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Auditions for Actors by Mario Leone  •  last post Nov 10th

The First Audition

Auditioning is a nerve-wracking experience for the actor, and it's your job to make them feel as comfortable as possible. The more comfortable the actor or actress, the better the performance, and the better the performance, the more of their skill level you will see.

  • Beginning the audition - When you're ready for the first audition, have one of the production assistants from the waiting area bring the first actor to the audition room. When the actor enters, greet them, take his audition form and headshot, and thank him for coming. Always be polite and courteous; these actors are taking time out of their schedules to come to your audition with the hopes of helping you getting a role. Be appreciative and respectful of that.
  • The monologue - After the introductions, if you require a monologue of the actors, ask the actor to begin and watch for body language and believability. In major cities like Los Angeles and New York, experienced actors rarely, if ever, use monologues for auditions and are accustomed to performing a dry read of the script. Monologues are valuable for seeing an actor perform a piece with which he is comfortable.
  • The first read - After about thirty 30 seconds, stop the actor, even if he's not finished with the monologue, and give him a two-page scene from a script other than from the movie you're casting for. Some directors don't like to use the script from the movie, as this may give the actor they're auditioning a premature idea of the character. Character development should happen between the director and the actor in a rehearsal setting, not the audition. Instead, use a script from another movie with a similar tone, characters, and dialogue similar to those of the film you're casting for. Briefly introduce the scene and explain what is happening:, "You are playing the role of the factory worker, Joe who just left work and just found out he's been laid off. This scene takes place in the diner across the street from the factory between Joe and his old friend, Jean, the waitress." After the actor briefly reads over the script, have them perform the scene. Watch for realism and spontaneity in the performance.
  • Give direction - After the scene is finished, ask the actor to perform the scene again, this time changing the approach to how he accepts direction: "Try it again, but this time, instead of being laid off, you just received a $5,000.00 bonus." Watch carefully to see how well the actor takes last-minute direction, how he changes his approach, and if he successfully incorporates your new direction into the scene. This is an important skill for the actor to have because there are often directorial changes on set to which the actor must quickly adjust.
  • Wrap up - After the second read, thank the actor and, if you feel he may be right for the part, give him a flyer for the call back, or second audition, the following week. Be sure to have the second auditions already scheduled so you can invite actors to it during the first audition. If you don't like his or her performance, thank the actor for coming in and politely let them know that you will be notifying them of the audition results. Have a production assistant draft a friendly e-mail and send it to the actors you did not choose. Be sure to thank them for their time, as you may work with them in the future and don't want to burn any bridges. In Los Angeles and New York, producers hardly ever notify actors who are not called back.

  • The next actor - Once the actor leaves, the production assistant from the waiting area should bring in the next person. Each audition should last about five minutes and is designed for you to quickly determine if you could see each actor as one of the characters.

Ed Hooks with Master Tips on ‘Acting for Animators’ by Amanda Toney  •  last post Nov 10th

I found this really interesting. The NY actor turned teacher discusses how DreamWorks’ 1996 request shifted his life path and kicked off his 30+ year career training animators.  https://www.awn.com/news/podcast-ep-231-ed-hooks-master-tips-acting-animators

Why any work is better than no work by Ryu Reeves  •  last post Nov 10th

It wasn't too long ago I was making low budget Tik Tok shorts using my phone and I would put my best one on my IMDB. People would laugh because "it's not a real film and IMDB is no place for homemade tik tok videos!" But I always knew that my goal was to show people what I was capable of.


Sure, I wouldn't exactly recommend this same approach now that I've been in this industry awhile because videos like that heavily weight down your overall IMDB score, but as you can tell by the picture I've attached it's not the final nail in the coffin.

I did it to show whatever companies/people came across my work that I didn't need a big budget to show people what I could do creatively. That TikTok video that was so blacklisted by everyone for coming across as unprofessional is the reason people still reach out to me TODAY to work on new projects. It's the same reason I became a part of actual movies with real actors and a real budget. Most actors/writers I knew in real life never made it below 100,000 on IMDB. So when I made it 94,000 that was the ultimate showing that everything I did worked.

Once again, I would not recommend filling up your IMDB with stuff like I had because it really affects your score since it has no visible engagement online anywhere. Pick one very good video you're proud of. Try to upload it other places of the internet first to gain SOME traction. Just use one. Take that over to IMDB and show people what you can do. Because when you want people to hire you and you have nothing to show...they probably won't hire you. It gives you something to use as a catapult!


Mastering the Art of Self-Taping: A Guide for Actors with Tips from Casting Directors by Emily Maguire  •  last post Nov 9th

As a talent agent, I regularly receive a high volume of self-tapes every week, which has now become the new normal. Through this experience, I have noticed some common mistakes that people make while recording and have compiled them into an article. Whether you are new to the industry or just looking for tips to perfect your self-tapes, this article will guide you in the right direction.

https://www.reflectionscareercoaching.co.uk/post/mastering-the-art-of-self-taping

SAG-AFTRA Strike is OVER! by Matthew Cornwell  •  last post Nov 8th

As of 12:01am Pacific Time on 11/9/23, SAG-AFTRA will no longer be on strike! There are a few steps to go through before the new contract is ratified, but hopefully the terms are amenable to the majority of union members. I look forward to reading the terms and voting in the coming days/weeks!

A. m. a. by Omari Washington  •  last post Nov 8th

Jeanette B. Milio, CEO of Alliance Cinema, Producer, Financier, and Stage 32 Thought Leader & Educator, is hosting a 24-Hour Ask Me Anything ("AMA") in the Financing Lounge today, focused on "Creating a Business Plan for Your Feature". 

Let’s connect on Instagram ? by Summer-Joules  •  last post Nov 8th

Let support one another and connect and help one another grow ? Instagram https://instagram.com/summerjoules_official IMBD https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm10966962

memorizing and reading quick by Mary Tennant  •  last post Nov 8th

Hey all, I want you all know JIM KWIK Memory Recall and Kwik Reading really helps! Am I promoting but I admit it really works! If you go to my YouTube channel Mary Tennant see my self tapes. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-aTlO796NR2S7p-AloJ75A I used to take FOREVER to memorize. But when you learn how to memorize by his ways. Which you wonder why THEY DON'T TEACH THIS IN SCHOOL we be so advance and ahead on the world as a country!!!! This boosted my confidence. I done at least 20 auditions n three weeks. I don't know how I got buried but without the skills from Jim Kwik I would not be able to do it. Did I get booked. NO. But I had two spokes person jobs I was doing during that which memorize had help me. So please this is an INVESTMENT and you be blown away. And learn to JUGGLE TOO!!! Any questions contact me here. ActingMaryTennant@icloud.com Thank you, Mary Tennant

YAY!! The STRIKE is OVER by Summer-Joules  •  last post Nov 8th

Let’s support one another to stay in the GREEN View & comment and I will return https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm10966962

Hollywood actors strike: parties finessing AI terms by Geoff Hall  •  last post Nov 7th

Well, this is encouraging, but I’m unsure about this point…

Meanwhile it has emerged that last Friday’s “last, best and final” offer by AMPTP included the offer of a 100% raise in performance bonuses for high-cost streaming series and features that achieve certain viewership and box office targets.

That seems tightly funnelled and little to do with lower budget productions. After all, the vast majority or films don’t fit into that ‘high-cost streaming series’ category, unless there are more details to come about that.

Also, the ‘minimum rate’ increase of 8% seems way short of the 11% SAG-AFTRA demand. What do you think about these snippets to the potential agreement?

https://www.screendaily.com/news/hollywood-actors-strike-parties-finessi...?

First rule of acting: Never give up! by Ryu Reeves  •  last post Nov 7th

There will always be people trying to downplay your work. I'm here to tell you not to listen to those people and keep doing your thing. I still get people trying to tell me I'll never get anywhere.


When I was a teenager and went to acting school I was told to get a real job. When I started screenwriting professionally I was told nobody would ever read it. When I created my IMDB page with homemade low-budget videos I was laughed at because they weren't real films. When I became a more serious business-man and had 2 films and a TV show to my name I was told they weren't really my projects and other people were the talented ones in those projects. When I hosted my own radio show and hired one of the best rock bands in the music industry today people told me I had to pay my way to success.

If I sold a script today and ended up with a movie on the big screen people would tell it's not as good as (insert any famous movie in that genre). People will always find ways to downplay your accomplishments no matter how hard you work and what you do. Don't work for those people. Work for you.

You don't need money to start acting! by Ryu Reeves  •  last post Nov 7th

I can't tell you how many times people want to get into acting but make excuses about not having enough for a camera or lighting. I started out with a low budget phone and audio that sounded like it was underwater. I saw it as a way for people to at least see what I was capable of from a creative standpoint.


I was making Tik Tok videos as a way to put my short scripts to use. I did whatever I could to get my idea out there. I didn't need an agent, manager, producer, etc. There was nothing stopping me from writing my own scripts and acting them out. It showed people I was a creative writer as well as an entertaining actor. I didn't need to spend thousands of dollars on a professional camera. I downloaded free editing apps from Google Play.

I looked up auditions myself and traveled all over Canada and US to take whatever gigs I could find. I didn't need an agent to do that.

Everybody wants to say "if I had an agent or manager I could do this!" or "if I had money I could do that!" but the bottom line is you CAN do all those things! The real issue is everybody wants to take shortcuts. If you truly love this business you don't need to take shortcuts. Just enjoy the ride.

How Many Different Headshots Do Actors Really Need For Success by Aaron Marcus  •  last post Nov 7th

Do you have more than 1 headshot?


How Many Different Headshots Do Actors Really Need For Success

https://youtu.be/r36sB4hD9Oc

If you have more than 1 headshot, let us know how many.
And, if has it been helpful to your career.

MICHAEL J. FOX'S TSUNAMI OF MISFORTUNE - Courtesy of The Industry publication by Geoff Hall  •  last post Nov 7th

Michael J. Fox's indomitable spirit has faced a relentless onslaught: a spinal tumour surgery in 2018, a shattering fall that broke his arm in multiple places, and a near brush with losing a limb. 

During this tsunami of misfortune, he remained grounded. But that wasn’t always the case.

At twenty-nine, after completing the final Back to the Future film, Fox received a stark prognosis: within a decade, he would be completely debilitated from Parkinson's. Fox confessed:

“I was in an acid bath of fear and professional insecurity.”

Fox believed his diagnosis was a penalty for his fame.

He refrained from telling his family, his agents, or any of the film producers he was working with at the time about his disease, fearing his image as a kinetic celebrity would be incinerated.

During the next decade, a series of box-office flops followed:

​For Love or Money (1993)
​Greedy (1994)
​The Frighteners (1996)
Coupled with an ongoing battle with Parkinson's, he fell into alcoholism.

"I didn't know what was happening. I didn't know what was coming. So what if I could just have four glasses of wine and maybe a shot?"

Eight years later, in 1998, before The National Enquirer could break the story of his diagnosis, he decided to take control of his life.

Reflecting on his watershed interview with Barbara Walters, he said:

“I felt like I stood there naked in the town square and said, ‘Look at me. This is what it is.’ What I didn’t realise was how many other people had been dying to do that.”

From that point forward, he became a voice for those struck by the stigma of Parkinson's disease.

The documentary Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie captures this profound metamorphosis. Trailer here.

“I’ve said Parkinson’s is a gift. It’s the gift that keeps on taking.”

Fox went on to say that Parkinson’s has affected his life in many positive ways: to date, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, a testament to his altruistic legacy, has outpaced even the U.S. government in funding $2 billion worth of Parkinson's research.

Fox had a single request for the Oscar-winning director of his documentary Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth):

"No violins.”

Have any of you seen this? Please share your thoughts below…

Check out the trailer here:

https://youtu.be/yHgMSR4F1Ak?si=XXrqD9DYZwCmDy5N





Monologue Portraying Rue from HBO’s Euphoria by Alicia McClendon  •  last post Nov 6th

For acting class, I performed a monologue from HBO’s Euphoria as I portrayed Rue, who is actually portrayed by the talented Zendaya!


Please check it out and let me know how I did by subscribing to my YouTube channel!

https://youtu.be/mkvisD9NVy0?si=v8D59XqefFAs80DB

Acting family by Cyreita Drummond  •  last post Nov 6th

I am a writer but I am a part of an acting family and I have to say it’s hard to watch my talented son walk away from acting. he loves it and has made it to being Sag eligible in Virginia of all places. it’s hard to get the credits because we don’t live where the work is and now everything is on hold due to the strike. I am a writer so I am trying to work on my talents here but my husband and son are amazing actors. I use to live in Orange County California and worked on a higher learning with no effort because I lived where the industry was hot. now just hoping to find the connections that will assist in bridging everything together acting and writing.

Where are the instructions for joining the challenge? by Jon O'Neilll  •  last post Nov 4th

Thanks.

Actress and Screenwriter Alicia McClendon by Alicia McClendon  •  last post Nov 3rd

I performed a monologue and play Rue from HBO’s Euphoria, who is played by the talented Zendaya! I could use your support! Please watch and subscribe to my YouTube channel. I could use your support and would appreciate it!


https://youtu.be/mkvisD9NVy0?si=DX5Cm3eq-2HrBbrN

Actors Always Be Learning by Tammy Hunt  •  last post Nov 1st

Learning how to act from professionals in classes and workshops is one of the most important and effective ways to improve.

You can find acting and improv classes in your city or if need be take online classes. Sign up for classes that interest you and that will push you to improve your skill level.
A professional acting coach or teacher will be able to guide you in proper technique and give you tools that better you as an actor. You can’t always see what you’re doing. But a teacher can. And your teacher or coach will be able to help you make adjustments, learn the basics, and teach you how to mentally approach your craft.
There are acting coaches and teachers who specialize in specific forms and can help you reach specific goals. If you want to learn to be better at auditioning on camera, you can find a teacher who will help that process.
Put yourself in the right mindset to learn. Don’t think you are too good for classes. You’re not. For most actors, your job isn’t to be an actor. Your job is to learn and to be the best actor you can be. Reach out for new ways of adding skills to your repertoire, try a new language, accents, dialects, etc.

#actor #audition #workshop #classes

Don't Forget to Say, "Thank you". by Matthew Gross  •  last post Oct 31st

It is so important for the longevity of your acting career to remember the casting director who gave you the opportunity to audition for the role you eventually secured. The day after I wrap a principal role, I always send a message to the casting director thanking her/him. In the message I briefly share what I learned about life from my character portrayal. Offering an insight into your internal journey is something your casting director won't soon forget.