Walking Into The Audition Room

The audition begins for the viewers when the actor walks into the audition room. That first impression--that instant assessment of the actor can determine whether the viewer wants to take 3 minutes to read the actor. They want to see a confident actor who is focused, prepared, and ready for the audition. They want an actor to take control of the room and make eye contact as they say "Hello". They want the actor to solve their problem of needing to cast this part and, believe it or not, they are rooting for the actor.

But, if the actor walks into the room looking down, mumbling, and looking like a "deer in headlights", the viewers will assume this is either an actor who is very nervous, unprepared, or inexperienced. They have tuned you out and don't want to bother reading you even before you say your first line.

When Does The Audition Begin?

The audition begins for the actor when they are in the lobby; before they walk into the audition room. Walking through the door should be "part of the act"… acting the part of a confident actor, even if they don't feel confident.

"Fake It Till You Make It"

If the actor does not feel confident, they should fake confidence: "Fake It Till You Make It". As you walk from the waiting room into the audition room, treat it as if you are going from the wings of a theater onto the stage. Get into your zone, your private bubble; your Zen-like state with mental focus and begin your audition as you walk through the door as a confident actor taking control of the room.

Behavior Influences Thought

If an actor feels nervous or unprepared before walking into the audition room, they should try imitating a confident walk or assume a confident stance. The feeling of confidence in the body tricks the mind into feeling confident. So, when the actor is waiting in the lobby, before their name is even called, their mental focus should be that of an athlete… focused and ready to walk into the room!

As the actor walks into the audition room, they should make eye contact, saying "Hello". Make sure to enter the room in a hybrid state... meaning, NOT in character but rather, focused and ready to go. It's important to note that if an actor chooses to walk into the room "in character"; it could backfire in a big way. Let's say the part the actor is auditioning for is described as "a jerk, a drug addict or arrogant." If you say "Hello" when you greet the casting director as the character would say hello and not as yourself, it's possible they will think you really are a jerk, a drug addict or arrogant.

Virtually every Casting Director has seen this happen. So actors need to remember that just the act of saying "Hello" may be the only moment that demonstrates that they are an OK human being who will show up on time if cast, be civil to their fellow actors, and learn their lines.

Be Prepared and Make Choices

The actor should take control of the room and make it their space for 3 minutes. A chair is usually provided for the actor to use if they would like, so moving the chair to where the actor would like it to be is a great way to take control of the room. Right off the bat the viewers can see the actor has made choices and is prepared. Five seconds should be taken before the audition begins so the actor can make the transition from walking into the room into the scene itself. The viewers also need this transition time before they watch the scene, so if chit-chat happens, taking five seconds helps everyone have a moment to adjust and focus.

Four tools the actor should use during these five seconds to help with the transition:

1. Sense of Place: Where does the scene take place?

2. Relationship: Who is the character talking to in the scene and how does the character feel about that person?

3. Intention: What does the character want at the top of the scene?

4. Pre-Beat: What happens the moment before the scene starts?

Once the scene gets going, the actor should listen to the reader. This is the best tool an actor can use in an audition. "Listening" grounds the actor in the scene preventing them from anticipating what their next line will be. If an actor is not "listening", the viewers can see it and will know that the actor is not "present" in the scene.

The last tool in the actor's audition arsenal is Respond in the Listening. Most Television and Film auditions are put on tape, so the viewers of the audition tape only see a close-up of the actor; they don't see the reader. It is very important that an actor genuinely listens and "respond in the listening", so when the viewer watches the tape, they can see the thoughts going through the actor's head … they see an actor who is present and in the moment of the scene.

Walking into the room is a skill that can be mastered with a confident mind set and the use of simple audition tools. The actor should walk into the audition room as an athlete would walk onto the field, dive into the pool, or step onto the mound. Having the mental focus of an athlete will help the actor conquer the first step in the audition process… walking into that audition room.

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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC '-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN' 'http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd'><html><head><title>Article Content Directory | Walking Into The Audition Room</title></head><body><h3>Walking Into The Audition Room</h3><br><br> By: Holly Powell<br><br><p><p>The audition begins for the viewers when the actor walks into the audition room. That first impression--that instant assessment of the actor can determine whether the viewer wants to take 3 minutes to read the actor. They want to see a confident actor who is focused, prepared, and ready for the audition. They want an actor to take control of the room and make eye contact as they say "Hello". They want the actor to solve their problem of needing to cast this part and, believe it or not, they are rooting for the actor. </P><p>But, if the actor walks into the room looking down, mumbling, and looking like a "deer in headlights", the viewers will assume this is either an actor who is very nervous, unprepared, or inexperienced. They have tuned you out and don't want to bother reading you even before you say your first line. </P><p>When Does The Audition Begin?</P><p>The audition begins for the actor when they are in the lobby; before they walk into the audition room. Walking through the door should be "part of the act"… acting the part of a confident actor, even if they don't feel confident. </P><p>"Fake It Till You Make It"</P><p>If the actor does not feel confident, they should fake confidence: "Fake It Till You Make It". As you walk from the waiting room into the audition room, treat it as if you are going from the wings of a theater onto the stage. Get into your zone, your private bubble; your Zen-like state with mental focus and begin your audition as you walk through the door as a confident actor taking control of the room. </P><p> Behavior Influences Thought </P><p>If an actor feels nervous or unprepared before walking into the audition room, they should try imitating a confident walk or assume a confident stance. The feeling of confidence in the body tricks the mind into feeling confident. So, when the actor is waiting in the lobby, before their name is even called, their mental focus should be that of an athlete… focused and ready to walk into the room!</P><p>As the actor walks into the audition room, they should make eye contact, saying "Hello". Make sure to enter the room in a hybrid state... meaning, NOT in character but rather, focused and ready to go. It's important to note that if an actor chooses to walk into the room "in character"; it could backfire in a big way. Let's say the part the actor is auditioning for is described as "a jerk, a drug addict or arrogant." If you say "Hello" when you greet the casting director as the character would say hello and not as yourself, it's possible they will think you really are a jerk, a drug addict or arrogant. </P><p>Virtually every Casting Director has seen this happen. So actors need to remember that just the act of saying "Hello" may be the only moment that demonstrates that they are an OK human being who will show up on time if cast, be civil to their fellow actors, and learn their lines. </P><p>Be Prepared and Make Choices</P><p>The actor should take control of the room and make it their space for 3 minutes. A chair is usually provided for the actor to use if they would like, so moving the chair to where the actor would like it to be is a great way to take control of the room. Right off the bat the viewers can see the actor has made choices and is prepared. Five seconds should be taken before the audition begins so the actor can make the transition from walking into the room into the scene itself. The viewers also need this transition time before they watch the scene, so if chit-chat happens, taking five seconds helps everyone have a moment to adjust and focus. </P><p>Four tools the actor should use during these five seconds to help with the transition:</P><p> 1. Sense of Place: Where does the scene take place?</P><p> 2. Relationship: Who is the character talking to in the scene and how does the character feel about that person?</P><p> 3. Intention: What does the character want at the top of the scene?</P><p> 4. Pre-Beat: What happens the moment before the scene starts?</P><p>Once the scene gets going, the actor should listen to the reader. This is the best tool an actor can use in an audition. "Listening" grounds the actor in the scene preventing them from anticipating what their next line will be. If an actor is not "listening", the viewers can see it and will know that the actor is not "present" in the scene. </P><p>The last tool in the actor's audition arsenal is Respond in the Listening. Most Television and Film auditions are put on tape, so the viewers of the audition tape only see a close-up of the actor; they don't see the reader. It is very important that an actor genuinely listens and "respond in the listening", so when the viewer watches the tape, they can see the thoughts going through the actor's head … they see an actor who is present and in the moment of the scene.</P><p>Walking into the room is a skill that can be mastered with a confident mind set and the use of simple audition tools. The actor should walk into the audition room as an athlete would walk onto the field, dive into the pool, or step onto the mound. Having the mental focus of an athlete will help the actor conquer the first step in the audition process… walking into that audition room.<br></P></p> <br><br> <b>Author Resource:-></b>  Master Talent Teachers is an award-winning team of top entertainment industry teaching professionals providing FREE valuable videos, insider tips and products to empower your craft and career! For even more valuable information Go to => <a href="http://www.mastertalentteachers.com/">http://www.mastertalentteachers.com</a> now and watch FREE in-depth videos.<br><br><b>Article From</b> <a href='http://www.articlecontentdirectory.com/'>Article Content Directory</a><br></body></html>