Customer Reviews

Cold Reading and How to Be Good at It: An Authoritative Book Vital to the Career of Every Actor

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I think this book would have been really helpful if I had read it when I first moved to LA to pursue acting. The entire first section is almost a glossary of words and phrases that are helpful to know when starting out and the cold reading info is great if you're new to auditioning. Overall, if you've been in LA for a bit and have done casting workshops or have gone on auditions, this book will be too basic for you.

One of the hardest things for an actor is a cold reading. This book gives so much help and information, allowing the actor to truly embrace their choosen career.

I'm an attorney and author, not an actor, but I learned some valuable lessons from this book that I have applied in my career and shared with other non-actors. I read this book about seven years ago, but I still remember some key points. For example, whatever you do, be prompt, prepared, and professional. Also, you will be the best you can be if you believe in yourself. The author discussed how some actors think either the script is weak or that there are other actors who could play the part better. The author explained that such beliefs will undermine the actor's performance. It's better to imagine, at least during your performance, that the script is the best script ever written, and that you are the best person to play the part--that nobody could possibly play it as well as you. Regardless how good the script is, or how good you are, you will give yourself the opportunity to be the best you can be. I think this idea can apply to many things in life.

This fast read (54 page `booklet') amounts to what you would expect to hear from a seasoned pro from an extended interview.

Basil presents his brief insights in a question and answer format jumping form topic to topic without getting all boggled down in any one of them.

Six of the 54 pages are BW stills from his previous work, that really do not add anything to the subject outside of reminding you of who this guys is / was in films you might or might not have remembered him from.

While there is some to be gained in terms of a "cold script reading primer," the book is a bit over priced at 12.95 which is to say that the material is probably worth half that much if not much less.

Having said that, it is well written and I do find myself re-reading it haphazardly from time to time because he does manage to walk you through what auditions feel like.

According to a lot of casting directors, cold reading is one of the areas that almost ever actor needs work in. This book is an excellent tool for improving your cold reading skills. I greatly recommend it for any actor.

(If you are not an actor this book is not for you, so if for some reason you bought it by mistake, please don't post a review for a subject you know nothing about).