I had a great time in Cologne in April 2010 and at the International Film School
and in Berlin with Interkunst in July 2009.
Thank you to all my students who have allowed me to use clips from
my workshops for my new DVD!
Worked with one of the leading actor/dancers on 'StreetDance 3D'
last year - happy to see it being so successful!
'The Last Station' about Tolstoy's last months that I worked on
(credited under my other name - Ann Churcher) was nominated for
two Oscars.
And Jack Price's excellent short film 'Indigo' that I helped with
last year has received a Special Mention award in Berlin.
Here is my favourite current quote - from Christoph Waltz ('Inglourious
Basterds') winner of Best Supporting Actor for Oscars & BAFTAs
(about NOT playing a character!) He is asked how he played evil
so convincingly,
"You simply don't. You know, stay away from it. It's a bad
idea. You end up in a silly stereotypical cliche...And you end up
in your conception of evil, you know, which might not be enough
anyway." (reported by Mike Goodridge. Screen International.
Feb.2010)
I was thrilled to see Raymond Blanc passing on our relaxed breathing
work to a nervous chef in 'The Restaurant' on TV!
This is me in action at a question & answer session in Cologne!
Archive:Control (the film about Ian Curtis of Joy
Division won several awards including Best European Film at
Cannes 2007. (And Sam also won a "Kermode"!) It was Sam
Riley's first film and we had two week's pre-production together.
Here are some reviews:
'..it's the central performance by Sam Riley that really makes
Control. For sheer truthfulness, he stand comparison with Tom Courtenay
& Albert Finney...(Derek Malcolm, Evening Standard 3/10/2007)
...there's no denyingthe extraordinary performance of Sam Riley
in the lead role. (Sukhdev Sandhu, The Daily Telegraph 5/10/2007)
Archive: Danny the Dog/Unleashed
opened in 2006 with Jet Li getting wonderful reviews for his fine
work. He is an excellent actor (look at 'Hero') but he wanted to
prepare differently for this role. This is from the film company's
production notes:
Li notes, "This film was an occasion
for me to go further emotionally, to play something stronger with
human significance." Accordingly, he began preparing for UNLEASHED
as he had for no other film. "I'd never taken an acting class
before," he admits. "I learned just by working. This time,
though, Luc found a wonderful acting coach from London. For two
months before shooting, she helped me study Danny and discover what
he was like - what he's thinking, how he walks, how he reacts."
"Two years ago, while making 'Unleashed,' I met a British
acting coach, a very wonderful lady, and she taught me how to act.
She told me never think about how to act, just use your heart to
believe in what you're doing. That was very helpful." (Lewis
Beale. Newsday. 21/9/06)
"Besson's decision to give Li two months with an acting coach
also pays off with one of the star's subtlest and most natural performances."
(Eye weekly 05/12/05)
..."this is also Li's most interesting non-Hong Kong work
to date." Radio Times 2009
I finally said goodbye to the Open
Air Theatre, Regent's park in 2007 after 12 years as coach there
when Ian Talbot left as Artistic Director. I first met Ian when
I played Hermia in Midsummer night's Dream in 1975 - he
was playing Bottom! Will always have great memories of this beautiful
but challenging place. One of the best places to see Shakespeare
in the world!
I
have several new books in development. Next one will be a further
look at fim acting with publisher Nick Hern.