Oh yeah... A Blog!
Lately I've been so caught up in work, that I forgot to update my blog and almost forgot I even had one. Scouts honor, I'll be more consistent.
During my amnesia of this blog, I was able to complete work on my new horror film 'Hide The Monster'! This was definitely one of my most challenging projects, but also one of the most creatively rewarding. I've always been a huge fan of horror films and getting the opportunity to create a spooky story was boatloads of fun! From the masks, props, monster scenes... you are swimming in creative possibilities.
Getting to work with such fantastic actors is also a huge benefit, but when they also turn out to be great people and friends, it makes the work that much better. You trust each other, and trust is crucial on a film set.
In a nutshell, we started shooting 'Hide The Monster' in late May and premiered in late September!
You can see it now on Amazon Video and at www.HideTheMonster.com *Coming soon to Hulu & Netflix
Hide The Monster - Interview
Onward,
Gabe S.
Looking at Metronome Chapter 5 & beyond!
Well after lots of hard work & having to continually push my own professional boundaries, I have successfully completed the first season of Metronome the webseries! It was truly a great experience writing, producing, & acting in this mysterious story! See the conclusion of Metronome Chapter 5 below! Now it's time to submit the series to Film Festivals & show them what we've got!
If you've missed any previous episodes, catch up on them with the links below!
Metronome
Chapter 1: https://youtu.be/pMNDMWs7On8
Chapter 2: https://youtu.be/2IW91tZ9p7k
Chapter 3: https://youtu.be/Vjsn_h6wVJ8
Chapter 4: https://youtu.be/mvmL7rpwo8c
Onward,
Gabe S.
The Sound of Your Voice
Strangely enough when you read this point you are most likely reading it in your own voice or if you know me well enough you can imagine how it would sound coming from my own voice. As Actors our voices carry immense power in everything that we do. Whether you're playing 17th century royalty, a martian from a distant world or a pretentious business man, our voices make up a majority of our performance & it's crucial to know the instrument of your own unique voice.
Below is a great Ted-Talk about unique vocal patterns & how to get people to listen when you speak. As an Actor, you may be asked to do an interview, give an important speech, or call to action the army of a nation. Overall we must be charismatic, when we speak we must be worthy of the ears that are catching our every word. In short, our very careers depend on it.
The video includes a great warm up to use right before speaking, going on stage or heading into the audition room. Check it out & let me know what you think.
Be Well & Onward,
Gabe S.
Metronome Chapter 3 - Release
Well after lots of hard work, Chapter 3 of our webseries, Metronome is here! We had a blast putting this together & I'm really happy with the way things turned out.
To be honest, when you start a project you just never really know where it may lead and as an actor you pour your heart into a role & you never really know if it'll even see the light of day ( I've filmed a few projects that never even came out & never even received footage). Unfortunately, so many things can and do go wrong. I'm always thrilled when projects do make it out of the creative obstacle course & are able to be seen! However, the release itself can be riddled with anxiety, what if people say it's no good, what if others think you're not a very good actor, or what if you think you don't look good on camera... I mean the list goes on & on.
At the end of the day none of that noise matters & it IS just noise. The point is that you set out to do something & you've accomplished it (good or bad) nobody can take that kind of experience away from you. You've grown & learned so much, and that alone is worth the journey... which brings me to why I decided to title my website with one of my favorite quotes... "THE VALUE OF ART IS IN YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STARE DOWN THE RISK & TO EMBRACE THE VOID OF POSSIBLE FAILURE." Because it says so much about what we do as creative people. So be bold, take risks & never surrender to your FEARS, never!
If you haven't seen Chapter 1 or 2 of our series I've included links below. Let me know your thoughts! The mystery continues...
Click here to watch - Metronome: Chapter 1
Click here to watch - Metronome: Chapter 2
Onward,
Gabe S.
What if you got everything you ever wanted? Would you be ready...?
I recently had the privilege of going to an advance screening of the A24 Documentary film "Amy". The film revolves around the tumultuous music career of Amy Winehouse. Now I've personally always loved Amy Winehouse, her music comes from such a painfully honest place. In a world of never ending Top 40 hits, she was the giant middle finger they deserved. For one, she actually wrote her music & secondly she fully owned who she was. Unfortunately, fame has a way of tearing people down & seducing our vices.
As an Actor I feel I often run into people who are in this business for all the wrong reasons. I.E. They want to be famous... well liked, rich even... but who can blame them. Our society glamorizes fame to a fault. Amy was one of those girls who was in it for all the right reasons, she just wanted to make music. She wanted to feel that creative fix we all crave, that feeling of just being in the moment creating & not thinking of a billion other things. "Just leave me alone & I'll make the music".
This film really made me appreciate the whole creative process, even the frustrating parts, but also as a welcome reminder of the old adage, "Be careful what you wish for". You can never know of the unintended repercussions of booking that big gig or becoming a huge star. Are you ready for that big break... or will you crumble under the pressure? During the film you come to find the source of Amy's problems which eventually cost her, her life.
As performers, actors, singers, etc, we are often under enormous pressure & when duty calls, we must be able to put on a show! I think we often neglect taking care of our mind, body, & souls so we can handle this immense weight when it comes up, but the most successful people in life are the ones who do. Go see "Amy" on July 10th, 2015... or if you reading this late, I"m sure it's on Netflix or something by now.
Onward,
Gabe S.
