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Friday, June 26, 2009

Question for Actors

I've got to run to the airport, having just finished second auditions, but I have a quick questions for you actors.

Several of the actors on the callbacks came wearing the exact same clothes from the first audition. Is this something taught in audition seminars and what's the strategy behind it? I actually liked seeing different looks. So pipe in and educate me.

3 comments:

  1. Two things:

    1. Yes, that is taught to a lot of us. The theory is that wearing the same outfit will help whoever is casting remember you, at the very least by associating you with what you've been wearing. I did that today with you actually! Now it is mostly by habit though, not so much a conscious decision, which leads to number 2...

    2. Actors have audition outfits. Clothes they keep on hold for specific types of auditions, ones they feel comfortable in, make them happy, keep them calm, make them confident, or help them feel closer to the character for a particular audition. So, if the outfit worked enough to get the callback, it should in a superstitious world seal the deal. For myself, if I get called back for something, changing the outfit is almost a superstitious personal no-no.

    However, now that you mentioned you find it odd, I realize those are probably better rituals for theatre rather than tv/film, because if you go on tape and get called back, it shouldn't be hard to get remembered!

    I realize after writing all that how neurotic I am as an actor. Was it distracting for you today when you saw repeat outfits?

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  2. I was taught the same thing when I was younger. Over time, however, I've heard it's better to change it up, but to imply the first look you had. Example: blue jeans/gray shirt one day, blue jeans/blue shirt next day. Simple, similar, but not yesterday's uniform.

    It's nice to get a director's perspective, though!

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  3. Great comments. Also got a ton of comments on the Facebook mirror.

    As far as the same clothes, I can see the logic. I guess as a director, sometimes I want to see if they can be a little different-- if the actor can appear different. But if so, then I tell the casting director so they can inform the actor on call back to come dressed differently.

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