8 Essential Acting Audition Tips for Actors

In every acting audition, there are two kinds of auditionees—those who are prepared and those who like to think they are prepared. If you belong to the latter, you should ask yourself whether you really had put a lot of effort before coming to audition. If your answer is yes, consider the tips below as your checklist so you will come out of the audition hall successful.

1. Always bring with you your resume and a headshot

If you are asked beforehand to bring your identification profile, then do so. Don’t tell the casting director that your manager or agent will just send it over. Those documents are important so casting director will remember you. What is inside your resume is needed by the casting director to help them decide whether you qualify for the role you are vying for or not. And the most important is that it is through that resume that the casting director will know where or how to find you in case you get chosen.

2. Memorize your material

Usually when you are invited for an audition, you are given the details about the character you will try to play ahead of time so you have enough time to prepare. But if you aren’t able to memorize it, that is okay. Don’t pretend or don’t force it because you can still do it through cold read. Meaning, you can just read it with paper on your hand. What really matters to the casting director is the way you deliver the lines.

The problem is when the production doesn’t give you a script to read prior to the audition. What you can do is be at the venue earlier than the scheduled time. If you arrive ahead of time, you will have enough time to read the lines and familiarize the character. Arriving early also means you will be one of the first few to perform, which is actually an advantage because if the audition has just started, the casting directors are still in a good mood at the time and they won’t feel rushed yet.

3. If you are asked to make a choice, make one

Sometimes during audition, the casting director will ask you to choose between two monologues or songs based on your favorites listed in your book. Don’t throw the question back at them by saying, “Anything, what do you want?” It’s not just about choosing but rather more on why you chose that particular piece. The casting director wants to know more about you. It’s essential when developing the character.

4. Don’t waste time

Once you are in the stage, start right away, don’t make pauses. Create a big impression.

5. Be poised, relaxed, and confident

It is essential for actors to capture the audience’s attention. Transform into someone people will want to get to know about. If you are able to do that as who you really are, there is no reason you can’t do it in a character.

6. Don’t be late

Again, it is imperative that you arrive early at the location. Casting is a long process. Being early is advantageous to an actor in so many ways. You have extra time to prepare yourself—you know, to calm the nerves. You don’t have a lot of competitors to be compared to. Also, early actors tend to get chosen for the role. Why? Because casting directors are likely to remember the first few actors they entertained while they are still in the mood and not in a hurry to get home.

7. Don’t get depressed when you’re not cast

Think of it this way, it’s not because you are bad at your craft, it’s just that you are probably not right for the role. You have a different personality from the character the casting director is looking for. There are still thousands of casting call that will come your way, and hopefully, one or more are meant for you. Just keep doing your best.

8. Never give up

Never give up on your dream of becoming an actor. Keep on auditioning. If you don’t get the role, look at it as a free coaching instead. The more acting audition you attend to, the more experience you will gain. In between, you can improve yourself by enrolling in various types of workshops such as acting, dancing, and singing because that will be beneficial to your craft.