Preparing for Your Next Audition: What’s Your Strategy and Audition Gameplan?
When I first got started in the industry over 30 years ago, I would get so excited when I had the chance to audition for a TV commercial. I couldn’t believe I actually had a chance to be on TV. Just the idea of it was so cool! And if I’m being honest, that feeling of excitement and gratefulness for opportunities to be on TV hasn’t gone away. But looking back on those times, it was clear, I didn’t have an audition strategy or an audition gameplan.
In the beginning of my career, here is the process I would follow for an audition:
- My agent would let me know I had gotten an audition
- Someone would send me the copy (the words to the commercial) prior to the audition
- I would frantically try to memorize the lines beforehand
- I would then walk into the casting directors office and read the lines I had memorized without thinking about much else besides trying to remember my lines
My audition preparation strategy was focused on memorizing the lines. After a year or two, I started to realize that the people who were consistently getting cast did a lot more in preparing then just memorizing lines.
It became clear to me that if I really wanted to have success as an actor, I needed to learn how to properly prepare before my audition. I needed to have a game plan, techniques and strategies to use prior to my audition instead of just going in with my lines memorized.
Looking smarter than I was when I first started off in the industry
So, I began studying with successful people. I purchased books written by people who booked a lot of jobs in the industry. I learned some really helpful techniques – and I also wasted money on books I thought would be good, but were written by people with little to none on-set job experiences.
One tiny but key concept I learned during this discovery period is something I use to this day:
- If you are auditioning for a TV commercial (or radio spot), find out if it is a 30 or 60 second commercial; having this information can make the difference between booking and not booking the commercial
- Once I learned the length of the spot, I knew that the pacing of my lines needed to have me say my last word at 27 or 28 seconds; that gives the producers time to add in any additional information into the commercial
- During my preparation, if I ended at 30 seconds, I knew I had to pick up the pace a little; and if it ended before 27 seconds, I needed to slow things down a bit
This is such a simple concept, but it can determine whether you book the job or not.
Crushing your auditions doesn’t require magic, you just need to have a strategy
How to Prepare for Your Next Audition
Whether you are just getting started or have been in the industry for a while, you need to have a solid game-plan for all auditions you attend. For any other profession, you wouldn’t go in to a job interview without a strategy – and acting is no different.
To help you come up with a checklist to dominate your auditions, I put together an online workshop called Secrets to Preparing for Auditions.
The online video will take the guess work out of auditioning and give you a specific structure, guidelines, tricks and secrets I and my special guest, acting coach Cathryn Hartt, have developed and use on a daily basis.
Here is a little bit about Cathryn and why she’s such a good person to learn from:
- Cathryn Hartt is a graduate of the Juilliard School and is the founder of the Hartt & Soul Studio
- Her career as an actress and coach has spanned over 50 years
- Among Ms. Hartt’s awards are Dallas’ Best Art School (as an acting coach), Best Theatrical School in Dallas, and the Backstage Choice Award for the Best Acting Coach in Texas
- She is currently an expert adviser columnist for Backstage.com
- Ms. Hartt’s clients include Morgan Fairchild (FRIENDS, FALCON CREST), Debby Ryan (JESSIE), Hunter Parrish (WEEDS), Brighton Sarbino (WALKING DEAD), Laya Hayes (voice of DOC MCSTUFFINS) and Cade Sutton (KIRBY BUCKETS)
What You Will Learn From the Preparing for Auditions Video:
- What every actor needs to do as soon as soon he/she gets the sides/copy (words for a TV commercial)
- How to best study and analyze the sides/copy
- What is the most important thing actors must do to prepare before an audition
- What questions all actors need to ask and NEVER ask during the audition
Bonuses (these must have bonuses are worth the entire investment of the video)!
When you order this video, you will receive two amazing bonuses:
- A 68-item check list guide you can use when preparing before an audition
- Over 30 web sites and list serves that will help you find auditions and jobs
And, you can watch the video and access the bonus materials 24/7 at your convenience.
Order the Video Now
If you like the Secrets to Preparing for Auditions video, you should check out my follow up Audition Secrets video (bonus: I’m giving you 50% off)!
Related Blog:
Do You Need to Memorize Your Lines for Your Audition
About the Author: Aaron Marcus
Aaron Marcus has been a full-time actor and commercial model for over 36 years.
His new book, How to Become a Successful Actor and Model is an Amazon Best Seller.
Aaron has given his seminar: "Book the Job" over 800 times spanning 3 continents.
He also offers online workshops.
Aaron saves 5 days each month to give private on-line coaching sessions.
Subscribe to his Acting and Modeling Quick Tips Channel and have free access to 270 + videos <ahttps://www.youtube.com/c/aaronmarcusactingandmodelingquicktips?sub_confirmation=1.