Today, I went with a friend to audition for a new TV series being created by an up and coming entertainment company out of DC. We arrived in the North East Capitol area and made our way up the steep and creaky stairs to find a great bunch of people casting and a lot of nervous actors waiting for their opportunity to show their stuff.
As I sat and waited for my turn, I watched two young sisters audition. ( Those auditions in front of others are always a little extra nerve racking!) The first sister was full of energy and precociousness! She engaged everyone and even got claps after her audition. The older sister went next. She was quiet and shy and very very nervous. It was her first audition and her dad was coaching her on the sidelines telling her what to do. She looked ready to keel over any second, but she got through and the minute she stepped away from the camera her face lit up in a beautiful smile.
As Robin and I drove away, we talked about the professionalism of an audition and the importance of taking notes and actually making a change then and there when asked to by a casting agent. Robin is even thinking of teaching a class on the professionalism of an audition, but until then I thought I’d share a few helpful hints or insights.
First and foremost. Come prepared. If you’ve been given sides, know your lines! If you are about to do a monologue, make sure you have an extra one handy in case the casting director asks you to do something with a different style. Robin and I talked on the way home about an everyday actor without great looks, but with great skills who has 21 monologues he can pull out of his hat at a moments notice. He lands parts! You don’t need to have 21 ~ but you do need to have a few ready. Have a dramatic monologue and a comedic one at the very least. Make sure you pick characters that are true to you. An audition is not the place to try your hand at something that’s not really right for you. Be honest, know yourself. I’m a middle aged fluffy actress with medium looks. I will not play the young and beautiful lead. That’s okay. I can play the aunt or best friend of the lead. I can even play the unassuming neighbor that’s sweet and quiet and turns out to be a serial killer. I cannot play the role of a 20 something. I may wish I could, but if I want a part, I must be aware of my marketability!
How you dress matters. I know, I’m a girl who could live in PJ’s or jeans given the chance. Sadly, I can’t show up in whatever I want. Try to dress neatly. You don’t want shirts with sayings or logos on them. You need to be a blank slate. That way the casting director can imagine you for a variety of roles they may be casting. I read in The Audition that if you have call backs, you should wear the same thing. The casting directors tend to remember the girl in that red shirt who did that great monologue, not Lori. So if you get called back, dress the same way. Hey, every little bit helps! Don’t forget to wear nice, but understated makeup and avoid clothes that are sparkly and have patterns. Those types of clothes don’t do well on film.
Remember earlier, that second sister who smiled after she finished her audition? She needed to show that beautiful smile as she slated and did her monologue. Her personality came out much more when she was away from the camera. My advice is to smile and be kind to everyone you meet. My acting coach John Pallotta tells us all the time, you never know who has the power to cast. You need to treat everyone with respect from the person who greets and screens everyone at the front door to the person behind the camera.
Take direction while at the audition. In class, our teachers are always redefining how we do a scene or a monologue. They say, that was fine, now do it this way instead. You’ve worked so hard to get it just right and then your teacher stretches you and says no, do it this way instead. It’s no longer a romantic piece, but you hate this guy. Everything you are saying is filled with sarcasm and disdain. So in that moment, what do you do? You’ve worked hard to get it just right and they want you to change it? Are they crazy? No, you are if you don’t take the note and try to go for it! In an audition, a casting director may ask you to change how you just did a side. You have to roll with it. Actually, not only roll with it, but do it so well that it’s almost like you practiced it that way in the first place. And there’s my last hint. Prepare your monologue two or three different ways. Chose the way that works best for you and use it in your audition, but if the casting director says can you do it differently, you just smile and say of course! All because you prepared!
So, how did our auditions go today? Well Robin did her Raisin in the Sun monologue and gave me chills. (literally) She’s the consummate professional. I always learn so much from her. My audition went well. I decided to do something different and I think it payed off. I know the other actors were laughing at all the funny parts ( not at me silly!), so hopefully that’s a good sign. Now it’s the wait and see game!
Feel free to ask any questions and/or leave a comment. I’m hoping with this blog I can meet other actors and writers on their journey to follow their dreams. We’ve got to support each other.
Till next time,
Lori