Audition #2

So today I had audition #2. And it's funny, the amount of time I spent stressing about it, trying to get my shift covered, learning my sides, getting dressed in a respectable-social-worker fashion, trying to get there in the snow, it all culminated in what was literally a five-minute period of my life. Before I knew it, I was back out on the street, heading home.

I think it went well. It seemed like it did. Of course, you could drive yourself crazy thinking of the various meanings behind "Great job", and "Thank you!" I haven't had too many on-camera auditions yet, but here's how they generally break down so far:

You get there. There's usually a sign-in sheet of some kind. And you can tell who your competition is, because they will all look somewhat like you, or at the very least be dressed like you. Many of these people know each other, and make what can sometimes seem like forced conversation about other gigs they've been working on, how they know the director/casting director/writer/other person of importance on the project. Other people will be smiling tersely, furiously going over their sides.

You wait. See people go in (and sometimes hear their audition through the door), come out. Eavesdrop on any conversations concerning: who and how many people are in the room. Wait some more if they're running behind.

You get called in. There's a cameraman, a reader, the director and/or casting director. You go stand on your mark (a piece of tape in the shape of a T), and be nice, agreeable, nice, energetic, and nice, doing your best to project the attitude that you're confident, together, talented, and easy to work with. You slate yourself, if they ask for it: looking into the camera, state your name, agency, and the role you're reading for.

You audition. The reader may give a lot, or they may be monotone, emotionless, and hard to hear. You might get some direction and get to do it again, or you might get nothing.

You're done! You might hear compliments, you might just hear "thank you". After all, they've got a lot more you's in the waiting room to get through, and they've been doing this all day. And it's pretty much crazy-making to try and figure out any subtext in their comments.

Overall, I feel like it went really, really well. It was definitely the first time I've come out of an on-camera audition feeling so good about it. (I tend to get CAMERA PANIC. Have I talked about this before? You know that episode of 30 Rock where Jack is going to be on the show, and he doesn't know what to do with his hands, and he needs two coffee mugs to walk "naturally"? Sometimes cameras make me feel like that on the inside.) Of course, now the wait begins, but I'm going to try not to focus on it. If I hear, I hear. If not, hey, at least I'm getting called in for stuff, right?