by
Wayne Frazier

An audition can be one of the most intimidating aspects for an actor! It can be quite daunting, and a complete mind f@#k if you allow yourself to succumb to its power. It’s kind of like the ‘dark side’ of the force (Star Wars) where it can play tricks on your mind and soul. But that is the result of a very powerful myth that many believe: actors think an audition can make or break their career. This belief is many people’s first mistake.

We tend to sabotage ourselves thinking, “If I screw this up I will never work as an actor.” Remember, there are tons of things that are out of your control when you finish an audition. You may ask yourself, “If I don’t get the part, am I doomed to be a full-time server for the rest of my natural born life?” The honest answer? Only if you succumb to the dark side of auditioning (insert spooky music here)!

You have the option to make the audition process as comfortable as sitting poolside at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas, or as awkward as burying your head in your own palms in frustration. I used to question every single audition for years. What did I do wrong? Did I mess it up? Why didn’t the casting director laugh? Try eliminating all the questions, and simply move on. Real professionals simply do the work. We research our parts, make strong choices and give it our all. Then we walk out and keep moving and learning and improving our craft. I researched my part, I made strong choices, and I gave it my all. By asking shoulda,, coulda, woulda, questions, we complicate our lives. Instead start saying, I did, I can and I will.

Here are some things I do to mentally and physically prepare for successful auditioning:

Confidence in yourself is essential as an actor. This is reality and not worth fighting. If you love your craft, be proud of it! Say it out loud, “I am an ACTOR.” Go ahead, I’ll wait…Felt good, didn’t it? I never understood why some actors shy away when asked what they do for a living. I have seen it time and time again, bowing your head in some kind of shame. Screw that! If you are ashamed of acting, then please stop doing it. However, if you love acting be proud and say it with confidence… “I am an Actor!”

Prepare yourself for the worst, but open yourself up for the best; this is hard but necessary. The worst is a horrible term, so let’s say prepare yourself for the truth. If you miss your mark, or make a blunder, well, that happens in life and that is the truth. If you miss your mark or blunder because you stayed up too late or didn’t prepare properly for your audition, that is also the truth.. An athlete stretches his body and mind before a game, why would you go into an audition without doing the same? That is how you open yourself up for the best, practice and prepare. Do this and more than half of your anxieties will dissipate before you even walk into the audition room.

Move on and set your mind for the next audition. When your audition is finished, pat yourself on the back. Use the audition as a learning tool. Know that you prepared properly, you have the confidence in yourself and you did all you could do. It’s over and it’s time to set yourself up for the next audition. Don’t ever focus on to the past, move forward. Remember, you did it, you got to act today!

Well, I hope some of these suggestions will help you get out of your head and into your artistic mindset! What are some things that help you nail that audition?