Productions should come back to Prague soon.
http://www.filmneweurope.com/news/czech/eu-passes-czech-film-tax-incentives
Here’s a little piece I contributed to about COMMERCIAL AUDITION HINTS in The Stage
Full text is below. You can also tune into John Bryne’s site for more tips: www.showbusiness-success.com
Does anyone else have any success stories about how they booked a commercial job? Please write in to me here or at Facebook.
Commercial Castings
When auditioning for a commercial most of the same rules apply as a for film or TV casting.
1) Make specific choices, and make sure you answer the “W” questions. These are the basic Stanislavski acting questions and yes, they apply to commercials.
Who am I?
Where am I?
Who am I talking to?
What do I want?
Know the answer to these questions so that you’re not acting in a vacuum.
The main difference between a commercial and film casting is that the ultimate goal in a film is to keep the audience watching, while in a commercial it is to sell a product.
2.) Therefore, know the product that you’re selling, and the specific ad campaign. For example: Product: Federal Express. Slogan: “It’s not just a package. It’s your business.” You may not be able to do a lot of preparation in advance, but at the very least know this before you walk in the door, or ask your agent to find out.
3) Know your type. A lot of casting, regardless of genre, is about archetypes. In commercials, this is even more so the case. When you market yourself for a commercial, make sure you have identified the type that you can play well. I once ran into an actor friend of mine on the street, and he was dressed untypically in a bowtie, an argyle sweater, and a bookish pair of spectacles. When I asked him about his kit, he sheepishly answered that it was his “commercials costume”. Even though it’s not who he is in life, he and his agent know that those are the roles that he plays convincingly. So he markets himself that way and dresses the part. You may even have a separate headshot for commercials only. Commercial headshots tend to show a toothy smile; that’s what sells the conflakes.
4.) Lastly, Be open to play. Improvisation is a useful skill in commercial auditions. Commercial directors are less likely to be married to a script. It’s not Shakespeare afterall. When you walk into a commercial casting, there will be scores people in the room, balancing laptops and a cups of Starbucks. You won’t even know who the heck they are, but some will be copywriters, some from the ad agency, others from the product etc. They’ll be constantly revising the script and ideas for selling the product so the director may ask you to just take an idea and run with it. Don’t be afraid to go really far, and most of all have fun!
Michaela Flenerova is looking for voice over actors in Prague who are native speakers of French, Russian and Spanish. Contact her at: +420 775386078 or misaflener@volny.cz. http://www.zastoupenihercu.cz
Blood, Love & Rhetoric are having their 2010/11 season casting at Divadlo Inspirace, 12pm-5pm, on Saturday 12th June. Please bring a 2 minute monologue and we will give you a piece to improvise at the theatre. Contact info@bloodloverhetoric.com for more info.
B,L&R has a full season coming up with 6 major shows planned for 2010/11 kicking off with a large scale production of Othello in the Autumn.
www.bloodloverhetoric.com
B,L&R has a full season coming up with 6 major shows planned for 2010/11 kicking off with a large scale production of Othello in the Autumn.
www.bloodloverhetoric.com
PFS SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE FOR THE FILM ACTING PROGRAM.
PFS offers a scholarship of 1500 EUR for qualified and talented students of acting. Applied to the one year program only. To apply, applicants must complete the normal admissions procedure, plus an obligatory audition.
Audition requirements:
One monologue, comic or dramatic, 1-2 minutes in length. Material can be from theatre or film scripts.
Options for audition.
1. By appointment. Applicants can audition in person with the head of the film department. Contact: nancy.bishop@filmstudies.cz
2. By video link. Applicants can tape their audition and send it as a link to nancy.bishop@filmstudeis.cz
nancy.bishop@filmstudeis.cz
APPLICATIONS DUE 31 MAY, 2010 for September, 2010 semester
16-18 June
19 June
20 June
24, June
26-27 JUNE
25-28 July
Peter Smith is shooting a comedy pilot this summer based around the tourist industry in Prague. He needs actors for the main parts:
Male, native English speaker (ideally British), 45+
Female, native English speaker, 32-38 y.o.
Female, 22-28 y.o.
There are also supplementary roles – receptionist, coach driver, barman, retired couple and elderly, ailing male. Anyone interested please get in touch.
I also require a cameraman and a sound guy for the project. We envisage an abrasive, shaky cam, documentary style.
The script is ready to go and I am looking to wrap the shoot in 2-3 days.
Anyone interested in this project, please don’t hesitate to call Peter directly on 731729646 or email: peter.smith@tiscali.cz.
Acting Shakespeare Master Class
www.pragueshakespeare.cz
Acting Shakespeare Master Class
led by Sidney Berger
Artistic Director Houston Shakespeare Festival
May 17-19, 2010 (3 sessions)
17:00-19:00 (5:00pm-7:00pm)
Old Burgrave’s Residence, Vysehrad
Prague, Czech Republic
The Prague Shakespeare Festival is pleased to announce that we will be
hosting a unique Acting Shakespeare Master Class featuring Sidney Berger,
Artistic Director of the Houston Shakespeare Festival, and one of the
world’s foremost experts on Shakespearean Verse May 17-19, 2010 in Prague,
Czech Republic. Space for this exclusive Master Class will be limited to 30
participants and a select number of observers. This is a wonderful
opportunity to learn from one of the most respected Shakespearean Theatre
experts in the world.
SIDNEY BERGER is celebrating his thirty-seventh year as founder and
producing director of the Houston Shakespeare Festival. He is also currently
the John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Theatre; the former Director of the
University of Houston School of Theatre; and co-founder and producer of the
Children’s Theatre Festival, UH’s professional summer children’s theatre. He
has directed many productions for the Houston Shakespeare Festival, and over
sixty at UH. As Associate Artist at the Alley Theatre he directed FRANKIE
AND JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE, T BONE N WEASEL, and ALL IN THE TIMING.
Other professional directing credits include A DELICATE BALANCE, BETRAYAL,
SIGHT UNSEEN and THE SUBSTANCE OF FIRE at Stages Repertory Theatre, where he
also served as Artistic Director. He also directed Albee’s ALL OVER, with
Mr. Albee consulting. As well, he has directed JACQUES BREL for the QCC
Equity Theatre in New York, GREASE and MY FAIR LADY (with Noel Harrison and
Clive Revill) for Theatre Under The Stars and the film HOUSTON PROUD
narrated by Ben Vereen. In 1990 he co-founded and was elected President of
the Shakespeare Theatre Association of America, uniting all major
professional Shakespeare producers in North America. Dr. Berger also serves
on the board of governors for the International Shakespeare Globe Centre
project in London.
Cost:
Participants (limit of 30 total) – 1,500kč
Observer (limited seating) – 900kč for all days, 500kč for one day
To Apply and Request an Application form, email Guy Roberts:
guy@pragueshakespeare.cz
For interviews with Sidney Berger and more information contact:
Guy Roberts
Artistic Director
Prague Shakespeare Festival
guy@pragueshakespeare.cz
Open-Air Theatre, Vysehrad – Prague
Prague Shakespeare Festival, Prague’s only professional English-language classical theatre company, is pleased to announce the limited engagement of a new production of William Shakespeare’s ROMEO AND JULIET by PSF Artistic Director Guy Roberts at the Open-Air Theater in Vysehrad May 25-27, 2010 at 19:00.
One of the most beloved plays of all time, Shakespeare’s masterpiece Romeo & Juliet is the premiere PSF summer production on the outdoor, open-air stage at Vysehrad, signaling a new annual tradition of “Shakespeare at the other castle” in Prague.
Roberts states, “Romeo and Juliet is clearly the greatest love story of all time. The question to me seems to be how to retain the beauty and romance associated with our expectations of the play, while still making the language and story accessible to a modern audience? We don’t want to feel as if we are watching a piece of museum-theatre. By securing Romeo and Juliet in the past we are also distancing ourselves from the action of the play and allowing ourselves the freedom not to be transfigured by it. I think it is impossible to do a “period play.” Plays can only occur in today’s imagination – and that is where our play takes place. Shakespeare’s Verona is not unlike our Prague today. It is a world that bridges the ancient and the modern-a world that is refreshingly relevant. At the center of the entire play is love – the kind of life-changing, soul-transforming love that we all dream of but perhaps never believe we will really find.”
Fueled by the intense passions and moving poetry that the world has cherished for years, the play is presented in English under the direction of PSF Artistic Director Guy Roberts (who also appears as Mercutio) with a multi-cultural international company of artists: the titles roles will be performed by Lenka Novakova and Kendrick Ong. Returning to the stage, Emmy-nominated Casting Director Nancy Bishop (former Artistic Director of Black Box, Prague’s original English language theatre) is joined by Prague favorites Laura Baranik, Brian Caspe (Artistic Director Prague Playhouse), David Fisher (Artistic Director, Bear Educational Theatre), Vanessa Gendron (co-Artistic Director, Miloco), Curt Matthew, John Poston and Jeff Smith (co-Artistic Director, Miloco)among others. From the United States, Steve Zinkgraf co-stars as Lord Capulet. The production features costume designs by Tatiana Evonuk, scenic design by Ivana Nikolic and an original score by Ed Kliman. Amy Huck is the production stage manager and movement coach. Sidney Berger, Artistic Director of the Houston Shakespeare Festival, is the verse coach and Anezka Novak is the voice coach.
PRAGUE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
in association with
PZ Adventures, Mermaid Theatre Company, Classical Theatre Company (USA)
Prague Playhouse, Bear Educational Theatre & Miloco (Czech Republic)
presents
THE WORLD PREMIERE of a new production of
ROMEO AND JULIET
by
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
ADAPTED & DIRECTED BY GUY ROBERTS
DATES:
May 25, 26 & 27
CURTAIN TIME:
19:00
LOCATION:
Open-Air Theatre, Vysehrad
TICKETS:
200kc General Admission,
150kc Student/Senior
RESERVATIONS:
pokladna@praha-vysehrad.cz
222.513.842 phone
ABOUT THE PRAGUE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
The Prague Shakespeare Festival presents an annual celebration of professional theatre productions, workshops, classes, lectures and other theatrical events, of the highest quality, conducted primarily in English by a multinational ensemble of professional theatre artists, with an emphasis on the plays of William Shakespeare, bringing to the Czech Republic, European and World audiences classical performances that are fresh, bold, imaginative, thought-provoking, and eminently accessible, connecting the truths of the past with the challenges and possibilities of today.
For interviews & more information about PSF and ROMEO AND JULIET contact
Guy Roberts
Artistic Director
Prague Shakespeare Festival
guy@pragueshakespeare.cz
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