5 Things You Should Never Do After an Audition
There are many things you should never do after an audition. But here are 5 things you might have actually done or considered doing that you should NOT
(By Jim Webb)
(Photo: Sewn Apart/Unsplash)
There are many things you should never do after an audition. You should already know the obvious ones: Don’t make unnecessary small-talk after your audition, don’t linger in the audition waiting room to see and hear what the other actors are doing, don’t call the casting director to see if you can get a callback.
But those things are obvious, or at least they should be.
But here are 5 things you might have actually done or considered doing that you should NOT:
#1: Never ask, “How did I do?”
You are a professional actor. You have honed your craft. Enter the audition room with confidence and exit the room with confidence.
Asking the casting director, “how did I do?” or “what did you think?” or some version of that makes you sound like an amateur actor who doubts their talent and their performance.
Confidence is contagious. It can make the difference between an actor being cast and an actor being quickly forgotten.
Enter the room with confidence, own the room, demonstrate your art and leave. Let the rest take care of itself.
#2: Never leave the room and return for a do-over
(Photo: Gift Habeshaw/Unsplash)
It’s perfectly okay to ask for a do-over while you’re in the room. You may or may not get the opportunity because the casting director may be pressed for time, or they may have seen all they need to see from you. But it doesn’t hurt to ask for a do-over while you’re in the room.
But you should never leave the room and then return some time later, asking for a do-over. Again, it’s all about confidence. Once you’ve left the room, the audition is done. Coming back some time later asking if you can do it all over again makes you sound unsure of yourself and your performance.
Could it work out? Sure. But more likely than not, you’ll just end up looking like an actor who is desperate to book the role and/or is unsure of their performance.
And, by the way, what if they loved your performance, even if you didn’t?
#3: Never beat yourself up
Every actor has a bad day. Your heart wasn’t into it. You didn’t have enough time to prepare. You were nervous. Perhaps you didn’t understand the role. Whatever.
A failed audition can happen to the best of them. But beating yourself up about it won’t do you any good. It’s done. It’s over! And, no matter how much you beat yourself up about it, you won’t be able to change anything.
Beating yourself up about this one failed audition only makes it less likely that you will be confident enough to book your next audition. It becomes a self-defeating cycle. Your one failed audition snowballs, into two, four, six and so on. Before you know it, you’ve lost all confidence.
#4: Never obsess over booking the role
When the audition is over, make sure it’s really over.
Don’t spend all day obsessing over whether or not you booked it. Don’t anxiously await the arrival of the callback dates or the filming dates. Don’t ask your actor friends who also auditioned for the role if they’ve gotten a callback or a booking.
Just leave it alone!
No matter how much you might want the role, and the payday that will come with it, you have to put it behind you and live your life.
#5: Never exit the room with self-doubt
Once your audition is over, you must exit the room with confidence, even if you believe your audition was terrible, even if you made more than a few mistakes, even if you’re sure you won’t get the part. Don’t leave anyone in the audition room with the impression that you are not 100% confident in the performance you gave.
This should be easy enough, right? After all, you are an actor. So, act! Act like you are the most amazing actor who just gave the most amazing performance. Not doing so is akin to shooting yourself in the foot. I mean, who can be confident in hiring an actor who’s not confident in themselves?
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