We audition and we get jobs. We audition and we get rejected. If your like the average actor, constantly going on auditions, for the most part, its a numbers game. There are several people going for the same part and depending on the talent and the number of great auditions performed, you will get rejected more than you will get hired. More often than not, you will hear nothing, which is horrible for us, but its just a fact in this business. The casting departments do not have time to contact everyone to let them know they have not been selected. So, what now?
I was faced with this over the last couple of years, and then I noticed something: I sucked at auditioning. Once I am on set, I was great and I took direction well. Why could I not do this in the audition room? I knew I was having trouble because there were little things that were bothering me that I was always doing wrong. I always left kicking myself for them. I also noticed the same core of other women I was up against kept getting the part instead of me. This happened time and time again. Hmmmm. Maybe its time to re-evaluate ME!?
I could have just slumped into a corner and gotten depressed and gave up hope and moped around or gave up entirely. Maybe the next time I auditioned I lost confidence (I did) and couldn't perform. It was a vicious circle I was falling into. Well, that's just not my style to give up. I mean, other people were getting hired, why wasn't I?
There are 2 answers here.
1) Change your attitude about auditioning and you will stay positive every time, even if you don't get the part, but staying positive and having fun is part of the energy and the dynamic to getting the part. How do you do this? Well, you do this because you love to act, right? An audition is your opportunity to PERFORM! You enjoy performing! So just go in there and pretend you have already gotten the part and give it your best performance. You love the camera! Do your thing and have fun. As a working actor, auditioning is part of the practice that makes us good and gets us noticed, so just go in there with gusto, do your part and don't focus on rejection - focus on the fact that RIGHT NOW you are doing something you love - performing!
2) Reality check here. How much training have you had? You see notices for training opportunities all the time - have you taken advantage of some great classes and the opportunity to learn? What I have learned is that you never stop learning! The more I learn the more fun I have and the better I get at my craft. At the point I was having trouble and doubting myself last year, I looked back and realized I had some great group training and it was a good start to my career but not enough. Constant training in our craft is what makes us better. There were some little things still bothering me in the auditioning room so I asked my agent for some help. I told him I needed a good monologue and I felt it was time for some 1:1 training to help correct some other issues as well. He recommended someone, and I went every week for 3 months until I felt I had a handle on my issues. Am I done with training? Absolutely not, but here's what happened. I land more parts in my auditions now, and that helps me stay positive. Am I perfect? No! Far from it, but I am much better.
Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. Make the choice to smile and stay positive and positive things will start to happen. All the best to you in your acting endeavors!
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