Some actors perform every script exactly the same way. Which is fascinating… because sitcoms and crime dramas are not emotionally identical species. In this Episode, we’re talking about musicality, genre, rhythm… and why the script itself may already be telling you how to act... Read More
From the show: Casting Actors Cast
About
Some actors perform every script exactly the same way.
Which is fascinating… because sitcoms and crime dramas are not emotionally identical species.
In this Episode, we’re talking about musicality, genre, rhythm… and why the script itself may already be telling you how to act.
Transcript
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Some actors perform every script exactly
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00:00:04,504 --> 00:00:05,438
the same way,
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00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:11,544
which is fascinating, because sitcoms
and crime dramas are not emotionally
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00:00:12,345 --> 00:00:13,613
identical species.
5
00:00:15,315 --> 00:00:16,583
Today we're talking about musicality,
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00:00:18,118 --> 00:00:19,519
genre, rhythm,
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and why the script itself may already
be telling you how to act.
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This is casting actor's cast.
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00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,223
Well, hello everyone, and welcome to
casting actor's cast.
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I'm Jeff dryesbach.
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And today we're discussing something.
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Well, I think actors often
underestimate this, and that's the musicality
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of the writing.
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Ok?
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Now, before anyone gets nervous, this
is not a music theory class.
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No one is about to play the clarinet.
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Although honestly some auditions do
feel like
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er experimental Jazz.
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What I mean by musicality
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is rhythm,
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pacing,
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interruption,
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tone,
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language, pattern,
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genre, energy.
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Great actors hear the writing,
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and when they do,
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their performances suddenly fit the
world of the project.
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We're going to discuss all of that.
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But first, this is that moment of the
conversation.
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I get to say thank you so much for
tuning into casting actor's cast.
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I'm having a great time presenting this
information to you.
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My only desire in presenting these
podcasts is to help you feel more
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confident and more comfortable about
your journey
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00:02:07,861 --> 00:02:08,995
and about your choices
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that are available to you
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as an actor.
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And so we can go back hundreds of
episodes here on the podcast, but if
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you're just joining us, I'm so grateful
that you're here.
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Hey, listen.
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I want to encourage you to check out my
website, it's casting actors cast all
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one word, dot com.
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And there you're going to find
additional information about past
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00:02:30,984 --> 00:02:31,151
episodes.
45
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You'll also see a little form there
that says, dive into the talent pool.
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And if you do that that's going to open
up a whole bunch of free bees for you.
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One is a book I've done doing voice
over work that I wrote called
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conversation pieces out of the studio.
49
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The voice over workshop for
professional actors it's absolutely
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free by just filling out that form.
51
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Also there is a video that I put
together a little while ago, but still
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holds a lot of great information, I
think.
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And that is casting
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secrets what they don't tell you, but I
am definitely going to tell you in this very
55
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interesting and compelling twenty
minute video, again, that's also
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absolutely free to you.
57
00:03:15,628 --> 00:03:19,299
Also on the website, I have my course
sets available I have a book.
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That's available.
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You can look at past episodes.
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I also have a blog called jeff's jots.
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I love alliteration,
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and what that is is corresponding show
notes to each of my episodes.
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So if you found an episode really
interesting, or something that I said
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that might
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be something you want to kind of hang
on to, you can certainly go to the
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corresponding jeff's jots, print that
out, and now you have the blog.
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So I'm trying to put all of this
together in a very easy to understand
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comprehensive format,
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again, with the goal in mind of being
more confident about your work as an actor.
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That's exactly why I'm doing this.
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The only thing I ask in return honestly
is if you could leave me a thumbs up,
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subscribe to the channel.
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Alike, any of that stuff.
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We're on every podcast provider, a
spot.
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If I actually has the video as well as
YouTube.
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So the Broadway podcast network
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is literally the site that is hosting
the podcasts.
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And you should check out the Broadway
podcast network as well.
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All right.
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my good friends at actor's connection
actor's connectiondot com, slash, New
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York.
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You might want to check out the
offerings they have available lots of
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really good stuff there.
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All right, enough of that let's jump
into this, and we're going to
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kind of open up
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the box, so to speak.
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Because every genre has its own
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rhythm.
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It really does.
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One of the things I teach in my
workshops and in classes,
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I ask the students to kind of come up
with the mood
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of the scene.
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So i'll hand out a film or a television
scene, and I say, now, what mood does this
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kind of give you when you read through
it?
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And then, of course, the answer is very
greatly from, oh, this feels dark, or
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this feels energized, or this feels
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really, really
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a funny mood.
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This is very conversational.
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So whatever the mood is of that
particular piece is something to really
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hang on to.
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Now, that is not specifically genre.
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How do we get a genre?
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This is actually what I do in class.
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No kidding is.
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I will kind of play
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the best way I could describe this as
called drop the needle.
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And that is, literally, I play a piece
of music, just an instrumental piece of music,
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and see if that scene fits with that.
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Music it's as if there is a soundtrack
to this scene.
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Now you might be surprised to find out
what that does is alter the performance.
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The energy of the music
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actually
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fills the actor with a desire
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to really Embrace what that music is
giving you.
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Plus that's also a really great
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key to finding and making new
discoveries in each and every scene,
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something to think about.
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So playing dropped the needle
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that's the old fashioned record player,
where you kind of have the arm, and
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then you drop the needle in a certain
spot on the record.
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Ok, you're all too young to remember
any of this, I guess.
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in any case, it was really kind of a
fun thing that you would get some
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immediate kind of emotional impact from
the music that you're playing.
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Something to consider,
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see what that mood is, and see if you
can find music that matches it, that
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might open up a whole world of new
interpretative discoveries for yourself.
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But let me talk about auditions for
just a minute.
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And one of the fastest ways actors
sabotage auditions is by
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performing every genre
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with the exact same emotional
temperature.
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It's true.
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In other words, hallmark movie,
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played like a Scandinavian
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grief, cinema,
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sitcomplayed
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like a courtroom, trauma
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procedural,
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played like community theatre,
Shakespeare.
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You know what genre matters because
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genre shapes the pace,
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the energy,
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the stakes,
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the silence, the behaviour.
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And the writing usually
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tells you that
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immediately.
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So look for that in the writing.
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For example, let's take a look at
sidcom timing.
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Comedy
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especially requires musicality.
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Comedy lives in timing pace,
interruption,
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rhythm, shifts
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commitment,
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and here's the danger.
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Actors often pause too much in comedy.
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They think I need to show the joke.
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No, the joke is often already in the
writing, so you just need to trust it.
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A sitcom pause that lasts
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four seconds,
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well, that feels like a hostage
negotiation.
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Speed often creates comedy.
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Unexpected commitment
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creates comedy.
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Truth
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creates comedy.
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Now let's compare that to procedural
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television.
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Procedurals usually require,
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oh, precision,
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clarity,
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grounded, stakes,
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efficiency
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and acting.
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In procedural shows rarely
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wander emotionally.
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For like six pages,
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they're solving something.
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They're solving something efficiently,
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which means the acting rhythm changes,
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the language becomes functional,
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and actors must honor
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that
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specific pace.
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So if that opportunity presents itself
for you, please consider
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all of those options that are available
to you within the genre.
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So I like to do these occasional
reality checks.
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And what I call realcasting room truth.
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And here's one,
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actors who understand genre instantly
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stand out
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why?
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Because they feel like they belong
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inside the project.
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Does that make sense?
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You know what I'm talking about.
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And those actors who ignore genre often
feel disconnected from the material
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like they wandered in from another
television show.
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Entirely,
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we're going to talk about the writing,
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the writing that is telling you things.
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And we're going to do all of that,
right after this brief message.
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Now listen.
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This is important.
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Writers give actors clues
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constantly.
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00:10:36,903 --> 00:10:41,74
So let's take a look at some of the
clues that you might have if you've got
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an audition scene, or you're actually
booked and you're going to be working
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on the scene.
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00:10:46,279 --> 00:10:48,948
First I want you to look at sentence,
length,
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00:10:49,916 --> 00:10:50,717
then
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00:10:51,184 --> 00:10:52,218
punctuation,
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00:10:53,586 --> 00:10:54,387
then
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00:10:54,554 --> 00:10:55,522
interruptions,
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00:10:56,990 --> 00:10:57,857
then repetition,
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and then finally, vocabulary.
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00:11:03,697 --> 00:11:04,197
All of that.
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00:11:05,632 --> 00:11:09,436
All of those contain behavioral
information,
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00:11:10,670 --> 00:11:12,972
fast, fragmented language,
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00:11:13,907 --> 00:11:14,708
urgency,
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00:11:15,542 --> 00:11:17,744
long, thoughtful language
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00:11:18,78 --> 00:11:19,45
reflection,
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00:11:19,846 --> 00:11:21,114
interruptions
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00:11:22,182 --> 00:11:23,350
that equals pressure,
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00:11:24,818 --> 00:11:26,319
comedy repetition,
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00:11:27,454 --> 00:11:28,655
that equals rhythm.
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You see, the writing already contains
the music.
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And then great actors hear.
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It
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00:11:38,31 --> 00:11:40,633
that's where life sneaks in
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that's where surprise happens.
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And honestly
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casting directors can feel this almost
immediately.
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We might not consciously say, ah, yes,
excellent, behavioral pursuit,
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but we absolutely feel it
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when somebody is genuinely engaged,
versus emotionally
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presenting,
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00:12:05,158 --> 00:12:08,161
one feels alive, one feels manufactured.
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00:12:09,529 --> 00:12:12,465
And this is the beautiful part of this
whole process.
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00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:15,535
When actors stop chasing emotion,
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00:12:16,336 --> 00:12:16,970
they often become
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00:12:18,38 --> 00:12:19,39
more emotional,
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00:12:19,372 --> 00:12:20,473
ironically
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because the emotion finally arrives
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organically
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00:12:26,413 --> 00:12:26,713
unexpectedly,
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truthfully,
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sometimes quietly, sometimes
explosively,
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00:12:32,819 --> 00:12:34,87
sometimes not at all.
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00:12:34,754 --> 00:12:37,123
And all of that is valid,
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00:12:38,24 --> 00:12:39,959
because the goal is not emotional
display.
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00:12:41,294 --> 00:12:42,762
The goal is human pursuit.
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00:12:43,229 --> 00:12:44,164
Under pressure
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that's acting
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00:12:46,666 --> 00:12:47,167
that's behavior.
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00:12:47,634 --> 00:12:50,236
And honestly that's where performances
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start becoming
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unforgettable.
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00:12:54,574 --> 00:12:58,244
And this is where acting starts
becoming almost musical.
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00:12:59,212 --> 00:13:00,480
Not musical, theater
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musical,
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00:13:02,749 --> 00:13:04,317
human musicality,
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00:13:04,784 --> 00:13:05,752
rhythm,
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00:13:06,419 --> 00:13:09,289
tempo, cadence, pressure release,
265
00:13:10,190 --> 00:13:14,227
because great acting is not just what
am I feeling?
266
00:13:14,894 --> 00:13:15,528
No
267
00:13:16,162 --> 00:13:16,629
it's.
268
00:13:17,297 --> 00:13:18,865
How is this moment
269
00:13:19,199 --> 00:13:19,833
moving?
270
00:13:20,900 --> 00:13:26,239
And honestly, this is one of the
biggest missing conversations in actor training.
271
00:13:26,740 --> 00:13:27,640
Actors study psychology,
272
00:13:28,675 --> 00:13:28,975
objectives,
273
00:13:29,776 --> 00:13:32,645
subtext back story that's all useful,
274
00:13:33,313 --> 00:13:34,280
believe me it is.
275
00:13:35,48 --> 00:13:37,751
But many actors completely ignore
rhythm,
276
00:13:38,818 --> 00:13:43,56
which is really ironic, because
audiences feel rhythm immediately.
277
00:13:44,24 --> 00:13:44,758
Think about comedy.
278
00:13:45,291 --> 00:13:46,393
Comedy is rhythm.
279
00:13:47,794 --> 00:13:50,730
A joke said half a second too early.
280
00:13:51,398 --> 00:13:52,332
Oh, my gosh, it's dead.
281
00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:54,567
Half a second too late.
282
00:13:55,201 --> 00:13:56,2
Dead.
283
00:13:56,970 --> 00:13:57,771
Same words,
284
00:13:58,338 --> 00:13:59,372
different timing,
285
00:13:59,873 --> 00:14:00,807
different result
286
00:14:01,708 --> 00:14:03,9
that's musicality.
287
00:14:03,943 --> 00:14:07,380
But dramatic acting has rhythm too
procedurals have rhythm.
288
00:14:07,714 --> 00:14:08,748
Sitcoms have rhythm.
289
00:14:09,149 --> 00:14:10,684
Independent film has rhythm.
290
00:14:10,917 --> 00:14:12,485
Soap operas have rhythm.
291
00:14:13,453 --> 00:14:14,587
Hallmark movies have rhythm.
292
00:14:15,955 --> 00:14:17,123
Everything has a pulse.
293
00:14:17,791 --> 00:14:21,961
And one of the reasons actors struggle
with auditions is because they're
294
00:14:22,95 --> 00:14:24,97
emotionally truthful, but rhythmically
295
00:14:25,398 --> 00:14:25,699
wrong.
296
00:14:26,599 --> 00:14:28,468
Now that's a massive distinction.
297
00:14:29,235 --> 00:14:31,371
You can be believable and still
298
00:14:32,105 --> 00:14:36,443
not fit the show because the
performance is operating in the wrong
299
00:14:36,810 --> 00:14:37,777
musical universe.
300
00:14:40,13 --> 00:14:41,114
Ok, here's what I mean.
301
00:14:41,781 --> 00:14:43,516
Take a procedural drama.
302
00:14:44,117 --> 00:14:46,553
Now there, the rhythm tends to be
compressed.
303
00:14:47,721 --> 00:14:47,887
Efficient.
304
00:14:48,588 --> 00:14:48,955
Direct
305
00:14:50,23 --> 00:14:52,25
people speak because they need
information.
306
00:14:53,159 --> 00:14:54,728
The energy moves forward.
307
00:14:55,628 --> 00:14:58,865
Even emotional Scenes still carry
urgency underneath.
308
00:15:00,33 --> 00:15:02,402
Now compare that to independent film?
309
00:15:03,69 --> 00:15:06,306
Independent film often lives in
observation.
310
00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:08,975
Silence matters more
311
00:15:10,76 --> 00:15:10,710
thought,
312
00:15:11,311 --> 00:15:12,145
matters more
313
00:15:12,812 --> 00:15:13,113
behaviour.
314
00:15:14,180 --> 00:15:14,714
Unfold
315
00:15:15,215 --> 00:15:16,149
more slowly.
316
00:15:17,384 --> 00:15:18,251
The pauses
317
00:15:18,985 --> 00:15:20,487
breathe differently.
318
00:15:21,788 --> 00:15:23,456
Now compare that to sitcom.
319
00:15:23,957 --> 00:15:24,324
Rhythm
320
00:15:25,158 --> 00:15:27,227
sitcoms often require acceleration.
321
00:15:28,428 --> 00:15:28,728
They
322
00:15:29,129 --> 00:15:30,730
require faster pickups,
323
00:15:31,631 --> 00:15:32,332
cleaner transitions,
324
00:15:33,533 --> 00:15:34,734
sharper pivots,
325
00:15:35,201 --> 00:15:35,669
not
326
00:15:35,935 --> 00:15:36,670
bigger acting.
327
00:15:36,970 --> 00:15:37,904
Necessarily,
328
00:15:38,505 --> 00:15:40,640
faster relational movement.
329
00:15:41,541 --> 00:15:43,677
The energy rebounds quickly
330
00:15:44,744 --> 00:15:48,14
that's why actors sometimes feel off in
comedy.
331
00:15:48,581 --> 00:15:49,549
They're emotionally committed,
332
00:15:50,817 --> 00:15:54,387
but they're rhythmically sitting in the
scene too long.
333
00:15:55,221 --> 00:15:58,558
And I can tell you that casting feels
it immediately.
334
00:15:59,559 --> 00:16:00,794
The actor isn't wrong.
335
00:16:01,795 --> 00:16:03,830
They're in the wrong tempo.
336
00:16:05,298 --> 00:16:07,300
And I'd like to share something I think
is really fascinating.
337
00:16:08,34 --> 00:16:11,171
Great actors understand rhythm
instinctively.
338
00:16:11,938 --> 00:16:12,639
They do
339
00:16:14,107 --> 00:16:17,210
come on, watch mural street, watch how
she changes tempo
340
00:16:18,345 --> 00:16:20,13
depending on genre,
341
00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:21,114
or
342
00:16:21,548 --> 00:16:25,151
Brian Cranston, for example, or viola
Davis or Steve correl.
343
00:16:25,452 --> 00:16:27,187
They don't just change emotion.
344
00:16:27,787 --> 00:16:28,655
They change
345
00:16:28,788 --> 00:16:29,989
musicality,
346
00:16:30,757 --> 00:16:32,325
pacing, pressure, breath,
347
00:16:32,892 --> 00:16:35,362
interruption, stillness, attack
348
00:16:36,262 --> 00:16:40,967
that's why they feel so genre specific
and believable.
349
00:16:41,868 --> 00:16:44,37
And newer actors sometimes make this
mistake.
350
00:16:44,337 --> 00:16:46,239
They think truth is enough,
351
00:16:47,307 --> 00:16:48,808
but professional acting
352
00:16:49,309 --> 00:16:49,776
is truth
353
00:16:50,910 --> 00:16:51,945
inside a format.
354
00:16:52,979 --> 00:16:54,180
Ok, somebody write that down.
355
00:16:54,180 --> 00:16:55,48
That was really good.
356
00:16:55,615 --> 00:16:57,917
Professional acting is truth
357
00:16:58,651 --> 00:17:00,320
inside a format.
358
00:17:01,388 --> 00:17:02,722
Listen that's the job.
359
00:17:03,556 --> 00:17:05,425
Because television, has architecture.
360
00:17:06,259 --> 00:17:07,560
Genre has architecture.
361
00:17:08,661 --> 00:17:10,730
And once you start seeing rhythm,
362
00:17:11,865 --> 00:17:13,266
you can never unsee it.
363
00:17:14,267 --> 00:17:18,71
For example, some actors rush emotional
moments because they're nervous.
364
00:17:18,571 --> 00:17:19,539
I understand that.
365
00:17:19,939 --> 00:17:21,775
That was sort of what I did.
366
00:17:22,742 --> 00:17:23,877
Others over pause
367
00:17:24,911 --> 00:17:28,14
because they want the scene to feel
important.
368
00:17:29,716 --> 00:17:33,119
But real musicality isn't about random
pauses.
369
00:17:33,953 --> 00:17:34,587
It's about behavioral
370
00:17:35,789 --> 00:17:36,322
timing.
371
00:17:37,457 --> 00:17:38,892
When does the thought land?
372
00:17:39,693 --> 00:17:41,594
When does the interruption happen?
373
00:17:42,495 --> 00:17:43,963
When does the energy shift?
374
00:17:44,597 --> 00:17:46,399
When does some one avoid
375
00:17:46,733 --> 00:17:51,504
or attack, or deflect, or collapse or
recover?
376
00:17:53,139 --> 00:17:54,74
That's musical
377
00:17:54,974 --> 00:17:55,475
and honor honestly.
378
00:17:55,709 --> 00:17:59,779
One of the best things actors can do is
to stop watching Scenes for emotion and
379
00:17:59,779 --> 00:18:01,915
start watching for tempo changes.
380
00:18:02,749 --> 00:18:04,351
Watch when the scene speeds up.
381
00:18:04,584 --> 00:18:06,286
Watch when it suddenly becomes still.
382
00:18:06,753 --> 00:18:08,822
Watch how tension changes the rhythm.
383
00:18:09,556 --> 00:18:11,524
Because tension changes speech.
384
00:18:12,659 --> 00:18:14,894
Fear speeds people up,
385
00:18:15,528 --> 00:18:15,995
or
386
00:18:16,429 --> 00:18:19,65
I should say fear speeds some people up.
387
00:18:20,667 --> 00:18:22,235
And of course, shame
388
00:18:22,569 --> 00:18:24,4
slows others down.
389
00:18:25,772 --> 00:18:27,674
Power changes, pacing.
390
00:18:28,675 --> 00:18:30,243
Confidence changes, breath
391
00:18:30,910 --> 00:18:32,812
need changes, rhythm.
392
00:18:33,947 --> 00:18:35,949
And here's where auditions become
dangerous.
393
00:18:37,617 --> 00:18:41,755
often rehearse Scenes at one emotional
tempo.
394
00:18:42,889 --> 00:18:45,158
Everything becomes evenly intense,
395
00:18:46,192 --> 00:18:48,628
evenly dramatic, evenly emotional.
396
00:18:49,929 --> 00:18:52,966
But great performances have dynamic
range.
397
00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:54,868
They shift gears.
398
00:18:55,935 --> 00:18:58,872
Those gear changes are incredible.
399
00:18:59,706 --> 00:19:02,575
Pitch, pace, pause, punctuation.
400
00:19:04,110 --> 00:19:05,745
A scene without rhythm changes.
401
00:19:06,279 --> 00:19:07,347
It feels flat,
402
00:19:07,947 --> 00:19:10,550
even if the acting is emotionally
truthful.
403
00:19:11,618 --> 00:19:14,254
It's like music played on one note.
404
00:19:15,221 --> 00:19:18,992
And this is especially important for
self tapes because the camera magnifies
405
00:19:19,559 --> 00:19:19,726
rhythm.
406
00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:22,495
You can literally see rushed thinking.
407
00:19:23,797 --> 00:19:25,832
You can see anticipation.
408
00:19:26,599 --> 00:19:28,335
You can see when an actor is waiting for
409
00:19:29,369 --> 00:19:30,704
their moment,
410
00:19:32,505 --> 00:19:35,41
but you can also see spontaneity.
411
00:19:35,942 --> 00:19:36,743
You can see listening.
412
00:19:37,143 --> 00:19:39,346
You can see behavioral interruption.
413
00:19:39,879 --> 00:19:42,115
That's why some self tapes feel alive.
414
00:19:42,415 --> 00:19:43,216
Immediately
415
00:19:43,850 --> 00:19:45,752
they move like real thought,
416
00:19:46,519 --> 00:19:49,122
not rehearsed, emotional presentation.
417
00:19:50,590 --> 00:19:53,426
And here's the truly advanced part of
this.
418
00:19:54,27 --> 00:19:57,697
The best actors understand the rhythm
of the other character.
419
00:19:58,832 --> 00:19:59,366
Also,
420
00:20:01,935 --> 00:20:04,804
the scene becomes interactive music,
421
00:20:05,472 --> 00:20:06,906
not line readings, not emotional.
422
00:20:08,408 --> 00:20:13,546
Behavioral exchange, pressure and
response, attack and retreat, control
423
00:20:14,14 --> 00:20:14,280
and surrender
424
00:20:15,315 --> 00:20:17,450
that's why chemistry exists.
425
00:20:18,251 --> 00:20:21,254
Chemistry is often rhythmic
compatibility.
426
00:20:21,855 --> 00:20:24,624
Two actors affecting each other in real
time.
427
00:20:25,458 --> 00:20:28,795
And once actors begin understanding
musicality,
428
00:20:29,529 --> 00:20:32,165
their auditions change dramatically,
429
00:20:32,999 --> 00:20:36,2
because suddenly they stop performing
Scenes,
430
00:20:36,503 --> 00:20:38,438
and they start riding the pulse.
431
00:20:38,738 --> 00:20:39,305
Of human behavior
432
00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:41,908
inside the genre
433
00:20:43,309 --> 00:20:46,713
that's where professional level acting
begins.
434
00:20:49,549 --> 00:20:50,83
All right.
435
00:20:50,984 --> 00:20:52,218
The musicality
436
00:20:53,319 --> 00:20:55,422
does create believability.
437
00:20:56,890 --> 00:21:00,126
See, when actors fight the rhythm of
the material, the performance
438
00:21:00,827 --> 00:21:01,795
absolutely feels
439
00:21:02,829 --> 00:21:03,530
artificial.
440
00:21:04,264 --> 00:21:06,566
But when actors ride the language,
441
00:21:07,534 --> 00:21:08,635
everything relaxes.
442
00:21:10,170 --> 00:21:11,37
Work begins
443
00:21:11,871 --> 00:21:15,475
breathing naturally, and suddenly
comedy lands better.
444
00:21:16,109 --> 00:21:17,110
Drama deepens,
445
00:21:17,777 --> 00:21:18,878
pacing improves,
446
00:21:19,479 --> 00:21:21,281
Scenes feel alive.
447
00:21:22,916 --> 00:21:24,651
That's absolutely true.
448
00:21:25,452 --> 00:21:25,919
So
449
00:21:26,653 --> 00:21:28,488
if you have a script,
450
00:21:28,988 --> 00:21:29,622
finding the musicality
451
00:21:30,657 --> 00:21:35,829
and the genre, and if you're not sure
how to do that, look at the sentence structure,
452
00:21:36,596 --> 00:21:37,864
look at the scene overall.
453
00:21:38,665 --> 00:21:40,633
And if that doesn't really help you,
454
00:21:41,468 --> 00:21:46,106
look at what's playing, find similar
genres that are playing so that you can
455
00:21:46,172 --> 00:21:47,474
really hear the musicality
456
00:21:48,808 --> 00:21:49,776
of the dialogue.
457
00:21:51,378 --> 00:21:54,914
All right, now, as is my wants, let's
move on to a quick exercise.
458
00:21:55,215 --> 00:21:56,416
I want you to take any script.
459
00:21:56,983 --> 00:22:00,353
Maybe it's a scene you've done in
class, or maybe it's a scene you might
460
00:22:00,353 --> 00:22:01,554
be auditioning for soon.
461
00:22:01,955 --> 00:22:04,257
Maybe you're ready to go and do a self
tape.
462
00:22:05,458 --> 00:22:09,162
if all of that is possible, I want you
to read it out loud.
463
00:22:09,629 --> 00:22:11,297
And I don't want you to do any acting.
464
00:22:12,499 --> 00:22:18,872
I just as you read it, I want you
simply to pay focused attention on the pace,
465
00:22:20,173 --> 00:22:20,807
the rhythm,
466
00:22:22,175 --> 00:22:24,144
the interruption of the dialogue,
467
00:22:24,744 --> 00:22:25,745
sentence flow.
468
00:22:27,147 --> 00:22:29,616
Now ask, what kind of world
469
00:22:30,417 --> 00:22:31,985
does this language live in?
470
00:22:34,20 --> 00:22:36,956
See, that question alone may completely
471
00:22:37,424 --> 00:22:37,724
change
472
00:22:38,758 --> 00:22:39,526
your choices.
473
00:22:40,994 --> 00:22:42,95
Now I give you these exercises.
474
00:22:43,463 --> 00:22:47,934
Almost every podcast episode there's
always a little bit of a challenge to
475
00:22:47,934 --> 00:22:48,668
put before you.
476
00:22:49,135 --> 00:22:51,304
This one is of particular importance,
477
00:22:52,505 --> 00:22:53,473
and I can tell you that firsthand.
478
00:22:55,141 --> 00:22:55,308
Recently.
479
00:22:55,709 --> 00:22:56,343
Teaching at conservatory,
480
00:22:57,377 --> 00:23:00,447
I had the experience of talking about
genre.
481
00:23:01,81 --> 00:23:03,149
And what was clear to me was the
challenge
482
00:23:04,184 --> 00:23:09,155
was that the actors did not really have
enough experience in each of those
483
00:23:09,222 --> 00:23:11,791
genres to fully understand and
appreciate
484
00:23:13,293 --> 00:23:16,629
the mood, the atmosphere, the
musicality that's needed.
485
00:23:17,130 --> 00:23:20,600
So make sure you have a really good
deep understanding,
486
00:23:22,35 --> 00:23:23,837
because that is so informative.
487
00:23:24,671 --> 00:23:28,41
And in my mind, that builds an
incredible foundation for you,
488
00:23:28,575 --> 00:23:33,546
especially in an audition where you're
looking for those things that can help
489
00:23:33,546 --> 00:23:36,149
you feel more comfortable and more
confident
490
00:23:36,516 --> 00:23:37,751
and more prepared.
491
00:23:38,251 --> 00:23:43,56
So that exercise that I just gave you
is something I highly recommend and
492
00:23:43,156 --> 00:23:43,323
listen.
493
00:23:44,90 --> 00:23:44,824
If you have the opportunity,
494
00:23:46,26 --> 00:23:47,861
why don't you send me an email.
495
00:23:48,194 --> 00:23:49,863
Let me know what your experience was.
496
00:23:50,497 --> 00:23:52,365
And of course, as always, if you have
any questions?
497
00:23:52,599 --> 00:23:55,635
That's always re, that's always really,
really great.
498
00:23:55,769 --> 00:23:56,970
And I would appreciate that.
499
00:23:58,71 --> 00:23:58,705
So
500
00:23:59,305 --> 00:24:01,307
let's kind of wrap this up, I think,
right?
501
00:24:01,474 --> 00:24:01,875
Are we ready?
502
00:24:03,209 --> 00:24:04,811
Just remember that the script
503
00:24:05,211 --> 00:24:05,779
is not your enemy.
504
00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:08,348
No, it's not.
505
00:24:08,581 --> 00:24:09,749
It's your scene partner.
506
00:24:11,51 --> 00:24:13,386
And the more actors understand
musicality
507
00:24:14,754 --> 00:24:15,522
and genre,
508
00:24:16,589 --> 00:24:17,924
the more believable
509
00:24:18,91 --> 00:24:18,725
and
510
00:24:19,292 --> 00:24:21,761
connected their performances become.
511
00:24:25,398 --> 00:24:26,266
Much for joining me.
512
00:24:26,266 --> 00:24:27,167
I hope that that was helpful.
513
00:24:27,300 --> 00:24:28,902
I had a lot of fun presenting this
episode.
514
00:24:29,536 --> 00:24:30,503
And I'm Jeff driesback.
515
00:24:30,904 --> 00:24:31,871
This is casting actors.
516
00:24:32,105 --> 00:24:32,272
Cass.
517
00:24:32,439 --> 00:24:36,276
I want you to keep listening, keep
exploring, and maybe stop doing
518
00:24:36,976 --> 00:24:40,480
emotional funeral pauses in romantic
comedies.
519
00:24:41,381 --> 00:24:43,717
Your sitcom career will appreciate it.
520
00:24:45,151 --> 00:24:46,86
I shall see you next
© Broadway Podcast Network, All Rights Reserved
