From The MC² Actors Studio
Masterclass:
“Dear Actor…
Dear Artist…
You will ‘know’ your creative tribe…
When you can live your most authentic genuine Self in each other’s presence…
You will never feel ‘alone’ in the work…
And you will never walk away feeling lonely…
There will always be a willing generosity of Spirit…
There will always be an undeniable human to human energetic sharing…
There will always be a connection…
There will always be a wanting to give…
And as we have seen with what is going on in our world today…
Sometimes it is through the darkest of moments…
And sometimes it is through the most inexplicable of circumstances…
That guide us…
That lead us…
Or that detour us…
To that tribe…
Those same circumstances…
That we may think are causing us to crumble…
Or break our hearts…
And our Spirit…
Are the same circumstances…
That actually break our hearts open…
And allow our Spirit…
To be IN-Spirited (inspired)…
Opening our mind, body and soul…
And awakening us to something greater than we could have ever imagined…
Those same circumstances that begin to help lead the path to our greatest purpose…
Our greatest potential…
And so we find our tribe…
Or our tribe finds us…
A tribe that meets through the most unlikely…
And yet, likely, of circumstances…
A tribe that is generous in knowledge, skill, creativity, heart, compassion, passion, love, support, kinship, responsibility, accountability, creativity, talent and Spirit…
As we continue to walk our path as artists together…
We must remember to remain students of life…
We have to be mindful to never allow the ego to rob us of the growth our work and life itself has to offer us…
There is an inexplicable creative currency in growth..
Get ‘paid’ in growth…
Keep learning…
We must continue to hold ourselves to the same demands that our art form demands…
Understand that that demand is what keeps us all striving to be and do our absolute very best…
As artists…
As actors…
We must continue to strive, discover and walk toward our very own excellence…
And run like hell from mediocrity…
We must continue to work hard on the path toward all of our artistic dreams…
And know in our heart of hearts…
That all the sweat equity we put into our work and dreams…
Will indeed pay off…
And so we do so together…
We do the work…
As our very own actor tribe…
As an ensemble…
And we continue to get ‘paid’ by all of our growth…
Because we love the work…
And because we simply want to!”
Much Love,
Mario Campanaro
Founder & Master Teacher
MC² Actors Studio
Los Angeles | New York City | London
As actors…
We have to be OK…
With allowing our instrument to experience discomfort…
We cannot shy away from it…
For it is that very discomfort…
That is the exact ingredient…
To fulfilling the most complex realities…
Of the most complicated of life’s circumstances…
Our discomfort is pregnant with the substance…
Needed to be utilized in our work…
It is through our instrument…
That we become the vessel…
To living the most complex…
The most complicated…
And even the most inexplicable…
Private essence of the human condition…
In a very public way…
And in order to do that…
We have to strive to make our history…
And our inner life/world…
Within those circumstances…
So vast…
So full…
So specific…
And so delicious…
That it/they stimulate…
And maintain…
All of our attention…
To take the risk…
To uninhibitedly go after our needs…
Moment to unknown moment…
With the true nature of action…
That exists…
And necessary…
Within the world of the text…
And to help us along that journey…
We may need to utilize specific tools…
That allow that inner world to fill…
And experience those circumstances…
So we can actively live those circumstances…
With a truthful raw…
Authentic…
Unpredictably moment to unknown moment…
Honest life force…
It is through specific tools…
Using our own personal experiential vocabulary + imagination…
And the marriage of the two…
And our willingness and courage…
That we stimulate our inner world…
To actually experience…
And believe/have faith in…
The most complex circumstances…
So we can then actively live those circumstances…
In service of, to and for our work…
But we must continue to exercise our work!…
Even during these unprecedented time…
We must not get discouraged…
And we must not give up…
The obstacles we face…
And the stakes that they heighten…
Must fuel the energy…
And the intention…
We put forth…
When it comes to our active pursuit…
In achieving our Life’s objectives…
If we spend all of our energy…
Allowing our obstacles…
To be the excuses of why ‘we can’t’…
We simply do not give the energy…
To our Life’s objectives…
That they need and deserve…
Let not fear…
Doubt…
Or uncertainty…
Rob you of the very thing you love…
Let it fuel the flames of your passion…
To adapt…
Adjust…
Find a way…
And overcome!…
Allow the passion in your heart…
And the fire in your belly…
To be the fuel…
That keeps you persevering forward…
Despite everything ‘out there’…
That may attempt to keep you from persevering forward…
You are more powerful than you have been led to believe, dear Artists….
You are essential…
The only way to lose sight of the dream…
Is by giving up on it….
So don’t give up!
Continue to invest the necessary sweat equity…
Into what you want to make happen for yourself…
We must remember…
We get what we put into the dream…
And the Universe…
Undeniably meets us where we are…
And responds accordingly….
So persevere, dear Artists…
Stay safe…
Stay mindful…
Stay creative…
Stay on purpose…
Stay on the path of the dream!
Much Love,
Mario Campanaro
Commitment…
Investment…
Perseverance…
Love…
Passion…
Talent…
Hard Work…
Art…
All human beings are doing what they can moment to moment to try to improve their present situation…
And as actors…
As artists…
Our passion is the fire that keeps us persevering forward…
Despite all the things that attempt to keep us from persevering forward…
We must hold onto the fact that…
Every hardship plants the seed for a transformative victory…
The more difficult our journey may be…
The more impactful our experience becomes…
And all the circumstances that we make it through…
Inspire all of our artistic endeavors…
So persevere courageously dear artist!…
Continue to create…
Continue to find a way…
Any way at all…
To do your creative work…
Your Life’s passion…
Your Heart’s desire…
Your Soul’s purpose…
Let not obstacles stop you…
But let them inspire you…
It is times like these…
When the artist must not curl up and give up…
It is times like these…
That we must Get Up!…
That the creative warrior in all of us exclaims:
“OK… I am just beginning!“
It is times like these…
That our greatest adversities map out our creative journey…
To discovering our own creative greatness…
It is times like these…
That we manifest art…
And the world always needs art!…
So continue to persevere courageously dear artist…
It is so important for us all to continue to persevere right now…
Even though we must do so responsibly…
Even though we must do so virtually…
We carry on…
We stay focused…
We stay driven…
We stay on purpose…
For all of us…
All of the artists…
And all of our beloved audiences…
Our ability to share our gifts gives connection to others…
Who may feel lost, disconnected and isolated…
And we all need authentic connection…
To help others experience authentic connections at this moment in time…
This is our great gift as artists…
To identify…
To share…
To give…
To reveal…
And to connect…
If we think about it…
Many spend more time with actors in their living rooms watching a movie or tv show…
More often, sometimes, than with family or friends…
Even through all of what is going on in our world…
Our work still matters…
It is important…
It has meaning!…
There is purpose to it…
It is a form of medicine if you really think about it…
And together we continue to create with the objective of somehow…
Someway…
Making connection…
And so we continue to connect…
In any way we can…
To study…
To train…
To exercise…
To identify…
To share…
To reveal…
To give…
To do our work!…
We are so thrilled and excited…
To announce our January 2021 MC² Actors Studio International Masterclass Ensemble!
What better way to bring in the New Year of 2021…
Than with these remarkably committed, perseverant, invested, loving, passionate, talented and hard working artists!
Congratulations and Welcome…
To the MC² Actors Studio International Masterclass Ensemble!
Much Love,
Mario Campanaro
Founder & Master Teacher
MC² Actors Studio
Los Angeles | New York City | London
Dear Actor,
Life will always be throwing curve balls at us…
But we have a choice to make in those pregnant moments…
Do we allow those circumstances to be the thing that destroys us…
And causes us to crumble?…
Or do we allow those circumstances to awaken us…
To not give up…
To not give in…
But to bring a perseverance in us that we did not know we had?…
To open the door to a determination…
To better who we are…
And then use that growth…
And awareness…
Towards helping the collective in one form or another…
Let’s be honest…
Much of Life has taught all of us…
At one time or another…
That our most profound growth happens…
When there is usually some unmentionable unexpected stimulus…
That initiates the inevitable dive…
Into the discovery of truth within oneSelf…
This usually and unfortunately knocks on our Life’s door…
As some type of immense strife or intense obstacle…
This can be a long painful journey…
But without fail…
These growing pains strengthen our inner constitution…
And begin to put the puzzle pieces of our own connection…
To the continuous learning of truth in who we are…
And where we come from…
Yes, it hurts at times…
It hurts so bad at times…
But it’s good…
I hate to say it…
But it is true…
The more difficult the journey…
The stronger we become…
So when those dark hours sneak in…
It is worthy to greet them with gentle gratitude…
Those circumstances are holding our hand…
And walking us straight to our very own awakening…
Our own glorious metamorphosis…
And our inspiration for creation…
You see…
As artists…
What we are usually not taught…
Is that we are indeed light workers…
We are able to see things that many do not want to see…
We are able to feel things that many are not willing to feel…
And we are able to bring an awareness to people…
Through our glorious art form…
That greatly helps shift the consciousness towards a better tomorrow…
And that is a wonderful gift to bring to the world…
But we have to persevere…
Even when it may make sense not to…
We cannot be scared or shy away from the discomfort…
We cannot hang back from the responsibility…
We have to find comfort in the discomfort…
And use that love and passion that lives within all of us…
As the gasoline to keep going…
You, dear actor, have to KNOW that you, your talents and your experience are worthy of being witnessed through your work…
You have to continue to be brave enough…
Despite all that may be going on around you…
To trust yourself enough to let go…
And keep going…
Allow yourself to have your feelings…
Experience authentic experiences…
And take it moment by unknown moment…
And continue on in the work…
Most want to wait…
But you can’t wait as an actor….
It’s all in the now…
It is needed and necessary right here and right now…
You are crucial and required in the pregnant life of this very complex moment…
It’s our job to live that most profound private essence of the human condition publicly…
As it relates to all of the world’s most complex stories…
You will find the way…
Trust that it is all there in you…
You are more than enough…
Married with your imagination…
And unwavering faith in the world you are responsible for living…
That others turn to as some form of unspoken medicine…
Through our work…
We have obligations to hold the light in the darkest of storms…
We have a duty to be strong in times of weakness…
We have to use our voices…
To be the thing that echoes loud enough…
To hold the torch…
Connecting one another…
And share all the universal stories and truths of the human condition…
Never leaving anyone out…
We are more than we are told…
And we are more important than we get credit…
We have to start believing in our most profound truth…
And the incredible influence that our gifts have…
That truly make a difference in our world…
We must start fully trusting ourselves…
We have to rise to the bigness of our calling…
We have to rise to the occasion…
And we have to continue to care…
Even in those moments when caring feels too much…
We have to continue to care…
We have to use the enormous energy that lives within us…
That transforms time and space…
To do good…
To do our work…
To help…
And let it reach those it is meant to reach…
We have to be the truth tellers(livers) of humanity…
If not you, dear actor, then who?
Much Love,
Mario Campanaro
Founder & Master Teacher
MC² Actors Studio
Los Angeles | New York City | London
Dear Actor,
Dear Artist,
Dear Creative,
There is so much going on in our world at the moment…
And it can be…
And is…
Very overwhelming…
It can even be described as disorienting…
And disheartening…
But it is so important for us…
During these trying times…
To remember who we are…
As artists…
We have always been confronted with difficult times…
Yet, somehow…
Someway…
We always seem to make it through…
We have that super stamina…
We have that creative courage…
We have that ferocious fight…
We have that dedicated drive…
We have that incredible investment…
We have that powerful passion…
And we have that absolute ability…
To hold on…
To adjust…
And persevere…
And most of all…
And most importantly…
We have our dreams!
So I encourage you…
To remember…
Or Re-Mind yourself of this:
No one…
No-thing…
And no external circumstance…
Should ever be given the power…
To break down your artistic love…
And passion…
For what you were meant to do…
Always allow the artist that you are…
To live in…
And flow through you…
There is not a person powerful enough…
Nor is there an organization strong enough…
Or a circumstance big enough…
To make its way…
Into your unbreakable spirit…
And dismantle who you are.
You are an artist….
Plain and simple….
You are an actor….
Plain and simple…
You are a creative…
Plain and simple…
Despite what you may be doing at this very moment…
Despite if you are…
Or are not…
Or are not able…
To do what you love at this very moment…
It is still who you are…
It is still in you…
It is not going away…
It will not be lost…
It is in your dna…
It is in your heart…
It is in your spirit…
It is in your soul…
It is in your calling…
The most worthwhile success an artist can ever experience…
Will come from the trustworthy ally within…
Which always knows…
Who you are…
What you are…
What you do…
What you want to do…
What you were meant to do…
And what you WILL do…
Never ever let anyone…
Or anything…
Steal/Rob/Take that away!
So keep day dreaming…
Keep painting…
Keep drawing…
Keep playing…
Keep making music…
Keep singing…
Keep dancing…
Keep acting…
Keep creating!
Keep living as the artist that you are!
No matter what life throws at you (us)…
Always always find it in you…
To keep getting up!!!
You will be doing what you love soon enough!
The world is so thankful for artists like you…
Who have given…
And contributed so much to humanity!
On behalf of all of us at MC² Actors Studio…
We wish you and your loved ones…
A very Happy Thanksgiving!
We are thankful for you!
Much Love,
Mario Campanaro
Founder & Master Teacher
MC² Actors Studio
Los Angeles | New York City | London
You will always ‘know’ your creative tribe…
When you can live your most authentic genuine Self in each other’s presence…
You will never feel alone…
And never walk away feeling lonely…
There will always be a willing generosity of Spirit…
There will always be an undeniable human to human energetic sharing…
There will always be a wanting to give…
And sometimes it is through the darkest of moments…
And sometimes it is through the most inexplicable of circumstances…
That guide us…
That lead us…
Or that detour us…
To that tribe…
Those same circumstances…
That we may think are causing us to crumble…
Or break our hearts…
And our Spirit…
Are the same circumstances…
That actually break our hearts open…
And allow our Spirit…
To be IN-Spirited (inspired)…
Opening our mind, body and soul…
And awakening us to something greater than we could have ever imagined…
Those same circumstances that begin to help lead the path to our greatest purpose…
Our greatest potential…
And so we find our tribe…
Or our tribe finds us…
A tribe that meets through the most unlikely…
And yet, likely, of circumstances…
A tribe that is generous in knowledge, creativity, heart, compassion, passion, love, support, kinship, responsibility, accountability, creativity, talent and Spirit…
And because of those circumstances…
We RECOGNIZE each other…
We SEE each other…
We UNDERSTAND each other…
We CARE about each other…
We SUPPORT each other…
And, yes…
We LOVE each other…
From one artist to another…
From one human to another…
That is the magic of an #ENSEMBLE!…
Together we learn…
Together we explore…
Together we discover…
Together we grow and expand…
Together we share and give…
Together we make art…
Together we tell and live stories…
Together we reveal the human condition…
And together we hold onto the fact...
That once we make it out of the fire…
There will be…
And is…
Beauty within the ashes…
That result in our life’s greatest contributions!
To all our MC² Actors Studio ensemble members all over the globe…
And to all the artists all over the globe…
Thank you for the heart, openness, passion, hard work, perseverance, talent, creativity, healing and love you bring to the world each and every day!
You are not forgotten!
You are essential!
You are all warriors!
Much Love,
Mario
It is said that doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity.
When we really take a moment to contemplate the depths of this…
It is absolutely true.
Who wants to live the same thing over and over, right?
Staying in that kind of non-stop set structure…
Without the desire to expand and grow…
Creates utter stagnation that deprives us of the inspirational gifts that contribute to our creative expansion and evolution.
As artists…
As co-creators…
As human beings…
It is within our genetic makeup to crave creative growth and expansion…
And then contribute all we can…
From all that we have learned and experienced…
To the world through our chosen mediums…
In order to continue that creative expansive evolutionary process for the greater good.
However, when something new challenges our set belief system and daily routine…
The ego loves to say “Oh Hell No!“
Defense mechanisms may very often kick in…
Fear seizes us…
And causes us to lock down…
White knuckling onto the familiar…
Convincing us that some imaginary net is keeping us safe from the unpredictable tightrope of Life’s moment to moment changes.
But that is false…
It is actually staying in the familiar that is causing our creative demise…
Because it deprives us of all that delicious artistic and creative growth that can only happen by experiencing all the newness Life has to offer…
Moment to unknown moment…
As actors…
As artists…
We MUST be open to change…
We MUST be willing to break the ‘everyday’ cycle structure mentality…
In order to experience a higher level of creative consciousness.
However, sometimes creative growth and expansion cannot happen unless there is a willingness to sit with the discomfort that often accompanies change.
Whether we are aware of it or not…
Whether we like it or not…
There is no escape from this…
Simply because by the laws of nature itself…
Each and every moment requires a physical, mental, emotional, and yes, even spiritual shift within us.
As we consciously begin to accept this…
We can begin the process of truly activating it in our everyday Life…
And along the way…
There will most likely be many twists and turns challenging our belief system…
Our patterns…
And whatever else we have held onto…
All the while inevitably adjusting it.
Trust that all has been set in place so that our on-purpose creative soul can discover and experience the greatest possible evolution contracted for our individual artistic journey.
As we go deeper into dismantling creative stagnation…
It can sometimes feel somewhat overwhelming due to the restructuring of Life patterns from a colloquial essence to that of an acute awareness.
This is the beginning of change in and of itself.
This is part of the creative healing and metamorphosis process.
And this process may not always be experienced as what may be labelled as ‘positive’.
It may have taken an enormous accumulation of traumatic…
And emotional toxins…
To result in a present state of stagnation…
As these stored poisons energetically release from our creative Life…
There might possibly be an unpleasant cleanse mirroring the cause…
We must not be surprised if there are even moments during which we feel ‘locked’ in our head, ‘paralyzed’ in our body…
Or even uncomfortable and unpredictable emotional/physical pains emerging…
Very often this is the ego trying to desperately avoid change…
And hold onto its ‘safe identity’…
While a cleansing/recalibration process takes place…
Be what it may…
Trust in the light within the process…
Do not resist it…
The only thing that is holding us back from the gifts of the creative unknown…
Is our fear of the creative unknown.
Resistance is fear’s energetic way of brainwashing…
And we have all come way too far to be at the mercy of it…
When we are able to dissolve all useless fear…
And its resistance…
Through our conscious awareness of it…
And seek refuge within…
All the blocks that we feel imprison us…
Begin to dissolve…
And we can experience the change we seek…
And we grow…
And we expand…
And we share…
And we expand…
And we grow…
There awaits not only personal and creative freedom…
But also a delicious sense of peace…
And wellbeing…
To be enjoyed within daily Life…
To continue to share…
To grow…
And to expand.
With all that said, I urge you to not be held back by what may be perceived as ‘Limitation’.
There is always a way!
You have to understand that you are the answer to your very own creative life.
You are the answer to your work.
Allow yourself to become aware that as actors…
As artists…
As co-Creators…
You (we) have a calling and even a mission…
That is capable of shifting some of the darkest realities and consciousness that humanity still has to face…
With the objective of creating a better today and tomorrow…
Provided that you (we) take on that role responsibly and with commitment, accountability, respect, compassion, awareness, insight, and pure intent.
Never forget that we…
Y(our) voice…
Y(our) instrument…
Y(our) actions…
And y(our) work is infinitely more powerful than you (we) may have been led to believe.
Never underestimate that y(our) individual creative power…
Has the potential to uplift and even heal those who you may never even know in this lifetime.
Like a pebble being gently tossed into a vast pond…
That ripple effect will reach all those whom it is meant to reach.
But you (we) have to be on that knowing of what you (we) can do.
Stay the course.
Stay an integral part of the process.
Stay intent.
Stay awake.
Stay in that creative transformative light.
Remain open to y(our) very own creative growth and expansion.
You (we) can move mountains…
You (we) can always choose to be the lighthouse in the storm.
You (we) can continue to blossom even in the most unlikely places…
And during the most unlikely of times!
Much Love,
Mario
Their Question:
“In addition to what you teach about the importance of an actor’s craft, what else do you think it takes to do the kind of work that we all admire and respect?”
…
My Answer:
“I think it takes a very special actor…
I think it takes an actor…
That has a very open heart…
I think it takes an actor…
That is so willing to give…
That is so willing to be vulnerable…
In whatever situation (textually speaking) he or she finds him or herself in…
In pursuit of the truth of those circumstances…
And you can see it…
You know it…
You know when an actor is there…
You know when an actor is giving…
You know when an actor has that generosity of spirit…
You see it in their eyes…
You see it in their soul…
You see it in their energy…
And it’s this powerful thing…
That gets us from sitting back…
To leaning forward…
Because there’s something magnetic about them…
And that magnetism…
Is our ability to relate to them…
To understand…
Somewhat, someway and somehow…
What they are going through…
And that is what that generosity of spirit does…
It’s this magical energy…
That brings a collective…
To a commonality…
Of the human experience…
And those are the actors that we see…
That transform us…
That move us…
That take us somewhere…
That inspire us…
And that we greatly respect and admire…
There has to be a generosity of spirit…
There just has to be.”
I hope you enjoy this MC² Actors Studio Masterclass interview.
Much Love,
Mario
“You may have to endure a lot…
You may even find yourself ‘suffering’ in some way at times…
But if you keep persevering…
If you keep on believing in what you are doing…
If you simply do not give up…
You will find that all that hardship will pay it forward by bringing something inexplicably magical to your life…
Every hardship plants the seed for a transformative victory…
Never forget your passion…
Never forget your strength…
Never forget your power…
No one ever said it was going to be easy…
There are going to be seasons of strife and struggle….
But it is from those accumulated moments that will come your greatest inspirations…
So…
No matter what life may throw at you…
No matter how many times life may knock you down…
No matter how often life may cause you to fall…
I urge you to use every ounce of passion burning within your life force and…
get up…
get uP…
get UP…
geT UP…
gET UP…
GET UP…
GET UP!
GET UP!!
GET UP!!!”
Much Love,
Mario
