BERNADETTE'S NOTES ON AUDITIONING FOR CAMERA:
WHAT IS AN AUDITION? - An audition is SIMPLY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO EXPRESS YOUR POTENTIAL TO PLAY THE ROLE.
If you think in these terms, you will take the pressure off yourself. Also, don't waste time trying to 'figure out what they want'. It will not help you prepare for the audition.
My recommendations are:
Be a HUMAN BEING first and an ACTOR second. Give yourself license to make a mistake. Laugh at yourself, say you would like to start again (with no apology attached), repeat the line, make an ad lib that works - do something with it; don't punish yourself for it.
Make every audition A GREAT IMPROV, NOT A BAD PERFORMANCE. It's an audition, not a final performance. They do not give you time enough with the script for anything else; so use the time you have well!APPROACHING THE SCRIPT (SIDES):
Start by reading the script as if you were a detective, not an actor.
The detective looks for every clue - in the lines themselves, in the screen directions, in all the breakdowns, in all the pages given (that includes parts of scenes that may appear crossed out and do not even include your character).
Gather all the clues and start making your actor's choices. The clues will inform your choices regarding; who are you, what relationship(s) you are in, what your reason for being here is - i.e. your motivation, intention, objective, or fighting for, and what your moment before could be.
If you have any real questions, i.e. pronunciation of names, words that are unfamiliar, or if something doesn't make sense to you - clear it off the table before you go to the audition. A web site to get proper pronunciation is: dictionary.reference.com.
Your agent may also know the answer or may be able to get the answer for you. And you now have 'Google' as your ally in this regard too. If you do not do this, the question will be in your mind and will be a distraction to you while you are auditioning.
Line memorization is essential, but don't make it the most important aspect of your audition preparation.
Highlight your lines (yellow is best). Memorize, memorize, memorize till you feel the words are not going to be in your way. BUT bring the page with you. Why shoot yourself in the foot if you get distracted in your audition and lose your place. However, do not be 'in the page' when you are to be listening and reacting with *inner dialogue.You need to hear these lines aloud. Hearing them for the first time at the audition will throw you off. If you have a friend who can assist with this, make sure you state, "We're doing lines with no acting required. Just the lines." The last thing you need is 'advice' or 'coaching' on line delivery from someone who is not an experienced acting coach!
If you cannot get a friend to help you out, then invest in a tape recorder or other recording device and put all the other character 's lines down on tape. You will then work your lines using the pause button when speaking your character's lines, then releasing and getting your next cue(s). Go through the entire script in his way over and over and over again.
If there are more than two eye-lines involved, it is usually best to separate them for who is speaking what. At the audition you will be delivering the lines to each character, even though there is ONE reader off camera, therefore ONE voice. This takes practice, but is worth it.
The primary speaker is the reader. Usually this is the character that has the most lines to you or is the character that is most important to your needs in the scene. If the reader - or primary speaker in the scene is tight to camera right, then the secondary eye-line is opposite - tight to camera left.
Practice delivery of your lines to the two eye-lines. This also goes for listening (reacting to their lines). This will further create and support your imaginative reality. You must decide on relationships (a) who are these two distinct energies are that you are speaking to and (b) what do they mean to you with regard to what you want.
Note: if there are five other characters in the scene you can usually simplify them into two or three eye-lines. These are general guidelines; each script may require a variation on 'this theme'.
WORKING UP THE AUDITION: Owning the role on your terms and taking charge of your audition experience.
All actors eventually develop their own personal approach to working a script (audition), culling from all the study they have done. Every approach has the same goal - to aid you in believing yourself in the role. The imaginative circumstances that you set up through your choice making, add to your belief that this is you in these circumstances. If you don't believe yourself in the role, neither will they.
Commit to your choices 100%. Avoid second-guessing yourself. Am I doing what they want? Is this a 'right' choice? These are questions that can foil you at the audition.
If the reader has the first line of the scene, you could make a request of the reader to start when you give a specific cue - i.e. "I'll be ready for your first line when I start writing a note."
For example: If your character is the cop on the beat at a homicide and you are reporting to the detective who arrives saying - "So...what do we have here?" You can get yourself into the role immediately when you get the "rolling" or "ready" by establishing your sense of place - using your script as a note pad and with a pencil looking to the 'dead body' for details and writing a note which then will be your action being interrupted by the Detective's question whereupon you look up and respond.
This is a good active start to your scene - rather than a stand and wait and respond cold start. And it is much better than the actor, giving a nod (directing) the reader to start. This will prevent seeing the 'acting switch' being turned on. Your beginning for the most part, should appear almost accidental - not like acting is being initiated on 'go'.
Of course, if you want to be 'surprised' at the top, or you don't need anything from the reader, or your character has the first line, you need not say anything. Each script is specific and you will know with experience what may set you up more effectively off the top.
Creating action in the frame:
Actions need to be worked out ('blocking' yourself). Simple actions can anchor you in a scene. Don't just think about them - do them! See what works, where the timing is. You can only find this out by doing. You will throw yourself off if you do an action (even as simple as removing a jacket) for the first time at your audition.
Decide what you will do at the top of the scene - i.e. angle away from reader and turn ('crossing frame') toward reader. This can work, if the reader's character has arrived at 'your door' for example.
When you move on a perpendicular line to and from the camera, you will always be in frame no matter how close up they have you in the frame. In other words walk forward and back of the mark, as opposed to side to side (horizontal moves).
Find ends for your scenes. Never say 'scene'. They will know when it's over, they know the script and besides, you should be registering a 'win' or a 'loss' for your character in **inner dialogue at the end of every scene. Acting does not end when the lines (yours or the other character's) end.
*INNER DIALOGUE is when you send a message (judgments are good) to the person you had or are in the scene with, and use the second person singular 'you' as opposed to 'he or she'. "I hate you for this!" - this will register a thought much more than keeping the thought to yourself. "I hate him!" The former sends the energy without effort and the camera will pick it up. The latter is talking to your self and reads as a blank.
When you have multiple scenes with the same character, it is best if you can take an ending of one scene (action or emotion) and transition into the next scene with it. For example: you end the first scene leaving the office - take a jacket and put it on while doing the last portion of the first scene to finish and then turn away from camera, ending (closing) the scene. Come 'into' the second scene arriving home by taking off your jacket as you turn into the scene starting the dialogue for the second scene as you do so.Decide weather you want your reader sitting or standing. What would best serve you? For example: If your character were being interrogated, a good choice would be for you to do the scene sitting and the reader to be standing. You automatically have a dynamic set up of intimidation without effort.
You can create emphasis physically. For example: Taking a step or slightly leaning in toward camera can create a sense of importance or threat without effort.
No mime action should be done - with the exception of pulling a gun or knife. If you do not want to use your cell, it is convention to use your hand as the 'props'. Real objects can substitute for things needed - i.e. a small water bottle with lid becomes the champagne glass you are toasting with in the scene. And you really take a drink! But work with it enough so you always put the lid back on, so there is never a danger of spilling it.
A basic rule for screen directions in a scene is - simplify, simplify, simplify. You cannot execute or justify many of the actions written. Choose the one or two actions that are needed to support the moments indicated. One action that actors always ask about and panic about is kissing. It is the 'afterglow' or the feeling of being kissed, that you play, if it is a focus in the scene. Just take a breath, close your eyes, followed by 'mmmm...that was great' as an inner dialogue moment, or with whatever lines have been written referring to what just happened.
Note also: Wearing layers of clothing is always suggested if you have a very physical 'love making' scene. Removing articles of clothing can be done with great effect especially when working the dialogue at the same time and you will not be uncomfortable, or in danger of revealing too much.
What to do with - "TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF":
This question, or something similar will be asked of most actors at some time in their careers. What do they want from you?
1. They want to get a sense of who you are and what you are like. Your essence - if you like. 'You' - revealed.
2. You will serve yourself well if you jump into an anecdote from your life that expresses your passions. Good choices are the best and worst things that have happened to you in your career or life. Just tell the story. However, you need to be IN the story, not reporting on it. When you talk about experiences or people that affected you, you can't help but be affected again. You will reveal yourself without effort. Above all - do not recite a list!
3. You do not have to think you must entertain, be interesting, be funny, or anything else. You will be engaging and revealed - if you are attached to the story you are telling and just tell us about the people, place and things involved.
Note - It is good to have an 'up' ending to a story - i.e. a story about the most humiliating experience while performing, can end with - "And so I learned that I could survive! And so the show went on, and so did I." And never 'announce' the story by saying: "A funny thing happened once ..." - just dive in. You do not want to set up an expectation by announcing how the should react, i.e. 'find it funny'.
Recommended reading: AUDITION by Michael Shurtleff
How To Get A Monologue Up and Running,
And Keep It There:
Actors should have at least five monologues that they can dust off and do when called upon. And don't think because you are solely a film actor, that this does not apply to you.
How many great monologues have you seen done by some of your favourite actors within a film scene? You may say that you will muster what you need to make it work when that time comes. But take note of a story I was told by an actor from Texas who once had an audition for 'Blood Simple' with the Coen brothers. When he did what he was there for (a small principle role), they asked him if there was anything else he could do. They didn't have more script to offer him, so he did one of his monologues. He landed a better part than he went in for because he had something to offer.
Working on the monologue:
I believe that the human capacity for emotional expression can be narrowed down to three distinct categories: RAGE, DESPAIR, and EUPHORIA. These being the extreme expression of their category, of course there can be many gradations of these. For example, we can go from RAGE = Extremely Angry to Moderately Angry to Mildly Angry to Ticked-Off to Miffed and all the way down to Slightly Annoyed in this category.
It has been my experience working with actors that all three (to some degree) can be underneath almost all monologues of length. I have developed a series exercises to explore the possibilities and mine for the gold in your monologues.
RAGE exploration: know you monologue inside and out, but have it handy because you will likely lose lines when doing the exercise. You simply do the monologue in a constant 'state of rage'. It is best to do something physical to support yourself, to avoid hurting your throat. Standing or kneeling next to the bed with a pillow is a good way to attack this exercise. Do the monologue while 'beating' the bed (or who ever you have in your imagination) with the pillow. DO ALL THE LINES this way - in a state of rage. Don't try to make sense of anything, just do it. And you don't have to 'feel' it as you begin. Do the physical support action and you will pump up the adrenaline as you shout the lines. You may feel like you are faking it at the start and that is OK, just continue and commit 110% to the exercise with the lines. You will make discoveries.
DESPAIR exercise: same as before, know your lines, but keep them handy. Despair is to express a completely indulged, victim mode. Feeling 'oh, so sorry for yourself' throughout the speaking of your monologue. Start saying the lines with a whimper or whine and keep going getting more 'sorry for yourself' as you go. You are almost on the verge of tears at all times. This one is hard. No one wants to play the victim or be indulgent. Go for it and enjoy the indulgence of self-pity. Again, discoveries will be made. Let the exercise take you where you wouldn't expect or imagine going. This exercise should even be done with a comedic monologue. After all, comedy is hiding the greatest pain.
Euphoria or extreme joy exercise: After you feel you have the lines down cold, just imagine yourself very drunk (but a happy drunk) or stoned (a happy stoned) and giggle out each line. If you get yourself into uncontrollable, fall off your seat laughter, you are doing great. Be careful that you do laugh the lines themselves out, not simply laughing in-between the lines. Laughter is very close to tears so don't be surprised if that occurs in the process.
Once you have experienced these three extreme 'states of being' and forced yourself to speak your monologue in these states, you then sit yourself down and set the context up: who you are speaking to and why you need to speak it. Don't try and figure out how you are delivering the monologue, just allow your body to help you find the places the lines will play. Your body remembers the organic experience you have put it through. See what happens, but most of all enjoy the process. It will be worth it.
"Great acting isn't safe. It should be shattering!" Richard Harris