We all get nervous, right? That crazy feeling you get while waiting, you are shaking, hands getting sweaty. You try to fake a laugh when someone looks at you. I’ve tried this and I always ended up with a shaky voice. We all pray that we don’t mess up, get bad feedback or get dropped from the set. All the big names in acting that we so dearly emulate also get nervous before a casting call. So you and I are not alone.
I have a few techniques that I have used now for some time. My friends say they help them in dealing with nerves. So here are a few tips for auditioning.
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Be Well Prepared
You should watch your casting video four or five times right before going in. This will help you remember exactly how you presented yourself. You also want to ensure you have some good answers to the common questions of:
- Why do you want to be on the show?
- Why are you someone who can win the show?
- Why should we pick you for the show?
- How do you deal with difficult people or stressful situations?
- What’s your greatest fear and why?
One method that’s especially effective is to create a bullet point list of what you want to say to each of the types of questions. It’s better to have talking points that you can use to hit a variety of questions. If you sound canned or like you’re citing lines, you’ll have no chance of making the cut. You need to present yourself well, but writing long-form is almost always a bad approach.
Bring Something to Read
To avoid pacing up and down the halls reciting your lines, you should get a book to read. Or you might do a few crosswords, fill out Sudoku, just something that can get your attention away from the auditions. If you are all about getting friendly with people, this is not the time. Keep to yourself to at least get your mind focused on what’s at hand. Remember, that casting team is often in the room so don’t be standoffish or seem boring; however, the majority of people will be overly outgoing. You can immediately make yourself standout from the crowd by being a bit more pensive.
Make a Playlist for your Auditions
If you are not into books and puzzles, some music will go well to keep you calm. Load your phone with a number of songs that get you relaxed. You can listen to this once you get to the venue until you get the call. Do not lose your cool. Keep that phone in your pocket and stay away from social networks as you want to stay in the moment. One technique that I’ve heard a lot is listening to the theme song of the show on repeat right before the audition. You want to keep yourself in that mindset that you are one step away from getting on the show and becoming “Reality Royalty”
Visualize the Audition
Imagination works for most people. Try and visualize the whole audition. You are there ready for it all; you walk into the door, do your thing and walk out feeling like a winner. Keep that imagination in mind after a few rehearsals. You can close your eyes for a while and just imagine. This works to give you confidence.
Act Confident
You are there for a casting call meaning you believe in your strength as an actor. Work with that. Fooling others that you are confident will work to your benefit. People will want to be you. Walk with an upright posture, head held high and be sure to make eye contact. Do not be afraid. Act it out. Once the casting director sees your confidence, he will relax and thus in turn you will get relaxed for it will show. Your nerves will die down.
Take Deep Breaths
Changing scenes might get you nervous. You should try these simple tricks. Breath in deeply, hold a little then exhale fully. Do not make a mistake of holding your breath until a scene starts. This has always led to a poor start and might not work well with the casting director.
This few tips will do you great when you are out there for any audition or a reality show casting call. So get out there and be great. Break a leg.
