Fall 2016 WELCOME TO THE 2016/2017 CONSERVATORY SEASON
to evolve and grow these classes as teachers become available and we see the need for them.
The AFI year has begun, and along with that is the need for the fellows (students are referred to as fellows at AFI) Welcome back! As co-chairs of the SAG-AFTRA Los to cast their first-year cycle projects exclusively from Angeles Conservatory, Michael D. Cohen and I are happy SAG-AFTRA Conservatory membership. I have worked you are here. This time of year is always exciting and in a few of these AFI projects in the past and can say motivating, as we transition from the last lazy, hazy days from personal experience they are as professional as any of summer and focus with renewed energy and enthusiasm studio or independent film I have ever worked on. As a on our goals and dreams to close out yet another year. We conservatory member, you are in the “casting pool” have been busy at the Conservatory since the incredibly for these films as long as you are registered on successful summer intensive weekend, developing new SAG-AFTRA’s iActor, so make sure you are “in the mix.” classes, putting the final touches on the newly renovated audiovisual studio and doing our best to create a more Part of the value of your Conservatory membership is the efficient online registration tool for classes, workshops, ensemble of professional actors who help each other out panels and guest speakers. through their shared culture and community. This year,
By Kevin McCorkle
It is a great time to be a conservatory member. We are determined to bring you the best that we can offer to educate, motivate, inform and prepare you for the challenges and the artistic demands that IN THIS ISSUE: you will face as you travel on your How to Register creative journey. 3 for Classes Our volunteer teachers are Workshop experienced and 4-5 knowledgeable, Schedule offering classes at differing levels Workshop 6-7 according to your Descriptions capabilities. We have implemented a few Conservatory new classes that you Rules and 11 have not seen before and will continue
Regulations
make it a point to get as much as you can from your membership in this creative group. Get involved, show up to class, get in on the casting calls, volunteer your time and build relationships that will benefit you for years to come. There is much to be done individually and as a group, and you can become a part of the evolution of both. Michael and I, the teachers and the entire Conservatory Committee are looking forward to seeing you as we begin another productive, impactful and creative year at the Conservatory.
Cohen
McCorkle
The Los Angeles Conservatory Committee, co-chaired by Michael D. Cohen and Kevin McCorkle, works on both local and national levels to encourage, supervise and create programs through the Conservatory that benefit SAG-AFTRA members.
CREATIVITY RULES! By Lee Garlington
this fulfilled being surrounded by creative energy, why wasn’t having a great audition and not booking the part enough? If I write a scene that is imperfect, but I put my all into it, can’t I find the part of me that feels satisfied by having existed for a few hours in the creative state?
A couple of Mondays ago, I had a very empowering experience with creative energy and the concept of “enoughness.” Interestingly, it was not my creative energy. It was the creativity that was surrounding me.
I realized it doesn’t really matter what it is I’m doing. If I make a scrapbook of our trip to Italy, write a beautiful thank you card to a friend, redecorate a wall in a room or put together a fabulous outfit for the day, if I’m being creative, that’s fulfilling. Coming up with a yummy dessert for my family, buying a friend the perfect present, One of my favorite “TV daughters” asked if she could participating in a friend’s reading of her screenplay — all use my home for a shoot. It was a short she’d written and of that is creative! And it’s enough. was directing, her calling card to try and get into the AFI Women’s Directing program. I said yes, of course, and I equate creativity with aliveness. If I’m creating, then that Monday morning 15 film people arrived at 8 in the I’m living. The “results” of that creativity are almost morning. irrelevant. It’s the act of creativity that nurtures our Having had shoots in my home before, I usually absent myself. But this was different, and I parked myself at the kitchen table, making myself available for questions or needs that I knew would come up. They did. I bounced around most of the day getting this, finding that, coming up with little props that were needed, moving things that were in the way, and so on. By the end of the day, I had myself a producer credit! At 7, I left to go to my writers group, which meets Monday nights at AFI. I was neither acting nor writing, but I got there early to coordinate which rooms each of the three scenes were rehearsing in and to be there in case an actor couldn’t make it, and I needed to fill in. Everyone showed up, and I sat by myself in the hallway for an hour listening to all the creative energy going on around me. From the three rooms came laughter, shouting, crying, talking, men and women expressing themselves fully. I was both moved and overwhelmed by how incredibly satisfying and fulfilling it was to be surrounded by creative energy for 12 hours. I wasn’t doing anything particularly creative myself, but I felt proud to be living a life wherein creativity is all around me. Just breathing it all day made me feel this incredible aliveness, head to toe. I felt the enoughness of that. I thought, if I could feel
artists’ souls. And by golly, just for today, that’s enough for me.
COPIES OF AFI FILMS SEEK LOVING HOMES You auditioned, booked the job, shot the movie, screened the film and then…? One of the many great benefits of the relationship between AFI and the SAG-AFTRA Conservatory is that you, as the actor, are guaranteed to receive a copy of the work you have done for the first-year AFI cycle films. Currently, we have hundreds of DVDs waiting for their homes. Because of space limitations, we cannot keep these for more than two years, so please make sure you pick up your copy. You may call before coming in to verify one is waiting for pickup. Please have the name of the film project ready when you call and then you can come claim your footage during the Conservatory office business hours: Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - noon and 1 - 4 p.m.
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HOW TO REGISTER CLASS REGISTRATION IS NOW ONLINE! To see an online calendar of our classes and find links to enroll, please visit our website at sagaftra.org/laconservatory On the page look for a link that says WORKSHOPS Registration for classes and special events will open at exactly 10 a.m. one week prior to the individual workshop. Example: If the workshop you would like to attend is on Wednesday, enrollment will open the prior Wednesday starting at 10 a.m. Reservations are not accepted via voicemail or email. Only cancellations are accepted via voicemail or email.
DO YOU WANT TO AUDITION FOR AFI PROJECTS? CREATE OR UPDATE YOUR iACTOR PROFILE TODAY! The Conservatory database for casting is online. We have joined forces with iActor, and all Conservatory members wishing to be considered for AFI projects must have an iActor account. Click the link to create or update yours today.
sagaftra.org/iactor-online-casting
LOCATION OF CLASSES All workshops are held in the Mayer Library Building (LIB) at the top of the hill (the building where the office is located) unless otherwise noted. LIB: LIBRARY BUILDING (Example LIB 100 is Library Building, room 100)
F/B: FRANKOVICH BARNES SCREENING ROOM First floor Library Building
MGSR: MARK GOODSON SCREENING ROOM Second floor Library Building
WB: WARNER BUILDING *SEE BACK PAGE FOR A MAP OF THE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE CAMPUS 3
FALL CALENDAR OF WORKSHOPS *PLEASE SEE DESCRIPTIONS FOR LOCATION*
SEPTEMBER 2016 MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
26
27
28
29
7 p.m. Commercial Audition, Intermediate
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Intermediate
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Beginning
6 p.m. SVW: Beginning
FRIDAY 30
SATURDAY OCT. 1 10 a.m. Self-Taping for Actors
6 p.m. SVW: Intermediate 7 p.m. Voiceover 101
OCTOBER 2016 MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
3
4
5
6
7 p.m. Commercial Audition, Beginning
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Beginning 6 p.m. SVW: Beginning
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Intermediate
6 p.m. SVW: Intermediate
FRIDAY 7
SATURDAY 8 11 a.m. Chakra Acting Techniques
7 p.m. Theatrical Video
7 p.m. Actors’ Evening
10
11
12
13
7 p.m. Commercial Audition, Intermediate
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Intermediate
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Beginning
6 p.m. SVW: Beginning
6 p.m. SVW: Intermediate
7 p.m. Improv
14
15
7 p.m. Voiceover 101
17
18
19
20
21
22
7 p.m. Commercial Audition, Beginning
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Beginning
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Intermediate
6 p.m. SVW: Intermediate
11 a.m. American Accent Clinic
6 p.m. SVW: Beginning
7 p.m. Theatrical Video
6:30 p.m. Open Camera *each student assigned time slot
24
25
26
27
28
29
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Intermediate
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Beginning
6 p.m. SVW: Beginning
7 p.m. Commercial Audition, Intermediate
6 p.m. SVW: Intermediate 7 p.m. Voiceover 201 7 p.m. Specificity Special Event
We are happy to announce that our workshop registration is now ONLINE! To sign-up for an individual class or event, please visit our website at
sagaftra.org/laconservatory 4
FALL CALENDAR OF WORKSHOPS *PLEASE SEE DESCRIPTIONS FOR LOCATION*
NOVEMBER 2016 MONDAY OCT. 31 HAPPY HALLOWEEN! NO WORKSHOPS
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
1
2
3
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Beginning
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Intermediate
6 p.m. SVW: Intermediate
6 p.m. SVW: Beginning
7 p.m. Theatrical Video
FRIDAY 4
SATURDAY 5 10 a.m. Self-Taping for Actors
7 p.m. Actors’ Evening
7
8
9
10
7 p.m. Commercial Audition, Beginning
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Intermediate
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Beginning 7 p.m. Improv
6 p.m. SVW: Beginning
14
15
16
17
18
6 p.m. SVW: Intermediate
6:30 p.m. Open Camera *each student assigned time slot
24
25
There will be no evening classes due to the general election.
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7 p.m. Commercial Audition, Intermediate
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Beginning
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Intermediate
6 p.m. SVW: Beginning
7 p.m. Theatrical Video
21
22
23
7 p.m. Commercial Audition, Beginning
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Intermediate
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Beginning
28
29
30
DEC. 1
7 p.m. Commercial Audition, Intermediate
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Beginning
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Intermediate
6 p.m. SVW: Beginning
12 VETERANS DAY
NO WORKSHOPS
HAPPY
19
CLOSED FOR THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
THANKSGIVING!
7 p.m. Voiceover 201
2 p.m. Chakra Acting Techniques
DEC. 2
26 CLOSED FOR THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
DEC. 3 10 a.m. Self-Taping for Actors
6 p.m. SVW: Intermediate
DECEMBER 2016 MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
5
6
7
8
7 p.m. Commercial Audition, Beginning
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Intermediate
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Beginning
6 p.m. SVW: Intermediate
6 p.m. SVW: Beginning
7 p.m. Theatrical Video
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
9
10
17
7 p.m. Actors’ Evening 12
13
14
15
16
7 p.m. Commercial Audition, Intermediate
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Beginning
10 a.m. Cold Reading, Intermediate
6 p.m. SVW: Beginning
6 p.m. SVW: Intermediate
7 p.m. Improv
6:30 p.m. Open Camera *each student assigned time slot
END OF FALL WORKSHOPS
7 p.m. Voiceover 101
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WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS ACTORS’ EVENING First Tuesday of each month 7 - 10 p.m. Mark Goodson Screening Room (MGSR) Limit 136 students Industry professionals appear in a seminar format to discuss their business and answer questions.
COLD READING Tuesday and Wednesday mornings Beginning and Intermediate rotate days 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Library Building Room 101 Limit 10 students Learn and develop effective auditioning techniques.
COMMERCIAL AUDITION Monday nights Beginning and Intermediate rotate weeks 7 - 10 p.m. Library Building Room 100 Limit 10 students Learn how the commercial audition process works in an on-camera workshop that simulates a real audition. Your work will be videotaped, followed by viewing and comments.
IMPROV Second Wednesday of each month 7 - 10 p.m. Library Building Room 102 Limit 30 students Learn improvisation skills to help make you a more creative actor.
OPEN CAMERA Third Friday of each month *6:30 - 9:30 p.m. (each student is assigned a specific 30-minute time slot) Library Building Room 101 Limit 6 students. Students get a half hour with director Nick Leland to work on camera. Bring a prepared monologue or scene (with another Conservatory member only), or even try different “looks.” Please bring a flash drive to record your work and take it home to study.
RESERVATIONS BEGIN ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE WORKSHOP AT 10 a.m. EXACTLY. ALL WORKSHOPS ARE STAND-ALONE CLASSES.
SCENE VIDEO WORKSHOP Tuesday and Thursday nights Beginning and Intermediate rotate days 6 - 10 p.m. Library Building Room 100 Limit 10 students Upon arrival, you will be given a scene, paired with a partner and given instruction. You will have 30 - 60 minutes to work on the scene. All students then shoot the scene on camera and watch your work followed by comments and direction.
THEATRICAL VIDEO First and third Wednesdays 7 - 11 p.m. Library Building Room 100 Limit 8 students Simulated theatrical interview and cold reading on video followed by viewing and comments. Bring a picture and resume.
VOICEOVER Second and fourth Tuesday 7 - 10 p.m. Library Building Room 102 Limit 15 students Voiceover 101 - Second Tuesday: An introduction to a career in VO, covering basic mic techniques, working with commercial copy and finding your voice. Voiceover 201 (VO 101 a pr er equisite unless a working VO actor) Fourth Tuesday: More in-depth techniques in the areas of animation, promo and narration. *Please note the Sept. 27 class will be a VO 101 class.
We offer beginning and intermediate classes in our Cold Reading, Commercial Audition and Scene Video Workshops. This is to better meet the needs of our membership. Please read the self-selection process carefully. We ask that you please follow these guidelines so that you and your fellow actors will have the best experience possible. Please see page 8 for the selection criteria 6
NEW WORKSHOPS & SPECIAL EVENTS
GENERAL AMERICAN ACCENT CLINIC
For Non-American Actors and American Actors with Regional American Dialects Instructor: Gaby Santinelli Saturday, Oct. 22 ACTORS SHOWCASE 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14 Library Building Room 101 6 - 10 p.m. Limit 8 students Mark Goodson Screening Room (MGSR) Are you originally from another country, and want to Limit 18 students Eighteen actors will perform scenes and redirects live on master the General American accent, to have more acting the AFI campus. Conservatory members will have a plat- opportunities in America? Are you an American actor form to show their abilities to up-and-coming filmmakers. with a regional American dialect, who would like the option to speak neutral “Gen Am”? Get down to the nitty All AFI fellows are invited to observe. As space is gritty with Gaby Santinelli at this rapid-fire diagnostic limited to 18 for this workshop, the first 150 American accent clinic. Gaby will determine where Conservatory members to register will be entered into a you’re at today with your General American accent. And pool, and from there 18 actors will be randomly she’ll guide you toward what to do next. Please bring two selected through a lottery process. printed copies of a one-minute monologue. Alternatively, text will be provided for participants on the day, for a SELF-TAPING FOR ACTORS cold-reading-in-General-American experience. Instructor: Tim Powell First Saturday of each month SPECIFICITY - CREATING MOMENTS 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. THAT BOOK WORK Library Building Room 102 For actors at the advanced level Limit 30 students (Beg. and Int. invited to observe) This workshop covers low-cost, simple techniques for Instructor: Michael D. Cohen producing quality video uploads for auditions. Learn Tuesday, Oct. 25 lighting basics, producing quality audio framing and 7 - 10 p.m. videography as well as file compression, size reduction Mark Goodson Screening Room (MGSR) and internet delivery. Best practices for the best results. Limit 136 students (not all will work ) We often try to be unique and creative as actors, but CHAKRA ACTING TECHNIQUES the most effective way to book work is by accessing Instructor: Murisa Harba our authenticity and creating full, memorable Saturday, Oct. 8 moments one after the other. This workshop, taught by 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Michael D. Cohen, will invite advanced-level actors to -andwork at the front of the room to hone their specificity in Saturday, Nov. 12 scene work and auditions. Beginner/intermediate level 2 - 4 p.m. members are encouraged to attend and observe. Please Library Building Room 102 see page 8 for a list of criteria for the advanced actor. Limit 25 students Using the chakras (or the body’s natural energy centers) to tap into what is already inherent in our body as human beings is a way to physically, vocally and intentionally Registration for all workshops warm up the actor’s instrument: the body. The actor will and events is now online! then learn how to incorporate the chakras into their character-building and scene work to garner rich, Visit our website for connected results that happen organically. This approach more details at empowers the actor to shift from a “heady” approach to utilizing the whole body and voice as a “true” instrument, sagaftra.org.laconservatory while delivering strong, concrete decisions in their prep Reservations are required for work. This workshop is being offered twice. It is not a all events and workshops. two-part class. 7
BEGINNING, INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED WORKSHOP SELF-SELECTING CRITERIA Some of our workshops and classes are customized to experience levels. Please select the level that most appropriately describes your experience. We suggest that you meet three of the four criteria to join in the level. If you are unsure which level you are in, please take the beginning class to start.
INTERMEDIATE SAG-AFTRA ACTING
EXPERIENCE:
Has two or more co-star or guest star credits, and/or four or more TV commercial credits (include union productions before you were a member.) OTHER ACTING
EXPERIENCE:
One or more professional theater acting credit (preferably Equity or Equity waiver.) STUDENT
or AFI FILM EXPERIENCE:
Four or more credits or a lead role credit in two or more projects.
This is not a consecutive program. It is ACTING TRAINING OUTSIDE requested that you stay in your level until your SAG-AFTRA CONSERVATORY: experience changes to fit the next level. Equivalent of two years or more of ongoing classes. Note: For example, if you are an intermediatelevel actor, you do not need to take the beginning class.
SAG-AFTRA ACTING
BEGINNING SAG-AFTRA ACTING
EXPERIENCE:
Background work and/or one TV co-star role and/or two TV commercial credits (include union productions before you were a member.) OTHER ACTING
EXPERIENCE:
None or limited to community theater. STUDENT
ADVANCED
or AFI FILM EXPERIENCE:
None or up to three credits. ACTING
TRAINING OUTSIDE OF SAG-AFTRA CONSERVATORY: None or limited to one year or less of training.
EXPERIENCE:
Three or more co-star or guest star credits, and/or five or more TV commercial credits (include union productions before you were a member), and/or one or more recurring guest star credits, or three or more co-star recurring credits, and/or one or more series regular credits on a broadcast (ABC, NBC, CBS etc.), streaming (Amazon, Netflix, etc.) or cable (HBO, Showtime, etc.) network. OTHER ACTING
EXPERIENCE:
Three or more professional theater acting credits (preferably Equity or Equity waiver.) ACTING
TRAINING OUTSIDE SAG-AFTRA CONSERVATORY: Equivalent of four years or more of ongoing classes.
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THE PRACTICAL ACTOR Advice from a Working Actor By Kevin McCorkle
WORKSHOP REGISTRATION IS NOW ONLINE! To sign-up for an individual class or special event, please visit our website at
sagaftra.org/laconservatory
ACTORS WANTED AFI directors and cinematographers are often looking for actors to volunteer and assist in various classes and workshops on the AFI Campus. Although no footage is given from these classes, you have the opportunity to work alongside and network with some of the best up-and-coming filmmakers in the industry. Many times, actors are needed for a few hours during the day or evening, but in those hours, great relationships are often formed and it can also be a fantastic learning opportunity for you to gain more insight into the world of filmmaking from the other side of the camera.
If you are interested, please email Dawn at conservatory@sagaftra.org or call the office at 323.856.7736
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THE SAG-AFTRA LOS ANGELES CONSERVATORY COMMITTEE
MURISA HARBA
BOB TELFORD
NICHOLAS LELAND
TEDDY VINCENT
MICHAEL D. COHEN
TIM POWELL
WILL WALLACE
KEVIN MCCORKLE
GABY SANTINELLI
ANGELA WATSON
BILL APPLEBAUM
SHAAN SHARMA
MARI WEISS
LEE GARLINGTON
WYNTER SPEARS
REED YOUNG
The Conservatory is run by a team of committed volunteers who form the SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Conservatory Committee. They are responsible for directing the programs, panels and events at the Conservatory and put a great deal of time and commitment into making this great entity of ours run strong. We want to take this opportunity to introduce them to you.
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By joining the SAG-AFTRA Conservatory you have taken an aggressive and positive step in advancing your career. Congratulations! We hope you’ll make the most out of your experience here by participating in our workshops and special events, volunteering, and contributing your talents to AFI directing and cinematography classes, as well as, of course, the first and second-year films. AFI is a two-year masters program and, with our SAG-AFTRA agreement, first-year students, called “fellows,” are required to use SAG-AFTRA Los Angles Conservatory members.
GETTING THERE We are located on the campus of the American Film Institute
2021 N. Western Ave. Hollywood, CA 90027 If you are heading east on Franklin Avenue, turn left (north). The AFI campus is halfway up the hill on the left. Turn into the driveway and go up the hill (past Immaculate Heart High School). The first building on your left is the Warner Building, where many auditions for student films are held. To get to the SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Conservatory office, continue driving further up the hill. As you veer left, you’ll see a white two-story building, the Mayer Library Building. The SAG-AFTRA Conservatory office is located in the Library Building, room 100, on the ground floor at the north end of the building.