Auditioning is just another skill on the roster, but a skill that is just as critical as scene study, emotional preparation or any other acting skill you might pick up in acting classes in NYC or elsewhere. Gaining acting experience on stage, film or television is an important way to develop acting skills, but that won’t happen if you don’t audition well. If you are considering acting classes in NYC, look for an institution that helps its students build auditioning skills. Being prepared, with a deep set of auditioning skills is necessary if you expect to exploit every opportunity to audition that comes your way. Acting classes in NYC that teach Meisner acting offer foundational skills that can be developed over time. Meisner acting techniques are strongly connected to powerful auditioning skills.
There are one or two ways that are common reasons actors “fail” to turn in arresting auditions. The first way to fail is to enter the audition with overconfidence. At the same time, being deeply insecure won’t help either. Either one of these can count heavily against you–and not because auditors don’t like overly nervous or over confident actors. Nervousness, overconfidence or any other type of emotional reaction to an audition is an unwanted block to the emotional presentation of the character you are auditioning for.
Being “closed off” or self aware is a very bad acting habit, and one that threatens to get in the way of a great audition as well. If you are over thinking it, you jeopardize the chance for something unexpected or thrilling to happen in the moment. It is the character, with all his or her flaws, energy, sorrow, tension, humor, really a balance of all of these human traits, that must be present.
The slate may not seem important. Remember this will be the first impression you make. It seems like a throwaway moment, just a way for the people conducting the audition to keep track. The bad news is this. Not all casting directors, producers or directors watch all the tapes past the slate. Actors must think about how many hundreds of other actors are also turning in tapes our auditions. They are on the lookout for the best of the best and a so-so slate will indicate that your tape is not worth their while. They need any excuse to move through the auditions as quickly as possible.
This is challenging for the actor, but challenging is what spurs growth. Learning to slate well is one way to get an advantage over some of the actors you go up against. Teaching auditioning skills is not part of every acting academy’s curriculum. Acting classes in NYC may be able to help you practice your slate. In fact, some acting classes in NYC will ask you to slate to enter the class. Like any other skill, practicing slates makes perfect. Enlist a friend to help record your efforts on tape and you will instantly see how well you are doing. Some things to think about if you do practice slates. True communication is connecting with someone even if through a device, like a camera. By recording several versions and playing them back you can begin to get a feel for you how you are presenting yourself. Get honest feedback from people you trust, and make sure that the slate presents who you are.
The information you include need not be lengthy, they really just want your name and possibly your agent. The shorter the better so they move on to the critical thing, the audition. While it might be okay to offer a hint of character for a commercial audition, it’s still a risk. You could be wrong in your assumption about what they are looking for, and lose them before they even view your real work. The real purpose of the slate is for them to keep track of your tape, so just let them know if a few short seconds who you are. Slate and then, give them a brilliantly original, fresh fascinating character that will make their project soar. Creating character, building spontaneity into a performance and other essential auditioning skills can be learned by studying Meisner acting in NYC.
The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides meisner acting instruction in New York City. For more information about commercial acting classes visit the studio website where you can get specific answers to any question you have.