All those people in the audition room.

All those people in the audition room.

This is technically a biz post but it’s kind of an art post, too.

I hear it all the time:  I was feeling so ready, prepped and confident about my audition.  I was perfect for the role and I wasn’t even feeling that nervous–until I walked in the room and saw all those people.

So it’s important to know–who are these people?

Well, depending on what you are auditioning for, there will be different people in the room ranging from directors, producers, writers, casting directors, ad agency people, the reader and even other actors.

Sometimes just knowing there could be a lot of people in the room helps you prepare mentally.  Some actors like to do a little research to see who might be there.  A lot of these names can be found on the breakdown and sometimes you can even find their picture online.

You’ll hear all sorts of tips around how to manage your nerves when they kick in but the most important thing is not to fight it.  When you try to not feel nervous you start lying which is denying the truth of the moment.  This is exactly the opposite of what you want to do in acting, right?  Say yes, feel it, breathe into the nerves and feel them fully so you stay true to what is actually happening right now.  Nerves can actually work to your advantage!

Then remember this:  you are there to collaborate.  Resist the temptation to need them to like you.  Go in with a spirit of play.  They NEED you so go in and save they day.  They need talented storytellers like you who have made exciting choices to breathe life into their project.

If you haven’t done so already, sign up for my free series The Top Three Audition Game Changers where I talk a lot about nerves.  Check it out and hit me up if you still have questions.