Reading For Studio Executives: Auditioning For a Series Regular Role on Television

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When the Producers decide that they want to take you over to read for the Studio Executives, you first have to make a “test” deal before you are allowed to read for them. This happens because the Studio wants to know how much you will cost before they “buy” you. The Casting Director calls your Agent for “quotes”. Your quotes are the amount of money you have earned for individual acting jobs, but when negotiating a series deal, the only quotes that really apply are if you have booked a pilot or series before, or if you have “tested” for a pilot before. (Example: If you have tested for a pilot before and negotiated the contract to be $30 thousand for the pilot and $15 thousand an episode, your quotes will be 30/15. It is normal for your episodic price to be half the money you made on the pilot.) If you have never “tested” before, you probably have “no quotes”.

The Business Affairs lawyers at the Studio will be making your deal with your Agent, Manager or Lawyer. Technically, a Manager is not allowed to negotiate, so if you only have a Manager you will need to bring on a Lawyer or Agent to close the deal. They will have to structure a contract that includes your pilot fee, your episodic fee if picked up for series, and what “bumps” you get in salary over probably a 5 to 7 year period. (Sometimes merchandising, size of trailer, loop days, etc will be negotiated here.)

The amount of money that the production has budgeted for each part will determine if they can afford you or save money on you, and it is your Agents job to get as much money for you as they can regardless of your quotes! This process can often be very contentious to say the least, so it is in the actors best interest to let your negotiators do their job. And the actor should concentrate on their job…being consistent in the next audition. The talk of money can lead to big dreams for the actor, and I have talked to many, many actors over the years who know they blew it in their read for the Studio because they were thinking…”If I get this job, I can buy that car!”. So it is imperative that you have your mental focus on the scene…not money.

When your deal is closed, you will go over to the Studio that is producing the pilot (Warner Brothers, Disney, Universal, Paramount, Sony, 20th Century Fox, etc.) and read for the Head of the Studio for Television Programming, the Head of Casting, the VP’s of Comedy or Drama Development, among others. Along with your Producers, you could have 10 or more people in the room. You will see in the lobby the other actors who are “testing” for your part and possibly actors reading for other parts. It’s not uncommon to have you sign your contract right there in the lobby, so make sure you get there early so you can read it over and make sure it is correct. Then get into a corner and begin your concentration and focus on your job as an actor.

There is generally no chit chat when you walk into the Studio read…just “Hi”, read, “Bye”. Make sure you take a moment when in the room to locate who you will be reading with and take your 5 to 10 seconds to focus yourself before starting. When you leave the room make sure you don’t leave the building until told you can leave. It’s possible you could be “mixed and matched” with other actors reading other parts.

It is at this point that the Studio Executives and the Producers will decide if they want to take the final step of “testing” you at the Network.

Please visit www.mastertalentteachers.com to view Holly Powell’s video “Reading For Studio Executives: Auditioning For A Series Regular Role On Television”.

Joe Tremaine

Audition and Move On!

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Auditions are the mainstay of the way performers get jobs.

I know many people dislike auditions, but they are “the way business is done.” You have to show what you can do – “Show me what ya got kid!”

Preparation:

A performer should be ready to audition at a moments notice!

You should be in classes, in training, working out, etc., as often as you possibly can – preferably several times a week. One must “keep one’s instrument tuned” at all times.

As a dancer you should always have everything ready for an audition – jazz shoes, heels for the ladies, sneakers for hip hop, tap shoes, pointe shoes, etc. Also, a change of clothes/outfits should be kept in your car.

*Preparation is the key to success!

At the Audition:

FOCUS! BE “PRESENT”!

Focus on the person(s) conducting the audition. Make eye contact with those in charge.

Do not be distracted by others auditioning!

Is your body language showing that you are the Choreographers / Directors dream cast member? Are you showing that you are easy to work with and competent?

After the Audition:

Possibly the most important thing I can tell you about auditioning is… MOVE ON!
Move on after the audition knowing that you did the best you could do at that point in time.

I had a roommate in New York once who was the “champ” at beating himself up after an audition from which he was cut. He would go into a depression and keep asking over and over “What did I do wrong? I thought I did great!” ….What a negative waste of energy. My response to him was “Shut up! Move on! Focus your energies on THE NEXT AUDITION!”

Trying to analyze an audition can drive you crazy! You never know what the Choreographer, Producer or Director is thinking. Just know that they did not choose you at that time for whatever reason and then move forward.

Certainly if you realize at a certain point that you are lacking in any area of your training, then you must work on that area! Take classes and work on that weakness!

Be prepared so that when you walk into the audition you are confident and ready to “show ‘em what ya got!”

“Over prepare and then go with the flow!”

Donald the Dialect Coach

How to Learn a Dialect (Without Losing Your Mind)

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The one thing that you never want to be is burned out!

Dialects are complex things.

A word of warning.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re first learning a dialect. Trying to identify each sound change, making adjustments, and keeping it believable can be really tough without a knowledgeable coach.

How do you do it?

Simplify!

Learning a dialect is a BIG undertaking.

If a dialect were an animal, it would be an elephant. A really friendly and nice elephant that you’d want to hang out with.

Like Dumbo.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

What I’m saying is this:

Do NOT try to do every sound change in a dialect right off the bat. That’s only going to buy you a headache

Start small.

First, focus on the resonance (what part of your mouth the sound lives in). That’s 90% of any dialect. Become very comfortable with changing from your natural resonance to the resonance of the dialect at will.

Next, decide which two sound changes are most important. In other words, which two sound changes give the dialect its distinct sound? Study those sound changes. Become a master of just those two. Don’t worry about anything else with regards to the dialect.

When you have mastered the resonance and the two sound changes, you’ll notice something magical happening. The other sound changes will begin to naturally creep into your speech creating a full, round, and believable dialect.

Donald The Dialect Coach

www.DonaldTheDialectCoach.com

5 Reasons You Wont Book the Commercial

Why You Won’t Book the Commercial

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Even when you did a great audition

I am sure you have wanted to know why or why not you do not book Commercials when you feel you have done a great audition (and even when those running the session have let you know you did a great audition). You might get an avail or are put on “Hold” but then you don’t book the job. It can be very frustrating. Often there is no definitive reason so I believe it would be helpful for you to understand some of the business and subjective factors being considered that often have little to do with you, your talent or your audition.


Consideration that could determine why you will or won’t be cast:

  • Other Way To Go: When the commercial CD gets the breakdown and selects the actors for their session, many get creative and add actors who are “another way to go” for the role. And often, some of these actors could change the direction of the casting.
    Role is cut or changed: When watching the casting, the director and/or advertising executives might determine that a part is not working and then could cut it out, replace it with another role or choose to go with a different type of actor.
  • Matching: When casting a spot with multiple actors, the matching or pairings need to look like they could be couples, friends, workers or a family. And yet in a group of friends, office employees, neighbors, etc., it is preferred those cast be of different ethnicities, physical types or hair color- because many commercials need to appeal to various groups of people.
  • Identifiable and Aspirational: Commercials need to appeal to target markets. The actors cast in the spot must be people that those the spot is designed for will find aspirational or will identify with. And thus is a major factor in the casting. This is why casting specs are pretty specific as to age, gender, ethnicity and physical types. Then, because these considerations are often subjective, each group of people doing the casting and various target markets could create diverse factors that would make different actors identifiable and/or aspirational for various products.
  • Chemistry: When matching couples, families, friends, workers, etc., they need to work well together and have a chemistry that creates the feeling that they belong together. And it is something that is there or it is not and it too is subjective.
  • Compromise: Those doing the casting are not always in agreement on who they like in a role. In that case, so that no one looks bad, they may choose another actor (who might not be as good or as right). It happens.
  • Personal Preference: Directors and advertising execs are human and have preferences. Sometimes actors might remind one of someone they like or don’t like or another actor that may be too recognizable. Casting preferences can work for an actor or against them.

Knowing these factors should help you understand that when you believe you have done a great audition why you may not book the job. I know it is frustrating and seems unfair but realize that these same factors that might work against you for one job might work in your favor for others. And in order for you not to take it personal and to protect your confidence, I suggest that you remember this, “You didn’t lose the commercial, someone else booked it” – this time.

Who Books Commercials and Why?

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Once you have done your callback and leave that is when the director, agency execs, producer and maybe someone representing the client start the process of selecting who will book the job – whether they are in the room or via a video feed. I am sure you have wondered how the final selection is made: what is considered, the politics, who has the decision making power and what happens during those few days you are waiting to see if you booked the job. Read more

Diane Christiansen Kids & Teens

3 Guideposts to Breaking Down a Script

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By: Diane Christiansen

Here are a few simple strategies to get a quick jump start on not only memorizing, but also understanding your script.

  1. Listen for the voice of your character. Read your lines aloud several times, over and over again while reading the other character lines silently. This way the only lines you hear are those of your character. After a while, you should begin to hear your character’s voice. You will begin to get a feel for the tone, cadence, and personality of your character. Try to find new ways to say the lines, using different inflections, levels of volume, and rates of speech. Continue to play and experiment until you land on a voice that resonates with the essence of who your character is.
  2. Note what is said about your character by the other characters. Take a closer look at what the other characters in the script say about your character. How do they refer to you? Do they refer to you at all? What types of adjectives or phrases are used to describe you? What is the tone of the conversation when your name comes up? All of the various ways in which your character is mentioned or not mentioned in the dialogue of the script may give you some useful hints about the type of person you are portraying.
  3. Find the most important words in each line of the script. Dissect each of your scenes line by line, marking the most important words in each line of dialogue. For your lines, this will help you to better choose moments of emphasis where you may decide to pause on or punch particular words. In addition, identifying key words in your scene partner’s lines will help you find more poignant moments to react to, thereby providing stronger motivation for your character to speak in response. This is a great exercise to improve your listening skills as an actor because it keeps you engaged in both what you are saying, as well as what is being said to you throughout the scene.