(NOTE: Something weird is going on with the spacing and it won’t let me fix it…..I know it looks odd….carry on.)
Audition materials for film and television are called sides.
Sides are a tiny portion of the whole script, which is all you’re going to get. You may get a full script if you’re auditioning for a substantial character, but it’s not a guarantee. You’re only going to get the pieces that the casting director has selected for your particular character. Sometimes your sides will be part of the actual script that’ll be used to shoot with. Sometimes a project is so secret you may audition with sides that aren’t even part of the script so that nothing leaks out to the public. Sides can be any number of pages, depending on what they feel they need from the actor to get a sense of you for the part. You’ll generally get them a day in advance. If you’re lucky, maybe two.
Commercial materials are called scripts.
Commercials are short so when you audition, you’re doing the whole thing. There’s no reason you can’t learn your lines. If you stumble or forget a one, casting will usually have a large easel with a pad that has everything written on it. You’ll generally get this script the day before.
Radio spots are scripts, or ‘copy’.
They’re also short, 15 or 30 seconds, so you’ll be recording the whole spot at your audition. What differs with radio is that there’s no memorization. You won’t even get the script until you land at the audition location. So go early to look it over and make some choices before you’re called into the booth.
Ta da! Sides.
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