Actor Must-Haves
Hi everyone. Welcome to The Yelena Effect. I spent this week editing my blog to better reflect my life.
Towards the end of last year, I asked on my Instagram if my viewers were interested in a post about my must-haves (or favorites, if you will) as an actor and my must-haves when I was a dancer. The answer was a resounding YES, so I finally bring you that post. Here are my main must-haves as an actor. I've broken this into three main categories as far as acting goes - auditions, memorizing lines, and health.
Audition Prep
Auditions are one of the most anxiety-inducing things that actors do. I know from experience that I'll be less nervous about the audition if I am more prepared. Through the theatre program I did in school, I was taught to "think of an audition as just another chance to perform - not something you're being judged for." In thinking of auditions as just a performance, it's easier for me to have fun and let go after it's over.
Ring Light
Self-tapes and pre-screens for college theatre programs are becoming the "new normal" due to COVID-19. Self-tapes are a huge thing that all actors need to know how to do, and one massive part of making a good self-tape is lighting. Getting a good quality ring light will help ensure that you look your best for your audition video. Luckily, Amazon has a myriad of options with various prices that won't break the bank.
Audition Book
This is a MUST-HAVE for all actors. Your audition book is an organized binder with all your audition materials, from monologues to audition songs to your resume and headshot. I was fortunate to learn how to make the perfect audition book in my musical theatre class. From the get-go, we organized it in sections such as "Golden Age Uptempo" to "Contemporary Ballad." Organizing it this way ensures you can efficiently find the piece you need whenever you need it.
Resume/headshot
Within your audition, you need a resume and headshot. Your actor resume should be simple and to the point. I formatted mine with headings such as "theatre," "film," and "ballet." Within that format, I put the year of the show I was in, what role(s) I played, the show's name, the name of the company the show was with, and who the director was. I also have a section titled "special" skills where I have mentioned my dance skills, my singing skills, and any other helpful information such as the foreign language I know, etc. I also have multiple copies of my resume and headshot, so if I ran into a director at a local coffee shop or bookstore, I could hand him/her a copy immediately. My headshot is stapled to the back of the resume.
With your headshot, you want a simple photograph that shows your natural beauty. Preferably shot outdoors with a simple background. (The photo you see of me on the "my career" page is also my headshot photo).
Memorizing Lines
Memorizing Lines can be super challenging, especially if you're in a leading role and have a lot of lines/scenes to be in. Not only do you have lines to memorize, but also your blocking, other people's blocking, as well as choreography and songs if you're in a musical. It's a lot, but my tip will make memorizing lines easier.
Line Learner App
Line Learner is an app my theatre company uses. Within the app, you can make folders for the show(s) you're in. Then you can make smaller folders for all the scenes you're in and record your line and your scene partner(s) lines. The app then plays back the lines, so if you're working on your scenes in between rehearsals, the app acts as your scene partner(s). You can also have the app speed up or slow down the lines it repeats. When I was in Framed! A Fairytale Mystery in 2017, Jen (my main scene partner) and I had a lot of fun recording our scenes on this app. Line Learner is a free version (Line Learner Lite) and the main version (Line Learner). The main version costs $3.99 (so worth it).
Notecards
Notecards are another fantastic way to write down your lines or cues if there are specific parts to your scene/monologue that you're having trouble remembering. I use notecards primarily for cues when working on my scenes with someone who is not in the show or maybe isn't in the scene with me. Writing my lines down helps me memorize them better.
Heath
Your body is your instrument, and you must take care of it. I know I am a better performer when I am feeling my best and an absolute mess when I am overly stressed or sick.
Fontus Lozenges & Grethers Pastilles
Does your mouth ever feel dry when you wake up or when you've been singing/speaking for a long time? Well, I have found the solution. Fontus Lozenges. Designed by a Broadway veteran, fontus lozenges help so much with easing a dry mouth. The best part is they taste amazing.
You've probably seen many celebrities talk about the Grethers Pastilles. They are as fabulous as everyone says they are and 100% worth the hype.
Hydration & Immune Support
You might feel more stressed out when it comes closer to hell week (aka tech week). Stress lowers the immune system, which can lead to you getting sick, something we do not want during hell week (or ever really). I like using Vitamin C to keep my immunity up. When I was dancing in professional ballets, I used Emergen-C, but that began to mess up my stomach. I love Liquid IV + Immune Support. It tastes fantastic and doesn't bother my stomach. Liquid IV can get pricey, which is why Emergen-C is a cheaper alternative. Another alternative is Ultima Replenisher.
Bach's Rescue Remedy
If you're like me and deal with many auditions and pre-show nerves, you're familiar with those awful shaky feelings. Enter Bach's Rescue Remedy, my holy grail for calming down panic attacks and easing nerves. I have been using these pastilles consistently since the beginning of high school, when I started performing often. They are magical. They come in many flavors (Black Currant being the superior flavor). I share this with everyone who is dealing with anxiety of any kind. The best part is that they are all-natural.
And that concludes today's post. I hope you enjoyed hearing about my favorite actor things. As always, don't forget to give this post a like, share this post with all your actor friends and leave a comment telling me what one of your actor must-haves are. Sending you all the light and love in this world. See you next week!
