The Class - Acting Technique

When I first auditioned as an extra in the movie "The Killer Inside Me", I drove to Guthrie. After waiting in the long long line that snaked through the hallway and then into the cafeteria at Guthrie High School, I finally hit the sign in area. I was number 168. At the end of the line was Chris Friehofer (I asked him if I could use his name), the casting director. He greeted me with his big friendly smile and then showed me where to go to fill in the paperwork. The sheet was to be filled in with the usual questions. Name, address, phone number and then others pertinent to the film. Would you be willingly to travel to Enid, Guthrie, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, or Cordell? I answered yes to Oklahoma City, Guthrie, and Enid. I went to Enid Highschool for my sophomore and part of my junior years so here was a chance to return. But, the question that I know absolutely shot me down (besides the hat hair problem) was, "Would you be willing to cut your hair"? WHAT!!! That was absolutely out of the question. Do they realize how long it took me to grow this and get it trained?? I spent my highschool and college years with a flattop and the Navy years with a burr. It took me too long to get this hair the way I like it. Plus, at my age I still have it and it is still dark. Unfortunately, some of my friends are getting a little thin and graying. Cut my hair? = deal breaker!! Therefore, the answer to that question was another reason I must have been bypassed. However, for a speaking part, we all have our price.

I digress. Chris is a talented casting agent in Norman who also owns a company (The Actor Factory) that specializes in teaching various aspects of the acting business. Acting, voice overs, character study, how to audition, how to act before a camera and more. I had no idea there was so much to this business.

I signed up for the an eight week course on acting and character study with Alissa Millar (the before named "A". She has given me permission to use her name.). This young lady is an actor (I notice that both men and women refer to themselves as actors) and is also currently a professor of drama at OU. She is a marvelous professor. She has a great way of bringing everyone in the class onto her side and making them all feel at home. Plus, I never had professors that pretty at OU.

I am sure you have seen old western movies where every child no matter what grade, was taught in the same small classroom. It could be kindergarten through eighth grade. Well, that was my class. Only this was a pre-school through graduate school age difference and then some. I walked into the class expecting to see some older students. The only old student I saw in the class was me when I looked into the bathroom mirror. The best guess I can make is that I was 43 years older than the closest student to me and 54 years older than the youngest. Did I ever feel out of place!! We had two in our class that were 14.

Well, suck it up Jerry you've paid your money. And I did, but as I mentioned earlier, Alissa was terrific about making you feel you belonged there.

I bet you have never wondered what YES and NO have to do with acting.