Your Audition Reader Is Giving You Absolutely Nothing
They reacted to you. You reacted to them. The pauses felt natural and the emotional turns made sense.
Audition Tips
Magazine
Browse acting advice, audition tips, training articles, industry guidance, actor lifestyle stories and film reviews.
You've Prepared the Character Completely Wrong — Or Have You?
You know who this character is. You understand what they want. You've decided where the scene changes and how you're going to approach it.
Audition Tips
Your Mind Goes Completely Blank in an Audition — Now What?
You've rehearsed it repeatedly. You knew every line in the kitchen this morning. You knew them on the train. You knew them while waiting outside.
Audition Tips
They Stopped Your Audition Halfway Through — What Does That Mean?
You've found your rhythm. You're listening, responding, and you're just approaching the section you've been particularly looking forward to performing.
Audition Tips
The Casting Director Barely Looked Up — Now What?
No big welcome. No friendly chat. No reassuring smile. One person is looking at a laptop. Somebody else is writing something down. Another seems to be reading the next...
Audition Tips
The Actor Waiting Next to You Looks Perfect for the Role
They're roughly your age. They're dressed perfectly for the character. They have exactly the look you imagined when you read the breakdown. They seem relaxed,...
Audition Tips
They Asked You to Do It Again — That's Not Necessarily Bad News
Then someone behind the table says, "Great. Let's do it again, but this time..."
Audition Tips
The Audition Arrived Tonight — And It's Tomorrow
Then you open the attachment. There are several pages of dialogue, a character breakdown and instructions you somehow need to turn into a convincing performance before...
Audition Tips
You Walked Out Convinced You Blew It — But Did You?
The audition is over. You leave the room, walk down the corridor and, for perhaps thirty seconds, everything feels fine.
Audition Tips
The 10 Minutes Before an Audition: What Should You Actually Be Doing?
You're ten minutes away from your audition. Suddenly the lines you've known all week don't feel quite as secure. The actor opposite you seems impossibly relaxed. Someone...
Audition Tips
Play the Scene Like You've Got Somewhere Else to Be
Try performing a scene with one simple piece of information: you need to leave in two minutes. Don't play rushed. Don't keep checking an imaginary watch. Don't start...
Training
Do the Scene Without Trying to Be Good
Try giving yourself this instruction before your next rehearsal: this take is allowed to be terrible. Not secretly brilliant. Not casually brilliant. Actually terrible....
Training
What Does Your Character Want Right Now?
“What does my character want?” is one of those acting questions you've probably heard so often it can become almost meaningless. Love. Acceptance. Freedom. Justice. Fine...
Training
Give Yourself a Secret Nobody Else Knows
Here's an acting exercise that can make an ordinary scene suddenly feel as though something is happening underneath it. Give your character a secret. Don't add dialogue...
Training
Try Rehearsing the Scene Too Fast
Take a scene you've been carefully rehearsing and completely wreck the timing. Perform it far too fast. No meaningful pauses. No waiting around for emotions to arrive....
Training
What Happens Before the Scene Starts?
Your scene begins with the line, “What are you doing here?” But your character didn't suddenly materialise when the writer typed that sentence. They were somewhere...
Training
Try Playing the Opposite Emotion
The scene says your character is furious, so you play angry. They're frightened, so you play fear. They're heartbroken, so you play sadness. Perfectly logical — and...
Training
Stop Practising Your Mistakes
Rehearsal doesn't automatically make acting better. Sometimes it makes your bad habits incredibly reliable. Repeat a scene twenty times with the same forced pause, the...
Training
The Scene Changes When You Stop Looking at the Other Actor
Actors love eye contact. It feels connected, intense and dramatic — exactly the sort of thing acting is supposed to be. Unfortunately, real people spend a surprising...
Training
Why Real People Don't Wait for Their Turn to Speak
A lot of rehearsed dialogue has an invisible traffic-light system. Actor A speaks. Actor A finishes. Tiny pause. Actor B begins. Actor B finishes. Tiny pause. Actor A...
Training
Your Face Is Probably Doing More Than You Think
Record yourself listening to someone for thirty seconds, then watch the video with the sound turned off. You may meet an actor you didn't know existed. Eyebrows bouncing...
Training
Can You Act While Doing Something Difficult?
Try delivering a scene while sorting a shuffled pack of cards into suits. Or folding a fitted sheet. Or carefully peeling an orange without breaking the peel. Something...
Training
The One Word That Can Change an Entire Scene
Take this sentence: “I never said you stole the money.” Seven ordinary words. Now say it again, but stress “I”. Then “never”. Then “you”. Then “stole”. Then “money”. You...
Training
Why Pauses Feel Longer When You're Acting
Three seconds. It doesn't sound long. But stand opposite another actor, say an important line and then remain completely silent for three seconds. Suddenly it can feel...
Training
Try Doing the Scene Without the Words
Take the dialogue away from a scene and something slightly alarming can happen: there's nothing left. Two actors sit opposite each other waiting for lines they are no...
Training
What Happens If You Learn Your Lines Too Well?
Actors are constantly told to know their lines. Quite right too. If half your brain is desperately searching for the next sentence, it's difficult to listen, react or do...
Training
The Camera Can See You Thinking
Here's something that can feel completely wrong when you're acting and look completely right when you watch it back: thinking. Nothing else. No meaningful eyebrow raise....
Training
Stop Acting the Line Before You Say It
Here's a slightly uncomfortable experiment. Record yourself saying, “I didn't know you were coming.” Before you watch it back, freeze the video one second before you...
Training
The 10-Second Exercise That Can Make Your Acting Look More Natural
Here's an acting exercise that takes ten seconds and requires absolutely no acting. Sit in front of a camera. Look at something just off-camera. Wait ten seconds before...
Training
Why Trying to Cry Can Make a Scene Worse
Your character has just been dumped. Someone has died. A terrible secret has finally come out. The script says, “She fights back tears.” Suddenly you have a new...
Training
Wonka (2023). Step Into the Magical World of Chocolate
Are you ready to embark on a journey filled with candy-coated wonder, eccentric characters, and a sprinkle of magic? Look no further than the anticipated film of 2023,...
Film Review
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). A Wild Ride Through the World of Excess
Directed by Martin Scorsese, 'The Wolf of Wall Street' is a gripping and audacious masterpiece that delves into the dark underbelly of the financial world. Based on the...
Film Review
Venom: The Last Dance. A Darkly Humorous Spin on Antiheroism
'Venom: The Last Dance' swings back into theaters, bringing with it a mix of dark humour, thrilling action, and the signature chaotic energy that fans of the franchise...
Film Review
Top Gun - Maverick (2022). Soaring to New Heights of Action and Thrills!
Get ready to buckle up and experience an adrenaline-pumping ride as we delve into the highly anticipated sequel to the cult classic, Top Gun. Tom Cruise returns to the...
Film Review
The Wild Robot. A Padded Out, Unexciting Journey That Misses the Mark
In a year filled with bold, imaginative storytelling, The Wild Robot (2024) unfortunately fails to live up to its potential. Based on the popular book by Peter Brown,...
Film Review
The Penguin (2024). Greatest TV Show Since 'Game Of Thrones'?
'The Penguin' is an exhilarating, darkly captivating series that takes viewers deep into the criminal underworld of Gotham, focusing on the rise of Oswald Cobblepot, aka...
Film Review
Oppenheimer (2023). An Atomic Mind Bending Masterpiece
Embarking on a captivating journey through the life of a remarkable individual, 'Oppenheimer' delves into the profound impact of J. Robert Oppenheimer's scientific...
Film Review
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). A Masterpiece of Nostalgia and Tarantino Magic
'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' serves as Quentin Tarantino's exceptional love letter to the golden era of Hollywood. This film immerses viewers in the ambiance of 1969...
Industry & Career
Napoleon (2023). Conquering Hearts and Empires?
Today we're diving into the action-packed world of historical epics as we dissect the much-anticipated film of 2023, 'Napoleon.' With sky-high expectations and a hype...
Film Review
Mollys Game (2017). Unravelling the High-Stakes Thrill of Poker
'Molly's Game,' directed by Aaron Sorkin, is a captivating and exhilarating tale of one woman's journey from Olympic hopeful to underground poker mogul. Based on the...
Film Review
Minecraft (2025). Can a Game Without a Story Become A Movie?
Adapting Minecraft was always going to be a gamble. Not because the game lacks popularity, but because it famously lacks one thing films rely on most. A fixed narrative....
Industry & Career
Mean Girls (2024). Power On Screen
Are you ready to revisit the halls of high school drama and teenage angst with a modern twist? Look no further than 'Mean Girls', the latest instalment in the iconic...
Film Review
The Super Mario Bros Movie. From Mushroom Kingdom to Hollywood
Hey there, fellow gamers! If you've ever spent countless hours stomping on Goombas, racing through Mushroom Kingdom, and rescuing Princess Peach from the clutches of the...
Industry & Career
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024). Stunning Visuals, Predictable Plot
'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' (2024) attempts to continue the legacy of its predecessors by presenting a visually striking world where apes have established...
Film Review
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023). Exploring a dark chapter in American history
Get ready to dive into a gripping tale of greed, corruption, and murder in Martin Scorsese's 'Killers of the Flower Moon'. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro,...
Film Review
Joker (2019) Combining Madness With Brilliance
'Joker' starring Joaquin Phoenix has made waves in the world of cinema, receiving critical acclaim and sparking conversations about its dark and captivating storytelling.
Film Review
Godzilla Vs Kong (2024). Welcome to the Monsterverse
'Godzilla vs. Kong' not only delivers on its promise of epic battles but also manages to expand the mythology of the 'MonsterVerse' in compelling ways. The exploration...
Film Review
The Exorcist Believer (2023). A Major Disappointment?
Building on the reputation of 'The Exorcist,' 'Exorcist Believer 2023' carried the weight of high expectations. The original film managed to etch a permanent place in...
Film Review
Barbie (2023). A Magical Journey into Friendship and Self-Discovery
Hey there, Barbie fans! Get ready to join the iconic doll on an extraordinary adventure, as we delve into the enchanting world of the 2023 film, Barbie starring Margot...
Film Review
The Rise of the Undead. Exploring the Spine Chilling Zombie Genre
Vivid imagery, gripping storylines, and spine-chilling suspense - the world of zombies in TV and film has flourished in recent years. In this post, we will explore the...
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