Acting Techniques For the Screen
Renowned actor, instructor, and author, Michael Laskin gives brilliant advice on performing on camera.Acting Techniques For the Screen
Developed by Jason Tomaric, FilmSkillsABOUT THIS LESSON
Directors and actors often take a different approach to the performance process, which can cause misunderstanding, conflict, and affect the story. In this engaging FilmTalk, 30-year acting veteran Michael Laskin sheds light on this gap and reveals tools to ensure you're getting the best possible performance on set.
- 28:33 FilmTalk with Michael Laskin
- Q&A with Jason Tomaric
- Illustrated companion guide
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
- The difference in approach between actors and directors
- How actors approach film vs. theater acting
- Tools for bridging the gap in performance
- Directing techniques for working with actors
- How a director can work to adapt the actor's process to the filmmaking process
ABOUT THE LESSON AUTHOR
Jason Tomaric
Director, Cinematographer Los Angeles, CaliforniaJason J. Tomaric is an Emmy, Telly, and CINE Award-winning director and cinematographer of four internationally-distributed feature films, dozens of national television commercials, music videos, and the largest film training content library in the world, published author of 8 books - used in many top universities, and creator of AccuSkills.com, an industry-changing learning management platform.
Jason has worked in Los Angeles and around the world in over 20 countries. His clients include Disney, NBC/Universal, National Geographic, McDonald’s, Toyota, Scion, Microsoft, and Paul Mitchell, with narrative work screened at Sundance, Slamdance, and South by Southwest film festivals as well as on Netflix and on all broadcast networks.
Jason has taught and/or guest lectured at some of the nation's most prestigious film schools including UCLA, Columbia College, John Carroll University, Kent State University, San Francisco State, University of Notre Dame, and numerous film festivals.
Jason has written eight industry-defining books, all sold in bookstores, and used in film schools around the world. The American Society of Cinematographers hails Jason's books - "There are no wasted words in Tomaric's tome, which concisely summarizes each facet of the director's craft. It's difficult to think of a step in the process that Tomaric fails to address."
Jason’s DVD training series on Hollywood film production have trained filmmakers in over 40 countries, with distributors in Europe, Hong Kong, New York and Australia.
In 2010, Jason launched FilmSkills, which combines the world’s largest film training video library with his proprietary learning management system. Adopted by 47 universities within the first year, FilmSkills is now the leading industry-standard training solution for motion picture and television production.
In 2015, Jason launched AccuSkills.com, an industry-changing learning management platform that bridges the gap between academia and industry.
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS LESSON
Michael Laskin
Professional actor for over 30 years in film and television, off-Broadway, and at America’s leading regional theatres, including The Guthrie Theatre, The Actors Theatre of Louisville, and The Seattle Repertory TheatreMichael Laskin has been a working professional actor for over 30 years in film and television, off-Broadway, and at America’s leading regional theatres, including The Guthrie Theatre, The Actors Theatre of Louisville, and The Seattle Repertory Theatre. Additionally, he was awarded the prestigious Fringe First Award at The Edinburgh Festival, starred on stage in London at The Roundhouse Theatre, and in the Canadian premier of the Pulitzer Prize winning drama “Talley’s Folly.” Michael received a Bush Fellowship with The Guthrie Theatre, and was recently awarded a Distinguished Alumnus Award from The University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts.
Besides an extensive private coaching clientele, Michael has taught Master Classes in acting at The University of Minnesota, Kennesaw University, The Hawaii International Film Festival, and most recently taught on-camera acting to the MFA students at UCLA’s School of Theatre Film and Television. He’s also been a corporate consultant for a high-level creative think tank, The Right Brain Studio, and his voice can be heard in literally thousands of voice-overs for radio, television, and animation.
Michael is also involved in several projects as a producer, including a play that is currently optioned for Broadway. He also helped develop and produced Jeffrey Tambor’s “Performing Your Life”, which has played all over the US.