Increase your acting skills with acting scripts. Cold read auditions are a standard method of hiring actors.
A cold read is when an actor is given a script and asked to perform it with 5 or 10 minutes preparation. You can practice your cold read skills with acting scenes. What should you do when you are given a script for a cold read? Do you know what steps you should take?
Creating a role that will stand out is the task of any audition. In order to that in a cold read you start by analyzing the scene. Where are the characters physically located? Deciding if the scene is in a public office or private residence will influence your characters behavior.
Define the relationship between the characters in the scene. Are they coworkers, friends, family or lovers? What was happening the moment before the scene began? What were the characters doing prior to the opening dialogue? These are the basic questions you need to ask yourself about a scene. The answers should be apparent from the scene.
Next, determine the wants of the characters. Each character in the scene has a want or need. Without a want the character would disengage and there would be no scene. For example, remember the scene from A Few Good Men where Jo and Kaffe argue? Kaffe is defeated and wants to quit. Jo hasn’t lost faith and she wants to pull an all night work session and forge ahead. Each character has a goal they are trying to accomplish.
Many times the characters will have opposing goals. This creates the conflict in the script. Sometimes the conflict may be with something other than a person. Tom Hanks struggled against nature while marooned on an island in Castaway.
It is up to the actor to define the wants and conflict. Different actors may see the script from varying perspectives. In an audition scenario you want to make a bold choice that you impress the director. Acting a role as melancholy or reserved will not impress the director. However playing a strong character choice will make the scene interesting.
A scene may lend itself to a particular interpretation. It may be clear from punctuation or notes in the scene that a character is to behave a certain way. You want to make a choice for the character that fits the context of scene and dialogue. However, it is up to the actor to choose the how and why of the behavior. Perhaps the character is angry, excited, crying or even drunk. You want to make a bold choice that fits the scene.
You can also make choices as to what transitions the character goes through. Does your character change how he feels through the course of the scene? Does your character experience several emotions? Are there evolving circumstances or is information revealed in the scenes that might make your character reconsider a position. You have a chance to display your range as an actor by choosing different emotions. If you can truthfully portray multiple emotions, the director or your audience will notice.
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