Actor Growth

Recently my agent called me for a possible booking for a show that was taking place in an area that would require some good traveling on my part to get there. This doesn’t exactly sound like a life changing job either, so in that sense I was debating if it was worth it financially since I had to travel there.

Now usually it’s mainly the opportunity that I focus on as if something sounds like it can potentially be good in terms of pushing my acting efforts then I wouldn’t mind going the extra mile. That’s true for auditions too. Example, being considered for a large part in a high budget production is different than say a non-profit student film where you have to make a lot of traveling plans for.

But mostly though, I accepted it as at least it shows that the agent is doing something. At the same time the business relationship has to go both ways. If they keep getting me things and I keep shooting them down then I can only look at myself when I notice that things are going the way that I would like it to be.

The audition was today and for the most part it went very well. Upon arriving at the building there was only one other individual there who seemed to be reading for a different part. Procedure was pretty standard where you fill out a form and then you provide a headshot and resume.

I must say, I think it went really well too as after the read they seemed impress. As well, they were kind of wondering what else we could do and so after we just did the take again with me trying to utilize the space more.

Of course, what I have learned is that regardless of how well or bad you think you did you never know what can happen. In this case too, they mentioned all the tapes will be reviewed for the director to choose a person. But for myself, that is always a boost of confidence at least that my audition techniques are still fresh and that it is just a matter of time and persistent.

So tomorrow will be the quick audition where I chose one scene out of the four scripts I received. I memorized the lines and have a pretty good grasp of the direction that I want to go with. Suppose the only thing strange that could happen is if they give me a different direction to go with.

It’s usually just the decision of clothing that is the main question as you don’t want to dress for the part too much and at the same time go in with something that is way off for the character. Time to rest though since it is an early one.

I was just looking at some local Vancouver actor workshops for the future and one thing that caught my attention is how there were training for camera acting and just acting in general. What came across my mind immediately was how any training that I do take should be more focused on the camera acting.

Even for myself my background came from theatre acting. The transition to camera acting can be quite a challenge as in theatre there tends to be a need for you to be louder and more expressive. In camera acting those actions can look way too odd and over the top.

I think the reverse is easier personally where you go from being a film actor to a theatre one. The environment in a theatre setting is so much more free to me personally from an actor’s point of view.

So while reading through the scripts I am constantly thinking whether I should go with the one where the scene revolves around a genre that I am used to doing or if I should take this as an opportunity to try something new.

Now obviously the advantage for going with a more familiar role is that I am more likely going to have an easier time acting in it as oppose to the unfamiliar territory one. On the flip side, going with the different one is a great opportunity to expand my portfolio.

At this point, I have opted with going with the different one as I feel that I will be limiting and type casting myself if I don’t take the opportunity to try as many different types of roles. Since this is an independent production too, I feel the chance is greater that I would get an opportunity to do a role that I probably wouldn’t get sent out for too much for more high budgeted productions.

I recently inquired about audition for a short film and just today I received the scripts for it. Yes, that is with a plural. As it appears, the organization is filming for a bunch of independent films and they simply sent me about four of them to go over and prepare one of them to be read on camera.

This is actually the first time I have been thrown multiple scripts at once and then having to decide which one to do. Lucky too as at first I thought they wanted me to go prepared with all four scenes. Wouldn’t that have been something?