Introduction to Auditions

Auditions

You can think of auditions as how actors get roles. Auditions are the casting process. When you audition, you’ll typically perform a monologue or a scene from a play, film, or TV show in front of a casting director or a panel of people involved in the production, or via a self-tape - which we’ll touch on more soon.

The purpose of an audition is to determine whether you have the necessary skills, talent, and look for the role, and whether you can take direction from the production team. You may think of auditions as cutthroat, with many actors vying for a limited number of roles, but this outlook can harm your confidence and performance.

In reality, auditioning is how you build your skills as an actor and build relationships with casting directors and other creatives in the industry. For example, Tom Hanks got his first major role in Splash after auditioning for Ron Howard, who later cast him in Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind. Auditioning also helped him develop his versatility and range as an actor. So don’t let auditions intimidate you. They are opportunities to showcase your talent, learn new skills, and network with industry professionals. The more you audition, the better you’ll get at it. And who knows, maybe one day you’ll land your dream role!

Conclusion

There are many factors that go into casting decisions, including availability, chemistry with other actors, and the director’s vision for the production; so you should remember that even if you don’t get the role, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad actor.

However, while auditions can lead to acting jobs, they can also be discouraging and disappointing with the wrong mindset. It’s important to approach each opportunity with a realistic perspective and to maintain a positive attitude, regardless of the outcome. An acting career is built over the course of hundreds if not thousands of opportunities, it’s never about any one job.

We’ll take a deep dive into the audition process later in this course and show you what steps you can take to improve your chances of getting a callback.