ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD – 10

( Through This I wish to share my insights as a trainer with my students and other acting aspirants )

 PROJECT YOUR UNIQUE  INDIVIDUAL SELF  LOUD AND CLEAR.

OVERCOME BEING CLONES OF DILIP KUMAR SAHEB, MR.BACHCHAN OR SHAH RUKH KHAN.

They say ‘’EVERY ACTOR IS INSPIRED BY SOME OTHER ACTOR’’

As a youngster when one decides to become an actor, he/she is inspired by some ones performance, personality, craft or combination of all three.

So, the first step towards acting is imitating your favorite actors’ performances, and when such act is acknowledged or admired by friends and family, the youngsters go wayward. THEY END UP BECOMING CLONES OF THEIR FAVOURITE ACTORS.

Thus as a trainer at Kreating charakters,  the  premier acting training institute, I come across number of Shah Rukh clones and few of  Mr Bachchan’s. They are so deeply influenced by their favourite star that it becomes a nightmare for them to over come their favourite stars’ influence.

One has to sit back and realize his/her own personality. His/Her personal views about things and happening around  Him / Her,  should be assertive and expressive about what He/she feels like….. This is one baby step towards discovering  your   ‘’UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL  SELF’’

(Wait for a detailed blog on  ‘’ DISCOVER YOUR UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL SELF’’ )

 

SAMAR JAI SINGH

KREATING CHARAKTERS.

 

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ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD – 9

(Through This I wish to share my insights as a trainer with my students and other Acting aspirants )

IMRAN HIRES TEACHER TO LEARN GAALEES.!!!

AN IMPORTANT PROCESS FOR OPENING UP AN ACTOR WHICH WE INCORPORATE AT “ KREATING CHARAKTERS “ (FROM BOMBAY TIMES FRIDAY – 26/10/12)

His upbringing  doesn’t  afford him enough opportunities to give gaalees. However , when shooting for Vishal Bhardwaj’s “ MATRU KI BIJLEE KA  MANDOLA ”, the actor had to begin with a master class of cuss words with a strong Haryanvi flavor. Vishal hired senior theater coach N K Sharma to teach Imran Haryanvi,  and  in the very first meeting, sharma  realized that Imaran was a well – bred city boy who didn’t use foul language. So, THE TEACHER WENT ABOUT HIS BUSSINESS, TEACHING THE BOY CUSS WORDS WITH FLOURISH.

Now, we hear that he is so proficient with Haryanvi cuss words that can even challenge truck drivers with his colorful vocabulary.

 

SAMAR JAI SINGH

KREATING CHARAKTERS

ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD –  8

( Through This I wish to share my insights as a trainer with my students and other Acting aspirants )

BEAUTY OF ANGER  LIES IN IMPULSES

Impulse is the root expression of an emotion, which you feel deep inside your guts when you are affected by the situation and circumstances. As a competent actor you should be able to translate the impulses into expressions and change in body language.

Specially when portraying  anger; Impulses make your anger look dynamic  and unpredictable, thus DRAMATIC. Impulses are first translated at the point of contact between your toes and the ground. If one can realize that impulse of the contact point of toes and the ground then your whole body would reflect anger.

‘’ANGER SHOULD BE SEEN IN THE WHOLE BODY, NOT JUST NECK UP ANGER’’

Actors like Mr.Bachchan, Naseer  Saheb, Shah Rukh Khan exhibit  brilliant anger.

SO FOLLOW YOUR IMPULSES.

SAMAR JAI SINGH

KREATING CHARAKTERS

 

ACTING AS A CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD – 6 : SAMAR JAI SINGH

This is in continuation with my previous Blog (20/10/12)

‘’WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED AS AN ACTOR IN BOLLYWOOD’’

HOW WELL ONE ADMINISTERS HIS/HER RESOURCES

It is a ruthless dog bite dog profession, where the battle for success is long and tedious. Once you achieve success that success too is fleeting. Thus the struggle and striving is constant in this Bollywood acting career.

Those who taste success also go through phases when acting jobs  elude them. Keeping this uncertainly in mind, one has to be very careful with his/her resources, So that one can sail through the lean phase when one is jobless or that depressing time when a young actor is on look out for his/her first breakthrough.

A little brain storming will make you realize, what are  the resources for an actor who is preparing for a long fruitful career in Bollywood. Most important is your  funding, monitarily you have to be secured.

Once late Mr.Prakash Mehra  the legendry film maker who made Amitabh  Bachchan  ‘’THE AMITABH  BACHACHAN’’ gave me a wonderful insight. It was 1995 February, his project ‘’SAMRAAT ASHOK’’ in which I was essaying the title role of ‘’EMPEROR ASHOKA’’ was stalled due to a legal tangle with Mr.O.P Ralhan. I was sitting with Prakashji in his office , he could sense that I was depressed and hard up with money. He   wrote a cheque of Rs.20000/- (That was quite a big amount that time) and offered me, I was reluctant to accept as I was not shooting for him and felt it was not right taking that money, he very warmly said  ‘’Samarbabu ladai ladne ke liye pet bhara hona chahiye’’  (you can’t fight a battle empty stomach ).

Prakashji  was a father figure to me, who gave me my first major break. His words have embedded a permanent impression in my subconscious. I always suggest all young acting aspirants to be very careful with your resources. Make savings a habit, an actor never works through out the year, at an average an actor works 9-10 months in an year so save for the rainy day, which are quite frequent.

Other important resource for an actor is his body,  take very good care of it. Never abuse your body with over indulgence.  You need not have a well sculpted  body, but when some one sees you, he should sense that this guy respects himself and takes his profession seriously.

‘’IT IS THE BODY WHICH IS THE VEHICLE FOR YOUR CRAFT’’

I have seen many actors, when running through a rough phase get depressed, and fall victim of over  indulgence  with alcohol and even do drugs, So be careful, hit the gym, workout regularly….. look and feel  fit.

Between two projects when you are left with lots of time in your hands, make the best use of it, instead of killing time and getting negative about things,  work on your self, utilize that time to refine your craft.

What does an actor need to do to ENRICH HIS/HER CRAFT ? Wait for the next blog…………

SAMAR JAI SIMGH

KREATING CHARAKTERS

ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD -7

(Through This I wish to share my insights as a trainer with my students and other acting aspirants)

‘’PAY A  LOT OF ATTENTION ON VOICE  PERFORMANCE;  NEVER SOUND STRONGER THAN THE STAR’’

Actors voice is the most important expression through which he/she can cast a very deep and lasting impression upon casting directors, directors and audiences mind.

Practice your vocal exercises very  diligently. Perform all your voice culture and voice modulation routine exercises regularly.

One needs to develop a lot of control over his/her  voice. Decide the throw of your voice keeping the visual shot composition in mind. There should be different voice throw in master shot and entirely different in close up shot.

In a master shot your voice throw is more like you are doing  a theatre  performance,  in a close up shot the voice has to be more intimate and personal  but without dropping the  inner motive  force intensity. This  is implied in audition situations also.

This control will never come without practice, So please work on your voice and make it a routine. We follow this very strictly at our institute ‘KREATING CHARAKTERS’.

My final advise on voice ‘’WHEN YOU ARE SHARING SCREEN SPACE WITH A STAR,  NEVER SOUND STRONGER THAN THE STAR’’.

I suffered in GADAR – EK PREMKATHA (2001) and ‘’EK THA TIGER’’ (2012).  Remember!!! My voice was so much loved and appreciated in ‘’OM NAMAH SHIVAY’’.

(Wait for my detailed blog on VOICE PERFORMANCE)

SAMAR  JAI  SINGH

KREATING CHARAKTERS

                                                                                      ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD – 6

(Through This I Wish to Share My Insights as a trainer with my students and other Acting aspirants)

NEVER ASK FOR A ROLE,  ASK FOR  ‘’ AUDITION’’

When you are meeting a director or the casting team, My suggestion never ask for an acting job instead of ask only for an ‘’AUDITION’’. When you ask for audition you are not asking them to oblige you, but you are merely asking for a fair opportunity.

Here is something interesting I would like to share, way back in 1995-96 when I was busy shooting  ‘’MRITUNJAY’ ’ with Dr.Chandra Prakash Dwivedi ,  there were many young aspirants who use to come on the set and ask Doctor Sahib for acting job. I very clearly remember there use to be One tiny fellow Who  never asked for a role but asked only for an ‘’AUDITION’’, any wild guesses Who was he, he was no other then our own ‘’RAJPAL YADAV’’.

Confident and sure right from the beginning years of his career. So you go the ‘’RAJPALS WAY’’

‘’JUST ASK FOR AN AUDITION’’.

SAMAR  JAI  SINGH

KREATING CHARAKTERS.

                                                                                         ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD – 5

(Through This I wish to share my insights as a trainer with my students and other acting aspirants)                                                                                                CULTIVATE THE SENSE OF DRAMA, LEARN TO PLAY WITH RHYTHM

When doing a scene or Even in audition situation learn to PLAY WITH THE RHTYM.

Rhythm is a very integral tool of an actors craft. An actor who can control and change the rhythm of the flow of thoughts and expressions, has an intrinsic quality of DRAMA in his/her performance.

‘DRAMAS’ Simplest definition is  WHEN NORMALLY IS CHLLENGED AND FLOW IS  BROKEN : If an actor  can achieve this he/she would always look very interesting on the screen.

So, inculcate this habit of playing with the rhythm, use your VOICE- pitch Play, Tempo, a pause or a stress but sound interesting.

Like wise change the rhythm of your body language and expressions,  ‘BREAK THE MONOTONY’

Whether during shooting a scene or while giving an audition start using change of ‘Rhythm’ and remember:                                                                                                                                               ‘’IF YOU MAKE YOUR PERFORMANCE INTERESTING PEOPLE WILL TAKE INTEREST IN YOU’’

 

SAMAR JAI SINGH

KREATING CHARAKTERS

                                                                             ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD – 4

(Through This I wish to Share my insights as a trainer with my students and other acting aspirants )

YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION , IS A LASTING ONE.

LOOK PRESENTABLE AND COMMUNITCATE  AT  YOUR CENTERAL NORMAL PITCH

When you have an appointment  with  the director,  casting director  or an executive producer keep that old  adage in mind.  “YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION IS THE LAST IMPRESSION. “

When you reach the office of the production house or the casting director, traveling through the hustle and bustle of this crazy city, over coming the heat , dust and humidity, first thing in your head should be ‘’ am I Presentable’’.

You are at a time when there are large number off malls around , just hop in one of them take a breather, use the wash room freshen up than proceed for your meeting.

When you are having these appointment s in the initial phase of your career , you are obviously a little worked up and jittered……..relax your self have a glass of water, ease off  your stiff lower jaw, relax your tongue, breathe  deep, get in hold of your CENTRAL NORMAL PITCH, then start your Communication .

NEVER SOUND  WORKED UP AND HIGH PITCHED,SHOULD THAT  APPEAR  EVERITHING IS UNDER CONTROL.

Remember  FIRST IMPRESSION IS A LASTING ONE.

SAMAR JAI SINGH

KREATING CHARAKTERS

                                                                                        ACTING TIPS FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD – 3   

(Through This I wish to share my insights as a trainer with my students and other acting aspirants)  

 “ I would like to share this excerpt, as it echoes the Method of Training at KREATING CHARAKTERS.”

RANI MUKHERJEE ON THE CRAFT- ‘‘HOW SHE PREPARES HER CHARACTERS’’

( This Appeared in DNA Thursday 18/10/12.)

 

On high she get when preparing for character and her approach.

There is a lot of fun when there is a film that requires the actor to prepare…it’s a very interesting process and I’d like to go through  in every film I do. As an actor my job is to observe. I like to observe. For me preparation is what I remember from my observations. I take that inspiration and put that observation into my role. A month before I start shooting , I sit with my director, try to understand  how he has visualized the character on the screen and take notes. Then I start working on the most basic thing – the look. It is very important that the physical appearance of the character gets decided because if I look the character, it makes it all the more believable .

Working on the background and dialect.

I go into the finer nuances of what the girl is like, her background. Though you wouldn’t see that in the film, the before and after of the character is very important. And then from there, if the character is from UP, I have to get the accent right. Puneri  girls speak in a very different way, their  Hindi and English is very accented.

Her Metamorphosis as an actor.

When I came into the industry I was just 16. At that time, I didn’t know what I was doing. One of the films I did back then was Hey Ram,  where I worked with Kamal Haasan. I found the environment very different and disciplined. I was doing films but I had no love for films. With Hey Ram that started changing. And then the critics come into the picture to show you the mirror.

Her Philosophy as professional.

My portrayals are often the amalgamation of  who am I and how the character was written and how I perceive her. My logic is simple. You spend 100 days working on a film and those 100 days have to be special. They have to be moments that you would remember as a special time in your life.

 

SAMAR JAI SINGH

KREATING CHARAKTERS.

                                                                                                                                                                                ACTING AS A CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD-5: BY SAMAR JAI SINGH.

“WHAT  IT TAKES AN ACTOR TO SUCCEED IN BOLLYWOOD”

I am resuming my writing of blogs ( Earlier I had written 4 Blogs Acting As A Career  ) for my students and acting aspirants in Bollywood . Today 20^th October 2012, Exactly 23 years after I had first time faced camera in Bollywood .

First time I alighted on Bombay Central Station. With eyes full of dreams, on  26^th June 1989. Four months later I begged a very small part in a Rajiv Rai film, Produced under Trimurti Pictures banner  “VISHWAATMA”. It was, FRIDAY 20^TH OCTOBER 1989, I vividly  remember that particular scene was shot in a garden of a lavish bungalow in Walkeshwar, over looking the  Arabian sea. It was my humble entry in hugely star studded film.

I have a very clear memory of that scene which we shot, there was a young sort after star, with lots of stakes riding on him “Chunkey  Pandey”. A well established T.V actor, baritone voiced had a descent buzz  about him in the film industry as well,  Mangal  Dhillon. There were three first timers, Idris Malik ( An NSD pass out ) Vishwajeet  Pradhan  (He had appeared in ‘Fauji’ the T.V series )and my self who knew nothing about acting.

A week ago I read an article about actor Vishwajeet  Pradhan ,  in Bombay Times and was pleasantly surprised to know that he has done close to 200 films in past 23 years and few pivotal roles on Television.

 

 

 

Believe me that is a very healthy acting career for an actor who is in his mid forties.  Yet  a lots of years left with him as an actor.

And  Where are the rest?

I was wondering what is deemed to be a successful acting career in Bollywood. Is it a career of a star who shines suddenly like a meteor  and fades out as quickly or a career where an actor has lasted in the film industry for 20-25 years. Personally  I feel,  the later.

As a trainer I come across this query every now and than  “ Mujhe kaam milega sir ” ( sir will I get work ).  This question is put to me by all most all the youngsters whom I come across, not only in the institute but even outside.

I was contemplating what it takes for an actor to have a long inning in Bollywood . I realized there are three complimentary elements which go hand in hand.

 

 1.How well one administers his/her resources  i.e  monitory funds and time,

2. Constant Enriching of your craft as an actor.

3. Your Networking and Relations in the film fraternity.

I will cover all these three topics  in my following blogs.

 

SAMAR JAI SINGH

KREATING CHARAKTERS