An Open Letter to anyone holding auditions.

Jamie sounds like you went through a nightmare.

I'll be honest if it's a poorly organised audition it normally says the shoot will be poorly put together too. Given the numbers of other auditionees I'd of left it sounded as if the overall affect was to generate publicity not cast!!

It's a two way street don't go or stay at poor castings / auditions !! Rate yourself and don't let your time and money be wasted!!

• 13 years ago
• 1

Spelling and grammatical errors on a script say so much about the ENTIRE project...

And Guy is right, if the audition is that badly organised, just imagine the state the shoot will be in -!

Try to get them to send you the script before you go to the audition, at least you can then get a heads-up!

Good luck x

• 13 years ago
• 2

You poor thing it sounds like a terrible day for you, Put it down to experience and lets hope that you don't go though that again! lets hope some lessons are learned from the casting side of things.

• 13 years ago
• 3

Thanks guys. You're right, the audition is a taster of things to come, you audition them as much as they audition you. But surely no one WANTS to come across as an amateur? So here I'm going to post a list of most frequent missteps that I come across, not individual mistakes or quirks, but things that inexplicably occur time and again.

I don't want to come across as arrogant or dictatorial, and I'm not going to preach about how an audition "should" be done. There are many different ways of working and directors look for many different qualities, so almost everything has a place. Anything I list here will be something I just can't think of a way to justify.

• 13 years ago
• 4

WHEN POSTING JOBS
-Be clear. Many posts for plays have no details on the story, run time, venue, or characters. How are we supposed to know if the project is right for us? If it's something we want to do? The only people that would apply to this are people simply looking for work. Ask yourself, do you want actors who are excited to work with you, be part of your project, and know that they can really give to what you have going on, or just desperate people who'll go for anything? If you answered the former, give them details to get excited about, let them know how great your project will be.

-Similarly with characters. Nothing is less inspiring that a post for just 'actors'. Where's the role we can fall in love with, or the hook that makes us realise how well suited we are for the part? Of course, sometimes (I.e devised pieces, ensembles ect) this IS appropriate.

-A common one. Please use correct, legible English. If English isn't your first language, try to find someone to help.

AT THE AUDITION
-Try to have it somewhere private. I mentioned the corridor audition. I also had some people years ago want to audition me in the corner of a Starbucks. If you can't find an audition venue of some description (even a house or flat is fine at a pinch), don't hold auditions. You're not ready.

-Naturally- be punctual. If you say a specific time, try to keep to it. Overrunning by 10-15 min is an acceptable difficulty of auditioning, akin to an actor fluffing a line, but understand that actors have lives and commitments. Too many people think that actors should simply wait indefinitely for the auditors. More than 20 mins is a problem. At yesterdays audition there weren't even any apologies given, it was just assumed that over running was fine.

-Another seemingly obvious one. Actually audition people for the role! A lot of people just ask for any old monologue, which may or may not be relevant to the part. (assuming there is a specific part, this is fine for devised or open pieces) I was once give a script to prepare for a short film, turned up, and was told to put the script down and sightread a tongue twister from a Victorian novel. They learned absolutely nothing about me as an actor or person. At a GOOD stage audition I was given three excerpts to work on, then told to choose two to perform. The saw me act fully, got to know me, and saw which pieces I would choose given a choice. I felt I'd be allowed to do my job, and felt good about them even thought I ultimately didn't get the role.

-There is a difference between acting and auditioning. On set or stage you have usually had a script for some time, learned it and worked on it. You can't get a finished performance the moment you put a script in our hands. Film students especially take note- This is not how actors work! Watching a first read is fine, but don't use that as a basis for a whole audition.This may be more appropriate for TV, where sides are being written and re-written constantly, but if it's not then don't do it! Send out excerpts before hand. You must've had actors ask for them.

-I may sound like I'm imposing high standards. That's because I am. Which leads to the most important tip- you should too! Expect no less that the same from actors. You've given them your time too. If actors show up really late you are well within your rights to turn them away. If they aren't giving it in the audition, don't bother to read the script ect. -don't waste YOUR time on them. If you run your auditions to a high standard you can reasonably expect the same for your actors, and you can quickly whittle out those that don't meet them. I'm sure auditors everywhere could write similar lists as this for actors, and I would welcome it.

Those are the first things that come to mind. I hope that I'm not committing career suicide for daring to speak out, but playing along is getting me face stomped so I'll risk it. If anyone else has any such experiences or wants to add anything, actors or auditors, please post them!

Thanks for reading.

• 13 years ago
• 5

I totally agree with all of the above! Anyone, who's ever attended a professional audition knows what you are talking about..
Cheers,
Brigitte Millar

• 13 years ago
• 6

Asking people to treat actors with a bit of respect for auditions is not career suicide it is just good manners! at the very least as you say it works both ways, they want actors who will be professional then so must they be, if they are and we are not then as you say they are within there right to be annoyed but the whole process is and has to be a two way street. we are not just actors we are profession people with needs and commitments just like you! so well said that man!

• 13 years ago
• 7

....I'll put up with all that crap throughout the entire process if the script works,the crew work & I get paid (on time!)
It tends to all come down to 'your gut feel'with each prospective project.

• 13 years ago
• 8

I'm of the opinion that you can tell through brief email conversation, or even purely through the casting call and breakdown whether you should anticipate a professional setup.

If you aren't sure, or if you aren't auditioning in front of a vaguely reputable company / casting director then I'd say a "nightmare scenario" is a risk which goes part and parcel with the profession.

• 13 years ago
• 9

To (sort of) second Sam's point, I would agree that there is a lot of information you can rightfully derive from the auditioners once you have been offered an audition (they may keep their cards close to their chest before this, and that, I suppose, is their prerogative to some extent before they cast you - although I agree there should be a good, intelligible breakdown available at the application stage!). At this point, finding out where they are planning on holding the audition, how effective they are in guaranteeing you a time slot, how interested they are in addressing your enquiries as an individual (for instance, I will never attend any audition where a specific personal application sent by myself has been acknowledged with an offer of audition that begins 'dear actor' - it guarantees that no actual attention has been paid to the details, and there is no dedicated casting team in place), how flexible their scheduling is (i.e. whether they can work around your own needs or not), what the audition will comprise (at the very least, whether you are expected to prepare, to cold read, etc. etc. - even if no explicit detail is given), who you will be seeing on the panel at the audition etc. etc. All of these are of bona fide interest to you as a working actor, and most reputable auditions will automatically give you most of this information as part of the process that works towards bringing you in for the audition. That you actually have to ask for it in the first place is a bad sign to a certain extent - but sometimes even good companies aren't thinking about these details because they have so much to do. And it *is* within your remit to ask. If you can't get satisfactory replies from the company at this point, then it is a sure sign that the whole setup is hokey, and the audition should be declined!

Once there, of course, there are always additional problems that may intervene, but I have to say even some of my worst auditions (e.g. standing on a ship attempting to project lines to the quay in the middle of extensive on-ship repair work) did not come as a total surprise to me - I knew what was expected before I agreed to attend (in this case, the project interested me, although the audition was very hard work). And I only knew these things because I had made detailed enquiries beforehand.

• 13 years ago
• 10

It's definitely true that you have to take notice of what info you can get beforehand, but it's getting to the point where even worthwile looking posts result in botched messe of auditions, and it might me just me, but it seems to be getting worse. 'Gut feelings' regarding CCP posts are fast becoming a protracted session of nausea.

Since posting this, people have messaged me privately relating terrible stories of incompetence and rudeness. I won't relate other peoples stories but have encouraged them to post them here.

A big part of the reason for all this is I truly beleive a lot of people holding auditions truly mean well and are trying to be creative (of course, some are complete cu- uh, idiots) and just don't know the basics. Film schools, for example, seem to almost entirely neglect teaching would-be directors about acting methods or how to direct actors, leaning almost entirely on technical details. I can only hope any such people can find helpful tips on here, which can only improve their experience and ultimately, their work.

• 13 years ago
• 11

...Totally agree on Christian's point about only accepting paid work.(NMW being a long running debate on this forum)
I was approached yesterday by a self styled 'employer' who had seen my profile on here & wanted me to attend a casting.They had already sent me the script which was good although had too much text in places. I said I'll be happy to attend the casting but what fee was on offer?
'Oh,no fee we're students'! I replied I'd be willing to accept student film Equity rate & I got a condescending 'No thanks...we understand..best of luck'resonse
so I replied again by giving them Equity's phone number & told them to phone & get the daily rates for PROFESSIONAL actor's.
Trouble is,some 'wannabe' actor will eventually agree to do the role for nothing & de-value the whole profession.
I 'm not wanting to re-open the saga on unpaid work but I agree with Christian in that if it's paid work that's offered,(even student Equity),the audition process will be more organised & there will exist a mutual sense of commitment right from the get go!

• 13 years ago
• 12

I've just got back from a film casting and I'm livid!
It turns out that it was an open call, not an audition at all.

Plus the "director" wouldn't give me the script beforehand, or even at the audition (where there was a two hour wait), so I have no idea if it was worth all the fuss- I'm guessing not.

Reader, I left.

I've written an email to him about this, but judging by the number of people who stayed he'll be fine for performers. Unfortunately it seems some casting is like the wild west- they don't have to answer to anyone.

Oddly, there was a film crew at the door filming an actor who was explaining very clearly why he was leaving and why the situation was unacceptable. Good for him.

I knew I should have turned it down when I was refused the script. Rats.

• 13 years ago
• 13

Sally - painful lesson indeed (I only got caught like that once). Now it's simple - no script no audition (though I might accept "sides" if everything else sounds good.)

• 13 years ago
• 14

See, stories like Sally's are exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about, and the kind of thing that's becoming all too frequent and accepted. It used to be a case of spotting the bad apples, but it's getting to the point where finding the good stuff is like picking hay out of a stack of needles.

I'm not, and never have been, against unpaid work. There are many brilliant creatives out there with the talent but not the cash, and many uninspired types who think securing funding was the hardest part of the artistic process. In fact, a lot of the least professional jobs I've ever had have been the paid ones, be they weird 'artsy' projects funded by some organisation or other (on one such job, the first thing the director told me was "I don't know what I'm doing", then I spent three days in a freezing warehouse being given directions it was impossible to follow, before being told later the footage was all useless and we were starting over. I made a ton of cash from it all, but...). A friend of mind is a very succesful professional who regularly does unpaid work simply because he does too many projects to pay them all, but almost all get packed houses and often star studded audiences.
"Paid" work on CCP is usually a dull stream of commercials and oddballs.

What I'm getting at is, the status of pay has little or no effect, in my experience, on the professionalism of the production, and suggesting it does is likey to encourage the "we're not paying the actors, so we don't have to bother" school of thought. All the best jobs I've ever had, and a lot of the best artists I know, work unpaid a lot, and I'd do a project with them way before jumping into online commercial #580000000000000.

To sum up, professionalism and respect should be universal, not decided by the budget. After all, the best actors out there aren't always the ones on movie posters...

PS- someone else at the same audition I mentioned at the start contacted me, and told me that they hadn't even looked at her profile when she got in the room. TIP- know who you are dealing with! You're seeing people because you want to see them, not just because they were sucker enough to turn up!

• 13 years ago
• 15

I'm against unpaid work becuase despite what has been said about it, it cannot be 'policed' effectively & often leads to exploitation of the artists involved.
It also de-values the acting profession in general & it is a trained profession
as we all know which is why it has an official trade union.
It's been said a hundred million times before & I even said it with others at last years Equity AGM meeting.
Actors will keep being asked to work for nothing as long as they keep accepting unpaid work!
Being paid, despite the experience of the director & crew is being 100% professional all round in my view.
The artistic side is subjective & open to interpretation & is a development process. The audience ultimately decides whether it's any good... or not.

• 13 years ago
• 16

I've had an audition like that before Jamie, but not so extreme, but I was also left waiting and treated badly. I was given a call time which I made, also was a highly emotional scene and left waiting.....and waiting.....and waiting. Eventually I was seen only to be slated. Being the professional I was I kept quiet and didn't say anything about how I was treated, surfice to say they thought they were going to be it and be famous from it and since have not heard a dicky bird about the company. All part of the experience I suppose but one which these people never seem to learn. Can I ask was it a professional or amateur shoot?

Sally, good for you for walking out, we're pros and shouldn't be treated otherwise. Power goes to these people's head sometimes.

• 13 years ago
• 17

I know that students at the Central Film School are now having classes on how to audition actors and these are being taught by a casting director. It will be interesting to know if anyone who auditions for them notices a difference!

• 13 years ago
• 18

Quite, I once waited 7 hours for an audition that was supposed to be invitation only but they'd allegedly publicised it as an open audition.

The producers probably felt that if they filmed people crammed into a tiny room or waiting on the street (and they filmed it without permission or release forms) then investors would think people were desperate to work with them.

I'm pretty sure that people who invest money are not that gullible.

This was supposed to be for a paid job as well so I don't think your theory of everyone-join-equity-solidarity will do any good.

Does anyone know what the union rules in the US are about auditions and how they compare?

• 13 years ago
• 19

I saw that casting in Deptford advertised! He was also holding casting sessions all over the place but mostly Kent and Essex!

I seem to have developed an instinct for these things and my instinct tells me it will never get made...I even dissuaded my own 18 year daughter from auditioning for it!

I would love to be proved wrong but, when it comes to these situations, it has yet to happen! :-/

• 13 years ago
• 20