05.25.07
Memorizing Lines For An Acting Audition
When going for an acting audition it is expected that you have memorised your lines.
It tells the Casting Director that you are a keen and professional actor. It shows you are prepared and serious about your acting career. This in turn a better profile in the eyes of the Casting Director and therefore a better chance at securing the job at the acting audition.
When you go to an acting audition and you have the script given to you before the acting audition you should read the lines again, again and again. Memorize your lines. This can’t be stressed enough.
To make a good impression at the acting audition you must memorize your lines back to front in all possible characterisations. The character in the scene can be played in a variety of ways depending circumstances and personality - make several characterisations and present them at the casting in different takes. Show the Casting Director that you are versatile. This can be achieved by varying the dialogue, the physical reactions, your delivery and your tonation. Present a pile of information “between the lines”, but to do any of this effectively you must memorize your lines completly.
Going to an acting audition without this preparation is only inviting rejection. However you must remain flexible and open to acting or character suggestions from the casting director.
If you fully memorize your lines and impress them with your acting abilities at the acting audition, they will then be looking to see your willingness and ability to change your character to suit their requests.
Not only are they are looking at your suitability for the acting role on offer, but whether or not you will fit in with the other members of the production. You could even give them reason to rewrite the character if your interpretation is strong enough! It’s been done for me before.
Even if you start to get stage fright, you will be ok by the fact that you have prepared properly. If you forget your line just say ‘line please’ and simply continue on. You know what your character is after in the scene so go for it. If the casting director has any instructions for you just follow what he asks, regardless of the script - after all he is the one who is in charge of hiring.
Take your time and deliver your best performance.
Always learn the lines and prepare. If you are not given the lines, go in to the acting audition early and get a copy of the lines and then prepare for the acting audition or more correctly, the “Cold Read”.
At the cold read make simple but strong decisions for your character in the same way you would do if you had the night to prepare, obviously you will not memorize your lines so well but your aren’t expected to. The casting director will be looking for your interpretation of the character and the script.
In a cold read audition the casting director is interested in the way you “act”. They don’t care how well you “read” a scene. The casting director is there to view a performance. They want to see how you “act”, how you relate with your character and the others in the scene.
Develop a ability to read ahead, off the script and then deliver your lines with confidence while relating to the other actors there. Keep your head and face up toward the camera or other actor. If you have the first lines you read the first one or two sentences, then look toward the other actor and deliver the rest of your lines. Keep your face upat all times, lift the script up to keep your face visible to camera. Also do not be so absorbed in reading your lines while the other actor delivers his lines that you forget to respond correctly to what he says and the ways he delivers his lines. Remember the casting director is interested in your baility to act, not read.
Furthermore, once you get that part on TV, film or commercial, you will be expected to know your dialogue word perfect. You will only get a dialogue run for the lights and camera positioning for the shoot. Maybe the other actors in the scene will be polite enough to do a line run with you before hand, but don’t expect it. When that call comes to the green room for your part in the production you had better be sure that, once on set, you know your lines and the lines of the other actors for your cues. Otherwise…gee…I don’t want to think about it, because, the production you are now holding up is probably working on a budget in the tens of thousands of dollars per hour! You are “not in Kansas any more Toto”. This is for real!