By “Bad” Brad Berkwitt
Photos by Joe Henson, NYC
(July 16, 2013) Over the course of the last four months, I have been on several auditions for movies, TV, and Industrial Videos. Each time I get that email or phone call saying, “we would like you to come in”, I find it really satisfying professionally that a Casting Agent has looked at just my resume and headshots, which in turn, caused them to see ‘something’ that has peeked their interest to have me come in an audition. From there, sometimes you get a side and sometimes you don’t. Maybe they wanted you to do a monologue. Either way, I go into each one with zero nerves or at least that is how my mind feels, though maybe subconsciously, I have a little, but the adrenalin to shine overcomes it.
At the end of the audition, I always thank the person or the group of people that gave me the chance to audition. Then ask them when they are doing callbacks? I know when I walk out the door if I nailed it or it just wasn’t my day. However, actors that automatically feel they didn’t get the role, should not think like that. You never know what the folks who auditioned you were looking for exactly and many times, you may not be right for one role, but they call you for another that is just as good or sometimes, even better.
This happened to me recently on an Industrial Video where I played the Lead. Another thing I hear from fellow actors, is “I audition all the time, but I never get called back.” That may be so, but you have to always keep it positive. I can honestly say, I have always kept it positive and even though I nailed an audition or was born to play the role in my opinion, I still didn’t get a callback. If that happens, I never get discouraged and file it as a learning lesson to continue to work on my craft.
Keep in mind, you just networked with that casting person or casting agency because now, they have a recorded audition or at least a good idea about your acting chops. They will have you in their database and down the road, you may get that call or email saying, “though we didn’t pick you for the part you auditioned, we now have a role we think you are perfect for.” That has happened to me a few times in just a short period of time.
Just a few things to think about when doing auditions…