William Mapother

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Go Paperless in 2017

Posted on: December 30th, 2016 by wmapother No Comments

I’m striving for a (99%) paperless office in 2017. My favorite weapon is the Dropbox ios app, esp with receipts I get handed at stores that won’t/can’t email them. Here’s how I do it:

First, while you’re at the counter paying, open the Dropbox app (turn on Touch ID to speed this up).

2. When you’re handed the receipt, set it on the counter, click the big ‘+’ icon, then ‘scan document.’

3. Crop the photo as necessary. Hit ‘Next.’

4. Tap on the file’s name (current date and time) to rename it. Use the phone’s dictation to do this, eg, “CVS dash drinks for my thirsty friends comma twelve point thirty-one point sixteen.” Tap Done.

5. Look below to verify folder it’ll be saved to. (I created a folder called “RECEIPTS SCANNED.”) If necessary, navigate to the correct folder. Hit Save.

6. Smugly throw receipt away.

7. If you want, occasionally drag all those receipts from Dropbox to wherever you save them on your computer. Ideally, you’ll do this part smugly as well.

8. Bonus points if you feel very good about yourself.

Here’s  Dropbox’s page on Document Scanning.

Posted in Acting Tips & Info, Random, Tech

You Don’t Understand?

Posted on: November 3rd, 2016 by wmapother No Comments

Actors sometimes have trouble with their dialogue being understood. Maybe they’re running words together, or speaking too quickly, or not enunciating, or a hundred other things. There are two common solutions. One is internal, the other external.

Internal: Deepen your connection to the dialogue (and, of course, to the character and circumstances of the scene). In other words, internalize it more. Really absorb the dialogue’s meaning and emotion. What does it mean to you/your char? What’s the subtext? Why does your character say what s/he says? What does s/he want to emphasize — what words/phrases/meanings? Knowing the answers will automatically and unconsciously vary your pace, tone, and emphasis, all of which will make your delivery and enunciation more understandable.

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External: Improve your enunciation. The best method: Use the classic text, Edith Skinner’s Speak with Distinction. It has LOTS of exercises for all aspects of enunciation. Find those that address your issue. Set your own goals, but thirty minutes day is a good  start. They’re simple enough to do while driving, walking, cooking, etc. [Note: Practice NOT recommended while fooling around with your partner.]

Good luck!

 

 

Posted in Acting Tips & Info

Seeking Feedback

Posted on: October 21st, 2016 by wmapother No Comments

A friend just asked me to check out his acting reel, and it reminded me of a common error I sometimes see from actors and writers: When seeking feedback from others on your work (reel, script, etc.), in general you should include with the request some context/a roadmap/an intro/some specific questions.  images

In other words, prepare me for what I’m going to see/read. Eg, for reels:

  • Am I seeing one take of each scene, or multiple?
  • Do you want extra attention paid to any scenes?
  • Is this your general reel, or a specific one (comedy/drama/leading vs supporting, etc.)?
  • Do you want to shuffle the order of scenes, or is that set? etc etc.

For scripts:

  • Is the basic story set, or are still you working it out?
  • Which draft is this? Ie, are you sending this out next week and thus have time for only tweaks?
  • Are you concerned about certain characters — are they clear, sympathetic, sufficiently complex, etc.?
  • Do you want me to focus on certain aspects — humor, suspense, pathos, theme, etc.?

When I ask for feedback, I tend to list 5-10 specific questions, and then ask for open-ended opinions/reactions.

If you just give/dump the info, it becomes the recipient’s job to sort and decide. Your goal is to minimize the recipient’s time and energy (so you can ask them to review your work again and again), and to maximize their knowledge/experience (which doesn’t happen if their time/energy is spent organizing and sorting)..

Good luck!
Posted in Acting Tips & Info, Writing

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Screams

Posted on: June 3rd, 2015 by wmapother No Comments

Actors: If you haven’t yet lost a role b/c you were too right for it, your day will come. Pity the lemur.

You can thank cartoonist Charlie Hankin for this. It appeared in The New Yorker, to which I am absurdly devoted.  It’s available framed via their online store.

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Posted in Acting Tips & Info, Funny Like Ha-Ha, NYC

Notre Dame video interview

Posted on: May 14th, 2015 by wmapother No Comments

If you enjoy watching actors talk about themselves, here’s something for you: Notre Dame alum assnI was one of several Notre Dame graduates interviewed by the alumni association for a highlight on the entertainment industry.

Posted in Acting Tips & Info, Film, Interviews and Q&A's, News & Events, Notre Dame, Press, Video (Online & Home)