“Everything should be as simple as it can be, but not simpler.”

Einstein

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Happy Wednesday you cheeky monkey.

I love Isaac Asimov’s 3 laws of robotics.

Here they are:

I love their simplicity and logic.

Clearly Asimov did too – he spends most of the Robot’s series stress testing these laws.

A few years ago I thought I would try my hand at making some Asimovian laws that might be useful to me on set (I was filming at the time), and this is what i came up with:

A note:

Not Nice, kind.

To me nice implies a non-confrontational false smile, kind means treating people with dignity and respect whithout appeasing.

I have attempted to stress test these laws on the jobs I have done since, and whilst they’re not nearly as elegant as the robot laws, they seem to hold.

They also help when I need to simplify my in-person auditions, as well as in a rehearsal room. And I really do need to simplify sometimes.

It’s helped me with a few things I’ve encountered since first stepping on set around 12 years ago:

It helps deal with feeling intimidated by everything, all the moving parts and the weight of production.
It helps me come on to a set where I don’t know anyone and play.
It helps me come into a room cold and play.
It helps me know the difference between acting selfish and egotistical, rather than acting in the interest of the work and others.
It reminds me I can speak my mind, even if my learned politeness tells me it will be confrontational.
It helps me remember that the work is about life.

If i was criticising them, i would say that the rules are a little abstract and ethereal – and that’s where ol’ Practical Tommy boy steps in:

Tom’s Rules

Last week I asked an actor if he had any simple rules he would pass on to new actors and he pointed me towards the Tom Hanks 3:

Actor’s Campus

Tom Hanks says it best: Show up on time, know the text, have an idea. 💭 Most actors don’t fail because of lack of talent… they fail because they show up unprepared 🎭😬 #tomhanks #actor #actingtips #actingcoach #movieclips

♬ original sound – Actor’s Campus

The Tom Hanks 3

Show up on time.
Know the text.
Have an idea.

Practical. Doable. Simple.

What about you – do you have any simple rules that have helped you with your work?

I’d love to hear them (just reply to this email)

Know an actor who wants to see the industry change, who loves to make things and wants to make more?

They might find this newsletter useful:

sixfigureactor.net

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Reader Thank You

And thank you Oli for this week’s testimonial. You fkn rock man and I love the quote at the end.

I’m in Budapest at the moment, filming with my pal and one time deodrant flamethrower merchant, reader Ben W.

This is partly why the newsletter is a bit late this week – I’ve been playing catch up with prep work.

If you replied last week – my huge apologies for not responding yet, I will over the next few days you can be darn tooting.

If you fancy sending me an email right now – DO IT. I love hearing whats going on in your world and whats on your mind.

Go crazy.

And now I must continue learning lines.

Have a great rest of the week.

P.s What’s the one simple rule you’d tell to someone starting out? reply with it, I’m going to make list of them.

p.p.p.s UK based readers, don’t forget to vote tomorrow.

p.p.p.s if you are hanckering for a clicky? 👇