The initial acting auditions are usually followed by callbacks.And then… The phone rings!
The actor’s has booked the role. The fun part of being an actor begins.
So let’s get started…
It can be frustrating to come out of acting school ready to put your acting talent to the test only to find you can’t get an acting audition. If you haven’t already done so, follow these steps to find an acting agent or manager, but don’t wait to have representation before you start looking for acting auditions. Even if you do have an agent or manager, you should still be looking for acting auditions on your own.
So how do you find acting auditions? By doing the same thing an agent does!
An agent submits to casting notices…
- Legit agents submit their clients through “Breakdown Services” every day. The Breakdowns are a list of casting notices for upcoming auditions acting agencies pay for. Of course, most of these notices are only available to agents, but Breakdown Services also has a website where free acting auditions notices are posted everyday for actors to view directly. The website is called Actors Access and lists casting calls in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as Texas, Florida and other regions throughout the country. You can even access auditions in Canada. All you need to do is to create a profile. Best of all, it’s free! You only pay to submit online!
- Actors Access is not the only actors’ access to acting auditions. Backstage newspaper has tons of New York and Los Angeles casting calls every week and you can find acting auditions everyday by subscribing on their website for a monthly fee. Other good acting audition websites are Now Casting and Casting Networks. These sites allow you to submit to auditions online for a monthly fee.
There are many scams out there to lure beginning actors who dream of making it big. Be very selective before paying for membership into a website that promises acting audition listings. No one can promise you auditions and you should never pay for a membership to a talent website because of such a promise. A good acting audition website should post several quality casting calls everyday (legit movie auditions, theater auditions and television auditions). A site that only has a few open casting calls for extras each week is not worth spending your money on!
An agent networks to find work for his clients…
He builds relationships with casting directors so that they will let him know about upcoming acting jobs and audition his clients.
And so should you!
Sign up for casting director workshops. These workshops usually start with a Q&A session with the casting director. After that, actors in the workshop are paired up to perform scenes. This is a great way to start building relationships with casting directors and to get feedback you wouldn’t get normally in an acting audition. Plus, if you’re right for a project the casting director is working on, you may get a call for an acting audition.
Another great way to get acting auditions is to intern at a casting director’s office. By offering to work for free for a day or two a week, you’ll also learn tons about the business of acting and the do’s and don’ts of auditioning. See if you can become a reader (the one who reads audition scenes with the actors during acting auditions). Interning at a theater or a film company is also a great way to network, learn the business and get auditions.
An agent stays ahead of the game…
How? By reading the trade papers and keeping up to date with who’s producing what.
Although casting websites are a great resource, many acting roles out there are never advertised. As an actor, you also won’t have access to a lot of casting notices that are reserved for agents’ eyes only.
Yet you too can get acting jobs by staying ahead of the game:
- Get a copy of the October issue of American Theatre Magazine (you can order a back issue anytime). Their season preview section lists the production schedules of every main theater in the country. You can also visit the magazine’s website and search theaters in your area. When there is an acting role that is right for you in a theater’s upcoming season, find out who is in charge of casting (by calling or browsing through the theater’s website) and submit your acting headshot and resume for the role you want.
- Find out which films are in development. You can get a list from the Screen Actors Guild if you’re a member or from a resource directory like Backstage's Call Sheet. You can also read the trade papers like Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. Listings of films in development usually include the contact information for the casting office. If you feel there may be an acting role for you in the film, go ahead and submit your acting picture and resume.
- If you’re starting an acting career, drop off your actor headshot and resume at every film school in the area. They will put in on file for student filmmakers to browse through when casting their short films.
Always make sure you label the envelope you submit your headshot and resume in with the name of the project and acting role you’re submitting for. Always label your headshot with the same information (you can use a post-it or address label). Casting directors get a lot of submissions and don’t have time for guessing work. Read on for more information on submitting for a role.
First, you’ll need an actor headshot and resume. A lot of your actor submissions will be online, so make sure you have graphic files of your headshot and a word document of your resume handy. Most websites for acting auditions allow you to first create a profile where you can upload your headshot and resume, select your age range and special skills. Some casting call websites will also let you create a default cover letter and upload other useful tools like your acting reel. Once you’ve done all the groundwork of creating your profile, you can usually submit to acting roles with one click of your mouse.
Sometime you won’t have the opportunity to submit to acting auditions online. Some casting directors require that a hard copy of your acting headshot and resume be sent to their address.
Don’t break the speed limit, but do try to get your submission to the casting director the same day the casting notice comes out. This is particularly true for commercial and TV auditions where the entire casting is usually done in a week. You may have to use a messenger service (there’s a special service for actor submissions in Los Angeles). In some cases, you may be able to drop off your submission (only do so if the casting director has a drop-off box for this purpose outside their office).
Speed is also of the essence in online actor submissions. Casting directors may only look at the first 100 submissions they receive, so visit websites for acting auditions early in the morning and regularly throughout the day so you don’t get cut off in the acting casting process.
Talking about speed… Don’t waste time on a long cover letter when submitting to acting auditions. Just label your acting photo and resume with the name of the character and play or movie or television show you want to be considered for. If you have a skill that makes you particularly right for the role or a recent highlight in your career, you can mention that, but be brief. For more on when and how to use acting cover letters, click here.
A quick Q&A about submitting to acting auditions…
- Should I submit to a role I’m “almost” right for? The character description fits you like a glove, except… the role calls for an 18-year old and your age range is late 20s. Don’t submit! It will only aggravate the casting director and ruin your chances of being called in the future for a part that is perfect for you. The only time you can bend those rules a little is when the casting is SO specific you know few actors will fit the bill.
- What does union and non-union mean? Most casting notices for acting auditions will usually mention if an acting role is union or non-union. Members of the Screen Actors Guild, Actors Equity and AFTRA can only audition for union roles. If you’re a beginning actor and not a member of any union yet, you can apply to both union and non-union roles (unless the casting notice specifies “union actors only”) but you’re more likely to get calls for non-union acting tryouts.
- How can I increase my chances of getting an acting tryout? If you are submitting to a TV or movie audition, submit an acting reel along with your headshot and resume or add a link to your website where a casting director can see your reel. Many casting websites will also allow you to send MP3 files for voice-over auditions. Also, don’t forget that you don’t need to submit to attend an open casting call.
Ring… Congratulations! You got a call. Time to schedule your acting audition.
You’ll get information about your upcoming acting audition from either your agent or manager or directly from the casting director’s office.
Don’t pick up the phone unless you’re prepared to write down all the information you’re given and have a calendar of your schedule handy. Better to let your answering service pick up then to rely on your memory for all the information you’ll need to prepare for your audition.
Here’s a list of the questions you should have the answer to by the time you hang up the phone:
- When and where you’ll be auditioning. Make sure you write down any special directions and parking instructions if you’re driving.
- What is required for the audition (audition monologue, cold reading, etc.) If you’ll be auditioning with a scene from the script, find out how you can get the sides. You will often be able to access the audition scenes online through a special website like Showfax. If not, make sure the casting director has your e-mail and fax number so they can send you your audition sides. Also find out if you can stop by to read the entire script and better prepare for your audition.
- Who you’ll be auditioning for. Will this be a pre-read with just the casting director (or an assistant casting director) or will the director and producer be present? Try to get the name of everyone who will be in the room.
- Anything else you should know about. If you’re talking to your agent, get any information he has on the project, casting director, producers and director. Also discuss with your agent things like how to approach the role and wardrobe choices.
A word about pre-reads. Sometimes when you submit to an acting audition you will get a call for a pre-read. That’s when a casting director who doesn’t know you wants to see you audition for them alone first to make sure you’re a good actor and right for the part. If they are happy with your audition monologues or scene, they will ask you to come back to the acting auditions in front of the producers and director.
What if the phone doesn’t ring?
If you’ve submitted to hundreds of acting auditions and are still not getting a call, consider getting a new actor headshot from a different headshot photographer. Also, if you’re starting an acting career, you may just not have enough credits on your actor resume. Click here for ideas on how to gain acting experience as a beginning actor.
Now you’ve scheduled your acting audition, it’s time to get to work:
- Get as much information about the acting role and project as you can. Casting websites keep track of your submissions for you, so you can review all the information in the original casting notice. But don’t stop there. If you’re auditioning for a published play, get a hold of the play and read it. If it’s a new work, film or television show, see if you can stop by the casting director’s office to read a draft. Read up on the subject the plot centers around.
- Also research the names of the director(s), producer(s), writer(s) and anyone else who will be at the audition. If you get a chance, watch their work. Also get familiar with the casting director you’re auditioning for. If you ever took a workshop with this casting director, review your notes. (Audition tip: See if you can dig up an interview they gave to a trade publication. Knowing their pet peeves and how they like to run a casting will be tremendously helpful come your audition day.)
- Work on your audition material. Make sure your audition monologues are timed right and appropriate for the acting role you’re auditioning for. If you have audition sides, try to work on them with a partner and memorize all audition scenes. Consider working on your acting audition pieces with an acting coach. This can be expensive, but it’s worth it for important acting auditions, plus you’ll be able to apply what you learn the next time around.
- Decide ahead of time what you’ll be wearing for the audition, and how you’ll do your hair and makeup. When possible, the idea is to suggest the part without going full out into wearing a costume.
Whether you go to acting school or not, making a stop at a good audition technique and cold reading class is one of the best things you can do for your acting career. A skilled auditioner will often get the part over a more talented actor who has skipped this essential step in his acting training.
OK, so there’s no way to guarantee you’ll get the part, but these acting audition tips will help you have a successful acting tryout and in the least get you called back for the next acting role you’re right for. If you have a film audition coming up, review our movie audition page.
If it's TV commercials you're interested in, here's some information on how to audition for commercials and how to get commercial auditions.
If you'll be auditioning with a monologue, make sure to also read these audition monologues tips.
6th STOP – What happens after the audition
Weather you feel your acting audition went well or not, the couple of days or week after an important audition can be nerve-wracking. You just walked out of the audition room... Take a few moments to go over your acting audition:
- Note anything that went well and things you need to work on.
- Write down any notes you got from the casting director, director or producer. These notes will come in handy if you get a callback.
- Make a note to call your acting agent the next day to get any feedback they received from the casting director.
- Keep a written record of your audition with information on the project and character you auditioned for, as well as the name of the casting director and anyone else present in the audition room. This is very useful for updates to agents and thank you notes to casting directors. To find out more about keeping an actor logbook, click here.
And now…
Stop! The best thing you can do after an audition is forget all about it. Spending hours or days double-guessing yourself or waiting for the phone to ring is counterproductive and not good for your self-confidence. Go over your acting audition once and start looking for the next casting call.
What happens now? One of 3 things:
- You book the acting job! All you need to do is jump up in the air a few times and work out the details with the casting director. You’ll be getting a lot of information (salary, rehearsal schedule, performance or shoot dates, fittings, etc.) so make sure you’re ready to jot it all down.
- You get a callback. This means you made it past the first round of auditions. A lot of things may be different at the acting callback, so make sure you ask all the same questions you asked for your initial audition. If you used audition monologues previously, you may now need to prepare audition scenes from the script. Most of the time, the producer and director will be at the callback. Click here for tips on acting callbacks.
- Nothing happens. It’s frustrating, but most of the time, if you don’t book an acting job, you’ll never know why. When an auditioner tells you, “We’ll let you know by Thursday”, it usually means, “If you don’t get a call by Thursday, you haven’t booked the job.” There are so many factors that go into why an actor doesn’t get a job. So many are out of your control. It could be something as simple as they decided to go with a brunette and you’re a blond, or a name actor is interested in the role, or you’re not what the writer envisioned. Whatever the case may be, if you gave a good audition, you will get a call for the next acting role that’s right for you, and that’s what really matters, building a career.
Weather your acting audition lands you a job or not, send an actor postcard to the casting director a few weeks after your acting audition. This quick thank you note will keep you fresh in the casting director’s mind and give you an opportunity to update them on any recent jobs you got or class you took. Also send follow-up postcards to any casting director you meet through a workshop or acting class.
What’s next? If you’re booking jobs through acting auditions, click here for ideas on how to snowball your acting successes into a long-term acting career.
Questions about Auditioning?
Get answers here!
If you have a question about acting auditions or auditioning technique, this is the place to get an answer. Just fill out the form below to create an actor help page dedicated to your question. You will receive an e-mail as soon as your question is answered. Before filling out the form, check out the questions other visitors have asked at the bottom of this page, along with answers provided.
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