We're back for more discussion about a reader question that was so good, it's taken two posts to answer! Last time, we covered how much wardrobe is too much wardrobe in an audition. Now we're back to talk about the even more puzzling question of props.
Here's the basic rule: Don't use Props. Unless you have to.
Helpful, right? Let's break that down.
The first reason not to use props is the same as the main reason to avoid complicated wardrobe choices — too much specificity. Let's say your character uses a cell phone in the scene, so you bring in your own cell phone. But the decision makers have a specific cell phone in mind, and it doesn't look like yours. So by bringing in a real phone, you've given them something to say no to.
But there are more reasons to avoid props whenever possible. They introduce a variable; a thing in your audition that can create... issues. The prop might not work as expected. You might drop it, it might make a weird noise, or cause a glare, or have a strange smell. Who knows. The point is that casting doesn't have time to spend re-shooting an audition because something went wrong with your prop. And there are few worse feelings than having a great take ruined by a prop you didn't need in the first place. Fewer variables, less potential for a screwup.
Here's another big reason not to use props — casting HATES them. That’s because actors are sometimes not so smart. They spill “props” on the carpet. They smear “props” on the wall. They bring real weapons, like guns and knives, into the audition room and aim them at casting. (For this reason and many others, you should NEVER, EVER bring a prop weapon to an audition, even if it obviously looks like a toy, even if the casting director knows you well enough to trust you. Don’t do it. Never, ever, ever.) So even though you, dear reader, are a smart, trustworthy actor, the minute you bring a prop into the room, casting starts to worry, and that takes their focus off of your performance.
And that’s the biggest reason not to use props — the audition is about your performance, not about the prop. Anything that distracts from your work, even in a good way, is a bad idea. There is nothing you can do with a real phone, gun, or beverage that you can’t do with a ‘space’ version of the same object. And, as with wardrobe, using an imaginary prop forces the people watching you to engage their imaginations, which is a good thing.
So when should you use a prop?
- When casting gives you a prop in the room. (This is most common in commercial auditions.)
- When the audition information specifically requests that you bring a prop.
- When you feel strongly that the prop is integral to your performance, and you’ve cleared it with casting first. (That said, the few times I’ve asked if it’s ok to use a prop, they’ve said no. Have I mentioned that casting hates props?)
Which brings us to the proper use of “space props":
Be as realistic as possible. That means holding your hand as though you were holding the prop, rather than trying to make your hand look like the prop. No finger guns. No ‘thumb-and-pinky-up-to-your-ear’ phones.
Do give some thought to the specifics of the space prop; you hold a wine glass differently than a disposable coffee cup, for example. There's much less danger of over-specificity with space props. The only real risks are not rehearsing with or doing too much with them.
Speaking of which, unless the scene is specifically about how the character interacts with the things around them, keep the prop stuff to a minimum. If the character makes a sandwich in the scene, make it a simple sandwich — or decide you made it before the scene started. Unless the prop action is integral to the story of the scene, you can often drop it entirely. If your character pulls a gun on another character, you probably need to represent that action; but if your character, say, pays a check in a restaurant in the course of the scene, but it has nothing to do with the story, you can safely ignore it. If the only reason to do the prop action is to prove you paid attention to the stage directions, you probably don’t need to do it.
Remember, as with wardrobe, it's rare to book a role because of a prop, but it's easy to lose a role because of one. Avoid them whenever possible, and keep it simple when they’re necessary.
Still have questions about props and wardrobe? Ask away! And thanks again to Laura for the great question — keep ‘em coming!