Actors Don't Act Alone
So Why Prepare Alone?
AUDITIONS
Most actors have developed methods for learning their lines, interpreting the text, and making strong choices. But many of these methods are born of necessity, not because they're the most effective way to prepare. Memorizing and making choices in a void can make it harder on tape to connect to the truths that our characters need to convey.
BOOKINGS
Every actor brings themselves to every role, be it film, television, or theater. Knowing our lines is paramount, but learning them is often a solitary effort. Most of us don't want to be directed in preparation for...being directed, but we want to feel prepared, confident in our choices, and ready to be agile in collaborating with directors and actors.
What I Do
I work with you, in-person or remotely, to:
GET YOU OFF BOOK
I'm there, script in hand, to give the analytical part of your brain a break. I can help you learn your lines and actions from scratch.
If you've already done some memorizing work, I'll ensure that you're word-perfect - no need to check the page and self-monitor your exact words.
OFFER CHOICES
You'll hear as much or as little dialogue surrounding your character's lines as you'd like, so you won't rely on queue words.
I'll make varied choices for those characters, giving you something to respond to, and options so that you don't get tied to a single expectation or idea.
GIVE YOU FREEDOM
There's nothing worse than feeling sure that you know your lines, being asked to do a simple action, and having your brain shut down.
I'll encourage you to move and try some physical choices while learning the words, and be ready to provide options if you prefer not to spend brainpower on it.
HIT THE BALL BACK
I'm not interested in putting my fingerprint on the process, I just want you to feel confident, prepared, and ready for anything.
I'm always ready take inspiration from what you bring the table and contribute anything I can, from adjustment ideas to script analysis to character motivations.
Why Work With Me?
Script Analysis
I brought books to school in 5th grade to read at recess. English was by far my best and favorite subject in high school. I got a 5 on my AP English exam. I majored in English/Creative Writing in college. I studied Shakespeare and classic works in detail from a writer’s perspective and from an actor’s perspective.
None of the above statements provide evidence beyond the fact that I’ve spent decades reading, writing, and analyzing text. It’s something my brain does well. I’m fascinated by language. I love words, I value them, and they engage me fully.
Text To Action
I’m an actor myself. I studied theater in college, spent a semester in London at BADA, worked in theater, television, and film in New York, got my master’s degree in acting from The American Conservatory Theater, and I’ve worked in television, film, and commercials in LA.
I understand the how to translate script to actions, motivations, and performance, AND the importance of letting go of the analysis and trusting your instrument.
Strong Opinions, Lightly Held
I’ve studied and used techniques ranging from Meisner to Adler to Strasberg to Chubbuck to Clowning. It’s only strengthened my conviction that there is no singular technique that works for everyone. I know what aspects of each work for me, but all that matters is what works for you, and what results in the best performance.
I’m a quick read, and good at figuring out what a writer is trying to do with a scene, what purpose it serves in the larger story, and what a character might want and need. Ironically, I think I’m better at figuring these things out for someone else than I am for myself, because my ego isn’t involved. But I don’t always have the “correct” interpretation, because we’re dealing with art, not science.
It means I can help if you’re struggling to connect with a word or phrase or moment, but I won’t get stuck in my own interpretation. When you’ve booked a role, it often means you understand what to do and how to do it, and when I can see how a character lives in you, I’m at my best. I can help you feed that fire and get out of the way.
MY REEL:
MY IMDB:
https://imdb.me/afleischer
My Story
I grew up in Dover, Massachusetts, a small town about 25 miles Southwest of Boston.
I went to Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota and graduated with a degree in English/creative writing in in 1999.
In the summer of ’99, I moved to New York to begin my career as an actor. I got my first serving job at the Grand Saloon in Manhattan on 23rd between 3rd & Lex, which is sadly no more. I lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn above a bar under construction that would open later that year as Pete’s Candy Store, which thankfully is still emphatically in business. I moved to Astoria, Queens the following year, and decided to apply to graduate acting programs.
I got accepted at The American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, CA, and moved there in August of 2001. I joined a class of 16 actors, and our first day of classes was September 12th, 2001. We did not study acting that day. We did band together, and I graduated 3 years later with a Masters degree in acting.
I moved back to New York in 2004 for 2 more years, this time living one block East of Macy’s in Manhattan. I began to miss nature.
Having also had enough of Winter, I moved to Los Angeles in 2006, got a studio in Hollywood, before meeting an amazing woman & moving to West Hollywood together in 2012. We got married in 2014, and welcomed our son into the world on February 29th, 2016.
He’s 10 now, loves Math and barely tolerates English.
I’m a Sagittarius with ADHD.
I’ve been to 44 of the 50 states, and it doesn’t count if you don’t leave the airport.
Interested?
Contact me for rates and availability.
Email: offbookaf@gmail.com
Call/Text: 917-549-4985
Client Testimonials
