Dylan Stumer got his first taste of acting in school plays, but he’d say that the real turning point for him was when he watched “Zathura: A Space Adventure” (2005). It made him say in his heart ‘Yep, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to make movies’. Dylan Stumer wanted to be involved in something like that: to act and tell stories that get audiences to think, feel, and experience something beyond themselves.
Since then, Dylan has never looked back. he’s been involved with so many amazing productions and been able to meet some truly incredible and talented people. He have loved the process and fallen in love with the process. From acting and dialogue coaching, to castings, and everything in between. This industry has provided me with so many invaluable experiences.
indieactivity: Did you study acting?
Dylan Stumer (DS): I am constantly training in my craft. I have had the pleasure to work with Kristina Sexton (On Set Coaching), who is beyond incredible and knows how to talk to an actor to get them into the right frame of mind for a role. I’ve also trained with Denise Woods (Speak it clearly) on my US accent, and she really knows her stuff!
I’ve also been lucky to train with coaches and casting directors, and am always learning on set! Training in acting is so important – no matter how you do it. It’s good to be up-to-date and it doesn’t matter what level you’re at – you should always be growing. Every successful actor will tell you this.
My advice to other artists is to always keep learning. It doesn’t have to be expensive training – find what works for you and do it. Hone your crat. Short films, scene practice with friends, watching scene breakdowns online, behind the scenes clips, weekend workshops, yearlong studies… there are endless opportunities to grow. So grow!
I like the example that I was given that acting is “like a sport. If you want to play for the Queensland Maroons, you need to train to get there. Professional sport players can’t stop training for months and then go into a big game”. It just doesn’t work. The same applies with acting. You need to train to get better and work your way up in the industry.
What acting technique do you use?
Dylan Stumer (DS): Personally, I don’t really have a technique, per-say. But, when I get a script I like to take a deep breath and just read it. I take it all in and embrace the journey and the story my character is participating in. You can only read a script for the first time once, so it’s important to enjoy it and experience its wholeness.
Do you take courses to improve our craft?
Dylan Stumer (DS): Absolutely! I’m about to begin an 8 week workshop which I’m really looking forward to. I also do private coaching on the side when I’m not working on projects. This includes workshops with casting directors – which I think are really important because you get to put yourself in their shoes. You get to understand what casting sees and go beyond a simple “Males 16 – 25” brief.
You also get to imagine how many people are going to get submitted to the CD. Your headshot is on this little box on a computer screen with 100’s if not 1000’s of other actors. Doing workshops with Casting Directors helps by letting them know who you are and your acting ability, and helps them notice you automatically. It also gives you those insights that you need to thrive in an audition.
