What do you prepare for a meeting with a casting director or director? What type of presentation of yourself have you developed that will leave
a lasting impression? Do you have "something interesting" to say about yourself? Are you confident about your tools? Start to develop a working check list
of the tools you have prepared for meetings. You should have this check-list prepared for every call you go on. Keep an audition notebook or digital file notes on your phone, this way, if you get called back to a casting director or director, you know just what you did to get you called back. This week, write what you feel you have prepared (and need to prepare) to feel confident about
taking a meeting. Remember, each audition is a meeting with a potential employer. Be professional, energetic and easy to work with so that you can increase your odds of getting called back.
If it is a first time (not callback) I definitely spend about one hour warming up, getting comfortable, loosening my body, and opening my physicalities to a free and flowing self. I always show up at LEAST 15 minutes early; one of my greatest role models once told me if you aren't early you're late. I completely agree with this. How annoying is it when people are rolling in right AT the time rehearsals start? Doesn't happen outside of professional settings so it shouldn't in. I try to hold myself to that so I have time to show up and calm my nerves before going in. I make sure to have my headshots in wallet size, 5x7, and 8x10. I've been asked for all different sizes before and I find that often times all they need is a wallet size so I can save the 8x10 (way more expensive) for another occasion. After practicing in class I think I would just bring up either my boxing/dance or my ability to speak Spanish and English. This seems interesting, I think? I always have wallet size headshots clipped to the front of my resume. I also have different resumes; musical theatre, theatre, film/tv/commercial, and educational. I think it works really well because that way depending on where I am going I can take the resume that will most interest them and have the work I want them to see as proof for my qualifications right here in front of them.
ReplyDeleteTo prepare for a meeting or an audition I warm up for about 45 minutes to an hour. I'm basically just waking up my body by doing some movement exercises as well as freeing my voice with voice exercises. It's to get my body as a whole loose and aware of my body and my surroundings. Very similar to practicing a scale or working on arpeggios before you play the violin, this is how I loosen up my instrument. Loosening up my instrument is very important to me because otherwise I could go up in front of a casting director and just be stiff and have tension all throughout my body. The preparation before you go to meeting is the most important, so I have come to take it very seriously now. I also make sure I have my head shots with me and my acting resume. As I go out for more auditions and begin to book, I will eventually build up experience in other areas like commercial/film and educational to build up different resumes. I feel like I have really interesting things to bring up to the table when I talk about myself. Like I've traveled to Africa multiple times to bring water to children in rural villages, or that I can beatbox or do a really cool Michael Jackson dancing combination. I know that I have great things to bring to the table and having method that works for meeting casting directors will bring out your individuality and uniqueness.
ReplyDeleteI haven’t been on any professional auditions yet, but for any KU auditions I have been to I always make sure I have a copy of my acting resume and my head shot with me. I think what Gil said about having different sizes and the different resumes is a good idea and once I get my official head shot I plan to do the same. I ALWAYS try to get there early by no less than ten to fifteen minutes. This was instilled in me through FFA (Future Farmers of America (yes, I was that girl), NO Free for All) because, also like Gil said, I had an advisor that told me “if you are not early, you are late.” I like to do a good vocal and physical warm up to help release tension and to help make sure that my “instrument” is ready and prepared because this is a job interview and I need that job! I think something interesting that might help the casting directors or who ever remember me by is if I tell them about my passion for interior design and DIY'ing. At least I think it is something interesting but who knows.
ReplyDeleteI typically warm up before any audition, but seeing Gil and Caiel's entries leads me to believe that I don't put enough time into it. Sometimes I do yoga or something to make myself feel good. I sing and do vocal warm-ups in the car on the way there (since I'm often driving to KC), and stretch before the audition when I arrive. But sometimes (not in these cases so much as at KU), my nerves infringe nonetheless. Wow, I'm bringing up those nerves a lot, aren't I? In nearly all walks of life I'm an extremely confident, open, humorous person. So this anxiety thing is crushing me. I told myself I'd face it this semester. Nicole said there's a block between my true personality and how I act when I'm in front of the casting director. This is true, and I can tell. I know why, though: my nerves are causing me to "steel" myself into being confident (like the other day when singing) rather than finding a way to lose my tension. I think this may hurt my spontaneity and ease as an actor. Also I make a lot of inappropriate jokes in real life, and I'm concerned about being professional and not offending any casting directors, which is why I tend to quell my natural sense of humor. Because I'm a little strange. But this happens less often in ordinary life, and more often in class and at UT auditions.
ReplyDeleteAs for something interesting to say about myself... I read audiobooks for radio broadcasts for the blind with Kansas Audio-Reader. I speak French and conversational American Sign Language. I'm a barista and I am well-versed in filmmaking and in technical theatre. I'm great at accents. I can wiggle my eyebrows and do the moonwalk. I love to sing, especially in the shower, but I'm much better when nobody is listening. I get paranoid hallucinations during sleep paralysis. I am spending the fall semester in France. I have a mood disorder. I have Service Learning Accreditation. I have rosacea. I'll think of something to use.
In the world of auditioning I am definitely green. Like, Emerald City green. I have only ever auditioned for stage work through school or near by theatres. When I do audition though I rely heavily on my personality and my ability to cold read. I am fairly confident in my ability to be interviewed and I am always comfortable in front of potential employers. I still have a lot to do if I decide I want to pursue film, but I feel very confident about straight plays. I do need to work on having my tools together if I want to be serious about acting. I don’t have a current headshot yet, so I need to get those redone and update my resume a bit as well. I think that getting a smooth routine down for warming up my body and voice would be beneficial, as well as working on my singing voice with a coach. I have plenty of interesting things to say about how I am a dabbler. I like to try things a little bit at a time. I have learned how to knit, sew, do origami, bake and decorate cakes and speak a little bit of Spanish. As far as being prepared goes though, I am not even on the same scale as a lot of people in the class.
ReplyDeleteTo prepare for auditions I stretch and do things to relax myself like listen to classical musical. I feel like I perform my best when I am calm. I also like to practice my lines in the car while I'm driving to the audition. I always being my headshot and resume along to professional auditions but maybe I should bring them along for KU auditions too. I have yet to audition for anything put on by the KU Theatre and I think that I should, even though it seems a bit intimidating. I have been going out more than I though I would and the extra experience has definitely helped my confidence! As for interesting things about me, I can speak three languages fluently, basic Spanish from 3 years in high school, I have traveled quite a bit and consider myself to have experienced a lot of culture. I am a very personable and friendly person and I have often been told that. I think the reason I have always been good at interviews and making a good connection with possible employers is because I am so friendly and approachable.
ReplyDeleteWhen I audition for anything I take about an hour and a half before each audition to get into my zone. I will do breathing exercises and warm up my voice and try to calm myself down because my nerves can get the best of me. I then run through my entire audition at least 10 times. I go through my introduction, then my monologue(s) and then my song(if required for the audition). I just try to get myself in my acting zone. Then I get in my car to drive to my audition, but I keep the radio off and continue going through my entire audition. I am really excited because I now have a working headshot that I really like and I can bring it to auditions and not be worried that the casting director wont like it, because I'm really confident in it. I also bring my resume with me. The things that I usually bring up when I get asked to talk about myself is the fact that I grew up in Las Vegas and the fact that I love to ride horses. I bring up Las Vegas because many people I have met think that it is really interesting for someone to actually grow up there. I bring up horseback riding because I know in a lot of movies or shows that I have seen where they ride horses, they usually have to have stunt doubles even if the horses are just trotting. But, though I never did it competitively, I am super comfortable on horses and have lessons and I do it whenever I can. I would be able to do my own riding. When it comes to my outfit, I try to dress to the part somewhat (if I know the part), not full costume but more of a representation. If I don't know that part I choose an outfit that I think I look amazing in, because usually if I think I look good, it will make me more confident and the casting director will be able to see that. I try to be as friendly as possible, to let them know that I am easy to work with because who wants to work with a diva?
ReplyDeleteWhen I have an audition I always stretch and warm up my body and my voice for at least 30 minutes or until I feel free and loose. I’ve also discovered that just closing my eyes and clearing my mind for a minute tops really helps me to focus. I think I have plenty to say about myself — I just need to work on delivering it confidently. I’m biracial, I speak Spanish, I’ve backpacked across Central America, I’m easy to work with, I sing… My nerves just always get the best of me and I end up coming off as awkward. I think if I keep trying to bring out my “Enrique factor,” I can overcome this.
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