HOW YOU SHOULD PREPARE FOR AN AUDITON?

An article from Ms Sudha Lakkshmi – Originally published on TVTowner.com

AUDITION CALL??? – Oh shucks!!!! I’ve been asked to audition!!… Oh god. What should I do now?

Hey take a CHILL PILL

Now take that precious 2 minutes to read below.

So, now that you have been called to give an Audition?
Congrats on the 1 st Baby step you have taken – BE CONFIDENT

I have outlined the procedures that ONE needs to follow Step by Step to help you understand What an Audition is all about & how YOU as an actor need to prepare to DELIVER

Getting Ready: These are basic points that you need to Write down OR Ask

1. Where – Details of the address / venue / landmark – Where to attend / location/ map
2. When – Note down the date
3. What time – From What time to what time will the auditions take place? So that you can leave home well ahead in time for Traffic, time enough for you to run thru the script, time enough for you to mentally practise etc. Note: TIME MANAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT
4. Dress Code – What does the script demand you to wear? What does the Director want you to wear for the screen test? Dress Options available yes or no
5. Script – ask if there a script so that you can prepare or is this an adhoc audition? (On the spot)
   
   

Once you have this above information in hand, NOW let’s prepare you

1. In case, you are being sent the SCRIPT well in advance, then 10% of the test is over.
2. In case, it’s an adhoc / on the spot kind of audition – then FIRST understand “what is the CHARACTER” that you have been called to Audition FOR.

1. Script received in advance –
   • Reading – Now that you have got the script, read thru the entire lines slowly & carefully. Make sure that you do not leave out any single comma, full stop, exclamation mark etc. These are nuances to understand how to react / express. You have to visualise the script in your head as if the actual film is running in front of your eye.
   • Character – Analyse – who are you going to act as? If references are given as example then, you can visualise the behaviour of the character or even Google / youtube reference it.
   • Dialogue – Pronunciation, delivery and grammar. Give importance you give to the Reading & Understanding the Character to Dialogue Delivery. Hence speak the words clearly & loudly & slowly. Check if the pronunciation is correct & give importance to grammar & diction.
   • Preparation to Enact – Now that you have an idea of the Character and you also have the script, now PREPARE

      

2. Read the Script once, twice, thrice. Read the lines, of what you are saying, whom are you saying to, when are you saying what, and what is the other person’s reactions etc. (U should get an idea of the scenario, background, where and what etc) once you have gone thru the script more than once
3. Don’t memorize the dialogues instantly. Give it a reading once, understand the context & the situation. Read it a second time, a third time, so that by now you know most of the lines and words. Then try to rehearse these lines in FRONT OF THE MIRROR. If not, say the LINES LOUDLY. Once, twice, thrice. Remember Practise makes HUMAN perfect.

    

Now that you have “What you have to say” part of it ready, let’s prepare for the FINAL part – Enacting it!

– Stand in front of the Mirror. Relax yourself, calm your mind.

– Smile wildly into the Mirror, a few poses of MR Bean will RELAX you

– Start talking to the Mirror as if you were a mental. Now, you are slowly getting into Character.

– Say the Script lines into the Mirror. React into the Mirror. Do you like what you see? NO! React into the Mirror again. Do you like what you see? Ah I can do much better than this? Try again, now am sure you got the CATCH & FEEL of it.

– Move out of the Mirror. Say the dialogues & express it the way you want it to be out loudly. Do it once, twice, thrice. Remember Practise makes HUMAN perfect.

Am sure, you have WARMED UP to the character by now. Here comes the next test. Pull out your Mobile phone or camera. Keep it ON in the Self VIDEO shooting MODE.

– Enact the script once, ASSUMING you have someone in front of you. This is what we call GHOST ASSUMPTION.

– Now that its video recorded, play it once and see. You can do it again better right?

– Do it once more. Keep repeating this two more times. So now that you have a hang of it. You can always delete the videos.

2. ADHOC Audition

This is a Situation, where, you do not get the script in advance. You are given the scenario and dialogue or script at the last moment on the spot.

In such situations, ASK for TIME to prepare. ASKING to understand what you need to act is more important. So ask, about the character, scenario, what is the relevance / context of the scene, whom are you talking to etc. What levels of expressions are required – as in Aggressive, Humorous, Fear, Sad? The more details you have, makes it easy for you.

Go thru the scene in your head – once, twice, thrice. U got an idea. Try enacting it out once without going in for the FINAL TAKE. This is what we call as – MONITORING. Enact it out a 2nd & 3 rd time. By the 3 rd practise, you are Confident. Let’s go for the take. Remember the more you Practise the more better you become.

The 1 st time should NEVER BE the LAST TIME. So you can always IMPROVISE on your previous attempt AND give VARIATIONS.

Please keep these points in mind as well:

– Be confident & relaxed.

– Give importance to: Dialogue delivery, Timing, What you are wearing, To the person who has called you to audition and IMPORTANT of all, BE yourself. Don’t be too over confident.

All the best