The Actor's Toolkit with Alysia Reiner: Acting Techniques + Monologue Workshop
Webinar hosted by: Alysia Reiner
Actress (Emmy-winning ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, BETTER THINGS, HBO'S THE DEUCE))
Alysia Reiner is an award-winning actress best known as the villainous warden Natalie "Fig" Figueroa on Netflix’s ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK for all 7 seasons, and won a SAG Award as part of the cast. She also stars as Sunny on the critically acclaimed, Peabody Award-winning BETTER THINGS on FX and Hulu and Kiki Rains on HBO’s THE DEUCE. She both starred in and produced the Sundance Film Festival hit EQUITY and Tribeca Film Festival favorite EGG. A few other recent adventures include getting naked in an Emmy Award winning episode of Comedy Central’s BROAD CITY and going head to head against Viola Davis’ Annalise on the ABC/Shonda Rhimes series HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER. Alysia has been invited to speak at The White House, The United Nations, Google, Cannes Lion, Women's Media Summit, Collision, and countless film festivals and other events about breaking barriers for women in all fields, specifically the entertainment industry. Alysia has led a long, successful career as an in-demand actress largely by working on her craft, her mindset, and other strategies for success, and she's excited to share her lessons learned with the Stage 32 community. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
It takes a lot to find success as an actor. It is, after all, one of the emotionally hardest jobs out there and involves facing constant rejection, putting yourself out there, being vulnerable for strangers. And with overwhelming competition, roles can be scarce, which makes it even harder to sustain a career. Yet being an actor can also be one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences, especially for those with the passion. Experienced actors know that finding success involves looking past the obstacles and built-in challenges and instead looking inward. Even with difficulties standing in your way, there are always ways to improve yourself and your craft to not only find more work, but to enjoy it more as well.
It’s easy for actors to get so wrapped up in the industry and the system, in who they know and the projects they’re being turned down for that they forget to instead work on themselves and their craft. Yet it’s never too late to start. Investing this type of energy in self-improvement over more negative or cynical practices will unquestionably help you and your career. There are a number of techniques and strategies you can apply to your own life and your own craft to improve as an actor and lead to opportunities you wouldn’t have otherwise found. Practices like line memorization, calming your nerves, and moving forward with the right mindset can truly make all the difference. There’s no time like the present to explore these techniques.
Alysia Reiner is an award-winning actress best known as the villainous warden Natalie "Fig" Figueroa on Netflix’s ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK for all 7 seasons, and won a SAG Award as part of the cast. She also stars as Sunny on the critically acclaimed, Peabody Award-winning BETTER THINGS on FX and Hulu and Kiki Rains on HBO’s THE DEUCE. She both starred in and produced the Sundance Film Festival hit EQUITY and Tribeca Film Festival favorite EGG. A few other recent adventures include getting naked in an Emmy Award winning episode of Comedy Central’s BROAD CITY and going head to head against Viola Davis’ Annalise on the ABC/Shonda Rhimes series HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER. Alysia has been invited to speak at The White House, The United Nations, Google, Cannes Lion, Women's Media Summit, Collision, and countless film festivals and other events about breaking barriers for women in all fields, specifically the entertainment industry. Alysia has led a long, successful career as an in-demand actress largely by working on her craft, her mindset, and other strategies for success, and she's excited to share her lessons learned with the Stage 32 community.
Alysia will share her secrets tips and tools that she has learned from booking her first commercial to being on 7 seasons of award-winning must watch television. She will cover everything from acting techniques (learning lines, calming nerves, follow up) to mindset tips to business tools.
Plus, Alysia will run an exclusive monologue workshop, something she usually only offers in private coaching environments. She will choose volunteers to workshop a monologue from the Emmy-winning show BARRY! Once you sign up you will be sent the monologue we'll be workshopping in class so you can practice.
Let Alysia help you reset as an actor and leave eager and ready to get to the next level in your career!
What You'll Learn
- What are the Tools for Professional Success?
- First things first
- 3 things you need to do to structure your day, every single day
- What your role is as an actor to the overall production
- How, where and why you need to find your community support
- Acting Techniques to Help You Be Successful
- Tips on memorization and learning your lines
- How to calm your nerves - with exercises
- Tips to hold yourself accountable to practice
- Monologue Workshop
- We'll be handing out a monologue from the Emmy-winning show BARRY ahead of the class for everyone who attends. We will be picking volunteers live to deliver the monologue and Alysia will provide live on-the-spot constructive feedback for monologues to help you improve.
- Q&A with Alysia
***Everyone who signs up for the webinar will receive a copy of a monologue from the Emmy-winning show BARRY to practice with!
About Your Instructor
Alysia Reiner
FAQs
Q: How do I watch my webinar live?
A: If you received a confirmation that your webinar is on Go to Webinar, you will receive an email from Go to Webinar with further instructions for participating in the live webinar. You can also access your webinar link in your purchase history located under settings in the top right-hand corner of your Stage 32 profile.
If you received a confirmation that your webinar is on Zoom, you will receive a separate email from Zoom with further instructions for participating in the live webinar. Your login link will not be in your Stage 32 profile. If you did not receive your link via Zoom please email support@stage32.com.
Q: How do I watch my webinar on demand?
A: You will be able to watch your webinar on demand as many times as you’d like inside your Stage 32 profile. The recording is processed and posted between 24-48 hours after the webinar concludes. You can follow the instructions below.
YOU MUST HAVE A STAGE 32 PROFILE TO WATCH YOUR VIDEO – STAGE 32 IS FREE TO JOIN
If You Already Have a Stage 32 Profile:
- Log into your Stage 32 profile
- Click "Settings" in the top right-hand corner (gear icon)
- Click "Purchase History"
- Choose this webinar and click the link to view
- Go to www.stage32.com
- Create a profile using the SAME email address you used to sign up for this webinar. The email addresses must match in order to watch the webinar.
- Once you have your profile set up, you can view the webinar by clicking "Settings" in the top right hand corner (gear icon)
- Click "Purchase History"
- Choose this webinar and click the link to view
Q: What is the format of a webinar?
A: Stage 32 Next Level Webinars are typically 90-minute educational broadcasts that take place online using a designated software program from Stage 32. Your webinar will be taught by a working industry professional with in-depth teaching on a topic. If you are able to attend live you will be able to ask your Stage 32 Educator questions during Q&A.
Q: What are the system requirements to watch my webinar live?
A: You will need to meet the following system requirements in order to run the webinar software: Windows 7 or later Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later.
If you have Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X 10.9 (Mountain Lion): The webinar software does not support these operating systems. If you are running one of those operating systems, please upgrade now in order to be able to view a live webinar. Upgrade your Windows computer / Upgrade your Mac computer.
Q: What if I cannot attend the live webinar?
A: If you cannot attend a live webinar or purchase an on demand webinar, you will have access to the entire recorded broadcast, including the Q&A.
Q: Will I have access to the webinar afterward to re-watch?
A: Yes! Like all Stage 32 education, after the purchase of a live or on demand webinar, you will have on-demand access to the recording.
Q: How do I get a copy of the handouts provided?
A: If the webinar you take included handouts you can find them as downloads underneath your on demand video. You must be logged into your Stage 32 profile to view the video and get the handouts by clicking settings in the top right hand corner, then clicking purchase history.
Q: What if I need accessibility and accommodations?
A: Email support@stage32.com to request accommodations.
Thanks for your loyalty to Stage 32 Education. We value having you in the Stage 32 community.
If you have any further questions, we are always happy to help. Please contact Stage 32 support at support@stage32.com.
Relevant Tags
Share with friends:
Questions?
Other education that may be of interest to you:
Budgeting Lab: Build a Budget for Your Low Budget Feature in 8 Weeks
Payment plans available - contact edu@stage32.com for details Limited to 10 People - 2 Spots Remain With so many platforms and distributors looking for new projects to fill their libraries, now is the perfect time to make your low-budget feature. But before you can take a single shot, you need to know what it costs. A bad budget can break a production before it even starts, but an expertly made budget can lead to investors and opportunities. Before you go out to investors to finance your low-budget feature, you must know how much money you need and, more importantly, how you’re spending that money. This ensures you don’t undervalue your project, which sets up production to run out of money before you finish. To get the right sum for your project, you either have to spend money you don’t have yet to hire a line producer and schedule or build one yourself without any experience. But, what if you could not only have a budget and schedule ready for everything investors expect to see but also have an expert look it through to make sure you’ve got everything you need? What if a professional line producer who’s worked on hundreds of budgets could show you the ins and outs of budgets so that you know how to do it yourself for all of your projects? In this Stage 32 exclusive lab, you’ll go directly through your low-budget feature script with Chris Smith, a line producer, producer, and production manager with over a decade of experience. He’s also built over a hundred budgets for projects of every level and format. Over eight weeks, you’ll learn how to comb through your script to determine every line item you’ll need from pre-production through post. Chris has made over ten indie features, been an Executive in Charge of Production, created content for MTV, Cartoon Network, NatGeo, and NatGeo, and has overseen countless commercials, music videos, shorts, and more. Having worked his way up through production, Chris knows every crew role, rental and item in budget, as well as how important they each are. Over the course of his career, Chris has built over a hundred budgets for projects of every level and format. Chris will show you how to budget for: The schedule Above-the-line talent Every crewmember needed Rentals Locations Contingencies Production and accounting fees And so much more Using a limited class size, you’ll have the ability to work on your own budget and receive Chris’s invaluable experience, plus, see how these lessons adapt to each of your classmates’ projects. After every session, you’ll have an assignment to build on the information you’ve just learned and to practice while setting you up for the next session. You’ll also have access to handouts from Chris, featuring the budgets and schedules from professional productions to see exactly how the pros get it done. You’ll walk away with a budget, schedule, and the knowledge behind the choices you’ve made so that investors see you as a credible filmmaker and producer that they want to work with.
Voice Acting: 5 Steps to Making Money with Your Voice
Kickstart your voice acting career with the tools you need to monetize your voice! “Hey! You should be a voice actor!” Has anyone told you that you have a voice that would be perfect for commercials, animated films, or radio? With the new content explosion, especially in animation and documentary filmmaking, the need and market for voice over actors has never been higher. That also means the competition is more intense! So how do you stand out? Don't be intimidated. We've got you covered! Voice over is a fascinating and fun industry that gives you the flexibility to be your own boss and, thanks to the affordability of recording equipment, can allow you to work from home. When you think “voice acting” you may think cartoons, commercials, or video games, and while that is part of the industry, there’s also documentaries, IVR (phone systems), corporate and medical training, e-learning, presentations, mobile games and apps, etc. What used to be a world closed to those who weren’t “in the know” has opened up to everyone who has the talent and drive to do it. But many people who think they have the talent feel that the path to getting started is too overwhelming. That's simply not the case. Tara Tyler has been working in the voice over industry for 10+ years and was the Head of Communications for one of the largest V.O. sites on the web. Exclusively for Stage 32, Tara will teach you everything you need to know to turn your fantastic voice into monetary success. From building an affordable home studio to finding and training your voice to making a demo to submitting your demo on and offline and much more, Tara will demystify the myths, tell you the real truths and get you up, running, and working in no time! Praise For Tara's Teaching "I went from "this is impossible" to "I need to do this" in 90 minutes. I've already ordered some equipment and have begun training. I need more Tara in my life!" -- Rashida H.
Ask Me Anything with Stage 32 CEO Richard "RB" Botto: Quarantine Edition
Since announcing our new screenings initiative, thousands of new members have joined the Stage 32 community, and there was no better time than to come together to connect, learn, and grow in our digital universe. So with that, I wanted to welcome our new members to the party by hosting one of my AMAs (Ask Me Anything): Quarantine Edition. Damn, you guys were on fire! The entertainment industry is rapidly changing as we all navigate this evolving landscape. In the last few weeks, in addition to talking with over 800 filmmakers from canceled festivals, I've had countless conversations with executives and industry professionals how creatives can keep hustling and put themselves in position to succeed in this new and ever-changing landscape. With everything going on, I can say without hesitation that I had a LOT to share! And I know you all had questions! In this over 2 hour AMA webcast we got together for inspiring, motivating, and brutally honest craft and industry talk. Remember, no matter what your discipline, skill level, geographical location, etc, this AMA will be helpful for ALL! You all brought your questions and the energy and I handled the rest. Amidst this global crisis that has forced so many of us indoors, we are excited to give film, tv, and digital creatives a safe place to stay creative and build relationships with their fellow entertainment industry folks from all over the world. Let's continue to come together for some inspiration, motivation and community love. And if you know any other creative who is not a member of Stage 32 that could use a lift, please invite them as well by sharing the on demand link to download. I enjoyed spending quality time with you all.
An Inside Look of the Stage 32 Writers' Room: Writing Romantic Comedies
A Vice President of Development at an A-List production company recently said,"Every studio executive is asking me for Rom Coms!" If you look at recent trends, it is clear they are on a come back. With the tremendous box office success of CRAZY RICH ASIANS, BOOK CLUB and THE BIG SICK and the streaming successes of SET IT UP, SIERRA BURGESS IS A LOSER, and TO ALL THE BOYS I LOVED BEFORE, romantic comedies are making a huge comeback for all types of audiences. Variety called Rom-Com's the "Hottest genre". If you have been sitting on a Rom-Com script or been thinking about writing one, now's the time to learn about the current marketplace for romantic comedies. So how do you as a writer approach writing a Romantic Comedy without falling into the trap of tired cliches? Or, how do you take the storytelling conventions and turn them on their head? Jason Mirch is a 10+ industry veteran who's worked in development on films for Image Nation such as THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL, FLIGHT, CONTAGION, as well as in management, financing and producing. Jason is Stage 32's Director of Script Services and has helped dozens of writers in the Stage 32 community springboard their careers. He's the host of the Stage 32 Writers' Room which is a weekly online writers' group that meets online with writing challenges and one-on-one access to top industry professionals who serve as mentors and provide advice on the group's projects. During this 90-minute look inside the Writers' Room Breakdown Webcast, Jason will go over the history of romantic comedy as well as the anatomy of a romantic comedy. He'll teach you the 7 essential story beats in a romantic comedy and you will learn to develop your romcom with a theme or dramatic question. Plus, Jason will break down scripts including WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, 500 DAYS OF SUMMER, THE APARTMENT, KNOCKED UP, WHAT WOMEN WANT and more. Jason will discuss what makes these projects work and how we can apply those same principles to our writing! Plus! Jason will be taking ANY of your writing questions! Like what you heard from Jason during this webcast? Send him your screenplay and speak with him privately for an hour by clicking here! Praise for This Writers' Room Webcast "Thanks for this summary! Loved the rundown ad the clips!" - Bethany B. "Such an insightful breakdown, thanks so much." - Crispin "Jason, you always overdeliver! THANKS so much!" - Petula "This was an amazing breakdown. Wow." - Ricki L. "Great breakdown as always, Jason, with superb choice of clips." - Stephen P.
Basic Principles of Financing a Film Between $1-$3 Million
BONUS! Brad will give you a handout with a list of companies that are funding $3MM movies. Over recent years, the independent producing model has shown that films budgeted between $1-$3 Million have become a "sweet spot" for investors. At this budget you can typically attract and secure some star power, one important step toward increasing the odds that your investors will see a return on their investment. But this is just one reason why this budget range is attractive to many investors. There are many more variables at play which will help you raise money for a film or project in this price range. But first, you must understand some tried and true principles that will help you find investors, present your project in the proper fashion and lock them down for an investment. Knowing how to raise money intelligently for films and projects with budgets between $1MM-$3MM can be your calling card toward making a life working in independent film. Simply put, those who understand the formula to the strategies and methods that can help your investors see a return get to keep those investors time and time again. And those investors can, and usually do, bring more investors if they're happy. While everyone says that raising financing is the hardest aspect of filmmaking, there are smart ways to find money that you may not have thought of, and there are also ways you can expand your dollars once you start raising funds for your project. In addition, there is a well-known group of professionals and creatives that have been working on films between $1-$3MM for years and it's important that you know who they are, how to approach them and what expectations are once you do. Brad Hibbs Wyman has produced over 40 feature films in all budget ranges, including Monster starring Charlize Theron in her Oscar-winning role, Freeway starring Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon and actor Steve Buscemi's directorial debut, Trees Lounge. Brad has learned all aspects of financing and the elements that are needed for a successful raise and he's going to bring his years of knowledge exclusively to the Stage 32 community. In Brad's real and humorous style, he will teach the basic principles of motion picture financing for under $3 million dollar features which include: Rule #1 - “GET THE MONEY" Rule #2 - Always remember to “GET THE MONEY” Rule #3 - Never forget to always remember to “GET THE MONEY" If that gives you the insight into Brad's fun personality, then you're in for a treat with this webinar. Brad will teach you the common obstacles that get in the way of raising financing. He'll go over all the various types of financing: equity, private equity, pre-sales, GAP, tax incentives, deferred and crowdfunding. In addition, he'll go in depth on guidelines for your financial package and what you'll need for tax incentives, pre-sales, debt and domestic MG. He'll even go over your plan of execution including your investment proposal and what it looks like, completion and guarantor bonds and pitching your project. You will not only know the basics of how to smartly raise up to $3MM, but you'll also walk away with knowing the names of the players and the companies that are in this landscape, giving you an instant advantage to becoming an insider. And if that doesn't make you feel great enough, Brad’s proceeds from this exclusive Stage 32 webinar will be donated to his favorite arts charity! "Brad was great. I loved his style and how frank he was. Really appreciate his demeanor." - Robert G. "It was one of the most amazing experiences. The most entertaining and true presenter I have ever come across." - Ranadeep B. "Awesome experience - great learning opportunity and very well organized. I look forward to more." - Brien Gorham "Brad brought the goods and the funny. And he removed my initimidation factor when it comes to approaching investors. Great webinar!" - Alyssa K.
An Indie Producer’s Guide to Working with VFX and Special Effects
In today’s climate, independent filmmakers and producers are expected to make their movies on lower and lower budgets. This is hard enough for a simple or grounded drama, but what if your film includes supernatural elements or other aspects that require effects? How can you keep the budget low while still including the monsters, explosions, illusions, and other that can only be made possible special and visual effects? As it turns out, it’s more possible than you might think, especially with the right preparation. Whether you need to work with practical special effects or include visual effects in post, the key is always careful planning ahead of time. There are many pitfalls that producers and filmmakers can run into when working with effects, including going over budget and not getting the result your film needs, but these can always be overcome with the appropriate preparation, research and understanding ahead of time. So how exactly do experienced indie producers prep for effects? What can be done in early pre-production and throughout? And how can you make sure that, even on a low budget, your effects are, well, effective? Let’s explore. Micah Gallo is an award-winning writer, director, cinematographer, producer and post-production expert who has been making films for over ten years and has worked on effects and post-production for over 40 feature films. A filmmaker from an early age, Micah’s fascination with visual composition and technology inspired him to cofound the award winning post-production facility Lit Post where he built the company up and collaborated with other top artists to design new cutting-edge effects previously unavailable for independent films. As a filmmaker, Micah has earned several Best Director and Best Cinematography awards as well as the Emerging Cinematography award for Achievement in Cinematography from the International Cinematographers Guild. Micah most recently served as writer, director, producer and post production supervisor on the celebrated cult creature feature ITSY BITSY, starring Bruce Davison (X-MEN) and Denise Crosby (STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION). Micah’s excited to bring his experience both as a writer/director and as a post-production expert to the Stage 32 community. Using his experience both as a filmmaker and an effects guru, Micah will walk you through the steps you need to take as an independent filmmaker to include visual effects and special effects into your film at any budget. He’ll go through the process of analyzing your script with an eye for effects, how to research and get bids from vendors, and incorporating effects into both your shot lists and storyboards. Micah will also give you tips on how to handle the critical lighting and video testing phase of effects and how you can work with your DP, AD, and production designer to ensure everyone’s on the same page. Micah will also lay out how to handle effects while on set and how you should be shooting for VFX. He will also teach you how to navigate effects shots in post-production. Throughout, Micah will be providing specific examples from his own award-winning film ITSY BITSY, which heavily used both special effects and VFX, and using this as a case study you can take back to your own project.
Register / Log In
