Alright, you have taken your first steps to beginning a wonderful career in acting; you have a great agency and now they have called you for your first audition in Toronto. You squeal and jump up and down just overjoyed; it seems like everything is starting to finally pan out after all that hard work you have put into becoming an actor or actress so far. However, as you sit back and bask in the glow of such a wonderful opportunity set before you; your nerves start to set in. Are you actually prepared for that first audition? You start to worry that you may actually tank your first audition in Toronto. You really should not worry however, yes; there is a good chance that you may not land the part in the first audition. This is pretty normal, though you can go into that first audition with confidence and a sense of being prepared. You can start fine tuning your acting skills and audition skills now; so you can eventually take that next step in your acting career.
Your career is certainly not over if you tank that first audition. It’s just the stepping stone to bigger and better opportunities and will help you gain confidence in your own auditioning skills. Being prepared for an audition is an important step along the way. Before the audition you may be given sides to audition or simply audition scenes. Study them well, to help boost your confidence for the audition. Do not be afraid to try several different approaches to the side until you find something that fits the character you are portraying. Learn how to break the scene down to best figure out the characters motivations and to better understand their personality. If it helps and can be done; dress like your character for the audition. That being said, don't try to show up for an audition as a fire breathing dragon, that will definitely not go down well with the casting director and more than likely will end with you being asked to change or even disqualified from the audition in Toronto.
Easier said than done a lot of times, but you can work hard and still maintain a relaxed stance. It is a very possible trait to shine in if you put in the effort. Save looking nervous or panicked for a character that is actually nervous and panicked. You should arrive looking confident and fresh for your audition and not walking in shaking like you just had a terrifying dream about the war on your way over to the audition in Toronto. You will find that people will see you as more approachable and even more likeable on set if you can exude confidence and a relaxed presence. It is all about the atmosphere you bring with you to the set in Toronto. Being overly nervous can also affect how much focus you have on set as well; and can be distracting to those around you.
You will need to work hard and stay focused to land that first audition; while making sure to stay on top of your game. Toronto is a great place to network with others that are dedicated to their work in the entertainment industry. When you have a large network, it can increase the chances for you to have a great outcome and you may even catch wind of that role you have always wanted along the way. Word of mouth can sometimes be even better than just words down on paper in your resume or a headshot. Sometimes even quicker than the internet when it comes to letting people know that you are someone to meet in the entertainment business.
Tips for When You Audition in Toronto
Congratulations on finally landing that first audition in Toronto. Though keep in mind that audition does not mean anything if you are rude when you are called upon to set up your time and date for the audition. This is your first impression even before the audition and people tend to remember someone that is polite over someone that is rude. Show excitement, you should be excited and that’s a normal reaction to getting an audition; this will also show the casting director that you are excited to be there and ready to work with zeal on the set.
Do not hesitate to try and get as much information as you can about the audition. There is nothing wrong with being well informed and will help you prepare better for the audition. Find out who you will be auditioning in front of whether it will be the casting director or director and learn their names. Make sure you are there to audition on time and avoid setting your appointment time later in the day as this will ensure that your audition will be well heard and the casting director will not be sitting there after hearing five or six others before you and may be tired at this point in the day. As the day wears on the casting director will become less attentive to auditions and will be too tired to put their full attention on you. Also make sure to avoid setting an audition during the lunch hour which is usually somewhere between 12 and 2 pm in Toronto. You don’t want someone to listen to your audition who is hungry or already munching on lunch during your audition. They won’t have their full focus on you.
In Toronto remember to keep your schedule open; having open availability means that you will not have too much trouble showing up for rehearsal and shooting days. Anyone that is already in the entertainment industry will tell you that the best way to practice for an audition is to audition over and over again; the reason for this is that eventually going to an audition should become like riding a bike to you. No matter how long it has been since your last audition you will be comfortable and confident to walk into the next without too much thought. As you go to more auditions it will also help you to expand your network and obtain more auditions in Toronto in the future.
Your best course of action when it comes to preparing for an audition is just consuming all information you can about that audition. It is one of the most sure fire ways to start working to understand the character you are portraying and also understand the scene being used and the character's background; especially if the script that you are working from is still in the stage of being unproduced yet. Don’t hesitate to read over the creative works that have been previously done by the casting director that is doing your audition as it can help provide you with insight on what they will be looking for from you during the audition. Though if you do have the script on hand; read the whole script and do not just read the part that you are auditioning for. By reading the whole script you are learning about your character and what motivates them at a deeper level and can help boost your performance at the audition.
Remember to breathe and have fun while still understanding what is expected from you at the audition and be sure to read your audition notice all the way through. Sometimes the casting director may even choose at random even to ask you questions about the script as part of your audition process. They do this to see how much you understand the script and your character. Make sure you are familiar with all the terms used in the script and the names too; so you avoid mispronouncing anything when you are performing your audition.
