Audition Checklist - What to do before every audition
Yay! You got an audition! Now what do you do? Here is a list of questions to ask yourself and answer the best you can (and please don’t immediately start memorizing lines).
Your audition is a portion of the script called “sides.” You’ll be sent sides and maybe the script too. Try to get the script if you can. Then you read it all before making any choices. Try not to spend too much time focused on the “character breakdown,” which is the description of the role that you’re reading for.
If the breakdown says you’re 55 and you’re 25, they might be looking at younger options. Don’t try to be the character breakdown. Use it as a guide as much as that makes sense with what you are creating.
Start with “Who am I?” I always want you to approach the character from “I” – it’s not about being pretentious. It’s about joining the character and not judging them and it moves you away from bad acting. “Who am I” in this script?
If you don't have a lot of time to work on the character, have it come from yourself, then the workload of creating a character is already done. Next you want to figure out what your (characters) problems are, you will use that to come up with your objective.
What are your relationships? Think about what your relationships are to the other people in the scene and maybe some of the people that you talk about that aren't actually in the scene. If your brother is talking about his relationship to his mother, you should know what your relationship is to her. Are you close? If it’s complicated, what does that mean exactly? Are you envious of the relationship your brother has with your parents?
What discoveries do you make? What is it that your character is hearing or learning about for the first time? It's very easy to anticipate, especially if you're trying to learn your lines very quickly. The lines come last for a reason.
What's your sense of humor? Is the character’s sense of humor the same as yours? Is it a little different? This does not mean be funny. Every person has a sense of humor, not always good. Does your character like Monty Python? Or Zoolander? Or The Office? Don't be afraid to let your audition be easy and fun! It could be a fun and simple scene, don’t complicate it for the sake of “doing the work.”
Set up your imaginary wall. This is especially important in self-taped auditions (even though no one uses videotape anymore, it’s still called a self tape). Make sure that you're not just staring at your reader. Create an environment where you can look elsewhere.
I watch a lot of these auditions or reels where the actor hasn’t created an imaginary wall. In-person auditions will also need an imaginary wall, a safe place where you can look and not be terrified that maybe you're going to lock eyes with the producer or have something take you out of the moment. Take that time to create that imaginary wall.
Take a risk! Is there an opportunity to take a risk in your scene? I don't mean an arbitrary risk; don't just decide you're going to do your whole scene shirtless because “I was told to take a risk.” No, I want you to be able to think about something that makes sense in that scene but might make you a little bit nervous.
If you have seen Dacre Montgomery’s audition for “Stranger Things,” you know what I mean. Look it up if you haven’t seen it. It’s brilliant. A couple of the risks that he took – he introduced himself as his character Billy (coincidently, Dame Helen Mirren introduced herself to me in character); he created these little interstitials between his scenes with him dancing and playing with glasses and he was shirtless, but his character was a lifeguard. In Dacre’s actual scene, he is supposed to be driving. Most people sit for the scene, but he chose to stand and it gave him great energy. He held his cellphone, which cellphones were not around at the time that the show is set. He was dancing around and listening to music and had so much fun with it. You'll never regret taking a risk.
Talk and listen. The last and most important, just talk and listen. So often we forget to listen, just be present and relaxed and talk and listen.
Remember that people want you to book the job. They want you to solve their problem, they are on your side and want you to succeed.
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