Now that we’ve officially shifted to a virtual space, it has become imperative to continue to push our Acting technique skills to the next level. But virtually, that can be challenging. In this episode, Character Flaws Actor, Chris Markle shares with us advice on building upon acting skills virtually and in the classroom, his favorite instructors, and what to consider when choosing an acting class. He also chats with us about his upcoming films and how he and a classmate started it.
To learn more about Chris Markle and his work visit his Instagram page here.
Mentioned in the show:
Full transcript can be found on Corpartainment.com
Amora Brown:
I'm recording on Zencastr now, and now I am recording on Zoom.
Chris Markle:
Whoohoo!
Amora Brown:
Yeah! Well, Chris, thanks for joining on the Corpartainment podcast. My first podcast ever. I think you're like the fourth person that I might've actually ever interviewed. So that's pretty cool.
Chris Markle:
Thank you for having me. I'm excited.
Amora Brown:
So, you're the actor and I'm trying to get like you and become like a full-time actor. So a lot of my questions are going to be geared towards like, what should I be doing now to kind of put myself in a position to get work. I know when I was looking at your online presence and you have a very strong resume, I saw that you were in shows like Ask Dr. Julie, Wives and Knives and Piggy Banks. And I guess like, which, what shows were like your most like fun shows to work on?
Chris Markle:
I mean, my favorite show I've ever gotten to work on was actually written by a good friend that I took acting classes called Character Flaws. And that'll be coming out within the next like year or so. It was a lot of fun because, you know, he kind of writes the character for you in mind. So it's always great when like an actor friend or a writer friend reaches out and says, "Hey, I wrote a part and I want you to play it because I thought of you". And I'm like, okay, this is great. So it's always great when someone writes a part for you and you don't need to audition. But I guess the, the, my favorite role that I've gotten to play, where I've had to audition, it was for American Horror Story. And I got to play this frat bro that gets like hazed during like a 1980 frat night like hell house kind of not, not hell house hell, week kind of thing. And yeah, it was, it was a lot of fun.
Amora Brown:
That sounds, super fun. That's awesome. And how did you meet your friend? I guess like nowadays, how can people like network? Like where did you meet your friend after all?
Chris Markle:
So I- networking is like a term that gets tossed around a lot because it can be very awkward if you try to just like go up to people and like network, I think the best way to network is to just make friends by taking acting classes or doing casting director workshops, or even just- one friend I made, I just pulled her aside during acting class. I'm like, Hey, you and I kind of look alike. Would you want to write like a short film together where we play like fraternal twins? And we ended up doing that. I think if you want to make friends and network in the acting world or any kind of like artist related world, you just need to find people that are doing the same thing you're doing and can push you to the next level, push you further and just keep wanting to do projects with you. Like those are the kinds of people I think help you network better. I guess
Amora Brown:
Right, thats really important. It's a lot easier to do that these days with everything being virtual, everything being virtual means that you don't need to necessarily go to LA anymore to meet people. You can just do everything virtually through Skype or whatnot. So that's actually some actionable advice that you can do now, which is kind of cool.
Chris Markle:
Yeah. I can't even tell you how many, like casting director workshops. You get to like, see the inside of a casting director's house because like you're doing the thing and they're there. This is where, this is my domain right here. I got like this, screen.
Amora Brown:
I love that blue.
Chris Markle:
Yeah. Yeah.
Amora Brown:
Is it green? Or is it blue?
Chris Markle:
It's it's it's blue. I, I only use blue background for self-tapes because blue is very pleasing to the eye. So I like statistically if you have it on as a backdrop for a self-tape audition people are going to watch it and be like, "Oh, this is really nice". Plus it makes my eyes pop.
Amora Brown:
It does. I couldn't tell. I was like, does he have a green screen in his eyes? That it just, the blue background just goes all the way through? Nah, I don't know. It was kind of a weird joke, but anyway. *laughter* Yeah. So, okay. So what is Fraternalings? Am I even pronouncing that right?
Chris Markle:
Close it's, Fraternalings.
Amora Brown:
Fraternalings! Okay. I'm messing up names. So Fraternalings tell me about that show. Did you write it?
Chris Markle:
So that's actually the show I co-wrote with a friend from the acting class, her name's Carrie, it's a dark comedy. It's about a sociopath serial killer with depression reuniting with his like hyperactive deadbeat twin, after being apart for like 25 years. It's it's funny, but in like a very, very dark twisted kind of way, we tried to do something with like very clever dialogue. Like there's one scene that just takes place in a bathroom because we like, Oh yeah, it'd probably take place in a bathroom. And it's like very awkward. And I think very funny because we play these really, really dry, awkward beats. And I think it just enhances the story, but yeah, that's what fraternalings is. It's actually going out to the festivals right now. We just got into our first one, so...
Amora Brown:
Wow.
Chris Markle:
Yeah. I know I'm really excited in the Idlewild film festival for the best short or best comedic or best dark comedy short. So we'll see what happens.
Amora Brown:
That's so awesome. Good luck.
Chris Markle:
Thank you.
Amora Brown:
Good luck to you. Like I'm, I'm looking forward to seeing it as well, too when it's available for us to check out. So-
Chris Markle:
Most definitely.
Amora Brown:
Keep me in the loop. Cause that would be dope to see.
Chris Markle:
I will, I will.
Amora Brown:
Now I guess a side question, I know you have a degree in science. So were you looking to like go into that field before you decided to pursue acting? What made you get a degree in science after
Chris Markle:
So after high school, I wanted to go to an all art school and I submitted there. I got in, but then I found out how much it was going to be. So I ended up going to a state school and did the theater program there. When I was there, I was a theater major for like the first two years. And then I found out that the theater program was that like possibly going to get cut because, you know, schools are cutting the arts and all that jazz. And actually after I ended up leaving a year later, they ended up cutting the arts program.
Amora Brown:
Oh no!
Chris Markle:
Yeah, yeah, it's really kind of sad, but they have a theater teacher still there who does like a few classes, her name's Ramona she's. She's awesome. I had her for a few classes and she was like the costume designer and she's really cool.
Chris Markle:
But anyway so I went to college to actually pursue like a theater degree and my parents were like, "you shouldn't be going for something else, and then like theater can be your Plan B, you should have a Plan A first." So I was like, okay. So like I ended up doing interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in recreation management and like physical fitness and then like a minor in theater and a minor in communications. So it's like, I was able to take everything I wanted, like all the acting classes, the directing classes, but like, I still was able to get like a degree where I'm like, Oh, this is a bachelor's of science, not a bachelor's of arts. Not saying like a BA doesn't mean anything, cause I think it totally does, but like, you know, I think a BS degree holds up even better when you're like trying to submit to like jobs that aren't acting.
Amora Brown:
Yeah. It would seem like acting is more about like your resume, your experience and just be in there at the right place at the right time.
Chris Markle:
It totally is.
Amora Brown:
More so than like, I have a degree in it per se. I don't, I don't know necessarily. I'm sure the degree stands out, but I imagine that it would be, it would stand out more in the sense before you had a chance to network with people for the most part.
Chris Markle:
Yeah. I think, unless you're trying to go for something like technical theater, I don't think you necessarily need an arts degree. I mean, I think, I think they're awesome, but like, unless you're doing like set design or lighting design or you're out in the back, you know, doing the audio up in the booth, I don't think you necessarily need to have a theater arts degree. You could like take a minor and like do all the acting classes and stuff like that, but that's just me. Or you could just come to LA or do it through zoom, like we're doing and do acting classes that way. Like there's so many acting teachers I know that are doing zoom classes and I think it's great.
Amora Brown:
Okay. So if somebody did want to take some virtual acting classes who are some teachers that you recommend,
Chris Markle:
The first two I would recommend one is Fran from the actors workout studio up in North Hollywood, fantastic classes. He does strictly Meisner. If you don't know who Meisner is, he studied, understand Stanislavski who is like the father of method acting. Meisner- It's not method. It's more of like relating different trying to figure out the right way to word this. It's figuring out how to connect different emotions with made up stuff. So yeah, I, I, it sounds weird when you say it out loud, but like it works really well. So that's Meisner. It's like living under imaginary circumstances truthfully moment to moment. That's what they teach at the studio there, which I think is really great. And then my first acting teacher out here is the other one that I would suggest his name is Doug Warhit He offers a free audit class.
Chris Markle:
So you can literally just like hit him up dougwarhit.com. He has a website and everything. I think he's fantastic. He just takes every actor to the next level and just really knows how to like, get your best work out of you. He works on like character development, audition prep also like on a personal level too. Like he helps you. I mean, he helped me feel better about myself and like, yeah, you are trying as hard as you can. And so it's like, you can only focus on what you can control and that's that, you know, he's like a really great mentor. I would say, like, he's more than an acting coach and everyone I've ever talked about with him or about him has said like the same things. Like he's a great teacher and like, he's really there to help you out.
Amora Brown:
So it sounds like you kind of got lucky to find somebody super awesome. But like with there being so many options to choose from what are some things that someone should look out for when they're choosing a, an acting coach or acting class, because now everything's online. So it's like, are they essentially like the same? Or is it more of like I don't know, like, can I go on YouTube and find somebody that's really good? Or should they be recommended? Or what are some tips that you have for anyone that's thinking like, I want to find somebody, but they don't really, the person you recommend might not be available. So how would they go about researching?
Chris Markle:
I think I mean the best way that I've ever found any acting coaches I've gone on acting websites, Facebook, or like castting networks or like anything, and I've researched like acting coaches, but like what works for me might not work for you. But what I think is good about an acting coach and finding the right one for you, one make sure that you can audit their class. If they just want money up front, they're probably not for you. And they're just looking for a cash grab, which every acting class I've ever taken, I've always gotten to audit. So it's like one make sure there's an audit available so you can make sure it's right for you. Two: and I think the most important thing, do they make you feel uncomfortable? And when I say that, I don't mean like, do they make you like like scare you?
Chris Markle:
And like that way, I mean like, do you think they are going to push you in a way that no one else is going to push you including yourself? And I always ask myself that question any time, like I go to a place. Number three, after the audit, like, does it feel right? Because I mean, some, some things just like, you know, like when you're in a relationship and you find like the right person, like I've been married now for over five years, we've been together for over 11. And we met in high school. It's like things just when you, you know, and it just clicks, it's like the same thing with an acting teacher or a teacher in school. You just, when you know, you know,
Amora Brown:
That's, that's great. Thank you. Okay. So the next question to ask you is a question from the previous interviewee and that is what is important to you. It could be a thought it could be a person, it could be a passion. What is the most important thing to you, Chris?
Chris Markle:
I think authenticity. Authenticity. Yeah. Sorry. I said it wrong authenticity. I think being yourself and just being true to what you believe in and standing up for that. I think that's, yeah, I think that's, that's, what's important to me. I mean, I couldn't say family because family is and friends, they are, but like, I think finding out who you are and standing up for yourself and what you believe in, I think that's the most important thing to me. I think that I think acting is like a totally relates to acting because, you know, you want to be as truthful as possible to the character and yourself and the overall vision of the writer, director, producer, all the people, you know, and you want it, you want it to be as good as possible. So, yeah, authenticity,
Amora Brown:
You know, I heard a quote by bill Duke and he said, when you are hired to play a role, they're not hiring you to act the character. You know, they expect you to become them. And I think that was the strongest quote for me to really understand what acting is, is you become that character. And once I kind of flipped on that mindset, when I started doing little interviews here and there, I always become that character. And I'm like, "Oh, now I see why people take these acting classes and learn these different skills because you got to really go to a certain part in your mind dependent, no matter how you feel right now in the moment".
Chris Markle:
Oh yeah. And like, I think one, one thing, this was actually from Doug. If you write down like 10 actions, this is a Stella Adler thing. If you write down 10 actions in each scene that you have like say the short film you're in has like four scenes you're in write down 10 actions. You can do to get where you want in the scene. And then eventually you might not do any of them, but it's in your head. Same thing with like an inner dialogue, your ID write down like what you're thinking in the scene. So that way it's like, "Oh, I don't even need to think about the lines" if I am in it. And I'm like focused on my partner, the line will come to me and I'm like already thinking like the character, like that's all these little tricks you can do in it.
Amora Brown:
I'm a little confusing. Are you talking about me as the person? Are you talking about me as the character?
Chris Markle:
Both. cause like when you create, it's not like you as a character, you, as you, it's, you're taking you and you're taking the character and you're merging them together into one. Like you are becoming the character, but it's still, you like only you can bring what you have to a character. You know,
Amora Brown:
My last question for you is what is a question that you'd like to ask, like to ask the next interviewee?
Chris Markle:
Cool. I'm actually going to steal this from a podcast because a lot of acting podcasts out there. So the question I would like to ask is, do you believe acting chose you or you chose it?
Amora Brown:
Beautiful. Now, what if the next person is not an actor, then what would you ask them?
Chris Markle:
I would ask them the same thing, but I would rephrase it as like, Hey like you, so like if you're like an electrical engineer, you think you were always meant to be an electrical engineer or do you think being an electrical engineer kind of chose you? Like you just were destined to do it kind of thing.
Amora Brown (15:54):
Okay, that's a good question.
Chris Markle:
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I think it's, I think it's very self reflective of like what we do in life and like, why are we do it.
Amora Brown:
Well, thank you for coming on the show, Chris.
Chris Markle:
Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it. It was a blast!
Amora Brown:
You're welcome. This was fun. And I hope you decide to come back to speak again in the future.
Chris Markle:
Of course, you should definitely add all of them like that with like a little dance party thing. I'd love it. Woot! Woot!
Amora Brown:
Where can we find more of your work? If we want to support you, we want to follow you. Where do we find you at?
Chris Markle:
You can find me on Instagram. It's just Chris Markel. And I don't know if I'm related to Meghan Markle that a lot, but anyway yeah at Chris Markel on Instagram or you can find me on, IMDB just Chris Markel. You can see what I've been up to check out my reels on YouTube, if you just type in "Chris, Mark reels" and yeah. Keep an eye out for things that I've been working on all throughout 2020. And before that. Yeah, yeah I'm on the internet.
Amora Brown:
Yes. Well, thank you so much. And we'll hope you have a great rest of the day.
Chris Markle:
Thank you. You as well as great chatting.
Amora Brown:
Bye!
Chris Markle:
Bye!
Amora Brown:
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