Preparing for an acting audition can be a nerve-wracking experience for any actor. You need to know how to prepare for an acting audition so you can ace your time in front of casting directors.
You’ll need to prepare your best performance, have your confidence at the ready, and have insider information about the role and casting director prepared in order to give yourself the best chance of booking the job. After all, you only get one shot at an audition, so you’ll need to make sure that you are ready in every possible way before going in front of the people who make decisions.
There are almost as many ways to prepare for an audition as there are actors who attend them. Depending on how much time you have before your upcoming auditions and what kind of details about the roles you know beforehand, your preparation process may be different than someone else’s.
Regardless of what type of actor you are or what other actors may do differently than you, keeping these tips in mind when preparing for your next audition will help ensure that it goes as smoothly as possible and that you book the job if it’s meant for you.
How to Prepare for an Acting Audition
My tips on how to prepare for an acting audition offer real world experience. I completely understand how it feels to stand in front of casting directors and I know what it feels like when your nerves act out.
1. Research the Brand, Show and Casting Director
The first thing that you’ll want to do is to research the brand, show, and the casting director who you’ll be working with. It’s a good idea to research the type of projects that they produce, so that you’re familiar with their work and know whether you want to be involved with them.
You’ll also want to know as much as you can about the individual casting director who will be seeing you for your upcoming auditions. While this may seem like inside baseball, it can actually be really helpful to know some basic information about the person who will be casting you, such as his or her name, what other projects they’ve worked on, and any other relevant details.
This can really help to put you at ease and make you feel more confident when you’re auditioning, because you’ll know that you’re working with casting directors who know what they’re doing and have seen hundreds of actors go in front of them before.
2. Research the Script
Next, you’ll want to thoroughly research the script. Read through it as many times as you can before your audition, and pay special attention to the tone and the details of the language used.
When reading the script, also think about how you’d respond when reading out loud, as well as how you’ll feel in the character. You should also mark any lines that you want to emphasize or that you feel may be useful in conveying a certain emotion or reaction.
When you mark your script ahead of time, it will help you to stay more focused and calm when you’re in the audition room, so that you don’t have to keep flipping back and forth to find the lines that you want to say.
3. Know Your Lines
You’ll also want to make sure that you know your lines backwards and forwards, especially if you’re auditioning for a scripted show. If you’re new to the industry or attending many auditions, it’s good practice to memorize your lines anyway, as it will give you more confidence and control over your performance.
If you’re only auditioning for commercials, you don’t have to memorize your lines. Instead, you can use a technique called “spontaneous delivery,” which requires that you know your lines well enough to be able to deliver them naturally and without preparation.
Spontaneous delivery, while often preferred for commercial auditions, is something that you should only attempt if you’re very confident in your skills, so make sure to practice your lines thoroughly beforehand. In any case, make sure that you know your lines before you go into the audition, whether you’re planning on memorizing them or not.
4. Rehearse With a Partner (Or in a Mirror)
Once you’ve memorized your script and know your lines like the back of your hand, the next thing you’ll want to do is to rehearse. When you’re auditioning for a scripted show, you’ll want to rehearse with a partner as many times as you can before the audition.
Partnering up with another actor is a great way to both get extra run-throughs in and get your confidence up, as you’ll be able to explore the scene and play with different emotions, reactions, and ideas with a fellow actor. Partner auditions can also be helpful when you’re auditioning for commercial spots, as your partner will know what kind of ad you’re reading for, and where you want to place in the commercial.
If you’re auditioning for a commercial, you can also rehearse alone in a mirror. When rehearsing solo, you can either act out the entire script or go through the details of your commercial. Doing the latter will allow you to focus more on your lines, while performing the full scene will help you get more comfortable and confident in the role.
5. Confidence Practice
Next, you’ll want to do some confidence practice. This could mean doing some positive affirmations, or it could mean practice smiling in front of a mirror.
You should be sure to practice your lines, facial expressions, and performance as much as possible, in order to get really comfortable with the material that you’ll be presenting at your audition.
Doing so will help you to feel more confident in your performance and will also help you to avoid any nerves that might come from having been away from acting for a while or from being in an audition setting for the first time.
By practicing, you’ll also be able to catch and correct any mistakes you might make while performing and become more familiar with all of the nuances of the material that you’ll be delivering in the audition room. Doing a few confidence practices will also help you to get more comfortable with the casting director and the other people in the audition room, which will help you to feel more relaxed going in.
6. Voice and physical warm-up
Another thing that you’ll want to do in preparation for your audition is to do a vocal and physical warm-up. When you have an important meeting or presentation scheduled for the day, you’ll often spend a few minutes stretching, breathing, and getting your body in a relaxed state.
This will help you to avoid being tense and help your voice to sound its best, as well as help you to be more confident in your speaking abilities. You can either do this alone or with a partner. When doing a vocal warm-up, you want to make sure that you’re not overdoing it and straining your vocal chords. You can find a guide for how to do this in the audition room by clicking here.
7. Walk through your scene(s)
Next, you’ll want to walk through your scene(s) with your partner or by yourself. When doing so, make sure that you are going through the entire scene start to finish, including any blocking and movement that may be required.
Walking through the scene will help you to become more comfortable with the material, as well as with the d movement, so that you’ll be able to respond more naturally when you’re in the room with the casting director.
It will also allow you to feel more confident about the performance that you’ll be giving, so you won’t have to worry about forgetting anything.
8. Have a Good Meal
Before your audition, you’ll also want to make sure that you’ve eaten a healthy meal. If you’re in a rush, you can always grab something quickly, but make sure that your food is well-balanced and has protein, carbs, and a healthy amount of fats.
Try to avoid eating too heavily, as this can often lead to feeling nervous or make you feel like you have a full stomach. Having a full stomach can make your stomach feel uncomfortable, which can make you feel nervous and may also cause your diaphragm to tense up, which can make your voice sound less clear and confident.
Having a healthy meal can help you to feel more relaxed and in control before your audition, so be sure to make time for that.
9. Be Confident (but not cocky)
You’ll want to be confident about your performance when you arrive at your audition, but not so cocky that you come across as unbending or unapproachable. Remember, you’re auditioning for a job and you want to be liked by the casting director who is seeing you. This is a fine line between confidence in performing and acting cocky. Make sure you read the room to make a positive influence.
10. Use Visualization to see Your Success
Before walking into the audition room, take a moment to visualize yourself booking the role and having a successful audition. Imagine yourself walking into the room, getting a hug from the casting director you talked to on the phone, and having an amazing conversation with the rest of the panel.
Having these images in your mind will help to calm any nerves you may have and make you feel more prepared. If you are going in for an audition that you have no information on beforehand, you can also use visualization to try to get as much information about the role as possible.
Imagine yourself learning about every aspect of the character, the other characters in the script, and the overall tone of the film or TV show. You will be able to come in better prepared and have a better connection with the other actors in the room.
11. Fall back on the Tools Shown in Acting Class
There will be a few different techniques that your acting teacher or coaches may have used over the course of your career that will always be helpful in an audition. The first is to go into the audition room with a positive attitude and a genuine smile.
Casting directors want to work with actors who are pleasant to be around and can bring an energy to the set that will help make their job easier. Having a genuine smile and positive outlook will help you to stand out from the crowd. Another useful tool is to have a physical action that you do while you are in the room.
Whether it’s touching your face, making a hand gesture, or having a specific physical movement, having something to do with your hands while you’re talking will help you to stay focused and keep your nerves to a minimum. It can also help you to remember your lines if you have a hard time with memorization.
12. Talk to Your Acting Coach for Tips
If you have a particular acting coach who you work with regularly, it may be a good idea to ask them for any tips and/or advice that they have for preparing for auditions. They have likely seen thousands of actors come through their doors, and have dealt with many of the same issues that you could be facing at the moment.
Additionally, particular acting coaches specialize in different types of auditions, meaning that they may have more insider knowledge about certain roles and process than others. By asking them directly for advice, you can get some of their best tips and tricks for preparing for specific auditions without having to spend hours researching.
If you have any questions or concerns about the upcoming audition process, they may be able to answer some of your questions. Since they likely see hundreds of actors in a year and may notice trends in the types of actors getting hired, they may be able to help you out with any questions you have about the industry as a whole.
13. Use Music to Inspire Your Audition
If you can, try to find a song that will inspire your performance for the audition. While it may seem silly or like an unnecessary detail to keep in mind, having music that inspires you for the audition can make all the difference between a good and a great audition.
By selecting a song that inspires you and makes you feel confident, you can draw from that song’s emotion when preparing and during your audition itself. Selecting a song that inspires you and is easy to draw from during your performance can help make your audition that much better.
14. Know exactly where to park (and don’t be late to the Audition)
It may seem like a small detail that isn’t worth stressing about, but knowing exactly where to park can make a world of difference at your audition. Whether or not you have to travel to the audition location, it’s a good idea to know where to park your car before you even head out to the audition.
First off, knowing where to park can help you get to the audition on time. If you’re not familiar with the city you’re in or the area in which the audition is being held, you may be late if you don’t know where exactly to go. Knowing where to park can also help you feel more prepared going into the audition. By not having to worry about where to park your car, you can focus more on your performance and feel more confident going into the audition.
15. Remember the Audition Process Takes Time
Many actors get frustrated with the audition process because they don’t know how long it will take from start to finish. Whereas a standard job application is an immediate process (for the most part), auditions can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months to complete. It’s best not to get your hopes up about booking the job too soon.
If you’re auditioning for a commercial, for example, the decision-making process may take a couple of weeks. Commercial auditions are often done through callbacks, meaning that casting directors will invite a few or even several actors back to try their luck at the commercial again.
A television or film audition may take a couple of months to complete. Depending on the project, you may have to go through multiple callbacks, do a chemistry test with your fellow cast members and/or audition for the director.
16. Be Happy for the Opportunity to Audition
Even if you are stressed or have a million things going through your head, try to be happy for the opportunity to audition. Casting directors can often pick up on the emotions that actors have in the room, and being stressed or nervous will obviously reflect poorly. If you are excited and happy to be there and have the chance to perform for them, it will reflect much more positively on you.
Conclusion
Regardless of how many auditions you have been to or how many roles you’ve booked, there is always room to improve your process and be even better prepared. Knowing how to prepare for an acting audition is a great tool that you can use to get work.
Remember that every audition is a chance to prove yourself and show casting directors why they should hire you, so be confident in your abilities and be happy to be there. With these tips, you can start your next audition with a calm, confident mindset and a smile on your face.
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