Things I Learned from Casting a Short Film Pt. 2 – The Audition

Recently I wrote a blog about the perils of not paying attention to the casting call that’s put out about a paid film with open auditions.

Today’s blog is about things that I learned while casting a short film for a friend, who is a well known television personality.  It’s taken from my perspective as an acting coach, to hopefully steer you away from some common mistakes and give you an idea of best practise.

ONE:  IDENT

“Ident please, then do you monologue, then we’ll have a couple of reaction shots.”  I said.  “I’m sorry what was that first word?” the auditionee said. “Ident please” – A blank expression.

This screams “I have no idea how to do a camera audition.”

IDENT is your name and who you are represented by. There needs to be something at the top of your tape to say who you are, and it’s called an IDENT.

TWO:  Should I Look at the Camera?

In my opinion, no. That’s a bad idea and in fact, don’t ask because it makes you look like you don’t know.  When should you deliver to camera? When the piece requires you to deliver to camera. But how often do characters talk to the camera – very VERY rarely.

In this audition, I told people to IDENT to the camera and then do the monologue off to one side. Most people heard that instruction, did the IDENT, turned away and then delivered the monologue straight back to the camera.

Look, you’re under pressure, I get it, you make mistakes, but this is how you get work, this is your sales pitch, you need to deliver.

THREE: Turn Up or Message Them

We held the auditions at 10am on a Sunday morning. Possibly the worst time ever. But if you can’t be bothered to show up, or you’re hung over, or you’re going to be late, send an email and tell them. Right now, I’m sitting waiting for my 10:45am to show up – and he’s already five minutes late – and that’s my opinion of him now for future auditions.

And when someone messages you with a bullshit excuse – that’s exactly how you will perceive them.

Oh, my 10:45 has arrived, 5 minutes late… If you are genuinely late for a good reason, message them. If you are late because you couldn’t find the place – you should have turned up earlier.

FOUR: Type of Audition Monologue Material

Suit the material to the audition. If it’s for a comedy, make it light, if its for a drama, choose something dramatic. However, if its for a general call like ours, where nothing is being given away – don’t choose anything sexual or gratuitous or sweary or something like that.  We’re doing a kids film.  Mmmm… Don’t do Shakespeare for a short film audition. No, seriously, don’t.

FIVE: Choose Material that Sells You!

I’ve seen a lot of actors today, and I would say that they have chosen material that doesn’t really make them stand out. Stand out but not fall foul of the sweary, gratuitous trap mentioned above. You are selling you, you can do that with excellent material, or you can do that with shoddy material, the choice is entirely yours.

SIX:  Get Monologue Training

Most actors don’t know how to deliver a monologue.

Most actors THINK they know how to deliver a monologue.

But it all comes out one note, they aren’t acting like they are speaking to someone and they don’t change tactics or change it up at all. If you don’t know how to HOOK, how to build to a climax, how to change tactics and bring qualities to your movement and gestures, you may well deliver a very flat piece that fails to  capture the attention of people who can pay you money to do what you love.

At the end of the day, the audition is a job interview, think carefully about how you prepare for it. The best of the day were prepared, professional, friendly and knew exactly what to do without being told. The worst.. well…