How have auditions changed...

[progroupie]

in the last few years? I noticed a lot of people mentioning that they seem to have gotten harder. I auditioned in Atlanta back in 2006 and went on to do my CP in entertainment. It wasn't specifically a CP audition if I remember correctly.
We checked in, were measured, had our pictures taken and then learned a movement combo as a group as well as the animation and then split up and did it in small groups. After that some people were pulled to a second dance audition and some to puppet auditions. We were notified later by email.
I'm planning to audition this spring in Orlando at one of the weekly auditions, what differences can I expect from my first audition? I'm also wondering what the differences are in Orlando as opposed to the traveling auditions.

And another question, should I audition first, or go to casting first?

 

[t-ho]

in the last few years? I noticed a lot of people mentioning that they seem to have gotten harder. I auditioned in Atlanta back in 2006 and went on to do my CP in entertainment. It wasn't specifically a CP audition if I remember correctly.
We checked in, were measured, had our pictures taken and then learned a movement combo as a group as well as the animation and then split up and did it in small groups. After that some people were pulled to a second dance audition and some to puppet auditions. We were notified later by email.
I'm planning to audition this spring in Orlando at one of the weekly auditions, what differences can I expect from my first audition? I'm also wondering what the differences are in Orlando as opposed to the traveling auditions.

And another question, should I audition first, or go to casting first?

The way you describe it seems like the current auditions. Wednesday was my third time,and it was a bit different though. 2/3 times I've had my picture taken and filled out a little form. This last time the eliminated that and just had a sign in sheet were we wrote our name and height. It might be because there were 300 people at the audition. That might be way it's so hard to get in too; so many people are auditioning and filling character spots. I have never auditioned as a non CP though, so it could be different if you audition as a reg. cast member. On that note I wouldn't go to casting first unless you'll accept a job that isn't a performer. That just seems to make sense to me, I'm not 100%

 

[progroupie]

Well I need to make sure all my rehire status stuff is in order which is the main reason I thought I might need to go to casting first. But it might be better to get the audition over with first.

 

[r1009t]

I'm a little bit confused... are you auditioning as a current castmember? If so I believe they have specific auditions for cms only which you could probably find out through the hub. If you are just going to the bi-weekly auditions that's a little different. They'll have specific auditions for character look-a-likes, character performers, and movers I believe. From my experiance of lurking on disneyauditions.com most of the auditions are look-a-likes where the whole audition consists of you signing in, getting measured, and getting looked at by casting directors. I haven't been to a character performer audition but I think it's pretty similiar to the cp audition from what I've read on the cp auditions/height thread. And I know personally I would wait to go to casting until I passed the audition, unless you had other things you wanted to handle there. This post is just my two cents though, I've never been a cm this is just what I learned from lurking here and on the audition website. Hope it helps though!

 

[progroupie]

I'm a former CM. Which is why I'm not sure if I should go to casting first to sort out any rehire issues or if I should audition and then go to casting.

 

[Berlioz70]

The audition for FT is slightly different than CP (I've done both twice). Face is an entirely different process as well.

CPs - you nailed it above.

FT - there are extra cuts. First it's accross the floor. then cut. You can move on to animation or you can move on to dance. Animation is very similar to the CP auditions. If you pass that, then you may get put in the pool immediately, or they may move you into the Puppeteer audition. After that, it's the pool again (but at least you have an additional skill)

If you indicate that you have stilt walker skills, they may invite you back to a specific stilt walker audtion.

If you get identified for face, they will pull you aside and give you the whole treatment (traveling auditions typically just take extra photos).

At the end, it's a Casting CM that talks to you regarding the pool. This would be your opportunity to bring up your rehire questions and then maybe you can set up a meeting with the individual later in the week.

Just keep in mind, even if you pass, the VAST majority are just place in the pool. Unless you meet one of the specific hiring needs (listed on audition site), then you can expect to sit in the pool for awhile.

 

[progroupie]

The audition I attended in 2006 wasn't a CP audition, it was a full-time/part-time and CP audition. But it may have been different since it wasn't local.

I'm mouse height, are they pooling mice at the moment?

 

[progroupie]

When you say "across the floor" what does that mean exactly? When I hear that term I think of dance class and practicing leaps and turns in the studio but since that sort of thing isn't really neccesary in such an early stage of auditions I'm sure that's not what we're talking about.

 

[t-ho]

When you say "across the floor" what does that mean exactly? When I hear that term I think of dance class and practicing leaps and turns in the studio but since that sort of thing isn't really neccesary in such an early stage of auditions I'm sure that's not what we're talking about.

It may not be leaps and turns, but it is in a dance studio and the routine is done 3 times over so that you end up dancing from one side of the studio to another. The movements to get across are beginner moves though; marching and skipping with a jazz square in between.

 

[progroupie]

So it's a routine done across the floor, not individual skills?

 

[Joanna71985]

Correct

 

[progroupie]

Okay so the across the floor combo is probably what I'm remembering as the movement routine.

Can anyone tell me more about the character pool situation right now? To be honest being put in the pool wouldn't be that awful, it would give me time to get organized and make the move. I was measured at 5 foot even when I was with Disney before. I have some dance skills, I had worked up to a yellow-yellow color code by the end of my program.
Part of me is really confident about auditioning again because I feel like if I was able to get in as a CP I'd be able to get in as a regular CM. But at the same time I feel like there have been so many employment cuts since then that it might be more difficult to get hired.