Check out Calgary casting director Deb Green, CDC. Her topic of choice is a favorite around here: Audition Preparedness.
Are You Prepared for Your Audition?
In all my audition workshops and lectures, I always ask the question: “What’s the most important thing you need for a good audition?” Almost invariably, the room whispers, “Have a good headshot,” “Have an agent,” etcetera, before a tiny voice somewhere in the back peeps out hesitantly… “Preparation…?”
Yes, preparation. It’s the key to believability. And lack of preparation by the actor is one of the casting director’s biggest grievances. So here are a few simple suggestions to help you prepare for your audition.
First and foremost, very simply, you need to know your character. Trust me, you can’t be believable if you don’t know who you are, and that applies whether you are reading for a supporting role or Cop #2. So many actors walk into the room and the first thing they say is that they only got the sides last night, or this morning, or whatever, so they’re not as prepared as they could be. For the unprepared, that doesn’t gain sympathy. I translate that into: “Hey! I’m not prepared and now I’m going to waste your time and mine showing you just that.”
I realize actors often don’t get much more than a day or two to pull an audition together, but even if you got half a day with the sides, a trained actor needs only a quiet hour or two to become familiar with the character and the lines, and understand (or make some choices about) said character and the context. If you had only a day to prepare, that could give you enough time to study the character and lines and read the script, which further aids in your understanding of the character and choice-making. You should read the script whenever you can. A decent script will give you most, if not all, of the answers you need (Yeah, I know, but I did say a decent script…). I realize the script isn’t always available, but if it is, please read it. Consider it part of your job, no matter what role you’re reading for. When the director asks you (Enthusiastically, of course, because she wrote it!) if you read the script, and you say yes, it speaks volumes about your professionalism and interest in the project.
And if you have a day and a half with the sides, you can learn the character, read the script, AND get off-book as much as possible. You are always free to hold your sides (at least here you can), and you can refer to them anytime you wish. But consider this: Every time you look down at that page, you take us — the viewers — out of the scene, and the believability disintegrates.
That being said, nobody expects perfection, especially when you’ve been given only a day or two with the sides and you have a couple of heavy scenes to learn. Just do your best and try to get as off-book as possible. However, it’s important to note that most casting directors I know (myself included) are extremely organized and get sides out many days in advance of an audition call so that you can be as fully prepared as possible. If you’re not getting your sides until the day before the audition, it’s time to speak with your agent.
When you are preparing your scenes, don’t work them to death. Get them down and leave it, so your audition feels fresh and spontaneous, not over-rehearsed. Don’t bog yourself down working it one particular way — it’s an absolute certainty that you will be asked to do it differently, and if you can’t be flexible, the director will never choose you.
Keep your wardrobe choices thoughtful and simple. If you’re playing a farmer, wear jeans, not a three-piece suit. Don’t rush out to rent the full costume unless for some crazy reason you’ve actually been asked to spend your grocery money on a costume which may make you look more the part, but which will never make you a better actor. (Oops, I slipped onto my soapbox there!)
Keep props and physicality/indicating to a minimum.
Get to your audition at least ten minutes early.
Get your resume(s) and headshot(s) out of your car/knapsack/briefcase/binder and in your lap, ready to go. Don’t waste your valuable minutes in the audition room searching for your paperwork!
If I may digress for a moment, please have more than one resume and headshot in your car/knapsack/briefcase/binder, and don’t ever show up with nothing. Sometimes the casting director has to make up more than one package (say, a producer in LA or Vancouver and a director in New York or Toronto). Casting directors don’t like having to photocopy your paperwork. And, more than that, they hate sending out photocopies ’cause they look like crap.
Do your physical prep — deep breathing, centering, whatever — before you come into the audition room. Please. Again, how do you want to use your five, seven or ten minutes?
Finally, try to relax before you come in. I know, I know… it’s not easy. A key here is to stop beating yourself up about “getting the part.” There are a hundred decisions made between your audition and the final casting choice OVER WHICH YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL. So why sweat it? All you need to do is PREPARE so you can do the best audition you can. That way you can feel good about your work and let the chips fall where they may.
Now that’s a jam-packed contribution from Deb! Wow! I especially love the reinforcement of so many issues near and dear to my heart. Be prepared, read the script (or at least all of the project’s sides), commit — but don’t get married — to your choices, suggest character in your clothing, bring plenty of extra headshots and resumes, and let it all go after you’ve had your audition. Excellent! Everyone enjoying POV as much as I am? Woo hoo!
About Deb Green
Deborah Green is a principal casting director and has been casting in Alberta and Canada since 1991. She apprenticed as executive assistant to the producer of Theatre Calgary for four yours and learned all aspects of casting, starting her business in 1996. A native of Montreal, Deb moved to Calgary in 1981 and, in addition to her casting credits (including films like Brokeback Mountain and Chicks with Sticks, over 100 commercials, and over 30 stage plays), is a screenwriter and playwright. Deb is a member of the CDC, WIFTA, AMPIA, CSIF, and the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television.
This contribution originally ran at Bonnie Gillespie’s online column on December 1, 2006.