| Acting Tips - page 3 |
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| Free Tips for the Aspiring Actor! Issue #314 How To Pick A Monologue That Will Get You The Job Selecting the perfect monologue sounds like an easy task, but it can actually be extremely difficult for an actor to find the material that best suits them. Of course, people get busy, and it's easy to fall victim to picking the first monologue one sees, however, finding the signature monologue is a time consuming task. Take the time to work those perfect words, and it will be worth it. Here are some dos and don'ts for finding a monologue to keep in that job-swiping repertoire of yours. 1.) Always select monologues that are age appropriate. If you're 60 years old and doing something from Brighton Beach Memoirs, people aren't going to take you seriously. The same thing goes for the opposite; Big Edie's monologues from Grey Gardens aren't going to sell if you're in your 20s. Directors and agents pick up on this almost immediately. If you select something that is far out of your age range, or contains content that would imply so, ditch it. It will ultimately make you look like an amateur. 2.) Always select monologues that are race and gender appropriate. If you are a Caucasian man, you would obviously avoid doing anything from Little Women. Anything that implies another race can seem awkward, and I've seen people perform monologues where it's on the verge of offensive, although I'm sure that wasn't their intention. Pick a character that you can play believably. This doesn't mean that the character has to be similar to you; it can most definitely be caricature, but make sure that this is how you would act AS the character. 3.) Always read the play from which your monologue exists. Monologue books can be great for finding new material, but always be sure to do the research. Nothing can make an actor look lazier than simply selecting a monologue and then having no other source material to back it up with. Know your character. What do they do? What are their fears? What are their ambitions? What drives them? Who are their siblings? If you don't know the answers to some of these questions from the play's content, MAKE THEM UP. This will give you so much more to draw on when you're preparing the monologue. With this, try to avoid using monologues from movies, or monologues that don't come from plays. 4.) Avoid material that is overdone. "How do I know what's overdone?" It's hard to say completely, but avoid pieces that come from classic plays, as well as monologues from theatre that is currently in the spotlight. My director in college always said, "NEVER TOUCH WICKED!" because it had just premiered on Broadway when I was studying acting. Don't go crazy with the obscure, but ask another's opinion before banking on something you've found. Directors, acting professors, and acting professionals are good people to ask. If they've been to a conference audition, they'll know what's popular for the year. Rule of thumb, if you're going to do Neil Simon, STAY AWAY FROM THE ODD COUPLE. This translates to other popular authors as well. If you're going to Shakespeare, avoid Juliet's "Oh Romeo, oh Romeo, where for art thou Romeo?" Casting directors are tired of hearing these! Give them someone new to chew on. 5.) Choose a positive monologue. People respond better to positive words and positive attitudes. It doesn't matter how sweet of a boy you are, if you perform a monologue about hacking your girlfriend into bits, there's a keen possibility that it's going to creep someone out. Find a piece that is generally positive and deep enough that you can connect to. It can be sad, but it should have some light that shines through. If you're completely attached to a monologue that has some negative connotations, perform it, but you better be able to counteract it with something that is on the other end of your range. In general, always have a wide range of monologues that can be drawn from at anytime. If you spark a director's interest, they are going to want to see more of you. Thanx and a tip of the hat to: Chad Gracia www.actortips.com ActorTips / The Gracia Group 360 West 43rd Street, Suite N9D New York, NY 10036 |
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| Have You Fallen for the Most Common Acting Scam? A young actress named Mia wrote to ask if it was okay to pay for a website that would help her get discovered as an actor. Reed Kalisher, a longtime contributor, does a great job of responding. Short of an 'Accredited' school, headshots and copies of it, never pay for anything! Outfits who 'claim' to be able to help you are SCAMS, pure and simple. Those 'companies' that you see in the malls, with 17 year old kids trying to tell you "Oh my, with those looks you (or your kid) could make big money as a model/actor" are nothing more than photo mills. They 'say' they can help you to find work, once you have spent THOUSAND$ with them on pictures and classes, but NOTE: most of them are not even registered as agents. I say again, "IT'S A SCAM!" (Getting the idea?) Let's expand, just a bit. No advance money to agents either. An Agent works for YOU. They ONLY get paid IF and WHEN you work AND get paid. It's their job to send you on auditions, negotiate the best contract (pay) for you and then collect the money. If you are SAG or AFTRA or AEA, then the contracts and commissions are already done. (10%) If not, then you are at their mercy, so watch them carefully. Headshots (even GREAT ones) should cost 'under' $350. Agents should never charge more than 20% (modeling & non-union actors.) More than that and you are with the wrong agency. HERE IS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: 1) Realize that this industry is filled with 'wanna-be's'. People who think they have 'natural' talent and could star in a big 'blockbuster' tomorrow! (If you think that, then you are a fool!) You have talent, but it's 'rough' and needs to be honed. 2) The most important thing you can do is 'learn to act'! As an actor/producer, I have seen people make HUGE fools of themselves just by auditioning! Take basic 'acting lessons' in college or from acting coaches with a decent track record. 3) THEN, learn how to translate that talent on stage or on screen. Different 'techniques' for both. 4) Practice, practice, practice. If you haven't worked this week, you're out of practice. Join a workshop and go to every session you can. Oh yes, those websites that are databases of photos. There are a 'few' that are (only now) starting to get used. For SAG, there is 'iactor' (from the guild and free to members). Beyond that, you may want to register with 'Actor's Access', but do it through your agent and ONLY if he/she uses it. Beyond that, if you want to waste time, join on or two of the (dozens) of 'free' ones. Just don't expect much and PLEASE, don't pay for it. Ladies and gentlemen (and especially Mia), this is not rocket science. Any job you pursue requires ability, knowledge and a track record (resume?). This industry 'looks' glamorous, and (for a select few) it can be, but it's also HARD WORK spiced up with a heaping of rejection. IF you treat this as a cut throat business, where only a few (5%) will ever have any real success, have a 'business plan' and some good teachers, you will love it. Otherwise, I'll call you the next time I need an insurance quote. Best of success to you, Reed Kalisher - Producer - Angry Pig Productions Thanx and a tip of the hat to: Chad Gracia www.actortips.com ActorTips / The Gracia Group 360 West 43rd Street, Suite N9D New York, NY 10036 |
