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 Recreation of Thrones franchise but. Dragons, battles, schemes, would-be kings and queens vying for the crown – Recreation of Thrones has nearly every part 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 Recreation of Thrones and present all of them why you belong on the iron throne.
Trade Guidelines
If you wish to step into Westeros, you have to have the trade aspect of your appearing profession taken care of. Regardless 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 particularly necessary in case you don’t dwell in Europe, particularly England–the place Home of the Dragon and sure any additional Recreation 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 normally extra public, and you’ll find these on websites like Backstage and Casting Networks. Nonetheless, main initiatives gained’t solid extras exterior 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 grow 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 unimaginable in case you’re abroad, however it is going to take quite a lot of work.
#2 Showreels, CVs and Headshots
Often known as your “Digital Press Package.” Ensure every part in it’s updated. Your showreel ought to mirror the perfect work you’re presently 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 presently look, so that you don’t shock a casting agent with a mop of hair or a lacking beard.
If you find yourself 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 – Recreation 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 have to infiltrate the mainstream and one of the best ways to try this is thru social media. Work out your model and begin advertising and marketing your self by repeatedly posting photographs and movies that intensify it. Share posts and interact in conversations on-line in regards to the happenings within the trade. Observe fellow artists and preserve your self within the loop.
That is the trendy method of networking and it pays dividends in case you preserve at it. And in case you’ve ever heard horrific rumours that casting ties are damaged by follower counts quite than callbacks … they’re sadly all too true in our trade today.
#4 Know the Casting Director
Nina Gold solid the unique Recreation of Thrones sequence and Kate Rhodes James solid the more moderen Home of the Dragon. When the following instalment comes round, ask your agent in regards to 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 assist you gauge what sort of aesthetic and magnificence they’re in search of within the tape. Let’s discuss that now.
Performing Guidelines
Let’s think about you’ve received the coveted invite to place down a tape for a principal function in Recreation of Thrones. The very first thing to know is that the audition course of is an extended and in depth course of, in keeping with Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke. Each actors auditioned over numerous months, placing down a number of tapes that demanded completely different hairstyles for every, and ultimately they received to an hoursl-long, in-person audition. Each of them have been placed on maintain for over a month and sworn to secrecy earlier than they even knew if that they had the function. So whenever you get the tape request: strap in for an extended journey.
Aesthetic
After we discuss aesthetic, we’re not speaking about the best way you look, however quite your angle or the best way you maintain your self. And it adjustments, relying on the character you’re put up for. In case you’re auditioning for a queen, the best way you current your self might be completely different to how you’ll in case you have been auditioning for a thief. The Recreation of Thrones aesthetic will be described as darkish, medieval fantasy and is sort of completely 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 comparable maybe to how individuals dwelling in feudal England would communicate.
What’s going to most probably have occurred is you’ll be given a tape for a personality that matches your private aesthetic. In case you’re getting a tape for Recreation of Thrones, you’ve probably 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’ll be able to 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 assist you develop your character and offer you a basis to make some sturdy stylistic decisions about how they transfer and communicate on this planet.
Fashion and Style
Earlier than auditioning for something, ensure you know and perceive the style of the venture. Style influences the type of efficiency; in case you audition for a horror movie as in case you’re in a romantic drama, it is going to probably miss the mark of what the director is in search of. As an actor, you need to be watching and experiencing as a lot performance-based leisure as you’ll be able to: movie and television, theatre, video video games. You’ll begin to decide up on very clear stylistic decisions the actors are making to go well with the style.
I’d classify Recreation of Thrones as fantasy-drama, which normally 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 implies they have to struggle for his or her goal tooth and nail. The language is laconic and fantastical, invoking the names of previous gods and tyrannical kings from historical historical past. There’s a Shakespearean high quality to it and in case you can channel that in your Recreation of Thrones tape, I feel you’ll be heading in the right direction.
Some Assist from Shakespeare
Nonetheless, Recreation of Thrones has at all times been praised for its real looking, gritty high quality. So whereas the stakes is perhaps heightened, your decisions nonetheless must really feel grounded and actual. The identical is true for Shakespeare: whenever 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 Night time. It suggests it’s best to at all times take a character-focused method. What type of particular person would use this language? What beliefs and private context would somebody must must grapple with demise by saying “To be, or to not be” quite than “Ought to I preserve dwelling or simply put an finish all of it?” Construct your character across the language quite 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 type you’re going for in your tape.
Script Evaluation
When you’ve 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 which 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 Recreation 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 advocate listening to and working towards some accents now for the enjoyable of it. Examine 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 quite than a mimicry.
Particular Abilities
Working within the fantasy style usually calls for a singular set of expertise, corresponding to horse-riding or fencing. When you may not essentially be solid in a job that requires them, you’ll be a extra enticing possibility for the casting director when you’ve got them beneath your belt.
The primary one I’d advocate growing is stage fight. This can be a nice all-rounder ability to have as a result of it applies to quite a lot of completely different genres and is a good device for growing good motor expertise and bodily consciousness. Discover ways to swing a sword and throw a punch that doesn’t do any harm. There might be a struggle choreographer on set to place collectively struggle 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 beneath your belt however they’re extra prone to apply to extras or featured extras. Nonetheless, you by no means know what expertise the writers may bear in mind on your character. And if you end up signing on for some time, they could even ask what sorts of expertise of yours they might write in!
The Tape
In terms of placing down the self tape, all the same old guidelines apply. Use a neutral-coloured background, good lighting, guarantee clear visuals and audio and know your strains. Verify over the self-tape directions for path on the framing and use that info to additional inform your stylistic and aesthetic decisions. In the event that they’re asking for a decent shut up, the scene is probably going very intimate they usually’re notably desirous about 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 desirous about 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 ought to be thorough and energising, too. Get your vitality as excessive as it may possibly go after which let it bubble away inside. You is perhaps feeling nervous or excited or a complete vary of feelings and honest sufficient since you’re about to tape for a life-changing function in a worldwide sequence. All of that is good vitality that may be channelled into your efficiency.
After you’ve received the tape and despatched it in, congratulations! It’s within the arms of the previous gods now…
Conclusion
Recreation of Thrones grew to become as standard due to its sensible, unflinching writing and its capacity to create characters who individuals loathed and cherished. In case you’re fortunate sufficient to get the shot at taping for certainly one of these characters, it’s necessary to know that you may be enjoying somebody who will grow 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 actually one thing value 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!
