Making your own short films.

Scary right? Nah.

So, let’s reach back, way back, when we were little kids, playing with our friends, playing house, doctor or classroom, dressing up or just setting up our Barbie dolls, GI joes, star wars action figures… We chose our own fake names, and our relationships to each other, and simply decided who our characters were going to be. Sometimes we’d be the hero, the villain, or the victim. And then we would just start the scene.

 One of us would walk into the room and we would improvise from there. We were just playing. No one taught us how. No one was filming. There was no script. We were acting. We were naturally improvising.

We've made it so complicated.

We've given ourselves so many rules, with technical and professional expectations. We've taken the fun out of the whole thing. Is lighting correct? Is the audio crystal clear? Is my camera resolution high quality?

Forget that, I’m telling you to just play, and capture it on whatever device you have. As actors, we are not looking for perfection, we are creating art. The whole mystery of how this scene will end is what makes improv so brilliant. Even the actors don’t know where it’s going until we get there.

Be in control of your own work.

It's more important right now to be in control of your work. With the SAG-AFTRA strike, auditions and productions have slowed to a crawl. But, just because you’re not on a paying, professional set does not mean there is no work. We can create our work at any time. Staying fresh and keeping your instrument tuned is critically important for when the industry takes off exponentially when the strike is over. 

Because it will be done. 

Those of us who have continued our work, despite any work stoppage or delays, will be the ones to come out on top when the industry realizes there’s nothing in the tank, and they need to fill it up.

Get your friends together!

Get your smart phone out, gather your actor & writer friends, whoever wants to play with you, and start shooting. See what you come up with. It’s amazing how the smallest ideas can lead to big inspiration. Consider how a Stephen King short story can turn into a blockbuster movie making millions of dollars, even after employing not only actors, but crewmembers, writers, producers, caterers, editors, drivers…

 Just let creation happen and unleash your imagination within you. You don’t have to be brilliant, just be the one willing to do it. 

Be inspired.

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see how this becomes a whole new animal on its own. New ideas, new inspiration, new characters, come from playing and letting your art exist. Stop waiting for someone else to offer you an opportunity, and create that opportunity for yourself right now.

You never know when your improvised creation can be the next viral hit, watched by the world. Or maybe no one ever sees it. Maybe it just gives you joy. It’s not about an immediate financial payback. It’s about taking another step in the game and understanding you’re not waiting for permission. You can do anything you want in this industry. It just takes a little motivation, creative  inspiration, and maybe a couple of friends.

I’m always here to help actors any way I can. After all, we are a community. And if you take action from this video, let me know. I’d love to see what comes from your imagination.

Happy creating and break a leg!

-Nancy