Welcome to casting actor's cast, the

podcast that gives actors real world

tools, inspiration

and the insider's edge when it comes to

working professionally.

I'm your host Jeffrey Dreisbach.

I'm a casting director author, teacher,

and I'd like to think of myself as an

actor advocate.

And today we're cracking open the world

of television

script analysis,

sitcoms, and how you can mentally adapt

your performances for different genres.

we're going to cover procedurals,

comedies

and dramas.

So it's not just sitcoms.

We're going to cover the whole arena of

television script analysis

on this episode of casting actor's

castle.

Well, hello, and welcome to today's

episode of casting actors cast

I'm casting partner, Geoffrey

Dreisbach, with the McCorklecasting

group in New York.

How are you?

I hope you're having a good day.

I'm having a really good day.

And I think this is a really fun

subject for us to be covering today.

Because I get this question quite often

in terms of preparation.

When you have a television opportunity.

Let's say, you're up for a role,

whether it's a day player or a guest star.

There are all kinds of questions that

come into play in terms of your

And script analysis is the first step

in terms of your preparation.

So whether you're reading sides for a

quirky single cam comedy or a tightly

wound cop drama, your preparation

needs to match the rhythm, the tone and

expectations

of the show.

So today we want you to sharpen your

instincts and we're going to get to

work.

But first, this is that moment of the

conversation where I get to say thank

you for tuning in to casting actor's

cast.

I'm going to simply invite you to take

a look at the website.

Casting actor's casts.

All one word, you're going to find all

kinds of cool information.

There's my new book that's out called

booked.

It there's also a course that's

available,

and it's all about auditioning.

It's right there on the landing page.

Also there's a form that says, dive

into the talent pool.

If you do that that's going to open up

some additional freebies for you.

One is a book I'm doing voice over

work.

You'll also see a video called casting

secrets.

What they don't tell you.

And so that's just my way of giving

back to the community of actors that

have been with me for so long.

This is episode 375.

Oh my gosh.

I can't believe it, a weekly episode.

I haven't missed a beat in over six and

a half years, and still going strong.

And that brings me to my final point.

If you wouldn't mind, please leave me

alike.

Please leave ve.

Thumbs up.

Please review the show, especially on

iTunes.

That makes a huge difference in terms

of the audience.

And as long as I'm continuing to grow

the audience, as long as people are

writing to me and letting me know that

you're out there, I stay motivated and

excited to give you all of this

information that I can.

I think you'll find it helpful if you

stick with it.

But I also think you could go back into

the archives and find all kinds of very

helpful information

as well.

So thank you for that.

And I also want to just give my shout

out to my good friends at actors

connection, actors connectiondot com,

slash, New York.

Thank you so much.

All right, let's talk about this

script analysis and preparation

when it comes to various genres of film

and television we're going to stick

with television scripted material,

because I think that there's value in

that.

And also, there is some uniqueness

that applies to television material

that you won't find in other kinds of

material that you might be auditioning

for, or that you might be cast in.

So let's talk about that.

First of all, we're going to talk about

television

sitcoms,

television sitgobs.

Yeah, there's a unique

perspective and technical analysis of

television sitcom scripts that we need

to talk about.

with the format, I think, is the very

first

step when you receive a television

sitcom script, understanding

the script

formatting, for example, that usually

there are 22 pages,

or there could be a one hour, three act

structure.

The television sitcom could have a cold

open.

That means there's no precursor or

introduction.

It just opens quickly.

Also, a television sitcom might include

tags, or what I call buttons,

the last beat of the scene, the last

moment of the scene, the last impression

the character is leaving us with.

And that refers to pacing as well,

when you understand and have character

awareness.

And what I mean by that is just simply

identifying archetypes

that are you know what I'm talking

about,

the straightman,

the quirky friend, the dead pan boss.

Now be very careful, because I'm not

talking about type.

I don't want you to think in terms of

type, but I do want you to think in

terms of

style of performance based on the

character you've been asked to play.

And how do you do that?

Well, first tone detection.

So my suggestion is to read your script

aloud,

out loud, and highlight the rhythm, the

sarcasm,

the irony, or the absurdism of that

particular script sitcoms.

on rhythm and timing.

And so understanding and embracing the

writer's intention with the rhythm and

timing of a sitcom

makes just good sense, especially in

those initial stages.

My tip is that you don't just

sit down, open up a sitcon script, put

your feet up and kind of just read

through it.

No, no, no, not a good idea.

What I think is so much more useful is

to get up on your feet,

say it out loud,

do it several times.

In that way you're going to really

start keying in on the rhythm, the

style and the timing of that particular

story that's being told.

Now when you feel uncomfortable enough

with that process, then it's important,

I think, to look at what I call laugh

line targeting.

That's simply a way of saying, find

where the laugh is,

where does the laugh land

in the script?

Whether it's every other line?

Sometimes you'll find that in subset

gobs.

But mark the setup and the punchline.

Know the difference between the setup

and a putch line it's often about

building to the joke, not just hitting

the joke.

So being very clear about the setup and

being very clear about the punchline is

just a good structural analysis

of that.

Sitcom,

moving on from there, I think

pacing and economy

are two words that are cornerstones

of good said confirmance.

In other words, every line matters

sitcom dialogue is very efficient, it's

very purposeful.

It's really trimmed for both humor

and pacing speed.

Be aware of that as you're working on

the material.

Now, we need to spend a word about the

physicality

that's on the page.

You know, blocking pretty much is

minimal in scripts.

You won't see a lot of blocking

information on a said conscript,

whether it's physicality through the

character, or it's actually entering

and exiting

that is usually done in the rehearsal

period.

That kind of business is not

necessarily scripted.

So it's important to create a physical,

what I call a physical beaten map.

That's based on the intention and tone

of your character.

A physical beat map are the quirky,

timing moments

that your character can bring into the

work that is unique to who you are and also

serves the writing to its

absolute fullest.

But there are also, I think, mental and

performance preparation that we need to

talk about.

Like I said, rehearse with energy.

Sitcoms require full momentum.

So if you are able to read it at full

speed and full volume right out of the

gate, you're going to develop the right

feel for that story.

Being told,

another tip for actors is to be able to

commit to choices quickly.

This is not the kind of script analysis

that you probably might Recall in

acting classes.

This is not breaking down moment to

moment stuff, necessarily

because television moves fast.

So if you show up to auditions or sets

with solid, playable,

flexible choices,

you're going to be a favorite on that

set.

So it's about making committed choices,

but being flexible at the same time

that's not easy to do.

But that is something

to

work toward.

I believe

now when it comes to conflict in

sitcoms, it's valuable to play the

conflict lightly.

Even conflict in sitcoms has to be done

playfully,

so that means avoid overdramatizing

the stakes

that are meant to be humorous.

If you turn it into a dark beat or

moment,

that's not necessarily going to stay

and honor the writing of that story of

that said con script.

So be careful about that.

Oftentimes those things are discussed

in advance.

But in terms of out of the gate

preparation,

those conflicts are still meant to have

a humorous

light edge to them, especially what I

consider to the put down humor where

you're making fun of somebody else.

You've got to treat it a little more

gingerly, a little more lightly.

After all, it's meant to be funny.

It's not meant to be hurtful.

Be careful about that in some of those

sitcom scripts, and you're going to be

in a much better place.

So I guess what I'm saying is, if you

understand the show's voice,

the way to do that, I think, is to

watch a few episodes,

and then you'll feel the writing rhythm

and comedy style, because every show

has its own comedic

fingerprint.

Now, when we're talking about sitcoms,

I suggest that you become familiar with

what I call the laugh track effect.

You see for multi camera shows, and

that's typical for situation comedies

with the studio audience.

For multi camera shows, allow for space

after the punch line, even if no one is laughing,

the laugh track is something that is

added and sweetened, so to speak,

in post production.

So even though the studio audience

might give you a little bit of a laugh

there, certainly, I'm know you've heard

this sometimes it's not well done.

Those laugh tracks are sort of over

staving that humor sometimes.

But it's important to be aware of those

punchline

beat moments that are taking place.

You can structure that out for

yourself.

But here's a tip,

it's a lot different

in a theatrical setting.

When you are supposed to, I use the

word supposed to, lightly here,

hold for the laugh.

In other words,

there's this kind of implied assumption

in theater terms, that when you deliver

a punchline there's sort of a freeze moment

where you let the audience

take over

the audience, which is actually another

caste member, in my opinion, in theater,

they need to participate in that moment

when they're laughing.

And then of course, you pick it up from

there it's so much different in

television sitcoms.

What I mean is, you hold for the laugh,

but you don't freeze.

You still move through the emotional

place that character is in.

Even when the punchline is delivered,

you can do something physical.

You can do something terms of your face

might make a different sort of

impression.

You can build on the laugh by reacting

to what you just said, for example.

So those are just some ways in which

you need the forward momentum to keep

going.

You don't freeze

in a television sitcom laugh line.

All right,

what I call genre shifts

is really adapting for TV, procedurals,

dramas and other kinds of comedies.

These are mental shifts

by genre.

And we're going to talk about that

right after this

welcome back, when we're talking about

the different genres of other

television shows and the scripted

material that you might get for those shows.

Those mental shifts by genre are very,

very useful for actors let's first talk

about procedurals

I'll just give you some examples law

and order and cis, Chicago, Pd.

Here's the thing.

Procedurals

really value precision

over personality.

Okay?

Somebody write that down?

That was really good.

Precision over personality

it's a matter of simply delivering

lines clearly and directly.

Because these scripts,

those procedurals, rely on plot

advancement

and a professional tone.

And so it's less about character,

although you're still a character.

I don't want to diminish that.

But

more often than not, is

pushing the story,

telling the story, rather than telling

the story from an unusual or

interesting character.

I don't want to diminish the value.

It's just a style choice that many of

these procedurals have.

So if you are able to play status and

structure, that simply means that you

know your role in the hierarchy.

For example,

if you're a detective,

if you're a witness, if you're an

expert,

if you can adapt your performance

accordingly,

you're going to be in a much better

shape.

Now I'm also saying that this is not

about typecasting

the rough

cop with a heart of gold.

Blab labla that's not what I'm talking

about.

I am talking about again.

I'm going to use that word hierarchy,

where your

character fits

in the telling of the story, not

necessarily fits

in the world of the character you are

playing.

I hope that makes sense.

I think the other key factor here is

minimalism.

Minimalism is key,

let the script and the situation carry

the weight.

That's what I am

hopeful that you understand about this.

Now, I know

it's difficult.

I guess the challenge is that there are

a lot of gray areas here.

So I understand that there might be

different approaches that might be

helpful for that particular shell.

I've at it.

But I am giving you what I think is,

although specific information,

it's important not to necessarily

etch this stuff in stone, for example,

it sounds like a generality, but it's

really true that under playing

in a procedural can be much more

powerful than emotionality.

It is emotional,

but that's a decision that writers have

written in, that we feel and carry the

emotional burden of a particular scene.

The character at that time does not

necessarily

overly expose themselves in that

vulnerability.

I know that that's really valuable

information for you.

Become a student of the media,

especially in procedurals,

because what you'll discover is that

what I call pace with purpose.

You see, my thinking is this, these

shows have a crisp

cadence.

So if you can practice clean transitions

and you are a quick memorizer,

that you can be flexible on the set at

the same time,

that that is an attractive style of

delivery

for those shows.

Now, moving on from there let's talk

about some dramas.

The shows, I think are good examples

that apply to what we're talking about

today, are the shows like, this is us,

or the morning show, or breaking bad.

I'm only using those shows because I

think that a lot of us are familiar

with those shows.

We've seen them, we've bingeed them,

maybe even more than once.

What I think is

about those scripts and those shows is

that there is an emotional truth

that means the actor is tapping into a

layered emotional life.

The stakes, oftentimes in these shows,

are internal,

and they absolutely require emotional

depth.

That's why actors seem to have a really

fun time doing these kinds of shows.

The other shows aren't rewarding,

but there is that different

that emotional roller coaster, that

characters are on in those shows, that

make it very, very compelling

one out of the other things you might

recognize in those dramas are that

silence speaks.

See, often what you don't say is as

important as what you do.

So stillness and listening, those are

really excellent tools.

Your reaction

is very much welcome in those shows

because it's not necessarily forwarding

the plot, but it is forwarding where

the character is in relation to what is

happening.

My wife and I, we both

loved bingeing the new season of the

bear, for example.

And I can't tell you how many times it

was the reaction shot that became so

interesting and so compelling.

The other quality that I enjoy on those

drama shows,

especially in those drama shows that

have heavy dense scripted material, is

the naturalism

that we experience.

It's critical to avoid any sense of

theatricality.

If you think camera close thoughts

rather than just thoughts.

What I mean by that, every blink can be

read.

The nuance and the subtlety of that is

something to understand and Embrace.

It might feel like you have to rehearse

a little bit more for those kinds of

opportunities, those kinds of

situations, but

once mastered

can really be effective

both in and audition.

And of course, when you're on the set.

Another drama tip, I think, is what I

call back story awareness.

If you know your character's past

and the character's relationships with

the other characters, even if it's not

on the page, even if that information

isn't given, you it's incumbent upon

the actor to come up with an

interesting relationship back story.

The more information you have, the more

you can apply that to the way you're

going to play it.

But many, many times, auditions are

just the sides

where you coming up with an interesting

back story, an interesting statement

about the relationship of that other

person in the scene.

You've now fleshed out that scene to

become something that is unique to you.

And it's your uniqueness

that makes it compelling, that makes it

interesting.

Now we're going to move into the arena

of comedies.

And I'm not talking about situation

comedies.

I'm talking about comedies like the

bear.

Or they call that a comedy.

I don't know, there's a lot of intense

drama going on on that shell, but let's

just call it.

They called it that on the emird.

So let's call it the bear.

Or avid elementary

atlanta's another good example.

So here's how they're different from

sincoms

shows blend,

many times blend drama,

and they blend social commentary, and

also sometimes very dark humor

at the same time.

So there are some interesting

techniques for actors to consider if

you have that kind of a drama in front

of you that you need to work on.

Or tari, I said drama, the comedy,

slash drama that those shows represent,

one is an authentic delivery.

You see, instead of punchline, rhythm

set up punchline,

there is value in leaning into the

behavioral

comedy.

The behavior of the character

is a statement on the humor on those

scripts.

So awkwardness,

just timing of the character, or just

truth in the absurd,

are elements to look for if you're

working on those scripts.

I've often found that those

drama comedies, those dramedies,

they're more cinematic.

I think it's valuable to think single

camera realism.

With your gestures and your reactions

they're often very grounded and very,

very subtle.

That's something to

Oo, good word when you are working on

that scripted material.

So here are some final thoughts.

I think you should

really make a mental note of this.

Versatility

is visibility.

Every genre

has a different emotional thermostat.

You can turn the heat up, you can turn

the heat down, you can make it just

right.

So if you learn how to turn the dial

based on the material,

you're going to be able to

immediately pick up on the subtleties,

the nuance

and even the broad strokes

of each of those genres.

Additionally,

please do yourself a favor.

Prepare not just what to say,

but how the world of the show expects

to be said,

it's about the world that you are in

with each of those genres.

You see your job isn't just to play the

part,

it's to fit the storyline, the tone.

You need to fit it so well that you

feel like part of the cast

before you're even hired.

I think that's a valuable

piece of information to take away.

Thank you so very much for listening

today.

I hope you got a light out of this.

Please feel free to leave alike I

share.

You can reach me via email, casting

actors cast at Gmail dot com.

I'm Geoffrey driesback.

You've been watching and listening too.

Casting actors cast.

Thanks.

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