How Does One Audition?

Acting and auditioning are very different animals.  They require the same ingredients but in entirely different proportions.
Learning how to act in an audition is like a fighter learning how to fight in the ring.  Not the best idea.  One of the main differences between acting and auditioning is: Auditioning requires you to play the essence of the physicality. Which we as actors fall into the physical trap.  Some of the most common ones are not having a moment before or moment after.  Not wanting to move for fear of being to big, thus making yourself stiff and lifeless.  My all time favorite is kissing.  Auditioning for a part that requires kissing is difficult, my favorite mistake is watching people “air kiss” or “air make-out”  extremely funny, extremely wrong.  For this I will suggest that you do not “air kiss”, rather play the essence of the moment.  Which is to feel passion, intimacy and love.  Focus on feeling those elements and people will get what is going on.  People will sense it, which is one of the beauties of acting.

Simon Longmore
Freeactingtips.net

What is my Need?

I have a client who is doing some one on one with me. Having trained in LA and other studio’s I figured that they would have a certain approach to there work.  I was wrong.  I asked them what was the 1st thing you do when you get a script?  Of course read it!  But after that, what is your approach to breaking the scene down?  What is the method you use?  Their reply was, I memorize it.  Wow!

Then next step was to talk about that.  An approach to a script.  There are many, I use my own.  I pass that on as I find actors can duplicate what I am saying to them.  I try not to convelute it with a lot of heady terms, rather make it so fricking simple that anyone can do it.

The 1st step I teach is “what is your need?”.  Need is different than objective.  It is different than want.  My objective is to get working! I want a Ferrari……but I need a car.  I like need as it has a certain amount of immediacy to it.  I want a steak but I need food. You get were I am going with this.

If the 1st question you ask yourself is  “what do I need?”  the answer should be “I need ________.  Very simple.  However you will most likely get someone who does this in a passive way.  This is one pit fall.  If it is phrased in a way were the other person in the scene is responsible, your never gonna get you need met.

Example of doing it incorrectly is:  “I need you to do _____ “.  Rather the correct way is “I need _____.”   When you fill in the blank, it has to be something of the human condition.  It has to be something that we all can relate too.  It has to be an experience.  Examples would be: I need power, I need freedom, I need love, I need to survive, I need to have a human experience.

If you get a script and write out what it is you need, what it is in very specific terms.  You will be way ahead of the game. Your need is the one thing that draws you through the entire scene.  It motivates you.

Simon Longmore

Questions?

www.freeactingtips.net

www.vadastudios.com

How to get started in Acting?

That is easy.  Start doing it.  You may think that is a trite answer and it is and it isn’t.  What is acting?  Acting is doing.  That means getting up and preforming.  Whether that be an exercise, a play, a monolgue a whatever.  Acting means action and that is exactly what you must start doing.  So…there ya go.

Now if you want to get into it a little more.  What goals do you want to achieve?  Academy Award?  Wow?!!  Ok fine, someone has to win one. Why not you.  Maybe it will be to be a regular on a TV series, or a do a commercial, or plays in your local community. Whatever your goals, you have to study, get a couple books and start reading.  Then sign up for a class.  See how that goes.  If you get hooked or bitten by the acting bug.  Which is what happened to me.  You have to go for it.  You have to look at where the next film market it.  In North America the top 4 places to work as an actor are: L.A., New York, Vancouver and Toronto.

Once you are there you should train with some of the top professional schools.  Not a University or College.  Albeit there training is very valuable, a private acting school is usually the best place to go.  In house coaches are usually exp’d veterans of the game.

Then you need headshots and a resume and of course an agent.  All should be covered in your Pro Acting school.

Best of luck.

Simon Longmore

freeactingtips.net

How to get into acting. Free on-line classes

Welcome everyone to How to get into Acting Free on-line classes

Hello,

I have created this blog to accompany my new site, www.freeactingtips.net. It is here so that I may address any questions anyone may have about acting and acting in Film and TV. I look forward to answering any and all questions to help you get that next booking.
If you want to email me directly actingtips@vadastudios.com. Ask me questions about your career and I’ll draw from my 25 years experience as an actor, being an Acting Coach and Artistic Director of Vancouver Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Each week I’ll try and answer a new question. Plus there will be free on-line acting video’s on the site freeactingtips.net. Sign up for the website and you can learn acting on-line for free!!

As a starter you can take a free on-line tour, a sneak peak, of the studio.   Just cut and paste the link below in your browser.    http://www.vadastudios.com/vadatour.html

Enjoy,

Simon Longmore

Artistic Director

Vancouver Academy of Dramatic Arts

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