Tips on Auditioning
I've been trying to get a nice collection of audition tips going for the past few years, and you've probably already seen them all on the Audition Tips blog, but today I wanted to bring up something that takes a bit more effort to explain than just a quick sentence, the difference between workshops and auditions.
A lot of actors take casting director workshops before they go to an actual audition and are not aware that it doesn't work exactly the same way. In most workshops, you'll have two or three chances to perform your scene, but during auditions you might only have one shot to nail it so make sure you're even more prepared. I think you should still treat both a workshop and an audition like a job interview, but as far as the audition goes, do your research: know the tone of the film, be off book if possible, and hold your sides in your hand just in case. If you can, make sure you rehearse with a partner, and yes, there's an app for that too.
I've always been a fan of We Rehearse as they are the pioneers in the space of online rehearsing, but a recent boost in online activity for actors sprung up new apps such as Need A Reader which gets you in front of a person you can read your lines out loud with. Proper preparation through rehearsals significantly increases your chances of booking roles. Some new actors naively think, "Duh, I know how to act like a person", or "That's what mirrors are for". This type of thinking can be harmful to an actor's career. Rehearsing with other professionals is essential and gives you a chance to get feedback from them regarding the choices you make about your character and scene. So one thing is rehearsing with your mom and another is to rehearse with another actor who can give you input. Don't read the scene over and over again without getting any feedback, you'll just get stuck in your own biased opinions of the scene. When I develop a new actor website I don't just look at it and say "I know what I'm doing" - I ask other designers for input, and especially, I ask other actors and casting directors to see what they think.
Develop relationships with people whose opinions you respect, and work with them when you need to prepare for an audition. Besides rehearsing with other actors, hiring a private coach can help you develop good character choices so you're confident going into the audition. Many celebrities will hire a private coach before each audition and role. You are not the exception. Often, their suggestions are ones you may not have considered when preparing on you own.
Take Direction: If a casting director asks you to perform your scene again, make sure to come prepared with another version (in case new direction isn't given) or listen and apply their new direction. Casting directors are given more information than you are about the role, like the entire script, and they will try to guide you towards what the producers want. After getting direction, try your best to incorporate everything they said.
The number of times the casting director asks you to repeat your scene doesn't matter; the quality of your audition isn't measured by how many times you read. Many professionals have booked roles after only one read while others booked roles after many reads (in a single audition).
Being able to take direction is vital to the auditioning process. This reassures the casting director that you listen well, are professional, can follow instructions, will be easy to work with on set, and that makes them look like they did a good job casting.
