Alright of us: Home of the Dragon Season Two is effectively underway and I don’t care what TikTok says, I believe 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 every part a nerdy little actor such as you (and me) may want for. So, how on earth will we get solid on this roaring good time of a collection? Polish your armour and sharpen your tongues, of us. It’s time to learn to get solid in Sport of Thrones and present all of them why you belong on the iron throne.
Business Guidelines
If you wish to step into Westeros, you must have the business facet of your performing profession taken care of. Regardless of how good an actor you might be, irrespective of how effectively you would possibly go well with the fabric, you’ll have little luck climbing onto a dragon with out the next issues. Examine your business guidelines is in high form:
#1 Get an Agent
This one is particularly essential in the event you don’t dwell in Europe, particularly England–the place Home of the Dragon and sure 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 the event you’re worldwide. Background callouts are often extra public, and you could find these on websites like Backstage and Casting Networks. Nevertheless, main initiatives received’t solid extras exterior of the native space as a result of it’s too costly.
There’s an rising case for shifting abroad, right here. It’s true that you simply’ll turn into a extra interesting candidate to casting in the event you’re a neighborhood as a result of, once more, it’s cheaper. Getting solid in a principal position isn’t unimaginable in the event you’re abroad, however it’ll take plenty of work.
#2 Showreels, CVs and Headshots
Also referred to as your “Digital Press Equipment.” Be certain that every part in it’s updated. Your showreel ought to mirror one of the best work you’re at the moment doing, and your CV will evolve and develop over time as you collect up credit doing quick movies, pupil movies, tv and have movies. Your headshots ought to be up to date every year, and be sure that they mirror the way you at the moment 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. Maintain 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 the event you’re critical about being in s blockbuster collection, you must infiltrate the mainstream and the easiest way to try this is thru social media. Work out your model and begin advertising your self by commonly posting pictures and movies that intensify it. Share posts and interact in conversations on-line concerning the happenings within the business. Comply with fellow artists and hold your self within the loop.
That is the fashionable method of networking and it pays dividends in the event you hold at it. And in the event you’ve ever heard horrific rumours that casting ties are damaged by follower counts reasonably than callbacks … they’re sadly all too true in our business lately.
#4 Know the Casting Director
Nina Gold solid the unique Sport of Thrones collection and Kate Rhodes James solid the more moderen Home of the Dragon. When the subsequent instalment comes round, ask your agent concerning the casting director and do a little bit of analysis. What different initiatives have they labored on? Which actors have they labored with a number of occasions? This info will aid you gauge what sort of aesthetic and elegance they’re in search of within the tape. Let’s discuss that now.
Performing Guidelines
Let’s think about you’ve bought the coveted invite to place down a tape for a principal position in Sport of Thrones. The very first thing to know is that the audition course of is a protracted and intensive course of, in accordance with Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke. Each actors auditioned over various months, placing down a number of tapes that demanded completely different hairstyles for every, and ultimately they bought 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 that they had the position. So while you get the tape request: strap in for a protracted journey.
Aesthetic
After we discuss aesthetic, we’re not speaking about the best way you look, however reasonably 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 might be completely different to how you’d in the event you had been auditioning for a thief. The Sport of Thrones aesthetic might be described as darkish, medieval fantasy and is sort of completely different from one thing like Lord of the Rings. Characters are wearing garb just like historic costume and the best way they work together with one another is analogous maybe to how individuals dwelling in feudal England would communicate.
What is going to most 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 seemingly labored sufficient to have developed a popularity for your self because the Outlaw or the Ruler or the Hero or any variety of archetypes.
Be sure you perceive your individual aesthetic and collect up as many clues as you possibly can concerning 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 aid you develop your character and provide you with a basis to make some sturdy stylistic decisions about how they transfer and communicate on the earth.
Type and Style
Earlier than auditioning for something, be sure to know and perceive the style of the undertaking. Style influences the fashion of efficiency; in the event you audition for a horror movie as in the event you’re in a romantic drama, it’ll seemingly miss the mark of what the director is in search of. As an actor, you ought to be watching and experiencing as a lot performance-based leisure as you possibly can: movie and television, theatre, video video games. You’ll begin to choose up on very clear stylistic decisions 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 typically discover themselves in high-stakes conditions. It’s actually life or loss of life plenty of the time, which implies they have to combat for his or her goal tooth and nail. The language is laconic and fantastical, invoking the names of outdated gods and tyrannical kings from historical historical past. There’s a Shakespearean high quality to it and in the event you can channel that in your Sport of Thrones tape, I believe you’ll be heading in the right direction.
Some Assist from Shakespeare
Nevertheless, Sport of Thrones has all the time been praised for its sensible, gritty high quality. So whereas the stakes could be heightened, your decisions nonetheless need to really feel grounded and actual. The identical is true for Shakespeare: while you play a Shakespearean character, there’s an inclination 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 Evening. It suggests it’s best to all the time 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 loss of life by saying “To be, or to not be” reasonably than “Ought to I hold dwelling or simply put an finish all of it?” Construct your character across the language reasonably 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 fashion you’re going for in your tape.
Script Evaluation
When you might have a script in entrance of you speaking about dragons and magic, don’t make it fantastical and dramatic. To 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 the event 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 transient can have the specified accent for the character, however would possibly simply ask to your pure accent as effectively. Regardless of the case, I’d advocate listening to and practising some accents now for the enjoyable of it. Research up on the phonetic alphabet and learn to apply it to studying a brand new accent too. This can assist with creating one thing that sounds genuine reasonably than a mimicry.
Particular Abilities
Working within the fantasy style typically calls for a singular set of expertise, equivalent to horse-riding or fencing. Whilst you may not essentially be solid in a task that requires them, you’ll be a extra enticing possibility for the casting director if in case you have them underneath your belt.
The primary one I’d advocate creating is stage fight. This can be a nice all-rounder ability to have as a result of it applies to plenty of completely different genres and is a good instrument for creating good motor expertise and bodily consciousness. Learn to swing a sword and throw a punch that doesn’t do any injury. There might be a combat choreographer on set to place collectively combat scenes, however having a foundational understanding of the craft goes to place you streets forward within the casting pool.
Abilities 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 would possibly take note of to your character. And if you end up signing on for some time, they might even ask what sorts of expertise of yours they might write in!
The Tape
In the case of 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. Examine over the self-tape directions for route on the framing and use that info to additional inform your stylistic and aesthetic decisions. In the event that they’re asking for a good shut up, the scene is probably going very intimate they usually’re notably desirous about your eyes. So be sure that they’re alive with creativeness and imagery related to the scene. If the scene is a wider shot, they’re extra desirous about the way you’re holding your physique. Are you slumped over in a chair, hunched towards the chilly or are you lounging in a throne contemplating your topics?
Your warmup ought to be thorough and energising, too. Get your power as excessive as it will probably go after which let it bubble away inside. You could be feeling nervous or excited or an entire vary of feelings and honest sufficient since you’re about to tape for a life-changing position in a world collection. All of that is good power that may be channelled into your efficiency.
After you’ve bought the tape and despatched it in, congratulations! It’s within the fingers of the outdated gods now…
Conclusion
Sport of Thrones grew to become as well-liked due to its sensible, unflinching writing and its skill to create characters who individuals loathed and cherished. In the event you’re fortunate sufficient to get the shot at taping for considered one of these characters, it’s essential to know that you possibly can be taking part in somebody who will turn into 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 to your profession. However that’s one other article.
Hope this helped. See you across the traps!
