Creating Behavior with Charlie Sandlan

How should you begin to approach a script?  What are some key things to consider when pouring over those lines? Charlie discusses an artistic process to handle text in a way that allows you to be more organic and vivid.  He delves deeper into confronting racism, reflecting on the work of Layla Saad and Robin DiAngelo.  Charlie also mixes in an appreciation of the legendary jazz drummer Jimmy Cobb, and the great Philip Seymour Hoffman.  Please follow CBP on IG @creatingbehavior 
And visit https://www.creatingbehaviorpodcast.com for allow content links, or to leave a comment or question for Charlie to answer. You can follow CBP on Instagram @creatingbehavior, and Charlie's NYC acting conservatory, the Maggie Flanigan Studio @maggieflaniganstudio. Theme music by  https://www.thelawrencetrailer.com. For written transcripts, to leave a voicemail on SpeakPipe, or contact Charlie for private coaching, check out https://www.creatingbehaviorpodcast.com

Charlie continues his conversation with Emmy Award winning actress Erin Cherry.  They discuss the current civil and racial unrest gripping the country, along with the challenges, and racial animosity facing Black actors and artists. Charlie also talks about the importance of adding habits of creativity to your life, and what you can learn by reading the Arts & Leisure section of the NY Times. This week, he shares some insight on the artist Rosie Lee Tompkins, a Black quilt maker who left an extraordinary body of work which reveals the beautiful complexity of the African-American experience.
You can follow CBP on Instagram @creatingbehavior, and Charlie's NYC acting conservatory, the Maggie Flanigan Studio @maggieflaniganstudio. Theme music by  https://www.thelawrencetrailer.com. For written transcripts, to leave a voicemail on SpeakPipe, or contact Charlie for private coaching, check out https://www.creatingbehaviorpodcast.com

How does a Black actor and activist navigate the business, maintain her artistic integrity, and fight for social justice?  Charlie talks to one of his best friends, Emmy winner Erin Cherry, who won her first leg of the EGOT for her role of Brenda in the Amazon series After Forever.  Cherry and Charlie talk about her theater career, what she learned from working with Tony winner André De Shields, and how she fought for a reimagining of her After Forever character before she was ever offered the role. 
 You can follow CBP on Instagram @creatingbehavior, and Charlie's NYC acting conservatory, the Maggie Flanigan Studio @maggieflaniganstudio. Theme music by  https://www.thelawrencetrailer.com. For written transcripts, to leave a voicemail on SpeakPipe, or contact Charlie for private coaching, check out https://www.creatingbehaviorpodcast.com

How does an actor break down a script?  What are the important questions any serious actor should be able to anwer? How do you craft in a simple, specific, and personal way?  In this episode Charlie talks about the five important, fundamental questions that must be answered if you are an actor looking to create vivid, organic behavior. Charlie will discuss previous and shared circumstances, acting relationships, objectives, and how to understand actions. He also shares some insight on an inspirational artist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. You can follow CBP on Instagram @creatingbehavior, and Charlie's NYC acting conservatory, the Maggie Flanigan Studio @maggieflaniganstudio. Theme music by  https://www.thelawrencetrailer.com. For written transcripts, to leave a voicemail on SpeakPipe, or contact Charlie for private coaching, check out https://www.creatingbehaviorpodcast.com

How does an actor write, produce, direct, and star in their own material, work continually in film and television, while also making their broadway debut?  This week Charlie talks with Eden Marryshow to find out how he made his feature film Bruce!, which won him the Grand Jury Prize for Best Director at the American Back Film Festival in 2018.  Eden talks about the tragedy that has inspired his life's work, how he embraces failure, and how he crashed Sundance when his film didn't get accepted.  Eden is a special artist who has a way of inspiring all who know him to find the optimism and joy of living the artistic life. You can follow CBP on Instagram @creatingbehavior, and Charlie's NYC acting conservatory, the Maggie Flanigan Studio @maggieflaniganstudio. Theme music by  https://www.thelawrencetrailer.com. For written transcripts, to leave a voicemail on SpeakPipe, or contact Charlie for private coaching, check out https://www.creatingbehaviorpodcast.com

Emotion is an area of acting that is mostly misunderstood, and often causes a great deal of performance anxiety.  How do you organically and truthfully access emotion?  Most actors indicate, or fake it, and many try to squeeze it out of themselves like getting juice from a lemon.  Charlie talks about the difference between quantity and quality, the ways an actor can come to life, and the artistic way to consider this important part of an actor's craft.  You can follow CBP on Instagram @creatingbehavior, and Charlie's NYC acting conservatory, the Maggie Flanigan Studio @maggieflaniganstudio. Theme music by  https://www.thelawrencetrailer.com. For written transcripts, to leave a voicemail on SpeakPipe, or contact Charlie for private coaching, check out https://www.creatingbehaviorpodcast.com

#004 Perhaps you can relate; you have a dream of being a professional actor. You get headshots, type up a resume, and spend a few years putting together a hodgepodge of classes.  And then you have a realization. "I don't really know how to act, I have no way of working."  This is a defining moment for anyone who really wants to be an artist.  What do you do when your realize that what you know isn't good enough?  Charlie talks about this dilemma, and offers his insight on what comes next. You can follow CBP on Instagram @creatingbehavior, and Charlie's NYC acting conservatory, the Maggie Flanigan Studio @maggieflaniganstudio. Theme music by  https://www.thelawrencetrailer.com. For written transcripts, to leave a voicemail on SpeakPipe, or contact Charlie for private coaching, check out https://www.creatingbehaviorpodcast.com

Join Charlie for his first interview.  He talks with actress Candace Maxwell, a former professional dancer, now trained actor, who currently appears in the CW show Katy Keene.  Candace talks about her first professional job on season 6 of the Starz hit series Power, and her audition for the role, a sex scene with Larenz Tate.  Candace is also a former student of Charlie's, and they talk about all things pandemic, acting, auditioning, and navigating a career as a serious artist.  You can follow CBP on Instagram @creatingbehavior, and Charlie's NYC acting conservatory, the Maggie Flanigan Studio @maggieflaniganstudio. Theme music by  https://www.thelawrencetrailer.com. For written transcripts, to leave a voicemail on SpeakPipe, or contact Charlie for private coaching, check out https://www.creatingbehaviorpodcast.com

#002 We are in precarious times.  America's racism is tearing at the fabric of our lives. The world is in crisis, and throughout history, the artist has always risen up from our collective despair to bear witness and testify creatively about our human experience.  In this time of searing injustice, quarantine and isolation, how does the artist, the actor, care for their artistic soul, while also confronting life changing circumstances?  Join Charlie as he discusses the idea of Viktor Frankl's concept of Tragic Optimism, and the ways to nourish yourself during these unnerving times.  You can follow CBP on Instagram @creatingbehavior, and Charlie's NYC acting conservatory, the Maggie Flanigan Studio @maggieflaniganstudio. Theme music by  https://www.thelawrencetrailer.com. For written transcripts, to leave a voicemail on SpeakPipe, or contact Charlie for private coaching, check out https://www.creatingbehaviorpodcast.com

#001  Charlie Sandlan talks about who he is, and the winding artistic journey from actor, to owner and master teacher of the Maggie Flanigan Studio in NYC.  Charlie will describe what Creating Behavior will be, and why he has decided to share his 30 years of experience with everyone interested in understanding more deeply, the craft and beauty of acting and the creative process.   You can follow CBP on Instagram @creatingbehavior, and Charlie's NYC acting conservatory, the Maggie Flanigan Studio @maggieflaniganstudio. Theme music by  https://www.thelawrencetrailer.com. For written transcripts, to leave a voicemail on SpeakPipe, or contact Charlie for private coaching, check out https://www.creatingbehaviorpodcast.com