Q: When recording monologues for taped auditions, do you face the camera and talk to the audience or face as if talking to someone off-camera?—@ChrissyBartels, Backstage Community Forums*
This is such a great question. The answer depends on the situation.
What is the audition for? We often think of the monologue as something designed for theater, where the character breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly out to the audience. If you happen to be auditioning for the theater, breaking the fourth wall and looking directly into the lens would be acceptable as long as it’s indicated in the play. However, when taping a monologue for a film or television audition, you should adjust to adhere to a film and television format. In these, the character is almost always speaking to a specific person just off to the side of the lens of the camera. The camera helps create the illusion that the audience is peeking into the situation as it unfolds before us.
