Photo by Brianna Collier
A new program in Minneapolis will offer valuable training and resources to a new generation of aspiring film and television actors—paying forward the wisdom of a seasoned pro.
Los Angeles-based actor and Eden Prairie native Adam Bartley will launch his In the Lab workshops in early May, focusing on creating professional demo reels for auditioning actors. “My acting professor will often send recent graduates to L.A., and he asks if I’ll meet with them,” Bartley says. “I’m always up for chatting with young actors who are inquisitive and want to succeed and want to craft a career in this business. I always ask them the most important question, which is, ‘Your demo reel is your calling card. Do you currently have a demo reel with you doing great acting, your best work, that looks top-notch?’ And the answer for up-and-coming actors is often, ‘No.'”
Reel-y Good
After growing up in Eden Prairie, Bartley has had a long and successful career in film and television—he starred as Ferg for six seasons of “Longmire,” as Byron on “Night Sky,” and has had roles on many other projects, including “This Is Us” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” But he knows that, for many aspiring actors, getting that first foot in the door via auditions is a huge hurdle.
“Two years ago, I returned to Minnesota to play the lead role in a feature film … and the experience was deeply meaningful,” Bartley says. “It reminded me how much talent exists here and how vibrant and hungry the acting community is.” Although Bartley lives full-time in Los Angeles, his family still calls the Twin Cities home, and his deep love for Minnesota shines through in our conversation.
The recent film experience also inspired him to put his experience to a new use. “I realized many actors [in Minnesota] simply lack access to professionally filmed material and the kind of insight that helps bridge the gap between regional training and professional work in film and television.”
Photo by Brianna Collier
Many young actors rely on the projects in their still-slim portfolios to make a reel, maybe clips from a short film that they need the director and editor to cut together for them. That adds a delay.
In the Lab
“I came up with this concept of a traditional acting and on-camera workshop hybrid. In L.A., you can drop $4,000 and get yourself a demo reel made,” says Bartley. “But what I wanted to do was have a workshop whereby actors are given scenes in advance and we explore the technique on camera, and we finesse these scenes for camera. When the scenes are alive, we bring them to set.”
After workshopping the scenes, Bartley’s crew—local professionals in cinematography, sound, hair and makeup, and more—will film each lab participant’s performance. “We’re going to shoot these scenes and make them look incredible, with the actors’ best work that is born from real process, many weeks in the making. We’re going to edit them professionally and give the actors the footage they can use to put in their reel, use to get agents, use to field and land auditions, and further their careers,” Bartley says.
“I just think this is a niche that is absolutely necessary for up-and-coming actors who are serious about wanting to do this work,” he adds. “I’m so excited to bring this concept into the light. I’ve been thinking about it for years, and I finally decided to use Minnesota as the first place to do it.” Bartley plans to ultimately expand In the Lab to several more cities around the country.
“I love working on acting,” Bartley says. “But when I’m not acting, I want to be doing this work.”
In the Lab comes to Minneapolis May 2-17 at the ACME Annex. One set of workshops is for adults, and one is tailored to students ages 14 to 18. The last weekend of the lab is reserved for filming.
Find details and registration info at inthelab.org. Scene-study-only labs start at $295; the full lab experience, including filmed scenes, starts at $795 for teens and $845 for adults.
Photo by Brianna Collier
