Kimberly Jentzen presents a new and dynamic series: The Power and Magic of Listening, Part One. The following is an excerpt from her newly released book, Acting with Impact: Power Tools to Ignite the Actor’s Performance.
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Preparing A Scene Part 1
“The Moment Before”
by: Lynn Stallings
Magic happens when your character has a full and engaging life. Have that life begin before your scene and you’ll engage the audience instantly. Have you ever watched a performance and felt like it took the actor a while to get into character? To warm up? I think most of us have. That often happens when the actor begins a scene cold….begins a scene without creating a “moment before”. In reality, our lives are ongoing. We are always coming from someplace, from some activity or event. We have thoughts or conflicts or physical conditions that affect the way we behave. If you choose a clear moment before your scene begins, then you start the scene filled with energy and momentum. You won’t need ‘warm-up’ time because that has already happened off-stage.
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Hosting Reels
by: Maureen Browne
Having a good reel is crucial to your hosting career. Good headshots and a strong resume will only get you so far. It’s your reel that Casting Directors use to determine whether or not they want to bring you in for an audition, or even better, a “general” meeting. I’ve cast several shows where I never held auditions – I only looked thru hosting reels to determine who I would then call in as a “callback.” Your reel is your calling card. If you don’t have one, make one!
The biggest mistake an actor can make when preparing for an audition is that they try to figure out what “THEY” are looking for. Actors will squash their initial instincts when first reading audition sides, attempting to fit in to what they “THINK” the Producers want. They believe there must be a right choice and a wrong choice. Read more
