What is CRAFT?

An activity involving skill in making things by hand. It’s synonym with activity, occupation, profession, work, line of work, pursuit. I love the thought of making things with skill, by hand. Something out of nothing.

What is an ARTIST?

A person that practices, and is skilled in, any of the various creative arts. A person skilled at a particular task or occupation.

We throw these words around a lot…“craft, artist.” We separate them and try to understand their meaning. How do I be an “artist”? How do I know I am practicing my “craft”? The problem is we look at them as separate ideas. We don’t look at them as the same thing. We don’t see that one cannot exist without the other. The similarities between these two ideas are so closely tied together. When looking at the definitions of these words, they both require “skill, work, pursuit, and practice.” They require constant attention to detail.

There are a lot of places that you can learn the craft of acting. There are a lot of places you can go, to flex and push as an artist. What we want is for you to have both. To realize that being an artist…a true artist, is being a student of your craft. Understanding what your job really consists of, and how to get that. 50% of our job is understanding material. Understanding what we need do with this “character,” this human being. Understanding what the writing is asking for…not what I want the writing to be. Understanding that my “choices” as an actor must be supported by the material I am given.

Once we have all of the “craft” skills to do this, we must then bring our artistry to it. We must know how to play this instrument that we call a body. How to fully achieve what is needed emotionally as well as intellectually. To have the power, presence, understanding, and confidence that my craft is so strong that I can just BE. That I can listen and react honestly in the moment.

What we teach on “paper” is audition technique. There are a lot of studios where you can get that. But what I will teach you is that 50%…that understanding of material. How to break down a piece and apply it in the strongest way possible. I will teach you to fall in love with script analysis. And then, I will teach you how to couple it with craft, and ultimately mature your artistry.

I will give you everything I have, and if you do the same…give me all that you are…your work, your skill, your passion, your drive…we, together, will turn this into a town of artists, and we will kick all the actors out.

I don’t really like actors. Actors complain about the auditions they’re getting, or not getting, who their agent is, or isn’t. Actors just complain. But artists…artists, I love. Artists want to grow and push. Artists are willing to be uncomfortable and TRY, and BE, and sometime FAIL. Artists are willing to risk because they must. Artists do because they LOVE. So to be a true ARTIST, let’s remind ourselves that we must know our CRAFT inside and out.

That is the type of studio we are. It’s what we will continue to grow to be…a community of artists who know their craft.

— KC Clyde