When you’re out auditioning you will be competing with hundreds and thousands of other. Honestly you should feel fortunate just for getting an audition in the first place. When a breakdown goes out to agents and managers a casting director receives anywhere from one to five thousand photos for each role. From those they may call in one hundred actors for a first audition. So just the fact that you got an audition is amazing. Thus you don’t want to blow your chances of getting the job by doing something silly. Commercial auditions are different than theatrical auditions as anything can happen and you never know exactly what to expect. But regardless of the situation these are things you should never do at a commercial audition.
1. Forget your headshot and resume Your headshot is your calling card. This is a job and a headshot is like a business card. It identifies you and gives the casting director all your information so you they can contact your representation to call you back.
2. Touch the casting director Think about it, would you want to be touched by hundreds of actors each day? Not really. If they don’t offer to shake your hand don’t try to make the gesture. Go in, do your job and get out. Period. They don’t want your germs.
3. Chew gum while auditioning Chewing gum on camera looks terrible. So unless the role asks you to specifically be chewing gum or blowing bubbles, don’t do it. Fresh breath is great but throw your gum out before you enter the audition room.
4. Blabbermouth Talking a little is okay, all kindness is not lost but it’s best to just go in, do your job, say a quick thank you and leave. Remember it’s a job not a sorority meeting.
5. Crash a casting It’s one of the most disrespectful things you can do and you’ll likely get caught. Casting directors have sheets of those they called in. Their assistants go through these and check to see who’s showed up and who hasn’t. When your name is no where to be seen it will stand out. And guess what? You may be blacklisted for it which means that casting director might just choose to never call you in, ever. It’s not worth crashing!
6. Tardiness It’s your job to audition, don’t show up late. They track this and will remember if you’re extremely late or routinely late to sessions.
7. Creating excuses Excuses are meaningless to a casting director, they hear them all day long. Just go in and do your job, period.
8. Talk about acting, singing or dancing If asked a general personality question don’t talk about acting, singing or dancing. Everyone in the entertainment world can act, sing and dance. It’s nothing new. Show them a different part of your personality. Talk about things you believe in, your volunteer work or your favorite things to do with your free time. Be a real person.
9. Being unkind Rudeness is uncalled for. Don’t do it. It will bite you in the ass. Even if someone is unkind to you just smile and move on, it will serve you a lot better.
10. Little white lies Lying may not seem like a big deal but it can be, especially when you get caught in that lie. Tell the casting director you’re an amazing fencer and then they bring in the gear and ask you to fence and you can’t. Guess what? You not only lost that job but possibly a chance at future work with them as well.
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