Of course, your primary concern needs to be the development of good acting skills, which you can accomplish in acting classes in nyc that have experienced teachers and coaches. A solid auditioning technique is also paramount however and acting classes in nyc do not always include this in their curriculum. Casting directors and producers will often ask for audition tapes, and of course you must be able to create a stand-out at a moment's notice. An expensive, professional video is okay for an audition tape but, certainly not necessary. Just borrow or rent a camera, enlist the help of an aspiring director friend and follow these simple rules.
How you appear is key, and lighting is a big part of this. Strong shadows falling in the wrong places can eliminate your chances of producers watching the tape all the way through. Looking completely washed out from lights that are too strong or close doesn't work either. If the lighting serves as a distraction to your performance you've wasted your time. Lighting needs to be clean, and completely unnoticeable. A professional acting program, especially acting classes in nyc, should have someone on staff that has experience producing tapes. Ask for help creating a simple diagram that outlines a lighting scheme.
There should be two or three light sources. Two soft lights can be placed on either side of the camera, about 10' feet or so away, focused on where you will be sitting. A light can also be brought in to illuminate the background. Audition tapes online sometimes leave the background in the dark. Just be careful that the contrast is not too great between the talent and background which is distracting. The all important next step is the white balance on the camera.
This reads the color temperatures of the combined light sources. They range from being very yellow to very blue. Let's say you set up the lighting, and you are also near a window. A mix of light sources is possible but, the camera must be "balanced" to correct for these color differences. The white balance feature is used to make this correction quickly and automatically. A pure white card or sheet of paper needs to be placed in the middle of the lighting sources. If you do not use this feature the color will be completely off, especially your skin tones. You want good clean skin tones, eye color and hair color, so you must not forget this step.
Perfect, clear sound is also critical. A good audition tape is only as good as the sound, because your voice is your main instrument. A good way to get quickly dismissed is to have poor sound quality. Keep the mic as close to the talent as possible. Camera mounted mics might be convenient, are not the best choice, renting a Lavalier would be better. Let's face it, acting is a form of communication and you cannot communicate clearly if you can't be heard. Acting classes in nyc sometimes have ways to help with this.
On to content, the all important piece of the puzzle, the character you are portraying, or a sense of who you are as an actor. An audition prepared for taping has some slight differences. Preparation can be made easier if you've studied Meisner acting techniques with trained coaches. Using the Meisner acting tools can help create a riveting audition tape that does not seem rehearsed or staged. Anyone who has studied Meisner acting nyc will understand that acting is as much about what you leave out as what you put in. Cramming every emotion and gesture into a performance will always seem false. The key to great acting is what you don't present, but leave simmering underneath. Audiences like to work, think, and look for clues which is a way to engage them in your performance.
Of course, if you are asked to prepare an audition tape of something specific, some sides or a scene, the tape will consist of this. More frequently actors are asked to turn in monologue audition tapes, just to give viewers an idea of their range and abilities. Whether you have the gift of comedy, or a talent for dramatic roles, a great audition includes both. The best actors are those that are fluid and can show quickly how capable they are of acting in any genre. Tragedy and comedy always work together, for instance and its good to include a sense of both. Videotape your chosen material several times and enlist friends and teachers from your acting classes in nyc to review it and make constructive comments. The best audition tapes are those which have had input from lots of sources with the most constructive criticism incorporated.
How you appear is key, and lighting is a big part of this. Strong shadows falling in the wrong places can eliminate your chances of producers watching the tape all the way through. Looking completely washed out from lights that are too strong or close doesn't work either. If the lighting serves as a distraction to your performance you've wasted your time. Lighting needs to be clean, and completely unnoticeable. A professional acting program, especially acting classes in nyc, should have someone on staff that has experience producing tapes. Ask for help creating a simple diagram that outlines a lighting scheme.
There should be two or three light sources. Two soft lights can be placed on either side of the camera, about 10' feet or so away, focused on where you will be sitting. A light can also be brought in to illuminate the background. Audition tapes online sometimes leave the background in the dark. Just be careful that the contrast is not too great between the talent and background which is distracting. The all important next step is the white balance on the camera.
This reads the color temperatures of the combined light sources. They range from being very yellow to very blue. Let's say you set up the lighting, and you are also near a window. A mix of light sources is possible but, the camera must be "balanced" to correct for these color differences. The white balance feature is used to make this correction quickly and automatically. A pure white card or sheet of paper needs to be placed in the middle of the lighting sources. If you do not use this feature the color will be completely off, especially your skin tones. You want good clean skin tones, eye color and hair color, so you must not forget this step.
Perfect, clear sound is also critical. A good audition tape is only as good as the sound, because your voice is your main instrument. A good way to get quickly dismissed is to have poor sound quality. Keep the mic as close to the talent as possible. Camera mounted mics might be convenient, are not the best choice, renting a Lavalier would be better. Let's face it, acting is a form of communication and you cannot communicate clearly if you can't be heard. Acting classes in nyc sometimes have ways to help with this.
On to content, the all important piece of the puzzle, the character you are portraying, or a sense of who you are as an actor. An audition prepared for taping has some slight differences. Preparation can be made easier if you've studied Meisner acting techniques with trained coaches. Using the Meisner acting tools can help create a riveting audition tape that does not seem rehearsed or staged. Anyone who has studied Meisner acting nyc will understand that acting is as much about what you leave out as what you put in. Cramming every emotion and gesture into a performance will always seem false. The key to great acting is what you don't present, but leave simmering underneath. Audiences like to work, think, and look for clues which is a way to engage them in your performance.
Of course, if you are asked to prepare an audition tape of something specific, some sides or a scene, the tape will consist of this. More frequently actors are asked to turn in monologue audition tapes, just to give viewers an idea of their range and abilities. Whether you have the gift of comedy, or a talent for dramatic roles, a great audition includes both. The best actors are those that are fluid and can show quickly how capable they are of acting in any genre. Tragedy and comedy always work together, for instance and its good to include a sense of both. Videotape your chosen material several times and enlist friends and teachers from your acting classes in nyc to review it and make constructive comments. The best audition tapes are those which have had input from lots of sources with the most constructive criticism incorporated.
About the Author:
The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides acting classes for serious actors. To learn more about commercial acting visit the studio website.
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