THE KID'S CASTING CORNER

by Sharon Bialy

Dear Sharon, My daughter has been performing in all her middle school plays and at summer theatre programs. She is usually cast in the lead role, but rarely seems to get a job when she auditions for TV and film. What could she be doing wrong? ~ Jackie's Mom

Children and adults who have worked extensively on stage often have problems adjusting to auditioning for the camera. I recommend that actors keep their reactions simple and their vocal level conversational. Your daughter should be reminded to play to the size of the room. She no longer needs to reach the back row of the theatre. She should practice as if the camera is extremely close to her face, even though it will be farther away in the audition room. Her movements and facial reactions will then be smaller and more realistic. She should work on actively listening, not just following the lines on the pages when she is not the one speaking. Actors often convey more with their expression than with words. Even though your young actress may have waited weeks for the audition, spent an hour in the car, and waited twenty minutes in the reception area, she needs to know that her scene is only one part of the story. The actor's job may just be to facilitate moving the story along quickly and simply. If your daughter understands she is only a small cog in the wheel, the audition will come off more natural, and realistic; exactly what the camera demands. An additional practical tip I often tell actors: leave all the homework and the preparation outside, just come in, say the lines, and tell the truth.

Dear Sharon,

We moved to California three years ago from another country. My son has expressed an interest in going out on commercials and television auditions. He speaks English perfectly but he still has an accent. Are we wasting our time? ~ Mojkan

There are numerous opportunities in television and film for young actors of foreign cultures, especially with all the military stories now in vogue. Encourage him to use his experience as a plus. Practically speaking, if he cannot get rid of his accent, he will be limited to only those foreign roles. I would encourage him to work on his American accent for auditions so he can be considered for any role. Any actor needs ample time to work on an accent, so make sure he takes the time to practice. When he goes to the audition he should be concentrating on the character and not the accent.

Sharon Bialy is surviving raising two teenagers and working in Hollywood. She is casting two CBS series, "The Unit" and "Jericho". An award winning casting director for twenty years, credits include the films " Rudy", "Mr. Holland's Opus", and the recent "Reign O'er Me" starring Adam Sandler, "Jersey Boys" on Broadway, the upcoming revival of "The Wiz", and the world premiere of Aaron Sorkin's new play "The Farnsworth Invention" on Broadway.

Write to Sharon at TheCastingCorner@familymagazinegroup.com.