ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD -66 (THROUGH THIS I WISH TO SHARE MY INSIGHTS AS AN ACTOR/TRAINER WITH MY STUDENTS AND OTHER ACTING ASPIRANTS) (From the location of HEROPANTI)

YOU MUST CHANGE YOUR PERFORMANCE ACCORDING TO THE SIZE OF THE SHOT

On screen you can be seen in anything from full length shot of your whole body (Head to Toe) to an extreme close up of your face(Fore head to Chin) depending on the size of the shot. As a professional actor you should be aware of different sizes of the shot and monitor your performance accordingly.

Here on the location I have been observing the maestro from close quaters, who already has 340 released films to his credit in five languages, has a record of 27 releases in one calender year, Mr Prakash Raj. I was amazed to see how effortlessly he monitors his performance according to different composition of the shots. Even in a single take where the composition is changing, say from wide where his whole body is seen, and then the camera trollys in to compose a close up, he adepts so well with the performance and the right look for his co-actors. No doubt with experience he has mastered the craft.

Now coming back to the different sizes of the shot, the problem is there is no ‘standard acceptance’. Broadly they can be catagorise as.

1. Full length shot

2. Medium shot

3. Medium close up

4. Big close up(extreme closeup)

Most of the time in a master shot actor is seen in the frame from head to toe. This a ” Full Length Shot” (LS). As an actor how do you convey thoughts, feeling and expressions to the audience when they are seeing your whole body? What you are experiencing should come across through whole body motions and physical attitudes as well as loud clear voices.

Next is the “Medium Shot”(MS). Here your image is occupying larger screen space. You are seen from head to waist on the screen. This a usual size of the shot when two or three actors are sharing the screen space. This composition also desires “reasonable body motion and gestures”, here some facial expressions are also noticeable.

Then comes “Medium Close up”(MCU). Actors head and shoulders are seen, bottom of the screen cutting across the actors chest. This is a very common composition in shooting Television dramas.”This is a real life frame”. Its like you are seeing somebody sitting across the table before you. How does an actor goes about? Well, subtlety, transparent expressions, just what one would do in real life. Actors ease, naturalness and genuine feelings come across in this frame.

The “Big Close up”(also called extreme close up). Here the actors face entirely fills up he screen. Right from ‘fore head to the chin’. In life you can never see a persons face in extreme close up. If you try to see some ones face so close, you go out of focus and the image blurs. But cinematically this size shot is used often. Its an unreal size shot. It reveals what the actor is “thinking” rather than “presenting”. So, you just need to think strongly
in this composition.

This skill of adaptation of performance as per the composition of the camera frame is taught and imbibed deeply in the Actors of Indias Best Acting Academy KREATING CHARAKTERS we groom actors.

(For previous Blogs/ Tips on “Acting Career In Bollywood”
Visit http://www.kreatingcharakters.in)

SAMAR JAI SINGH
http://www.kreatingcharakters.in

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ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD -65 (THROUGH THIS I WISH TO SHARE MY INSIGHTS AS AN ACTOR/TRAINER WITH MY STUDENTS AND OTHER ACTING ASPIRANTS) (From the location of HEROPANTI)

HARDEST THING ABOUT FILM ACTING IS TO KEEP YOUR SELF ALIVE SPECIALLY FOR “CLOSE-UPS”!!!

In a film you hardly shoot two or three scenes in a day. The pace of shooting a film is quite slow, there’s a lot of time on the set . The fact is they shoot the master shots first, one should be aware that the coverage, the ‘closeups’ will be shot later in the day. So the actor need to keep alive and energetic right till the end of the day.

A “close up” is your moment as an actor, you are alone in the shot, all eyes are on you. You should not bother about about being scrutinise while giving a take, but you need to give your absolute best to this little shot. The ‘entire moment’ you are experiencing will be amplified.

Here at the location few actors who are not familiar with film acting often wonder, how can any one act with camera so close? Isn’t it distracting? Sometimes the camera need not be close to you for a close up. All that camera man needs to do is change the lenses.

I very well remember while shooting the climax of GADAR – ek prem katha,near Bikaner (Rajasthan). The sequence where the train in which Tara Singh (Mr Sunny Deol) and his family are traveling is blocked and cordoned by the Pakistan Army. As soon as the train stops I had to speak my dialogues. There were three cameras rolling on the other side of the track, at least 40 meters away from where I was. One of the camera was following me in a ‘close up’, being comparatively raw than, I was not aware of it, I only realized when I was dubbing for the sequence. I asked the associate director, how come I have a close up here, yet the cameras were at a distance. He informed me it was shot on ‘Telly’, where the cameraman can zoom close to the actor. So its not necessary that the camera should be close to you for a close up. This is practiced very often in shooting TV shows.

Truth of your performance shows up in close ups. One has to save his best for that bit of a shot. There are special classes dedicated to orient actors about this facet of the craft at India’s Top Most Acting School KREATING CHARAKTERS we groom actors.

(For previous Blogs/ Tips on “Acting Career In Bollywood”
Visit http://www.kreatingcharakters.in)

SAMAR JAI SINGH
http://www.kreatingcharakters.in

ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD -64 (THROUGH THIS I WISH TO SHARE MY INSIGHTS AS AN ACTOR/TRAINER WITH MY STUDENTS AND OTHER ACTING ASPIRANTS) (From the location of HEROPANTI)

YOU MAY BE A BRILLIANT ACTOR, BUT IT DOESN’T MEAN A THING IF YOU ARE OUT OF “FOCUS”

“LEARN TO HIT THE MARK”

If you happen to visit a shooting floor,where filming of a movie is taking place, you would notice a person with a measurement tape, measuring the distance between the camera and the actor. He is DOP’s (Director of Photography) assistant, his job is to keep the shot in “FOCUS”. When the shot is being canned, he is not looking through the view finder of the camera, he has to depend entirely on “marks” and “measurements”. Thats why he will measure the actor at every point where he/she is suppose to take a stay during the shot.

When blocking of a scene is done, the director gives moves to the actor. The camera team takes a note of these moves carefully. The camera assistant gives actors fixed marks, where he/she is suppose to take a stay.

While shooting a master shot, the marks can be more then one, marked 1-2-3 starting from the first, when the actor first enters the block to the last where the shot is cut.

Here at location in Nabha, we have an ensemble cast, an actor who has more then 300 films under his belt, there are actors who have some experience in the industry, some are trained actors but have no on job experience and few of them are absolutely raw. All of them togather in a take makes the process of filming quite intriguing. For some these technicalities are like second nature, the newer lot struggles to make these adjustments, some times they are away from the mark, some times they look down to see wether they are on it or not, thus spoiling the take….Then how to go about?

The best way to ‘hit your mark’, which we teach at the KREATING CHARAKTERS we groom actors the Best Acting School In Mumbai, is by using our instinct to associate with spaces. Step on the mark, look at the co-actor or any property around say a sofa, table, pillar etc, close your eyes and mentally note the distances. Then go to the begining point and start again, you will be surprised that you actually are “hitting the mark” consistently. Practice this!!!

ON THE SET YOU WILL SAVE TIME ENERGY AND MONEY AND YES THE CAMERA TEAM WOULD LOVE YOU!!!

(For previous Blogs/ Tips on “Acting Career In Bollywood”
Visit http://www.kreatingcharakters.in)

SAMAR JAI SINGH
http://www.kreatingcharakters.in

ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD -63 (THROUGH THIS I WISH TO SHARE MY INSIGHTS AS AN ACTOR/TRAINER WITH MY STUDENTS AND OTHER ACTING ASPIRANTS) (From the location of HEROPANTI)

BOY MY BOY YOU MADE THE LEGEND BLINK

This is my maiden experience, sharing screen space for a movie with my student. But, the secret is that I silently desire and pray that these occasions should be more freequent.

On 14th June 2012, I met Tiger Shroff the Hero of HEROPANTI. This was the first dayof his grooming with Indias Best Acting School KREATING CHARAKTERS we groom actors. He was a shy, recultant and an introvert boy. Atheletically built had tremendous passion for gymnastics and martial arts. Hardly had any inclination for acting. But yes, a handsome boy of handsome father.

As the training went by I realized, he was a very sensitive, intelligent and focused boy.Very well brought up, all credit to his parents. Had outstanding grasping and adapting ability, very humble and down to earth, carried no baggage of being a star son, I remember he use to travel in auto rickshaws and buses.

After his generic training was over at Indias Top Most Acting Academy KREATING CHARAKTERS we groom actors, we worked on the customised grooming for his film. There was a trial shoot held in october 2012, at Kamalistan Studios in Mumbai. During the shoot one could see the glimpses of his hold over his craft. There were few visitors at the studio and they were absolutely enchanted by his persona and looks. My heart murmured a “Super Star” is about to be born.

Here on location at Nabha, a confrontation scene was being shot between Tiger and the legend in his own right Mr Prakash Raj. The shot was set up …’action’ was called….trolly moved…the boy spoke his lines with passion making a flawless graph…the maestro was bewildered and taken a back. Acknowleged the immaculate performance of the debutante. My guts said the “Next Super Star” is here. I could feel my head held high in pride.

A WARM WELCOME TO THE NEXT GENERATION

KREATING CHARAKTERS we groom actors is not only the favourite destination for grooming young talent amongst the industry folks, we feel exteremely humbled and entrusted when our passed out students send their freinds, siblings and even children to their former acting school.

One such new arrival in the KC family is Virat Vakharia, he is a student in KC batch no 71, his father Mr Parimal Vakharia was student of batch no 9. Mr Parimal, apart from being a flourishing bussinesman freequently acts in various TV shows. Likewise brother of TV Star Zoheb Siddiqui, KC Batch no 40 Arbaz is enrolled in KC Batch no 69, He is currently undergoing his training.

Me and my collaborator at KREATING CHARAKTERS we groom actors Mr Roopesh Thapliyal, take a lot of pride and feel privileged on being entrusted with this responsibility, this trust has enhanced our commitment towards our mission.

(For previous Blogs/ Tips on “Acting Career In Bollywood”
Visit www.kreatingcharakters.in)

SAMAR JAI SINGH
www.kreatingcharakters.in

ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD -62 (THROUGH THIS I WISH TO SHARE MY INSIGHTS AS AN ACTOR/TRAINER WITH MY STUDENTS AND OTHER ACTING ASPIRANTS) (From the location of HEROPANTI)

“ONE SHOULD KNOW THE LOCATION, THE SET OR THE PROPERTY INVOLVED LIKE BACK OF THE HAND”

WITNESSED “THE MAESTRO” WORKING AT IT

Sewa Bhawan, the sprawling 120 years old mansion (kothi), occupying 41 acers of land, unending lawns, breathtaking gardens, vegetable feilds, the building has 18 huge bedrooms(bathrooms attached to these bedrooms are bigger then 1BHK flats of our maximum city). It is a virgin location in a small sleepy town of Nabha. “Heropanti” is the first film to be shot here. I find my self fortunate to be part of two back to back films being shot on virgin locations, remember “Ek Tha Tiger” the opening sequence was filmed in “Mardin” Turkey, a place which was never exposed in any feature film earlier.

When the vetran who has more then 300 feature films to his credit, Mr Prakash Raj came to the location, which is supposed to be owned by him in the movie, can you guess what he did?

He stepped down his vanity van, went around the entire premises. Each and every room, the vast lobby, the huge drawing room, he spent time sittng in the angans to get a feel of the 120 years old mansion. He spent good one and half hours to be able to “belong to the property”. And when he came to the set with his costume on, he looked the part cent percent.

The bottom line is, as an actor your relationship with the “space” should be conceived deep in your psyche, that would eventually reflect in your body language and the aura you carry.

LOCATION IS A CHARACTER IN THE NARRATIVE

This distinct part of the craft is imbibed in the actors of Indias Top Most Acting Classes KREATING CHARAKTERS we groom actors.

SAMAR JAI SINGH
<www.kreatingcharakters.in

SHARING SOME EXPERIENCE FROM “LOCATION SHOOT”… ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD -61 (THROUGH THIS I WISH TO SHARE MY INSIGHTS AS AN ACTOR/TRAINER WITH MY STUDENTS AND OTHER ACTING ASPIRANTS) (From the location of HEROPANTI)

“SHOOTING ON LOCATION IS A TRICKY AFFAIR”

As the name suggests, you go to a place away from the studio to shoot a film or a TV show. Location is a public place,”where people from the area are allowed to watch shooting”. If you are shooting at a place away from Mumbai(people here are accustomed to shooting in public places) the distractions can be nerve wrecking. Their curiousity is enormous. They constantly stare at you, shout and even ask for photographs. It doesn’t matter to them even if you are playing a tiny part. The fact that you are present with the films unit makes you a celebrity. What do you do then “HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR FOCUS?”

Location is a busy chaotic place. There are people watching you, unit fallows doing their job, you are surrounded by all kinds of technical equipments. A slight distraction from these activities would ruin the scene.

An actor should have ability to “seperate the mind in two parts”. One part makes note of the technical requirements,the other ignores them and focuses on creativity.

When you acheive this sort of focus throughout your scene, your performance will acheive a sensibility in which the audience”WOULD LOOSE ‘YOU’ THE ACTOR, THE PERSON AND WOULD ACCEPT THE ‘CHARACTER”.
It is now the audience would laugh and weep with you.

This intrinsic craft and ability is taught to the actors of Indias Best Acting School “KREATING CHARAKTERS” we groom actors.

SAMAR JAI SINGH
www.kreatingcharakters.in

ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD -60 (THROUGH THIS I WISH TO SHARE MY INSIGHTS AS AN ACTOR/TRAINER WITH MY STUDENTS AND OTHER ACTING ASPIRANTS) (From the location of HEROPANTI)

“SOME ACTORS MAKE TONS OF MONEY, MANY MAKE VERY LITTLE”

This profession can be a great joy or it can drive one insane. Interacting with a bunch of actors, few have been around in the business for couple of decades and some are just two years old in the industry. Talking to them, knowing them better one realizes how this rude, ruthless, indifferent industry has altered their personality and righteousness.

We actors are freelance employees. We are hired for a job and when its over, we are unemployed. ‘Next job might be tomorrow, next week, next month or God knows when.’ So yes we need to plan ahead.

I have observed many young actors over-extend themselves right in the begening of their careers, on seeing first sign of success. One should keep in mind this is a very unpredictable bussiness. They take loans by big cars, bigger apartments and fall in the trap of debt.

Once in debt, they make it harder on themselves by trying to maintain a lifestyle, with which they not financially comfortable. The only option they are left with, is to run after daily soaps, one after another
“Strangulating” the actor within. This leads to “frustration” and “stres”.

The advise we give to young actors at Indias Top Most Acting Institute “KREATING CHARAKTERS” we groom actors, is keep finances in order, lighten up and enjoy life bit more. Be in a position where” WHAT YOU WOULD REALLY LIKE TO DO ‘YOU SHOULD’ DO”!!!

SAMAR JAI SINGH
www.kreatingcharakters.in

ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD -59 (THROUGH THIS I WISH TO SHARE MY INSIGHTS AS AN ACTOR/TRAINER WITH MY STUDENTS AND OTHER ACTING ASPIRANTS)

“WHY AN ACTING TEACHER SHOULD BE A ‘WORKING PROFESSIONAL’OF THE FILM INDUSTRY”

Film making as a process and business is changing rapidly. In 1999 when I filmed the action sequence (train sequence) for Gadar- ek prem katha in Bikaner, then after a span of 12 years, in 2011 when I shot the opening sequence of “Ek Tha Tiger” I realized how film making as a process has under gone a sea change. In 1999 there were no Jimmi Jibs, no TVC’s(small vehicles which carry the camera on a tripod), steady cam then were heavy and had limitations.

These are the days when cameras are ‘rigged’ on actors body to capture his facial close ups(what Anurag Kashyap did with Abhay Deol in Dev D). Sadly to my utter shock their are tuitors who emphasise on taking “camera facing” (without presence of a camera) in the class. The actor is required to address the class rather then his/her co-actor.
There are people in the bussiness of training actors who have never ever acted in a film or a TV show, never sweated it out on the stage. Never been through the struggle, turmoil, rejection an average actor goes through. Yet, they are self proclaimed acting gurus, flaunting pictures with Stars (those Stars who have never ackowledged their contribution). Quite same as the road side aphrodisiac seller who shows off his pictures with famous virile man.
There are teachers whose entire understanding of acting as a craft is based on asumptions, here-say(kahani-kisse), hypothetication and imagination but not on actors personal experience in the process of acquiring the craft.

We at KREATING CHARAKTERS -we groom actors, The Best Acting School in Mumbai, firmly beleive that ” There are no Acting Teachers, but only senior experienced actors who can nurture and groom young aspirants.
On the eve when I am about to begin my shoot for Sajid Nadiadwala’s “HEROPANTI”, the launch pad of Kreating Charakters alumni Tiger Shroff….. I affirm..
THERE IS NOTHING QUITE VALUABLE AS EXPERIENCE.

SAMAR JAI SINGH
www.kreatingcharakters.in

ACTING TIPS, FOR YOUR CAREER IN BOLLYWOOD -58 (THROUGH THIS I WISH TO SHARE MY INSIGHTS AS AN ACTOR/TRAINER WITH MY STUDENTS AND OTHER ACTING ASPIRANTS)

NEVER CONFUSE EASE OR NATURALNESS WITH LACK OF ENERGY

Keep it “subtle”! Be “mocked face”! These are the inputs many directors and auditioners give to actors. “Dont over do”! These are very confusing terms for young actors.

Many young aspirants who are ardent followers of ‘world cinema’ and refind hollywood performances, desire to imitate the likes of Brad Pitt, Jhonny Depp, Anthony Hopkins or in Indian context an Amir khan , Ranbir or Irfan. They want to look and appear subtle, they have a desire to underplay. They want to “look intense”.

My question, is how can feelings and thought be subtle, if the dramatic situation is such where the stakes are high. So, always keep in mind, that subtle is only the expression, but beneath that the thoughts, feelings and need of the moment are very energetic and intense.

What one notices in the legendry performances of Hopkins, Depps, De neros, Amirs and Ranbirs, is that there is tremendous prepration, and emotional investment beneath.

Yes, EXPRESSIONS CAN BE SUBTLE, BUT FEELINGS WILL BE STRONG

This is the approach and method followed at Indias Best Acting School “KREATING CHARAKTERS” we groom actors.

SAMAR JAI SINGH
www.kreatingcharakters.in