Mike Giuffrida

I’m Mike Giuffrida and I’m taking film and acting classes. Last week, we had one of the most interesting sessions since I started going to school here. Our professor, who also happens to be a renowned cinematographer discussed two films that changed modern cinema forever. First off, he mentioned Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather,” and how the history of film could be halved before and after this masterpiece came out. “The Godfather” not only defined an era, it also stood head and shoulders above any film created before or since. Our professor mentions only two other films that come close, “Citizen Kane” and “Gone with the Wind.” However, unlike “The Godfather,” both “Citizen Kane” and “Gone with the Wind” aren’t nearly as beloved, and haven’t stood the test of time with film going fans.                     Image source: mentalfloss.com The second movie our professor mentioned was “The Matrix.” He mentioned that the Wa...

Contrary to popular belief, not a lot of actors can start getting into their roles at the drop of a hat. In reality there are lots of actors with a “switch”. Some of the actors I know are actually introverts who need time to internalize a character. While I consider myself more of an extrovert, I must admit that I also need to psych myself up before I face an audience or the camera. Here are some of the the acting exercises we do to get into character faster: Image source: Thoughtco.com Repetition Instead of the usual mirroring exercise where you try to imitate what the other actor is doing, repetition allows you to put a different spin on what he’s saying. It allows you to do so much with one line. If I start out as an overly confident version of Mike Giuffrida, we can go on without changing the line but this time with me being a hysterical character and my partner playing a criminal. It’s a good game that draws out your expressions. Feel the music Image source:...

Freddie Mercury is hailed as one of the best performers in music history. From his impossible vocal range to his larger than life stage presence, no other artist has ever come close to Mr. Fahrenheit himself. We’ve all heard of Bohemian Rhapsody, seen the Live Aid concert, and chanted We Will Rock You at some point. Only a man with such greatness can have such an impact on our lives. Here are some facts depicting just how phenomenal Freddie Mercury was as a performer. Mercury’s vibrato is irregular Classically trained singers modulate fundamental frequencies to make their tones more vibrant. A typical opera singer’s vibrato measures to about 5.5-6 Hz. Mercury’s vibrato is slightly higher than that. Image source: buzzfeed.com Mercury’s agility in shifting register While a lot of singers shift from one tone to another with great difficulty, Mercury does this with effortless ease. While he is naturally a baritone, Mercury primarily sang as a Tenor. He also made switc...

For us aspiring actors, there have been iconic performances over the years that we can’t help but admire. Some of us even go that extra mile and try to emulate these greats. I’ve come up with a list of our favorite performances since the ‘70s. Image source: businessinsider.com '70s: Marlon Brando in 'The Godfather' When one talks about iconic performances, no one in the era comes close to Bradon’s take on Vito Corleone, a role that is still relevant today, nearly 50 years later. For me, he beats out Robert de Niro’s performance in “Taxi Driver.” '80s: Jack Nicholson in 'The Shining' As Jack Torrance, Nicholson gave one of the most brilliant, and by brilliant we mean terrifying portrayals of man’s descent into madness. And Nicholson did it in a way only he could. ’90s: Anthony Hopkins in 'The Silence of the Lambs' With less than 20 minutes of screen time, Hopkins held the audiences and Jodi Foster in the palm of his hand. He also...

Theater acting and screen or movie acting are two different skills. One requires you to act in front of a live audience of hundreds of people with very minimal breaks while the other lets actors do a scene as many times as possible. But apart from logistics, what are the main differences between theater and movie acting? Image source: uarts.edu Theater acting requires thespians to exaggerate their facial expressions and their gestures to make it easier for everyone in the theater to see. Unlike the movies where you could have a camera zoom in to show the most delicate facial expressions, working in theater requires actors to adjust their expressions to the size of the audience. The audio level also changes between theater and cinema acting. Not all productions can afford to equip everyone with microphones. Some stages have microphones strategically placed in areas of the stage while some smaller productions use zero microphones. This means that theater actors have ...

Image source: wordpress.com I’ve always believed that there were two films in Hollywood history that defined and divided eras. The first was Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece, “The Godfather,” and the second was the Wachowskis’ pride and glory, “The Matrix.” While it’s easy to see why “The Godfather” has the impact it has on the film industry, “The Matrix” isn’t given enough credit. “The Matrix” is a pioneering film of sorts, and probably the most stylish action movie ever made. It is science fiction, philosophy, fantasy, action, adventure, suspense, and thriller all rolled into a film shot with such grace and brutality that almost every other action movie that came out in the decades that followed strove to copy an element or two from it. Image source: empireonline.com The cinematography and color palette of “The Matrix” was so thick that it was virtually impossible to stylize any other film with a green-ish theme without calling it a copycat. Joel Silver, the...

Image source: LosAngeles.CBSLocal.com    The words “actor” and “Los Angeles” have always been a great fit for each other, because where else is a whole entertainment industry built around but in this fabulous city? More than those overpriced clubs and bars where paparazzi and Hollywood A-listers can be found, here are some places in LA where aspiring actors might want to hang out in. First, networking. Acting classes and workshops abound in LA, and they’re a great venue to meet and work with other actors while improving one’s craft. Reputable institutions such as the New York Film Academy are worth exploring with its well-reputed teachers and course of study that will take one in the right direction. Different organizations also put on so many pre-scheduled networking events meant to connect industry professionals with those who want to penetrate the entertainment field. Apart from these, there are also local Facebook groups, alumni groups, and union webpages in...