Blog Archives

Perhaps the best Audition Tip ever….

The best audition tip ever? Go perform!  Somewhere, anywhere. Find out what you are made of and if you can hold an audiences’ attention with your character needs and wants.  Do it in an audition room or a workshop, by

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Posted in Acting Technique, Actor Advice, Auditions, Uncategorized

Confidence & Subtlety in On Camera Auditioning

Confidence & Subtlety in On Camera Auditioning Use secretiveness and relaxation to take the “push” out of the work       Caryn West is an veteran acting teacher, director and coach who auditions and acts. She has taught many gifted

Posted in Acting Technique, Actor Advice, Auditions

Her Vision & Goals set in the 2015 class and now!

This kind of email from a former student in NYC makes my life were fulfilled and happy! ( Tricia was in the NYC  AUDITION INTENSIVE 2015 , the same kind of class back she first took from me in 1995,

Posted in Actor Advice, Auditions, Current and Alumni Success! and Testimonials, Uncategorized

Gary Oldman in the DARKEST HOUR and what he told me…

In December last year, with all the film screenings for awards season, there was one performance I had to see twice. It was both inspirational and so inconceivably wonderful; that of Gary Oldman’s as Winston Churchill. Mr. Oldman was at

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Posted in Acting Technique, Actor Advice

Actor Goals for 2017 : A Successful Actor’s Testimonial

Returning from a Chicago shoot this fall,  I ran into Australian actor Dan MacPherson boarding the same plane back to LA. I had coached him for a time about 4 years ago. But the jobs were just not coming.  Back

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Posted in Actor Advice, Auditions, Current and Alumni Success! and Testimonials, Observations

Rejection-The lessons when they say “no”

It happens, even to this teacher! On June 2 and just yesterday June 28, 2016, I had 2 heartbreaking passes on great jobs, after callbacks I prepared extensively for. One from a theater I was dying to work at (

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Posted in Actor Advice, Auditions

“It’s Slow Right Now”

March 30, 2016 With 36 professional seasons in the business, I cannot tell you how many times and seasons I have heard “it’s slow right now”.  That does not mean an actor must acquiesce to this recurrent refrain. Activity breeds Activity: The

Posted in Acting Technique, Actor Advice, Auditions, Observations

Focusing On Fear Will Do Two Things:

Great Reminders from CSFA alum WENDY BRAUN! Discover the two things focusing on fear will do + what might happen when you face your fear + triumph over it. Source: Focusing On Fear Will Do Two Things

Posted in Actor Advice, Auditions, Uncategorized

Will Smith, The Power of Intention + Me

I adore Wendy’s actor affirmation work and use it quite often to stay sharp. Learn how Will Smith first aligned with his super-star status + how Wendy  aligned with him. Source: Will Smith, The Power of Intention + Me

Posted in Acting Technique, Actor Advice

4 Tips for Saving Yourself From Scams | Backstage

  Sara Mornell’s advice is very, very good. Don’t want any of you subjected to the myriad ways the hopeful actor can be taken.  Her article. BTW if you want actors testimonies about Caryn’s Space for Actors, you can go to

Posted in Acting Technique, Actor Advice, Auditions, Current and Alumni Success! and Testimonials, Observations, Uncategorized

Beyond the Tips and Tricks!

Really, the truth about great auditioning is NOT all about our Tips and Tricks! It would seem the industry now floods our email boxes with all theses “Top  10” or 7 or 6 or whatever lists of tips about auditioning.

Posted in Acting Technique, Actor Advice, Auditions

Specificity of Action at the start of your audition

  How to make your audition tape pop right at the top? A basic tool we sometimes forget….   (The book I reference to choose a strong opening tactic is : Actions: The Actors’ Thesaurus (Paperback) by Marina Caldarone , Maggie

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Posted in Acting Technique, Actor Advice, Auditions

1st Video Advice to Book More Acting Jobs

“Are you ready?!?”  Take the time to do this, right at the start of the audition. And what’s a “butt breathe” ? mmm, more on that and really tapping into your creative source soon!   Caryn West is an acting teacher,

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Posted in Acting Technique, Actor Advice, Auditions, Observations

There Are Too Many Actors…

  There Are Too Many Actors … “Who Say They Are Actors” Okay, I got your attention. But there is genuine concern that our culture of “get it quick” often derails the path to true craft and expert skills that

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Posted in Acting Technique, Actor Advice

Stage Fright a.k.a. Performance Anxiety in the Audition

For many actors, the task of auditioning remains an agonizing experience. Despite good work displayed in classes, workshops and rehearsals and as imagined in one’s own mind, the talent remains hidden. A host of fears and their manifestations may come

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Posted in Actor Advice, Auditions
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