Acting Auditions Los Angeles
You’re an actor looking for acting auditions Los Angeles?
Or maybe you need help on what to do or expect???
How do you prepare???
Are all auditions the same???
You want to calm your nerves??
You want to get the most out of yourself in a short period of time???
Acting auditions in Los Angeles come many shapes, sizes and forms so sometimes it’s hard to know what to expect or how to prepare. Other times it’s the anxiety and stress of an audition that causes you to panic and worry. So let us help guide you and take some of the stress out!
Acting Auditions vary around the world and they are certainly different for tv and film than they are for theatre. We will focus on On-Camera auditions in Los Angeles for TV and Film : )
Here acting auditions Los Angeles can be broken down into 3 categories Commercials, TV and Film. They vary slightly but many aspects remain the same to begin with. Acting auditions are usually On-Camera, with a casting director and reader, miles away from where you live and traffic is awful : ) Only adding to the already built up fear and anxiety about “performing” and being judged. But good news is we have a few things here at the studio that we teach to make this feeling a thing of the past in acting auditions!
Keep reading!
Lets start with Commercial auditions.
Commercials you would think would be the easiest of the bunch. Less lines! Short auditions! What could be better than that!?
Well in truth they are actually quite unnerving if you don’t know what to expect.
A lot of commercial auditions here in Los Angeles require you to improvise around lines, act out crazy scenes with or without dialogue and to make matters worse sometimes you aren’t even given a breakdown on what you are doing until you arrive 5 minutes before the audition!
To be good at commercial auditions isn’t as easy as just being the right look, its an art form on its own, a different kind of beast. Where to really be able to think fast on your feet, delve deep into your soul in a very short period of time is a key!
To truly be in touch with your body and how it moves, needs to be available to you at the flick of a switch : )
Most of the time you will be asked to jump straight in, then change everything you just did…..and then change it again 10 seconds later.
How do you prepare for such mayhem?
Well first off it’s not as scary as it sounds!
Instinctual discovery. Trust your instincts and get in your body right away instead of getting stuck in a “heady” clinical analysis.
Sometimes it’s just you and the casting director, sometimes you’re partnered up with another actor or it’s you and a bunch of other actors in a group.
All of you have nerves, even the casting director as they also have the pressure to find the right talent. Maybe it’s their first day or first big project so always remember they want the best out of you, for you and for themselves. It’s a team thing : )
It can feel overwhelming to be thrown into a room in front of people and then told to do things that maybe you have never done before! But… If you think about it and break it down its all about being a human being and having fun. Whether or not you need to improvise you are still just Living the Life of another person. To access certain feelings or emotions can be achieved in many different ways and with varying techniques.
“My philosophy changes the goal from acting a character to being a human being…so you can be in the moment whether you’re in an audition, on set or on stage.”
We have a unique look on acting auditions here at the studio in that we create from within to Live the Life of another. Margie gives you all the tools to create true connections to your words and to your actions giving you the confidence to just go for it and not hold back.
Where can I find commercial auditions?
If you don’t have a commercial agent then there are still many avenues available to you to get out on auditions.
Many websites including Actorsaccess, Backstage, Castit, Starnow, Project Casting, Casting360 allow you to submit yourself to casting directors. Some offer great opportunities and some you must take with a grain of salt. If it sounds too good to be true then it’s worth double checking before you agree to an audition. Always do your background research on who is involved, where it is etc so you don’t find yourself in a uncomfortable situation.
Television
TV is so different now than what it used to be. A few decades or so ago there were only a handful of big networks making content. So to get on a show was hard as there were only limited roles and limited productions. Plus the same actors were always cast over the same network.
But now there are so many different avenues with so much content being made from the big studios and networks to Netflix, Youtube, Hulu to name a few and independent online productions.
TV has morphed into a wide array of areas rather than simply being limited to actual Television.
Gone are the days of scheduled viewing, of the 8pm time slot for LOST family gatherings.
TV has lost its power over people having to watch it on an actual television. A lot of people are cable cutting, switching to OnDemand viewings and streaming services.
This has created such competition in the market, that now companies like Netflix, are leading the way in creating award winning content. Its allowed a greater amount of flexibility, in filming, locations, production, distribution and of course the talent they can use.
It has now become a global market. Where once an actor was at an advantage to be based in LA. That still holds true to many things but it’s not so black and white anymore. Actors from all over the world are cast in productions being made here in the USA.
How to prepare for TV auditions?
Just like commercial auditions, it’s you, a reader and a casting director to begin with. Castings happen all over LA from Burbank and Hollywood to Santa Monica. You could find yourself in Santa Monica in the morning then headed to Burbank at peak traffic times. Lots of fun!!
In terms of preparing, for most auditions, you will have at least a night’s notice.
That seems like there isn’t much time to truly prepare a fully fleshed character. But a night is a very long time if you put some hard work in. To make sure you really Live the Life.
“Create quickly, specifically, and thoroughly. Be empowered to step into a character more fully in less time – perfect for the fast-moving industry of film and TV”
You can spend all night memorizing lines only to go in and an ok job. But with all the competition in Los Angeles you want to shine!
So before you spend the hours you have memorising lines try to use your Imagination, not substitution. Create fully realized characters that are truthfully affected in the moment through the endless power of your imagination. Then your lines will be apart of you, you won’t be “performing” as you will be that person, living that life!
This gives the power back to you. No longer are you afraid of “doing it right” or “showcasing” yourself as a great actor, you are now Living the Life of that character, being truly present.
You have many options available to you in regards to memorization. You can memorise your words completely and if you have the time this is great! But if you find that you don’t have the hours to put in or maybe it’s a character or scene that just isn’t easy to memorise and trust me, we have all had those! Then here at the studio Margie teaches her Haber Phrasing.
“You can use the paper as an extension of yourself”
Margie teaches her Haber Phrasing. as an alternative to memorization, this innovative tool takes away the pressure of memorizing when you’re short on time. Key for auditions and table readings, it helps you to use the paper organically without losing your connection to the other actors. It becomes a part of your behavior rather than a technical approach.
To learn more about this life changing addition to your skills and to truly grasp how to Live the Life, join Margie at our free Orientaton on Mondays at 2pm here at the studio.
Film
Film like Television has changed in so many ways. Independent movies are much cheaper to make taking away the need for giant studios to fund movies. Films are also distributed online opening the entire world up as a potential audience.
Short films have become a great asset to actors, directors and writers as a way of showcasing their talent on much lower budgets. Used as stepping stones for more funding and potentially a bigger demographic.
Many more films are made these days with filmmakers getting much more creative with the technological tools available to them.
So what does this mean for you as an actor?
With so many different creative approaches to filmmaking, there are that many more opportunities for actors. Including creating your own content. It has now become such a global market and such a diverse area.
It was once focussed on a single area in Los Angeles. And so were the acting auditions Los Angeles.
But now no matter where you are there are filmmakers making content that is globally recognized. From short films to blockbusters, animation to video games.
Acting auditions Los Angeles are cast all over LA. Casting notices can be also on the web if you don’t have an agent on the same websites such as Actorsaccess, Backstage, Castit, Starnow, Project Casting, Casting360.
How to prepare?
“I am this person living this life.”
Preparation is always the same. What changes is the amount of time you have. Every time you live the life of someone else, as much as you can. Sometimes you have hours which only allows so much imagination to be had. Others you have days, nights, which affords you the time to truthfully immerse into the character.
“You can’t be you, but you can always use you – dont be afraid to let your deliciousness seep into your character!”
Believe the character on the page is a real, complicated human being and you can readily relate to them as one. Spend time imagining the smallest details about their life, take yourself to those places, get into your body and live as though you were them. The more truthful imagination you can achieve in the time you have, the more truthful your audition will be.
“Relationship, relationship, relationship. “Take a dance” with the other person instead of executing pre-planned, inauthentic behavior. When you focus on what you want, you’re more present and more real.”
If you want to know more and learn more then get in touch with us here at the studio! From Kids and Teens to Adults! We would love to hear from you! Talk to us about how we can help you start booking acting auditions Los Angeles. Check out our Instagram page or follow The Actors Blog
Margie also tours around the world sharing her knowledge. See if shes coming to you! Margie on Tour
“We are all going somewhere, anywhere. We are the only ones who can walk our unique path. It’s right there, our dreams, our goals, sometimes just beyond our most painful experiences. We all have moments of doubt and frustration. Life can feel like a roller coaster. We can be right at the top, screaming with joy, for the world to hear. Only to wake up and find ourselves staring up at the top of a seemingly unclimbable mountain.
But don’t be disheartened because like life, the joys of acting come from the discovery, the journey. Every step is an opportunity for the world to show us something we may never have experienced before. We only live once. Dancing on the edge. But as an actor what a wonderful, heart breakingly beautiful opportunity you have to live as many lives as you want.
What a life that must be.”