Here's Why the Mic on the Camera may be Ruining Your Audition

Different lights sources are different "temperatures" which means they have a different color. Incandescent lights are yellow, daylight is very blue. Let's say you set up the lighting, and you are also near a window.  By hitting the White Balance button you can adjust the camera to "balance" the color between those two light sources. Place a white card where the talent will be standing and hit the white balance feature. If you do not use this feature the color will be completely off, especially your skin tones. It will be evident if you forget to do this, because the skin tones and colors will all be incorrect.



Sound is another very important feature. Distracting static, muddy tones in your voice, are all ways to kill what might otherwise be a good audition tape. A good way to get quickly dismissed is to have poor sound quality. Keep the mic as close to the talent as possible. Renting a good quality microphone is a good idea, as the camera mounted variety are usually prone to pick up lots of static and stray noise. Let's face it, acting is a form of communication and you cannot communicate clearly if you can't be heard. Acting classes in nyc sometimes have ways to help with this.



Once the basics are set up, content becomes the focus. An audition prepared for taping has some slight differences. Coaches trained in Meisner acting techniques can help you prepare for those differences. An audition tape that is engaging, riveting, and fascinating is easier for actors that have studied Meisner acting. In Meisner acting nyc, a key thing to keep in mind is what is left "out." Of course, you can't cram every possible emotion that a character "has" into a few moments. Leaving some elements of the character out, is one way to engage your audience immediately. Audiences like to work, think, and look for clues which is a way to engage them in your performance.

Acting Classes in NYC for Serious Artists

Acting Classes in NYC for Serious Artists

The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides nyc acting classes for serious actors. To learn more about commercial acting visit the studio website.

Accepting Direction and Criticism - Improving Acting Audition Tapes

Two to three smaller lights are all you really need. A light should be placed in front of the talent (you) one on either side, and far enough away to not cause shadows or hot spots. The background can lit using a third light. There are audition tapes that have dark backgrounds which can set a certain mood and this can work. While this can work you must be careful to that the overall feel of the tape is appropriate and not distracting. A white balance feature on cameras is used to correct the color.



Light sources, such as lamps, professional lights and daylight all have different temperatures. Daylight has a lot of blue in it and is very "cool." Let's say you set up the lighting, and you are also near a window. If you use both of these light sources the color will be off unless you "correct" it in the camera. The white balance feature is used to make this correction quickly and automatically. Just focus the camera on a white card or sheet of paper and it should correct for color. If you do not use this feature the color will be completely off, especially your skin tones. It will be evident if you forget to do this, because the skin tones and colors will all be incorrect.



Sound is another very important feature. If you cannot be heard, you cannot perform. A good way to get quickly dismissed is to have poor sound quality.  The cleanest sound comes from a mic planted close the source of sound, in this case, you. Camera mounted microphones are not very close to the subject, so looking into the rental of a good quality Lavalier microphone might be worthwhile. If you aren't being heard clearly you aren't able to communicate who you are as an actor or the character. Lots of good acting classes in nyc, include advice on how to do this.

The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides acting classes for serious actors. To learn more about commercial acting visit the studio website.

Acting Classes in NYC for Serious Artists