Archive for May, 2007
The Prague Fringe is right around the corner (starting Sunday the 27th!). I would encourage people to post their comments here on what they’re seeing, what they’re liking and what they didn’t like. The Prague Playhouse acting class will be attending the “Stephen Frost Impro Allstars” at 19:45 in Divadlo na pradle on Sunday as well as “The Exception and the Rule” at 22:45 at A Studio Rubin. Feel free to come out and join us!
I have a few recommendations for those that want to support local Expat artists.
The Exception and the Rule (Fringe booklet p. 54) plays at A Studio Rubin every night of the fringe (that’s until June 3rd) at 22:45. Get some coffee and get down there. The play is a drama by Bertolt Brecht and will be performed by long standing local Expats. Come out and support!
Another interesting project is the Playwrights in Prague a FREE lunchtime series. These will be 5 readings at the cafe at Divadlo na pradle by local actors with plays by American and Czech playwrights:
M 28.5/ THE GIRLS’ ROOM by Jan AntonÃn PitÃnský (CR)
What to do when your daughter locks herself in a room…and it’s her birthday?
T 29.05/ WALLFLOWER by Deborah Stein (USA)
What happens when you start a revolution…by accident?
TH 31.05/ A SHORT PLAY ABOUT GLOBALIZATION by Dominic Orlando (USA)
What happens when you look for your missing sister…and end up a pop superstar?
F 01.06/ LITTLE PITFALL by Markéta Bláhová (CR)
What happens when you’re all grown up but living in a a fairy tale?
S 02.06/ TALES OF COMMON INSANITY by Petr Zelenka (CR)
What happens to cause a man to pack himself in a box?
May 27th, 2007
For most actors, the audition is how they get the job. Sometimes you get lucky and don’t have to audition. Sometimes you reach a point where you’re only taking job offers. Mostly, though, doing auditions is the only way that we can get work. It’s not surprising, then, that actors get so freaked out by auditions. The thirty seconds you’re in the room (for commercial castings here in Prague) determine to a great extent whether you’re going to be able to live for the next six months.
There are a few things that actors can do to mitigate the fear and to take the pressure off of those thirty seconds. We will always do our best at a casting when we are as relaxed and “ourselves” as possible. Usually there are a lot of people in the waiting room, there’s a lot of distractions. If you’ve been around a while, you’ll see people you know and start to chit-chat. If you haven’t, you’ll feel like an outsider and feel like the room is hostile. In both situations, I would recommend finding a more quiet space, sitting down with closed eyes and just focusing on breathing and relaxing. For some people it will help to visualize how they’re going to be confident and self assured when they get in the casting. For some it will be enough to simply relax their bodies. You can even say to yourself “I relax my feet. I relax my feet. My feet are completely relaxed” and then move up through your body. This consious relaxation and pulling yourself out of the pressure of the waiting room will do wonders when you get into the actual casting.
If you do know someone who has gone into the casting before you, you should ask what the action was. Usually here in Prague, castings consist of each actor doing a small action, like you’re drinking coffee and you see a cute girl walk by or you’re decorating a Christmas tree. Finding out the action before hand will allow you to start to visualize the situation while you’re doing your relaxation. Try to get specific with the situation. What does the coffee taste like? Who else is with you? What’s the weather like? What is the girl wearing? Who does she look like? In visualizing these questions, you start to build a certain “given circumstances” which places you in the world of the casting. Try to make choices that mean something to you (like when choosing a color of dress for the girl, make it a color you really like). These visualizations may or may not come up when you’re actually doing the audition and as you make visualizing a habit, you’ll get faster and faster with making the choices.
When your number gets called and you go in the room, there are a few technical things to remember. One of the most important ones is that your introduction is for you to sell yourself to the director. Too many times we throw away the introduction: “Hi, my name is brian and I’ve done some acting in films and commercials” vs. “Hi my name is Brian and I worked with Bill Pullman in Revelations, Ron Perlman and Jeffery Tambor in Hellboy, and I’ve done these specific commercials.” Obviously not everyone is going to have the same experiences to mention, but whatever you talk about, you should really use the opportunity to sell yourself. I’ve heard from casting directors that if the director doesn’t like someone’s introduction, they’ll just skip to the next person without even seeing the actual audition. So get your introduction down. If you have a hard time doing it on the fly, then it’s totally fine to figure out what you want to talk about before hand and rehearse it! It will look much better if you seem confident and self assured when you’re talking rather than casting about for what to say and shy.
When the casting director is telling you what the action is, listen to them. There is almost nothing more annoying than someone who’s auditioning who can’t get the instructions down. If you have a question about something, ask. If you mess up terribly and want to try it again, there’s no harm in asking for another chance. You won’t always get it, but being present and self-assured enough to say “I can do better” always looks good. It’s also bad form to apologize for a bad performance. If you know you bombed and aren’t going to get any better, just smile, say “Thanks for having me in!” and walk out.
When you’re doing the action, it’s best to stay with it until the casting director stops you. Just keep going with your circumstances and the world of the casting. Castings are hard because there isn’t a lot to work off of. You are going to have to rely on your imagination to have something to react to. This is why it’s so important to have taken the time to prepare before you get into the room, so you’ll have something concrete in your mind to work off of.
Castings certainly get easier and less stressful the more you do them. Try to go to each one you get sent to, even if you think it’s not right for you or the money isn’t good. You should look at it as a way to practice doing the casting instead of a way of getting work. Good luck!
May 20th, 2007
Headshots are one of the most important tools an actor has to get them work. Every actor has to provide up to date Headshots and current Resume for their agent. Headshots for actor’s are just like a business card. Below are some tips to help you know more about what a they should look like.
It is important that a Headshot current, and it looks like you. Many casting director’s first look at Headshots before they call you in for an audition and they expect the person in the photo to walk into the audition room, not someone heavier, lighter, younger, older, or with a dramatically different hair style. Traditionally Headshots are an 8X10 Black & White Picture of your Face exactly as you look right now.
Clothing: There are no specified rules about what you wear, but select your clothing carefully, for it speaks loudly about your personality and image. For example, if you’re typically cast as a power executive, consider wearing a suit. Avoid “busy” clothing–patterns, frills, those sorts of distractions. Jewelry, too, can be distracting. Take with you a variety of outfits so you can make changes.
The picture, defined: Your headshot will be a head-and-shoulders (say, mid-chest up, although some are just the head), 8″ x 10″ photo, shot against a neutral background that compliments your appearance, with careful lighting. If you’re dark-haired, a dark background isn’t a good idea because your hair will disappear; if you have light-coloured hair, a light background will make you look wan and washed out. Virtually every headshot shows the actor looking directly into the camera and the key to a good headshot is a lively, warm appearance–and that comes from the eyes. (Tip: Borrow the trick used by experienced TV announcers and newscasters. You don’t look at the camera lens but instead you look past the camera lens, into the camera. You aren’t looking at a piece of equipment but instead at a human…and a human you like.) You want to project high energy. Hand props are likely more distracting than helpful.
Look at other actor’s headshots: Using the Internet–use Google or your favorite search engine to look for “actor resume”–you can find head-and-shoulder photographs of other actors and evaluate them for your use. Pay attention to the “image” the photograph projects, then see how that image is achieved with lighting, background, costume, and pose. You’ll see, too, how some actors are looking past the camera lens. As you look at various pictures, select the aspects you think best for you.
May 16th, 2007
The Prague Playhouse is delighted to invite you to the very first in their monthly series of
Short Play Staged Readings
Come and enjoy some of the very best in new english language theatre – we promise it’ll be painless…mostly!
The Play: Celebrity Father
The Place: The Globe Bookstore, Pštrossova 6
The Date: May 17, 2007
The Time: 19:00
There will be time for questions from the audience after the reading.
Synopsis:
Billy Kilbride, star of the new daytime reality show hit “Painful Confessions” has a past shrouded in deceit and drugs. Once an All-American football superstar, Billy hit the bottom with cocaine and was rescued by his present manager, Jack Selway, who sees Billy as his ticket out of sleaze TV and into the big-time of Hollywood movies. But when Billy’s brother-in-law shows up, the truth unravels in unexpected ways.
Writer:
Mark Moe
Director:
Ben Steel
Cast:
BILLY: Scott Williams
JACK: James Lambert
DON: David Bowles
JOHN: Brian Caspe
KELLY: Amor Jackson
ARTIE: James High
RANDI: Erica Golds
MC: James High
May 10th, 2007
Please join us Saturday, May 12, at the Globe Bookstore, in welcoming four contributing poets to Word Walker Press’s recently released Chaos of Angels, an “anthology of poems featuring works on the topic of survival as a spirit in a biochemically minded culture.” Poets Lois P. Jones (Los Angeles), Grace Beeler (New York), Peter Ludwin (Seattle) and Jana Jakesova (Prague) will read from their own work on this and other topics, beginning at 8 pm.
The Globe Bookstore
Pstrossova 6
Saturday, May 12
May 10th, 2007
Sat 12th May - from 20:00
La Cave - L�ze�sk� 6, Prague 1, Mal� Strana
(Look for the ZFK� South Africa poster)
See attached map
After Screening VJ party with Creation Dub Project
Special promotion on South African Bio Wine & Bio Ice Creams
Seating is limited and this is a private screening party… so first come first served…
Program:
Trailer - Catch A Fire 2006 02′27
Trailer - Bunny Chow 2007 01′36
Documentary - Surfing Soweto 2006 35′30
Feature: Tsotsi (2005) 94′00
===20:00
Trailer - Catch A Fire 2006 02′27
Phillip Noyce (dir.) Tim Robbins, Derek Luke, Bonnie Henna
Trailer - Bunny Chow 2007 01′36
Dir JOHN BARKER Indie Film
Documentary - Surfing Soweto 2006 35′30
A low res video from Free Movies Cinema Dot Com. ‘Surfing’ on top of
speeding trains is the ultimate adrenaline experience for South
Africa’s disillusioned youth. It’s illegal, dangerous and has already
killed hundreds. “I always wanted to be a stuntman”, explains ‘Bitch
Nigga’. He doesn’t just surf trains. He ducks bridges, does push ups
and has come up with his own entertainment routine, performed from the
top of a racing train. Most of the surfers come from broken homes and
struggle with drink and drug problems. Insightful document never
screened before in Czech Republic.
=== 21:00
Feature: Tsotsi (2005) 94′00
In this world… redemption just comes once.
ZFK rating: *****
See you all there at FILM CLUB
- FC -
May 10th, 2007
Dear P and Pians,
As we draw to a close with only three P and P’s left, we also experience some unexpected changes. Please note that the three final P and P’s will take place at three separate locations. There is a reason for this but please don’t ask, we won’t tell what happened. The final schedule is as follows:
May 13-Taky Tiki Bar
May 27-Music Bar Nirvana (formerly known as Cabestro, formerly known as The Cocoon)
June 17-The Globe Bookstore and Cafe
Also, drawing near to the end, we thought it appropriate that the P and P cohosts have a chance to feature their work on the main stage, therefore this Sunday, May 13, P and P proudly presents its very good friend and the very talented poet Chris Crawford. Chris’s poetry runs the gamut of emotion as well as subject. One minute he takes you on an escalator admiring the sweaty pustules of a teenage girl, the next to a murderer facing himself in a mirror. It is a vibrant ride he will take us on and one that is sure to be full of surprises.
Chris will be followed by an open mic of poetry and music.
P and P
Same time (6:30pm)
new location: TAKY TIKI BAR, CIMBURKOVA 22, OFF OF SEIFERTOVA IN ZIZKOV BETWEEN LIPANSKA AND HUSINECKA TRAM STOPS
May 10th, 2007
Tomson Highway Cabaret - “Waiting for Coyote” - contemporary drama about Canadian Indians
Date- Monday, May 14, 2007
Time- 19:30
Place- Ypsilon Theatre
Address- Spalena 16, Prague 1
*you can reserve tickets at pokladna@ypsilonka.cz or call 224 947 119
Click here to view the invitation�http://www.gocanada.cz/word_document/kabaret_invitation_cz.pdf
May 9th, 2007