A casting colleague suggested I write this little post with a few audiobook audition do’s and don’ts. They might seem obvious, but it’s a good reminder.
DO
Read (and follow) the directions of the audition notice. You’d think narrators would be great at this, but we’re kinda awful at it. If you find yourself glazing over and skimming the audition notice, stop, go back, and read it out loud. Use an accent so you’re practicing too. This way you’ll get all the pertinent info. Next step, actually follow the pertinent info including naming files, where/how to post your audition, and the rate.
Record the audition. Make bold choices. Suck the marrow from that audition.
Record the audition material, not your own section. If there are pieces in the audition that are crossed out in red, that means you skip that part. Yes. Even chapter headings and character names. Record the audition as presented to you.
Post your audition by the deadline. If you’re late, you probably won’t be put forth for approval. The audition process is also a little test to see how you handle directions and deadlines so keep that in mind.
State the rate and deadline for recording is acceptable to you. If your rate is higher than the audition notice, let the casting team know your preferred rate with your audition (not after you are cast.) If you need more time to make the deadline, let them know when you could record by.
Share any relevant info with casting. If you have a particular skill that would help you with this book, if casting you would be an authentic casting choice, if there are languages or accents required in the piece that you excel at, feel free to share that with casting.
Wait and then forget it. If you haven’t heard anything in more than a week, move on. This isn’t a hard rule, but there is a time for you to just let it go. If you want to take another gig, you can reach out to the casting team and ask if they have a status update, but try not to reach out and check if you can avoid it.
Celebrate. Celebrate whether you get the gig or not. You’re putting yourself out there. You’re doing the work. Good job!
DON’T
Don’t record your own material. I’ve thrown out good auditions because the narrator chose their own section. The section was chosen for a reason. If the piece says for you to choose your own section, choose a section from either the start of the book, or an emotional section that shows your skills.
Don’t leave a lot of space before your audition starts. I had an audition where the narrator took time to get settled, do some vocal exercises, center themselves, and then they started recording. It took 40 seconds before they got to the actual material.
Don’t slate. Your audition should be labeled with your name and the book’s title. You don’t need to slate. Slating takes up valuable time at the beginning of the audition when casting would rather hear your performance. They already know the author, title of the book, and the character you’re reading for. If you MUST slate, do it at the end of your audition, not at the beginning.
Don’t ask a ton of questions from casting. They’ve given you the information you need to do the audition. Additional information is available by reading the book description and any audition details. Casting knows you’ll make choices based on the audition section. The author knows you haven’t read the whole book. It’s okay. Do your best.
Don’t warm up to the good stuff. If you start off slow and not connected to the text, but get into it 90 seconds in, you’ve lost those valuable 90 seconds of grabbing the attention of the casting director.
Don’t promise more than you can deliver. If the audition is incredibly difficult or takes you a ton of takes, breathe deep. This might not be the right piece for you. If you’re struggling with the material in a five-minute audition, you’ll really struggle with the 15-hour book.
Don’t obsess. You’ve done your best. Don’t obsess over whether you did a good enough job or question your choices. It’s just an audition. It’s not the litmus test for your entire career, and whether or not you get the job isn’t a comment on your talent or your personality or your worth.
Let’s face it: auditioning is hard, but it’s part of the job of being an audiobook narrator. You put yourself out there and it sucks when you don’t get cast. Remember there are a lot of variables with casting, many of which are out of your control. Just keep trying. Keep doing. Keep making bold choices.
The right books for you will find you.
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TANYA EBY likes cheese and gift baskets. She appreciates sunrises and is rarely up long enough to see a sunset. She likes ice cold martinis, the snow, and chews ice for fun. She makes a mean homemade goat cheese ravioli with brown butter and pine nuts. She doesn’t like dancing in public. She’s never twerked, not because she doesn’t believe in it, but because her body doesn’t understand how to move that way. If you like her work, for goodness’ sake, tell someone, comment here, become a subscriber, and check out her book THE TUESDAY GIRL. Better yet, check out her book and then buy the book for a friend to read too.
Our audition primer--keep it close to hand!
I can't believe someone actually included their warmup! That's wild