10 Audition Tips for Actors
Here are 10 audition tips to ace your audition and help you get the acting roles you want:
- Always bring a picture and resume. Don’t expect your agent to send it over. You’re the one that won’t be remembered if you don’t have one to give to casting at the audition. Staple your headshot and resume together with the photo and resume facing out. It is a good idea to bring 2-3 copies to audition callbacks as there are may be many decision makers in the room who request a photo and resume from you. Best to be prepared.
- Make your first 20 seconds count. When you meet someone for the first time, do you make a lot of suppositions? So do producers, directors and casting directors. Be on time, smile and greet the people in the room by name (when you know them), say your name, introduce yourself. Look your best by dressing appropriately in clothes that flatter you. Women should be fresh light make up, hair styled, men clean shaven and neat. Talent should never be late for an audition appointment. Being punctual is important for casting directors who are considering you for the job as it is an indication to how your behavior will be on set.
- Do your best and don’t make excuses. Casting directors don’t want to hear about your cold or the reasons why you are running late, or that your printer is broken. Always be professional.
- When you are given sides always memorize them. If you have not, it is OK to hold the script and read from it. Better to read from the sides then to make it up as you go (and the writer may be present in the room). Stick to the script.
- If you are given direction at an audition and are asked to make a choice, make one. When actors are asked at auditions to make a choice don’t reply, “What do YOU want?” Actors need to make clear strong choices when developing characters. Show confidence in the choices you make.
- Don’t ask to start over. When you make a mistake in your read, fight through it. You may be asked to do another take, but fight through the first one and don’t apologize. Stay in character.
- Be comfortable, charismatic and confident. Successful people are self assured and confident. Actors and actresses who make it in this industry work hard to be noticed. You have to be the most interesting person to capture and keep our attentions. Be that someone that producers, directors and casting directors want to get to know. If you are naturally this way as yourself, you’ll also be able to do that in a character.
- Make sure your Agents contact information is on your resume. And keep your resume up to date and to one page.
- Don’t take the last audition times of the day. After a long day of casting, the casting people are tired and ready to go home. Often times, the early actor gets the part. And, you don’t have the rest of the day of actors to be compared to.
- Audition as much and as often as you can. The best way to master auditioning is like anything else. Repetition. Again and again. Don’t let nerves hold you back. You will overcome anxiety by doing it over and over, and deliver a stronger audition each time. Let your personality shine through and remember!