Predictability and familiarity are both dangerous during an acting audition. It's a common sight in New York to see a hopeful actor poring over a script attempting to memorize each and every line therein. The best way to improve that actor's upcoming acting audition would be to take those pages away.
Why? Because a great performance of lines in an acting audition do not come from memorizing and placing undue importance on the words themselves. What truly matters is the meaning and emotion that you give to the character. The best way to improve your acting audition is to read through your lines, use them as a guide, and go from there. They are only small windows into the real character, that character's emotional life, their deep needs, the way they approach conflict, what makes them tick.
Figure out all of that, and then decide how that character is going to influence story. Whether you interpret the story correctly is not what means the most. The only thing matters that your delivery of the character. Are you spirited? Sincere? Is it original and unanticipated? Do you take your story and give it all of your effort and passion? It's far better to be wrong about how the story turns out, than to be boring.
Knowing the lines isn't enough during an acting audition; being able to interpret these lines in a way that uncovers the true desires and hidden soul of the character is the ultimate goal. The resulting performance and delivery could very well exceed even the expectations of the director. That's how to strengthen an acting audition.
How can this be accomplished? The mind is a terrible thing to waste. Don't waste your mind and time concentrating too much on lines. At an audition, the panel will not be focusing primarily on your ability to memorize the script. As an actor, the best way to improve acting auditions is to spend your mental energy imagining the circumstances the character is in and the emotional truth that is BEHIND the words of dialogue. Of course, the sides may only be one scene or a few pages but, don't let that be a hindrance.
Make some assumptions or make something up. Become the writer and create an entire set of circumstances and character traits that seem like they could relate to the clues you have found in the dialogue. Focus on creating a real person and not on getting everything exactly right.
Use your mind and energy to develop a life and spirit for the character you are called upon to portray. Now, that's an acting audition.
The Maggie Flaningan studio trains serious actors dedicated to their craft. Find out more about acting classes at the studio website about two year acting programs.
