1/16/2015 – New Year and New Goals

It’s 2015 and that means a fresh slate to create new goals and visions. 2014 was chalk full of goals, and a lot of changes for me personally. 2015 I feel will be the same and include some leaps and bounds I have yet to make (literally and figuratively). I certainly am a goal setter and keep daily checklists to keep me on task. I’ve blogged quite a bit about it here, but in an effort to keep things efficient, I just want to put out into the ether my desires for this year.

1. Mind- My intellectual goals this year include finishing my novel (I’m down to the last few pages of the second draft), reading eight books with my book club (or on my own), and studying a foreign language (perhaps in anticipation of a vacation later in the year).
2. 

   I don’t really look like this either.

   Body- I have a strong practice of exercising daily. I’d like to keep that up and gain a bit of size and strength, then bring my agility up to speed. The Body Beast and Insanity: Asylum Vol. 2 were the best programs I felt last year that did this for me. But what good is getting in shape without using it? I’d like to finally do a mud-run at some point either in the spring or late summer.

3. Career- In acting I would like to book a couple more roles on television to bolster my resume, I’d like to finally record a Voice Over Reel, and I would like to film a passion project (ie- something that I write and produce). As for the day-job side of things, I am looking to transition away this year from working full-time. To that end I’ve made some financial changes to ensure more income, I’m investing in a career counselor, and working very diligently on my artistic endeavors, hoping they will provide some streams of income (rather than trickles!
4. 

   The Power of Breath

   Spirit- Oh man I’ve made a goal to meditate at least a few minutes a day four times a week and I am already not doing so hot in this category. But that’s the goal. Writing it down puts it out and makes the commitment more tangible for me. Otherwise, I have a thought of perhaps volunteering a little time somewhere, for something. I’ve never been much of a “I’m of service” guy, at least not in that way. But new experiences are important.

5. Fun- It will be my 35 birthday this year and I would like to do some things I have not yet done including skydiving and surfing. I have taken a little hiatus from martial arts this winter, but would like to get back into it at some point as well as continue my dabbling with rock climbing.
6. Rest and Recovery– you can’t have the Yang without the Yin. So in this category I’ve made a commitment to rest on Sundays (not track my goals), and take one day off a month to just go out by myself for a few hours and get some peace and quiet. Additionally I would like to take a big trip. Peru and Machu Pichu has been on my list for a while and I’ve heard that they will be closing the site down due to too many people ruining the integrity of the site. So I hope I can get there before that happens.

Those are my goals in brief for 2015. Fire me a message and share with me your goals!

4/10/14- Quarterly Assessment

Next weekend is my birthday! While I am diligently making preparations for an awesome Murder Mystery Costume party to celebrate, this time of year also means it’s a good time to assess things that are working and where I need to re-tool my plans of action a bit.

Over the past weeks I have outlined a few areas in my life where I have set goals. It has been about 3-4 months since I have implemented strategies to attain those goals, so it’s a good point to evaluate what has and has not been working.

1. ACTING- My one to three year goal has been to land a small, but pivotal role in a feature film. To that end I have a six month goal of having more auditions for that type of project. Therefore a rough three month goal was to develop relationships with Casting Directors so that they would know my work and call me in. I believe I am on track for this goal by maintaining a consistent presence at Casting director workshops. I was called in to audition for a major feature based on the fact I had auditioned well for a pilot earlier in the year for the same casting director. I also booked another spot on ABC’s SCANDAL, reprising my role as a nosy reporter, based on those workshops.

Daily I have been reading an entertainment industry, posting on all my social networking sites (including adding a Vine account), touching base with an industry contact via e-mail and snail mail, and submitting myself online, and going to every audition that I can. I also took voice lessons and auditioned for a musical which was a personal goal to expand my range as an actor. I also formed a Power Group to help with encouragement and accountability. That group had its first meeting last month and members encouraged me to expand by seeking out management, which I have also been doing.

Areas in which I can improve or change- I feel I have been auditioning well, however, it has been a while since I have really worked on the “craft” of acting. Eventually, finances willing, I will need to enroll in an acting class again. Additionally, I have wanted to get the ball rolling on Voice Over by taking a class, getting a more professional reel, and getting a voice over agent. Again finances have been a hindrance. I am hoping that I have some savings that I can utilize for this purpose in the next quarter or so.

WRITING- I am about a a chapter and a half away from completing a draft of the novel I have been working on for the last year. That is exciting, but I know I will have a lot of re-writing to do before I am completely happy. I hope to complete the draft within the next month and begin editing so that I have something I can shop to publishers or self-publish by the end of the year.

PRODUCING- Through networking with industry contacts, I have made some connections with other writers and am looking to work on a Short and/or Web based project within the next couple of months.

MENTAL- I have continued to listen to my “Learn Spanish in the Car CD’s” while driving to work. But I have to say that I am getting pretty bored. I much prefer listening to KPCC and I feel like the 10 minutes a day really isn’t sticking with me. While I have strengthened the vocabulary I already had (maybe forgotten) from high school, I haven’t learned much new. I may need to reassess whether I really want to continue this practice without some other sort of language class (which I don’t have the time or money for really).

My book club has met twice this year first for “This Book is Full of Spiders” and secondly for “Going Clear”, Lawrence Wright’s look into Scientology. Both meetings a lot of fun and on track to meet my goal of 8 meetings for 2014. I’ve also read, The Art of War by Sun Tzu, How to think Like Leonardo da Vinci, and Confession of a Buddhist Atheist, in the interim. Next book club book is Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, which should be a lot of fun, even though I feel like it kind of is an easy choice.

Also had a great time at the National History Museum this past week seeing the SILK ROAD exhibition.

PHYSICAL- I have continued my study of Eagle Claw Kung Fu and completed a round of Beach Body’s INSANITY program as well as the first Phase of P90X2 leading up to a 5K run this weekend. I hope to pull at least a 7 minute mile though I am shooting for a bit faster than that. I got myself down to 150 lbs. which is about as lean as I have bene since high school with 9% Body fat or so. I am looking forward to getting back to weight lifting after the race, now that my elbow has recovered mostly from tendonitis. I will still have to be careful not to re-injure it. I have decided to hit Body Beast before heading back to P90X2 for this purpose.

ARTISTIC- I have sort of put playing guitar on the back burner as painting and decorating my condo for the upcoming party has taken precedence. I am very proud that I am finally able to decorate my space the way it deserves to be decorated and hang up some of my art work (even though I am a beginner) for this purpose. Hopefully I can get back more into guitar playing after the party.

HABITS/RITUALS- My MOST productive week for writing was when I came back from Cancun and was on East Coast time. I woke up early every morning to write and made it to work on time. I even was diligent enough to meditate, do some Tai Chi, and complete a gratitude list before bed every night. It couldn’t last. I am back to having trouble falling asleep early in the evening, waking up with enough time to work out and get to work on time, and I haven’t really been meditating at the end of the day like I would have liked. I fluctuate throughout the week and find that I do well on Tuesdays but by Fridays I just want to play games on my IPAD before bed and can’t get my mind to shut off. This has been a constant struggle for me as my evening psyche clearly rebels from all the structure and goal lists I place upon myself during the day. I have really struggled with disciplining myself to put down the electronic devices, books, and turn off the damn lights. When I do I toss and turn in bed, even if I’ve taken melatonin. I’m not sure what I need to do here to make this happen.

For now I will sign off. I am always trying to assess my goals and strategies and am always open to suggestions and thoughts on any of my posts!

1/30/14- Body – The He-Man Syndrome

Gung Hei Fat Choy! The Western Calendar takes dominance in the United States for most goal setting and resolutions, but I have always been very fascinated by Far Eastern Culture and the notion that recorded history is far older than some 2000 years. 2013 was the year of the Snake in the Chinese Zodiac and 2014 will be the year of the Horse. I am not one who puts much stock in astrology (people born in the same month or year have all the same characteristics in spite of genetics and upbringing) because it’s totally arbitrary. However, I do think symbols have power.  Though the snake doesn’t quite have the same connotations in Chinese mythology as it does in the West, I have always associated the snake (aside from cunning and duplicity) with rebirth. The snake to me  is a symbol of reinvention, shedding it’s old skin to renew itself periodically in a younger, perhaps better form.

Last year I too wanted to shed a lot of things and took on a bunch of new roles. I had taken a hiatus from martial arts the year before and by the end of 2013 enrolled in a new school and took up a different style. I began a new relationship and opened myself to a whole bunch of new things through it including rock climbing, vacationing, food, and entertainment that I would not have done by myself. My body physically went through a lot of fluctuations. For example I was at my heaviest gaining 10-15 pounds in order to play Richard the Lion Heart in a production of the Lion in Winter and then I subsequently dropped 25-30 pounds to reach my lightest weight in my adult life by the end of the year through intensive Cardio Interval training.

2014 is the year of the Green Wood Horse. Horse’s are powerful animals, strong and wild. They have powerful bodies and foundations. I think of horses as have strong backs, being very athletic and muscular, while also being swift and agile. Horses, in the Chinese Zodiac are dedicated to self-improvement: a desire with which I strongly identify. I have a consistent desire and applied work ethic to make myself better- smarter, stronger, faster, and more successful.

I kicked off my 2013 Blog by asking a the question, “If I were starting out as an actor in Los Angeles, what would I need?” I don’t consider myself a beginner anymore, however, I am by no means an expert or as accomplished as I would like either. I think it’s always of value to continue building while reinspecting and reinforcing the foundation. Reexamination allows one to build even higher and more strongly. Horses have a powerful foundation of strength when they run, so I too need a powerful foundation if I am going to make greater and swifter strides. The first thing I listed was the mental attitude necessary to succeed. Last week I spent some effort laying out some thoughts and philosophies that would govern my mental foundation. This week I’d like to tackle the second item on the list: the Body.

The Machinist versus Batman

The body is one of my favorite topics because it encompasses health, fitness and nutrition. Actors are physical beings and use their bodies to transform into characters from superheroes, to chain-smoking murders, to ex-presidents. An actor needs to have health and physical fitness and a modicum of control over his shape in order to use it most effectively.

With that in mind I’ve laid out an agenda for myself to attempt to get into the kind of shape that I’d like for the year of the Horse. Just like the Horse, I’d like to be big, strong, but lean, and agile. The trick here is that I have fallen victim to what I call the “He-Man Syndrome”. Superheroes and their physiques are all the rage these days. People are hitting their local Crossfit gyms in an attempt to emulate Superman, Captain America, or Thor. People admire the impossibly buffed out physiques of body builders and models on the covers of health and fitness magazines, and compare themselves to an impossible standard of beauty and health; A standard that is airbrushed, fake tanned, and probably surviving on a glass of water and a steroid injection. Comparisons to an impossible physical ideal is something that our society usually associates with or derides women for. But I admit I have certainly fallen victim to similar impossible comparisons and worked my butt off using home fitness programs to try to achieve a desired look (which I’ve written about at length). The image on magazine covers, I logically know, are not real; or at least not always the best representations of a sustainable healthy lifestyle (once you actually learn what is involved in maintaining the physique of a model or body builder cutting weight in order to have their abs actually show).

Tom HIddleston actually also auditioned to play THOR! Click on the pic for details

The problem with me looking like a fitness model is that I am an ectomorph who doesn’t pack on muscle so easily, with skinny bean pole legs, and the propensity toward love handles when I DO try to gain some bulk (My body seems to hate being below 10%-12% body fat without extreme starvation). Besides, I’m never going to be over six feet tall and my coveted blonde hair turned ash-brown by the time I was 14.  Sure I can play lead roles in projects, but usually if I do I am cast as a bit of an off-color lead (I don’t have your typical soap opera looks). In a superhero movie I’d be far more suited to play Loki than to  play Thor (if only I were British!). I think I’d probably be just as cast-able (maybe even moreso) if I remained a skinny, out of shape nerd, rather than a muscle-bound Jersey-Shore guy, because I am definitely more of the former than the latter.

However, like many guys I hate being small and skinny. I was picked on as a kid and I just don’t like walking around in the world feeling like I’d blow away with the wind. I grew up reading comic books and wanting to look like the heroes therein. Small short guys like to feel big and powerful. They call it the Napoleon complex. Well, as a skinny guy, I definitely grew the He-Man Syndrome. It didn’t help that several weeks ago I had a casting person tell me I would not be called in to even audition basically because I wasn’t buff enough for the part (wish he had seen me when I was 25 pounds heavier playing Richard the Lionheart!). Additionally, the activities and sports that I have been participating in, rock climbing and kung fu, actually favor a light frame with a high strength to weight ratio. So the year of the Horse will be about building a strong foundation, gaining size and strength, while not being bulky so I can remain strong and agile. I want to look good but need to be functionally fit in order to use my body for things. It will be about balancing my desires with reality and an expectation to be the healthiest and best me there is versus comparisons to models.

Again I’m turning to the Gym Jones philosophy to accomplish my physical goals. Heck, it was written specifically FOR physical training.

1. The mind is primary
2. Outcome based training- train for an objective
3. Functional training with a high degree of transferability
4. Movements not muscles- do not isolate muscles
5. Power to weight ratio- must be able to carry the engine
6. Train all energy systems
7. Training is preparation for the real thing
8. The mind is primary in terms of confidence and chemicals
9. Nutrition is the foundation
10. Recovery is more than 50% of the game.

1. The mind is primary- Every morning before I work out I need to put into my head through a breath, meditation, or incantation, that I am going to workout as hard as I possibly can to achieve results. I also need to have a realistic image of what I can achieve on my own through healthy sustainable nutrition choices and consistent exercise without worrying about the extremes of what I see on the screen or covers of magazines. In acting I liken this to the process of letting go after you’ve worked hard on an audition. As Tony Horton puts it “do your Best and Forget the Rest.”

2. Outcome based training- I have some specific objectives this year both aesthetic and substantive. Aiming for benchmarks helps improve the outcome. They are as follows

1. Recover from Golfer’s Elbow injury
2. Gain about 5-10 pounds of muscle while maintaining a 10-12% body fat percentage.
3. Perform Martial arts at a high level (gain rank).
4. Continue to Rock Climb- I’m a newbie but I’d like to at least get comfortable and improve my grade.
5. Learn to surf. I’d love to try this!
6. Bike to work once a month.
7. Compete in a mud-run.

3. Functional training with a High degree of transferability-  In order to achieve my goals here is how I plan to work out.

Phase 1- Insanity Program 9 weeks (Now starting on week 6) in order to:

1. Cultivate a high fitness base while healing my golfer’s elbow. Stay away from the weight lifting exercises that exacerbate the elbow. Ice the elbow everyday. (May need an extra long recover 2-3 weeks after this phase if the elbow still hurts)
2. Cut my body fat percentage as low as possible so that I can build muscle from a place where I am not building too much fat. (Run a caloric deficit)
3. Begin stabilization exercises on shoulder and forearms in order to reduce chance elbow re-injury/pain and be able to complete more complex weight bearing movements and upper body building- 2-3 days a week.
4. Flexibility and agility maintenance by doing Eagle Claw Kung fu, Foam rolling and Tai Cheng.
5. Recovery week. Emphasize light cardio and flexibility- Core Cardio Balance, Kenpo X+, Tai Cheng, X2 recovery/Mobility.

Phase 2- Block 1 P90X2 – 4 weeks – Nothing says functional fitness like P90X2. And Block 1 of that program strengthens the stabilizers and one’s connection to the ground. IE- The Foundation. Here I want to:

1. Build foundation of functional fitness and balance.
2. Complete more complex movements with healed elbow and continue to work stabilization, balance, and core strength
3. Keep body fat percentage low – Same Caloric intake as Phase 1.
4. Flexibility and agility with Eagle claw and Tai Cheng 5 days a week.
5. Recovery week emphasizing Core Strength and Flexibility- P90X2 recovery & mobility, Tai Cheng, Core synergistics

Phase 3 – Block 2 P90X2 – This block has an emphasis on strength training. And I will cut out some of the cardio components  to emphasis hypertrophy and strength- 8 weeks in order to:

1. Increase strength and muscle mass through functional strength training. Progressive overload.
2. Increase caloric intake while sticking to healthy lean proteins and complex carbs.
3. Flexibility Maintained through Eagle Claw and Tai Cheng
4. Recovery focusing on Core Strength and Flexibility- Yoga X, Yoga X2, Yoga FA, Core Synergistics, Tai Cheng, X2 Recovery & Mobility, X Stretch

 

Phase 4- Body Beast- 90 days(12-13 Weeks). Sometimes working muscles in isolation IS the way to go. And in order to put order on mass I will use this program to:

1.  Gain Muscle mass through isolation and progressive overload.
2. Cardio, Agility, Flexibility maintained through Eagle Claw and Tai Cheng
3. Caloric Calculations as per Body Beast
4. Block 3 Begin cutting phase- Start Largely Paleo diet.
5. Recovery Flexibility and Cardio- Yoga X 2, Pure Cardio, Kenpo X+

 

Phase 5- P90X2/Insanity Asylum Hybrid (12-14weeks) after all that weight lifting, I ‘m probably going to want to cut some weight and put that strength to use through something a little more Athletic and functional again:

1. Cut Fat, Bring Flexibility, Speed, Endurance, Proprioception, explosivity up to speed
2. Increased Cardio with Asylum Vol. 1.
3. Cut Calories to maintain body fat at 12%
4. Phase 3 of X2- Post Activation Potentiation training for athletic explosion/power.
5. Flexibility/Agility/Recovery with Eagle Claw, Tai Cheng, X stretch, X2 Recovery/Mobility, Asylum Relief, Asylum Stretch.

Phase 6- Asylum Volume 2- 30 days (4 Weeks)- I have not done this program outright due to my injury, but the few discs I’ve looked at look TOUGH!  It will be great to inject something totally new into the workout regimen!

1. All out athletic performance training.
2. Cut Calories to reach 10% body fat.
3. Extra Agility with Eagle Claw/Tai Cheng
4. Recovery light cardio/Stretching – Asylum Relief, Asylum2 Stretch, Tai Cheng

After all that I should be ready to tackle my physical goals for sure and hopefully feeling strong and confident about my health and fitness. Indeed I will probably be doing most of my athletic endeavors like Kung Fu and climbing DURING the training. Finally there are a few things that should be accounted for.

Consistency and Recovery is 50% of the game so I plan on these goals in that regard:

1. Primary work out time is 8AM.
2. Get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.
3. Take Sunday off.
4. Eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day hitting my caloric targets

 

If I accomplish this I hope to have a happy, healthy, and fun year of the Horse! And I hope that these efforts in turn will translate into gains in the domain of Career which I hope to tackle in my blog next week! Until then, Happy Chinese New Year!

1/14/14- Recovery is 50% of the game

Mayan Ruins in Chichenitza

Cenote in Mexico

Greetings! This weekend I will be heading off to Cancun to rest and recover, and enjoy some fun and sun while I recharge. (Although the weather forecast predicts rain on Friday and cloudy through the weekend… it’s actually warmer here in California!). I am also looking forward to visiting some ancient ruins, zip-lining, and  continuing to brainstorm about tackling this new year right. Already I am off to a great start having attended several auditions, Casting director workshops, voice lessons, hit the 300 page marker writing a prospective book, and completing the first block of the Insanity workout (among some other things).

But after my post last week I wanted to share something that really resonated with me. I was thinking about how I wanted to work out this year with my Beach Body programs and I was reading a bit about Henry Cavill’s training with Gym Jones for his role in The Man of Steel and his trainer Mark Twight (who also trained the ripped abs in The 300 and upcoming 300: Rise of an Empire) talked about how the changes for Cavill were primarily mental. The mindset is a big part of the Gym Jones philosophy-

1. The Mind is Primary

2. Out-come based training: Train for an objective

3. Functional training with a high degree of transferability.

4. Movements, not muscles. Transferable training does not isolate muscles.

5. Power-to-weight ratio: You must carry the engine.

6. Train all energy systems. Emphasize the important, but not at the expense of the others.

7. Training is preparation for the real thing.

8. The mind is also primary in terms of confidence, chemicals, and carriage.

9. Nutrition is the foundation. eat for an objective.

10. Recovery is more than 50% of the process.

I was looking at this list and then at a few other things including the book How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci by Michael J. Gelb (which I’ve read but still have yet to put into practice) and listening to a motivational video from personal power guru Tony Robbins. Robbins talks about how successful people hold themselves to very high standards and then put into practice habits and rituals to bring those standards to fruition.

All of these things have been percolating in my brain and I’ve felt that the Gym Jones philosophy is not only a fantastic way to form a base of excellent physical fitness, but may be adapted to form habits and rituals to attain a higher standard of living practices in many areas. “Functional training with a high degree of transferability” may sound like a techie term in regards to making sure stabilizers are working so you can use your physical training for a number of different sports or activities. But I think it could just as easily be applied to training in Voice, or Acting, or Writing… In other words, train those things so that one may use them in different areas of one’s life. In the coming weeks I am going to share how I am applying these philosophies, rituals, and habits in order to attain a fuller more open and powerful existence for myself!  For now, I am off to do a little number 10 on the list and Recover in Cancun. As it just so happens I completed the first block of a round of INSANITY, so the vacation will coincide perfectly with a physical recovery week. Now I can just add a little mental recovery which includes brainstorming and dreaming. Shoot for the stars, land on the moon as the saying goes!

7/24/13- Body is the Instrument

Recently I have been looking for some side-work writing. One of the job postings I saw asked me to write a little something about anything. Since I expressed interest in writing about the Entertainment Industry, health & fitness, as well as “Nerd” Trends, I wrote the following about Henry Cavill’s transformation into SUPERMAN for the recent Man of Steel movie. Although, I think it’s safe to say my thoughts on the subject aren’t totally unique, I do hope you enjoy this Blog post-

The body is an actor’s instrument. Just as a musician’s instrument conveys the tone to express their art (be it a cello or a tuba), the actor’s physicality is the tool for the means of expressing a character on stage, in television, or film. Thus it is of paramount importance that an actor keep their body well conditioned to look and feel its best not just in everyday life, but also to successfully portray a believable character.

For his role in this summer’s blockbuster hit Man of Steel, Henry Cavill packed on pounds of muscle to successfully convince the world he had the physical stuff of a Superhero. He and his director, Zack Snyder, utilized the expertise of fitness trainer Mark Twight of Gym Jones to this end. Twight, known for his work sculpting the rippled physiques of the Spartans of The 300, put Cavill on a strict regimen of approximately 5,000 calories a day, rigorous functional fitness training (not unlike a CrossFit workout) including a bulking and slimming down phase, and 9-10 hours a sleep every night, in order to achieve the desired Steve Reeves Herculean stature.

Fat Cavill

Immortals Cavill

Man of Steel Cavill

 

Soldier of Steel Promo- Cavill’s Workout

Has the definition of a “fit” body changed as exemplified by Superhero images?

Aside from the obvious fact that Superman is often portrayed in comic-books and artwork as a strapping physical specimen, why was it so important for Cavill to change his body so drastically? The answer is character. Cavill had to convince viewers that he had the physicality to perform great feats of strength and speed. Logically, Superman’s abilities have nothing to do with the size of his muscles. His powers are due to his alien physiology powered by the sun. Additionally, nowadays with advancements in CGI, animators can simply paste an actor’s head on a muscular body if needed. So why bother with the time consuming and costly effort (let’s face it, it costs the studio money to put their actor through intense personal training)? It’s because Cavill not only had to convince viewers, he had to convince himself he was Superman.

Wonder Woman flexes her power pose!

Both Cavill and Twight, his trainer, noted the differences of attitude and confidence that came with the actor’s physical transformation. He walked taller, felt stronger, and conveyed a sense of command he did not before: all characteristics and feelings necessary to portraying the role of Superman. Such examples are not unusual as a person’s physicality can literally change their psychology. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy has researched the affect of something as simple as assuming “power-poses” (body language associated with dominance) on hormonal levels of subjects. Her research indicates that adopting a pose for a mere 120 seconds is enough to increase production of testosterone by 20% and lower the stress hormone cortisol by a whopping 25%. Cavill’s transformation is most likely an extreme version of such an intuitive phenomenon.

Amy Cuddy discusses Power Poses in her TED Talk

Constantin Stanislavsky- the father of the Method

Most actors in the United States are trained from a Stanislavsky, Method based acting system. Often there is an emphasis on an “inside-out” approach assuming that desires, and actions taken on behalf of those desires, will then lead to reactions which inform a character’s behavior and physicality. However, it is worth noting in light of such research as Cuddy’s that sometimes the opposing methodology (often thought of as a more UK-based school of acting) of an “outside-in” approach is also useful in allowing one to fully realize a character.

Richard Coeur de Lion was a renown warrior by the age of 17.

I myself, will soon be portraying the role of Richard the Lion Heart in a theatre production of The Lion in Winter. (This was the Anthony Hopkins role from the movie if you remember). I am naturally a sort of thin rangy guy and I’m of only slightly above average height. But Richard is an uber-physical presence. Of Henry II’s three sons (as described in the play), Richard is the brawn of the group. He’s fierce and sometimes intimidating.

This is a little too big for me, but still!

Acting coach Stan Kirsch (http://stankirschstudios.com/) advocates that whenever an actor is playing a role, they should not refer to the character as “The character” but rather as “I”. It’s never “when a character says X”, it’s when “I say X”. This is one mental step towards convincing an actor (and others like Casting Directors) that they ARE that person. But what also helps inform that “I” is the physical. When I play Richard, I want to be able to say “I” as Richard and know that balls to bones, I am Richard. As such, I want to have my physical aspect and mental aspects in alignment. I have always been a huge fan of the Beach Body programs having completed P90X, P90X+, Insanity, Insanity: The Asylum Vol. 1, and P90X2. For Richard I want to have a large physical presence fitting the character so I plan to do a round of their mass gaining program BODY BEAST from trainer Sagi Kalev. http://www.beachbody.com

Christian Bale as the Machinist and Bruce Wayne/Batman respectively. Wow!

 

Whatever the method, it is clear that a character’s physicality and aspect used in a way that is logically right for that character, is key to creating a successful portrayal be it of a muscular Superman or Batman, or a rail-thin machinist. Actors use their bodies to express characters and people use their own bodies to express who they are just in everyday life walking down the street. So  think about how you use your body to express the character of “you” to the world. Make the most of your expression through posture, exercise, and eating right so your body is a well honed instrument expressing “you” to the fullest!

Peace

8/29/12 – Welcome

Greetings

Welcome to my new website, and my first BLOG post here!  I originally created this web-site because as an actor, writer, producer etc.  in this day and age, one can’t simply create art and hope to get recognized.  Art has to be put into the world.  That means letting people know who you are and what you are about.  Digital media and an “online presence” is necessary for this goal.  And though, I have had a website for years, I was paying a monthly fee for the service. Ultimately I felt it was time to retool things and do it myself: cheaper, smarter, more efficiently.

A BLOG isn’t tremendously necessary for these purposes. Most producers, directors, casting Directors, and other interested parties normally like a Photo, a Resume, and nowadays a Reel (if they actually have the patience to sit and watch you for more than 30 seconds).  That’s it. (If the person is tremendously good looking or sexy in this regard helps… at least that’s what those people tell me).

However, recently I watched a video about “marketing” oneself as an actor. And the instructor mentioned that she never liked that term “marketing” applied to a person. An actor’s product is his own person, sure. But a person is NOT a product.  Therefore you cannot truly think about “marketing” yourself unless you decide to limit yourself by defining yourself as a product.  I’m the fat funny slacker friend who is the side kick to the main hero and provides comic relief.  You can purchase me at Target for the SAG Ultra Low Budget Price of $100 a day! BLAH!

Sounds pretty ridiculous in my opinion (now I differentiate this from knowing the range of roles one can play and how others tend to see a person based on physical appearance.  That IS important).  An artist doesn’t define himself by these boundaries. In fact, an artist is merely aware of them and if he’s like me, likes to play within those bounds, but also stretch them and occasionally jump outside them.

So how does one “market” him/herself as an actor, writer, producer… artist?  The answer, according to this instructor was simple: what an actor (or any type of creative person has to do) is simply share who they are, with as many people as possible.  Some will like you. Many will not. But you can’t find the people that will respond to you positively unless you let them know who you are, fully, all the time.

Hopefully, this little blog will give you a window into who I am, not just a list of acting credits and a photo. And I encourage you to give me a shout out by leaving a comment and telling me about you too.  Who knows, it might be the start of an acquaintance, friendship, or collaboration on a project.

So I will leave you with a few tidbits about me which I’ve used on a dating website (yes I just admitted I have used one):  I’m a cool-nerd. Love comic books, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones etc.  But I also work out almost every day and do Beach body programs like P90x and Insanity and am pretty into health and fitness.

What can I say? I like to stay in shape for Martial Arts: I am a Black Sash in Wing Chun Kung Fu and have gotten more bruises and bumps from fighting than I care to admit. I’m keeping that on the DL a little bit these days.  In my spare time, I love to read (total bibliophile- Currently reading Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon) and enjoy playing guitar (played since I was 18 because I realized you couldn’t really sing and play trumpet at the same time). Love Shakespeare. Peter O’Toole is one of my favorite actors (or was, since he just retired) and love The Lion in Winter. Last year I bought (well got a loan from the Bank to buy) a condo. I am very humble and thankful that I have the means to be able to do that, since many people in this town and economy cannot. I have traveled to a few very cool places, but would like to see more parts of the world.  And though I’m not what most would consider a “daring” person, I’d love to go skydiving some day.  May just have to wait until I learn classical guitar or how to ballroom dance, but it will happen.

I don’t want/need to be famous. I just want the ability to be able to make a living doing what I love instead of… well watch the original web-series I produced at www.ticketsrus.org if you want an idea of where I have a day job.  And I work very hard every day to make that goal happen.

Hopefully this lets you know a little bit about me.  And maybe I’ll be posting about some of these interests other than acting when I blog. Because I just can’t limit myself or what I write about.  I’m not trying to service a niche market here.  I just am letting you know who I am. Who are you? What’s your story? I want to know!