Like other jobs acting is also not as easy as it looks. You need to give your best when you are on stage. Acting requires a lot of work, to get into any acting job an actor goes through many auditions. These auditions if given properly can only make him get into any film, theatre, or serial.
Here are some tips that may help you before giving actors audition.
- Be prepared- Learn your sides inside and out. Practice different versions of delivery in case you are asked what else you got. Have some props if necessary and ask if you can use them.
- Presentation- Dress in a similar way to the way your character may dress. Don’t go too crazy, but it is easier to imagine a professional in a suit if he/she is wearing professional clothes.
- Get information- Try to find out as much about the production, casting producer, director, producer, casting associate as you can. The more you know the more options you have available at the time.
- Know your angles- Ensure that you have a professional looking headshot and resume done, and bring at least two copies. Move around (if possible) get into the character. A static stand and delivery with legs glued to the floor and arms paralyzed at your sides is not good. Acting is more than the mouth.
- Work on your body- Exercise/work out a while before the audition so you have good energy, blood flow, and tone. Have a good meal 2 hours before the audition. If you eat right before you will be diverting some of your energy to digestion. On the other hand, if you haven’t eaten for a long time you will be hungry and lower energy. Try to avoid too much coffee.
- Be an early bird- Allow tons of travel time. Show up early, figure out where the exact place is. Then leave, stay nearby, and return 15 minutes before your call. It can drain your energy to sit in one spot waiting for 45 minutes. Even worse is worrying that you will be late. You can even find online acting auditions.
- Focus- If character direction is not provided ask questions about your character‘s personality and their relationship with the person they are talking to. When you are in the actual audition the person reading the other side of the conversation may have no acting skills or even negative acting skills. If you detect bad acting do not sink to that level. Your acting talents depend on sidestepping other person’s missteps. You may even get a prompter who is an amateur and does not know how to do his work, do not get distracted with that and speak whatever you understand because in the end you will be judged on the way of your dialogue delivery. Give a great performance even if your prompts are boring or senseless.
There are no quick tips for delivering a great audition. Like any skill, the key to getting good at it is to do it a lot. It completely depends on the individual and the role, and the only way to find out what works for you is to keep doing it.
