5 Steps to Understanding Your Scene as a Teen Actor

Every scene you play as an actor, no matter how old you are, will require a deep understanding from you. You need to understand who the character is, what the context of the scene and larger story is, and countless other aspects of the scene that will make your work on and with it shine.

In our opinion, there are five steps you need to take to truly understand a scene. To help walk you through and illustrate them, let’s use the following scene scenario as a setup for the five steps that will help you work on your character and the scene: You are a 17-year-old whose mom has just returned from three months at a drug rehab facility. You’ve been living with your dad while she was getting help and even though she’s back home and clean, she is still struggling and not the fully-recovered mom you hoped to find.

Step 1: Determine the given circumstances.
The given circumstances are what you know from the text based on what the writer has told you with his or her words. Your mom has been in rehab detoxing from drugs. You have been living with your dad while she was away. Now that she is home, you’re getting used to what life is like with a recovering, struggling parent.

Step 2: Find your deep wish.
Also known as your objective, this is what your character needs to happen. In the above scene, your deep wish is to have your mother be the role model you always wanted and be a loving, protective, participating parent. You have been without this your whole life and have suffered greatly.

Step 3: Identify the opponent or obstacle. 
Internal or external, this is something that gets in the way of you getting what you want. In life, we don’t always have an obstacle but in acting, there must be one to create the struggle. If it’s too easy to get what you want without a fight, there’s nothing interesting happening. The obstacle in this scene could be that your mom is in too much pain and not willing to get well right now.

Step 4: Personalize. 
Now that you have your identified your deep need and discovered what’s in the way of achieving it, you’ll need to personalize the situation to make it true for you. Begin this process by looking at the character’s situation and asking what might be going on in your life that could lead to a similar problem or challenge to overcome. What you choose to work with can be imaginary/fictional, but the meaning must hold true.

Step 5: Now do. 
This the most vital part. Acting is doing. What are you going to do to get what you want? Perhaps you beg and plead with your mom to stop using drugs. Maybe you start parenting your mom in a role reversal to get your—and her—needs met. It’s in this doing, this action, that you become a compelling actor.

Where to Look During an Audition

You’ll hear lots of conflicting advice about where to put your focus when you audition. Do you look at space? The auditor? An empty chair? There are no hard and fast rules, so it can be confusing. The type of audition also impacts this decision, as well as the preferences of the person conducting the audition.

Let’s break this thorny question down. First, if you’re auditioning with a song for musical theater, it’s standard procedure to focus your eyes directly over the head of the auditor. As you gaze there, create a world in your mind that fits with the message of the song, whether it’s thinking of your grandmother or your first love. In musical theater, actors are expected to create a world and focus their singing and acting to people in that invisible world.

For film, television, or stage, you’ll audition with a scene or monologue. Auditioning with a reader for a scene is pretty straightforward: Look at the reader and create a connection with him or her. It is essential to maintain a focused connection with your reader for the entire audition so you have something real to react to. 

The choice of where to focus is most challenging when you’re auditioning with a monologue since you’re essentially speaking to an invisible person. Some young actors look at the floor or up at the ceiling, which can make it a challenge to create an emotional connection. Others look directly at the auditor, which can also be a problem.

READ: 9 Elements of a Great Monologue

I’ve spoken to many casting directors and audition auditors who feel uncomfortable when an actor focuses directly on them during a monologue. The auditor has to take notes, perhaps looks through paperwork, and maybe even whisper feedback to another person and breaking eye contact with an auditioning actor to do so can feel odd. When I’m casting a production, I want to be wowed and impressed by the performance, and it’s difficult to evaluate a performance if I’m part of the scene.

As a general rule, I coach my students to look just over the head of the casting director when auditioning with a monologue. In practice sessions, I start with them speaking directly to me so they have someone to relate to and as they become more confident, have them shift their focus to the space directly above my head. They must imagine they’re speaking to a real person, just one who isn’t in the audition room. 

All that said, it is important to be prepared to make a different choice. Some casting directors will ask performers to look at them directly and do the audition with them. And a few monologues are written with the intention of breaking the fourth wall and should be spoken directly to the audience. (You’ll know if you have such a monologue before you go to the audition so that you can prepare accordingly.)

It’s essential for a young actor to feel confident in the audition process and give the impression that you know what you’re doing. For this reason, the safe choice is to prepare your monologue to be delivered looking just above the head of the auditor. Then, if the auditor asks you to speak directly to them, you can make that adjustment on the spot. 

Remember that your goal is to wow the casting director with your delivery, connection, and authenticity. You can create magical moments in your auditions no matter where you focus your eyes but following these general guidelines will remove any doubts about your professionalism and preparation.

What ‘Raise the Stakes’ Really Means for Actors

Something actors hear all the time from casting directors and directors is “raise the stakes.” But do you really know what it means?

Let’s begin with one basic fact that is true for every script you will ever read: it is not just “any” day in the life of the character, it is a very special and deeply meaningful day. There is something very big the character needs to have happen, something vitally important that he or she must accomplish. When do you think the character needs to accomplish this? The answer is always, always, always, RIGHT NOW.

Here’s a scene for you. Billy and Susie were high school sweethearts. They went their separate ways and years later, Billy can’t get Susie out of his mind. He needs to let her know he loves her and wants to be with her. He sees through Facebook that Susie is engaged and decides he must let her know how he feels. Those are the given circumstances of the scene. Billy needs to tell Susie how he feels and find out if she feels the same way, despite the obstacle that Susie is engaged. When must he do it? Right now!

Why now? If Billy doesn’t take action immediately, he will lose Susie again—probably forever—and that will destroy him. So Billy has a deep need to take action right now.

But what if there is no specific timeline given by the writer? Create a sense of urgency for yourself. In the example scene, you might decide that Billy just found out that Susie is getting married tomorrow. Urgency! Take action! They didn’t tell you that—you made it up. Not only is it fun and inspiring, it helps you spring into action. When? Right now!

To create a compelling and fascinating performance, you must have a true and powerful need to take action, just like Billy. You must make Billy’s need your need. We do not mean the imitation of Billy’s need, we mean you must find in yourself a true need to accomplish what you’re setting out to do. In acting terms, we call this personalization.

Personalization means finding a way to relate personally to the circumstances the character is going through. To make this very simple, we can say that the character has a problem he or she needs to solve right now and you need to make that problem your problem. The way to begin this process is to look at the character’s situation and ask yourself what might be going on for you that would give you a similar problem or challenge to overcome. What you choose to work with must be imaginary yet at the same time, it must have true meaning for you. This is what will make the problem necessary for you to solve and will make you take immediate action. It’s also the part of the work that will take you away from the false, fake, pretending-based acting and instead, will lead you to acting that has a beautiful quality of reality, vitality, and emotional aliveness.

How badly you want your deep need to be met is what will create the high stakes. It’s not just what you want from the other person in the scene but what you do to get it. Because there is a conflict and it’s not easy to accomplish, this makes things interesting for you and compelling for the audience as they witness you fight for your life.

Delete the word “casual” from your acting vocabulary. There is no moment that is casual for the actor. Even if you think the character is “just sitting around doodling,” there is something important going on. A one-minute audition scene, a two-hour film, 16 bars of a song…they all need to have something important happening. Just like in our lives, in every moment there is much at stake.

When what you are doing to get what you want in spite of your obstacle has great meaning to you, only then do you become interesting to watch.

Acting Between the Lines

Emma González, a Marjorie Stoneman Douglas student and activist, spoke for just under two minutes at the March for Our Lives rally in Washington. She described the effects of gun violence in emotional detail and recited the names of classmates who were killed by a school shooter. Then she said nothing for four minutes and twenty-six seconds. It was her silence that was perhaps the most influential statement of all, communicating, “We are angry, hurt, and we will not go away quietly.”

Emma’s use of silence was a powerful example for young actors: the lines in the script are only a part of the scene. When I was a young actor and got cast in a show, the first thing I did was count my lines. I thought the number of lines I had would determine the size and importance of my role. Today, one of the biggest mistakes I see all too often is acting the dialogue only.

When handed an audition side, take a look at the amount of black type and white space on the piece of paper. What percentage of the paper is white? 30 percent? 50 percent? 70 percent? That space is all actable.

Consider this scenario. Your friend accuses you of stealing her boyfriend. You may have indeed done so and don’t want to fess up. She is probing deeply with lots of questions. She is raging, firing away with even more accusations. You process your thoughts, think about whether to tell the truth or lie, stay silent while figuring it out—any number of reactions before you utter a word. All of this fascinating behavior is happening on your face and body between spoken lines of dialogue.

Recently, some of my students were auditioning for a horror film in which two sisters are alone in their house when they hear someone enter downstairs. One sister is huddled in the corner fearing for her life while the other is taking action, figuring out what to do to stop the perp from getting to them. There is not much dialogue on the page but there is a lot of stage direction: Girl nods, a troubled look in her eyes. She listens intently, breathes deeply, stares out the window. She hears another noise. Did the front door open? Is the perp inside, getting closer? She goes to the door, pauses, listens. She hears another sound and freezes.

What’s an actor to do in those moments? The girl is fighting for her life, so a savvy actor will react to what is happening with that intention. How? By freaking out, taking charge, crying, or creating a game plan. Actors must make choices and create non-verbal reactions that convey action and even show thoughts. To create a believable, real-life scenario, his acting between the lines must occur.

One of my favorite acting exercises is “five lines in five minutes.” The actor can only utter five lines and must take five minutes to do so. This exercise will allow students to explore other ways to communicate and try to get what she wants. For example, if the character’s deep need in the scene is to get her mom to stop drinking, what can she do other than speaking while the mom is avoiding the subject? Sitting in the silence while her frustration is building will allow the lines to come from a real place when finally spoken.

It’s not comfortable to sit in the silence. We use the words as a cover-up, a crutch. But sit in the quiet, be uncomfortable and see what happens. Use this exercise in your daily life which is, of course, the best playground for an actor.

You’ve all heard the phrase “acting is reacting.” We don’t act only when speaking. Watch, notice, observe and listen to your real life. We act, react, and respond all the time, non-verbally, in the silence, between the moments. Emma Gonzalez showed us the power of silence. Use her speech as an inspiration to become more comfortable using silence and non-verbal communication in your acting. That’s how you create magical, real scenes.

How Well Do You Know Your Craft?

Every year, thousands of young people decide they want to pursue acting. Many make that choice because they think it looks easy. And it looks easy because the great actors make it seem like they’re not really doing anything. But the truth is, they have worked very hard on their craft—that’s the key. Good acting may look easy, but it’s not.

For those of you who think you know a thing or two about the craft of acting, here’s a little quiz to test your knowledge.

1. The character is always you.

• A) Yes

• B) Sometimes

• C) No

• D) Yes and no

The answer? A. The character is always you. Who is uttering the words? Whose tears are flowing? Whose heart is racing? Who is wearing the costume? You must always begin with yourself. If you don’t, you will end up an empty shell.

2. Which of the following is NOT a good way to emotionally prepare to begin a scene?

• A) Shooting hoops before entering.

• B) Using an analogous situation from what the character is experiencing to tap into the character’s emotional life.

• C) Imagining the same situation the character is going through.

• D) Eating a lot of candy.

The answer? D. Getting pumped up on sugar can actually get in the way of your performance. To properly prepare, any one or a combination of the other answers are true. Tapping into your emotional life by imagining something to be true is what actors do and to do this, you must exercise and strengthen your actor’s imagination. If your character is in a playful state of mind perhaps playing basketball before entering may also help you get into the proper mindset.

3. What is acting?

• A) Faking an emotion.

• B) Pretending to be the best you can be.

• C) Living truthfully under imaginary circumstances.

• D) Hiding behind a character.

The answer? C. According to the great acting teacher and guru Sanford Meisner, acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances. It is a simple way to define what an actor does to create a performance you can believe.

4. What is an acting teacher’s job?

• A) To tell you how to say the lines.

• B) To intimidate you to be your best.

• C) To be your best friend.

• D) To help you find your truth.

The answer? D. A good acting teacher will help you direct yourself with skill, guidance, and support. They will do this without ego and with a strong sense of self. You will feel welcomed and heard and an equal partner in the process. When a student asks, “How do I say this line?” a teacher must never give a response. Instead, they may ask you to reframe the question to, “What does the character want?” or “Why are they saying this line.

5. Which of the following is not true? To be a good actor you need to be…

• A) Humble

• B) A good human

• C) Interested

• D) Confident

The answer? Trick question! Every answer is correct. Good actors are not ego-driven; they’re interested in other people and they are kind. Other people want to work with them.

The truth is, many actors at every age approach acting by imitating what they have seen before or trying to make it look like they are having an experience that they’re not having. This is not acting. This is not related to acting. There is no life and there is no fun. Good acting is real, honest, and truthful.

3 Tips to Help Young Actors Get into Character

Preparation is more than knowing your lines. It is embodying the life of the character. Your emotional state, mood, and choices you make while you prepare all affect that first moment the director yells, “Action.”

When I was just out of college, I apprenticed at the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre in Jupiter, Fla. Although I sacrificed sleep and suffered the indignity of washing smelly laundry, it was worth it as I got an insider’s view into the craft and process of some of America’s most iconic and loved actors.

I was struck how every night before Martin Sheen took the stage in “One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest,” he would play basketball with the guys outside the stage door. I wondered at the time why he wasn’t preparing, only to later realize that he was. Basketball—rough, cursing, shoving, and joking—was what he needed to get in the mindset to be the loud, dirty, sexual, and determined character of McMurphy. In his case, genius literally was one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration!

I tell my students what Sheen knew: An actor cannot begin a scene emotionally empty. It is critical to make good choices leading up to that first moment. Child actors have some unique advantages and challenges in this regard. Although a basketball court may not be readily available before your next audition or when the camera rolls, here are some tips to help with your preparation.

Make up a story one line at a time. Sometimes it is hard to change gears. Homework or a fight with your sister, for example, make it hard to be the cheerful, Disney character you are about to play. One way to leave the day behind is to make up a story with a partner one or several lines at a time with each of you picking up the story where the other left off. This exercise is fun and natural for young actors, sharpens the ability to listen and react, and clears the mind of distractions and anxiety.

Play cards. Really, play cards! If the part you are playing is social and funny, play Go Fish with your mom and possibly another kid waiting to audition. Solitaire, on the other hand, is the way to go if the part is more of a loner or introspective. Young actors often draw on the mood around them, especially when they do not have the life experience to play a part they are asked to play. A social or solitary game of cards will keep you from trying too hard and will help you take advantage of the unfiltered way many young actors are able to naturally tap into the emotional context around them.

Visit the bathroom. It is especially difficult for many young actors to ignore the desire to please or exercise the autonomy to overrule authority figures around them. Sometimes you will need to get away from a parent who wants to drill you on your lines at the very last minute (generally a bad idea) or the child wrangler who just won’t let you be. To use your visit as excellent preparation, leave a note in the stall from the point of view of your character. This is especially fun if you are playing a mischievous role!

Young actors must deal with the same chaos that abounds around adult actors in the moments before they perform and both must create strategies and rituals that they can apply in a variety of circumstances to perform successfully. Kids have the advantages and disadvantages of being kids. Remember to play to your natural strengths in the moments before you begin your role and you are likely to find great success in the moments after.

How to Be a Great Reading Partner for Your Child Actor's Self-Tape

You don’t have to be a trained actor to be a good reading partner for your child. Even if you have your own acting talent, while reading with your child, remember to keep the focus on them. In the supporting role of “great reading partner” for your child, the following tips will help you help your young performer shine. 

1. Stand or sit offscreen. You should not be seen on camera, so position yourself right next the camera. Unless directed otherwise, sit where the actor can look at you while speaking, instead of them appearing to address the camera. She should be speaking and connecting with you, so stay at her eye level.

2. Speak softly and give the actor a microphone. As a reader, you don’t want to steal the focus. It is your child’s audition, not yours. Since you are positioned closest to the camera, the device will pick up your voice more easily, making it sound louder than the actor’s. Remain aware of this when reading and speak softly. You are not co-starring in this scene, but rather providing a framework that supports the actor’s purposes. In addition, it is wise to use an external microphone for the actor’s voice, to tip the sound balance in his favor. Microphones can be purchased for as little as $10 each and are well worth it. Not only do you get more clarity with a mic, but microphones with sensitivity-control have the flexibility to make great recordings in quiet and chaotic settings alike.

3. Read fluently. Practice your lines. The more familiar you are with the script and lines, the more effectively you will be able to support your partner. You are there to help the actor do the best job he can do, so invest the time needed to prepare. Pace is important, especially in comedy, so you also need to know the timing. If you are reading too slowly or too quickly, it can throw the actor off and kill the humor. Ask for help if you are unsure of the best pace or timing. If another family member or friend has better acting or comedy skills than you and offers the time, allow him to do the readings with your child! Remember, this is not about you, and it is important that your child have a competent reading partner.

4. Read all the other parts, and skip the stage directions. One person reads for all of the characters in the scene. Having additional people play other parts is confusing and unnecessary. Keep in mind that stage directions are there for information only! Make sure you and your child have read and know the stage directions, but stick to the usual protocol and do not read stage directions aloud on camera. 

5. Don’t judge or criticize. This is not the time to offer advice on your child’s performance. An actor should not be distracted by concerns of the reader’s perceptions during this process. If you have an idea or healthy suggestion to offer, feel free to take notes for discussion at a later time, as long as jotting your thoughts down does not interfere with the flow of the reading. While reading, your focus needs to stay on playing the character(s) opposite your child, and providing the support he needs.

There are many ways that parents support their young performers, and being the reader is just one of them. Always remember my motto below, and keep things fun while you work together to reach their dreams.

12 Terms Parents of Child Actors Need to Know

Every industry has its own lingo. When your child enters the entertainment industry, you'll encounter a whole new vocabulary. These terms are frequently used when describing auditions and scripts. If you can familiarize yourself with them now, you'll be able to help your young actor understand what's required and how to use these terms correctly.

Booking: Getting hired for the job.

Breakdown: A description of the project that includes a storyline synopsis in addition to descriptions of all the characters/roles in the script. It also commonly includes names of the people involved in the project such as the directors, casting directors, and producers as well as an estimated start date and location of the production.

Callback: A second or additional audition to an initial interview or audition.

Cold read: For auditions, reading aloud a scene or sides with little or no rehearsal.

Copy: A commercial or voice over script.

Improvisation: A spontaneous scene leading to discovery that allows the actor to find reality within themselves while performing without a script. 

Local hire: An actor hired locally where production (usually TV and film) is being shot. This eliminates costs for travel, housing and per diem.

READ: How Child Actors Can Get Work in Atlanta & Florida

Open call: An interview or audition open to anyone.

Sides: Pages or scenes from a script used by performers selected for an audition that highlights a specific character.

Slate: In on-camera auditions the performer’s introduction of their name, age (if under 18), and sometimes height, hometown and agency.

Triple Threat: An actor or actress who can sing, dance and act skillfully and equally well usually referring to performers in musical theatre.

Type (or type casting): Characterizing performers based on their “look.”

Knowing these terms will help you avoid confusion and feeling that others know more than you do. There are plenty more terms pertaining to other areas of the entertainment industry as well. Next month look for my article identifying key terms as it relates to legal and union matters.

Teen Actors: It’s Time to Rethink the Way You Train

Here’s some encouraging news for 2018: You no longer have to worry about whether you’re talented enough or if you can really “do it.” You can sleep peacefully knowing you don’t have to compare yourself to others in your class or play. You can stop trying to please teachers and impress directors.

Pretty bold statements, sure, but with a combined 60 years of experience working with young actors, we’re excited to let you in on a teen actor training revolution taking place. Acting is supposed to be thrilling not just for the audience but for the actor as well. But how can you, the actor, have any fun or enjoyment if you’re constantly worried about being good enough? You can’t. This is a problem that stems from actor training that’s rooted in results. Your director says to “smile bigger here” or “be angrier now.” You’re told to produce these results and because you don’t have a different way of working and you very much want to give your director those results, you fake it.

But “faking it” isn’t acting, despite what a lot of people think. We can’t tell you how many students have come to us and shared that they thought acting was basically just being a good faker. And this, dear friends, is the root of the problem. Instead of faking it, you need a clear, simple, human way of approaching your craft. And here’s how to do it.

Simplicity
Acting is actually very simple but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It takes consistent hard work, but it’s not complicated! You can begin right now by looking at the character as an actual human being. Just like you, the character has hopes and desires, struggles and challenges, great accomplishments and painful failures, moments of joy and deep suffering. Just like us. This is the human story, the basis of every script you will ever read. Remember that you do have something in common with every character and the connection doesn’t have to be a complicated one.

READ: How Young Actors Can Discover Powerful Audition Material

Clarity
The minute you read a script, grab a notebook and write down how the character moves you, how you relate to what makes them feel good and what makes them suffer. These are the keys. Can you find connections with how you see the world? This will immediately help you understand the character’s point of view, which is where you should start when stepping into their shoes.

Utter Humanity
Every play and every movie is a story about human beings, no matter the style or the period. And you know what? This is something you know how to do since you do it every single day. In our series of articles here, we will bring together everything you know about being human and everything you discover about the characters in the script. You’re going to see that what we believe about you is true:

1. You are amazing and brilliant.

2. You are gifted and powerful and unique. We don’t care what others may have said and we don’t care what you may have told yourself.

3. We know you have everything you need to be a great actor.

We also know that you are driven by a great desire to express your true self, to make a big difference in this crazy world. We believe you can do this—you just need the right tools. And that is our desire, to give you those tools. We’re on a very personal mission to help you fulfill your gifts and realize your destiny. So join us in the teen acting revolution this year and become the future of the craft.

12 Film Terms Young Actors Should Know Before Stepping on Set

News flash! Actors are not the center of a film; they are just one small part in the making of a movie.

Creating a film is a huge project that usually involves hundreds of people, including the actors. So it’s important for young actors to understand the roles and responsibilities of a film crew so that when they step on set, they have a basic understanding of what’s happening. Below are 12 terms every young actor should know before their first day on set.

Director: A director controls a film’s artistic and dramatic aspects, bringing the story to life on screen while guiding the crew and actors to fulfill his or her creative vision. The director chooses the cast, production design, and creative aspects of filmmaking. Most people become directors after attending film school or spending years in the business. 

Assistant director: In charge of managing cast and crew while assisting the production manager and the director, the assistant director is second-in-command on set. There may be several ADs working on a major film.

Producer: The producer is the highest-ranking person on a film. They are ultimately responsible for the film and duties ranging from creating an initial budget to running day-to-day operations. Producers also typically make the acceptance speech when collecting awards. Most films have several producers, including a line producer, associate producer, and executive producer.

READ: How to Become a Film Director

Production assistant: Also referred to as PAs, the production assistant helps the first assistant director with set operations and in the production office with general tasks.

Screenwriter: A good script is vital to a film’s success. A screenwriter writes the script, working closely with the production team to set the tone, setting, characters, and storyline. They must understand the filmmaking process and know how to work in this visual medium.

Script supervisor: The script supervisor keeps track of what parts of the script have been filmed and makes notes of any deviations between what was actually shot and what appears in the script. Script supervisors are also in charge of continuity, ensuring that everything you see matches the time period and is consistent from frame to frame. If you’ve seen a modern watch on the hand of a medieval knight, that was an error in continuity.

Director of photography: Also known as the DP, this director heads the technical department and makes sure the script is translated into visuals based on what the director’s vision is. 

Camera operator: Working closely with the DP to determine the composition of each shot as instructed by the director., the primary job of the camera operator is to make smooth pan and tilt moves to maintain the composition and keep the action within the frame lines.

Makeup artist: The goal of the makeup artist is to make everyone on screen look as good as possible. He/she works closely with the director and production team to create the looks required for the various parts of the movie. Some makeup artists specialize in special effects, like wounds or scars for horror films.

READ: How to Become a Makeup Artist

Hairstylist: Prepares the performers’ hair with styles that suit production requirements. Stylists work to determining the proper hairstyle or wigs for the period and character, as well as ensuring the style flatters the actor.

Gaffer: Also known as the chief lighting technician, gaffers are in charge of the electrical department and work closely with the DP to achieve the vision, look, and feel of the film through the lighting.

Grip: Grips ensure all the equipment—cameras, lights, etc.—are correctly mounted with cables, pulleys, and other rigging. They work closely with the camera department, especially if the camera is mounted on a dolly or crane, and the electrical department to put in lighting setups necessary for a shot. Grips are also responsible for safety on set as it relates to equipment.

Now that you understand these roles on a film set, you can ask the right questions of the right people. Remember that each position is professional and essential to the success of the production. Be sure to treat each person on the film set, from producer to caterer, with respect and courtesy.