Regarding "improv" and "ad lib" in auditions.
May 10, 2018 1:43:51 GMT -8
James, Rebekah Amber Clark, and 6 more like this
Post by Lady Stardust ★ on May 10, 2018 1:43:51 GMT -8
On both our Discord server and this discussion thread, a recurring theme seems to come up in that one of the most common peeves (aside from casting before deadline) is being asked to simply improv something for a character rather than having structured audition lines.
Now, some actors LOVE to improv and are good at it, which can definitely be a great asset! However, not every actor is good at or comfortable with improv. Some actors may even pass that part over because they don’t feel confident enough to do it, even if they are otherwise a great actor.
Asking for improv is okay, but here's the thing: it should be listed as an option, rather than a requirement, for the audition---unless the final project will require the actor to have improv skills.
DO:
"Feel free to add or change these lines a bit and ad-lib if you want to."
DON'T:
"I don't have audition lines for the character, so just make something up."
The "do" example communicates that this is a producer who's open to fun ideas or other interpretations of the characters, while still having standard audition lines written so that the talent isn't forced to come up with something else if they don't want to. It gives the actors who are good at improv to have a chance to shine or maybe add some type of unique element to the character that wasn't there before, without pushing the others out.
The "don't" example communicates that this is a producer who can't be bothered to write a script for their project and expects the actors to do it for them. This may not be the intention, of course, but it's still the impression that it gives off. Remember that audition lines don't necessarily need to be final script lines; they're just used for demonstration purposes.
Also, keep in mind that most of the time in an audition, the actor has very limited info on the character. If all you're giving them is a name and picture and maybe a short description, you're not really giving them much to work with in terms of expecting them to make up lines. It's not against the rules of the board per se, but it does end up being frustrating for a lot of actors and will greatly decrease the amount of auditions you receive.
"As an actor, is it okay if I improv in my audition, even if the casting call doesn't ask for it?"
Generally, yes. However, it's a good idea to always include one take of the line as-written. That way, you can avoid situations of "that was great, but... it wasn't the line I asked for."
You may want to be careful about doing it in situations where the project is directly being translated from another language into English as they generally do try to stay close to the original translation in these situations, and it can also cause issues if you are working with non-native English speakers who may not quite realize what you are saying or know if they want to put it in their project.
And, this should go without saying, but use good judgment when it comes to what you say in the ad-lib. For instance, if you're auditioning for a children's project, you'd say different things than you would if you were auditioning for a raunchy parody being cast by one of your friends!
tl;dr: Unless the final project requires it, "improv" should be optional in auditions.
Now, some actors LOVE to improv and are good at it, which can definitely be a great asset! However, not every actor is good at or comfortable with improv. Some actors may even pass that part over because they don’t feel confident enough to do it, even if they are otherwise a great actor.
Asking for improv is okay, but here's the thing: it should be listed as an option, rather than a requirement, for the audition---unless the final project will require the actor to have improv skills.
DO:
"Feel free to add or change these lines a bit and ad-lib if you want to."
DON'T:
"I don't have audition lines for the character, so just make something up."
The "do" example communicates that this is a producer who's open to fun ideas or other interpretations of the characters, while still having standard audition lines written so that the talent isn't forced to come up with something else if they don't want to. It gives the actors who are good at improv to have a chance to shine or maybe add some type of unique element to the character that wasn't there before, without pushing the others out.
The "don't" example communicates that this is a producer who can't be bothered to write a script for their project and expects the actors to do it for them. This may not be the intention, of course, but it's still the impression that it gives off. Remember that audition lines don't necessarily need to be final script lines; they're just used for demonstration purposes.
Also, keep in mind that most of the time in an audition, the actor has very limited info on the character. If all you're giving them is a name and picture and maybe a short description, you're not really giving them much to work with in terms of expecting them to make up lines. It's not against the rules of the board per se, but it does end up being frustrating for a lot of actors and will greatly decrease the amount of auditions you receive.
"As an actor, is it okay if I improv in my audition, even if the casting call doesn't ask for it?"
Generally, yes. However, it's a good idea to always include one take of the line as-written. That way, you can avoid situations of "that was great, but... it wasn't the line I asked for."
You may want to be careful about doing it in situations where the project is directly being translated from another language into English as they generally do try to stay close to the original translation in these situations, and it can also cause issues if you are working with non-native English speakers who may not quite realize what you are saying or know if they want to put it in their project.
And, this should go without saying, but use good judgment when it comes to what you say in the ad-lib. For instance, if you're auditioning for a children's project, you'd say different things than you would if you were auditioning for a raunchy parody being cast by one of your friends!
tl;dr: Unless the final project requires it, "improv" should be optional in auditions.