Aspiring actors studying the Meisner acting technique must develop and learn a unique auditioning technique as well. Learning how to audition will make the most threatening aspect of acting, a life of auditioning and constant rejection, not only manageable but, a worthwhile, necessary part of the process. Consistently turning in your very best, deepest, most thoughtful performances when you audition is part of the craft and developing an auditioning technique that highlights your strengths as an actor is critical.
Many actors make the mistake of focusing too much on the role and how they will play the role, how they will wow the auditors and how jazzed they will be if they get the part or disheartened if they don't. Wise, more experienced actors, especially those that study Meisner acting technique, will focus on the auditors as well. This is an effective auditioning technique for many important reasons. First of all, aside from yourself (and a waiting room full of other auditioning actors) the people involved are likely to be casting directors, directors, producers and a camera person (if it is being taped). In addition to these key players commercial auditions may have representatives from the agency or advertiser, musicals will likely involve musical directors and choreographers and in many instances you may even see a stage director.
One essential auditioning technique involves the use of emotional preparation. This does not mean sitting yourself down in the waiting room and pushing yourself into the feelings you assume this character would have. The pages you have been handed are out of context. Most of the real emotions are not betrayed in the lines of dialogue. It' your job as the auditioning actor to bring conflict, which is inherently dramatic, to the role. One audition technique is to do a quick assessment of how you can put opposites into play. In other words for every feeling it appears the character may be feeling in the limited dialogue you have been given, add the complete opposite, which is very true to human nature. Spice it up with humor, even if dark humor, in an unexpected place. Create an imaginary circumstance which happened just prior to the scene or ten years ago and use that.
There are different rules for different kinds of parts. The team of auditors will very depending on the type of role. For a national TV commercial expect the team to include ad agency executives and corporate executives. They have a strong vested interest in who will represent their product and company and therefore will have a lot of say. In a musical. a musical director and or choreographer will have a strong say. The safest way to approach these variances is with the assumption that every single person in the room, even the guy wearing a delivery cap, matters. You won't know who's who or who has the power so treat everyone with respect. Keep this as a solid rule in your audition techniques rule book. No director or producer wants someone that seems rude or hard to work with. No matter how stressed out, rude or uncaring an auditor seems-- they are under the gun to make a smart decision and you can help them best by being the ultimate professional.
That is a very tall order but, if you aspire to be a successful actor that will be your job every rehearsal, every performance, every time onstage. Why not start with the audition? The next practical consideration is to expect the unexpected. There are as many scenarios as their are auditions. While some commonalities occur each production is extremely unique and each creative approaches their audition expectations differently. Whatever you are guided to do, do it. Directors and producers have a long list of challenges ahead of them as far as getting a production up and running. Adding a "difficult to work with" actor is probably NOT something they want to add to the list. Be open to direction, easygoing with the process and vulnerable in your performances.
The most resilient actors who have put in year after year of auditioning will tell you that they have simply accepted auditioning as part of the work. Part of their auditioning technique is to see all auditions as an opportunity, albeit a brief one, to act. They treat it as a part, not a chance. In fact, they treat it as the role of a lifetime each and every time.
Many actors make the mistake of focusing too much on the role and how they will play the role, how they will wow the auditors and how jazzed they will be if they get the part or disheartened if they don't. Wise, more experienced actors, especially those that study Meisner acting technique, will focus on the auditors as well. This is an effective auditioning technique for many important reasons. First of all, aside from yourself (and a waiting room full of other auditioning actors) the people involved are likely to be casting directors, directors, producers and a camera person (if it is being taped). In addition to these key players commercial auditions may have representatives from the agency or advertiser, musicals will likely involve musical directors and choreographers and in many instances you may even see a stage director.
One essential auditioning technique involves the use of emotional preparation. This does not mean sitting yourself down in the waiting room and pushing yourself into the feelings you assume this character would have. The pages you have been handed are out of context. Most of the real emotions are not betrayed in the lines of dialogue. It' your job as the auditioning actor to bring conflict, which is inherently dramatic, to the role. One audition technique is to do a quick assessment of how you can put opposites into play. In other words for every feeling it appears the character may be feeling in the limited dialogue you have been given, add the complete opposite, which is very true to human nature. Spice it up with humor, even if dark humor, in an unexpected place. Create an imaginary circumstance which happened just prior to the scene or ten years ago and use that.
There are different rules for different kinds of parts. The team of auditors will very depending on the type of role. For a national TV commercial expect the team to include ad agency executives and corporate executives. They have a strong vested interest in who will represent their product and company and therefore will have a lot of say. In a musical. a musical director and or choreographer will have a strong say. The safest way to approach these variances is with the assumption that every single person in the room, even the guy wearing a delivery cap, matters. You won't know who's who or who has the power so treat everyone with respect. Keep this as a solid rule in your audition techniques rule book. No director or producer wants someone that seems rude or hard to work with. No matter how stressed out, rude or uncaring an auditor seems-- they are under the gun to make a smart decision and you can help them best by being the ultimate professional.
That is a very tall order but, if you aspire to be a successful actor that will be your job every rehearsal, every performance, every time onstage. Why not start with the audition? The next practical consideration is to expect the unexpected. There are as many scenarios as their are auditions. While some commonalities occur each production is extremely unique and each creative approaches their audition expectations differently. Whatever you are guided to do, do it. Directors and producers have a long list of challenges ahead of them as far as getting a production up and running. Adding a "difficult to work with" actor is probably NOT something they want to add to the list. Be open to direction, easygoing with the process and vulnerable in your performances.
The most resilient actors who have put in year after year of auditioning will tell you that they have simply accepted auditioning as part of the work. Part of their auditioning technique is to see all auditions as an opportunity, albeit a brief one, to act. They treat it as a part, not a chance. In fact, they treat it as the role of a lifetime each and every time.
About the Author:
Learn more about the best audition techniques. Stop by the Maggie Flanigan studio where you can find out all about the best Meisner acting in New York City.
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