Are you wasting the most important 30 Seconds of your audition?

Reel Scene trains actors how to audition, cold read and teaches them about the realities and mechanics of the industry through seminars led by industry professionals. The Reel Scene also prepares actors on the course to showcase their talent in front of agents, casting directors and directors for an opportunity of representation.

Want to know a secret about connecting with Casting Professionals in the audition room? It often happens before the audition even begins.

5 Questions You Should Ask When Working as an Influencer.

Just as you’d learn the script before an audition, you should also rehearse what you’re going to say about yourself before the audition starts!

When I run through hot seating exercises at Reel Scene, (asking the actors general questions as a casting director may do, about themselves, acting or the character they are playing) I’m always surprised how many actors stumble through this. We all get nervous, but this is your best opportunity to sell yourself.

This is your best shot to show them:

• You’re a pleasure to work with
• You could be a good fit with other cast members
• You understand who and what you are auditioning for

What happens if you don’t nail the first 30 seconds?

If you stumble through your introduction, you risk a busy casting director half-heartedly watching your audition, already having made up their minds about how you’ll be on set.

If you nail your introduction and feel that lovely zing of hitting it off with the casting director, two things happen: they will be warm to seeing your performance (remember they want you to be great!), and your nerves will settle – a double win.

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So how do you make those 30 seconds count?

Here are five basic questions that may be asked before your audition, and some top tips on how to answer them:

Question: How are you today, or how has your day been?

Answer: Keep it short and simple. Be polite. Be light and fun. They don’t want to hear if you’ve had a terrible journey or a bad morning (unless it’s funny!).

Question: What do you do for a living, or what are your interests?

Answer: Be honest, tell them what you do for a living, but tell them that acting is your passion and you want to make it your career, that is why you are there.

Question: What is your favourite film and why?

Answer: If acting is your passion, you must know the films you love and those you wish to have a role in. You might mention you’re a Spielberg or Tarantino fan. You might reference the way their films are directed or the cinematography. There are so many things you can say. Just pick a film and stick with it, so you know what to respond with.

Types of Modeling.

Question: Who is your favourite actor and why?

Answer: You should be able to name actors who inspire you. If it’s Mathew McConaughey, explain why. You could talk about your respect for how his career has progressed and that his latest roles are so versatile. Perhaps you think he delivered an exceptional performance in Dallas Buyers Club, where he won an Academy award and a Golden Globe.

Question: What are your thoughts on the character and the scene?

Answer: You may have only seen a section of the script, but it’s probably enough to get an idea of the scene, to help you answer this one.

A few questions you could ask yourself are;

Who are you?
Where are you?
Who are you with?
Who are the others characters and what is their relationship to you?

Remember:

• Keep every answer short and simple.
• Simple doesn’t mean boring - think about what you want to say so you can come up with something interesting.
• Be yourself – don’t make up answers that you think might be want they want to hear.

I hope these tips help you to create a great connection with the next Casting Director you audition for. Good luck!

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