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   149

   

   12-6-14

   David H. Lawrence XVII says:

   Secrets of Screen Acting, by Patrick Tucker, is far and away the most useful book on creating a great acting practice I’ve ever encountered. It was responsible for me going from what was supposed to be just one episode on Heroes to a recurring character in the last three seasons of the show.

   Written by a veteran UK television and film director (and much sought after acting teacher), Secrets of Screen Acting takes a very technical approach to acting for the camera. The art is there, to be sure, but this tome fills in all of the gaps that traditional acting classes leave behind in their zeal to teach you the art of acting. Being comfortable in front of the camera, and know what works and what doesn’t, can often be the difference between getting and not getting the gig.

   (in the spirit of true transparency, Patrick asked me to contribute to the Introduction, and I was happy to do so.

   
   

   Secrets of Screen Acting is filled with amazingly useful material, from how to manage the shooting frame to how to manage your vocal levels.

   It also reveals, through a series of “behind the scenes” illustrations, just how those dramatic shots we all remember from our favorite movies got caught on film or video, and how you as an actor can help the director achieve amazing results.

   The book also includes a series of exercises that you and your fellow actors can put to immediate use, and which will increase your chances at auditions, call backs and, most importantly, booked gigs on-set. Knowing how the crew works, knowing what questions to ask and of whom, even understanding what all of the crew roles are, dovetails into the acting training you get from Secrets of Screen Acting.

   
   

   As I said, this is a book that can change your acting life. It certainly did for me.

   I was so moved by this book that I contacted Patrick in London, and asked if he might be willing to do a podcast with me. He quickly said yes, and off we went. What was supposed to be a few dozen episodes morphed into a nearly 300 episode audio journey – a companion training program that dives deeply into everything written about in the book.

   
   

   I can’t recommend Secrets of Screen Acting highly enough. You can find it, and the companion premium audio training on the secretsofscreenacting.comwebsite. This is the best $30 or so you’ll spend on your acting practice.

   What’s your answer to this acting question? Let me know in the comments below.

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