Off Script: Embrace The Unexpected In Acting from Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia.

In this Off Script episode, I share insights from my experience in Alice Springs, focusing on the theme of embracing the unexpected in acting. I discuss how unexpected opportunities can arise at any moment and how actors can prepare to adapt and grow from these experiences. The conversation emphasizes the importance of resilience, trust in one's instincts, and the value of spontaneity in performances. I also encourage my fellow late-blooming actors to embrace unpredictability as a vital part of their journey.

Takeaways

• Embrace the unexpected as a part of your acting journey.
• Opportunities can arise at the most unexpected times.
• The best performances often come from spontaneity.
• Adaptability is crucial in acting and life.
• Building resilience helps you bounce back from challenges.
• Trust your instincts and preparation during unexpected moments.
• Improv can enhance your ability to stay present.
• Every challenge can be seen as an opportunity in disguise.
• Never stop a scene; unexpected moments can lead to brilliance.
• Embrace both planned and unplanned experiences in your career.

Chapters

• 1:15 Greetings From Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia.
• 6:17 The Importance of Adaptability
• 8:17 Practical Ways To Embrace The Unexpected
• 11:46 Closing Thoughts on Growth and Opportunity

Transcript

David John Clark (00:00)

Hi everyone. This is just a quick intro before we get live into it. That the first part of this video is a live recording out on the streets here. I won't give it away. I'll let you see it, but the audio quality isn't fantastic because it was just recorded on my phone, but you'll get the jinks of it and then we'll go live into the studio as you can hear me now. So please don't turn off. It's it's it's it's listenable. I just wanted to give you that heads up. So we'll see on set and enjoy.

David John Clark (00:30)

Well hello, this is The Late Bloomer Actor coming to you from Alice Springs, Northern Territory. It is the heart of Australia, Central Australia. That's a desert. Yep, you heard me right. It's a desert. And as you can see in the background there, the Todd River, which is the river that flows right through the middle of Alice Springs, has water in it. I wouldn't technically say it's flowing because there's no water on the other side at the moment, but it's certainly making its way down. And yes, here we go. We're in a desert

and we have water. Now I'm out for a run before I go to work and well, I'm going to cross that so I take my shoes off or run around. That leads me to my point of this recording is the unexpected. As actors we can get the unexpected all the time and that can be a myriad of things and how you deal with them will make you a better actor. So I'm going to record the rest of this in the studio because I'm not sure what the sound quality is like out here with the wind blowing,

without my proper recording equipment so hopefully you can hear me but just wanted to get the footage of that so we'll come back to you in the studio and we'll talk about the unexpected for actors. So here you go folks one river crossing with water in it, in the desert, Alice Springs, Northern Territory.

And it's a beautiful day too. We've had storms the last couple of days as you can see beautiful skies at the moment very warm it's about 39 degrees Celsius I think so everyone in America can convert that to Fahrenheit. Might do that for you after. So cheers guys we'll see you in the studio.

David John Clark (02:17)

Hello everyone and welcome to this quick Off Script episode of the Late Bloomer Actor. Now as you know from the opening scene I'm coming to you from Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia. And obviously as you can see the background is a little bit different. I'm coming from an apartment. I'm here for four weeks so I'm not at home. So something a little bit different for everyone. For those that are watching on YouTube or watched on YouTube the opening video snippet you would have noticed that I was out for a run. Yes.

in 40 degrees Celsius temperature. I think that's 104 Fahrenheit for our Imperial listeners. And behind me was the Todd River with water in it. Now, if you are familiar with this desert town, you will know that that's pretty remarkable. It's a rare and unexpected event. So they say you're not considered local until you've seen the river flow three times. And sometimes that can take a decade. But then it can happen in a year.

The river isn't quite flowing, but it's covering the causeway and that's something worth pausing for. As I alluded to in the opening, this moment got me thinking about the unexpected in our acting journeys and how crucial it is to be ready to embrace it. So let's explore this idea together. How as actors, and particularly as late-bloomer actors, we can turn the unexpected into opportunities. And before I go on, if you're not watching on YouTube, please check it out later as it is worthwhile to see the desert water in play

even if it's not quite flowing yet. I'm not sure there might be more rain on its way. And once that sand is wet, it can flow easily. So maybe I'll become a local yet again, because it's been a while. And as a call to action before I go on, as always, can I ask you to like and subscribe on your favorite podcast player? Check me out on any of your socials and consider becoming a paid super fan. Link is in the show notes.

For as little as $3 a month cancel at any time you will support the show and also have early access to future episodes as they are recorded live with the guest and you may even get your questions answered on the episode. So here we go with the unexpected. Life is full of surprises and acting well acting takes it to another level. Whether it's an audition that comes out of nowhere, a last minute call to be on set or an emotional breakthrough in a scene.

The unexpected is not just a possibility to guarantee. And I can attest to that. Here I am in Alice Springs, the central point of Australia, a small town away from my normal comforts and equipment. And sure enough, in comes an audition from a very good casting director and for a wonderful opportunity with a great director and producer. Now, obviously that's as much as I can say, NDA and all, but it shows that the opportunities will come sometimes at the most unexpected times.

And how you embrace them and action them will define your journey.

Think about it, the best performances often come from moments of spontaneity. As actors we prepare rigorously, but it's the unplanned elements, spark that happens in the moment that bring a character to life. For those of us starting our acting journeys later in life, we already know a thing or two about the unexpected. Maybe you never imagined you'd pursue acting, but here you are.

That leap of faith, embracing something you didn't plan for is exactly the mindset that can propel your career forward. And for those fortunate enough to be on the journey as young people, lucky you, or unlucky, nah, as lucky, like my son, dealing with the unexpected may be a new concept for you, especially in a career context, also whilst on a journey of growth and learning at the same time. To, why the unexpected is vital for growth.

Acting is about adapting. Every audition, every performance, every rehearsal asks us to step outside our comfort zones.

Sometimes that means working with a director who pushes you in ways you didn't expect. Other times it's about finding a deeper emotional truth in a scene that you initially thought impossible. When we embrace the unexpected, we grow not just as actors, but as people. These moments challenge us to be flexible, to trust ourselves and to stay present. And being present, that's the magic source for any great performance. A practical example.

Improv. improvisation. Many actors shy away from improv because it's unpredictable, but that's the beauty of it.

Improv teaches you to say yes, to build on whatever is thrown your way and to create something authentic in the moment. That's a skill you can carry into every audition room and every performance.

Improv is something that certainly scares the crap out of me. But something that I will certainly step up and try when the circumstances are right. Now, lessons from the Todd River. What can a water filled Todd River in central Australia teach us about acting? It's a reminder that the unexpected can be a gift. In Alice Springs, the locals know the Todd River rarely flows, it's a dry river bed most of the time. But when it does fill with water, it's a spectacle.

People pause, they take it in. Like I did on the video at the start of this whilst out running in 40 degree heat. As actors, we need to do the same. When an unexpected opportunity or challenge arises, stop, take it in. See it for what it is. A chance to grow, to stretch and to shine. You might not have planned for it, but that doesn't mean it's not exactly what you need.

So how can we as actors prepare to embrace the unexpected? Some thoughts that I come up with. Stay open minded. Be willing to try new things, even if they scare you. Whether it's taking a class outside your comfort zone, auditioning for a role you just wouldn't normally consider, or even saying yes to an improv workshop, lean into the unfamiliar. Now,

starting this podcast and doing everything that I do for the podcast has been a challenge for me. And many times I've felt overwhelmed and out of my depth. I continually put myself into situations that my introvertness. Yes, that's a word. I'm going with it. It's a word. And you may find that hard to believe, but my introverted self says, get out, get out now. Done in an Arnold Schwarzenegger accent. What are you doing here? I say to myself, why do I keep doing it?

I've turned to my wife and said, well, hey, why am I here? Why am I doing this? Because I just know it's out of my comfort zone, you know, social situations and stuff like that. But I've chosen to do these things because I can see the end game, the end results. That's why I keep doing it, because I know what the positive results can be. Another thing to think of, cultivate resilience. The unexpected isn't always positive. Sometimes it's a rejection,

a tough critique or a project falling through. You need to build the mental resilience to bounce back and keep going. Remember, every challenge is an opportunity in disguise and we need that resilience because this job we do, this journey we're on as actors, it's a continual process of hearing, no, usually in the form of nothing received back, no feedback, nothing, but is that a bad thing? Not really.

I was very fortunate recently to hear feedback from a casting director about two recent auditions that I had not heard anything about. As obviously I had not been successful for the job or even a callback, but the feedback was that the casting director and his team really liked my work. And because of that, and off the back of that, they offered me a role for another project. So, although you might never hear back about your audition submissions,

It's not necessarily a bad thing. In essence, can be and likely is a good thing. You just were not the right choice that time. But now you've been seen or seen again and it will pay off. So it leads into trusting your instincts when something unexpected happens in a scene or on set. Trust yourself, your preparation, your life experience and your instincts are enough to carry you through.

And this leads me to some great advice from a friend and mentor, casting director, Greg Apps of The Audition Technique. Nice little plug there, check it out online. It's wonderful.

Greg says never stop a scene, whether on set or in an audition. Because that moment, an unexpected moment, may be a moment of brilliance. Something so unexpected that it becomes a great scene, a great moment for audiences.

Practice adaptability. This could mean trying improv, as I mentioned earlier, or simply saying yes to opportunities that feel uncertain. The more you practice adapting, the easier it becomes. And stay present. Acting like life happens in the now. By staying present, you're better equipped to handle surprises and turn them into magic.

My closing thoughts.

So thinking back to what prompted this episode, standing here in Alice Springs watching the Todd River do something unexpected, I'm reminded that our journeys as actors are lot like this moment. The path won't always be predictable. Sometimes the dry riverbed of auditions will suddenly fill with opportunities. Other times a role or experience will take you in a direction you never anticipated. The key is to embrace it all. The planned and the unplanned, the smooth and the bumpy.

Because it's in these moments of unpredictability that we discover what we're truly capable of. So to all the late bloomers and actors out there, new or old, let's make a pact to embrace the unexpected on our screens, on stage and in life. Who knows what surprises are just around the corner. So guys, thank you for joining me on this Offscript episode from Central Australia, Northern Territory. Until next time, keep blooming,

keep growing and remember the unexpected might just be your greatest gift. And as always, I'll see you on set guys.