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Audition Etiquette – Acting the Part to Get the Part

actorguru — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 18:50:16 +0000

by Gary Dooley

I have sat through many, many hours of theatrical auditions and it never ceases to amaze me how many actors, sometimes very good actors, fail to get roles just because they don’t know how to present themselves in a professional manner.

At an audition you are a salesman, and you’re also the product. It is your job to come over as an efficient and friendly professional — someone who not only has the acting skills, but would also be a good person to work with. If you come over as surly, aloof, disorganized, or just plain disinterested — why would you expect anybody to be interested in you, no matter how good an actor you are?

It is not difficult, but it really is worth taking a moment to reflect on how good a job you are doing in selling yourself. In fact, as an actor, this sort of reflection should be part of your stock in trade. Unfortunately, maybe because of the stress of auditions, many of actors fail to do this. Prepare yourself properly and it may just give you the competitive advantage in this very competitive industry.

Be on time and be prepared to stay. Always be on time for an audition — in fact, arrive early to give yourself time to prepare and centre yourself. Arriving 15 minutes before your appointed audition time should suffice. Always try to keep your calendar clear for the rest of the day; if they ask you to stay on, it’s a good sign, but it doesn’t look good if you say that you have to rush off to another appointment.

Be friendly, but not too familiar. Even if you know people on the audition panel, do not try and exploit this by being overly familiar, this is a professional interaction. Remember, you want to show them that you are a good person to be a part of their company. Remember that this doesn’t just apply to the people on the audition panel, you should be friendly to everyone you meet in the theatre including other auditionees. I have known actors fail to get roles because they were rude to the people who were helping to organise the auditions.

Be keen, but not desperate. Nothing puts an additional panel off more quickly than an actor who appears not to want the role. You should always seem keen and positive about the project that you’re auditioning for. Even if you have reservations about whether this role is for you, this is not the time or the place to be expressing them. On the other hand, you don’t want to appear too desperate, this will make an audition panel suspicious.

If things go wrong, handle it professionally. Inevitably, sometimes things go wrong during auditions. Even the best actors can forget their lines or trip over the scenery. If something like this happens, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will not get the role. If you handle the situation in a professional and confident manner, you may even impress people with your recovery skills. If you dry, then take a deep breath, re-centre yourself and carry on as quickly as possible. Never try to explain or excuse what happened, and never break into a torrent of expletives. Behave as you would if you were in a performance in front of a full audience. Never apologise or make excuses, people don’t want to hear that you have a cold or didn’t have long enough to prepare, it just sounds amateurish.

Look the part. Whether you like it or not, people will make judgments about you based upon your appearance. As an actor you can use this to your advantage by choosing your ‘look’ to reflect positive qualities. In general, your clothes for an audition should be comfortable, unrestricting and neutral or dark in colour. Avoid anything too risque, garish or formal. Footwear should be comfortable, avoid high heels unless the character necessitates this.

Flexibility is key. People want to see that you are flexible and can take direction. If you are asked to do something during an audition, always try to do it. By all means ask for clarification if you don’t understand what is being asked for, but never argue or refuse to try something even if it sounds bizarre; they may just be testing you out.

Be organized and have materials prepared. Have an up-to-date copy of your diary with you at auditions. If people ask you about your availability, you will need to give concise and accurate answers. Make sure that you have copies of your CV and a head shots if appropriate. If you are providing both, then staple them together so that they don’t get separated. If you have a business card make sure you have copies with you ready to hand out if required.

Remember your performance isn’t just your two minutes on the stage; it’s the whole time from your arrival at the audition space until you finally leave. If you do all these things you’ll come over as a friendly, competent professional — the sort of person that anyone would want in their acting company. Then all that you have to do is to demonstrate that you can act, but that’s another story.

Gary Dooley is an academic, teacher and author with an international reputation. He has a PhD from Cambridge University (UK) and has worked extensively in the UK, Australia and United States. As a director, his productions of classic plays including King Lear, Othello, Measure for Measure, The Merry Wives of Windsor and The Servant of Two Masters have been widely acclaimed. His latest publication, ‘Monologue 1M: Great Classical Monologues for Young Male Actors’ is now available from iPSO FACTO publications http://www.monologuebook.com

Making the Best Impression at Acting Auditions

actorguru — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:07:21 +0000

Acting auditions can be nerve racking, no matter how much experience you have at them. What makes them even harder is that you often have a very small window of time in which to impress, which can pile on the pressure even more. Making the best impression at acting auditions is all about confidence and preparation, and the more prepared you are for your audition, the more confident you will be.

If you are called to an acting audition, the first thing you must do is find out all the relevant details. If you are attending a theatre audition, find out the name of the play and anything you can about it. If the script is available be sure to read it thoroughly.

Find out whether you need to prepare one or a number of speeches. If this is the case, be sure to choose pieces that are relevant to the character that you are auditioning for. If you are auditioning for a comedy, choose a comic piece, and try and keep the genre as similar as possible unless asked otherwise.

Once you have ascertained what is required in the audition, check the time, date and location. There is nothing worse than missing an audition because the details were incorrect, and you are unlikely to get a second chance. Leave yourself plenty of time to arrive, sit down, focus and mentally prepare. Rushing in off the street will only make you flustered and you will not be able to perform to your best.

Lastly, be confident, warm, friendly and energetic. They have a lot of people to see in a day and they want to be inspired by you. At Audition Now we can get the latest announcements for acting auditions straight to your phone, so that you will know exactly where and when they are happening.

This article is written by auditionnow.co.uk, providing modelling and auditions services. Visit http://www.auditionnow.co.uk for more information on auditionnow.co.uk products & services.

Don’t Be Famous AND Broke

Shavar — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 02:50:20 +0000

It doesn’t really matter if you ever become a major star; if you can work consistently as a professional actor, you’re blessed, trust me. No, it’s what you DO with your money that will determine your true success.

Would you rather be a famous actor and be constantly bombarded with fans everywhere you go AND BROKE or a not-so famous actor who works from time to time yet has the security in knowing that part of the money you earned from your acting gigs is put away safe for a rainy day?

Sure, have fun, enjoy yourself, it’s okay to splurge a little sometimes but don’t be a fool. Save your money, invest it. Have “something to show” for all your hard work because you will not always work. Yes, you can work consistently as an actor all your life if that’s what you choose but let it really this sink in–acting as an occupation is not like a regular 9 to 5 job.

You will have downtime, times where you will be looking for work, looking for your next job. If you’ve already spent what you’ve earned and didn’t save anything what will you do?

I’ll tell ya. You will stress yourself out trying to book your next role and your agitation, frustration and fears will be all over your face when you go in to read for an audition.

Have you ever heard of the term, “Never let’em see you sweat?” Well, you’ll be “sweating” if you’re broke so save, save, save!

Remember, it doesn’t matter how small or big the job is, you can always put something away for a rainy day. If you get into the habit of doin’ this now, you’ll always be financially secure, even if you become a big time star.

But don’t ever end up being famous AND broke…

Am I Ready for an Acting Career?

prsavage — Sat, 22 May 2010 22:19:11 +0000

Singer-turned actress Shruti Hassan

So you’ve done some community theater productions, been an extra on a film shoot, or been booked for a couple of local TV commercials. What now? When does the work you enjoy go from being a fun pastime to a budding acting career?

Aspiring to become a successful actor takes not only drive, but also a thick skin. Right now you may be at the point where your natural acting ability is getting you some attention. But are you prepared to take it to the next level and commit to doing what it takes to make it in the very competitive acting world? If acting is truly your passion and you literally wake up every morning thinking about your next gig, then it’s time to get busy!

Finding ways to constantly enhance your acting skills is what will help set you apart among the many other aspiring actors who will not only be your biggest competitors, but also your closest confidants and mentors. If you’re in need of more training, find the best acting school or improv group near you. If you need to promote yourself, create a CV of your past work and get some great headshots from a photographer. If you need to refine a look that will play up your unique qualities, get to a mall for a new wardrobe or get an eye-catching haircut.

Once you feel you are ready, start attending all the auditions you possibly can. Try to be open-minded with the scripts and roles you read for, knowing that the smallest parts can lead to bigger opportunities. Be ready for rejections and listen closely to any feedback casting directors give you. And network, network, network! The relationships you build in this business will often further your career in unexpected ways.

Going from a small-town star to a world-renowned figure is no easy road for an actor. However, it is possible to do once you make the transition from just occasionally doing what you love to living what you dream every day. Are you ready?