Archive for the ‘acting auditions’ Category

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Use Your Headshot

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

Bottom line – without a headshot, you won’t be remembered at an acting audition. The issue of headshots is paramount,  whether you are on casting calls or auditions.

The financial burdens of acting auditions can be great, especially when making your first foray into the business.

So why on earth is the standard 8×10 headshot in black and white? Surely colour would be more advantageous? The history of the headshot is an entirely different beast, and has all sorts of interesting links back to the various heydays of acting (it tends to depend on who you ask).

Essentially, the black and white headshot is a must because of its simplicity and standard format. There’s only so much re-jigging that can be done to a standard headshot, thus its appeal to casting professionals, as it shows a true reflection of what you actually look like.

Some quick tips:

- When posing, be natural and true to your look – a major frustration for casting personnel is when a headshot is only vaguely reminiscent of you.

- Smile! It’s the standard practice, and with the amount of people passing through auditions and casting calls, non-standard headshots tend to be tossed aside.

- Also, make sure that you consult several different photographers to get an idea of what their packages include, and to try and get the best deal.

Remember, you need to be 18 years and over to use our service (£1.50 per text with a maximum of 3 texts per week).

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Acting Auditions For The Record

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

It is easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment with acting auditions. Whether they went well, or not so well, it can sometimes be hard to remember anything more about them. But if you’re serious about your acting career, you would do well to keep a more balanced view of your auditions.

An audition is often a tense and difficult experience. In order to understand what you have gone through, try to analyze where you think you did well, and where you think you went wrong. Make a note of your thoughts. Be as objective as you can about yourself.

No two auditions are the same. If there were elements you liked or disliked about an audition, or aspects that stood out particularly for you, keep a note of these also. For stage auditions, much will depend on the style of the director himself. Try to assess why she or he auditions in a particular way. Keep a note of their name, the production and the date.

After a few auditions, you will begin to build up a picture of your experiences and your technique. You will be clearer about what you have to offer, and about what might be expected of you in future auditions. All of this helps you in your attempts to ‘land the next part.’

At Audition Now, we text you the latest work opportunities direct to your mobile phone: we’re doing our bit to help you land your next part.

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Preparing For Acting Auditions

Monday, August 30th, 2010

There is more you need when going into acting auditions than just a prayer and a rabbit’s foot. As in an actual performance, consistent success depends on the input of a lot of hard work. As the American inventor Thomas Edison said, ‘Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.’ So it is with preparing for your next acting audition.

When you are called to auditions, try to find out as much as you can about the people you are auditioning for: the more you know, the readier you will be to face them.

You can never be too prepared with your audition pieces: try to ensure you have a sufficient contrast between at least two pieces that should together last no more than five minutes. You may be asked to perform the pieces in a different way, and you will feel confident about this if you know the pieces really well: this is where the ‘perspiration’ really pays off.

Your CV (resume) should be up-to-date and clearly laid out on one single sheet of A4. You should also be ready to hand in a professionally prepared 10×8 portrait headshot. This is an expense, but if the likeness of you is good, it may prove to be an invaluable aide-memoire for the audition panel after the auditions are finished.

Here at Audition Now, we too are working hard finding out about the latest work opportunities, and texting them direct to your mobile phone so you don’t miss your big break.

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The Emotional Ups And Downs Of Acting Auditions

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

All acting work requires a considerable degree of stamina, even for those who have just a few lines to say over a whole evening. Few stop to think how much emotional stress can also be involved. Mostly, this is because of the uncertainty of a live performance. There is however the curious paradox that actors may feel most insecure about themselves when they are enjoying their greatest success.

The great British actor Sir Alec Guinness once described acting as ‘happy agony’ and he may be referring to this paradox of mixed feelings. It is certainly odd that what are very painful experiences for actors in professional situations, may also be the work experiences that are the most rewarding for them.

This is not dissimilar to what many actors feel in acting auditions. Here, the confidence that an actor may gain from a four-week rehearsal period, is not available: he or she has just minutes to create a rapport with the audition panel.

This is an acute form of ‘happy agony’. At this most testing time, when you feel most vulnerable and insecure, you may very well feel empowered to give of your best. To ensure this, of course, you have to be extremely well prepared. But the satisfaction of a good audition, despite the anxieties, can itself be very rewarding.

Here at Audition Now we keep you informed of all the latest acting auditions; helping you into those situations where you can give your best.

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Timing At Your Acting Auditions

Friday, August 20th, 2010

Good timing is an important part of good acting, but it is not just about delivering a line, or getting a laugh. Getting your timing right applies as much to mundane things like not being late for your next acting auditions, or even being in the right place at the right time.

Another important rule is not to outstay your welcome. As the Bard says. ‘Brevity is the soul of wit.’ There is nothing worse for an audition panel than to feel that an auditionee has run out of ‘tricks’ but is still hogging the limelight.

When you come to choose your pieces for auditions, you must consider how to offer contrasting styles of performance, whether tragic and comic, or classical and contemporary; you should also think about how to keep the speeches brief. The optimum is to offer material that displays a wide range of expression or of emotion, in a relatively short space of time. This derives from the old stage rule that it is better to have your public wanting to see more of you, than to have them wanting to see the back of you.

There are many little ways in which you can tweak your audition material to your advantage – keeping it brief is just one example – and help yourself enjoy the audition process. Here at Audition Now we also think timing is important. We keep you up-to-date with all the latest acting opportunities by texting them direct to your mobile phone.

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Making An Impression At Acting Auditions

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

As well as taking along some prepared speeches for your acting auditions, you need to be able to supply both a CV and a headshot of yourself, so that your audition panel can easily recall both your experience and your looks.

It is worth putting care into your portrait photo. Usually it will be a 10×8 black and white picture of you from the shoulders up. This is not something you should leave to a friend to take: a professional not only helps compose the picture successfully, but he or she will also help you to relax and look your best. A tip: as you look direct into the camera lens, imagine yourself looking ‘through’ the camera and greeting an old friend: this is known to give warmth to a person’s expression, and will have a striking effect on audition panels.

A professional will perhaps be able to advise you on what to wear, as well as giving you guidance on accenting your unique facial characteristics. It can be useful to replicate the portrait to postcard size, with your name and contact details on the front, to send out as invitations to see your latest work, whether to agents or casting directors. This is another reason to ensure that the portrait is of the highest quality. You want your image of yourself to last.

At Audition Now, we help you access all the latest acting auditions so that your talent and looks can make a lasting impression.

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Being Vocal At Your Acting Auditions

Monday, August 16th, 2010

Different actors have different special talents – some have a gift for mimicry, others have a lot of physical skills – but all depend for their success at acting auditions on the effectiveness of their voice.

For auditions, you are often required to perform a soliloquy of your own choosing. You may even be required to perform two, preferably contrasting. There is much you can prepare in the way of interpretation, but have you thought how much more you could achieve by developing your vocal technique? Plenty of opportunities exist to help you expand your vocal repertoire, such as special courses, or specialised publications – you may even want to take singing lessons – but nothing can improve on constant regular practice, so that you develop complete control over how your voice works.

It was the famous British stage actor Donald Sinden who said, ‘An actor who knows his business ought to be able to make the London telephone directory sound enthralling.’ This is admittedly the very particular view of acting as stagecraft, but it is nonetheless true that honing your vocal skills will help you stand out from the crowd. This applies not only to your prepared pieces but also to the unprepared cold reading at auditions.

At Audition Now, we keep you informed of all the latest acting auditions that are coming up; we also offer a support service if you need pointers for developing your skills, and other guidance on exploiting your talents, and on advancing your career.

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Making Acting Auditions Work For You

Friday, August 13th, 2010

If you are starting out on an acting career, you may be in some doubt about choosing which acting auditions to go to. There are many different types of work, from extras work for which you will be paid, but which may not be as fulfilling for you, through small-scale profit-share projects, up to one of the major theatre companies or even the West End.

The old maxim of the stage is that you judge projects by three tests. Whether they are interesting or fun, whether they bring you glory or fame, and whether they pay well. Traditionally, any project you consider should answer ‘yes’ to at least two of these tests. Therefore, it would be a mistake to reject out of hand the possibility of work on a small-scale project, and certainly you should try to get to audition for such work. After all, a long West End run can end up as stifling and tedious as a 9 to 5 office job, so even if it does offer financial security, it may not be the type of work you want to do.

You should keep your options open till after you have auditioned. You can learn a lot about the people and the credibility of a project in the audition itself.

Here at Audition Now we keep you up to date with all the latest acting auditions, texting you direct to your mobile phone, we help you access all the most varied and interesting stage, film and TV work on offer.

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Stage Or Screen For Acting Auditions?

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

A trained actor has little difficulty in adapting his or her performance style to suit the medium of stage or screen. The trick of minimising a performance to make it ‘fit’ the screen, or of getting used to the portrayal of a role through hundreds of short ‘takes’ is easily learned, and if you have had the right training opportunities, it’s a process that you should be used to.

To make the most of your acting auditions, and to increase your opportunities for work, you should be ready to try for both stage and screen work. Very often film and TV companies require their auditioning actors to have a screen test, by which they can assess a performer: usually you will be given just a few lines, perhaps as part of a dialogue. You will rarely be asked to perform something of your own.

If you are auditioning for film or TV, then you should have a chance to find out about the project, and this will mean you can prepare yourself: be ready for your audition panel to ask you to change your appearance, as a way of their exploring your potential for the screen.

Being adaptable to different performance media will give you more chances to get work. Here at Audition Now, we offer a comprehensive range of acting auditions that could get you work in TV or in film or onstage. If you have the talent we can help you exploit it to the full.

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Never Too Many Acting Auditions

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Now that the summer festivals season is drawing to a close, it is time to make sure you get lined for work into the autumn and beyond.

Many new work opportunities come up at this time of year, and to be sure of maximising your chances, you need to access as many acting auditions as you can. It is a good time also to take a fresh look at your resume, and make sure you are presenting your skills and experience in the most eye-catching way. Don’t forget to include details of where you have recently worked, and also who you have worked with. The acting profession is like a club, and it can help you considerably if people know who you have worked with in the past.

You should also reassess your material for auditions. Perhaps you need to learn new pieces, particularly in the light of recent work, and you should certainly consider what you have learned from that experience. You may not always agree with directors you have worked with in the past, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help you understand where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Being directed by someone you don’t like can tell you more about yourself than you might expect.

The important thing is to get to as many auditions as you can. This is where we at Audition Now can be very helpful. With our up-to-the-minute texting information service, you can be confident that you will miss none of the latest acting auditions.

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