Audition Clinic

Hey there Actors!  Sorry it's been so long since my last post.  I've been busy directing a show, which closed last night.  I'm not writing a real post now, but instead I'm posting a link to three video clips of an Audition Clinic I taught for the SAG Conservatory.  I hope you find the information useful.  As always, I appreciate any feedback you have.  Here are the three links.  Please feel free to share them:

http://youtu.be/NE2y6pu-sV8

http://youtu.be/ujk3_GJprYI

http://youtu.be/GUe9EafO1dE

Casting Directors: Part 1 - C.D. Workshops

This posting is going to get me in trouble...yet again!

First, a much-needed clarification...

Casting Director: a casting director is hired by a studio or production company to audition actors and select some to audition for the director and or producers. They are paid to be knowledgeable about the talent pool in their area.


Casting Agent: to the best of my knowledge, there is not now nor has there ever been, any legitimate job in the entertainment industry known as a “casting agent” (although I have heard it used in many scams and by many neophytes trying to sound knowledgeable). When people use this term, their ignorance is showing as they’re probably referring to a casting director or possibly an agent. On rare occasions you may find an agent who has an exclusive deal with an advertising agency to cast a commercial, too. If you do, you can call them a Casting Agent, if you really want to...

And now, Casting Director workshops:
It has become very popular in the last ten years for casting directors to “teach” auditioning “classes”. Actors usually take these “classes” taught by casting directors not to learn but to, in effect, audition for that casting director. Are you taking the class because you genuinely want to learn or to "be seen" and brought back to audition for them? Only you know the truth.  If the CD has some training/experience/knowledge to pass on, then great!  But, many don't.  Some of these “classes” actually advertise that actors should bring pictures and resumes to be considered for roles on the show that this casting director is casting (although this is against SAG rules).

This type of behavior on the part of some casting directors is truly disgraceful and, in fact, illegal. Let's be honest, are they really doing it to teach you something or to take your money in exchange for some face-time because they know you're hoping to be considered for an acting job?  Ok, since we're being honest, how many casting directors do you know who have EVER taken even ONE acting class or been paid to work for even one minute on set, in their life?  If you are living outside of L.A. or N.Y. the answer is probably "None".  Even in those two cities, the only qualification you need to have, in order to work as a casting director, is the ability to make appointments and do paperwork (although to be a good casting director you also need to be able to recognize good acting).  I'm assuming that you have trained and perhaps worked on set.  I promise you that if you've taken even one acting class, you've trained more than the vast majority of casting directors.  So what are they really able to "teach" you?!  Their job is to find talent, not to create it!

The other reason that I don’t recommend that actors take these “classes” is because I believe that it makes actors look desperate – who wants to hire an actor that has to pay to audition? Yes, sure, occasionally people actually do get work from these “classes” for the simple reason that actors talk and pretty soon everybody knows that so-and-so got hired after doing one of these classes. So more actors show up for the next one. These jobs are always minor day-playing roles. But do you really think that when a casting director needs to find a good actor for a role, that they are going to think of the actors that have to pay to audition for them or are they going to go to the actors with just a bit more self-respect...?

An actor with self-respect...now there's a concept!

More on auditioning for casting directors next time, in Part 2...

The moment before "Action" - Part 2

Note the detached, almost vacant expression in Pacino's eyes as he listen's to direction from Sidney Lumet while shooting "Dog Day Afternoon". He's listening intently while trying to maintain his focus. I see this look a lot on set.

This is the second of two steps I recommend an actor takes before the director calls "Action" (or before you enter the scene.  As I said last week, these steps, like any acting technique, are like medicine.  You take it when there is something wrong.  If you can enter a scene believing in the given circumstances and feeling what you need to feel then you don't need to do anything else.  It's working!  But 10 or 15 takes later you may need help fully believing that this is the first time you've entered this room and said these lines...and feeling what you need to feel.  That's when you need technique.  If you have not already done so, please read the last post before reading this one.

Incidentally, this is one way where my training differs with the Meisner technique.  I have found on set, that Meisner trained actors are SOMETIMES lacking in their connection to the imaginary circumstances, in the opening of a scene.  They always enter the scene emotionally full due to their training in "Emotional Preparation" however I have often noted that they don't tend to be dealing with their objective in an active way.  Here's what I suggest to my students as a solution to this problem:

After you've "Filled-up emotionally":

Create and Experience the Moment Before.
That is not an hour before or even the minute before but literally the moment before.  What happened in the 5 seconds before you entered (or "Action")?  This moment should be related to the given circumstances in the character's life and, if at all possible, the Moment Before should increase the Obstacle for the character. The character wants something (his "Objective" or "Intention") and something is getting in the way (the "Obstacle").  By increasing the Obstacle the actor must try harder to get his objective and therefore enters the scene grounded in the imaginary circumstances.  Here's an example to make this clearer:  Hamlet is about to enter with the intention of making Ophelia hate him (for her own good) and sending her away.  The actor identifies an emotion and fills up with it (Step one).  Then, right before he enters he smells Ophelia's perfume (either through imagination or perhaps he carries it with him) and remembers how much he loves her.  His intention is to get rid of her so this increases his Obstacle. When he enters he is immersed in the imaginary circumstances.

Keep in mind that all this prep - both steps one and two - happens before the director says "Action".  Once the scene starts, your head is clear and you are reacting to the other actors and the imaginary circumstances - completely spontaneously. You can swing with abandon...

The moment before "Action"

I'll preface this post by saying what I often say in class - "Technique is like medicine.  You only use it when you need it." If you're feeling the emotions you need to feel by simply believing in the imaginary circumstances, then you don't need anything else.  It's working.  But often times (especially after 15 takes) an actor might have trouble generating the real emotion he or she needs to feel in the scene.  Typically, this is when they start "indicating" the emotions required in the scene (see my August 14th blog).

The preventative medicine to this common problem can often be found in the actor's preparation.  I suggest two phases of prep before an actor enters a scene (or the director calls "Action").  When both are used together the actor feels what he needs to feel and starts the scene anchored in the imaginary circumstances. Here's how it works:

Step 1. Get emotionally full.

Sanford Meisner

Sanford Meisner uses "Emotional Preparation".  Strasberg favored "Affective Memory".  My approach is, "Use what works!" The idea is to "fill up" emotionally and I suggest a combination of different methods. First identify a main emotion your character feels at the start of the scene. I know there may be several but you only need one for this.  Let's say "humiliation".  Next try to think of a time in your life when you felt humiliated.  If you don't have a specific memory, that's OK! Use a real memory and Tweak it.  Perhaps you recently gave a speech in front of a group of people.  It went well.  But what if you had realized while you were standing there, that your pants were unzipped, and everyone was looking! This works well because it's a real event (you really gave the speech) and you tweaked it (made up the part about your zipper being open).  This makes it easy for you to believe in and therefore easier for you to feel the imagined emotions. Be sure to imagine the incident fully.  Thinking of it isn't the same as really imagining it.  Use your senses to actually see, hear, smell, feel everything you can about the event.  Sometimes you don't even need to imagine an entire event.  You can simply remember a song that triggers an emotion in you.  Or smell a fragrance or hold an object.  Whatever you use, it's your secret.  No one needs to know.  So use anything that works for you.  This will get faster each time you do it.  When you are able to trigger the emotion and feel emotionally full within say, 30 seconds, you're ready to move on to step 2...

Lee Strasberg

...Which I'll post in a few days, so check back soon! ;)