Acting classes in nyc focus on developing your skills as an actor, especially the foundational skills that are required to practice the craft. A solid auditioning technique is also paramount however and acting classes in nyc do not always include this in their curriculum. A big part of the audition process are audition tapes. There is no need for a professionally produced, expensive audition tape. All you need to do is rent or borrow a camera and ask some fellow actors or a director friend to help.
First is lighting, because everyone has seen what a poor lighting job can do to someone's appearance. Strong shadows falling in the wrong places can eliminate your chances of producers watching the tape all the way through. Too much light an you look completely washed out. Do not allow poor lighting choices to distract the casting agent or producers from the most important thing, you. Lighting needs to be clean, and completely unnoticeable. If you are studying in a professional acting program, or taking acting classes in nyc, there should be someone who is teaching an "Acting for the Camera" class or something similar. Ask for help creating a simple diagram that outlines a lighting scheme.
It should involve three lights, relatively bright, or a light source from outdoors. Two soft lights can be placed on either side of the camera, about 10' feet or so away, focused on where you will be sitting. Then a third light can be used to fill in the background. Audition tapes online sometimes leave the background in the dark. While this can work you must be careful to that the overall feel of the tape is appropriate and not distracting. A white balance feature on cameras is used to correct the color.
Light sources, such as lamps, professional lights and daylight all have different temperatures. Incandescent lights are yellow, daylight is very blue. Let's say you set up the lighting, and you are also near a window. If you use both of these light sources the color will be off unless you "correct" it in the camera. The White balance button on the camera makes this possible. Place a white card where the talent will be standing and hit the white balance feature. If you do not use this feature the color will be completely off, especially your skin tones. You want good clean skin tones, eye color and hair color, so you must not forget this step.
Another very important thing to consider is sound. A good audition tape is only as good as the sound, because your voice is your main instrument. No producer or casting agent has the time to sit through an audition tape with poor sound. The cleanest sound comes from a mic planted close the source of sound, in this case, you. Camera mounted microphones are not very close to the subject, so looking into the rental of a good quality Lavalier microphone might be worthwhile. Let's face it, acting is a form of communication and you cannot communicate clearly if you can't be heard. Again, quality acting classes in nyc that include skills on how to be camera ready can help advise you on this.
With these basics in place now is the time to think about content. An audition prepared for taping has some slight differences. Meisner acting techniques can be helpful when preparing, especially for a specific character or role. The discipline of Meisner acting is one that helps create riveting, unpredictable performances, which is what you strive for. Keeping important elements under the surface, is something coaches of Meisner acting nyc can teach you how to develop. Trying to cram every emotion into a few minutes of an audition will seem false. Edit, put only a few ideas in at a time and let the rest emerge in the imagination of the audience. Doing your job as an actor is not presenting everything and making it easy for them, but drawing them in by making them think about the work.
At times, actors are asked to include something very specific, but it should still have your own ideas incorporated. More frequently actors are asked to turn in monologue audition tapes, just to give viewers an idea of their range and abilities. It makes sense to prepare something that involves your strengths. The best actors are those that are fluid and can show quickly how capable they are of acting in any genre. The best comedians always have an underlying sense of tragedy, and the most dramatic performances are capable of lighter moments. Enlist the teachers of acting classes in nyc, or wherever you study, to review your practice tapes and incorporate their suggestions. We are not always the best judge of of our own work and being open to direction is a part of being a professional actor.
First is lighting, because everyone has seen what a poor lighting job can do to someone's appearance. Strong shadows falling in the wrong places can eliminate your chances of producers watching the tape all the way through. Too much light an you look completely washed out. Do not allow poor lighting choices to distract the casting agent or producers from the most important thing, you. Lighting needs to be clean, and completely unnoticeable. If you are studying in a professional acting program, or taking acting classes in nyc, there should be someone who is teaching an "Acting for the Camera" class or something similar. Ask for help creating a simple diagram that outlines a lighting scheme.
It should involve three lights, relatively bright, or a light source from outdoors. Two soft lights can be placed on either side of the camera, about 10' feet or so away, focused on where you will be sitting. Then a third light can be used to fill in the background. Audition tapes online sometimes leave the background in the dark. While this can work you must be careful to that the overall feel of the tape is appropriate and not distracting. A white balance feature on cameras is used to correct the color.
Light sources, such as lamps, professional lights and daylight all have different temperatures. Incandescent lights are yellow, daylight is very blue. Let's say you set up the lighting, and you are also near a window. If you use both of these light sources the color will be off unless you "correct" it in the camera. The White balance button on the camera makes this possible. Place a white card where the talent will be standing and hit the white balance feature. If you do not use this feature the color will be completely off, especially your skin tones. You want good clean skin tones, eye color and hair color, so you must not forget this step.
Another very important thing to consider is sound. A good audition tape is only as good as the sound, because your voice is your main instrument. No producer or casting agent has the time to sit through an audition tape with poor sound. The cleanest sound comes from a mic planted close the source of sound, in this case, you. Camera mounted microphones are not very close to the subject, so looking into the rental of a good quality Lavalier microphone might be worthwhile. Let's face it, acting is a form of communication and you cannot communicate clearly if you can't be heard. Again, quality acting classes in nyc that include skills on how to be camera ready can help advise you on this.
With these basics in place now is the time to think about content. An audition prepared for taping has some slight differences. Meisner acting techniques can be helpful when preparing, especially for a specific character or role. The discipline of Meisner acting is one that helps create riveting, unpredictable performances, which is what you strive for. Keeping important elements under the surface, is something coaches of Meisner acting nyc can teach you how to develop. Trying to cram every emotion into a few minutes of an audition will seem false. Edit, put only a few ideas in at a time and let the rest emerge in the imagination of the audience. Doing your job as an actor is not presenting everything and making it easy for them, but drawing them in by making them think about the work.
At times, actors are asked to include something very specific, but it should still have your own ideas incorporated. More frequently actors are asked to turn in monologue audition tapes, just to give viewers an idea of their range and abilities. It makes sense to prepare something that involves your strengths. The best actors are those that are fluid and can show quickly how capable they are of acting in any genre. The best comedians always have an underlying sense of tragedy, and the most dramatic performances are capable of lighter moments. Enlist the teachers of acting classes in nyc, or wherever you study, to review your practice tapes and incorporate their suggestions. We are not always the best judge of of our own work and being open to direction is a part of being a professional actor.
About the Author:
The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides nyc acting classes for serious actors. To learn more about commercial acting visit the studio website.
