Acting Tips from CalArts Professor & Actress Suanne Spoke

One of my favorite things about teaching the Advanced Commercial Callback Class is having brilliant and talented industry guests come every class to provide feedback on student performance and answer questions.

(Click here to see past guests)

This past month we had the pleasure ofCal Arts Professor and longtime actress friend of mine, Suanne Spoke come share valuable insights with our class. She was so good that I couldn't resist sharing here as well.

Enjoy! 
- Judy

Judy Kain has been a professional actress now for 37 years, showcasing her skills and talents in over 350 commercials and in over 80 roles for film and television.  

Some of her more well-known credits include a Television Series Regular on The Jackie Thomas Show and a Recurring role on the Emmy-winning show Mad Men, a role which won her a SAG Award.  Her other favorite recurring credits include Married with Children, For Your Love, Grosse Pointe, and Manhattan, AZ with Chad Everett.  She has done numerous guest appearances on the hit shows Modern Family, The Middle, Bones, Castle, Scrubs, Desperate Housewives, ER, Seinfeld, The District, The West Wing, NYPD Blue, Friends, and The Drew Carey Show just to name a few.   Her teaching career has also lead to immense success, being voted BACKSTAGE WEST'S FAVORITE ON-CAMERA COMMERCIAL TEACHER IN LA in 2010 and 2011.  Her other acting classes have won BACKSTAGE WEST'S FAVORITE IN LA as well, and continue to produce amazing results for her students. She teaches Advanced Callback, Commercial A to Z and Commercial Wednesday Workouts.

Social Media for The Actor

Most people are familiar with the popular social media sites: Facebook and Twitter. As a professional actor, I use these as my main marketing tools.  They are important pages, but finding the time to manage them can seem daunting. And then, every day, someone is telling me about another social media platform that I must join – the newest, latest or greatest.  Often when I feel overwhelmed by something, I stay away. So I’ve decided to take you on this journey with me to take a look at some social media sites that I would like to better understand.

Social media marketing fascinates me, so much so that I have created a segment called “Natalie’s Social Media Moment” on Hollywood Close-Up. This all started because although I’ve never taken an official “marketing” class, I’ve taken several workshops about taking your acting career to the next level.  Recently, I wrote about the importance of self-promotion

 and how these essentially free social networking sites can help.  Vine (https://vine.co)  I mentioned Vine a couple of times in my social media moment.  Most recently, on EP78 (http://natalieandwayne.com/2015/03/18/ep78-erick-chavarria) when talking about a panel with casting directors at SXSW (http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/14/sxsw-film-casting-directors-say-acting-talent-counts-for-7-in-their-decisions) who said they are finding new talent on Vine.  Basically, Vine is a place to share six-second videos. When you get the app, you can film an all-in-one take or separate shorter moments and Vine will put them together as a six-second video. Then the video plays on a loop.

Why it’s good for actors — As actors, we want to be on camera and we want people to see our talents. What better way than on Vine? Whether you want to just show your acting chops or just your personality, I think Vine should definitely be an option to consider.  We are being told to make videos shorter and you can’t get much shorter than six seconds! 

Instagram (https://instagram.com)

“A picture is worth a thousand words.”  I enjoy sharing pictures on social media, but for the longest time, did not feel it was necessary to be on Instagram. After countless people telling me to join, I decided to check it out.  Instagram is an app that can be downloaded on most smart phones that allows you to share pictures and videos, instantly.  Before posting, you have the option to change up the tone of the picture or video by adding a filter.  Instagram also gives you the opportunity to share to Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms.

Why it’s good for actors - Instagram gives you a place to tell your story through photos and videos and share it with others.  In this business, we are constantly running around and may not catch up with friends and family as much as we would like.  This is a quick and easy way to stay in touch, until you can make that next phone call or trip back home.  You can keep your loved ones up to date with what is going on in your world and they can do the same.  Also, Instagram allows videos up to fifteen seconds.  That’s nine more seconds than Vine.  Just think of what story you can tell with the additional time!  Actors are creating short web series and uploading them to Instagram.  A perfect example of this are Hollywood Close-Up’s past guests, Heather Lee Moss and Anna Borchert (http://natalieandwayne.com/2014/10/01/ep57-heather-lee-moss-and-anna-borchert), who are the creators and stars of the faux Instagram reality show, Daughters of POP (https://instagram.com/therealdaughtersofpop).

Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com)

My best girlfriend from college talked me into joining Pinterst and since I was the one who talked her into getting on Facebook, I knew that I had to build a profile. But that’s all I did. Sorry, BFF, the truth comes out! Of course, she knows I’ve done nothing on there because she can see my profile. Well the good news is, once I logged in and went to my profile, a little box popped up on the bottom right saying “learn about your profile and how to use it.” Sweet! So, what is Pinterest? A pin is a visual bookmark. You create online bulletin boards, name them and then pin your interests to them. It’s completely visual. It says goodbye to the days of bookmarking on your computer and definitely to printing things out and thumb-tacking them to a corkboard.  

Why it’s good for actors — This all sounds simple enough and fun, but how might this help me with my social media marketing for my acting career? We are constantly being told to have a life outside of acting and I think this is a pretty quick and easy way to share that part of your life with others.  It’s another way to connect and share your interests and be a resource for others. 

Google+ (https://plus.google.com)

Seems to be an exclusive online club for people with a google account. Google+ works with circles. I like this because it seems like a clear way to manage your friends list. You can add people to your circles or follow them as you would on Twitter and now on Facebook. The main draw for me in this one is Google hangouts. These video chats can be private or public and you can chat via text or by video with up to ten people.

Why it’s good for actors — Imagine what you can do with these hangouts when you are trying to do a crowd-funding project!  I can see how Google+ can work for larger businesses, but would be great for actor groups who work together that cannot get together that often in person. Late night discussions about the biz on Google+ can help with accountability. Also, I noticed that if you post a video to your YouTube account, it goes onto your Google+ profile. Just another way for industry professionals and friends to easily see your work.

As an actor, what social media sites do you find most helpful?

Natalie Lipka (“Criminal Minds,” “Kroll Show”) is an actor, writer, and producer.  She currently hosts Hollywood Close-Up with Wayne Frazier (“Transparent,” “Kroll Show”), an audio podcast that focuses on creating your own career in the entertainment industry.  On the show, Natalie and Wayne discuss the latest in the entertainment world and trending topics in social media, and provide insight to those pursuing a career in “the biz.”  Each episode includes a close-up interview with one of Hollywood’s finest working actors, directors, producers, writers and other industry professionals.

Casting Director Ross Lacy: How some actors shoot themselves in the foot

Some actors can shoot themselves in the foot before they even read for the part. They come in and talk way too much. Or the kiss of death is to talk about how great the real product is, like, “oh Man I really do drink Budweiser.”

Some of it comes down to the fact that the agency and the director are  all going to be hanging out with you for 12 hours a day when your shooting and if there are 2 people and one of them is friendly and nice and the one of them  is annoying - and they both can do the job-then definitely the friendly nice one is going to get the job. Because it comes down to "who do I want to spend my day with?"

So personality does come into play. You don’t want to overstep your bounds, you don't know these people that well, and they are not your friends in that moment. Remember you're in the audition room to do a good job. That doesn't mean you can't be personal and get a laugh out of them or something but read the room and act accordingly. Keep it professional.  

Ross Lacy is a Casting Director who, over the course of almost 20 years, has worked with every major advertising agency & production company worldwide. He's been responsible for casting seminal spots and launching unforgettable campaigns. He has cast over 3,000 commercials, many of which have won Clios, Cannes Lions, and have been featured in the pages and on the cover of Adweek.

Ross sees the final takes for a number of Keep it Real Acting's classes including Advanced Callback Class and the Kids & Teens Classes.

Sedona Film Festival Review

The 21st Annual Sedona Film Festival is over but lives on in my mind with the memory of such stimulating, thought provoking films! Not only was the quality of the films beyond my expectations, but the splendor and staggering beauty of Sedona made the long weekend the hottest show in town!  Something for everyone from features to shorts, documentaries to animation and foreign films to student films.

Directors Choice Award for best Comedy Feature went to Frank vs God, a comedy that raises questions about faith and religion with a light-hearted tone and an open mind. The film is an uplifting story of one man’s search for answers, by taking them to a higher court. I found the script clever and anything but cliche, with outstanding performances by Ever Carradine & Henry Ian Cusick.

My personal favorite which did not win any awards was Little Accidents. Its a heartfelt story shot in a small American town still living in the shadow of a terrible coal mine accident, the disappearance of a teenage boy draws together a surviving miner, the lonely wife of a mine executive, and a local boy in a web of secrets. The simplicity of the performances by the cast was riveting.

Elizabeth Banks, Diane Doyle, Boyd Holbrook, Amos Jenkins, Jacob Lofland ...Owen Josh Lucas, Bill Doyle

I also saw some great short films - Hands of Flame won the best Student  short film and well deserve! Based on a true story, Hands of Flame is a thesis film by Steven Markowitz from the School of Film and Animation at the Rochester Institute of Technology, told entirely in silhouettes and featuring a unique blend of 3D computer animation and traditional 2D watercolor animation. I was moved by this simple, gripping, true film about the holocaust.

The films were fantastic and the Parties were even better with the exuberant social interaction and networking between film makers and audience members. It is an event not to be missed.  Hope to see you there next year.

Judy Kain has been a professional actress now for 37 years, showcasing her skills and talents in over 350 commercials and in over 80 roles for film and television. 

Some of her more well-known credits include a Television Series Regular on The Jackie Thomas Show and a Recurring role on the Emmy-winning show Mad Men, a role which won her a SAG Award.  Her other favorite recurring credits include Married with Children, For Your Love, Grosse Pointe, and Manhattan, AZ with Chad Everett.  She has done numerous guest appearances on the hit shows Modern Family, The Middle, Bones, Castle, Scrubs, Desperate Housewives, ER, Seinfeld, The District, The West Wing, NYPD Blue, Friends, and The Drew Carey Show just to name a few.   Her teaching career has also lead to immense success, being voted BACKSTAGE WEST'S FAVORITE ON-CAMERA COMMERCIAL TEACHER IN LA in 2010 and 2011.  Her other acting classes have won BACKSTAGE WEST'S FAVORITE IN LA as well, and continue to produce amazing results for her students. She teaches Advanced Callback, Commercial A to Z and Commercial Wednesday Workouts.

The Biggest Roadblock Actors Face

Theatrical Teachers Stacy Edwards & Suzanne Schmidt share what they believe to be the biggest roadblocks actors face. Join them in class at www.keepitrealact...

Stacy Edwards has been a working actor for 28 years.  In television she was a series regular on Chicago Hope, has appeared in the TNT movie, Houdini, and was on HBO's Vietnam War Stories.  She has guest starred on numerous series, including CSI, CSI: New York, NCIS, Shameless and Grey's Anatomy to name a few.  In film she was nominated for an INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD for her role in In The Company Of Men.  You can also see her in Primary Colors, Super Bad, and The Bling Ring. At Keep it Real Acting, she teaches Advanced Scene Study and Theatrical Thursdays - a cold reading drop in class.

Suzanne Schmidt has spent her recent years acquiring a Masters in Acting while simultaneously teaching and coaching acting at Northern Illinois University.  She has a background as an actress, director, singer, theatre company co-founder and producer.  Before moving to Illinois, Suzanne spent years as a working actress in Los Angeles and you can see her in the upcoming season of Sons of Anarchy.

Suzanne is trained in and thus her coaching is inspired by the methods of Constantine Stanislavsky, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner, Michael Chekhov, Catherine Fitzmaurice and Lloyd Williamson.  Suzanne's goal is to help her students establish the truth within their character’s given circumstances while realizing the inevitability of the words and actions of their character.

Suzanne teaches Theatrical Technique/Scene Study and Theatrical Thursdays at Keep it Real Acting.

Shocking: Stage Moms vs. NFL's Manning Family

I live in Los Angeles. I used to be an actress and even a talent agent at a very well known agency. I'm currently a photographer and director and so I've seen the Hollywood industry from all sides. I'm also a mom.

I've photographed child actors at various levels of their careers and during these headshot session photo shoots many of the parents say, "So you must meet a lot of Stage Moms?" and it's with the derogatory spin that the term seems to have earned itself. And with every year I remain in this business, I expect to actually start to answer that with a resounding "Yes, so many!" But alas, after 16 years and photographing hundreds of young actors and spending time with their parents I've kept my answer to a steadfast "No, I've barely met a one!"

Sure, there are the famous stage mom's from Brooke Shields' mom to Brittany Spears, from JonBenet Ramsey's mom to Miley Cyrus and Lindsay Lohan's. But these "budding new stage moms", from my experience as an agent and a mother of a teenager who modeled professionally while in high school (Professionally enough to proudly buy a car with all her own money when she was 16) are actually following their kid's lead. When you turn on the TV and see any child under 16, they had to have an adult helping them, even if it was just driving them. The kids themselves want to do this! As a talent agent I have spoken at dozens of seminars in front of hundreds of kids and parents and these kids are excited and have dreams to be a performer. Just like a child who wants to be a pro football player, the parents encourage him.

So in that vein, I quote Archie Manning, father of two wildly successful children Peyton and Eli who are among the 0.2% of High School grads to actually make the NFL. "They have to like it and enjoy it and want to do it. And parents, we are just there to support [them]. They were motivated to play and get better, and they had a great work ethic. That's why they got there. My advice for parents is to support your children, make sure they are having fun. Support them and be there for them. Give them encouragement and make it a life lesson that along the way they are learning to make good decisions and do the right thing." Archie Manning - Forbes

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The acting kids look at the TV and want to be on it. They watch Disney and Nickelodeon and want to DO THAT. Now, of course not all of them exhibit the outgoing qualities of a superstar but that's not for me to judge nor the parents. There is no harm in enrolling your kid into a weekend acting class where he gets to play make believe and build confidence in front of like minded peers. There is no harm in going to an audition where you walk into a room of friendly strangers and introduce yourself, answer questions, play pretend (read the script), then walk out the door to see a smiling parent congratulating you on your courage and poise. If that's all they ever get out of this career they will, at the very least, have acquired social skills that will serve them in whatever they pursue.

But trust me, these "Stage moms" in LA will all tell you that it's not easy for them to juggle their work schedule, their other kids schedules, their wifely duties and their personal needs. They can and do spend hours a day on the freeways of Hollywood driving their kids to and from auditions and callbacks. Most of them would tell you "If my kid said he was done with this - I'd certainly not fight him as I would have more quality family time for sure." But then there is the other side of the coin, which is instilling a perseverance and work ethic in your child. They may not want to go to an audition or their acting class but that's similar to not wanting to practice the piano or go to soccer practice. So when is it "encouragement and discipline" and when is it being a "pushy uncaring selfish stage mom".

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I think the difference lies within listening to the child. Ask him or her, "Would you like to be able to play the piano? Would you like to perform in front of people and pretend to be different characters? If it wasn't so hard, would you like to be able to dance?" And if they answer yes, it's your wonderful right as a parent to help them achieve those goals. It will take as much patience on your part to "bite your tongue" when you hear them sing off key, and to refrain from announcing to other grown-ups in front of your child "Oh she's just being shy...why are you being shy today, you're never that way...!?" Those words don't actually help a child become un-shy. If anything they reinforce that "shy" gets attention. The worst thing that will happen if you facilitate your child who is interested in the performing arts is a back load of undone house chores, countless hours driving to and from appointments, eating at drive thrus, and consoling them when they didn't get a gig they really expected to. But the good out weighs the bad in my experience here.

If they end up as an accountant, an architect, a realtor, a web designer, or a chef, a day won't go by where the skills of collaborating with others, entering a room with confidence (even when you don't feel so), starting the conversation, public speaking, or being able to deliver a good joke won't come in handy. He or she will look back fondly at school plays they did and will be glad that their parents grinned and bared it. From Shirley Temple to Drew Barrymore, young girls have loved to dress up and entertain. I'm going out on a limb here when I say stage moms are like cosmetic surgery, you only really notice the bad ones...

Questions? Contact me. I do this all day long. :-)

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Denice Duff studied photography at the TISCH School of the Arts at NYU. She then came to LA and starting landing jobs in front of the camera from national commercials and Films to guest star TV roles from Matlock to CSI Miami. She was a contract player on the Young and the Restless and also directed a film distributed by Blockbuster. She then took on the role of Agent at the Bobby Ball Agency and launched careers for hundreds of actors. She then left to further her first passion behind the camera helping artists. Whether directing them in award winning music videos or shooting their headshots or PR shots for magazines Denice, after many years in Hollywood, is STILL so in love with her job. Contact her, because “You should be auditioning more”.

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1 Tip that will improve your audition

Judy Kain shares an audition tip that will increase your chances of booking

Judy Kain has been a professional actress now for 37 years, showcasing her skills and talents in over 350 commercials and in over 80 roles for film and television.  

Some of her more well-known credits include a Television Series Regular on The Jackie Thomas Show and a Recurring role on the Emmy-winning show Mad Men, a role which won her a SAG Award.  Her other favorite recurring credits include Married with Children, For Your Love, Grosse Pointe, and Manhattan, AZ with Chad Everett.  She has done numerous guest appearances on the hit shows Modern Family, The Middle, Bones, Castle, Scrubs, Desperate Housewives, ER, Seinfeld, The District, The West Wing, NYPD Blue, Friends, and The Drew Carey Show just to name a few.   Her teaching career has also lead to immense success, being voted BACKSTAGE WEST'S FAVORITE ON-CAMERA COMMERCIAL TEACHER IN LA in 2010 and 2011.  Her other acting classes have won BACKSTAGE WEST'S FAVORITE IN LA as well, and continue to produce amazing results for her students. She teaches Advanced Callback, Commercial A to Z and Commercial Wednesday Workouts.

Can Clothes Really Book a Job?... Aspects of the Castable Actor

Not only can the right clothes play a part in booking a job, more importantly, the wrong clothes can lose a job for an actor as well.  Think about it. This is a visual medium. When the camera cuts to a character whether in a television show, a movie or especially a commercial, we (the audience) immediately have a sense of who they are and what their role is just by the way they look…their type, age, and the clothes they’re wearing.

The same is true for any actor walking into an audition or a meeting. A casting director, director, agent or manager must be able to look at you or your headshot and know instantly who you are and how and where you fit in. Every type, every category, every marketable role has a certain “uniform” way of dressing that speaks to the viewer eliminating the need for unnecessary exposition.

I have been working with a very lovely actress on her specific marketable image for commercials.  She is in that early forties, mom of teens category. In real life, she has a very cool arty way of dressing. You see her and think “funky” “offbeat” “very hip” “very cool.” Words you don’t necessarily equate with the 40-something mothers portrayed on television…juggling home and career while trying to clean the bathroom and make dinner. And yet, “very hip” “very cool” is how she was dressing to go to auditions. Her reasoning was that her personal style set her apart from the other actresses in her category. Memorable, yes, but not in the way she thought.

Imagine a commercial director looking for the perfect harried housewife and in walks a woman looking, albeit great, like she just came from the Avant-Garde challenge on Project Runway. Without even saying a word, she has either lost the interest of or confused everyone in that room. Why? Because visually, she is not presenting herself in a marketable way…she is not selling, what the industry is buying.

We discussed the “uniform” of women her type in television commercials; layers, little to no skin, denim shirt over pastel tshirts, khakis or nondescript slacks, and loafers or flats…basic mom clothes.  She proudly came to our next meeting with armloads of new clothes: a little denim dress cut high above the knee, beautiful high-end designer blouses in pastel colors, and the most kick-ass high-heeled loafers that make you wonder how the hell does she walk in those things and who cares ‘cause they are “fabulous!” Mothers portrayed in television commercials wear basic mom clothes…the kind you find at Target or JCPenny…nothing with designer labels or expensive fabrics from high-end stores. I told her, that in her everyday life she can wear whatever she wants, but when she is going up for a “mom” role, it’s Target or JCPenny. She was crushed…and then she asked the question that every actor I work with poses: 

“If I’m supposed to look and dress like everyone else, how am I going to stand apart and be noticed?”

My answer: The star quarterback wears the exact same uniform as the guy on the bench,…what sets them apart? (I know right, Project Runway and sports analogies in one article???) Mainly, it’s talent. You need to bring that which makes you unique or special (talent and branding) to every audition and meeting within the parameters of your category. What does that mean? Wear the Uniform. Be You. 

Blow them away with your talent.

Your job as an actor is to study television, movies, and commercials, not only for the current acting styles and trends, but also for the current clothing, hair style, and makeup (women only, please!) trends of your specific type and categories. Start to look at yourself the way the industry sees you.

If you truly want to be castable, you need to know who you are and what you have to offer…and if you want to get on the field and play with the big guys, you MUST wear the uniform. Clothes really can play a part in booking a job.

Dress the part, and you may just be asked to play it!

Tom Burke is an Image Consultant, Headshot Coach and Acting Teacher. After transitioning from a successful print model to an accomplished on-camera actor to a proficient on-set acting coach, Tom fused his wealth of knowledge and keen eye to become one of LA’s premier Image Consultants and Headshot Coaches. He's the creator of The Castable Actor (www.thecastableactor.com), a series of workshops, seminars, articles, and advice designed to help actors open doors to a successful career. He is currently teaching the classes Not Just A Pretty Face, All-In-One Headshots Package, and The Castable Actor at Keep it Real Acting Studios in North Hollywood.

3 Ways to Better your Commercial Audition

Actress & Teacher Judy Kain shares 3 tips on how to best prepare for your commercial audition. For more acting advice, visit www.keepitrealacting.com/blog.html

Judy Kain has been a professional actress now for 37 years, showcasing her skills and talents in over 350 commercials and in over 80 roles for film and television.  

Some of her more well-known credits include a Television Series Regular on The Jackie Thomas Show and a Recurring role on the Emmy-winning show Mad Men, a role which won her a SAG Award.  Her other favorite recurring credits include Married with Children, For Your Love, Grosse Pointe, and Manhattan, AZ with Chad Everett.  She has done numerous guest appearances on the hit shows Modern Family, The Middle, Bones, Castle, Scrubs, Desperate Housewives, ER, Seinfeld, The District, The West Wing, NYPD Blue, Friends, and The Drew Carey Show just to name a few.   Her teaching career has also lead to immense success, being voted BACKSTAGE WEST'S FAVORITE ON-CAMERA COMMERCIAL TEACHER IN LA in 2010 and 2011.  Her other acting classes have won BACKSTAGE WEST'S FAVORITE IN LA as well, and continue to produce amazing results for her students. She teaches Advanced Callback, Commercial A to Z and Commercial Wednesday Workouts.

The Best way to help your Child Actor

Inevitably you will get a commercial audition at the most inconvenient time, in the farthest location from where you live, during heavy Los Angeles traffic. But because over 2500 actors are submitted for each role, and you were lucky enough to get your children picked, you should happily make the audition, even if that means changing your child's dentist appointment, rescheduling your own hair appointment, or even skipping the karate class they are enrolled in.

Give yourself a leg up and always have an extra set of clothes in the car. Shoes, tights, shirts, sweatshirts.. whatever is a good standard outfit for your child. Also hair ties, brushes,  anything you need to make the necessary quick adjustments and not drive home.  Also have snacks in the car... ALWAYS! Bars, Nuts, Juice boxes, fruit snacks.. so your child isn’t hungry when they arrive.

It is important to help your child understand the spot, and their function in it. Help them with any words they do not know how to pronounce or understand. But that is where your assistance should end.

IT IS CRITICAL YOU NEVER TELL OR SHOW THEM HOW TO SAY THE WORDS, OR GIVE THEM ANY GESTURES TO DO WHILE SAYING IT! DO NOT COACH YOUR KIDS!  Let them sound natural like a kid.. DO NOT TELL THEM TO SMILE ON CERTAIN WORDS.

You are hurting them more than you will know.  Casting directors can tell instantly that a kid has been coached poorly and then it is very difficult to direct them to read naturally.  

Your job is to get them to the audition on time,  keep them in a good mood, feed them, support them and drive them home safely.  That is very, very helpful and appreciated.

If your kids are over a certain age, that’s where techniques can help them without locking them into a rigid recital for the casting director. Here are a few technique suggestions for your kids over 8 years old.

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Paraphrase: Put the scene in your own words. Make it your own and know exactly what it is you're doing in this place. This is an excellent way to memorize the lines as they will make much more sense to you if you make this a regular practice.  In addition you will refrain from being selly. The tone of commercials nowadays is very filmic and often times the product is not even uttered by you or anyone in the scene. It may be voiced over at the end. SO NEVER NEVER NEVER SELL.  That is not your job. That is the advertisers job. You are to play the scene and work to get what you want from the person you're talking to.

Personalize:  This is where you can add your own experience as it fits in with the confines of the scene. You always want to work within the framework of the scene you are given and  Put your own spin on it or infuse a  little hint of your personality in the scene. This is very important because it is your audition and your job is to lift  the copy from the page and make it come alive. The way to do this is make personal everything you are talking about. Pick someone from your life to talk to. I have a list of 5-7 people who I talk to on a regular basis and I use them and put them in the camera. I actually cast the person I am talking to or about so I have a clear picture of who is in the scene with me. They should be real people in your life, not made up people. For kids most of the time they are talking to their mom, dad or siblings. If they do not have siblings they can use a cousin or good friend Talk to them and see how the scene becomes more real for you.  In addition to this work, know how you feel about everything you talking about.

Practice: Get the words out of your mouth prior to going in the room. You do not want the first time these words come out of your mouth to be on your first take… DISASTER! Find a corner, or go outside or in the bathroom and say them in full volume. The words sound different vocalized than they do up in your head..

And once you get in the room ASK FOR A REHEARSAL or look at the cue card and do a quick take out loud while the session director is finding your name on the call sheet. It is like a free take and you might even get some notes from the session director too!

When you are done, say thanks and leave upbeat.

Parents should ask only one question when your kid comes out of the audition room...

Are you all done? or  Did you have fun?

That is it.... gather their things and sign out and go on to your next appointment.

Or treat them with a visit to the local eatery.

DO NOT ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS as they put undo pressure on your young actor and they are unable to answer it and will sense they did something wrong.. and will carry that into the next auditions.

1. How did you do?
2. How did it go?
3. What did they ask you do?
4. Did they like you?
5. Refrain from saying.. lets hope you get this one.. or hope you get a callback.. etc... Keep your kids pressure free.

As parents of a young actor you have to accept that you will never be privy to what happens in the audition room. That is why they should be in class where they can get proper training from a professional.

The only time you will see your child work is on the set. That is your only opportunity to see them in action. And then again there you are the parent. They have a director, a teacher and a studio rep to make sure they are not being worked improperly under the child labor laws.

For more info on Child actors, classes or coaching call Keep it Real Acting (818)901-8606 or email keepitreal@keepitrealacting.com

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Judy Kain has been a professional actress now for 37 years, showcasing her skills and talents in over 350 commercials and in over 80 roles for film and television.  

Some of her more well-known credits include a Television Series Regular on The Jackie Thomas Show and a Recurring role on the Emmy-winning show Mad Men, a role which won her a SAG Award.  Her other favorite recurring credits include Married with Children, For Your Love, Grosse Pointe, and Manhattan, AZ with Chad Everett.  She has done numerous guest appearances on the hit shows Modern Family, The Middle, Bones, Castle, Scrubs, Desperate Housewives, ER, Seinfeld, The District, The West Wing, NYPD Blue, Friends, and The Drew Carey Show just to name a few.   Her teaching career has also lead to immense success, being voted BACKSTAGE WEST'S FAVORITE ON-CAMERA COMMERCIAL TEACHER IN LA in 2010 and 2011.  Her other acting classes have won BACKSTAGE WEST'S FAVORITE IN LA as well, and continue to produce amazing results for her students. She teaches Advanced Callback, Commercial A to Z and Commercial Wednesday Workouts.

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