S&S articles and research

Sears & Switzer

Acting resources, links, articles and other ideas:

As we often say in class, acting is more like basketball than English class! It's all about experience and practice... Still our students tell us that these articles and resources are very useful for performers. Check out the links further down as well:

SHARING OUR THOUGHTS [Sears & Switzer pages] :

10 actor resolutions
13 helpful hints to help you BUILD A BETTER ACTOR DEMO REEL!
Marketing for the ACTOR... some basic answers on how to sell yourself more effectively
How to find more auditions! Ideas and resources
How to choose an acting class [and not get burnt!]
Opening doors... making them pay attention!
Growing as an actor resources and ideas to keep getting better... and some suggested reading lists.
Comments from the Casting Corner... some quotes worth pondering and some audition hints!
Some Film acting hints [from an interview with David and Theresa] ]
Break into performance... a few hints and words of wisdom [and suggestions about our classes of course.]

THE BIG LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Photographers list [Toronto headshot professionals] PLUS VIDEO EDITORS Our current list of the "real" shooters in town... let us know if you have a favourite to add!

Reading more about acting? Click here to check out some books we like to recommend!

[NOTE: Below are links that will take you outside of our website... remember to come back! and let us know if any of these links are dead.]

FACEBOOK? Add to your actor to actor networking: join the SEARS & SWITZER FACEBOOK group.

Our favourite Internet links & resources:

We all have our favourite Internet resources... BUT bookmark these sites:

The essentials:

Canadian Actors Online: Don't miss the Mega-FAQ section and of course the great site and chat rooms for actor-to-actor discussions at Canadian Actor Online: www.canadianactor.com
AMIS, for Toronto agent's info and scam alerts: http://www.amisontario.com
ACTRA, great "how to break into the biz reality check": http://www.actratoronto.com
Canadian Actors Equity: http://www.caea.com
The invaluable home for all actors from all performance sectors in Ontario, Theatre Ontario: http://www.theatreontario.org worth joining just for the GETTING STARTED chat! http://theatreontario.org/content/gettingstarted.htm
Theatrebooks, Toronto's wonderful bookstore: http://www.theatrebooks.com
And what the hey, maybe you should actually turn off your computer and go out to see REAL ACTORS in a REAL play! http://www.torontolivetheatre.com/

Check out this great new website for artists run by the Ontario Ministry: http://www.ontarioartist.ca/en/index.htm

Exciting new TAAS TEACHER... The Wylde Project: With over fifty years in the business as actor, director, translator and teacher, Peter Wylde provides expert and stimulating guidance at all levels and styles, classical and modern. His keen instinct for casting developed over these years can help you find the perfect, and ofttimes surprising, choices for you. Visit www.wyldeproject.com and contact him: studio@wyldeproject.com or call (647) 343 - 8312

OTHER TAAS TEACHERS; Toronto Association of Acting Studios, 30 other great studios and places to study in town: http://www.torontoactingstudios.com

Some other teachers:

Experienced teachers: David Rotenberg and Bruce Clayton have a renowned independent studio. Check them out: http://www.proactorslab.com/
Marvin Karon often offers a great class! http://www.shakespearience.ca/
IMPROV AND CLOWN? Our old students "Mump and Smoot" are the kings of clown.... a great skill for any actor: www.mumpandsmoot.com
Voice Pro Studio Workshop: For more info visit about Voice Pro Studio visit: www.melissaaltro.com
Theatre sports, improvisation and more...Love playing comedy and improv? try: http://www.yesand.com/ This is a global resource site for improv actors. [We do a lot of improv in class and did it professionally for years but we suggest you go to Second City Web: www.secondcity.com (select "Training Centres") or Bad dog Theatre Website: www.baddogtheatre.com for it in To
INTERNATIONAL website (http://www.celebsystem.com) that features information, advice, and resources for actors
NEW media PLUS social stuff etc @ http://www.upstageproductions.ca
A good general Arts Directory: http://www.artlinkslist.com/

OTHER GREAT PLACES TO HIT:

LOOKING FOR MONOLOGUES? We don't "recommend" just grabbing one from a site.... read the whole play; work honestly; pay the authors by buying a script... get more info at our Audition class!

BUT in a jam TRY THESE for scenes and scripts:
- www.whysanity.net/monos/
http://www.monologuearchive.com/ monologues for men and women.
http://demoening.homestead.com/mono.html monologues for men and women.
www.actorama.com, which has a searchable database of monologues and scenes from films, plays, television and books.

Good classes on singing for actors? Get singing! [Every actor needs to be able to sing at least a little bit... and it's the best way to build your voice]

Hey our student [and master music teacher] Kevin Baker offers great studio and one-on-one sessions: www.takethemic.ca
Also hit www.vocalscience.com [great for voice problems!]
[Another ex-student and fine guy! Very actor-friendly] www.orvilleheyn.com
And world famous teacher/coach Elaine Overholt: http://www.elaineoverholt.com/ has an incredible weekend class as well as private coaching
And back in TORONTO, from NYC's famous AAMDA, Deborah Staiman offers music theatre work www.singingstudio.ca

Gotta Dance? YES you do! Great actors move well.

Dance is a basic skill and major joy: try these T.o. studios http://www.oipdance.com ; and http://www.citydancecorps.com/

Body and health: Maybe your actor instrument needs help? Try these health and fitness related services given by a fellow actor: www.lifebalancefitness.com

Francophone?

http://www.qfq.com Ici on peut trouver quelques ressources pour les artisans francophone avec plusiers addresses utiles. Aussi pour le monde de film quebecois... Montreal film: www.montrealfilm.com Cinéressources, un magazine sur les tournages au Québec à maintenant pignon sur rue avec Internet http://www.cinetv.biz/index.html

Writers:

Screenwriting Workshops: Jacob Krueger offers screenwriting workshops.
URL: http://www.writeyourscreenplay.com

Big-link resource sites:

An interesting site with great USA links, tons of free contact lists, and up to the minute ideas; wise comments on the business of being an actor from Bob Fraser too: http://www.youmustact.com/freestuff.html
lots of NYC and continent wide info too: http://www.actorslife.com/
New England based resource site: http://www.jacneed.com/Casting1.html
http://www.talentbox.com/ Gi-normous mass listing service!
HOLLYWOOD NORTH! http://www.hollywoodnorth.com
A HUGE SITE WITH ARTICLES, SAMPLE RESUMES, ACTOR GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND MUCH MORE: http://www.actorschecklist.com/
American info and casting service: http://www.iamanartist.com/services.html
Canada's arts internet meeting place: http://edionysus.com/index.php
Useful stuff; some of it costs but all interesting. http://www.digmyacting.com/
Here's a notice board from ACTCO (Association of Community Theatres in Central Ontario) http://www.actco.ca/Call_Board.html
Useful casting info @ http://www.showfax.com/index.htm
Fun site in the UK, even if you don't buy stuff from it! http://www.theactorsstore.co.uk/
Good information on auditions and other things of note: http://trainedactor.com/
Good resources in Canada list and pretty clever site: http://www.wordsnimages.com/jb/theatre.htm
Connect with the Actors Circle on Yahoo... actorscircle@yahoogroups.com
http://directory.google.com/Top/Arts/Performing_Arts/Acting/Education/Studios/ great list of acting studios in North America
An index to resources in Toronto: one of the best lists of agents, studios, theatres, casting agents, etc: http://www.artworldcity.com/
Ken McCoy has kept this Web links list for more than a decade! great for more "scholarly" searches too: http://www.stetson.edu/departments/csata/thr_guid.html
This one lists a fair number of community theatre websites where they post their notifications: http://listingsca.com/Ontario/Toronto-Region/Entertainment_and_Leisure/Theatre/index.asp

Want to know more about theatre in Canada? Try Canada On Stage Online, a new searchable database of theatre today and yesterday at www.pact.ca and PACT's contact list of Canada's professional theatres: http://www.pact.ca/who.cfm

Life in Toronto?:

New To Toronto? Try http://toronto.researchalot.com/torontohomeshow/ for good info on almost everything under the sun... or at least about life in the city.

FILM-MAKER STUFF:

Independent film scene in Canada [and elsewhere]... super site http://indie-central.ca
Independent film maker? New style video, etc. Get to know the Liason of Independent Film and TV in Toronto: http://www.lift.on.ca/
Fascinating site with lots of info for filmmakers, reviews and tech talk: http://www.indiefilmer.com/
The place for a budding film-maker/actor type to get GREAT TECHNICAL INFO: http://www.cyberfilmschool.com/learn/

We get a lot of requests for actor information about other cities:

Try these resources:

Vancouver; Vancouver; www.vancouveractorsguide.com Company of Rogues 2910 Commercial Drive, Vancouver have a good rep! 604.633.3092 We hear that there are good, fun classes at www.vadastudios.com Don't miss our colleagues at The William Davis School: William Davis Center For Actor's Study 1102 Hornby Street, Vancouver 604.687.8115.

Ottawa: http://www.ottawatheatre.ca/

and of course...

THE GOOD OL' USA:

A LOT OF SITES ABOVE HAVE U.S.A. STUFF TOO: for a good overview of the USA centres: www.theatrgroup.com/showbiz
Theatre in New York? great news information and ticket source: www.theatermania.com
Here are some interesting and provocative performers community out of the USA: http://www.simplytaty.com/ Also in the same style: http://www.caryn.com/acting/
Great non-profit site: http://www.actorspages.org/
New York City and other workshops?:http://www.nygreenroom.com/ http://performingarts.net/Links/educational.html
Heading to Chicago or San Francisco area? Everyone raves about Ed Hooks. Buy his books as Theatrebooks.... sensible, creative and inspiring texts http://www.edhooks.com/

If you want to move to LA, check out www.ExitHollywood.com

ALWAYS ask other actors! use these HOLLYWOOD chat sites as resources:

http://more.showfax.com/bbs2
http://forums.delphiforums.com/proactors/start
http://www.sagactor.com/bb
http://www.celluloidcurtain.com/bbs
http://www.talentpimp.com/forum
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hollywood-Happy-Hour
ACTING CLASSES IN LA? Try our colleagues at www.trulyacting.com
and for USA stuff DON'T MISS https://www.nowcasting.com/actorsink/
a new site for actors... some fees but lots of useful detail and contacts: http://ActingDepot.com

Have fun and let us know if you find a great site!

And never forget the OFFLINE resources that you can find:

Go to the library... Toronto's Metro Central reference library has a HUGE script and information resource list.
Become a member of Theatre Ontario: 215 Spadina Avenue, Suite 210 (half way between Queen Street and Dundas Street on the East side by Sullivan Street) Monday to Friday.

Home Cinema Systems in UK & Europe: avcinema.co.uk http://www.avcinema.co.uk

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