Every acting job starts with an audition. Whether you want to book a local commercial, land a part in community theater, or work your way toward film and television, learning how auditions work is the fastest way to stop guessing and start booking. This guide covers the main types of acting auditions, what happens in the room, and how to prepare so you walk in confident.
The Main Types of Acting Auditions
Film and Television
Film and TV auditions are usually built around “sides,” which are short scenes pulled from the script. Most first rounds are now self tapes recorded at home and submitted online. If casting likes your tape, you may be asked to a callback, a producer session, or a chemistry read with another actor. Performances for camera should be truthful and contained, since the lens picks up every small choice. Our guide on filming a great audition on just your phone walks through the setup.
Commercials
Commercial auditions move quickly. You may be asked to slate (say your name and sometimes your height or agency), show your hands, and run a short piece of copy or improvise a reaction with little or no dialogue. Casting is looking for someone who feels real and fits the brand. Bring energy, listen to direction, and be ready to try it a different way.
Theater
Stage auditions often ask for a prepared monologue, and musicals also ask for 16 or 32 bars of a song. You may be given sides from the play for a callback. Theater rewards clear storytelling, vocal projection, and the ability to fill a space. If you need help picking material, read how to choose and perform an audition monologue.
Voice Over
Voice auditions are almost always recorded remotely. You receive a script and specs, record a few takes, and upload an audio file. Clean sound matters as much as performance. See voice over from your bedroom closet and how to make a voice acting demo reel to get started.
Background Work
Background (extra) casting rarely involves a traditional audition. Instead, you submit photos and measurements to a casting company and respond quickly when they need your look. It is a practical way to learn how a set runs. Our guide to becoming a background actor explains the process.
Open Calls and Reality TV
Open calls are public auditions where anyone who fits the breakdown can show up or submit. They are common for student films, theater, and unscripted television. Expect a short interview, a photo, and possibly a quick read. For unscripted shows, read how to get cast on a reality TV show.
What Happens in the Audition Room
A typical in person audition follows a predictable pattern:
- Check in. Sign in, hand over your headshot and resume if requested, and review your sides while you wait.
- Slate. State your name clearly when the camera starts rolling.
- The read. Perform the scene with a reader, who is often a casting assistant reading flatly. Your job is to stay connected anyway.
- Redirection. If casting gives you a note, that is a good sign. They want to see whether you can adjust.
- Exit. Say thank you and leave. Do not ask how you did.
Most auditions last only a few minutes. For a detailed walkthrough, read your first audition, minute by minute.
How to Prepare for Any Acting Audition
Read the Breakdown Carefully
The casting breakdown tells you the character’s age range, personality, and situation. It also lists wardrobe notes, dates, and pay. Make sure you are available for the shoot dates before you submit.
Work the Sides, Not Just the Lines
Know who you are talking to, what you want from them, and what changed right before the scene began. Memorize enough that you can look up from the page, but keep the sides in hand unless you are told otherwise. If you get material at the last minute, use our cold reading tips.
Get Your Materials Ready
You need a current headshot that looks like you today and a clean, honest resume. Neither has to be expensive. See headshots on a budget and how to write an acting resume with no experience.
Dress to Suggest the Role
Wear clothes that hint at the character without becoming a costume. Solid colors read best on camera. Avoid logos, busy patterns, and noisy jewelry.
Arrive Early and Calm
Plan to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. Use the wait to breathe and run the first line of the scene, not to compare yourself to everyone in the hallway. For a full checklist, see how to prepare for your first acting audition.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Apologizing before or after the read.
- Asking to start over more than once.
- Bringing props unless the instructions allow them.
- Touching the reader or casting staff.
- Paying an “audition fee.” Legitimate casting directors do not charge actors to audition. Learn the warning signs in how to spot a fake casting call.
Auditions for Young Actors
Children and teens audition in many of the same ways, but there are extra rules around work permits, hours, and earnings. Parents should read our parent’s guide to child acting rules before submitting a child for any project.
Where to Find Acting Auditions
Start with reputable casting platforms, local theater companies, film school bulletin boards, and regional film commissions, which often post productions shooting in your state. As you build credits, an agent can submit you for roles you could not access on your own. When you are ready, read how to get an acting agent. For more on where auditions take place, see our guide to audition locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need experience to audition?
No. Many student films, community theater productions, commercials, and background roles welcome newcomers. Training helps, but a first audition is how most people start.
How long should I wait to hear back?
Often you will not hear back unless you are booked or called back. Most actors submit and move on. A callback usually comes within a few days to two weeks.
Should I memorize the sides?
Know them well enough to connect with the reader, but holding your pages is normal and expected in most first round auditions.
Is it a red flag if I am asked to pay?
Yes. Paying for optional classes or photos is your choice, but you should never pay simply for the right to audition.