INTERVIEW
JACK
COKER
“To hear that something you’ve prepared and worked on is not good enough can be hard to take the first few times but it’s something you have to get used to because you’re gonna hear it more times than “yes””
Jack Coker is a relatively new name in the acting world, but in just under 2 years he has appeared in numerous shorts and features, including ‘Saint Soldier’ in which he was the lead for and finished filming earlier this year.
Thank you so much for interviewing with us! Can you share your story on how did you get started in the film industry?
Thanks for having me. It’s been something I’ve always wanted to do, but something that took me till 25 to finally get involved in. Someone told me about the website Starnow which is a site for actors of any ability that can apply for jobs, which I use to browse consistently but never actually applied for anything. One day I see a giveaway for a 3-hour workshop at The Reel Scene Scene Acting School and for some reason that day I just decided to apply for it. I got invited to come, loved every minute of it and signed up straight away for their 3-month course. From there I began doing some extra work on films and TV which was great and helped me gain confidence around a set and an understanding of what it’s like to work on a production, and I got to meet some great people along the way. After a few months doing extra work and going to acting classes, I finally decided to apply for supporting and lead roles.
Awesome! So who are you grateful towards your success and can you share a story about that?
My mum and dad have to get a big shout out for allowing me to start this journey. They’ve always been supportive of me and told me to go after things I want. I’ve had a lot of career paths I wanted to follow growing up, Rock star, Comedian, Footballer and now Actor just to name a few, you have to feel sorry for them in some ways. I am lucky to be able to earn living while still trying to live my dream of acting and that is thanks to my boss. He allows me to take time off work when I have auditions and on shoots, and has allowed me not to have to worry about my next paycheck while doing it.
​
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Getting my first lead role in a feature was a big deal for me. I didn’t expect to get the part, it was the first time I had auditioned for something on that scale. I was in France on holiday and I got the call saying “we want you for the part”! It was a great feeling, but also, once the excitement wore off the realisation that you are now the lead in a film and the pressures of what that brings starts to kick in.
What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far? How did you overcome it?
think the main one all actors go through is hearing “no” for the first time, especially when you think you’ve nailed an audition. To hear that something you’ve prepared and worked on is not good enough can be hard to take the first few times but it’s something you have to get used to because you’re gonna hear it more times than “yes”, especially when starting.
But my own biggest challenge was when I went to Film Club London acting classes which are amazing and I highly recommend them to all serious actors. When I went I had been acting for 6 months and I’m a pretty confident guy but the first few weeks of this class made me want to give up, I remember the first lesson and we all had to introduce ourselves and as we were going round the group everyone had graduated from an acting school, had an agent, been on TV, then it got round to me and I was just someone who really like films and had just decided to become and actor one day. I felt like I wasn’t good enough in some ways which ruined the experience as I don’t feel I ever fully committed to any of the lessons. After it finished, I spoke with the teacher Yasen Atour, an amazing actor and great person all round, and I said I wanna come back and do it again but this time I’m going to have a different experience. I ended up going back to the next 6 week course and I loved it, the only difference was this time I went in with an open mind.
​
What are your ‘‘5 things I do to prepare for the role” ?
1. First thing I always do is just read the script, and begin to visualize it as an acted scene.
2. I then begin to break down the scene and analyse it. Who am I? What do I want? What’s my motivation? What’s my objective?
3. I also look over the other characters I’m engaging with, the words they use to respond and actions help me better understand my character.
4. Lots of rehearsals, just using my phone to self-tape myself and watch it back. Going off script a lot of time to just build the character. Working on your inner monologue and beats.
5. Show it to other people - they are the audience at the end of the day. These are the people who are going to be watching you, paying to see you perform, so give them a performance and get feedback.
What methods or techniques do you use to find truth in your character’s behaviour?
I use different methods to prepare for roles like the Meisner Technique and Lee Strasberg’s Method. Mainly I try to relate it to me if I can and pull from them emotions. If not, I like to research real-world behaviour, so for example, if I was playing a character with depression, I would try to garner a better understanding of it through articles and videos.
​
What are your top 3 tips for actors that are starting out?
1. The first thing I would say is to go in with an open mind, as I mentioned earlier as soon as you overthink what you’re doing and what people think you’re going to ruin the experience. Just think of it as playing, when we were kids we use to act all the time, being a superhero or an animal, just being silly, and a lot of warm-up activities require you to be silly, so just go with it. I was once asked to be an 80-year-old southern American woman with a Zimmer frame who was trying to do a cartwheel if someone who doesn’t know what going on walked into your acting class, they’re gonna think your all mad so get used to it.
2. Jump at opportunities, when I was first starting out I turned down a lot of roles and opportunities which I regret now. They are gifts, take them to build relationships with people.
3. Be creative. If there are no roles out there for you, make your own. Write a short, a sketch, a monologue and film yourself and put it out there for people to see.
What has been inspiring you lately?
I’m inspired every time I watch someone act. I love watching people’s interpretation of a script and how they bring it to life.
What movie would you recommend watching and why?
That’s the hardest question so far! I am a real movie buff! My watch list on IMDB is currently sitting at around 1800 and counting. There are so many films that I love but if I could only pick one I would have to recommend “Goodfellas” (Warner Bros, dir. Martin Scorsese, 1990) it’s an absolute masterpiece.
​
What is one message you would give to your fans?
Hahahaha, I wouldn’t say I have any fans apart from my mum and dad as of yet and a couple of mates. If I do have any fans that are reading this or ones that I do eventually manage to gain, I would like to say thank you for supporting me and following my work!
