What is a cold reading?

Question

in terms of acting? Is that when you just read to the camera?

Answer 1

A cold reading is when you aren't given any time to read the script before auditioning with it.

For example, you go to an audition, and they will hand you the script and tell you to read from page 23 to 26. You've never read it before. Normally the one of the judges, (normally the director, producer, and a casting agent,) or a trained actor will read the other part(s) in the script.

Answer 2

cold reading is where you are given a script, usually at an audition, and given a few minutes (usually) to look over it and then you perform it based on the little time you spent on it.

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Answer 3

No, it means you are not given the script beforehand, and have to read it "cold."

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Answer 4

A cold reading is another word for sight reading. It means you are either given very little or no time to prepare for what you are going to read. If you are cold-reading for an audition you are usually given the script to glance through beforehand, so it's always a good idea to get there earlier than your audition time and ask to take the script away to have a look at.