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By Christina, on April 20th, 2010
 Accents are a funny thing. Some actors feel that walking into the auditioning room after having prepared the role with an accent (whether it is required for the part or not) liberates them creatively and allows them to fully enjoy the moment, thus living up to the saying "have fun with it" every single time. Almost as if putting on a mask that disengages them from the reality of an audition setting.
For most others, its baffling and severely hindering because unless you are confident enough in said accent; your mind wont allow you to focus on anything but GETTING IT RIGHT. Let alone being honest and listening to a Casting Director or the reader. The worst part about this particular problem comes when the role strictly requires a certain dialect. Obviously NOTHING, not even a casting director you says they want a Standard British Accent should make…
Continue reading Accent Training
By Christina, on September 30th, 2009
 On one of my first auditions the casting director told my manager I was good, but I was "a bit green". So, What the hell does that mean? Well, its still not very clear. For some its a simple excuse not to get into detail about WHY they didn't like you. For others it means your lack of experience is preventing them from hiring you even though you have talent, and for others, its a matter of a "lack of talent" or not having learnt to use it.
After this, I asked around to everyone I could: What does being green mean?. Every single actor has gotten it at some point. The beginning ones get it as soon as they hand in their resume. The more experienced ones get it when they present themselves without a certain confidence generally associated with someone of their experience.
I started re-playing the…
Continue reading The worst thing an actor can hear: He’s too GREEN.
By Christina, on August 28th, 2009
As actors we are stuck with alot of “in-between gigs” periods. All that time when there arent many auditions and bills still need to get paid. When your career seems at a standstill sometimes you need to find new ways to CREATE opportunities. The most common and well known example of how this works is Sylverster Stallone, who wrote “Rocky” with the intention of creating for himself a good role that would showcase his talents. Im not saying your next script will be a big hit, but isnt it worth a try? It might even open up a new side of you that you werent aware of.
Continue reading Sometimes it pays to be multi-talented…
By Christina, on July 30th, 2009
In this video, professional voice instructor Jennifer Rutherford of International School of Music, and private teacher in Bethesda Maryland, describes how to prepare for a competition like American Idol, or any other audition. Some tips on preparation, vocal health, song choice, and audition etiquette are covered. Warm ups are also suggested and demonstrated with student and model, Mair. The video assumes that candidates will have some level of training or natural ability, but would also be useful for the amateur interested in pursuing training for a career in singing.
Continue reading Some key points to keep in mind for an audition…
By Admin, on July 13th, 2009
At the end of the day, a character is fully created when it is no longer seen as a character, but a person. But how do we make this change? Where do we get the necessary information and tools to make this possible?
A)from our own experience.
B)from observation.
C)from research.
D)from our imagination.
This is the last of a four week series in which we will look at all these tools: today we look at imagination.
Continue reading Character Build series: Imagination (week 4)
By Admin, on July 2nd, 2009
At the end of the day, a character is fully created when it is no longer seen as a character, but a person. But how do we make this change? Where do we get the necessary information and tools to make this possible?
A)from our own experience.
B)from observation.
C)from research.
D)from our imagination.
Continue reading Character Build Series: Week 3 (Research)
By Admin, on June 29th, 2009
Here at breakalegg we dont usually do reader mailbags but this particular question has come up several times and I wanted to answer in a way that might reach other people in a similar situation…
Continue reading Reader Mailbag: Michael
By Admin, on June 12th, 2009
At the end of the day, a character is fully created when it is no longer seen as a character, but a person. But how do we make this change? Where do we get the necessary information and tools to make this possible?
A)from our own experience.
B)from observation.
C)from research.
D)from our imagination.
This is the 2nd of a four week series in which we will look at all these tools: today we look at observation.
OBSERVATION:
When experience is not enough, observation comes into play. The main problem though, is that we see, but we don’t really look. This routine has made us superficial. Since seeing is an activity that requires no effort, its results are passive and blurry, but looking requires an effort to appropriate oneself with a reality through a voluntary act. To look to really look, gives us a…
Continue reading Character Build Series (Part 2: OBSERVATION)
By Admin, on May 22nd, 2009
At the end of the day, a character is fully created when it is no longer seen as a character, but a person. But how do we make this change? Where do we get the necessary information and tools to make this possible?
A)from our own experience.
B)from observation.
C)from research.
D)from our imagination.
This is the beginning of a four week series in which we will look at all these in due time but today we focus on the first tool: our own experience.
Continue reading Character Build Series: (Part 1: EXPERIENCE)
By Admin, on April 30th, 2009
 The art of acting has 3 requisites:
a) The genius to transform oneself.
b) The talent to showcase such transformation
c) The inspiration to do both things in the conditions of time and space given.
Continue reading THE ART OF ACTING…
By Admin, on April 23rd, 2009
Here is a list of things that will get you a good head start on your fellow auditioners;
1. LINES - learn them. If you do not you will have no chance ofbeing picked, it shows you are lazy and incompetant. Learn your lines and the lines of the people playing with you too, so when they forget you can then remind them – and sometimes the agent asks you to stand in and read the lines with the rest of the ‘contestants’ – if this happens guess who has a better chance of getting the part.
Continue reading HOW TO NAIL YOUR AUDITIONS
By Admin, on April 14th, 2009
Susan Giosa writes an article on what sense memory is and exactly what we can use it for. Remember all the techniques are tools, so use them to your best advantage… For other opinions on sense memory...Click Here.
Continue reading HOW TO USE SENSE MEMORY…
By Admin, on January 30th, 2009
His book has been a success due largely to his familiar tone and approachability. Here is a snippet of an interview:
Continue reading SIR MICHAEL CAINE: ACTING IN FILM
By Admin, on January 30th, 2009
So for all of you new actors starting out who dont exactly know what it means when people say “I’m a method actor!” ModernTimes has a little page on the basics. Even so, I strongly reccommend you familiarize yourself with all of the techniquies and schools available to the modern actor (Stella Adler, Meisner, Stanislavski…etc) and then figure out what teachings are most in tune with your personal beliefs and will easily tap into your creativity… For the full article….Click Here
Continue reading METHOD ACTING BASICS FOR NEWBIES
By Admin, on January 3rd, 2009
The Acting Room has a great post on how to substitute to achieve real emotions. I personally believe this is useful to start with, but once you have connected, you need to feel the characters emotions as your own, not substitute them. Make his emotions yours, not the other way around…
Continue reading SUBSITUTION IN ACTING
By Admin, on November 11th, 2008
There is a world of difference between the actor who is
caused authentically to do what his character must do and the actor whi
only indicates of self-generates his actions.
Meisner didn’t invent this concept but it is the principle upon which his technique is based.
The technique is often mistakenly identified exclusively by his
signature repetition exercise. Repetition encompasses the basic
principles of his technique, however it is only the beginning…
Continue reading BASICS OF THE MEISNER TECHNIQUE
By Admin, on November 7th, 2008
After reading Stanislavsky’s dictum about the necessity of the actors being private in public, Strasberg created the private moment exercise. He viewed the exercise as a corrective for actors who were inhibited by the presence of an audience. By enacting a moment of true privacy in front of people, Strasberg hoped to get them to confront the issue and conquer it. He realized we do private things when we are alone, and we know they are really private when we cant continue doing them if someone walks in the room. Thus, in the private moment, the actor is asked to do something “that they do in real life, but which even in life is so private, when anyone comes in, they have to stop doing it”.
Consequently actors sang, danced and even performed acts of private grooming. BUT Strasbergs’ new exercise was vilified from many quarters as word of…
Continue reading ABOUT THE METHODS’ “PRIVATE MOMENT” EXERCISE
By Admin, on October 30th, 2008
Here is a great article from Broadway Mouth that exemplifies how modern theater actors need change and an evolution in techniques that is paralell to the one happening in the medium. For the full article…Click Here.
Continue reading FOUR OF THE TOP TEN ACTING TECHNIQUES WE NEED TO LOSE
By Admin, on October 29th, 2008
Here is a wonderfully clear example of WHAT NOT to do when acting on film. Enough said.
Continue reading WORST ACTING EVER!
By Admin, on October 23rd, 2008
In film, you sometimes encounter actors who think they’re going to steal the scene by being big, and bombastic. Proving their value. Those actors are using their bodies and voices instead of their brain! They don’t realize in terms of voice and action, less is more…
Continue reading LESS IS MORE…in Film
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BREAKALEGG "The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will." -Vincent T. Lombardi
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