By focusing on developing a deep skill set, in acting classes in nyc or other qualified institutions are of the utmost importance. However, there is one skill you may have to develop on your own if your acting classes in nyc do not include it, and that is auditioning technique. Casting directors and producers will often ask for audition tapes, and of course you must be able to create a stand-out at a moment's notice. Auditioning via tape does not mean you need to spend lots of money on a professional production. Enlist the help of a director friend, rent a simple camera and follow these rules.
Lighting is hugely important, because more than anything you want to be "seen." Poor lighting creates deep shadows in all the wrong places. However, if the lighting is too strong, you will appear completely washed out and "hot" which is just a distracting. Anything that takes away from your performance is lethal and bad lighting is one of those things. Lighting needs to be clean, and completely unnoticeable. If you are enrolled in acting classes in nyc or elsewhere, there is likely a teacher or professional who can assist you. A diagram of a simple lighting plan is something they can help you with.
There should be two or three light sources. Two soft lights can be placed on either side of the camera, about 10' feet or so away, focused on where you will be sitting. A light can also be brought in to illuminate the background. In some instances audition tapes leave the background completely dark which creates a certain mood. While this can work you must be careful to that the overall feel of the tape is appropriate and not distracting. The all important next step is the white balance on the camera.
Different lights sources are different "temperatures" which means they have a different color. They range from being very yellow to very blue. Let's say you set up the lighting, and you are also near a window. A mix of light sources is possible but, the camera must be "balanced" to correct for these color differences. A simple white balance button will take care of it. A pure white card or sheet of paper needs to be placed in the middle of the lighting sources. If you do not use this feature the color will be completely off, especially your skin tones. You want good clean skin tones, eye color and hair color, so you must not forget this step.
How you sound is also very important. If you cannot be heard clearly, or if there is distracting static or white noise, you have wasted your time. With so many good tapes to watch an audition with poor sound will be quickly rejected. Keep the mic as close to the talent as possible. While easy, the camera mounted microphones are usually not very high quality. If you aren't being heard clearly you aren't able to communicate who you are as an actor or the character. Acting classes in nyc sometimes have ways to help with this.
Once the basics are set up, content becomes the focus. Preparing for a live audition is slightly different than preparing for a taped one, of course. A coach trained in the Meisner acting technique should be able to offer a lot of great tips on how to prepare. The discipline of Meisner acting is one that helps create riveting, unpredictable performances, which is what you strive for. In Meisner acting nyc, a key thing to keep in mind is what is left "out." Of course, you can't cram every possible emotion that a character "has" into a few moments. Leaving some elements of the character out, is one way to engage your audience immediately. Doing your job as an actor is not presenting everything and making it easy for them, but drawing them in by making them think about the work.
If asked to present something specific, of course you must. More often, casting agents and producers ask for monologues not scenes. Let your strengths dictate your choices but you can also use your weaknesses. Legendary actors can present mesmerizing layers of emotion in a short time. Tragedy and comedy always work together, for instance and its good to include a sense of both. Videotape your chosen material several times and enlist friends and teachers from your acting classes in nyc to review it and make constructive comments. As actors we tend to be insecure and it's best to accept direction from the outside about what makes our audition tape stand out.
Lighting is hugely important, because more than anything you want to be "seen." Poor lighting creates deep shadows in all the wrong places. However, if the lighting is too strong, you will appear completely washed out and "hot" which is just a distracting. Anything that takes away from your performance is lethal and bad lighting is one of those things. Lighting needs to be clean, and completely unnoticeable. If you are enrolled in acting classes in nyc or elsewhere, there is likely a teacher or professional who can assist you. A diagram of a simple lighting plan is something they can help you with.
There should be two or three light sources. Two soft lights can be placed on either side of the camera, about 10' feet or so away, focused on where you will be sitting. A light can also be brought in to illuminate the background. In some instances audition tapes leave the background completely dark which creates a certain mood. While this can work you must be careful to that the overall feel of the tape is appropriate and not distracting. The all important next step is the white balance on the camera.
Different lights sources are different "temperatures" which means they have a different color. They range from being very yellow to very blue. Let's say you set up the lighting, and you are also near a window. A mix of light sources is possible but, the camera must be "balanced" to correct for these color differences. A simple white balance button will take care of it. A pure white card or sheet of paper needs to be placed in the middle of the lighting sources. If you do not use this feature the color will be completely off, especially your skin tones. You want good clean skin tones, eye color and hair color, so you must not forget this step.
How you sound is also very important. If you cannot be heard clearly, or if there is distracting static or white noise, you have wasted your time. With so many good tapes to watch an audition with poor sound will be quickly rejected. Keep the mic as close to the talent as possible. While easy, the camera mounted microphones are usually not very high quality. If you aren't being heard clearly you aren't able to communicate who you are as an actor or the character. Acting classes in nyc sometimes have ways to help with this.
Once the basics are set up, content becomes the focus. Preparing for a live audition is slightly different than preparing for a taped one, of course. A coach trained in the Meisner acting technique should be able to offer a lot of great tips on how to prepare. The discipline of Meisner acting is one that helps create riveting, unpredictable performances, which is what you strive for. In Meisner acting nyc, a key thing to keep in mind is what is left "out." Of course, you can't cram every possible emotion that a character "has" into a few moments. Leaving some elements of the character out, is one way to engage your audience immediately. Doing your job as an actor is not presenting everything and making it easy for them, but drawing them in by making them think about the work.
If asked to present something specific, of course you must. More often, casting agents and producers ask for monologues not scenes. Let your strengths dictate your choices but you can also use your weaknesses. Legendary actors can present mesmerizing layers of emotion in a short time. Tragedy and comedy always work together, for instance and its good to include a sense of both. Videotape your chosen material several times and enlist friends and teachers from your acting classes in nyc to review it and make constructive comments. As actors we tend to be insecure and it's best to accept direction from the outside about what makes our audition tape stand out.
About the Author:
The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides acting classes for serious actors. To learn more about commercial acting class visit the studio website.
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