How Props Can Enhance Auditions

On behalf of TVLesson.com, I'm Lori Wyman. With Lori Wyman casting and I'm going
to be bringing you audition tips today from my new book The Organic Actor.

Let’s talk a little about props and how they can enhance or not your audition. Many times
if you go to an acting class on auditioning class or read some of the auditioning books,
they tell you that props are a no-no. I have written an entire morsel in my book the
Organic Actor about props because I think that they are crucial.

What if somebody asks you, “What time it is?” So, you’re natural reaction would be to
pick your wrist and tell them what time it is. Well, which one looks better? Somebody
says, “Hey, what time is it?” You do that? What you’re looking at? Nothing. Somebody
says, “Hey, what time is it?” You do this, “Oh, it’s -- oh, it’s 11 o’clock.” Which one
looks better?

How about this? Let’s say you’re working for the county, okay? You have government
job, that’s your audition. You’re reading for the part of the secretary who has a
government job. And you need a pad and pen, because the casting director is asking you
questions that you’re going to write notes down. So you come into the audition with a
steno pad, and a pen. Which pen would make more sense for secretary who worked for
the county? The Lori Wyman casting pink highlighter? No. The orange highlighter? No.
The wonderful telluride film festival that goes up and down as you turn it? No. How
about the plain black Papermate? Yes. Can you see it? A subtle prop can absolutely make
the difference in your audition. Keep them simple, keep them real.