While finding success as an actor depends a great deal on your performing skills, you need to find the right opportunities to show off those skills if you want to book work. And yes, that means finding auditions. After all, how can a casting director cast you if they haven’t seen what you can do?
Now, for those who are new to the Australian acting scene, finding auditions is something akin to looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. In other words — it’s tough! But it really doesn’t have to be. In fact, if you take the right approach, finding auditions is something that you should never have to worry about, but more on that later.
So regardless of how experienced or inexperienced you are as an actor, this is how you find those elusive auditions.
Through Acting Classes
Believe it or not, acting classes aren’t just for learning about the various acting techniques such as method acting and so on. Acting classes are also an amazing place to network and get to know people that work in the industry. Now, you may be wondering how other actors can land you auditions but that’s not exactly who we’re talking about here. You see, acting teachers or drama schools will often have close relationships with casting directors who may, from time to time, come to classes to see what the newest talent on the block looks like.
In some cases casting directors may even ask the drama school or a particular teacher to recommend some students that they feel may be a good fit for a role. It’s also worth noting that this option isn’t just reserved for new actors. Experienced actors attend classes all the time because this is a profession where you are continuously learning. So no matter how experienced you are, think about taking up a few classes; you never know where it might lead you and at worst, you’ll improve your skills!
Online
In a world where we do practically everything with our smartphones, it should come as no great surprise that auditions can be found online in quite a few places. However, while searching the internet for auditions can throw up a lot of opportunities, the vast majority of these will be for very little pay or, in some cases, no pay at all. Yes, you read that right. This is because the briefs for better paying roles generally tend to be sent straight to the pros — more on that later.
So where do you begin your search for acting auditions online?
Local Theatre Websites
Most theatre companies, even professional ones, will have auditions listed on their website for upcoming productions. Theatre is a great way to stretch your acting muscles and help you develop as an actor, and being involved in a few local productions never hurts.
Professional theatres will often use casting agencies, though sometimes they will open their auditions to the general public.
Keep tabs on the theatre companies in your area online and you never know what might show up.
Casting Websites
Casting websites are another great way to see what’s out there and if anyone is looking for an actor with your set of skills or your particular look or background. Backstage.com is a pretty famous one for the US, but they will also sometimes have calls for actors based in Australia or New Zealand. ShowCast and StarNow also list Australian-based auditions.
Have a few of these bookmarked and check them weekly.
Social Media
Social media is taking over everything these days, and that includes the acting industry. There are plenty of casting groups on Facebook while you can keep an eye on a few hashtags on both Twitter and Instagram to see if anything local to you pops up.
This is also a great way to promote yourself as an actor without having to do too much work. Make sure that your profile is heavily slanted towards your acting career with perhaps even a few reels showcasing your talents. Make sure that your bio also says that you’re an actor looking for work. Just remember that your content must always be positive with regards to your acting career. This is kinda like an online resume that everyone can see so keep it professional and positive. You never know who is watching.
Through Your Agency
This is the way that all the most successful actors land their auditions; through their acting agency. An agency will often get the first look at briefs from big producers and casting directors and put their talents forward for roles almost as soon as the opportunity is open. This is because casting directors often prefer to deal with agencies instead of putting the call out to the general public. It’s a huge time saver for them and, generally speaking, the standard of talent from agencies is much better than the actors found through an open casting call.
This is why it’s so very important to not only sign up with an agency but to sign up with one that has a great reputation for actor management and a solid network of industry contacts. How do you know about the agency’s network? Just check out its previous clients and success stories and you’ll get a very good idea of how the agency is regarded.
By signing with an agency, you’re also removing a major obstacle to booking work — finding auditions. Once you have professional representation, this becomes the responsibility of the agency and trust us, that is a massive weight off your shoulders. Not only will you get more opportunities to shine but you can spend your downtime focusing on sharpening your skills in those acting classes we mentioned earlier.
If you’re looking for the best acting agency in Australia with a solid reputation for working with only the best of the best, then you’re in luck because you’ve already found us.Get in touch with Hunter Talent today or apply to join us now. Let’s get you signed up and find that first audition!
