How to Hold Auditions – Actors come in, read a few lines and leave while you decide who to cast. While this is technically correct, there is more to it than just that. To help you (and the actors) so you can find the best cast for your film, Catherine Farrington Garcia – a casting director from RocketJump, has created a great video filled with tips on how to hold auditions.

How to Hold Auditions

Bonus Tips – How to Hold Auditions

The above video comes from a casting director’s perspective. Pretty much all of it is relevant if you are a director or producer holding the auditions yourself.

These tips are for the directors (or possibly producers) when you do a call back after the casting director has helped narrow it down for you. Or if you decide to hold the auditions yourself, as this is an Indie Film and chances are you’re trying to save money.

Read Twice – You want to get the actors to read through the lines a second time. This is to see if they can adapt and take direction. Remember, actors are nervous already, so when asking for a second reading, be polite and grateful. First, ask “Would you like to read it one more time?” after they agree, then give them your adjustments.

Sometimes the actors first read through would be accurate to what the character or scene needs. So for adjustments to see if they can take direction, just push them further. If they are meant to be angry in the scene, the second time, tell them to be extra aggressive etc. You can ask for a 3rd reading to push them even further, but once they are done, whether they followed your direction or not, leave it there. This is all to see if they can adjust to the ever-changing demands on set.

Don’t Give Notes – This sounds like it is going against the above tip, but this tip is for the first read. The actors have prepared what they think the character should be like, so let them read it as they see fit. See what they have come up with and how they have interpreted the character and scene.