Think about it this way. Have you ever met someone for the first time and liked him or her instantly? In hindsight you think, “Oh, we like the same kind of things. We grew up in the same suburb outside of Detroit. They really got what I was saying.” Actually, all of those impressions are peripheral. What really ignited the interaction was openness. Each of you, probably without realizing it, gave open access to one another. That openness to experiencing each other is why you felt a connection.
The subliminal part of casting is all about access. If casting directors don’t have access to you as a person, how can they possibly see you in the role? If they don’t have access to you, your performance, no matter how good it is technically, is going to seem artificial simply because they don’t feel that they “know” you.
Here’s an example. When you walk into a monologue audition, everything that happens before you do your monologue is all about access. This brief interview portion of the audition is where you become accessible to the people for whom you’re auditioning. The access you provide literally makes them more sensitive to you, to what you’re experiencing.
Their heightened sensitivity automatically heightens the impact of your monologue. Your monologue will feel more like an interaction. They will feel that you’re talking to them, not at them. All of this causes them to experience you as a real person in a real situation, as opposed to an actor doing a monologue in an audition.
Access is simple and difficult all at the same time. If you try to manufacturer access, you will be inaccessible. If you simply give people access, than you’re in business. The reason why so many monologue auditions are lackluster is not because of the acting. It is due to a lack of access.
Next… Walking into the room
Labels: Audition Monologues