Xiomara Bernard

Actors!

"Pleasure to meet you! Excited to read for you (I love doing this, ask anybody that knows me). :D

For First-Time/New Actors starting out:

WELCOME! You will have an amazing journey in this industry. Embrace each audition, class, and even practice as an opportunity to perform. Be relaxed, and have a blast with your side! If you feel nervous, or unfamiliar, just Breathe. Do a one to five-minute breathing exercise (just breathing in and out,  focus on breath) to calm the nerves. I recommend reading your side at least twenty times out loud (not in your head). I recommend reading your partner's lines out loud and then going back to your lines out loud. This will enable you to get familiar with your material. Don't worry about trying to memorize words so much, focus on getting to know your character, and your intentions (wants. needs, operatives), and allow yourself at the moment to listen to who you are talking to. The lines will come to you organically.

VETERAN WORKING ACTORS:
It will be a pleasure to continue working with you!

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ADVICE TO SAVE TIME BEFORE YOU START OUR SESSION!

This is advised so you may utilize your full time, especially if you are on a deadline.

CAMERA/AUDIO PREPARATION:
Test your audio and visuals on your device. Make sure it works well and is up to speed. Put volume to the max (even if filming on your own camera, make sure it's high).  If you are using your own camera, raise the volume. Also, test my audio (or any reader you have) on your camera to make sure that our voice doesn't sound too low or too high. You will be the judge of the sound on your camera.


CLEAR YOUR STORAGE FOR YOUR NEXT SELF-TAPE
Make sure you have enough storage on your equipment (via phone or camera) and enough memory so you are ready to go each time you do a self-tape. If your storage is full, it won't allow you to record anything, so clear up space on your device as you might do several takes.  

"YOUR HANDS AT THE LEVEL OF YOUR EYES"
haha! Threw a little Phantom there. BUT, EYE LINE! Make sure your eye line is at the level of your camera (your eyes looking slightly to the right or the left of the lens). Don't move your face to the right or the left too much off camera, otherwise, we will lose your eyes and only catch your side profiles. Don't have your camera be higher or lower than your head (otherwise, most likely it will look like you are only looking towards the floor or toward the ceiling when you interact with the reader), keep it in the frame of your eye line. Aesthetically, you will pop. You want the attention on YOU.

READ INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR SELF-TAPE:
You may be asked to do close-ups (top of the head to chest level, mostly requested for drama), mid-close-ups (top of the head to waist, mostly requested for comedy), or full-body shots (mostly Slates, which you will do on your own time). That will entirely depend on the requests you receive from the person who wants to see your work. Follow their instructions, read their instructions, and go by whatever they request.

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SAVE YOUR SIDES ON YOUR DESKTOP:
1. To save time, have your side ready to go on the desktop before you start and upload it to the side tab section once you enter the meeting. That way the sides don't play hide and seek with you and are ready to go.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE HAPPY AND SAVE THOSE TAKES! :D
2. Playback your self-tapes on your camera. Make sure you are happy with what you have. Save your files to your laptop (or emails). Make an extra copy.

3. Remember this is YOUR time. I'm here for you. Take your time. We'll do as many as you need and want until you feel in your heart that it's ready. And if we go slightly over time and over your budget, that's okay, we'll work it out when we cross that bridge. I won't leave the room until you end the session. Allow yourself to have self-tapes you are happy with. This is your time to shine!

That's everything!

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:D Let's Go!!!!!!! :D