Last week we talked about how to create a complex character by starting with your body language. This works exceptionally well because your body language will dictate how you speak.

This week we are going to talk about how to do it quickly in an audition setting.

Professional actors are very good at building complex characters that prove to CDs how well they will be able to perform the character on set.

Most actors make a critical mistake and it causes CDs to pass on them, before they really get a chance to showcase their talent.

They try to play the character with the limited information they’re given for the audition. This leads them to play it the same way the same way everyone else does.

Professional actors don’t do that and it’s why they book much more often.

If you want to increase how many times you get booked, here’s what to do instead...

Creating characters during an audition is very different from doing it once you’ve already been booked and you’re preparing to get on set.

The biggest difference is that, once you’re booked, you have a full script and you know the character’s entire storyline.

During an audition, you’re typically limited to a single scene and you have to make a lot of inferences about why the character feels a certain way about something.

So, what typically happens is that an actor will identify the points where they should be sad, angry, or happy and then they will try to play those emotions.

That immediately shows CDs just how green you are.

See, when you’re auditioning for something Casting Directors don’t expect you to have a full grasp on the character. It’s now what they’re looking for.

That means you can make character choices that may not be “correct” and still impress CDs and get a call back.

The key is to make character choices that add layers and complexity. Don’t just pull something out of thin air to be different.

Here’s what I mean...

Let’s say you are reading for a character that is written as a powerful executive with a troubled home life.

Pulling something out of thin air would be playing the character as an amputee, just because it’s different.

On the contrary, a character choice that adds a layer of complexity would be to play the executive as a shell shocked war veteran.

To build this character quickly you would first build the executive character. Then, you would layer the nuances of a shell shocked war veteran on top.

For example, a powerful executive is going to be very confident by default. No one climbs the corporate ladder without being extremely confident.

To layer that confidence, you then think about where the confidence comes from.

The type of confidence someone develops from being in a warzone, being in your enemies cross hairs daily, and surviving constant attempts on your life is a very different type of confidence than what someone develops in a boardroom.

An executive that developed their confidence in the boardroom would negotiate from a position of trying to outsmart the competition and they would do so confidently, knowing they had done it successfully before.

On the other hand, your character, the shell shocked war veteran, would negotiate very differently, knowing that the outcome isn’t a life or death scenario.

The traditional executive would lead with their ego, and that’s how most actors would play it.

Your character would lead with a more nonchalant attitude, having come face to face with their own mortality and realizing that not much else is all that serious.

You then take this further by adding in the character traits that match the broader choice you’ve made.

How would a shell shocked war veteran behave themselves compared to an egotistical person?

For one, after years in the military they might stand “at attention” whenever someone enters the room. That’s a habit that many people carry with them back to civilian life.

They might also be a little bit hard of hearing, given that they’re shell shocked, and lean in towards anyone that is speaking to them.

Chances are they would lean in, while favoring either their left ear or their right ear to better be able to hear the person speaking.

They would then return their head to a neutral position when responding.

These are the subtle nuances that you can layer on top, that will catch a CDs attention and make them want to see more of you.

Think of what other traits you can layer. How would your character stand?

Do they have a particular manner of speaking? For example, career military people often have a certain cadence to their voice that they carry back to civilian life with them.

What about being shell shocked? How would you layer that in?

This one might be a bit tricky to do during an audition. There would have to be some action that triggers the shell shock.

It could be something as simple as clapping or it could be more nuanced such as the way your character hangs up the phone.

The ego driven executive would have no problem slamming the phone back on the receiver to prove a point.

Your character wouldn’t risk it, as it could trigger their shock.

Remember, the point isn’t to get everything right about the character. It’s to add complexity in a way that makes sense and play the character in a way no one else will.

That’s what will make CDs want to see more.

During a call back, you will get more information about the character and you will be able to refine the choices you made.

You might find that being a shell shocked veteran doesn’t exactly work. You might end up taking the character in an entirely different direction and that’s ok.

Chances are, you will get some direction from the CD about this anyway.

Take that direction and the new information you have about the character and run it through the same process we talked about today to build a complex character.

You will be amazed at the difference this makes.

Try it out for yourself by doing a mock audition with a friend. Have them pick out a scene for you and build a character the same way we went over.

Don’t fill them in on what you are doing.

Then, have them give you direction on how they originally thought you would play the character. This will simulate the callback.

Take that direction and build your character again, with that in mind, just like you would for a callback audition.

Practicing like this from time to time will help you be ready when a real audition comes along.

If you don’t have any auditions to prepare for right now, click here It’s a great way to increase your visibility in the place where CDs and industry decision makers are already looking for talent.

If you’ve been around Boost My Star for any length of time, you know that what professional actors focus on first, is creating an increased industry visibility.

It doesn't matter how great you become at building complex characters, if you never have an opportunity to do it.

That’s why I created this. It helps you be more visible to casting directors, even if you don’t have a lot of credits yet.

If you’re reading this, I know you have big goals for yourself and you’re actively working towards them.

That kind of passion is contagious and people want to help people who are passionate about their goals. Unfortunately it’s difficult to show that to the industry. The next best thing is to make sure that your industry reputation matches your goals. Here’s how I can help.

What went over can be a bit overwhelming but don’t let things get out of control. Keep it simple and don’t go off on tangents that have little to do with your character.

Just use whatever information you have available and go from there. If you ever get lost in the process or even if you just want to bounce ideas about any of it, shoot me an email or leave a comment below.

I’m always happy to help however I can because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott