Auditioning is a critical skill you can develop, much like scene study or emotional prep, and it’s an acting skill you can learn in acting classes in NYC. Working actors know that gaining experience is critical, and that won’t happen if you tend not to 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 specialize in Meisner acting, offer one of the most respected acting disciplines in the business. 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. One way to be discounted is to appear overconfident. At the same time you cannot allow yourself to be overly nervous or insecure, unless the role calls for it. Being overly nervous or overconfident is not what will count against you in an audition. The real problem is when you are nervous, and you attempt to hide it, an attempt which in turn makes you wonder if you are showing it, and before long you are completely shut down emotionally.
An overconfident or overly nervous auditioned is usually closed off to far more important emotions, those of the character they are creating in the moment. At the same time, being overconfident may not seem like a problem until you start thinking that you know what they are looking for and you’ve got it all down and you are going to NAIL it and now you’re “in your head” and once again, closed off to what might happen in the moment. 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.
The slate may not seem important. Stating your name, your agent, at the beginning of the tape helps them track your audition but, it’s also their first impression of you. 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. Many times, directors and producers never even get past the slate. Actors must think about how many hundreds of other actors are also turning in tapes our auditions. Anything to speed things up, like a poor or boring slate, is a good excuse to just move on. A slate needs to take those few seconds, and let them know you are someone worth watching.
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. Some acting classes teach excellent auditioning skills knowing how important they are. Acting classes in NYC may be able to help you practice your slate. Some institutions that offer acting classes in NYC will even ask for a slated audition tape for entry into their program. It’s something you can do on your own, and do quite well with a little help from a friend. Have a friend set up a camera, some lights and give it a go. If you do practice slates here is more to consider. Looking into the camera and truly communicating to a presence beyond the camera is an art form in and of itself. Record and play back several versions of the slate and see how it plays. You can get feedback from people you trust, and keep working at it until you feel like your slate is a natural extension of who you are as an actor.
The information you include need not be lengthy, they really just want your name and possibly your agent. First impressions should be short and sweet. It won’t hurt in commercial auditions to put a hint of the character in your slate but avoid going over the top. If you fall short of their expectations they may hit the eject button before the actual tape. The aim of the slate is to give them a sense of who you are as an actor and a person. Slate and then, give them a brilliantly original, fresh fascinating character that will make their project soar. Classes that offer Meisner acting NYC are a great place to develop the skills that can be used to build excellent auditioning skills.
The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides meisner acting instruction in New York City. For more information about acting classes nyc visit the studio website where you can get specific answers to any question you have.