What Acting Technique Do You Use and Why?
"In my years as an actor, I have worked with many different techniques, as I believe that performers should have a toolbox from which to draw." - Jordana Oberman, Los Angeles More »

What Types are Currently in Demand for Commercials?
"I work primarily in print and TV commercials, and in those two areas a type that has been expanding is what we call 'ethnically ambiguous.'" - Rick Miller, Rick Miller Agency More »

Multiple Teachers?
There are no shortcuts to great acting. Mediocre acting can be done by many, great acting by very few. More »

Why Did You Become a Manager?
"My very first word was "Hi!" There and then I knew that what I wanted more than anything else in the whole world was to entertain." - Betty McCormick, Midwest Talent Management, Los Angeles and Ohio More »

Auditioning the Parents?
When I bring a child in for an audition, it's all about the work that they do in the room with me. Are they actively listening while they're doing the scene? Do they take direction well? More »

How Does Chemistry Between Actors Influence Your Understanding and Direction of a Script?
"While I'm a writer-director, I feel the most important thing in a film is the energy or "chemistry" that's actually happening in front of the camera." - Mike Mills More »

How Has Technology Changed Your Acting Career?
"Acting and technology have been inexorably linked since the beginning of the technological age." - Kevin McCorkle More »

What Skills Are Necessary to Become a Good Host?
"Like acting, your secret weapon and greatest asset as a host is your unique personality. The personality of the actor is nine-tenths of the performance." - Joseph Pearlman More »

How Do You Deal With a Diva?
"If someone's fame brings in an audience, I try to be very patient, knowing that he or she is not going to change for me." - Laura Caparrotti, New York More »

How Do You Respond to Reports That Your Client is Becoming Temperamental?
"Bluntly, if the client is working quite a bit and doing very well, then I would do everything in my utmost power to take care of the situation." - Sid Levin More »

Are You Open to Demo Reels That Include Self-Produced Scenes?
"I really don't like seeing self-produced scenes on a reel. There are always exceptions. I would rather see a relatively poor-quality taping of you in a play." - Paul Schnee More »

Is There an Acting Teaching Approach With Which You Disagree?
"Yes: idolatry. Acting is a craft, not a religion. I disagree with any philosophy that claims it is "the way"—the only way." - Penny Templeton Studio, New York More »

How Did You Make the Transition From Actor to Director?
"I've never actually considered it a transition, but rather a very natural progression. I don't usually consider myself one or the other." - Amber Sealey More »

What are the Most Common Mistakes Actors Make at Auditions?
"When you walk into a room for an audition, do it like you have nothing to lose. Like you're on death row and there's no chance for a pardon and it's your last opportunity to say what needs to get said." - Gavin O'Connor More »

How Have You Helped Your Clients Find Work in New Media?
"We have helped our clients find work in new media, but those jobs most often have been developed by people we know." - Mark Schlegel More »

How Did You Get Your Agent?
An agent eventually signed me after I started writing on a television show, a job I got myself, which is, sadly, how it usually works. More »

What Makes a Pitch Stand Out?
If I can't understand what it's about or the subject matter is overly familiar, then it doesn't matter how great the pitch is. The more high-concept the idea, the more likely I will want to read the script. More »

What Schools or Coaches Catch Your Attention?
We've had good experiences with people who have studied in Los Angeles with Kate McGregor-Stewart, as well as at the American Film Institute and at the University of Southern California. More »

What Has Teaching Taught You About Acting?
I have learned from teaching that the more frenzied our lives become in this age of expanding technology, the more the actor needs a safe place to develop his craft. More »

How does a Standup Comic Land a Spot on Late-Night TV?
I scout local clubs and industry showcases as often as possible, although the majority of our submissions come in via YouTube links or DVDs. More »

How Does the Musical Director Shape an Actor's Performance?
When the musical director is in rehearsal, as a guide we try to establish parameters that are dictated by the composer and the lyricist. More »

What Prompts You to Cast Against Type?
I was asked several years ago by Pillsbury House Theatre in Minneapolis to consider directing a production of "A Streetcar Named Desire" with a black actor playing the lead. More »

What Do You Listen for in an Audio Reel?
When we listen to a demo, we usually want to hear some degree of versatility spread among a range of characters, accents, and even languages spoken. More »

How Can Actors Help Their Managers do Their Job?
I wish every client asked this question. Representing actors is a team effort, and actors who simply sit by the phone waiting for it to ring are not going to succeed. More »

Keeping a Long-Running Show Fresh
If a regular rehearsal doesn't work, then I have the actors do an improv but don't allow them to use any of the show's lines. As a result, they remember the show's purpose. More »