UPCOMING AUDITIONS

Ohio University's 419 Productions first casting call for the short film "Monhegan Light".  Positions are paid, all actors welcome to audition including SAG-AFTRA! 

Breakdown:
Martin: (Lead) 40-55 male - LA Director of Photography
Beth: (Supporting) Female from LA 
Peter: (Supporting) 30-65 Male Film Director
Joyce: (Supporting) 30-65 Female
Robert:(Supporting) 50-65 Male Painter
Actor: Male 18-35
Actress: Female 18-35

We will have casting calls in Columbus, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Athens in the next few weekends. Contact Joe Battaglia at: monheganlightcasting@gmail.com for Columbus Audition Information

Feature Length Horror Film-Casting Call -Akron, OH

"The Murders of Brandywine Theater" is an independent feature-length horror film directed by Larry Longstreth. It stars Dian Bachar (Baseketball, Southpark) and is executive produced by Mark Ordesky 

(The Frozen Ground, Lord of the Rings). The film will be produced by Longstreth's company: "Eddy Spaghetti Productions, LTD" and will be shot primarily in and around Kent, Ohio.

Auditions for the film take place Saturday, December 15th from 12pm to 5pm. 

Location:  Murdock Industrial 

               553 Carroll Street 

               Akron, OH 44304

The 4 roles we will be holding auditions for are: 

1) " Mindy" - The film's female lead. Age range: 18-28. 

Mindy is Henry's (the protagonist) college-age co-worker. Her outgoing, standoffish nature attracts the shy, 

lonely older man. 

2) "Mr. O'Doul" - Age range: 38-60. 

Mr. O'Doul is Henry's boss and owner of "The Brandywine Theater". He's a seedy business owner and 

a bully. (A shorter actor is preferable, but not necessary.) 

3) "Dr. Landers" - Age range: 50-70. 

Dr. Landers is Henry's shrink. Eerily calm and seemingly humorless, he's slightly detached from reality. 

His sweater vests are a fine example of this.

4) "Mama Kosta" - Age range: 60 - 90. 

Mama Kosta is Henry's mother, who he lives with. Passive-aggressive and subtly cruel, she is a 

constant source of stress and agony for Henry, going so far as to give her cat more favorable treatment 

than she gives her own son. 

Auditions will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis. Those wishing to audition should 

arrive no later than 2pm. 

All roles are paid, though the pay is modest. SAG memberships are not required. 

For more info, e-mail producer Jacob Ruby at nwpfilms@gmail.com

*****************************************************

SRO Theatre Company Kids' Auditions

Hairspray 

Book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman, and lyrics by

Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, based on the 1988 film Hairspray written by John Waters

Directed by Joe Bishara

Kids Auditions (ages 12-17) for Hairspray, presented by the SRO Theatre Company in association 

with CATCO is Theatre, will be held on on Sunday, December 16, 2012, from 6 - 9 p.m. Auditions will be held at the SRO Offices, 1393 East Broad St. Columbus, Ohio 43205

Parking and entrance is at the rear of the building. Turn onto Latta Avenue (a one way street). Then turn at the first right into parking area.

The auditions are an open call - no set appointments. Actors will have three minutes to audition and may choose to present two contrasting musical theatre pieces or one piece with considerable range (32 bars total). Sheet music must be provided by the actor; an accompanist will be provided by SRO. 

Bring a resume, headshot, and conflicts. Actors of all ethnic and racial backgrounds are encouraged to audition.

Production dates are February 22 - March 10, 2013, with a 10:30 a.m. show on Friday, March 1.

For more details, go to: http://www.srotheatre.org

COLUMBUS CHILDREN'S THEATRE AUDITIONS

When:  December 16 & 18, 2012 at 7:00 PM

             Callbacks are December 19 at 7:00 PM

Where:  Columbus Children's Theatre's Office & Studios

             177 E. Naghten St.

             Columbus, OH 43215  

Roles available for Children and Adults. Adult roles are paid.

Actors must prepare a short 30-60 second comedic monologue, poem or scene (in which they play all characters) and a 16 bar cut of a comedic song. Please bring sheet music. Pianist will be provided. This is a play with music, not a musical - all actors must be able to carry a tune, but not necessarily be a soloist. It is important that the song be acted well. This showis also very physical. Dress comfortably for movement.

Please bring a current resume and a photo (snapshot is fine) and dress comfortably. 

Also, bring your calendar to indicate conflicts with rehearsals.

Readings will be from the script.

Scripts will be available at our office (177 E. Naghten St. Columbus, OH) and may be checked out for 3 days with a $20 deposit. All scripts will be due back no later than Thursday, December 13, 2012.

For more information go to: COLUMBUS CHILDREN'S THEATRE

ACTING IN COLUMBUS Presents Student Projects - Fall 2012

Acting in Columbus presents the Acting for Film for Beginners - Fall 2012 Class - Final Scenes.


Acting in Columbus presents the Acting for Teens - Fall 2012 Class - Final Audition Clips.

HOLIDAY GIFT CERTIFICATES

Tell Santa you want Acting Lessons for Christmas!

Click here to ORDER 

You can get gift certificates in monetary denominations:  $100 - $175 - $200 - $250

Or for a specific class:

Gift Certificates for Adults

Acting for TV Commercials - Introduction to Acting for the Camera - Saturday November 17, 2012 1:00-8:00pm. $175.

Weekend Acting Boot Camp - Friday/Saturday/Sunday January 11-13, 2013 $350

Acting for Film for Beginners - Wednesdays, beginning January 16 - March 6, 2013 7:00pm-9:30pm. $200  

Advanced Acting for Film: Shooting a Film/Demo Reel - Mondays, beginning January 21 -March 11, 2013 7:00pm-9:30pm. $250

Master Class: Audition, Monologue and Scene Study - Tuesdays, beginning January 22 - March 12, 2013 7:00pm-9:30pm. $200

Gift Certificates for Teens

ACTING FOR TV, FILM and COMMERCIALS - Saturdays, beginning Jaunary 19 - March 9, 2013 10:00am-12:00pm $175

ACTING IN A "Disney Style" TV Show! - Sundays, beginning January 20 - March 10, 2013 2:30pm-4:30pm. $250

INTRODUCTION TO IMPROV WITH JEFF GAGE

Beginning Sunday December 2, 2012 1:00pm

This class is for those with little or no improvisational background. The eight-week class will conclude with a class performance for invited friends and family. We will meet every Sunday at 1:00pm to 3:30pm at The Funnybone Comedy Club, located in the Easton Town Center. For More information contact Jeff Gage 

Your Actor Resume, How to Write It, Even with No Experience

Yes, your actor resume is hard to write. But it's your single greatest tool when marketing yourself. The goal is to tell them who you are, and what you can do as an actor. All in 10 seconds.

Why only 10 seconds? Because that's how long anyone will look at it before they move on. I'll show you how.

The Anatomy of a Resumé

The acting resume format is somewhat flexible. It should be hand-tailored to fit you. But here are some of the standard sections:

At the top. Your name in large, bold letters. Followed by your contact info, height, weight, hair color, eye color, and union associations.

Credits. The roles you had in plays, musicals, films, TV shows, commercials, voiceovers, etc. Don't have a lot of experience? We'll talk about that later.

Training. Where you studied and what kind of program. If you've had quality acting training, directors are liable to take you more seriously.

Special skills. Do you speak another language? Do you play an instrument? Can you drive a car? Those are all special skills.

I know, this is a lot of info. So let's look at some sample resumes:

BEGINNER'S RESUME

PROFESSIONAL RESUME


The Beginner's Resume

If you're just starting your acting career, there's one rule to follow about your resume: Keep it simple.


You'll notice there's a lot of white space. That's okay. Just make sure it's well formatted and attractive to the eye. Make it look professional. What does this do? It makes you honest. Directors receive padded resumes all day, and it's a real turn-off. When you hand over your mostly white page, it'll be a refreshing change.

That being said, any experience is experience. Were you a spear holder in Hamlet at your high school? Were you Joseph in your church's Nativity play? Done any children's theatre? Put it all on your actor resume.

Had any training? Write it down. Put it in bold so that it draws the eye. Training shows that you're serious. And there's always the chance that your auditors know your teachers. (It's a small world, the acting biz.)


The Professional's Resume

In this acting resume sample, there's very little mention of training, and all of the community and educational theatre credits are gone. Also gone are your stats: Height, weight, vocal range, etc. Why? Because by now, casting directors know you and your work. Your resumé becomes less of an introduction, and more of a reminder.

Also notice that you're no longer getting calls at home: You've got an agent or manager for that. But what should you list first? Theatre? TV and film? It depends on what you want to pursue, and where in the world you are. If you're looking to do theatre and you're in New York, Chicago, or London, theatre credits go at the top.

But if you're in LA or Vancouver and your itching to do film or commercial work, those credits go at the top. This acting resume sample is just a guide.


Make it Your Own

As you can see, each actor's journey is unique. Some of us aim for the theatre, some for film, some for voiceover, etc. Some of us have extensive training, some of us have none at all. Some of us are just beginning, others are old hat.

As a result, no two resumés will look the same. Be creative. Make it look good. Staple it to the back of your professional headshots and you've got a winning combination!

6 BOOKS EVERY ACTOR SHOULD HAVE

To order: click on the image above


1. "Audition" by Michael Shurtleff

I consider this book to be the “bible” for aspiring actors. If you are just beginning your acting career, this is a great place to start! It covers everything you need to know to get the part. Mr. Shurteff’s twelve infamous guideposts have influenced my own work in developing my simple technique to help actors learn how to direct themselves. From relationships to finding the love and humor in the scene, Shurtelff’s steps will help you nail your audition every time.

2. "Meisner on Acting" by Sanford Meisner

Meisner or Method? That is the question. Well, it may not really be an either/or. It’s often insightful to know both. Although I did not train with Sanford Meisner, I was fortunate enough to study with many teachers, including Wynn Handman, who were Meisner disciples. In this gem, Meisner gives it to you straight on how to live truthfully in the moment under imaginary circumstances. Your library is not complete without this one.

3. "Respect for Acting" by Uta Hagen

Simple and straightforward, Uta Hagen’s profound book has helped generations of actors hone their craft. She introduces series of exercises to help the actor connect to the moment, fellow actors, and the audience. “Who am I?” “What do I want?” and “What is my relationship?” are three of the nine questions explored to define your character’s role specifically. Hagen also includes invaluable advice about stage nerves and how to stay fresh in a long run. 

4. "An Actor Prepares" by Constantin Stanislavsky

Funny at times, this book takes the actor through Stanislavsky’s self-developed "system" which helps the actor to master his craft as well as stimulate creativity and imagination. Now referred to as "method acting," "An Actor Prepares" includes a variety of exercises and some autobiographical experiences that focus on relaxation, concentration, and techniques that will help get the actor into character. Emotional memory and the “magic if” explored in his book laid the groundwork for much of the great acting today.

5. "Improvisation for the Theatre" by Viola Spolin

Considered the mother of improvisation, Viola Spolin developed a series of acting exercises and theater games to free the actor’s creativity, allowing play beyond the scene. Many modern improv groups such as Second City utilize Spolin’s techniques. If you want to learn truthful acting and how to be “in the moment,’’ add this to your library to make it complete.

6. "Actions: The Actor's' Thesaurus" by Marina Calderone

Acting means TO DO. Thousands of action words are alphabetized and categorized to help you find what you are doing in every beat. This book will help you play specific actions and get away from making general choices.

Master your craft, Empower yourself and Enjoy the journey.

HOW TO GET THAT PERFECT HEADSHOT by MARK ATTEBERRY

Actor Jeremy Ryan Brown. Represented by CAM TALENT AGENCY

If you’ve been an actor for any length of time you’ve probably heard at least one of these phrases: “Your headshot is the most important tool you have.” “A headshot is the one thing that will make or break your career.” “Your headshot is your calling card.” “Your headshot is your first impression. It’s why you get cast or why you don’t.” That’s a lot of pressure to put on an actor looking to get their next best headshot! So, the million dollar question is how do you get a great headshot? Or for that matter, what is a great headshot?

Headshots are first and foremost marketing tools. They are all about casting. Never forget that. Most actors think the purpose of a headshot is merely to show the casting director or agent what you look like. But, it’s so much more than that. Headshots are all about casting! And, great headshots should answer these primary questions: what’s your look, what’s your personality and can you act? And, all three of these of these must be addressed or your headshot will be of little value. 

Before we dive into the three questions let me address what the industry calls “Rule #1 of Headshots.” Rule #1 is your headshot must look like you. Simple as that. It has to be real and natural and show us what you really look like. If you ask any casting director what’s their pet peeve, chances are they will say, “I hate when an actor comes into the room and they don’t look like their headshot!” Keep it real. Stay away from high-fashion, high-styled lighting, dramatic shadows, disproportionate or goofy poses and anything else that makes the shot more about the photographer’s artsy style than about you.

On to the three questions. First, your headshot has to show us “what’s your look?” Your look is your “type.” If you don’t think typecasting is an integral part of this industry then you’re sadly mistaken. LA is a typecasting town! Very few casting directors have the time to think outside the casting box. I have heard it said many, many times that most casting is done the second you enter the room. It’s true. In less than a second a thorough assessment is made, the first impressions are locked and they’ve sized you up (for more on this topic read Malcolm Gladwell’s brilliant book, “Blink”). If that first impression is anything other than what you’ve shown them in your headshot, you’ve not only broken Rule #1 but you’ve lost them entirely. Their first impression is probably, “This actor is a liar! They sent in a shot that looks nothing like them and doesn’t at all tell me about their type and image.” Don’t forget, the casting director called you in from your headshot. They matched your type to the character’s type based on what they saw in your photo. That’s how casting works. 

Most of the typing work I do with actors is based on a simple statement I have heard several casting directors say. They said they usually think of actors as being able to play one, maybe two and at the most three things. Agents want to say their actors can play anything, like any good salesman would, but they know full well how casting directors think. They know the roles their actors will book and the ones they won’t. Whether you like it or not you’re going to get typed. Why not take advantage of it? If you do, you’ll be far ahead of the pack. Once you’re famous you can do anything you want. But until then, take the path of the most success with the least resistance. 

How do you find out your types? Ask a successful manger, agent or casting director, take a “Type and Image Class” or do the following exercise. Print these 27 basic types on a piece of paper: All-American, Artists, Bad Boy/Girl, Bitch, Businessmen/Woman, Collegiate, Comic Relief, Cop/Military, Dad/Mom, Doctor/Nurse, Hottie, Ingénue, Intellect, Lawyer, Laborer, Psychotic, Quirky One, Regular Guy/Girl, Seducer/Seductress, Slacker, Socialite, Rebel, Teacher, Victim, Villain, White Trash and Wise One. Now, make 50 copies. Next, get together with a friend and go to a public place like a mall, a park, a train station, etc. Have your friend go up to a stranger and hand them one of the papers with the types on it. Then have them ask the stranger to circle only the words that are absolutely appropriate for you. Stand at a distance and don’t say a word. If you talk to them they’ll be less inclined to be honest. Do at least 50 surveys. When you’re done tally up your scores and see which types come up the most (there should be about three that rise to the top). Those are your primary types. One final note, don’t ask family, friends or even fellow actors. They are biased. They will be more likely to tell you what they think you want to hear instead of being brutally honest. 

Once you know your types the best way to capture them in a headshot is to assign each one a scenario and/or some dialogue. In other words make it an acting assignment. Come to your headshot session prepared to “play” as an actor. For example, if one of your types is, “Best Friend,” think about a situation where you would be with your best friend. Come up with some dialogue, something you might say to them. When the photographer starts snapping your picture, play with that scene or that dialogue in your head (or even out loud). You might say something like, “You look amazing today! I love that shirt on you.” Or, you might imagine yourself sitting on the edge of a mountain, one that you just scaled with your best friend. Smell the air, feel the breeze and enjoy the mutual accomplishment as the photographer snaps away. Do this kind of work and you’ll be amazed at how specific your headshots get.

Second, your shot has to tell us “what’s your personality?” I have a saying that goes something like this: Acting, it’s all about YOU! David Nutter, the brilliant TV director, once said, “Acting is autobiography.” In other words it’s revealing bits and pieces of yourself and who you really are in the lines and movements of someone else. When an agent or casting director looks at your headshot they should instantly be able to see your personality. Show us something about yourself. Show us how hard your life has been and how you’ve prevailed anyway. Show us how you love, how you are at a party or how you handle a challenge. Are you analytical, sweet, charismatic, parental or philosophical? We want to know, we really do! And, we want to see it in your shots. 

The secret to capturing your personality in a headshot can be found in these two simple words, HAVE FUN! Have you ever noticed that our best pictures are always the ones that our friends take when we’re just hanging out, having a good time? Why is that? It’s because were not trying to be something were not. We’re simply comfortable being ourselves. Chances are we’re around friends who accept us as we are. This is why it is so important that you find a photographer who you connect with. Make sure you meet with potential photographers beforehand. Make sure you have good chemistry with them and can relax and be yourself. If I see someone having fun in a headshot I can’t help but like them. It’s called, “the likability factor.” Indie casting director Stephen Snyder said, “When I look at a headshot the first thought in my mind should be, ‘ I’d love to hang out with that person.’” Even if your primary type is the bad boy, the bitch or the psychotic, if you’re having fun we can’t help but like you. Anthony Hopkins said his favorite characters was Hannibal Lecter. Because he loved playing him so much we can’t help but like him, even if he is a cannibalistic serial killer. 

Finally, a great headshot has to answer the question, “can you act?” Can you act simply means this, can you connect to the camera and have something going on in your head? Again, if you bring in lines or scenes and play around with the photographer while he or she captures those moments, we’ll look at your shot and say, “That’s a great actor!” I once heard a commercial casting director say,” My favorite headshots are the ones where it looks like the actor is messing with the photographer.” Why? Because that actor has something interesting going on behind their eyes. Get specific, play around and make it an acting assignment. I’ve had stand up comedians do their routine while we shot. I’ve had dramatic actors do Sam Shepard monologues. I’ve even had a well-known sit-com actor drop his pants (not to worry, we were in a studio and I was shooting chest up). I say, do whatever it takes. Be active and have something going on in your head. If you’re too busy “posing” without a thought in your brain we’ll be bored out of our minds and doubt your acting skills. You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Great shots are all about the eyes.” It’s true. They are the windows to the sole, they tell us who you are. If your eyes are dead your shots are dead. 

Next time we’ll get into the technical and logistical secrets of getting a great headshot, things like wardrobe, makeup, lighting, etc. In the meantime remember this, like great acting great shots are all about “YOU!” Show us your types, your personality and who you really are and we’ll love your shots above the rest. But more than anything else, have fun... that’s the key to just about everything in this business. 

Mark Atteberry is an award winning actor, teacher and photographer.

CRAFT NOTES by Ed Hooks

MONOLOGUE NERVOUSNESS

The prospect of presenting an audition monologue can terrify even the most experienced actor. Very few actors look forward to giving their best shot in front of a bunch of critical strangers sitting behind a table. It is simply not natural human activity. But, as we all know, the ability to present a competitive monologue has a direct relationship to the number of times you get cast, especially in stage plays.
The correction to actor nervousness is to commit fully to playing an action in pursuit of an objective. Commit to the given circumstances of the play from which the monologue is taken. However, that is not as easy as it sounds. It is difficult to focus your mind when you are having a panic attack.

One trick that has served me well over the years is to select a monologue in which I am trying to get somebody to do something. I call this a "you-oriented" piece. An "I-oriented" piece, on the other hand, is maybe a poetic memory thing. Tom's lovely final speech in The Glass Menagerie is like that. My experience is that, when nervous, it is very calming to have a clear, almost tangible acting objective. The more obvious the objective is, the better. A monologue is really a duologue, right? And a duologue is a scene. A monologue, in other words, is a scene in which the other person is pretend. Further, a scene is a negotiation. And in any negotiation, there must be a way you can win and a way you can lose. A "you-oriented" monologue sets up a negotiation quickly and easily.

A nervous actor in an audition situation can have a lot of difficulty committing to the given circumstances of the monologue. Instead, his objective becomes: "I want to get through this audition." To understate the case, that is not a good objective. Standing up there and saying the words in the script becomes the action in pursuit of that objective. And the obstacle is fear. Acting is doing. And if what you are doing is trying to get through an audition, then you will not be doing whatever the character you are playing is supposed to be doing.

It is impossible to relax by telling yourself to relax. As soon as you tell yourself to relax, you are going to get more nervous. In order to think about relaxing, you necessarily must first think about how nervous you are. And when you think about being nervous, your brain tends to develop the actor's equivalent of white noise. Many actors go all the way through their monologue listening to white noise. This is why a "you-oriented" monologue selection might help. We all learn as children what is involved in trying to get our own way. A "you-oriented" selection, regardless of the context, feels as comfortable as a well-worn glove.

Now, I am not suggesting that you never try an "I-oriented" monologue. They can be majestic and poetic if done well. They, too, require a provable objective. It just may be a little more difficult to get in touch with that. If you are the enviable kind of actor that does not get nervous with monologues, then by all means take a look at Mary's morphine-induced Act III reverie in Long Day's Journey Into Night, or Edmund's Act IV memories of his time at sea from the same play. This is world-class material, no question about it, and I applaud you for attempting it. But if you grapple with monologue nerves, keep what I am saying here in mind. Look at Starbuck's Act I attempt in The Rainmaker to hustle a group of skeptical farmers. Or Maggie's Act II monologue from Shadow Box in which she tries to get her cancer-ridden husband to come home with her. Those are both "you-oriented".