Chicago Self-Taped Auditions
I spent the morning and afternoon coaching teens on their commercials, scenes and monologues. I love meeting new actors! They were eager to work and gave it their all. I saw some really strong choices today, and I can't wait to see what they bring to the showcase recording tomorrow. Woot!
It's storming out now, but hopefully that clears up by this weekend. Not only is it the Air and Water Show here in Chicago, but it's also the Teen Coaching and Virtual Showcase at The Second City Training Center! Speaking of the Air and Water Show, parking could get a little nutty for all you parents out there trying to drop off your kids. Please plan accordingly.
The camera set-up in Donny's Skybox for the July Coaching & Virtual Showcase.
Headshots and resumes, along with lots of questions, are starting to pour in from parents and students. So just a couple of things: if you are unsure which headshot to use, send me what you have and I'll choose. You will not be able to use set pieces in your scene. If you are using a prop, it should be small enough to fit in your pocket, like a set of keys or a cell phone. Your info sheet MUST be signed by a parent before I record you. No exceptions. You will have a 45-minute lunch break on Day 1, so feel free to bring a lunch. Otherwise, be sure you have money to buy food from one of the nearby restaurants.
That's it for now. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you this weekend!
Let me just say, you guys ROCK. Thanks to your awesomeness, my August workshop at The Second City Training Center is completely SOLD OUT. If you didn't make it in to the class this month, don't fret: September dates are in the works!
Great question! The workshop is an on-camera class for teens that takes place over the course of two days. On the first day, I coach students on commercials, scenes and monologues. We talk about the business, practice slates, work on material the students have spent a week preparing, and review everyone's work. On the second day, students record a "virtual showcase," where they perform their pieces on camera as well as give a quick interview. The showcase is then posted on Matt Miller's Virtual Showcase, and the link is sent to more than 200 industry professionals including agents, casting directors and producers, to name a few.
Matt Miller has been on the Chicago scene for many years. He began his career in casting, then moved on to directing plays and commercials. He is currently the executive producer of Teachers on TV Land. But why take my word for it? You can view some of his work here.
Sound cool? Keep checking back for further information regarding the next workshop. I hope to see you (or your talented teen) there!
It's always a pleasure having Abby in the studio. Great to see you, Abby, and thanks for coming in! Keep up the stellar work!
It can leave you feeling helpless: you're taking acting classes, you audition for plays whenever possible, yet you can't seem to get your foot in the door with any of the film/television casting offices. I need an agent, you think. But most agents want to see some of your work - ideally your on-camera experience - before they decide to take you on as a client. That can be difficult, since the way to get on-camera auditions is typically, well, through an agent.
In your ideal world, you have multiple clips in varying genres that you can compile into a reel. In reality, you have a blurry iPhone video of you dancing at Lollapalooza that doesn't exactly scream "Oscar."
Back in the olden days (aka 2006), submitting a reel required you to download your footage to a disc, which you then mailed out to a list of agents in the hopes that a) the disc didn't break in the mail and b) the agent actually opened it. Times have changed. Now a reel can be emailed in seconds via a link, and agents can view it with a simple click of the mouse.
Guess what? Audition footage is viewed the exact same way. Preparing a few quick scenes to tape as you would a self-taped audition gives you footage. And that's all the agents really need to see - footage. So why not try taping a few scenes and commercials to compile into an "audition reel," so that if an agent asks, "Do you have anything on tape?" you can answer, "Yes."
I'm not talking about audition footage you shoot at home on your phone (reread the Lollapalooza comment above). I'm talking about professionally-shot footage you tape at a studio, with a reader and proper lighting.
Another incentive to having professionally-shot audition footage is that agents get an idea of what to expect from you when they send you to the casting office. They can see and hear you slate, notice how you dress and present yourself, and assess your on-camera technique through your read.
So why not try it? If you're interested, click here for more information - I'm happy to help!
With production season in high gear, Chicago has been booming with auditions. Would you like a little extra coaching before heading into the casting office? For the month of August only, receive $10 off a one-hour coaching. Just mention the code HOTHOTHOT in your email to me. Half-hour coachings and tapings are just $40, which means for $10 more you can get an extra half hour! That's HOT.
Oh, and one more thing...I'm offering a FREE actor reel to the FIRST person who requests it. You supply the footage and I'll cut it into a reel, providing you with a downloadable link. Just send me an email and mention FREEREEL. Happy Monday!
Want a free audition taping? Check out Acting Studio Chicago's newsletter this month - just click here. By filling out the survey, you could win a free self-tape session with me. Simple as that!
What a blast it's been this week working in the studio with Candace Quarrels, star of The Book of Mormon currently touring in Chicago. Thanks for coming in, Candace!
Calling all parents of teens! In less than three weeks I'll be teaching another on-camera workshop at The Second City Training Center. The first day, I coach students on monologues, scenes and commercial copy. Then on the second day I record their performances to be posted on Matt Miller's Virtual Showcase. Class size is limited, and there are only a few spots left. Sign your kids up before it's too late! Click here to learn more.
And speaking of the ol' Virtual Showcase, I'll be recording another one for adults later this month! It's a pretty stellar way to be seen by more than 200 industry professionals. Interested? Click here.
Ever walk out of the audition room and think, "What is the casting director saying about me?" Or maybe you wish you could watch the other actors' auditions, just to see what they do differently. One of the best training tools an actor can have is a casting internship. Think about it: you're in the casting office on a regular basis, you get to watch a variety of auditions (and are often even called upon as a reader) and the casting director begins to get to know you. You get to hear the notes casting directors have for other actors, and being the intelligent actor you are, you figure out how to apply these notes to your own work. You'll even come across other industry professionals such as directors, producers and writers.
That's okay! Although it's common to select a college student or a recent graduate for an internship, many casting directors do not hold such requirements. And even if they do, it never hurts to apply. You'd be surprised how many offices need more interns. And it's not just the film and television casting directors that are looking for help - theatre companies need interns, too. When you think about all the theatres in Chicago...well, that's a lot of casting directors in need of interns.
Um, let's see...there isn't one. Maybe you'll have to do boring things like file headshots and make coffee, but guess what? When the casting director you've interned for needs to fill a role that is JUST YOUR TYPE, there's a good chance he/she will remember you and call you in.
