Acting : A short cut to acting by Joaquín Carrasquilla

I'd say neither. Will developing the storytelling skills of a screenwriter make you connect with you core emotions and make your performance "believable"?

I know, that are two different disciplines, I think I've missed to say, that would be an stragety to enter in Hollywood, if you can be living in Los Angeles to go to auditions like me , of course, it's needed to study and be good in both.

Writing as a path to acting. "It worked for Matt & Ben." But it doesn't work that often.

There is no short cut to acting. Sure, you can produce your own film with you as the lead. Producing a film isn't easier and doesn't mean you will book more jobs as an actor. Sure you can write screenplays. It's not easier selling a screenplay than booking an acting job. Taking control of your career as an actor by writing and producing (and directing) has advantages but it is not easier and not a short cut.

100% agree with the brilliant D Marcus. One small addition: if you're an unknown actor, and your acting resume only shows Lead Roles of movies that you've written/produced yourself, that can be a hard thing to explain. "I can only get cast as the lead when I write, produce, and finance." Unless you're Matt, Ben, Zach Braff, Lena Dunham, etc. Never say never. Just not often. And if you need to fill up your showreel, then something is better than nothing.

Then again, if your true forte is writing, not acting...

Jack of all trades....master of none.

Thank you, for your comments, I guess, they are very enlighting, and all are accurate, but I disagree a little in your last comment JD, because in these days, many people are doing more than one thing, for me all it's art, just with different craft, I love doing many things, because I love them all and I dedicate to perfom well, and also think makes my life gets richer and longer, in fact I'm also an artist; I like to paint, sculpting, cartooning, you name it, ha,ha !. But I get your points.

Well, I took the Idea from Sylvester Stallone. In fact I could fly for auditions or for parts, but for me it's a little complicated at this moment. I think producing your own material could get you a step ahead, but nothing in this industry it's easy nor simple.

You can paint, sculpt, draw, etc., all related artistic skills. But Write, Produce, Casting, Direct, DoP, Light, totally different skill sets. Art and craft are not one and the same. A painter is an artist, a stone mason is a craftsmen, even though the result of both is artistic. But..YMMV.

Thank you, JD. what YMMV means ?

Sorry! Your Mileage May Vary. From a car commercial, not everyone will have the same results. Or to put it another way, "What works for some, won't work for others." If you can make it work to your benefit, great! I hope you succeed in an area where I did not and could not.

Thank you JD, at the end that's the conclusion, we all are trying what we can; it's a formula of talent, persistance, creativity, originality, connections and luck, let's keep in touch.

Regina and JD , I'm at your disposal if I can help any way, I can make very cool Storyboard !

Thanks, Joaquin. I'm not in need of storyboards, but I appreciate your offer to give me your help.

Cool Regina, just came with that, but any way, also if some day come to Panama...

Thanks, Joaquin. I don't know what I'd do with a storyboard, because I'm just a spark. But I appreciate your offer

Creating & producing your own work is definitely not EASIER, but it certainly feels fulfilling. It's a beautiful creative outlet and a great way to express your artistic self. But don't be fooled, it is ALOT of work. Good luck!

Thank you Randa, I'm a producer, I've produced several short films and one Feature, so beleive I know !!

So you are already a producer, Joaquin. In that case then a short cut to acting would be to produce a movie and hire yourself as an actor. Might not make it easier to get into "Hollywood" but much easier to get into acting.

Yes Marcus, I've been doing that, and more projects to come...but in the mean while I would like ro act in some project from other professionals...

For me, it's not about getting in to Hollywood. It's about creating inspiring content and expressing myself with my own work. I learned that I am more successful by focusing on what I want to do instead of where I want to be. My work speaks for itself and that in itself will drive my success. Honestly, I don't care about "breaking into hollywood" at all... Just create something awesome because that's what we love to do, right?

I think Joaquin you're on to something when you're debating whether you should produce your own films but I think that just scratches the surface of a bigger issue- HOW DO I STAND OUT AND SHOW MY TALENT? I think tapping into your self and finding out what makes you unique and stand out will help develop that path, which might not necessarily lead to producing your own work- whether it's a YouTube Channel, Performance Art, whatever. Sylvester Stallone had several film & TV roles PRIOR to writing Rocky and Lena Dunham majored at Oberlin in Creative Writing. I used to be on the submissions board for a film festival and I would say in my experience almost all the films I saw that where the actor also produced/directed, etc... fell short of making the cut. Actor to Actor- I wish you the best!

Thank you Nicole, you were very enlighting, I know it's not the best, I did it once and are to many hats to ware, but at that time didn't have another option, was no Film Industry in Panama, I was forced to begin everything, nobody beleave it can be done, neither people with more resourses than me. I just reciently performed in some other producer short and was very fullfilling that experience, I could focus in acting without having all the wheight of the production over my shoulders. I'm developing some other project but not wearing all the hats, in some write, in others produce, or in others only acting. Thank you I really liked this part you wrote : "HOW DO I STAND OUT AND SHOW MY TALENT" ? , tha't the key of everything !!!

Well let me first get off my "high horse" and say- I'm a completely spoiled brat living & working in L.A. so yes, being in Panama ABSOLUTELY do what you have to do work your craft. I appreciate the opportunity to put my life in perspective and be thankful. Please keep me posted with your work, happy to help out in any way I can!

Lol that's what I do off my laptop.

Joaquin, if you want to act in some project from other professionals you might have to do what most actors do; audition for parts. Not the short cut you are looking for but a tried and true method used by actors for decades. Have you sent in your acting resume to many other professionals who are casting their movies?

Than you Marcus, the thing it's that I still I'm based in Panama, still can I do that ?. I could do skype auditions.

My advice it to try. If you never try you will never know. You may not get any Skype auditions. But you might. What is holding you back from trying?

I did, Marcus, and my script was requested, I just hace one week here !!

Yes now have to do the acting Skype auditions !

Thnak you Simon, I will !!

i think you are right. it also helps to be in a good acting school such as the Roger Simon Studio. i have really grown being in this studio and have become a better actor. It helps to rehearse and be on camera because then you see what someone is talking about.

Hello, intersting answer, Twitter also been very helpfull to my sculpture art, but still not for acting,. I have the location problem, that I'm based in Panama. You're in California. But beleive doing all that I can to think outside the box... Working to move to Hollywood, now producing several projects, and writing several scripts. But do you know any web site like this, but in the acting field, in wich you could audition online regarding where you're located, but a serious one, with real players involve ?

Thank you Victor !!

The movie industry will never totally leave New York or LA. California will always have warm temperatures, sun and moderate weather. NYC will always have its iconic landmarks and striking architecture. Parts of the industry, companies driven more by greed and value for the shareholder will take their projects anywhere it's cheaper to shoot. That's why so many other states are currently offer tax incentives for film production. May or may not be current: http://www.filmproductioncapital.com/taxincentive.html

VG, it's a webpage, is it accurate or kept up to date, who knows? Accurate information would be from a state government website.. Other commentary on incentives: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/18/states-film-tax-credits_n_73063... Yes, runaway production is bad. Used to be runaway production meant Canada, which has incentives in all provinces. Now runaway production is to to eastern Europe and S. Africa where the dollar buys even more.

VG: Yes, runaway production involves large projects saving tens or maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars. Besides the money not spent "locally" by production, it's also jobs lost, a lot of jobs. That's my personal concern, it affects me. Won't help many, but permits and production insurance. Not required to shoot in some places. As I found out, Perth Amboy, NJ is one of them. No permit, no fee, tell them when and where you are shooting, they may even send a patrol car by just to make sure you aren't getting yourself in trouble

VG: what you say is true. American talent would have to be "imported", but local talent would be cheaper or....possibly free. Local crew would not get paid US union scale. I do know that one of the Blade moves shot in Eastern Europe used over 500 extras all for free. That's at least $50,000 saved. Another thread I've managed to side track. Sorry!

It was the one with the vampire disco in the abandoned church. Poland? Yugoslavia? Chek Rebuplic? Latvia? Yes, SAG-AFTRA rules demand a ratio of SAG to non-SAG extras in the US, does it apply elsewhere? Don't know. The extras thing was a production company bragging point. The extras were non-union locals, happy to be treated like cattle for a night of dancing, probably little more than water and a chance at being "seen". Most of the crew on these productions are also local and non-union. In a country that's suffered economic and industrial collapse, workers take what you can get. It's one of the reasons companies shoot in Canada and elsewhere, no craft unions equals big savings.

....and in the news: http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/25/entertainment/movies-new-orleans-katrina-f...