The Basics of The E.P.I.C. Strategy

Auditioning doesn’t need to be complex. Introducing a new approach that eliminates insanity and makes auditions a joy again.

The best thing I did for my audition technique was volunteering to be a reader for a casting director.

It opened my eyes to how different every actor is even though they’re going in for the same role. It also changed my perspective on how I view auditioning and casting entirely. And finally, it helped me create an audition strategy, that I believe will alleviate stress and uncertainty about your future auditions.

Let’s take a closer look at the E.P.I.C. strategy—what it entails and decide whether or not it will work for you.

So What Is The E.P.I.C Strategy?

E.P.I.C stands for Energy, Preparedness, Image, Consistency. The goal is to enter every audition radiating high energy because you have done your prep and locked down your character’s image. If you remain consistent day in and day out, you can produce the results you are looking for in your auditions.

Now by that, I don’t even mean “booking” the job.

That’s right: You need to understand that booking comes down to many factors that are simply out of your control.

Booking is a by-product of being a consistently good actor.

Real working actors know the name of the game is to continue to secure auditions by doing a good job in the room. That way casting directors will remember you and will recommend you to producers and directors.

The general idea is that the more energy you put into your preparation, the less you need to worry about the outcome. Much like a seed— through patience, increases in value, and becomes a tree.

What Can We Learn From The E.P.I.C. Strategy?

I truly believe if we are to achieve excellence in big things, we develop the habits in little matters. Those actors who take advantage of every day leading up to the audition have stronger performances come game time. No matter where you are in your journey as an actor, there are some essential lessons to take away from the E.P.I.C strategy:

1. Start with the right energy from the beginning

The thing I like about this is, it gets actors to become self-aware. You can immediately tell if you’re happy or mad about the audition from the start. Are you motivated to tackle the sides or are you procrastinating?

An actor's low energy can be felt the moment he or she walks into the room. And low energy sucks! Things happen and not every day is sunshine and rainbows, so when you find yourself dwelling in negativity… get grateful again. Look for the lessons and blessings in your life.

My low-energy remedy starts with leaving my "actor" stuff outside of the room for the duration of my audition. If you want to have a successful audition, encompass your mind with the thoughts of the character only.

If you want to find out more about performance energy level, check out my post: I Was Making These Three Audition Mistakes.

2. Make Preparation A Priority

You have to prepare as much as possible. There isn’t any way around this. I have experimented with “winging” my auditions and have fallen flat on my face. Actors at the top, are uncompromising about their prep work before every audition and performance.

Maybe spending weeks or days working on your audition is too much for you right now. That’s okay! I recommend you start by spending time the night before to dive deep into the blood & guts of the scene.

During the casting session I read for, the actors who weren’t fully memorized or didn’t know their beats did not make a good impression. After their scenes were done the casting director gave me a knowing look that meant they wouldn’t be moving forward in the process.

If you want to find out more about my audition technique and tips to prepare for your next session, read 13 Top Tips To Nailing Your Audition!

3. Look The Part - Own Your Image

I am a big fan of Lisa Catalina’s article about dressing for the part. In it, she talks about how casting directors, producers, and directors have been envisioning these characters in their minds for a very long time. They see hundreds of people auditioning for the same character and it gets exhausting for them to see everyone in the same predictable wardrobe. Your first impression shows your dedication to the role, the character, and gratitude for the opportunity to audition. 

To expand on Lisa’s point even further, your image also consists of your physical appearance and the type of aura you convey with your look. I would suggest you get enough sleep the night before an audition. Keep your body active and live a healthy lifestyle. Sober and stress-free most of the time. Optimizing your body is one of the key pillars to have a thriving career.

Your body is your instrument!

4. Remain Consistent

Now that you’ve done all your pre-work you can head into your auditions with confidence.

Is staying consistent easy? No way!

Not every audition will be a home run. What the E.P.I.C. method truly stands for is playing to get on base. I can’t guarantee you’ll book, because like I’ve said that is out of your control.

But…

The ability to connect to the reader, create the environment of the scene, look the part, and execute the scene in a truthful way full of energy is 100% in our control.

All it requires is the ability to focus on the first parts of the E.P.I.C. strategy. Putting those habits in place ensures consistency in the long run. Recognize that casting directors are looking for that actor who comes in time after time, no matter the role, and delivers a worthy performance they can present to producers. The rest is in the hands of the acting gods.

So can you keep your head up through the tough times, through the lows? Can you commit to putting in 10,000 hours? Can you remain consistent?

Well if you can then you’re already epic!

Final Take

There are a lot of audition techniques out there and the people teaching them, tend to get lost in all the moving parts.

As a fellow working actor, I know simpler is better. So who better than me to work with, to turn your dream into your reality? The E.P.I.C. strategy is here to simplify your life and make auditioning fun again.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be a reader and I suggest finding a way you can do this once or twice for yourself as well.

In the near future, I plan on rolling out more articles about this strategy… What are your thoughts on E.P.I.C? Share your comments below!