Contact: Marisilda Garcia

mari@kooldexproductions.com

956-371-8894

CFCA HOLDS FIRST ACTORS SHOWCASE OF ITS KIND IN LA

Actors’ Scenes Showcased on the Big Screen at the Historic Downtown Independent Theatre

November 18, 2011— Over 12 years ago, Luis Robledo created the Actor’s Gym as a way for actors to gain mastery through consistent practice on set. Armed with a hand-held consumer camera and its on-board mic, Luis set out, not to create a business, but to create opportunity for both himself and his actor friends. Little did he know the growth that awaited him. By word of mouth, students began pouring in and the CFCA was born.

CFCA boasts two classes a week, each with actors continually booking work in film, television and commercials. The old camera has been replaced by the much-loved Canon 7D, as well as a full lighting and sound package that has taken the production value to new heights. The team has grown to include a cinematographer, an intern and other instructors as well. Actors receive their scenes 24 hours prior to arriving to class with full wardrobe and makeup in hand. Class begins by viewing & discussing scenes from the previous week, which are projected onto a 9-foot screen. These scenes have been fully edited, color-graded, and sound designed. Next, scenes are worked, blocked, lit and shot with ONE TAKE per actor.

So… Why the showcase?

“As actors, our goal is to work. CFCA brings us the opportunity to be the best-prepared actors we can be. The showcase brings our work to the industry.” says Luis Robledo, CEO and founder of CFCA, “Any casting director, director, agent or manager looking for well-crafted, camera-ready talent, needs to attend this showcase.”

The showcase takes place at the historic Downtown Independent Theatre on Sunday, December 4^th from 5-7pm. Admission is free and includes a tapas bar, cash bar and a red carpet reception. Managers, agents, directors and casting directors get two free drink tickets with ID or business card. To RSVP for the event and receive an official CFCA packet, please contact, Marisilda Garcia at 956-371-8894.

"As a filmmaker, The Actor's Gym is a remarkable resource for discovering actors that work very hard at their craft. I watched every single one of their fully-produced scene videos while casting Down and Dangerous."

-ZAK FORSMAN, writer/director Sabi Pictures

For More Information:

www.centerforthecinematicarts.com

LOVE & PROGRAMMING

Musicians have instruments. Painters have brushes. As an actor you have yourself. There is no other way around it: you are your instrument.

So...how do you practice?

Just like a musician can work everyday to increase her understanding of the instrument, you too, can also take time everyday to further understand yours.

Now, if you've ever had a musician friend (or ex-boyfriend), you know those guys are passionate. They love their instruments. A dude can sit at Guitar Center for 2 hours wailing away on a guitar he knows he will NEVER be able to afford, but that's ok--it's not about that. It's about the love of the instrument, the feel, the action, the tone--all those things that make every guitar different, and therefore, special.

Characters are the same way. And characters are people. To be a great actor, in my humble opinion, you must become a LOVER OF PEOPLE. Ok, so I agree, maybe it sounds a little new-agey and maybe just weird, but it's true.

Another maybe more scientific way to think about it is: You must be a student of human nature. A lover of human nature.

Mmmm..OK, so I seem to not be able to get away from the word LOVE....interesting. Now, I'm really not a mushy guy (Least I don't think...), but I really do think that love, in the case of understanding humanity, is extremely important.

And here is the common thread:

ALL PEOPLE, WHETHER HERO OR COWARD, STRONG OR WEAK, ARROGANT OR MEEK, HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON: THEY ALL LOVE SOMETHING. AND THEY LOVE IT TO THE DEATH.

Hitler loved Eva Braun. And his own image. To the death.

I bring up Hitler, of course, because I think we can all agree that there probably is not a worst example of a Human being.

Yet, as actors, we are called to walk in the shoes, see through the eyes, love through the hearts, and stay true to the programming (more on this in a bit...) of EVERY character we play--even Adolf Hitler. I'm certainly not saying that I think you should accept the role of Hitler--that will have to be your decision based on your own personal code of ethics. What I AM saying is that if you do accept the role of Hitler...your job is to represent a real human being. In order to do that you must get rid of all judgement, thoughts, opinions, etc. that you may have about such a horrible character--you must start from scratch, and from love.

FIGURE OUT WHAT THE CHARACTER LOVES TO THE DEATH.

Is it inner peace? Power? Wealth? Adventure? Recognition? Companionship? You get the idea...

In my opinion, stay away from finding the 'tragic flaw' in your character--trust me, if you're playing a human being, you have one. Instead, think of it as 'PROGRAMMING'. Yes--find the PROGRAMMING. I use the word 'programming' because it is a sterile word. It does not evoke anything of moral or ethical sorts. In fact, it sounds much like...a computer. Not very human, I'll admit, but stay with me on this...

All of us, human beings on the planet react to the world based on our own personal experiences, hurts, traumas, etc. Most of these occur very early in life, and they shape who we are our entire lives. Hence, therapy (re-programming), and why it seems to work.

KNOW ALL PEOPLE BY FIRST KNOWING YOURSELF.

It is worthwhile, as actors, to spend time analyzing ourselves throughout the day. Noticing our own reactions to things/events/challenges.

Why did that piss me off so fucking much..?

Why does that bitch get under my skin so quick..?

Why did I just tell a lie..?

It's a sort of "high observation" (Nothing to do with cannabis, guys...). It's almost like agreeing with yourself to operate above your own emotions so as to recognize your own true intentions behind things. When you start to recognize these things within yourself, you will start to recognize the same in others. You will no longer be a victim of projection, because you'll know that that person pisses you off because you see in him the same thing you hate about yourself. Very liberating, indeed...

Find the Love. Find the programming. And add yourself.

That is your job. And a very noble one, if you ask me.

Until next time!

BE AN ANIMAL: If you can't put it into a verb, it is NOT playable.

Some of you know that in addition to being an actor, as well as founder of Actor's Gym at CFCA, I am also just another guy in Hollywood trying to make movies. My 'first' short, EL TAXISTA, has done reasonably well considering its measly joke-of-a-budget: it has been accepted in over 40% of the festivals to which it has been submitted, and has won major awards in over 25% percent of the festivals it has played. It even beat out all the feature films and documentaries in one of them to take the Judges' Award for Best Film.

Now, I mention this NOT to toot my own horn, but to give credit to my filmmaking school and the years of practice/learning that took place before that 'first' movie. How to frame a subject, how to follow action between subjects, how to light a subject, how to use editing, pace, and music to tell a story using subjects, etc. Obviously, you say...I need to thank my subjects. And, you're right--I do. These 'subjects' are my animals. My dogs, Dexter Gordon and Ella Fitzgerald, my cats Tambolobo and Riley the cat, my ex's dog Paco El Naco, and my beautiful girlfriend's dog, Jack Daniels. They are, and have been my filmmaking school. Seriously. Before I ever pointed a camera at a human being to tell a story, I spent almost three years shooting animals (with a camera, people).

Below is an example of a finished piece of 5 years ago, I titled, The Gnawed Couple, starring Dexter Gordon and Paco el Naco. Please watch, as I will explain how this all ties together. I promise.

The Gnawed Couple:

Now, I hope you enjoyed that as much as I enjoy it. The story is clear, we know who wants what, who's protecting what, and what tactics they are using to try and get it, or protect it. That right there, is a dramatic arc:

Introduction: Paco (protagonist) notices that Dexter (antagonist) has a stick and wants it.

Rising action: Paco goes to Dexter and simply tries to take it. Dexter reacts violently, so Paco gets a stick of his own. All is well.

Climax: Paco becomes dissatisfied with the size of his own stick, gently tries again to take Dexter's, but Dexter is a Pit Bull (obstacle), and seriously warns Paco. Paco tries again, to get his own stick and peacefully live next to Dexter and his stick, once there, he becomes frustrated by his own desire for Dexter's stick, loses his mind, and again tries to take it, this time, by force (turning point).

Falling Action: He almost gets eaten.

Resolution: Just when all hope is lost, Paco notices that Dexter has become distracted by his own obsession with an external stimulus and has taken his eye of his most-beloved stick. Paco senses an opportunity to take the stick, takes the final risk, and comes out victorious.

The End.

That, right there, is the complete 'dramatic arc' of a comedy...AND WITHOUT A WORD EVER BEING UTTERED.

Far too often, actors let the words do the work--trusting that through great plotting, brilliant dialogue, and knowing the 'right feeling for the moment', the audience will become interested and care. Trust me, they won't. They will only care when they see people so involved in 'doing' and going after what they want, that they won't be able to take their eyes off of them--even with the volume ALL THE WAY OFF. This only happens when the actor is filled with clear intention, and is dealing and negotiating 'in the moment' with each and every obstacle being thrown at him by his scene partner, which is keeping him from getting what he wants.

This is why they say you can't compete against animals and children, because they don't intellectualize, they are all intention. They're impossible not to watch. In fact, the only reason we, as a species even learned to speak, is because our needs exceeded our ability to communicate them and fulfill them. Luckily, our brains, as a species, were ready for speech.

Intention first. Words second.

Also, the clearer the intention, the less words needed to describe it.

Examples of clear intentions: to engage, to disregard, to attract, to put one in one's place, to comfort, to deceive, to placate, to seduce, etc., etc.

All of these are clear and 'playable', and have nothing to do with 'feelings', 'concepts', 'ideas', etc. In addition, for our filmmaking purposes where multiple takes are usually required, it is possible to repeat an intention over and over, whereas it is virtually impossible to repeat a performance without falling into some kind of imitation, and imitations are best left in Las Vegas.

A great teacher of mine used to say: "Interesting people make interesting actors." Over the years I've realized that it's actually more like: "INTERESTED people make interesting actors."

Make sure you know the intention behind every line. If you can't put it into a few words that make an active verb or close to it, you don't have it. Keep looking, it's there. The brilliant actor never stops seeking.

Why should you?

Why I love this craft.

Over the next few weeks, months, possibly years--one hopes, I will be sharing my thoughts, ideas, lessons learned, questions, etc., on the "beautiful craft". My journey into the life of an actor began in 1991, at the New England Conservatory of Music of all places. I was a jazz musician. A guitarist. That was it. I'd found my calling. I'd found my love. I had it figured out. And all by nineteen. Pretty good.

Early on in life, I heard somebody say, "If you want to make God laugh tell him your plans". Those words have reverberated through my mind and being, time and time again, sometimes in joyful bliss and sometimes through tears of agony, but always with the understanding that in life, such as in a great scene between two actors, the great stuff, the truly brilliant stuff--is the stuff we don't plan for. The stuff that happens to us that resonates so deeply, that, if we let it, will change the direction of our lives, or the scene. Such as that fateful day in 1991 when my roommate and I were expelled from the dormitory for, well, no other way to put it: smoking marijuana. Ok, pause. Hold it there. Yes, you read it right. We were expelled for smoking marijuana. And we were in the Jazz Studies program...anybody else see the fundamental problem with this...? But I digress...so here I am, South Texas boy in Boston with an extremely pissed-off dad just salivating at the thought of free-manual-labor-as-punishment for the summer. In Texas. Naturally, I couldn't let that happen. I soon found myself at the gig office looking through the various postings for bar mitzvahs, weddings, etc, for a gig, a job--anything that would help keep me out of Texas for a summer of making little lift-off tape ribbons for typewriters (8-track cassette player, anyone..?). As I turned to leave having made minimal progress, a stocky figure approached me with flyers in hand, "Hey, you a musician?". "Guitarist", I replied. "Sing?", he asked. "If I have to", I said. "I'm Rob", he stated. We shook hands and he handed me a flyer that read: "Actors/Musicians/Singers/Black or Hispanic, 3 weeks, $1,500", and walked away. My immediate thought: "Three out of four ain't bad."

That single event sparked a chain reaction that went on to shape my life in ways that I could have never predicted or even dreamed. Shortly after, with the support and help of stocky Rob, I booked my first acting job in an ABC After-School Special and was Taft-Hartley'd into the union. He also introduced me to Peter Kelley, who became the single biggest direct influence in my development as an actor, as well as my director in many theatre productions with his acting troupe, The Harrison Project. The following years would be filled with great discoveries, both personal and universal.

Like the moment I uncovered my rage. Ahhh. I remember the scene, I remember the exact moment. It was from Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (surprise, I know), when Danny chokes Roberta. It was an incredible release to no longer deny that part of myself, to accept it, and without judgement. And to let it out. Regularly. On the stage, of course...

Or the time I experienced LA for the first time with a commercial producer friend of mine at a Latino independent filmmaking convention held at Universal, where I met my first "working" TV and Film actors. I remember the excitement, the almost painful need to be a part of it all--so much so, that upon returning to Boston, I immediately began plotting my move to LA, which took place less than 30 days later.

Fast-forward a few years....

Ahhh, my first TV co-star on The X-Files as "Crackhead". A HUGE production. 3 blocks in Pomona were meticulously converted into a small town in Mexico--down to the "chamoy" candy that was being displayed in a storefront. Being new and nervous I decided, with the help of some of the most amazing make-up ever put on my face, to just stay in character the whole day. I didn't chat about, as crackheads rarely do. I didn't eat lunch, as crackheads are hardly with apetite. And I didn't take the shuttle back to base camp, which was 3 blocks away from set, because, well--crackheads mainly walk. So there I was, walking through 3 'real' city blocks in full "Crackhead" make-up. What I experienced in the next 10 minutes forever changed me. Before I move on, I want to express that I have always felt a certain level of protection from just being a citizen in this country--that my life matters and that it is of value to the rest of society. That 'feeling' was not only absent during my walk through Pomona, but was replaced by a palpable sense of 'danger' for my life. No one looked me in the eye, as if I didn't exist. I began to wonder if I even did. The only attention I received was from a police officer in his cruiser who very clearly wanted me out of the pretty picture that was Pomona. Luckily for me he kept on driving. I felt as if I could've been pulled into an alley, beaten to death, and nobody would've cared. The sense of being invisible to the world is a feeling that I will never forget. To this day, whether or not I give a homeless person money, I will ALWAYS look them in the eye and address them.

And one more that went deep...

The time on A LONELY PLACE FOR DYING, when I spent three uncomfortable, and even a bit painful hours awkwardly laying on cold concrete stairs of an abandoned prison shooting a scene where I, as Lt. Gilberto Solares have been shot, am dying and know it, and experience, in my final moments, incredible remorse for wrong, easy choices made, all as I say goodbye to a man I call a friend. After we finished shooting the scene, I was alerted that "Bishop", who was our tactical trainer and a beautiful human being; and who, himself, had done covert opps work, had abruptly left during the filming of the scene. About a half an hour later, Bishop approached me, extended his hand, I reached to shake it, he pulled me close to him, hugged the shit out of me, and whispered into my ear, his voice broken, like a dam that has burst and lost its structure, "Thank you. Thank you so much for releasing me." I said nothing, he held the embrace then continued, "A few years ago, I lost a friend in the same--I have not been able to cry for him until today. Thank you for that, Luis." I had nothing to say.

A great reminder of why we do this: to let others know they're truly not alone.

Bottom line...

Every time you play a character, you are walking in his or her shoes and honoring that human being's unique perspective and life experience without judgement. If you do it right, I believe you can't help BUT be changed, if only a little bit, and that a lifetime of these little, quiet, life-changing experiences can't help but produce a person who understands, but above all, accepts that as different as we are, we are one and the same. And that, to me, is a person worth becoming.

That is why I love this craft.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

-Luis