Solomon, a student from Northern Film and Drama film and tv teenage class has written the following blog.
We have had a number of workshops recently that covered audition technique in detail. Solomon from his experiences at NFD decided to write about them and put them into his first blog that he has written for us.
Well done Solomon!
The Audition
There are lots of little things you need to keep in mind when you actually go for the audition. These include trying not to work yourself up into a state because, to be absolutely honest, you’ve got this! You have a good idea of what your going to do and how your going to do it. So all you need to do is keep running your lines through your head (ugh, but practice makes perfect!) And going over any bits you particularly struggle with. One important thing to remember: everyone there is just the same as you! Yeah, this may be one person’s fifteenth audition while it’s another’s first. But everyone is the same.
Now, the first thing we need to address is worrying. I know from personal experience that people worry for an audition, and this is PERFECTLY normal! An audition is a big thing that could help you achieve what you want. But worrying will get you nowhere. I once had to audition for a part in a play and I was worried because it was my first audition. I got so worked up that I panicked. As a result, I forgot my lines! So worrying gets you NOWHERE.
Just try to relax and collect yourself, so when you get in there you are the best and most dramatic version of you!
Now, when you walk in the casting director will be sat at the front of the room. There may also be a camera set up so that it records your audition. In a typical scenario, you will never just go in, do it, and walk out. When you walk in, the casting director will ask for your name, where your from, your agency, what character you’ll be performing and possibly your age. Then, you’ll probably have a quick chat about how you feel about the script and if you need to hold the script (it’s better if you don’t). It’s important to be kind and polite, as casting directors also look at you as a person as well as an actor. So remember your manners! (Now I sound like your mum!)
Another thing to keep in mind is that it is perfectly okay to mess up. We’re only human after all! If you do mess up a line, just ask to say it again or correct it. Never just leave it, because the director has a script and can see where you messed up (they know…)
Sometimes, you can even ask the director to point you in the right direction. Don’t be shy about messing up cause we all do it.
Even the greatest actors of all time may have to do a retake cause they said something wrong. It’s natural!
When performing your scene, just make sure that it is flowing how you want it to. If you feel that you and your partner are straying from the guidelines in the script then it is up to you to get you and your partner back on track. Actors can sense what you’re trying to do, it’s part of the job, and they will make sure that they follow your lead. Or maybe, you should follow their lead. You never know! But make sure that everything flows. Don’t jump in too soon if there needs to be a little pause to indicate something like thought. And don’t speak over the top of each other either. Otherwise it ends up being messy and you begin to look disorganised. Another point to ponder is rushing. As your acting, it’s only natural that you want to finish the audition and get out of that stuffy room! But if you rush, it has a feeling that you don’t want to be there and you haven’t studied the script enough. So pace yourself, add breaks when needed and don’t force your lines cause your rushing. Everything should flow like a quiet stream!
At the end, the casting director may talk to you again. They could ask you how you feel it went and it’s important to be honest. If they’re going to hire you, they need to know you first! So try to be honest. Also, prepare yourself for criticism. The director may say “this part wasn’t up to standard” or “these lines needed more work”. Either way, if you can’t take these points then your in the wrong profession, because acting is all about helping each other by constructively criticising their work! So don’t be disheartened if they tell you that certain lines need more work. Cause that is going to help you next time!
That’s That!
That’s all have to says on this matter (which was quite a lot, well done for making it this far!) So I hope you find these tips and pointers useful. Cause surely after all that you can ace any audition. I expect to see you on a major TV show soon. That’s everything from me. So all that’s left to say now is goodbye! Or, in the acting world, aaaaaand CUT!
