You can’t be a successful actor unless you’ve auditioned. And if you’re lucky, you’ll get to audition a lot! And if you’re really lucky, you’ll discover how to conquer your audition fears so that each audition is a joy, and not something to get all worked up about.
Here are 4 strategies I’ve used to calm my own audition nerves:
1. Be prepared
Speaking from experience, the number one reason I was nervous at an audition was because I felt unprepared. Either I didn’t research the people in the room beforehand, I’d never seen an episode of the show, or I didn’t work on the material enough.
It’s such a great opportunity to even get in the room, so do yourself a favor and give each audition the prep time it deserves.
2. Focus on the work
Another thing I’ve learned is to treat each audition as a chance to act! I mean, someone asked you to come in and do what you love – they rented a room and everything!
So, instead of worrying about whether they’ll like you, your bad hair day, or thinking about how much you really want the job, put your laser focus on the material – as if you were getting paid to act. It’s hard to be nervous when you’re concentrating and in your zone.
3. Aim to book the room, not the job
If you show up prepared, confident, and do solid work at your audition, you will most definitely impress the casting director with your professionalism, which means you booked the room. Okay, you may not book this job, but the casting director will remember and bring you in for other things.
You have no control over who actually gets cast, which should help you relax and be in the moment with the material. Booking the room should always be your goal.
4. Let it go
I used to keep my sides from every audition. Oh, yes I did. Not really sure why I was hanging on to them, but I was a sides hoarder. I am happy to say that I’ve cleared out my old sides bin, and consciously throw away my sides as soon as I’m done with the audition. Now I not only have more free space in my apartment, I no longer worry about what I woulda coulda shoulda done in the room. As the old saying goes, “Don’t shoulda all over yourself.”
There is absolutely no reason to dwell on an audition once it’s happened. Whether you feel it went well or not, it just doesn’t serve you. So think about what went well, or not-so-well, decide what you will do differently next time (if anything), and then as the song says, Let It Gooooo.
How have you handled your own audition nerves? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. 🙂