Tuesday, October 12, 2010

SELF CASTING HINTS for SPARTACUS

Since I'm asking actors to self tape for SPARTACUS, I'll re-post an article that I wrote about this recently in the Actor's Voice: http://more.showfax.com/plus/pov/2010/08/

Also here is an excerpt from my book, Secrets from the Casting Couch.
SELF CASTING DOS and DONTs


SHOOTING:
DO
DON’T
Start with a wide shot that shows your entire body, both profiles, and then zoom in for the introduction. Introduce yourself breifly, saying your name, height and agent.
Announce your age
Keep your shots simple. Face camera and expose at least three quarters of your face most of the time.
Get fancy with editing or shooting.
Have your scene partner read off screen and close to the camera lens
Focus the camera on any actor other than yourself. Unless you want to audition your scene partner as well, the camera should always be on you
Use a simple background
Shoot on a location, use elaborate sets, costumes and props
Sit close to the mic, or get a professional seperate mic
Stand far from the mic, so that your scene partner is louder on the tape then you are
Practise with several takes, but just choose two,
Send in many takes
Choose a variety of takes so that the director can see your range
Send in takes that are exactly the same (there is no point in seeing it twice unless we get more information)
Send in one medium shot (from the waste up) and one close up (just face)
Show a lot of blank wall space over the head of the actor
Upload your file onto a site like yousendit.com, or savefiles.com or send it via Vimeo or You Tube link




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