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If you've ever created a ten page

backstory for a two page audition?

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If you've ever decided your character

had a childhood

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trauma

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that no one asked for,

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or if you've ever walked into a room

feeling

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very prepared

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and still didn't book it,

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this episode might save your career.

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Well, hello and welcome back everyone.

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Jeff drives, back here today were

talking about one of the biggest

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mistakes I see in auditions,

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and I mean consistently,

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across all levels, from students to

working professionals,

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actors confusing sides

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with the full script,

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they are not the same job,

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and treating them like they are leads

to overacting,

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overthinking in what I call fan

fiction, acting.

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Yeah, we're going to talk about that.

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Because when actors start writing the

movie in their head, instead of playing

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what's on the page,

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we see it instantly,

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and unfortunately,

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it costs them the job.

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So today, we're going to fix that.

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We're going to simplify your process,

sharpen your choices and help you walk

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into auditions with clarity instead of

clutter.

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But first, this is that moment of the

podcast where I get to simply say,

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thank for tuning into casting.

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Actor's gasped it's a pleasure bringing

these podcasts to you.

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I invite you to check out the website,

casting actors cast

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all one word dot com.

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Casting actor's cast dot com.

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There you're going to find all kinds of

information.

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You're going to see.

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The new book that's available for you.

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There's also some freebies.

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If you fill out the form that says,

dive into the talent pool.

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There's also the show notes that I make

available called jeff's jots.

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And they are literally printable PDFs

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that you can follow along with the

podcast.

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So you have some additional information

if you

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heard something that really sticks with

you and you really want to kind of

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contemplate it even further.

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Now you have some written material for

that as well.

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So all of that is available to you.

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And please consider a, like, a share of

thumbs up of review would be so so much

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appreciated.

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If you've been listening to the

podcast, you know that I rely on your

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feedback.

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I rely on your comments.

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And it really does make a difference.

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It keeps me here.

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And so I hope we can continue to do

these podcasts as long as you're out

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there listening.

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I'm going to be continuing to do the

podcasts.

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All right, finally, my good friends

actor's connection actor's

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connectiondot com.

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Actor's connection dot com.

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Yeah, slash New York actor's

connections, a really, really wonderful

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organization for classes, workshops,

all kinds of events and things taking

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place.

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Actor's connection dotcom.

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And finally, I'm so grateful to the

Broadway podcast network for supporting

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this podcast.

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It's been a really cool journey so far,

and I just hope it keeps on, keep it

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not.

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Thank you so much.

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So let's, first of all, jump into the

subject and define what sides actually

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are.

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We need to start here, because this is

where everything seems to go off the rails,

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ok?

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So signs are a sample of tone,

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a slice of behavior,

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a test of your instincts.

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That's it?

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See, they're a casting tool, not a

story telling experience.

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See, here's what sides are, not

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a full character arc,

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a psychological, deep dive,

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your chance to show everything you can

do as an actor.

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And yet that's exactly how many actors

treat them.

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Let me give you a real world example

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of overworking sides.

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So I've seen this more often than once.

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An actor walks in it's a two page sign,

and what we get is a fully constructed

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emotional journey.

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They start guarded,

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then they soften, then they break, then

they recover,

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and they land on final emotional

resolution.

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And I'm sitting there and I'm thinking,

that's a beautiful performance

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for a different script.

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Because besides

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the sides, didn't ask for any of that.

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Here's another example.

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An actor decides

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their character just lost a parent,

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so they bring grief into a workplace

scene.

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Nothing in the text supports it.

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Nothing in the tone suggests it.

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But they felt

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it would add depth.

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What it actually does,

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it disconnects them from the reality of

the scene and from every other actor

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auditioning for the same role.

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Now they're in a different movie.

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Let's talk about the job of the actor

in an audition.

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So I think we can really simplify your

job, because this is where actors over

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complicate everything

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really honestly.

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Your job is simple.

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Make the moment truthful and specific.

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That's it?

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It is not explaining the character,

proving your intelligence,

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feeling in every blank and press us

with how much work you did.

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We don't need the whole story.

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We need to believe this moment

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here's the shift.

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You are not responsible for the movie.

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You are responsible for the moment.

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Ok, somebody write that down.

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That was really good.

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And you know what?

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When you focus on

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the moment,

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everything becomes clearer.

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But there is a danger,

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and it's the danger of fan fiction

acting.

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Let's define this, because it's a real

issue.

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Fan fiction acting is when actors

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invent elaborate back stories and

emotional weight, not supported by the text,

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play Scenes that haven't happened yet,

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decide relationships

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that aren't established.

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It feels creative.

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It feels like doing the work.

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But here's the problem,

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you're no longer collaborating with the

material.

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You're replacing it.

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And the result,

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you're acting a different script than

everyone else.

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And that's not being different,

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that's

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a disconnect.

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It's immediate, it's visible, and it's

very hard to recover from.

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So let's talk about preparation when

you only have sides.

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Let's get practical, because this is

where actors need a clear system.

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When you don't have the full script,

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let's just say you don't have the full

script.

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Well, guess what?

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Good

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that means.

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Your preparation needs to be targeted

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and efficient.

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So here are some steps.

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One read for facts,

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not ideas.

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Ask, what do I know for sure?

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What is explicitly

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stated?

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What just happened before this moment?

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Stay grounded in evidence

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not imagination.

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Step two, define the relationship.

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You don't need a history.

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You need clarity.

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Ask, who is this person to me right now?

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What is the power dynamic between us?

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You see what I'm saying?

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You keep it simple.

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Keep it plain, keep it playable.

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Now let's move on to step three.

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Choose a clear objective.

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What do you want?

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Not psychologically, not emotionally.

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Actionably.

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Examples are like,

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get them to stay.

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Make them admit the truth,

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avoid getting caught.

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You see what I'm saying, that's where

life is.

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Identify

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the pressure is.

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Step four,

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ask yourself, why?

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Now what's at stake.

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In this moment,

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even the smallest of Scenes have some

kind of pressure.

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It could be pressure of time, of

consequence,

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risk

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that's what creates behavior.

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Step number five, make one strong

choice, not ten.

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See actors think more choices equal

better acting.

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It doesn't.

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Clarity beats complexity

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every time.

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Make one strong, grounded choice

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and commit to it.

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Now let's talk about the craft

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and restraint.

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Balance.

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Here's the balance you're aiming for.

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These are some dues.

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Do identify what just happened before

the scene.

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Do define your relationship

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clearly.

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Do choose a playable objective.

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Yeah, here are some don'ts

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don't overload the moment with invented

trauma.

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Don't play outcomes instead of actions.

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Don't add unnecessary layers.

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Because here's the truth.

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Restraint reads as confidence.

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Overworking

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reads as insecurity.

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And the camera sees all of it.

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We're going to talk about the rule of

evidence.

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Really important stuff, right after

this.

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Welcome back, talking about sides and

how to work with sides.

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And one of the Rules that I want to

talk to you about is the rule of

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evidence.

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And this is one of the most powerful

tools you can use.

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Only make choices you can justify from

the text.

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Let me say that again, only make

choices you can justify

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from the text.

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If someone asks you, why did you make

that choice?

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You should be able to say, because of

this line,

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this behavior,

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this moment,

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you see what I'm saying?

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If you can't support it it's probably

indulgent.

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And indulgence on camera,

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wow, that shows up immediately.

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Here's what casting wants to see.

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We're going to simplify this from the

cassing side.

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Here's what we're watching for.

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Listening

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behavior under pressure.

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Flexibility with adjustments,

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presents,

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guess what?

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That's it?

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Not

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perfection,

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complexity

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over designed performances.

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And so here's the secret.

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We're not looking for the finished

product.

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We're looking for the actor we can work

with.

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And actors who stay grounded in their

material

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they're the ones we trust

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completely.

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That's the truth.

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So remember, sides are not the script

there.

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An invitation, they're an invitation.

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To be present, to be specific, to be

watchable.

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Trust the moment.

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Resist the urge to

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write the movie.

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And instead show us how you think, how

you listen, how you behave under pressure.

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Because that's

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what books the job.

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I promise you

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so listen.

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If this episode helped you shift your

approach, why don't you share it with

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another actor who might be overworking

their sides right now?

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And if you want more practical, real

worldcasting insight,

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we are here every week helping you

prepare smarter, perform better

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and book more.

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Please don't forget to like and share.

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Please think about giving me a review.

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I'm Jeff rise back.

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You've been listening and watching

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casting actors cast.

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Thank so much.