All right?

Could everybody come in?

Please, one at a time?

Quiet, please come on in.

Please us stand along the yellow line.

Yep, quite please.

Face face forward.

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00:00:13,79 --> 00:00:13,546

Face forward.

Everybody.

Yep, that's good.

Thank you very much.

All right.

Be quiet.

Now,

do any of these people look like?

Take a minute

preparing to act in a television,

procedural show such as a police drama

or medical series or a legal thriller.

It requires a unique set of skills and

methods due to their structured formats,

recurring character arcs and heavy

reliance on technical dialogue

to day.

We're going to give you a detailed

analysis of practical methods actors

can use to prepare

effectively.

So let's proceed

with procedurals.

On this episode of casting actor's

caste,

just wash

replied box

Watch you

every week.

We're bringing in your watch.

We're going to kick off the show right

after this.

Well, hello, and welcome to today's

episode of casting actor's cash.

I'm casting partner Geoffrey driesback

with a mcorkal group in New York.

Thank you for joining us on today's

special episode about acting on

procedurals.

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00:01:42,268 --> 00:01:45,5

I've got some tips and some hints and

some suggestions.

That I really hope, are going to make a

difference.

If you have an opportunity to act in a

television procedural, you're going to

really appreciate today's episode.

But versus that moment of the podcast,

where I get to say thank you for tuning

into the podcast, we continue to grow

these podcasts into the new year.

And I couldn't be more excited.

I'm not going to go into a long die

tribe about, you know, all the things

that are promotional

today.

But I am going to ask that you go to

the website, casting actors, cast all

one word dot com.

You're going to find all kinds of

goodies.

There there's a form that has dive into

the talent pool, but there's also some

classes.

There's upcoming, episodes that we're

teasing.

There's the blog called jeff's jots,

there's my book called jeff's jatts.

It goes on and on and on.

And so I invite you to just check out

the website.

By the way, I could really use your

help.

If you feel so inclined, please drop me

a line.

Leave me alike a share of review, a

thumbs up.

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00:02:44,330 --> 00:02:47,0

Any of that stuff is really, really

helpful to me.

That's how I stay motive, motivated,

presenting and giving you the

information on each of these podcasts,

which I've been doing for over 350

episodes.

So there it is.

So do check that out.

Feel free to give me a review.

Oh, finally, if you are interested in

submitting a self tape for me to put on

a potential future episode, now I've

received a lot.

So for those of you who have sent him

in, hang in there.

I've got a few episodes to put under my

belt before I can get to those

episodes.

But I do want anyone who's interested

in sending me one of your self tape

auditions.

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00:03:22,168 --> 00:03:25,5

I will review it live on the air again.

Go to casting actor's cast

dotcom or casting actress cast a, Gmail

dot com if you want to submit.

Now here's a special announcement.

I've been a film and television

professor,

adjunct professor at Norwalk

conservatory.

The conservatory of the arts has been

an accredited two year institution

training program for actors.

And I have to tell you that my second

year TV film students will be heading

to Los Angeles at the end of February

for

what I can only describe as a major

career opportunity.

They're going to be showcasing in front

of top industry talent agencies and

casting directors in Los Angeles.

Now this is an incredible

chance for these really talented

students to make connections and to

take their careers to the next level.

Now the reason I'm telling you this is,

I need your help

to help cover the costs of travel and

accommodations.

They've set up a gofund me campaign to

help defray these

pretty exorbitant costs to take an

entire class to Los Angeles.

So any contribution

that you consider will go directly to

supporting their trip and ensuring that

they can take

the most

of the opportunities that are going to

be available to them.

Now, the link to the golfundy pages on

my websitecasting

actors, cast dot com, casting actress,

cast all one word, dot com.

So if you have any questions, or you

want to chat more about the details,

don't hesitate to reach out to me.

And thank you so much for your support.

It really does mean a lot to these

young, talented students.

All right, let's jump into the subject

now, shall we?

Now let's so listen procedurals.

Now we've described what procedurals

are.

You've seen them the ncis the law in

order, dick wolf productions in

general.

Those kinds of shows that are weekly

weekly episodes with the same cast on a

repeated basis,

sometimes it's really kind of an amazing

genre.

But you also understand that the acting

is very, very specific,

and it does require a certain

additional layer of concentration

and of a skill set that we're going to

be talking about today.

So I've got six steps that I think are

going to be really useful to you in

terms of really getting your head inside

of these kinds of shows, so that when

the opportunity presents itself, you're

going to be ready.

So the first thing I want to share with

you is to really, like I said a moment

ago, is to understand the genre

and its conventions.

Now in order to do that, it would be

really smart for you to research the

procedural format

in general.

How do you do that?

Well, you've got to study the show.

You've got to watch those episodes to

understand its tone, its pacing and its

overall style.

You know that procedures often balance

character development

with plot driven storytelling.

So if you can familiarize yourself with

both of those aspects, you're going to

be just much, much more confident and

ahead of the game.

Overall.

Number two, identify archetypes.

I recognize common character types.

Now if you know me for any length of

time, you know I read the word divesting.

That's not what I'm talking about,

but I'm talking about the archetypes

that you see in these procedurals.

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00:07:04,24 --> 00:07:04,190

For example,

the seasoned detective,

right?

That conjures an image, that conjures

an idea about that particular kind of

character.

Then, of course, there's the rooky cop,

there's the nonsense lawyer.

And if you can understand how they

function within the show's framework,

you're going to be in a much more

confident place when those

opportunities present themselves.

Another suggestion is to analyze

rhythms and pacing.

You should know that procedurals often

rely on quick and very, very precise

dialogue exchanges and fast paced

Scenes.

So

by paying attention to the timing and

the flow,

you are going to get a really good

sense about how this character behaves,

how the character you are asked to play

behaves in that particular world.

I also suggest that you learn about the

subject matter

if you can dive into the shows world.

For example, if it's a let's just say,

it's a medical drama,

and you can familiarize yourself with

medical terminology.

Now, listen, I have a quick story to

tell you very, very long time ago in

the early 80s, I was at a soap opera

called the doctors.

At that time, it was the longest

running soap opera,

because it started from radio, and then

it came all the way into television.

Was an NBC soap.

That's why I met aleck Baldwin.

He was a regular on the show.

And I did many, many episodes with Alec.

But there was one particular show i'll

never forget where I was playing the

part of an e Ms person, somebody who

had a gurney, and somebody was

suffering a very of serious medical

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00:08:56,836 --> 00:08:57,3

situation.

Now it's just

turns out that the person,

sorry for laughing, but the person

who was going to pass away in their

final episode

was an actor who had been on the soap

opera for something like twenty years,

started in radio,

and this was his last day on the set.

And so it was a scene with Alec Baldwin

and myself, and then this actor who was

there last day.

So they obviously were in a very

emotional place.

I don't necessarily

believe for a minute that they wanted

to leave the show.

I think that this was

a gentle nudge for this person to

retire.

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00:09:43,49 --> 00:09:43,216

And so

it was at a very intense scene.

And I got my script

before the show, of course, a week in

advance, and I'm looking at the script,

and I got one line in this particular

episode.

My one line was

looking up at Alec baldwin's character.

I had to say,

I think it's a myoccardial

infarction.

Yeah.

It was actually the line that I had to

say on the zobe opera.

And so of course, I called my brother,

who was a doctor,

literally a doctor, and I said, ok,

brother, Craig, you gotta help me out

with this.

What is this?

And he kind of explained it to me, and

I got the correct pronunciation.

So I knew myocardial infraction.

So now jump ahead to the day of the

shoot.

They didn't have time to rehearse it.

And the director said, let's just go

ahead and shoot it really quick,

because it was a one line scene.

And Alec is standing there over this

body of this actor, who was

pretending to be dead,

and me

on my knees, overlooking the

other character on the ground.

And I look up at Alec.

And I said, I think it's a fiomarto

commercian,

the director's yelling cut,

what's going on.

How come you can't say that word?

Right?

And I was like, oh, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Please.

Can we just, let's just take it again.

It was my fault.

It won't happen again.

I'm so so sorry.

Ok, here we go.

And action,

I think it's a myophartical concuction

cut.

Ok, ah.

What are we do?

We have to replace you for this one

line what's going on.

No, no, no, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I've got to figure it out.

Sorry.

Alex, sorry.

Everybody?

Ok, ready.

And action,

I think it's a heart attack.

Wow.

So that taught me a lot.

I was so nervous on that first day, on

that soap opera, especially with like,

an actor like Alec Baldwin and Jim

pritchardism's

last day of this television show.

I mean,

it was a memorable moment, to say the

least.

But that was my first

entre into what it was to be in a

procedural

show, happen to be a soap opera.

So that happens to be the medical

profession.

So indulging yourself into learning as

much as you can about that particular

profession as really a good idea.

So let's take it to another example.

For a police procedural

it's important that you study police

protocols, or even be familiar with

legal jargon.

Another suggestion in doing that is to

consult real life professionals.

Like I consulted with my brother.

Shadowing a professional, or even

interviewing someone in the Fields, can

really give you a lot of insight into

how real life counterparts think,

behave and communicate.

All right, here's the second tip that

I'm going to give you about proceeding

with procedurals.

And that is break down and memorize the

script efficiently.

In other words, the language that's

written in these shows is very precise

and very succinct.

So mastering

technical dialogue

is your best

defense

when working on these kinds of shows.

And a way to do that is to simply focus

on the accuracy of each of your lines.

See, procedural scripts often include

very

complex jargon or

terminology that you might not be

comfortable or familiar with.

Mispronunciations

can undermine credibility a lot.

So make sure that you're rehearsed

until you're really comfortable and confident.

Another tip is to understand the

meaning,

learn what these terms mean, even if

it's not necessary for your character.

Having that Greater understanding will

also build some confidence.

It gives your

delivery some depth.

Here's another tip,

use pneumonic devices.

Create associations

or visual images to help remember

challenging dialogue.

Prioritizene

objectives

know your character's goal.

See, procedurals are very plot driven.

So understand your role in the moving

of the story.

And moving that story forward.

For example, by providing the evidence

or delivering an emotional reveal.

Being comfortable

in that structured format is a very,

very good suggestion.

We're going to continue the conversation

right after.

This

here's another tip.

I suggest you analyze some subtext.

While procedural dialogue can seem very

straightforward, subtext

often drives the emotional undertones

of a particular scene.

Let's move on from there.

This is number three,

and I think this is a hint that is

going to help in terms of long term

work in a procedural.

Perhaps you have an arc of more than

two episodes.

Develop a character for long term

balance, archetype and nuance.

Think in larger terms other than just

the individual episode

I know this to be true, many, many

times.

Actors who start with just one episode

as a day oftentimes will be brought

back many times over.

So all of those very

interesting little details

that you bring to that character will

be something that gets remembered.

Because procedurals often use

established character types, but then

they add depth

through the back story, or the

characters mannerisms or personal

quirks, whatever it is.

Additionally

in that kind of a situation it's

valuable to layer in humanity.

In other words, fine moments to show

vulnerability

humor or individuality,

even within the constraints of a highly

structured script.

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00:16:17,77 --> 00:16:17,610

That humanized

quality that you bring to the character

is going to be very much welcome

because of your unique take on how to

play the part.

Another suggestion is to maintain

continuity,

understand that you need to track the

character's evolution.

For example, if you're a recurring or

irregular caste members, it's important

to keep notes on your character's

journey,

your character's relationships, and

any emotional or physical shifts that

your character goes through.

And it's also important to be

consistent with your mannerisms.

Small, consistent physical or vocal

choices can help establish your

character across many, many episodes,

and you'll be very much rewarded for

that consistency.

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00:17:09,62 --> 00:17:09,596

Number four,

develop physicality and movement.

Match the roles demands

with who you are in your character.

Here's a way to do that, simply study

body language.

Different

professions

have different physical traits.

Like, for example, doctors just might

exhibit a kind of a confidence and an

air of efficiency in their movements,

while detectives might display

alertness and authority,

but they also are

potentially quite vulnerable and perhaps

make mistakes.

They're human, after all.

Lawyers, for example, often exude

composure, and they're very

precise with the way they present

themselves.

Here's another suggestion as to

rehearse tasks,

practice procedural tasks, like

examining evidence,

suturering a wound

or presenting a legal argument to

ensure authenticity.

What does that look like for you?

What does that feel like for your

character?

Another thought is to adapt to blocking

on the set.

It's important to anticipate multi

camera setups.

When you have multi camera setups,

procedurals will use them quite efficiently

with their various camera techniques.

Now, be really mindful of your angles,

your marks and your proximity to the

other characters.

Or the props.

That can be really valuable for you in

terms of being spatially aware of the

environment that you are recording in.

Here's another tip.

It's important that you work with the

props.

Be familiar with tools like the

stethoscope

or firearms.

Now, a little sidenote about firearms.

No one is going to give you a firearm

without the awareness and understanding

that this is a blank

gun that shoots blanks.

Also, many times, there are periods of

training so that you are comfortable

enough and safe enough to be able to

use a firearm.

But being familiar with your props is

what we're going for.

In terms of my suggestion,

you might even be asked to handle legal

documents.

You know, documents

that are legal documents

might be handled slightly differently,

especially in character, on a set, in a

courtroom.

So think about that.

I would suggest practice using them

easily, make them fluid.

Just simply avoid looking awkward or

unnatural with your props.

Move on from there.

Number five,

I think it's important to engage

emotionally within the procedural framework.

In other words, find emotional truth.

And the way that you can do that is

root your character in realism.

You see procedurals demand a blend of

technical precision

and emotional depth

simultaneously.

So make sure your reactions in a scene,

for example, feel authentic,

even if it's expositional dialogue,

even if it doesn't seem

that it's that important for your

character.

Be really clean and clear with your

approach to the work.

Another tip is ground heightening

moments.

Dramatic reveals.

When there are life or death decision,

or there are major confrontations,

those are very, very common in these

kinds of shows.

So avoid melodrama by focusing on the

character's internal stakes.

It's important to balance emotional

investment.

How you do that?

How do you balance

the emotional investment when you're in

a procedural?

Well, here's a tip.

Stay focused on the case.

Procedural characters often suppress

personal emotions to stay professional.

So do that.

Practice delivering lines with

restraint,

showing emotions

very subtly when appropriate.

Don't necessarily make an emotional

choice out of all of your dialogue

it's very much not that.

Another tip is to develop a backstory

for recurring roles.

Use moments of downtime in the script

to hint at your character's personal

life or your character's inner world.

But that adds dimension you see.

And so that can give you also a great

grounding foundation

when you have some of those heightened

emotional Scenes.

Let's move on from there.

Number six, build a collaborative

mindset.

Work with the ensemble.

Know your role

within the team of other caste members.

Procedurals are ensemble driven.

So understand how your character

contributes to the group.

that's very critical and can really

help you feel that level of confidence,

especially if you get along, work and

play in well with others.

Here's another tip,

practice quick adjustments.

Yeah,

directors will many, many times require

very fast changes or changing of tone

or your delivery on the set, on the fly.

So stay flexible

and honestly, if you stay open to

feedback, you're going to find yourself

in a much better place.

Respect guest roles.

As a guest actor, focus on fitting

seamlessly into the established world

of the show, while making your

character memorable.

That's a great tip.

And then, if you are a regular on a

show,

do this.

Help guest actors feel comfortable and

guide them through the tone and expectations

of the show.

That gets remembered for a long time

plus.

It'll help you feel better about the

work that you're doing.

Moving on from there.

Number seven, be ready for fast

turnaround practice.

Cold reeds

prepare for last minute changes.

You know what?

Procedurals often require quick script

revisions.

So if you can hone your ability to

adjust to new material on short notice,

you will be very well off.

Stay adaptable on the set.

Learn to interpret

decision

and direction

and apply it without overthinking.

It's when we overthink some of those

choices that we find ourselves getting

stuck into a rut.

So if you can prioritize

rest and resilience

and quick thinking,

that will absolutely be a welcomed

quality to show on the set.

Now let's move on from there.

This is another tip.

I think this tip is really worth

spending a moment on.

And that is, maintain stamina.

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00:24:36,9 --> 00:24:39,45

Long shooting days are very, very

common in procedurals.

Take care of your physical and your

mental health to stay sharp.

Be mentally agile,

rehearse in ways that allow you to

adjust emotional intensity

or line delivery rapidly

that's a lot, right?

I think that there's value in

taking on these kinds of opportunities

and see them as really great

opportunities to grow

your acting technique.

Because acting in a procedural show, it

requires precision

and a blend of technical and emotional

skills.

And so by preparing thoroughly with

these methods, you can deliver

performances that feel authentic,

that feel compelling

and in sync with the unique demands

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00:25:34,601 --> 00:25:36,2

of this amazing genre.

So I listen, I hope that this has been

helpful for you, and I look forward to

seeing you on the next episode of

casting actor's caste.

Thank so much.

It's been great having you in our

talentful to day.

Your support means the world to us.

So please consider sharing, liking and

reviewing this episode wherever you

508

00:25:58,91 --> 00:25:58,425

jump in.

I'm Meg and grace Martinez.

Thanks