Acting for Commercials is different than acting in plays or musicals. In regular acting your job is to be truthful to the given circumstances, in commercial acting still have to do that, but you also have to sell a product! This blog post is 3 basic tips to help in commercial audition.
1. Substitution
Okay, so you got an audition for a Chocolate Ice Cream commercial, great! Only problem is, you HATE chocolate ice cream... Now what? How can you possibly be believably excited for something you detest, or even have no opinion on one way or another? You use a trick called Substitution: instead of thinking about chocolate ice cream while doing the commercial, instead think about your favorite kind of ice cream and sell THAT. If you love vanilla ice cream think about that while doing the commercial, just remember to keep saying chocolate :-)
2. Color Words
Color Words are words that are inherently act-able. Words like: Hot, Cold, Fast, Slow, Exciting, Fun, Magic, etc... These are usually adjectives or adverbs that the actor can say in a way that invokes their meaning and commercial actors should bite into them. Commercial scripts are not exactly known for being Oscar material and Color Words give the actor something to latch onto and act while giving the customer the info they need to know to make their purchase.
3. Be Truthful
Now if you look back to the first paragraph you see that I said it's your job to not only sell the product, but to be truthful. Why? Well if you come across as fake, how likely do you think someone is to buy what you are selling? That is why you either have to truly believe in your project or be good at Substitution because the excitement that you show has to feel real to transfer to the buyer.
Okay, so those are just some quick tips, for a more in depth look at Commercial Acting, check out our Commercial Acting Technique class coming in November!
Also Please Comment Here, or on the Facebook post, and let me know what kinds of topics you are interested in having me cover next week!!!
Thanks!
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Objectives and Tactics: The What and How of Acting
Hey all! Another week another acting secret revealed to the masses. Okay so last week we talked about the Magic "If" and how it is a great way to get a general starting point for a character or particular moment in the script. But how do we get more specific with our moment to moment acting choices? To do this we use Objectives and Tactics. Objectives are goals, what do we want from another character. That last part is important, I'll explain why later. Tactics are the methods we use to achieve our Objective.
Okay, Objectives are the "What" of acting... but what are Objectives?
Objectives are your character's goals. Most of the time this can be broken up into 3 categories. Super-Objectives, your character's goal for the entire play (Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie wants to marry rich, Jean Valjean in Les Miserables wants to live safely with his adopted daughter, Simba, well he just can't WAAAAAIIIT to be king...) Scene Objectives, your character's goal for the particular scene. Most specific, the moment to moment objectives of what your character wants right now. We will focus on the last 2 in this particular post.
The Anatomy of an Objective
Okay, so lets break it down, most Scene or MtM Objectives are going to sound something like this:
Okay, Objectives are the "What" of acting... but what are Objectives?
Objectives are your character's goals. Most of the time this can be broken up into 3 categories. Super-Objectives, your character's goal for the entire play (Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie wants to marry rich, Jean Valjean in Les Miserables wants to live safely with his adopted daughter, Simba, well he just can't WAAAAAIIIT to be king...) Scene Objectives, your character's goal for the particular scene. Most specific, the moment to moment objectives of what your character wants right now. We will focus on the last 2 in this particular post.
The Anatomy of an Objective
Okay, so lets break it down, most Scene or MtM Objectives are going to sound something like this:
I want (Insert Character Name Here) to (Insert the Goal Here)
Examples: I want (Steve) to (Give me his sandwich)
I want (Cindy) to (stop yelling at me)
I want (Officer Steve) to (Not give me a speeding ticket)
Okay so that all makes sense right... still not very act-able though, it seems to be missing something...
So I got a goal... How am I going to accomplish it? Wait a minute, didn't you say Tactics were the How of acting... Oh I see what you did there... Mike you are so clever...
I know.
But seriously, tactics are way your character goes about achieving his or her goal. Tactics are always action verbs targeted towards another character.
I want to BULLY Steve into giving me his sandwich.
I want to PLEAD with Steve to give me his sandwich.
So both of those examples used the same objective, but tactics, and by extension the scene will be very different. Action verbs are immediately act-able and directing them at another character gives them the necessary focus to be useful to the actor. The more specific you can be with your tactics the better, "to soothe" is noticeably different than "to comfort", just as "to incite" is quite different than "to inspire".
So that is it for this week. Obviously there is A LOT more to Objectives and Tactics than I can cover in this short blog post and it does take practice to get good at using them. The goal with all these techniques is that they become second nature and you can just use your instincts as an actor to react in the moment, but to get to that place you have to practice and drill these techniques as often as possible. Take the time to try out even this basic into to objectives with your next role, think about it critically, what kinds of verbs did you come up with? Was it as specific as possible? Does it fit the context of the scene, what about the character? Keep at it and see how it affects your performances. See you next week!
Sunday, September 15, 2013
The Magic "If"
Hey guys! Mike again... So I figured we could take a step back from our finished product focus from the last post and talk about process. Specifically I would like to talk about the most simple, effective acting tool I know, the Magic "If".
What in the world is the Magic "If"?
The Magi... (okay that rainbow thing is just getting annoying...) The Magic "If" is an acting tool devised by Constantin Stanislavsky, the great grand-daddy of modern acting technique, as a trick to get inside of the world of the play and the head of the character. It basically goes like this: the actor asks himself the question, "What If I were in this situation?" This leads to other questions, "How would it make me feel?" "How would I react?" By asking himself these questions the actor is placing himself into the world of the play and the current situation. This idea may seem very simple, but it is that very simplicity that makes it so effective.
But Mike, who cares how "I" would react? I'm playing a character remember?
Yes imaginary student I made up to ask that question, you are completely correct! When students first explore the Magic "If" we ask them to use themselves as the character because it is much simpler to imagine, once the actor gets comfortable with this technique they can add a second layer. "What If I were this character, in this situation?" Now the important thing to remember here is that the "I" is still included. Every character you play, no matter how different they are from you should have some piece of you in them. This is a requirement to making believable characters, even for the best character actors who seem to lose themselves completely in their performances the core still has to come from the actor himself.
The Magic "If" is a great tool for both the new and experienced actor to place themselves in the world of the play, and in the shoes of their character. It is a wonderful starting point for any exploration of a role and should be in every actor's bag of tricks.
Well, that's it for this week, stop in next Sunday for another Weekly Acting Tip!
What in the world is the Magic "If"?
The Magi... (okay that rainbow thing is just getting annoying...) The Magic "If" is an acting tool devised by Constantin Stanislavsky, the great grand-daddy of modern acting technique, as a trick to get inside of the world of the play and the head of the character. It basically goes like this: the actor asks himself the question, "What If I were in this situation?" This leads to other questions, "How would it make me feel?" "How would I react?" By asking himself these questions the actor is placing himself into the world of the play and the current situation. This idea may seem very simple, but it is that very simplicity that makes it so effective.
But Mike, who cares how "I" would react? I'm playing a character remember?
Yes imaginary student I made up to ask that question, you are completely correct! When students first explore the Magic "If" we ask them to use themselves as the character because it is much simpler to imagine, once the actor gets comfortable with this technique they can add a second layer. "What If I were this character, in this situation?" Now the important thing to remember here is that the "I" is still included. Every character you play, no matter how different they are from you should have some piece of you in them. This is a requirement to making believable characters, even for the best character actors who seem to lose themselves completely in their performances the core still has to come from the actor himself.
The Magic "If" is a great tool for both the new and experienced actor to place themselves in the world of the play, and in the shoes of their character. It is a wonderful starting point for any exploration of a role and should be in every actor's bag of tricks.
Well, that's it for this week, stop in next Sunday for another Weekly Acting Tip!
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Top 10 Audition Tips
Hi all, Mike here, your resident FSTS Weekly Acting Tips Blogger! So today was auditions for our Teen Company production of Godspell and next week we have auditions for 101 Dalmatians Kids, so I figured for From Stage to Screen's first ever acting tips blog post we would start with the top 10 tips for rocking an audition. Some of these will be specific to Musical Theatre but there will be a lot of great stuff for straight theatre as well. These tips are in no particular order.
1. Come Prepared
Okay, I lied, this is the most important tip and that is why it is number 1. You would think that coming prepared for your audition would be obvious but you would be surprised how many actors miss this vital step. Come prepared means know what the director/casting agent is requiring, know what you are going to be performing, know the show you are auditioning for as best as possible. If you are not prepared the people on the other side of the table know it and it immediately paints your audition in a bad light.
2. Select Audition Material That Highlights Your Strengths and That You Connect With
So you have done your homework, you know what they are asking for and you know everything you can find about the show you are auditioning for. Great! ...Now what? Now you need to find an audition piece that fits those requirements AND shows you off in the best possible light AND that you connect to on a personal level. Is there a character in the show that requires a high belt, do you have one? Maybe you select a cut that shows that off. Is there a very comedic character in the show you think you could nail? Pick a monologue with the same style of comedy and crush it. But don't forget the second part of this tip, make sure that on some level you connect to your audition piece. Maybe you have been in a similar situation, maybe you can draw a parallel to your own life. The important thing is that your audition isn't all technical because that comes off mechanical.
3. Have a Fall Back
You should always have more than one song or monologue prepared even if the audition only asks for one. Because you never know when the director is going to ask for something else. Maybe they hear or see something that makes them consider you for a specific part, but you don't have anything that fits that particular part, now you are forcing the director to trust his gut when casting you in that role, rather then having the material to confirm his suspicions. Or maybe you and the director have completely different ideas about the show and he needs to hear something else to consider you for anything!
4. Know Who You Are Talking/Singing To
One of the most awkward situations in auditions is "where do I look?" You don't want to look at the people behind the table, because if you make eye contact with them it will probably make you more nervous and it makes the people behind the table feel obligated to make eye contact with you, which means they are not focusing on your acting, or writing anything down so that they can remember you. But if you decide before hand who you are talking to when delivering your monologue or singing your song you can place that imaginary person standing right behind where the director is sitting and you have the perfect place to focus. And you don't have to choose someone from the show, pick someone from your life. The best part is this kills two birds with one stone, having someone to sing to makes it so much easier to to act, you are no longer performing in a void, but to someone who means something to you.
5. Wear Something You Can Move In or Bring Dance Clothes
In the same way that you should always be prepared for the director to ask for more, or something else, you should also always be prepared for the surprise dance audition. SURPRISE! Now DANCE! Most of us would not be too excited by a surprise anything at an audition but the last thing you want is to be worried about your clothes while trying to react to a curve ball. If you do have to wear something restrictive, make sure to bring a change of clothes, they will always give you time to switch into more dance-able clothes.
6. Always Wear the Same Thing to Callbacks
So you got a callback, yay! What now? The first thing to do is wash whatever you wore to auditions that day, because you will be wearing it to callbacks as well. Why? When you get a callback it is because the director liked something about you. A lot of times you are auditioning for a director you've never met and they have seen a lot of people during auditions, most of the time they remember people by their outfit. "Oh the girl with the green scarf, yeah she was great". But if you come without the green scarf they are stuck looking at your headshot trying to remember who you were and why they liked you.
7. Make Choices
This is another big one. At an audition it is go big or go home. You can't just read a script or sing a song, you have to make a choice about how you are going to read it. If you make a choice one of three things can happen. One, you make the same choice the director was looking for and you are cast! Two, you make a different choice than the director was thinking, but he really likes it, and you are cast! Three, you make a different choice than the director was thinking and/or you're just not right for his vision of the role and you don't get cast. Now I know that last one doesn't sound to great but if you don't make a choice only one thing can happen: you are just like everyone else who didn't make a choice, you don't get cast.
When I was younger I auditioned for a movie reading starring Sarah Jessica Parker and the cast of Spin City, minus Michael J Fox :-( The character was a younger version of the lead and in the flashback was dealing with his father who had come home drunk. While rehearsing the side, my coach suggested a try reading the lines not as the child, but as if I was the father talking to my son. It was a big choice, one that ran against a surface reading of lines... I got the part. I was cast because I made a choice and stuck with it and refused to do what everyone else did, and I got the part!
8. Be Kind to Your Accompanist
Okay so one person has the power to make or break a musical theatre audition more than anyone else in the room. That person is your accompanist. Remember to be nice to them, if you need to indicate a tempo for them, don't clap or snap, just sing them a little piece of the song at the right tempo. If you get off the music don't give them dirty, "what are you trying to do to me" looks. And if you do need to stop and start again, just apologize and ask to start again, don't blame the accompanist.
9. Don't Make Excuses
Most people are not 100% ever in their lives. There is always something, a little cold, nerves, a situation in your life that is causing you stress. The people on the other side of the table assume you are not perfect, they don't need you to tell them, and in fact they find it annoying. Here's the thing, when you are auditioning you are not auditioning to play the part only when you feel your best, you are auditioning to play the part however you feel. Sure, you might have an understudy, but even then you are expected to perform as must as possible. So if you do a good job at your audition and your not 100% that just lets the director know you will be there for them no matter what is going on during show times.
10. Bring the Party!
When you first walk in the room, smile, be personable, let them know that you are someone that would be a lot of fun to work with. You have a second to get serious and prep yourself for your audition after slating your song or monologue.
So these are some basic audition tips, check our facebook page every Sunday for another blog post with more acting tips. Oh, and for the sake of your eyes and my fingers they won't all be this long, I promise... I hope...
1. Come Prepared
Okay, I lied, this is the most important tip and that is why it is number 1. You would think that coming prepared for your audition would be obvious but you would be surprised how many actors miss this vital step. Come prepared means know what the director/casting agent is requiring, know what you are going to be performing, know the show you are auditioning for as best as possible. If you are not prepared the people on the other side of the table know it and it immediately paints your audition in a bad light.
2. Select Audition Material That Highlights Your Strengths and That You Connect With
So you have done your homework, you know what they are asking for and you know everything you can find about the show you are auditioning for. Great! ...Now what? Now you need to find an audition piece that fits those requirements AND shows you off in the best possible light AND that you connect to on a personal level. Is there a character in the show that requires a high belt, do you have one? Maybe you select a cut that shows that off. Is there a very comedic character in the show you think you could nail? Pick a monologue with the same style of comedy and crush it. But don't forget the second part of this tip, make sure that on some level you connect to your audition piece. Maybe you have been in a similar situation, maybe you can draw a parallel to your own life. The important thing is that your audition isn't all technical because that comes off mechanical.
3. Have a Fall Back
You should always have more than one song or monologue prepared even if the audition only asks for one. Because you never know when the director is going to ask for something else. Maybe they hear or see something that makes them consider you for a specific part, but you don't have anything that fits that particular part, now you are forcing the director to trust his gut when casting you in that role, rather then having the material to confirm his suspicions. Or maybe you and the director have completely different ideas about the show and he needs to hear something else to consider you for anything!
4. Know Who You Are Talking/Singing To
One of the most awkward situations in auditions is "where do I look?" You don't want to look at the people behind the table, because if you make eye contact with them it will probably make you more nervous and it makes the people behind the table feel obligated to make eye contact with you, which means they are not focusing on your acting, or writing anything down so that they can remember you. But if you decide before hand who you are talking to when delivering your monologue or singing your song you can place that imaginary person standing right behind where the director is sitting and you have the perfect place to focus. And you don't have to choose someone from the show, pick someone from your life. The best part is this kills two birds with one stone, having someone to sing to makes it so much easier to to act, you are no longer performing in a void, but to someone who means something to you.
5. Wear Something You Can Move In or Bring Dance Clothes
In the same way that you should always be prepared for the director to ask for more, or something else, you should also always be prepared for the surprise dance audition. SURPRISE! Now DANCE! Most of us would not be too excited by a surprise anything at an audition but the last thing you want is to be worried about your clothes while trying to react to a curve ball. If you do have to wear something restrictive, make sure to bring a change of clothes, they will always give you time to switch into more dance-able clothes.
6. Always Wear the Same Thing to Callbacks
So you got a callback, yay! What now? The first thing to do is wash whatever you wore to auditions that day, because you will be wearing it to callbacks as well. Why? When you get a callback it is because the director liked something about you. A lot of times you are auditioning for a director you've never met and they have seen a lot of people during auditions, most of the time they remember people by their outfit. "Oh the girl with the green scarf, yeah she was great". But if you come without the green scarf they are stuck looking at your headshot trying to remember who you were and why they liked you.
7. Make Choices
This is another big one. At an audition it is go big or go home. You can't just read a script or sing a song, you have to make a choice about how you are going to read it. If you make a choice one of three things can happen. One, you make the same choice the director was looking for and you are cast! Two, you make a different choice than the director was thinking, but he really likes it, and you are cast! Three, you make a different choice than the director was thinking and/or you're just not right for his vision of the role and you don't get cast. Now I know that last one doesn't sound to great but if you don't make a choice only one thing can happen: you are just like everyone else who didn't make a choice, you don't get cast.
When I was younger I auditioned for a movie reading starring Sarah Jessica Parker and the cast of Spin City, minus Michael J Fox :-( The character was a younger version of the lead and in the flashback was dealing with his father who had come home drunk. While rehearsing the side, my coach suggested a try reading the lines not as the child, but as if I was the father talking to my son. It was a big choice, one that ran against a surface reading of lines... I got the part. I was cast because I made a choice and stuck with it and refused to do what everyone else did, and I got the part!
8. Be Kind to Your Accompanist
Okay so one person has the power to make or break a musical theatre audition more than anyone else in the room. That person is your accompanist. Remember to be nice to them, if you need to indicate a tempo for them, don't clap or snap, just sing them a little piece of the song at the right tempo. If you get off the music don't give them dirty, "what are you trying to do to me" looks. And if you do need to stop and start again, just apologize and ask to start again, don't blame the accompanist.
9. Don't Make Excuses
Most people are not 100% ever in their lives. There is always something, a little cold, nerves, a situation in your life that is causing you stress. The people on the other side of the table assume you are not perfect, they don't need you to tell them, and in fact they find it annoying. Here's the thing, when you are auditioning you are not auditioning to play the part only when you feel your best, you are auditioning to play the part however you feel. Sure, you might have an understudy, but even then you are expected to perform as must as possible. So if you do a good job at your audition and your not 100% that just lets the director know you will be there for them no matter what is going on during show times.
10. Bring the Party!
When you first walk in the room, smile, be personable, let them know that you are someone that would be a lot of fun to work with. You have a second to get serious and prep yourself for your audition after slating your song or monologue.
So these are some basic audition tips, check our facebook page every Sunday for another blog post with more acting tips. Oh, and for the sake of your eyes and my fingers they won't all be this long, I promise... I hope...
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