Believing You Belong Here

Watching the coverage of the Olympics, one of the announcers said a very interesting quote:

Confidence is a little voice inside your head that tells you that you belong here.

(I've done a little Googling and couldn't find the original source, so if anyone knows it please pass it on to me.)

As an actor, you find yourself in lots of intimidating situations like auditions, table reads, your first day on a new set.  Actors know that their job is always tenuous.  Just look at Eric Stoltz who shot for 5 weeks on "Back to the Future" before being replaced by Michael J. Fox.  That feeling of being replaceable is something that always sits somewhere in the back of my mind.

But, all that is in my head and it's my job to change the dialogue in there.  Change that little voice inside my head.  Of course, I know it isn't that easy. 

I wish I was one of those people who just exudes confidence that has never known a place they didn't belong.  My problem is that whenever I do get something I think it's a fluke.   And just try to give me a compliment - I am a master at deflecting them. 

Since confidence doesn't come naturally to me at all, I'm going to have to pretend.  Maybe if I pretend enough, I'll be able to change that little voice inside my head

Learning to Accept Compliments

I am terrible at accepting compliments.  Mostly because I am never that happy with my work.  I tend to see all the flaws and no matter how perfect I want it to be, it's not.  Of course, I understand you can't expect perfection, but I hold myself to pretty high standards.

This weekend I had three short films that I wrote and produced in the Playhouse West Film Festival.   I had a hard time even standing in the theater while they showed.  Two were comedies and it's very nerve wracking waiting to hear if people laugh at the right times.  The third film is a drama called, All You Need.  I had no idea how people would respond and you can't take the temperature of the audience by seeing if they are laughing at the right times.  I kept walking in and out of the theater, biting my nails while it was showing.

Afterwards, I had so many people come up to me and say nice things about the movie.  It was wonderful, but of course I have no idea how to respond.  I wish I knew how to be one of those salesman type filmmakers that could have turned all those into great networking moments.  I should have come out with a stack of business cards and new contacts.  Instead I usually just stammered out an incoherent "thank you" and walked away.

At the end of the weekend, I was awarded the Jury Prize for Best Screenplay.  This was beyond unexpected.  I help run the festival, so I was busy backstage moving chairs when they announced my name.  I don't even remember what I said in the speech, although I'm sure I didn't say everything I wanted to say and probably looked like a bumbling idiot.

Here I am accepting my award.  Did I ever mention that I'm short?

So, since my speech was terrible.  Here is what I wished I said:

This award means so much to me.  I never considered myself a screenwriter.  I've been in LA for 7 years working as an actor, but never as much as I like.  I began writing because I wanted more opportunities to act.  I write the movies I want to see and the roles I want to play.  There are a few people who were a huge part of making "All You Need" happen.  First, Tony Savant and his writing class.  I started this script in his class and his guidance really helped craft many moments of this script.  My parents who are so supportive and really pushed me to make this film from the first time I sent them a draft of the script.  Of course, Ricardo who not only brought so much of my script to life as the director, but also helped me early on making it the best script we could create with all of his notes and edits.   Plus he has put up with me and all my craziness for 6 years, so he gets point for that too.  Lastly, my amazing cast and crew.  Sarah and Gabe worked so hard on each of their roles, going above and beyond rehearsing and getting to know Amaris.  They each brought so much more to the roles than what was on the page.  The Ultreras family for letting me use their home for 3 days and especially, Noemi, for letting me borrow her daughter.  Everyone else who came out to hold a boom, work as an extra, or slate for nothing more than free food and my gratitude: Kim, Marilyn, Alicia, Lacy, Karen, Kinga, Jacqueline, Elizabeth, Valerie, Shannon, Elena, Lance, Juan, Jessica, Brian, Kevin, Jenny, and if I'm forgetting anyone I am so sorry but seriously, I love each and every one of you so much.  

Thank you to everyone who came up and said nice things to me over the weekend.  It really meant the world to me.

You Are a Terrible Judge of Yourself

I am a very harsh critic, not of other people, just of myself. 

I can't think of a single audition, play, or day of filming when I have left thinking "I nailed that!"  There are always moments missed, some fault that made me feel less than perfect.

Even worse is me watching tape of myself because all I see is how much I hate how my face looks when I turn my head that way or why didn't anyone tell me how bad my hair looked in the back.  These things that don't really matter, things that aren't related at all to my ability to act.  But, when I'm editing my own footage, darn it, if that isn't all I see.

This past week I had another reminder to not judge how I did in an audition.  Because I totally thought I blew one this week and it was kinda a big audition.  So big that the fact that I thought I'd blown it actually had me crying in my car.  Embarrassing but true.

Even more embarrassing is that I was totally wrong.  I booked the job.  It's not set in stone yet so I'm not sharing with you guys what it is.  Once I have the deal memo signed and all that, I will tell you all about it!  But, it is kind of a big one.

Remember you can't see how others see you and don't spend your time worrying how you think you did.  Because no matter what you think, it is probably wrong.

What I Learned in a Year

It's officially been a year since I started writing this blog.  The reason I began was to share some of my experience and pitfalls with my actor friends out there.  I explained Why You Should Listen to Me, which is pretty much that you probably shouldn't since anyone who claims to know anything in Hollywood is probably wrong.

I have to say I've learned a lot just from writing this blog.  Reminded me that I need to enjoy the journey, not to worry about my competition, and how to face rejection.  I got to share with you guys my success at making a movie in 72 hours, what inspired me at the Playhouse West Film Festival, and how I survived the Los Angeles Actorfest. 

Of course, I'm always learning more and am often reminded that I don't know everything.  Just this last week, I had one of those auditions that was not perfect and I forgot some of my own advice, by not owning my audition and losing my confidence.  But with every failure comes a chance to do it better the next time.  You know, what doesn't kill you ...


As the last blog in February it's time to see how my Career goals are going:

Goal: Attend class unless working an acting gig or sick
Actual: I didn't miss a single class this month :)

Goal: Work on scenes from plays I can put up.
Actual: Working on "Vanities" with a couple ladies from my class.

Goal: Read two plays a month.
Actual: I read "To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday" and "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress"

Goal: Find and attend a good on-camera class to supplement my acting classes.
Actual: Finishing up that commercial class with Chris Game.  I am thinking about starting to get a group of actors together to work on camera once a week.

Goal: Complete editing on both my films before the PWFF early bird deadline.
Actual: Not looking so good, but they will be finished!!!

Goal: Write and produce two more shorts this year.
Actual: Let's finish these other two first.

Goal: Continue to help at the agency once a week.
Actual: I've gone to the agency once a week and have been working on a Pilot Season project to help them be super organized.

Goal: Find three casting offices that I can help out at as a reader.
Actual: This month I continued helping out at the TV office and got to help them on their new Pilot.

Goal: Blog every Monday.
Actual: Blogged every week.  Plus you can check out my other blog: Being Crafty and Cultured in Los Angeles. 

How do You Keep Yourself Going?

People always say how difficult it is to be an actor because you hear "no" all the time.  This is actually  not true - most of the time you hear nothing at all.  The way most actors find out they were rejected is when they see another actor playing the role they auditioned for on TV.  Oh, awesome, that goofy bug-eyed girl got that commercial I went in for ... again.

But there is no way around it, being an actor is a life filled with rejection.  And I'm not going to lie: it is difficult and it will get to you.  The people who have longevity in this business are the ones who can take the rejection and keep moving forward.

When the rejection starts to get me feeling down, I look at the reasons I chose this career in the first place.  I love to act; I love the theater; I love performing; I love movies; I love plays.

My first step in fighting the rejection blues is by watching some of my favorite actors in their best performances.  I get the classics down and watch Casablanca, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Singing in the Rain - the movies that made me want to be an actor in the first place.

Another way for me to fight the blues is by wandering around in the play section of my favorite used bookstore, The Iliad.  I grab a couple well-loved, marked up, highlighted plays for a couple bucks and curl up in a dark corner somewhere to read.  One secret of mine: I always act out all the parts in my head while reading a play.

If I am not on an upswing yet, then I pour myself into being more productive.  I find new classes; go to workshops; find offices to intern at.  Suddenly, I am too busy to feel depressed over some lousy one line role or a cheesy car commercial I didn't book.

What do you do to keep yourself moving forward?

Be Brave, Ask for Help.

We can't do everything ourselves.  I know it can be very difficult, but an important lesson to learn is how and when to ask for help.

This is true even if you are working on the most bare bones production, you almost always need at least one other person to help.  When I shot segments for the webseries, That's What She Said, I did everything I could on my own: writing, directing, editing, craft services (I was practically Robert Rodriguez).  Some people might even say that I have control issues.  But, when it came down to filming I couldn't be behind and in front of the camera at the same time.

After much worrying I finally got the nerve up to ask a friend who just got a new camera and offered him lunch in return for filming the show.  He was excited for the opportunity to play with his camera and jumped at the chance to help out.

What I've learned is that you can't be too afraid to ask for help.  Generally, people in Hollywood want to work and if they aren't doing a paying gig then they are often excited to help you on your project.  Just be sure to return the favor when they need help on their next project.  Don't be the person who is always taking help from others without giving back, because you can quickly burn through those connections in this town.

One rule I follow is if I am not going to an audition or working a paying gig, I always, always, always volunteer to help out on my friends projects.  I've been a grip, a boom operator, slated, gone on coffee runs, whatever needs getting done.  I can tell you there is pretty much no job on a set that I am above doing.

I know you want your friends to cast you in their projects and not just hold the boom, but people notice who is helping out.  Next time there is a part you are right for I promise they will think of you.

Plus, think about how difficult it is for you to ask your friends for help, so do them a solid and offer to help before they have to ask for it.

Like Me, Please Like Me!

Edward Norton once said that one of the things he disliked about being an actor is that it's a career that requires other people giving you permission to do it.  Unlike a painter or poet you can't just go to your basement and be an actor.  Sure you could do a monologue for your stuffed animals, but an actor really needs an audience that listens and responds.  You can't act in a vacuum.

Remember Sally Field winning the Oscar and her joy in realizing that they liked her, they really liked her?  It took her winning an Oscar to figure that out?  Wasn't she America's Sweetheart when she was Gidget?  But, that lack of self-confidence is not uncommon in this industry which can have you being rejected on a daily basis.  Even the most talented actors are worried about when the next job will come along or if there will ever even be a next job.

An actor friend came to me recently concerned that she wasn't being cast in the shorts and webseries her other actor friends were filming.  She went into that downward spiral of questioning her talent, thinking she had none, and eventually landing on maybe it was time for her to give up.  On the outside, you can look into this situation and see all kinds of possible reasons she wasn't cast.  Maybe the parts weren't right for her or maybe they wrote parts specifically for someone who could bring in equipment or money.  But, when you are the actor inside looking out, it's hard not to take it as a comment on your own abilities.  We want so much for people to want us to be in their projects.

One reason actors constantly need approval from others is because we are unable to stand back and see our own work.  This is especially true in theater, but even on film it is nearly impossible to judge ourselves.  I remember an interview with Tea Leoni where she was asked if she ever watched herself in movies.  She said no, she hated watching herself because she could never see past her huge front teeth.  I've enjoyed a number of Tea Leoni movies and have never once noticed her front teeth. 

We are terrible judges of ourselves.  I know I am.  I can't tell you how many auditions I was sure I bombed that I then got a callback or cast.  And as far as looking to others for approval, what I've learned is that some people are going to like you no matter what.  Other people will hate you and you won't be able to change their mind, even if you were Meryl Streep.  You can't worry about what others think, eventually you'll find the people who like working with you and those are the ones worth worrying about.

Money vs Time

When it comes to film making you either need time or money.  It is possible to make a good film with very little in your budget, but I promise it will cost you a lot of time.  That's why when you start going down the road of producing your own stuff, make sure it is something you feel passionate about.  You have to love it because if you want it to be good get ready to give most of your life over to it.

If you have money, you can hire people to do all the nitty-gritty work; if you are broke like me then you need time to do it all by yourself.  It means driving all over creation to find a cheap pair of scrubs for a costume, sending hundreds of emails to find a few people willing to be extras, and getting up extra early in order to borrow a friend's printer to get copies of all the paperwork you need. 

Doing all this helps lower your costs, but I have yet to master truly no budget film making.  Incidentals always come up.  Things like batteries and printer ink and paper all seem to run out halfway through any production.  Plus, you always have to spend money to feed your cast and crew.  That is generally more than half of my budget on any short I film.  There are those people who I'm sure can sweet talk companies into sponsoring these things for them.  This is not a talent I've mastered.  (If you have: want to produce my next short?)

Now you're thinking, what about equipment?  Cameras, lights, sound equipment, and editing software all cost money.  For me, I decided it was logical to start investing in these things and started collected various pieces of equipment over the last few years and at every holiday and birthday that is what I ask for.  I don't have the fanciest stuff, but it works.  Generally, we try to use ambient lighting as much as possible and I write things based on what I already have access to (so no period pieces requiring crazy costumes or special effects.) 

It is also possible to get a free crew of people looking for credit who can bring their own equipment with them.  A great way to meet these type of people is by helping out on other people's sets.  It's always good to have talented people with film equipment owe you a favor.  But, if you ask me, the best thing is to learn how to do as much as you can on your own so you aren't relying on other people to get your project done.

Get a camera, start filming around your house, play around with the settings and the lighting, see what you can do on your own.  Get a copy of Final Cut and fiddle around with it until you learn how to edit your own stuff.  There are tons of instructional videos on YouTube that will show you how to do just about everything on Final Cut.

I know it sounds like a lot of work and that's because it is.  But, when you get to watch something you created, I promise it's worth it!

How to Help your Agent Help You

I always say how important it is to not sit on your tush waiting for your agent to call.  But, agents are an important part of the business.  There are doors they can open that you can't by yourself.

This is why having a good working relationship with your agent is so important.  I hear so many actors complain about how their agents aren't working for them or how their agents never get them auditions.  But, how many of these actors actually talk to their agents about these problems?

I intern at my agent's office once a week.  It keeps my face in their mind and I get to see what's going on out there.  I know what's casting and if it really is just slow.  But, interning isn't the only way to have a better relationship with your agent.

When was the last time you went to agent's office just to say hi and see how they are doing?  One visit goes a long way, it makes them think of you and want to pitch you.  Bringing baked goods never hurts either.  Plus, you can take this as an opportunity to talk with them about what you need to do to get out more.

Don't hold back from talking to your agent because you're worried about bothering them.  If there is a project casting that you really want to be in, or you know you are right for something, or you know the casting director, you absolutely should email or call your agent and let them know.  If you don't feel comfortable enough to call and email your agent then ask yourself why you're in a relationship with them.

Your agent is your partner, but remember they only make 10% so you should be doing 90% of the work.  Make your own movies, help out at casting offices, research what's currently casting on websites like castingabout.com, go to classes, network, and all that other good stuff proactive actors do.  Make sure your agent has all the tools they'll need to be able to work effectively for you.

Can the actors out there please stand up?

When someone asks you, what do you do?  Do you spout off a list of survival jobs before eventually mumbling under your breath that you are an actor, if you even say actor at all? 

I know you worry how they'll look at you, especially in LA where being an "actor" can have some bad connotations.  I know what it is to dread the next question that'll be coming out of their mouths: Have you been in anything I would've seen?

But, if you can't stand up and proudly say you are an actor then how do you expect anyone else to think of you as an actor.  A couple years back I took a seminar about creating a business plan for actors.  At this seminar we each had to write down our ultimate dream goal in this profession, then we had to put down the paper and say it to the person sitting next to us.  You can't imagine how the words "I want to win an Oscar" get stuck in your throat when you are forced to say it to a complete stranger.  The point was if you can't say this dream of yours out loud to someone then how will you ever be able to reach it.

According to SAG, you are a professional actor when you have headshots, a resume, and are actively seeking acting work.  It has nothing to do with you being paid as an actor or if you have a SAG card, but simply if you are pursuing work as an actor.  So, for all you out there that are going to classes, submitting on Actor's Access and LACasting, or making your own movies: YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL ACTOR! 

Don't shy away from it.  Stand up and be proud for pursuing this crazy career.

And as far as that horrible question "Have you been in anything I would've seen?"  I answer by grabbing my iPhone and pulling up my website, MichelleCoyle.net.  There I have links to all the shorts I've made and my demo reel.  Now they've seen something I've been in.

How many times can you face rejection and still keep going?

Recently, I read an article about how Kathryn Stockett's novel "The Help" was rejected 60 times by publishers before finally being bought by Amy Einhorn Books.  She never gave up, even at rejection 59 she kept pushing. 

Not to take anything away from her amazing resilience and perseverance, but most of us actors face this amount of rejection or more in any given year.

Mark Ruffalo went on 800 auditions before someone finally said yes to him.  That's right he had over 800 rejections and still kept on trying.  Finally, his persistence paid off and now he is not only one of the most talented actors out there but also very successful.

When I first moved to Los Angeles, I had friends who thought I would try this for a bit and when it didn't work out just go back home and get a regular job.  Some still ask, "when are you coming home?"  The answer is: I'm not.

After Melissa Leo was let go from her breakthrough role on "Homicide: Life on the Streets" she didn't book another part for a few years.  If she had taken that as a sign that she needed to give up and go home she wouldn't have an Oscar today.

Actors have multiple opportunities for rejection every day from your agent's submission on a breakdown to the preread to the call back to the studio test.  For every actor you see on an episode of CSI think of how many actors were rejected for that part. 

Why do we keep putting ourselves through so much rejection?

Because someone has to get the part and there will be that moment where you are the right person at the right place at the right time and the part will be yours.

On the days you feel like you can't face another rejection those are the days you have to push the hardest.  So, keep on pushing guys!

Being Okay with Being Ugly (or how to rock a gorilla suit)

Currently, I am performing in a play at Playhouse West called A Mixed Tape.   I spend almost the entirety of the play in a full Gorilla suit.  You may be thinking that's too bad for me that the audience doesn't get to see my face.  But the truth is that being in the costume gives me so much freedom that I have a ton of fun doing this play.  Plus, I don't have to worry about my hair and make-up before the show, so I'm not sitting with the other ladies fighting over plugs for flat irons.

I've always loved character work, when I get in a costume and develop traits that are different from my own, I am truly happy.  Now, even when I am doing a role that doesn't specifically call for a lot of character work, I still create character traits to give my performance that extra layer.  Creating a character always makes me feel more relaxed and free on stage.

What I don't understand are actors who are not willing to make themselves ugly when a role calls for it.  It's like they are scared we have such short memories that we'll forget they are actually beautiful.  Look, if you are supposed to be in the 1800's Old West, you have to accept that showers were not common and flat irons were not invented yet, so if you look perfectly made up and clean then it's kinda hard for the audience to buy that you are actually in the Old West.

Charlize Theron would never have won an Oscar if she worried about what she looked like playing Aileen in "Monster."  If you want to be really truthful in whatever part you are playing, you cannot be afraid to get a little dirty.  Sometimes a role calls for you to put away the curling iron and rock your frizzy natural hair, think how different Cameron Diaz would have been in "Being John Malkovich" without her frizziness.

As actors I know we all fret about what we look like.  We obsess over diets and exercise.  We bleach our teeth and our hair.  We are constantly trying to look like the perfect people we think Hollywood wants us to be, but when you do get an acting job don't forget why you are in this crazy business: to live truthfully under imaginary circumstances.

Don't shortchange your character or the audience by not being truthful with how your character looks.

Are you your worst enemy?

Each of us find ways to sabotage our own careers.  The trick is to figure out what it you are doing to hurt your career and then work everyday to fight that.

Personally, I often question my abilities and especially my looks.  I will say to myself I am not pretty enough for that part or I don't have enough credits so they will never call me in.  This prevents me from going after roles I really want and then I will never be given a chance in the first place.

Have you ever been called in for something and then thought, this character doesn't look like me or I'm not the type of person they would cast in this role?  What do you do then?  Do you go to the audition and tell the casting director you aren't right for this or even worse do you not go to the audition at all? 

Both of these are the absolutely wrong choice.  Don't do the casting director's job for them.  You can't know what they are looking for, so go in, don't make excuses, and do the best work you can do.  Let them decide that your ears are too big, or your nose is crooked, or that your credits aren't enough.

Woody Allen famously said, "Eighty percent of success is just showing up."  Talking yourself out of trying for things that may seem difficult or out of your reach can be a self-protecting device to prevent you from being rejected.  But, I guarantee someone else will get 100% of the jobs you don't show up for.

It's Your Audition, Own It!

I was out of town this week and as is often the case when I leave Los Angeles – I got an audition.

I swear there should be Travel Agency for Actors that plans wonderful vacations for us, virtually guaranteeing amazing auditions on the day after we are supposed to leave town. 

Luckily for me this casting office was willing to accept a self-tape audition.   My dad and I found an empty wall in the house, brought every light into the room that we could gather and shot the sides on my 7D.  Dad made an excellent reader.

After approximately 50 takes (I'm very critical of myself), I edited the best ones on iMovie and emailed it off to the casting office.

I know I always say after an audition you should forget about it, but apparently I am not good at practicing what I preach.  The next morning in the shower, it hit me: I’D COMPLETELY MISINTERPRETTED THE SCENE!   

I immediately did the actor-thing of beating myself up.  How could I have screwed up a self-taped audition?  How could I have ruined my one opportunity to impress this casting office?  All the usual self-flagellating things that actors do.

In the midst of my inner monologue filled with self-hate, my mother points out I could always just film it again the other way and send it to them.  My first response was: No, I don’t want to bother them.  But, after a little pushing from my mom, I reconsidered and decided: what do I have to lose?  So, we set up the wall again and I did the scenes with my new take.  Mom also made an excellent reader. 

I edited it and emailed it off, with a nice note to the casting office.  And to my surprise they weren’t annoyed or put out; they actually sent a note of thanks back.

Don’t be afraid of casting, they want you to do the best you can, and if you truly hated your audition and know you can do it differently ask them if you can do it again.  The time you have with casting is your time, don’t leave feeling like you didn’t do everything you wanted to do.

Just Waiting for Someone to Wake Me Up

Over the last couple months, I’ve been working as a reader at a feature film casting office.  What was interesting about this particular experience was that we were working on only one role for 6 weeks.  I read with over 200 hundred actors all doing the exact same 5 page scene.  Trust me, at this point I know every line in that scene inside and out.   I can do the scene in my sleep and I hate to admit it but there were times when I was pretty much asleep during the session.

If good acting is listening and reacting, then I fully admit during these auditions I was not always a good actor.  But every once in awhile, an actor would come in and really draw me out; these few would force me to pay attention.

It reminds of something a casting director once told me: in auditions he was usually just waiting for an actor to wake him up.

I started trying to figure out the difference between the boring actors that have now all run together in my head and the few that forced me to notice them.  Honestly, the ones that really woke me up were the ones that I could tell were truly paying attention to me.  In the scene they weren’t just talking at me but were listening to me and making sure that I understood them.

The ones that were good were more concerned about me than how they looked or if they were acting “right.”  It made them live truthfully in the situation, which is something actors are wonderful at on stage or on set, but for some reason find nearly impossible in the audition room.

When you go into an audition, take the pressure off yourself and put all the attention on the other person.  It will help you relax and one thing a casting director always likes to see is a relaxed, confident actor.  Those actors make the casting directors job so much easier.

Stop Worrying so Much!

This audition doesn’t matter.  Seriously, whatever audition you are about to go on does not matter nearly as much as you think.  There will always be another audition, another pilot season, another feature film, even another agent or manager.  Actors often act like if they don’t get this job it will be the end of the world.  Trust me, it won’t.  This is not your last chance!

I don’t say this so you can feel okay about going into your next audition unprepared.  I say this because that desperation you feel to get this job shows up all over your face from the moment you walk in the room. 

You know how you hear about people finding the “right one” the moment they stop looking for them and then they get married and live happily ever after?  That’s because they stopped being desperate.  It’s the same with getting a job.  When you worry about each audition like it’s your last chance, you aren’t relaxed and that can prevent you from getting the job.

Jenna Fischer, who plays Pam Beasley on “The Office,” has a great story about when she pretty much gave up on acting and she suddenly found success.  She had been in Los Angeles pursuing her acting career for about 10 years.  She had some co-stars, gone out for pilots, and such but hadn’t found a way to make a living as an actress.  She decided it was time to pursue a new career and chose to go to veterinary school.  

Since she was very close to her manager and agent she decided to give them one more pilot season before completely giving it up.  But she had something else now and each audition wasn’t the end all be all for her.  That is when she got cast in “The Office.”  That’s not to say she didn’t come prepared for the audition, I am sure she did all that work, but I’m willing to bet she wasn’t nearly as worried about whether or not she got the job.

I’m not saying you have to have a back up career already in your pocket, but you shouldn’t look at each audition as if it’s this or nothing.  Because it’s not.  They are always going to be making another movie.  Television shows are going to be cancelled and new ones will have to be made to fill their slots.  They will always need actors.

I told you this is acting thing is a long-term project, so stop trying to be an overnight success.

Be Confident Even If You Aren't

First of all, if a casting director called you into an audition that means they want to cast you.  Seriously they do, because if you come in and are perfect for the part then their job is done and they won’t have to sit through another 100 actors who look just like you.  Trust me they want to like you, they really, really do.

But, we are actors and think everyone is judging us constantly and we need validation.  This makes us seem needy and lacking confidence.  Which is a problem, because over and over again the actors that get callbacks and book parts are the ones that exude confidence the moment they walk into the office.

For those of us that lack that natural who-gives-a-hoot-what-anyone-thinks-air, here are a couple basic traps many actors fall into:

Don’t Walk into an Audition Apologizing

I helped at a casting session that involved singing.  The first thing a bunch of the actors said the moment they walked in the door was, “I’m so sorry, but I’m not a very good singer.”

Now everyone in the room is thinking, great this is going to be a waste of our time and then we are going to be stuck in the uncomfortable position of having to coddle you after your audition and tell you that you weren’t as bad as you thought.  Since, you told us that you were going to be bad, I am going to go over my grocery list in my head while you are singing.

And truth be told, most of these actors weren’t that bad and if they hadn’t made everyone biased against them the moment they walked in they may have had a chance.

Don’t Come in with Excuses

I can’t tell you how many actors have walked in and the first thing they said was an excuse as to why they were late, or don’t have their headshots, or why they don’t know their lines.

Here is the answer to all your excuses:

1. Yes, you live in LA; traffic sucks.

2. No, your agent didn’t send over headshots for you.  Here’s a hint: They never do.

3. There are other actors up for the same part who had the material the same amount of time that do know their lines.  Guess who looks better on camera. 

How can you seem more confident? 

1. Be pleasant and greet the casting director, but don’t start rambling on.  When they ask how’s your day going they are just being polite and don’t need to hear about how your cat threw up on your bathroom carpet (true story). 
2. When they ask if you have any questions, they are doing two things: offering to answer any intelligent questions you have about the scene and they are letting you know that it’s time to start.  Don’t ask a question just to ask a question and don’t ask something that you should have had answered before you came in.  What should you have found out before you stepped into the room?  Things like: is this a comedy or drama and how are these characters related.
3. If you feel like things are going supremely terrible it is okay to stop and ask to do the scene again, but only do this if you are going to do the scene differently and you are sure it will be better.  Also, know that even if you think you are doing terrible usually you are doing fine.
4. Once the scene is done say thank you and leave.  I have seen more than one actor talk themselves out of a role after they did an amazing scene by going on and on once they were finished.  The need to fill dead air with talking shows a lack of confidence in yourself.

There are those that are born with confidence.  For the rest of us who weren’t, may I suggest faking it and eventually you might find some of that confidence inside you.  Not that I have, but it could happen.