The Power of the Audition Video

It has become more common for an actor to submit an audition video whenever he/she is unable to attend the audition in person. A couple of weeks ago an actress friend of mine, Amanda Thickpenny asked me for some feedback on how to best produce an audition DVD for a specific audition. (She and I had recently acted together in George Bernard Shaw’s Man & Superman). Just a few days later, another Man & Superman cast member, Ian Richard Barnes approached me to make an audition video for him for a role in a feature film. Having worked for many years on the other side of the camera I have seen my fair share of audition videos over the years. However, I had never actually made one for anybody until now.

The audition video can be a very powerful tool for an actor because he or she can do as many takes as necessary and submit the best one. Obviously performance is the most important aspect of any audition. However, that is not to belie the importance of some very simple key technical aspects an actor should keep in mind when making an audition video.

1. Focus & Lighting: Make sure your audition video is in sharp focus. A soft focus or blurred image will hurt your audition no matter how strong your performance is. Likewise, make sure you have yourself well lit with plenty of fill light. You don’t want there to be any shadows on your face.
2. Framing:  I personally like to see an actor framed in a ½ or ¾ body shot so I can get a good look at the actor’s physicality as they perform. This always tells me a lot about their self confidence and charisma. On the other hand, a ¼ shot (head & shoulders) may be preferable depending on whether your sides are of a sensitive or intimate nature.
3. Sound: I cannot stress this enough – make sure you have a strong audio level, and good clean sound. You don’t want there to be too much extraneous ambient/background noise detracting from your performance.
4. Know Where To Look: The type of sides or material you’re working with will determine where to look. If your sides contain dialogue between two characters, then play directly to the camera as if it were the other character. On the other hand, if you’re giving a monologue or soliloquy, it’s my opinion that it’s preferable to look just off camera right or just off camera left.

For many years audition videos were submitted on tape, then on DVD. Now however, actors are often being asked to provide their audition videos via the internet. This is a good thing because it eliminates the cost of burning and mailing DVDs on the actor’s end. It is likewise much faster and easier for a casting director to just click on a link to see an audition video. Some actors I know post their auditions on their YouTube channels, and others create a temporary link on their website where an auditor can see their audition. Either way it’s good business these days to be able to post your audition online when necessary.