How Jennifer Aniston Saved my Life.

It isn't often that I share my personal medical history with my fellow actors, but there's a connection, I swear. 

About 9 months ago, I started getting severe headaches mainly at night, after long days at the computer. I thought they would simply pass, but after 4 weeks of excruciating neck, head and eye pain I thought I had a recurrence of Lyme Disease, which I had several months prior. I had gone to a doctor for that, did the Western Blot, the whole nine. No trace of Lyme's. Whew, that was reassuring. So I took some Advil and the headaches would go away, but after a few weeks I thought, okay what gives, why am I still having these blinding headaches, when I'm not on Advil? So, that week the doctor ruled out migraines and sent me to a neuro-specialist. What fun it was getting my finger tips electrocuted repeatedly for 2 hours to measure the intensity of my nerve reactions. 

So then it's CAT scans one week, and MRIs the next. MRIs that took over an hour and a half in complete stillness. Yea, try keeping an actor/musician still for 5 minutes, let alone over an hour! At that point I started to bring in the drama and thought okay I have a brain tumor, this is not good. I had to wait over a week, all the while going to physical therapy for the neck stiffness and the neck pain, and a 4 hr visit to the emergency room at 2am because I though I was going to die! Finally, the neurologist calls to tell me he thinks I have a brain lesion, and that we needed to either confirm or rule it out.

What is a brian lesion? I scoured and scraped the internet for information and found nothing!

Thanks for that Doc. I have something that is barely even written about?

This was at 4pm on a friday. Happy weekend, Paul!

Now, after a long and nerve-wracking weekend of self- pity coupled with bouts of "I'm gonna die," I decided to take matters in my own hands while waiting for the second opinion from another neurologist. While watching a tabloid news channel I saw a paparazzi clip of Jennifer Aniston walking out of a gym with her rolled up Yoga matt and thought... I'm going to do some simple Yoga while I wait for their answer. It can't hurt, right?

I tried some simple stretching at first..breathing and slow moves to stretch my aching neck and head. I even went online to YouTube to learn some other exercises. I am not an expert, but rather someone who totally blew off Yoga as something that was "New Agey" and quite frankly, useless. Man, was I ever wrong.

The stretching and breathing brought the much-needed oxygen to my cervical area...Yes, men have a cervical area. Everyone does, it's just at the base of your head where your neck and spinal chord meet. But, I stopped the Yoga and thought nothing of it. In the meantime, the second opinion comes in and they tell me it's just a little spot on my frontal lobe. Nothing to worry about. So, now I have a non-diagnosis and a spot on my brain.  Come on dude, don't they make a "spot-remover" for that?

What the heck is it? What's wrong with me? Why do I get these bad headaches? Turns out I never got diagnosed. But as an actor, musician, producer, designer who spends a lot of time writing in front of a computer. This had to stop. I just couldn't focus or concentrate on anything.

As actors, we often think that we have to live a certain way...do the stereotypical things other actors do. Eat light, be thin, be spiritual, do yoga, be healthy, be active, be agile, and be mentally fit, and guess what....we should!  But not just as actors, but as human beings. Being healthy is not just for actors and performers. It's for everyone.

After 3 weeks of working out with free-weights and Yoga...my headaches are coming on only once every two weeks, if that, and that's because I'm being lazy. In essence the yoga and exercise have saved my life because I now don't have to depend on Advil, and, nor do I have to anticipate the headache coming on at the end of the day. It just doesn't come.

The brain, my friends, needs oxygen. Your muscles need oxygen to live and thrive too.  It's vital to the process of running your human engine. When you provide your muscles with oxygen, they dilate and fill with blood. If you stay inactive, it's like running your blood through a tight little straw. But, when you exercise and pump blood through your muscles and brain, it's like a fire hose carrying life to the rest of your body. Ain't that a visual.

Sometimes Doctors don't have all the answers, even with today's technologies. Like we do as actors, we visualize and we tap into sense memory because we are highly visual beings. We know just how to recall an emotion. When it come to saving your own life, you almost have to use the same techniques. Think about where it hurts and why, what is happening to your body when it ails and visualize your pain so you can describe it to your doctor. And, most importantly be open-minded to things that may otherwise be outside your normal reality.

Watching Jennifer walk out of that gym, seeing her healthy body and vibrant self walk so assuredly out of that gym, captured my imagination and inspired me to try something I would have never thought to do.

If you're an actor – work out, breath, do yoga, eat well and teach your fellow actors all you know. A healthy actor is a smart, intuitive and clearly thinking actor.

And, thanks Jen. Thanks for giving me that idea and saving me from excruciating headaches.

Paul Brighton

Sense Memory. How deep should I go?

Remembering your past doesn't have to be a painful experience. You can go there just deep enough to remember whatever it was that hurt you or made you happy, without uncovering the bad bits. But, you must do it carefully. 

In a recent Twitter post, someone asked me what would happen if they went too far. My immediate response was to protect my fellow actor, and to an extent, myself. I didn't want to give the advice a professional therapist would give because in acting we are continually asked to recollect things in life that can bring truth and honesty to a character. So how do we then recollect and draw from bad memories without them stirring things up in a way that'll have us in looney bin? 

This is the careful balance of sense memory and reality. The pain that was in the past, is a pain we probably keep at that distance for all the right reasons. We should be self-confident that we have complete control over that particular memory, before we attempt to go there.

As actors, sense memory is all about taste, smell, tears, joy, fears & sounds. They trigger emotions in us that are valuable in the context of living and acting. Using a past event requires that we are firmly rooted and secure in our current physical, mental and spiritual selves. We must define our boundaries and understand that what we borrow from our past for the purposes of telling a story with sincerity, is clearly marked with the "I CAN go there" emotional marker.

If something terrible happened to you, and your role requires that you draw from that event, please be careful and be sure to seek professional advice if you feel it may unravel something hurtful or disturbing. Acting is a beautiful and often revealing craft. It allows for us to pretend, act out, dramatize those people and characters that we love, hate and are intrigued by. But, it should be a fulfilling act for both the audience and you. If through acting you can resolve issues in your own life, approach them with reverence and understand that going there may have it's consequences.

Let's face it, when a scene calls for anger and we can pull it off with conviction, we must be drawing from something deep, and we can understand it's limits and shape it's boundaries to coincide with our character's motivations, needs and actions. Being a good Actor requires that we clearly define reality, the past, the present, mix them and use them like a chef. Adding just the right amount of sweetness, saltiness, emotional honesty, and a healthy pinch of control.

If you ever broach a difficult subject or character that was steeped in tragedy, abuse, pain or a combination of those, and feel it may be going too deep, please discuss it with a professional who can help you through that role. If it's too much to handle, you may consider finding another character to play, or talking to the Director about that scene and working it through with them. It's up to you to judge how deep the emotional pool is.  

And remember, acting is supposed to bring you joy, and elevate you to a place of emotional richness and fulfillment as you explore someone else through your own life experiences – as Actors I hope each and every one of us can experience that gift and that joy in our work on stage and in film.

Paul Brighton

www.AuditionPortal.com

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Going To Hollywood to make it Big? Read This First.

Moving out to Hollywood in search of lifelong dreams, visions of red carpets and glittering prizes, is a dream for many young actors. All those hours spent in a classroom in some mid-western town with a vacuous look on your face has left you feeling empty, and all you can think of is "follow your dreams," "no regrets," and other quotes re-playing in your mind like a Broadway musical. So where do you go? New York or California? Is it Broadway, stage & musicals, or the digital screen? Making it in on either coast requires a thick skin. It's the one acting skill that requires more preparedness than you'll ever use up in any 5 minute audition. Before you embark on your journey consider these questions.

A. Will I be able to afford it?

B. Will I be able to handle the emotional roller coaster and rejection?

C. How long will I give myself before I pack up my bags and go back home with my tail between my legs?

I'm serious. I can't tell you how many times I had that dream and those three very things kept me from getting on that Greyhound. Let's see, I was in a band my whole life and the only stage I thought of was Madison Square Garden, then I studied acting at HB Studio in New York with the greats, and thought "I have chops now, I can act in any movie." For every movie I went to, I saw myself in the scene opposite the star, or as THE star. But, coming out of the theater, as my eyes adjusted to the light of the outside world, the real world, reality stuck me in my chest like a dagger and all I could think of was "I don't want to go to work tomorrow." How will I make this dream happen? Will I be prepared?

Sometimes it's the hunger, the true passion inside you that is so strong, it can motivate you in ways you've never known. But, you cannot follow this particular dream without being armed and ready. Making it in Hollywood or New York is not sort of like being in the trenches– it is the trenches!

If you have that same feeling, that same itch, you must commit.

You must follow your dreams. Give yourself a year or two and live without regret.

If you're not in a position to do it yet, then spend the next year acting, saving money, and planning the exodus.

Here are some tips if you think you're ready for the big dream!

A. Set timelines on paper and stick to each one.

B. Don't tell your friends your goals. Once you say "I'm going to Hollywood" to all your friends

it's as if you're having an out- of-body-experience and talking about someone else. Keep your goals and plans close to your chest. If you fail for some reason, people won't think "Oh he/ she's done this a million times."

C. The one or two people to tell is your mom and/or dad a guardian or significant other– of course.

D. Start networking now. Use Twitter, or Facebook to build a strong community of other actors. Having friends out in Hollywood is a good thing to set up before you go. Connect with people and learn from them. My mom always said "Paul, if you want to succeed, surround yourself with people who are better than you!" Wise advice from an Italian immigrant.

E. Try setting up living arrangements with another actor from your hometown who may have the same dream. Making the move with a friend is like working out with a gym partner. You can "check" and "spot" one another when goals and promises aren't being kept.

F. Start saving money last week! If you have to work a second job, do it.

G. Give up something you love to do. Your heart and your mind have memory just like muscles.

Train yourself to feel invested. If you put something of value (time, effort, money) into it each day, you'll be less likely to give up. You'll think, "No way , I have too much invested in this, I'm not giving up now!

H. Study and work in acting. Sign up for theater, plays, workshops and learn all you can. You never stop learning. Even Pacino is learning as I write.

I. Understand the audition process and familiarize yourself with the industry. If you haven't acted for more than 3-5 years, consider holding off your Hollywood plans for another year or two.

J. Work out and stay in shape. Taking on a move like this will take tremendous discipline and energy. Having a healthy mind, body and spirit will enable you to make good choices. Think clearly and take on the challenges of pursuing your dream with a healthy disposition.

K. Buy a video camera. Start taping yourself and study your mannerisms, your character, your ability to pull out sense-memory, all that good stuff. Practice monologues and tape them. Get used to the pressure of having a camera in your face.

L. Read the credits at the end of the movie. Don't be so quick to get up. Learn what's involved in making a movie. Familiarize yourself with the terms and the players involved in creating a movie. Take film & television classes or workshops.

M. Secure work, a place to live with a support system before you even consider moving, and have a back-up plan!

N. Once you're out there, be social. You'll get nowhere fast if you don't meet people. 

( This doesn't NOT include sleeping around. If you want a career in pornography that'll work, but if you want a serious, dignified career, have pride and rely on your skills.)

O. Work in the industry, in a studio, in a CGI studio, in the back lot sweeping floors, I don't care, just work where other actors live and work, where Directors eat and drink.

P. Why do children often ski right past adults on the slopes? They have no fear. They've never broken their legs or felt pain, therefore they have no inhibitions or fear. Fear is the single most crippling thing a person can experience. Be positive. Think good thoughts. Leave the fear for those who don't take risks and never find passion and truth in their lives.

Q. Confidence is critical. Be confident, assertive and sure of your talents. If you don't think you're ready, you have two choices: 1. Get better  2. Get a new career. I'm not shitting you, there is no third choice. So, go with number one, you won't regret it.

Finally, give yourself at east 2 years and have a back-up plan for the entire process.

Regret is a powerful thing. 

True, you can be an actor any time in life. There's always a part for you. But, if you're in your late teens and twenties, you're still a sponge and willing to absorb knowledge and experiences, and you still have a little of that "no fear" attitude built into you. As you get older, obligations like marriage, children, mortgages, car payments and medical issues will slow you down. So, if you think you're ready, if you think you're up for the challenge,  do it, and do it as soon as you can!

Good luck!!

Paul Brighton

www.auditionportal.com

Hollywood Reporter Casting Director Profiles

AuditionPortal.com has scoured the internet this week for a good Casting resource for our fellow actors, and found some juicy information about Casting Directors. The Hollywood Reporter and Back Stage produced an extensive survey across the film industry and have singled out 25 independent casting directors of undisputed excellence. These are unaffiliated Casting Directors, rather than the many who function as part of a larger team within the studios and networks. Among the criteria they have considered - distinguished credits; affiliation with the leading directors; depth of experience and, of course, reputation. AuditionPortal.com approves this list and hope you guys enjoy it.

Actor Farah Fawcett Treated For Cancer In Her Liver

Actor Farrah Fawcett has been hospitalized for complications of treatment for cancer that has spread to her liver. The cancer originated as anal cancer.

According to her doctor, "She had a minor procedure that led to a small amount of bleeding into a muscle in her abdominal wall," which created a hematoma. It is typically a simple routine procedure from a medical procedure she received in Germany. "She is not on death's door," said the actor’s producer.

Her producer said "She's on the mend and will be going home very shortly, She's doing fantastic. Her fight goes on. ... She's not going anywhere anytime soon."

However, confirmation that the cancer had spread to such a distant site was dire news. The 62-year-old "Charlie's Angels" star was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006, and originally was treated at The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center with chemotherapy and radiation, but not surgery.

She was declared in remission over a year ago, but three months later, scans showed "not only had it recurred, it metastasized to her liver," said the actor’s producer, Craig Nevius.

The latest treatment in Germany attacked the cancer's spread to that organ, he said.

Nevius would not say where in Germany she was being treated, just that it was a clinic affiliated with some hospitals. He also would not give details on her treatments there, but said media reports that she was getting stem cell treatments were false.

"It's never had anything to do with stem cells," or alternative treatments such as shark cartilage, coffee enemas or unproven "detoxification" diets, Nevius said.

"It's much more scientific than that. It's not a fringe treatment," he said, and “the doctors are more than highly qualified.”

An upcoming documentary on which Fawcett has worked for several years, "A Wing and a Prayer," co-produced with Nevius and others, will air on NBC soon and give details, he said.

After the procedure in Germany, Piro said Fawcett flew back to Los Angeles because she was eager to go home. In a statement released earlier, Piro said Fawcett was using a wheelchair because it was painful for her to walk. "That pain, which was coming from the hematoma, had nothing directly to do with the cancer," said Dr. Lawrence Piro, a cancer specialist.

"She remains in good spirits with her usual sense of humor," he added. "She's been in great shape her whole life and has an incredible resolve and an incredible resilience."

Anal cancer is relatively uncommon, but occurs a little more often in women than men. An estimated 5,070 cases were diagnosed in the United States last year, leading to about 680 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society.

Nevius said Fawcett is expected to leave the hospital in a few days. He said her support system includes former partner actor Ryan O'Neal, her father and "Charlie's Angels" co-stars actor Kate Jackson and actor Jaclyn Smith.

"Let me tell you what she's not," Nevius said. "As previously reported by everybody, she's not unconscious. She is not on death's door. The family has not gathered to say goodbye."

I Love You Man, is a Rush!

I usually walk out of movies with a stomach ache caused by the robotic face-stuffing of popcorn and overpriced candy. This time it's because I couldn't stop laughing.

Actor Paul Rudd and actor Jason Segal are both brilliant opposites in this comedy directed by John Hamburg (“Along Came Polly”, “Meet The Fockers”, “Zoolander”).

The story revolves around the soon-to-be-married Peter Klaven (Rudd), who at the last minute realized he's deprived himself of growing close to men, and will be without a Best Man if he doesn't find someone quick. A series of "man-dates" ensues and things only get funnier. As a real estate agent, Peter is an underachiever who is being pressured by actor Lou Ferrigno to sell his multi-million dollar house replete with a life-sized bronze statue of himself near the pool. During an Open House, Peter meets Sydney Fife (Segal) and a hysterical relationship develops based around Peter's un-coolness and Sydney's laid back Ugg-wearing irresponsible way of life. The two have a common love for the Canadian band Rush, and Zooey (played by actor Rashida Jones) is more than tolerant of Peter's renewed band-play with Sydney and Rush actually plays a integral part in strengthening the duo's bond.

As moviegoers, we root for Peter and Sydney and hope they get it together in time for the wedding. Sydney challenges Peter to find his inner dorm mate, and in the process, the road to the wedding is littered with hysterically well-written lines and pregnant onesies.

All of us here at AuditionPortal.com have seen the movie and won't speak another word about it.
It's wonderful, surprisingly funny, and constantly topping itself scene after scene.

I highly recommend seeing this movie, and I'm sure you'll comment back with "I loved it, man!"

Written by
Paul Brighton
www.AuditionPortal.com

Queen Latifah's Lawsuit All Made-Up?

NEW YORK (AuditionPortal News) — Makeup Artist Roxanna Floyd and Fashion Stylist Susan Moses claim in 2 separate, yet coordinated lawsuits, that Queen Latifah, acting and singing star of radio and film, owes them close to one million dollars for work performed during 2005 through to February of 2008.

Floyd, a Celebrity Cosmetologist, says she lost $700,000 when the actress failed to pay her for work, while celebrity Fashion Stylist Susan Moses said she was cheated of $300,000 during the same time.

The lawsuits were filed yesterday in federal court in Manhattan and Ms. Latifah's spokeswoman, Amanda Silverman, says she can't comment on pending litigation, but later eluded to the notion that the lawsuits held no water.

Audition Portal's Paul Brighton commented "I'm sure it will be worked out amicably. Hollywood can be a tough battleground for lawsuits because there are so many players involved from agents to managers to personal assistants. It's highly probable that it was just a misunderstanding or lack of communication."

Queen Latifah, originally from Newark, New Jersey, has appeared in numerous films and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role, in the made-for-screen musical Chicago.