Voice actor, teacher, performer, Michael Cohen (seated here directing a voice actor) combines his prolific creative talent with a passion for science (He changed his college major from acting to science getting degrees in cell biology) to teach last night’s AFTRA class, “The Invisible Toolbox: Acting and the Subconscious mind.”

Michael focuses on the relationship between mind and body to help performers go deeper and get out of their own way, so they can achieve their dreams. He started the evening posing the question, “What is talent?” citing Viola Spolin’s definition, “An innate capacity to learn.” He went on to look at how we learn and how we acquire skills. He says “innate talent, (i.e. our gifts we’re born with) gives us the ability to process information quickly. In other words, we can expand our talent that much faster because of our gift.”

So what’s the problem, then? Well, life gets in our way. We end up bringing baggage into our performing. “We need to unlearn those decisions we made as children (and even adults). These are false belief systems, that negative self talk which can paralyze and inhibit us. Tonight is about what’s in our way and what supports us.” Michael explains that these negative beliefs can keep us from real success.

The next part of the evening was interactive. Michael had people come up and do cold reads with scenes and commercial voice over copy and others performed monologues. Then he “peeled away the onion”, digging deeper into their subconscious to free them to do their best performing. “You cannot hide who you are and be your best.”

He worked with a voice actor on some commercial VO copy for a weed killer product. Michael sensed some hesitation in his read, pointing out that if we have reservations about certain products, it can bleed through our read and diminish our chances of getting the job. So, voice actors must substitute another product. He did and the read was greatly improved.

As performers we have to pay attention to the power of the subconscious mind. He pointed to a little dot on the wall saying, “this is our conscious mind” then pointed to the room, “and all of that is our subconscious mind.” Michael goes on with this insight, �What we have to do is bring awareness to those subconscious belief systems that undermine us, and question whether those beliefs are true”.

That’s how we can get out of our own way. And maybe even achieve our wildest dreams.

Click here for upcoming Michael. D. Cohen events.

-Tracy Pattin