- 6 weeks ago
A continuation of our signature session from LA Hollywood House, volunteer attendees will perform a reading of sides in front of casting directors, producers, and other industry execs. They will receive valuable feedback, with the takeaway of having new tools to nail any audition on the spot.
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00:00Hello, good afternoon. Welcome to Nailing Your Cold Read. Today we're going to go
00:12through some exercises and give people a chance to kind of get some tips and
00:16tricks on doing those important on-the-spot auditions. I'm gonna call
00:20the stage Rosalind C. Williams. She's our expert on tap today that's going to help
00:30you through the process. We're going to talk a little bit about like the
00:33importance of cold reads, the importance of doing these on-the-spot auditions, but
00:37first I'm just gonna do a quick intro. Rosalind, tell us a little bit about
00:39yourself, your acting journey, and what leads you to us here today. Well, my
00:44acting journey, let's see, it started when I was, I'll give you the Reader's
00:51Digest version, which is basically when I was, I guess, five years old and my
00:59parents dropped me off at the Black Panther daycare program and that day
01:04there was a riot in the park and I saw the counselors and the older kids get
01:10arrested and everybody was traumatized. So when we got back to the community
01:16center, the counselor said, please, please come back tomorrow, let's deal with this.
01:23And we came back tomorrow and we turned it into a play and I played myself and my
01:31line was, mommy, mommy, I want my mommy. And I can never say that without
01:38connecting. So an actor was born. From there I went on to Duke Ellington School of
01:47the Arts in Washington DC and that's my student turned amazing actress, Alicia
01:55Pilgrim, who is here representing her film. I went on to become, to go to Yale
02:01School of Drama and become a Broadway actress and a film actress and also an
02:07educator and a director and filmmaker. Awesome. And I guess since we have
02:13limited time, we're going to just jump straight into the Cole Reaves. But first
02:16and foremost, why is it something that is, I guess, such a pillar of getting into
02:21different acting roles? Like why are, you know, casting directors sometimes will just
02:25hand you something, go here. Why is that? I think it's because casting directors and
02:31directors think that actors lose their spontaneity by working on something and
02:40they just want to see that life that you bring when you breathe something into it.
02:46And so an actor has to have the skill of being able to read and interpret at the
02:54same time. So that's something they love to do. And we have to be able to go with the
03:01flow. My first, my very first thing of advice is if somebody puts sides in your
03:09hands right away and they want to hear them. Oh look, my husband's calling me.
03:13And they want to hear them right then. What you need to do is break eye contact.
03:20Don't stare at them. If you stare at them, you're going to be reading. Right? So if you
03:26break eye contact and start to move away, you might be able to get out the room and read
03:31them over. That's what you want to do, right? You want a chance to prepare yourself. But if
03:37you stand there and stare, you're going to be reading. Right? They're going to make you
03:42read right there. And if they say that, your answer is always, of course, yes, no problem.
03:47Right? But my first advice is to get out the room and read them over. Right? Because give
03:55yourself the chance, the best chance, the best opportunity to prepare yourself. Right?
04:00Because why do we train but to do our best work? But today we're going to go over
04:08some tips and tricks. Okay, awesome. Do we have a volunteer to go first with a cold read?
04:15Yay. Yay. And I also have a lovely reader. And I'm going to bring up Regina Hoyles. And yes,
04:30please. Yeah, come on up. So I have some sides from Law and Order SVU. And Regina Hoyles here,
04:42a lovely actress and filmmaker from Los Angeles, is going to be our reader. And I'm going to tell
04:48you a little bit about the scene so you guys can follow along. The scene is you're reading ADA Novak,
04:56who's the assistant district attorney. And they are invest, let me see, what does it say? A shaky Jason
05:08is on the stand. Novak leads them through his testimony. So Novak is getting Jason's testimony.
05:16They're in the courtroom. And it's in front of the grand jury. So can you guys envision that scene? Law and
05:23order, typical scene. So that's what we have here. And what else do you need to know? So we'll read the scene
05:32together and figure out what it's about. And then we'll have more people come up and cold read. But
05:38let's just figure out what this scene is first. Okay. Yeah. So we'll start with, and what we, it starts
05:53with a cha, I'll read the stage direction. So you guys get an idea of where we are. It says,
05:59uh, shaky Jason is on the stand and Novak leads him through his testimony. Um, oh yeah. Okay.
06:08Thank you. It says a shaky Jason is on the stand and Novak leads him through his testimony before the
06:15grand jury. And what's your name again? Kelly. Kelly Ann. The lovely Kelly Ann is reading the role of Novak.
06:22She's going to have to project. Thank you. Nikki said we had to go to this club in the city because I was,
06:43you know, a virgin and I needed to get laid.
06:47Whose idea was it to leave? Jennifer's. She wanted to go along with me to her hotel room.
06:52Did you go to the hotel?
06:57Jason, please answer your question. I can't.
07:03You've been subpoenaed to testify here today and you're under old. You will tell the truth.
07:08Or you will go to jail. Please don't make me.
07:12You told me Nick Pratt and Doug Warren offered to drive you and Jennifer to the hotel. True?
07:20Yes.
07:21But instead, Nikki drove downtown under the FDR drive. True?
07:27Yes.
07:29Then you and Jennifer then had sex in the back seat of the car.
07:33I didn't rape her. She said yes. I swear she did.
07:36Tell the jurors what happened next.
07:41When we were done, I got out of the car. Nikki says, now it's our turn.
07:50He and Doug got in and raped her.
07:54And when they were done?
07:56We dropped her off around the block from our hotel.
07:59And what did Nikki say?
08:03Tell the grand jurors what your cousin said.
08:09That we should have killed her so she couldn't tell anyone what happened.
08:15Did you try to stop them?
08:17I told them they were crazy.
08:19But Nikki and Doug said they were going to do it.
08:22So I got out of the car and left.
08:24Where did you go?
08:25Penn Station.
08:26I took a train home.
08:27I took a train home.
08:29Maybe if I stayed, she'd still be alive.
08:33The clerk who sold this ticket has been positively identified,
08:39has positively identified Jason as having bought it at 1-08,
08:44the morning Jennifer disappeared,
08:46six minutes before she left the hotel for the last time.
08:51It proves that Jason King could not have been involved in the murder of Jennifer.
09:00Great job, Kelly.
09:02Very good.
09:04Okay, let's point out all the things that Kelly did well.
09:08Okay, so number one, she's a good actress, right?
09:13Really good job.
09:15She listened, right?
09:18You saw her listening.
09:19And she brought the text up off of the page, right?
09:24So you didn't really get the feeling that she was just reading,
09:28even though this is her first time seeing it.
09:30You've never seen this before, right?
09:32No.
09:33Absolutely frozen.
09:34That's what we call a frozen.
09:36That's not cold.
09:37That's frozen.
09:38So now, let's work together a little bit.
09:40Yes.
09:41So what happened?
09:42Do you know what happened in this scene?
09:43What did you find out?
09:44I found out that he, Jason, is on her side.
09:50She's really trying to uncover the truth.
09:52He's innocent and he's being positioned as the person who is guilty.
09:57You find out through the dialogue that actually he's not guilty.
10:04Correct.
10:05He's not guilty.
10:06But you have a line there about you've been subpoenaed here to testify.
10:12What does that line say?
10:13You've been subpoenaed to testify you're detained or under oath to tell the truth when you're
10:18going to jail.
10:19I think there is like, there is a struggle, there's a reason why.
10:23I'm not sure exactly why, but he is, oh, sorry.
10:30I'm not sure exactly the reason, probably the relationship between him and the folks,
10:36or is the reason why he's kind of nervous to tell or tattle or be a snitch to his family
10:45members.
10:46Oh, very good.
10:47Look at that.
10:48This is how you can tell what a strong actress Kelly is.
10:51Because she's already mentioned the key word, relationship.
10:56Where she wants to start the work is she's exploring the relationship between Jason, right?
11:02That's where your curiosity has led you, right?
11:05Yeah.
11:06In figuring out the story.
11:07And that's the first thing you have to do, right?
11:09You have to listen.
11:10If you're reading Frozen, you have to listen and figure out the story as you're reading.
11:16And that's what Kelly's done, right?
11:18And she's already figured out that the person she's talking to, Jason, right?
11:23Is struggling with his testimony.
11:27And your job as Novak, what's your job as Novak?
11:31To pull the truth out of him.
11:34You better.
11:35Yes.
11:36Yes, ma'am.
11:37Yes, ma'am.
11:40How about a thinking actress?
11:43That is absolutely 100% correct, right?
11:47And that's what you're about.
11:48Yeah.
11:49So now, you have enough, right?
11:52She knows what she wants in the scene.
11:54That's the number one most important thing.
11:56Now she has a bit of the story, right?
11:58And the writer gave us that.
12:00What was that stage direction?
12:02Novak pulls out, what's that say right there?
12:04Novak leads him through his testimony before the grand jury.
12:07Novak leads him through his testimony.
12:10So the writer is giving us this huge clue.
12:15And in film and television, they don't really hide it, right?
12:18They really put it on the paper because that's their only way to communicate to the reader what's going on.
12:25And so as actors, we got to gobble that up.
12:27So the bad advice is to ignore that, right?
12:31The bad advice is like cross that out.
12:33Don't read that.
12:34Do your own thing.
12:35No, absolutely not.
12:36Use it, right?
12:38If that's what they say, try it out.
12:40That's the first thing you want to do is take those obvious clues and put them through yourself.
12:46And if you're using yourself, you can't go wrong.
12:49So Kelly, you did a great job.
12:51Let's have somebody else.
12:53Thank you, Kelly.
12:54No problem.
12:55All right.
12:56Who else wants to read?
12:57Come on up.
12:58Let's do the same thing.
13:01Now you have a bit of an idea of what the scene.
13:03I want to do it again.
13:05Oh, no, no, no.
13:06Let's have Kelly do it again first.
13:08I'm noticing, I don't have to, but I'm noticing certain things about her as pulling,
13:18I feel like I could have pulled more, put a little bit more pressure.
13:22Absolutely.
13:23The truth out.
13:24Absolutely.
13:25Because whose side are you on as Novak?
13:28I'm on the side of the truth.
13:29That's you.
13:30You know, my students, so many times my students miss that.
13:36Now you remember this because I always use this scene, right?
13:39That's the first scene I always use.
13:41So my students always miss that.
13:43So yes, as the ADA, the Assistant District Attorney, you are on the side of the truth.
13:50The side of the victim, the side of the state.
13:53So let me see you try that again.
13:56I would love to see you read it again.
13:57I hate, I always want actors to win.
13:59And with a strong first cold read like that, the first thing the casting person is going
14:04to do is be like, hey, this person did great.
14:07Let's hear it again.
14:08Right?
14:09And that's your first goal.
14:12When you have somebody, when you're reading cold, that's all you want to do is to do it
14:16again.
14:17Right?
14:18Is to be committed enough, brave enough to explore the material that the person is like,
14:24oh, that's nice.
14:25Right?
14:26Let's have them do it again.
14:28And all they're going to do is volunteer more information because guess what?
14:33They want you to win too.
14:35They want you to win.
14:37If you stay relaxed, if you listen, if you're open, if you bring it up off the page, go with,
14:44listen as you work, work slowly, don't go faster than you can go, you'll get that second read.
14:50And that's what people want.
14:51Okay.
14:52Let's do it again, Kelly.
14:53Everyone can still hear me, right?
14:54I don't know my voice.
14:55Yes, they are.
14:56Okay.
14:57Okay.
14:58Great.
14:59In fact, no, that's great.
15:00Okay.
15:01Do you want me to stop?
15:02Yeah.
15:03It would be nice if you were a little closer.
15:04Yeah.
15:05You could be a little bit more.
15:06I want to stay as well.
15:07Yeah.
15:08Yeah.
15:09Yeah.
15:10It would be nice if you were a little closer.
15:12Yeah.
15:13You could be a little bit more.
15:14Yeah.
15:15Yeah.
15:16Yeah.
15:17Yeah.
15:18Yeah.
15:19Excellent.
15:20Nikki said we had to go to this club in the city because I was, you know, a virgin and
15:35I needed to get laid.
15:37Whose idea was it to leave?
15:39Jennifer's.
15:40She wanted to go alone with me to her hotel room.
15:43Did you go to the hotel?
15:46Jason, please answer the question.
15:53I can't.
15:54You've been subpoenaed to testify here today and you're under oath.
15:59You will tell the truth or you will go to jail.
16:02Please don't make me.
16:03You told Nick Pratt and Doug Warren, you told me Nick Pratt and Doug Warren offered to drive
16:10you and Jennifer to the hotel.
16:12True?
16:13Yes.
16:14But instead, Nikki drove downtown under the FDR drive.
16:20Why?
16:21Yes.
16:22Yes.
16:23Then you and Jennifer then had sex in the back seat of the car.
16:30I didn't rape her.
16:32She said yes.
16:33I swear she did.
16:34Tell the jurors what happened next.
16:37When we were done, I got out of the car.
16:40Nikki says, now it's our turn.
16:43He and Doug got in and raped her.
16:47And when they were done?
16:50We dropped her off around the block from her hotel.
16:53And what did Nikki say?
16:56Tell the grand jurors what Nikki said.
17:08That we should have killed her so she couldn't tell anyone what happened.
17:12Did you try to stop them?
17:15I told them they were crazy.
17:17But Nikki and Doug said they were going to do it.
17:19So I got out of the car and left.
17:22Where did you go?
17:24Penn Station.
17:26I took a train home.
17:29Maybe if I stayed, she'd still be alive.
17:33The clerk who sold this ticket has been positively identified,
17:38has positively identified Jason as having bought it at 108,
17:43the morning that Jennifer disappeared,
17:46six minutes before she left her hotel for the last time.
17:52It proves that Jason King could not have been involved in the murder of Jennifer.
17:58Very nice.
18:01Very nice.
18:03Very nice.
18:04Okay.
18:05Now I'm going to give a couple more tips.
18:08Yes.
18:09That was wonderful, first of all.
18:12Right?
18:13First of all, before I give more tips,
18:15what did you discover on your second read?
18:17Ooh.
18:18What did you find out?
18:19Here, why don't you get ready?
18:21You can read it over.
18:22I was actually more nervous doing it.
18:24Yeah.
18:25Of course.
18:26I was like, oh, we need to get it.
18:28Right?
18:29All of a sudden something's at stake, right?
18:31I would say, I'm a processor, so I have time to process.
18:44Let me get your feedback.
18:45Well, I was just going to give a tip.
18:46First of all, I thought, I could tell that you were working and thinking more this time,
18:55and thinking through it, exploring more this time.
18:58So, that was, it was helpful, right?
19:01That was really helpful to the work.
19:03And this is just a tip.
19:06When you finish, closing beat.
19:09So, sometimes, at the closing, never look back at the paper.
19:18Right?
19:19Always be super brave at your closing.
19:21Never say, seen.
19:23Never, just you got to hang out there.
19:27Right?
19:28So, just let it breathe.
19:31Stay in that moment.
19:32So, even though you're reading, right?
19:35You grab that last phrase, you land that last moment, right?
19:39And you were playing us, I love that choice, to play us as the jury.
19:43That was a really super strong choice.
19:45So, she's playing us as the jury.
19:47So, you said, could not have been involved in the murder of so-and-so, so-and-so, right?
19:52That was super strong.
19:53You landed that, and then you just went right down there.
19:58Which is almost like saying, don't believe me, right?
20:01Or like, that wasn't so good.
20:03So, don't do that, right?
20:05Stand behind your work.
20:06So, just like, could not have been involved in da-da-da-da.
20:09Land that.
20:10And then just hang out there.
20:12And always let, let me break the illusion, right?
20:18Let the auditor break the illusion.
20:21So, we can just sit with it.
20:24You can get so many jobs like that.
20:27Because what actors create, we create the magic, the atmosphere.
20:32So, you have to let that linger.
20:34And then the other people are like, wow, they're really into it, right?
20:42And when you do that, then we do that, right?
20:46So, that's just another tip for you.
20:49No matter what happened in the middle, always land your ending, right?
20:54Thank you, Washington.
20:56Oh, yes.
20:57Wonderful work, Kelly.
20:59Wonderful work.
21:00Okay, and what's your name?
21:02Hi, my name is Shaka Balamani.
21:04Shaka Balamani.
21:05I'm from Washington, D.C., by the way.
21:07From Washington?
21:08All right, me too.
21:09All right.
21:10Shaka is going to read for Novak.
21:12Novak can be a man or a woman.
21:14And we'll have Regina again as the wayward Jason.
21:19So now, every actor that comes up should steal from the actor before.
21:25Don't, now it's not frozen anymore, right?
21:29You know what's going on.
21:31Use what you've learned.
21:32Use what you've observed.
21:34And build, build, build.
21:37Okay?
21:38Thank you, Kelly, for setting us off.
21:40Okay.
21:42Nikki said we had to go to this club in the city because I was, you know, a virgin and I needed to get laid.
21:52And whose idea was it to leave?
21:56Jennifer's?
21:58She wanted to go alone with me to her hotel room.
22:03Did you go to the hotel?
22:08Jason, please answer your question.
22:11I can't.
22:13You've been subpoenaed to testify here today.
22:17And you're under oath.
22:19You will tell the truth or you will go to jail.
22:22Please don't make me.
22:24You told Nick Pratt and Doug Warren to drive you and Jennifer to the hotel.
22:31Is that true?
22:32Yes.
22:34But instead, Nikki drove downtown.
22:38Under the FDR driver.
22:43Is that true?
22:44Yes.
22:46Yes.
22:47And you and Jennifer had sex in the back of the car.
22:53I didn't rape her.
22:54She said yes.
22:55I swear she did.
22:56Tell the jurors what happened.
23:01When we were done, I got out of the car.
23:04Nikki says, now it's our turn.
23:07He and Doug got in and raped her.
23:11And when they were done?
23:14We dropped her off around the block from her hotel.
23:18And what did Nikki say?
23:23Tell the grand jurors what your cousin said.
23:26Tell the grand jurors what your cousin said.
23:35Hell, we should have killed her so she couldn't tell anyone what happened.
23:39And did you try to stop them?
23:44I told them they were crazy.
23:45But Nikki and Doug said they were going to do it.
23:48So I got out of the car and left.
23:50And where did you go?
23:51Penn Station.
23:53I took a train home.
23:56Maybe if I stayed, she'd still be alive.
24:01Now the clerk who sold this ticket has positively identified Jason's,
24:06having bought it at 108 in the morning.
24:10Jennifer disappeared six minutes before she left her hotel for the last time.
24:16It proves that Jason King could not have been involved in the murder of Jennifer.
24:26Very nice.
24:28Thank you, Shaka.
24:30All right.
24:31So what did you discover?
24:33What did you find out about the scene?
24:35Well, I mean, I discovered that she seemed to be nervous and that it was pretty much the
24:40job of the AD to try to get the truth out of her or at least allow the jurors to believe
24:47that she was innocent.
24:48Ah.
24:49So I think she has some sort of responsibility to recognize that she's falling apart and try
24:55to keep it soft enough to get her to tell the truth.
24:58Ah.
24:59That's a good choice.
25:00Keep it.
25:01Like you want, you want to get the truth so badly that you don't want to break it down
25:07so much that you don't get the truth.
25:09Right?
25:10But let's explore this relationship.
25:14Mm-hmm.
25:15But I want, first, before we do this, I want to point out something that I really like that
25:18you did.
25:19There was a moment, I wish we had a camera here so we could play it back, but I'm just
25:24going to, I'm just going to lift up this moment.
25:27There was a moment when he was, Jason over here, the lovely Regina, was describing the
25:35moment of the, when the friends went into the car.
25:40And Shaka was just there listening and he just did this moment of a heavy sigh.
25:47And it just showed that he was disgusted and that he was listening and that he didn't approve.
25:59And it's those kinds of details that pull us in, that make us, that make it, that draw us in.
26:09And that was so natural.
26:10And I just love that you did that.
26:12And that you were that engaged even in this, you know, in this situation.
26:18So I had a question for you.
26:19Mm-hmm.
26:20It's a tip question.
26:21Because I find myself, this happens a lot in auditions, um, when I'm doing cold reads
26:27and I am getting engaged and I'm falling, I can see myself or feel myself because I'm
26:31so lost in what's going on that I'm losing my space, kind of.
26:36Is there a tip to, like, not lose your space within the cold read?
26:39You mean.
26:40Happened a couple of times just now.
26:41I'm listening to her and I'm more involved and then I'm trying to pick back up and see
26:44where I'm at in the script.
26:45Oh, in the script.
26:46Yeah.
26:47Sure.
26:48Well, this is not ideal, right, because we have the iPads here.
26:51Yeah.
26:52But, um, put your thumb next to your next line.
26:56Just have your thumb, just always anticipate where your next line is.
27:00Mm-hmm.
27:01So that you're, you're tracking down the page with your thumb.
27:05So even though you're off, your eyes are, are off the page, your thumb is next to your
27:11next line.
27:12Okay.
27:13So that helps a lot.
27:14Right.
27:15You know.
27:16You have to sort of, my real tip is to practice.
27:20Practice when you don't have cold reads.
27:23Practice reading.
27:24Just read the New York Times every day.
27:27Practice reading and then keep your eyes on the page.
27:31Practice reading rapidly and all the way through your articulators.
27:37That way you'll read accurately.
27:38Both you and Kelly made just little micro mistakes in your reading, which will throw up, which
27:44will throw off the text a little bit.
27:47And if you're really, really good at reading, just reading, just picking up words accurately,
27:54that'll go away.
27:56And that just comes from practice.
27:58And if you read complicated text, more complicated text aloud, daily, rapidly, that'll go away.
28:06Then you'll look at these little scripts, these little lines, and they'll just be nothing.
28:10And, and also you'll be able to increase your speed.
28:13And that'll help your eye, that'll, that'll increase your tracking, your eye tracking too.
28:20Mm-hmm.
28:21Wonderful work.
28:22Wonderful.
28:24Mm-hmm.
28:25Yes.
28:26Somebody else want to read?
28:27Come on up.
28:28Oh, come on.
28:30Come on up.
28:31Come on up.
28:32The water's warm.
28:33And, Regina, why don't you get this iPad going so we can have the next person on deck,
28:41if you just turn this iPad on.
28:43Same sides.
28:44Yeah, same sides.
28:46And if we have, and we have the different sides, whoever wants to be on deck, come over here.
28:52Okay.
28:53And you can have these sides and you'll go next.
28:59All right.
29:00So you're ADA Novak.
29:03Yes.
29:04Oh, wow.
29:05And it starts right, right there.
29:07Okay.
29:08Okay.
29:10What's your name?
29:11Tameka.
29:12Tameka.
29:13All right.
29:15Yes.
29:26Nikki said we had to go to this club in the city because I was, you know, a virgin
29:31and I needed to get laid.
29:33Whose idea was it to leave?
29:39Jennifer's. She wanted to go along with me to her hotel room.
29:44Did you go to the hotel?
29:51Jason, please answer the question.
29:56I can't.
30:01You've been subpoenaed to testify here today and you're under oath.
30:05You will tell the truth or you will vote to jail.
30:08Please don't make me.
30:11You told me Nick Pratt and Doug Warren offered to drive you and Jennifer to the hotel.
30:17True?
30:19Yes.
30:21But instead, Nikki drove downtown under the FDR drive.
30:26True?
30:28Yes.
30:29Then you and Jennifer then had sat in the back seat of the car.
30:33I didn't rape her.
30:35She said yes, I swear she did.
30:41Tell the jurors what happened.
30:43When we were done, I got out of the car.
30:47Nikki says, now it's our turn.
30:51He and Doug got in and raped her.
30:55And when they were done?
30:57We dropped her off around the block from her hotel.
30:59And what did Nikki say?
31:01Tell the grand jurors what your cousin said.
31:07That we should have killed her so she couldn't tell anyone what happened.
31:13Did you try to stop them?
31:17I told them they were crazy.
31:19But Nikki and Doug said they were going to do it.
31:21So, I got out of the car and left.
31:23Where did you go?
31:25Penn Station.
31:27I took a train home.
31:29Maybe if I stayed, she'd still be alive.
31:33The clerk who sold this ticket has positively identified Jason as having bought it at 1-08 the morning Jennifer disappeared.
31:45Six minutes before she left her hotel for the last time.
31:51It proves Jason King could not have been involved in the murder of Jennifer Derman.
32:02Cut.
32:03All right.
32:05How about that closing beat?
32:07Lovely, Tamika.
32:09All right.
32:10So now we got a strong closing beat.
32:12Let's talk about opening beat.
32:14So, that's my new, I'm adding a tip.
32:18So, opening beat.
32:20That was good work, really.
32:22Thank you, thank you.
32:23Okay, strong work.
32:24So now, how do you start?
32:27Always start with your moment before the first line.
32:31Never start, just like you never end staring at the page, never start staring at the page.
32:37So we caught you staring at the page at the beginning.
32:39I wasn't ready to start.
32:41Yeah, okay.
32:42I know it's okay.
32:43All right.
32:44So that's all right.
32:45That's all right.
32:46We're just learning.
32:47No judgment.
32:48It's just a chance for me to teach.
32:50So, I like it when you guys mess up.
32:53It gives me an opportunity.
32:54Right?
32:55Don't be too good.
32:56Right?
32:57So, be living the life.
32:58So, be living the life.
33:00So, grab the first line or phrase, have that in your head, and then be living the life as
33:07Novak.
33:08You actually want, if you don't have the first line, it's lovely when the other person interrupts
33:13you, right?
33:14That gives it such an organic beginning.
33:16But be in the middle of the life, thinking as Novak, living as Novak.
33:22You have the first line in your head.
33:24How does your partner know that you're ready?
33:27Because you're up and acting.
33:30That's how they know you're ready.
33:31When you're staring at the paper, they know you're not ready.
33:34Right?
33:35They feel like this.
33:36People think you're not ready.
33:37As soon as you're ready, you just, as soon as you have the first line, just, you're up.
33:41You're acting.
33:42And you're thinking Novak thoughts.
33:44Or you could be doing a physicality.
33:46Right?
33:47You could be doing Novak things.
33:49Things Novak would do.
33:50What is the ADA doing?
33:52Right?
33:53She could be shuffling her papers.
33:55You know, as long as she's not staring at her script as the actor.
33:59You can do anything but actor shit.
34:02Okay?
34:03As long as you're not doing actor stuff, you're good to go.
34:06All right?
34:07Great work, Tamika.
34:08Thank you so much.
34:09All right.
34:10Who's on deck?
34:12So you go, and then you'll be on deck after.
34:15Okay?
34:16All right.
34:17What's your name?
34:19Sonia.
34:20Sonia.
34:21This is the lovely Sonia.
34:23And this time, as Sonia works, I want us to sort of
34:29search for, listen for, and Sonia, I'm going to ask you about,
34:35where is the key phrase?
34:38What is the key phrase?
34:39What's the turning point in the scene?
34:44Okay?
34:45No, no.
34:46I mean, like, that's what we're exploring now.
34:49Right?
34:50As we continue to work.
34:52Nikki said we had to go to this club in the city because I was, you know, a virgin and
35:03that I needed to get laid.
35:05Who's I deal with this lady?
35:06Jennifer's.
35:07She wanted to go along with me to her hotel room.
35:08Did you go to the hotel?
35:09Jason, please answer the question.
35:10I can't.
35:11You've been subpoenaed to testify here today, and you're under oath.
35:12You will tell the truth, or you will go to jail.
35:13Please don't make me.
35:14You told me, Nick Pratt, and Doug Pratt, did you go to jail?
35:15Did you go to jail?
35:16Did you go to jail?
35:17Did you go to jail?
35:18Did you go to jail?
35:19Did you go to jail?
35:20Did you go to jail?
35:21Did you go to jail?
35:22Did you go to jail?
35:23Jason, please answer the question.
35:24I can't.
35:25You've been subpoenaed to testify here today, and you're under oath.
35:30You will tell the truth, or you will go to jail.
35:35Please don't make me.
35:40You told me Nick Pratt and Doug Warren offered to drive you and Jennifer to the hotel.
35:46True?
35:47Yes.
35:48But instead, Nikki drove downtown under the FDR drive.
35:54True?
35:55Yes.
35:56Then you and Jennifer then had sex in the backseat of the car?
36:04I didn't rape her.
36:05She said yes.
36:06I swear she did.
36:07Tell the jurors what happened next.
36:14When we were done, I got out of the car.
36:18Nikki says, now it's our turn.
36:21He and Doug got in and raped her.
36:26And when they were done?
36:28We dropped her off around the block from her hotel.
36:33And what did Nikki say?
36:35Tell the grand jurors what your cousin said.
36:43That we should have killed her so she couldn't tell anyone what happened.
36:47Did you try to stop them?
36:53I told them they were crazy.
36:55But Nikki and Doug said they were going to do it.
36:57So I got out of the car and left.
36:59Where did you go?
37:01Penn Station.
37:02I took a train home.
37:03I took a train home.
37:05Maybe if I stayed, she'd still be alive.
37:09The clerk who sold this ticket has positively identified Jason as having boarded at 1-08 the morning Jennifer disappeared.
37:21Six minutes before she left her hotel for the last time.
37:26It proves Jason King could not have been involved in the murder of Jennifer Dunn.
37:36Closing key.
37:37Thank you, Samia.
37:39Very nice.
37:41So, Samia, tell me about, did you find a key phrase, a turning point, a moment where the relationship between Lou and Jason shifted?
37:54I would say after she came down a little hard on him.
37:57Because it's a point, she's like, you told me, and she's kind of, and then she sees him falling apart and she just softens up a little bit.
38:04So I think that could have been the turning point where it shows that she actually cares, that this is not just about a case.
38:10Yes it is, but she actually cares about the witness and she does want him to be free.
38:15Interesting.
38:17Interesting.
38:18Not bad.
38:21You're reading codes, so really there can't be anything that is wrong.
38:26I'm going to suggest, or add to that, that we're on the right path.
38:34Because we're looking for, how does the relationship between this person and this person change during the course of this thing?
38:44Right?
38:45That's what, every, every time you get up and you have an audition between people or a team, it's always a changing relationship.
38:52Right?
38:53So, I think, I think we need to identify this relationship a little bit strong.
38:59So, you are, who are you in the team?
39:04AD Novak?
39:05ADA Novak.
39:06ADA Novak.
39:07Assistant District Attorney.
39:08And who is this to you?
39:10How are you related?
39:11So when we define relationships, we do this four ways.
39:14We always say, how are you related?
39:15Like, husband, wife, right?
39:17White husband.
39:18So that's the definition of relationship, right?
39:20That's number one.
39:21So how are you guys related?
39:23This is a witness on the case.
39:27Great.
39:28And I'm trying to prove that, we're trying to find, we're, I'm trying to, uh, make sure that the right person goes to jail for the crime.
39:39Great.
39:40Witness, ADA, right?
39:43Yes.
39:44That's the relationship, that's, that's the definition of relationship.
39:47How do you feel about this person?
39:50Right?
39:51Um, well, I think Jason, um, how do I feel?
39:57I guess I want you to say what you're supposed to say.
40:00Like you playing games right now.
40:02That's right.
40:03That's right, Samia.
40:05That's right.
40:06So how does that make you feel?
40:08So, so when you, once he's asked you, how do you feel about the person?
40:11You got to sort of explore the relationship, right?
40:14So what do you know about Jason?
40:15So if you explore how you feel about him, what do you know?
40:18I feel like Jason is being weak.
40:20Like, Jason is being weak.
40:22Like, do you want to go to jail?
40:24Exactly.
40:25So how do you, so, Jason is being weak.
40:30Right?
40:31So, give, can you come up with a stronger feeling word?
40:36We always use the strongest language you can use because that'll engage your instrument
40:40more.
40:41Right?
40:42Um.
40:43So, um, I love him.
40:44I hate him.
40:45Uh, I'm disgusted by him.
40:47I, um.
40:48I'm annoyed.
40:49Annoyed.
40:50Because he's wasting time.
40:51He's wasting time.
40:52Good.
40:53Yeah.
40:54Oh, look at her, look at her instrument change.
40:55Look at her voice change.
40:56Right?
40:57So, she's already more engaged.
40:59Right?
41:00Good, Samia.
41:02Now, this, this will help us find that, that turning point.
41:07Right?
41:08So, the scene, when the scene starts, the relationship starts, how's Jason doing in terms of testifying?
41:16Um, I mean, he's talking.
41:19Good, good.
41:20He's talking.
41:21Right?
41:22And then what happens?
41:23And then he shuts down.
41:24And then he shuts down.
41:25Right?
41:26Yes.
41:27That's, that's the first change in the relationship.
41:29Right?
41:30And then, I would love to do the scene again because already you know more.
41:35Okay.
41:36And already you're more engaged.
41:37Right?
41:38Yes.
41:39And now I think we're gonna find the turning point.
41:42Now I'm, now I'm just more curious because I think you, I think you're a little bit more
41:47locked in.
41:48And remember, don't forget now, we're trying to, we're after the truth because there's
41:54a victim here.
41:55Okay.
41:56Okay?
41:57Right?
41:58And we have to have the strongest connection, sometimes relationship is with the off-screen
42:03character.
42:04Right?
42:05Or our most empathy.
42:07Right?
42:08In this case.
42:09So, let's try it again.
42:11Right?
42:12Yeah.
42:13Yeah.
42:14With, with, with, with our little, what we've explored.
42:18And then you can read, okay?
42:23All right.
42:24Nikki said we had to go to this club in the city because I was, you know, a virgin and
42:33I needed to get laid.
42:35Okay.
42:36Whose idea was it to leave?
42:38Jennifer's, she wanted to go alone with me to her hotel room.
42:41Did you go to the hotel?
42:43Jason, please answer the question.
42:46Nice.
42:47I, I can't.
42:48You've been subpoenaed to testify today and you're under oath.
42:51Good.
42:52You will tell the truth or you will go to jail.
42:53Please don't make me.
42:54You told me.
42:55Nick Pratt.
42:56Good.
42:57And Doug Warren offered to drive you and Jennifer to the hotel.
42:58True?
42:59Yes.
43:00But instead, Nikki drove downtown under the FDR drive.
43:02True?
43:03Yes.
43:04Then you and Jennifer then had sex in the back seat of the car.
43:05I didn't rape her.
43:06She said yes.
43:07I swear she did.
43:08Tell the jurors what happened next.
43:09When we were done, I got out of the car.
43:10I didn't rape her.
43:11She said yes.
43:12I swear she did.
43:13Tell the jurors what happened next.
43:15When we were done, I got out of the car.
43:16Nikki says, now it's our turn.
43:17He and Doug got in and.
43:18No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
43:20And when they were done?
43:21We dropped her off.
43:22Yes.
43:23And then you and Jennifer then had sex in the back seat of the car.
43:25I didn't rape her.
43:26She said yes.
43:27I swear she did.
43:28Tell the jurors what happened next.
43:33When we were done, I got out of the car.
43:38Nikki says, now it's our turn.
43:41He and Doug got in and.
43:43And raped her.
43:47And when they were done.
43:49We dropped her off around the block from her hotel.
43:52And what did Nikki say?
43:56Tell the grand jurors what your cousin said.
44:03That we should have killed her so she couldn't tell anyone what happened.
44:10Did you try to stop them?
44:14I told them they were crazy.
44:16But Nikki and Doug said they were going to do it.
44:19So I got out of the car and left.
44:21Where did you go?
44:22Penn Station.
44:23I took a train home.
44:25Maybe if I stayed she'd still be alive.
44:29The clerk who sold this ticket has positively identified Jason as having boarded at 1-08 the morning Jennifer disappeared.
44:42Six minutes before she left her hotel for the last time.
44:46It proves Jason King could not have been involved in the murder of Jennifer Durney.
44:53Good.
44:54Nice, Samia.
44:56All right.
44:57What did you discover?
44:58Real quick.
44:59This next one's the last one.
45:00Um.
45:01That was nice.
45:02A lot.
45:03I think my nerves were like.
45:05So like inside I was like going like this.
45:07Uh huh.
45:08You know.
45:09And.
45:10Um.
45:11I just.
45:12I guess I discovered that I have to really like dive in.
45:17And uh use my nerves to allow me to get through.
45:21Instead of like block me.
45:22Um.
45:23Good.
45:24And just be the ADA.
45:25Yeah.
45:26Like I've watched Law and Order.
45:27Like I know sometimes you know they're a little.
45:29And it's okay to do that.
45:31Yeah.
45:32Yeah.
45:33You were a lot stronger this time.
45:34A lot less empathy this time.
45:35What happened to all that empathy?
45:36It was gone.
45:37It was gone.
45:38Right.
45:39When you think about the situation he was sat there and let the girl get raped.
45:41Right.
45:42Yeah.
45:43And then get killed.
45:44Right.
45:45And not to crying.
45:46Yeah.
45:47So that.
45:48That moment went away didn't it?
45:49Right.
45:50That moment didn't belong there did it?
45:52No.
45:53Not belong there.
45:54This motherfucker can go to jail.
45:56Right.
45:57Right.
45:58He's gonna testify or go to jail.
46:01Absolutely.
46:02Good discovery.
46:04Right.
46:05Nice.
46:06All right.
46:07One more.
46:10Nice work.
46:12What's your name?
46:13I'm Brittany Wellington.
46:14Brittany Wellington.
46:15All right.
46:16ADA Novak.
46:17Let's build on what we've discovered.
46:23When you're ready start acting.
46:24Nikki said we had to go to this club in the city because I was, you know, a virgin and
46:36I needed to get laid.
46:37Whose idea was it to leave?
46:38Jennifer's.
46:39She wanted to go alone with me to her hotel room.
46:40Did you go to the hotel room?
46:41Did you go to the hotel room?
46:42Did you go to the hotel?
46:43Jason?
46:44Please answer the question.
46:45I can't.
46:46You have been subpoenaed to testify here today and you're under oath.
46:47You will tell the truth or you will go to jail.
46:48Please don't make me.
46:49You told me Nick Pratt and Doug Warren offered to drive you and Jennifer to the hotel.
47:13True?
47:14Yes.
47:15But instead, Nikki drove downtown under the FDR drive.
47:20True?
47:23Yes.
47:24Then you and Jennifer then had sex in the backseat of the car.
47:28I didn't rape her.
47:30She said yes, I swear she did.
47:33Tell the jurors what happened next.
47:35When we were done, I got out of the car.
47:38Nikki says, now it's our turn.
47:41And when they were done?
47:41We dropped her off around the block from her hotel.
47:47And what did you say?
47:53Tell the grand jurors what your cousin said.
47:56That we should have killed her so she couldn't tell anyone what happened.
48:00Did you try to stop them?
48:01I told them they were crazy.
48:03But Nikki and Doug said they were going to do it.
48:05So I got out of the car and left.
48:07Where did you go?
48:08Penn Station.
48:09I took a train home.
48:11Maybe if I stayed, she'd still be alive.
48:17The clerk who sold this ticket has positively identified Jason as having bought it.
48:23At 1.08 the morning Jennifer disappeared.
48:27Six minutes before she left her hotel for the last time.
48:31It proves Jason King could not have been involved in the murder of Jennifer's journey.
48:36Good, nice job.
48:39So what did you discover?
48:44In my opinion, I would think that Jason spoke to the AD beforehand trying to figure out
48:51which one, like who was more guilty, who the crime would stick more to.
49:01Great.
49:02Yeah.
49:02All right.
49:03So what's your name again?
49:05Brittany Wellington.
49:05Brittany.
49:06Brittany.
49:06The lovely Brittany Wellington is talking about backstory.
49:09So some backstory has occurred to her and she's starting to create backstory and that's part
49:15of the work.
49:16That's one of the steps.
49:17Absolutely, Brittany.
49:18Yes, thank you.
49:20So thank you for your work.
49:21So let's talk about what, did anybody figure out what that turning point could be?
49:26Where is the strongest changing point in the relationship?
49:30Anybody?
49:32Anything jump out at you?
49:34I feel like when the ADH family told me.
49:42Mm-hmm.
49:42Mm-hmm.
49:45But she already knows if they had that conversation.
49:50Right.
49:51They already said that.
49:52But now, because I'm here to be waiting and I want to go through.
49:56Right.
49:57Right.
49:57So that is a big beat change.
50:02Absolutely.
50:03And I'm looking for the place where the relationship changes the most.
50:08And so one thing we noticed is that, that we discovered working together, is that the DA
50:14is pissed off.
50:16Once Jason goes off course, we discovered that the DA is pissed off, right?
50:23Somebody said that.
50:25I think it was you, right?
50:26And then we also discovered that there could be a possible moment of empathy, right?
50:38But where?
50:40Yes, please.
50:42Come on.
50:44Yes.
50:45When?
50:45When Jason starts crying and kind of breaking down because he doesn't want to, he's feeling
50:49the guilt.
50:50So Jason feels guilt.
50:52Why does he feel guilty?
50:53Come on, Alicia.
50:53Help me out.
50:54Well, he said maybe if I was to stay alive, then he's got to go.
50:59Here's the flip of it.
51:02Right?
51:03Finally, he gets it.
51:05Big old dummy.
51:07Maybe if I stayed, she'd still be alive.
51:10And then, only then, does the ADA pull out the ticket and say, okay, don't prosecute this
51:21one, right?
51:22Up until then, his behind can go to jail with the others, right?
51:27And that, and then, that's when he deserves some empathy.
51:33When he finally gets it, maybe if I stayed, she'd still be alive.
51:42And then, you can have a shift.
51:45And you can share, you have a private moment, you can share that, right?
51:49You can give him a little thank you.
51:51What's the trap of the scene?
51:56I have a little bit more time, but let's talk about the trap.
51:59What would the trap be in this scene?
52:02Anybody?
52:07Here's the trap.
52:10I'm a lawyer.
52:11I do this every day.
52:14Every day I come to work, I see rapes and killings all the time.
52:19So you throw it all away.
52:21You have to figure out, why am I personally connected to this?
52:32So you can't be that this is my work and I do this every day.
52:36So you throw it all away.
52:38You watch the show, you say, oh, the style of the show is they go fast, they don't care,
52:41right?
52:44That's a trap.
52:45You can always speed up your work.
52:48But first, make it slow and full and then speed it up.
52:56Make sure you're all connected and that you're living truthfully and that you've discovered
53:02that key phrase in those transitions.
53:05Okay, so any questions before we say goodbye?
53:12Wonderful work.
53:12Oh, and thank you.
53:14Great work.
53:16Great work.
53:17Lovely Regina.
53:19Really good.
53:20Any questions?
53:22Yes.
53:22Well, especially in film, in SAG TV, especially, the writer can very often be in the room.
53:40They've slaved over the script.
53:43They paid a lot of money for it.
53:44And they want to see you make their words sound like your words.
53:52That's your job.
53:53To make it seem like improv.
53:57That's your job.
53:58It should feel like so natural.
54:01So, that's what we do.
54:04We make their stuff feel that good.
54:08Now, later when you become a star or later when you get permission, maybe you can.
54:13But don't do that in the audition because they'll think you're unprofessional.
54:17They think you can't, right?
54:19And it'll set off alarms.
54:22They'll be thinking like, oh no, we're going to have so many takes.
54:24This person can't deliver, you know?
54:27So, you have to, you need to deliver the script as written during the audition and make it
54:34seem very, very natural.
54:35You're going to hear them say all the time, they're going to say, don't worry about the
54:38words.
54:39They don't mean that.
54:40What they mean is make it natural.
54:43That's what they mean.
54:44They mean you sound like you're reading.
54:47When you hear don't worry about the words, they mean like, dang, you sound like you're
54:52reading.
54:52They mean just make it, make it feel colloquial.
55:00Does that make sense?
55:01Okay, good.
55:06Is that it?
55:07We have one more question and we have to wrap.
55:10Quick, quick.
55:11One, two, quick.
55:12I have a comment.
55:15I'm looking at...
55:17Regina, wonderful.
55:19Sorry.
55:19Her voice projected like a young boy, her tone of her voice.
55:26So, that kind of plays a part of her character role too.
55:29I watched her eye movement every time every person I did with the attorney and she looked
55:36and she cried and she played with them a little bit.
55:39I could tell and she was trying to go out and down and get my experience.
55:44I like her.
55:44That's a wonderful reader.
55:46Um, cause I know not always in cold reads do you get readers who are engaged and so is
55:55there anything that you can give for folks who are like, what do I do in that case?
55:58You have to take what they give you and interpret it as what you need.
56:05So, suppose you have one of those casting directors, Mark Sacks, who thinks they can act and they
56:16read and they insist on reading with you, right?
56:19You have to interpret their flat ass read as what you need, right?
56:24You have to, you have to take it in.
56:26If they're supposed to be giving you, you know, sex appeal, you have to breathe that in as what it is
56:33and respond to it as if it is, as if you're getting everything you need.
56:38Take your time and interpret it and it's, it's like there has to be a, you know, because what can you do?
56:44You can't, you can't throw your audition away.
56:50Um, last question.
56:51AUDIENCE MEMBER 1
57:08Wherever the reader is, that's who you're acting with.
57:11So, that's, that's where your eye contact goes with, you know?
57:16Um, so...
57:24Well, you're looking at the reader.
57:26And if they, if that producer decides to read, they become your acting partner.
57:31So you treat them as your acting partner.
57:33So wherever they are, don't touch them, right?
57:37Right?
57:38So don't go over and kiss them or touch them, you know, but, but act with them, for sure.
57:45All right, Roslyn, thank you so much.
57:49Amazing class.
57:50I hope it was really informative for everybody.
57:52Um, I think we're taking a quick picture.
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