Alan Rickman's advice for young actors (Feb. 28, 2012) | Charlie Rose

Something that I've been meaning to share for so long is Alan Rickman's outlook on the way an actor can improve. This is amazing inspiration for anyone who is trying to get into drama school, taking gap years, or just someone in the industry seeking motivation.

THE REVENANT

I know that 'The Revenant' party was about a month ago, but i'm a busy woman. Obviously I wont rave on about shit that people already know, but woahh I reeeeally loved it, and if you haven't seen it yet and you have the chance to go and see it on the big screen then definitely take the opportunity before it's too late. The cinematography and picturesque scenery is just beyond anything I've ever seen and i'm so glad to have seen it at the cinema, no matter how late. As expected the acting was amazing, and the sheer naturalism is what I feel makes the film so good. Some people have criticised it for having a lack of dialogue, yet should the circumstances the main character is left in be real (and the film is based on a true story), there would be very little room for speech, and Leonardo Dicaprio captured the pain and struggle of the main character so perfectly through everything but words. Similarly, Tom Hardy who plays the rival of the main character literally astounded me with his versatility. His thick Southern American accent was such that you would never guess that he was not american. Having only recently watched him in 'Legend' where he plays a cheeky clean cut English gangster, I found it hard to believe the gritty hardened character he gives in the revenant is even a reflection of the same person. Actors who can switch between infinitely different characters with such fully fledged vocal and physical changes are those to be admired, and I think Tom Hardy's performance in this film places him even more solidly on the actor map.
The other truly amazing thing with this film, and one of the main reasons why I found it so fantastic, is the fact that the actors genuinely traveled and worked in these vast settings in which the film takes place. There were truly rolling around in snow and mud in freezing cold conditions, sometimes totally exposed, and no doubt completely physically tested. They truly swam in the waters and had to walk such long distances in their colloquial heavy furs and that is something to be totally admired. That level of dedication is REAL ACTING and films like the revenant is where acting reaches its summit. If one day I could be in a film which requires even half of the talent needed for this, I would be happy.

How to stop screwing yourself over | Mel Robbins | TEDxSF

If you haven't heard of 'TED talks', they are basically a serious of lectures organised by a company called TED, and they range from music to cooking to science etc! I find the motivational ones especially useful when it comes to preparing for auditions, and this one especially really made me realise how simple the goals I want to achieve are and how easy it is to go out and get them. It sounds cheesy, I know, but we've all been there and sometimes you just need a shove in the right direction. TED talks are also just a generally awesome source for educating yourself on various issues and helping to gain more cultural understandings, pivitol stuff when it comes to theatre.

LEGEND - Directed by Brian Helgeland

In the past few weeks I have been making a much bigger effort to watch more films, in order to expand my knowledge in screen acting and generally gain a bit more of an umbrella of knowledge revolving around film.
This post is generally a minor fangirly ramble about the AMAZING and complex acting of Tom Hardy. The film tells the true story of the Kray twins, the notorious gangsters of 1960's London. Despite the fact that the two are twins, they have extremely different apparition. Reggie the main protagonist in the film is quite the cheeky chappy, with an intimidating edge, yet Ronnie, his double only in looks, is not sound of mind, often appearing extremely serious yet unknowingly comical, and very brash and out of control in his anger.  The two characters are extremely different, and Tom Hardy plays them BOTH too well for my liking.
I think the reason this stands out as a creditable performance, is not just the fact that he acted two characters well, but the sheer physical embodiment and physical difference between the two. When playing Ronnie, Hardy speaks through his nose, holding so much more tension in his face and jaw, that it is hard to believe he is the same person when playing the relaxed and smooth speaking Reggie. The deep and murmury voice of Ronnie is of stark contrast to the lighter higher voice of his twin. Everything down to the quirks and ticks of each character was so real, that I didn't actually believe it was the same person playing the roles. It is the professional vocal work and sheer embodiment of Hardy into the roles that is the difference between  having drama school training and not.

The excellent Audition Guide - Andy Johnson

This is a major recommendation! 

I tend to ramble on, so I will keep it brief with this one. This is the first post in a series called watch/read this, where I will be sharing with you anything that I have seen that I feel has really helped me in some way theatrically. It may be a film or tv show or book or play etc. In this case it is 'THE EXCELLENT AUDITION GUIDE' - By Andy Johnson.

This book does EXACTLY what it says on the tin, and where some people prefer to learn a little more practically rather than having to slog through a step by step book of the do's and don'ts, Johnson keeps it as clear, concise and abrupt as possible. With a section on each step of the audition process, including help with applications, writing personal statements, picking speeches, working on them, your appearance in the audition room, songs etc, this book is amazing in consolidating everything you need to think about. If you're in any way worried about your audition, or are feeling lost on anything to do with drama school, I URGE you to read this. Anyone with a question to ask after reading this has read it backwards or upside down or something.

P.s enjoy this picture of my toast.