Exploring the Art of the Script
November 6th, 2022
I've recently enrolled in a playwriting course, and am in the midst of developing a 90-minute play. It's an escape story about a group of friends lost in a remote cave system in New Zealand. I'm really enjoying the space of structured writing-- I've written my entire life, but I've never really sat down and tried to write a full story before. It's been a challenge, but it's one I'm enjoying immensely. When I'm finished, I would love to stage a table reading of it, and am considering doing so via Twitch and Instagram Live. I'll be sure to update here when the time comes. Meanwhile, Happy Fall! Stay warm, and we'll talk soon.
Language and the Actors' Journey
October 14th, 2022
In Los Angeles, I have been coaching actors privately for years. We work together to explore new approaches to auditions, to bring out more subtlety and grace in their acting, as well as honing their motion and performance capture technique. Last year, as an experiment, I held a class on the Meisner technique-- my personal favorite, and the technique with which I most closely relate my own process.
The class aimed to teach aspiring as well as experienced actors the art of Meisner from the very foundations. It was an amazing, eye-opening process, and although the class went from about 18 students to 6 (as expected!) those who remained made huge strides in their work. I felt so privileged to help other artists on their path, but if I'm being honest, it took a massive effort on my part to keep the program running. It was a wonderful experience, but I knew it wasn't something I could sustain at this point in my career, and I made the choice to pivot back to only taking on private coaching clients.
In doing so, however, I've stumbled onto yet another fun, fascinating facet of the work-- bilingual coaching. Along my own journey, I have discovered the unique challenges an actor faces when working in a language other than their native tongue. So, when I was approached by a few notable Korean actors to help them with their English-language acting, I jumped at the opportunity. I felt confident that my coaching abilities and my own struggles in bilingual acting would inform our sessions together, and help them to make the same kind of progress I saw in my Meisner students. And it has! Korean actors are some of the most hard working and diligent I've ever worked with, at times coming directly from set to our appointments. And their dedication is paying off-- which gives me hope for myself as well. If I can maintain a similar level of diligence, perhaps we can break through the language barrier alongside one another.
Graduation, and why Korea?
September 1st, 2022
축하합니다! I've just graduated with a degree in Korean Culture and Language! I am so passionate about Korean media and entertainment, and this was just one of many steps I've committed to in order to see this passion through. Thank you everyone who has encouraged me along the way, even when I'm sure you've wondered (as have I...) exactly what the hell I'm doing!
This degree will open me up to a whole new level of accessibility in Korea, and I'm hoping it will act as a huge stepping stone to my ultimate goal of helping to further bridge the gap between LA and Seoul in terms of talent and projects. There is so much beautiful work being made in Korea-- from evocative writing, masterful acting and directing, all the way through to experimental cinematography that breaks entirely from tradition to explore new forms of visual storytelling.
Western and Eastern film meet in a place of shared curiosity, and a combined interest in furthering the narrative of our common natures. Acting, and by extension film and television making, is, at its core, simply an exploration of human nature, and only good can come from it when artists from such different cultural backgrounds come together to discover their commonalities.
I feel honored just to be a part of the conversation.