Truth or Coincidence

Q: Is it Truth or Coincidence that a particular, complex multiplication problem can have the practically the same answer of a number randomly chosen beforehand even after the problem is being multiplied by multi-digit numbers?

YOU'LL HAVE TO SEE...

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH MY VLOG:

Truth or Coincidence by James Burleson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Part 2: 3 Ways to Impress a Casting Director

You thought I was done, huh??? ;-)

Actually, to tell you the truth, there are countless ways where you can impress a Casting Director either expectedly or unexpectedly.  The key is not trying to figure out what the CD is looking for or where they are going with what they are looking for.  Also, I know this is harder to take in than write, but don't worry about what they're thinking.  Focus on you AND ONLY YOU!!! If you worry about what the Casting Director(s) are thinking the entire time, how would you be able to focus on your own performance during the audition?  Trust me, even if you can multitask effectively, acting/performing is not the area you just want to give half a*s to... 

You have to give it everything you have mentally!

AGAIN, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR IN ANALYZING TALENT, EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE GENERALIZED CHARACTER SPECS OR EVEN IF YOUR AGENT SENT YOU DUE TO YOUR STATS!

...Prepare for the unexpected...

Once you've completed listening to the above podcast as well as reading my text, be sure to visit my IMDb page by going to the following site in order to view the film I've been cast in as well as well as the Casting Directors that have hired me (which you will find the designated CD by clicking on a given film and locating the CD in the appropriate crew section:

www.IMDb.me/jamesburleson

Part 1: 3 Ways to Impress a Casting Director

NOTE: There are many ways to impress a Casting Director (CD).  For this particular posting, I will discuss 3 of the most obvious and direct ways you can impress a CD.  Either can serve as the difference of booking or not booking the role!

• Before I get started, perhaps for those of you that are not aware of what a Casting Director is, let's define it now. In my own words, the definition of a Casting Director is as follows:

"The liaison between the Actors/Performers/Artists and the ultimate goal of success in respect to the talent being selected."

• If you prefer to have a textbook definition of what a Casting Director is, please click here.  (NOTE: I truly believe my interpretation towards the definition of a Casting Director is better in terms of what the CD's objective is and not just what the CD is responsible for.

NOW NOW NOW!!!!....

  

Below, you will find 3 different ways you can impress a CD:





  

DRESS TO IMPRESS!

In other words, dress the part! Don't misconstrue this with having to formally dress up to every audition. If a role you are auditioning for is that of a welder, come dressed as a welder.  If you audition for the part well, a CD can gather more insight in determining whether or not you are right for the role if you come dressed for the part. Make a great impression with your dress and appearance!



 KNOW THE PART!

CD's expect preparation and competition.  They embrace it.  If you don't follow the concept that REPETITION MAKES PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, believe me, someone else will! It's your job to move and impress the CD's with your talent! The CD's don't inform or teach you. You in fact inform and teach them with your sensational talent!

SHINE WITH YOUR ONE CHANCE!  

Don't be afraid to look weird in front of a CD.  Believe me, the weirder your role seems, the weirder they want you to portray it.  Substitute your character's emotions for your past experiences.  Practice repeatedly in front of a mirror.  That will only increase your CONFIDENCE! Remember, you are in control of your audition, no one else is!



3 Things Actors Should Never To Do 

During an Audition

#1. Never NOT be off-book if you have received the script sides in advance.  This means if you are an an Actor, and you were fortunate enough to receive any lines from any given scene from the script of a play or a film before the audition, be sure you are prepared by being most familiar with the character you are reading for or having the lines memorized.

#2. Never NOT maintain a superb awareness of your surroundings.  In other words, DO NOT just be focused on your lines.  Remember, Acting is reacting.  Usually during an audition, the opposite lines will be read by a Casting Director or a designated reader during the audition.  Once you've determined the person that will be reading with you, make sure you are reacting naturally as he or she is speaking, as if you are in a real conversation.  Hence, again, that's why it's important to be prepared.  If you're prepared, your brain should already be familiar with YOUR lines!  Half the battle is over! The only thing that should be in your favor for concentration and focus is the attention you provide to the opposite reader's lines as they are being delivered.

#3. Never say you're sorry.  If you are in the middle of a scene and you happen to accidentally stumble on a word, forget a line, stutter, or get overshadowed by nervousness, DO NOT say you're sorry. Just keep going until the end. Saying sorry tends to project a lack of confidence and reassurance for getting the part.  Confidence is extremely important, as the acting business contains countless amounts of competition. Even the slightest bit of doubt from Casting Directors will have them saying "Have a nice day." faster than you can blink.  To overlook this flaw, repetition makes practice makes perfect!

Differences between Film Actors & Theater Actors - PART 1

     One would think without any experience that Film Actors and Theater Actors are a lot like each other because they both involve the element of acting, right?  Well, yes, there are lots of similarities...don't get me wrong!  But, there are also lots of differences.  Below, you will find a diagram to express a highlight of some of the most obvious but complex differences:

	FILM ACTING	THEATER ACTING
FOOTAGE	Gathering footage for a reel is much simpler in terms of developing a reel to showcase off to an Agent or a Casting Director	Since theater performances are limited a given production or season, unless the play is recorded, it's hard to distribute footage for Casting Directors to look at either while being cast in a theater of a film production of some sorts.
STEPPING	Depending upon what location or position the film camera is located, actors need to be aware of where the camera is at all times.  It's almost like a separate craft has to be developed.  That way, cinematographers can easily establish correct screen direction.	Stepping is based upon the audiences' point of view and nothing more.  If the audience can't see the actors' perform, it's as almost if it didn't exist.
MEMORIZATION	Film Actors have an advantage of performing take after take per the director on set. There is more time in achieving the best possible take no matter the quantity.  As a result of the repetition, lines can better hold mentally. Still, it doesn't mean actors can be lazy with the lines. There's just more flexiblity between the rehearsals and the actual filming.	Let's face it, there is rehearsal after rehearsal in a theater production.  However, following Dress Rehearsal, the performers have only one shot to get it right.  There are no takes.  If one messes up, the show still goes on, but the impression is a dreadful one.  That's why theater acting takes serious dedication!

This is the Part 1 in highlighted some key differences. Future blogs will continue to follow.  Just take these first few differences in, and we'll build from there :-)

THE TRIUMPH OF THE OSCAR!

Any Actor's Dream, Any Writer's Dream, Any Director's Dream, Any Producer's Dream

The Oscars are handed out once a year by what what is known as the Academy.  The Academy formally belongs to an organization called the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (A.M.P.A.S.).  The Oscars were first handed out in 1928, and since then, many historical moments have happened; from Hattie McDaniel being the first black woman to winning the Oscar in 1939, to Daniel Day-Lewis known in 2013 as the first Male Actor to win 3 Leading Actors, as he accepted his 3rd Oscar. It is the highest recognition anyone can receive for outstanding excellence in film.  The awards are divided into categories such as Picture, Leading Actor, Leading Actress, or Director.  

Once the nominees are decided around January of each year, only then does the celebrations start.  Winning an Oscar again is if not the climax of most artist's careers, and it's the most prestigious award of all.

It is definitely a dream of most Actors and most especially mine (ever since I was 5 years old.) 

Need I say more ;-)

It is a priceless triumph!

Tips for Waiters...shall they just be given or earned?

     Based upon the comments I received from my original Facebook note, in addition to what I was taught in my upbringing, the consensus is for the most part, tips shall be earned!! 

     For example, friend Victoria Doucet (her comment is seen in my Facebook Note) voiced her opinion about this matter:

"I kind of land somewhere in the middle. Raise the "hourly" wage (to at least close to minimum wage), allow wait staff to earn tips based on service, and stop requiring customers to tip. I think tips should be based on the customer's opinion of service rather than social convention."

     People have to learn the value of a dollar and not accept things for granted, as there are many hard workers out there that make less by doing lots more labor.  Don't get me wrong, I like to reward based upon exceptional quality, but I will not reward based upon unsatisfactory service due to such things as the waiter not communicating, has a bad tone, does not intermittently check how a given table is doing, seemingly does not care about the customers, etc. It would be nice to raise the minimum wage, but at the same time, that has nothing to do with the concept of a tip...those are two separate buckets.

ORIGINAL POSTING ON FACEBOOK

(Link in regards to the Original Crowdsourcing Note on Facebook is found by clicking the above link

     Let's face it, waiters/servers work primarily for tips while waiting tables where customers are sitting hoping to receive the best dining experiences.

     However, much dispute is given between servers receiving a standard percentage for their service for every table that is being serviced despite the fact of how the servers are doing customer service wise.  On the other hand, many people believe waiters actually should have to earn their tip through exceptional customer service for each and every table.      

What is your take on this? Be as constructive as possible!                                                                      
Obviously, waiters and customers might have different perspectives and experiences to elaborate or give insight on.