Author Archives: thevsstudioblog

“People need trouble—a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it” -William Faulkner “What are you fighting for, and how are you working to get what you want?…An actor is looking for conflict…Conflict is what creates drama. [In life] we are taught to avoid trouble [so] actors don’t realize they must go looking forContinue reading “The Frustration Is A Gift”

“Burn your bridges, start again. You should burn them every now and then. Or you’ll never grow!” -from the musical Merrily We Roll Along by Stephen Sondheim For the actor… Age, type, experience, marketability, look, etc…They all pale in comparison to “spirit.” If you capture the spirit of the character, then you will capture us.Continue reading “Capture The Spirit”

Start close in,don’t take the second stepor the third,start with the firstthingclose in,the stepyou don’t want to take. -from the poem “Start Close In” by David Whyte Dear Reader, I just wrote my 1,500th post. When I started this blog about 5 years ago (January 1, 2020), I could not imagine writing 1500 posts. Wow.Continue reading “1,500”

I took a mobile light, lookin’ for a moonbeam, whoaYeah, ya stand in line, ya got lost in a jet stream But everybody wants someI want some too, whoa yeah-ahEverybody wants someHow about youOhh yeahOoh yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah -song “Everybody Wants Some” by Van Halen I can’t stand this indecisionMarried with a lack of visionEverybody wants toContinue reading “Everybody Wants Some”

Two inspiring passages to help you when you just can’t seem to get started on a project: (They are both so good I’ll just let them speak for themselves.) When she’s stuck or feeling overwhelmed by a big project, the writer Anne Lamott likes to think of a story “that over and over helps meContinue reading “Bird By Bird. Brick By Brick.”

“Calamity is the perfect glass wherein we truly see and know ourselves.” -William Davenant “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt The word “conviction” originates from the Latin convincere, meaning “to overcome” or “to conquer.” The only way to know your convictions is when they’re put to the test. You actuallyContinue reading “Conviction”

Practicing gratitude is awesome. But you know what’s even more awesome? Being grateful for something before it even occurs. Saying “thank you” regardless of the outcome. To do so requires faith, trust and total surrender. Can you do it?

“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.” –Pablo Picasso “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” –Edgar Degas “The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been concealed by the answers.” –James Baldwin Let’s give ’em something to talk about (something toContinue reading “Something To Talk About”

“Every sun casts a shadow, and genius’s shadow is Resistance. As powerful as is our soul’s call to realization, so potent are the forces of Resistance arrayed against it….Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance…Rule of thumb: The more important aContinue reading “The Resistance Is Insidious”

“I never understood the idea that you’re supposed to mellow as you get older. Slowing down isn’t something I relate to at all. The goal is to continue in good and bad, all of it. To continue to express myself, particularly. To feel the world. To explore. To be with people. To take things far.Continue reading “Diane Keaton On Confidence”