GIVING THANK YOU SPEECHES…

Here it is. One of those moments you dream about but don’t know if will ever come true HAS come true. You are getting an award!!!!!!!!!!! Its great. You feel great, You look great, they give you a great award for a great job. Your on top of the world. Then its your time to shine and give a good speech. Who do you thank? Your blocked and have so many names of people who have helped you that you cant think straight…

You should have prepared a good thank you speech. That’s what were here for. Ok first some basic notions for actors; people who have helped you in your career would like to be thanked, but not all of them expect to be named in a few seconds speech! You dont need to make a list of 50 people to enumerate while you are on stage. If you have a certain group of people who belong to the same company, production house, studio or agency then just say that, not all of their names. And remember that the most important thing for someone getting their first major award (when you have 40 you can get as creative as you like) is to keep it short and simple. Dont drag it on, please.

Here is what the speech should be made up of:

• Religious figure and parents/family first if applicable.

• Your co-workers on the project; you dont need to name them all. If one stood out then name him or her and then add “and all of the wonderful actors/people from..XXX…who helped bring this project to life and made it such a wonderful experience…” or something like that. Include the studios or people who help “pay” for the project too.

• The people who give you the award or voted for it. Ex: “To NHB Studios and the fans who voted for me….”

• Finally if there is someone else who you feel needs to be granted credit for this award do it: normally your agent, manager, the director…not your best friend who let you bunk in her place during acting school. It might be a moving story, but now is not the time. Thank her by taking her to dinner or getting her a role in your next big project. Not by wasting peoples time at the show (remember time is money in this biz).

Then just say thank you one last time, and step back or off the stage.

SIMPLE. SWEET, SHORT.

If you are largely known for your humor and have been given a comedian of the year award or something similar. Then by all means put a twist on the speech and make it yours. Funny, witty. But if you are not born with that natural “funny gene” where anything you say gets laughs, dont attempt humor in this occasion.