Persuade, Convince, Realize and Understand are unspecific and unhelpful intentions. When an actor tells me that they are using one of these intentions, I instantly know what’s wrong with their audition.
Think about it. How do you know if you persuaded me? How do you know if you convinced me? Because you made me feel or do something.
For example, if I’m trying to persuade you to buy my car, I want you to make a decision and give me money. Now that gives me something specific to fight for and listen for. And, I know I got my intention when you give me that money. This gives you, the actor, something tangible to do in the scene.
Next time you ask yourself, “What’s my intention?” and to persuade, to convince, to realize, or to understand come to mind, ask yourself, “What do I need the other actor to feel or do, to know that I have persuaded or made them understand.”
Are your Intentions vague? How have you addressed this area of your acting? Please share your experiences by commenting on this blog post.
Remember, as an actor, you’re part of a community and your experience – which is your story – can serve as a valuable learning tool and inspiration for others.
2 Responses to “Vague Intentions”
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Keith Nagel gave a killer audition and got cast in Speechies a webseries – keep an eye out for it.
One Response to “Congratulations Keith Nagel!”
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Congratulations for booking a role in The Importance of Being Earnest at the Banshee Theatre now running in Burbank California. Support a great actor and great theatre at the Banshee Theatre through May 5th.
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Congratulations to Ara Anton for booking a role at the Pasadena Playhouse in a Theatre Neo Production.
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Well, actually if you understand German I get cast as a Casting Director. But my student Kailyn Kaluna gets top billing and thanks to wonderful Casting Director Bonnie Gillespie who came to the Oakwood Apartments to speak to the young actors.
One Response to “Intentional Acting on Germany TV!”
Victoria Leave a Reply
Congratulations to Grayson for not just 1 booking one but two!! Grayson booked a Guest Star on Raising Hope. “Watch for him as the Young Burt” and a Recurring Role as Prince Hugo on Sofia the First.
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Congratulations to Erica for booking a Depends commercial and going back to Asia on tour with”Le Noir, The Dark Side Of Cirque.”
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When you walk out of the room and you’re still in the glow of the audition, don’t leave, sit back down in the waiting room. As my friend Brian from Performer Track says, “You might just freak out the other actors, but that’s not the point.” The point is to remember what happened in the room and write it down. In a notebook, or check out Performer Track, but you must write it down, it cannot be logged in your head.
What do you write?
1. Who were all the people in the room? (Don’t know? Kindly ask the assistant.)
2. What were the adjustments they gave you?
3. What did they say and anything else remarkable you can remember about the experience.
4. Pull out your 9 Questions of Intentional Acting. Answer them according to what you did in the audition room.
Now you’re ready for your callback - you know exactly what you did and how to do it again, and yes – wear the same thing, unless they tell you otherwise. Notice I say WHEN you get the callback, not IF
Next – sit and breathe. Notice your breath and just breathe. If you forgot something write it down.
Leave and go to the car, but don’t drive away just yet. Breathe again, and again. And no matter how the audition went, good or bad, say an affirmation that makes you feel good i.e.“I am an awesome person. I am an awesome actor. I did what I did and it was more than enough.” Say this as many times as you need to feel complete. (Perhaps set your phone timer and repeat the affirmation for two minutes.)
Now you’re ready to drive away. Move onto your next action of the day and get on with your life. And that’s when the phone will ring, with a callback – after you’ve done your work and let it all go.
Share the what you do after a callback. Let this be a forum to help each other.
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Congratulations Bex for booking the part of “Bullet” a Series Regular on AMC’s The Killing!
We’ll miss having you in class but we are SO PROUD OF YOU!!
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Congratulations to Adam Christopher who booked an Indie Feature…
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Congratulations to Caroline Muñoz Kuntz for booking AFI film “La Triguena”…
Good advice. If you know what your intention is you can fight for it, which is what acting is all about.
This was the pivotal point in my acting journey. I had been told things and taught things for two years, but I was going no where. But they were teaching me specific things to nail specific scenes. No one told me how to break down a script, have an intention, listening, ect. This technique has helped me so much in being comfortable with scripts, in my auditions, and raised my confidence
Thanks, Loren <3