An acting audition glossary you can use during preparation

How to use the glossary

Read the relevant definition, then connect it to the concrete decision in front of you. If a request asks for an ident, check the requested introduction and framing. If a coach asks for a stronger tactic, choose an action that affects the other person. Clear terminology should make the work simpler rather than encourage a performance full of theoretical labels.

Acting and audition terms

Sides

Selected script pages supplied for an audition. Check the scene range, character assignment, and any revisions before rehearsing.

Breakdown

A casting description of the project and role. Separate the listed requirements from assumptions you add during preparation.

Slate / ident

A recorded introduction used to identify the performer. Include the information, framing, and placement the request specifies.

Self-tape

An audition recorded by the performer and delivered for later review. Instructions determine the required scenes, format, and submission route.

Reader

The person providing another character's lines during an audition. Their timing should support listening without pulling focus from the performer.

Eyeline

The direction of the performer's gaze relative to the camera. Choose it according to the scene and the casting instructions.

Framing

The portion of the performer and surroundings visible in the image. A close-up and a full-body shot require different camera placement.

Off book

Performing without relying on the script for each line. Learn the cue and thought sequence while keeping responses flexible.

Cold read

A read with little preparation time. Prioritize the circumstances, listener, and clear thought changes before decorative performance choices.

Callback

A request for another audition or further assessment. Recheck the new instructions instead of assuming the original assignment is unchanged.

Redirect

An adjustment requested after a read. Translate the note into a playable change rather than repeating the same performance with different volume.

Chemistry read

A read exploring the interaction between performers. Keep clear circumstances while allowing the other person's timing and choices to affect you.

Objective

What the character wants to achieve in the interaction. Phrase it as a task directed toward someone rather than a general feeling.

Obstacle

What makes the objective difficult. It may arise from another person, circumstances, competing needs, or the character's own behavior.

Stakes

What success or failure means to the character. Specific consequences can create urgency without requiring a louder performance.

Tactic / action

A playable way of pursuing the objective, such as bargain, reassure, distract, or challenge. Change it when the scene makes adjustment necessary.

Beat

A useful unit of changing interaction. Mark a new beat when information, leverage, or strategy shifts, rather than automatically marking every sentence.

Subtext

The pressure beneath the spoken words: what the character wants, hides, knows, or cannot say directly in the circumstances.

Given circumstances

The story's available facts about place, time, relationships, and preceding events. Use them to ground choices without contradicting the supplied text.

Blocking

The planned physical placement and movement in a scene. Adapt rehearsal movement to the required audition framing and safe available space.

Mark

A reference position for the performer or camera setup. Returning to it can preserve framing, focus, and lighting across takes.

Cue

The line, sound, or action that prompts the next response. Knowing cues helps memorization support listening instead of fixed timing.

Pickup

A replacement recording of a particular section. Preserve the surrounding performance and technical conditions when a matching correction is requested.

Continuity

Consistency between recordings in details such as props, position, and performance context. Note what matters when preparing an alternate or replacement take.

Direct to camera

Delivery addressed to the lens. Use it when requested; a scene with an off-screen partner may need a different eyeline.

Commercial copy

The scripted words for an advertisement. Keep required wording accurate while finding a specific listener and reason to communicate.

Nonverbal audition

A requested performance without spoken dialogue. Build a readable sequence of expectation, discovery, and consequence rather than disconnected reactions.

Voiceover

Recorded voice used apart from an on-screen speaking performance. The brief may call for commercial, narration, character, or another delivery style.

Dry read

A voice recording without added music or production effects. Follow the client's technical brief rather than assuming every audition needs the same processing.

Plosive

A burst of air on a consonant that can cause microphone popping. Test placement, angle, and a suitable pop filter before a full recording.

Clipping

Distortion caused when the recording exceeds the system's available level. Test loud passages and adjust input before capturing the full performance.

Room tone

The background sound of a recording environment without deliberate speech. A short sample helps reveal noise that is easy to overlook while performing.

Demo reel / showreel

A curated selection demonstrating performance work. It does not replace a custom scene or excerpt specifically requested for an audition.

Co-star / guest star

Television role labels used in casting. Read the supplied character and scene information; a label alone does not determine a character's importance or acting style.

Submission receipt

A confirmation that material was delivered through a platform or agreed route. Keep it with the file name and deadline for private reference.

Industry references and further reading

• Spotlight: the guide to idents

  An industry explanation of slates, profiles, and full-length framing. Use the actual audition request to decide which details to include.

• Spotlight: recording your voice at home

  An introduction to recording spaces, microphone technique, and common audio problems. Test your own room before buying equipment.

Put the reference into practice