What does Prepared Sides mean?
Prepared Sides are script pages provided to an actor in advance of an audition, giving them time to memorize or thoroughly prepare the material before their session. Prepared sides are standard for theatrical film and television auditions, where casting directors want to see how a performer interprets and inhabits a specific scene or monologue with full preparation. They contrast with cold reads, where the actor receives the material moments before performing it. The quality of a performance from prepared sides is generally expected to be higher than a cold read, as the performer has had time to make specific choices about the character and the scene.
Example:The agent sent the child actor her prepared sides three days before the audition — two scenes from the pilot script — giving her enough time to memorize the lines, work with her acting coach, and make specific, committed choices about the character before walking into the room.
Example: The casting director noted in her session that the child actor had done exceptional work with the prepared sides — her choices were specific and surprising rather than generic, which suggested genuine engagement with the material rather than a surface-level read.
Did you know?
The practice of providing prepared sides in advance reflects a fundamental tension in audition philosophy — some casting directors and directors believe that over-preparation leads to locked-in performances that leave no room for direction, while others believe that genuine preparation is the only way to see a performer’s full potential. Many casting directors deliberately give direction during the session specifically to test whether a prepared performer can release their choices and respond to new input — the ability to take direction being as important as the preparation itself.
