Did you know there are three different types of auditions you can have? Most actors only know about two of them, and they only recently became aware of the second one of those because of the changes that have happened over the last 18 months or so.
This is a problem, when you consider that the third type of audition is quickly becoming the most common one.
Something I’ve realized recently is that, even the actors that are aware of all three different types of auditions haven’t quite figured out just how different they are.
It’s fun to talk about acting techniques and the creative side of the industry but there is a lot more that has to happen “behind the scenes” if you want to build a successful acting career.
Professional actors put a lot of effort into that side of things, because without it, the creative side doesn’t matter.
If you want to be a professional actor, but you’re not making the kind of progress you should be making, the issue could be that you’re focusing on the wrong things.
Here’s what I mean...
When I talk to actors about what they are doing to build their acting career, they almost always say things like “I’m taking this class, I took a workshop, I’m thinking about redoing my headshot, I’m recutting my reel, etc.”
While those are all great things to do, everything should be done in its due time. What I’m about to say is going to be shocking and will contradict 99.99% of what you’ve been told about making it in the industry...
Of the (literally) countless number of actors I’ve worked with over the years, the majority of them were already “good enough” to do whatever they wanted to do in the industry.
I’ve worked with actors at all different career stages and with varying levels of experience and it was almost always the case that they were already good enough.
So you may be good enough too but if your talent isn’t displayed properly for the industry, taking another acting class won’t change that.
That’s what I mean by “most actors are focusing on the wrong things.”
This is especially true when it comes to auditions, since it is the primary way for you to showcase your talent to Casting Directors and industry decision makers.
When actors think of it like this, they usually think of the fix as being an audition workshop.
While that could help, what professional actors do is try and get to the root of the problem with the way they audition, if they are not booking consistently enough.
What I see happen most often is actors not calibrating for the type of audition they’re having.
That’s how you can completely dominate every audition you go on, even if your interpretation of the character isn’t exactly what casting is looking for.
CDs are trained to look at the mechanics during your audition. Sure, they’ll coach you and nudge you in the direction that production has in mind but that’s not ultimately their job.
What they actually try to determine is whether or not you are developed enough, as an actor, to go where the director wants you to go with a character.
A lot of actors hear that and think it means they have to show their range, but that’s not quite it and trying to do that will end up hurting you during the audition phase.
The key is to calibrate your performance for the type of audition you are going on. Everything else (the stuff you learned in acting class) will come later.
Here’s what I mean...
Every type of audition has its distinct differences.
For example, the two that are most different are traditional in person auditions and self taped auditions. Because you are performing live versus on screen, playing your character the same way would actually come across quite differently.
Self taping will often cause your facial expressions to be toned down quite a bit.
It’s kind of like the difference between playing a black box theatre and a traditional stage.
The traditional stage calls for your expressions to be somewhat amplified. If you played it the same way in a smaller setting, you would be overplaying the character.
The same thing happens when you move to self taped auditions from in person auditions. Playing them the same way comes across very differently.
We’ll talk about how to fix it in a moment...
First lets go over the two types of auditions that are probably the most similar: self taped auditions and live virtual auditions.
Even though they are very similar, they still have some big differences that can give you a competitive advantage.
Because you are interacting with casting in real time, it feels a lot like a traditional, in person audition so most actors treat virtual ones the same way.
Remember, you are still performing at a distance so make sure you set up for a virtual audition the same way you would set up for a self taped audition.
Set up a lav mic or a boom along with adequate 3 point lighting to ensure that you have clean sound, so your tonality comes across clearly, and your expressions aren’t washed away by over exposure.
So, when everyone else has odd shadows on their face and sounds like they are auditioning over speaker phone, you will come across in an entirely different way.
That only allows casting to see your talent come across, but you still have to calibrate your performance for each different type of audition.
It’s actually pretty simple...
When you are calibrating your performance, you are looking to identify the proper level of intensity for the type of audition you are going on.
Remember, watching you on screen is very different for a CD from watching you perform live in person, and they’re both different from watching you audition over a live stream.
Let’s start with traditional auditions because this is the level that should be most familiar to you.
Over the last year or so, many actors have fallen out of practice so if you feel like you need help finding that level again, ask a few friends over and do a mock audition.
Do your scene a few times and play the character at a few different levels of intensity. Start by just playing it however it comes naturally to you.
Then, do your scene again and amplify your expressions and vocal inflection a bit. Go again, and amplify just a bit more.
Ask your friends to give you feedback and identify where your character was the most genuine. That’s your natural level.
Finish by performing your scene a few more times until you feel you’ve “locked in” that level.
Repeat the process for a live stream audition with your friends joining you virtually, on a laptop if possible since that’s what most CDs will be using to watch your virtual audition.
Do the same to calibrate for self taped auditions, except you can be your own audience this time. Record yourself doing a mock audition a few times, changing your level of intensity each time.
Then, watch your takes and pick the one that looks most natural to you. Record yourself a few more times to lock in that level.
Can you see how going through this process can have a dramatic impact on how you audition, compared to everyone else who just shows up and does the same thing regardless of the type of audition it is?
Putting yourself in the CDs shoes and considering how your performance will come across to them makes a huge difference in how you play the character.
This is what sets professional actors apart from anyone else. Preparing on this level helps to position you as a professional actor with CDs and industry decision makers.
That’s half the battle.
Professional actors also focus on things that help them get in the room. If you’re not getting enough auditions then the problem could be with what’s going before the audition.
If the industry doesn’t know you, they can’t hire you.
Don’t sit around and wait for your phone to ring. Set aside some time to make yourself visible to casting directors and industry decision makers.
Becoming a professional actor is all about creating as many opportunities for yourself as possible and then seizing those opportunities when they come around for you.
To do that you have to ensure that everything the industry sees about you shows that you are building your career as a professional actor.
Most actors think that if they just work on their skills and get “good enough” they will be able to make it in the industry, and they don’t don’t think about everything else that goes into building an acting career.
Even when you do deliver an amazing audition, there is still a lot that happens after your audition so there could be something else that isn’t up to their expectations. When casting puts together your castability index, your industry reputation is a part of it so make sure that it matches your goals. Here’s how I can help with that.
We’ll get further into that next time. For now, get started on what I talked about today. Knowing this is great but it won’t make a difference in your career until you put it to use.
So get a group together and start your calibrations.
Remember, I’m always here for you too so feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment below. I’m happy to support you however I can because I truly want to...
See you at the top,
Scott