's just lying.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I've been on Quora lately, answering questions, reading articles, getting some answers to questions I've had and it's been interesting. One of the things I find ... let's say, puzzling, is the number...

# data[].attributes.body
TV writers must have a unique script written for a certain amount of money within a certain amount of time.

# data[].attributes.body
Showrunner is like chorography.

# data[].attributes.headline
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.subject
2012 SBIFF Screenwriters' Panel: It Starts With The Script

# data[].attributes.body
Spending time with characters and thinking about them. Using pathos, humor, and tone to outline the characters. Once all the characters are written down and figured out, how to add humor, pathos, and rhythm to the characters.