Auditions

Actors are so nervous at auditions… and as a producer I have to laugh and shake my head.  The fact of the matter is that producers are far more nervous about auditions than you are.  Look at it this way:  if you blow an audition, you simply don’t get the gig and move on.  But if we blow the audition, the whole show’s a disaster.  We want you to be good.  In fact, we’re desperate for you to be good.  The show depends on it.

I was fortunate to have some fantastic auditions for this project.  And I’ve found there are things you can do to get better work out of your actors.  So I present to you a producer’s list of audition tips:

1.       Try to get a reader that’s a decent actor.

2.       Get the sides to your actors as EARLY AS YOU CAN.  As an actor, I’ve auditioned for shows where I got the sides exactly 1 day before the audition.  This is idiocy.  How can you except great work with only one day to prepare?  I like giving my actors at least a week and a half.  I know it’s not what’s commonly done.   But I want to be better than what’s commonly done.

3.       Send them the full script.  It only makes their work better.  If you’re embarrassed to send it, then you’re not ready for production.

4.       Writers may argue “but if I send them the full script they can pirate it!”  Nonsense.  And if you’re at the level where you’re worried about piracy then you don’t need my advice.

5.       Sometimes, when you send out the full script, you’ll get a few replies stating “due to unforeseen circumstances I won’t be able to make the audition.”  What they really mean is “I read the script, and it's not for me.”  Don't be alarmed.  This is a good thing.  You don’t want to hire an actor that doesn’t believe in the material, and this process weeds them out for you.

6.       Be super kind and supportive when they come in the room.  Actors are so nervous at these things, and they’ll do better work if you put them at ease.

7.       Don’t ever hold “open auditions.”  This leads to chaos.  Chaos leads to bad work.  Always schedule individual appointments.

8.       Don’t over book the day.  Rushed auditions never go well.  I like to give each actor an 8 to 10 minute timeslot.  This will turn into 15 minute timeslots after all the cancellations.

Contracts

Few things in life are absolute, but at some point in your production, you will encounter a written contract that you have to sign.  And most likely you’ll encounter more than one.  What to except and how to deal with them is an important aspect of theater production.

Contracts can be a little confusing, but you shouldn’t be intimidated by them.  My good friend Nick (who is a lawyer) explained it to me like this:  “There’s no special legal jargon that makes a contract official.  A law firm doesn’t have to write it to make it official.  A contract is simply a written agreement between two parties.  However, it’s important for a contract to be written with very specific language to protect both parties from unforeseen events.”  The specific language part is important because exceptions can and will come up.

Take a contract with the theater for example.  The basic gist is that you’re going to give them some money, and in exchange they’ll let you use their space for the show.  Sounds simple, right?  But what if they don’t lock their doors and your wardrobe gets stolen?  What hours are you allowed to be in the theater?  Are other productions allowed access to the space at the same time as you?  What are you required to have in terms of insurance?  What are you allowed to do in terms of set construction?  There are a LOT of exceptions that can come up, and it’s important for specific language to be in the contract that covers anything that can possibly happen.  That’s the advantage of having a theatrical lawyer look at a contract.  It’s their job to know about these exceptions, and make sure language is included that will protect your interests.

But more importantly, only deal with people you trust.  You want to deal with people whose interests are in line with yours.  You will save yourself a lot of headache if you follow that simple rule.  If they trust you (and you trust them) it will never come to the point where you’re arguing over contractual semantics.  And if you’re producing off-off Broadway this becomes doubly important, because you probably don’t have the money to afford a good lawyer.

Memoirs of a Photoshoot

A lot of shows don’t use photos to market themselves.  

That puzzles me.  

Statistically speaking, photos are far more effective than illustrations (any book on direct marketing will tell you that).  A good photograph gives the audience a sense of who your actors are and what their energy is like.  

Not to mention that most actors are good-looking people.  Why not take advantage of it?

            So we had a photoshoot and got a lot of good shots (and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters).  But it was hectic, and I learned a lot about what to do and how to better plan for next time.  I figure I’d share my experiences with any would be producers out there:

•  However long you think you’ll need to set things up – add about 20% more time.
•  If any set pieces are being moved via elevator, make sure to call beforehand to find out if said elevators are currently in operation (yeah – this one cost me a good 45 minutes lol).
• Having a good photographer who has experience with these sorts of shoots is VITAL (thankfully I did).
• Having good helpers with a can-do attitude is VITAL (thankfully I did)
• Feeding your staff is VITAL (thankfully I did J)
• If you’re constructing any sort of set, make sure you have a clear and specific plan on how to do it.  If you don’t, you’ll waste a lot of time.
• If you need liability insurance, make sure you find it well in advance or you will wind up paying out the nose.
• Sit down and talk to the hair and makeup artists, and let them know exactly what you want before they start working on the actors.
• If someone upsets you, take a deep breath and calm down before handling the situation.  Lashing out at someone never helps things, and 9 times out of 10 it was a simple misunderstanding.
• However long you think you’ll need to set things up – add about 20% more time (I’m not kidding on this one)

Wearing Different Hats

                In smaller productions (like mine), you will often find yourself wearing multiple hats.  In this particular show I’m wearing three.  I’m a writer, an actor, and a producer.  This is a lot of work, and while I feel I have the experience (and drive) to handle it, you have to be very careful and set up very specific boundaries.

                If you’re going to produce and act, then you need two things:  a good production manager, and a good director.  It’s very important that the other actors don’t see you as “the boss” during rehearsals.  The relationships you have in real life will carry over to the relationships you develop on stage, and unless you’re an authority figure in the play, this can be very very dangerous.  If you’re having a creative problem with one of the actors – get your director to handle it.  If you’re need to talk business, tell the production manager what needs to be said, and have him(or her) do it.

                Now if you’re going to write and act, that’s a different can of worms entirely.  The problem here is that when you write, you’ll usually have a specific vision for how things are supposed to be said and done.   This is great for writing, but terrible for acting.  Acting is all about experimenting and exploration.  If you come to rehearsal with preconceived notions of how things should sound and look, your performance will be completely flat.  You have to approach it like you would a script written by a different author, and be willing to try things that you didn’t intend.

Treat Them Nice

Almost everyone who works in the theater has one thing in common.  Unless you’re Brad Pitt (and Brad, if you’re reading this, that’s not a dig – I’m a huge fan), you’re most likely overworked and underpaid.

Theater is one of those industries where there just isn’t a lot of money to go around.  But in spite of all that, we work longer hours and we do it with a smile on our face.  I’m blown away by the work ethic of those around me.  It’s one thing if I work hard.  After all, it’s my baby, and I should work hard.  But to see someone else working like that in support of my dream?  It’s inspiring.  It makes me want to knock it out of the park.  Because not only does the audience deserve it – my cast and crew deserves it as well.

So why am I saying this?  Because if people are working this hard for practically nothing, the least you can do is treat them with some kindness.  They’re going the extra mile for you.  As a producer, you should go the extra mile for them.  Little things like saying “thank you” (or providing food and water at table reads) go a long way.  We’re not in this for the money.  Sometimes all we want is a little appreciation.

Having Fun

There are very few iron clad rules in theater.  But one thing I know for certain:  if you’re not having fun, neither is the audience. This sounds simple and obvious, but as with anything simple and obvious, there’s a real art to making it happen.  

Is the play you’re doing dark and emotionally draining?  All the more reason to crack jokes on set.  It’s not considered rude or disruptive.  On the contrary, it’s stimulating to the creative process, and relieves tension from yourself and the others around you.  The best actors I know are absolute clowns on set, and are a lot of fun to work with.  I can promise you they’re not doing it by accident.

If you find that you’re getting frustrated (whether it’s at a meeting or in a rehearsal) then take a break and do something silly.  Enjoy yourself.  Have a conversation with someone you like.  After all, if you’re not having loads of fun, then why are you doing it?  For fame?  For money?  Those are terrible reasons.  Do it because you love it :)

Time Flies

I remember when I was a kid.  I remember sitting at home waiting for my favorite cartoon to come on.   The wait would seem like an eternity.  And waiting for school to end was like slow moving water torture.  Time would not fly fast enough.  When I got older things changed a little.  Instead of waiting for cartoons, I’d wait for my paycheck or on an upcoming vacation.  In both cases neither seemed to arrive fast enough.

Since I’ve gotten into production, I don’t really have that problem.  In fact, it's the exact opposite.  I don’t have enough hours in the day.  Time goes by like a flash of lightening.  So plan ahead.  Give yourself more time that you think you need.  Especially if this is your first time.  I guarantee you you’ll use it.

Personally, I thought I’d need about three months to produce the play once the script was finished.  I gave myself six.  So far six has turned out to be just the right amount.