An open call or open audition is an acting audition where everyone who is interested can come and showcase their talent. As the name suggests, these types of auditions are open for everyone, unlike a scheduled audition so typically, hundreds of aspiring actors appear.
For many people who would like to give acting a shot but can’t get an audition, live outside of LA or don’t have an agent, open calls are the only opportunity to show their acting skills and get cast for a show, a commercial, or another project.
Large Number of Candidates
These types of auditions are sometimes held when acting directors want to discover new talent or cast participants for reality shows. Usually, open calls start in the morning and last all day or until casting decides to leave. To have a shot at open calls, aspiring actors need to show up very early to get in line and wait for the call inside.
Auditions don’t last very long because there are hundreds of other candidates so the casting directors decide rather quickly whether they want to see more from an actor or not. If an actor caught their eye, they will receive a callback to appear for a second audition.
While open calls are open to everyone who is interested in becoming an actor or who thinks they have talent, it is fair to say that chances you will be discovered at an open call are small due to such a large number of people coming from all parts of the country.
It is not unusual to wait for hours (even all day) to get invited inside and by that time, most actors are already tired and might not showcase their best work. Actors who have agents might have higher chances of being seen at open calls, but not necessarily since there are no fixed rules when it comes to this type of auditions.
While open calls are a long shot, it is still worth considering it since you never know when you might get discovered. Contact us at The Playground for more information.
