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There are as many types of acting techniques as there are actors, and the best course of action is to learn several approaches and find the one that works for you, or take bits and pieces of several and apply them to your own style. The same applies to auditioning style. Find what works and stick to it.

In preparing an audition, you should first get as much information as you can about the project you’ll audition for. Look online for production information, especially if it is an existing television series, for example. Look up on IMDB the names of producers and directors to see what other projects they have done and to show you their basic styles of material. Any information you can get from your agent, or the casting assistant, or the break down service will be helpful in making decisions while you prepare your scene. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s always a challenge to know how to start when preparing an audition scene.  First you must read the scene carefully and make decisions about the facts that are written.  If you can get more information, that is also helpful.  If you can read the whole script, that is ideal.

In any case, there are a few questions you can ask yourself to make the choices that will help develop your character.

Who am I?  You as the character…always personalize and try to relate to the character in a first person way.

Where am I?  The physical location has impact on how you act.

What am I doing?  What does the character accomplish during the course of the audition scene?  Keep in mind how what you’re doing impacts the other character or characters in the scene and make sure you accomplish the things the author wrote in a physical and emotional way.

Why am I doing it?   The “motivation” aspect of the material.  This tells you how committed you must be to the work of the scene, and keeps you moving from one thing to the next with purpose.

These questions are just the basics of the analysis necessary to give a good audition, and the more decisions you can make, the more layers there will be to your performance.  

Joel Brooks and Beth Maitland teach online seminars on this subject and have many tools and techniques for you to consider and use when you start your career.