Acting classes in nyc focus on developing your skills as an actor, especially the foundational skills that are required to practice the craft. There is one thing that acting classes in nyc cannot teach you, for the most part, and that is an auditioning technique that you can use out of the classroom. More and more casting directors and producers are asking for them therefore, audition tapes have become a must-have, especially since they can be emailed in an instant. Audition tapes need not be expensive, professionally shot videos. There are some simple rules to follow that can help you produce a great tape, with a borrowed or rented camera and a few friends.
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. However, if the lighting is too strong, you will appear completely washed out and "hot" which is just a distracting. Anything that takes away from your performance is lethal and bad lighting is one of those things. Lighting needs to be clean, and completely unnoticeable. Acting classes in nyc often include people who are experienced at producing tapes. A diagram of a simple lighting plan is something they can help you with.
It should involve three lights, relatively bright, or a light source from outdoors. Lights can be placed on either side of the talent to help illuminate the face. A light can also be brought in to illuminate the background. Some audition tapes have chosen to leave the background dark. This is okay as long as the overall feel is not too dark. A white balance feature on cameras is used to correct the color.
Light sources, such as lamps, professional lights and daylight all have different temperatures. Incandescent lights are yellow, daylight is very blue. Let's say you set up the lighting, and you are also near a window. If you use both of these light sources the color will be off unless you "correct" it in the camera. The White balance button on the camera makes this possible. Place a white card where the talent will be standing and hit the white balance feature. 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.
Another very important thing to consider is sound. A good audition tape is only as good as the sound, because your voice is your main instrument. No producer or casting agent has the time to sit through an audition tape with poor sound. The cleanest sound comes from a mic planted close the source of sound, in this case, you. Camera mounted microphones are not very close to the subject, so looking into the rental of a good quality Lavalier microphone might be worthwhile. Let's face it, acting is a form of communication and you cannot communicate clearly if you can't be heard. Again, quality acting classes in nyc that include skills on how to be camera ready can help advise you on this.
With these basics in place now is the time to think about content. An audition prepared for taping has some slight differences. Meisner acting techniques can be helpful when preparing, especially for a specific character or role. The discipline of Meisner acting is one that helps create riveting, unpredictable performances, which is what you strive for. Keeping important elements under the surface, is something coaches of Meisner acting nyc can teach you how to develop. Trying to cram every emotion into a few minutes of an audition will seem false. Edit, put only a few ideas in at a time and let the rest emerge in the imagination of the audience. Doing your job as an actor is not presenting everything and making it easy for them, but drawing them in by making them think about the work.
At times, actors are asked to include something very specific, but it should still have your own ideas incorporated. More frequently actors are asked to turn in monologue audition tapes, just to give viewers an idea of their range and abilities. It makes sense to prepare something that involves your strengths. The best actors are those that are fluid and can show quickly how capable they are of acting in any genre. The best comedians always have an underlying sense of tragedy, and the most dramatic performances are capable of lighter moments. Enlist the teachers of acting classes in nyc, or wherever you study, to review your practice tapes and incorporate their suggestions. We are not always the best judge of of our own work and being open to direction is a part of being a professional actor.
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. However, if the lighting is too strong, you will appear completely washed out and "hot" which is just a distracting. Anything that takes away from your performance is lethal and bad lighting is one of those things. Lighting needs to be clean, and completely unnoticeable. Acting classes in nyc often include people who are experienced at producing tapes. A diagram of a simple lighting plan is something they can help you with.
It should involve three lights, relatively bright, or a light source from outdoors. Lights can be placed on either side of the talent to help illuminate the face. A light can also be brought in to illuminate the background. Some audition tapes have chosen to leave the background dark. This is okay as long as the overall feel is not too dark. A white balance feature on cameras is used to correct the color.
Light sources, such as lamps, professional lights and daylight all have different temperatures. Incandescent lights are yellow, daylight is very blue. Let's say you set up the lighting, and you are also near a window. If you use both of these light sources the color will be off unless you "correct" it in the camera. The White balance button on the camera makes this possible. Place a white card where the talent will be standing and hit the white balance feature. 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.
Another very important thing to consider is sound. A good audition tape is only as good as the sound, because your voice is your main instrument. No producer or casting agent has the time to sit through an audition tape with poor sound. The cleanest sound comes from a mic planted close the source of sound, in this case, you. Camera mounted microphones are not very close to the subject, so looking into the rental of a good quality Lavalier microphone might be worthwhile. Let's face it, acting is a form of communication and you cannot communicate clearly if you can't be heard. Again, quality acting classes in nyc that include skills on how to be camera ready can help advise you on this.
With these basics in place now is the time to think about content. An audition prepared for taping has some slight differences. Meisner acting techniques can be helpful when preparing, especially for a specific character or role. The discipline of Meisner acting is one that helps create riveting, unpredictable performances, which is what you strive for. Keeping important elements under the surface, is something coaches of Meisner acting nyc can teach you how to develop. Trying to cram every emotion into a few minutes of an audition will seem false. Edit, put only a few ideas in at a time and let the rest emerge in the imagination of the audience. Doing your job as an actor is not presenting everything and making it easy for them, but drawing them in by making them think about the work.
At times, actors are asked to include something very specific, but it should still have your own ideas incorporated. More frequently actors are asked to turn in monologue audition tapes, just to give viewers an idea of their range and abilities. It makes sense to prepare something that involves your strengths. The best actors are those that are fluid and can show quickly how capable they are of acting in any genre. The best comedians always have an underlying sense of tragedy, and the most dramatic performances are capable of lighter moments. Enlist the teachers of acting classes in nyc, or wherever you study, to review your practice tapes and incorporate their suggestions. We are not always the best judge of of our own work and being open to direction is a part of being a professional actor.
About the Author:
The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides nyc acting classes for serious actors. To learn more about nyc commercial acting classes visit the studio website.
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