Tips On How To Prepare For Any Acting Audition

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How Should You Prepare For An Audition?

• To prepare for an audition, do your research on the project, who’s casting it, who’s creating it, the studio/network/theater behind it and who else has been cast. Read the script, make a choice, and bring it!
• While the specifics of what’s required for theater auditions versus TV and film will vary, at the core of each is the goal of developing a clear interpretation of a character. 

What Should You Wear To An Audition?

• For auditions, wear something that makes you feel confident, that won’t be distracting on tape, and that makes you look put-together, not untidy. Also, try somewhat to emulate the role you’re going in for.
• The right outfit shows you put thought into your presentation, so make sure you’ve genuinely thought all of your choices through. Limping into the audition room to play a model, after walking
• “If it’s on camera, try to wear solid colors (no sparkles or logos),”  says Cathryn Hatt Backstage Expert. “Try to stay away from bright white and tiny stripes (which have an intoxicating effect when you move). For drama, wear darker colors or earth tones. For comedy, wear brighter colors. For commercials, look and see what people in your category are wearing in commercials and keep that in your wardrobe.”

What Can You Expect In An Audition?

Expect to be treated like a professional at every audition you walk into, and you are expected to act like one.

Beginner mistakes include shaking hands with the casting director and not putting your phone on silent, according to casting director Rachael Williams. Additionally, not coming in prepared shows a lack of seriousness on your part.

If you’re auditioning for:

• TV shows or commercials: know your sides
• Theater: know your monologue
• Films: know your script.

Walk-in with confidence, greet the people in the room (which may include casting directors, directors, producers, network executives, artistic directors, potential co-stars, and/or a reader, depending on the project, the budget, and the studio, network, agency, or production company), do the introduction exactly as was asked of you, and bring it.

How Should You Memorize Lines For An Audition?

• The best way to memorize lines for an audition is to run through the script with a friend; a fellow actor is even better! Ask them to try different approaches and see if you’re nimble enough to respond accordingly, and change what you’ve been doing.
• There is no one or right way to memorize lines, but there are a few other methods that will make the process a bit easier.
• Some actors like to handwrite lines while others prefer resources such WeReherse.com, a platform that allows actors to virtually rehearse their lines with other actors and apps such as table-read or Rehearsal 2 which allow you to record the other parts in the script with enough space to recite your own lines.

What Are Some Desirable Attributes That Will Help You Forge Ahead in Your Audition?

What separates professionals from aspiring talent show prodigies isn’t inspiration. It’s preparation and execution. Take control of your audition with these 10 helpful tips to improve your skills.

1. Confidence
   • It sounds simple but it takes practice. Walk in the door with your head held high. Be wary of shuffling feet. You don’t get sympathy points if you’re nervous, not feeling well, or having a bad day. Leave it outside the door. You are being sized up the minute you walk in so practice good posture and body language before you arrive. And don’t forget to smile, that’s the lasting impression you want to leave.
2. Personality
   • Let it shine through. Don’t give one-word answers when having a conversation with the casting director. Ask questions! The industry is looking for smart, curious actors.
3. Connection
   • Make one with the reader. Memorize the material or be familiar enough with it to maintain eye contact. Knowing the dialogue is important, but making a connection with the reader is what will make the scene natural and believable.
4. Character.
   • Know the character. Read the entire script beforehand to pick-up as many clues as possible. We know about a character by the following:
     • What they say about themselves
     • What other characters say about them
     • What the playwright or screenwriter says about them
5. Objective
   • Go underneath the dialogue. What do they want from the other characters? What is the character’s purpose in the scene and story?
6. Obstacle
   • what’s in the way of the character getting what they want? Acting is what happens to you as you try to get your objective met, in spite of the obstacle
7. Opposites 
   • Yelling isn’t the only way to show hatred or anger. Sometimes being quiet as you make your point is a powerful display of emotion. Playing opposites is a much more interesting choice than the obvious.
8. Love
   • Find the love in the scene; even nasty characters should be likable on some level. Find a moment in the scene where the love can show through.
9. Act
   • Acting means to do, not to talk. Find your actions and play them! (A wonderful resource is the book “Actions: The Actor’s Thesaurus” by Marina Caldarone and Maggie Lloyd-Williams.)
10. Variety
    • Feel the levels and dynamics in the scene. Don’t play one emotion. If the character is angry or tough, when might they show some vulnerability?
    • Aspiring? Not you! Interesting, memorable auditions will start to happen for you when you dig into scripts with these thoughts in mind before and during your auditions.

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