The #1 Thing You Should Know Before Auditioning for TV – Latest Article from Acting Coach & Film Director Michelle Danner – Acting Auditions Tips
I was once coaching a very talented young actor who, along with his agent and managers, felt he was so right for a part that he put too much pressure on himself during up to the audition and ended up disappointed in his performance.
It was clear he wasn’t happy with his acting audition, so I asked him to show me exactly what he’d done in the room. As soon as he started, I saw the problem. Sure, may have been “right” for the role, but he had the show’s tone totally wrong. The way he was playing the audition was for a straight drama, but the show actually had a lot of quirky humor and style to it.
You can be the best actor in the world and bring truth to the scene you’re performing in an audition, but if you don’t understand the material you’re playing and if you don’t enter the specific world the story is set in, you’ll be at a loss and do yourself a disservice.
The most important thing you should suss out is knowing what you’re dealing with in terms of the style and tone of the project. If you’re auditioning for a hospital show, for example, there are obvious differences between “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scrubs,” “ER,” and “Code Black,” which means you’re going to interpret each one differently.
“Grey’s Anatomy” deals with high stakes, life or death scenarios like unusual or unrecognizable medical conditions that often parallels the real life drama of the characters lives. Episodes are often punctuated with characters dealing with their flaws and own vulnerabilities as we see their personal dramas enfold. Amidst all this, there is humor and quirkiness. “ER,” on the other hand, is a straight, heightened drama that doesn’t have the same lightness.
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If you’re reading for a courtroom drama, “How To Get Away With Murder” is different than “The Good Wife,” which is different from “Suits.” (Acting Auditions Advice)
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Government drama? “Homeland” is a pressure cooker show that deals with life, death, and political plots that mirror what’s happening in the world. “The Blacklist” is also dramatic, but its sarcastic leading man allows for humor. Then there’s “Blindspot,” which is more action-based thanks to fight scenes, while “24” has a faster pace and high-intensity rhythm.
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If you’re going to read for “Scandal,” you would certainly want to understand that the dialogue is Shakespearian or Greek Tragedy-esque—there’s a rhythm and a style to it. (Acting Auditions Advice)
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Period dramas like “Downton Abbey” require actors to make choices with the language and physicality since the plots are fictional, whereas “The Crown” deals with historical figures and events. A show like “The Tudors” involves more romance than something like “The White Princess,” which is a high-intensity period drama. “Game of Thrones” is also a period drama, but the acting has a rawness due to the violence and sexuality of the show.
When it comes to superhero shows, know the difference between the lighthearted “Supergirl,” the dark realism of “Daredevil,” and the more stylized “Gotham.”
You would act differently in the mockumentaries like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation” then you would in a comedy like “30 Rock.” When it comes to sitcoms, “Jane the Virgin” is centered around one character, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” is about out of the box individuals trying to fit into society, and “Modern Family” is an ensemble show about the quirkiness and humanity of families.
Before any audition, it’s crucial to figure out how your character fits the theme and tone of the show. Watch episodes if possible, read as much of the script as you can—really be sure you note the particulars like music, the rhythm of the writing, and the world a show is set in.
Think about “Stranger Things.” Yes, it’s set in the recent past, but it also has elements of fantasy, horror, and adventure, all of which would color an audition to include a sense of urgency.
When you audition, you are in the world where the story takes place. Understanding the tone of the show is the number one asset that will lead to a casting director choosing you over the dozens of other actors auditioning for the same role.
Michelle Danner’s acting technique & philosophy called “The Golden Box” is based on the Meisner Technique, Lee Strasberg’s Method, Stella Adler, Stanislavski’s System, Uta Hagen, and the Chekhov technique. Learn the best acting techniques for film acting & auditioning.
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Michelle Danneris an international film director & acting coach. Her student list include James Franco, Seth MacFarlane, Salma Hayek, Henry Cavill, Zooey Deschanel, Gerard Butler, Chris Rock, Chris Martin, Penelope Cruz, Michael Pena, Michelle Rodriguez, Kate Del Castillo and many others.
