Auditions

I'm in Edinburgh right now. This is the view of the castle from my room. I am here to help run an audition for a series of roleplays for a corporate client. The job would involve actors going into the workplace to play the part of difficult colleagues.

Okay. So not the most glamourous gig even if the location is great. But this type of work underpins the majority of income out there. But most blog posts cover just the cool sexy bits. So as an antidote here is my top three tips for roleplay auditions.

One: Play fair
Don't play games. People need to trust you. So don't do things to trick auditionees like saying you are looking for one thing when you are really looking for something else. Say clearly and simply what you expect. Also ensure everyone is given the same treatment. It is tempting to refine your audition as the day progresses. However that means the people at the end of the day get a better chance. And the ones at the start of the day, less so.

Two: Film it
And watch it back. So many times now my initial response has been proven wrong by reviewing the performances again.

Three: Do it in pairs
I'll be working with Ian tomorrow. He will be doing the roleplay part and representing the client. I will be observing and aiding the actors. Again, following rule one, this will be made clear. You can't fulfill both roles at once.

And enjoy it!