Audition Prep

AUDITION 101

Hello, my name is Nadia Aleyd. I have a very solid background in casting for feature films, 1-hour dramas, ½ hour sitcoms and pilots. My love of casting is about the pure magic of finding the right person for a role. The process is exciting, creative and challenging. I find great satisfaction when an actor books a role and brings life to a character with their own artistic ability and skill.

Sometimes the role you think you are perfect for may in fact not be the right one for you. Having a flexible attitude and approach will not only benefit you, but will make this business a lot more fun. I have seen actors get rejected or fired only to discover that this closed door opened a much larger and more significant door…that ultimately sky rocketed their career.

My message here is that you must follow your heart and your passion for acting. There may be setbacks and delays. Alternatively, things can happen very quickly. Whatever happens, you are on the path you were meant to be on and there IS a place for you! I would like to offer you my insight and direction from a casting perspective, which is not that common in the majority of acting classes or workshops. In the age of digital, I want to provide in person one on one audition coaching. Working in casting has taught me a great deal on how auditions should be approached to put your BEST self forward each and every time. I look forward to meeting you and watching you book the roles! If you can dream it, you can do it.

COACHING FROM THE CASTING PERSPECTIVE

This is different than what most people offer, so I want to emphasize this point:

“I have the highest respect for actors. They are constantly putting themselves on the line for the craft they love and often do not see the fruits of their hard work as soon as they may like or even deserve. There are so many factors that are out of their hands and I applaud these people that have chosen to swim with sharks to pursue what truly makes them happy. I would like to support actors by sharing what I have learned over years of very hard work in a very unpredictable industry and pay it forward.”

CHARACTER

Know the character. Read the entire script beforehand to pick-up as many clues as possible. We know about a character by the following:

What he/she says about himself/herself
What other characters say about him/her
What the playwright or screenwriter says about him/her

LOVE

Find the love in the scene. Even nasty characters should be likeable on some level. Find a moment in the scene where the love can show through.

OBJECTIVE

Go underneath the dialogue. What does he/she want from the other characters? What is the character’s purpose in the scene/story?

PERSONALITY

Let it shine through. Don’t give one-word answers when having a conversation with the casting director. Ask questions! The industry is looking for smart, curious actors.

CONFIDENCE

It sounds simple but it takes practice. Walk in the door with your held head high. Be wary of shuffling feet. You don't get sympathy points if you're nervous, not feeling well, or having a bad day. Leave it outside the door. You are being sized up the minute you walk in, so practice good posture and body language before you arrive. And don’t forget to smile – that's the lasting impression you want to leave.

CONNECTION

Make one with the reader. Memorize the material or be familiar enough with it to maintain eye contact. Knowing the dialogue is important, but making a connection with the reader is what will make the scene natural and believable.

ACT

Acting means TO DO, not to talk. Find your actions and play them! (A wonderful resource is the book “Actions: The Actor’s Thesaurus” by Marina Caldarone & Maggie Lloyd-Williams.)

AUDITION PREP

Nadia is also extremely experienced with kids, having worked on numerous Disney projects and participated in several nationwide searches for new talent. She has exceptional insight with kids and possesses a unique and supportive edge to their auditions. She will educate parents and kids on