About Brinley --- My Complete CV
Current Projects --- About Acting
Have you ever written a To Do list of all the things you need to get done? You tick off the boxes, but week after week that really important person you had to call, or that very necessary email you had to write and send, is still on that list to be done.
I hear myself say so often: “I’ll leave that till last”, “I’ll do these little things first . . .”. Sound familiar?
Sometimes human nature is strange and we put these little things in the way of our big goals!
Your day is busy and that makes you feel very productive. But you realise that sometimes all this “stuff”, although useful, is actually taking you further away from the important steps you need to take that move you forward! I fall into this trap all the time, so I wanted to bring it up to help others stay focussed.
Ask yourself “What is important?”, find that thing, and do it first – before anything else!!
It makes such a difference!!
Enjoy the possibilities . . .!!!!
Brinley :-)
About Brinley --- My Complete CV --- Current Projects --- About Acting
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Acting: Getting Started!!!
About Brinley --- My Complete CV
Current Projects --- About Acting
Now just to let you know: this is coming from a gal who is also still getting started, but you could say I have very recent and first hand knowledge of all this!!
One of the biggest questions is “How do I find auditions without an agent, and how do I get an agent without having had any acting experience?”
Well . . . There are many film students and theatre companies that are regularly auditioning!! They are usually unpaid roles. But when you are starting out they are the best way to get experience, act many different and fun roles, and build friendships with other budding young film and theatre makers. I have included a list of websites that regularly post auditions of this sort. Films are great ways to get footage of yourself to build a showreel; and theatre is great as you can invite agents along to see you perform!
Word of warning: Never do anything that you don’t want to do or that doesn’t feel right!! You DO NOT have to do every single short film that comes your way because it will give you “experience”. If someone wants you to act a certain role or do something in a film that doesn’t agree with you – don’t accept the role. You’re not being paid millions yet! And it is will not hurt your career to turn it down. Some directors just want weird stuff (or really dull stuff), let someone who enjoys that, do it. You may feel really uncomfortable around certain people. Never compromise yourself because you want to gain “as much experience as possible” – you have to be happy and enjoy yourself!!!
Here are some great AUDITION websites:
www.quietonset.com.au
- This website by Lee Donahue not only posts auditions, film festivals and acting and film courses, it has tutorials and advice about the acting industry from successful actors and she holds events where many successful actors, directors and casting agents give advice on acting.
www.metroscreen.org
- This is a film school in Paddington that regularly need actors for their film projects. Sign up to their newsletter to find out about upcoming auditions. I have always had a great time working with these guys!!!
www.sydneyactor.com
- You can post you profile here and receive auditions from Film makers on the look out! This is also linked to a Yahoo group which will send out audition notices as well!!
Auditions Australia – Yahoo Group
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/AuditionsAustralia/
- These guys send out audition notices all the time!! They are fantastic!!
And here is a list of local THEATRE companies:
New Theatre – www.newtheatre.org.au
Factory Space Theatre – www.factoryspace.org
Newtown Theatre – www.newtowntheatre.com.au
– If you are interested in auditioning for short and sweet. Check out this website!
The Peninsula Theatre – www.peninsulatheatre.com.au
There are many more! Go to Theatre Australia – http://theatre.asn.au for a very complete list.
Now all that should give you a good kick start . . .
Enjoy the journey!!!
Brinley :-)
About Brinley --- My Complete CV --- Current Projects --- About Acting
Current Projects --- About Acting
Now just to let you know: this is coming from a gal who is also still getting started, but you could say I have very recent and first hand knowledge of all this!!
One of the biggest questions is “How do I find auditions without an agent, and how do I get an agent without having had any acting experience?”
Well . . . There are many film students and theatre companies that are regularly auditioning!! They are usually unpaid roles. But when you are starting out they are the best way to get experience, act many different and fun roles, and build friendships with other budding young film and theatre makers. I have included a list of websites that regularly post auditions of this sort. Films are great ways to get footage of yourself to build a showreel; and theatre is great as you can invite agents along to see you perform!
Word of warning: Never do anything that you don’t want to do or that doesn’t feel right!! You DO NOT have to do every single short film that comes your way because it will give you “experience”. If someone wants you to act a certain role or do something in a film that doesn’t agree with you – don’t accept the role. You’re not being paid millions yet! And it is will not hurt your career to turn it down. Some directors just want weird stuff (or really dull stuff), let someone who enjoys that, do it. You may feel really uncomfortable around certain people. Never compromise yourself because you want to gain “as much experience as possible” – you have to be happy and enjoy yourself!!!
Here are some great AUDITION websites:
www.quietonset.com.au
- This website by Lee Donahue not only posts auditions, film festivals and acting and film courses, it has tutorials and advice about the acting industry from successful actors and she holds events where many successful actors, directors and casting agents give advice on acting.
www.metroscreen.org
- This is a film school in Paddington that regularly need actors for their film projects. Sign up to their newsletter to find out about upcoming auditions. I have always had a great time working with these guys!!!
www.sydneyactor.com
- You can post you profile here and receive auditions from Film makers on the look out! This is also linked to a Yahoo group which will send out audition notices as well!!
Auditions Australia – Yahoo Group
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/AuditionsAustralia/
- These guys send out audition notices all the time!! They are fantastic!!
And here is a list of local THEATRE companies:
New Theatre – www.newtheatre.org.au
Factory Space Theatre – www.factoryspace.org
Newtown Theatre – www.newtowntheatre.com.au
– If you are interested in auditioning for short and sweet. Check out this website!
The Peninsula Theatre – www.peninsulatheatre.com.au
There are many more! Go to Theatre Australia – http://theatre.asn.au for a very complete list.
Now all that should give you a good kick start . . .
Enjoy the journey!!!
Brinley :-)
About Brinley --- My Complete CV --- Current Projects --- About Acting
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Auditons Are Fun!!!
About Brinley --- My Complete CV
Current Projects --- About Acting
Now, I know most of us get a cold sweat when we think of auditions, and we are not alone!!
Katherine Hepburn once said "If I had to audition now . . . I'd never get a part." Even this wonderul successful actress felt terrified at the thought of auditioning.
Now - My aim is to help you do the best audition you can AND . . . .inspire you to LOVE auditioning!!!!
You see, the catch is that auditions are part of this game - especially when you are getting started!!Whether it's for Drama school, a short film or a major TV series, you are going to have to audition at some point.
Twice I have been reminded of this . . . “It’s not just about being a professional actor, you have to be a professional auditioner.” This is partly because actors discover that their life consists of many more auditions then it does actual acting work. But the phrase is also relevant if we look at auditions as an art in itself – a separate experience – and as actors we need to be as prepared for this as we are for that major film role!!
I began to learn this when I read a book called “Audition” by Michael Shurtleff. THIS IS AN AMAZING BOOK written by the casting director that discovered actors such as Bette Midler, Barbara Streisand and Dustin Hoffman.
One of the stand out messages in this book is this . . .
- Give the audition your full emotional commitment and energy!!
- Don’t hold back!!
- Let them see who YOU are!! If nothing else, they will remember you for the future.
The thing to remember is . . . you never know what a casting director is looking for so give them what you’ve got and who you are – because if they like what they see they will either 1) start changing the role to fit YOU or 2) they will remember you for future things – and this is a great help when you audition for them in the future!!
Auditioning is not just about being a good actor. It’s about showing them that you are good to work with, that you can take direction (and this does not mean sucking up) and showing that you have something that people want to watch!!!
The BEST WAY to do this is to be yourself and ENJOY your audition!!!
When you enjoy yourself you stop letting the nervousness controll you. No-one stops being nervous and it’s always good to have a bit of an adrenalin rush!!
Nervousness is Energy!! That energy can block you, make you tense, sweaty, shy and scared OR you can use that same energy to smile, be open and ready to empower your audition!!!
What I love about auditions is the opportunity they give you . . . to Act and to Learn.
They are a chance to practise you acting skills, to try something new, and to challenge yourself!!!
Also, you learn so much from each experience. What worked and what didn’t!! We all have bad auditions but you choose how you deal with it. You can choose to be angry, sad or resentful at the catastrophe or you can decide to learn from the experience, realise it is there to teach you something that will move you forward!!
Last year I got to the 2nd day of call back auditions for three Drama schools!! However I missed out on all three – of course I felt disappointed but I immediately thought back over how I had auditioned and realised that there was a part of my acting that was feeling blocked – I was holding back!! What a valuable thing to learn!!! I immediately thought about what I could do to get over that block and that’s when I enrolled for the Actors Centre’s part-time course, The Power of Acting, which has been an amazing learning experience and exactly where I needed to be!!!
The actor Felix Williamson, who taught a short screen-acting course I studied, said it this way . . .
“If you get the role, it’s a bonus . . . when you go into an audition you have the opportunity to give what you have to that character. Your thoughts, creativity and energy. You are part of the making and growing of that character, give it your all . . . if you achieve that, you can walk away knowing you have done a successful audition!!!”
Happy Audtioning Guys!!!
Brinley :-)
About Brinley --- My Complete CV --- Current Projects --- About Acting
Current Projects --- About Acting
Now, I know most of us get a cold sweat when we think of auditions, and we are not alone!!
Katherine Hepburn once said "If I had to audition now . . . I'd never get a part." Even this wonderul successful actress felt terrified at the thought of auditioning.
Now - My aim is to help you do the best audition you can AND . . . .inspire you to LOVE auditioning!!!!
You see, the catch is that auditions are part of this game - especially when you are getting started!!Whether it's for Drama school, a short film or a major TV series, you are going to have to audition at some point.
Twice I have been reminded of this . . . “It’s not just about being a professional actor, you have to be a professional auditioner.” This is partly because actors discover that their life consists of many more auditions then it does actual acting work. But the phrase is also relevant if we look at auditions as an art in itself – a separate experience – and as actors we need to be as prepared for this as we are for that major film role!!
I began to learn this when I read a book called “Audition” by Michael Shurtleff. THIS IS AN AMAZING BOOK written by the casting director that discovered actors such as Bette Midler, Barbara Streisand and Dustin Hoffman.
One of the stand out messages in this book is this . . .
- Give the audition your full emotional commitment and energy!!
- Don’t hold back!!
- Let them see who YOU are!! If nothing else, they will remember you for the future.
The thing to remember is . . . you never know what a casting director is looking for so give them what you’ve got and who you are – because if they like what they see they will either 1) start changing the role to fit YOU or 2) they will remember you for future things – and this is a great help when you audition for them in the future!!
Auditioning is not just about being a good actor. It’s about showing them that you are good to work with, that you can take direction (and this does not mean sucking up) and showing that you have something that people want to watch!!!
The BEST WAY to do this is to be yourself and ENJOY your audition!!!
When you enjoy yourself you stop letting the nervousness controll you. No-one stops being nervous and it’s always good to have a bit of an adrenalin rush!!
Nervousness is Energy!! That energy can block you, make you tense, sweaty, shy and scared OR you can use that same energy to smile, be open and ready to empower your audition!!!
What I love about auditions is the opportunity they give you . . . to Act and to Learn.
They are a chance to practise you acting skills, to try something new, and to challenge yourself!!!
Also, you learn so much from each experience. What worked and what didn’t!! We all have bad auditions but you choose how you deal with it. You can choose to be angry, sad or resentful at the catastrophe or you can decide to learn from the experience, realise it is there to teach you something that will move you forward!!
Last year I got to the 2nd day of call back auditions for three Drama schools!! However I missed out on all three – of course I felt disappointed but I immediately thought back over how I had auditioned and realised that there was a part of my acting that was feeling blocked – I was holding back!! What a valuable thing to learn!!! I immediately thought about what I could do to get over that block and that’s when I enrolled for the Actors Centre’s part-time course, The Power of Acting, which has been an amazing learning experience and exactly where I needed to be!!!
The actor Felix Williamson, who taught a short screen-acting course I studied, said it this way . . .
“If you get the role, it’s a bonus . . . when you go into an audition you have the opportunity to give what you have to that character. Your thoughts, creativity and energy. You are part of the making and growing of that character, give it your all . . . if you achieve that, you can walk away knowing you have done a successful audition!!!”
Happy Audtioning Guys!!!
Brinley :-)
About Brinley --- My Complete CV --- Current Projects --- About Acting
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