Hello :D When auditioning for a part, I realize it's important to not just record the lines once and send it, but to record several times and say it differently and such. How do you know if you're sending too little or too much though? I understand there might not be a way of really knowing, but it there a sort of average or something to use as a base?
You should only record
1) What makes sense, and
2) What provides a VALID alternative given the scene context
When you really boil down a line in terms of the emotional context of the scene, the personality of your character, the previous statement from your ‘scene partner’ that you’re responding to, etc. there’s USUALLY only 1-2 reasonably plausible deliveries, maybe up to 3.
Sometimes a director will ask for alternatives with different intensities or a specific cadence, but usually if a line could be taken in 20 different ways it’s a sign that you should ask questions to further narrow down the list. If you’re directing yourself, then the script is your biggest friend (and if you only have your lines... you really should ask the director if they’re willing to send you the full scene/script. Acting into a void is extremely difficult for even the most veteran talent, because almost any scene requires at least 2 people interacting to commence).
