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To cry on cue. People not in the business of film think that this is what is required to be an academy award winning giant. But what is not really known is that actors and actresses are given many opportunities, over and over again, to get it right.

Usually, when the script calls for tears, the actor has spent hours alone in his or her trailer or wandering the set. Some actors listen to music to motivate them to tears. Others draw up past, instense memories and use them as substitutions. When their scene partner says, "I love you," they hear instead something that hurt them very deeply at the time. Many other approaches exist, but these are the most common two. If tear production is not possible, the makeup department might just spray some fake tears on and the editing staff will cut the film so that it looks like the actor is crying when he is not.

The main point to remember is that one-take scenes are rare in the business anymore. Even if an actress is able to cry on cue on the first take, the chance that that take was to the director's liking is very, very small. In addition, it is not only the director who needs to be satisified but the Director of Photography, and any money men who might be on set that day watching the monitors.

A small point about theatre crying before we close. Theatre is, by far, much easier to do as 90% of your audience is not going see your lack of tear production. Theatre crying can be done by overdramatising at first. Sometimes actual tears will follow, but in most cases it is not necessary to have actual tears as the distance from the audience can hide much you might lack.

Happy auditioning!

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