In regular theater an actor may prepare a monologue that he has spent many hours memorizing, for a part that he will also perform at every audition. He's spent a lot of time on this and has perfected his art and delivery. When going for an audition he is quite comfortable with his prepared lines. However, in a film or commercial audition the actor is expected to perform a script given to him that he has never seen before. This is when the art of cold reading is very important and can be a life saver.
The technical definition of cold reading is the auditioning for a part with a script in hand, one the actor has never seen. The profession says that the actor is supposed to be given the script at least 24 hours before the audition but all too often this just doesn't happen. This is why cold reading is so important to actors who work in film or commercials.
So, how do you learn to cold read? Brute force. Pick up a script, read the first line, commit it to memory and then say the line without looking at the script. You've just done your first cold reading. At first you may only be able to memorize a few words at a time, but with a little practice you'll soon be memorizing several lines at a time. Being an actor is kind of like being an athlete. The more you work at it the better you'll get. After you feel comfortable doing cold reading by yourself try it with another actor. This is when it gets fun.
When you're at your audition it's very tempting to try to sneak a peak at your next line while the other actor is doing his lines. Don't do this. How you listen to your fellow actor is just as important as speaking your lines. Wait until it's time for you to respond and then look at your next line. Memorize as much of your line as you can in a few seconds. Then make eye contact with your partner and say your next line.
If you've got more to memorize than you can with just a glance, repeat the process until you have the line memorized. But keep your face out of your script. Never read your lines while looking at your script. This is a sure way to blow the audition. Make sure you stay in character while reading your lines.
When you're actually at your audition even if you don't get the script until you get there, try to read the script in its entirety at once and remember as much of it as you can. This way you'll at least have some idea what the scene is about, who the characters are and how the conversation should go. If you have more time try to memorize the first and last lines. This will give you a strong start and finish, which is what the person auditioning you will remember the most.
When holding your script, hold with your left hand if right handed and at chest level. Never have your head buried in the script. Don't wave the script around like it is a prop. Make believe it is just a natural extension of your body. The less attention you draw to the script itself the better.
A cold reading goes much slower and feels a lot more awkward than a normal reading. This is normal and there is no need to worry about it. The casting director knows this is the first time you've seen the script. He is more interested in what kind of personality you have as the character.
Sadly, you may be the greatest actor in the world, but without being able to cold read well you aren't going to get many parts as you'll never get past the first audition. So include cold reading in your training. You'll find you'll get more parts because of it.
Acting - Cold Reading
Acting - The Agent Interview
This can be quite a frightening question. Somebody is asking about you and you're confronted with such a broad and general opening line. How on Earth do you reply?
When you finally get that all important interview with an agent, you want to be as prepared as you possibly can be. You've probably brought copies of your best headshot along with your resumé. Maybe you've even brought a couple of monologues with you in case the agent wants to hear you read something by asking you to "show him what you can do." But before it even gets to that, the first part of the interview is usually very awkward. The truth is, the agent at this time has probably already seen your headshot and resumé and has probably even seen you in some production, maybe a local play. But at this time the agent wants to get to know you personally. Hw wants to know how you present yourself to people in a business setting. Since you will be working with the agent in getting you work, he wants to make sure that you handle yourself professionally in a such a setting.
So the agent asks you to tell him something about yourself. What do you say to him? Actually, you should prepare ahead of time for this question. You don't want to be taken off guard. Just as you have prepared everything else, your headshots, resumé, and monologue, you want to prepare for this question. This is the opportunity to get some experience as a writer. Here you will create the exact monologue that you want to describe yourself. You should memorize it and practice it just as you would a movie script until you have complete confidence in reciting it.
To do this, think about what you want the agent to know about you. Don't just spit back your resumé. The agent has already seen that. You can, however, mention a few highlights. If you have good training with a well known school, mention this. Your agent is going to want to know what you've been doing. Tell him about any lead roles you've done. If not a lead, pick a role you've played that you particularly enjoyed playing, even if it was a small part. Talk about what excites you about being an actor. Tell him what you love about theater or television or whatever medium you're most interested in. Tell him about any interesting hobbies that you have. Agents want to see that you're well rounded and not just one dimensional. Well rounded people usually make good actors. Tell the agent what you feel is unique about yourself. Keep your monologue to under a minute. Agents don't have a lot of time and want to get right to the point.
Finally, remember one thing. If an agent has invited you to an interview he is already interested in you so don't push it. Act natural and be yourself. You will find that by not acting you will have your best chance at getting this agent to represent you.
Acting - On The Job
Many people think that acting is all about glamour and living the good life. Maybe you get some fancy limo and a ton of other perks and that's all there is to it. Unfortunately, the real work of being an actor is not glamorous. There's actual work involved. Here is a typical day on the set of a major motion picture.
You're up at about 5:30 in the morning. Why? Because most likely you have a call time of 7 AM and the shoot is in Pasadena. You're on your own as far as getting there so you have to shower and shave early and hop in your own car and drive to the shoot. Traffic in LA is awful so you better get an early start. After you arrive and park your own car, a teamster shuffles you off to the film set. At the set you check in with the second director and then get in line at the food truck for a quick breakfast. No fancy meals.
Before you even get a chance to finish your bagel, a girl from wardrobe comes over to you and says they need to measure you for a new jacket that they picked out for your scene. After you get fitted they then ship you off to makeup. After about an hour of having your face tortured you're out of the makeup trailer with toilet paper stuck to your collar in order to keep makeup off your clothes. It's now time to head to the set.
The director and the whole crew, lighting, cameras, etc., are already all there setting up the scene. At this point the director will have a brief chat with you to inform you of the change in your lines that you spent half the night studying and memorizing. At this time you'll rehearse the new lines a couple of times on the set. Then they finish setting up the lights and whatever else is needed for the scene. This gives you some extra time to memorize your new lines. So you go to your trailer to do this. Yes, you actually get your own trailer. It's also the size of a walk in closet.
After about 20 minutes or so, the production assistant knocks on your trailer door and calls you back to the set. At this time they remove the tissue paper from your collar and you go to your mark on the set to begin the scene.
The scene begins. Your co-star approaches you and begins to say her lines. You then say yours and suddenly you hear the director say "cut!" You wonder what you did wrong. Actually, nothing. One of the lights on the set went out. The gaffer runs over, replaces the bulb, and then you start again from the beginning. They do a few more takes of the same scene from different angles. In the final cutting they'll decide which one to use.
You'll get about 2 shots done before it's time to change the set for the next scene. There's no applause or fanfare. You might get a "nice job" from the director, but that's about it. You then just sit around and wait for the next scene.
That is the truth about acting. Only about 10% of the time are you actually acting. The other 90% you spend waiting around for set changes and other things. So unless you have a major role that requires a lot of preparation, you better bring a deck of playing cards with you or you're going to be bored out of your skin.
At around noon you break for lunch. An hour later you come back, maybe do another scene and then get your sheets for tomorrow's shoot. You're done for the day and go home.
Not very glamorous is it? No, but when the film is released and you get to see what they've done with what seemed like pretty dull stuff, it simply amazes you. And knowing that people all over the world are going to be seeing you, well, that's what acting is all about.
Acting - The Casting Process
People who are just getting into the acting business have quite a few misconceptions about how the casting process works. The best way to illustrate this is with a hypothetical example giving a fictional show.
Let's say the producers of a daytime soap called "Sullivan Street" have just gotten a script for one of next month's episodes. In this episode there is a new character by the name of "Tara." She is a real schemer who is going to seduce the show's star.
The first thing the producers do is call the casting director they have used for many years and describe the character, Tara, to him. Immediately the casting director will already have several people in mind who he has worked with in the past but he will still submit a description to Breakdown Services. This is a company that serves as a link between casting directors and agents.
The next morning all the agents read the "breakdown" sheets to see what parts are being cast. The agent will then look through his files to see if he has anyone who fits the description. He'll select several photos and send them to the casting director.
The casting director then receives all these envelopes from all these agents, and there are tons of them. A casting director will have to go through hundreds, maybe even thousands of photos looking for "Tara." And then even if the photo looks great the casting director will look at the attached resume to see what body of work the actress has done. Finally the casting director will narrow these hundreds of photos down to about 30 or so and will call these agents up for auditions.
The agents will then call their clients up and tell them about the audition, the time and place. He may send them sample scripts or have them come to his office to pick them up.
After this the actress goes to the audition, probably nervous as heck. She'll dress up the way she thinks Tara should dress. She wants to get the character just right. While waiting for her audition she takes the time to go over her lines.
Finally, she makes it into the casting director's office and does her reading for the part. She does well, but is not too hopeful since she has had other readings during the week for other parts that she didn't get.
After the audition is over the goes home and waits. In a day or so she gets a call from her agent that they liked her audition and they want her to come back for a second one. She's all excited.
She goes back for a second audition, reads the same part again and does even better than the first time. She is positive that she is going to get the part. Then, at the last minute, the producers, who are at the second audition, decide that Tara should be a blonde instead of a brunette.
Yes, that is the way it goes. Sometimes you'll lose a part because you are the wrong height or hair color or something really stupid. Then a month later they'll call you back in to read for the starring role of a new series they're putting together. That is the way careers are made and broken in this business and there is just no logical reason to the madness. All you can do is go with the flow and hope for the best.
Acting - Handling Stardom
Well, here you are. You met with your agent, got the audition, got the part, made your first movie in a lead role, the movie is a huge success and you're an overnight success. Yes, it's unlikely, but it does happen. Just look at the cast of "Harry Potter."
So, you're a star. What next?
Unfortunately, not everyone can handle stardom. This has been sadly chronicled in the lives of such people as Freddie Prinze who took his life because he just couldn't handle the pressures of being a big star. So what can you do in order to avoid being a casualty of the movie, TV or stage business?
Everyone has their own theories of how to handle stardom. In this article we're just going to cover some generic ground as every person is different and ultimately what will work for one person may not work for another. For example, some people will really enjoy all the attention from fans and rag mags that they're going to get, good or bad. Others will shun it like the plague. But there are some things that seem to be the Achilles heel of most people who have made it big.
For starters, don't bite off more than you can chew. Once you become a star, everyone is going to want a piece of you for interviews, endorsements, whatever. Budget your time. Do only what you can do. You don't have to agree to every interview request. Don't worry that if you turn one down that these people are going to think of you as stuck up or unappreciative. Make them understand that your time is limited and your schedule just doesn't permit you doing that particular interview at this time but maybe in the future. Always keep the door open. That way you don't alienate anyone.
The next thing you want to do is not let stardom change your lifestyle beyond what you can afford. Mike Tyson, with all the millions he made boxing, is broke. Learn to live within your bounds. This is not to say that you can't have nice things. But if you're only taking in five million a year then you can't live as if you're taking in a hundred and five million. It will eventually catch up with you and you could lose everything.
Probably the most important thing you can do as a successful actor is not let it get to your head. In spite of what the fans have told you, you are not the almighty. You are still just a flesh and blood person and as quickly as you became a star, that is how fast it can all come crashing down on you. So many stars who are big one day are gone the next and this dose of reality is too much for them to handle. As a result, their lives are never the same, many taking to drugs and booze. So keep your head about things. Make sure you put your success into perspective.
Just by doing the above few things you'll have a very good chance of surviving the success that comes with being an actor.
Acting - Getting Started
If you want to be an actor the first thing you have to understand is that everyone and their grandmother thinks they can act and wants to be an actor. The competition you will face will be monumental. With that in mind, here are some tips on what to do if you want to have a career as an actor.
For starters, you must understand that there is no one way to become a successful actor. Some very famous actors were discovered while doing other jobs and just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Yes, there is a lot of luck involved in this business. In addition to that luck you'll need connections and a lot of determination. Here are a few ways to get your foot in the door.
Just about every town in the world has a small theater where they put on local amateur performances. Take advantage of this even if you're really only interested in film or television. The truth is, acting is acting and it doesn't change much just because you're on a stage instead of in a film or television studio. Any practice that you get is only going to improve your chances of getting the gig that you're looking for. Also, many agents and casting directors go to these small theaters looking for talent. There's always the chance that they're going to spot you.
Next there's student films. If there is a college in your hometown, most likely they have a performing arts program with students involved in doing their own films. Film students are always on the lookout for talented actors to appear in their films. You could very well be just what they're looking for. They probably won't be able to pay you anything and the film itself will probably be pretty bad but it will be good experience for you. Just make sure you get a video tape of your performance and keep in touch with the student director. You never know where this might lead.
Another way to get your foot in the door is to be an extra. Many times when a movie studio is filming on location shots they need extras such as people in a crowd. Go down there and tell them that you're interested in being an extra. You never know what this could lead to. The casting director may just like your looks and ask you to come in and read for a speaking part, if not for this film, for a future one. Plus, this will give you great experience as you will get to see what a professional film set looks like and how things run. Every little bit helps.
Then there are independent films. Many of these companies can't afford to hire experienced actors. This is a very good chance to get your foot in the door. Plus there is always the chance that one of these independent films will take off and be big hit. It has happened. You could very well be the next overnight success because of it.
After you've built up a bit of a resumé doing the things above, get yourself an agent and put together a portfolio for him to shop around. That's his job. He'll have more contacts than you and a much better chance of getting you something.
Most of all, be persistent. Don't give up. Becoming a successful actor is one of the most difficult things that anyone could want to do but it is also one of the most rewarding. In many cases simply by not quitting you'll finally land the part that you've always dreamed of.
Acting - Have you got what it takes?
To be a good actor, you have to be able to get inside a character and literally live as them – to convince your audience, and, for a moment, even yourself, that the character is who you are. Given that all you will probably have to work with is a few written words, perhaps costumes and a set, and your imagination, it’s a difficult undertaking.
The range of skills that an actor must have to be effective is very wide. You need to have a mastery of your body for movement that can include fighting, dancing, or evocative expressions. Your voice, too, must be clear enough to be understood from a distance, and you might also need some talent in singing or putting on accents. The most difficult aspect by far, though, is the emotional one, as you must be able to assume different emotions at will – crying on demand, for example, or being able to give an effective illusion of happiness or excitement.
One of the most widely-used means of portraying realistic emotions is Stanislavski’s theory of method acting, which you would do well to study if you wish to become an actor. Basically, the idea is that when you are acting, you think of a time when you felt the emotion you wish to portray. For example, if your character is sad over the death of their mother, you might think of the time when you were small and your dog died, and so start crying. There’s more to it than that, but that’s the basic theory, and it can give a very convincing performance when done correctly.
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