The most annoying question that you could ask any actor is, without a doubt, "How did you manage to learn all those lines?" Acting isn't about learning lines. This was no clearer to me than on Thursday night when I attended the premiere of Death Rally, a short film I worked on last summer in which I have the lead. Prior to seeing the final cut of the film, I had been told by the director that they edited out most of the dialogue because it simply did not flow with the feel of the film. The movie has this great comic book look to it and by cutting out the lines between my character and her husband you get a good sense of the tension escalating between the couple.

The director was worried that this would bother me but, once I saw the film, any reservations I may have had instantly melted away. The movie is great. It's funny, gross, very well done and the lack of dialogue leaves plenty of room for body language.

I've heard actors (celebrities mostly) say that they can't watch themselves on the screen. I had no such problem. Maybe this stems from being a theatre performer. I would kill to be able to see how I'm doing on stage.

Watching, I realized that I was present and in the moment. I was listening, paying attention to my scene partner, and reacting to what he was giving me. I was doing good work, all without dialogue. In other words, I was acting. That's what it's all about; not the lines.

*************************************** I am proud to have been a part of this movie and will gladly work with Actum Imago Productions again (hint hint - hire me!). It has already had a screening at Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival and was just picked up by the Terror Film Festival in Philadelphia. There's a possibility I might even be at that screening.

In the meantime, I leave you with the trailer for Death Rally (including most lines that have been cut from the film).

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxrlRJ9i8bY]