Audition Tips for Television, Film and Theatre and resources for finding Auditions.

Don’t think you can wing it, you MUST practice! Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
– Aristotle

  1. Be a  Professional actor in acting classes so that translates in the audition room. Show up early to your acting audition. Never be late. Treat everyone in the audition room with respect. Never complain to casting directors. They are doing their best to accommodate you.
  2. Prepare. Prepare. Prepare. Do your research as an acting student. If it is a commercial acting audition, know the product. If it is a TV acting audition know the style of the TV show. If it is a film acting audition ask your acting agent for the entire film script so you can read it and prepare. If it is a theatre acting audition, know the play and the playwright really well. Also research the theatre company and what kind of acting plays they have produced in the past. Check out Goodreads Top 100 Stage Plays of All Time (374 books)
  3. Put yourself on the line: Allow yourself to be vulnerable as a camera adult actor. This will bring humanity to your acting role and it will open the hearts of the people in the casting room auditioning you.

    An actor in our Toronto acting school is learning to trust his impulses and allow his vulnerability to break through in his acting workAn actor in our Toronto acting school is learning to trust his impulses and allow his vulnerability to break through in his acting work

  4. Be flexible as an actor and put your best acting forward as you take direction. If you’re in the audition room and they want to see you act it another way, that’s good news. They are interested in spending time with you and getting to better know your acting. It doesn’t mean the way you did it was wrong. They just want to see you shift your best acting and know you can take direction as an actor.
  5. Don’t take anything personally. Take responsibility for yourself and the work you’ve done in acting classes while simply focusing on your best acting. Be open and willing to work from your actors centre. You will be better received in the audition room. The people auditioning you have a lot of people to see. They may be tired or running behind and they may not even look at you when you enter the room. Instead they may be looking at the monitor and jotting things down on paper. This is normal. It’s not about you, the actor, it’s about the acting process.
  6. Keep a sense of Equality in the auditioning room. Never apologize or give your power away or look for approval or think you are somehow inferior. The casting directors and directors want to collaborate with you. They need you on a level playing field. They don’t want to have to look after you in any way. If you’ve been honing your acting craft in your classes for acting, trust that what you have learned will be there to guide you through it.
  7. Hold the acting sides if you are not feeling confident in your memorization of the lines. Keep things simple. Don’t bring all kinds of props or activities to do. Know where to look as an on camera adult actor. You may want to do some one on one actor training so you’re familiar with playing to the camera on your own.
  8. If you’ve been acting online, and/or taking acting lessons in Toronto, you can learn the confidence to make the audition room your own. You can enter with an acting presence. Allowing your actor energy field to be open rather than entering with tunnel vision. Keep your 5 senses alive and see and hear and be aware of all that is around you.
  9. Take private acting classes to hone your skills outside of the classroom environment.. The Toronto Association of Acting Studios (TAAS) has a  list of reputable studios for on-line  actor training, private acting classes and group Toronto acting classes:. torontoactingstudios.com.

  10. You’ve got nothing to lose as an actor getting started in Toronto. You started in the hallway. If you don’t get the job you will be back in the hallway and back in acting classes honing your craft for your next audition. And you will get another audition and another and another. There will always be auditions and there will alway be Toronto acting classes to help you get better and improve your acting craft. 

Resources for finding auditions:

  • Casting Workbook. This is the ‘go to’ website for Toronto actors, agents and casting directors. www.castingworkbook.com
  • Theatre Ontario. Members receive audition notices via email. www.theatreontario.org
  • Mandy.com is a great resource for student actors, beginner actors and actors in acting class as you get great experience in films and independent productions. www.mandy.com
  • Now Magazine has audition notices for Toronto actors too.. Just be sure to check them out first and make sure it’s legitimate.  nowtoronto.com/classifieds/listings
  • LIFT is a great place to network and connect with Toronto actors, directors, writers and producers. lift.ca
  • ACTRA: For auditions check out this link… actratoronto.com/whats-shooting and for those beginner actors just getting started in the industry check out this link: actratoronto.com/performers/starting-out
  • Equity is the union for theatre professionals: www.caea.com
  • Believe in yourself and know that with the right combination of Toronto acting classes your best acting in the audition room can be a possibility and land you the role you’ve worked so hard for.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Acting Teacher / Mentor / Life Coach Cindy Tanas, has run a highly reputable and successful Toronto acting school for over 25 years. She teaches Acting Classes for beginners and experienced actors. Cindy is a member of ACTRA, former Chair and member of TAAS (Toronto Association of Acting Studios) and member of Theatre Ontario.

Cindy Tanas Actors Studio offers a holistic approach to acting in Toronto since 1995. Both in person and online acting classes are available.

www.torontoactingstudios.com
www.actratoronto.com
www.theatreontario.org