In this article
- Before the audition
- 1. Read the whole casting notice
- 2. Find out what the project is and who is casting
- 3. Understand the text before you memorize it
- 4. Dress to suggest the character, without wearing a costume
- During the audition
- 5. Arrive early and be kind to everyone
- 6. Slate clearly and briefly
- 7. Listen to the direction and apply it
- 8. Manage your energy: a clear voice and precise gestures
- 9. If you make a mistake, keep going
- After the audition
- 10. Say thanks and leave calmly
- 11. Write down what happened and stay available
- 12. Let go of the result and keep applying
- Frequently asked questions
Quick answer: to get an edge in an audition, read the casting notice closely, understand the text, dress simply, arrive early, apply the direction you get and write everything down when you leave.
Getting cast depends on things you don’t control, like the exact profile the production is looking for or how you match with the rest of the cast. What is in your hands is how you show up, how you work those minutes in front of the camera and what you do when you leave. That’s your edge: arriving with everything sorted so that all you have left to do is act.
These 12 tips follow the order in which you’ll go through the audition: before, during and after. Almost all of them work just as well if the audition is a video recorded at home.
Before the audition
A good part of the audition is decided before you walk into the room. The more of the predictable details you have sorted, the more attention you have left for the scene.
1. Read the whole casting notice
Before you send anything, read the notice from start to finish: what profile they want, what materials they ask for, in what format, by when, and whether the audition is in person or recorded. If they ask for two photos and a short video, send exactly that, with the file name they indicate. Following instructions already shows you’re someone who is easy to work with.
If they ask for a specific skill (an accent, a sport, an instrument), be honest about your level. And if you don’t have your materials ready yet, this guide to preparing your audition materials helps you organize your resume, headshots and reel.
2. Find out what the project is and who is casting
With the name of the project, the brand or the production company, you can get a sense of the tone. If it’s a commercial, watch the brand’s previous ads to see what kind of acting they choose. If it’s a series or a movie, look up the director’s earlier work.
That search also helps you confirm the call is legitimate. If they ask you for money, if nobody says who is organizing it or if something feels off, go over these signs to spot a fake casting call before going any further.
3. Understand the text before you memorize it
If you get the scene ahead of time (in the US, those pages are called sides), read it several times and answer four questions: who is your character, what do they want, who are they talking to and what happened right before. With that clear, the lines stick more easily and, if you lose a word, you can keep going because you know where the scene is heading.
Knowing the text well lets you look up from the page and play with your scene partner or the camera. If they give it to you on the spot, ask for a few minutes to read it calmly. If the notice asks for a monologue of your choice, find a short one close to your age: our guide to monologues for auditions has original pieces to practice with.
4. Dress to suggest the character, without wearing a costume
Clothes help whoever is watching picture you in the role. For an office character, a plain shirt is enough; for an athlete, comfortable workout clothes. Avoid big prints, logos and accessories that make noise: they distract on camera and get picked up by the microphone.
If the notice asks for specific clothing, follow it. And try to look like your photos, with the same hairstyle and natural makeup: they called you in for that image.
During the audition
The audition starts when you walk through the door of the building, well before the camera turns on.
5. Arrive early and be kind to everyone
Plan to arrive a little early: it gives you room for the unexpected, for going to the bathroom and for reviewing the text without rushing. Bring your pages printed out, your ID, water and a phone with a charged battery.
Whoever greets you, whoever takes your information and the other actors are all part of the day too. Say hello, be kind and avoid competing: the person waiting next to you today could be your scene partner tomorrow.
6. Slate clearly and briefly
It’s common for the audition to start with a slate, an on-camera introduction: your name, sometimes your age or height, and whether you have an agent. Look at the camera, speak in your everyday voice and smile if it comes naturally. Practice it at home until it flows, because it’s the first thing they see of you.
If they ask for profiles or a full-body shot, turn slowly and hold each position for a few seconds.
7. Listen to the direction and apply it
When whoever is running the audition asks you to repeat the scene with a different shade, it’s often not because you did it wrong: they want to see whether you can adjust. Listen to the whole note, ask one specific question if something wasn’t clear and really try the change, even if it feels strange.
If you have a different idea, offer it after doing what they asked. And if they ask you to improvise, these tips for improvising in an audition help you practice beforehand.
8. Manage your energy: a clear voice and precise gestures
Speak in a firm voice that can be understood, even if the room is small. The voice is one of your main tools, and nerves tend to shrink it.
On camera, less is more: a small gesture looks huge in a close-up. Avoid moving for the sake of moving, touching your face or swaying. If you feel tense, breathe out slowly before you start and plant your feet firmly on the floor: a steady posture conveys confidence.
9. If you make a mistake, keep going
Forgetting a line or getting tripped up happens to everyone. Whoever is watching also observes how you handle the mistake: whether you stay inside the scene, whether you improvise something coherent or whether you fall apart.
If the mistake threw you out completely, ask to start over with a short sentence, without apologizing several times or explaining what happened.
After the audition
What you do on your way out counts too, for this audition and for the next ones.
10. Say thanks and leave calmly
Say goodbye with a simple thank you, gather your things and go. Asking “How did I do?” or “Did I get it?” makes the person who evaluated you uncomfortable, since they usually have many people to see. If they tell you when they’ll be in touch, respect that timeline.
11. Write down what happened and stay available
When you get home, write in a notebook or on your phone what they asked for, what direction they gave you, what went well and what you want to improve. Over time, that record shows you patterns that are hard to see in the moment.
Keep your phone handy in the following days. If they call you for a callback (a second round of the audition), those notes will help: they usually ask you to repeat what you did with some adjustment.
12. Let go of the result and keep applying
Auditions usually draw many people for just a few roles, and the choice depends on things beyond your acting: the age they need the character to look, the resemblance to another member of the cast or a change in the script. Being passed over often comes down to a very specific request rather than to how you acted. Knowing your physique du rôle, the match between your look and the characters you can play, helps you understand those decisions.
Each audition adds hours in front of the camera, and that practice is what gives you ease. Check the active castings, choose the ones that fit your profile and keep applying.
If you’d rather watch than read, in this video from our channel (in Spanish) we talk about how to do a good audition, whether for acting, commercials or modeling.
Frequently asked questions
What do they ask you to do in an audition?
It depends on the project, but the usual is a short on-camera introduction and a short scene with a text they send you beforehand or give you on the spot. They may also ask for an improvisation or, in commercials, an action without lines. The test itself is called an audition, although there is a difference between casting and audition: casting is the whole selection process.
Do I have to memorize the lines?
If they sent the text to you with time to spare, ideally you know it well enough to look up from the page. Many auditions accept holding the pages, but if the notice asks you to come off book (memorized), respect that.
What should you wear to an audition?
Simple, comfortable, solid-colored clothes that suggest the character without turning into a costume. Avoid prints, big logos and accessories that make noise, and follow any wardrobe instructions in the casting notice.
How long does it take to hear back after an audition?
It varies by production: sometimes you hear in a few days and other times weeks go by. Some productions only contact the people who move on to the next round, so it’s best to keep applying while you wait.
Comments
Join the conversation
Create a free account or log in to comment and earn +15 XP for every approved comment.
✓ Free · ✓ No spam · ✓ Earn XP and rank up