Alright of us: Home of the Dragon Season Two is effectively underway and I don’t care what TikTok says, I feel it’s one of many strongest instalments within the Sport of Thrones franchise but. Dragons, battles, schemes, would-be kings and queens vying for the crown – Sport of Thrones has nearly the whole lot a nerdy little actor such as you (and me) might want for. So, how on earth will we get solid on this roaring good time of a sequence? Polish your armour and sharpen your tongues, of us. It’s time to discover ways to get solid in Sport of Thrones and present all of them why you belong on the iron throne.
Trade Guidelines
If you wish to step into Westeros, you must have the trade aspect of your performing profession taken care of. Irrespective of how good an actor you might be, irrespective of how effectively you may go well with the fabric, you’ll have little luck climbing onto a dragon with out the next issues. Verify your trade guidelines is in high form:
#1 Get an Agent
This one is very necessary in case you don’t dwell in Europe, particularly England–the place Home of the Dragon and certain any additional Sport of Thrones spin-offs will primarily shoot. An agent is the one method you’ll get phrase about casting requires principal roles in case you’re worldwide. Background callouts are often extra public, and you will discover these on websites like Backstage and Casting Networks. Nevertheless, main tasks gained’t solid extras outdoors of the native space as a result of it’s too costly.
There’s an rising case for transferring abroad, right here. It’s true that you simply’ll turn out to be a extra interesting candidate to casting in case you’re an area as a result of, once more, it’s cheaper. Getting solid in a principal function isn’t unattainable in case you’re abroad, however it can take quite a lot of work.
#2 Showreels, CVs and Headshots
Also referred to as your “Digital Press Package.” Be certain that the whole lot in it’s updated. Your showreel ought to replicate the very best work you’re at present doing, and your CV will evolve and develop over time as you collect up credit doing quick movies, scholar movies, tv and have movies. Your headshots must be up to date yearly, and be sure that they replicate the way you at present look, so that you don’t shock a casting agent with a mop of hair or a lacking beard.
If you end up in between jobs (or discovering your self in a quiet interval) these sorts of issues are simply forgotten. Hold them effectively maintained so that you’re prepared for any alternative that comes round – Sport of Thrones or not.
#3 Construct Your On-line Presence
I do know, I do know. I hate social media, too. However in case you’re severe about being in s blockbuster sequence, you must infiltrate the mainstream and the easiest way to try this is thru social media. Determine your model and begin advertising your self by recurrently posting pictures and movies that intensify it. Share posts and have interaction in conversations on-line in regards to the happenings within the trade. Comply with fellow artists and maintain your self within the loop.
That is the fashionable method of networking and it pays dividends in case you maintain at it. And in case you’ve ever heard horrific rumours that casting ties are damaged by follower counts relatively than callbacks … they’re sadly all too true in our trade lately.
#4 Know the Casting Director
Nina Gold solid the unique Sport of Thrones sequence and Kate Rhodes James solid the more moderen Home of the Dragon. When the subsequent instalment comes round, ask your agent in regards to the casting director and do a little bit of analysis. What different tasks have they labored on? Which actors have they labored with a number of occasions? This data will show you how to gauge what sort of aesthetic and elegance they’re on the lookout for within the tape. Let’s speak about that now.
Appearing Guidelines
Let’s think about you’ve acquired the coveted invite to place down a tape for a principal function in Sport of Thrones. The very first thing to know is that the audition course of is an extended and intensive course of, in accordance with Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke. Each actors auditioned over quite a lot of months, placing down a number of tapes that demanded totally different hairstyles for every, and finally they acquired to an hoursl-long, in-person audition. Each of them had been placed on maintain for over a month and sworn to secrecy earlier than they even knew if they’d the function. So while you get the tape request: strap in for an extended journey.
Aesthetic
Once we speak about aesthetic, we’re not speaking about the best way you look, however relatively your perspective or the best way you maintain your self. And it adjustments, relying on the character you’re put up for. In the event you’re auditioning for a queen, the best way you current your self will likely be totally different to how you’d in case you had been auditioning for a thief. The Sport of Thrones aesthetic could be described as darkish, medieval fantasy and is kind of totally different from one thing like Lord of the Rings. Characters are wearing garb much like historic costume and the best way they work together with one another is analogous maybe to how folks residing in feudal England would converse.
What’s going to probably have occurred is you’ll be given a tape for a personality that matches your private aesthetic. In the event you’re getting a tape for Sport of Thrones, you’ve possible labored sufficient to have developed a fame for your self because the Outlaw or the Ruler or the Hero or any variety of archetypes.
Ensure you perceive your personal aesthetic and collect up as many clues as you may in regards to the character’s aesthetic, too. In the event that they’re a king or a queen: are they a scruffy, belligerent ruler or are they proud and put collectively? This can show you how to develop your character and offer you a basis to make some robust stylistic selections about how they transfer and converse on this planet.
Model and Style
Earlier than auditioning for something, be sure to know and perceive the style of the venture. Style influences the model of efficiency; in case you audition for a horror movie as in case you’re in a romantic drama, it can possible miss the mark of what the director is on the lookout for. As an actor, try to be watching and experiencing as a lot performance-based leisure as you may: movie and television, theatre, video video games. You’ll begin to choose up on very clear stylistic selections the actors are making to go well with the style.
I’d classify Sport of Thrones as fantasy-drama, which often lends itself to barely heightened performances. The characters usually discover themselves in high-stakes conditions. It’s actually life or demise quite a lot of the time, which suggests they have to battle for his or her goal tooth and nail. The language is laconic and fantastical, invoking the names of previous gods and tyrannical kings from historic historical past. There’s a Shakespearean high quality to it and in case you can channel that in your Sport of Thrones tape, I feel you’ll be heading in the right direction.
Some Assist from Shakespeare
Nevertheless, Sport of Thrones has at all times been praised for its sensible, gritty high quality. So whereas the stakes is perhaps heightened, your selections nonetheless need to really feel grounded and actual. The identical is true for Shakespeare: while you play a Shakespearean character, there’s a bent for actors to overplay them. Loud, bigger than life and overly-dramatic as a result of the language feels good to proclaim from the rooftops.
Right here’s a trick I picked up from the Arden Twelfth Night time. It suggests it is best to at all times take a character-focused strategy. What form of individual would use this language? What beliefs and private context would somebody need to need to grapple with demise by saying “To be, or to not be” relatively than “Ought to I maintain residing or simply put an finish all of it?” Construct your character across the language relatively than imposing on it. I like this recommendation as a result of it provides freedom to the actor while encouraging us by no means to guage our characters.
Take a look at these tapes and take note of what they’re saying and the way they’re saying it.
See how grounded they’re? That’s the model you’re going for in your tape.
Script Evaluation
When you will have a script in entrance of you speaking about dragons and magic, don’t make it fantastical and dramatic. In your character, it’s as actual because the hair on their head. Spend time with the script, pull it aside and parse it for that means. Discover what makes your character tick, and what they’ll do to get what they need. And even in case you’re speaking about issues as foolish as dragons and dungeons, you’ll persuade that casting director.
Accent
The generic accent of Sport of Thrones ranges from a North England to central London. The character temporary could have the specified accent for the character, however may simply ask on your pure accent as effectively. Regardless of the case, I’d suggest listening to and practising some accents now for the enjoyable of it. Research up on the phonetic alphabet and discover ways to apply it to studying a brand new accent too. This can assist with creating one thing that sounds genuine relatively than a mimicry.
Particular Expertise
Working within the fantasy style usually calls for a singular set of expertise, comparable to horse-riding or fencing. When you may not essentially be solid in a task that requires them, you’ll be a extra engaging possibility for the casting director you probably have them underneath your belt.
The primary one I’d suggest growing is stage fight. It is a nice all-rounder ability to have as a result of it applies to quite a lot of totally different genres and is a superb device for growing good motor expertise and bodily consciousness. Discover ways to swing a sword and throw a punch that doesn’t do any injury. There will likely be a battle choreographer on set to place collectively battle scenes, however having a foundational understanding of the craft goes to place you streets forward within the casting pool.
Expertise like acrobatics, dancing, singing and musical devices are nice to have underneath your belt however they’re extra prone to apply to extras or featured extras. Nevertheless, you by no means know what expertise the writers may take note of on your character. And if you end up signing on for some time, they might even ask what sorts of expertise of yours they may write in!
The Tape
In relation to placing down the self tape, all the standard guidelines apply. Use a neutral-coloured background, good lighting, guarantee clear visuals and audio and know your traces. Verify over the self-tape directions for route on the framing and use that data to additional inform your stylistic and aesthetic selections. In the event that they’re asking for a decent shut up, the scene is probably going very intimate they usually’re notably keen on your eyes. So be sure they’re alive with creativeness and imagery related to the scene. If the scene is a wider shot, they’re extra keen on the way you’re holding your physique. Are you slumped over in a chair, hunched in opposition to the chilly or are you lounging in a throne contemplating your topics?
Your warmup must be thorough and energising, too. Get your vitality as excessive as it will probably go after which let it bubble away inside. You is perhaps feeling nervous or excited or an entire vary of feelings and honest sufficient since you’re about to tape for a life-changing function in a world sequence. All of that is good vitality that may be channelled into your efficiency.
After you’ve acquired the tape and despatched it in, congratulations! It’s within the palms of the previous gods now…
Conclusion
Sport of Thrones turned as well-liked due to its good, unflinching writing and its potential to create characters who folks loathed and beloved. In the event you’re fortunate sufficient to get the shot at taping for one among these characters, it’s necessary to know that you could possibly be taking part in somebody who will turn out to be the centre of the world’s adoration or hatred. That’s equally as thrilling as it’s terrifying. It’s no small factor to step into the general public sphere and it’s truthfully one thing price contemplating whether or not or not you need that on your profession. However that’s one other article.
Hope this helped. See you across the traps!
