Ultimate Guide to Movie Auditions in 2015

To advance your career in the entertainment business, it is important to take acting auditions. An audition is a process that you must go through to become an actor. This is where your skills and talent as an actor will be tested. It is also where your resolve will be tested through many rejections and heartaches, but these setbacks will only make your success even sweeter. Yes, failing and being rejected is part of the business, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t minimize them. You can always follow helpful pieces of advice from industry insiders to boost your chance of succeeding. Continue reading our ultimate guide to movie auditions and see if they can be of help to you and your career.

Résumé and Headshot

You should never forget to bring your résumé and headshot to an audition. They should be of good quality, professional, and presentable.These marketing materials can help you make a good impression with the casting directors.

Résumé

Length: It should be concise. The résumé should fit the back of an 8 X 10 headshot. Order: It should read left to right. Information should be divided into sections. Start with the most important ones. Paper: Résumé should be printed on a plain (pale gray/white/light cream) paper, or you can print it on the back of your headshot. Font: Use Arial, Georgia, Times New Roman, or Garamond font styles, which you can pair with artsy fonts for the headings of the sections, and font size should be 10 to 12. Stick with the black font color to make it more professional. You should make sure that everything you write on your résumé is factual. Review it for spelling and grammatical errors. Be sure that your résumé is always updated too.

Headshots

Use matte paper for your headshot. You should always prepare both colored and black-and-white photos. Try to conceal all blemishes, zits, or blotches with a concealer as much as possible. Women are required to wear makeup, but it should only be light and should remain natural-looking. Children should not wear any makeup at all. You should also make your headshot reflect your unique personality while maintaining a relaxed and calm persona. Your headshots should not be glamorized or even edited because these photos should represent the real you.

What to Do During Auditions

Knowing what to do is already a step in perfecting your audition. Here are the things you should do:

Be Punctual

You should always come on time. Be at the venue at least 15 minutes before the schedule so that you will have time to fill out forms and settle down before your number is called.

Wear appropriate clothing.

Be presentable. Wear age-appropriate clothing that is presentable and in line with your character. Don’t appear too stiff or too formal, so you should go with a smart casual clothing. You should wear clothing with a medium shade of blue or something similar. According to Industry Tips posted by The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, don’t wear white because it will make you look washed out onscreen.

Be Prepared

If you are given a script, you should already have gone through it and internalized the character before you head into the audition room so that when you are called to read some lines, you already know which emotions to use. Another way to fully prepare is to be knowledgeable about the audition that you are taking. Research as much as possible about what the movie is all about, the director, and the casting director. This way, you can give them a performance that will suit their taste.

Learn How to do Slate

You will be usually asked to do a slate (saying your name, your talent agent or agency, and the character you are auditioning for) in front of a camera before they ask you to read the script or perform your monologues.

Prepare your slate beforehand. You can perform your slate using the persona of the character that you are auditioning for.

Never Ask to Start Over with Your Lines

If you stumble over your lines, improvise a little and maintain your character. This way, you can transition well to your next scene and get you momentum back. Casting directors hate it if you break character in the middle of the audition.

Relax and Breathe

Auditions can be the most nerve-wracking experience. However, you should do your best to relax by regulating your breathing.

How to Deal with Callback Waiting and Audition Slumps

Waiting can be hard. After an audition, don’t waste your time doing nothing but waiting for the notice that says that you got the part. Force yourself to move on and try out on another audition. If you suffer a rejection or sudden drop of auditions, do not panic. Remember that rejections and slumps are an important part of your chosen career. Instead of wallowing in your sorrows and pitying yourself, use these setbacks to fuel your drive. Focus on improving your craft.

When it comes to auditions, there is really no clear process on how to be successful. Sometimes, you do everything right, but luck is just not on your side. But what is mentioned in this ultimate guide to movie auditions will surely get you through many auditions with flying colors. Just keep in mind to be observant and be always ready—who knows, maybe lady luck will smile on you during your next audition. Nonetheless, don’t leave everything to luck. Be prepared, and try to constantly learn and improve your skills. Your hard work will surely pay off. And that was the ultimate guide to movie auditions and if you feel you are ready now to go to auditions, visit ExploreTalent.com for auditions and casting calls information.