C. J. Rossetti

I used to think that actors had the easiest job on the planet. In my uneducated mind, actors were people who slept all day, simply spoke someone else's words, and cashed big paychecks. This assessment of the acting profession all changed when I found myself acting in my first church play at the age of 21. It was the most difficult and terrifying experience of my life. I found myself at rehearsal, in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, kneeling in the graveyard set of the play. After pouring my heart out for several takes, all I could hear was the director yelling, "Cut, cut, cut, I need to see some emotion here!" After this and several other stage-play experiences, I realized that acting is one of the most difficult things to do well.

After joining Christian WYSIWYG Filmworks in 1995, I soon understood how much more difficult acting for the camera would be. I have personally been cast as a prince of darkness type, a carjacker, a mad King Saul, and finally, Nero, the psychotic Emperor of Rome. (Interestingly enough, on weekends, I'm a kind-hearted children's minister; go figure.)

I have also served as Casting Director for WYSIWYG Filmworks and have auditioned over 1,500 actors. I would like to pass on a few tips to those brave enough to call themselves actors.

My first acting class instructor was Laurie Sinclair, whose credits include, "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and several roles on "America's Most Wanted". Laurie, or Rie Sinclair, as she is also credited, is not only a fine actor and acting coach, but an Emmy-nominated songwriter who has written music for ABC as well.

Having massive experience as a Sunday School teacher, preacher, storyteller, and overall class clown, but limited acting experience in church stage plays, I once again found that the acting profession was going to be an on-going process of learning and fine-tuning. The first thing I had to learn was to "bring it down", "get smaller", not so "over-the-top" or as Laurie but it, "Stop being such a ham!" Let me suggest here that you also take Laurie's advice. So many times when casting, we see hundreds of actors who, just like myself, have only stage play or theatrical experience. You can get used to "playing to the back of the house" and in an audition, come across as "over-the-top". Before your audition, practice bringing it down a bit.

The next influence in my acting career was that of Michael J. Stark, who came to hold a couple of acting workshops at our WYSIWYG Christian Film Festival one year. Described by critics as "One of daytime's brightest rising stars", Michael was one of TV's most sought-after actors and was cast as 'Joe Bradley' in the daytime drama "The Guiding Light". In New York, he signed contracts as an actor with CBS and NBC respectively. During this time, he was hired as a 'reader' and began his Casting Director's training. His credits include "Police Woman" and "Miami Vice". He also ventured into feature films with roles in "Good Guys Wear Black" and "Airport 1975".

Michael told me that in all of the hundreds of auditions he had attended as a reader, he had never heard the casting directors comment on how talented the auditioning actor had been, but only on how they looked. While this statement is generally true, keep this in mind. Michael Stark also spoke of acting taking place in the eyes. Yes, your "look" has to suit the director and your talent, or lack thereof, will definitely be seen in the first few words you speak; but if a Casting Director can see "it" in your eyes, you stand a fighting chance at getting the role. Roles have been changed, even new ones invented, to suit an actor after an audition.

Toni Suttie, President and Founder of Integrity Casting, shared with me once the need for actors to carry themselves in a professional and courteous manner. This fact about the acting profession was borne out on the very first nighttime location shoot on our first film, "Guardians."

We were on location at the Old San Francisco Mint, an historic building that had been closed ever since the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. Through a miracle of God, we had been given this wonderful building for a week of nighttime filming. Call time was at around 6:00 P.M. and we had hoped to begin rolling cameras at around 9:00 or 10:00 that night. Well, to make a very long night ~ I mean, story ~ short, twelve hours later I got the word from the director that we would not be able to shoot that night! I was given the task of informing the talent, who had been in heavy make-up and costume, endured multiple rehearsals, and run their lines for the last twelve hours, that they could now go home, without a frame of film shot. (The life of a casting director has challenges as well.)

I was shocked and amazed to see the reaction of the actors after I delivered the news. With the exception of one out of the 12 actors on the set that night, they all took it in stride and said, "We'll see you tomorrow night." My admiration of actors went up that night to say the least!

As I mentioned earlier, I have been cast in many roles in which I had to portray evil characters whose primary characteristics were hatred, deception, ungodliness, etc.; totally opposite from what we Christians would call, "The Fruits of the Spirit." I was deeply troubled by the possibility of tapping into some long-conquered emotions or dredging up unholy thoughts in order to convey for the director the emotion the evil character was to express during a scene. What was I to do? How could I pull off a good performance and not "go there" myself. I know many of you may not understand this next statement, but here goes. A wise man once told me, "There is no such thing as acting." Think about it. You become, for that moment, what you are portraying, or at least the spirit of the thing. If you disagree with this, I understand. For me however, I was in a quandary as to what to do.

I found the answer during a conversation I had while on set one day during those long "hurry-up and wait" times. I expressed my thoughts on the subject to another one of WYSIWYG's actors and acting coaches, Terrence Todd. He told me that God had made us with all the emotions that we possess and that in order to portray hatred, you don't necessarily have to think of a person. You could simply show your hatred of something, such as broccoli; or, as the case may be, your fear of going to the dentist, or your disgust at having your favorite sports team finish in last place. Your eyes will read the same.

I'm not going to tell you that I have all the answers. Many of you reading this are probably more qualified than I am to give advice. I do hope, however, that some of the things I have shared will help you in your perfecting of what I consider one of the hardest things to do well, acting.

By the way, for a professional example of how great acting is in the eyes, check out this short interview with Tom Hanks on "Inside the Actors Studio" as he discusses a scene from the movie, "Forrest Gump", during which his character discovers he has a son.

From BRAVO

Tom Hanks, Inside The Actors Studio (Part 6/8)

Chris J. Rossetti acted in "Gardians," and also was production manager, and casting director. He also acted in "Roman Trilogy," and was casting director, and is now unit production manager for the coming film "Gravity." He has been with wysiwyg since its beginning.