Conversations with Atlanta's Movers and Shakers, Actress and Coach, Erin Elizabeth Burns
Recently, we sat down with actor and coach, Erin Elizabeth Burns for a conversation about her work and her journey in the Atlanta Entertainment industry.
Burns, a Meisner-trained acting coach, completed a two-year program at Maggie Flanigan Studio in New York.
“This program changed my life and gave me the confidence and skills I didn’t know I could have." She shares.
"My first job was opposite Samuel L. Jackson and John Cusack in Stephen King’s Cell. Without my Meisner training, I wouldn’t know how to approach an audition where my character had to burst into tears in the middle of a scene. This was difficult because it's emotionally easier to prepare and begin a scene that way. The character I played had to be strangled. Before my training, I had never heard of a physical impediment which is a big part of Meisner training. I attribute 100% of my opportunities to my Meisner training and my teacher. Those experiences were cool, and I’ll never forget them." - Erin Elizabeth Burns
Atlanta Film and TV: Take us on your journey of how you started to where you are today.
Erin Elizabeth Burns: As a kid, I had a lot of energy. My mom brought me the local newspaper. There was an ad for a community theater audition for The Sound of Music. She asked, ‘do you think this is something you want to do?’
I was obsessed with The Sound of Music, and watched it every day after school. My mother coached me on the audition and it all went downhill after that!
Later, I got into voice lessons and in college I majored in Voice with a minor in Theater. I also did musical theater and opera.
After college, I moved to Nashville and was in a band and did lots of musical theater. Later, I moved to New York, and my dream was to be a singer/actor/dancer on Broadway. But instead, the door for Meisner training opened and it changed my life!
In 2012, I graduated from Maggie Flanigan Studio and moved to Atlanta. At the time, I was a no name actor with no credits. If I stayed in New York or moved to LA, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to audition for Cell. I am forever grateful for Feldstein/Paris Casting taking a chance on me.
Atlanta Film and TV: Growing up did your parents recognize your love of the arts and if so how did they nourish your gift to facilitate growth?
Erin Elizabeth Burns: My parents supported me by driving me to voice lessons and rehearsals. I always tell kids I am working with to be sure to hug their parents because it's a lot to take on a child in this industry.
Atlanta Film and TV: What inspired you to step into coaching, and how has your on-camera experience shaped the way you teach?
Erin Elizabeth Burns: There was an ad for a Meisner teacher with Actors Breakthrough Studio run by GregAlan Williams, who gave me my first teaching opportunity. I knew I was supposed to teach Meisner; when I was at Maggie Flanigan Studios, I wrote down everything she said, literally.
At the time, I didn’t know teaching would be a bigger path for me than acting. I love teaching more than acting; there’s nothing like that email from a student saying they booked!
In Atlanta, I’ve also taught at Catapult Acting Studios, Good Acting Studio and in 2014 I started the Meisner program at Drama Inc.; and in 2018 I took my teaching online.
There are different versions of Meisner and if you’re going to learn a technique that has someone’s name on it, it’s important to go back to the book. When I teach, I try to communicate the technique in its purest form because it doesn’t need to be messed with. How I do this is from using the notes I took from Maggie Flannigan and also the book.
Atlanta Film and TV: What do you hope actors take away from working with you?
Erin Elizabeth Burns: My hope is that actors will bring themselves to the work, trust their own instincts and stop performing and pretending.
What I often see actors do is pretend and make general choices, and they’re not seeing anyone in their self-tape. When actors approach every audition with radical specificity, that’s when they’ll be remembered by casting. When they do that it will feel like the actors are in a scene, rather than standing on a mark and staring at a reader - which is not human or what you see on TV.
A lot of actors ask, ‘what does casting want?’ Casting doesn’t know, because they haven’t seen it before. Casting for a TV show isn’t like a play that casting directors have already seen on Broadway. They don’t know until you bring it to life! Stop auditioning and turn in a scene. Everyone is going to turn in the words, but that won’t get you work in this industry. Grab the stage directions and your audition will feel like a scene.
Atlanta Film and TV: You have emphasized the importance of creating a safe, encouraging environment for actors to learn and grow. Why is that kind of environment important, and how does it influence an actor’s confidence and creative development?
Erin Elizabeth Burns: Creating a safe environment is important because acting is the most intimate art form; it's our heart, soul and gut. Unfortunately, abuse can happen in acting classes which should raise a red flag, and you should run the opposite direction and ask for your money back.
I never want to publicly disgrace anyone, but they know who they are, and they need to stop. Those teachers need to know they are damaging actors. Acting teachers have a responsibility to create a safe environment for actors to feel comfortable and allow their emotional life to come to the surface.
Atlanta Film and TV: Your credits include Ozark, Lodge 49, The Divergent Series: Allegiant, and Mine 9. Looking back at those projects, is there a particular role or experience that challenged you in a way that helped you grow as an actress?
Erin Elizabeth Burns: Mine 9 was the role that challenged me as an actress. In this film, I play the gal who runs the mine. This is one where I got paid the least, because it was an independent film, but was the most important film I’ve been a part of. It’s a true story of 3 coal mining disasters that happened in the U.S. The director, Eddie Mensore took those three disasters and married them into one storyline. Eddie took a group of us to Appalachia and we got to go ¾ of a mile into a coal mine. This experience gave us all the reality of what happens in these peoples lives.
Atlanta Film and TV: If you could speak to a graduating high school senior, looking to pursue a career in acting, what would be a piece of advice you would share?
Erin Elizabeth Burns: Training, training, & more training. Learn the art of auditioning. Get on set. Submit yourself for every student film, short film, indie.. anything to get on set & get experience. Also, watch TV :)
Atlanta Film and TV: Do you have any G.E.M.S. (G.E.M.S. stands for great educational moments with movers and shakers) that you would like to share with our readers and viewers.
Erin Elizabeth Burns: Be an actor in service. We’re the ones who get the IMDb credit, and the ones who are on camera and receive residuals. If we’re in service, we’ll understand that casting is simply trying to find the person who is best fit for a role and we’ll understand why we don’t get called in for certain projects.
For instance, I was right for Ozark. I was born and raised in Kansas and I look like your next door gal pal, making me a right fit for the show. There are plenty of shows I’m not right for because of my face. I tell actors to watch TV, look for yourself, and you’ll start to understand where you fit in the industry.
Be in service of your Agent. Be sure to read everything at least 3 times before making any decisions, because agents don’t have time to answer every question.
Atlanta Film and TV: How can people connect with you?
Erin Elizabeth Burns: You can connect with me at eebstudios.com
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