How do you handle auditions when they are over? You studied lines for hours to be able to memorize and recite them for your audition so that you could be what we call "off book" (not having to look at your "sides" or "copy" (pages of your scene(s)). You put hours into this audition. Chances are this audition was a ecocast (a taped audition that you upload to a website that actors and agents use to submit talent to casting directors) and you most likely had to pay a studio to tape you and you may have even used a audition coach to help you prepare. Whew! a lot of time and money went into this audition, you think you nailed it and now what? Have you mastered the art of what I like to call "NEXT" mentality. When I was managing my children in the biz and we would be on our 10th audition between the two of them (some commercial, print and theatrical) driving all over Los Angeles with high hopes of possibly just getting a callback, I soon adopted the "I can't stress and care about every audition attitude" and I taught my kids to come out of the audition and say "NEXT." When you are a parent in this business you absorb a lot of the stress that comes with each audition. As a adult actor you should learn to adopt this thought process because if you don't, you can drive yourself crazy.
Straight talk here, you have about a 10% chance of booking these auditions. This is just the facts. It has always been a numbers game. I taught my children and my clients to this day to celebrate the call backs. A callback (producer session) tells you that ANY one of the actors that came to that callback is capable of booking. This is worth celebrating! If you do end up booking then this is just icing on the cake! Another thing to try not to do is play the comparison game. There is only ONE of YOU and YOU are unique and casting likes you just the way you are! Obviously the producers and director liked you too or they would not have called you back. A few things you can do that could possibly help you is to keep a audition journal. https://amzn.to/3OpgQHvI I always have and you write down the feedback, make personal notes of how you felt, what positive things you did, what were some things you maybe didn't do, were you prepared as well as you felt you could be and note how often you have been brought in by this casting office. Keep track of the number of callbacks you get as well with this office. Most casting directors are you biggest fan, especially if they continue to bring you in. Remember, comparison is the joy robber so don't do that. There are so many aspects to booking a job that you can not control, so don't even try to. https://amzn.to/42kakrw
So next time you walk out of a audition, just move on and say "NEXT." Don't bug your agent and ask if they have heard anything because I promise you, if you book, you will be the first to know! Parent's don't get in your head too much and use IMDB Pro to research a role to death and later to see who booked a role that you were hoping your child would book. This does not serve anyone to compare your child and don't mention who booked the role either. I know it's hard not to do. I'm a researcher by nature and I have been there and done that and it did nothing to help my children book. Adult actors don't fall prey to researching your competition and looking at their agency and falling into that trap of "maybe they booked because their agency is bigger or more of a "name." Remember, YOU were invited in for an audition with the agency you are with, so that means that ALL the agencies had clients that were invited. So to wrap this up, don't play the comparison game, don't play the blame game and learn to say NEXT and move on, eventually it's going to be YOUR time to shine!
Until next time, I wish you many bookings. Stay the course!
Kimberly
Helpful Resources
Books:
https://amzn.to/3UnaDjf Acting on Impulse
https://amzn.to/3SG7sC8 Stella Adler: The Art of Acting
https://amzn.to/47ZxvZo Acting: How to Get Started
https://amzn.to/3u6vnRL The Art of Voice Acting
https://amzn.to/42kakrw How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
https://amzn.to/3OpgQHv Acting Journal
Home Studio for Taping Auditions
https://amzn.to/3u6vFrP Lighting
https://amzn.to/48WSkWr Ring Light
https://amzn.to/4bh5csa Lighting with backdrop, full kit one of my favorites
https://amzn.to/3HIpU6S Extra Lighting
https://amzn.to/47Xtkgw Backdrop support system (I have used this for a film festival backdrop)
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