In my previous post, I was talking about how to get better at auditioning, even if you don’t have a lot of auditions… sounds impossible, but it’s not. So, you finally have an audition and you feel a bit rusty. Aside from doing your prep in the lobby, listening to what the session runner tells you, what else can you do?
Here is my favorite “tip” I could have only learned by running casting sessions. When you have a commercial audition, and you enter the room, there is always at least :30 to :60 seconds before the camera person takes your picture and then slates you. Use that time to take your own rehearsal. What? I didn’t know I could do that?… before you start down the road of asking for permission, just do it. Here’s how: If it is just you auditioning try this.
STEP 1: As you walk in the room TELL, don’t ask the camera person, “I’m going to walk through this out loud while you are doing your thing.” (if you rehearse it out loud, then the camera person will hear you and most likely give you an adjustment or two.)
STEP 2: And by out loud, also say the blocking as you “rehearse”, that way the camera person will know you listened to what he/she said when they were giving the group explanation. (we all like to know you heard what we told you, we appreciate it.)
That is it. You have now got at least one rehearsal in before they record your audition. Because some casting directors don’t do rehearsals, others do, either way you got one in on your terms and got in that extra “practice” to be better at auditioning.
Note: If you are auditioning with other people do the same thing and just let your fellow actor know what you are doing and if they join in, great, if they don’t, great. Either way you have practiced “making the audition your own.”