QUOTES FROM ACT RIGHT
Mara Purl and Erin Gray have this say....

...On synchronizing head and heart....
"The work of being an actor exists on both conscious and unconscious levels, and must be tackled from the points of view of both head and heart."

...On Collaborating....
"A painter can work in the solitude of his loft; a writer can commune alone with her computer; a potter can find himself in the spin of his wheel. But when it comes time to work as an actor, you cannot do so alone."

...On living as an artist....
"We strongly believe that to be an artist, you must learn to honor and nurture yourself. In America, we don't live in an artist's society, we live in a business climate. If you say you're in business, you're immediately respected; if you say you're an artist, people wonder when you're going to get a ?real' job."

"In our culture we're often made to feel guilty if we're "indulging" ourselves as artists. We're perceived as being irresponsible and childish. In fact, we're being free-spirited and childlike because as artists, we must ?play'."

...On working with a scene partner....
"Scenes are an exchange of energy between you and another actor. So you need to develop your skill at both sending and receiving the energy that is moving back and forth. Many times your most interesting work on film will not so much be action, as it will be reaction."

...On Listening....
"Talking is easy. It's listening that takes discipline. Don't be trying to remember your next line while your acting partner speaks. Actually listen to what they're saying. This is your time to gather the energy being sent to you. Accept it, respond to it from the depth of your character's understanding. You will form your response from the energy you receive; if you don't receive that energy ? which you can only do by listening ? you won't have anything to give back."

...On being wary....
"You're coming into a business full of sharks and charlatans. You have to deal with these people. And you have to live with yourself. You have to decide for yourself what your boundaries are. We can only point out the pitfalls."

...On life experience....
"(Many of) the important things you'll bring to your acting work you will already have learned from life itself, so we hope you view life as a continuing education, filled with reading, observing, interacting, and real experiences."

...On succeeding....
"(When we were in acting classes) we could almost always spot the actors who were going to succeed. They were the ones who worked the hardest, were the best prepared, and were the most willing to face their fears and insecurities."

...On credits....
"Begin thinking of the credits as a guide book to the people who work in this industry."

...On auditioning....
"Auditioning is like taking off in an airplane. A plane isn't built to trundle down a piece of asphalt on wheels. It's built to fly. But unless it can make it down the runway, it can never get up into the air. Actors aren't built to audition, they're built to act. But unless you can zoom down the audition runway with the right energy and attitude, you'll never get the chance to fly as an actor."

Non-Fiction:  Act Right

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