With a strong foundation in the craft, Ilia Volok talks us through his personal discoveries as a journeyman actor from Moscow to a myriad of professional acting opportunities. This week we discuss how to stay engaged in your artistic development, how to reframe an acting credit, and how to work with a profound sense of joy.
TRAINING
Moscow Art Theater School
Lifetime Member of the Actors Studio
CREDITS INCLUDE
CBS's McGyver
Netflix's The Punisher
Hunter Killer (2018)
QUOTABLE TAKE-AWAYS
"Your task is to bring yourself into a part. And knowing yourself and how to use yourself is the actor's life task. It's not that easy. The constant discovery, and trusting yourself, and following your impulses, [...and] living moment to moment, and of course making strong choices and connecting emotionally to yourself."
"The discovery never ends. You go through phases. You go through periods of time you might doubt yourself more. Then you go through a period "Everything happening is great." The important thing is never stop. Keep the process going. Just even for the inner work. Work on yourself."
"I think the work of an artist never ends. It's a constant process of igniting your imagination and working on your imagination and working on your craft. Whether it's observing people, or watching actors do their work and seeing if I could do this, or trying for yourself to replay something some scene [... A]s long as there is that hunger for this artistry to be constantly working on yourself as an artist, you can find all kinds of forms to approach that."
"The industry is constantly changing. What doesn't change is your dedication and commitment to what you do. [...] If we don't have that hunger, I don't think you could sustain yourself in this business."
"Your job is to be truthful to your character, to yourself, and discover yourself as far as the craft to the fullest degree. And then it's a separate thing dealing with the business side of it."
"The business part we have to work with someone who is smart or get that going by ourselves."
"Enjoy this ride. [...] You have to be able to find the joy. [...] That comes from embracing [and] having the passion for the craft, because I think that's what makes us move forward and persevere and be in this business."
"The most important thing is to not get caught up in [...] what is the Hollywood Actor's image. But just be connected with the artist within you not to lose interest in creativity, creative projects, and in life in general. I think appreciate every opportunity we're given. And try to build on those opportunities."
"Starve the ego, feed the soul."
"It's not all about you, you, you, you. [...] We are so self-centered as actors, artists, but at the same time we need other people to be interesting. We need to connect, we need to listen, we need to respond, and I think that's something we need to nourish in ourselves."
"We're all in the same journey, in the same boat, we're just finding our own little ways. And trying not to get discouraged doing that. i think it's important."
CURRENTLY APPEARING
Netflix's The Punisher
FX's Oh Jerome No (TBD)
HOW TO FOLLOW ILIA
Website: http://iliavolok.com/
IMDB: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm0901679/?ref_=instant_nm_1&q=ilia%20volok
Scene Study & Technique Workshop: athenabaker11@gmail.com
