Auditioning is an important skill, not just an extension of acting, it’s a separate skill that can be developed in many acting classes in NYC. 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. Acting classes NYC might be the place to build strong auditioning skills, but it doesn’t hurt to work on this independently as well. Landing a role is luck and timing but, none of that matters if you’re not prepared when the opportunity comes. Meisner acting classes in NYC that teach the Meisner technique are known for producing disciplined actors. Meisner acting techniques are suitable for improving your auditioning ability also.
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. However, being insecure or overly nervous will not count in your favor either unless it suits the character. Being overly nervous or overconfident is not what will count against you in an audition. Being nervous or confident projects a sense of “self awareness” which can kill a great acting performance.
This is a very bad acting habit, being too closed off and too rehearsed and it’s a poor auditioning technique as well. Too nervous, and it’s too distracting to you and the auditors and you run the risk of not being open to the performance and the emerging character. The many layers of human traits, communicated in a thousand smalls ways is what must shine through, how you feel personally can’t inhibit this.
Many preparing for auditions consider the slate unimportant. As many of you know, the slate is when you state your name into the camera so the auditors can keep track of everyone they’ve seen. What may seem like a tiny practical thing, can have huge consequences if they don’t like what they see. This is the bad news. There is no guarantee ever that a producer or director will watch a tape past the slate. With hundreds, perhaps thousands to see for a role, it’s an overwhelming process. When wading through these tapes, anything that helps them to more quickly find the best of the best is necessary. A quick dismissal of an actor’s tape because of a lackluster slate gets them to their goal more quickly.
While this may seem harsh, it is certainly expedient. Fair or not, this is the way it is more often than not. While some acting classes deal with auditioning, many don’t. Acting classes in NYC are a great resource for learning about slates. Slating on an audition tape is sometimes required to enroll in acting classes in NYC. It’s something you can do on your own, and do quite well with a little help from a friend. Enlist a friend to help record your efforts on tape and you will instantly see how well you are doing. Practicing slates isn’t easy. Looking into the camera and truly communicating to a presence beyond the camera is an art form in and of itself. This is something you can record, playback and assess. Feedback from people you trust is also important, the slate should communicate who you are.
Keep the information to a minimum and keep it simple. The shorter the better so they move on to the critical thing, the audition. When auditioning for commercials a hint of character might be okay. If you fall short of their expectations they may hit the eject button before the actual tape. The goal of the slate is to present yourself as an actor and a person, not as the character. Once the slate is done, move quickly into character and give them the portrayal they could never have anticipated, the character they didn’t even know they wanted. if you want to know more, look into Meisner acting NYC, for tips on how to create character, emotional preparation and scene study for auditioning.
The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides meisner acting training in New York City. For more information about audition techniques visit the studio website where you can get specific answers to any question you have.