Does anyone have any advice on developing a specific accent? I want to audition for a character that is from Brooklyn. I don't have any real acting experience so I don't know what to do. I thought about a tape or something to practice with but I don't even know what to look for. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Renea

Just a suggestion, but unless you were or are asked to audition with an accent, I wouldnt worry about it too much right now.  By all means, gain the skill, but often when accents are involved, actors can try so hard to nail the accent that it misplaces engery that should be going into the character/reading.

As one who has sat on many auditing boards, the accent would be of little concern to me at that stage in the game. But that of course is just me.

Lalunabella

I would ask the director if he or she wants to hear accents or not. 

The most annoying performance I ever saw was a woman playing the mother in Beau Jest (a good play, by the way).  She was affecting a Skokie Jewish accent.

What was annoying about it was, she was, in fact, a Jewish woman from Skokie, and had no such accent in real life.

I read a story once, about an older actor who was returning to the stage, and who immediately began stooping, shuffling, mumbling and whatnot.  The director stopped him and said, "You don't need to play age.  You ARE age."

An accent can be a stereotype like any other.  Or it can be a useful tool.  In an audition, it tends to be more of the former than the latter.  I wouldn't do one without checking first.

As to the actual question , the series of tapes called "Acting With An Accent" are good.  They may be the ones Tristan mentioned, I don't know, nor do I know if they cover the specific accent you want.