“I met John Dapolito at one of his seminars on a chilly night earlier this year. I was coaching an actor for an upcoming audition and he wanted me to meet his acting teacher that evening. He said that the seminar his teacher was hosting wasn’t about acting technique, but something entirely different…something I’d think was cool. I was intrigued. “Eat all the chocolate and lo mein you want and still lose weight?” “Sex toys trunk show?” It was a mystery. I told myself I could always leave after 10 minutes. I agreed and we headed over after our session.

We arrived late and I quietly slipped into an aisle seat. As he is both straight and male, my client failed to tell me that John was sexy in that Statham kind of way. Perhaps I could stick it out a little longer than 10 minutes for eye candy’s sake. I started to listen…

What struck me instantly is that John discussed “theme” as opposed to “type”. He talked about how A-listers have a running theme to the characters they play and the stories they tell. Wicked smart. An awareness of their “profile” certainly couldn’t hurt a working actor. And it could help me when making ideas lists and name offers.

John seemed to be speaking about soul’s calling to tell the stories we were meant to tell and how actors can apply this knowledge to both the art and the business of acting. His philosophy also confirmed my sentiment that one of the most fascinating aspects of watching a performance as an audience member (or an audition as a casting director) is to witness an actor playing from their gut…fully realizing their own unique way of navigating and processing through a given set of circumstances while utilizing their innate defense mechanisms based on their own story.

John graciously invited me to his home for a session so I could see what actors experience when discovering their acting profile. I did not believe that this would be effective or useful for me personally or professionally, but I was curious. Was I wrong. John worked with me no differently than how he works with actors, yet what we came up with in my “casting director profile” was spot-on. I found that the projects and characters I respond to are aligned with how I function in the world. They reflect my defense mechanisms, my sense of humor. I am passionate about specific genres, and yet I rarely get to cast the kinds of films that speak to my heart. I had been operating in a cloud, taking jobs simply because they were offered to me. I now have a vastly different vision and strategy.

John got me on the right track in terms of attracting the specific kind of work that really appeals to me and set me on a course of how to find the folks that are making it. I am grateful. I feel like I understand myself and what makes certain players in this industry successful on a whole new level thanks to John. Actors Where are You Going is a MUST for anyone in the industry. The knowledge you will gain alone will help you realize your dream.”