Aspiring actors go through a tedious audition process before they can land the role in a commercial or movie. In this type of industry, the competition is always tough. In a group of people queuing for auditions, there will be hundreds who want the same role as much as you do. Some even have experience and years of experience, making them better suited for some roles compared to newbies. To stand out on the list and have a fighting chance to get the role you want, it is very important to know the common and specific requirements of a casting agency. Agents and directors say they can easily separate good candidates from those they can’t work with based on this set of qualities.
1. General appearance. This does not refer only to their physical appearance, but to their general presence. You must present yourself as the role you are addressing. Your face, body, your posture and your expressions and gestures must be compatible with the character that the casting agencies are looking for. This will require a lot of calculations on your part, but be flexible to see yourself and become the person you are looking for.
2. Ability to act. You want to be flawless when you show off your acting skills. When you are acting, you don’t want to look like you are acting. You should look and sound as natural as possible. You need to be able to present yourself as the character rather than as someone just playing that character, so be completely convincing.
3. Complete professionalism. Being on time, having your lines fully memorized, looking good, and being ready to take all instructions well are qualities of a professional that casting directors look for.
4. Passionate attitude. This clearly indicates how serious the career you have chosen is. You need to be able to show that you are ready to overcome the challenges that acting job will present and be the character. If directors say you need to lose weight, get a haircut, speak with an accent, learn martial arts, or jump off a building, they want to know that you can do something to make it happen.
5. Trust. This is not something that can be faked. You need to be able to show that you believe in yourself and that you can show courage, especially when asked to do something very challenging.