The Professional Actor – Dealing with Audition Pressure
As I was sitting in the waiting room, the cool blast from the air conditioner was made cooler due to the amount of sweat on my forehead. My heart rate was quickened and my hands were slightly shaky. Suddenly, the receptionist said the magical word, “Prior, they’re ready for you.” Standing to my feet, I could feel the world turning. After taking a deep breath, I made my way into the audition room. Unfortunately, at this particular audition I let audition pressure get the best of me. Yet, I used this experience as a learning curve.
Auditions are full of pressure for the actor. For some, booking a gig simply enhances their resume. For others, booking a gig means paying rent or having food to eat. Dealing with audition pressure takes time, but several tips can help expedite this process.
As actors, we tend to overthink everything. While this is beneficial when it comes time to actually perform, this tendency to overthink can spell disaster within the audition. This is especially true if you have a lot riding on this one audition.
While the actual audition may be very important, you must prevent from succumbing to your own thoughts. Before entering the audition room, acknowledge the importance of the audition. Don’t try to pretend that a particular audition isn’t important. However, do not dwell on this importance. Once you have acknowledged the audition, move on. Place an invisible shield over your mind and don’t let anything break this shield. By doing so, you help remove self-induced pressure.
An actor who is not confident is an actor who’s set up to fail. No matter what you’re going through in your personal life, you must always strive to do your best and remain confident. Confidence in actors is easily swayed. You could have had a few terrible auditions or perhaps you didn’t book that gig you thought you would. No matter what, you mustn’t let these facts sway your confidence. Remember: when you are confident you can handle anything. Confidence will eliminate all audition pressure – at least the severity of this pressure.
