THE FREE ACTOR by Neil Schell     05-08-07 Ever wonder what the casting directors are really looking for? After producing over 50 casting director workshops over the years, I decided to tally up the results of a basic question I asked every actor who was attending. The question was, "What would you like to get out of this workshop?" Interestingly enough, the most frequently stated answer was or was similar to, "I want to know what the casting director wants." One way to answer this question is to just list out all the "Do's" and "Don't's" that each casting director subscribes to. But they are usually technical. Although they are useful bits of information that can assist you in being free of the pressure of not knowing the "rules," it doesn't really get to the crux of what casting directors really, truly want. Coaching actors across the country has helped me to see what really works and what doesn't. Even though actors have their own individual qualities that make them, them, there seems to be a quality that is greatly desired by casting directors regardless of who the actor is and what personal qualities they possess. This is the quality of being free. I have been hearing this term for decades now and after observing hundreds of actors work and coaching them into improving their work, I can confidently say that this term "free" is starting to take shape for me. Even though it is a subjective phenomenon that occurs for the actor, which kind of makes it abstract, it is taking on a shape for me. Being free means there must be something restricting or trapping, in other words, something to be free from. The biggest foe in this arena is the intellect, the planner, that part of your mind that leads you to the conclusion of 'how you are supposed to act.' Any kind of acting plan or map is from this area. Anything that says what you are doing is 'wrong' or judges your work also comes from this area. By learning to trust your instincts and impulses, you will set yourself free of the ever-restricting part of your mind that loves to tout how it is the expert on acting. When you trust your instincts and impulses you are putting yourself in that position of allowing yourself to be surprised. When you're surprised, those who are casting are surprised. Because they don't know what you are going to be doing next, they want to watch. They can't take their eyes off of you. Learning how to connect to the source of your instincts, impulses and imagination will free you as an actor. Your creative mind is the source of all these valuable commodities. Trust it and you will soar. After all it's your creative mind that lead you to acting in the first place. Stick with the true source of your desire to act, and you will give the casting directors what they want - a free actor. Until the next newsletter… Neil PS Feel 'free' to write to me at  anytime. I will answer. PROFESSIONALS HAVE COACHES, AMATEURS DON'T