Meisner Island

Earlier this week I attended a free seminar at The Meisner Center in North Hollywood (NoHo). I was having a really shitty day before I got there and it took a lot of effort on my part to be present and focused on the workshop. However, by the end I was extremely jazzed about the program and what they taught.

Once the workshop was over, my dark cloud returned and for some reason I decided that it was a good idea to talk to the two lead instructors in the middle of this funk. I presented myself as a skeptic "who had been burned" (when have I ever been burned?!) and was "financially cynical at the moment." In retrospect, even I can't believe the shit that came out of my mouth. It was after painting this none-to-rosy picture that I explained "money is tight for me right now, but I would be interested in setting up some sort of barter system."

Despite my abrasive attitude, the gentleman in charge of the program invited me to join him at their next marketing meeting. I spent a goodly portion of last night and the better part of this morning preparing a design portfolio - something I've been meaning to do for months. During the meeting, the instructors whom I had previously accosted called me on my cynicism. I turned beet red, apologized and then went on with the process of a shared interview. I explained more about myself and what I could bring to their firm, and they explained more about who they were and the nature of their program.

I'm waiting to hear from them as to where I actually stand in their esteem. However, if I play my cards right I will be able to do some design and database work in trade for Meisner instruction. I think the ideal would be me working on some projects in order to get a steep discount on this:

The Sanford Meisner Center takes you Back to Bequia in 2008 for a one-month intensive training of the Meisner Technique. Students will study in the home of Sanford Meisner, as a guest of Jimmy Carville, and walk in the footsteps of those actors who studied with the master teacher on the same lush Caribbean island.

Bequia is the original home of The Sanford Meisner Center. Sandy and Jimmy began summer intensive trainings at their home in Bequia in 1985. For the next seven years, Sandy hand selected a group of students to study with him in a one-month, highly competitive, intensive program there on the island.

This summer, The Sanford Meisner Center returns to the original training grounds for two levels of intensives – Level 1 and a Master Class. Space is limited! And spots are going quickly!