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Why Auditioning is not Acting!

Why Auditioning is not Acting!

Ok well it is and it isnt – but at least your now paying attention,  Lets talk about 3 things: 

What is an audition, The Actors Job in an Audition, How to Stand apart from everyone else they are going to see.

 

What is an audition

Wikipedia’s definition states: “An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performing artist”.  Ok thats true but if we dig a bit deeper, the origin of the word from 16th century Latin defines Audition as ” To hear.  from the root Audire, Audition – the power of hearing or listening”.  Wait a minute – it started out as to hear and ended up as a performance, seems like things have changed.  Somewhere it became about the Actor.   A really good actor will note it is NEVER about the actor, but this is for another post.   I would like to challenge you to go back to the 16th century and think about the audition is a new way.  Not as a chance to perform, but an opportunity for you to  allow someone to hear you.   Your Job in an Audition is to allow someone to hear you.  I am focused hear on the auditory process not the visual.  Chnces are they have already seen you from your submission and if you did not fit the image of what they are looking for you would bot have made it this far  (and see you).  But sometimes they are not sure what they are looking for until it steps into the room.  Remember the person on the other side of the table has heard (and seen) potential hundreds of people today.  They have heard these lines so many times that everything sounds like Charlie Browns Teacher (look it up on You Tube

so here (pu intended) is the problem, “hearing is hard” – it takes energy and focus. In order to hear someone 3 things must happen

  1. They have to be paying attention
  2. They have to be interested in what your saying
  3. What you say  has to cause an emotional response

So lets look at what we can do as actors to make these three things happen.

  1. They have to be paying attention: your 1st beat matters! You had me at hello!  Don’t Repeat what everyone else is doing  – Make it Unique.  Make it interesting for the other people in the room.  Don’t Turn me off –don’t do anything or say anything or act inappropriately in anyway that could have the potential to turn those in casting off.
  2. They have to be interested in what your saying: Be conversational – who are you talking to?  Is it one person or many? Who are they to you?  How are you talking to them? Why do I care? What is it you really want? Get me hooked and invested in you. Make Hardest choices even if they are wrong, they are right for the audition..
  3. It has to cause an emotional response: Take me on a journey – Some me highs and lows, 3 emotions – let me see your reactions. Make me wonder if there is more to the character, Make me ask what else you can bring to the table

Summary: What is your job –To get called back in!  thats it – your not filming from the audition.  You one join is to be memorable enough to have them call you back in.

In acting we go from 2000 To 100 To 25 To 5 To 2 To 1.  These techniques will get you from the 2000 to the 100 or maybe even the 25 from there you have already made an impression and now luck, skill and preparation take over. But that is lesson (or a lifetime of lessons)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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