Author Archives: thevsstudioblog

They will. If. You know specifically, who they are. And. You know specifically what you are building. Yes, Roy Kinsella took a huge leap of faith. And didn’t really know why other than a strong voice telling him to. But, he did know he was building a baseball field for baseball players to play onContinue reading “If You Build It, Will They Come?”

“The vacuum of excitement and the sadness in the creative adventure is also a gift. It shows you that you’ve found something that unlocks a deeper part of you…the part that is willing to get sad. Of course it hurts. But there’s a lot of people walking around not doing anything they care enough aboutContinue reading “Not The Way You Hoped”

“Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep.” –Saint Thomas Aquinas “By helping us keep the world in perspective, sleep gives us a chance to refocus on the essence of who we are. And in that place of connection, it is easier for the fears and concerns of the world to drop away.” –Arianna Huffington “WeContinue reading “In Praise Of Sleep”

“The more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem more original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike.” -Robert Greene “I have often regretted my speech, never my silence.” -Publilius Syrus “Those who know do not speak. Those whoContinue reading “Say As Little As Necessary”

For the actor… Speaking of learning the lines, there are so many effective things you can do to prepare for an audition. Or, after you get the part, so many effective ways to start working on the character. Things such as: -Creating a backstory. -Breaking down the script into beats. And then coming up withContinue reading “No Fun Memorizing”

“I would walk the streets of Manhattan, bellowing out the monologues as I rambled. I’d do it by the factories, at the edges of town, where no one was around. What else was I going to do? Where could I emote? That’s what you do when you’re obsessed.” -Al Pacino, Sonny Boy, a memoir “ActorsContinue reading “Learn The Lines”

“Trust is one of the greatest economic forces on Earth.” -Charlie Munger “Earn trust, earn trust, earn trust. Then you can worry about the rest.” -Seth Godin “Attention, taken to its highest degree, is the same thing as prayer. It presupposes faith and love. Absolutely unmixed attention is prayer.” -Simone Weil “Attention is the mostContinue reading “Trust and Attention”

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” -Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search For Meaning “Everything has two handles, one by which it may be borne, another by which it cannot. If your brotherContinue reading “Reframe It”

“Have something in your life that’s more important to you than acting. Something that’s creative. Something that gives you a goal …that doesn’t depend on somebody calling you up and hiring you. Write! If you want to play a role, produce it for yourself…You’re in charge of your own creative life.” -John Lithgow You’re inContinue reading “You’re In Charge”

The best feedback you can give someone on their work is the simplest. First, depending on the medium, truly listen and take in (read/watch/listen) what they’ve chosen to share with you. You taking the time is a gift. Second, find out what they’re going for. This should have nothing to do with your taste andContinue reading “The Simple Feedback Is The Best Feedback”