showbizschool: auditions

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Bollywood Improvisation in a given scene

As an actor, you are always learning and growing and challenging yourself by trying different types of acting techniques. Today, however, I would like to focus on a very crucial tool for actors � and that is improvisation, or "improv" for short!

Though an "improv" generally is required for a comedy, a reality show, commercial ads and films, it can be expected or demanded in an audition of any genre. While some casting directors may want the talent to strictly follow the script, others will encourage actors to play with the material to make it their own.

"Improv" is where you create and perform a scene without a script! You create and make up a scene as you go along. It teaches you to be quick on your feet and ready to react when called upon. In today�s audition room, "improv" has quickly gone from a useful tool to a requirement, particularly in commercial auditions. At Best Actor Academy when I'm coaching on "one on One' or in a small group of 2 or 3 aspiring actors in Mumbai, I have started strongly emphasizing the importance of solid "mprov" training and have initiated individual structured improvisation exercises. I become an actor's partner in a scene when a trainee is alone in a session.

Simple 6 rules of improvisation

Quickly decide a story on a given subject with a beginning, middle and an end with interesting changes in the story
Start and end a scene with purpose (objective)
Listen to your co- actor, if present
Say "Yes" to what your co-actor says and then add. Keep the discussion open and lively
Don't ask closed questions like "what's the time?" After a reply, this could be a dead end to a scene
Don't deny or say "No" to a statement

Improvisation Examples

A. If we�re improvising and I say, �Freeze, I have a gun,� and you say, �That�s not a gun. It�s your finger. You�re pointing your finger at me,� our improvised scene has ground to a halt and died. But if I say, �Freeze, I have a gun!� and you say, �The gun I gave you for Dewali!�� then we have started a scene because we have agreed that my finger is in fact a Dewali gun

B. An improvising a scene is not only to say yes, but yes, and.. You are supposed to agree and then add something of your own.

If I start a scene with �I can�t believe it�s so hot in here,� and you just say, �Yeah�� we�re at a stand-still and the scene could become lifeless .

But if I say, �I can�t believe it�s so hot in here, � and you say, �What did you expect? We�re in hell.� Or if I say, �I can�t believe it�s so hot in here,� and you say, �Yes, this can�t be good for the wax figures like us.� Or if I say �I can�t believe it�s so hot in here,� and you say, �I told you we shouldn�t have come out into this weather,� ...now we�re getting somewhere.�

If you are wondering why Improvisation is good for actors, here are 5 great reasons!

1. Improvisation encourages you to take risks

"Improv" is all about taking risks � it�s about diving into the unknown, without a plan, and saying YES to whatever is in front of you � and building further on that by adding more.
What a fun! Once you practice taking risks in the safe space of an improvisation session, you will find yourself taking more risks in your auditions � and in your life!

Improvisation skills make us stronger, smarter and gives us the trust we need to realize our ideas are good ideas. Knowing we can use our improvisation skills anytime gives us the freedom to take chances. When we take risks that others are scared to take� that�s when an exciting performance occurs. We shine as actors and as humans when we step past our fears.

2. Improvisation builds terrific confidence

You likely know by now that first impressions are the most important. If you can walk in and out of a room confidently, you�re already on your way to success. By conquering our fears of jumping into the unknown � and literally creating entire stories out of nothing via "mprov" � we are sharpening our communication skills and our ability to connect and relate to other human beings in a variety of environments. We are becoming more confident. We are able to think and speak on our feet. Did you know that one of the number one fear among people is public speaking? "Improv" training will definitely enhance and expand your communication skills � both as an actor and as a professional in your industry.

3. Improvisation helps you sharpen your thinking, mental faculty fast

To say YES and be open

One of the key rules of "mprov" is the �Yes, and.. (adding)!� rule. Here�s the thing: human beings are genetically set up to say no. It�s a protective instinct. We often default to "at a loss of what to do", avoiding eye contact, and responding to questions with �Let me think about that,� or �maybe,� or �I�ll get back to you.�
There is no time to hide in improvisation or in an audition.
In order to move quickly on our feet, we must be open and ready to say yes to whatever is being called on us. Your scene partner says �So good to see you, my sister.� You must say YES � and become the sister in order to move the scene forward. If you said NO, the scene would stop right there. "Improv" will teach you to be both physically and mentally open and accepting to whatever is coming your way. Ask any football coach, and they�ll agree: you can�t catch the ball and score a touchdown if you aren�t open.

4. Improvisation helps you to make strong choices

Now, let�s talk about the �and� element of �Yes, and...!� So many young actors worry about being �right� for the part. So often they (and everyone else) spend most of their time trying to fit into a mold of what they think others want.
The reality is, people (and producers) often don�t know what they want!
They want you to show them what they want. "Improv" teaches us to quickly make big, strong choices. When you say yes to whatever is presented to you, whether it be a scene partner or a script, and then build upon that with strong choices, you will inspire excitement and ideas in others.

5. Improvisation coaxes you to learn to relax instantly

Surprised? Yes, it can because you just can't improvise if you are tense, your quick thinking process will be paralyzed. So, you have no option but to learn instant relaxation techniques. (Contact us to learn)

Have fun!

Lastly, and most importantly, improvisation is a whole lot of fun. Enjoy auditions, enacting scenes or bonding with your co-actors through "improv" training.
Give yourself permission to be silly and have a blast! After all, improvisation acting is famous for its hilarity, so go for it!
Based on

Remember- It's being increasingly required by auditions for Bollywood films and also demanded by directors while rehearsals and enacting scenes
In Mumbai
Or Join us and learn

5 Reasons Why to Learn Improvisation or Kill Acting Career

Dating and audition. Similarities and how to win

You are excited about this opportunity. You will spend approximately five minutes with a complete stranger, and if they say yes, it has the power to transform your life. You know you have to deliver intelligence, composure, and comfort in this tense situation.

What did I describe? An audition or a dating night with a girl or boy? Both.

Actors believe the key to audition success is to be a better actor by delivering a more emotional, thoughtful performance. Yes, that is true. Mostly. This is certainly the case for major roles.
But what the casting director considers while selecting an actor for the role?

The actor who suits best to the character's profile and gives a unique performance, certainly, but also the actor who has the ability to engage and connect with the concerned people in the audition room. To ensure that the casting session is invigorating and inspiring for the director and producer.

So if you walk in the door and the only thing in your mind is the character and the lines you have tried to memorize, then you have lost an opportunity. Or like a person dating who arrives and blurts out to his| her first time dating event �I was born in Jaipur. I like fast motorbikes. My favorite actor is Akshay Kumar, and my favorite food is Chinese.�

Well, well, well....what you say to that?

You must connect with the people in the audition room if you are to be remembered. And remembered positively. And I imagine the same applies to a fast dating a girl or a boy.
Each audition experience is different. You are meeting different people. They may have had a bad morning. You must sum up the situation in the audition room and fit in, rather than enter and deliver your pre-set approach and glib.

In a nutshell, do not deliver what you want, instead, deliver what they need.

The art of conversation with strangers is a key skill in an audition room. Most likely, experienced actors are at ease in the room. They have done it many times before. But newcomers should understand that casting directors do not get impressed with you only by your performance and performance alone.
How do you practice conversation? Think of going to your first night of dating a girl or a boy! I imagine the principles are the same. You have five minutes to impress! They don't need each others life story. You merely need to answer the question: "Do I want to see this person again?" And if the answer is �yes� then just be normal and shoot!

And strangely enough, that is exactly the question the casting directors ask themselves in the audition room during casting: �Do I want to see this actor again?� If not for this role, then some other audition opportunity in the future?

In the conclusion, apart from an excellent in portraying a character, it's �The Art of Conversation� by which you may grab the role!

If Dating a Girl and Boy is Similar to Audition Then How to Win?

Success audition tips for Bollywood

Do You Know What Casting Directors Want From You?

Ever had an audition for a Bollywood film or a TV serial? If yes, then you knew you did pretty well? The one in which you were sure you nailed the role? All you had to do was wait for the call from the casting director confirming you have been selected.. But the call never came and you were left wondering what the heck went wrong?
I mean, you're a fantastic actor! Rather than leave you wondering what these crazy casting directors want, I had been consulting a few on-camera casting directors, took their opinion and based on my own experience as a character actor, here are the top things you MUST remember for your next on-camera audition!

1. Don't worry too much about remembering lines

No need to get tensed if you have not been able to memorize all your lines in that freaking short time! Casting directors don't care really much about that. What they expect is that you show the personality and behavior of the character. They know that the actor isn't going to be able to memorize the lines for an audition as he/she got the lines at the waiting room may be 10 to 20 minutes back.

2. May ask questions -- but only relevant and if you really need to

Sometimes, good casting directors may ask if you have any questions, it's only to help you get clarity if there's something in the script lines (sides) that's confusing. Very often the best auditions come from actors who just say 'no sir� and just perform.
Don�t ask silly questions like �kya mujhe role milega? (Am I going to be selected)?� � Sir, aap se mujhe kab call mile ga? (When I will get a call from you�) or �I�m new and this is my first audition. Can you guide how should I do it?� etc.

3. Listen and react

"The camera loves to watch you listen." says a top cinematographer cum director. If at audition, there is a co-actor or a reader (some assistant) for the other character, you make the other person important, even if the reader isn't giving you back much. Don't be blank when the other guy is speaking the lines. The casting directors like to see the actor listen, think and respond

4. Be the best right the first time

You're not coming to an on-camera audition to get coached by a teacher. Come prepared (know who your character is, what you want, etc.). The guys in charge of the audition should not think maybe next time. They should think that they just saw your best the first time you did it. Don't be a next time actor."

5. Offer options, if asked

This means, you must be prepared to offer the options of portraying a character. Casting directors love an actor that can take direction well. They are going to throw things at you to see how skilled you are. For example, they may ask you to play a character in a different way, improvise a scene, speak faster or slower, say again with a different meaning, soften exaggerated gesture etc. You must be flexible to respond instantly.

6. Know what you look like on camera monitor

Camera acting skills always impresses casting directors. They like someone who knows how to do what they need to do with the camera on them.
Learn how to position your body and face so the best parts are seen in the right way and at the most important times. Practice a lot with your acting coach or do it on your mobile camera with the help of a friend and find out what everyone else sees. And just be critical.

7. Know where to look

Have you observed this?
When you are watching a television serial or a film the actors playing the characters are not looking into a camera (means not looking at viewers!). Don�t look at the camera lens unless ask so. Maintain your eye lines. Look either at your partner-actor or reader or a few inches away from the camera. Let your eyes wander -- a little bit. Just don't look down. Lots of us look down to think.

8. You're a person first, actor second

People don't select actors. They hire people who can act. When it's a close competition-- and it often is -- sometimes hiring decisions have to do with the person as much as the performance.
So what does that mean? Personality. Personality. Personality.

Some more truth about auditions

Don't be surprised if there isn't a
Be nice to everyone -- the receptionist might be the casting director's sister. The director might look like an assistant.
Never complain about any issue
Never apologize -- we don't care if you're sorry you did a bad.
Never blame -- the person that didn't give you the script ahead of time might be the person hiring you, or a transport being late, was not well or had a late night etc.
Don't try to talk intimately with any one or cozily or gossip -- they hate that!
Don't look at them like they are about to put you in jail or going to perform a life threatening surgery -- they're nice people.
Be professional -- after all, it is a job interview.

Based on

Don't Frustrate Casting Directors and Ruin Career | Give 8 Things

Clockwise: Shanoo Sharma, Atul Mongia, Shruti Mahajan, Mukesh Chhabra, Honey Trehan, Vicky Sidana, Nandini Shrikent

Email contact at the bottom

Wanna Make Your Bollywood Dreams Come True?

They are known as casting directors or star makers who are responsible for selecting or short listing actors for specific characters from the script of a film, TV serial or commercial ad.
Now a day, these guys are highly talented and play a significant role in the film making process by helping to identify good actors with whom largely depends the success of a film, a serial or a commercial ad. New successful actors like Ranveer Singh and Parineeti Chopra vouch for the vision and talent of these casting directors.

What to Expect?

When you're called in for an acting audition, the people present at the audition will include you, the casting director, and maybe a handful of other complete strangers. Some of these other people may be the producer, a camera operator (if they're taping the auditions), the casting director's bored friend or relative, a representative from the advertiser (in the case of a commercial audition), or a dance choreographer or musical director (in the case of a musical).

By the time it's your turn to audition, the casting director has probably seen hundreds of other people ahead of you, which means the casting director and anyone else in the room is likely to be tired, bored, and irritable. Make the director's job easy and you increase your chances of having a successful audition. Make the job harder (by not being ready, talking too much, and so on) and you may seriously kill any chances of getting any role.

Take care! Top 3 Tips!

1. Memorize your line perfectly

To an extent that you don't have to think about lines anymore.

2. Mind your auditioning manners

A lack of courtesy shows disrespect, no matter where you are in life
Never touch the casting director or any of his or her possessions, such as the notepad, laptop computer, food, and such. Doing so is rude and definitely works against you.

3. How to enter and exit

Enter smiling. Mildly nod or wish elegantly
Complete your performance, wait for about half or a minute, listen if they give any comment or instructions, nod smilingly, thank them and leave elegantly.
Well, this is in a nutshell.

Here are 7 of the top most casting directors of Bollywood who have become a celebrity in their own right with their right actor pick up ability:

1. Shanoo Sharma

Star finds: Ranveer Singh, Parineeti Chopra, Arjun Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar, Bhumi Pednekar

Arguably the biggest name in the casting circuit of Bollywood, Shanoo Sharma is the casting director of Yash Raj Films and has blockbusters like Dhoom 3, Jab Tak Hai Jaan,Ek Tha Tiger, My Name is Khan, Band Baja Baaraat etc to her credit. Sharma's big break came in the form of Karan Johar's 2009 thriller Kurbaan which got her noticed after she handled a celebrity star cast beautifully.
A decade into the business, Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor are considered to be her biggest draws and the young stars have publicly gone on record to say that they owe their careers to Shanoo!
Contact details: casting@yashrajfilms.com
Facebook page for message: https://www.facebook.com/Shanoo-YRFcasting-201876266557914

2. Atul Mongia

It was his interest in film making that eventually helped Mongia cast and deal with actors better. Post his teaching stint at the renowned Barry John School of Acting in New Delhi, Atul moved to Mumbai and got busy training actors for Dibakar Banerjee's relatively fresh cast in Love Sex Aur Dhoka.And that's how he was handed over the responsibility of finding actors for films.
Contact details: atulcasting@gmail.com
Facebook page for message: https://www.facebook.com/atul.mongia.1

3. Shruti Mahajan

Chakravyuh, Ram Leela, Mary Kom and Finding Fanny are some noted milestones in Shruti's portfolio as a casting director which have sealed her career in the big league. And with plum upcoming projects like Bajirao Mastani, Gangajaal 2 and AR Murugadoss's next, the future looks promising for this girl.
Contact details: shrutimcasting@gmail.com
Facebook page for message: https://www.facebook.com/shruti.mahajan.5855

4. Mukesh Chhabra

Star finds: Rajkummar Rao, Sushant Singh Rajput and Amit Sadh

A casting director by a stroke of luck, Mukesh Chhabra, also lovingly known as Casting Chhabra, is another name deeply respected in the industry. His journey, which began accidentally by casually helping Vishal Bhardwaj cast kids, saw him eventually launch big names like Rajkummar Rao, Sushant Singh Rajput and Amit Sadh.
Chhabra got his first big break with Imtiaz Ali's Love Aaj Kal but it was his immaculate casting in Anurag Kashyap's Gangs Of Wasseypur that made him a name to reckon with. Presently casting for Aamir Khan's upcoming wrestling film Dangal, Chhabra has no reservations in helping his friends within the industry with casting.
Contact details (Address): Bunglow No 160, J P Road, Andheri West, Mumbai - 400058, Aaram Nager, Part 2
Send portfolio: casting@mccc.in

5. Honey Trehan

Another theatre product from Delhi, Honey Trehan worked as a stage director in New Delhi. However, his chance meeting with Vishal Bhardwaj in Mumbai changed the course of his career. Trehan worked as an assistant director in Bhardwaj's Makdee and later showed interest in getting actors for Bhardwaj's movies. That is how Maqbool, Omkaraand Kaminey happened and there was no looking back for Trehan.
Trehan's first independent assignment was Aamir Khan's production, Delhi Belly. However, it was his dream to cast for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Ritesh Sidhwani, which also happened with the time. Today, Trehan is content with the way his career has shaped up and feels there is plenty of scope for casting directors in the industry
You can tweet to Honey Trehan: https://twitter.com/HoneyTrehan
Facebook page for message: https://www.facebook.com/honey.trehan.3

6. Vicky Sidana

Star finds: Kartik Tiwari, Divyendu Sharma and Rayo Bakhrita

Vicky Sidana struck gold after his casting for Pyaar Ka Punchnama hit the bull's eye! While life got tedious after the movie, the challenges of his job have always excited him. Sidana has been a part of marathon auditioning processes to filter people for Special 26and Pyaar Ka Punchnama and has only gotten better. And with Bodyguard and Baby also to his credit, Sidana has rapidly found a footing in the industry.
Facebook page for message: https://www.facebook.com/VickySidanaCastingDirector

7. Nandini Shrikent

It was her internship with Govind Nihlani on Takshak which changed the course of her career.
Nandini got her first big break when she got a chance doing the casting for Lakshya. However, her very first assignment was more of a challenge for Shrikent when she was asked to cast 72 actors to fit Lakshya's war set-up. However, her performance in Lakshya ensured that there was no looking back. Her next few projects, Luck by Chance , Rock On!!, Life of Pi, Student of the Year and most recently, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani established her as a name to reckon with.
Facebook page for message: https://www.facebook.com/nandini.shrikent
Info source

Contact Emails 5 casting directors

5) Shanoo Sharma

casting@yashrajfilms.com

Updated post from 7.3.2016

Top 7 Casting Directors with Contact Email of 5 to Help You

A typical film audition scene

A typical audition scene in a Bollywood film or TV audition:

Fierce competition! A long queue of hundreds for a single role in audition! �Hell! Everyone is looking better than me! My chances are poor! What to do?�

This is a common experience of many, especially new actors. They enter the audition room with a scared face with sweat trickling down the neck.
The result is disastrous. In nutshell, this nervousness just screws up all your efforts and preparation.
Stress and anxiety are factors that an actor has to deal with when they audition for a part. But it�s important that an actor knows what to do with their nervousness so it doesn�t prevent them from getting what they want.
Based on my own experience and the recommendations of top casting directors, here are 5 invaluable techniques as solutions to fight nervousness and anxiety

1. Stop Negative Thoughts. Take a break.

Sometimes an actor gets stressed out before they have to perform. When this happens, a person must give an auto suggestion with Saying �Stop� to self, should take a deep breath, say �I�m confident, I�ll do the best�, just smile for self and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get their mind off of the problem. A person could take a walk, listen to some music, read the newspaper, or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things before auditioning for a part.

2. Read motivating quotes, something uplifting your mood.

A technique that is very helpful is to have a small notebook of positive quotes; statements that make you feel good. Whenever you come across a motivational quote, being positive in life, statements by great Hollywood or Bollywood actors, how to manage anxiety, etc., write it down in a small notebook that you can carry around with you in your pocket. Whenever you feel depressed or frustrated, open up your notebook and read those statements. This will help to manage your negative thinking before going on stage or set.

3. Visualize the audition scene before and practice.

Sometimes we can get anxious over an upcoming audition just for the heck of it or perhaps because we don�t know anything about it.
There are 2 options:
� If possible, visit the place before a day and try to inquire about it. If it�s a casting director�s office try to meet few concerned people. This will help you to reach at the audition place without hassles on time on the day and mentally you may be in a relaxed mood.
� Before the big day comes, imagine yourself doing the audition using your mind. By doing this, you will be better prepared to perform for real when the time comes. Self-visualization is a great way to reduce the fear and stress of a coming situation.

4. Worrying only makes things worse.

A lot of times, our worrying can make the problem even worse. All the worrying in the world will not change anything. All you can do is to do your best each day, hope for the best, and if something does not work out, learn to take it in stride. Just say to yourself �If they don�t select me, the loss is theirs�s. They lost a good actor for their film�. �Ha�ha�ha�

5. Take help.

Take advantage of the help that is available around you if you get really anxious in your auditions. If possible, talk to your school teacher or a professional acting coach who can help you manage your depression and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping themselves in the long run because they will become better able to deal with their problems in the future. Remember that it never hurts to ask for help.
Source

Are you Nervous at Auditions? 5 Solutions by Top Directors

Great nonverbal (silent no dialog) communication on camera by a great actor

Non Verbal Communication

Conveying your reactions, views, thoughts, emotions and attitudes without dialogs in the front of a camera is called as a superior acting technique of "Non Verbal Communication", a hallmark of great actors.

Should aspiring actors to be a successful learn this technique?

The answer is a BIG yes.

Communicating silently in front of a camera makes up anywhere from 60-70 percent of our communication. An audition requiring only a reaction from you brings it to 100 percent. Since we are in the acting (communication business), it makes sense that all actors master this nonverbal, the language of silence
To be successful in auditions and give a stunning performance in a scene, remember my words �It�s what you�re not saying within the silence that often speaks the loudest�.

A. A slight clamping and lifting of the corner of the lip can send a message of disagreement, contempt or criticism.
B. The rate of blinking can suggest interest, hostility, or distress. Your scent, what you�re wearing, and your posture are all sending messages and are interpreted by casting. It�s this nonverbal information that differentiates the skilled actor from the unskilled or unprepared.

In an acting technique, the nonverbal information we send out through our body, voice, face, and appearance is called �nonverbal behaviors.� Such nonverbal behaviors spring from our attitudes, cultural upbringing, and our reactions to things we consider important in our interest (or in a character�s interest) to communicate either in a positive or negative way.

The following is a quick overview of 7 types of unspoken communication and behaviors that you can use, after analyzing a script and creating a character for your next audition or for actual filming of a scene.

1. Your face

The majority of your silent communication will come from your facial expressions.
A. Some facial expressions are just random muscle movement without meaning and only serve to confuse the viewer. However, facial expressions associated with surprise, fear, happiness, sadness, anger, disgust, and contempt are universally recognized.
B. Practice 9 emotions and if used appropriately, they inform the viewer what you are feeling at any given moment. Some facial reactions are also used for punctuating words or phrases, such as raising your eyebrows to comment on how big something really was.

Use parts of your face like forehead, eyebrows, nostrils, lips, twitching of a facial muscle, clenching of teeth, subtle shaking of the head to communicate yourself well without dialogs

2 Your eyes

Looking, staring, and blinking, is an important nonverbal reaction. When an actor in a scene faces people or things that they like, the rate of blinking increases. On the other hand, when angered, the gaze gets harder and the blink rate will decrease or stop completely. An increase in the blink rate for no apparent reason sends a clear message that you are either not prepared, not connected, or experiencing high anxiety

3. Using your hands

Movements that express some kind of thought or process of thinking are called gestures. Some gestures occur with speech, such as using your fingers when counting out loud or perhaps to emphasize a word or phrase.
Recollect how a politician, a public speaker, trainers or a good TV anchor uses his/ her hands. I would strongly suggest observing foreign TV speakers. Gestures are expressed primarily with your hands, however, can occur in the head, body, or even your face. This may include nodding your head �yes,� a shoulder shrug implying that you �don�t know,� or a wink of the eye suggesting �secret�or "I'm lying"

4. Your body

Unlike facial expressions, body language doesn�t tell viewers what emotion you�re feeling, but rather, how well you�re (a character is) reacting, responding and coping with the emotion he/she has felt after hearing something.
Things that we find frightening or distasteful, we tend to move away from. Heavy swallowing or licking your lips, touching your hair or sprawling out on a couch can be signs of stress, interest, or feelings of superiority.

5. Keeping space (Distance)

The amount of space you or your character needs is influenced by a number of factors including social norms like
Relationship with people or the items in a set: The distance you maintain with a co actor or a thing in a scene would depend on factors like a particular situation,personality characteristics, and level of familiarity. For example, just a slight moving in towards your partner, reader, or the camera can enhance intimacy. A big boss may maintain a formal distance with a subordinate rather than a drunken close friend at a party.
6. Your touch. Communicating through touch is an important nonverbal behavioral cue to think about. Touch can be used by a good actor to communicate a range of information and feelings such as affection, familiarity, sympathy, desire, etc.

7. Your look

The choice of color, clothing, hairstyles, and other factors affecting how you look fall under the category of appearance. Your appearance as a character can also change scene partner or viewer�s reactions, judgments, and conclusions. Think of an appearance of a gangster, policeman, businessman, college girl.
In our real life, how do we judge people? Just think of all the opinions, judgments we quickly make about someone based on his or her appearance.
Remember! The first impression you make in your audition is important and lasting.
As a good actor, it�s how you react to an event or situation�your attitude or behavior under certain circumstances, like when there are no dialogs�makes your performance memorable.

A sure success formula?

When chosen (from the above 7 ones) and prepared correctly into your audition, or into a filming of a scene can bring more depth, colors, and meaning to your actions, reactions, and the words you don�t speak.

Still don�t know how to prepare? Join our coaching

Inspired by own experience and this article

7 Tips to Express on Camera without Dialogs to be a Star

Bringing strong emotions quickly

Secret of How to Play Strong Emotions Quickly for Winning Auditions | On a Set

Sometimes you need to cry, be angry, be threatening, or play a powerful villain and that too, quickly as in auditions or on a set due to time constraint.
If you are not an experienced actor or are uncomfortable showing strong emotions in real life, you may feel uneasy acting with the kind of power or intensity called for in emotional scenes.

The basic approach

Perhaps you are afraid to get out of control, but the willingness to lose control will actually allow you to be more in control of the scene. When you lose control, you find freedom. You start to get lost in the character and their reality. Once you get out of your own thoughts (and your own mental blocks) and get into the body and the thoughts of the character, you begin to operate from inside which is connected to the emotions of the character.
I suggest these tips for beginners, based on the successes of very experienced actors. I use it in classes (kids, too) These tips work fast.

The Master Key

The most important for an actor to play strong emotions is a highly developed power of imagination to see and feel as a character a strong emotional situation. Develop it by practice. Take help from your acting coach.

Before the audition or a shot

Sometimes when you find difficult to bring strong emotions quickly (especially if you are a beginner) and are short of time, using your body as a whole, individual body parts like face, hands and gestures to bring emotions triggering from outside to inside may be the answer to a tricky situation. This is my experience and personal opinion though may not be in line of �Method Acting�.

Just physicalize!

Pump yourself up to get your blood surging... big time. You are trying to get yourself into the exact physical state that you are in when you actually feel the emotion in your own life.

1. Anger

Do pushups or agitate you. I, personally, stomp around, pound my fists and yell and curse to pump my emotions up to get angry. Gets your adrenaline pulsing through your body any way you can. No one cares that you are doing this. They know you need to push your buttons for an emotional scene and are thrilled you can do it quickly so they can get the shot.

2. Crying with tears

Slump or hold onto your body in a defeated or protective way. Perhaps even collapse a bit. I suggest audible breathing as if you can�t catch your breath. Make the ugly sounds you make when you cry. Let your voice be ugly and broken. Let your face become ugly. Be willing to be unattractive.
(Make sure you watch the accompanying video to see how insane I actually get!)

3. Passion

(A state or outburst of strong emotion)
Generating a strong emotion could be applicable to many situations, when you speak passionately about something. These are great in improvisations, for building characters quickly, and for strong emotions.
For example intense love, desire, longing, frenzy, hero worship, craze, obsession etc.

Intense Love or sex

To express a strong emotion of love, visualize someone you love deeply and replace your scene co actor with this person you love so deeply and practice your dialogs. Try to make your voice husky and breathless.

For anger

Pick up what your character in the script hates most and do a few minutes� worth of a wild, passionate, angry outburst about it. Pick what is really irritating your character in the scene or the straw that broke the camel�s back that set you off. What drives you crazy? Get madder and madder as you go. Get insane!

For tears

Choose what you fear, what broke your heart, or whatever situation in the actual scene is making you sad and just rant. Get more and more upset as you go until you are sobbing. This will help you to find the buttons to push when you need to call upon those tears again.

4. Scream

This works especially well if you are playing an extremely angry or powerful villain. Just scream bloody murder. Often, if I am taping someone for an audition, I will have them scream and go right into the scene and I just edit out the scream.
For tears, this will get you so out of control that it is easy to break into tears very quickly. Just keep screaming until you are totally broken.

Now go go go forth and freak out!

Based on

4 Best Tips to Play Strong Emotions Quickly for Success

A cut-throat competition in actor's market for Bollywood and TV serials

How to Market yourself as an actor FREE

Yes, they are Smart and Successful Actors! Why?

A. Because they listened
B. They focused on a single factor; "how to get chances" rather than dreaming foolishly to be an actor and running from pillar to post without a solid strategy
C. They realized apart from an excellence in acting craft, the success of this factor depends on their marketing strategies and promotion being acting a "Business"
D. They knew they didn't have lots of money and time enough and wait till eternity.

To be an actor is a business and any actor who doesn't realize this, irrespective of an excellence in the acting craft, will surely fail!

So, smart actors, when think about marketing, they usually see a most important sign

Or rather how to save it!

Sure, an essential tool like your headshots can be expensive, but once you have them, there�s plenty of ways to improve your actor marketing without spending a dime.
Actor marketing is defining who you are, building relationships with people interested in you, and convincing them you are the one they need.
If you�re dreaming and desperately want to be a Bollywood or a TV serial actor, and short of money, here are some inexpensive ways you can work on your actor marketing!

1. Be sure your portfolio photos are working for you, not against you.
Cost: Rs.0 to Rs. 5000 for 10

Many of aspiring actors spend a lot of money on headshots (Portfolio) where unfortunately though they look glamorous but not what truly they are. The result is obvious- they are selected for an initial audition based on the headshot, they are rejected because when they enter into the audition room, the casting director finds a different person than what he/she had seen in the photograph. It may be your face, hair style, profile, looks which probably had been altered in your headshot by a photographer to give you a glamorous look. The cost of such portfolio could be around Rs. 10,000. This is a waste of your money and definitely works against you
The solution: Get your pictures clicked to look what you exactly are-neat and simple and of good quality. Don�t give a shock to a casting director by looking different than your headshots. You even use your own cell phone which has a good camera.
Choosing your best looking shot is great if you want to get a date but, if you want to get a role in a film, choose a shot that reflects the roles you�re most castable as.

2. Your r�sum� (Online and others)
Cost: Rs.0

Your r�sum� works for you to show people whether you have experience, do you have other talents like swimming, dancing, singing, martial arts, languages, accents etc. and whether you will fit into to be auditioned role.If your r�sum� looks sloppy and unprofessional� so do you! Check for typing errors, have a friend proofread it for you! Be sure to update your hard copy for auditions, the PDF on your website, and any casting sites you�re on!

3. Start a website!
Cost: Rs.0

Actors need a website that shows their marketing materials and links to all of their social media accounts. Don�t put off building your website because you can�t afford one.

You can set up a free on the following sites right NOW:

https://about.me/ https://www.yola.com/ http://www.wix.com/ http://www.weebly.com/

4. Market and promote yourself on social media accounts.
Cost: Rs.0

Do you have social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, about.me and looks professional?
Do they feature one headshot you chose to consistently promote your brand across platforms?
Do you have professional social media headers?
A compelling bio with keywords?
These things cost nothing and are necessary to effectively use social media to advance your career.
(Warning for Facebook: Don�t get fooled by �likes� by your friends. They are not casting people. You may get wrong signals and may get addicted to wasting your precious time on chatting and get foolishly self-elated. Instead a "profile", start a business �page�)

5. Build and Track your relationships.
Cost: Rs.0 (Except travel)

Remember, marketing is about building and nurturing relationships!

Identifying production houses, TV channels like sonny, star plus, casting directors, cinematographers and others related to the industry and running after them to submit your resume and headshots is a MUST. Read relevant posts on this subject from this blog
A follow up with a thank you mail, card, birthday or anniversary wish is always welcomed and help people to remember you among the countless crowd of aspiring actors. For email, it�s necessary that your email page is properly designed with your headshot and a great header which should remain constant. You don�t need relationships with thousands of people for your career take off. Focus your marketing efforts of these people!

6. Expand your network of contacts.
Cost: Rs.0

Get off the couch or gossip corner and find a group of actor�s, casting directors, director�s hang out places in Mumbai or in your town and gate crash to network with! Become extrovert and aggressive if you want to be an actor! Read this post at: hangout places in Mumbai
Do you require lots of money for the above? NO
So, that money is no longer an excuse, get started!

Still confused?

Read relevant posts from this blog or
Join us and become an actor cum marketing expert

(Author; Had been a marketing wizard for 30 years apart from an award winning actor, an acting coach and a short film maker)
Inspired by

Learn 6 Ways of Smart Actors to Market Career FREE

6 Steps Everyone Should Know About Auditions

An acting career is a strange thing. You spend more appearing for auditions than for getting roles in a TV serial or films. I don�t think there are any other occupations like that. Looking back at my life as an actor and an acting coach, the average to number of auditions to actually getting the role (job) is 10:1, and a working actor probably had hundreds of auditions during his/her career.
This is why you have to learn how to handle an audition. Sadly, there are a lot of talented actors out there who never had a career because they couldn�t deal with the auditioning process.

The first thing you have to understand is that auditions aren�t about winning a role.. You can�t do good work inside an audition room with at kind of pressure hanging over your head of �getting a role is a MUST�.
If the casting director says to me as his/her coach that my student did a great job, but he/she was too young or too old or too tall or too short, then I say to my guy you�re on solid ground. That means you�ll get repeat audition calls or even better, may select you directly without an audition for some future project.
Look at it this way: Auditions are an opportunity to create a terrific, memorable impressions and fans in the casting world. And if you can get into the good books of casting directors, you will have a successful career.
Another thing you want to keep in mind is that nothing a casting director does is personal. Remember, these people are under a lot of pressure. They have to get their job done while facing calls from their producers, the director, the studio, the channel etc. So if the casting director is eating lunch during your audition, it means he�s hungry. It doesn�t mean he doesn�t like you.
That�s why it�s a mistake to read into every little moment that occurs before, during, and after your audition? This road leads to madness. And if you are oversensitive about this, nine out of 10 times, you�ll be totally wrong.
If you want to become a successful actor, you�re going to spend a large part of your life auditioning for the acting roles you�re never going to get. So learn to enjoy the process. See every audition as a chance to perform, and don�t worry about the outcome.

My advice

�All you guys want to do is to win an acting assignment, and you are thrilled because you finally get an audition. All anyone is asking you to do is to focus and act in those two to four minutes, because that�s about how long an audition is gonna last
And what you do? You jump into your own freaking conclusions and wonder if they�re paying attention. Do they like it? What are they thinking? Did I make mistakes? ... Think I got the role... No?
Forget it. Just perform�
Based on

.

6 Audition Steps You Don't Know and Failed Again

Aspiring actors preparing for Bollywood audition

It�s always your fault for audition failures. So stop making excuses! Follow these 4 tips, give a "Star Performance" and grab your dream role

When you walk into an audition, it�s all about confidence. It�s about owning the room, and believing in yourself, your technique, and your skill. After all, if you don�t believe in yourself, nobody else will.
Confidence is an attractive quality that gets buyers (casting directors, producers, show runners, directors) to trust you so that they can put you on set and you won�t crack under all the pressure. You can be an amazing actor, but if you can�t walk into an audition with confidence, you will lose the role. Remember, your confidence level can play a major role in grabbing or losing the chance

Here are my four tips for developing unshakeable confidence in auditions:

1. How to get rid of the pressure

Outside in the waiting room, sit comfortably, don�t think of the crowd sitting or strolling around. Take a deep breath and relax.
Give auto-suggestion to yourself that you are relaxed and would give the best performance. You are good. And then focus on the script, the character and imagine the scene.

The trick here is to divert your mind immediately towards positive things, before the crowd or the scene in the waiting room makes you tense and nervous.

Remember, this audition is a simply a chance to play. So much of it is out of your hands (type, eye color, hair color, height, etc.). Forget the need to be perfect, allow for mistakes, and remind yourself that there will always be more auditions. Think of this as a fun chance to show your work and give them your take on the character. The casting director is your friend, on your side, and genuinely wants you to be right for the part. Don�t worry about the need to get the role. Thinking this way will free you from unnecessary tension and you will feel and appear more confident.
And your audition will be just great!

2. �Act� as a confident person

You�re an actor, right? It�s all about perception. Even if you are feeling terribly tense inside out, repeat in your mind �I�m feeling good� and act like someone who is very confident, and you will actually become �Confident�. Some actors walk into the room with body language that says, �I�m sorry, don�t expect much from me�.�
Act like you are fully in control and have been doing these �auditions� since ages. Take a deep breath, smile (One of the most important �acts� by an actor), walk into the room with purpose, make eye contact, hold your head up, act like you already have this role in your pocket.
Before you start your lines and looking at the auditioners, boost your confidence by saying to yourself, �Ok, ladies and gentlemen, watch this performance�. Just fake it. It puts the casting director at ease, and lets them know that you are in control.

3. Know your lines, backwards and forwards

Being unprepared is the quickest way to feel nervous and insecure when you walk into a room. Knowing your lines is one of the few things you can control, and will help you feel sure of yourself and confident in your audition. Read the whole script if possible, understand the circumstances of the scene, know the techniques of quick memorization (If you don�t know how to memorize instantly, ask your coach) and learn them so well that you can just focus on the camera and the scene in the audition room. A prepared audition is a confident audition, and allows you to be present without panicking.

4. Wear comfortable clothes that make you feel good

Unless, you are asked to wear specific clothes, otherwise this is my best tip. Unfortunately a lot of actors forget.
For on-camera auditions, I always feel that actors should wear something that makes them feel good, that fits them well, and that brings out their eyes and face. Wear something that makes you feel comfortable in your own skin, not something you just bought and have never worn before. All actors should have their own audition outfits. When you walk into a room and feel good about yourself, it radiates from you and makes people want to watch you.
After all, the game of audition is about "Feeling" and "Delivering"
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