18 Books like Audition

The Actor's Guide to Creating a Character

by William Esper • 2014

William Esper's Meisner: build a character through playable actions, not emotional guesswork.

4.59

200

🏫 Meisner Technique 🎓 Actor Training 🎭 Character Creation

The Actor's Guide to Creating a Character Summary

The Actor's Guide to Creating a Character 96%

William Esper's Meisner: build a character through playable actions, not emotional guesswork.

by William Esper 2014

4.59

200 ratings

🏫 Meisner Technique 🎓 Actor Training 🎭 Character Creation

Intent to Live

by Larry Moss • 2004

A master coach on acting: find a script's secret, build the character, make the audience lean in.

4.49

772

🎭 Actor Training 🔍 Script Analysis 🧱 Character Development

Intent to Live 96%

A master coach on acting: find a script's secret, build the character, make the audience lean in.

by Larry Moss 2004

4.49

772 ratings

🎭 Actor Training 🔍 Script Analysis 🧱 Character Development

The Art of Acting

by Stella Adler • 2000

Acting is craft, not confession: the legendary teacher's philosophy that reshaped American theatre.

4.21

2k+

🎭 Acting Technique 🏛️ Theatrical Tradition 🎬 Method Acting

The Art of Acting 96%

Acting is craft, not confession: the legendary teacher's philosophy that reshaped American theatre.

by Stella Adler 2000

4.21

2k+ ratings

🎭 Acting Technique 🏛️ Theatrical Tradition 🎬 Method Acting

Sanford Meisner on Acting

by Sanford Meisner • 1987

Meisner trains actors to stop pretending and behave truthfully, moment to moment, off their partner.

4.19

3k+

🎭 Acting Technique 🏋️ Acting Exercises 🇷🇺 Stanislavski Tradition

Sanford Meisner on Acting 95%

Meisner trains actors to stop pretending and behave truthfully, moment to moment, off their partner.

by Sanford Meisner 1987

4.19

3k+ ratings

🎭 Acting Technique 🏋️ Acting Exercises 🇷🇺 Stanislavski Tradition

Directing Actors

by Judith Weston • 1996

Most directors give actors adjectives. The ones who get great performances give them verbs.

4.36

2k+

🎬 Film Directing 🎭 Acting Technique 📜 Script Analysis

Directing Actors 95%

Most directors give actors adjectives. The ones who get great performances give them verbs.

by Judith Weston 1996

4.36

2k+ ratings

🎬 Film Directing 🎭 Acting Technique 📜 Script Analysis

Stella Adler on America's Master Playwrights

by Stella Adler • 2012

Stella Adler's standard for American drama: why the play's world matters more than your feelings.

4.47

111

🎬 Acting Technique 📚 Dramatic Literature 🇺🇸 American Theatre

Stella Adler on America's Master Playwrights Summary

Stella Adler on America's Master Playwrights 93%

Stella Adler's standard for American drama: why the play's world matters more than your feelings.

by Stella Adler 2012

4.47

111 ratings

🎬 Acting Technique 📚 Dramatic Literature 🇺🇸 American Theatre

Memo from the Story Department

by Christopher Vogler • 2011

How myths, archetypes, and vaudeville timing built the architecture of every great screenplay.

4.16

171

🎬 Screenwriting Craft 🏗️ Story Structure 🌀 Mythic Structure

Memo from the Story Department 93%

How myths, archetypes, and vaudeville timing built the architecture of every great screenplay.

by Christopher Vogler 2011

4.16

171 ratings

🎬 Screenwriting Craft 🏗️ Story Structure 🌀 Mythic Structure

Invisible Ink

by Brian McDonald • 2010

Forget formulas: the deep craft of story is a hidden framework of theme, pain, and dramatic irony.

4.38

2k+

🏗️ Story Structure 🧭 Theme As Foundation 🦋 Character Transformation

Invisible Ink 92%

Forget formulas: the deep craft of story is a hidden framework of theme, pain, and dramatic irony.

by Brian McDonald 2010

4.38

2k+ ratings

🏗️ Story Structure 🧭 Theme As Foundation 🦋 Character Transformation

Dialogue

by Robert McKee • 2016

Dialogue is action, not conversation. The real meaning lives in what characters won't say.

4.32

2k+

🎬 Screenwriting Craft ✍️ Fiction Craft 💬 Dialogue Technique

Dialogue 92%

Dialogue is action, not conversation. The real meaning lives in what characters won't say.

by Robert McKee 2016

4.32

2k+ ratings

🎬 Screenwriting Craft ✍️ Fiction Craft 💬 Dialogue Technique

Screenwriting Is Filmmaking

by Brian Dunnigan • 2020

Write screenplays that think like a camera: the craft of making films from the page up.

3.33

🎬 Screenwriting Craft 👁️ Visual Storytelling 🏗️ Story Structure

Screenwriting Is Filmmaking 92%

Write screenplays that think like a camera: the craft of making films from the page up.

by Brian Dunnigan 2020

3.33

3 ratings

🎬 Screenwriting Craft 👁️ Visual Storytelling 🏗️ Story Structure

Into the Woods

by John Yorke • 2013

Every story hides a fractal skeleton. From Greek tragedy to prestige TV, the bones are identical.

4.18

5k+

🔨 Dramatic Structure 🎬 Screenwriting Craft 📖 Narrative Theory

Into the Woods 92%

Every story hides a fractal skeleton. From Greek tragedy to prestige TV, the bones are identical.

by John Yorke 2013

4.18

5k+ ratings

🔨 Dramatic Structure 🎬 Screenwriting Craft 📖 Narrative Theory

Writing for Emotional Impact

by Karl Iglesias • 2005

Only ink on the page. Emotional techniques for making a script reader feel what movie would.

4.27

710

🎬 Screenwriting Craft ❤️ Emotional Storytelling 📖 Reader Engagement

Writing for Emotional Impact 92%

Only ink on the page. Emotional techniques for making a script reader feel what movie would.

by Karl Iglesias 2005

4.27

710 ratings

🎬 Screenwriting Craft ❤️ Emotional Storytelling 📖 Reader Engagement

How Sondheim Can Change Your Life

by Richard Schoch • 2024

Regret, ambition, the terror of intimacy: the life lessons Sondheim smuggled into his musicals.

3.90

631

🎭 Musical Theatre 🎨 Art As Therapy 💞 Relationship Psychology

How Sondheim Can Change Your Life Summary

How Sondheim Can Change Your Life 92%

Regret, ambition, the terror of intimacy: the life lessons Sondheim smuggled into his musicals.

by Richard Schoch 2024

3.90

631 ratings

🎭 Musical Theatre 🎨 Art As Therapy 💞 Relationship Psychology

Steal the Show

by Michael Port • 2015

Apply an actor's toolkit to any speech, pitch, or interview and leave stage fright behind.

3.67

2k+

🎤 Public Speaking 📊 Presentation Skills 🧠 Performance Psychology

Steal the Show 92%

Apply an actor's toolkit to any speech, pitch, or interview and leave stage fright behind.

by Michael Port 2015

3.67

2k+ ratings

🎤 Public Speaking 📊 Presentation Skills 🧠 Performance Psychology

Character

by Robert McKee • 2021

Forget imitating people. Memorable characters are metaphors built from inner contradictions.

4.29

445

🎭 Character Development 🎬 Screenwriting 🏛️ Dramatic Theory

Character 91%

Forget imitating people. Memorable characters are metaphors built from inner contradictions.

by Robert McKee 2021

4.29

445 ratings

🎭 Character Development 🎬 Screenwriting 🏛️ Dramatic Theory

The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters

by Karl Iglesias • 2001

101 screenwriters reveal the habits that separate careers that sell from ones that stall.

3.87

479

🎬 Screenwriting 🎥 Hollywood Industry ✍️ Writing Habits

The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters Summary

The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters 91%

101 screenwriters reveal the habits that separate careers that sell from ones that stall.

by Karl Iglesias 2001

3.87

479 ratings

🎬 Screenwriting 🎥 Hollywood Industry ✍️ Writing Habits

Action

by Robert McKee • 2022

Excitement on page and screen has rules. The villain’s scheme, not the spectacle, is its engine.

4.29

126

🎬 Modern Screenwriting 🏗️ Narrative Structure ⚙️ Genre Mechanics

Action 91%

Excitement on page and screen has rules. The villain’s scheme, not the spectacle, is its engine.

by Robert McKee 2022

4.29

126 ratings

🎬 Modern Screenwriting 🏗️ Narrative Structure ⚙️ Genre Mechanics

Save the Cat! Strikes Back

by Blake Snyder • 2009

Script problems aren't failure. They're the raw material of every breakthrough draft.

4.17

1k+

📝 Screenwriting Guides 🏗️ Story Structure 🎯 Pitching And Loglines

Save the Cat! Strikes Back 91%

Script problems aren't failure. They're the raw material of every breakthrough draft.

by Blake Snyder 2009

4.17

1k+ ratings

📝 Screenwriting Guides 🏗️ Story Structure 🎯 Pitching And Loglines

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