If you’ve been in the business for any length of time then you’ll know that without auditions and casting calls, there’s practically no chance that you’ll get any work. In fact, auditions and casting calls are pretty much the lifeblood of the industry. Without them, nothing would get done.
So with this in mind, we’ve decided to draw on our decades of entertainment industry experience to bring you our top tips for auditions and casting calls. We’re not for a second suggesting that these tips will guarantee that you land a role, but they certainly will help improve your chances.
But before we go any further, let’s answer the one question that most aspiring models and actors ask when they start out in the entertainment industry.
What’s the difference between casting calls and auditions?
A casting call is when a casting director or agency puts out a call for actors or models for a role or an assignment. There will be some basic requirements such as height, gender, or skills, and anyone who is interested in trying out for the role can attend the casting call.
There will often be quite a lot of people at casting calls as, like we said, they are usually open to anyone who is interested. This allows the casting director or the client to see a lot of models or actors in a fairly short period of time.
An audition is when a model or actor is invited to try out for a role. This is usually on the recommendation of their agent as there are often quite specific requirements for auditions. These requirements go further than those for a casting call and may include a person’s cultural background, their experience, or specific physical attributes.
While both casting calls and auditions should be taken seriously, auditions are more formal and will often require more preparation than casting calls.
So now we know the difference, let’s take a look at how you might prepare for both.
Tips for auditions and casting calls
Remember, regardless of whether you’re an actor or a model, every one of the tips below is relevant in some way.
Always be prepared
This may seem like plain old-fashioned common sense, but you’d be surprised at just how many aspiring actors and models show up for an audition or casting call completely unprepared. Trust us, auditioning is not something you can just wing.
For some auditions you may be asked to deliver a few lines that your agent will have provided you with beforehand. Take the time to really go over these lines and know them inside out. Think about how you might deliver them in such a way as to stand out from the crowd but not deviate too much from the character expectations—this is where your acting classes will pay off in a big way.
As for casting calls, you should have your own monologue prepared just in case you’re asked to deliver a few lines.
When it comes to casting tips for models, we recommend going over your poses, practising your walk and thinking about what clues the job brief can give you in relation to the assignment.
Be approachable and be nice
One of the most important audition preparation tips that many people seem to completely forget is to be nice to those around you, and we mean everyone around you. Remember that this is an industry that is all about impressions. If you’re in any way standoffish or even the slightest bit rude, it will be noticed. And no matter how good you are in the audition, you’ll be unlikely to get the gig.
So treat everyone with respect and that means everyone from the person taking your name at the front door right through to the casting director. After all, you want to treat people as you’d have them treat you, right?
Plan your route
It sounds silly, but trust us, planning your route to the audition or casting call will save you so much trouble and stress on the day. The last thing you want is to arrive at the train station only to find that the train you thought ran every half hour hasn’t done so for the last year!
The added bonus with planning your route is that you won’t be late. Tardiness is a big no no in an industry where time is quite literally money. If you show up late for your audition or casting call, you likely won’t get a second chance. So plan that route!
Wear the right clothes
Some casting directors will give specific instructions on what to wear to an audition or casting call. Any requests like this will usually be something simple like a black t-shirt and jeans. If there are no clothing requirements listed in the brief, then we recommend that you keep it simple.
Always wear plain clothing with no large logos, patterns or stripes. Choose muted colours and make sure that you keep accessories to a minimum. Oh, and don’t wear anything that is too revealing. Remember, this is about your skills and perhaps your physical look, so we want the casting director’s full attention on you and not your clothing or accessories.
In the audition/casting call
So you’ve followed all of our audition preparation tips, but what happens when it’s just you and the casting director?
Say hello
Don’t be shy. When you walk in the door, introduce yourself, but don’t ask any questions like ‘how are you?’ Don’t offer to shake hands or greet everyone in turn. Once is enough for everyone in the room.
Speak clearly
You may be asked to hand over a resume or to state your name, agency, and a few other details for their records. Remember to speak clearly so that you’re not asked to repeat yourself.
Don’t look the casting director in the eye
Okay, this isn’t some curse right out of Greek mythology. You won’t turn into stone if you look the casting director in the eye and when saying hi, it’s polite to do so, right? But when you are performing your lines or monologue, don’t be tempted to look directly at the casting director unless specifically asked to do so.
Own your mistakes
Yep, mistakes will happen so don’t stress about it too much. If it’s a minor hiccup, then it should be okay for you to plough straight through. However, if it’s a major mishap, then take a breath and ask can you start over. There’s no need to apologise as there is no shame in making a mistake especially if you ace it the second time around. But starting over once is enough. Any more than that and you will look woefully unprepared.
If you’re an aspiring actor or model that is looking for more casting calls and auditioning opportunities then perhaps you need the right representation. Get in touch with us today orapply to join Hunter Talent. Either way, we’ll have a chat with you about your ambitions for your career.
