Meals For Monologues 2016 - Private Coaching Special Offer!

Hey Everybody! Cast Iron's annual Meals For Monologues event is right around the corner, and I am offering 20% off my hourly rate for private coaching (usually $50/hr, but only $40 until 12/5/16).

If you have a monologue picked out and memorized, we can get right to work. I have a mostly open schedule and can meet you anywhere you are most comfortable.

This is an opportunity to get in front of the city's top casting directors and show them who you are. Let me help you put your best foot forward. Use the button on the top right of this page to secure a session, or email me at toddrobinsonpdx@gmail.com to schedule and make other payment arrangements. Sessions will be scheduled at your convenience between 11/18 - 12/4/16.

My credits can be found at my IMDb page.

Guest Director and location announcement!

Not only are we going to have an awesome guest director in Jon Meyer, but I also scored an amazingly cool venue called Island Station Media Lab. This location is perfect for shooting our audition videos. It also has a very comfortable ambience, which contributes to the vibe I try to create in my workshop. Sign up now, as there are only a couple of spots available still!

Summer Season Kick-off Audition Intensive

ONE DAY AUDITION INTENSIVE WORKSHOP -- SUNDAY JUNE 19, 2016 -- 12-6pm

The busy season is here. TV shows are in production, feature films are ramping up to shoot, and there are always a lot of opportunities available within the local indie community. Are you ready to go get some of this work? Let's make sure!

I am offering a one day audition intensive, intended to be a working assessment of the attending actors' auditioning abilities. We will tape the actors reading prepared sides, watch and critique those audition videos, then do "call back" auditions with a guest director in attendance. Actors will get the rare opportunity of watching their auditions and assessing their own strengths and weaknesses. The guest director and I will also be giving feedback, as well as pointing out "next steps" that the actor can take away with them, to implement in their future auditions and work.

I will be limiting this workshop to the first ten actors and actresses (age 12+) that purchase through PayPal (button in upper right corner of this page) by Sunday June 5, 2016. I want to make it very affordable, as strengthening the local talent pool is more of a priority than a big profit for myself. I'm offering this half day intensive for only $60. It will take place in a central location within Portland, to be announced.

I'm asking for everyone to be registered two weeks prior, because I will spend that time finding or creating a scene custom tailored to each actor's type and experience level. The scenes will play on each participant's strengths, while also nudging them slightly outside of their comfort level, or making them face a wicked curve ball.

My resume and reel can be seen on my IMDb page. I have been working as an actor and filmmaker in LA and Portland for 20 years. I have auditioned hundreds of times, and consider that part of the process to be my real job as an actor. I relish every chance I get to share my knowledge and confidence with my fellow actors.

July/August 2015 Audition Intensive Workshop

I'm bringing back the four-week audition intensive workshop! Four on-camera sessions with video playback critique and special industry guests. Each week will pose a different audition scenario, including: commercial auditions, cold reads, callbacks with the director or producer in the room, and the occasional curveball. :) This workshop will be limited to the first ten actors that pay the deposit.

Please join me on Wednesday afternoons July 15, 22, 29 & August 5, from 11am-2:30pm. The workshop will take place in Old Town Portland, at Bar XV (15 SW 2nd Ave. 97204).

I'm very excited to offer this workshop again, especially during one of the busiest TV/Film seasons locally in recent years. To secure your spot, simply use the PayPal button at the top right of this blog page (where it says "Buy Now" - you may not see this on a phone or mobile device). I look forward to helping you get ready to put your best foot forward when you are given the opportunity to read for one of the many projects happening in our market this year!

Now Booking Private Coaching Sessions

Need that pep talk before that network TV audition? Working on a monologue for the PATA auditions? Taking on a challenging principle role in an indie film? Want to add an edge to your overall acting game? Let me help you!

We can do single sessions at your convenience, or even set up standing appointment. You can even pre-purchase multiple sessions, if you enjoy saving money. The pre-paid sessions also make great holiday gifts (hint, hint). That PayPal button to the right makes it all possible.

Check out my IMDb page to see my experience. Feel free to email me with any questions at toddrobinsonpdx@gmail.com.

Weekend Audition Intensive Oct. 18th & 19th!

I am going to be conducting a weekend audition intensive workshop for actors ages 12+ on Saturday and Sunday, October 18th & 19th, from 9:00am-5:30pm. Class size will be limited to twelve actors.
Cost is $185 for the two days, with a $75 deposit due to secure registration.
There is a PayPal button located over there to the right, to make things easier ------>

Joining us in the workshop on Saturday is going to be Lori Lewis of Free Spirit Casting. Lori has worked on Leverage, Twilight, Extraordinary Measures, and much more. She is fantastic at her job, and brings a treasure trove of information with her to the workshop. She always tells it like it is when she visits, and her feedback is always valuable. I am also thrilled to announce that my talented friend, writer/director Todd E. Freeman, will be joining us as the guest director for the Sunday "call backs". Freeman (Cell Count) is currently developing his eighth feature film project, Love Sick, and working on another new script to add to his slate. I've had Todd as a guest in my workshop before, and it turned out to be one of our most memorable visits ever.

The goal of this workshop is to illuminate, for each actor, the things they are doing well in auditions -- and those pesky things that require attention. It usually doesn't take more than seeing yourself on a several foot tall screen to instantly see where you need improvement... haha. Becoming confident and competent in auditions is not something that happens overnight. It takes a dedication to finding a place within yourself from which to always show off the best of what you've got!

Saturday, 10/18 - The First Read

 9:00 - Greetings, intros, establish comfortable working atmosphere.
 9:30 - Discussion about auditioning. share experiences, discover strengths and concerns.
10:00 - Intro casting director Lori Lewis.
10:15 - Actors "audition" on tape for Lori. (sides for the exercise will be sent to actors three days prior to the workshop)

 1:00 - LUNCH (brown bag)

 2:00 - Review taped auditions. Lori and I will give feedback. Actors will be asked to share impressions of their own "audition".
 5:00 - Q & A with casting director guest.


Sunday, 10/18 - The Call Back

 9:00 - Greetings, establish comfortable working atmosphere.
 9:30 - Discussion about call backs, avails, etc. share experiences.
10:00 - Intro director Todd Freeman.
10:15 - Actors have "call back" on tape with Todd, using the same sides as Saturday.

 1:00 - LUNCH (brown bag)

 2:00 - Review taped auditions. Todd and I will give feedback. Actors will be asked to share impressions of their own "audition", including differences in the two days' auditions.
 5:00 - Q & A with Todd F.

* Actors will receive sides and breakdowns the Wednesday before class. 

I look forward to working with you!

Todd

Working LA actor Craig Michaelson to stop by the workshop!

LA actor Craig Michaelson will be in attendance at the workshop, giving an idea of the differences between auditions in Portland versus LA. He is an Oregon native who has lived down south for nearly five years and set new roots. Since being in LA, Craig has appeared in a number of short films, commercials (Dial Soap, Otter Box), NBC's Community -- and as I type this, he is in Malibu shooting an episode of another hit prime time comedy series. It's always great to hear from someone who is really doing the hard work it takes to carve out a niche for themselves on the big league level. Craig goes to several auditions a week for national commercial and network series gigs. He consistently gets called back, and even books great stuff! His feedback will be priceless.