Before this I should mention that this is mainly based on auditions for theatre such as shows or musicals or plays. I have also attended many TV auditions and castings so I'll do another post about that in the near future.
If you are an actor or like to act then at some point in your acting life it is more than likely that you will do an audition. Whether you get asked to do it, are put forward by someone or put yourself up for an audition, this is an opportunity and you need to grab it with both hands. The acting industry is a difficult one and everyone knows how hard it is to make a name for yourself which is why, if you Are serious about acting, you have to grab every single opportunity that you get presented with. Don't let someone else have a part because they're your friend and they really want it - you have to show people what you can do So that you can go far and get noticed. What if you didn't audition so your friend could get the part and then In the night of the performance they get spotted by a casting director or talent scout - how would you feel knowing that could have been you? Don't get me wrong I am NOT saying that you can't have friends or you always have to put yourself first I'm just saying that you have to take every opportunity you can to get noticed.
Okay So once you have that audition, that opportunity to show people what you can do, what then?
If you are an actor or like to act then at some point in your acting life it is more than likely that you will do an audition. Whether you get asked to do it, are put forward by someone or put yourself up for an audition, this is an opportunity and you need to grab it with both hands. The acting industry is a difficult one and everyone knows how hard it is to make a name for yourself which is why, if you Are serious about acting, you have to grab every single opportunity that you get presented with. Don't let someone else have a part because they're your friend and they really want it - you have to show people what you can do So that you can go far and get noticed. What if you didn't audition so your friend could get the part and then In the night of the performance they get spotted by a casting director or talent scout - how would you feel knowing that could have been you? Don't get me wrong I am NOT saying that you can't have friends or you always have to put yourself first I'm just saying that you have to take every opportunity you can to get noticed.
Okay So once you have that audition, that opportunity to show people what you can do, what then?
1)Be prepared
You should be prepared before you even know that there are going to be auditions. By this I don't mean that you should know a bunch of monologues from loads of different shows I am simply going to pass onto you one of the best tips that my agent and Stage School director/manager told me. If you are a singer, or sing in shows, then you should have a list of at least three songs prepared at any one time so that if someone wants to hear you sing you don't have to panic you are always ready. The three songs shouldn't just be any three songs. You should have one ballet, one more upbeat and one song that you can sing really really well. If you do musical theatre and it's musicals that you are going to be auditioning for then these should all be songs from musicals. Closer to the date of your audition if you know what show you are auditioning for then it would be a good idea to learn a song from that musical and ideally one from that character that you are auditioning for, just in case they ask for it but they may not.
2)Know the character
Let's say you have an audition for Sandy in Grease. It's all well and good knowing your lines but so that you can give a convincing performance you need to really know that character. If the show you're doing has a film adaptation then get your hands on that and watch your character carefully. Notice how they react to things, what they do when they're not talking, how they sit, how they hold themselves. Take note of their accent as well, if it's high or low and where about in the world they're from, but do bare in mind that this is just one actors impersonation of the role however it is a very good starting point for you and the chances are that if there is a film adaptaion then it is going to be very well known and a lot of people will compare the shows and the actors in the show to the actors in the film.
3)You can never know your lines too well
I know I just said that knowing your lines won't get you a role but it defiantly does help! The director needs to see that you are able to learn and deliver lines as that character otherwise there is no point in casting you. You need to know your lines like the back of your hand so that you are completely comfortable with them and can completely immerse yourself in the character. (I'm also going to be writing a blog post about how to memorize lines so look out for that)
4)Don't over think it
If you over think it then you end up freaking out about it and that leads to panacking and that is NOT good for an audition. You just have to remeber that this probably isn't make or break for you, there will be other auditions and you will have other oppertunities you've just got to try to make the best of this as you can and if it doesn't work out then that's okay and it's not the end of your acting dreams. Think of it this way, if the audition goes well then great! That's amazing! But if it doesn't then you'll have more experiance for next time and you'll know what went wrong and what went right. It's a win win.
5)Warm up
If you only take away one thing from this blog post, it should be to ALWAYS warm up before an audition especially if you are going to be singing. I can also do a blog post full of all the best warm ups to use before auditions and shows if you would like just tell me in the comments below but here are some of my personal favourites.
Also do some facial exercises to loosen your jaw, this helps your singing a lot trust me.
These are my top 5 tips for now, I am going to expand on this list though so keep watching this space! If you have any questions, comments or requests please put them in the comments below and I will reply to all comments :)
Break a leg
Abbi xx
3)You can never know your lines too well
I know I just said that knowing your lines won't get you a role but it defiantly does help! The director needs to see that you are able to learn and deliver lines as that character otherwise there is no point in casting you. You need to know your lines like the back of your hand so that you are completely comfortable with them and can completely immerse yourself in the character. (I'm also going to be writing a blog post about how to memorize lines so look out for that)
4)Don't over think it
If you over think it then you end up freaking out about it and that leads to panacking and that is NOT good for an audition. You just have to remeber that this probably isn't make or break for you, there will be other auditions and you will have other oppertunities you've just got to try to make the best of this as you can and if it doesn't work out then that's okay and it's not the end of your acting dreams. Think of it this way, if the audition goes well then great! That's amazing! But if it doesn't then you'll have more experiance for next time and you'll know what went wrong and what went right. It's a win win.
5)Warm up
If you only take away one thing from this blog post, it should be to ALWAYS warm up before an audition especially if you are going to be singing. I can also do a blog post full of all the best warm ups to use before auditions and shows if you would like just tell me in the comments below but here are some of my personal favourites.
- Scales and arpeggios (an old classic XD)
- 'S' this is basically a breathing exercise to make sure that you are breathing correctly and are relaxed- if you are tense when singing it can mess up your vocals and that would not be good.
Also do some facial exercises to loosen your jaw, this helps your singing a lot trust me.
These are my top 5 tips for now, I am going to expand on this list though so keep watching this space! If you have any questions, comments or requests please put them in the comments below and I will reply to all comments :)
Break a leg
Abbi xx
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