Goodbye, winter caps—hello, summer hats! It’s that glorious time of year where many of us can switch from content creators to content consumers. NYWIFT members Mellini Kantayya and Kathryn O’Kane have put together #SummerHours, a series of fun summer books, movies, and TV shows by or about women.
By Mellini Kantayya
One wonderful aspect of being an actor is that learning is a continual, never-ending endeavor—and summer is a great time to sharpen, expand, and gain skills. Instead of the usual books on process and auditioning, here are two books that have nothing to with acting that I have found invaluable.
Mindfulness, by Ellen Langer: Ellen Langer is a social psychologist and the first female professor to receive tenure at Harvard University’s department of psychology. In Mindfulness, Langer makes her extensive research accessible to the lay reader. I first learned of Ellen Langer on the podcast On Being in 2015, which is shocking considering she’s been dubbed “the mother of mindfulness” and has authored 200 research articles and eleven books on the subject. Though being mindful, or in-the-moment, is the optimal state for an actor, the concept completely alluded me until I discovered Langer’s work. Previously, I saw mindfulness as a lofty (if not hippy-dippy) goal, achieved through hours of yoga, tai chi, meditation, and the like. Langer’s approach is elegant and easy: hone the simple act of noticing. That’s it.
Presence, by Amy Cuddy: Amy Cuddy is also a social psychologist and Harvard professor. Many will recognize her from her TED Talk on power-posing (watch and you’ll never hunch over your phone in an audition waiting room ever again). The talk outlines research on how our body language not only informs how other see us, but how we perceive ourselves and our overall outlook down to the cellular level. The book builds on those studies, and is aptly subtitled “bringing your boldest self to your biggest challenges.” It illustrates research-back means to do just that. Among the takeaways are practical, science-based methods to boost confidence, be in an optimal state for performance, and quell those audition nerves.
(Cover photo by Bridgette Matthews)
Mellini_Kantayya
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Melanie Fox
Let's give a warm welcome to new NYWIFT member, Melanie Fox! Melanie Fox is a linguist who turned her passion for accents, dialects, presentations, and language learning into a thriving coaching business. Melanie empowers actors and public figures to speak clear, confident English through accent reduction, interview and presentation training. She also trains actors to master authentic English and Spanish dialects. She is a paid public speaker who helps her audiences "Hack into Language" and hosts a new podcast, "Hack That Accent." Melanie holds a Masters of Science degree in Linguistics from Georgetown University. She credits a lot of her inspiration to two semesters studying abroad at la Universidad de Salamanca in Spain. In our interview, she discusses how her work as a dialect coach spans multiple industries, her coaching success stories, and how she encourages clients to maintain their cultural authenticity while adjusting their presentation to match their business goals.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Katharine Chin
Mic up. Headphones on. Press record for Chapter 1: NYWIFT’s Newest Member. We’re pleased to welcome Katharine Chin to the NYWIFT community! Katharine is an actor, writer, and audiobook narrator who has worked on numerous audiobooks for Harper Collins, Penguin Random House and more. As an actor and writer, her career spans television, film and theater. She’s a founding member of The Nobodies Collective, which offers a space to nurture new work for the stage and screen. Read our interview with Katharine to learn more about her creative journey, what it’s like recording audiobooks, and her advice for other artists.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: China L. Colston
Welcome to NYWIFT, China L. Colston! China is a SAG-AFTRA actress and award-winning filmmaker. As an actress, she has embodied emotional women, from the guilt-ridden mother in Strings Attached to the dealer in Sweet Thang. China’s unwavering dedication as the star, writer, director, and producer of Dark Seed led the film to acclaim from the Validate Yourself Film Festival, African American Arts Alliance of Chicago, and the Dramatist’s Guild Success In The Arts Award aka SITA. She is the recipient of a 2021 NYFA grant for her script To Cook or Not to Cook, which follows a chef in Harlem repairing his relationship with his family through food. She is the recipient of a 2021 NYFA grant for her script To Cook or Not to Cook, which follows a chef in Harlem repairing his relationship with his family through food. China brings us through her incredible journey as a creator here!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Derya Celikkol
Welcome to NYWIFT, Derya Celikkol! A proud graduate of the Experimental Theatre Wing at Tisch Schools of the Arts, Derya Celikkol is a Turkish filmmaker who lives in New York City and has contributed her extraordinary artistry to numerous projects. In addition to acting and production designing, Celikkol has directed and produced films, some of which have been showcased and won awards at film festivals worldwide.
READ MORE
