Auditioning

is your moment to shine.

It's a chance to take the script and

make it your own.

It's not about guessing what the

casting team wants.

It's about showing them a version of

the character they didn't even know

they needed.

So how do you approach that audition

material and make bold, dynamic choices

that stand out?

Let's dive into some tried and true

ways to tackle those sides

and pro tips

to give a memorable performance with

auditions

that, while

this is casting actor's castle.

Well, hello, and welcome to today's

episode of casting actors cast.

I'm casting partner Jeffrey Dreisbach

with the McCorkle group in New York.

How are you?

I'm looking forward to sharing this.

This is a question I get all the time.

How can I make my script more

interesting, therefore making my

audition more interesting?

So I've got all kinds of information

about that, as well as what I call pro

tips that I'm going to throw in as well

that I think you're going to find

really, really useful.

So thank you for tuning into casting

actors Cass.

I invite you to check out the

websitecasting actors Cass.

All one word dot com you're going to

find all kinds of information there one

is about my book called jeff's jots.

The actor's career playbook it's on

amazondot com, and the link is right

there on the website.

So please check that out.

I think you're going to find that

great.

There's also a form that says, dive

into the talent pool.

And if you do that it's going to open

up a whole bunch of freebies.

There's a free book I'm doing voice

over work.

There's a video called on

casting secrets on what they don't tell

you.

It's just kind of a way for you to get

more information.

And speaking of getting more

information, please don't forget that.

There are corresponding show notes to

each of the episodes on the website as

well.

It's the blog that corresponds to each

of the episodes, so you can have a reference

right in your very own hand.

So thank you for that.

Let's jump into this auditions

that.

Wow, I get that question a lot, as I

said, and I think that if we take a

structured approach

to your preparation,

by incorporating the following

suggestions I'm going to be making to

you, I promise you you're going to feel

so much better, and you're going to be

able to walk out of that audition

without reauditioning in your head on

the way home.

You know what I mean?

I used to do that all the time as an

actor.

Now I see actors after an audition

doing it still.

So let's talk about it.

I think that there are several steps

here.

And I'm going to share the steps and

actually share some ways in which you

can use those steps in the process.

So I hope that that makes sense.

First and foremost.

I think you should read the script like

a detective,

don't read it like an actor trying to

come up with a way to deliver the words.

Treat the script like a detective.

Before you even start,

before you even start to think about

how to perform, you focus on what's

actually happening.

How you do that?

Well, you look for clues.

Who is your character

what's their goal in this scene.

How do they feel about the other

characters?

See, the script is full of all kinds of

really cool bread crumbs,

so follow them.

Here's another way to do that.

Dig into the subtext,

right?

What's?

Your character is really saying

underneath the words.

I think that

very often the most dynamic moments in

the scene come from what's not spoken.

Continuing on with that.

You've heard this, I'm sure in your

acting.

Consider the stakes.

I've heard directors my whole life say,

raise the stakes.

Why is this moment important?

That's what you need to answer.

See if it doesn't feel urgent or

important to your character, it's

certainly not going to feel urgent or

important to the audience.

Here's a pro tip.

If you only get a few pages, like you

know, which is common in most

auditions, just aside of a scene,

research the show or project to

understand the tone, genre and relationships.

I know that that makes sense, but

that's often

forgotten

only because actors treat the audition

like it's an event,

and they don't feel they have the time

to do that work of research.

I promise you a little research can go

a long way to helping you interpret

that side, that script.

All right, let's move on from there.

Here it is.

Here it comes.

Make bold specific choices.

Casting directors love actors who make

strong specific decisions

because it shows confidence and

creativity.

So decide what your character wants.

Everything your character says should

connect to that particular objective in

one way or another, whether it's using

subtext or whether it's just a literal

interpretation of the script.

Whether they want to win someone over,

or hide their fear or take control,

let that goal drive your performance.

Another suggestion

is, add layers.

This is a biggie.

Don't play one emotion, the entire

scene through.

E.

G, a line that seems angry might also

have some humor or vulnerability

beneath it.

Complexity makes characters come alive.

Surprise them.

If your script hints that your

character should cry,

why not consider holding it in?

If the line feels like it should be

shouted,

try whispering it.

You see, unexpected choices, when

rooted in truth,

can make your audition

unforgettable.

I love auditions that have some level

of spontaneity in them.

Surprising yourself during an audition

is a really cool feeling.

So of course, you can't plan

spontaneity,

but you can be comfortable enough with

the material

that you're saying to yourself.

Let's just see what happens.

All right, here's a pro tip.

This is important.

Bold doesn't mean outrageous.

You see, your choices should still be

very grounded and should feel very

authentic to the story.

It's not arbitrary, and it's now not

outrageous.

Still, consider telling the truth

next

here's another tip.

I think it's really, really useful.

And this is a big deal.

What I'm teaching on camera classes is

to personalize the material.

You see, if the actor can find a way to

connect the scene to their own life

experience or emotions,

it becomes a very truthful moment

that's discovered.

Simply ask yourself,

when have I felt like this?

Relating to the character's feelings

makes your performance real and relatable.

Bring your unique self to the role.

Your uniqueness is what's going to

bring you the role, the job, the call back.

So that means your life experiences,

your quirks and your perspectives

are what make your interpretation

one of a kind.

No one else is going to do what you do.

As long as you tap into that uniqueness.

Moving on from there, avoid playing it

safe or generic.

I think you can lean into the specific

details that make you special as an actor.

Ok?

Pro tip,

this is true.

Casting directors aren't just hiring a

character.

They're hiring, you

show them who you are through your

choices.

Ah, let's just take a moment, say, I

just made you a lot of money right now

for those of you that are listening.

So congratulations.

Consider leaving me a thumbs up, alike

or a jare.

I'm not even going to ask for ten per

cent.

I swear to you.

All right.

Let's move on from there.

In terms of choices that you have

available to you.

When you get a script to make your

auditions, wow, play the relationship.

Play the relationship.

The way your character interacts with

others.

It really does tell the audience.

And it also tells casting directors so

much.

Who are you talking to?

Think about how your character feels

about the other person in the scene?

Are they trying to charm?

Are they trying to intimidate impress?

Or they try to make some kind of a

connection?

Focus on the

give and take.

You see, acting, I promise you, is not

just about delivering your lines in a

literal way.

It's about reacting

and staying engaged,

even when you're silent.

Imagine the other person's responses

if you're working.

Solo.

Doesn't give them much to work on.

Here's another pro tip.

Even if the scene feels like a

monologue,

it's always a conversation.

Someone real or imagined, is listening.

We're going to move on with the next

tip.

Hang in there.

Your auditions are going to wall.

Right after this.

Welcome back.

We're going through all kinds of really

cool tips and steps for you to feel

comfortable when you get an audition

script, so that your auditions can.

Wow.

I love that word.

So as we move on from there, be

comfortable

with adjustments.

This happens all the time in the room.

It also happens on zoom auditioning.

It doesn't happen on self tape, because

you don't have anyone right there to

kind of give you some feedback or make

an adjustment.

The casting director might ask you to

change your performance

during the audition.

They might give you an adjustment.

Here's a way to approach that.

I think if you have an attitude of

being flexible

and open to direction,

it is going to elevate our

consideration for you to play the part.

That was a really good ted, right

there.

Don't overrehearse.

I've seen that happen a lot as well.

I think that you should rehearse enough

to know the material,

but I don't want you to work on it so

much that you're locked

into one way of performing it.

Now that speaks to what we talked about

earlier, in terms of being spontaneous.

So it's a fine line, I think, between

feeling prepared

and overworked.

So be really careful

again.

It's about knowing all of the elements

of the scene that will make it

interesting, without setting it in

stone or freezing that performance.

The best auditions I ever see are the

ones in which the actor is not trying

to recreate what they rehearsed.

Show that you can take direction.

If the casting person says, let's

see it more playing.

Let's see it more serious.

Let's see it with a little more humor.

All of those things are comments that

the casting director, or the director,

or the producer, whoever is kind of

running that show.

They might want to see something

different.

So please don't panic.

Just Embrace the note and try something

fresh.

Feeling like this is a rehearsal that

you've already booked.

The job is a great way to feel like you

are in a collaborative environment,

rather than, I have to win these

casting people over.

The way you can help yourself do that

is just try some of this at home.

I think if you really try the scene in

a lot of different ways during your

rehearsal process, this is going to

build confidence, and it really helps

you stay nimble.

So here's a pro tip.

I promise you.

Adjustments are often less about fixing

something, and much more about seeing

how versatile you are as an actor.

All right, let's move down from there.

Use the space and your body.

This is really valuable.

I think.

Don't be afraid to move and engage

physically.

That's not only for your live

auditioning, which kind of makes sense.

But even for self tape, you must stay

in the frame, however.

But even if you're in a small frame on

screen,

you can find natural gestures.

Let your body support the emotions and

intentions of the character.

I've seen this a lot in self tape,

where the actor is

so worried about excessive movement

that they stay frozen.

And the uniqueness of your character is

what we need to see.

And that also implies that we see the

character in a natural state.

And you can do that by working with the

environment.

So you can decide, as my character

sitting, is it standing?

Is it pacing?

So, use the imaginary space to ground

yourself in the scene.

Another kind of logistical thing that I

think is

forgotten frankly.

A lot of actors, very professionals,

very professional actors, seem to

forget this, but don't forget to stay

connected to your breath.

Breathing deeply.

Not only calms your nerves.

But it also helps you connect to the

character's emotional state.

Unless that emotional state is

hyperventilating,

it's really important to stay connected

to your breath.

Here's a pro tip.

Movement should feel purposeful,

not random or arbitrary.

Ask yourself, now, why am I doing this?

Do that with every choice

you see, the more specific your choice,

the more interesting the audition.

I also think that as we talk about

movement, now it's time to talk about

the opposite of that.

And that is to Embrace stillness

when it counts.

See it doesn't mean that you have to do

that all the way through.

When it counts when it's appropriate

for the character.

For example, sometimes the most dynamic

choice is simply doing less.

What happens, then it happens in life.

When those moments sit there,

let the moments.

Land

pauses can add weight to your lines and

give the audience time to process

what's happening.

It's also great if there's another

character in your scene for them to

process what's happening.

Another tip to do that is to use your

eyes.

A glance or a subtle expression can

really speak volumes and draw the

audience in,

whether it's on camera or whether it's,

in person,

knowing what your emotional state is at

any given moment just draws us more and

more to you.

But I also have to say this it's

important, to avoid overacting.

If you're doing something on self tape,

or you're doing something on camera,

trust that the camera or the audience

will pick up on the subtlety.

So when I talk about stillness, it

doesn't mean being passive.

The character should still have energy

and intention,

even in those quiet moments.

All right, here's another tip for

preparing your script, to make your

auditions wow.

I think you need to prepare emotionally

as well, but you also have to stay flexible.

Connecting emotionally to the material

is quite important, but you don't want

to overthink it.

Find the truth in the moment.

Instead of trying to

feel sad or feel angry,

simply focus on the circumstances

and let the emotions emerge

into that moment naturally.

So if you practice emotional Recall,

if that helps you,

it's a matter of simply thinking of a

personal memory that mirrors the

characters of situation.

But here's a cautionary tale.

Don't get so caught up in the feeling

that you lose sight of the scene's purpose.

In past episodes I've talked

at length about per.

P, I r

plot what's the story.

I what's the writer's intention.

Why did the writer write this scene?

P, I, r

relationship

what's the relation to

ship to the other character in your

scene.

And then finally, the last r pir

is reaction,

reacting to each of those moments,

being in the moment,

stay in the moment,

react to what's happening in the scene,

not what you think the emotion should

be.

Keep it natural, keep it truthful.

Here's my pro tip.

Keep the emotional preparation light in

the room.

Showing you can control your emotions,

I think, is just as important

as

accessing them.

So be careful.

It's not about the emotion, it's about

the character

in that circumstance, in that

situation, in that place.

All right, let's move on from there.

Be fully present.

This is something I see actors getting

lost in all the time.

Where you see them acting, it becomes

presentational.

So you need to compensate for that

energy by being simply really present,

moment a moment work.

This is your time to connect with

material

and show your artistry.

You can do that in a few ways.

One don't rush,

give yourself a moment to center before

starting the scene.

Number two, stay engaged.

Even if you happen to stubble over a

line,

just keep going.

It's been my experience that recovering

gracefully shows professionalism and it

shows composure.

I also think you should enjoy the

process.

Please remember, auditioning is an

opportunity to act.

Even if you don't book the role.

Why don't you relish the chance to play?

That's really helpful.

I think

if you come into an audition

like it's not an event, but it's an

opportunity for you to have fun and to

act that's all it is, then you're in a

much better emotional place.

Here's a pro tip.

Casting directors aren't just looking

for perfection, right?

They're looking for potential.

If you're fully present,

I promise you you're going to stand out.

Last tip I have for you is practice.

Practice.

Practice.

Great auditions are the result of

preparation,

not luck.

So, as I mentioned earlier, rehearse

smartly,

if you can focus on understanding the

character and building strong choices,

rather than memorizing every word,

perfectly

that's really helpful.

Get feedback.

I think it's valuable.

If you practice with a coach.

Or a friend or do a self take set up to

see how your performance reads to you.

Stay consistent.

Auditioning is a skill, and the more

you do, the more confident and dynamic

Audience.

you will become

good.

That was helpful.

I hope.

I think it must be, at least I hope it

is.

Let me know by leaving me a thumbs up

or alike.

But I just want to give you a final

thought before you depart to day.

I think auditioning

and the audition

approach

is all about blending preparation

with spontaneity,

dive into the script,

making specific choices and trust your

own instincts.

You see, I know that casting directors

want to see your interpretation of the

role.

So be fearless,

be present

and, most importantly,

have fun.

You've got this.

I'm Jerry.

Rise back.

This is