Tag Archives: actor

5 Ways To Prepare For Your Audition

Posted on September 3, 2014 by AMP Talent Group

The truth is that some people can be great actors but terrible at auditions. There’s the pressure, the nerves, and the last minute notice that can sometimes eat away at a person to the extent that they completely flub their audition. This can happen over and over again to talented actors, who have a hard time booking any roles, or even getting callbacks because they were so nervous and uptight on the day of their audition. Some big name actors even used to struggle with their audition process, to the point that they took years before they even started booking gigs regularly. Aaron Eckhart is one of them — he said that it took years before he started getting called back from auditions because he was so bad at them. He said that it took his friend casting him in a short film before he was really able to overcome his nerves and anxieties in the audition room. And he’s gone on to build a hugely successful career in Hollywood, so there’s still hope for you yet!

So how do you overcome this? How do you adequately prepare for your audition in a way that gives you the best chance to succeed once you get in the audition room?

Here are 5 things you should do to make sure that you’re not a nervous-wreck and can begin to get yourself prepared when you find out about an upcoming audition:

Memorize your lines, but don’t over memorize your performance: During an audition, it’s easy for actors to become stiff and calculated because they are so afraid of screwing up that they have the entire performance of the scene mapped out in their head. This leads to a lack of flexibility in the scene, openness to discover new things about the scene and your character, as well as dropping out of the scene because you’re completely in your own head instead of being present in the moment. That’s why you should make sure your lines are memorized, but act out the scene in a variety of different ways so that you can continually keep surprising yourself with your performance. That way the scene is constantly evolving and changing. The scene should never be the same each time. You need to move and speak in a way that feels the most authentic in that particular moment. Also, you want to be adaptable so if the casting director asks you to perform the scene a second time, but this time in a completely different way than before, you’re comfortable and ready for it.

Understand your character and the circumstances they’re in: The lines that you speak are important, but what’s even more important than that is the character you’re supposed to be playing and the particular circumstance they’re in. Once you begin to get a grasp on your character and the obstacles they’re facing (IE. what’s driving the scene and what’s your character’s motive?) then you’ll be much more comfortable playing with the lines once you get into the actual audition. You can start to play with the type of voice they use, the little nuances in which they deliver particular words, and unique mannerisms they may possess. Then the actual lines you’re speaking will take on more layers and be delivered with much more power and authenticity. Also, by having a handle on the deeper issues surrounding your scene, the more relaxed you’ll be, the more you’ll listen to what the person reading with you is saying, and the less focused you’ll be on the actual words that you’re supposed to deliver and the more focused you’ll be on the emotion behind the words.

Choose the appropriate wardrobe: This should go without saying, but don’t dress in a suit if you’re going to read for a role of a college student, or a slacker, or a stoner. On the flip side, don’t wear shrubby clothes if your character is supposed to be a Wall Street trader. If you’re given sides beforehand, there should be a breakdown of the character you’re playing at the top, or on a different page altogether. It’s absolutely essential that you read through that carefully and understand the type of person you’re going to be playing. Also, what you wear to your audition is going to show the casting director how you interpreted that particular character. It will show that you read through all the information you were given, took the time and prepared, as well as brought in your own ideas and interpreted the character in your own way. That’s exactly what they want. They want to see what your interpretation of this character is. They want to see something different than they’ve seen hundreds of times already today.

Don’t over-prepare: What’s interesting is that a lot of actors will tell you that they ended up booking big roles from auditions they thought went terribly. They only got the sides last minute, or didn’t have time to prepare, and so they went into the audition expecting nothing to come from it. And then, boom! They end up booking their biggest role yet. This is because they didn’t over-prepare. They allowed themselves to play around and be loose in the moment. They didn’t put that extra pressure on themselves to book the role because they knew they had a scapegoat to blame: they didn’t have enough time to practice! They were more relaxed than usual, and just allowed the result of the scene to be discovered within that performance. Meryl Streep has a famous quote:

“Sometimes under-preparation is very good because it instills fear and fear is galvanizing. It makes you break out of yourself. If you’re prepared, then you think you’re ready, and if you think you’re ready, then you’re not ready.”

We’re by no means advising you to forget about your preparation altogether, because it’s definitely important that you prepare, but there’s something to be said for not being so rehearsed that there’s no room for spontaneity.

Be ready to jump and forget your preparation when the scene starts: You can rehearse and practice all you want, but when that scene starts, you’re going to forget about everything you did to prepare for it. It’s just going to be about being present in that moment. This again, goes back to the point about understanding your character and the circumstances (obstacles) they’re facing. If you know those deeper facets of the scene and the script then you’ll have a better chance of staying in the moment and driving the scene in the direction that you’re expected to. Sure it’s going to be a little nerve-wracking, your heart is going to flutter like a butterfly, and your palms are going to turn into little pools of sweat, but that’s what acting is all about. You want to be excited, a little nervous, and be able to deliver an exciting and enthralling performance. You just have to trust your instincts, go for it, and don’t expect the perfect performance every single time.

Like with anything, often the lead up is the most nerve-wracking part. You build it all up in your head, play out worst-case scenarios and catastrophic results, until you’re exhausted and freaked out. You have to find a way to relax, and put the appropriate work in, but most importantly, understand that it’s not going to go perfectly every time. There’s times you’re not going to feel good about your audition but you can always take pride in the fact that you did your best to prepare your A-Game for audition day. Who knows, the auditions you didn’t think went very well will probably be the ones you end up booking anyways.

How To Handle Rejection

Posted on July 25, 2014 by AMP Talent Group

“As actors, we have to deal with rejection so much more than any other business. So I don’t care how much of a genius you are, if you don’t have the propensity to be able to get back up every time you get knocked down, then you’re not going to survive.” — Ryan Kwanten […]

If you looked in the manual for “How to Become an Actor”, being able to handle rejection would probably be somewhere on the first page. Being an actor, or trying to become an actor is going to require you to face rejection dead in the face on a regular basis. Rejection just comes with the territory of wanting to be an actor. The only thing you can control is how you handle it, how you move on from it and take it with a grain of salt, without a damaged psyche and dwindling self-confidence.

So what are some of the steps in ensuing damaged control and making sure rejection doesn’t break you? We’ve listed some of the ways to go about it below.

Try not to take it personal: One of the biggest things in the film industry is that there are so many people vying for the same roles and the same opportunities. The industry is a competitive beast. So when you’re going out for a part, there are most likely 1,000 others who look like you and have the same level of talent. Actor, Sylvester Stallone (Rambo) says “I take rejection as someone blowing a bugle in my ear to wake me up and get me going, rather than retreat.“ You can’t take it personally when you aren’t selected for the part, or didn’t get a callback. The casting director’s job is to find the right person for the role; it’s not to make sure nobody’s feelings get hurt. It doesn’t mean they didn’t like you, in fact they may have loved you, but you just didn’t fit the exact criteria for what they were looking for in that role. Its up to you to deliver your best performance and leave the audition at the door.

Listen to what they’re saying: The most honest things are often the hardest for us to take. So when an acting coach, or somebody that sees our work gives us some unpleasant feedback, we really need to do our best to listen to what they’re saying. Bare in mind, there’s a difference between constructive criticism and somebody who’s just trying to break you apart. It’s important that you listen to their feedback and distinguish between the two yourself. If it’s from a trusted source, or somebody you respect, it’s definitely going to be worthwhile to listen to what they said and see what you can apply for the next time to make it better. This is easier said than done, but do your best to not get super emotional and sensitive when somebody rejects you or turns you away. Find out what they think you need to work on, so you can get better.

Get Better: Drake has a famous line from one of his songs, “don’t get bitter, just get better”. This definitely applies to actors as well. When you get rejected, instead of responding with anger and resentment that does nothing but boil your own blood, you need to work on your stuff and become better. Use it as fuel to your fire in improving your craft and becoming a better actor. You need to say to yourself, “Okay, what can I do to get better?” If you can walk away from rejection with that sort of positivity and action, you will eventually start to succeed in a very big way. At the very least, you won’t sit in a pity stooper when you get rejected, but instead, keep your head up and make the best of the situation.

Stay Persistent: Every successful person will tell you that they had to handle rejection on countless occasions. They had to deal with doors being slammed in their face, people telling them they weren’t talented, or were crazy, or people who didn’t believe in them. If you don’t have the ability to bounce back from rejection with unwavering enthusiasm, then you will have a tough time succeeding in an industry as tough as the film industry. Talent Agent, Anne Marie Perrault says, “Prepare yourself that the rejection will come, but be sure that you love what you’re doing and you’re going to continue to work at it and get better until those “No’s” starting turning into Yes’s”. If you commit yourself to it, work hard through training and stay persistent, your success will only be a matter of time.”

Sure rejection sucks and forces us to retreat back into our shells for a while, but it’s all about the bounce back. It’s all about working at it, getting the right mind set, working on your skills, and making sure you have the right attitude so that bounce back time is faster every time. Pretty soon you will develop the thick skin that is required of an actor, and rejection will be nothing more than an opportunity for you to go through another door with someone else who sees the potential in you.

It’s up to you and how you let it affect you. Rejection will only break you if you let it.

What’s Being Filmed In Toronto This Summer

Posted on June 10, 2014 by AMP Talent Group

Lights, Camera, Summer! Summer 2014 is just around the corner and for most “normal folk” it means impromptu trips to cottage country, days of energy-drowning on patios with cold beverages, and basically trying to work as little as possible so you can enjoy the summer. But for those who call the film industry, “their industry”, […]

Lights, Camera, Summer!

Summer 2014 is just around the corner and for most “normal folk” it means impromptu trips to cottage country, days of energy-drowning on patios with cold beverages, and basically trying to work as little as possible so you can enjoy the summer. But for those who call the film industry, “their industry”, it’s quite the opposite. Summer is a time when you strap on your working sandals and get ready to cram as much filming work as possible into your summer, until you’re working like a dog well into the dog days in August. Summer presents a great opportunity to finally film that passion project you’ve been yearning to do, or film that indie movie you’ve been trying to squeeze into your busy schedule. In short, there’s a lot being shot during the summer in Toronto.

So what’s being shot in our fair Canadian city this coming spring/summer? Obviously there’s a lot, but we’ve broken down a few of the highest profile projects to keep you in the loop.

Pixels.

The movie will be bringing Adam Sandler, Kevin James, and Michelle Monaghan into our town for the summer months. Brought to you by Arcaders Productions Ltd. and directed by Christopher Columbus. Pixels tells you the story of what happens when aliens misinterpret video feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war against them. This begins a war against the human race, using the games as models for their various assaults. Filming will take place from May 28th – September 30th. So keep a look out this summer for the dynamic goof balls of Kevin James and Adam Sandler taking in a Jay’s game and maybe even throwing that all-important first pitch.

Regression.

Written and directed by Alejandro Amenabar, and starring Ethan Hawke and Emma Watson. Regression is about a man who is accused of abusing his daughter — a crime he doesn’t even remember committing. Sounds like it’s an intense thriller that should see Ethan Hawke and Emma Watson acting opposite one another in some very intense scenes. Filming is well underway, starting on April 15th and due to wrap on June 12th.

Crimson Peak.

Principal photography began back in February at Pinewood Studios, and filming began at the end of April in Hamilton, as well as in Kingston. The film is starring Mia Wasikawska, Charlie Hunnam, and Jessica Chastain, and is produced by Legendary Pictures. The film is supposed to take place in Cumbria, a crumbling mansion in a largely rural and mountainous region of Northern England in the 19th century. A young author (Wasikawska) discovers that her charming new husband is not who he appears to be. Photos from the Hamilton set this spring have already been released all over the Internet. Filming is due to run into the summer here in Toronto.

October Gale.

Written and directed by Ruba Nadda, and starring Tim Roth, Scott Speedman, and Patricia Clarkson. October Gale is a thriller about a doctor who takes in a wounded victim that washes ashore at her cottage. Quickly they realize that the killer is there to try and finish the job, just as a storm draws in. Sounds like something to be shot on Toronto Island, doesn’t it? Filming started on April 21st and wraps up on May 25th.

The summer months are also a very busy time for TV shows to shoot in order to get prepared for fall premieres. This summer keep a look out all over the city, as Suits will be filming Season 4 from April 7th – November 7th. Lost Girl will be filming their fifth season from April 7th – August 17th. Also filming their fifth seasons will be Covert Affairs from March 31st – September 19th and Rookie Blue finishes shooting on June 9th. Then the ever-so-popular Canadian sitcom, Degassi, will be filming their 14th season from April 22nd – October 1st.

So that means there will be opportunities for actors to audition for roles on one of these productions, or simply, just catch sight of a star or a film set in the middle of action.

It’s an exciting time. The entertainment industry is bursting with projects on the go and it’s a great time be working on set. Which is all in the lead up to TIFF in September!