To combat nerves, prep professionally and ace an audition there are many techniques that work:
1. Exercising- aerobics, running, yoga
2. Positive affirmations
3. Focusing on the character you are about to portray- i.e., Be Blanche Dubois on the bus or in the car driving to the audition
4. Meditating to become totally centered
5. Warming up your voice and body just before entering
6. Talking to all the other auditioners -to connect and raise your energy level
These techniques focus on YOU and solve your problem of handling the audition.But the best technique of all? Understand the person for whom you are auditioning, the Casting Director. Solve her problem. Sometimes when auditioning for Prime Time roles you might "go to Producers" - all 10 or 12 of them: the coordinating, supervising and Executive Producers as well as a string of Associate Producers, assistant Producers and of course, the Head writer of the series, the "Creator" or the Director-Creator, a few "Executives with titles like East Coast VP or West Coast Prime Time VP and their assistants. Solve their problem. If you're auditioning for a commercial you might also see the client from the corporate office sitting in the corner- rare but possible- or in the Control room watching. And what are all these folks thinking? Are they thinking about Your talent? Your looks? Your personality? Your Audition? Sort of. But mostly they are operating from a place of FEAR.They're thinking about how THEY are going to keep their job and make this project a hit.
"Is this actress going to be the ONE? The one who will star in my Prime Time Series, Film,or Commercial and make it soar?"
Everyone is full of fear. Casting Directors most definitely are on a treadmill with little time, a lot of nerves and anxiety trying to please their boss, the Producer, Client or Network.They have to find the RIGHT actors or not work again for that boss. The Producers are nervous because if they choose the wrong talent the show will fail and they will lose their edge at their Network.The Writer is scared because whether it is her first script or 20th it needs to be successful so she will work again in the next few years. "You are only as good as your last credit" is absolutely true. The committee of 15 or so - associate, assistant and other producers all are vying for a position at the table- meaning if they vote on the wrong actor they lose status and possibly their job...or GAIN status and the power to produce their OWN series. Everyone is frightened that the wrong choice will destroy their career- tons of money (millions) and lots of jobs are at stake for a new series or a network commercial. In the midst of this angst and chaos, you arrive with your own fear, doubt and nerves....
Will they like me? Am I talented enough? Did I make the right acting choice?"
Re-think this. Instead of making it about YOU and how well you can audition, make it about THEM. SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM. Help them. Calm them. Charm them.This is where psychology outweighs talent and all the training in the world. ALLEVIATE the FEAR. You are the happy voice of success.
"I will solve your problem. Choose me and we both will win! I will star in your series and it will be a BIG, FAT SUCCESS!
So your acting job - besides playing the script they wrote -is the script YOU write. (well, your subtext),
"I'm going to make you successful...I will make you $$$MONEY...We are going to WIN an EMMY, the OSCAR, the TONY together!!!"
Become the SOLUTION to their problem not another problem. And while you are focusing on helping them you actually will do a far more brilliant audition. Try it! It works. Trust me, I know!
Successful Marketing!
Gwyn
Gwyn Gilliss is the creator and Executive Director of TAM, The Actor's Market, (http://www.theactorsmarket.com/) a marketing firm for actors. They provide monthly FREE seminars/tele-seminars, FREE weekly marketing tips as well as access to top photographers, graphic artists and video-graphers who provide every marketing tool an actor needs. As the foremost Marketing Coach and Mentor to actors, Gwyn's acting career spans several decades during which time she appeared on and off-Broadway, in classical roles in American Repertory companies, in over 18 contract and recurring roles in Daytime and Prime time TV, Films and dozens of network commercials/V.O.'s. She has special ONE-on-ONE Coaching and On line Training programs for ready-to-succeed actors.
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