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Preparation for a last minute audition

Let’s say you get an email from your agent at 5 PM, requesting that you submit an audition tape by 10 AM the next morning. Along with it, you receive the breakdown: information about the project, who the producers are, the director, the writer. Is it a television series, a film, a short? Which role are you being asked to audition for? You'll also get a character description, a story outline—maybe even director’s notes or other references to help guide your choices. And, of course, your two scenes—spread across six pages.

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What do you do?

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I start by reading the scenes about ten times. As a rule of thumb, one page usually equals one minute of screen time—so six pages means six minutes. I check the page and scene numbers to understand where these moments fall in the arc of the story. Is this scene at the beginning? Near the end? I’m trying to gain insight into the setting, the character’s journey, their relationships, and most importantly—what they want.

If it’s a show I’m already familiar with, I don’t need to do much research on the tone, the creators, or the lead actors. But if it’s a new show or an original film, I go back to the breakdown and then dive into some online research. Who are the creatives? What network is it on? Who’s been cast so far? This can give you clues about the style or tone of the project. Google is your friend—look for articles in Variety, Deadline, or check IMDb. You’d be surprised how much insight you can gather this way.

By habit, I spend about an hour analyzing each page. I ask myself: Who am I? What do I want? Who do I want it from? And how am I going to get it? I “action” the text—giving each line an intention to bring it to life. Once I feel I’ve memorized the material well enough to deliver it naturally, it’s usually time to stop.

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The next morning, with a reader, I record the two scenes—and then press send. And then? I let it go.

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Personally, I don’t enjoy recording an audition the same day I’ve learned the lines. There’s plenty of research showing how the subconscious mind retains information overnight—especially lines you’ve worked hard to internalize. I’m also not a fan of using a teleprompter or taping your lines around the room, and I wouldn’t recommend that approach to a developing actor either. The goal is to be present in the scene—not distracted by searching for words.