8 Tips for Virtual Callback Auditions
What commercial actors need to know in the Zoom era
This is an overdue update.
Seven years ago, I published 10 Callback Audition Tips for Actors and a piece on what goes on in the room after the audition. They became two of the most popular things I’ve ever written.
But a LOT has changed about commercial auditions since then.
Since the onset of the Covid pandemic in early 2020, auditions have gone virtual. Initial submissions are almost all self-tapes, these days. And callbacks are mostly handled on Zoom.
Even as we (fingers crossed!) put the pandemic in the rearview mirror, virtual auditions aren’t going away anytime soon.
That’s a good thing, IMHO.
For actors, it’s been transformational. Remember that drive to the casting director’s office? Finding parking? Sitting in the waiting room, worrying about the meter? All for 60 seconds inside the audition room?
Self-tapes and callback Zooms from the comfort of your own home are infinitely more convenient and a lot less stressful. (Who wants to sit in that callback waiting room with 10 doppelgängers and let the nerves creep in?)
(Behind the scenes, it’s more convenient for the director and agency too. While casting sessions can be fun, it’s also a slog flying into a city to sit in an increasingly-fragrant casting room all day and then try and do a client casting presentation in the Lyft as you race back to the airport.)
But more importantly, I think Zoom is a better way to select on-camera talent.
We are, after all, casting somebody who has to give a performance on camera. Really, all that matters is what goes on in that frame—that’s what’s going to end up in the final spot. Zoom callbacks are a better way to judge what that actor brings to the screen.
In-person casting introduced other elements into the decision process:
- The “vibe” when the actor walked into the room
- How the performance felt in person (instead of on the monitor)
- An aside comment from the actor that might have helped/hurt their chances (but really had nothing to do with their performance)
Plus, by removing some of the audition barriers (not everybody could take a half-day away from their day job for a callback), we’re seeing a wider range of talent than before.
So, on balance, virtual callbacks are a good thing. But they are different. How can you maximize your chances of booking the job?
Many of the tips are the same as they were for in-person auditions. Let’s start there.
1. Memorize the script.
Know it backwards and forward. Know how to pronounce all the words (especially the brand name!) and if you’re not sure how to pronounce something, ask the casting agent.
During your audition, if you do flub a line, don’t panic. Use it as an opportunity to demonstrate how you’ll perform on set. Lines get messed up all the time. Don’t beat yourself up, just stay in character, back up and do the line again.
Oh, and don’t get flustered when the director throws you new lines and wants you to integrate something else into your performance. She/he is interested in seeing how you’ll deal with spontaneous moments on set, if you book the job. So know your stuff…and be ready to roll with a curveball or two.
2. Start where you left off.
Wear EXACTLY what you wore to the original audition. It was one of the reasons you were called back. Same with hair, accessories, makeup, etc. THAT person is who they wanted to see again; make sure she/he shows up.
In terms of your performance, unless the director provides alternate direction, start with what you did in your original audition. The director will likely give you an adjustment after your first read, but in the absence of any guidance, begin with the thing that got you called back.
3. Listen, listen, listen.
I can’t overstate this enough. The director will tell you what he or she wants. Hear it. Do it.
Yes, you’re nervous and it’s hard to listen when you’re nervous. But if you can’t take direction, you’re not going to book the job. We need to know that you can listen and adjust BEFORE there’s a very expensive crew standing around.
Listening is especially challenging on Zoom. You’re likely a few feet away from your phone, tablet, or laptop. Turn up volume or wear earbuds, but make sure you can hear. If you don’t understand a piece of direction, ask a clarifying question.
4. Know your tech backwards and forwards.
Two years into the “new world,” we’re all familiar with the various tech snafus that happen in Zoom meetings and callbacks. There’s still a reservoir of grace and if something goes haywire, don’t panic. We’ve all been there and we understand.
But…we are TWO YEARS into the new world. If you’re a professional actor, you need to have this stuff figured out.
Do dry runs with your tech with a friend to make sure everything is working properly. Have your friend record the Zoom so you can watch it back. How’s your picture and sound quality? Can we see you clearly? Can we hear you?
You need a reliable wifi connection. If you don’t have that at your place, go someplace that does.
Make sure you understand what all the buttons do. If they’re using a virtual meeting system you haven’t used before, download it and practice before the call.
Do you know what happens when you turn your phone or iPad and the screen orientation changes from horizontal to vertical? Can you get it back quickly and easily?
If the casting agent or director asks you to reframe the shot (it happens more than you’d think) so they can see more of your body, are you able to do that quickly? Practice these scenarios so you can handle them smoothly when the eyes are all on you.
5. Think about your background.
You want your callback to be about YOU. A plain, unobtrusive background is the way to go and lots of actors have a pop-up backdrop they use. But even a plain wall is fine.
AND…it’s not the end of the world if we see a little more of your environment. We know not everybody has a ton of space and you’re doing the best you can. Again, two years in, we’ve seen it all. (Last callbacks I was in, an actor dialed in from the quietest corner of the airport he could find and, honestly, it went fine.)
6. Make sure you can do it to time.
Make sure you know how long the commercial is going to be and tailor your performance accordingly.
A dialogue performance in a 15-second spot is different from one in a 60-second spot. (By the way, ad land makes a hell of a lot more 15s than 60s, these days. We’re not thrilled about it either, but it’s the way of the world.)
No, we don’t have a stopwatch on your callback. If you need a little more time with your read and go a little longer than the script timing, that’s fine. BUT if you milk that 15-second script like it’s a scene from a feature film, we’re going to ask you to speed it up. The trick, of course, is to make the faster read still feel natural.
7. Know that we’re rooting for you.
The old cliche is true: everybody watching your audition wants you to nail it. We want to find somebody awesome and we want YOU to be the one.
Here’s a note that I jotted down during a recent callback:
“Terrific! Looks the part. Showed great range–we’d get a million different great takes to play with in the edit room. She took direction well and was able to pivot on the fly. Nailed the tagline. Clients are gonna love her.”
It makes us very happy when you do well. There’s a lot o’ love on the other end of that Zoom, friends!
8. Do your best and let it go.
At every callback, we see more great people than we can hire. It’s the nature of the game.
There are a million factors that go into casting that are out of your control. We may have somebody in another spot that is already your type or you may be just a little too young or too old. It might be that the director and agency LOVE you and strongly recommend you…and the client may STILL choose somebody else. It’s a crazy process.
All you can control is your prep and delivery and then, whatever happens…happens.
Break a leg and go book that next one!
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE AUDITION? 5 Things Every Actor Should Know About Commercial Auditions
IS V.O. YOUR SPECIALTY?: 6 Audition Tips for Voice Over Actors
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Kovacevich is a creative director and the founder of Agency SOS. He publishes a weekly newsletter about new creative campaigns; if you want to stay in the loop about what’s new in the ad world, you should subscribe.
