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I first gauge the experience level, the interest in a certain genre or actor or play or film, then I chat to the student.
Initially nerves will be there, it's only natural, but I've dedicated over 20 years of my life to acting and have learnt a few things from great directors on how to deal with nerves.
I like to explain certain technical things for stage or screen, depending what we are specifically working on that day and also give a bit of history as I go, which I also found great whilst at drama school.
(Did you know: The origin of break a leg comes from the legs on the sides of a theatre curtain. To break a leg meant to get repeated curtain calls, lifting and lowering the curtain until, hopefully, a leg would break!)
If it was a physical class, here I'd do some movement/games work, but seeing as its online I'll move straight to the scene work.
Either working from a pre chosen monologue or duologue or something I've selected based on a prior chat.
Here I'll also impart some of my philosophies about acting that have really helped me over my career.
With the script work, I don't give notes the first read to see their instincts, where they naturally fall and what they struggle with before moving into detailed notes before ending with constructive, workable feedback and useful advice I've picked up over the years.