Auditions: The New Job Interview?

This week, I was reaccustomed to the intricacies of the audition process. I'm surprised that USC students were treating their potential talent poorly. Every level of expertise, whether amateur or industry veteran, should handle an audition professionally. I enjoyed the workshop because it felt necessary to revisit the process and evaluate what I could improve (much like this class). In this case, I could improve on the interview portion. It is important to review where and when the actor was trained. Was it formal? Is he or she still involved? These inspections led me to ask questions. I would still be brief, but such inqueries would give me a better perspective of the actor. If I notice that the actor was in a recent feature film, I would like to know what position he or she played on the project. A supporting role is quite different than an extra. On the other hand, maybe a commercial that is listed on the resume could be very popular without me knowing. So, it's good to ask.

Another important aspect of the audition is giving the actor an adjustment, or other possibility to navigate through the scene. Give simple instructions. Speak the actor's language. Uta Hagen's terms help identify the scene's construction and the relationship. Ask about the objective or the obstacles getting in the way. Maybe change the circumstances. For instance, the husband discovers his wife is cheating before he leaves for work instead of at the end of the day. This subtle change of circumstance will alter the actor's interpretation. I get annoyed when directors fail to give actors freedom with their characters. Adjustments are slight changes, or advice on which direction to pursue. Telling an actor how to read a line verbatim isn't directing. I found the trust factor between director and actor to be pivotal.