BGB Studio 10 Day Actors Challenge:
Finding Your Power!

This page includes your 10 Day Calendar, along with recommendations for each of the 5 daily activities. Print out the Calendar and post it so it’s visible. You choose each day’s activities from in the instructions (or create your own!), then write them in the Calendar. You make the schedule. This is your commitment to yourself. And just for fun, we’ll offer a focus every day in our Audios; something we want you to think about letting go.

Ok, here's how it works

2) Schedule Your Tasks

Listed below are the 5 daily tasks. We recommend that you read the instructions for each activity, place each activity on your 10 Day calendar accordingly, and prepare any resources you might need to complete your activites.

3) Get Moving!

Follow your calendar and complete each activity! Use the daily audio clip to help you work through your Meditation and Writing activities. And remember, you should be completing 5 activities every day:
Meditation - Writing - Movement - Acting - Giving

Here are your 5 daily activities

Meditation

Where does artistry start? It starts inside of you. You are unique to the universe and the expression of your unique emotional experience is what acting is all about. But before you can express that fully, you have to have a clear sense of who you are, of how you’re unique. When you know yourself, when you walk into an audition room, on set or on stage with true self-knowing, you become like a rooted tree. Yes the winds of the business will blow and you’ll sway one way or the other, but you’ll remain rooted. “Bad feedback” won’t wreck you. You’ll be excited about the possibility of booking but you won’t obsess over it.

Every day of our 10 day Meditation journey will start with a guided meditation and then we will sit in silent contemplation. We will gently increase our silent time over the course of our 10 days together. All you need is a quiet, comfortable place, a device with which to listen, and headphones, preferably ones that help keep out any distractions and help focus you inward.

Writing

Writing is an essential part of an actor’s life. It’s an amazing form of creative expression that only requires yourself (and a pen and paper). It’s a form of meditation. It can clarify your thoughts, allow for deep-self reflection, and when structured in certain ways, can lead to scripts and scenes that offer an actor creative and financial opportunity.

For your daily writing, you’ll need a journal and pen. No keyboards or iPad typing here. Find a place where you can write undisturbed, perhaps in or close to your designated meditation spot. You’ll write for a few minutes, increasing the time over the course of the 10 days.  So, go to the Meditation and Writing Audio page every day, click that day’s audio link, and you’re on your way (or listen to the audio for that day if you have chosen to download the files). It’s best to go in order.

Movement

You are your instrument.  All of you.  Body and mind.  To do what you want to do creatively and professionally your mind and body have to work together.  While going to the gym and lifting weights or running on a treadmill are fine, often our bodies and minds aren’t working together. Often we’re working out for vanity or to achieve some sort of physical ideal that reveals that we’re not happy with who we are. In that state, our minds and bodies are disconnected.  For at least 30 minutes a day for 10 days you’re going to move with mindfulness to achieve balance, wholeness, and good health (all of which lead to beauty).  What connects your body and mind when you’re moving is breath.  Breath is the key.  So, pick one of the following for each day of the 10 Day Actor’s Challenge or come up with your own. Write them down on your Artistic Calendar so you can plan to do each one each day for 10 days. Yes, you can do the same exercise on two or more days. But try to switch it up. Move with mindfulness.  Move with breath.  Lose yourself, look inside, discover what the movement does to your mind, your body, your spirit.

Walk
Walking is so underrated. Studies show that walking 20 mins a day does amazing things for your health. For our purposes, it allows you to move while thinking. Walk with some pace. Get the blood flowing. But don’t run. If you’re walking, then honor that and walk. Don’t speed up because you feel you have to. Walk like your feet are kissing the ground with every step. If you’ve decided to walk, then honor each step.
Hike
Fresh air, calming nature, having to manage uneven, inclined, and declined surfaces. Find a trail anywhere and get lost in the mountains somewhere. Nearby or a ride away.
Yoga
Any and all kinds. Check out a local yoga studio or engage in the practice at home. This is the time to take that yoga class!
Tai Chi
Flowing movement with breath. There are a number of places where you can find a class or a meet up in a park.
Qi Gong
Breathing and stretching.  Same as above.
dANCE
Any and all. With music or without. In a class, a club, at home to your favorite album or station. Dance, dance, dance.
STRETCH
Slowly and with breath.  Find discomfort but not pain. In class or at home on your mat.
PILATES
On a reformer or mat work. Stretch and open your body. One-on-one or in a group class.
SWEEP
No, seriously. Sweep. Find the biggest floor, sidewalk, whatever you can, and sweep it. The weight shifts from one side to the next finding flow in your body. Your heart rate elevates, you engage your mind in a task.
YOUR OWN IDEA!
Whatever gets you connected. Schedule one every day for 30 minutes and see how your mind, body, and spirit soar.

Acting

It’s what you do. It’s who you are. And yet very few actors actually make a point of staying in the kind of practice required to achieve their creative and professional goals. Very few actors act every day. Many don’t do it every week. You’re going to act every day for 10 days. In one form or another, you will engage in your acting life daily. Exercises, scenes, explorations, observations. You’re going to do it! Pick one for each day of the 10 Day Actor’s Challenge or come up with one of your own. A few of your choices may require some planning so do just that. Write them on your Calendar so you can plan to do one each day, every day, for 10 days. Here are some recommendations:

read a monologue
out loud to someone or Read a scene with someone. Talk about it.
write
a 1 minute monologue or 2 person 1-2 page scene. Read it to or with someone.
self tape
your monologue or scene. Shoot it any way you like. With any camera. iPhone is fine.
watch
the tape with someone. Talk it through. Even on on the phone or via skype.
observe
Go to a highly populated area and observe behavior for 1 hour. Take notes. Who was interesting to you and why? What drew you in?
watch
a classic movie, even better if it was made before 1980.
see a play
Book it ahead of time. You might want to see it with a friend also taking the Challenge. Either way, get out there and experience theatre.
read a screenplay
We have a resource list here where you can find all sorts of scripts to read.
watch
three YouTube Acting Videos from reputable sources.
watch
a Ted Talk. Journal about how it relates to acting.
prepare a scene
Read a scene, pick a role and then answer the following questions: What are the facts of the scene? What’s this scene really about? How does this scene trigger you emotionally? How does it make you feel? Then make the people and things in the scene specific and personal for you. If you’re talking about “Auntie Hattie” in the scene, cast her specifically. Once you’ve done that, ask yourself what you want from the other person in the scene. Write it all down!
transcribe a scene
from a film or tv show. Watch the scene and transcribe it. If you don’t have screenwriting software, that’s fine. Do it any way you can. You can try dictating it first.
read a book
At least dig into the book during the Challenge and you can finish it soon after.
go to class
Find a class that can become a part of your workout, your practice.
one-on-one
Take a singing or music lesson. Alexander Technique. Book a career or life coaching session. Give a generous gift to yourself.
disconnect
Try one whole day without social media or email! This one is challenging but go for it!

Giving

The practice of giving without hope of reward kills bitterness and narcissism. It gets you out of your own way and puts you in the practice of truly seeing outside of yourself so that you can really take in the reader in an audition or your scene partner on set or on stage. The practice of giving allows you to walk into any room, focused on what you need, and then give to the reader, as opposed to focusing on what you can do to book the job or protect your own feelings, etc. Giving helps you let go of money attachment, leaving room for money to come in. Some options are below. Choose one for each day of the 10 Day Challenge or come up with your own. Write them down on your Calendar so you can plan to do one each day, every day, for 10 days. And remember, in all of this, never expect anything in return.

random act of kindness
Take out a neighbor’s trash, pay for someone’s lunch anonymously, do something for someone that would brighten their day. Add some tidiness to a public area. Do something simple and generous during your day. Without being asked, without hope of reward.
be generous
Smile at someone at your local coffee place, making eye contact. Hold a door open, let someone in front of you in line, give up a parking space. Give someone a ride somewhere.
volunteer
at a local food bank, homeless shelter, dog shelter, after-school program, etc. Find one near you and plan your trip.
bake or cook
for someone who needs it. Bring over what you make. Get take-out if you’re not cooking.
forgive
someone, even though they may not deserve it.
reach out
to someone in need (hint: we all need) who could use the contact. Who would be so happy to hear from you? Call, email, text.
donate
at least $20 to a reputable charity that means something to you. Decide what the money means to you and then give it away.
give
to an organization of your choice. Here at The BGB Studio, we love to work with M.E.N.D. (Meet Each Need with Dignity). Not only do they accept donations of non-perishable food items and clothing, they also have many volunteer opportunities.

You can find your daily Meditation and Writing Audio clips here:

Remember to plan ahead, try your absolute best to complete each day, and most importantly HAVE FUN!!
Now get out of here and begin your journey!!

Join the BGB 10 Day Actor’s Challenge Facebook Group to stay connected. Share your experiences and discoveries with us at:
FB Group Here

Any Challenge questions? Email info@bramongarciabraun.com or call 818-755-9500 (On weekends it’s best to email.) Please remember that these pages are confidential.