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How do I prepare for an audition?
Answer: Preparing for an audition is all about preparing to perform, but for a very select audience. By doing … (continued in David’s answer below)
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Answer: Preparing for an audition is all about preparing to perform, but for a very select audience. By doing your prep work, your memorizing, your character exploration and business investigation before you get into the room, you’ll find the path smoother every time.
The email comes in. Subject: Audition Wednesday – sides attached. In the body of the email, where and when to show up, fully prepared to snag that paid acting job, and attached to the email, a PDF copy of your sides, the road map to another acting job, another acting resume credit, another acting payday, and another opportunity to show the world that you’re a professional actor. But to get there, you need to fully prepare to accept the challenge.
First off, if you’re not a die hard fan, spend some time and investigate the show or franchise that you’re auditioning for – you’ll need to know basic things, like whether it’s a comedy or a drama (don’t laugh – there are CD horror stories about people not knowing whether the show was one or the other), to very technical things like whether it’s a multi-camera shoot, a semi-scripted show, and how the character’s names are pronounced. Even the overall tone of the show will inform the choices that you make for your character’s interaction with existing characters on the show.
When you’re getting ready to leave for your audition, check your wardrobe – don’t wear something that will draw attention away from your character, but do wear something that will suggest you’re paying attention to the character. Be sure your actor’s kit is well stocked, that the resumes you staple to, or are printed on the backs of your headshots are up to date. Make sure you have your directions set, and your Guild or Federation card with you to enter on the sign-in sheet. Make sure you have change for parking meters, or tokens or replenished access cards for public transportation.
It goes without saying, but before the audition, make sure you do all of your script and character work at home, in your audition space – you should not be doing it in the audition room itself. A lot of actors will play lightly with the script and figure it will all come together in the audition waiting room, and that they do their best work out on the wire, risking that their audition could all go up in flames. If you’re one of those actors, you don’t really need to read the rest of this article; you’ll just reject the concepts here as the safe way out.
Me? I’d rather take the safe way out. Every time.
So…rehearse, at home, over and over and over. The more time you have with your sides, the better. We often don’t get more than a few business hours with our sides – an audition notice you receive in the afternoon on Tuesday is usually for Wednesday. If you get an extra day, use it. Consider the Monday audition you find out about on Friday a gold mine of time. Not only get your lines down cold, but use that extra time to try all kinds of reads with your character. If you use my app, Rehearsal, record as many different scenes as you can, looking for nuance and reads that are stronger and stronger choices – and while you’re at it, try things that you may end up throwing out. Then, take the strongest choices, and rehearse them even more.
Use Google Maps to make sure you know how long it’s going to take to get to casting directors in offices you’ve never been to before – and then, to be safe, double that time. It’s not just in case there’s traffic, or your car doesn’t start, or the subway is impossible to get to, or the myriad reasons you might be delayed. Rather, double your time so you know you’re not going to be stressed by those or any other reasons, and you can take the time once you get to the audition to simply relax, sit, and collect yourself.
In addition, you might want to give yourself even more time if you’re headed to a major studio for an on-lot audition. Finding the right gate to drive onto, the proper parking structure to head for once inside the gate, the wait for printing visitor passes and maps, getting from the gate to the building the casting director’s in…you get the idea. At Warner Brothers here in Los Angeles, a typical drive on consists of entering a parking structure at one gate, crossing a major intersection on foot to enter the lot at another gate, having your bags inspected, and walking several blocks to get to the bungalow, trailer or building in which your audition is being held.
Your next challenge: what do do in the audition waiting room.
What’s your answer to this acting question? Let me know in the comments below.
You hit it on the nail with this one along with everything else on your site. :) I come very well prepared but sometimes when I walk in the audition room and see the CD and other associates, the last minute jitters kick in and may effect my audition. Any advice on how to overcome that?
Thanks!
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LikeDislikeThe more you’re prepared, the stronger your choices and the closer relationship you have with your casting partners the better. Get to know them as people, not as roadblocks to you getting a job. You might also read the article here on what to do while in the audition waiting room.
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LikeDislikeI would like information on the best way, to prepare and audition for a T.V. part. I am not a trained actor. Purely an amateur but have done lots of background work for Television, Had a little experience at script writing IE comedy and Gritty stuff. But Would love to progress into acting. I’m 76 years old. But In good health physically and mentally and bald. But still have all my natural teeth. Plus still in control of all my Marbles.
Regards J Rose
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