The Official Newsletter Of The New Collective LA Acting Studio
Taking Risks In Your Auditions
Being Artful
When we talk about taking risks in auditions, we don’t mean putting yourself in physical or psychological danger. Instead, being artful with risk means embracing the joy and safety of acting while striving to stand out in a way that enhances your portrayal of the character.
Use The Given Circumstances
The actor must always refer to the given circumstances when considering how to take risks. For example, is your character soaking wet from a rainstorm? Are they eating, drinking, or smoking (Amazon sells great theatrical fake cigarettes). Actors often focus too much on their lines instead of fully exploring everything written on the page. Look at the details right before your sides say “Start” and right after they say “End”. In screenplays, the action sections provide concrete clues about your character’s circumstances, inner life and behavior. Build on the moments just before the scene and imagine how it will continue after the last line. Make sure your risks serve the character and the given circumstances, rather than being arbitrary.
Wardrobe & Props
It’s not necessary to dress in full costume, and can sometimes be distracting for audition purposes (like a full-blown period costume, for example). However, you always should be looking for how to suggest the character with what you wear. For instance, if your character wears a suit, don’t wear jeans and a t-shirt. If a cocktail dress is called for, wear something similar. A notable example is how Dustin Hoffman convinced John Schlesinger to cast him for the part of Ratso in “Midnight Cowboy”. Schlesinger originally turned Hoffman down because had seen “The Graduate” and had the image of his clean cut Benjamin Braddock burned into his memory. Hoffman asked to meet with Schlesinger in NYC at an automat at 1am, and showed up unshaven, with greasy hair and a torn up trench coat. By the end of their chat, Hoffman had the part. In auditions, the use of props should be minimal and not distracting: cell phone, fake cigarette, bottle of water, backpack/pocketbook, etc. are all fair game. Also, it’s always better to ground the character in reality rather than pantomime.
Use Yourself
Taking a risk doesn’t mean abandoning the foundation of your craft. Many times, while looking for risks to take in a scene, we can lose sight of the most powerful risks of all: telling the truth, using ourselves, and having fun.
