We discussed in our previous post (5 Ways Improv Training Will Improve Your Acting Career Part 1: Auditions) how Improv Training can help you directly improve your auditions.
Here’s a solid truth.
Most Casting Directors LOVE to see actors with Improv training.
Why?
Improv Training lets Casting Directors know a few things right off the bat.
Seeing improv training on your resume or casting profile lets Casting Directors know you can ‘go with the flow’. That you won’t be easily thrown. That you’ve literally trained at what to do when things don’t go as planned. Because on set and in auditions, things never go exactly the way we plan. Improv training is a signal to Casting Directors that you can be ready for anything.
And if you don’t feel like you’re ready for anything, that’s a great reason to take improv in person, zoom classes, or Improv Online Courses.
Here’s another key element to consider for how improv training even helps you get more auditions:
Many Agents and Casting Directors won’t see actors for certain roles unless they have improv training and experience
It sounds harsh, but it’s true. Many roles and auditions specifically request and require improv experience.
Here is the language TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM ACTUAL CASTING BREAKDOWNS IN LOS ANGELES.
“Huge Comedy/Improv Chops… comedic timing.”
-Los Angeles Commercial Breakdown
“Comedy and Improv a plus”
-Los Angeles Commercial Breakdown
“Strong Improv skills a must”
-Los Angeles Commercial Breakdown
Keep in mind, these phrases were sent directly from Casting Directors to Agents to let Hollywood Agents know which actors to even submit for the role.
Improv Can Lead to Great Buttons!
Improv skills are essential for creating ‘buttons’. Buttons are those ad-libbed endings to scenes during commercial (and other) auditions. You can end or ‘button’ the scene with an improvised moment.
Improv skills are often requested and even required for many commercial auditions!
Improv Skills are important for comedy auditions for TV and Films as well.
As I said, those buttons can really come in handy, but let’s look at another possibility.
Improv Prepares You to Work with the Best
Let’s jump past the audition. What if you book a scene with a great improv actor like Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrel, or Amy Poheler. And what if they stray from the script as they are known to do?
What will you do? You need to be able to go with them, wherever they take you, and with ease, or else they won’t be able to use that take, or your reaction shots, or worst case scenario… they find someone else who can.
So improv skills and training are literally requested and required for many roles.
Improv training can get you more auditions just by having improv training and being good at improvisation. Just remember, improvisation training may get you in the door just because it’s on your resume, but just the words on your resume won’t get you the job. You’ll need to book the job with great improv skills. Which is why you should always be training and keeping fresh with your skills.
This brings us to # 3, which we’ll discuss in depth in the next post.
3. Improv gives you tools to quickly develop interesting Characters
Take Our Online Improv Course at home!
Learn, practice, and Play-Along with our revolutionary new Online Improv Training Course!
"Become an Improv Wizard" is a PROVEN STEP-BY-STEP ONLINE IMPROV COURSE to Build CONFIDENCE, UNLEASH CREATIVITY, and BECOME FEARLESS through Improvisation
Lincoln Hoppe is an actor, writer, director, and father of 5. He is the the Co-Founder of Improv Wizards training school and Online Courses and Co-Director of the Society Comedy Troupe.