How to Hold an Audition
To direct the film, play or musical of your dreams you have to first start with auditions. Although you may reuse certain actors, you want to have new auditions for each project so that you cast actors who really fit your current undertaking. Each type of project determines the details of your auditions.
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Instructions
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First, post your audition schedule. Depending on the type of audition, you can hire casting people to advertise your auditions, you can ask select people to audition or you can post a general notice, either with posters or online.
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Film each new audition if you're casting a movie. You'll need lighting, a camera, a camera operator and a casting person to run the audition. You may also want to have a "reader," an actor who reads opposite the auditioning person. For film, use a cold reading or give the actor sides to prepare ahead of time.
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Allow actors to prepare monologues for new auditions for a play. You'll need an audition space and a stage manager to run the audition process.
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Arrange to have both singing and dancing rooms available for a musical audition. In addition to the director, you also need a musical director, a choreographer, and a stage manager to run the auditions. For a musical, have the actors prepare a song, and learn the dance onsite.
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Tips & Warnings
If you don't own the proper equipment for a film audition, you can borrow it or rent it. You can check with local film schools to see if they will help you. Also, film students may be willing to work for less in exchange for experience and credit.
If you need to hear your actors project, hold your new auditions in a theater. If the stage will have microphones or the space isn't that big, you can hold your auditions in a smaller space.
Musical auditions are time consuming. In order to cut down on time, do the singing and dancing auditions first. During callbacks, have actors read scenes from play.
Although monologues are popular, avoid using them for film and musicals. They don't really translate well to those mediums, so you waste a lot of time listening to them without getting a chance to really see what you need.
