Audition Etiquette

[Sage]

Audition Etiquette for TV, Film, and Commercials

No matter what part you may be auditioning for, or how established you may be as an actor, there will always be rules of etiquette that an actor must follow during the audition process. The three main phases of an audition are the arrival, the audition itself, and your exit.

Always arrive at an audition at least fifteen minutes early. Casting is a hectic process, and things are always changing, so it is always better to be early than late. Do not dress in any costume unless asked to. Dress in attire that best suits the role you are auditioning for.

When you first arrive, report directly to the casting assistant. Once you have signed in with the casting assistant, wait patiently for your turn. Be quiet and respectful to the casting assistants and other actors auditioning; any rudeness will surely be mentioned to the casting director.

If you have received the pages which will be read in audition - rehearse to yourself and wait for your name to be called. Do some exercises that will help you relax, like deep breathing, or closing your eyes and visualizing your scene. You may be waiting a while, so make use of the preparation time. The main goal in the waiting area is to stay lose.

When called into the audition room, enter the room, smile and introduce yourself to the casting director. Hand the assistant your head shot with your resume attached to the back. Announce the audition piece you will be performing (if you have not been given content) and begin when you are ready.

Wait for a sign from the casting director. They may say something along the lines of action. Just be ready. They are most likely tired, bored and irritable. Just be confident and begin your audition after you have introduced yourself. Thank the casting director when you have finished and leave immediately.

Once you have finished your audition, wait an additional two minuets incase the casting director wants to bring you back in to read again. After two minutes, sign out with the casting assistant and leave quietly.

Auditions will become easier to deal with the more you attend. The most important etiquette when auditioning is to simply be polite. Ask questions quickly if you have any, and even if you are having the worst day of your life, act like you're having the best day.

Be on time, be efficient and don't ask when you will find out about the part. The big line with auditions is "Don't call us, we'll call you." Just leave confident and keep auditioning.

[Hank]

Tips From a Working Actor
From Audition to "Action"


The Audition: There are two different types of auditions that actors go on in their professional lives -

1) The Open Call - This is an audition where, usually, no appointment is necessary and you merely show up at the appropriate time and place. Generally, there are a lot of people that attend these which is how they got the nick name "cattle call." But if you can be patient, they can yield terrific results. Any chance you get to audition should be taken.

2) The Request Call - This occurs when you, your agent, manager, or submission service has submitted you for an audition, and the casting director has decided to call you in based on your picture and resume. You will have a specific time to attend, and there will be significantly fewer people than at an open call.

For either of these types of auditions, the same preparations apply.

Know which character you will be auditioning for.

Get the audition material ahead of time if possible.
Many services (i.e. showfax.com) now provide audition "sides," or you may contact the production company for your scene. Your agent, manager, or submission service can help you with this.

Dress appropriately for the role.
Don't come in costume, but wear clothes that suggest the appearance of the character you will be auditioning for (i.e. lawyer = suit, mechanic = work clothes, teacher = conservative, etc)

Don't bring props into your audition.
No casting director wants to see you bring a fake gun, handcuffs, etc into an audition. But utilize anything that you might normally carry on you. Be creative. Use your purse, your cell phone, your glasses, to represent something you may need to hold in a scene.

Make sure you are ON TIME. In fact, BE EARLY! This will benefit you in case you haven't been able to obtain your scene ahead of time.

Whether or not you've gotten your scene early, there is no need to memorize it. That will put too much pressure on you. Simply familiarize yourself with it so that during your audition you can look up from the page at the person you are reading with. They want to see what you look like, and they can't if your nose is buried in your script.

Relax. Take deep breaths. You'll put your best foot forward if you aren't so nervous and stumbling all over the place. Use your waiting room time to do this. Stay quiet. Calm yourself. Many actors use this time to chat with other actors or members of the staff. It may be nice, but you are not there to make friends, you are there to get the job, and you will get it by being as professional as possible. Actors and stage-parents who chatter constantly, or complain about so-and-so and this-and-that only bring an annoying and negative energy to the room. You may feel like the life of the party, but everyone will heave a sigh of relief when you leave. If you are there for your child's audition, set a good example by following these guidelines, yourself. Help your child to have the best and most positive experience possible. So be courteous, be polite, and be professional. In the end, you'll make more friends this way.

Turn your cell phone OFF!

The Call-Back: This will be the second (or third, or fourth) audition for the same role. It means that you made the first cut(s) and the casting director wants to see you again, most likely to present you to the director and producer.

There may have been 100 people auditioning for the role in the initial audition. Now there may be 10, or 5. And there will be less each time as the competition is narrowed down. Sometimes it may take weeks and many call-backs to make a decision, while other times may require only one and a matter of a day.

The same preparations apply, with slight alterations.

Try to be as familiar with the material as possible. You still should not be required to let go of your script, but use it as little as possible. Use it as a prop if necessary (i.e. it can represent a newspaper, menu, petition, summons, etc). Now the audition is all about how you interact with your fellow characters in the scene and the director will want to see as much of your ability as possible.

Unless requested, dress EXACTLY the way you did in the initial audition. Don't mess with something that may have worked for you.

Don't change your performance. If you made the first cut, they liked something that you did. There is no need to freshen up your act by adding or rearranging actions or intent. The casting director does not need to see new material to stay interested, far from it. He wants to show the producer and director all the wonderful work you did in the previous audition. This way he keeps his job because it shows that he knows talent when he sees it. This does not mean refuse direction that is given to you, but stick with what has worked.



On Avail: This is a term that means you are on hold. Someone from the casting office or production company has called to check your availability, you have said you are available, and now you wait to hear more. The truth of this matter is that, more than likely, you are choice number 2. The production company is trying to work out scheduling details with choice number 1. The good news is that, quite often, #1 is unable to meet the scheduling demands and so you book the job. On Avail is nice, but it doesn't, automatically, mean you've got the job.

Booking: Congratulations, you've booked the job. All your preparation and hard work have paid off. You maintained a professional attitude, you persevered through hours of auditions and call-backs, you stayed cool and calm under pressure, and now the job is yours. A few of the audition rules still apply but, for the most part, you are now in the hands of people who will help you look the way you need to look and do the best job possible.

BE ON TIME!!! For everything! This cannot be stressed enough. First, a hardworking member of the wardrobe staff will call to get sizes and to set up a wardrobe fitting. This is apart from your call time. Set up a time that is convenient for both of you and BE ON TIME. Next, a terribly overworked and underpaid production assistant will call you to let you know about the

Table Read : In the case of a TV show, this is the first time most of the regular cast will get to see the new script for the week. You need not worry about wardrobe or your audition techniques for this. It's exactly what its name implies. Everyone sits around a table and reads the script out loud, makes notes, comments, etc. If you have a smaller role, it may not be mandatory for you to attend - but DO! It's a great experience.

Then, that same overworked and underpaid production assistant will call you to let you know about your

Call Time: This is the time/date/location where you will be needed to perform you role. Follow all the rules of common sense that you think may apply. If you are going to a location other than where you auditioned, find it on a map. Calculate how long it will take you to get to the location considering time of day, traffic, etc. Then leave yourself extra time. If you have the luxury, drive to the location the day before so you know of any impediments that may be unforeseen. Get enough sleep the night before. BE ON TIME!

When you arrive on set for the first time, ask a member of the crew where to find the 2nd A.D.(assistant director). The 2nd AD will sign you in, introduce you to the 1st AD, and then escort you to your dressing room. From this point on you are in good hands. That same AD will come to get you for wardrobe fittings, makeup, and to bring you to the set for rehearsals and shooting. They will also let you know where and when lunch is served, and they'll sign you out at the end of the day. Be nice to them. They work hard and they like actors who are nice to them.

Have Fun! You are now doing what you've dreamed of doing!

[Aspiring44]

Hey - Thanks so much you guys - great info!