ZOOM AUDITION MASTERCLASS: GENRE
Lou Taylor Pucci & John Hindman
Wednesday's 11am-2pm PST
four weeks 2/26-3/19
$325
Lou’s current film TOUCH ME premiered at Sundance Film Festival this month - where he has been selected as a Juror for the short films competition, won a special award for acting, and had 9 other movies premier in competition. He can be seen next on Marvel and Disney+ sequel to the hit Netflix series DareDevil streaming in March.
After 25 years in this industry, how does he keep booking quality work?
In this workshop Lou is teaming up again with John Hindman who’s current film UNSTOPPABLE just gained the #1 spot on Amazon to bring you both a writer and an actor’s perspective. An audition is like a math equation and we are the detectives of story, trying to piece together with limited information exactly what each casting director needs to see. John brings his writer’s expertise on story formula and genre while Lou shares his intimate knowledge of how to break down auditions and book them.
This class will give you a checklist for every audition. How to do the research. How dissect the material. How to rehearse all possible options. You will learn how to find your character’s reason for being.
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THE FOCUS OF THIS SESSION IS GENRE!
Horror - What is horror really? How can I act scared and not feel stupid? What are the rules of this world? What are the horror beats? What is the horror writer looking for?
Comedy- What makes a script a comedy? What if it's not funny? What if I'm not funny? How do comic characters function in a comic world? What are the essential comedy beats? How does it differ from acting in a drama?
Love Story - Lifetime and Hallmark and Grey's Anatomy, most shows are filled with love stories. What are the unique beats of a love story? Why is it the highest form? How do I "act" like I love someone? What are the love tricks?
Procedural - Most shows are about occupations - lawyer/doctor/cop/fireman etc. They have a problem every week. How can I fit into an ongoing show and still stand out? What are they looking for on episodic tv and how does it differ from streaming or a movie. How can I make an impact in the few scenes I have?
Drama- How can I be in a drama and not be "dramatic"? How much is too much? How can I tell how dramatic the story is? What makes it different from the other forms? What about dramatic comedy?
At the end of each class we will go over the rules of the genre for the next weeks audition. You will have a template to which you can apply Lou's three audition steps. This level of specificity will no doubt raise your game.
*Class size is limited. Actors will be considered for this class based on interview and or reel submission.
FEBRUARY SCENE STUDY
Tuesday's 7-10pm
2/11-3/4 $300 (currently a waitlist)
1157 N McCadden Pl, Los Angeles, CA
This class is an intense, directed, on-going scene study class in a working theater environment. From Shakespeare to emerging new playwrights, we use the best material possible to push the actor and create a richer level of storytelling. The sole purpose of this class is to get the actor to function from a deeper emotional truth. ​​
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I have worked with actors on stage and in film and television. I have seen thousands of auditions and had hundreds of students. At this studio we take the craft of acting and the business of being a student very seriously. If you want to work hard and can contribute to the class you are welcome to apply.
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Only ten actors accepted into class at a time.
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You will be given a scene from a play and assigned a partner. Long scenes are encouraged as we strive to create and sustain the life of the character over an extended period of time. You are expected to know your lines and come to class having made choices. The goal of this class is to use great plays as a device to uncover the obstacles to your creative growth. It's not a contest to see who can do the best scene, but rather an emotional exploration of the character and a deepening of your understanding of your own process.
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* Actors will be considered based on an interview and or reel submission. Auditors register in order to attend.
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To inquire about space, email below.
"Unstoppable #1 movie in the world on Amazon ​
John Hindman is a writer/director whose script “The Dream of the Romans” was included on Hollywood’s famous Black List. He is the writer and director of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize Nominee “The Answer Man” starring Jeff Daniels and Lauren Graham. He is the writer/director of The Passing Parade which won multiple prizes at festivals and was the opening night Film at The Boston Film Festival where it won “Best Actress”. John’s screenplay "Unstoppable" was produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artist’s Equity and Amazon MGM with William Goldenberg directing. The film stars Jennifer Lopez, Jharell Jerome, Bobby Cannavale, Don Cheadle and Michael Pena and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. John has written for studios, producers, as well as television as a staff writer for NBC/ Universal. John’s script “Savage” is set to go before cameras in 2025 and he’s just finished his latest screenplay “A Bright and Guilty Place”.
