Inside an Acting Audition

Video Transcript

"SCOTT DUPONT: Hi, Scott duPont here, working actor and producer, on behalf of Expert Village, and we are going to do a segment right here on what happens inside the audition room. If you've never been in an audition, let me tell you a little bit about what to expect and what goes on. Now, what will typically happen is just went over in the last segment, how--what kind of questions to ask either the production company if you're self-represented, or your agent, what to expect to get ready for. Now, once you're at the audition, you'll see a reception area with a sign-in sheet. You want to sign in there, give all your information. You don't need to give your social security out especially with these days with identity theft. But they'll ask you, "Are you self-represented? If you have an agent, put their phone number..." all that stuff. Now, you want to have at least two headshots and resumes with you. Double check to see if the script or the storyboard has changed. Prepare a little bit. You really want to focus on doing a great job once you go in there. Then, what'll happen is they'll call back your number or your name. You go back to the audition room and here's a couple of general tips that'll just make the casting director's job a lot easier and make you look like a pro. You will see a mark, usually it's a T just taped on the floor, walk over to the mark immediately. Okay. You don't have to be told to go there. But you're a pro, you know and it's usually right in front of the camera, kind of like I'm sitting behind the camera or in front of the camera right now. Then what you'll do is sometimes they'll have a slate or a number or sometimes your name. You'll hold that under your chin and they will ask you to slate. Now a simple slate might be, "Hi, I'm Scott duPont and I'm represented by the Link Agency." Typically, the last. Okay. Slate your name and your agency. Boom. That's end of the slate. It's just an ID on the tape so that they can find you later on if they like your audition or want to look at your tape again. Then, what you'll typically do is the--cast director might do some small talk, ask a few questions, then when they're ready say "Okay, ready?" And they'll either point or say "action" or say "go" and you do your script. Now, here's another little thing you can do: It's okay on the audition to hold your script out in front of you. Okay. You don't want to hold it in front of your face but if you hold it off to the side, it's really not going to impede the vision there, and if you need to pick up a line or something, you've got it, okay? And then you can deliver your lines or do the commercial and then, boom. You're done and always finish with a smile, okay? Because most commercials, most films want to see friendly, smiley people--or smiley person they can work with. That's the end of our segment on Expert Village."