Our spotlight of the week combines both beauty and brains in a gorgeous package. Discovered at the age of 15, Amy has gone on to conquer the showbiz industry with several beauty pageant titles under her belt.
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It’s your first day on the show’s set and your heart is pounding with anxiety and excitement.  The good news is that’s completely normal.  The daunting news is that your work has just begun and your job is to impress and have a good impression on everyone you meet.

Here at MRP we are committed to helping you thrive in the industry so we have interviewed and polled experts to find out the 3 most common mistakes on set and how to avoid them.

1. Stage Fright

The first time you take the stage can be terrifying. You have probably rehearsed so far alone or with friends/family as an audience. Here you are faced with strangers expecting you to do something. Anything! This can easily make a beginning actor, and sometimes even the more seasoned ones freeze.

Solution

Stage fright gets easier the more you get in front of an audience. Start performing in front of small groups to build your confidence. However, sometimes it doesn’t always go away. You may need to learn some calming techniques such as breathing exercises. It could also be a case of feeling not adequate enough, but remember you got the part and that means the casting director saw potential in you at the audition! So leave those fears behind and once you get into the groove of things, you will wonder why you were ever afraid in the first place.

2. Breaking character

This art requires a lot of concentration and sometimes you may lose focus and stumble on your line, lose your place and cause an awkward silence. More experienced actors know they have to get back on track asap and gracefully, while a beginner will probably break out of character to apologize *cringe*.

Solution

Practice practice practice. In different settings, different situations that might throw you out of line. Practice till you hone that focus. And if you do end up losing your line, develop a technique to get back on it without breaking character. An audience would never know you made a mistake unless you break character or apologize. Also do not cause the yawning awkward silence, no one will solve your problem, you have to take charge and get back in line.

3. Making Excuses

This is similar to the tip above but also a general life lesson. You are on set, everyone is stressed out, on a tight schedule and want things to be perfect. However, everybody is prone to making mistakes. It is how you deal with it that sets you apart and shows your professionalism. Mistakes rarely become compounded unless you make it worse by trying to give a million excuses. This is a huge no-no on set.

Solution

You are a professional actor and professional behaviour is expected from you. When you make a mistake, take responsibility for it, don’t come up with excuses or blame someone else for it. You will only make matters worse and probably lose the respect and trust of those around you.

These tips are useful for both your professional and personal life. Being on a film set can be stressful, with emotions flying and everyone working really hard and fast to achieve one goal. You can quickly get overwhelmed or carried away. But if you do your homework beforehand and follow our tips at MRP,  you will be able to build and navigate your successful acting career.

Company

Bill Goldberg, casting dir.

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Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tahnee Harrison began dancing, singing and playing the piano at the tender age of 5.

By 15 years old, she was well on the way to stardom and was crowned Miss Nevada Teen USA in 2001. Read More

While having the talent and ambition to succeed in the acting industry is very important, it means nothing if you can’t land roles that you audition for. Casting directors play a very vital role in moving an actor’s career forward; <!–more—> they are responsible for selecting the suitable characters for any project be it TV, movies, theatre, music video and many more. Wow them at an audition and you start to get more call-backs, and land your favorite roles. Therefore, to stand out of the crowd and make a good first impression, here are 5 ways to make a CASTING DIRECTORS HAPPY from MRP.

1. Your audition begins as soon as you walk into the room. Dress your best and enter the room with confidence.
2. Leave all personal baggage at the door. This is work and you need to be focused solely on being professional.
3. Show the directors that you really want the part. Carry out all research and find out any pertinent information about the story, the characters and anything else you can think of.
4. You are there to show your talent and should be prepared with the brief you received. However, be open to receiving directions from the casting crew and follow them gracefully.
5. Don’t apologize. If you stumble or make a mistake, maintain your poise. Do not blame anyone or anything and keep going.

In conclusion, if you can you are confident, professional, well prepared and ready to follow direction, you are well on your way to standing out and getting noticed during casting calls and upping your chances of getting that favorite phone call, “You booked it!”

Oh and remember to say thank you to the casting director(s) at the end of the audition.

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