About the Book:
A working actor, writer, producer and un-acting coach
shares with you the inside secrets of how to master the screen
actor's career in the twenty-first century.
Hollywood is a complicated place, but workshop leader and noted
acting coach Peter Skagen is happy to decipher some of its
unwritten rules. In How to Succeed in Hollywood Without Really
Acting, he
covers how to break in, what they're looking for, film vs.
theatre acting, how to identify and promote your brand, how to set up
shop, how to understand story and screenwriting, how to conquer
auditions, and how to work on set, and other basics. He encourages
you to stop thinking like an actor, and start thinking like a
filmmaker.
Sub-titled Practical Inspirational Insider Secrets to Achieving
Your Potential, this witty, easy-to-read, action-packed how-to
also includes: rants, grudges, jokes, quotes, tales from the
trenches, insider secrets, tricks of the trade, lists, exercises,
examples, trick questions, the top fifty audition mistakes, the top
four on-set mistakes, complete instructions on how to become
inevitable, and most importantly, how to stop acting and start
working.
Students, parents, stage and screen actors, comedians, filmmakers,
theatre professionals, television presenters, writers of all kinds,
movie buffs, even corporate sales professionals (because the world is
a stage) can all benefit from this charming, inspirational, and
incredibly informative book that finally explains the Business, and
how to make it YOUR business.
What people say:
"No
one else could have written 'this' book 'this' way. It's hilarious.
It's unapologetic. It hits the actor with every tool they'll ever
need so I don't have to." — Deb Green,
Casting Director (Brokeback Mountain)
"He
cares. He has a wealth of knowledge because he is out there in the
trenches. A working actor makes the greatest teacher of all. His
students work." — Amy
Lyndon, Booking Coach
"Peter Skagen's
book is as blunt as I am! I loved it! Tells the truth about what it's
like to get through the process in this biz we call show. So many
actors walk into this blank canvas and have to learn as they go and
make some mistakes that follow them throughout their career. Reading
this book, you can walk on your first set as a pro already knowing
who's who, all the jargon, the curtsies, the dos and don'ts, so you
can look and act like you were born to be there. I applaud Peter for
such honesty about this very tough business." — Dori
Zuckerman, Casting Director
"Peter Skagen's
manuscript is a winner on so many levels, and should be required
reading for any student of acting. While the title implies the craft
of film acting, many of the lessons are of universal importance,
whether acting for film, stage, or promoting a stand-up act. If you
cannot actually take class with this man, buy this book. You will
not regret it." — Dr. Reid Spencer, Mount Royal
University
"How to Succeed in
Hollywood Without Really Acting ... offers
tips about on-set etiquette — how to deal with wardrobe and makeup,
how to work with directors, blocking, hitting your mark etc. — and
wider career concerns such as 'how to determine your brand' and the
importance of demo reels." — Calgary Herald
About the Author:
Peter Skagen has over 30
years of experience as a professional actor, director, singer,
teacher, and booking coach. He has taught workshops at many
faculties, including Tisch School of the Arts at New York University,
and has also provided entertainment and image consulting to thousands
of actors in the United States and Canada. Calgary born-and-raised,
he moved to Los Angeles in the early 1980s. He earned both BA and MA
degrees in Film Acting and Screenwriting at California State
University, Northridge Department of Fine Arts, before moving back to
Canada.