What Do I Like About Being A Performer?
I will never run out of thoughts on the actor’s life whether it’s my life or, more importantly, YOUR LIFE.
Let me share a thought about the actor’s craft. It’s called craft because for me it has a very architectural meaning. I love analogies… especially when they have to do with construction! It’s a craft because it is about the character parts — the words, thoughts, actions and feelings of someone and something fictional written (mostly) by someone else. It is a form of escapism.
Yes, You Need To Consider This In Your Pursuit
Just be crystal clear on the reason why you do it! Because it matters. It makes a difference. My experience working with actors is that many times performers get lost thinking about the “bright, shiny” aspects of this career.
Maybe you chose to be an actor in your youth. It’s likely your beginnings were in the theatre — where many of us start before ever seeing a camera! Now, the theatre audition process is very predictive. Typically, we go into a theatre, stand on stage and either recite a monologue and/or read for a part.
Here in Los Angeles, with the number of available actors, casting has a lot of performers to work with and their “reading” energy might not be consistently strong for every audition. Casting, curiously enough, tones it down so they don’t give one performer an unfair advantage over another.
How Can I Better Manage My Audition Results?
It’s hard. Aside from all the work we have to do to prepare and give 100% (or something close to it), you do realize over your time in this profession, that there are higher levels for every performer. This is where you start getting into particular kinds of conversations about the craft that have to do with cold reading classes or audition technique.
The basics are still the same. Cozy room. Tripod. Camera. Session runner. Reader off-camera. The audition process — naturally, some people are better at it than others, but for most actors, it takes some work. And you’re working harder on it!
But now with COVID and the growth of available technology, the self-tape now challenges us on both sides of the camera — literally! There are companies and services here in Los Angeles that can help you with your self-tape, but the DIY actor wants to do it all.
What then do I need to consider?
You must make yourself as believable as possible. Think of the life of your audition performance should you get hired. Think of the audience on the other side, not the casting office, but rather the paying public. Now your performance requires a great deal of focus, talent and skill.
You are a performer and you have to create the willing suspension of disbelief. Not all auditions are created equal. I hand you a four page script and point to four doors. First door is a soap opera. Second door is a feature film. Third door is an hour long TV drama. The last door? Oh inside is Broadway and they want you in the next David Mamet play. Each room inside each door presents you with audition challenges, little things that you will need to nuance to render a credible performance that matches the tone of each.