Acting : Auditions for Actors by Mario Leone

The First Audition

Auditioning is a nerve-wracking experience for the actor, and it's your job to make them feel as comfortable as possible. The more comfortable the actor or actress, the better the performance, and the better the performance, the more of their skill level you will see.

• Beginning the audition - When you're ready for the first audition, have one of the production assistants from the waiting area bring the first actor to the audition room. When the actor enters, greet them, take his audition form and headshot, and thank him for coming. Always be polite and courteous; these actors are taking time out of their schedules to come to your audition with the hopes of helping you getting a role. Be appreciative and respectful of that.

• The monologue - After the introductions, if you require a monologue of the actors, ask the actor to begin and watch for body language and believability. In major cities like Los Angeles and New York, experienced actors rarely, if ever, use monologues for auditions and are accustomed to performing a dry read of the script. Monologues are valuable for seeing an actor perform a piece with which he is comfortable.

• The first read - After about thirty 30 seconds, stop the actor, even if he's not finished with the monologue, and give him a two-page scene from a script other than from the movie you're casting for. Some directors don't like to use the script from the movie, as this may give the actor they're auditioning a premature idea of the character. Character development should happen between the director and the actor in a rehearsal setting, not the audition. Instead, use a script from another movie with a similar tone, characters, and dialogue similar to those of the film you're casting for. Briefly introduce the scene and explain what is happening:, "You are playing the role of the factory worker, Joe who just left work and just found out he's been laid off. This scene takes place in the diner across the street from the factory between Joe and his old friend, Jean, the waitress." After the actor briefly reads over the script, have them perform the scene. Watch for realism and spontaneity in the performance.

• Give direction - After the scene is finished, ask the actor to perform the scene again, this time changing the approach to how he accepts direction: "Try it again, but this time, instead of being laid off, you just received a $5,000.00 bonus." Watch carefully to see how well the actor takes last-minute direction, how he changes his approach, and if he successfully incorporates your new direction into the scene. This is an important skill for the actor to have because there are often directorial changes on set to which the actor must quickly adjust.

• Wrap up - After the second read, thank the actor and, if you feel he may be right for the part, give him a flyer for the call back, or second audition, the following week. Be sure to have the second auditions already scheduled so you can invite actors to it during the first audition. If you don't like his or her performance, thank the actor for coming in and politely let them know that you will be notifying them of the audition results. Have a production assistant draft a friendly e-mail and send it to the actors you did not choose. Be sure to thank them for their time, as you may work with them in the future and don't want to burn any bridges. In Los Angeles and New York, producers hardly ever notify actors who are not called back.

• The next actor - Once the actor leaves, the production assistant from the waiting area should bring in the next person. Each audition should last about five minutes and is designed for you to quickly determine if you could see each actor as one of the characters.