Often Rejected at Auditions? Check These 16 Mistakes

Mistakes in auditions, observed by the author

Over the past many years, as an actor, I have given auditions and like other aspirants,  made mistakes. In the later years I became a short film maker and an acting coach. Consequently,  my functions made me to attend many auditions, be a keen observer and a learner. This helped me to select right talents for my films and develop my students better as a coach.
I observed that many of the aspiring actors unknowingly fall into some not-so-useful habits that undermine their ability to give an incredible audition and actually enjoy the process.

1. Lack of commitment: if you don’t believe in your performance, why should I?
2. Poor choice in monologue (Genre, age, character, script, dialogues)
3. Poor or no training, and it shows: lack of confidence is certainly a sign of limited experience and though practice in front of an audience: mirrors are great, but they are a poor substitute for an actual audience. We all need critique, a personal acting coach or even a roommate with little experience in theater can help you polish that audition piece!
4. Trying to make friends with everyone in the waiting room and use it as a time to catch up with that guy you never really liked anyway who was in your acting class.
5. Trying desperately to relax, without knowing the professional technique for relaxation.
6. Trying to look calmer and more relaxed than everyone else. Looking at others with pseudo pride to find out how tense are they 
7. Acting your lines/scene in the waiting room– this includes acting out planned facial responses ie. Surprise, Confusion, Anger looks over- involved.
8. Ridiculing others who are mime, acting their scene. “I would never do that”
9. Classifying other actors in the room by age, looks, and attitudes.
10. After doing above placing yourself in a superior position.
11. Criticizing yourself for being nervous.
12. Start discussing with others about your the last role in Balaji serial or in the film directed by Anurag Basu so others will feel inferior causing them to hate you.
13. Thinking about how much you hate having to wait. “They gave me audition time as 6-40 evening and that was 27 minutes ago. Who do they think they are making me wait? Don’t they know my background? That I’m trained in “Actors Prepares’ by Anupam Kher?
14. Indulge in negativity: “I’ll never get this. Why am I here? I’m leaving.” Then you hear “Preeti, you’re next.”
15. Once inside the audition room: start with a funny line or a sudden Hello, how are you guys?” Follow this up with your embarrassed laugh at your own joke. Meanwhile the casting people have been chatting about what to order for lunch. They look up with raised eyebrows at the creature in front of them!
16. As soon as you’re finished auditioning, you look eagerly at the casting director hoping for an announcement “You got the role” subsequently leaving the room with a heavy heart and without saying thank you.  Cursing yourself, you could have done it better. 

Check: If you slip into any of the above situations or habits and correct them if you have developed.

Remember

Being simple and creating audition from your TRUTH is the key to booking roles.
Good Luck for your next audition!