Our Guide to Getting Auditions

A theatrical agent or a booking agent is a person who finds jobs for any actors in the entertainment business. If you don't have one, hearing about auditions and open castings can be quite tricky. If you're desperate to get involved, be it with your local drama group or on the professional side of the acting industry, here are a few tips to get stuck in. Written entirely by Olivia and Addison.

Step 1: Register with an "Audition Website"

Thanks to the amazing growth of the Internet, actors can create profiles and web pages that offer their services to directors from all over the world. Casting calls and auditions for actors have been made available through websites that provide a service of regularly updated opportunities in TV, Theatre and Movies, along with numerous other entertainment and showbiz categories. News of Open Casting Calls can be spread on message boards and forums. The possibilities are endless!

Websites such as Stars in my eyes are incredibly accessible and offer opportunities in a wide range of work with touring shows, theme parks, chorus calls, companies, alongside traditional theatre work, TV and Extra work, modeling, and independent movies. However, the service comes with a price. It is usually a monthly fee of around 5 pounds, and while it doesn't break the bank, it could not be the right service for you. Audition websites tend to "cash in" on adults desperate for fame, and are really only offering work in the showbiz category, such as reality TV shows, Game Shows, and the like. If you are under 16, the chances are that you will not fit the requirements of the opportunities offered anyway.

Unless a Casting call is released through the press or websites such as CBBC Newsround, an often reliable source for children, I suggest that young adults steer clear of flashy advertisements on the net, and only trust reliable sources that you trust. More often than not calls for modeling or actresses that promise work straight away are scams, tricking you into giving what they want most - your bank account details. Tips to remember:

Never provide personal information on the net. Posting "Omgz I wanna be a moviestar!!11!" followed by your telephone number on a message board will only make you prey to untrustworthy internet users. Consider your online safety to be the most important thing! 

Beware of fraudsters. There is a whole industry that has developed to take advantage of those who would like to become models, actors and singers, cashing in on those who are desperate to be noticed. If you do have to provide personal details or pay for a service online, do your research, see what other industry veterans have to say on the particular website or agency or get you parents to have a look. 

Remember: If it seems too good to be true, then it most likely is.

Step 2: Attend Acting Classes

If you're keen to get into the acting industry, it's best to keep your interest just a hobby until you're old enough to pursue it as a career. After school drama clubs are the best way to do this. Drama, after all, is meant to be fun, and attending a local club will not only keep you entertained, provide an encouraging environment for you to learn about the craft, but also help you meet people that are interested in the same thing as you.

Casting Directors, when searching for young talent, often look at local Drama Groups, and sometimes even approach schools that aren't specifically Stage Schools. Georgie Henley's drama club, Upstagers, heard about the open castings for Narnia and persuaded the casting director to sit in on a lesson, ultimately resulting in Georgie landing a part. A casting agent visited Lucy Boynton's school, too. It is easy to forget that the acting industry is built on contacts, and even your Acting Coach at your local amateur drama group can help you! Here are a few tips on getting involved:

Look for information about clubs and societies in your local newspaper or bulletin board. Before doing a big show clubs also place advertisements in local magazines and papers about auditions for new members.

If you don't have a local drama group, why not create one? You could even make one at your school. Ask your drama teacher for permission to use a classroom at lunchtime and invite a few friends!

All articles are written by Olivia or Addison unless otherwise stated. By viewing these articles you are agreeing to our disclaimer.