10 Common Audition Mistakes That Casting Directors Hate

Learn and Avoid the 10 Audition Mistakes Actors Make That Casting Directors Hate

After 40+ years working as a full-time actor, I’ve sat across from and talked to enough casting directors to know exactly what makes them cringe.

Some of these mistakes will surprise you. A few of them I learned the hard way myself. All of them are fixable once you know what they are.

Respond On Time

1. Make sure you respond to your agent or casting director even if you are not going to shoot the audition. And, make sure the audition gets uploaded on time.

Make Sure You Are Right For the Role

2. Don’t submit for roles that aren’t right for you. If the description is clearly not your type, pass on the audition.

Always Have a Reader

3. Always have a reader and make sure they can be heard, don’t overpower your voice, and if they are not an actor, ask them to read the lines “dead.”

Sound and Lighting Must Be Good

4. Make sure your lighting and sound are clear and sharp. Don’t have shadows or things in the background that are distracting the casting director from looking at you. The sound needs to be very clear so you are easily understood (as well as the reader.)

Shoot Your Audition In A Horizontal Format

5. Always shoot your film and TV audition horizontally.  This is how directors view films and watch TV, so allow them to see you audition in that format.

Edit Your Audition Properly

6. Always edit the beginning and end of the audition so people only see the audition. Don’t allow them to view you getting prepared or stopping the recording of the audition.

Follow The CD’s Instructions

7. Follow the casting directors instructions and slate exactly how you were instructed. One tip that you will see in the video is: instead of saying I am reading for the role of ???, instead say you are that character. For example, “My name is Aaron Marcus and reading for the role of Dr. Barnes.”  Instead, try, “My name is Aaron Marcus, and I am Dr. Barnes.”

Beware Of Social Mistakes

8. If you are in a casting directors office, don’t offer to shake their hand. Not everyone likes that and as you will see in the video, I learned that the hard way.

Your Wardrobe is Important

9. Don’t wear costumes for the character you are reading for. If your character is a police officer, don’t wear a uniform. Instead, imply the look by wearing a blue shirt. This can be insulting to the casting director.

Don’t Mime During An Audition

10. Don’t mime during your audition. People will stop watching your performance and begin looking at your mime technique. You can indicate things with your body language.

The Mistake Underneath All The Mistakes

Here’s what I want you to take away from this list. Most of these errors have nothing to do with your acting ability. They’re about professionalism, preparation, and respect for the casting director’s time.

Casting directors see hundreds of auditions. The ones that stand out aren’t always the most talented performances — they’re the ones where the actor clearly did their homework, followed the instructions, and made the casting director’s job easier instead of harder.

Fix these 10 things and you’re giving yourself your best chance for success.

Do You Know About Any Audition Mistakes?

If you have ever made an audition mistake or know of any, share your experience in the comment section of the YouTube Channel page.

Another Helpful Video to Watch

7 Unbelievably ways to Prepare Before Your Next Audition For Powerful Results
Click Here to Watch

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ACTING AND MODELING QUICK TIPS CHANNEL

Continuing to learn about the industry is essential to having success. That is why spending time watching helpful acting, modeling and industry related videos is so important.

You should Subscribe to the channel and click the notification bell. This way you will always know when a new videos has been uploaded.

LIKE AND SHARE THE LINK

If you find a video helpful, LIKE IT. This is a great way to let others know the video has value. And, share the link with fellow actors.
https://www.youtube.com/c/aaronmarcusactingandmodelingquicktips

The point of having the acting and modeling quick tips channel is to build a community of actors and models sharing information and helping each other.

I look forward to talking with you again soon.
Aaron
#theactorcareercenter