Tips from a Hollywood casting director

What makes a GOOD monologue!

1.One that entertains us. No one in the industry wants to watch an actor working really hard to impress them with their "acting" when the piece is boring to begin with. Choose a monologue you LOVE doing so WE WILL LOVE WATCHING YOU.

2. One that "fits you like a glove" so we believe you.
Know your type and range as far as being cast-age appropriate and physically accurate. It's agonizing to watch a 25 year old try to be 45 or vice versa, a guy from Minnesota try to be an Italian Mafioso from Brooklyn or a plain Jane try to pull off being a femme fatale. A monologue is the time to SHOW WHO YOU ARE not add layers of dialects, character traits, a limp or something outrageous to impress. Avoid props UNLESS it is so essential to the scene that it won't work without one. If they can't tell you are "acting", THAT IS GOOD ACTING.

3. One that is serio-comedic - not just comedic or tragic.
Show us some change in emotion but keep us laughing. Serio-comedic monologues are my favorite choices. Start with a piece that is funny, quirky and gets people to laugh and then "turn the screw". Hit them with something that's heartbreaking or touching. They're already in your corner and you've won them over! Be compelling to get them involved in LIKING YOU, LOVING YOU, HIRING YOU!

4.One that has an "arc" or story line-it  "goes somewhere".
Avoid the JOHNNY ONE-NOTE monologues that show one emotion throughout. Boring. Tedious. Nothing worse than watching someone rant and rave angrily at the audience for 4 minutes. EEEk! Tell a story, we all love to hear stories with twists and turns. BRING US ALONG WITH YOU.

5. Keep it short! 1-2 minutes is better than 4-5. Every agent I ever met made up their minds about an actor in less than 10 seconds. After 2 minutes they change their mind and it goes the other way. STAY WITHIN THEIR ATTENTION SPAN OR TIME ALLOWANCE AND YOU'LL HAVE MORE SUCCESS.

6. One that has an element of "surprise". If the audience is 3 steps ahead of your "acting" they get bored very fast. Shift gears suddenly and change your mood or voice. Find a way to keep us on the edge of our seats, wondering what will happen next? EVERYONE LOVES TO BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.

7. One that shows YOU are a winner.
When you leave the room, what will they think of you? What was your lasting impression? Will they cast you? Call you back or shrug? Most importantly don't choose a loser, someone who whines, complains or is a victim. Your character could be a person living in horrific circumstances but who has spunk, spirit. Everyone loves to watch feisty characters. They don't like to watch losers. LEAVE THEM THINKING YOU ARE AMAZINGLY COURAGEOUS- A PIRATE, A REBEL, A SURVIVOR!

8. One that is NOT full of foul language, swearing, rude sexual innuendos unless it is so essential to the character (who in spite of the language is funny as well as in some quirky way a winner). But be careful. Well written monologues like that are few and far between and most actors aren't clever enough to pull them off. You run the risk of alienating everyone within earshot and then looking like a mediocre actor on top of it. CHOOSE GOOD WRITING OVER SOMETHING FLASHY TO IMPRESS.

9. Don't use a recognizable piece that a movie star did really well. You'll be compared to that star and you won't WIN. (Examples: Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting or Angelina Jolie in Girl Interrupted). I've seen those monologues done badly dozens of times with actors who simply lacked the personality -YES, personality, NOT talent-to pull it off. Don't go there. YOU are not Matt Damon or Angelina Jolie. Find a likeable character and do the monologue your way. THEN YOU WILL BE A WINNER!

COMER & GALLUCIO CASTING is seeking SAG actors to portray female strippers in an upcoming episode of the TV show The Unusuals. Actors should have:
very toned bodies and;
bust should be at least a size B cup.
Actors will be wearing a strip type revealing costume (no g-strings or nudity).
If you fit the above description, please email or mail (email is preferred) a current photo of yourself in a bathing suit at one of the addresses below.
No phone calls please.
Comer & Gallucio Casting
Attn: The Unusuals
440 9th Avenue
8th Floor, Suite 34
New York, NY 10001
Email: candgcasting@...



CENTRAL CASTING is seeking SAG males/females who can portray the following for a future episode of Law & Order:
Columbian Bodyguard (male) - between the ages of 25 – 45, with a big intimidating “beefy” look. If interested, please send your photo and contact information to LawandOrder19@..., with the subject line “Columbian Bodyguard”.
Real Dogwalkers – with Medium – Large friendly dogs. Please be very specific about your experience as a dogwalker and all dogs available to work with you. In addition to a picture of yourself, please also attach a picture of your dog(s) along with their breed and weight information. Please mail or send to LawandOrder19@..., with the subject line “Dogwalker”.
Applicants must be available for possible background work between February 11 – February 23, 2009.

Central Casting
Attn: Stephanie / Law & Order
875 6th Ave
15th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Email: LawandOrder19@...

 

Cheers,

 

J-M : )