One thing that’s fantastic about working with our students is that they are all unique. They come to me, complete with baggage and weaknesses, and not only learn but also teach. Everyone you’ll share a scene with, write with, or even talk to about a character will have a unique take.
While its easy to appreciate the “uniqueness” in others, it’s sometimes hard to do so for yourself. You might think that because you’re different from the actor next to you, you’re somehow lesser.
This is not true.
Understanding Your Uniqueness
Many people have what they call “baggage”: from their relationships, childhoods, and traumatic experiences. However, if you’re able to work through or come to terms with your experiences, they can become positive influences on your life and your ability to act.
While its easy to appreciate the “uniqueness” in others, it’s sometimes hard to do so for yourself.
Your unique experiences can help you to relate to characters who have gone through similar ones. Even if you don’t directly relate to a character’s “baggage,” your own will guide the way you interpret it; this is why there are often different but equally famous versions of the same character.
Think of all the Elizabeth Bennets and Willy Wonkas: each with its own merit, and each a production of the actor’s unique “baggage”.
Cathryn Hartt tells the story of how her sister, actress Morgan Fairchild, came to terms with her uniqueness.
When she first came to Hollywood, she was cast as the mean girl in a television movie, “The Initiation of Sarah.” She really wanted to play the “good” sister and begged the producer to let her at least read for it. He said, “Young lady, you haven’t been out here very long, have you? A pretty girl is a dime a dozen, but a good b**ch is hard to find. You have great power. Own it!
In coming to terms with your own uniqueness, you’re learning to understand your character’s uniqueness also.
Refining Your Uniqueness
Once you’ve begun to accept your uniqueness, its often helpful for an actor to pin down exactly what makes them unique. This will be what marketers call your USP, or “unique selling point”.
Branding, many experts will warn you, is a risky exercise. You could end up typecast for your entire career. However, the concept is a useful one: how do others see you, and how can you best capitalise on this uniqueness?
Actors like Robin Williams and Steve Carell built their careers on being seen as comedians or comic figures. This served them well, earning accolades and rave reviews for optimising how others naturally perceive them.
Branding your uniqueness doesn’t have to restrain you, either. Those same comedians mentioned before, Williams and Carell, portrayed tragic and dramatic characters later on in their careers to huge box office numbers, nominations, and awards. In fact, you could argue that the contrast of these later roles to their earlier ones is what got them such rave reviews.
To pinpoint what it is that makes you unique, try these two exercises – and when listing your own qualities, stay positive!
- You are what you watch. Characters from film, TV, and theatre that you relate to strongly could be the key to figuring out what kind of actor you are. Are you a leading lady? The comic relief? The villainPick three characters you’ve seen on a screen lately who you relate to, and write down some of their traits.
- As much as we don’t always it to be the case, your physical type can help define your uniqueness. If you’re muscular, you might go for the “muscle” or “action hero” roles; if you’re less physically imposing but wear glasses well, you might go for the “scientist” or “tech support” roles.Ask others what they first notice about your appearance. What do stereotypes say about people with these traits?
Adapting Your Uniqueness In Acting
You might find yourself being cast constantly as the father or the villain without trying. There is something in you that casting directors see as that character, and you might want to embrace it.
Karl Malden, a well-developed character actor, recently revealed that embracing that his unique typecasting was the most important thing he took away from his schooling:
Everything they put me in was the brother, the father, the uncle or the friend, never the leading man. So I said, ‘If I am going to stay in this thing, I’d better be the best character actor I can be’.
When thinking of successful character actors, think of actors like Jack Nicholson and Benicio Del Toro. These two have the same eccentricities in most films, expressed to different degrees. If your uniqueness has destined you for character acting, we suggest you take the same approach.
After narrowing down your personal traits as we explained in the section above, figure out how to enhance and embrace them in your acting.
Here are some questions to help you refine your unique character:
Think of the physical:
- Do you have soulful eyes?
- Do you move quickly?
- How loud is your laugh?
Think of the emotional:
- How quick are your reactions?
- When there’s a sudden noise, are you frightened or are you angered?
- Do you have any nervous habits?
Embracing Uniqueness In Others
If you’re embracing your own “weaknesses” as unique traits, it’s good to recognise it in others too. Your character’s experiences and perspectives are as valuable as yours, so you can’t ignore them completely in your interpretation.
When trying a character on for size, understand their personal traits and how their past experiences have formed them; and then line yours up next to them. This will help you find which parts of your unique self will help you to interpret the character.
You should also pay the same respect to the uniqueness of your fellow actors, writers, and directors. If you have an experience valuable to the performance, so might they.
Embracing your weaknesses as unique qualities is a fantastic tool for opening yourself up to new interpretations of characters and scripts. As an actor, you’ll know that the best state for a performance is vulnerability: being able to truly move with the flow of emotions in a scene. Understanding how your own unique experiences and perspectives shape your emotional responses is key to unlocking the full potential of this vulnerable state.
To better understand applying your uniqueness to acting, why not see if our elite Ultimate Acting Course is suitable for you?
Know thyself.
An ancient saying, and the first thing on the list of our Ultimate Acting Rules. To know yourself is to have a deep understanding of who you are, not a vague list of likes and dislikes. You should know the psychology behind why you like and do certain things. Once you know this, you know which buttons to push to get the most out of your performances. Secondary to this is knowing others: if you can understand the types of people and actors your scene partners are, you can work together to make the whole performance greater than the sum of its parts.
We believe that part of “knowing ourselves” is being able to learn and grow as a person. We like our students to be true to their core self, but willing to push themselves and develop as people.
A great actor will develop quickly. To help you get a head start on your career, we’ve explained three types of approach to acting: risk-taking, method, and hobbyist.
The Risk-Taking Actor
He who dares, wins.
Daring, risk-taking performances are those that risk you being ridiculed, or failing. You will fail sometimes; no-one is infallible. They say the greater the risk, the greater the reward – and this is particularly true in a creative career, like acting.
Taking risks helps you to stand out from the crowd, for better or worse; and in your early acting career being memorable is one of the most important things you can do.
Risk-taking also shows a desire to further than just memorising lines. You’re creating an interpretation and showing casting directors that you’re a creative – someone who will help enhance their work, not just parrot it.
The Method Actor
We talk a lot about the method here, and that’s because we swear by it. When over 80% of Oscar winners are method actors, you know there’s something to it. If you study with us, you will learn how to use the method in your acting; but can you use the method to forward your career?
Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
This saying speaks of tackling your aspirations in a way very like method acting: it says to actively become what you want to be instead of waiting for it to happen to you. When it comes to auditioning, there’s no better advice. Directors and casting agents look for actors who are prepared to commit themselves to a role, so turning up “dressed for the job” is a good sign that you’re the best choice.
Dressing for the job at an audition doesn’t necessarily mean turning up in character; that could be overkill. However, turning up with subtle allusions to the part you’re auditioning for will help them envision you in the role.
For example, Andrew Lincoln – the lead actor on The Walking Dead – wasn’t exactly a household name. When he went to audition for the now-famous role of Rick Grimes, a hardened leader of rag-tag survivors, he’d been coping with the birth of his second child. He naturally looked haggard, and was brusque. He got the part. He might have method acted his way to success by accident, but it was the method all the same.
The Hobbyist Actor
Not everyone who acts is able or willing to turn it into a career. Although my students are committed to acting as a career, there are plenty of people out there – you might be one – to whom acting is a passion and a pleasure, and who don’t want to go through the hard years of trying to earn a living off it before that big break.
As a hobbyist, you’re best off pursuing independent projects or joining community theatre groups. You could even do voice acting or advertising on the side of a full-time job.
In terms of a career, hobbyist acting can be a great choice. Not only are you improving your public speaking skills and charisma, but you’re also forming a network of other hobbyists from all kinds of fields. All that different life experience in one theatre is sure to help you develop an affective memory, and make you a local star!
If you’re currently a hobbyist actor and considering becoming a professional, you may have to re-brand yourself.
So Who Are You?
The best actors are also experts on human nature. When trying to decide what type of actor you are, you should first learn what kind of person you are. One tried and true way of doing this is by discovering your Jungian archetype. Carl Jung’s famous archetypes can not only help you understand your character, but also yourself. Try this quiz to figure out who you are.
If you’re passionate about the method or consider yourself a risk-taker, why not see what we can offer you?
“There are no small parts, only small actors.” – Laurence Olivier.
Have you ever been watching a play or movie and said to someone, “wow, that actor really stole the scene!” This is what Olivier was talking about: how a great actor can own a scene, no matter how small their part in it. To commit to your acting to this degree requires seriousness, skill and real passion.
I want to talk about what I call the “three deadly sins” of acting. These sins are what holds an actor back from greatness, and from commitment. These sins are indecision, doubt, and fear: feelings that plague so many people that half the self-help book industry addresses them. In an actor, however, they’re particularly cumbersome. When your job is to be confident, even one of these three sins could be a problem.
The Three Deadly Sins
Fear
Fear is a problem because it holds you back from making bold choices in your acting. Fear is the little voice inside your head that asks, “what if this doesn’t work? What will the other actors think?”
You must remember that you have control over this voice. Think of it as a dog that’s taking you for a walk instead of the other way around: tell it to stop. You could even train that voice, so that every time you feel it niggling at your self-esteem you pay yourself a compliment: “you are brave! That’s a novel choice!”
Once you allow yourself fearless self-expression, your creativity can flourish. Just as importantly, it allows your scene partners’ creativity to flourish too – if they know they can be experimental and honest in their rehearsals with you, you can build on each others’ portrayals.
This could never happen if you were crippled by fear.
Indecision
Indecision is the leading cause of reviews containing the word “lacklustre”. Without strong and decisive creative choices, a character’s portrayal can seem vague and weak.
If you commit to a decision then you are taking a creative stand – so, yes, it can be hard to do. However, your decisiveness means that you will never be seen as a “weak” actor. Perhaps, at worst, someone might call your choice an “odd interpretation,” but this, at least, is subjective.
Moreover, casting directors like actors with strong and clear opinions about their characters. Decisive choices about the character you’re auditioning for will make it clear that you’re familiar with the character and the context, as well as showing that you can produce a powerful embodiment.
Doubt
Otherwise known as indecision’s little sister, doubt is a sin after the fact. It’s the little voice that waits until you’ve quietened those of fear and indecision, and then asks: “did I make the right choice?”
Remember the catchphrases of the Instagram generation: “no regrets,” “you only live once”. Commit yourself to the choice you’ve made, and continue on positively. You can’t take it back, and doubt does nothing to help you.
Doubt will only weaken your acting, as you spend your time mulling over previous choices instead of focusing on owning your next ones.
Case Studies In Commitment
Meryl Streep
Her work seems effortless, but it is far from. A student of Meisner’s Technique, she is well trained in method and, in particular, physical acting techniques. This is where her commitment comes from.
You’ll notice that even without dialogue, she can convey multiple emotions. She seems so “natural,” and all because she’s an expert study of human nature. During filming of The Iron Lady, a fellow cast member recalls a speech that attests to Streep’s commitment to a role’s small details:
“I’m Meryl. Please do forgive me if I talk in this accent all day, but if I don’t keep it up between takes I’ll lose the bloody thing and not get it back.”
Meryl was confident in her choice to commit to the accent, and her fellow actors were charmed by it.
Jack Nicholson
Nicholson is one of two actors, and the the only American, to have been nominated for an Oscar in every decade since the sixties. He’s worked hard, yes, but more importantly he committed himself to every role, no matter how small.
He got his first screen role in an episode of Matinee Theatre, in 1960. He had a small role, “Musician’s Son,” with a total of four words. He performed these four words so well that his next role was as the lead in a film. He did this by committing to every second of his character’s screen time.
Steve McQueen
The man’s a film legend, and an acting as well as an action hero for many. Something you might not know about McQueen is that whenever he got a new script, he would look for ways to reduce the lines. This gave him less to remember, but what he’d tell directors is what every great director wants to hear: that they can cut a couple of paragraphs because the actor can speak them with just a look.
Practicing Commitment
So you want to be the next Nicholson or Streep? Acting doesn’t just happen when you open your mouth. Acting is committing to an embodiment; that means your whole body. The next time you’re reading through a scene, take a moment to dissect the thoughts of your character in every second of it.
What are you thinking when you’re speaking your lines?
When you’re reacting to someone else’s lines?
When you’re watching an event unfold?
Now try to adapt these “lines of thought” into a physical act. For example, when your character is thinking “This person’s story doesn’t add up,” they might convey this in the face, the hands, or the stance. How would you interpret it?
I challenge you to be bold in your next rehearsal. Be confident, decisive, and have no regrets. See how liberating it feels, and how it liberates your scene partners too; confidence is not selfish.
If you find you enjoy it, you might have what it takes to be a great actor. I encourage those of you who are ready to truly commit to your acting career to apply for my Ultimate Acting Programme, which takes only the most committed actors.
Acting is an industry and, like any industry, you need more than just an understanding of your craft to succeed. To become a successful professional actor, you have to understand the business side of the industry – how to get work, how to present yourself, how to keep on moving onwards and upwards.
The greatest actors in the world would not have the careers that they do if they didn’t understand that acting is a business. If you are determined to become a professional actor (and you do need to be determined if you want to make it!) then you need to learn the business skills to back up your acting chops. Fail to do that, and your career will never get off the ground.
Marketing yourself as an actor
Getting yourself noticed is something all aspiring actors are desperate for, but how do you do it? Understanding how to market yourself will mean that your talent doesn’t go unnoticed. After all, it doesn’t matter how good you are if nobody ever sees it.
There are a number of basic ways you can market yourself as actor, but the important thing is to show yourself off in the best possible way and make sure that the right people see it. Learn who the gatekeepers of the industry are, what they are looking for and how to get yourself in front of them and your chances of success will be infinitely increased.
Make sure you have all the fundamentals covered, like a professional acting CV, good quality head shots and an acting show reel if at all possible. These are essential tools of the trade. Without them you are unlikely to be taken seriously as a professional and it will be virtually impossible for you to get work.
Getting an agent
Although not every actor has an agent, most do and with good reason. A good agent will understand the industry much better than you do and will already have loads of useful connections with casting directors and other industry gatekeepers. Your agent is a major asset, both as an advocate for your talent and as a career advisor helping to steer you to success.
Finding representation can seem impossible, but the trick is to do your research. Find out which agents represent actors looking for the kind of work you are interested in, then send them your CV, headshots and a one-page covering letter.
When you meet a potential agent, make sure they’re right for you before signing on the dotted line. The wrong agent can do more harm than good, so make sure you know the right questions to ask to weed out the good from the bad.
Understanding auditions
Being offered an audition doesn’t mean you’ve made it and success isn’t just about turning up and giving a good reading. You need to understand how to handle an audition when you get there and what you are really aiming to get out of it.
If you want to be a professional, then you have to know how to behave professionally at auditions. Remember, this is your business, so treat it as such. Don’t take feedback or rejection personally and realise that you will probably have to spend at least 80% of your time auditioning in order to spend 20% of it actually acting.
It’s also important to understand that, even though you won’t get every audition you go for, if you make a good impression the casting director will remember you. That means next time they have a role you could be a good fit for, they may just jump you to the head of the queue.
Never stop learning
No matter how good you were in your school plays or at your local theatre group, nobody is just a naturally brilliant actor. In any other career you would be expected to constantly learn and develop new skills to stay up-to-date with the competition – acting is no different. You have to work at improving your acting skills and your knowledge of the industry.
How do you do this? Take classes. Go to workshops. Attend networking events. Continuously push yourself to get better. It takes that level of commitment to succeed. Don’t think you can just sit around applying for additions and think your big break will just come along somehow – it won’t. Learning to become an actor is a lifelong commitment – the moment you think you have it all figured out is when you stop progressing and allow everyone else to overtake you.
Make persistence your superpower
“A lot of folks got the wrong idea about how I got my breaks. I’m sure they thought I tough-guyed my way up to the studio boss and bullied myself into a part. No way. I worked hard and if you work hard you get the goodies.” – Steve McQueen
Having the right attitude is half the battle. It’s not enough to have a vague aspiration to be an actor, you need to be prepared to work at it, keep working at it and then work at it some more. Again, this is a business, so you will have to do some work – it’s not all swanning around, sipping chardonnay in your trailer between takes. If you’re not prepared to put in the hard graft then acting really isn’t for you. It’s not an easy profession, whatever people might tell you!
Making it as an actor means spending hundreds of hours sending out CVs, going to auditions, standing around waiting, and constantly doing everything you can to practice and improve your craft. If you’re not prepared for that level of effort you really are looking at the wrong career!
Learn the business of acting
The Brian Timoney Actors’ Studio stands out from many other acting courses for a number of reasons, but perhaps most fundamentally because we are 100% focused on turning our students into working professional actors. As well as offering unrivalled tuition in the secrets of method acting, we also have a heavy emphasis on the business of acting. That means we give you all the acting career advice and guidance you need, so that when you leave our course you can go straight out and start working professionally.
Our year-long Ultimate Acting Programme is the best course around for aspiring professional actors, so, if you are ready to turn your acting dreams into a reality, you need look no further. Places on the course are decided by audition and competition is fierce as we only take 16 students at a time. The next round of auditions take place on 27th July 2016 and the application deadline is 20th July, so don’t delay, get that application in now!
To find out more, please take a look around the rest of the website and, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
If you’re struggling to land your dream role – or any role – it might not be because you lack the “X factor”. What makes an actor stand out in an audition isn’t always their talent or looks – it’s their professionalism.
Even big names have to audition or do screen tests. If you really want to be an actor, this process isn’t going end any time soon – so start getting it right!
It’s unfortunate, but small audition mistakes could cost you the role of a lifetime. Lucky for you, I’ve seen them all.
Audition Mistake 1: The Basics
Ok, this one’s for those of you new to auditions.
Try some calming techniques beforehand to help you walk in without the jitters. You could meditate, pop to the gym, or play a quick game of Sudoku: whatever sets your mind at ease.
If you (like many actor types!) lack an “inner serenity,” you can find comfort and relaxation at the audition itself by socialising with those around you. A friendly face and some small talk can work wonders for an extrovert’s sense of confidence.
When you walk into the room, there should be an ‘X’ marked on the floor – this is where you stand. It’s a good starting point for your performance, but don’t be afraid to move around: you should be dynamic with your whole body, not just the upper half!
If speaking to someone in a scene, do not address the panel. Look slightly downstage of them. This is because they’re here to watch your performance, not partake in it! Unless, of course, you’re doing a scene with a reader – feel free to look in their direction.
Don’t signal the end of your scene with a flourish and a “ta-da!” Just relax, stand still for a moment, and then look to the panel. Perhaps say “thank you”.
When interviewing with the directors after performing, don’t stay in character – I know it’s the method way, but the show is over! Ask questions. Show the panel you’re familiar with their work and admire it. You need to demonstrate that you’re a professional, and easy to work with. You can be difficult to work with when you’re famous.
Audition Mistake 2: Communication
Confidence is key everywhere, but especially here. If you show physical signs of nervousness, you might not be the leading actor they’re looking for. The moment you walk into that audition every part of you is being judged, from the way you move your feet when you walk to the first words you say when you open your mouth.
It sounds scary, but is nothing a little practice won’t help you solve. In your day-to-day life try to stay aware of how you walk and talk, and it won’t just help your auditions – it could very well improve your social life, too.
When you interview you should let your personality come through. Don’t just answer the panel’s questions – have a conversation! You should let them know who they’re getting the chance to work with. On that note: while confidence is fantastic, arrogance is not. Your conversation should be friendly but above all, respectful.
As in an interview for any other position, you should have questions prepared.
Lastly, don’t forget: smile!
Audition Mistake 3: The Role
It’s possible you’ll have only one scene or monologue to show you can play the role in all its complexities. Don’t overact to show your range; instead, make it clear that you know the character. Close read the scenes you’re performing and learn everything you can about your character. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- What does the character say about themselves?
- What do other characters say about them?
- What have previous writers and directors of the characters said?
If your scene doesn’t let you explore more than one or two motivations/emotions, ask questions about the character. This will tell the casting director that you are prepared to fully live it. Alternatively, you could go full method and walk into the audition performing and interviewing as the character. However, few people can pull this off in a way that doesn’t seem arrogant.
Showcase a few techniques if you have enough context. It’s worth reading up on the director and what kind of acting they like, or even past iterations of your character. Is your Peter Parker written in the 1960s by Stan Lee, or directed by Julie Taymor on Broadway? You should take a fresh approach to everything, but it can’t hurt to incorporate techniques you know work.
Acting is to do, not to read. Stay dynamic in your scene, and try to communicate the character through its physical behaviour as well as through your voice.
Stay vulnerable and open to emotional change; this is easiest done if you are a method performer, truly feeling what your character is.
Audition Mistake 4: The Material
In all the excitement, it’s easy to forget that there might be strict rules or guidelines regarding audition material. A small checklist to use is:
- Is there a time limit?
- Is there a preferred number of pieces?
- What type of material am I allowed?
- Is this a monologue or a scene?
These are very basic – but a basic mistake is the most likely to cost you the job!
Now that you know what you can work with, it’s time to choose material that best showcases your abilities.
If performing multiple scenes, try to portray contrasting emotions – but don’t make an entirely new character each time. Directors want range, but in an audition they also need to see consistency.
It should go without saying, but: learn your lines. Don’t just memorise a speech or scene, but actually know the lines inside out. There is a good chance you will be asked to deliver a line in a way you haven’t practiced: if you memorised a speech instead of a paragraph, your muscle memory might make this hard to do.
The best way to know your lines whilst maintaining flexibility is to practice them in a few different styles, so cadence and rhythm don’t play into your memory.
The great method actors sometimes go further: they will physically and emotionally embody the character for some time, and only learn the lines a short time before performance. This lends an authenticity to the words as they’re spoken.
Audition Mistake 5: Practice
Practice is important not just before an audition, but also in between them: your art, like your muscles, must be exercised to stay in top form. You can take an extra acting class or join a community group – whatever helps you stay in shape.
When practicing for a specific audition, it’s often helpful to record your performance. By doing this you can time the length of your speech, check your technique, or even get someone else to watch it and help you build a better performance.
Whether you’re starting off in the industry or you’ve been on the scene for a while, we have a course to help: we have one-off classes, a three-day boot camp, or the much longer Ultimate Acting Programme, which runs from October this year.
All of our courses will expose you to industry professionals and help get your foot in the door: the Ultimate Acting Programme even includes meeting a Hollywood casting director.
If you want to learn which of our numerous courses is perfect for your career, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
If you’re struggling to land your dream role – or any role – it might not be because you lack the “X factor”. What makes an actor stand out in an audition isn’t always their talent or looks – it’s their professionalism.
Even big names have to audition or do screen tests. If you really want to be an actor, this process isn’t going end any time soon – so start getting it right!
It’s unfortunate, but small audition mistakes could cost you the role of a lifetime. Lucky for you, I’ve seen them all.
Audition Mistake 1: The Basics
Ok, this one’s for those of you new to auditions.
Try some calming techniques beforehand to help you walk in without the jitters. You could meditate, pop to the gym, or play a quick game of Sudoku: whatever sets your mind at ease.
If you (like many actor types!) lack an “inner serenity,” you can find comfort and relaxation at the audition itself by socialising with those around you. A friendly face and some small talk can work wonders for an extrovert’s sense of confidence.
When you walk into the room, there should be an ‘X’ marked on the floor – this is where you stand. It’s a good starting point for your performance, but don’t be afraid to move around: you should be dynamic with your whole body, not just the upper half!
If speaking to someone in a scene, do not address the panel. Look slightly downstage of them. This is because they’re here to watch your performance, not partake in it! Unless, of course, you’re doing a scene with a reader – feel free to look in their direction.
Don’t signal the end of your scene with a flourish and a “ta-da!” Just relax, stand still for a moment, and then look to the panel. Perhaps say “thank you”.
When interviewing with the directors after performing, don’t stay in character – I know it’s the method way, but the show is over! Ask questions. Show the panel you’re familiar with their work and admire it. You need to demonstrate that you’re a professional, and easy to work with. You can be difficult to work with when you’re famous.
Audition Mistake 2: Communication
Confidence is key everywhere, but especially here. If you show physical signs of nervousness, you might not be the leading actor they’re looking for. The moment you walk into that audition every part of you is being judged, from the way you move your feet when you walk to the first words you say when you open your mouth.
It sounds scary, but is nothing a little practice won’t help you solve. In your day-to-day life try to stay aware of how you walk and talk, and it won’t just help your auditions – it could very well improve your social life, too.
When you interview you should let your personality come through. Don’t just answer the panel’s questions – have a conversation! You should let them know who they’re getting the chance to work with. On that note: while confidence is fantastic, arrogance is not. Your conversation should be friendly but above all, respectful.
As in an interview for any other position, you should have questions prepared.
Lastly, don’t forget: smile!
Audition Mistake 3: The Role
It’s possible you’ll have only one scene or monologue to show you can play the role in all its complexities. Don’t overact to show your range; instead, make it clear that you know the character. Close read the scenes you’re performing and learn everything you can about your character. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- What does the character say about themselves?
- What do other characters say about them?
- What have previous writers and directors of the characters said?
If your scene doesn’t let you explore more than one or two motivations/emotions, ask questions about the character. This will tell the casting director that you are prepared to fully live it. Alternatively, you could go full method and walk into the audition performing and interviewing as the character. However, few people can pull this off in a way that doesn’t seem arrogant.
Showcase a few techniques if you have enough context. It’s worth reading up on the director and what kind of acting they like, or even past iterations of your character. Is your Peter Parker written in the 1960s by Stan Lee, or directed by Julie Taymor on Broadway? You should take a fresh approach to everything, but it can’t hurt to incorporate techniques you know work.
Acting is to do, not to read. Stay dynamic in your scene, and try to communicate the character through its physical behaviour as well as through your voice.
Stay vulnerable and open to emotional change; this is easiest done if you are a method performer, truly feeling what your character is.
Audition Mistake 4: The Material
In all the excitement, it’s easy to forget that there might be strict rules or guidelines regarding audition material. A small checklist to use is:
- Is there a time limit?
- Is there a preferred number of pieces?
- What type of material am I allowed?
- Is this a monologue or a scene?
These are very basic – but a basic mistake is the most likely to cost you the job!
Now that you know what you can work with, it’s time to choose material that best showcases your abilities.
If performing multiple scenes, try to portray contrasting emotions – but don’t make an entirely new character each time. Directors want range, but in an audition they also need to see consistency.
It should go without saying, but: learn your lines. Don’t just memorise a speech or scene, but actually know the lines inside out. There is a good chance you will be asked to deliver a line in a way you haven’t practiced: if you memorised a speech instead of a paragraph, your muscle memory might make this hard to do.
The best way to know your lines whilst maintaining flexibility is to practice them in a few different styles, so cadence and rhythm don’t play into your memory.
The great method actors sometimes go further: they will physically and emotionally embody the character for some time, and only learn the lines a short time before performance. This lends an authenticity to the words as they’re spoken.
Audition Mistake 5: Practice
Practice is important not just before an audition, but also in between them: your art, like your muscles, must be exercised to stay in top form. You can take an extra acting class or join a community group – whatever helps you stay in shape.
When practicing for a specific audition, it’s often helpful to record your performance. By doing this you can time the length of your speech, check your technique, or even get someone else to watch it and help you build a better performance.
Whether you’re starting off in the industry or you’ve been on the scene for a while, we have a course to help: we have one-off classes, a three-day boot camp, or the much longer Ultimate Acting Programme, which runs from October this year.
All of our courses will expose you to industry professionals and help get your foot in the door: the Ultimate Acting Programme even includes meeting a Hollywood casting director.
If you want to learn which of our numerous courses is perfect for your career, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
If you’re struggling to land your dream role – or any role – it might not be because you lack the “X factor”. What makes an actor stand out in an audition isn’t always their talent or looks – it’s their professionalism.
Even big names have to audition or do screen tests. If you really want to be an actor, this process isn’t going end any time soon – so start getting it right!
It’s unfortunate, but small audition mistakes could cost you the role of a lifetime. Lucky for you, I’ve seen them all.
Audition Mistake 1: The Basics
Ok, this one’s for those of you new to auditions.
Try some calming techniques beforehand to help you walk in without the jitters. You could meditate, pop to the gym, or play a quick game of Sudoku: whatever sets your mind at ease.
If you (like many actor types!) lack an “inner serenity,” you can find comfort and relaxation at the audition itself by socialising with those around you. A friendly face and some small talk can work wonders for an extrovert’s sense of confidence.
When you walk into the room, there should be an ‘X’ marked on the floor – this is where you stand. It’s a good starting point for your performance, but don’t be afraid to move around: you should be dynamic with your whole body, not just the upper half!
If speaking to someone in a scene, do not address the panel. Look slightly downstage of them. This is because they’re here to watch your performance, not partake in it! Unless, of course, you’re doing a scene with a reader – feel free to look in their direction.
Don’t signal the end of your scene with a flourish and a “ta-da!” Just relax, stand still for a moment, and then look to the panel. Perhaps say “thank you”.
When interviewing with the directors after performing, don’t stay in character – I know it’s the method way, but the show is over! Ask questions. Show the panel you’re familiar with their work and admire it. You need to demonstrate that you’re a professional, and easy to work with. You can be difficult to work with when you’re famous.
Audition Mistake 2: Communication
Confidence is key everywhere, but especially here. If you show physical signs of nervousness, you might not be the leading actor they’re looking for. The moment you walk into that audition every part of you is being judged, from the way you move your feet when you walk to the first words you say when you open your mouth.
It sounds scary, but is nothing a little practice won’t help you solve. In your day-to-day life try to stay aware of how you walk and talk, and it won’t just help your auditions – it could very well improve your social life, too.
When you interview you should let your personality come through. Don’t just answer the panel’s questions – have a conversation! You should let them know who they’re getting the chance to work with. On that note: while confidence is fantastic, arrogance is not. Your conversation should be friendly but above all, respectful.
As in an interview for any other position, you should have questions prepared.
Lastly, don’t forget: smile!
Audition Mistake 3: The Role
It’s possible you’ll have only one scene or monologue to show you can play the role in all its complexities. Don’t overact to show your range; instead, make it clear that you know the character. Close read the scenes you’re performing and learn everything you can about your character. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- What does the character say about themselves?
- What do other characters say about them?
- What have previous writers and directors of the characters said?
If your scene doesn’t let you explore more than one or two motivations/emotions, ask questions about the character. This will tell the casting director that you are prepared to fully live it. Alternatively, you could go full method and walk into the audition performing and interviewing as the character. However, few people can pull this off in a way that doesn’t seem arrogant.
Showcase a few techniques if you have enough context. It’s worth reading up on the director and what kind of acting they like, or even past iterations of your character. Is your Peter Parker written in the 1960s by Stan Lee, or directed by Julie Taymor on Broadway? You should take a fresh approach to everything, but it can’t hurt to incorporate techniques you know work.
Acting is to do, not to read. Stay dynamic in your scene, and try to communicate the character through its physical behaviour as well as through your voice.
Stay vulnerable and open to emotional change; this is easiest done if you are a method performer, truly feeling what your character is.
Audition Mistake 4: The Material
In all the excitement, it’s easy to forget that there might be strict rules or guidelines regarding audition material. A small checklist to use is:
- Is there a time limit?
- Is there a preferred number of pieces?
- What type of material am I allowed?
- Is this a monologue or a scene?
These are very basic – but a basic mistake is the most likely to cost you the job!
Now that you know what you can work with, it’s time to choose material that best showcases your abilities.
If performing multiple scenes, try to portray contrasting emotions – but don’t make an entirely new character each time. Directors want range, but in an audition they also need to see consistency.
It should go without saying, but: learn your lines. Don’t just memorise a speech or scene, but actually know the lines inside out. There is a good chance you will be asked to deliver a line in a way you haven’t practiced: if you memorised a speech instead of a paragraph, your muscle memory might make this hard to do.
The best way to know your lines whilst maintaining flexibility is to practice them in a few different styles, so cadence and rhythm don’t play into your memory.
The great method actors sometimes go further: they will physically and emotionally embody the character for some time, and only learn the lines a short time before performance. This lends an authenticity to the words as they’re spoken.
Audition Mistake 5: Practice
Practice is important not just before an audition, but also in between them: your art, like your muscles, must be exercised to stay in top form. You can take an extra acting class or join a community group – whatever helps you stay in shape.
When practicing for a specific audition, it’s often helpful to record your performance. By doing this you can time the length of your speech, check your technique, or even get someone else to watch it and help you build a better performance.
Whether you’re starting off in the industry or you’ve been on the scene for a while, we have a course to help: we have one-off classes, a three-day boot camp, or the much longer Ultimate Acting Programme, which runs from October this year.
All of our courses will expose you to industry professionals and help get your foot in the door: the Ultimate Acting Programme even includes meeting a Hollywood casting director.
If you want to learn which of our numerous courses is perfect for your career, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
If you’re struggling to land your dream role – or any role – it might not be because you lack the “X factor”. What makes an actor stand out in an audition isn’t always their talent or looks – it’s their professionalism.
Even big names have to audition or do screen tests. If you really want to be an actor, this process isn’t going end any time soon – so start getting it right!
It’s unfortunate, but small audition mistakes could cost you the role of a lifetime. Lucky for you, I’ve seen them all.
Audition Mistake 1: The Basics
Ok, this one’s for those of you new to auditions.
Try some calming techniques beforehand to help you walk in without the jitters. You could meditate, pop to the gym, or play a quick game of Sudoku: whatever sets your mind at ease.
If you (like many actor types!) lack an “inner serenity,” you can find comfort and relaxation at the audition itself by socialising with those around you. A friendly face and some small talk can work wonders for an extrovert’s sense of confidence.
When you walk into the room, there should be an ‘X’ marked on the floor – this is where you stand. It’s a good starting point for your performance, but don’t be afraid to move around: you should be dynamic with your whole body, not just the upper half!
If speaking to someone in a scene, do not address the panel. Look slightly downstage of them. This is because they’re here to watch your performance, not partake in it! Unless, of course, you’re doing a scene with a reader – feel free to look in their direction.
Don’t signal the end of your scene with a flourish and a “ta-da!” Just relax, stand still for a moment, and then look to the panel. Perhaps say “thank you”.
When interviewing with the directors after performing, don’t stay in character – I know it’s the method way, but the show is over! Ask questions. Show the panel you’re familiar with their work and admire it. You need to demonstrate that you’re a professional, and easy to work with. You can be difficult to work with when you’re famous.
Audition Mistake 2: Communication
Confidence is key everywhere, but especially here. If you show physical signs of nervousness, you might not be the leading actor they’re looking for. The moment you walk into that audition every part of you is being judged, from the way you move your feet when you walk to the first words you say when you open your mouth.
It sounds scary, but is nothing a little practice won’t help you solve. In your day-to-day life try to stay aware of how you walk and talk, and it won’t just help your auditions – it could very well improve your social life, too.
When you interview you should let your personality come through. Don’t just answer the panel’s questions – have a conversation! You should let them know who they’re getting the chance to work with. On that note: while confidence is fantastic, arrogance is not. Your conversation should be friendly but above all, respectful.
As in an interview for any other position, you should have questions prepared.
Lastly, don’t forget: smile!
Audition Mistake 3: The Role
It’s possible you’ll have only one scene or monologue to show you can play the role in all its complexities. Don’t overact to show your range; instead, make it clear that you know the character. Close read the scenes you’re performing and learn everything you can about your character. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- What does the character say about themselves?
- What do other characters say about them?
- What have previous writers and directors of the characters said?
If your scene doesn’t let you explore more than one or two motivations/emotions, ask questions about the character. This will tell the casting director that you are prepared to fully live it. Alternatively, you could go full method and walk into the audition performing and interviewing as the character. However, few people can pull this off in a way that doesn’t seem arrogant.
Showcase a few techniques if you have enough context. It’s worth reading up on the director and what kind of acting they like, or even past iterations of your character. Is your Peter Parker written in the 1960s by Stan Lee, or directed by Julie Taymor on Broadway? You should take a fresh approach to everything, but it can’t hurt to incorporate techniques you know work.
Acting is to do, not to read. Stay dynamic in your scene, and try to communicate the character through its physical behaviour as well as through your voice.
Stay vulnerable and open to emotional change; this is easiest done if you are a method performer, truly feeling what your character is.
Audition Mistake 4: The Material
In all the excitement, it’s easy to forget that there might be strict rules or guidelines regarding audition material. A small checklist to use is:
- Is there a time limit?
- Is there a preferred number of pieces?
- What type of material am I allowed?
- Is this a monologue or a scene?
These are very basic – but a basic mistake is the most likely to cost you the job!
Now that you know what you can work with, it’s time to choose material that best showcases your abilities.
If performing multiple scenes, try to portray contrasting emotions – but don’t make an entirely new character each time. Directors want range, but in an audition they also need to see consistency.
It should go without saying, but: learn your lines. Don’t just memorise a speech or scene, but actually know the lines inside out. There is a good chance you will be asked to deliver a line in a way you haven’t practiced: if you memorised a speech instead of a paragraph, your muscle memory might make this hard to do.
The best way to know your lines whilst maintaining flexibility is to practice them in a few different styles, so cadence and rhythm don’t play into your memory.
The great method actors sometimes go further: they will physically and emotionally embody the character for some time, and only learn the lines a short time before performance. This lends an authenticity to the words as they’re spoken.
Audition Mistake 5: Practice
Practice is important not just before an audition, but also in between them: your art, like your muscles, must be exercised to stay in top form. You can take an extra acting class or join a community group – whatever helps you stay in shape.
When practicing for a specific audition, it’s often helpful to record your performance. By doing this you can time the length of your speech, check your technique, or even get someone else to watch it and help you build a better performance.
Whether you’re starting off in the industry or you’ve been on the scene for a while, we have a course to help: we have one-off classes, a three-day boot camp, or the much longer Ultimate Acting Programme, which runs from October this year.
All of our courses will expose you to industry professionals and help get your foot in the door: the Ultimate Acting Programme even includes meeting a Hollywood casting director.
If you want to learn which of our numerous courses is perfect for your career, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
“The person you are is a hundred times more interesting than the best actor you could ever become…..” – Konstantin Stanislavski
Many actors make the mistake of believing that they have to fake a performance in order to create a character. They simply ‘become’ the character, or hide behind it and let their own true personality fade into the background.
This is not what great acting is about.
Exposing The Authentic Self
The most successful actors realise that in order to give an outstanding performance, they need to bring as much of themselves as possible to the role. Each actor comes to the profession with their own baggage full of emotions, experiences and uniqueness. This combination of attributes forms their authentic self. From the moment that we are born, we live a completely different life to anyone else on the planet. We form our own opinions and perspectives about people and situations. We experience various sets of emotions such as love, hate, sadness, anger, despair and happiness. Each person has a completely unique and individual collection of years behind them and it is this background of memories and feelings that can be tapped into to create some excellent performances.
Why Being Yourself Is A Necessity In Your Acting
“Acting deals with very delicate emotions. It is not putting up a mask. Each time an actor acts, he does not hide; he exposes himself.” – Rodney Dangerfield
Being yourself and exposing your own personality when you create a character can summon up vulnerability. You might feel uncomfortable expressing your own emotions or crying in front of your fellow cast members and the audience. You may even feel a little embarrassed at first. However, revealing the vulnerable side of your personality is an enormous strength if you can bring it to your acting work. If you draw upon your own experiences and emotions when relating to other characters on stage or set, then you will be able to create some truly convincing performances. By doing so, you will also encourage your audience to dig deep and get in touch with their own emotions. Audiences understand vulnerability. If you give them something that they can relate to, then this will allow them to make an intense connection with both the character and your performance.
The Challenges Of Being Yourself
Of course, it is not an easy process to bare your authentic self during your performances. We have all been conditioned not to show vulnerability as it is a sign of weakness. Peoples past experiences will vary but generally speaking cultural or familial conditioning provides us with personal inhibitions. Being yourself is something that most of us find hard or even unacceptable when it involves freely displaying certain sets of emotions in public.
Luckily, the Method utilises a tried and tested process which removes these restrictions in behaviour and takes away an actor’s social mask. This allows the true self to shine through.
Character Development
Of course, we don’t just possess one true self. In fact, we all have several versions of our character which are based on various events and experiences that we have faced. This is an asset when it comes to acting as it allows you to play around with the creation of a character until you feel that you’ve found his or her personality. If you feel that the role requires you to be jealous, then remember a time when you were overwhelmed with this unpleasant emotion. The Method will teach you to recall these feelings and sensations based on past experiences and then be able to express them without fear in your performances. However, it is important to keep an open mind when developing a character. Don’t rush in and assume that you know how they would respond in a particular situation. Instead, keep searching your own self to find new ways to play the character. This organic way of letting a character evolve both emotionally and physically from your own set of background experiences will allow you to merge seamlessly into the role.
If you’d like to learn more about how to create truly believable characters and deliver utterly compelling performances that your audience can relate to, then consider taking some Method Acting training. Our 3 day ‘Introduction to Method Acting Bootcamp’ will throw you in at the deep end. You will take part in exercises that utilise the sense in order to activate your own personal memories and connect with a character at a deep psychological level. If you’d like to learn how to create fully believable characters, then apply for our next bootcamp today.
“The person you are is a hundred times more interesting than the best actor you could ever become…..” – Konstantin Stanislavski
Many actors make the mistake of believing that they have to fake a performance in order to create a character. They simply ‘become’ the character, or hide behind it and let their own true personality fade into the background.
This is not what great acting is about.
Exposing The Authentic Self
The most successful actors realise that in order to give an outstanding performance, they need to bring as much of themselves as possible to the role. Each actor comes to the profession with their own baggage full of emotions, experiences and uniqueness. This combination of attributes forms their authentic self. From the moment that we are born, we live a completely different life to anyone else on the planet. We form our own opinions and perspectives about people and situations. We experience various sets of emotions such as love, hate, sadness, anger, despair and happiness. Each person has a completely unique and individual collection of years behind them and it is this background of memories and feelings that can be tapped into to create some excellent performances.
Why Being Yourself Is A Necessity In Your Acting
“Acting deals with very delicate emotions. It is not putting up a mask. Each time an actor acts, he does not hide; he exposes himself.” – Rodney Dangerfield
Being yourself and exposing your own personality when you create a character can summon up vulnerability. You might feel uncomfortable expressing your own emotions or crying in front of your fellow cast members and the audience. You may even feel a little embarrassed at first. However, revealing the vulnerable side of your personality is an enormous strength if you can bring it to your acting work. If you draw upon your own experiences and emotions when relating to other characters on stage or set, then you will be able to create some truly convincing performances. By doing so, you will also encourage your audience to dig deep and get in touch with their own emotions. Audiences understand vulnerability. If you give them something that they can relate to, then this will allow them to make an intense connection with both the character and your performance.
The Challenges Of Being Yourself
Of course, it is not an easy process to bare your authentic self during your performances. We have all been conditioned not to show vulnerability as it is a sign of weakness. Peoples past experiences will vary but generally speaking cultural or familial conditioning provides us with personal inhibitions. Being yourself is something that most of us find hard or even unacceptable when it involves freely displaying certain sets of emotions in public.
Luckily, the Method utilises a tried and tested process which removes these restrictions in behaviour and takes away an actor’s social mask. This allows the true self to shine through.
Character Development
Of course, we don’t just possess one true self. In fact, we all have several versions of our character which are based on various events and experiences that we have faced. This is an asset when it comes to acting as it allows you to play around with the creation of a character until you feel that you’ve found his or her personality. If you feel that the role requires you to be jealous, then remember a time when you were overwhelmed with this unpleasant emotion. The Method will teach you to recall these feelings and sensations based on past experiences and then be able to express them without fear in your performances. However, it is important to keep an open mind when developing a character. Don’t rush in and assume that you know how they would respond in a particular situation. Instead, keep searching your own self to find new ways to play the character. This organic way of letting a character evolve both emotionally and physically from your own set of background experiences will allow you to merge seamlessly into the role.
If you’d like to learn more about how to create truly believable characters and deliver utterly compelling performances that your audience can relate to, then consider taking some Method Acting training. Our 3 day ‘Introduction to Method Acting Bootcamp’ will throw you in at the deep end. You will take part in exercises that utilise the sense in order to activate your own personal memories and connect with a character at a deep psychological level. If you’d like to learn how to create fully believable characters, then apply for our next bootcamp today.