Kerry Beyer

HEADSHOT PHOTOGRAPHY HOUSTON

indie film

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JEREMY LONDON JOINS CAST OF BRIGHT IDEAS

Jeremy London (Mallrats, 7th Heaven, Party of Five) joins the cast of Bright Ideas, directed by Ronn Head! I’m excited to be a part of this outstanding cast, and look forward to filming in Houston, Tx.

The comedy follows the misfit adventures of the employees of a small lighting store, pushed to the brink of bankruptcy when a huge chain home improvement store opens next door, fighting to preserve not only their jobs, but their way of life!

Be sure to follow the film on Facebook!

Bright Ideas is Ronn’s directorial debut, and the cast also stars Tyler Mcelroy (Border Break), Denise Williamson (Friday Night Lights), Nicholas Mills (Placeholders), Brittany Djie (25 and Married), Chris Plaza, Kerry Beyer (Deep Terror, Walker Texas Ranger), Kelly Byrns (Patriot Act), Jon-Michael Foshee, Mark Hayter and Joe Grisaffi (Lars the Emo Kid). 
For more information, visit the official website http://brightideasmovie.com

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THE ART OF THE AUDITION

Auditioning sucks… lets just be honest. It really doesn’t enable the actor to do their best work. In a perfect world, we’d all be offered parts, and wouldn’t have to audition.

All kinds of things can go wrong… the reader could suck. The Casting Director/Director/Producer could be tired… hungry… distracted. The role could already be going to the producers girlfriend. Here’s a few tips to make the best of a bad situation…

 What you must keep in mind is that an audition is not a chance to get a job… it is a chance to do your craft. If you look at it this way, I’m sure you will book more, and be happier in the long run.

As an actor, you must bring that element into an audition that is uniquely you. Make the strongest choices. Be so good that everyone in the room is impressed. Even then, you may not get the job. But that’s not your goal…  Your goal is to book the room. Book the CD. Book the Director, Producer, etc. Because it may not be this project… it may be the one down the road that the CD thinks you may be perfect for.

Producers are looking to piece together the puzzle. Trying to find the right actors, with the right overall cast dynamic. Do not get discouraged if you are reading over and over and over and not getting cast. At least you keep getting called back.

The number one problem I see with actors is that they take too many beats. Not every scene is up for an Academy Award ®. Every moment of the scene doesn’t need to be drawn out. Most dialogue can be thrown away… after all… it’s not what’s on the page that counts… it’s the conflict between the lines.

Early in my career, I was reading once for casting director Mike Fenton (Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, ET)… after the scene he said “nice, you did what’s on the page… now do what’s not.” It changed my take on the scene. It changed my take on acting. Thank you, Mike.

The other problem I see is that most actors move too much… and their performance loses focus. Stand still, focus on the reader… perform as if it were a closeup projected onto a 40 foot screen – because that’s where it may end up.  If you are moving all the time, then your movements don’t mean anything. Instead, use movement to accent certain key moments.

Lastly, if the director gives direction… take it. Be adaptable. If you don’t understand the direction, ask for clarification. Take time to process the change… don’t just say “yeah, yeah, I got it…” then do the same exact read as the one previous.

Know your place in the scene… know your place in the story… and never forget, the audience is watching… you are there to move the story forward, and to entertain the audience.

Break a leg.

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HOW TO GET DISCOVERED

Want to launch your acting career? Want to get your big break and become an overnight sensation with millions of fans? Then keep reading…

The quickest way to get work as an actor is, well, to get work as an actor. Sounds like a catch 22, but… once you start working, and if you do a great job, you will most likely be recommended for other work.

Directors talk to other directors.

Really.

They do.

So, when you come on set with that diva attitude… everyone one else in town is going to hear about it. But when you come to set prepared, rock out your scene, and bring something unique to the role – directors will praise you. And you may just start to see offers come in.

You will have to be very pro-active about your career. Honestly, your agent isn’t going to do anything to jumpstart your career. Don’t sit back and wait for it to happen. Get out there, mix, mingle, and submit yourself for roles… and NEVER, EVER do what this one actress did…

What did she do that was so heinous?

She turned down an audition. Not just a cattle call, mind you… but a personal request from the director to audition. Her reasoning, you ask?

She doesn’t do indie film work.

Meryl Streep doesn’t do indie work, she doesn’t have to… but just because you booked a local commercial once doesn’t put you in the same league.

Never pass up a chance to let a director see your work.

Sure, there are a lot of idiots with a camera out there claiming to be filmmakers. So, do your research. That’s what IMDB is for. But when a director with established credits asks you to read… probably a good idea to do it.

Steven Spielberg is probably not going to be knocking down your door when you are just starting out, and indie films have launched many a career. Plus, you may just burn a bridge with the next Spielberg by turning him down.