\n<\/p>\n
Oh man, is there anything more gripping than <\/span>Fever Ray\u2019s <\/span>\u201cIf I Had a Heart\u201d thrumming along to scenes of longships battling furious wind and waves, a great heathen horde spilling onto the shores of a young England and a solitary figure slowly sinking into a blue abyss? Vikings<\/em> is one of my favourite TV series of all time. The tone, the imagery, the setting, the commentary on early religion and culture\u2013chef\u2019s kiss. Not to mention the stellar performance by Australia\u2019s very own Travis Fimmel<\/a> as the legendary Ragnar Lothbrok. <\/span>With a brand new instalment, <\/span>Bloodaxe<\/span><\/i>, officially confirmed and in the works<\/a>, there is no time like the present to sharpen your axes and don your bear skin cloaks. If you want to audition for Vikings and land yourself a place in the halls of Valhalla, this is the article for you.<\/span><\/p>\n Auditioning for any major TV series can be just as exciting as it can be daunting. Patience, persistence and preparation are key with these big ticket auditions. So look for ways to hone your skills as an actor (and would-be viking) before the casting notices emerge. You can give yourself the edge before you see so much as a page of audition material.<\/b><\/p>\n First thing\u2019s first, and I know I\u2019m sounding like a broken record if you\u2019ve read my other articles<\/a>, but we need to get you the audition. There are two main ways of getting auditions in this industry, both with their own pros and cons. And whether you choose to get signed or sign yourself, this step is about getting your foot in the door and keeping it there.<\/span><\/p>\n The first and most popular route is getting signed with an acting agency. We\u2019ve got a myriad of articles written about how to choose a good agency<\/a> and how to get signed with them<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n Most legitimate acting agents will need proof of your ability\u2013whether that takes the form of a showreel or a qualification from a well-known acting school or a recommendation from a well-known director. You\u2019ll need something to demonstrate your commitment to the craft. <\/span><\/p>\n Agents are great because it\u2019s their job to keep their finger on the pulse of the industry and look out for opportunities that suit you. Agents are not so great in that they take a percentage of your earnings and, unfortunately, not all agents are for all actors. I know plenty of actors who have been signed with some top agencies and felt they\u2019ve been hamstrung by doing so.<\/span><\/p>\n My advice for signing with an agent is sign with someone you can develop a good personal relationship with. A friendly, professional relationship ensures trust and trust is everything in this industry. It\u2019s what gets you hired and hired again, and builds a strong foundation for a long and successful career.<\/span><\/p>\n The second, less travelled route is the path of the freelance actor. Whilst it takes considerably more work, working as your own agent can be very rewarding in that you have full control over the projects you submit to and the only thing that will bite into your earnings is income tax. <\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re wanting to represent yourself, make sure your Electronic Press Kit (EPK) is up to date and ready to send at a moment\u2019s notice. A good EPK consists of an up-to-date showreel, headshot and CV. This is what you\u2019ll send to casting directors you\u2019d like to work with. <\/span><\/p>\n It also pays to have a good online presence as a freelance actor<\/a>. Instagram is a great platform to market yourself and does play some part in the roles you\u2019ll be considered for.<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019ll be frank: things take time in this industry. If you\u2019re just starting out, either with an agent or without, an audition for Vikings<\/em> likely won\u2019t be the first things you go for. You\u2019ll need to build a reputation with casting directors before they start asking to see you for big projects. <\/span><\/p>\n The way you do this is by doing your job well. Whenever you get an audition, regardless of what it\u2019s for, do it well. Learn the lines<\/a>, action your script, drop in the text, do your contextual research. Treat the audition like you already have the job. <\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s important to realise that a lot happens on invisible fronts in this industry. Just because you might not hear back about a great audition you did, doesn\u2019t mean it was all for nothing. People talk and, believe it or not, casting directors<\/a> are people, too. If you consistently submit great self-tapes, they\u2019ll remember you and ask to see you again and again.<\/span><\/p>\n So what can you do in the meantime? Develop your personal practice<\/a>, that\u2019s what. Be persistent and consistent with your vocal warm-ups, eat well and exercise regularly, and soak up as much art as you possibly can. Take classes, keep your showreel and headshots up to date and stay curious about people and the world they inhabit. It\u2019s all part of the job.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Okay, let\u2019s get to the mead and longships part. You\u2019ve landed an audition for Viking<\/em>:\u00a0what do you need to do to give yourself the best possible shot at a multi-year contract in Ireland?<\/span><\/p>\n Vikings<\/em> is what one might call an historic drama. Although it plays up certain elements and takes liberties here and there, the overall story of both the original series and Valhalla<\/em> are based on true events. Ragnar Lothbrok and his adventures across the North Sea actually happened, as did the slow creep of Christianity that eventually spelled the end of the Vikings. <\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re auditioning for Vikings, there is a good chance you\u2019ll be auditioning for a historic character. So it\u2019s time to get nerdy. <\/span>I can recommend two podcasts to learn about the general history of the Viking Age: Dan Carlin\u2019s Hardcore History<\/a> and The Rest is History<\/a>. Both of these are great crash courses in Viking history.<\/span><\/p>\nGet an Agent \u2013 or Don\u2019t<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Securing an Agent<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Going Freelance<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Patience, Persistence and Preparation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Now for the Fun Part<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Contextual Research<\/strong><\/h3>\n