Actor's Guide to Auditions and Interviews

Margo Annett

• Publisher: A&C Black Academic and Professional
• Year: 2009
• ISBN:
  9781408116548
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Acting & Auditioning

Now in its third edition, this useful guide outlines the techniques needed to achieve success in the challenging process of getting work. It covers all aspects of casting, including gaining a place on a drama course, landing a part in film, TV, commercials or theatre, and becoming a radio or TV presenter.

Updated and revised throughout, the book contains sections on choosing and preparing an audition speech, staging and performing the piece, sight-reading, interview techniques, coping with nerves and even suggestions on how to use those inevitable periods when you are resting. It also includes advice from notable experienced producers, agents, directors and casting directors.

1

What is Wanted

Actors throughout the world have one vital factor in common – in order to practise their art they need an audience. You can act by yourself for fun or as a form of therapeutic release but to complete the creative process you must communicate with an audience, however large or small.

Professional actors have to persuade others to employ them. Unfortunately these employers are disinclined to hire on trust. A straightforward, and no doubt accurate, assurance of your acting skills rarely secures a job. The employers need convincing. This is achieved through the processes of auditioning and interviewing. So many professional actors, let alone aspiring ones, are terrified of these procedures; they forget that they are for their own benefit as well as for the benefit of the prospective employer. It is the actors’ opportunity to show off their talent: they are active and powerful participants, not passive victims. Without these occasions actors would be unable to meet potential employees and use them as a means of reaching their ultimate goal – the audience.

In order to get the best out of the situation it is obviously important to know as much about the proceedings as possible.

Since the advent of film and then television the entertainment business has expanded and diversified. Today the job of acting covers so much more than in the days when it referred to working purely in a theatre. The demands made on actors seem to grow daily; it is quite usual for them to audition for a commercial and a Shakespeare play on the same day. In spite of this enormous increase in the different types of work available, ironic though it may seem, the competition for it is greater than ever. It is hard for actors to find their way through the maze of different casting systems in the various branches of the media.

Nowadays, the traditional audition, where an actor is called upon to perform a prepared speech, is only one example of the ways in which an actor’s suitability for a role is tested.

The interview has become universally used as an important casting method either on its own or in conjunction with auditioning or sight-reading. The interview consists of a formal chat between the actor and one or more others involved in the proposed production, i.e. the director, the casting director, the producer, the writer and all their various assistants (PAs). There is rarely more than four of these present at one time, but it can seem a formidable sea of faces to an actor entering the room. The nature of the interview depends on which branch of the media is doing the casting. An actor attending interviews for a TV film, a commercial and a fringe production will have three very different experiences.

Sight-reading has become a vital skill for an actor; it is very unusual to be offered a job, unless you are very well known, without having been asked to read from the script at some time during the proceedings.

Actors have to cope with these multifarious casting situations and it is easy to lose sight of what is really wanted especially when there are so many other actors competing for the same job.

To make their plight easier I have asked those who really know, the people who are in the business of interviewing, auditioning and in some cases handing out the jobs, to give their advice on what is wanted and what is not. They have been generous in their response. Some have encapsulated their comments in one succinct line, others have made a number of observations and then elaborated on them, but all have shown understanding and sympathy towards the actor who has to undergo the twin ordeals of auditioning and being interviewed.

Wyn Jones, Head of Acting, Guildhall School of Music
& Drama and theatre director

Let’s go back to the beginning and look at some advice that applies to aspiring actors as well as those who are experienced. Wyn Jones is eminently qualified to offer just such guidance. He is an experienced theatre director, responsible for many successful West End productions, and is now Head of Acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He feels that casting is essentially a matter of instinct and enthusiasm. It is additionally, as he puts it, ‘A question of how they respond to me, as well as how I respond to them.’ He makes the valuable point that most casting comes down to a matter of taste. ‘Two directors can interview the same actor and disagree violently in their opinions as to his or her talent. If you don’t succeed in getting a job from one director you may easily land one the next day with another.’ After those words of comfort he adds a warning. ‘Jobs can be won or lost on sight-reading.’

This may sound hard but it is undoubtedly true. Sight-reading – that is, to read a script out loud with little or no prior rehearsal – has become the most usual method in all branches of the media of testing an actor’s talent and suitability for a role. Even if you have performed an audition speech you will invariably be asked to read an excerpt from the script in question before you can expect to be offered the part.

Wyn then adds some further important advice: ‘You’ll probably get employed on a combination of your talent, looks, sight-reading and aptness for the part. You’ll probably be re-employed for being generous and good to work with.’

Albi Jones, theatre and BBC director

Another director who manages to find time to teach – in spite of a busy schedule as a director – is Albi Jones. Albi has taught at a number of major drama schools including RADA. He directs for the BBC as well as in the theatre, and established and is the director of the well respected black theatre group, Tomba. He has a passionate appreciation for text of all periods and styles. His advice is of value to all actors but is particularly worth noting if you are embarking on an audition for the first time. It concerns choice of speeches and approach to text.

Make sure the speeches you choose are really contrasting in style and context. Read the whole play through thoroughly so you know the context of the speech, the style of the playwright and as much about the character as possible. Look at the words. Notice the language your character uses. The words they choose give clues as to their attitude, personality and present mood.

Professor Leon Rubin, Head of M.A. Director’s Course,
Middlesex University and theatre director

Leon Rubin is Head of the Director’s Course at Middlesex University where he advises student directors on casting methods, and has also been responsible for establishing drama courses all over the world, most recently in Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand. In addition to this he finds time to work as a director in the professional theatre. Auditioning actors, he feels, has become almost second nature to him. He considers that he has developed a sixth sense for picking talent. The following are a list of his observations on the qualities he admires in an actor and what he looks for at auditions.

In an audition, I’m usually looking for intelligence, emotional truth, diversity, simplicity, analytical awareness and a sense of humour. The balance, of course, depends on the play and the character in question. Increasingly, I find myself focusing on physical movement but not necessarily technical control: more perhaps a natural elegance or balance that is difficult to describe.

Harmony of movement might be an important attribute, but I also like to see a glint in an actor’s eye, the suggestion of energy and courage. It is really a gut feeling that I follow.

For actors who have left or are about to leave drama college he adds the following thoughts:

For me the audition begins as soon as the actor enters the room, even if the audition/interview isn’t due to begin until later. I start to make a judgement as soon as I meet an actor, even if it’s in the street. This is because many of the human qualities are as important as the technical ones. Do I want to work with this person for five weeks or more of rehearsals? I might conclude that I don’t much like them, but that will not necessarily make me say no; it may be those same negative feelings that make them right for a particular character, but it is still my instincts that I’m listening to. Like me, many directors have little faith in the formal audition process and tend to lean on instinct. However, a smart actor is aware of this and begins acting the moment they meet the director.

Alison Chard, freelance theatre casting director

Alison Chard lists what she considers to be five essential steps for drama students before and after they leave college.

1. Train at an accredited drama school.

2. Actively look for an agent during your final year at drama school.

3. Put a photo in Spotlight.

4. Write to every repertory and fringe theatre.

5. If you get a part and succeed in a show, invite as many casting directors as possible. If not, think about setting up your own fringe company with friends.

Putting a photo in Spotlight is straightforward enough, involving as it does simply sending off for a form, filling it in and returning it with the appropriate money; finding an agent can prove more difficult. It is important to invite them to see your performances during your final year at drama school. If, however, you find you have graduated without securing one, don’t despair. There are actors’ co-operatives where the actors club together and work as their own agents – these can be excellent. You can in fact, manage without an agent for a time, certainly when you are first starting out, acting upon Alison’s fourth and fifth steps of advice, and asking agents to view you when giving a performance you are pleased with. To be honest it is difficult to gain access to TV and film interviews without representation, since agents have all the necessary contacts. Difficult, but not impossible.

Louisa Gummer, actress/teacher

Besides being an actress and drama teacher, Louisa runs an advisory service for actors starting out in the profession, helping them to sort out such essential practicalities as arranging insurance and learning how to use the Internet as a marketing tool. She says ‘They say luck is all about being in the right place at the right time. If you understand and recognise what you have to offer and market yourself well, you can make sure you are in the right place at the right time more of the time.’

Starting out in the profession can be very daunting and taking practical steps such as marketing yourself (photos, CV and website etc.) will make you feel more in control of your career and build your confidence.

After leaving drama college, the next stage in their career, for many actors, is fringe theatre. It is often here that actors get their first opportunity to work in the profession. However, it is wise not to underestimate the amount of competition there is for parts there.

David Bidmead, fringe theatre director

David Bidmead runs one of the most famous and successful fringe venues, The Etcetera Theatre in Camden Town, London, and has the following advice for actors approaching fringe auditions for the first time.

He starts with the all important subject of CVs, photos and letters. He begs that the latter be brief, straightforward and to the point, and sent only in response to specific ads for an imminent forthcoming production. He receives about five hundred letters for each production and working through them can be a mammoth task. In the past he has been sent CVs covering several pages and long letters filled with the writer’s personal ambitions and opinions on everything from the state of theatre today, to the meaning of life. Photos have sometimes consisted of family snapshots with an arrow indicating the hopeful applicant. There isn’t time to wade through endless pages or peer into a photograph. It must be clear and large enough to distinguish the face at a glance, and the CV should be typed and limited to only one sheet of paper.

As for the audition itself, David, like so many directors, stresses the importance of punctuality. Time is precious. They are usually interviewing all day; if one person is late it can disrupt the whole schedule. Appearances are also important. Over-dressing for the occasion is unnecessary and it can also be distracting. That doesn’t mean arriving in dirty scruffy jeans, but wearing something flattering without being over conspicuous. You don’t want to be outshone by your clothes! It is wise to leave bags and other such accessories outside the audition area – they will only get in the way. David sums this up succinctly: ‘Take yourself but leave your props at home.’

He goes on to point out the importance of sitting well at an interview. Positioning yourself so your features can be easily seen, facing the interviewer in a way that is attentive, without being forced and strained. Many actors, probably through nerves, avert their eyes, drop their heads or mask their faces with their hands or their hair. This makes it difficult for the interviewer to communicate with them or to gauge their possible impact on an audience. He also warns against smoking: nowadays, when so many people have given it up, it can antagonise. Another important comment he makes is about the focus and delivery of an audition speech. ‘Don’t act the speech at the director.’ He explains that this can be both embarrassing and distracting. It infers that the director is expected to react in some way, which in the context of an audition is inappropriate. The director is trying to remain objective in order to assess your talent and suitability for the part; forcing a director to become part of the performance will only alienate him or her.

Most on the receiving end of such speeches would heartily concur with this, but there are a few instances when it would not apply. If you are performing a prologue, an epilogue or where it is clear the playwright intends you to address the audience, it is quite acceptable for you to include the viewer or viewers as one of their number without ‘eyeballing’ them.

David finishes by stressing how competitive the fringe has become. He urges actors to prepare for auditions with as much care and preparation as if it were for any West End production – the competition will be as great and the audition process can be as stringent.

Julia Crampsie, Deputy Head of Casting, BBC TV

Julia is one of the most respected and experienced casting directors working in the media today. Her advice to actors is to be as relaxed as possible during an interview and, most importantly, to be themselves.

She understands that nerves are an almost inescapable part of the auditioning process but points out that there is a difference between the tension that comes from nervousness and that caused by trying to put over a false impression. Those doing the casting are invariably discerning enough to tell the difference. On TV actors are generally, though admittedly not always, cast near to type. At a casting they want to meet you, to interact with your personality, not one you think they might like better.

She also points out that it is part of an actor’s technique and expertise to handle the differing approaches required for TV and theatre. A television actor must not appear to ‘be acting’: the aim is to give the impression of reality. A good television actor convinces the viewer that the person and the situation portrayed are real even when the camera shot may be so close that you can see the pores of their face. Any sign of tension that is not relevant to the part will become apparent and destroy credibility. The actor has to be able to successfully control and hide any nerves they may be suffering in order to be believable. At a television interview one of the things they will be looking for is the actor’s ability to do this, to appear natural and relaxed in a stressful situation.

She reminds actors to listen to what is being said during an interview. Sometimes nerves can make you talk too much and forget to let anyone else get a word in. Whilst it is important to contribute to the conversation and ask relevant questions, it is equally important to listen carefully to the interviewer. As Julia says, ‘Acting on television is about listening and response.’ Be sure you let them have a chance to see how well you do this. She adds, ‘“Moderation in all things” is not a bad maxim for behaviour at an interview.’

John Cannon, Casting Director

John Cannon urges actors to prepare well before an audition or interview. If you are about to audition for a company such as the RSC it is sensible to see at least one of their recent productions beforehand. Those holding the casting session are hardly likely to be impressed if, when asked which plays they have seen lately, the actor replies with something along the lines of: ‘Well, I think I remember seeing one on a school trip, years ago.’ It is also important to find out about the director in advance so you can discuss their previous work with them during the interview.

He also warns actors not to play mind games with the interviewer. For example, some actors, for some obscure reason, pretend an ignorance of the role or the play in question. This is extremely irritating. It obliges the director or the casting...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• 1. What is Wanted
• 2. The Audition
• 3. The Interview
• 4. Sight-reading
• 5. What to Expect
• 6. Conclusions and Observations
• 7. Suggested Audition Pieces
• 8. Suggested Material for Sight-reading Practice
• 9. Three Simple Relaxation Exercises
• Footnotes
• Imprint