Acting : Audition question? by Joshua C. Allen

Hi Joshua, I think the most helpful thing I can say here is that you must change your perspective on auditions. You are an actor because, I assume, you love to act, right? For your next audition, view it as not an interview, or a test, or whatever, but as a chance to act! It is a chance to explore a character, to commit to something. Try something new, take a risk, make a connection with a casting director or production team, bring your unique self to the role! See it as a chance to do the thing that you most love to do and dream about doing...just go do your thing for your 5 minutes, and LOVE it. Not only will you enjoy the process more, but you will start booking more roles because you will enter the room with amazing energy and positivity. Go get 'em:)

Suggestion comes from the casting side, definitely go in there with a lot of energy. Do your reading with energy. Often we see so many people in the day, the ones that come in and wow us are usually just the ones that step it up a notch.

as with Lisa's excellent advice.. learn to love the audition. It is a chance to meet great industry people and practice being an actor. If you dont learn to reframe your view and learn to love (or at least enjoy) auditions you may as well give up now (sorry to be so blunt but if you don't enjoy them you will not do well at them, and hence not be able to pay your bills!) I did an TV audition yesterday after coming off 2 weeks of filming a Victorian period drama - I naturally chatted about wearing killer costumes and fainting the heat.. and I got the call booking me 4 hours afterwards. Also I was super relaxed as I have been doing loads of acting and castings so thus your acting body is ready, free and relaxed to go play. So when the casting director said that was 'Totally Brilliant' it was because I came from a "lets see where this goes and have fun" attitude.

Fantastic, Lisa. Just fantastic.

I've done it a few dozen times and seen a few hundred. I, personally, like it when they're casual and fun. It's not about an actor that's perfect or right or wrong or the best. The actor may or may not know exactly what the casting people are looking for and the casting people may or may not know exactly what they're looking for. I like choosing actors that are fun and take direction well more than someone who fits a superficial view of the character.

You have to get 20 No's before you get a Yes. I would look at the Test read as an opportunity to network. Do you follow up? Are you on time? Do you bring Props? I love an actor who shows up PRO. That includes a suitcase with wigs, disguises, Especially if you do not know what you are reading. The person you reading for wants to select the "best" candidate who brings a Great attitude and wants to succeed. I have scrapped some good projects, some fun stuff, due to the lead being a flake or finding out they are UN-directable. What do you bring to the table besides just one hue of color for an artist to sling on a canvas?

I know it sounds hokey but I actually found an affirmations video for actors that really seemed to help. I think you have to go into it like you already have it. I try and get the sides as quick as possible and write them down ,over and over again till its my turn, You have to go into it prepared and confident, then become the character.

I don't hate them. I sort of feel a rush after doing them. Like having a high after. But I do get really nervous before going in so its kind of a love hate relationship with them.

Part of the reason I next-to-quit acting. I only do acting rarely now, and only if it is a virtually guaranteed role. The audition does not make me nervous usually, it's that waiting out there with all the other actors, and the way that many directors or casting directors seem to do their best to make you more nervous. The real good ones help you to get into the role and don't make all sorts of inhibiting comments. They give you the space and you put yourself into it. But most of them don't do that, in my opinion

My question is, what would be a better way to audition? How does one read for a part without being part of that process?

Lisa, thank you!!! Wonderful advice! Thanks to all of you. What I am learning is that I am not just working to be an actor, but I'm working to be a professional auditioner. You guys rock!!

Wow, this was very informative, I'm definitely going to approach my audition with a more positive attitude :) The only thing I'm going to worry about now is will my tear ducts cooperate at the audition :) Will they hold that against you if you don't cry? I don't want to walk into the audition ready to cry because there is an equal chance they'll ask me to read a different scene - plus it'll come across as fake. What if i don't agree the character would cry?

Sarah, I guess that depends on your acting technique. I always go in with choices but let the text dictate my emotions rather than forcing some emotion on top. Honesty is v attractive, trying to force anything as you say is just fake. Just go with your truth and enjoy it.

Marysia, thank very much, that's helped me a lot :)

As a Director/Producer I am sharing a few tips. Be comfortable, charismatic and confident. The best way to master auditioning is just like everything else. Do it over and over. First impressions are very important. Remember, we want you to be great. We’re pulling for you more than you can ever imagine. Because a great audition, means a great cast, which means we’re one step closer to a great show. Hope this helps and goodluck :)

Audition process is a "MUST" and it shouldn't be taken as. Negative exploitatin as. The other part of the world sees it, Its for the benefits of well done job at the end! Actor should take auditions seriouly and prove their talents..."Show off the star in you"!

Yes, ditto what Lisa Roumain wrote. I think all actors have that dread of auditions. It's just the ones that begin to book, are the ones that get over their fear and go in to have fun. For now, auditions are something most of us still have to do. But don't worry, your perspective will change from a negative to a positive with the more auditions you attend. Be grateful for auditions. It means the casting person saw something they liked in you enough to call you in. Hence, you're already a winner! Now, go in and show them they were right to select you to come in for a read!

In a slightly different world... I have had to audition many, many models for photo shoots and runway shows. It is (almost) equally unpleasant for me to have to examine the models to see which ones have THE right look I am looking for to showcase a particular garment or line. Telling a beautiful woman that I decided to go with someone else almost seems like I am saying "you're too short/wide/skinny/tan/old/young/not tan enough/short-haired/hair is the wrong color/your skin is blemished/etc. In reality it is REALLY tough to look at 50-100 beautiful women and pick one or two. Last year I did a swimwear line for a runway show. I would HATE to have been any one of those girls who came in, stripped to their bikinis and walked back and forth across the room so I could pick the right ones. All I know is they have a lot more guts than I do and deserve all my praise. (Which they got!) Next spring I am casting for an indie feature and I know it will be the same situation: plenty of great actors but I can only pick one for each part. I am stressing already!

Not sure why these are showing up twice... but I wanted to add a question: I wonder how many casting directors are changing over to video submissions? I've pretty much switched over to that for the casting I've been doing for directors and for my own projects. If you're experienced as an actor, you would certainly have a collection of excerpts of your work. Saves a lot of time, easier and faster to rule out the "no thanks" people, and it saves the emotional aspect too. Then we're narrowed down to 2-3 best choices for each role, and THEN we meet and the actor does a read. Not a cold one.

Hi Randall, Although I no longer see your first post regarding Kiev I read it in my email. Since some of the women/girls I have worked with at 18 or younger I ALWAYS have at least one ADULT FEMALE in the room with me! Typically it is my wife. With fashion fitting the models is essential and this means modesty must sometimes take a backseat. I have found that if I treat the women with the respect they deserve they have no problem with me checking the fit/pinching the fabric here and there/etc. It is even more crazy backstage where I am typically the only straight man in what can only be described as a hectic locker room scenario! Strangely enough I am in Ukraine as I write this! I have been in Sevastopol for the past two weeks on a writing vacation. Now, with respect to your comment about video castings I would not feel comfortable with that. I prefer human interaction whenever possible. The thought of watching countless three-minute tapes in hopes of discovering exactly what I wanted is unpleasant. And if the tapes are a series of clips from the actor's previous work then I am seeing a mix of that actor and how that director wanted the actor to work. I would prefer to see the person face to face. Even if they are not right for what I cast today I will remember them for a future project. Woody Allen has people come into a room for one minute and asks them nothing. They leave and later they get the call. He hasn't made any mistakes yet!

The way I do auditions is getting another friend who is an actor in to play opposite for the role that you're auditioning for. It gives you someone to act off of and on top of that I give two chances to rehearse and then I record it. Simple and fun. We did this on a new series, most actors who came did well and I am going to do this again with a short film we are filming soon. It works for me.

I think that's a great process.

Auditions are always opportunities to act. Or, in another words, you are doing a very small performance for a very small audience. This audience wants you to be great! That would made their day so much easier. You are there to solve their problems. They have to cast that part as soon as possible. Help them by doing your best, be prepared, don't be needy, be confident and make strong choices. And if you you do so, they will like you and even if you didn't book this time they might call you again and again. You are not there to please them, but to help them to cast someone. Good if that could be you, but if not, just forget it and move on with your day.

I feel the same way about auditions, I get a chance to play a part for a certain amount of time, prepare go in and act my heart out , regardless of the outcome , for 5mins or however long I got to play that part for an audience. Isn't that why we do it in the first place.

Unfortunately, its just part of the process. I have started thinking of it, not as auditioning, but as an acting job. If I prepare as if it were something I am being paid to do, then I go in prepared as I would on a set. Its a chance to do what we love to do and if we put the focus on that, and not on being happy with it only if we "get the job". You already got the job, the job is the audition. Go in and do it!

I hate casting. My best advice for an actor when they come to my auditions, or any audition is please be prepared. Not only with your lines but be prepared to do a cold read. Most of the times we see actors come in and we see them in something else. sometimes in something much larger than they are auditioning for. Come early. that way you can get to know your surroundings. I know nerves play a part in a lot of cases, but just be yourself and do the best you can.

My main issue with auditioning is that we as actors are encouraged to make a bold choice with our characters (especially during cold-reads), but if the director doesn't particularly like our choice, I almost always feel that I didn't get the part because he didn't trust or believe that I could play it any differently or take direction. It's probably just my own insecurity, but it doesn't make the feeling an less real to me.

Alina, I really love with your philosophy and I'm stealing it!..lol

Wow, again guys thank you for the overwhelmingly awesome responses!!! Great advice and input :D

Have to agree. Some tremendous insight and course knowledge in this thread. Appreciate all who have shared!

Not only is it a chance to perform, if there are a lot of people in the room, that can be a plus. Clearly they are actually looking for people, as opposed to doing a required call, and you have an instant audience. As Lisa said, it is a chance to act - a mini performance. That said, it can be undaunting, so feeling confident in your choices helps with your confidence walking in. When it is over, moving on is the best policy...look for the next chance to act...until one pays off. It is clearly a numbers game. Cheers and break legs all!

From the other side of the table I could not agree more with Rebecca... If you do what you believe is your best job at the audition then be happy and move on to the next one. Learn everything you can from the one your at: how did you present yourself? What was the welcome like at the table? Did you always give them a more professional and personable presentation than the casting folks may have given you? Do your best to be your best and the right part will eventually fall in your lap!