Mastering audition technique is key to getting the role at any casting interview. When the role calls for on-camera work, a child actor faces special challenges. Here are some audition tips that will help your child deliver a standout performance in front of the camera.
Learn the lines by heart.
Actors who memorize lines are free to focus attention on their partners in the scene and respond to direction. Learning dialogue by heart removes the distraction of trying to read from a script and act at the same time. Children who are distracted aren’t adept at remaining present in the moment and listening. They’ll be looking down at notes and the camera will lose the face and the chance to capture emotion in the actors’ eyes.
Rehearse on camera, record and review.
The biggest difference between acting on camera and on stage is subtlety. The camera captures the smallest movements and the slightest sounds. Young performers who have only worked on the stage need to train in front of a camera for on-camera acting and learn to tone down their voice, body movements and facial expressions. Reviewing their on-camera rehearsing lets children see unconscious habits such as raising their eyebrows or licking their lips. They’ll see how they look to an audience, and they’ll see where they need to improve their performance. The only way to learn on-camera work is to rehearse, record and review.
Work on improvisation.
Learning how to improvise does more than train actors how to listen and respond authentically. Mastering the skill of improvisation is important in acting for TV commercials that often use no scripts at all. TV commercials are frequently improvisational. An actor may receive no more direction other that hearing the director tell them to play a character who’s being annoyed by a little brother. Improv training will help a child actor improve performance and deliver better results.
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