To make it as a professional actor you need more than just acting ability, you also need to know how to promote yourself effectively. These days, an acting website is one of the most essential ways to market yourself as it allows you to put all of your promotional material in one easily accessible place that you can simply point new contacts towards.

But does every actor need a website? How do you know whether it’s going to be worth the time and effort? And what exactly does your acting website need to contain? We have the answers.

 

Who needs an acting website?

Pretty much anyone working as a professional actor should have their own website, but it’s important not to get ahead of yourself. The key is that your site has to look professional and do a good job of convincing people that you are a serious, professional-quality actor ready to be hired.

As such, it’s no good thinking you can simply throw a website together with your name and a couple of pictures and think that is going to get you anywhere. If anything, this approach is likely to do more harm than good. Remember, you only have one chance to make a good first impression, so it’s better to wait until you can make a great site than make one as soon as possible just for the sake of it.

Before deciding whether it’s the right time to make a website, you need to understand what it needs to achieve and how this can be done. This will then give you a good indication of whether you should make your site now, or wait until you have the necessary resources to make something more impressive.

 

What is the point of an acting website?

One thing to understand is that just having an acting website probably isn’t going to generate work for you. It’s highly unlikely that casting directors will just stumble upon your site randomly and decide to give you a shot. What is much more likely is that people will be following a link you have sent them or from social media. Alternatively, they might have heard your name and want to look you up (in which case, if you don’t have a website, they may quickly lose interest!).

Either way, your site needs to act as a one-stop shop that shows off exactly what you have to offer as an actor. Its aim should be to clearly establish your acting credentials, which can have a big impact on when you decide to launch your site. For example, if you have no professional training or acting credits with just a few amateur productions to your name, your site is unlikely to convince people to give you professional work. You are therefore better off waiting until you have done some acting classes and got a few decent roles under your belt before putting a website together.

It’s also important that your site contains the right kinds of promotional materials to give a professional impression as there are certain key things casting directors and other industry gatekeepers will expect a professional actor to include on their site.

 

What makes a good acting website?

A good actor’s website will have a clean, easy-to-navigate, professional-looking design. Anything less will make you look like an amateur. The site’s content should include all the standard things people will need to see when making a decision about whether to offer you an audition as well as information about what you’re up to and how to get in touch.

Your acting website should contain:

• Head shots
• Actor’s CV
• Showreel
• Bio (including what acting training you have undertaken)
• News (keeping people up-to-date with your latest and upcoming work)
• Additional images (showing you in action)
• Social media links
• Contact details (email and phone number)

When planning your website, it is a good idea to get these materials together first, rather than thinking you can create the site and add the rest later. As these are the bare minimum agents and casting directors will expect, then there is little point having a site that doesn’t contain them as people will not take you seriously and you will be wasting both your time and theirs.

One thing you definitely should not overlook is making sure your site is mobile-friendly. Casting directors tend to be very busy, so are highly likely to look up your site on their smartphone or other mobile device. It would therefore be really unfortunate if they weren’t easily able to read and navigate your site, so mobile-friendliness is essential!

 

Is it worth spending money on?

If you are just starting out and struggling to make ends meet, splashing out on a professional website design might seem like an unaffordable luxury. The problem is, if you simply try to make your website yourself, it is likely to end up looking rather amateurish. This is absolutely not the impression you want to give off, so it really is worth spending money for a professional web design if you can.

It’s important to remember that your website is an investment, just like your head-shots and showreel. A good acting website will help to generate work by effectively showing off what you have to offer as an actor, so the sooner you can put one together, the sooner you can start reaping the benefits.

 

Find out how to crack the business of acting

Acting is a career like any other – you need to learn how the industry works if you want to get ahead. It’s not enough simply to know how to act, you also have to know how to get out there and find paid work using your acting talent. Our method acting tuition is second to none because we don’t just focus on the artistic side of acting, we also teach you all about the business side of the industry. From making your own acting website to putting together your showreel, learning to ace auditions and how to network effectively, we teach you everything you need to find work and build a viable career.

Our 1-Year Ultimate Acting Programme covers everything you need to succeed as a professional actor, so if you want to turn your acting dreams into your everyday reality, please don’t hesitate and apply today!

To find out more or to enquire about our 3-Day Introduction to Method Acting Bootcamp, please get in touch.

 

 

It would be impossible to have a conversation about history’s great method acting legends without mentioning Heath Ledger. The acclaimed Australian actor rose to fame in the late 1990s and over the next decade, he went on to receive high praise from film fans and critics around the world.

Heath Ledger starred in an incredibly diverse array of films during his career, and won a huge amount of prestigious awards in the process. One role stood out from the rest and that was also, tragically, his last. This was, of course, Heath’s performance as The Joker in the 2008 superhero thriller, The Dark Knight.

Heath’s dedication to this character is possibly the most famous example of method acting in film history. The final months of his life were devoted to the character of The Joker, something that clearly paid off as this ended up being one of the most critically acclaimed film performances of all time. After his tragic and untimely death, this incredible display of acting earned Heath the extremely rare posthumous Best Actor Academy Award.

 

It all begins with research

Heath Ledger was famously committed to the method and used method acting techniques for every role he undertook, one of the most important aspects of which is character research. In fact, it is possible that one of the reasons that his performance as The Joker was so groundbreaking was the sheer amount of time he had to prepare and research for the role.

Director, Christopher Nolan, cast Heath before the script had even been written. This meant that he had an unusually long amount of time to obsess over his character, conduct thorough research and get to know and create a back story for The Joker in an unprecedentedly detailed way.

Apparently, Heath’s character research included isolating himself, beginning an in-depth character diary (which we’ll talk more about later on) and studying other bodies of work which depicted psychopaths similar to The Joker. Christopher Nolan said that Heath closely read A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess and studied the painting of Irish artist, Francis Bacon.

When asked about his preparation process and how he got into character for his role in The Dark Knight, Heath himself said that he locked himself away in his London hotel room for around a month, writing a character diary and constantly experimenting with different voices. It was extremely important to Heath that he created a truly iconic voice and laugh for The Joker, something that anyone who has seen The Dark Knight will agree, he definitely achieved.

All of this intense research and preparation led Heath to create a truly unique character which he described as a

 

“Psychopath – someone with very little to no conscience towards his acts.”

Get under the skin of the character

Method acting techniques teach actors how to draw on their own real life experiences, memories and emotions, and use them to whatever role they are playing. Heath Ledger was fully aware of the importance of seeking his own emotional awareness and applying it to his performance as The Joker.

After conducting all of his in-depth character research, Heath had created a deep and fully dimensional character that he could get under the skin of and understand. This allowed him to become that character for the time that he was filming, and meant that he could invoke the most natural reactions and mannerisms possible.

One of the biggest myths about method acting is that performers have to stay in character at all times. In fact, every performer is different and must utilise method techniques in the way that best suits them. Heath Ledger remained in full costume and make-up all day every day during production of The Dark Knight; however, he did not remain in character. Instead, he would keep the character diary close to hand and when it was time for the cameras to start rolling, he would consult this journal in order to get straight back into the mindset of The Joker.

Of course, The Dark Knight is not the only example of Heath Ledger displaying legendary levels of method acting skill. He also won multiple awards for his trailblazing performance in the 2005 romantic drama, Brokeback Mountain.

Director Ang Lee was completely blown away by Heath’s dedication to this role and has been quoted as describing his preparation as “really deep”. Ang even went so far as to say that the actor kept his teeth clenched and his face scrunched up for around two months, and that he refused to let go of the character. During this time, Heath also became very deeply immersed in the gay rights movement.

One anecdote about the filming of Brokeback Mountain came from Heath’s co-star, Anne Hathaway. She played Jake Gyllenhaal’s wife, Lureen, in the film and has been quoted talking about the incredible devotion Heath Ledger had for the script and for his character.

The story told by Anne Hathaway was that Heath almost broke his hand during filming. During one scene where Heath’s character walks away from his partner, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, he takes a sharp turn into an alleyway and – according to the script – cries with his face in the wall. However, according to Anne, Heath

 

“Really wanted to go there”,

So he ended up punching the brick wall with all his strength. Anne would go on to describe this scene as the moment she realised that Heath Ledger was one of the greatest actors that has ever been.

This is an incredible example of just how much raw emotion actors can process when they use method techniques such as affective memory and sense memory in their performances.

 

Act like Heath Ledger

There is no question that Heath Ledger has made a name for himself as one of the most iconic and celebrated actors of all time. He is a perfect example of someone that all new actors in training should aspire to emulate. If you’re inspired by Heath’s legendary performances, then you will need to study the method for yourself.

Brian Timoney Actors’ Studio offers world class tuition on method acting to suit every student’s availability. Whether you opt for the weekend Method Acting Boot Camp or the year long Ultimate Acting Course, you will learn everything you need to know to use your emotions and senses and transform them into a genuinely convincing performance in the same way that Heath Ledger himself did. We can help you master the method and show you the ropes in the acting industry so you can get started pursuing your dream of being a professional actor.

If you have any questions or would like to find out more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch today.

 

For anyone wanting to train as an actor, it can be hard to know which kind of training to choose. One of the first questions you need to ask yourself is, what kind of actor do you want to be? There are a number of different popular acting techniques you can learn, so how do you know which types of acting are right for you and your career ambitions?

 

Types of Acting

When making your decision about the type of actor you want to become, you need to think about the types of acting you want to do – theatre or TV and film? Comedy or drama? You then need to assess the different acting techniques and work out which is the best fit for the requirements of your chosen type of acting. Crucially, you need to find out what directors and casting directors are looking for when hiring actors for the kinds of roles you are interested in.

To help you make a decision, we have taken a look at some of the most popular types of acting so you can see what they have to offer.

 

The System

This style of acting can be seen as the root of pretty much all modern acting. The System, sometimes referred to as “classical acting”, was developed in the early 20th Century by Konstantin Stanislavski, one of the most acclaimed actors and theatre directors of his day. His aim was to take the knowledge the most elite actors he had worked with had acquired by trial and error over a lifetime in the theatre and break it down into a methodology that could be taught to students. That way, students could quickly become consistently excellent performers without having to spend decades learning their craft.

Before Stanislavski, actor training had mostly focused on vocal and physical training. Stanislavski’s revolutionary idea was to help actors develop their inner life so they could produce more grounded, realistic performances. He wanted actors to really feel the emotions their characters were feeling each time they gave a performance.

 

“Every person who is really an artist desires to create inside of himself another, deeper, more interesting life than the one that actually surrounds him.” – Konstantin Stanislavski

 

Students of the System are required to become proficient at studying and understanding scripts, so they have a clear idea of the emotions their characters are feeling at any given moment. They then need to be able to consistently summon up those same emotions in themselves on demand. The System therefore has a heavy focus on script analysis and techniques for stimulating the actor’s emotions.

Although the System was first created with regard to the theatre, it became popular with early film stars as the subtler, more nuanced performances it produced were ideal for the close-up acting required on camera. It is still used by some modern stage, film and TV actors, although has mostly been superseded by more modern equivalents, such as the Method.

Famous practitioners of the System include Sir Alec Guinness, Orson Welles and Basil Rathbone.

 

Michael Chekhov

“Real inspired acting is never DOING, it is always HAPPENING” – Michael Chekhov

 

Michael Chekhov was a Russian-American actor and director (and nephew of the famous playwright Anton Chekhov) who studied under Stanislavski before going on to devise his own approach to acting. Chekhov’s techniques also focused on actors creating a rich inner life for their characters, but relied more on imagination than using real experiences.

Chekhov’s approach relies heavily on developing the physical side of a performance, moving away from Stanislavski’s more restrained “real” style towards something bigger and more demonstrative. While the Chekhov technique is still concerned with achieving emotional truth, it relies on the cumulative life experiences of the actor to fuel their imagination, rather than recalling specific experiences to generate each specific emotion.

Considered by some to be a less subtle approach to acting than the System and other modern methods, Chekhov’s techniques were still highly popular within the mid-20th century, used by actors such as Marilyn Monroe, Yul Brynner and Clint Eastwood. It is now more commonly used by stage actors than on screen as its more demonstrative style suits certain types of theatre acting.

 

The Method

Devised by Lee Strasberg, the Method was initially based on Stanislavski’s System, offering a more advanced, modern expansion on Stanislavski’s techniques. As TV and film were increasingly becoming the main media for professional actors, an approach to acting that worked particularly well for the requirements of these media was essential. The Method’s enduring popularity is in large part down to its versatility, allowing actors to produce exceptional performances both in theatre and on film.

Like the System, the Method puts a lot of emphasis on developing an actor’s ability to really feel the emotions they are required to portray. By refining and building upon Stanislavski’s ideas, Strasberg was able to come up with advanced techniques that actors could use to reliably produce real emotions with a depth and nuance unmatched by other acting techniques.

Strasberg devised many innovative techniques, such as affective memory, sense memory and substitution so that any actor, with sufficient training and effort could learn how to produce elite-level performances. The Method also teaches key practices such as speaking out and private moment, which help actors take their skills effectively into a professional performance context. This is particularly important for professional actors as it means they can deliver the goods on stage or in front of a camera, not just in a classroom!

 

“Work for the actor lies essentially in two areas: the ability to consistently create reality and the ability to express that reality.” – Lee Strasberg

 

Method acting continues to be taught and used by actors all over the world, including some of the best-known names in the industry, such as Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep and Leonardo DiCaprio.

 

Stella Adler

Another student of Stanislavski’s System, Stella Adler was also involved with Lee Strasberg’s Group Theatre where she learned about the Method and took on board many of its core ideas. However, like Chekhov, Adler preferred to focus on using the imagination, rather than real experiences, feeling that this was sufficient to produce realistic performances.

Adler’s teaching requires students to put a lot of time into developing the physical and vocal side of their performance, producing actors who are often very proficient at creating realistic body language and strong vocal performances. As with the Method, she also taught her students to develop the link between their senses and their emotions, understanding that senses like smell and hearing have a strong, instinctive connection to our emotions.

 

“Acting is in everything but the words.” – Stella Adler

 

Well-known adherents to Stella Adler’s school of acting include Marlon Brando, Salma Hayek and Warren Beatty.

 

Meisner Technique

A student of Lee Strasberg, Sanford Meisner, produced his own variation on the Method. The Meisner Technique has a very strong emphasis on improvisation and works on a basis of focusing your attention firmly onto the person you are acting with. The idea is that, by carefully paying attention to your acting partners real behaviour, you can react truthfully to them. This means that you are, in a sense, not acting, but simply reacting honestly to your co-star.

 

“Don’t be an actor. Be a human being who works off what exists under imaginary circumstances.“ – Sanford Meisner

 

The one downside with this approach is that it means you are highly reliant on your co-stars in order to be able to give a good performance. Unlike the Method or the System, where your inspiration comes from within, the Meisner Technique requires you to take your inspiration from other actors. This can lead to very naturalistic, truthful performances when two or more highly skilled actors are working together, but can also lead to less reliable results than other approaches when working with less adept co-stars.

Because the Meisner Technique relies so much on improvisation to create a good performance, it is perhaps most suitable for the theatre where there is often more time for a lengthy rehearsal process.

Famous students of the Meisner Technique include Grace Kelly, Gregory Peck and Peter Falk.

 

Theater Games

“Everyone can improvise. Anyone who wishes to can play in the theater and learn to become stageworthy.” – Viola Spolin

 

Devised by American actress and director Viola Spolin, the “Theater Games” [sic] is a series of improvisation games designed to help actors develop their improv skills for use primarily in theatre acting. Spolin taught actors as young as six with her approach, which emphasises fun, creativity and adaptability.

The games involve concepts such as speaking in gibberish, acting like various animals and incorporating emotions suggested by onlookers into a performance. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this approach is highly popular for actors wishing to develop their comedic performance skills.

Building on Spolin’s ideas, her son, Paul Sills, was one of the founders of legendary The Second City improvisational comedy group which has produced such notable talents as Bill Murray, Tina Fey and John Candy.

 

Practical Aesthetics

The creation of celebrated playwright David Mamet and the actor William H. Macy, practical aesthetics takes inspiration from the work of Stanislavski, Meisner and the ideas of ancient Stoic philosopher Epictetus.

This approach breaks the acting process for any scene down into finding answers to four fundamental questions:

1. “Literal” – what, in the most basic terms, is happening in the scene?
2. “Want” – what does the character want the other character/s they are interacting with to say or do?
3. “Essential action” – what key action is the character trying to achieve in the scene?
4. “As if” – what situation from the actor’s own life can they relate the situation to, to help them find the appropriate emotional response?

Practical aesthetics can be seen as a more externalised approach to acting than techniques derived from the System. Although the “As if” approach is also used in Method acting, practical aesthetics is otherwise much more focused on characters’ wants and actions, rather than attempting to create a realistic inner life for the character.

Adherents of practical aesthetics are William H. Mac (unsurprisingly!) and Rose Byrne amongst others.

 

Learn to become a professional actor in a single year

Method acting is one of the most popular types of acting and has been used by 80% of Oscar-winning actors this century. By learning The Method, you can become an elite actor, able to deliver results on demand every time. This is exactly what directors, agents and casting directors are looking for in a professional actor, which is why method acting is so popular in the industry.

At the Brian Timoney Actors’ Studio, you will learn the Method to a level few other acting schools can offer. Not only that, we also focus on the business of acting, teaching you how to find and win roles and build a sustainable acting career. This is what sets us apart from so many of our competitors – we not only teach you how to act, we also teach you how to get regular paid acting work so you can truly become a full-time professional actor.

Our 1-Year Ultimate Acting Programme covers everything you need to succeed as a professional actor, so if you want to turn your acting dreams into your everyday reality, please don’t hesitate to apply today!

To find out more or to enquire about our 3-Day Introduction to Method Acting Bootcamp, please get in touch.

 

 

Your phone rings – it’s your agent. The casting director has been in touch and you’ve been called in for an audition. You should be over the moon – but all you can think of is how scared you are!

What do you think of when you imagine a casting director? If you’re new to the acting industry, probably a shadowy, mysterious figure, quietly deciding which aspiring actors will get their big break and which will go home disappointed. ‘How can I ever impress them?’ you might think. ‘I’m nobody compared to them’.

This mindset is where you’re going wrong. With a few simple tricks that’ll give you a new perspective, you can learn the skills you need for approaching casting directors with confidence. You’ll be wowing them in auditions and doing everything you need to keep your profile fresh in their mind, so when they do have a role that is right for you, you’ll be at the top of their contacts list.

 

Put yourself in their shoes

The first essential step to approaching casting directors is to get past the huge, scary reputation you associate them with, and remember to treat them as people.

Instead of looking at the audition through your eyes, as an actor – try stepping into their shoes and think about what they want. By understanding what they want and tailoring your audition technique to helping them get that, gives you the best chance at making sure they remember you.

Let’s look at what a casting director does, to get some insight into their problems.

 

What does a casting director do?

Casting directors are essentially the bridge between the actor and the director. Often, you won’t even meet the director before you’ve got the job – they can review your showreel and make a decision about whether to hire you based on that. The casting director’s job is to shortlist the best actors for a role.

Casting directors have established working relationships with a selection of trusted agents. When they’re casting a production, they’ll call up these agents and hand over a cast breakdown. This gives information on what kind of actors the director or production company is looking for. The agent will call up anyone on their books who meets these specs, and send their CV’s, showreels and photos on to the casting director.

Based on this information, the casting director shortlists a handful of potentials for the role and calls them in to audition. These will determine who they recommend for the role to the director and producer.

The key takeaway here is that the casting director’s reputation is on the line with every actor they select. They need you to be the best you can be as not only does it make you look good, but it makes them look good too!

Just like you, casting directors are under huge pressure to perform well. You’re more alike than you think.

Not so scary after all, right? With this in mind, your mission walking into the audition room is simple:

Make their job easy.

If you can show up at the right time and bring your utmost to the audition room by going prepared, you’ll be giving yourself the best possible shot when approaching casting directors.

 

Get the timing right

To give yourself the best chance at being hired onto a project, you need to show up on the scene just when the casting director needs you. Casting directors are incredibly project-focused- this means they will be absorbed in whatever show or production they are currently casting, and will only be interested in actors who can fit the roles they’ve currently got.

How do you find out what projects a director is currently casting? Use your detective skills and head to Google. IMDB Pro is a reliable first port of call. You can also leverage your network- ask around and see if anyone has any inside tips on upcoming castings that they think will suit your character and acting type.

If you hear word that a casting director is looking for actors of your type, that’s your chance to go for it. This is the time they’ll be most receptive to you.

 

It’s all about preparation

 

“There are moments in time when you do get very lucky; but you have to be prepared when that door opens for you.”
David Rapaport, casting director (“300″ “The Matrix Reloaded” “Final Destination”)

 

You’ve heard this a million times, but the number one way to stand out from the crowd and show respect for a casting director and their project is to come prepared to your audition. Yet, no matter how many times you may have heard it, there are still countless numbers of actors who turn up to auditions unprepared. Don’t be one of them. Never make excuses.

No matter how little time you have, you can always find the time to prepare properly. If you don’t, you’re risking your reputation as a professional actor. Imagine you were a plumber – would you turn up to unblock a sink without bringing the equipment you need to get the job done? The same applies to acting. Make sure you come equipped with what you need to deliver and keep these three guidelines in mind:

• Read the script as soon as you receive it
• Research your character and the production
• Think about ways you can bring a unique and creative angle to the script.

The more prepared you are, the more relaxed you’ll be – and this means you’ll be able to let loose and show off your skills. Check out Brian’s podcast on preparing for auditions for some more hints.

Preparation has a huge impact on who gets selected, especially for smaller roles where professionalism plays a big part in the selection process.

Commercial castings are also highly dependent on preparation. They need to make a very quick decision- if you make things easy for them by showing up on time and being at the top of your game, you’re in with a considerable chance.

 

No effort is wasted

Even if you don’t land the particular role you’re auditioning for, if you’ve prepared well you can be sure the casting director has made a note of your professionalism. Chances are they’ll remember you, shift your name closer to the top of their contacts list, and call you back to audition when they think they have a role that fits. You’ve shown them you will put in your all for any project, and that’s what they need to see.

As you build a relationship with a casting director, you’ll become more and more comfortable auditioning in front of them. You’ll feel empowered to try new things and find more creative twists for your characters – and this means you’ll be more likely to land the part!

 

Approaching casting directors- Mistakes to avoid

Understanding the casting director’s mindset will help you avoid small mistakes that might cost you the audition. A great example of this, mentioned on Brian’s podcast, is showing up and saying you didn’t have time to read the script as you only got it the night before.

Chances are, the casting director is under the same time constraints and hasn’t had the script much longer than you! Blaming a lack of preparation on when you received the script therefore, is unlikely to wash. You’ll only come across as disinterested and unprofessional.

Don’t apologise or make excuses for your performance – get in front of the camera and perform your best, whatever your best is on that particular day. From there, it’s out of your control, so there’s no reason to be nervous!

Another key tip is to ensure that the audition runs as smoothly and quickly as possible. This shows understanding for the casting directors busy schedule. To do this, make sure you avoid:

• Bringing bags, books or other items with you into the audition room- these take time to pack up afterwards, when you want a smooth exit
• Wasting time with unnecessary small talk- get in, do your piece, and give it your all in the moment
• Asking questions that you could answer with a bit of research beforehand- this shows you haven’t fully prepared for the audition.

 

Finally- Believe in yourself!

 

“Be fearless..If this is your passion, then go for it…You don’t need our approval!”
– Victoria Burrows, casting director (“King Kong”, “The Hobbit”, “Castaway”, “Flight”)

 

If a casting director chooses to call you in, you’ve got a chance! Don’t cheat yourself out of it by not having confidence in yourself. Dismiss negative thinking- bring your best game to the auditions. All you can do is your best – and if you’ve followed our tips to get inside the casting director’s head, you’ll be in with your best possible chance.

If you’re serious about transforming your passion for acting into a career, Brian’s courses can propel you into the world of showbusiness successfully. For an intensive kickstart, sign up for his next Method Acting Bootcamp. Alternatively, Brian’s one-year Ultimate Acting Programme has its next intake in May 2017. This course includes a week spent in LA, where you’ll meet two Hollywood casting directors! You’ll also get an exclusive private screening of your work with a leading UK casting director at the end of the year. Contact Brian for more information, or sign up for the course here.

 

To develop a successful professional acting career, you have to know how to effectively promote yourself. In effect, you can think of yourself as a one-person business where the commodity you are selling is your acting ability. No business succeeds without good marketing and the actors who build sustainable careers are usually those with the right combination of acting talent and self-promotion skills.

Learning how to market yourself may not seem like the most exciting part of working as an actor, but if you overlook this key part of the profession your career is likely to suffer significantly. It’s no use being a fantastic actor if nobody ever finds out about you, after all!

All of the most successful actors you can think of at one time or other figured out how to market themselves to the right industry gatekeepers in order to get ahead. If you want to make a living as an actor, you need to learn how to market yourself too. Fortunately, we have some essential pointers to help you on your way.

 

Putting together a promotional package

If you are aspiring to be a professional actor then at the very least you need to have three key marketing tools: an actor’s CV, head shots and, ideally, a showreel. These three things show agents and casting directors your previous acting experience, whether amateur or professional, your “look” so they have an idea what kind of roles to put you in for and your actual acting ability. With these three different types of information, agents and casting people can make an informed decision about where you might fit and what kind of opportunities they may want to offer you.

It’s also worth putting together a press kit as soon as you have enough to fill one. This will contain more detailed evidence of your achievements to date, such as photos and press clippings, plus useful information such as your website and social media profiles. This can be highly effective when selling yourself to agencies and gives them something to talk about when promoting you for potential projects.

 

Internet marketing for actors

What’s the first thing most casting directors and agents will do when considering a new actor? Head straight to Google and see what they can find out about them. This is why it is absolutely essential that all aspiring professional actors have a strong online presence. The more visible you are online, the more of a serious, “real” actor you will appear to be.

So what do you need to do online? The first step is to create a professional-quality website. There are all sorts of things to consider when creating your acting website, but perhaps the most important ones are that it looks and reads like it has been professionally produced, it contains all the key information from you promotion package and it can be easily updated by you. This last one is easy to overlook, especially if you pay someone else to make your site for you. Unless you are particularly good at coding websites, you should have your site built using an easy to use content management system such as WordPress. This will let you make updates yourself when you have new acting credits, photos or clips to upload without having to pay the original developer extra to do this for you.

It’s also increasingly important to know how to use social media to promote yourself and to connect with other industry players, including fellow actors, directors, agents and casting directors. Social media can allow you to stay up-to-date with all of the latest opportunities and is also a chance to keep reminding key people in the industry that you exist so they are more likely to think of you when a suitable part comes up.

 

Old-fashioned networking

As valuable as online marketing can be, you shouldn’t neglect good, old-fashioned face-to-face interactions. Knowing how to network can allow you to build much stronger connections with people than you will purely online. Most people are more inclined to remember and think positively of someone they have met in real life as they will see you as more of a real person, rather than just another name on a screen.

So where can you go to network with the right people? Industry events, premieres, launch nights, parties – essentially anywhere that industry insiders are likely to be can present an opportunity to get your face and name out there and make a positive impression. Just remember, never be too pushy as that will put people off and don’t forget the golden rule of networking – always have something to offer other people before you start asking for favours from them.

 

Choosing your targets

All forms of marketing rely on choosing a specific target audience and tailoring your efforts towards them. Ask yourself: what are you trying to achieve and who will help you achieve it? If you are trying to find an agent, what they need from you will be different to what casting directors are looking for. If you are looking to connect with other actors who might be able to put in a good word for you or let you know about opportunities, your approach will likely be quite different to how you would interact with a casting director.

If you understand who you are targeting your marketing towards, you can adjust your tactics to give those people the information they need in a way that they are likely to find useful and engaging. This massively increases your chances of success and shows that you understand how the industry works, enhancing your image as a real, professional actor.

 

Do your research

Marketing, for actors and any other industry, is much more effective when informed by detailed research. Find out which agents represent actors of your type and who has been most successful at placing those actors in the kind of roles you are interested in. Get the names of every casting company in your area and make sure you are following them on social media. Likewise look up production companies, audition listing sites and anywhere else that can give you information on upcoming opportunities.

When approaching agents and casting people, find out how they like to be contacted and exactly what information they require. These days, virtually everyone will want you to get in touch via email and they will expect to see your CV, head shots and showreel (and potentially your press kit). However, everyone has their own quirks, so it’s always best to phone up first and speak to someone so you can make absolutely sure you are sending through everything they need to make a decision.

 

Build your professional reputation

This might not sound like marketing, but having a good reputation can have a strong impact on your chances of making it in this industry. Whether you are going for an audition, rehearsing for a role or performing, always make sure you behave in a respectful professional way towards everyone you meet. Don’t underestimate the value of being seen as someone who is pleasant and easy to work with. This can be just as important as your actual acting ability when it comes time for people to decide who to work with.

And never forget that just because someone is bringing you cups of tea or photocopying scripts today, doesn’t meant they won’t be someone with the power to make or break your career in a few years’ time.

 

Create your own portfolio

It is becoming increasingly common for actors to create their own opportunities by writing and/or producing their own material. Whether it is a play, short film, web series or any other kind of production you can develop yourself, nothing helps you sell yourself as effectively as good quality work on your CV and in your showreel.

If your experience is a bit thin on the ground, get proactive and start looking for people to collaborate with. By creating your own work, you are not only producing valuable examples of your acting ability for your portfolio, you are also showing that you are a dynamic, hard-working person with lots of initiative. This can make you much more attractive to agents and casting people.

Creating your own work is also likely to give you a much better understanding of all aspects of the production process, which can only benefit you as an actor. It’s worth bearing in mind that some of those projects may even take off, meaning they could be a road to success in their own right. After all, nothing helps you market yourself more than previous successes.

 

Learn how to make it as an actor

Becoming a successful professional actor requires a combination of elite acting ability and a strong understanding of how the industry works so you can land the auditions and roles you need to build a career. Our courses include world-class method acting training, so you have the acting chops to stand out. They also equip you with a deep understanding of the industry so you can effectively take your news skills to the market and start getting work. So, whether you want to learn about marketing for actors or any other aspect of the acting industry, we can teach you everything you need to know.

Our 1-Year Ultimate Acting Programme covers everything you need to succeed as a professional actor, so if you want to turn your acting dreams into your everyday reality, please don’t hesitate and apply today!

To find out more or to enquire about our 3-Day Introduction to Method Acting Bootcamp, please get in touch.

 

 

 

“You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.” Walt Disney

 

Every good actor should be prepared to face rejection, and every single one will have been knocked back at one time or another- even the most successful actors. It’s just the way it goes sometimes, but it should never be a reason to give up. In fact, audition rejection can be a very important learning tool, particularly when you’re just starting out and can be vital for your professional development.

Ultimately casting directors are going to choose the actor best suited for the role, and if that isn’t you, you have to remain positive and keep trying. There are good ways and bad ways to deal with audition rejection, and as a newcomer, one of the best things you can do is learn how to be graceful about it.

 

Take it Like a Pro

It is important to remember that show business is a business and those in it depend on their work to make a living – the same as in every other industry. Audition rejection is a part of this: if you aren’t cast then there will be someone more suited to the role who is. Good casting means a higher chance of a successful production and a good payday for those involved. It’s not something to be upset about- it’s just business.

That, of course, doesn’t mean to say that acting is not still an artform and those going for roles don’t care about being rejected. It can be upsetting to miss out on a desirable role, and there are some great do’s and don’ts you can follow to help you deal with it like a professional.

 

Don’t be afraid to show your feelings

However much you rationalise it – rejection feels bad, whatever form it takes. Internalising your disappointment and sadness will only lead to feelings of worthlessness, so it’s best not to try and dwell on it for too long. Talk to those around you about how you feel, cry if you need to, go on a fun night out. Express your emotion and give yourself the chance to move on and get over it.

 

Don’t assume you did a bad job

Just because you didn’t get a call-back doesn’t mean you gave a terrible audition. If you thought it went well but have been rejected from the process it might feel confusing and upsetting. In that case, it’s probably just as simple as you weren’t what they were looking for. They might be looking for someone who is, say, slightly taller, or maybe gave a better accent or was just a different type of actor.

 

Don’t get angry and fight your corner

Throwing a tantrum and verbally abusing the casting director will get you in hot water very quickly. At the end of the day they are in charge and they get to make the decision. Demanding a re-read or openly criticising their choice will not only cement their decision not to cast you, but will also make them increasingly unlikely to cast you in anything in the future. Keep your cool, remain professional and don’t lose your temper, failing to do so could end your career before it’s even started!

 

Don’t let it dissuade you from acting

Self-pity can get the best of all of us sometimes, but letting rejection affect the way you feel about yourself and your chosen career is not a path you want to go down. If you feel like you’re consistently facing rejection and are often told that you aren’t good enough, there are other options aside from giving up entirely. You can invest in some professional training and acting courses to get your skills back on track or give yourself a short break to assess your goals and career aspirations. If you’ve chosen to become a professional actor that means you’ve invested time, money and energy, so it’s important you keep trying despite how difficult it may get sometimes. Audition rejection is a universal ailment amongst actors that everyone has gone through at some point. It’s only by staying resolute and refusing to give up that you can finally get through to the other side.

 

Focus on what went well

After each audition try to think of three things you did that were positive. Whether that was getting a compliment on the particularly powerful delivery of a line, a confidently delivered slate or mastering a difficult verse. Congratulate yourself – they are all achievements that show how well you’re developing in your audition technique.

 

Make rejection your motivation

Being rejected after an audition feels bad, so why not turn some of that disappointment into determination never to let it happen again? Build yourself up, and put all of that energy into working towards your next audition. If you want to make the casting director feel like they should have chosen you – make it happen! Blow everyone in your next audition room away and make them wish they’d realised how great you are!

 

Do make plans afterwards

Not getting a part can leave you feeling down and depressed. Do yourself a favour and make sure you have plans to meet friends or do something after an audition. It’s hard to dwell on disappointment if you go straight from the audition room to a trendy restaurant or art gallery with friends or a partner to distract you.

 

Analyse your performance

While it’s important to keep your motivation up and move on after an audition, it is crucial that you make sure you take some time to analyse it. Whether you believe it was your fault or not that you missed out on the part, you will never be able to improve as an actor if you don’t look over your work and find points for improvement. Even if it went well, just as you should make notes on positive points, make a list of negative points, or things that you believe could have gone better. It may be tough at the time, but it’s only by realising your weakest points that you can work on them and turn them into strengths.

 

ALWAYS take something from it

The great Walt Disney once said:

 

“You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”

 

Harsh? Maybe, but the truth is, audition rejection happens for a reason, and most of the time there is something you can get out of it. Whether that’s learning a few things you might need to improve on in your performance, or realising that you need to aim for slightly different roles, there’s a good chance that whether you get the part or not- there’s always going to be a benefit to your time in the audition room.

Sometimes you need to face audition rejection to fully realise what you’re doing right – and what you’re not. Thinking of it as a learning experience is the best way to deal with being turned down for a role. Taking some time to think about what you could do better next time will ensure you continue to develop as an actor and increase your level of professionalism.

You can learn more about giving a great audition and navigating the acting industry in my Ultimate Acting Programme. If you find yourself frustrated and lost in your career, or want to realise your dream of becoming an actor for the first time, our world class acting training could be just the thing to give you the break you’ve been waiting for and equip you with the skills you need to ace those auditions.

 

 

Creating a great performance as an actor involves much more than simply reading a script and doing the first thing that comes into your head. To produce a deep and engaging performance, you need to know how to study a script, pull it apart and work out everything that is going on beneath the surface.

This ability to analyse scripts and use this to inform your performances is one of the most fundamental skills that professional actors need. It is not something you should expect to be able to do intuitively, however. Learning to effectively study scenes should be a key part of your acting training.

Getting to grips with the fundamentals of scene study will give you a head start when you need to begin using this skill in the real world.

 

Why scene study matters

If you were to just read a scene once and offer the most obvious interpretation of the piece, you might produce something which is okay, but it will be shallow and unlikely to surprise anyone. Your goal as an actor ought to be to create a performance which has depth and offers the unexpected.

Not only will this result in a more interesting and engaging performance, but by being able to go beyond the surface level and present a novel interpretation of a scene you are proving your value as an actor. When you succeed in bringing something new to a part that people haven’t seen before, you are demonstrating that you are an acting force to be reckoned with. You are also giving people a reason to want to work with you again in the future.

Studying a scene allows you to break it down into its component elements, working out all the different things that are going on. You can then find ways to reflect all of these different elements in your performance, creating a complex, three-dimensional version of your character. Done correctly, scene study will allow you to develop a rich and believable internal life for your character, making them into a living, breathing person, rather than just a mechanical reading of words on a page.

 

How to dissect a scene

Effective scene study relies on asking key questions of the script. By identifying certain fundamental aspects of the text, you can work out what is going on beneath the surface and then decide how this affects your character and how to play this.

The key things to determine are:

Themes – What are the underlying themes of the script? What is it trying to achieve? What message is it trying to convey? How does your character fit into and reflect the overall themes? What elements of their personality do you need to highlight to reinforce those themes?

Circumstances – Where is the scene taking place? What time period? What time of day? Is your character familiar with the place, or is it new to them? What temperature is the room? Has your character just arrived or have they been there for a long time? Does your character feel comfortable in this environment, or do they have reason to be uneasy?

Motivation – Why is your character in the scene? What is their goal? Why are they trying to achieve that goal? How does their short-term goal in this scene fit into their broader goals throughout the story? What has happened in their life that makes this goal so important? What is the best possible outcome for your character in this situation? And the worst? Are they motivated more by hoping for the best or fearing for the worst?

Relationships – How does your character feel about the other characters in the scene? What about other key characters not included in this scene? Why do they feel that way about them? What do they like about the other characters? What do they dislike about them? How long have they known each other? What question would your character love to ask the other characters, but are afraid to?

Ask yourself as many of these types of questions as you can think of and write down the answers. They will all alter the way your character behaves to a lesser or greater extent. Working out how much of an influence each should have will give you lots of different ways to play your character.

Ultimately, you goal in asking these kinds of questions is to work out which emotions your character is feeling and deciding which of your own experiences to use to inform your performance. To create a deep, layered performance, you need to get across the idea that your character is feeling several different things at once and the only way to do this is by careful examination of, and experimentation with, those options.

 

Trying out different approaches

When studying a scene you should not expect to hit on the “right” way to play it straight away. Instead your goal should be to work out various different ways to act out your role in the scene and try them out during rehearsals. That way you (and the director) can see the different options, work out which are most effective and appropriate for this interpretation of the script and hone your performance accordingly.

A good way to approach this is to try playing the scene out first while just focusing on one of the elements you have established from your scene study. By working through all the different ideas you have established, then starting to synthesise the successful ones together, you will create a layered, interesting performance that feels real.

It is important to rely on the guidance of your director while going through this process and also be mindful of what your fellow actors are doing with their roles to make sure your choices fit with their performances.

 

Using method acting techniques

Method acting contains a number of really useful techniques which can help you build a strong performance based on the ideas you have identified through your scene study. By using these techniques, you can find different ways of playing with the ideas you have generated for your character, offering even more options.

Affective memory – By identifying the emotions our characters are feeling in a given moment, we can then summon up the same emotions in ourselves by recalling experiences in our own life that generated similar feelings. This allows method actors to produce real emotions during their performances, rather than having to fake it. Trying out different memories can add different nuances to our performances, helping us to narrow down the best possible version.

Animal exercises – You should not overlook the need to create a distinctive physicality for your character. The key elements of a scene will affect how you character holds themselves and moves in the scene. One way to develop a consistent and unique physical presence is to base your performance on an animal. Think about the fundamental characteristics you need to portray and then identify an animal that embodies those characteristics. Try to incorporate elements of the way that animal moves into your performance and you will end up with a more rounded, believable physicality that is grounded in your scene work.

Speaking out – When experimenting with your character you should not expect everything you try to work out straight away. When you encounter a problem during rehearsals it is often best to break character for a moment, articulate the problem, then carry on with the scene. This allows you, the director and you co-stars to consider why you are having an issue and suggest ways to overcome it. This may require you to go back and do more scene study as problems often arise from an incomplete understanding of your place in a scene.

Moment-to-moment – When you have a deep understanding of a scene and your role in it, you do not need to rely on having every second of your performance mapped out beat by beat. Instead, if you have done your scene study properly, you should be able to inhabit the scene moment-to-moment as if it were completely real. This means your performance will change subtly from night to night or take to take, keeping it fresh and alive and giving you the freedom and confidence to react in character to any unexpected occurrences.

 

How scene study can help you grow as an actor

The great thing about scene study is that it not only helps you put together a great performance for your current role, it also helps you to keep developing your craft as an actor. By constantly thinking out the mechanics of scripts and how you can best interpret these, you are continuously pushing your understanding of your art.

At the same time, trying out all the different possible interpretations of your character in each scene will force you to exercise your “acting muscles” in new and exciting ways. As you see what works and what doesn’t, you will also be developing your acting instincts, meaning you will be able to find the “right” way through a scene faster and more easily in the future. This should also give you the confidence to progress on to more challenging roles because you will know that you have a clear, tried and tested process for developing your performances.

 

Learn all the skills to build a successful acting career

If your dream is to become a professional actor, you need to know that there are two key parts to the profession. First, you have to learn the acting skills to make you stand out from the competition. Second, and just as important, you need to learn how the business works so you know how to get your acting skills out there and actually find paid work.

At the Brian Timoney Actors’ Studio we give our students both world-class method acting tuition (including key skills like scene study) as well as a thorough grounding in the business side of the industry. That way every student leaves us with the best possible chances of going out and finding paid acting work straightaway.

Our 1-Year Ultimate Acting Programme covers everything you need to succeed as a professional actor, so if you want to turn your acting dreams into your everyday reality, please don’t hesitate to apply today! Why not read about some of our previous student’s success stories?

To find out more or to enquire about our 3-Day Introduction to Method Acting Bootcamp, please get in touch.

 

 

How do you define success as a professional actor? Many people will immediately picture the favourite Hollywood or West End star, but that is a very narrow idea of “making it” as an actor.

In reality, any actor who can make a living from their acting consistently year after year is a success. Most people who want to be actors never achieve this and the reason is simple: although they may know how to act, many have no idea how to manage their careers.

Traditional drama schools bear a large degree of responsibility for this. They often put little emphasis on teaching aspiring actors about the business side of the industry. Without this knowledge many actors graduate from their acting course and then realise they have no clue how to go out and start finding work.

Actors have to approach their careers as a business. Their commodity is themselves and they have to know how to sell themselves to directors, agents and casting directors. Being able to do that effectively means an actor can ensure themselves a steady stream of paid work leading to a sustainable career. Knowing how to do this is the difference between acting winners and losers.

 

Finding the right opportunities

Ideally most actors serious about making a career for themselves will want to find an agent to represent them. Your agent will be able to find you auditions and talk you up to increase your chances of actually landing roles.

However, if you haven’t landed an agent yet or don’t want to leave everything up to them, you also need to be finding your own opportunities. To do this, you need to know the kind of roles you are looking for and where they are likely to be advertised. There are numerous casting websites you can sign up for but it’s also important to network within the industry to increase your chances of hearing about new opportunities by word-of-mouth.

Knowing your type can make your life much easier as it means you can pursue the kind of roles you are most likely to get. This can make your job searches much more efficient by reducing the amount of time you waste on roles you have little chance of landing.

 

Successfully promoting yourself

Finding out about auditions is one thing, but actually getting invited to them is a whole separate challenge. The first thing you need to do is produce a promotional package to show casting directors what you have to offer. This is also what you will be sending to agents if you haven’t yet secured yourself representation.

Your promotional package should include a properly formatted actor’s CV, a set of professional-quality head shots and, ideally, a professional-quality acting showreel. You will need both physical and digital copies of these, with email increasingly the preferred means of contact for most casting directors and agents. When approaching a new contact, however, it is a good idea to do some research, such as calling their office, to find out exactly how they like to be approached.

It is also increasingly expected for aspiring actors to be promoting themselves online. At the very least you should aim to have an online copy of your promotional package in the form of a website. Social media is also playing an ever more important role, so make sure you familiarise yourself with how actors promote themselves on social media and do everything you can to get your name out there online.

 

Attitude is everything

Acting is a tough business and it often takes years to get to the point where your career reaches any degree of stability. To get there you need massive amounts of patience and persistence. As often as not, the actors who succeed are simply the ones who keep going.

Far too many people go to a handful of auditions they fail to get, then decide they are wasting their time and quit. Winners don’t quit, they keep going, attending audition after audition after audition until they finally get cast. Then they start over and do it all again.

For most of us, at least 80% of our time is spent looking for auditions and going to them and only a relatively small part of our time is spent actually acting. If you can’t deal with that, this really isn’t the profession for you.

 

Be someone people want to work with

Having the right attitude isn’t just about perseverance however, it’s also about the impression you make on the people you work with. To build a successful acting career, you not only need talent, you also need to be reliable and pleasant to work with.

Nobody wants to work with a diva, so make sure you are always on time, polite and you listen to what your agent, directors and other industry players tell you. Be nice to your co-stars and to everyone else on stage or set, from the make-up person to whoever makes the tea. Remember, people talk and just because someone is a lowly assistant today, doesn’t mean they won’t be an important industry player one day who remembers how you treated them.

If you can manage this, you make hiring you again an easy choice helping you to develop useful contacts for future work. One thing you should absolutely never overlook is how important it is to make a good first impression.

 

Making your own luck

Successful actors and actresses often talk about having been “lucky” to get where they are. While it’s true that you need a certain amount of luck to make it in this business, this is something you can actually control to a certain extent.

When actors talk about being lucky, what they most often mean is things like meeting the right person at the right moment who was able to offer them an opportunity. While you can’t guarantee these kinds of meetings, you can make them much more likely.

By attending industry events, such as launch nights and after show parties you are increasing your chances of meeting industry gatekeepers who can give you a break. Socialising with other actors can also lead to all sorts of other opportunities, so it’s always a good idea to say “yes” to that post-show drink.

 

Getting the most out of opportunities

You also need to know who the relevant industry players are, so if you run into them you won’t miss your chance. Make sure to do your research and if there are any agents or directors you are particularly interested in, make sure you know what they look like and what they are currently working on.

Finally, when these opportunities do crop up, be prepared to take advantage of them. You probably won’t be carrying a copy of your actor’s CV and head shots around at all times, but you can carry cards with the address of your website and social media handles. This means you can easily point anyone in the direction of your credentials making it much easier for them to consider you for any upcoming roles.

 

Learn how to be an acting winner

While there are no guarantees in this business, you can learn the skills that separate acting winners and losers. Once you have the skills, the only thing stopping you from achieving success is you.

The Brian Timoney Actors’ Studio’s 1-Year Ultimate Acting Programme offers a world-leading introduction to the method acting techniques used by the most elite actors. However, it also teaches you the business skills needed to market yourself and build a successful career. Without this knowledge, all the acting talent in the world can’t make you into a successful professional actor.

If you want to be an acting winner and avoid a lifetime of regrets about your acting career, please get in touch.

 

 

 

Developing a character

So you’ve got the script and a short description of your character to accompany it. You may even have had the chance to speak to the writer and director of the production. You feel like you really understand what they want from the character, and you’ve received all the necessary information from them to help you start working towards that. Now it’s up to you to fulfil their expectations.

Developing a character from a method actor’s point of view is an important and lengthy process, but ultimately one that yields tremendous results. As an actor, your performance will be the presentation to the public of the culmination of everybody’s work around you. No one will see the crew, director, writer or producer and what they brought to the piece as plainly: it is down to the actor(s) to represent the work of the group, and give a performance as true and authentic to the character and production as you can muster.

 

Getting to know your character

When it comes to creating an authentic portrayal of a character, information is key. Before anything else, you need to gather as much detail as possible about them – regardless of whether they are fictional or based on a real person. Saturation is a simple, but effective method acting technique, which involves saturating yourself with as much information about the character as you have and more. This will allow your unconscious mind to fill in some of the blanks, allowing you to totally immerse yourself in the role and almost ‘become’ your character. It is a technique that Eddie Redmayne famously employed in his Oscar-winning portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything.

To achieve this, first, you need to collect photos or paintings of your character or some that you may think your character may look like, if they are from fiction or unavailable. Then you need to collect information about their history, the area they live, the clothes they’d wear, things they’d own, etc. When you have as much information about their physical attributes, history, belongings and location, you can begin to enter their mind.

Knowing what you now know about the character, imagine the kind of music they would like, the perfume they would wear, or the books they might enjoy. Then try to live a day as them. Wear their clothes, style your hair in a similar way, visit places they’d go, do things they would do, experience a day at their place of work, if possible. As you do this your unconscious mind will start to fill in the gaps in your character naturally, and you will gain a deeper understanding of them as a result. When it comes the time to perform, it will feel as close to natural as it can to act as this character.

 

Commitment is key

In the world of method acting, committing to a role is so important, it’s almost assumed. And if you aren’t willing to go over and above what anyone would expect in the pursuit of great character building, then you may as well look for a different acting technique to use. For those remaining, you join the ranks of greats such as Daniel Day-Lewis, Robert De Niro, and the late, great Gene Wilder.

Committing to the role means developing your character and really getting to know them inside out, so when it is time to perform, it will come to you naturally, and shine through on the stage or screen. So what does it mean to ‘commit’?

As Robert De Niro was rumoured to say: “when you wake up, make coffee the way your character would”. In other words, as well as living and experiencing everyday life as your character, you need to work on knowing their personal preferences and mastering their skills and hobbies. So if your character plays the piano – you need to learn how to play the piano or get as close as possible, as De Niro did, obsessively learning how to play the saxophone for his performance in Scorsese’s New York, New York.

Likewise, if your character has an accent different to yours- practice it and use it in your everyday life! Practicing it in the privacy of your own home may be less embarrassing, but it will never come naturally to you if you don’t get out there and use it as if it were your own. Staying in character to order your food at a restaurant, for example, will force you to continue the act, otherwise, you’ll seem pretty strange changing accents half way through. It will surprise you how much you will learn, just by behaving as your character would, truly occupying their skin. Only by fully committing to the role will you fully reap the benefits of this technique.

 

The Method is the only one you’ll ever need

Once you’ve mastered the Method Acting approach to character development, you will never take on a new role without it: it is an established and proven way to give performances greater than anyone could imagine. From the heartbreaking performance of Adrian Brody in The Pianist to the award-winning roles inhabited by Daniel Day-Lewis – none of them would have been possible without method acting, and it is one of the most established ‘methods’ out there.

If you’re interested in learning more about Method Acting, and if you want to learn all of its valuable secrets, why not consider one of my professional acting courses. I offer a 3 Day Boot Camp to introduce you to The Method, or a 1 year Ultimate Acting Programme, plus a career launch upon its completion.

 

For any actor, auditions are a nerve-racking experience. No matter how experienced or naturally talented you are, the thought of putting on a performance in front of a group of strangers who you know are judging your every mannerism, and will soon be deciding the fate of your career can be a stressful one.

As if that wasn’t enough, acting auditions usually take place in an intimate, fast-paced setting which allows you very little room to get to know your character and put yourself in their shoes. For any dedicated follower of method acting techniques, this might make the thought of attending an acting audition seem almost impossible. However, there is one method acting trick which, when learned and used correctly, can help you to give a convincing and truly memorable performance in an audition even with little to no preparation. That trick is personalisation.

 

What is personalisation?

This method acting technique is employed by all of the highest calibre actors to give convincing performances with little to no preparation, in other words; an audition. Method actors, who are constantly reminded of the importance of inspiration and research, may be concerned that it will be difficult to display their skills without the time to get underneath the skin of a character and undertake some in-depth investigation.

However, personalisation allows actors to add real emotions and genuine feeling to a performance at just a moment’s notice. Described in the most simple way, personalisation is when an actor remembers and relives emotions from their past and superimposes those feelings into the scene they are acting out. This is a skill which can be called upon suddenly, even in auditions in front of a group of people you have only just met and in circumstances where there has been little or no time to get into character.

It’s easy to see why personalisation is a core skill that many method actors possess. After all, what actor wouldn’t want the ability to instantly put on authentic acting performances simply by remembering situations and people from their past?

 

How personalisation works

Don’t worry if personalisation sounds too good to be true. With enough rehearsal and practice, you too will be able to give convincing audition pieces by bringing personal memories to the forefront of your mind.

We have all lived through emotional circumstances in our past, and these can be utilised in just about any audition scenario. In some instances, this may be relatively simple. For example, it is highly likely that you’ve lived through romance or heartbreak at least once in your past. So, if you get to an audition and are asked to perform a love interest story, you should be able to imagine the fellow actor in the scene is a loved one from your past. Alternatively, though, what if you arrive at the audition and are asked to play the part of a crazed killer? Hopefully, you don’t have any experiences to draw upon to help you relate to such a character! However, when you learn how to use personalisation, you learn to draw on memories such as those times when you’ve been truly angry or resentful. You can then apply those emotions to the role you are auditioning for, even if it is completely removed from your own life and experiences.

Once you’ve been trained in personalisation, you can rest assured that the idea of auditioning for a role with very little preparation will be a whole lot more manageable – although, of course, you will never be totally free of nerves – we all need a bit of adrenaline to get us through, right?

One of the main reasons that personalisation is such a key skill, is that imagination and memory are two integral parts of method acting. In order to really take a script and bring it to life with a believable, spontaneous and truly authentic portrayal of a fictional character, you will need to have the ability to combine your own personal emotional memory with imagination.

 

Why does it work so well in auditions?

You might be thinking that personalisation sounds great but wondering what is it about this technique that makes it a go-to technique for an acting audition. Although personalisation can be utilised for just about any situation, there are two things that really make personalisation a must for auditions.

The first thing to note about personalisation is that it can be totally internalised. This means that only you will know what scenario you are imagining or remembering when you are personalising a role. The people you are auditioning in front of will only be able to see the performance you are putting on and the effects of your personalisation. They will have no idea whatsoever of the internal process you are going through and what you are seeing in your ‘mind’s eye’ to give such a convincing performance. This allows you to evoke completely raw emotions from deep down inside without ever displaying your technique.

The second reason that personalisation is exceptionally well suited to auditioning, is that it can be drawn upon at a moment’s notice. When you land an audition and begin the rehearsal and filming or stage performance process, it is essential that you research and practice. This will allow you to get to know your character, develop some sort of a back story for them and really delve into their mindset. In an audition, however, you will be judged on your ability to spontaneously act out a short but memorable scene.

 

Make your acting auditions more natural

We’ve already looked at what personalisation is and what makes it so well suited to the acting audition process, but how can you utilise this method to make sure you give every audition your best shot and don’t come away feeling like you’ve let yourself down?

Method acting is all about ‘being’ rather than ‘acting’. The casting director, director or producer that you are performing your audition for will want to see raw, genuine emotion from you rather than melodrama.

For this reason, it is absolutely essential that you quickly establish which emotional memory you need to draw upon to represent your character in the most authentic way. As long as you put enough effort into learning personalisation techniques and remember to bring real, believable emotions to every audition rather than focusing on fake emotions and pre-planned movements, you are far more likely to give an audition that you are happy with – even if it doesn’t land you the role.

 

Learn personalisation

Personalisation is an internal process that you can learn with the right amount of help and training. At The Brian Timoney Actors’ Studio, we specialise in teaching method acting techniques that can show you how to properly utilise personalisation and other important techniques to help you ace your next audition.

Depending on your schedule and personal availability, our courses include a one-weekend Introduction to Method Acting Boot Camp or a year long Ultimate Acting Programme. You can find out more our courses, including listening to what past students have to say, on our dedicated Acting Courses webpage.