How to prepare for and behave at a professional audition/session

How to prepare for and behave at a professional audition/session
Written by Kira
Tuesday, 30 June 2009 02:41 - Last Updated Friday, 03 July 2009 07:27
Preparation
-Before you go to your audition/session, BE SURE TO WARM UP YOUR VOICE. Scales,
tongue twisters...whatever your preferred vocal workout is. If it's too awkward to do this at home
because of family members or roommates, just do them in the car on your way to the studio. It
is very important to warm up especially if your session is early in the morning and you have that
froggy sound in your voice.
-It's best not to drink anything besides water or warm tea before you go in. (Soda, milkshakes,
etc. can clog up or dry out your throat. If you're like me and need caffeinated beverages each
day, treat yourself to one AFTER your session!) Take a bottle of water with you---it's much
better to be prepared than to have to ask for water halfway through.
-Eat SOMETHING before you go in---it's going to affect your focus if your stomach is growling.
Just be careful what you eat---fruit is good (especially green apples; these are supposed to help
with mouth noise) but avoid things with a heavy dairy base such as pizza.
-DO NOT be late. It doesn't matter what your excuse is... it makes a terrible impression
especially if this is your first time going there. Allow plenty of extra time for traffic jams, detours,
weather conditions, etc. You should be there 5-10 minutes early, but PLAN to arrive 15-20
minutes early to account for any delays in arriving at the studio. If you get there too early (say,
earlier than 10 minutes) simply sit in your car and wait for a bit or take a walk down the street.
Being too early can create an awkward situation.
-Turn your cell phone OFF before you go into the studio. Don't put it on vibrate--- chances are
the microphone will pick up the buzzing sound. The same goes for pagers, alarms, beeping
watches, or anything else that makes noise.
-Avoid wearing clothing with extremely baggy sleeves or dangly jewelry (such as bangle
bracelets). These things can flap around/clink/make other unwanted noise that interferes with
your recording, and the director/engineer will have to ask you to take them off. It's a good idea
to take your jacket off too, as jackets can make noise when you move your arms.
-If this is your first audition with a particular studio, bring a demo, resume, and professional
headshot (if you have one) along with you so that they have something tangible to keep on file.
A word of caution about demos: If your demo CD is something you made at home, make sure
that your recording quality is excellent and the mixing sounds professional. A demo that looks or
sounds amateur can hurt you more than help you. Be careful that any work listed on your
resume appears professional as well (flash movies can be listed as something like "a
web-based animated series" but don't put "flash movie on Newgrounds".) Demo and resume
should be labeled with your real name (or PROFESSIONAL stage name--aka something that at
least looks/sounds like a real first and last name) and contact information.
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How to prepare for and behave at a professional audition/session
Written by Kira
Tuesday, 30 June 2009 02:41 - Last Updated Friday, 03 July 2009 07:27
Beginning The Process
-Chances are you will feel extremely nervous going in for the first time. You may also have
other things going on in life that make you distracted (I woke up to go to my first real recording
session yesterday morning to find someone BROKE INTO MY CAR OVERNIGHT!) but you
must
put these things aside when you go into the booth. You ARE that character now and you must
think like that character ~ this is a basic acting technique that gets you out of the things
you
are preoccupied with as an actor. My former acting teacher/voice coach had a favorite saying
"leave it at the door" when it comes to anything that will affect your ability to deliver a great read.
-Note that studio microphones are generally very sensitive and will pick up all sorts of things
that your home recording setup doesn't. Watch any mouth noises and extra breathing through
your lines. This sounds gross, so bear with me, but you don't want a lot of extra saliva in your
mouth because those things are very easily heard on the other side of the booth and the sound
engineer will have to clean it out of your recordings.
-Do NOT touch the microphone or mess with the stand; they will set it for you before you begin
recording. ESPECIALLY do not tap it or say "Hey is this thing on?" when you put on your
headphones. It's natural to use your hands a little when recording dramatic lines but be sure
you do not hit the microphone or otherwise make unwanted sounds.
-Confidence is key! If you've never heard yourself through your headphones before, it may be a
little uncomfortable at first, but don't ever say anything negative about your voice or "I don't like
hearing myself on tape" or anything like that. If you think you'll do a crappy job...you probably
will!
Recording
-The director's word is final when it comes to what you do with the character's voice and line
delivery. Do not argue or make excuses---a good director knows what s/he is talking about and
can get the best performance out of you. Even if you know so much about how the show/game
was done in Japanese and you think you know exactly how x character should be done... that
isn't your call, and you can trust that things like pronunciation have been supervised and
approved already by the client. Also, when the director asks you to try the line a different way,
don't apologize or say things like "I suck at this!"---it wastes everyone's time and just makes you
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How to prepare for and behave at a professional audition/session
Written by Kira
Tuesday, 30 June 2009 02:41 - Last Updated Friday, 03 July 2009 07:27
look unprofessional.
-Don't spend a lot of time chatting or making jokes when you're in the booth. You'll be wasting
the producers' time AND the client's money (if this is an actual recording session). You don't
have to be completely serious---if you have a laid-back director s/he may make a little bit of
small talk with you at the beginning just to get you comfortable---but as soon as that recording
begins try to avoid unnecessary talking. They tend to like people who can get the work done
fast!
-Messing up is a part of recording. Sooner or later you're going to trip over a line or word,
pronounce something wrong, or accidentally add an extra word in. When this happens, do not
make a big deal over it! Pause briefly and restart from the beginning of the sentence. Again, do
not ever put yourself down or make long-winded apologies; that is an indication of being an
amateur.
-You may or may not be told what you're recording/auditioning for. It can be very exciting if
you're told you're going to be in a certain game or show, but you can express your enthusiasm
in a mature manner rather than acting like a fanboy/fangirl. You want them to think of you as a
voice talent, not simply a "fan" that they might run into at a convention.
Leaving the Booth
-After a recording session, you will be asked to sign paperwork regarding payment information.
If you weren't told before what the pay rate was for the project, this is where you will find out
exactly what you will be getting paid and sign off on it. You may also be asked to sign a
non-disclosure agreement, meaning that you cannot mention what you recorded for until the
product is released or until the producer gives you consent. ALWAYS make sure you are clear
on the confidentiality rules for each project you record for before you mention anything to friends
or post it online---failure to abide by these rules can get both you AND the studio in trouble, so
don't risk it!
-
Thank each of the people you met there for their time and the opportunity they gave you. If
you have a business card (which you should!), hand it to them if this is a first-time client. Do not
ask them when they will be calling you or remind them to listen to your demo. As long as they
have your contact information on file, it is up to them to contact you again (if it's been several
months, it's okay to follow up, but remember that these people are very busy.) Don't ask "how
did I do?", "was I any good?", etc.
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How to prepare for and behave at a professional audition/session
Written by Kira
Tuesday, 30 June 2009 02:41 - Last Updated Friday, 03 July 2009 07:27
And the final thing I cannot stress enough... BE PREPARED!! If you are thinking about
calling a place to schedule an audition, don't do it until you feel you are absolutely ready
to do ANY type of voice or style of read they ask of you. It's hard to get a second chance
with the same place, so you MUST be ready for your first one and confident that you will
deliver your absolute best performance--treat this as your one opportunity to make a
good and lasting impression with your voice and acting skills!
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