Customer Reviews

Winning Auditions: 101 Strategies for Actors

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Mark's book is amazing.It's surely not another "how to" book.

They are strategies that you can take right into the audition room without any worries. The startegies are taken from experiences from years of work from Mark.They are numbered from 1 to 101 and are real easy to put in use.I would highly recommend this book to anyone serious about this business.

Mark Brandon's book is a goldmine for actors. It is packed full of usefull advice and words of wisdom gained from years in the industry. This awesome, inspirational book should be read by actors of any level; and read again.

John Stenning Van, B.C.

Having an attention span of a gnat when it comes to reading the usual pedantic acting book, I was pleasantly surprised that I not only got through it in one sitting, I didn't fall asleep!!!! Kudos to Mark for taking the time to listen to people and writing down their insights. Saves me the trouble to bother folks on set. LOL. This was a boon in the sense that it was easy on my eyes AND wallet.

Many of the strategies fit in less than a page, but the impact each strategy makes is just grand. Not only what's there, but also I discover a new depth in the strategies almost every time I go to an audition.

I thought that I already knew a few of the strategies presented, but Brandon puts it in such a way that latent knowledge that you always had becomes an effective strategy.

It is easy to read, and it is short enough to read and re-read even for people with full-time jobs. The strategies are independently constructed, so if you are busy you don't have to read the whole book in consecutive sittings.

Thanks to the condensed writing, it is easy to remember the strategies. I found myself naturally integrating them with little effort.

Just as an added note, many of those strategies should be read by non-actors as life skills or as interview strategies. I am somehow finding myself handling social and work communications and confrontations much better. Weird, eh?

I have been acting for over 20 years and didn't expect to learn anything new from this book, but strategy #43 and #48 made me slap my forehead!

I have read tons and tons of acting biz books, and Mark's book tops my list. While definitely short compared to many other books, its density makes up for this. I have re-read it several times and is the perfect book to pick up and read whether you have a minute or an hour. I personally find it to be the perfect bathroom reading material for the actor; read two or three of his strategies per day, and you can constantly relearn, refine, and re-inspire yourself every day. He is matter-of-fact, practical, and definitely a fun read. As I continue my career as an actor, I continually find more and more truth in what he succinctly and effectively captures in this book. And while it seems targeted at the LA film market, his advice proves appropriate and valuable for any kind of audition or acting career.

I keep this book in my car at all times for quick reviews.

Winning Auditions: 101 Strategies For Actors by actor, casting director, and theatrical producer Mark Brandon is a compact and highly portable compilation of 101 succinct lessons in preparation, presentation, and performance for aspiring actors. Represented are key insights gleaned over many years in the business from such accomplished actors as Sire John Gielgud, Harrison Ford, Jessica Lange, Richard Dreyfus, Russell Crowe, Sharon Stone, John Travolta, and Bill Cosby. Winning Auditions is an invaluable addition to any highschool, college, university, or community theatre reference collection, and "must" reading for aspiring actors seeking work on the Broadway state, in Hollywood films, the dinner theatre circuit, on radio or in television.

I have to say Mark's book was the kind of book that should have been there prior to my auditioning. It would have changed my odds for sure. I look forward to applying these bite sized bits of wisdom when I get out there again.

Thanks Mark!!!~!

I loved how easy to read this book is. It is perfect for someone launching an acting career and wanting a quick, concise overview of the do's and don'ts of auditioning. I've watched Mark work in his masterclasses, and the same direct and seasoned approach he uses there is evident in this book. I may not agree with him on everything, but he is clearly a wise and pragmatic strategist with a firm grasp on life and the craft of acting/auditioning. Sounds like a master to me!