In this article
- What does it mean to get a callback?
- How to prepare for a callback: 6 tips
- 1. Keep the essence of your first audition
- 2. Wear the same look
- 3. Manage your nerves
- 4. Show your range if they ask for it
- 5. Find out if the callback is paid
- 6. If you don’t book it, the callback still counts
- Frequently asked questions
Quick answer: A callback is the second round of auditions: the casting team invites back the actors on its shortlist before making a final decision. If you get one, it’s a great sign, because your audition stood out. The role is still up for grabs, so it’s worth preparing well.
The name says exactly what happens: they call you back for another look. It’s one of the stages of casting, the process that starts with the casting call and ends with the final choice; if the terms get mixed up, review the difference between casting and an audition.
Plenty of actors may audition in the first round. Out of all of them, the casting director and the creative team pick a small group, the ones closest to what they’re looking for in the character, and bring them back in: that’s the callback.
What does it mean to get a callback?
It means something about you (your look, your acting, your energy, the way you inhabited the character) caught the director’s attention enough to want to see you again. It’s one of the best pieces of news you can get during the casting process.
That said, a callback isn’t the role yet. You’re in the home stretch, competing with a much smaller group of actors who also made it past the first round, and the decision is still open. Depending on the production, there may even be more rounds before the final choice, such as a chemistry read with other actors.
How to prepare for a callback: 6 tips
Everything that works for any audition applies here too, and we cover it in these audition tips. But the callback has a rule of its own: what you did in the first round already worked, so your job is to build on it.
1. Keep the essence of your first audition
This is the most important tip. They called you back because they liked something you did. Avoid showing up with a completely different take just to surprise them: deepen and refine what you already showed, instead of throwing it out and starting from scratch.
2. Wear the same look
If you can, repeat the outfit and hairstyle from the first round. The casting team has an image of you in mind and wants to confirm it; a drastic change can disconnect them from that memory.
If the callback is remote and they ask for a video, the same applies: same outfit, same hair, same energy. To make the recording work in your favor, follow the steps to record a self-tape.
3. Manage your nerves
It’s normal for a callback to make you more nervous than the first round: being this close adds pressure. Before you go in, breathe, warm up your body and voice, and remember you earned your spot. They already picked you once.
4. Show your range if they ask for it
At a callback they may ask you to play the same scene a different way, explore other emotions or improvise. That doesn’t mean what you did before was wrong: the director wants to see your range and how you take direction. Stay open and, if improvising is hard for you, practice with these tips to improvise in an audition.
5. Find out if the callback is paid
It depends on the country, the contract and the type of job. In Argentina, for example, commercial callbacks are paid even if you don’t book the job, as long as you were called in. That’s set by the collective agreement of the Asociación Argentina de Actores y Actrices (AAA), the country’s actors’ union, whose pay scale fixes the amount.
In the US, union contracts have their own audition rules, so if you’re a member of SAG-AFTRA, check with your agent or the union. Otherwise, ask the agency or the production before you go. You’ll find more details in our guide to commercial auditions.
6. If you don’t book it, the callback still counts
Missing out after a callback is far from a failure: you made it to the final round of a competitive process. The casting director now knows your face and your work, and may keep you in mind for future projects. In the meantime, keep submitting to other open casting calls.
Tip: After a callback, whatever the outcome, you can send a short, professional thank-you note to the casting director or the agency. It’s a simple gesture that builds long-term relationships in the industry.
Frequently asked questions
What is a callback in acting?
It’s the second round of auditions. The casting team invites back the actors who interested them most in the first round, to see them in more detail and decide who gets the role. Getting one is a very positive sign: your look and your work fit what they’re looking for.
Are callbacks paid?
It depends on the country, the contract and the type of job. In Argentina, the actors’ union collective agreement says commercial callbacks are paid even if you aren’t chosen, as long as you were called in. In the US, union contracts set their own audition rules, so ask your agent, SAG-AFTRA or the production before you go.
How do I prepare for a callback?
Keep the essence of what you did in the first round, because that’s what the casting team liked. Show up with the same look and the same core interpretation, with more depth and confidence, and be ready to try changes if they ask. And manage your nerves: they already picked you once.
How many actors go to a callback?
It depends on each project, so it’s hard to give a number. What’s certain is that the group is much smaller than in the first round, because only the shortlisted actors for each role come back. That’s why getting a callback is an achievement in itself.
If I get a callback, do I have the role?
You’re close, but the role isn’t yours yet. A callback means you’re on the shortlist, but the final decision is still open and other actors may be up for the same part. Even so, it’s a very positive sign, because it confirms that your look and your work fit the character.
What should I do if I don’t book the role after a callback?
Take it as a step forward: you made it to the final round and the casting director now knows your work. Send a short note to the casting director or the agency thanking them for the opportunity, keep your materials up to date and keep submitting, because they may keep you in mind for another project.
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