How to Make the Most (not totally fail) Your Next Acting Audition

The long awaited acting audition or interview has your stomach up in knots. This is the big one. And you've got your foot in the door. The last thing you want to do is fail it and need to go into hiding, right? First of all, everyone nose dives at least once (or a hundred times). Of course, we want to help you avoid that but in the case that it happens, one of the key aspects of success is the ability to rise above failures and keep trying. No acting career will ever take off if you focus on the failure that might come. Know this: They'll come. Avoid them if you can. If you fail anyway but keep trying, there is no failure, only feedback. Learn and move forward. 


But today, it's time to focus on learning.

For starters, first impressions are pretty much everything. Sure, we'd all like people to stop judging books by their covers, but the truth is, judging the book is often what keeps us alive. Safe from danger. Intuition aware. Book covers can be a false sale as well, but I'll get there. For now, my first word of advice? If you want to be taken seriously and seen as a professional, look and smell  the part.

Show up dressed to deserve their attention!
Freshly pressed; no wrinkles. Black, white and neutral tones are great colors to go with unless you know you're going for a role that shows you off as more of a clown or Keep your shoes professional too; classy casual - not too little or too much. Makeup should be the same; clean and natural but accenting.  Let them see you. 

To make my point clearer, if you want to totally blow it, follow this advice instead: 

Don't shower the night before.  Show up dressed in a ragged or dirty old shirt and jeans, a worn out pair of converse, your greasy hair hanging across your forehead, no makeup (for the ladies), or unshaven (for the men). You CAN NOT just show up that way and expect to be taken seriously... or professionally, for that matter.  

Tips for the audition itself:

• You will often be asked for a monologue. Be sure to have three or four ready at your fingertips. so that you can go into auto-pilot, if necessary. Do not stop, smile sheepishly, or apologize if you forget your lines. Cover your errors.
• You'll likely be in an office so it would be preferable to go with a monologue that doesn't have yelling or screaming in it. Also, keep it clean. Most agents, etc. prefer monologues without obscenities.
•  If you're a singer, also have three songs fully memorized. Have your music with you. 
• Don't claim to be someone or to have done anything on your resume that is not true. Do not try to pass off extra work as a featured role. It's unimpressive and will create a bad reputation for you in the long run. 

Becoming and actor and mastering an audition can be tricky but it isn't impossible.  That's why we at the New York Acting School for Film and Television provide the coaching and classes.  It's not an easy industry, but with the right help, you can succeed.  

Don't make the same mistakes as so many others before you.  Call us and let us know how we can help you achieve your dreams.