Get to know TAS Coach: Molly Pass

Get to know TAS Coach: Molly Pass

All of our acting coaches are highly qualified working actors who participate in the Film/TV industry in a variety of ways, in addition to coaching acting classes. But we want to give you a more in-depth look at who they are as people. 
 
This month we are sharing some insights that will help answer the question, 
“Who Is Molly Pass?” Read on to find out!

How did you first get into acting?

I have always loved movies, and remember watching the same ones over and over again until I was able to memorize and perform my favorite parts for our family members. So when we heard an ad on the radio for TAS, it was a no-brainer to sign up for classes!

You have been with TAS for a long time. Tell us about your journey.

I’ve been at TAS since I was seven years old. Really ever since my mom let me start taking acting classes! I remember feeling inspired, encouraged, and welcomed- which was super important for me as a very shy kid at that time in my life.

As I got older, I became more confident in myself and my craft, and The Actor’s Scene still felt like a safe place to explore and make new friends! Now, as both a coach and our Media Director (which still doesn’t feel real!), I feel like I am challenged by the exercises and concepts that we teach, both in acting and beyond!

On top of helping me stretch my acting muscles, I feel that the studio is an awesome and safe place to learn and grow amongst other amazing actors!

What has been your biggest struggle in the industry?

I think, like most actors, my biggest struggles in the industry tend to involve comparison and self-doubt. It’s easy to get into the habit of comparing my success to the success of others my age, or even younger, that I see on social media. In addition to that, sometimes there are seasons where I’m either not booking or not being asked to audition as frequently, and although that’s completely normal in this business, I can find myself taking it personally.

So, what helps you overcome self doubt and comparison?

I have to remember that I bring something unique to every performance that I do (and so do you)! We are all so different in the best way, and comparing myself to others simply isn’t fair to me or the people I’m comparing to! I think the main ways to combat comparison and self-doubt are to surround yourself with positive people who understand what you’re going through, catch yourself when comparing your work/success/whatever to someone else, and focus on YOU and your process when it comes to preparation and performance. Because at the end of the day, I can’t control how often I book or how many people follow me on Instagram, but I can control the amount of effort and grace that I put into my work and into myself.

"And a shift in perspective can change a life. Hope can create possibility. Options are always available to us if we stand back and look at things differently."

-Brian Cranston, "A Life in Parts"

Besides acting, do you pursue any other interests in the entertainment industry?

I’m definitely a multi-passionate person. I love creating, whether it’s in front of or behind the camera. Something I’d like to do more of is to create more narrative content like short films, web series, or even try my hand at a feature film.

Why did you get into coaching?

I got into coaching because I feel that my life has been overwhelmingly impacted by the love, encouragement, and tangible advice I’ve received from my TAS coaches throughout the years since starting this acting journey. I just want to help students gain confidence in themselves and know that they are valuable, loved, and welcomed in my classroom and beyond!

What is one important bit of advice you always give the students in your class?

Something that I try to remind students of is not to take casting decisions personally.

We rarely ever know why we didn’t get a role, so it’s important that no matter what happens in the casting process (which is out of our control), we make sure that we’re proud of the work that we put into the audition process. At the end of the day, this job is hard enough- and only gets harder when we beat ourselves up!

The best advice I can give is for actors to take care of themselves mentally, physically, and spiritually. 

What is your proudest coaching moment?

It always feels super-fulfilling when students walk out of a class and say, “Thank you. I really enjoyed what we did today and it’s very helpful for where I’m at in my journey right now!”

It warms my heart when I know that the lessons I’m giving and the exercises I’m leading are tangibly helping my students; that they’re enjoying the process of learning and trying new things!

What do you hope that your legacy will be as an acting coach?

I want actors of any age to feel seen and empowered to chase after (and work for) their dreams!

I want people to feel welcomed into my classroom and leave feeling ignited for their futures; passionate about the work that they’re putting into themselves right now. Overall, I just want people to know that there is space for them- that people want to hear what they have to say because nobody is exactly the same as they are.

Every student brings uniqueness and personality to the class they’re in and to the whole world!

Lastly, tell us what makes you feel confident?

Preparation, community, and leaning on my faith make me feel confident. 

Molly Pass Bio:

Molly Pass started training at TAS 16 years ago. It’s where she got her start taking professional classes, but prior to that, she had been doing performances on the fireplace hearth for her family since the age of 2! Taking classes allowed Molly to develop a sense of confidence and self-value, skills that transcend the professional realm and help with all aspects of life. She aspires to transfer what she’s learned from others to help her students thrive in the film industry and beyond.

Would you like to take classes or private lessons with Coach Molly?

Coach Leah is getting ready to coach our most popular camp, Camp Film. To find out more about our camps, check HERE.  For more information on our classes starting this fall, click HERE. You can also give our Front Desk a call at 770-904-6646.

To sign up for a private lesson with Coach Molly, click HERE. 

Would you like to follow Coach Molly? Check out her:

Website at MollyPassVideo.com

Instagram

 

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Level Up Your Craft

Level Up Your Craft

What can actors do to keep growing their skills?

As our 32-week courses at The Actor’s Scene come to an end this week, we know that many
actors are thinking “What do I do now?”. Have no fear, we’ve got you!

It is SO IMPORTANT for actors to have tangible, specific, actionable goals when it comes to furthering their craft and career.

This can be challenging to navigate, especially if you’re new to the industry! So let’s talk about a goal-setting method that you may or may not know, and that’s the SMART Method.

SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Based. So when goal-setting, it’s important to make sure that the goal you’re creating checks all 5 of those boxes.

SPECIFIC: What area of your acting journey are you trying to work on? Your materials, such as your resume, headshots, or reel? Your self tape setup? Is there a specific acting technique that you want to learn more about? Identify what you want to work on before you determine how you’re going to work on it.

MEASURABLE: When goal-setting, it’s important to make sure that our goal can be measured, so that we can see how we’re doing! Maybe your goal is to find a clear, repeatable method for preparing your auditions, and you want to be able to knock them out with 2 days of preparation instead of your usual 5. Maybe you want to learn a new language to level up your Special Skills on your Actor’s Access profile, so you set out to get a 100-day DuoLingo streak! Whatever it is, find a way to check your progress as you go.

ATTAINABLE: This one is often the trickiest. With acting and auditioning, we simply cannot control the outcomes of casting. Many actors, when trying to set goals, think of things like “I want to book a Series Regular role on a Netflix TV show!”. While I understand the appeal of this goal, we need something that we are actually in control of. Maybe “I want to submit for more Series Regular television roles on Actor’s Access” could be a good alternative goal.

RELEVANT: Here’s a fun fact: There are a ton of non-acting-related things that you can work on to level up your acting career. Say what? You’ve seen the Actor’s Access Special Skills section. It’s a mile-long! Focusing on new skills like learning a new language, taking singing lessons, trying a new hobby, or working on your fitness, can all be beneficial to your acting career. Don’t overthink it! What’s something you can start doing today to help you become a more well-rounded actor?

TIME-BASED: Just like any other kind of goal, especially one that is Measurable, we want to have a timeline for achieving it. So if your goal is to submit for more Series Regular television roles, maybe you can say “I want to submit for 20 Series Regular roles by the end of July”. That way, you have a trajectory of how long you have to achieve it, and you can plan to work on it accordingly!

Now that you’ve defined a SMART goal (or two, if you’re an overachiever), let’s talk about things
that can help you out as you chase those dreams!

#1: Take Care Of Yourself, Both Mentally and Physically

This one sounds like a no-brainer, but healthy people make better actors! If you aren’t in a good headspace, your work will often reflect that. There are so many ways to start prioritizing your body and mind while going after your goals, but here is a non-exhaustive list:

  •  Drink water and eat regularly! Many actors have multiple jobs and find themselves often on-the-go. Keep snacks in your bag or car, and try to carry around a water bottle! Making sure you are nourished and hydrated is going to help your acting. Our bodies and minds are our instruments to create and express our art! Make sure you are giving your body the nutrients it needs.
  • Try journaling and/or meditation. Many people find it helpful to meditate and journal, reflecting on their experiences from the previous day or week. Observing yourself and the people around you is a helpful tool for creating real, authentic characters that mirror the off-screen world!
  • Consider therapy. If there’s something you’re dealing with internally that you feel you aren’t equipped to handle on your own, there is no harm in seeking professional counseling! Actors handle a lot of rejection and, depending on the project, sometimes really intense material and concepts. With how much our job relies on our brains and our ability to regulate and fluctuate our emotions, it might be worth it to see someone regularly to make sure that you’re going about everything in a healthy way.

#2: Challenge Yourself!

Often, we are our own worst critics as artists. This can sometimes get in the way of our goal- setting process, since we don’t always believe that we have what it takes to achieve our goals. That’s why the SMART goal creation method is so important. When deciding what you want to work on, understand that you have what you need to succeed! Acting is all about making informed choices and performing those choices to the best of our abilities. So, believe that you can do it, and try to push yourself out of your comfort zone so that you can find all of the excitement and adventure that lies on the other side!

“Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. They're what make the instrument stretch - what make you go beyond the norm.”

- Cicely Tyson, Actress/Legend speaking on the importance of Challenges

#3: Try Working With A Private Coach

No matter what season of your acting journey that you find yourself in, there is always power in seeking mentorship from those who have come before you. We recently did a blog post on the importance of Mentorship, so click HERE if you haven’t gotten a chance to read it yet!

Working with a private coach is a great way to have accountability when it comes to your goals, since they’re someone who sees you regularly and wants to push you to be the best version of yourself!

Private coaching can help you:

  • Identify the areas you need to work on
  • Set goals that make sense for where you’re at/where you want to go.
  • Stay on-track in following through with the goals you’ve set

A private coach is also your go-to person for industry and acting questions! Our Actor’s Scene coaches have a wealth of knowledge and experience spanning decades. Not only do they help you by meeting you where you’re at, they also provide insights from their own experiences and processes that might bring new light to the struggles you’ve been working on solo!

If you’re interested in trying out private coaching click HERE. For information on our group classes, click HERE. For upcoming events, including our Adult Summer Scene Studies, click HERE.

Whatever your next big goal is, just know that we’re rooting for you here at The Actor’s Scene. Have an amazing summer!

Ready to get started? Reach out today!

TASFRONTDESK@GMAIL.COM

678-313-7798

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About The Author

Molly Pass

Molly Pass is an Atlanta-local actress, acting coach, and wedding videographer who loves to help new and seasoned actors alike find their purpose and passion through performance. She holds her bachelor’s degree in Film and Media Studies from Georgia State University and enjoys discussing movies, shows, and all things new media. Her favorite part of working at The Actor’s Scene is being able to inspire folks to pursue their dreams and helping them to gain confidence in themselves along the way. When she is not acting or working in the digital media realm, she enjoys reading murder mysteries and desperately trying to keep a garden alive. 

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