Actors, an Acting Teacher and a Casting Agent Share Their Experience at the acting panel on this past Saturday as part of the Northampton Independent Film Festival

Pat Mc Corkle:  As one of New York's most respected casting directors, Pat McCorkle has amassed an impressive list of credits in all genres. Her expertise ranges from feature film to Primetime TV to Broadway Stage and Regional Theatre. Her numerous credits include: Broadway productions of "Thge Lieutenant of Inishmore,: "Cat on A Hot Tin Roof" with Ashley Judd; "Bobbi Boland;" and "Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All" with Ellen Burstyn; 3lbs. "Chapelle's Show;" the "Jamie Kennedy Experiment;" CBS-TV's "Hack" and "The Education of Max Bickford;" numerous feature films such as " "Rollerball;" Showtime's "Ruby's Bucket of Blood" with Angela Basset; TNT's "Monday Night Mayhem" starring John Turturro' MGM/USA's "The Thomas Crown Affair" and many more. She has also cast for The Arena Stage, The George Street Playhouse and The Guthrie Theatre.

Peter Berkrot:  Peter has taught acting to adults and children, written for the stage, and has run acting workshops throughout New England.  He wrote and directed several short films about teens and AIDS for New Hampshire public television.  As a director he has staged SARAJEVO: VOICES OF THE SEIGE, ROMEO AND JULIET, WAITING FOR LEFTY, and THE BREAKFAST CLUB FOR NEW VOICES.

Leslie Kendall:  Leslie was born in Los Angeles and began performing at the age of ten, creating the title role in L.A. Chamber Ballet's adaptation of the children's classic THE LITTLE PRINCE, Leslie co-starred in NBC's NUTCRACKER: MONEY, MADNESS AND MURDER, playing Lee Remick's daughter, and has guest starred on television series such as CLUELESS and STAR TREK DS9.  She was also a regular on CHARLIE HOOVER.

Robert Gomes:  Robert has had roles on SEX AND THE CITY, ED, LAW AND ORDER and ALL MY CHILDREN.  His extensive theater background includes roles on Broadway (including the Lincoln Center Theater) off-Broadway, and major regional US theaters.

Independent vs Studio Productions

Leslie Kendall:  As an actor in an independent production, you have more involvement.  You see more, you learn more.  When there is more of a bonding process and openness that comes with more involvement-The performance is better as a result.  When you are a part of a studio production, you are waiting in your trailer to be escorted to the set.  This leaves the performance colder from the get-go.

Getting to The Core of a Character

Peter Berkrot:  The key to getting to a character's core is to examine what the character wants.  What is the character's ultimate goal, and how does this affect the way they interact with people.  How do they interact with people of different status?  Children, their boss, their wife?

Peter recommends the books "Black and White" by David Mamet and "Acting For the Camera" by Tony Barr 

Robert Gomes:  On the short film BODY/ANTIBODY Robert came into the audition trying-out for one character and left the audition with the news that he would be trying-out for an entirely different character with much less preparation than the first.  Robert read Michael Caine's book "Acting on Film" cover to cover.  Since the new character was afflicted withobsessive compulsive disorder Robert watched as many documentaries as possible before the next audition.  He found that these were not nearly as helpful as one film which documented a woman afflicted with the condition while she was put into an environment she had no control over.  The difference was that he was studying the woman from a behavioral standpoint as opposed to a psychological standpoint.  Looking to the reaction under stressful conditions such as the movement of the hands and the breathing were the key to playing a character with the condition than just understanding the reasons the person acts the way they did.

 Make sure to catch the panels this coming weekend at the second installment of the Northampton Independent Film Festival

Saturday, November 10th 10:30 am-Women Filmmakers' Panel

Saturday, November 10th  1:00 pm-Florentine Films/Hott Productions Retrospective

Visit www.niff.org for full festival listings 

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Last week, there was a front-page article in the Boston Globe about Emerson College's expansion of its Hollywood program.

That's good for Emerson, but the expansion of the program is based as much on fantasy than reality, and it comes at as time when film production activity, both from within and without the State is increasing.
It is true that Emerson's program has increased and improved over the last twenty years (I taught there at the beginning of the expansion) and a lot of Emerson alum have moved there. Many are happy (although they miss the New England seasons), but others find themselves at entry level, menial jobs that are abundant out there, but are not professionally fulfilling.

Hollywood hasn't changed much since Nathanial West wrote his devastating critique of Hollywood in DAY OF THE LOCUST. But then, in l939, Hollywood was at least centralized and working locally. Now, there is very little activity there. Last Thanksgiving, when I last visited, there was an op-ed piece by LA's mayor pleading with film people to stay. Hollywood has become increasingly decentralized, what with film production being done every place but in Hollywood.

Why go? Maybe to see for oneself, only to return in four or five years. But, although I think it might be a bit premature for Beanywood to announce the Boston has become the intersection between Beantown and Hollywood, the area offers promise. With at least four major Hollywood productions being shot in the state before the end of the year, and no fewer than a dozen local productions (what with the new tax incentives which now begin for local indie productions starting at $50,000). Beanywood and the group making "12" (see an earlier blog) are actually projects to promote filmmaking in Massachusetts. On top of that, there is Paul Sherman's book on the history of filmmaking in Massachusetts.And there is Nick Paleologos, the new head of the State Film Office, a man with perspective, experience and contacts, to oversee the Renaissance.

In short, just like thirty years ago, when it was great to be a filmgoer in Boston (what with the Orson Welles, Off the Wall and the Central Square) the end of the first decade of the 21st century will mark a period where it will be great to be a filmmaker in Boston.

So before you glassy-eyed Emerson grads head west, take a closer look at what's going on around you. No matter what, Hollywood has become largely decentralized, and Boston is on the way back.

For more of David Kleiler's Independent Thoughts head over to Local Sightings where you will find an abundant blog archive http://www.localsightings.com/thoughts.html

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Once we have a head count, you'll be one of the first to be notified of the exact date(s), venue(s) location, etc. At that time you will have first opportunity to purchase your ticket(s), either online or the local authorized ticket vender. Bobby has never done a class here before, so this is your chance to take advantage of him coming from coast to coast. 

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