Acting Tips for Auditions
An audition is a harrowing experience for any actor, no matter how experienced. Hours of waiting around to be called, with a bunch of other actors who suddenly seem to be slimmer, younger, and yet somehow more experienced, before going into perform a cold reading to an audience of three very bored people and a camcorder. It's hard to tell which is more horrible - the polite but clearly forced smiles when you attempt to break the ice with a little joke, or the ringing silence that follows the end of your audition piece.
But there are, of course, things you can do to help yourself with an audition. They won't eliminate the fear factor, but they might keep you sharp.
First, always prepare. Actors can get into a bit of a fatalistic spiral after a couple of failed auditions. They start to think that there's not much point putting in the preparation if they're already doomed not to get hired. It goes without saying that this is not a helpful mindset, but it's completely understandable.
Instead, read through any information or dialogue you've been given prior to the audition. Learn all the speeches by heart, and run the lines with friends until you get to the heart of the character. If you're going for an audition for a play, check YouTube for footage of past productions, and analyse how the part has been approached before. You have to assume that any halfway ambitious actor will do all of this, so you have to do it too.
Listen incredibly closely to any direction given to you by anyone at all during the actual audition. These are not vague suggestions on possible interpretations, they are clues to how the people who will make the hiring decision want the part to be approached. Perhaps you will find a fresh take on the material that will blow them all away and make the director rethink their artistic vision. Good for you, but unless or until that happens, grab every single piece of guidance you're given and follow it to the letter.
Although auditions are stressful for actors, try and remember how boring it must be for the director and others who have to sit through every single audition. They know that most of the people they see are not going to be hired, and however hard-nosed they try to be about it, that's quite a demoralising experience. It's probably not a fair way of looking at it, the actors who are competing to get a day's work are in a much less pleasant position, of course, but the casting director is the one calling the shots here, so humour them. Make an effort to be chipper and friendly and cooperate absolutely with everyone. People like to work with people that are pleasant to work with, and if you have to do an audition at all, then you're not a prima donna and can't afford to act like one.
If you know anything at all about the character or the production before the audition (and sometimes you won't), try and dress along the right lines for the character you're hoping to be playing. It might help you find that character's voice, and it will certainly help the casting director see your potential for the role. You don't have to be overt about this, but if you're auditioning to play a businessman, consider wearing a suit or at least a shirt and tie, rather than t-shirt and jeans.
The daily grind of auditions is never going to be much fun, but with a bit of preparation and consideration, you can give yourself the best possible chance of securing an acting job.
