Secret of How to Select and Deliver a Monologue | Examples

Remember, a well-written, prepared and practiced monologue makes a casting director remember you. 

A monologue (from Greek �???????? from �???? m�nos, "alone, solitary" and ????? l�gos, "speech") is presented by a single Actor (character), most often to express their mental thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience.

Characteristics of a Good audition monologue and its delivery

• It should be of less than two minutes. Two minutes is more than enough to show your talent. In fact, remember, the auditors have already made their decision after 30 seconds, maybe even less.
• The monologue should have a clear objective. You can't just stand there and talk. You have to imagine of a scene and have talk to someone you've imagined, and not to a lifeless camera or a casting director.
• The monologue should have a distinct beginning, middle, and an end. 

1. A beginning: A strong first sentence to capture attention.
2. A middle: Lots of juicy content. 
3. An end: A strong finish. When your monologue has a structure, the auditors are more likely to remember you.

• It must Contain conflict. Drama cannot exist without conflict. Who wants to see a lifeless audition? Boring...

Choosing a Monologue

Actors often get confused choosing a monologue. But it's very simple: Pick one you love, which thrills you. And if it thrills you, it will definitely impress the casting directors!
Also, it's important to choose a few contrasting monologues. Have at least two monologues ready to go at all times:
A contemporary dramatic
A contemporary comedic

Caution!

While performing your monologue-

• DO NOT CRY.
• DO NOT LAUGH.
• DO NOT SHOUT

Here are 2  good monologues, especially written and filmed by us for our students-Zeeshan and Yash Rajput. They got a break in theater and film! 

These are contemporary dramatic monologues

Written and directed by acting coach Kiran Pande for his student- Zeeshan

Need Help?

Join my personal acting coaching.  Contact: 

91 9920991661

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You can�t be an Actor, unless know These 16 Harsh Facts

These are few pearls of wisdom related to acting and actors based on my decades of personal experience as an actor, writer, filmmaker and on my life journey from a salesman to the top marketing head of a multi crore business conglomerate. Some are rephrased quotes from performing art world masters. Source.

So, what are the realities of an actor?

1. In my life, I was lucky to meet some good actors out of thousands. It's a challenge, writing about actors, especially a good actor, because you can't always tell when they're being honest and when they're pretending - that is, when they're acting. Whether in front of a camera or in real life, they are an epitome of excellence-author

2. In acting business world, every actor is paid in two coins: cash and experience. Take the experience first; the cash will come later

3. Being a successful actor is a business. If you don't drive your business, you will be driven out of business

4. Every day I get up and look through the list of the richest actors in Bollywood. If I'm not there, I go out and work harder.

5. A Casting Director a stupid person. She is your wife. Take care and do what she wants.

6. I rate enthusiasm and determination in an actor even above professional skill.

7. Like in any other business, if you don't sell yourself as an actor to the cine world, you are not creative.

8. Struggling actors! Sometimes you can have the smallest role in the smallest production and still have a big impact.

9. Make your life by creating a new life in front of a camera.

10. There are no regrets rejections and failures in actor's life. Just lessons.

11. Wanna be an actor? Warning! You can be terrorized by the observation, imagination and emotional requirements of being an actor. Acting is like letting your pants down; you're exposed.

12. To be a good human being isn't easy. Being an actor is even harder. I want to be both before I die.

13. A good actor is like a criminal, to be willing to break the rules to go for something new.

14. There are two main jobs in acting - the first one is to be a good actor, and the second one is to convince everyone that you're a good actor.

15. A good actor must never be in love with anyone but himself.

16. Mumbai is no place for good actors. The competition from bad actors is too great.

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Why Actors should Pray Goddess Saraswati for Success

Goddess Saraswati

Prayer

Start with a prayer for knowledge and art from your religion or simply pray

" God, give me the knowledge and skills to be a great actor". 

Repeat this 11 times.

Those who believe

Why actors should pray Goddess Saraswati?

Because Maa Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and arts, represents the free flow of wisdom and consciousness. She is the mother of the Vedas, and chants to her, called the 'Saraswati Vandana'  (Details below), often begin and end the Vedic lessons.

It is believed that goddess Saraswati endows human beings with the powers of excellence in art, speech, wisdom and learning. She has four hands representing four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She has sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus � the symbol of true knowledge � in the second.

With her other two hands, she plays the music of love and life on a string instrument called the Veena. She is dressed in white � the symbol of purity � and rides on a white swan � symbolizing Sattwa Guna or purity and discrimination
.
The learned and especially actors, singers and dancers should attach greater importance to the worship of goddess Saraswati. 

So, if you believe, then the best is to worship and pray to Goddess Saraswati, a source of art and knowledge  Sit on the floor or on a chair, keep your hands stretched on above your knees, touching your first finger with thumbs and palms up towards you. Try to recollect the illuminating face of the Goddess  with your eyes closed. Repeat the following Mantra 11 times:

? ???? ????????? ??? 

Om Shri Saraswati-ya Namaha 
Repeat this Mantra  108 times once a day with any "mala" or at least 11 times

What is Saraswati Vandana?

Saraswati Vandana Shloka by Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar

The goddess Saraswati is the authority on academics and the arts. Everybody from musicians to scientists following Hinduism pray to her for guidance and knowledge. The Saraswati Vandana Mantra is recited by her devotees every morning for good luck. Everyone has a different version for the vandana which just means holy song. So as an acting student or as an actor, you ask for knowledge as a performing artist.

Mantra

Yaa Kundendu tushaara haara-dhavalaa, Yaa shubhra-vastra'avritaa

Yaa veena-vara-danda-manditakara, Yaa shweta padma'asana

Yaa brahma'achyuta shankara prabhritibhir, Devai-sadaa vandita

Saa Maam Paatu Saraswati Bhagavatee Nihshesha jaadya'apahaa.

Shuklaam Brahmavichaara Saara paramaam Aadhyaam Jagadvyapinim,

Veena Pustaka Dhaarineem Abhayadaam Jaadya'andhakaara'apahaam

Haste Sphaatika Maalikam Vidadhateem Padmasane Sansthitaam

Vande taam Parmeshwareem Bhagavateem Buddhipradaam Shardam.----

Sanskrit / ???????:

?? ???????? ???????? ????, ?? ????? ??????????? |

?? ?????? ????????????, ?? ????????????? ||

?? ?????????????????????????????????: ??? ??????? |

?? ??? ???? ??????? ????? ?????? ????????? ||

??????? ??????????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????????????

???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??????????????????|

????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ?????????

????? ??? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??????||

Hindi / ????? ??????:

?? ???? ???, ??????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???? ????? ???, ?? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ???|

????? ???, ??????? ???? ?? ??????? ???, ?? ????? ??? ?? ??? ????? ???? ???||

???????, ?????? ?? ???? ??????, ????? ???? ?????? ???? ???|

?? ??? ????? ???????, ?? ???? ???? (??????) ????? ?? ????||

English Translation

She, who is as fair as the Kunda flower, white as the moon, and a garland of Tushar flowers;and who is covered in white clothes

She, whose hands are adorned by the excellent veena, and whose seat is the pure white lotus;

She, who is praised by Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh; and prayed to by the Devas

O Mother Goddess, remove my mental dullness!

Updated Post 04-03-2015

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12 Precautions on How to Work with A Director

1. Be professional, don't lose your cool, antiquates or manners, irrespective of what happens to you.
2. Give 100% attention on what he/she says
3. Get the meaning of what he/she says.If you don't understand, ask and ask till you are clear. Do not be shy about asking. Let him/her comment "Kya yaar, Etna bhi nahin malum?"
4. Many a times a director doesn't know, cannot explain or doesn't have time. No matter what happens, GIVE YOUR BEST.
5. Don't nod all the times and say "yes" "yes"
6. When the director says "Action", don't wait or worry about your lines or anything else. Just Start... Be in Action! Things will fall in shape
7. Remember, the MORE YOU THINK, LESS YOU FEEL
8. While rehearsing, if the director says "change it to this or that way", then do it. Don't feel bad about it, He/she may be looking for some other alternative and doesn't mean that your earlier "action' was bad
9. Don't start before "Action" and don't stop before "Cut"
10. When the job is over, thank him/her including AD(Asstt Director),  Producer, if present, Cinematographer and others. Must know how to contact them later and make a point to meet or talk to them at least once a month 
11. You are likely to be hired again when you perform even in the absence of a direction or suggestions
12. Remember, in India, TV episodic or serial directors have no time, especially for non established artists

GOOD LUCK

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7 Questions to Test if you can be an Actor or a Failure

Can you be a good actor or has mental problems?

Few days back, I met a psychologist in Bandra west in Mumbai who had some Bollywood actor clients with some personality problems and their career had taken a downhill course. Therefore, he knew the inner working of an artistic mind and was kind enough to give me a short quiz to give to actors under my coaching.
Of course I made minor changes, keeping in view the type of aspiring actors coming to me, however, the principals remain the same

• Based on what you feel about you and how would you respond, just tick one out of A B or C
• Be honest to yourself.
• The scoring grid is at the bottom of the page.

Good luck!

1) A good friend tells you he just purchased a new motorbike. You respond:

A. I haven�t had an audition in two weeks.
B. That reminds me, I need to buy a bike, too.
C. Congratulations. What kind of bike did you buy?

2) You audition for a role in a comedic short film. After a few days you call your coordinator who tells you that casting director didn�t think you were funny. You respond:

A. Ok, can you get me another audition?
B. I my good in comedic roles. The casting director doesn�t know what she�s talking about.
C. Sorry to hear that. Can you recommend a good coach?

3) Your coordinator calls to explain she won�t be available for a month because her mother passed away and she has to leave town. You respond:

A. I think I should change my coordinator. What do you think?
B. But who will look out for my career while you�re gone?
C. I am so sorry for your loss. Is there anything I can do?

4) During rehearsals for a short film, the director wants to know if you have any questions about the character. You respond:

A. Do you think other directors and producers will see this film?
B. I feel like my character should have more lines.
C. No, because your notes have been very helpful.

5) You arrive 20 minutes late for an audition. The casting director frowns when you walk in. You respond:

A. Do you mind if I change the lines?
B. It�s not my fault. There was an accident and some idiot got killed on the road. I got held up in traffic.
C. I�m sorry. I promise it won�t happen again.

6) You missed a great audition because you left your town. Your coordinator is upset. When you come back and call her. He yells at you. You respond:

A. Can you get me in on audition of that new commercial ad you were talking about?
B. They should just offer me the part. I�m so right for it.
C. I�m sorry. I promise it won�t happen again.

7) Which of the following words best describe you? Selfish, self-centered, arrogant, or none of the above.

A. I�m what I�m. Just real.
B. I can play all those characters.
C. None of the above.

Now it�s time to analyze your score. Give yourself one point for
Every A, two points for every B, and three points for every C.

• If you scored between 7 and 10, you have a serious personality problem and you should seek help from a good acting coach who knows psychology as well, or from a psychologist immediately.
• If you scored between 11 and 18, you have too much of self-centered tendencies who is boastful and seeks self-admiration. You need to learn there are other people in this world besides you.
• If you scored between 19 and 21, you�re a well-adjusted person and your chances of success as an actor is excellent.

Now that you�ve got some insight into yourself, please adjust or work on yourself accordingly.
Rewritten based on

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6 Sure Steps | How to Overcome Actor's Career Deadly Mistakes

Let's learn from mistakes

The Deadly Mistakes!

• Just a dream to be an actor and jumped into the sea of "Actors" without knowing how to swim
• No research done on the requirements of how to be a Bollywood or TV serial actor and have never analyzed whether or not you meet those requirement criteria- 

For example, your Physical and mental expertise, Financial support for a long period, Expenses in Mumbai, Proficiency in Hindi and English, Quality of voice, Contacts in the industry, Excellence in acting ability, Marketing competence and business sense, etc.

• Joining an acting school on the basis of big names, glitter of the establishment, without proper survey, paying hefty sums of 2 to 3 Lakhs with no post training support.
• Exhibiting impatience in becoming an actor and falling prey to cheats and fraudsters
• Facing rejections leading to frustrations and depression

Final Result is 

A. Quitting the race
B. Taking petty jobs for survival
C. Drowning oneself in alcohol and drugs

Have you made any of the above mistakes?

Don�t worry.

I bet everybody knows about the saying nobody is perfect.  Well, it�s true.  One way or the other at one time in your actor�s life you are bound to make minor and major mistakes.   A mistake may seem to be a negative thing for you now. But it all depends on how you see things.  But if we turn the tables around, you may find that some mistakes in your life can make you stronger and wiser.  There are lessons to be learned if you just allow these mistakes to teach them to you.

Step 1

Forgive Yourself

Again, I would like to repeat the line �nobody is perfect�  because it�s true. Remember saying in the case of an unfaithful woman who was to be punished by an angry crowd. The God passed the stone to any person who has no sin and throw it at the accused. He said �He who has no sin may cast the first stone.�  No one dared to do so.  This comes to show that no one is infallible.  Everyone makes mistakes.  Knowing this you have to learn to forgive yourself. That is the first step.

Step 2

Past is Past

What was done in the past cannot be undone. We cannot change our past.  But we can mold the future today.  There�s no point in crying over spilled milk.  Besides, what good would that do, right?  Stop thinking about it with regret. Instead, start listing down the things that led you to make that mistake.

Step 3

Change your Path

Now that you�ve evaluated the problem and you�ve listed down the paths that led you to making that mistake, change your path. Don�t make the same mistake again.  The first time you made the mistake was unintentional, but if it happens again, you decided for it to happen.

Step 4

Be Smart

Do you know the laws of �cause and effect�?  There is something that caused that mistake to happen. Be smart enough to recognize it and avoid it in future. You must understand that although you are happy with who you are as an actor or a struggler, there is always room for improvement. Remember, a mistake makes you realize your weaknesses. Therefore you will know which skills and talents you will need to work on to improve your acting craft or marketing efforts so the mistake will not happen again.

Step 5

Forgive Yourself and Others

Hating yourself and others will not help you as a person.  It will only make you distrusting and paranoid.  If someone hurt you before, that doesn�t mean that everybody else will do the same thing.  Forgive the one who hurt you and trust that he or she will get what is due to them in time. Also, it is most important for you to forgive yourself. Everything happens for a reason.

Step 6

Be Positive- The Only Option

Keep a positive attitude.  Again, remember that everything happens for a reason.  Even though a mistake seems catastrophic to you now, some good will come out of it someday.  Just be sure to learn from your mistakes and you will find that the things you learn from them will make you a stronger and better person in the future.
Inspired by Sheila Noreen Gamo

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No Break Yet in Bollywood or TV Serials? Salute Yourself

Never gave up! Now a Bollywood actor: Ayushman Khurana 

... when we used to travel from Chandigarh to Mumbai we would travel by second-class sleeper to take 40-odd hours to reach our destination. Inside the bogies we would perform and collect money for our lunch....I have got rejected so many times  that I�d become numb. I would be told I don�t look like a conventional hero or come across as an  actor or have it in me to become a star."- Ayushman Khurana, who donated sperms to be part of a  reality show called "Roadies": Source

Salute Yourself!

There may be days when as a struggling actor you feel that you don�t belong to this actor�s world-Bollywood or TV serials. Though you may feel so, don�t worry, you are not alone in this.
No matter where you are in life now, in relation to your dreams to be a Bollywood star, no matter how you feel right now, you deserve to applaud and praise yourself.

Here are reasons why you deserve to applaud yourself no matter what:

1. Failures are as delightful as your successes

Failures should not be taken against ourselves. Your failures have shaped you into who you are today. Though failures sometimes can leave us feeling really down, they do teach us lessons that we can never learn from any other way. You fail because you tried. It is in the trying that we are truly living. When you succeed, there is this sweetness that you feel. Failures must not be taken as the bad part of our decision to aspire to be an actor and our lives. They are as beautiful as our successes. Failures make us modest and realistic; they, too, make us wiser and stronger. Remind yourself that each struggler out there also experiences, their own failures. It is unavoidable. Give yourself the well-deserved applaud for being able to take in each failure, each success with calmness, pride, and open-mindedness.

2. You are unique You. There is no second You

There is no one else like you in the world, in the universe. This is why you better stop comparing yourself with someone else (if you are still busy doing that). Stop self-criticism!  We all may do this sometimes. This is because we constantly move in an environment (cine and TV industry) that seems to create pseudo standards. Your life will tremendously change when you realize that I better stop comparing and pitying myself. There are no reasons why you have to dwell on comparing yourself to others. Each of us deals with different types of life tussles and fights. What works for A does not totally work for B or C. You have a unique vision. Follow your own beat, and do not be scared of where your dance leads you.

3. Yes, you are remarkable

When you feel so alone, remember that you are significant. As you walk outside, you are different than all those who you see.  When you go for auditions and observe others who in your mistaken opinion are seemingly better than you, look yourself in that small mirror you keep with you. Oh, yes, you are really different and remarkable in this difference, and that�s what a casting director is looking for. Isn�t he? Next, you got a small role in a short film after a long period. Well, that�s because you are remarkable. Even other industry people, your friends do not recognize your awesome personality and talents at present the loss is theirs, not yours! Continue your journey to stardom and soon you will reach your destination soon

4. Your way of life is the message to the world

There are actually no rules on how to live the most meaningful life. Your view of what a great life is may be different from someone else�s, but it does not mean that you are a failure. The more you get too pressured about the expectations of others, the more you become so hard on yourself. When you hear your soul calling for dreaming more and just living the way you want, does not mean that you are a notch lower to those who choose to work 9-5 and who stay in one place all their lives. They have their own message to the world. You have yours, too. Applaud yourself for allowing your voice be heard.

5. You are a gift

Can you recall that moment when someone thanked you for something you did or just being who you are? You are a gift. Sometimes, the failures may overshadow how you see yourself through inside who you are, but your inner light will surely illuminate even when the years have gone by. How you make someone feel will never be forgotten. You may reach a point when you feel that you�ve taken a path so different from the rest and you feel guilty about it. On the other hand, you do know that there is someone out there who is inspired by your bold choices.
These are just five of the many why you deserve to praise yourself. You are reading this now because you are artistic, appealing and smashing!
You deserve more than a simple burger and Pepsi at McDonald�s.

You are a celebration!

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11 Simple Steps You Can Take Today to be a Bollywood Star

How to get noticed by Bollywood

How to Get Noticed by Bollywood to Get a Role

1. Start taking training and don't stop no matter how good you think you are or how good others tell you are, so that when you do put yourself up in front of the right people, you will be ready! Join a good school or preferably, hire an acting coach in the beginning who will focus on you alone.

2. Study Bollywood and TV serial or TV commercial production industry. Find out how it works. Find out who is responsible for casting actors and  what casting directors, coordinators look for in an actor, what the unions do, what the current trends and competition are in the industry, etc.

3. Figure out what your type is (See footnote). Don't jump for any audition whether or not you meet the requirement of a "character" auditioners are looking for. It may lead to your being rejected. This is a concept you need to be familiar with! It will help you direction in  your marketing efforts.

4. Get into your head once for all that acting is a business like any other. Therefore, learn the basic business, networking and self-promotional skills. So important! You need to make sure you stand out from everyone else. You need to be extremely persistent as well!

5. Learn how to audition. Auditioning and acting on set are two different beasts. Auditioning is like getting an entry ticket. It's completely different from the rest of the game.

6. Surround yourself with people who are already doing what you want and NOT with people who are trying to get what you want. You are more likely to learn from people who are already doing what you want to do. So go find them and learn from them!

7. Talk to both working actors, A-who is making a living from acting as well as B- to aspiring actors who have been talking a lot over the past couple of years and really haven't done very much. You can learn from both groups! From one you learn what to do. From the other, you will learn how NOT to be.

8. Stay curious and never ever think you know it all. Be good and humble. You can always get better, whether in your acting technique, auditioning, sharpening your monologue delivery, on-camera technique, learning about the industry or whatever. Never, never stop learning! Continue getting retrained from your acting coach

9. Once you start to achieve some success, help others who are in the same position you were once. You'll see that it will pay off.

10. At some point during all this you should ask yourself (and be honest) if you really, honestly and truly have the passion for acting to DO WHAT IS NECESSARY to succeed. Without that passion much will be lost and it will be difficult for you to achieve the success you desire. And what's more, you probably won't be very happy.

11. Finally, in your journey, there will be periods of considerable financial instability. Have you planned finances for the sufficient period of time? If not, then this could be a bottleneck to your long struggle.

Once you do those things regularly, you are bound to be noticed by Bollywood Industry!

What Type are you?

1. Age 
You don't have to necessarily look at your real age, but instead of the age range you can authentically play.
2. Physical Appearance
 For which character are you physically appropriate? A young leading woman? A young leading man? Irrespective of age, a leading woman? A leading man? A character actor/ comedian? Then there is more specific typing, such as a villager, urban, college student,  army/ police, dirty, divine looking (priest), regional (south Indian, Bengali, Oriental) and so on.
3. Personality depicting your particular attitude
Are you energetic, funny, serious, silly, playful, shy, emotional, quirky, cool, nerdy, friendly, expressive, spontaneous, introverted or extroverted, suspicious, negative, sad, dejected? The list goes on.
4. Inherent inborn nature
Are you strong, powerful, delicate, arrogant, humble, sophisticated, earthy, vulnerable, fragile, offbeat, contemporary, classic, lower class, middle class, upper class, city, suburban, country, executive class, working class, intelligent, intense, competent, independent, soft, hard, winner or loser? Again, the list goes on.

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How to Kiss Opposite Sex on Camera if a Scene Demands

Top Stars Hrithik and Katerina living truthfully under imaginary situation

Many a times a scene may require you to be embarrassingly close to your partner of the opposite sex and kiss that person. Be prepared irrespective of what you feel about him/her!


How to Tackle Kissing Your Scene Partner on Camera

Situation

1. If you have to kiss a person you hate;
2. If you have to kiss a person you like or love;
3. If you have to kiss a person when you don�t have any feelings with this person;

How to kiss someone when you hate them

You have gotten yourself into a huge mess on a film set when you have to kiss someone you terribly hate. For example, an opposite sex scene partner with whom you had a fight or the person invariably mocks and irritates you. If that happens, you have the following options:

A. The first thing to do is go to the director to give you another part. (By the way, don�t do this if you have the lead role.)

B. Ask the director to change the kiss to a hug�or even better, a handshake. Or best of all, a look. Okay, if the director threatens to fire you, stop this very second!

C. Tell the director your situation. Maybe they�ll be kind enough to let a substitute person do the kissing.

D. Just fake it. Get through the kiss�and get it over with in the first take. This will also make the director happy. Hey, if you want to be an actor, this is what it needs!

How to kiss someone when you like or love 

(Not uncommon when you like/love a co-actor of opposite sex)

Now we are going to discuss something even worse: What if the person you have to kiss is that rare one you like or love

A. Do the same things I told you to do with the paragraph above.

B. If you can�t get out of it, enjoy it�no one will ever know!

How to Kiss someone for whom you have no feelings. 

This advice is not only for the above category, but for all 3 categories.

• Read and understand the situation in the script related to that scene, its objective and how that scene achieves its objective. Trigger your imagination and live truthfully under the imaginary circumstances in a scene. Emotions will be generated by imaging-�IF� I�m so and so and my cofactor to which I have to kiss is so, how will I behave? And shoot!

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Sachin Tendulkar is now a Bollywood Star! What about You?

Sachin Tandulkar in a commercial ad

The moral of this story: When a cricketer can be a Bollywood Star, why not you?

Sachin Tendulkar is to star as himself in a Bollywood biopic on his rise to become the greatest batsman in the history of cricket.

The film will be directed by James Erskine, who has won a number of awards and produced several acclaimed sports-focused documentaries, including Battle of the Sexes, the story of Billie-Jean�s match against Bobby Riggs, and One Night in Turin on England�s 1990 World Cup campaign in Italy.

The Master Blaster is all set to blaze the silver screen with the yet to-be-titled movie, which will capture his cricket and personal life in great detail. Tendulkar, who has given his go-ahead to the production, will be contributing to it with his own inputs as well as acting, where he surprised everybody with his desire to learn, practice and his sheer determination to be a good actor!

The work on a movie in which Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar played himself started a year ago and is being shot in latest. Nearly 50% of the film has been shot. Apart from Tendulkar, many well-known personalities across the world are also contributing to it.

It will trace his rise from humble beginnings in Mumbai to his recent retirement as the highest-scoring batsmen in history. He retired in November 2013 having made more than 30,000 runs in international matches, a hundred test match centuries, and appeared in more tests and one day internationals than any other player.

He is loved throughout India for providing the country with its best memories of sporting glories, not least the victories against Pakistan and the 2011 World Cup after defeating Sri Lanka.
�Someone had to capture these memories for the generations to come who will want to know what the Tendulkar-era was like�, explained Ravi Bhagchandka of the Mumbai-based production company "200 Not Out".

Cricket commentator Ayaz Menon said Tendulakar�s story is similar to that of Tiger Woods � a child prodigy who lived up to his early promise. �More interesting is his impact on the Indian psyche � he captured the imagination of a billion people, everyone watched him bat and when he was out they switched off�, he said.

He had been expected to follow in his father�s footsteps as a modest-income teacher, but his family encouraged him to focus on cricket from the age of ten. He stayed with relatives while he learned the game. �They didn�t know if he would make it, but they gambled and it paid off�, he added.
Based on the news  source

Note: Read each and every post on this blog carefully or contact me for private professional coaching to be a star-Author






Tweet: If you like this blog, tweet to spread knowledge. A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle: http://ctt.ec/mFcgB+

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7 Easy Steps to Create a Top Monologue and Grab a Role

Actor Shahid Kapoor's revenge drama Haider, an adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet, struck both critical and commercial gold. It became the first Kashmir-based film in many years to click with the audience and has reportedly been declared the fifth highest-rated crime drama of all times. Shahid played the role of a young student in the insurgency-hit Kashmir of the mid-1990s. His intense and convincing performance won him the Stardust award for Best Actor in a Drama

To become a great performer like young Shahid Kapoor, the beginning is about learning how to prepare good monologues

Selection and how you deliver your Monologue is a prime factor in an actor�s selection for a role. 

The majority of actors makes a deadly mistake of just memorizing the lines of a monologue and spit it out losing an opportunity of grabbing their dream role.
You must remember that a monologue, as a matter of fact is a 2 minute mini film where there is only one character and that is you! This 2 minute film, like any other should have all the ingredients to make it a hit!
This becomes more important in the case of a monologue because your audience is not simply cine viewers, but is a critic- a casting director!

Success Steps

1. Like script analysis requirement for a film, analyze your monologue and character carefully
2. What is the objective of monologues and how monologues achieves it
3. A good monologue should have good dynamics i.e. Changes. This means there is something different at the end than at the beginning (emotions, activities or in the story) 
4. An ideal comedic monologue should be faster and illogical, a bizarre, with unexpected changes in the storyline and opposite from seconds to seconds.
5. A dramatic monologue should have a �conflict� shown as a sharp change in emotions, behavior and reactions as the main objective of a monologue.
6. Now based on the above analysis, prepare your monologue scene creating the character.
7. Finally, live and perform truthfully in that character

Example

Create a rhythm change after the first line of your monologue. Many schools and individuals may disagree on so many areas of d performance, but one thing I�ve never heard any disagreement on is that they want to be surprised. 

So, let�s imagine the first line of your monologue is something, like,

"Muzhay Tumhara Paisa Nahin Chahiye, Bus Tum Sirf Meri Baat Suno"
And the second line of your monologue is
�Muzhe Lagta Hai Ki Jo Kuch Main Kahata Haun, Tumhe Use se Koi Matlab Nahin� Hai�
(�I don�t want your money, I want you to listen to me,�) and (�It seems like nothing I say means anything to you.�)

Now, stop after you�ve delivered your first line! Pause to get it registered by your imaginary scene partner. Then taking a breath, change your speed, volume of your voice, emotions and using your hands (like raising and pointing your finger), Bang! Just shoot your second line. The objective is to create conflict and sensation!
Don�t make a mistake, like other actors who memorize and simply blurt out lines!

Here is a good monologue written and filmed by the author for his student Zeeshan in author's coaching "Bollywood Best Actor Academy"

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No Acting School Can Teach You 9 Success Steps Acting Coach Can

1. To Learn how run the business of being an actor

To make you understand that to be an actor is not just a wild dream and a wishful thinking, but a it's a business and like in any other business, you must make profits which means you must make money for your decent living and worldly comforts. 80% of actors fail in life because they do not apply the principles of business management in their acting career

2. To analyze and target your strengths and weaknesses to be a successful actor

To learn what are success requirements to be a Bollywood or a TV serial actor. Then to meet these success requirements, identify- A. Your strength; B. Your weaknesses; C. Opportunities for you and finally- D. What are the threats for you (Called as SWOT analysis)

3. Based on the above, to make a goal and action plan

4. To get advice on artist coordinators, casting directors, and whether you need to them in the first place!

5. To learn how to overcome the obstacles to achieving your goals based on-

• To put the Pareto Principle to work for you

(It's a vital 80-20 rule which says that only 20% of your efforts bring  80% of results and NOT vice versa, which unfortunately is currently practiced by  actors)

6. To identify your long term career goals 

To create a 12-month plan, based on the above analysis and your financial resources

7. To research industry related information

• Production houses-films, TV serials, commercial ad makers
• Producers
• Directors

8. To tackle issues of self-confidence

• Identifying confidence level in you 
• To know how to boost your confidence
• Exercises

9. To help you smash obstacles to your goals

Author's note: 

There had been some questions (Objections?) on the title of this post. I'm giving below both, questions and my answers for the benefit of readers:

Question: Have you given this title because you are an acting coach and it benefits you? 

Answer: No, The acting schools in India has their own benefits for aspiring actors. This post is to make actors understand that apart from developing your acting craft by learning techniques, which is successfully done by schools as well, to be an actor is a business and it needs career planning and strategy. An acting school, though good may have time constraint to go into actor's business management or may not have an acting business management consultant.

Question: How aspiring actors can trust you that acting coaches in India and especially you, can train them on all what you have mentioned in your post?

Answer: Apart from an acting coach, short film maker and an actor, for the last 40 years I had been in business management and marketing, working with Multicrores Indian and International Pharma companies. I was also the head of Training Department and I know how vital it is for actors to plan their career and learn to accept acting as a business. Therefore, I had to learn and practice this science and art of Business Management for my survival
Aspiring actors can contact me for free details; +919920991661

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9 Simple Steps to Building and Playing a Character

Diverse characters for actors to portray 

Steps to Play a Difficult Character in Front of a Camera!

1. If I'm the person
Think if you are the character (noble man, crook, lover, teacher etc)

2. Put yourself in a given circumstance
What are the situations in which a character is (Good, bad, in desert, in extreame cold etc)
If I'm in a given circumstance, How will I behave?

3. Visualize
Start imagine being that person

4. Once playing the character, be in it, but remain aloof
This means being in the character, be aware of your existence! It is-important since you will be in front of a camera and crew with so many limitations of movements, voice, gestures, retakes, multiple shots, repetitions, crew and many other spectators etc

5. Relieve tension
Deep breathing and other relaxation exercises (check our post on relaxation)

6. The role must be divided into smaller units with objective of each unit
Or the objective of what a character wants to achieve as a whole and in each unit

7. Accept the character you intend playing truthfully
For example, if you are a bad mother in law, accept it truthfully

8. Make alive your emotional memories for the role
If you have those memories in your life from the past, similar to the character's life. For example, a wedding you attended, death of some dear one, accident, happiest moment etc..

• If you don't have, then go to step 1 of "IF" I'm that person and "IF" I'm in that circumstance, then how will I behave and what would I experience?

9. Connect with your co-star 
By reacting as if you are listening or seeing for the first time, though you may be knowing coactor's lines or rehearsed with him/her earlier

Updated post of 2013

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