Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Invited to Show My Film

Indie Night Film Festival at TCL Chinese Theater, Hollywood asked to show the Sci-fi comedy film I wrote, produced and directed, Space the Final Reatier, in their lineup on January 16, 2016. Such a wonderful way to start out the new year! See my website for more film info: www.charlzwilliams.com

Sunday, June 7, 2015

They Are Pointing At Me

The Sun is shinning, wardrobe and makeup are on, in character, the Director and camera crew are buzzing around the actor's mark, the location is Hollywood Blvd, spectators are passing by on the sidewalk trying to get a good look, a photo, or even a selfie while pointing and saying, "He is an actor!". I am fully awake and it is not a dream as I took a silent moment to say, "Thank you universe", because they are pointing at me! Dream big, work hard and make your dreams come true one small gig at a time!







Thursday, May 21, 2015

25 Ways To Get More Auditions!

I just read the eBook "25 Ways To Get MORE Auditions!" by Talent Manager Wendy Alane Wright and found it to be packed with resourceful ways of generating more opportunities to work in this business. One piece of information that I found really insightful was the information on how to ensure that you get your messages delivered DIRECTLY to Casting Directors and Directors. The numerous bits of wisdom from current industry professionals is powerful as well.  I read this book in one sitting because I could not stop reading once I started. And I am grinning like a Cheshire cat because I feel like I have an advantage over those who haven't read this book.  I give it five stars and you can get your copy here https://www.secretsofahollywoodtalentmanager.com/           http://www.imdb.me/charlzwilliams                                                                                        

Friday, May 15, 2015

New Relationship Starts

Signed a new commercial agent today.  New relationships are always so full of excitement and promise.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Me; A Human Cartoon

My first experience as a human #cartoon in the upcoming #GalacticGalaxy

http://www.imdb.me/charlzwilliams 

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

You Know of the Freedom I Speak

I walked out of a feature film producers callback at Raleigh Studios feeling the freedom of knowing that I gave it my all and it is now out of my hands. I release it to the universe and languish in the freedom I've earned until my computer or phone beeps again.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Indie Night Film Festival

Tonight I participated in this week's Indi Night Film Festival in of all places, Hollywood, CA. as an actor on screen in "A Woman's Worth" and as a first time attendee at this weekly film festival. You read it correctly, a weekly film festival!  They showed five awesome indie films tonight and inspired me to work toward getting my next film shown on the large screen in the TCL Chinese Theater at Hollywood and Highland. Viewing admission is free especially if your name is on a guest list. I wasn't asked for my name although I was on the guest list. Two drink minimum is payable at the door; alcoholic or non or a combination there of. Parking is validated for four hours meaning that you will probably only pay $2 during exit. There is a business card exchange social up stairs after screenings.  Well worth attending.  @indienightFF on twitter or Facebook

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Inside The Black Box

Technical rehearsal for blocking and lighting went well last night for Thursday night's fund raiser/variety show at the Elephant Theater on the Asylum Stage. There is going to be awesome performances, prizes and a good time for everyone. No cost to attend.  Donations only.  Less than 10 seats available out of an 80 seat capacity. So, the place is going to be packed. My parlor magic act is ready to go and I am excited.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Tool or Rule

I suppose that if the information in the linked Facebook article isn't done skillfully enough the outcome looks mechanical.  I noticed that most folks in conversation don't stare intensively at each other throughout the conversation.  Rather, they look from side to side, look at their phone, scratch their nose, or maybe nod.  Actors are taught to look intensely at each other like that.  Focused or engaged looking into someone else's face or eyes doesn't feel natural to me especially when the other person doesn't respond to me in the same manner.  Although in some scenes it works depending on environment.  Love and emotional scenes, or two people in a quiet room for example.  But, clearly not workable in a driven car or interactive environment where it would be unnatural or safe to focus so much eye contact on each other.  It seems to work well in afternoon television soap operas.  But, the actors are facing each other and using the same technique.

On numerous occasions I practiced active listening with random strangers in stores with the expectation of getting a desired reaction to what I was saying and always sensed that the other person became uncomfortable with me looking uninterruptedly into their face for an extended period of time.  I can easily tell when I meet actors who do that to me because it becomes uncomfortable standing there in the mall looking at each other like one of us needs to initiate the kiss.  A filmed scene isn't usually about the actions of one character but the relationship between both. If only one character practices engaged listening the scene doesn't work quiet like some acting teachers want us to believe that it will.  Which is probably why my attempts to use it in in real life did not fair well.

There are acting schools out there who appear to make this approach the foundation of their teaching.  But, read around and it's not difficult to find dissension among studios and teachers as to what looks most realistic on screen.  An actors goal in a scene is to be present and believable on the screen.  So, conduct your own experiments and draw your own conclusions about what makes you comfortable on screen. Because if you are not present and realistic in the scene the audience is going to see it.

Rather than raining on any ones parade with this blog I use it to encourage you to conduct social experiments and approach it like you are preparing for an audition.  Expect anything and be prepared to react to the other actor who makes you look slow and out of the scene because they are all over the place and you are not keeping up.  This Facebook article appears to make the case for one of many tools, but not a rule.

https://www.facebook.com/RobinDaleMeyersActingCoach/posts/792496320831907

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Yes I Am Cold But That Is Not The Point

Filming on the Marcellus Cox short "A Woman's Worth" wearing a thin
sleeveless t-shirt commonly known by some as a "Wife Beater Shirt" I was
acutely aware of the evening's cold as I shivered between takes.  Rather than
consume myself with the cold or the crew and other cast members
wearing warm jackets, I concentrated my thoughts on the circumstances
of my character who was on screen the entire time.  I even started to enjoy,
shot after shot, having more wet unheated blood poured on me. I thought
of how fortunate I was to get to live in that moment doing what so many actors in
this town would kill to do;  act in that film with a film festival renown Director!
I thought to myself, "Yes, I am cold but that is not the point of why I am here.
I am here to be the best possible supporting actor that I can be to the story's lead.
Everything else is beside the point. So, get over it."



Friday, February 20, 2015

Examiner.com Arts & Entertainment Celebrity Article

See also: 

Actor Charlz Williams inflicts black bigotry in 'Throw the Dog a Bone'

Actor Charlz Williams
Throw the Dog a Bone
When you think of discrimination -- what pops into your head? I’m guessing it’s not the black on black variety. This lesser known bigotry is real and on full display in the new dramatic short film Throw the Dog a Bone, which recently screened at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.
Actor Charlz Williams stars in the film and I recently had a chance to interview him about his experience on the project.
Give us an overview of “Throw the Dog a Bone” and your role in it.
CHARLZ: Directed by William Bright, THROW THE DOG A BONE shares the story of Mercury Rene Adams (Tish Wright), a brilliant girl from a disadvantaged background who has a chance to live her dream of attending a very prestigious university, but quickly discovers the moral price she’s expected to pay. I join in the tale as Professor Colburn, a bias faculty advisor who believes Mercury isn't the right caliber’ to attend such an Ivy League institution.
I have been assigned as the faculty adviser to a young African-American coed (Tish Wright) who is being accused of cheating to gain admission into the university. It becomes clear from the start that I am opinionated and do not like her because I angrily refer to her as, "You people". I then go about trying to make life on campus difficult for her because I want her to "Quit and go home". I even pull the race card on her in a closed-door office meeting.
How did you prepare for the role?
CHARLZ: I started my preparation for the role by having in-depth conversations with Director William Bright about how he foresaw the character's personality and short comings. I talked to the writer, Jocelyn Stewart. I read the script numerous times in an effort to allow the numerous circumstances in the story involving my character and his interactions with the young coed, Mercury, to become clear to me. I goggle searched words and synonyms in an effort to find different ways to say what the professor was saying in the script. I tried it while applying different moods. I worked on finding the right facial nonverbal demeanor, speech pattern, you name it. Eventually, I came up with what I felt was a good fit for his personality and what I thought motivated this black man to show so much contempt toward a young black woman.
Did you realize that your character would be disliked by audiences?
CHARLZ: Oh, absolutely. I knew that Professor Colburn was going to be strongly disliked and especially by African-Americans. In part, because Mercury, (Tish Wright) is such a beautiful young black woman and her character is so sweet. But, the professor is hating on her. American society in general doesn't accept a lack of fair play. Especially when it is the "system" vs. the weak or innocent. Hate is bitter enough as it is. But, when you have one of your own trying to hold you back, somebody is going to dislike you. And, of course, viewers haven't been shy about telling me how they feel about my character.
What do you hope audiences take away from the film?
CHARLZ: As sad as it is, sometimes the one holding you back may look just like you. But, ultimately, righteousness will win out in the end. Whether it is due to the rule of law or because people are basically good.
If we could wave a magic wand and go back -- is there anything you would change about your performance?
CHARLZ: I can't say that I would change anything about my performance. I put a lot of effort into bringing Professor Colburn to life and would play him pretty much the same a second time around.
Do you prefer comedy over drama?
CHARLZ: I love intense drama. Especially the kind that makes the viewer have to think about what they are viewing. Although, I have to admit that I have a natural funny bone in me and it doesn't take much for me to ham it up. I am about to produce and direct a short comedy that I wrote and everyone who reads it laughs out loud and tells me that its funny. I am fortunate enough to get to live my life as a story teller. So, I am not turning down any work.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
CHARLZ: Well, I am going to scoop the readers on something and I hope that it is okay to say this. But, this film may not be the last that anyone sees of Professor Colburn. You may have to sit four times longer the next time. Wink. Wink.
Thanks, Charlz – we can’t wait to ‘dislike’ you even more! Wink. Wink.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Actor CHARLZ WILLIAMS Delivers Black on Black Discrimination in “THROW THE DOG A BONE”

Actor CHARLZ WILLIAMS Delivers Black on Black Discrimination in “THROW THE DOG A BONE”

SCREENING AS 'OFFICIAL SELECTION' THIS WEEK AT 2015 PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL

LOS ANGELES (February 11, 2015) – African-American actor CHARLZ WILLIAMS displays skin-deep discrimination in the new dramatic short film, THROW THE DOG A BONE, screening as an ‘official selection’ at the 2015 Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) on February 14th & 16th.

Directed by William Bright, THROW THE DOG A BONE shares the story of Mercury Rene Adams (Tish Wright), a brilliant girl from a disadvantaged background who has a chance to live her dream of attending a very prestigious university, but quickly discovers the moral price she’s expected to pay. Williams joins in the tale as Professor Colburn, a biased faculty advisor who believes Mercury isn’t the ‘right caliber’ to attend his Ivy League institution.

Williams was excited to help shed some light on this lesser known form of discrimination, explaining “Black on Black hate and or discrimination is a reality. Sometime it takes the form of lighter vs. darker skin color. In my character’s case, it’s a matter of what impact will your blackness have on my blackness in this institution. My character angers viewers who are eager to tell me so. This is definitely a dialogue worth having.”

From a young age, Williams discovered he has two very different passions: acting and flying. By age sixteen, this Arkansas native learned to solo pilot an airplane and was a cadet member of the Civil Air Patrol (civilian search and rescue auxiliary of the US Air Force) where he was the first African-American to earn the Cadet General Billy Mitchell Award. At the same time, he developed his thrill for performing on the stages of his high school and then at the University of Arkansas. While studying, he got a taste for the military through an ROTC program, which led him to make the decision to leave school and enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps. After spending 10 years in the armed services, Williams made his way to Los Angeles, setting his sights back on the acting world. Since then, he has been building a solid reputation as a character actor, appearing in numerous indie films and television ad campaigns.


SCREENING INFORMATION:
Pan African Film Festival – Los Angeles
Film Title: “THROW THE DOG A BONE”
Screening Dates/Times:
Sat, Feb 14 @5:00p / Mon, Feb 16 @11:50a
Screening Location: 
RAVE Cinemas 15 - Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza / 4200 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles CA 90008


For more info on CHARLZ WILLIAMS visit: www.CharlzWilliams.com

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Monday, February 9, 2015

Throw the Dog a Bone

Getting cast in Throw the Dog a Bone is an interesting story and frankly a bit amazing for me.  I applied for the production through Backstage. One day I received an email from the director William Bright asking to meet with me over lunch and discuss me being cast for a principle role in his film “Throw the Dog a Bone”. I was taken by surprise because I expected to receive an invitation to audition.  So, I met William over lunch and we talked about the film.  About mid-way through lunch, William said, “Oh, by the way, you got the job”. I was shocked because I thought that only stars got cast like that. He concluded by asking me to write him some thoughts on the psychological makeup of the character I was to play. I later emailed him my thoughts. He replied that he was amazed with my detailed my character analysis. From that time until completion of filming I felt absolutely compelled to perform at 1000 percent of my abilities from table read through filming because of how I got the job.  Also, I didn't want to disappoint the writer, Jocelyn Stewart who is such a sweet person filming her first screen play.