The place on earth does time go? I’m typing this in 2025, and but it seems like mere moments in the past I used to be spiralling into existential dread throughout a script evaluation class in 2020. How occasions have modified: how far we’ve all come, how little I bear in mind from that session… Luckily, (and I can not consider I’m typing this) it was a Zoom class–which meant I had the pleasure of rewatching the dissociative expressions of my classmates while concurrently refreshing my reminiscence on other ways we will method textual content. Let’s discuss the very first thing to do together with your script.
The best way you method your script can have a big impact in your efficiency. For those who apply too many various strategies, you’ll probably overthink the fabric and the efficiency might be blurry. For those who succumb to alternative paralysis and don’t do something in any respect together with your script, then you definately’ll be about as participating to observe as a plank of wooden. The very first thing to do together with your script is learn it. Then work to a plan catered to your appearing course of that lets you work by means of the fabric and uncover the character. Don’t begin appearing till you understand it in and out.
Once I dusted off the recording of that haunting little COVID relic, it occurred to me simply how a lot is on the market in the best way of methods and theories and approaches to script work. Ought to we drop within the photos first? Intone all of the vowels or train the consonants? Mark out the beats or play with some particular actions or brush our hair or purchase extra milk? Ought to we be doing all of this? What if we don’t have time? The place the heck are we supposed to start out?
Script Acquired
For those who’ve been given a script, there are two* most important potentialities as to why this has occurred:
- It’s for an audition.
- To not brag, but it surely’s for a job that you simply’ve already landed. (Congratulations, by the best way.)
Let’s stroll by means of every of those eventualities and why they’re completely different with regards to what we do with our script.
*Okay, so possibly a 3rd possibility right here is that you simply’ve been given a script as a part of an appearing class. We’re not going to make that our focus immediately, just because the assets of time and knowledge aren’t as scarce. In that context, the very first thing you must do with the script is script analsyis, utilizing both our useful information (linked) or nevertheless you’re directed by your trainer.
The Audition
It appears somewhat one thing like this: you’ve simply completed a ten-hour workday at your muggle job, and also you get an e mail out of your agent with a self-tape request that’s due in 24 hours. You’re working one other lengthy day tomorrow so the one window you need to submit is that evening. Fortunately, your housemate is nocturnal and the script is simply half a web page and a few traces. Time to burn some midnight oil.
Whenever you’re auditioning for a job, time and knowledge are your two limiting components. It’s probably, particularly with display screen trade, that you simply gained’t have a lot time to organize and the script you’ll be given may need a mission synopsis, a scene or two and, should you’re fortunate, a personality transient. Not rather a lot to work with however sufficient to make do.
Skip to the Script
As a way to set basis on your work, I’d advocate skipping over the synopsis and the character transient and going straight to the scenes. Typically I discover studying the mission synopsis and the character transient beforehand can tempt me into making selections concerning the supply earlier than I’ve even seen the script, so nowadays I wish to go in as blind as potential.
The very first thing we need to do is learn the script totally with out preconception. Learn it such as you’re studying this text: with curiosity and with out bias.
After your first learn, write down in quite simple phrases what the story is about. Even when it’s an excessively cinematic automobile advert, there’s a narrative being advised: “Day-after-day man escapes the town to behold the majesty of nature in his brand-new Ford Titan.” You must also make just a few notes about what stands out with out making any selections concerning the efficiency. Are there any actions which can be very particular or complicated? Any notes concerning the tone of a line? It’s all helpful data.
Moreover, if there are any phrases or phrases you aren’t aware of or don’t know the way to pronounce, look them up. That is the quickest approach on your tape to be “noped”, regardless of how a lot work you’ve put in across the error.
Style and Tone
Now that you simply’ve bought an preliminary learn for comprehension, escape that mission synopsis and character transient you’ve been dying to learn. Together with the script, these will provide help to get a gauge of the style and the tone of the mission. Once more, don’t make any huge selections about appearing simply but; as an alternative take into account some broad efficiency parts typical to the given style.
For instance, if it’s a comedy, the timing of your supply and the tone of any pauses will differ considerably to, say, horror. For this reason you need to be watching numerous movie, tv and theatre: so you possibly can establish frequent parts of various genres.
You’re not attempting to reinvent the wheel with regards to auditioning for a mission, you’re giving your distinctive tackle the function. So belief that by understanding the conventions of that style, and the place your character may match.
The Path Diverges
From right here, you’ll must make your personal choice about what to do with the script, retaining in thoughts the timeframe you need to work with.
For those who’re auditioning for a automobile industrial with a dramatic, cinematic edge and never quite a lot of spoken traces, I’d advocate beating out the script. Develop imaginative photos for every half in order that your eyes mild up with the awe of seeing an unlimited canyon and a ravishing shoreline slightly than your bed room wall.
For those who’re auditioning for a drama, be it for display screen or theatre, spend time with the character relationships. Mine the script for any details about who the opposite characters are and the way they relate to your character.
Everytime you’re utterly stumped, I’d all the time advocate going again to your creativeness. What does the script remind you of? What photos or ideas come up? Play with what your thoughts conjures up and ship the traces from an trustworthy place: should you’re confused as heck, then play your character as confused as heck and see what occurs!
The Job
Let me be the primary to say it: congratulations. You analysed that script so good, you nailed the audition and now the job is yours! That is the place it will get enjoyable. Time continues to be restricted however not as restricted—and now you have got the total script. So many phrases to play with…
Let’s dig in…
Rinse and Repeat
Whenever you get the total script, overlook (nearly) every thing you probably did within the audition and begin from scratch. Remember what you already know concerning the character, however put together to vary and add issues. The total script could have undergone quite a lot of modifying because you final learn it, so for all intents and functions you’re working with a contemporary manuscript.
Learn it for sense, get an concept of the total story, the style and tone. Make notes about any main variations between now and what you discovered within the audition.
As soon as once more, take into account the mission. If it’s a industrial, there isn’t a complete lot to be completed with the script. Usually, in commercials, they’re wanting the traces mentioned clearly and plainly with a contact of creativeness. If it’s a function size efficiency, although, you get to have some actual enjoyable.
Learn it Once more. And Once more.
The very first thing to do together with your script is to learn it. Once more, and repeatedly.
Belief me: the extra you learn a script, the extra you need to play with. I like to use Earl Gister’s methodology at this stage: combing by means of the script, being attentive to opinions and info about my character. It’s very scientific and goal.
The primary factor you’re doing by re-reading the script is mining it for details about the world, the individuals who inhabit it and the way your character matches in. Learn it as many occasions as you possibly can in as many various states of thoughts as you possibly can. Learn it once you’re drained, pleased, unhappy, indignant, annoyed and so forth.
You’re not making any main selections about supply right here, you’re simply utilizing the benefit of the human mind as a malleable, changeable anomaly that offers you quite a lot of views on the identical factor relying on what chemical substances are in excessive provide.
That is how we study our characters and begin to kind an concept about their private context inside the world of the play or movie.
Get Technical
From right here, you can begin to interrupt down the script into smaller sections or beats and performing some wider analysis into the context of the script.
Whereas some actors have differing views on beats and targets (myself included), they’re invaluable instruments for element. You have already got a broad understanding of the script. By breaking it down additional, you can begin to establish the particular person journey of your character all through the story.
Establish the climax or turning level in every scene they seem in: what occurs that adjustments the stakes of the scene? It doesn’t should be big, however script will all the time have a second in every scene that alters its trajectory indirectly.
If targets give you the results you want, go forward and make be aware of these. (Personally, I desire Declan Donnellan’s concept about “the goal”, however that’s an instance of non-public desire amidst the ocean of methods.)
Get Studious
Put a while into researching the author and their physique of labor. It may give you clues as to their inspirations and concepts which have influenced the script. If the script relies on one thing from historical past, otherwise you’re taking part in a real-life particular person, you must get throughout that interval as a lot as potential and analysis any references you don’t perceive.
And on the danger of sounding a bit uni lecturer: analysis from respected sources. Don’t belief the Wikipedia article on Janis Joplin when it tells you her legs bent the incorrect approach. Confirm your data, else you’ll make some very unusual selections.
Get Bodily, Get Vocal
At this stage, you probably have loads of data to make some broad selections about how your character strikes. In the event that they’re demure and awkward, maybe they hunch their shoulders and forged their gaze down. In the event that they’re daring and brash, they could tilt their chin upwards and strut round like a rooster. You may over-exaggerate their physicality right here too and see the way it impacts your voice.
Talking of: begin studying the script out loud. Get a way of the way it sounds however, once more, resist the urge to “act” any of the traces. That ought to be reserved for rehearsal. For those who’ve completed your whole homework, you’ll have loads to play with once you set in entrance of the digital camera or onto the stage.
Don’t cling too tightly to any of those selections because the director could need to change them however don’t be shy about them both–come onto set or stage with a suggestion. Even when it’s completely completely different to what the director has in thoughts, they’ll respect the selection you make, and the truth that you cared sufficient concerning the function to do a little bit of leg work.
A Last Phrase of Recommendation
So there you have got it: the very first thing to do together with your script. (And some extra issues after that.) Earlier than I go away you with all this knowledge recovered from the depths of a 2020 lockdown Zoom class, right here’s a closing phrase of recommendation. Hold a journal. Write down any concepts, observations and questions concerning the script in an effort to deliver them to rehearsal. I promise you’ll overlook them in any other case.
There are one million various things we will do with our script however I sincerely consider that detaching ourselves from the need to “act” instantly is among the most precious issues you are able to do as an actor. You’ll get to play, quickly sufficient. However you gotta do a bit of labor first.
Hope this helped. See you across the traps!
