Justina Vail

7 Ways to Get the Happy Actor Factor

In the work I’ve done over the years with both actors and non-actors, I’ve found that the core purpose to most of our hopes and dreams is to be happy.

How to Belong in the Acting Business

No matter how long you’ve been an actor and no matter how much time and effort you’ve put into the pursuit of your career, do you still feel you don’t quite belong in the business?

3 Ways to Become a Lead Actor

Booking a lead role in any project brings responsibility to the project itself and to the people in it—which essentially describes leadership.

Why Your Exit is Just as Important as Your Entrance

In the business of acting, we usually talk about making an entrance. There’s a focus on how you enter rooms, start scenes, and begin working with people. Yet a very important factor in the unfolding of your life and career is how you exit.

Stop Fighting Your Success

I can't count how many actors I've coached, at every career level, who come in telling me they’re doing all the right things, yet their vision of the future has been just that—a vision of the future. It hasn’t had the chance to become a ...

How To Handle Competition

Being competitive doesn’t help you get the part. In fact, for most actors, it’s an uncomfortable, self-sabotaging experience. What happens to your mind, emotions, and physiology in a competitive state takes you out of the moment and away from your power.

Why Not To Get Attached to Audition Outcomes

When you’ve got an audition and you’re attached to an outcome of any kind - saying your lines a certain way, impressing the room, booking the role - you’re going to get into a state that’s more likely to sabotage the outcome than make it happen.

3 Ways To Create a Path to Success in the New Year

In the thirty years I’ve been in the film business, I’ve discovered some crucial steps needed for the journey to be successful. Here are three simple ways to create a clearer path to success in 2013.

Use Your Fear To Fuel You

So, how do you engage your fear? The typical response is to try not to feel afraid. This usually makes it worse because of the increased conflict with your own being. The key with fear is how you "frame" it, i.e. what meaning you put on fear.