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50 results for “history”
Physical Acting Masterclass -- The Body Tells the Story
I never went to acting school. I learned by doing. My body was my instrument -- the way I scratched, squatted, spat, laughed. Kurosawa once told me to watch how animals move. A tiger doesn't announce itself. It moves, and you KNOW it's a tiger. We work on physicality, gesture, and primal energy.
Japanese Film History Screening & Discussion
We watch one of my films with Kurosawa -- Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, or Ikiru -- and I break down every choice. Camera placement, performance decisions, what was improvised, what was argued about. Small group, max 8. Bring sake or tea.
Ballet Fundamentals for Actors -- Grace in Motion
Four positions, posture, and how to walk like you own the room. I studied ballet to be a dancer, but it made me an actress. Every movement on screen is a dance -- even sitting down. Sonia Gaskell would say: the spine tells the story.
Character Development Workshop -- Who Is Your Hero?
A screenplay is only as good as its main character. In this workshop we build characters from the inside out: dramatic need, point of view, attitude, change. I'll make you answer four questions about your protagonist that will unlock your entire story.
Musical Film History Screening & Discussion
We screen one of the great musicals -- Singin' in the Rain, An American in Paris, On the Town, or West Side Story -- and I break down the choreography, camera work, and directorial decisions. Small group, max 10. Come ready to discuss how dance tells story.
Golden Age Script Collection (12 Bound Screenplays)
Bound scripts from my best films: The Philadelphia Story, African Queen, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, The Lion in Winter, Bringing Up Baby, and more. Tracy used to say reading the script was my religion. He was right. Study these. Then throw them away and find your own truth.
Golden Age Hollywood Costume Jewelry Collection
Rhinestone brooches, chandelier earrings, cocktail rings -- all screen-used replicas from the 1940s-1960s era. Each piece tells a story about the character who wore it. Borrow for period shoots, photo sessions, or just feeling dangerous.
Deep Focus Cinematography Workshop -- Everything in Focus at Once
Gregg Toland taught me this for Citizen Kane: keep the foreground AND background sharp. It forces the audience to choose where to look -- and that choice IS the story. We study lens selection, lighting for depth, and staging in three dimensions. Tip: When everything is in focus, composition becomes your only guide.
Prop Weapons Collection (Breakaway Chairs, Rubber Bottles, Foam Pipes)
Sugar glass bottles, balsa wood chairs, foam pipes, rubber bricks -- everything you need for a prop fight scene. I've used more chairs as weapons than any actor in history. They break beautifully on camera and barely sting in person. Barely.
Character Wardrobe Kit (Taxi Driver Era)
Army surplus jacket, aviator sunglasses, boots, and the mohawk wig. Travis Bickle's wardrobe tells his whole story before he opens his mouth -- military discipline decaying into isolation. Tip: A character's clothes are their armor. Choose every piece deliberately.
Character Preparation Workshop -- Building From the Ground Up
For Malcolm X, I read every speech, visited every location, and fasted for three days. For Training Day, I rode with real narcotics officers. Preparation is the foundation. We build your character's backstory, physicality, and voice from scratch. Tip: Know ten times more about your character than the script reveals. The audience sees the iceberg tip, but they FEEL the mass beneath.
Comedy of Equals Workshop -- Screwball Technique
Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story are screwball comedies -- the man and woman are EQUALS in wit, speed, and stubbornness. I teach rapid-fire dialogue, physical comedy with dignity, and how to win an argument on screen while making the audience love both sides.
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