Audition Like a Professional

When you go to an audition, what's your goal? If you said, "To get the part," you're only partially right. Auditions are an opportunity to accomplish several goals at once. Sure, you want the part. But you should also be aiming to build your reputation as a talented professional, foster relationships with casting directors and their assistants, and hone your auditioning skills.

Follow these audition tips, and turn casting auditions into multitasking opportunities:

Foster relationships:

· Be nice to assistants. Today's assistant is tomorrow's casting director, so be careful not to burn any bridges. Avoid snapping or otherwise being rude.

·Ask people about their projects—and listen when they talk! But only do this if you're truly curious. People hate brown-nosers, but they appreciate genuine interest.

Nurture your reputation:

·Be confident. An actor who expresses his opinion with assurance yet keeps an open mind and listens to others will come across as charismatic and together.

·Be on time and reliable. Be supportive of other people, including rival actors. Communicate when you have a problem. Refrain from gossiping.

·Keep your inner diva in check. We know the film business is full of spoiled brats, but nobody likes working with them.

Hone your auditioning skills:

·Adapt the character to you. Film auditions are about naturalness. If you try too hard to get a certain image of the character across, you'll end up overacting.

·Stick to the information in the script. Don't look for hidden meanings or motivations in your lines. Play the part straight, and trust your abilities.

By having several goals when you audition, you'll stay positive, build your reputation, and improve with each rejection. And oh — you'll land some parts, too!