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Auditions: Follow ALL Directions Or
Voice Seekers Will Hit The Delete Key!
 
By Caryn Clark
Voice Actor
 
I received an email recently from someone to whom I had submitted an audition.
 
The email said,
Kudos to you and Jane Doe (OK, it wasn't really Jane Doe, but I've not asked this person her permission to use her name). You two were the only ones to follow the directions in my email.
The original audition email had been a little unusual. It asked for my demo, and while it described the gig, there was no audition copy to read.
 
I read that email a couple of times just to be sure I wasn't missing something - like the copy!
 
And I was pretty sure this person already had my demo, but heck, he asked for my demo, so that is what he shall receive!!
 
SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS
 
Sometimes the audition emails are very specific as how they want the audio slated, files labeled, what you should put in the subject line of the email, etc.
 
There's a reason: the casting people likely receive hundreds of auditions, and they don't have time to go through the audio to fix mistakes, or to re-label the files.
 
If the files are labeled as they've requested, then it makes sorting the hundreds of files they receive much easier.
 
Otherwise, they'll likely just delete your audition if you haven't done what they've asked.
 
On Twitter, for instance, I'm noticing casting directors and the like commenting on the same throughout the day - in frustration. They just hit the delete key and move on to the next audition.
 
READ IT AGAIN
 
I get really busy during the day. We all do.
 
And, in general, I bet most of us want to submit our auditions FAST so that we're first in line, in hopes that once our audition is heard, the casting person may not listen to those that follow.
 
At times, I have to force myself to slow down and read my audition emails not once, but multiple times. I read each line very slowly to myself out loud, just to make sure I did what the person asked.
 
Yes, we are human. We make mistakes. But try not to let mistakes cost you a possible gig!
 
Caryn Clark is a professional female voice-over actress with an ISDN-equipped studio that enables her to record worldwide. She has been heard on network television, The Disney Channel, VH-1, Nickelodeon, and other television and radio stations, as well as web sites across the nation and around the world. Commercials include: Rooms To Go Disney furniture, Hannah Montana products, Cabbage Patch Kids, Neopets, VH-1's Rock of Love, Charter Cable, AdoptFlorida.org, and many others. Her work appears in media including television and radio commercials, promos, video games, web and corporate presentation narrations, and telephone messaging.
 
 

 

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