Monologing
Auditions
How Has Auditions Changed
So the most common form of audition is in-person auditions, this is where the actors go to a location to meet face to face with the Casting Director and either perform a monologue or read lines given to them for the audition. For a film usually there will be a desk between the actors and the Director. Of course in any audition there's usually multiple rounds inn order to narrow down the casting to the perfect candidate so often in film auditions, if an actor has already been cast in one of the roles, then during an audition they may get the auditions to read lines with one of the cast members to see how well they interact with them. During a theatre audition the actors are on stage and the casting directors are typically between the middle and back rows. This is done so the Directors can see if you are a large enough stage presence to be heard and seen for audience members at the back. Another form of audition is the workshop audition, usually done by theatre companies or drama schools, they ask the actors to work together in various activities such as improvising scenes or creating characters through movement. This is to see how well the actors can work together as a team as working in conjunction with each over is an essential part of an actors career. Actors in theatre companies will need to use improvisation and devising skills in order to create their own original plays and a devising and movement workshop is the perfect way to see how well the actors will work if hired on.
However, in 2019 the world was hit with a global pandemic which meant that actors could no longer meet up in person with casting directors so people had to think creatively to how they were going to cast for their shows. Zoom calls allow people to video call where you can talk over the phone with your camera active allowing the other person to see your face. Directors had one to one calls with their actors and had them read lines or perform monologues on camera as if it were an in-person audition. This worked effectively however if an actors WI-FI was down or slow, their video and audio quality would suffer during the audition and therefore the actors was most likely not going to get the part due to bad broadband. Soon another way of casting came about in the form of self-tapes. Self-tapes allowed actors to video themselves in the comfort of their own homes their monologues and then send the video to the casting directors to watch. Self-tapes are the most benificial form of auditions for actors because it allows the actor to do as many takes as necessary then send the best one to the casting director, this is a luxury not seen in in-person auditions where you only get one or two attempts if lucky. Also in self-tapes and Zoom calls you are allowed to use props and various camera angles if desired, something you cannot do if having to go to a location. Despite the pandemic being over and restrictions lifted, a lot of Casting Directors have still opted to use the self-tape format as it is most convenient for both the actors and directors. A director can watch clips quickly and efficiently whenever they so please without the hassle of change over times and calling an actor in.
Of course during an audition there are certain ways you should behave when going for a role. Before every audition it's important to introduce yourself by stating your name so they know who you are as well as the role you are auditioning for. If you are performing a monologue then it's crucial to state what monologue you are doing, where the monologue is from, who wrote it and the character speaking. This is important for any monologue based audition whether it be film or a stage play. After the audition the casting directors may ask you questions about the monologue such as; why you chose this particular piece, the context of the monologue in the script it originated from or about what the film or play you got the monologue from is about, so it's important to have this research memorised just in case asked. Additionally, although you want to be remembered and stand out to the casting Directors, it is crucial you don't wear anything too extreme. Wearing shirts with big logos or patterns on the front or brightly coloured clothing usually ends up distracting the directors from your performance, concentrating more on what you're wearing rather than how you are acting. So when going to any audition be sure to wear neutral colours with no or small logos on so all the attention is on you. Casting directors like to see your face and facial expressions so being sure not to hide your face with hats or hoodies is important as well as tying up long hair. After finishing a monologue, to make sure that the directors know you are finished, be sure to freeze frame the last position you made during your monologue for a moment or two before standing up straight. No need to say "and scene" or to bow, keep it professional. And if all has gone well during your audition, you may just get a call back or even the part.
My Show Reel
University Auditions
What I'm Applying For
Applying For Gloucester University.
What they require.
Contemporary, traditional monologue. time wise. personal statement.
You are invited to audition for the Level 6 Top-Up degree performing arts course at University Of Gloucestershire. You will need to choose 2 monologues.
One should be from a contemporary text (published after 1960)
one should be from a classical text (published before 1960)
Must be from a published text
Use your own accent
Each monologue should be 2-3 minutes long
Be prepared to answer questions about your chosen text and to justify your choices.
Personal Statement
I've been studying Performing arts at Gloucestershire College for the past four years and I've become rather passionate about acting. I've progressed from Level 2 Certificate in the Performing Arts, all the way to Higher National Diploma in Acting as I am really committed to developing a career as an actor. During my years of education, I've been part of many performances that I am proud of. I've been a TV show host twice in two different performances, I loved being the charismatic outgoing characters talking directly to the audience or camera. Getting to play a melodramatic character is very fun and I loved the physical comedy elements we included. Talking directly to an audience is something I'm very familiar with, I've had to do it on multiple shows; this past December, our HND Theatre Company devised an immersive charity commissioned murder mystery event. I played the pivotal role of the Inspector who talked the audience through the evidence and clues so they could decide for themselves who they thought the killer was. I had to improvise, interact and think on my feet when asked questions by the live audience. I also was the ringleader for a circus themed frightmare style event that we also devised. I had to guide the audience through the circus, getting right up into their faces and making them uncomfortable throughout. It was enjoyable as you never know what to expect from the audience when engaging them. It requires improvisation skills which is something I'm confident with when in character. I've also worked on Harold Pinter Sketches, playing multiple contrasting roles, which I really enjoyed. I've been cast many times in the past as the main protagonist, due to how quickly I learn my lines and my reliability to work hard. I've choreographed a sword fight, designed set and made props. I'm willing to help out in other productions because I enjoy experiencing the creating process.
Although I am mainly an actor, I started doing more behind the scenes job roles. I've had to be a camera operator on various productions and I enjoyed finding the best ways to tell the story through camera angles. I have access to a video editor so I became the video and photo editor of my college course. These projects were uploaded to my YouTube channel and I've started to make regular uploads. I split my content between acting based and funny videos to provide entertainment. At my core I am an entertainer and I want to create plays and films for people to experience enjoyment from. This year I decided to challenge myself and take up the Directing module of my HND course. I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could create unique films that people could be thrilled by from scratch. I've already accomplished one film called LIMPY, a horror short film, which I wrote, filmed, edited and directed myself and I am very proud of the results. However, I feel I can do better, which I why, starting in February, I will create my second filmed project; an action film called One Last Shot. I love telling stories and creating characters which is why I am excited to start production. When I'm not focussing on college work or writing scripts, I usually spend time with my friends and family. I play a lot of family games with my siblings like Mario Kart or monopoly, and my friends and I enjoy sabotaging each other during bowling or going to the cinema to watch the latest Marvel movie. I make sure to make time for my friends and family because they're most important to me.
I strongly believe that this course is the ideal course for me. I have worked so hard for so long and I've developed my acting technique so much over the many years, so to finally get my degree in acting would just mean the world for me. I hope someday to be part of a film or a TV show but I feel I just need some more experience in the industry before I get there. I hope you consider my application to your University and your course. I look forward to hopefully starting in September.
Monologue 1
Traditional: A Woman Killed With Kindness By Thomas Heywood
A Woman Killed With Kindness is a 1607 play written by Thomas Heywood, based off an Italian novel translated into English by the writter William Painter in 1566. Focusing on a married couple, Master John Frankford and his wife Anne, the play centers around a house guest, Wendoll, who takes advantage of John's hospitality and suduces his wife Anne. When John finds out he decides to banish Anne which sends her down a self-destructive path of self-imposed punishment.
In the play John and Anna are celebrating their wedding. Francis and Charles go hawking and argue over who's falcon did better. This quarrel developes into a fight where Charles kills two of Francis' men. Wendoll comes to John to tell him the knews and John invites him in as his guest. Wendoll starts falling in love with Anne but attempts to ignore his feeling because John is his friend and hasn't wronged either of them in any way. It is here in Scene 6 where the monologue takes place. Wendoll is torn between persuing his love for Anne and staying loyal to a friend.
However in Scene 7 he confesses his feeling for Anna and although she's repulsed at first she starts falling for Wendoll too. Wendoll and Anne kiss and Wendoll encourages her to sleep with him while John is away. However the survant, Nick, who never trusted Wendoll, sees this and tells John upon his return which leads to Anne's banishment.
I wanted a monologue that could play into my strengths, allow me to show off my emotional range. But also I realise that in an audition it is important to stand out and be memorable to the casting director. So I wanted to stray away from Shakespear, knowing that most people would pick him as their primary source for monologues, and expand my knowledge of traditional plays and that's how I stumbled across A Woman Killed With Kindness. I was torn between this monologue and The Dutches Of Malfi by John Webster. In the monologue tittled Ferdinand, The character had ordered that his wife and children be killed but upon seeing their dead corpses he regrets what he did and wishes that the assassin hadn't carried out his orders. It was an emorionally charged monologue however I realised that the context of the monologue was too similar to my contemporay one. It too was about some greifing over loss and feeling guilty for it. So I decided to go with Wendoll in order to show contrast in my performances.
A Woman Killed With Kindness - Act : Wendoll
I am a villain, if I apprehend
But such a thought! Then, to attempt the deed
Slave, thou art damned without redemption!
I’ll drive away this passion with a song.
A song! Ha, ha! A song! As if, fond man,
Thy eyes could swim in laughter when thy soul
Lies drenched and drowned in red tears of blood!
I’ll pray, and see if God within my heart
Plant better thoughts. Why, prayers are meditations,
And when I meditate, O God forgive me!
It is her divine perfections.
I will forget her; I will arm myself
Not t’ entertain a thought of love to her;
And, when I come by chance into her presence,
I’ll hail these balls until my eyestrings crack
From being pulled and drawn to look that way
Op God, O God! With what a violence
I’m hurried to my own destruction!
There goest thou, the most perfect’st man
That ever England bred a gentleman,
And shall I wrong his bed? Thou God of thunder,
Stay in thy thoughts of vengeance and of wrath,
Try great, almighty, and all-judging hand
From speedy execution on a villain,
A villain and a traitor of a friend!
First Rehearsal
I decided for this self-taped version to do it from a high angle looking down upon me. My character in this scene is feeling guilty as he has sinned and in this monologue he is confessing his crimes and his thoughts while debating whether to act on the passion of his heart or stay loyal to his friend. So having the camera looking down upon him gives off the perspective of a judge or God looking down upon him as he confesses. It makes him more vulnerable as he's lower citizen for thinking these thoughts.
This version of the monologue was hindered by the fact that I was still using my script and therefore didn't give me the freedom to act. I need to learn my script before i can start actioning and how i would perform this piece. I knew I wanted to fall to my knees during this monologue when to pray to the lord to ask for better thoughts. I thought it would show passion and desperation in the character. That he's reach such a low point in his life he's fallen to his knees before the Lord begging him or help to not sin. However I stand up and fall to my knee again when begging the Lord to strike me down as a villain. Both work effectively within the scene however however I shouldn't fall to my knees twice. I think I should either stay on my knees for the entire monologue or get up and stay on my feet for the rest but the constant up and down was a little distracting upon re-watch.
Second Rehearsal
I chose a more neutral setting and camera angle for this audition as it's typically how an audition would be filmed for theatre. The setting is more professional and I am wearing all black clothing which is less distracting for people watching. I am wearing a clip on microphone in order to get the best audio quality for my self-tape and therefore the casting Director can clearly hear the words I say. However in theatre they typically want to hear how well you can project your voice as in theatre you typically won't have a headset microphone and they want to hear if people can clearly understand you from a distance.
I really do need to learn my lines and get off script because looking for it for reinsurance is hindering my performance and being on scrip during an audition is very unprofessional. I did lose my lines towards the end and had to check my script which both takes me and the casting director out of the performance. However I was very proud of the implemented slap as it juxtaposes the laughter and switches the characters attitude instantly. It also adds an added shock to the audience watching for it come so suddenly. I think the timing for the knee drop was good, although I fell harder than I was expecting the thud really amplified my performance and the passion to the words emanating from my character. However I lost it towards the end after having to check my script. I need to learn my lines, get off script and add more emotion towards the ending.
The Audition
Now that I was off script my performance was a lot better. I added in pauses in where I felt appropriate to the performance, to seem as if the character was in thought or in realisation like before he says he'll pray. Although I did forget my lines towards the end and skipped a few lines and messed it up, however despite this i think it's hard to tell I did make a mistake upon re-watch, I only know i messed up because I learnt the script. I stuck to only falling on my knees once and it was at the appropriate time. I felt that standing up when I did was a good call, ending the way I started. My eyelines were good, following the fake John as he walked past me and then I called back to the eyeline at the end when I call him a friend. I was proud of my audition and i strongly believe that it went well. Will I get the part? Well that's to be determined , however I am confident in my skills that I will get a call back.
Monologue 2
Contemporary: Mugged By Andrew Payne
Mugged is a school play about a group of teenagers who hang out at the park before school and them getting mugged, but when one of the characters (Marky) goes to confront the muggers they end up getting stabbed. While the rest of the characters want to cover up what happened, embarrassed about their parents discovering what they were up to, Dig (Marky's best friend) insists on telling the truth.
Mugged was written by Andrew Payne and release by Collins in conjunction with the National Theatre in 2005.
Andrew Payne’s Hampstead debut is a biting comedy about the battle of the sexes in the boardroom and how perceptions can be deeply misleading. Payne wrote various works for the National Theatre including Shut Up and Mugged and even went on as a writer for Television for Midsomer Murders and DCI Banks. Andrew Payne is not afraid of deep messages in his simple stories and relies on the dialogue to tell the story in interesting ways. For example in Mugged instead of showing the character of Marky being killed we watch the reactions of the character who say out load the actions going on off stage as they can see what the audience can't.
The monologue is from Act 8, the final Act of the play, taking place at Marky's memorial service. It's Dig's inner monologue about the events that have happened during the play. He's mad that everyone portended to know Marky, portended to be his friend and have made him out to be this perfect student when in reality the only person who truly knew Marky was Dig. Dig was offered to say a speech at Marky's memorial in Act 7 but refused not thinking he was good enough to do so. The inner monologue is the speech he would've given had he been brave enough to speak in front of his peers.
I chose this monologue because I know that this play and playwrite is an obscure one and therefore I can guarantee that no one else will be auditioning with it. Additionally it is a very emotionally charged monologue with Dig feeling responsible with his friends death, mad at all the lies that have been told on news and school about his friend and also him finally learning to let go and move on. This speech is his rant and final goodbye to is one and only friend. And it really plays into my strengths as I am able to capture the feelings of anger and sorrow with my vocal performance. Additionally it is a monologue I am familiar with having been the character of Dig previously and I am already comfortable with this monologue so it's beneficial for me to use something I already experienced with.
Mugged - Act 8: Dig's Memorial Speech
I guess God had to get in on the act sooner or later. I mean everyone else had.
It's funny. Marky had this theory that you only got something you really wanted when you stopped wanting it. He got this theory from his dad who was suposed to pick him up every Saturday, but he'd always be late or sometimes wouldn't show up at all, and Marky used to stay up all the Friday night worring whether his dad was going to show up or not. Until one day he said to himself "You know what, sod it, I don't care anymore" and went straight to sleep. The next dad his dad turned up bang on time with a wicked gift, so that's where the theory came from.
I didn't get it at first, but I think I do now. You see, Marky always wanted to do well at school, without having to do any work, right? And now he's supposedly this brilliant student who was going to get A's in everything and go to university. And he always wanted to be famous, and now he is famous. And he always wanted lots of friends, "It's important to have a social life Dig", he used to say. And now he's got all these new friends, people who disregarded him, or treated him like dirt, or didn't even know him in the first place. But it's not much good to him now is it? So maybe that theory is just rubbish? Or maybe that's the point of it?
Anyway, all the things that have been said the past few days, the good, the bad, they're all about this someone else, this Markus Bennett. They're not about Marky and no one seems to mind that but I do, because I want to remember him properly. What I want to remember is this; Marky was my best friend. He was funny. He made wicked drinks. He once wore the same shirt for three weeks. He had a theory about everything. He was brilliant at nicking sweats. He told the truth, not all the time, but more than anyone else I know. And he was brave
First Rehearsal
So the monologue I have chosen takes place during a memorial service with the monologue being the characters inner thoughts during a prayer from the Priest. So I wanted my self-tape to reflect this environment which is why i asked two other actors to sit next to me and have another behind the camera start the prayer as if they were the Priest. I decided to go with the low camera angle looking up to capture my face as most of the performance is using my facial expressions and tone of voice. The character is feeling upset and guilty during this scene so i portrayed him as having his head down low in shame, to hide under his hood so the camera being low is to still see my face without detracting from my performance. However this type of camera angle wouldn't necessarily be useful in this style of monologue because it's a theatre monologue and therefore camera angles are unnecessary. Although it does make my self-tape stand out amongst the others, Directors would prefer to see how well you could act at a distance for people at the back to still be able to capture your performance. I think for my next take I will try and do it in a more theatre based environment in order to better capture the performance style I am auditioning for.
Second Rehearsal
One thing that I noticed during this monologue was how I kept slowly walking towards and away from camera throughout the runtime of my monologue. That was really distracting for me and therefore could be distracting for the Casting Director. If I am to move I think starting back and slowly approaching the audience is good for my performance to demonstrate how the character is slowly opening up as the monologue goes on. However I need to be more definite in my movements otherwise it looks like I'm nervous during my monologue which is not the intension I want. However the hands in pockets was purposeful and having them mostly in during the first half made sense as he's closed off to the audience. It's only during the end when his hands are out as he's opening up about Marky before right at the end when he immediately hides himself back up after being vulnerable with the audience. I messed up my lines during the middle section when talking about how Marky wanted to do well at school and wanted lots of friends. Because I said them in the wrong order I forgot the lines momentarily and broke character, you can see this when I decided to scratch my face during the audition. However I did not restart and kept going despite this, acting as if nothing had happened. This just goes to show that no matter how much you've learnt a monologue you can still mess up under pressure but it's the perseverance after messing up that's most important to the Casting Director. I liked my vocal performance too, how I stuttered over Marky's name as if I'm too guilty to say it. The anger I feel to the fake friends and slander people have being accusing Marky for. These are things I must remember to repeat for my audition.
The Audition
When I showed up for my audition I made sure to wear all black to all the casting Director to better be able to picture the character. There was no distracting items of clothing on me that would hinder my performance. Not wearing a microphone or standing close to the camera made me forget a very crucial part of theatre acting: projection. Projection is very important for theatre so that even if your character is supposed to be talking quietly, the audience at the back of the room must still be able to hear you. The camera was positioned behind the judges and it was difficult to hear what I was saying during the opening of my monologue. If I had the opportunity to redo my monologue I would be sure to project more so that my voice could be heard clearly. Despite this I was proud of my vocal range during this, I was able to quickly switch between softly spoken and soft anger during the beginning of the monologue to bursts of anger and whimpering during the end as the character starts to let go and break down. Although, having my thumbs in my pockets was not ideal as, although I did it intentionally, it looked as if I was unsure if to keep my hands out or not. When performing during an audition everything must be precise: hands in pockets or hand by the side but not half way. I made sure that my eyeline was the same throughout and concentrated at the edge of the table to make it look as if the character was staring off into nothing, because this monologue is an inner monologue with the characters mind. I did look to people who weren't there when talking about friends or people who didn't even know him, as if I were pointing them out in the room with me.
Overall I think my performance could've been better but I'm still okay with the results. I think perhaps nervousness overcame me in that moment which I did use to enhance my performance. I don't think my performance was bad, I felt confident leaving the audition but if I was given a second chance I know I would improve.
Film Auditions
What I'm Applying For
Auditions are now open for an original film screenplay being produced in the South West in Spring 2023.
“it’s the end of the world as we know it… and I feel fine” an end of the world comedy drama set in a non specific t small town (could be USA or UK). An old group of friends find themselves at a reunion on what could be the last day ever…
You should send a self-taped audition of a 2-3 minute extract from an existing film script (make sure that the audition material is appropriate for the character that you and make sure that you audition for a role that you are suitable for in playing age, casting type and range). The characters are fluid for casting. You can use any accent.
The main characters are:
J (30-35) A bossy, confident leader of the group who hasn’t grown up, their glory days were over 12 years ago. Wears a leather jacket, but shouldn’t.
N (25-30) A high-earning business executive who has grown apart from the group and didn’t want to come to the reunion
S (20-25) a funny, clumsy joker who everyone loves. They have a reflective side and nobody really knows how they ended up with the group, he just appeared one day and stuck to them
D (25-35) Has no discernible characteristics, they are the blandest person on the planet
What Role I'm Applying For
I am auditioning for the character of S. My acting range is between 16-25 so it is well in my capability as far as my appearance. I have been type casted as the comic relief role before in the past so it's well in my acting capability. I like the comic relief joker characters because of my love for physical comedy. I think the over exaggerated performance and my skills in mime lead to a very melodramatic performance. I have a very charismatic and charming personality so I can easily portray his lovable side and clumsy goofball is a character archetype I am perfectly capable of portraying and happy to be cast as.
Monologue
Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian
4. why did you choose this monologue
The sequel to the 2009 movie Night At The Museum, released in 2014 the story of the night guard Larry Daley continued with Night At The Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian. In it the once night guard at the Museum of Natural History, Larry Daley is now a successful purveyor of infomercial products, however soon after learning that his museum friends have been shipped to the Smithsonian Institution, Larry receives a distress call from Jedediah, who warns him that four of history's greatest villains have come to life and are planning to take over the Smithsonian first and then the world. Larry joins forces with his old friends from the previous movie as well as new ones from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum to stop Kahmunrah's nefarious plans.
So the context of the extract I have chosen is; an accident tablet has the magic to make all of the museum attractions come to life. The National History Museum in New York is going bankrupt so have sold some of their displays to Smithsonian in Washington, including the tablet. When night falls in Smithsonian, all the attractions come to life, including Kahmunrah who traps all of the main protagonists from the last film and takes over Smithsonian. He plans on releasing an Egyptian army from a gateway that can only be unlocked using the magical tablet. However when Kahmunrah tries to open it he discovers that his parents, while they were still alive, changed the password to punish him. So, rather than discover it himself, Kahmunrah sends Larry Daley to discover what the combination to the tablet is. If he does not discover it within an hour one of Larry's friends will suffocate to death as they have been trapped in an hour glass. During the events of the monologue Larry has crashed through the building window in the first flying aeroplane in order to make it back in time. Larry doesn't trust Kahmunrah to give him his friend after he gives the combination so wants his friends back first. Kahmunrah is an Egyptian Pharaoh and is too stubborn to give in to the demands of a peasant however he's the only one who knows the combination that he needs to take over the world.
I think the monologue I've chosen is appropriate for the character S, the role I'm applying for due to how ridiculous the situation is. The character in the monologue is arrogant but also very naïve as they have woken up thousands of years after death and are discovering things for the first time. This sense of not having a clue what's going on around them yet still having the all-knowing mindset can lead to some very hilarious situations amongst the other characters. If the character of S were to say this monologue I would imagine it as a apocalyptic event and he's trying to trade food for weapons. Kahmunrah's performance in this scene is very melodramatic in both his vocal and physical performance which matches the goofball character description of S.
Night At The Museum: Kahmunrah want's the tablet
Stop! Right there please Mr Daly. Well, well, well, you certainly know how to make an entrance, and for your little friend’s sake here that you also figured out the combination. No, no, no, no; first give me the combination and hand over that tablet.
I shall release what I want to release the moment I want to release it. Tell me the combination and hand over that tablet right now or I shall kill all of your friends, starting with the shaggy headed little cowboy here.
Alright, I'll tell you what alright, they didn’t call me Kahmunrah the trust worth for nothing, here you go. They didn’t call me Kahmunrah the trustworthy, they called me Kahmunrah the blood thirsty who killed whoever doesn’t give Kahmunrah exactly what he wants in the moment that he wants it, which is right now, where I also better get the combination and the tablet! It was shorter in Egyptian.
How dare you! If you touch that again I shall kill you right now. Do not touch this, this is a no touching zone. Oh my Gosh, I can’t believe you reached across like that! I can’t even believe it! I Gosh, I want to kill you right now. If you didn’t know that combination you’d be, you’d be so dead right now it would be unbelievable.
Don’t! Cross! This! Line! With your hand. How dare you! If you speak again, if you speak again I'm going to kill you. Do you understand? Don't say it! I gosh I see you getting ready, oh my gosh don’t say it! I shall murder you if you talk again, now give me that tablet and tell me the combination.
You did all three! You spoke and you reached your hand across. How about this, how about I don’t kill you right now, like I really really want to, and I give you precisely five seconds to give me that tablet and tell me the combination.
Original Monologue
First Rehearsal
For my film self-tape I really wanted to mirror the original as much as possible which is why I decided to film mine as an over the shoulder shot using my friends Matt as a stand in. This works great for a film and TV audition as it shows the Casting Director that you understand the film industry and what you're applying for by doing this extra step, how well you can work with camera as well as how you would look on camera. Additionally it helps my self-tape stand out to other self-tapes by style alone.
This was my first time acting out the script so I didn't learn my lines which is why my performance is not as exaggerated as it could be. The performance needs to be melodramatic to match the original scene. I noticed each time I looked at my script I broke character and there was a pause which took me out the scene ever single time. In order to get that flow I need to learn my script which will also allow me freedom with my hand movements which will add to my dramatic performance.
In the script the character says "Oh my God" often however I am very uncomfortable saying blasphemy due to the fact that I'm Christian. So I did change my line to "Oh my days" which I do say in my every day life, although the line doesn't give off the same comedic tone as the original. However "Oh my Gosh" matches the same comedic tone as the original line am I'm much more comfortable saying it so I think I'll switch the line to "Oh my Gosh" for future rehearsals.
I noticed that throughout the performance I kept glancing over at the camera when I should've been concentrating on Matt as he's the one I am talking to in the scene. It's not very professional and shows that I cannot work with camera or that I'm inexperienced which are not things I want the casting Director to think. I'm just going to have to practice concentrating on a fixed point and try not to dart my eyes over at the camera and this will come with practice. I can do it with an audience so with a camera should be no problem.
Second Rehearsal
I tried a different orientation to recording my self-tape so instead of filming it horizontally i filmed it vertically. I though this would be beneficial as it would allow the Director to be able to see my full body and therefore my full movement based performance in the video. However films are not filmed vertically they're filmed horizontally to better fit on a TV or cinema screen. It makes the film look more cinematic. This style of self-tape would be good for a theatre based audition to allow the director to get a full scale of the actor and how they would look on stage but with film they want to see how well the actors look on camera in different types of camera angles. So I for my next take i shall revert back to my previous way and shoot horizontally instead.
Being off script really benefited my performance to this piece, once my hands were free and I didn't need to be looking at my script, I was able to be as expressive as I wanted with my hands and voice. I really liked my facial expressions in this take, really giving into the anger. The voice crack when saying "Three" was intentional and I think adds to the scene making it all that bit funnier. My eyeline has also improved, looking past camera as if who I'm talking to is standing beside the camera. I think this was an improvement however I think I could be more melodramatic, I should try using my entire body during different parts to try and be as cartoony as possible. Because essential this character is a live action cartoon villain who talks a big game but always loses so making myself be as animated as possible will enhance my performance.
Third Rehearsal
So instead of ignoring the camera or talking to someone on camera, for this take I decided to talk directly to the camera as if they were the character I was talking to. It worked effectively allowing the camera to see my facial expressions directly instead of being obscured by an object or at an angle. Although this set up for a self-tape is perfectly acceptable for a film, it's the set up that most people would use , having the camera face on showing their entire body, whereas the first rehearsal I did for this monologue had the correct camera position for the scene I was doing so I think I should return to that setup for my actual self-tape.
I am proud of the performance that I gave off in this rehearsal. I enjoyed re-watching it. My facial expressions were really exaggerated and expressive, I like how direct my hand movements were, none of them felt as if I were just waving my hands around the looked as if they were being directed towards something I said. I made sure to include more of my body in my performance, bending over almost touching the ground while I'm in anger telling him not to speak again. Even stumbling back in disbelief worked well for the scene to ensure I wasn't just standing on the spot talking the entire time. And my vocal range was good, talking sternly but soft during the beginning and slowly building up my anger until I'm yelling. And then again the voice crack when he 'does all three' really adds to the comedic performance of the piece.
I am proud of this take and I wouldn't mind if this was the self-tape I sent off, However I do want to try it again with the over the shoulder camera angle but keeping the energy from this performance.
Self Tape Version One
Self Tape Version Two
Workshop Audition
What I'm Applying For
You have been shortlisted to join a new theatre company that is casting and will be touring a new version of Blue Remembered Hills by Dennis Potter. Set during the second world war, the play follows a gang of seven kids who play in the woods and fields next to a prison camp. The playwright wrote the play with the mindset that all the kids be played by adults.
You are invited to take part in a workshop audition in the Taylor Theatre on an agreed date and you shall be observed by the casting director on how well you perform. Part of your audition will be remembering what it was like to be a kid and recapturing that childish tendencies. You shall be accessed by how well you work with others, your creatively thinking and being spontaneous and engaged in the work. There will be industry standard improv, devising and character building techniques used. These are all essential aspect of working within a theatre company and if you wish to join our touring company you must be skilled in these given attributes.
Be sure to wear appropriate practical work clothes to the audition.
The Theatre Workshop Audition
Showing up to the audition I made sure to wear all black as it is the standard theatre wear, it allows you to be able to step into any role without the restrictions or distraction of your clothing detracting from your performance. I wore a t-shirt and joggers in order to not restrict my movement giving me the best flexibility for my audition as I was unsure what exactly to expect from my audition. My t-shirt does have a logo on it however since it is the logo of the theatre company I'm auditioning i feel that it wasn't distracting or inappropriate.
So our first exercise was a few games to help us remember how to be kids again because the play we are auditioning for 'Blue Remembered Hills' is about little kids during the time of world war 2 but being played by adults. So we started playing and in my youth I was quite competitive. I was never the fastest runner so I had to adapt in order to escape which was why when I was cornered by Connor and about to be tagged; instead of letting myself be tagged I ducked down and dodged his arm before running off. However this caused Connor to slip and fall, injuring himself. Despite me full embracing my childhood personalities, my competitiveness caused injury which is not what you want in a teammate. The casting agents are looking for people who work as a team not people or fight to be the best. From that point on I dialled down my competitiveness to be a better team player. After that we decided to play another game called stuck in the mud. To make the game more difficult instead of going under their arms to free them we had to go through their legs to free them. The extra challenge made the game better. Our final childhood game was Sly Sly Fox. A game where one people must cross the room to catch the other person however you must freeze and stand still whenever the person turns around. If you are caught you must return to the beginning and start over. It's a game of speed, stealth and balance to not move when seen. I tried to be sneaky and catch people out however Riley was really good at the game. He hid behind Matt so I couldn't see if he was moving or not. Then when Matt was sent back to the beginning he made such small steps I didn't notice him moving. When I was the one moving, at first i attempted to sprint all the way to see if i could do it as quickly as possible, however that was me being cocky and my competitive side again. The next time I played it more stealthy and slowly approach them. It was a lot of fun to try and act like a child again, playing childhood games.
after we played some games it was time for some team exercises. Our first one was called 10 second object. We're given an object to crate using only our bodies. It requires quick improvisation skills, teamwork and creative thinking in order to not replicate what other people are doing. It's safe to say it is rather difficult to be creative with only ten seconds to make a plan and get everyone in position. Most of the time you do need to squint to get the vague idea of what we created. Then we split into groups of three which made things harder as you had less people to make the same objects with. I was proud of the roller coaster, both times we did it. our coordination was good, having me and Matt as the front of the coaster so that everyone else just had to watch us and copy. The the second time having Connor has the handle bars meant I could grab onto them and control his movements so that it looked like we were one. I do like that game, it keeps you thinking and there is no right or wrong way to do it, it's just about seeing how closely you can resemble the object.
After that little team building exercises we were then told we had ten minutes to re-create a scene from Blue Remembered Hills. Instead of a script we had to improve it all instead. So we knew that we were little boys playing in the woods, one of us finds a squirrel, we chase it up a tree, get it out the tree and then start kicking it to death. Then all of us would react differently towards the death of the squirrel. So the most important thing when it comes to improve is eyelines, we all had to be looking in the same place when the squirrel comes in order for it to work. So we all grouped up and made decisions on who would find the squirrel, who would throw rocks at the squirrel, who would chase it up the tree. We then needed to know where the squirrel would start and where the tree was. There was a mark on the floor that we decided the tree would be there and there was a weight in the corner that we said the squirrel would start from. Riley would be the one who spotted the squirrel but we all noticed it and chase it after Connor throws a rock at it. We walked through what we would do, not ever acting it out, before we had to perform; so the entire performance was improvised. Which is what they were looking, they want performers who are able to create things on the spot and make new performances so they don't need to license scripts. I think it went well, we played with sticks sword fighting in the woods. Us shaking the tree I found funnier than it probably is, it just looks hilarious watching us grab nothing and yelling while shaking an invisible tree. I ended up being the one to kill the squirrel because we needed a way for everyone to clearly see that the squirrel had been killed so by stomping instead of kicking it, it made it clear to everyone that this was the point where it had died. I decided to be one of the ones who was fascinated by the squirrels death or laughing at it because I knew most people would react horrified or disgusted by it and I knew we had to have different reactions so I did it to stand out, to make sure we weren't all reacting the same. I took on the sort of leader of the gang role which was not my intension I was trying to move the story along and even rehearsing the point i took a leadership role organising what we should do and asking everyone what they thought. I don't see myself as a leader but I'm willing to take charge in order to be more productive and it worked out well because I think our performance was pretty good.
Once our improvised performance was done, we moved on to some scripted work. Our extract was from Blue Remembered Hills and it took place right after they kicked the squirrel to death. We organised the characters based off the characters we made for ourselves in the improvised version. So Connor was Peter and I was John the two leaders of the group as we were the ones who didn't care that the squirrel was dead. We once again decided where the tree and dead squirrel would be before reading so everyone's eye lines were the same. We read through the script once, doing our best to do actioning before we were told to do the scene again without scripts, seeing how well we remembered it. Connor and I remembered the first few lines quite well but the middle and end we didn't know too well. I remembered quite a few other people lines and said them in order to move the conversation along when I felt that we had deviated from script too much. Most of the time we ended up mocking Jonathan's character for having a stutter which was perfectly in character for these kids. Although it wasn't the scripted ending we definitely found a natural way to end the scene.The first script only had five characters in it and the second script only had two. So Riley, who wasn't really in the first script was one of the two in the second script, and considering the other character in the script was Peter it made sense to have Connor be in the script too. According to the Casting Director running the workshop, the context of the scene before is that John and Peter got into a fight and Peter ran off to find Donal Duck, Riley's character. So to start the scene we decided that Connor and I would have a fight. Matt and Jonathan would cheer for the fighting. We choreographed that Connor would do the first hit and the last hit would be me slapping Connor as his signal to run off. Then I would drag Matt and Jonathan off for the script to begin. We used our feet to act the sound of us getting punched which isn't the prober way to do stage combat. The idea was I was taunting Connor while beating him up until he eventually gives up and runs away. It was good fun, as a performer you always love a good stage fight. However when Matt, Jonathan and I got off stage and Connor and Riley went on script, we started talking amongst ourselves. This is very unprofessional and extremely rude to the actors performing. When hiring you want actors who will remain professional throughout the rehearsals and talking during a rehearsal is not what Directors want on set. We eventually realised how unprofessional we were being and stopped right away however we really shouldn't have talked in the first place.
I think the teamwork and improvisation skills are good. I do work well in a team and like I said I am willing to go into a leadership role although I prefer to follow than lead I will in need for productivity. I need to act more professional and be less competitive against my peers, even in competitive games. Teamwork is working together not being better than everyone else. I do hope that I get into this theatre company as I was interested in this play. I think I should do more research into Blue Remembered Hills as it seems like an interesting play, and the concept of adults playing kids, although not ground breaking, is still and intriguing concept. I enjoyed the character of John, it's a character I haven't had the opportunity to play before and would like to. I do hope I get into this theatre company, even if I don't get the role of John, I would like to be part of this performance.