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BLOG WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN in 2017 (so some references to politics have possibly changed)
I never thought I’d be giving this note to actors.
In one day, I coached four different TV show auditions, including two pilots, and ALL of them were specifically reflective of today’s current political events.
Your network TV shows are dealing with border issues, religious biases, sexual harassment, international humanitarian crises, sex trafficking, race and LGBT iniquities. Any of these issues sound familiar? Like you have seen in the news?
In fact, one of the shows really stumped us in prep because we didn’t know anything about a particular international topic. Thankfully, little Google help got us sorted.
Know current events and politics because this is the turmoil that writers are writing about… and you will be auditioning for it soon.
Our country is in serious internal conflict now (or always) – and this makes excellent drama for film and TV!
It’s an era where socio-economic politics are definitely on everyone’s mind, including the TV networks.
Politics are no longer just for the indie filmmakers or documentary filmmakers who push boundaries to comment on.
Politics are everywhere. It’s inescapable. Every meal, every social media post, every conversation with friends and strangers… and soon on every TV episode apparently!
Of course, I want to encourage you to be active in politics because it’s an awareness that deserves and requires our attention.
But now I also want you to get involved so that you will be educated in your choices as ACTORS.
How do you play a red-state Democrat? A blue-state Republican?
How do you play a person against or for the Muslim ban?
How do you play a person who has been sexually harassed by a person in power?
How do you play a politician who will do anything to get elected?
How do you play an activist in any of the current protest movements?
HOW DO YOU PLAY A CHARACTER THAT YOU DON’T AGREE WITH POLITICALLY?
ALL of these characters will be showing up at an audition near you. ALL of them.
As you prep these characters in political conversations or situations, be very weary of judging your characters and not properly defending your character’s point of view.
Give your character a fair trial before you represent him or her.
Be rigorous in your prep, rigorous in your text analysis and research, thoughtful in understanding your character’s motivation, and you will be able to represent your character (no matter his/her views) with respect… whether you agree with your character’s point of view or not. (You always have to have a “bad” character to set up the “good” character!)
So read the news (I know, it’s overwhelming, just skim at least!) and let’s get you prepped for handling material with political points of view.
It’s your civic duty to be a thorough actor who has done her/his/their research.
Please take that moment to research. It will make you feel so much more prepared in the audition room and on sets. Lead the charge on being educated storytellers.
And may we ALL be learning more and more about politics so that we are always informed.
P.S. Yes, when you are informed you might also have disagreements about the way a character is portrayed. And that is for you to then decide if you 1)understand WHY it is being portrayed that way and if it is successfully serving the bigger story or 2)speak up to the creators/casting about it in the audition process or 3)do not accept the audition. You have choices when you are informed. x
Laura Darrell says
Makes a lot of sense and very good advice! Important to not judge our characters, and it also helps us as human beings to have more empathy for people with different points of view not just on tv but in life!