Research the Project
You won’t need to do this on every audition, but if you’re feeling stuck, it’s time to revisit client tastes.
Familiarize yourself with a project’s background and purpose. Explore client websites, social media presence, and any available marketing materials. This will give you a deeper understanding of their identity, style, and preferences.
Pay attention to their previous voice over spots, if available, to get a sense of their preferred tone and delivery style.
Make Bold Artistic Choices
Take creative risks in your auditions.
Recognize that in the world of online casting, roughly 80% of auditions take a relatively safe, similar approach, and statistically speaking, it’s more than likely the case that your auditions are in that same group.
Showcasing unique interpretations and making bold choices can help your audition stand out from the competition and leave a lasting impression; however, you want to make sure that your bold choices are still going to resonate with clients.
When approaching auditions, consider how you can bring a fresh and distinctive perspective to the script. Instead of sticking to the obvious or predictable choices, explore different ways to interpret the character, tone, or overall delivery. Look for unique angles, unexpected emotions, or inventive vocal choices that can make your audition memorable.
It’s also beneficial to seek feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors, or industry professionals. They can provide valuable insights and constructive criticism to help you refine your bold choices and ensure they are effective and appropriate.
Use their feedback as a means to grow and develop your skills, learning from their expertise and applying it to future auditions.
Hook Them At the Beginning
Engaging the listener is essential at the beginning of the script as it allows you to captivate their attention and make a lasting impact.
Hook the listener from the very first second of your audition by deciding exactly how you want those first few syllables to impact them, and employ a “lead-in” so that you aren’t using the first few words to ease into the read. Show the copywriter of that script that you care about each and every word they wrote.
By creating intrigue right from the start, you increase the chances of the listener being invested in your audition.