Aaron Marcus explains why actors should ask for 10-15 seconds to mentally prepare before every audition. He describes using this pause at an NBC pilot callback to collect himself and deliver a stronger performance, and says casting directors won't judge you for it as long as you make an interesting choice.
Hi, I'm Aaron Marcus, and I want to share with you something that is really, really important. It has to do with your audition. This is the one thing you absolutely need to ask during every audition. So I just came back from a callback that I had for a pilot. It's a new NBC show. So hopefully there'll be some good news, but, you know, who knows? I liked the audition. But here's something that I did, and I truly believe that everybody needs to do this. Because I signed an NDA, which is a non-disclosure agreement, I can't really talk about the show. I can't really give you the details. But let me just say this. There's something that happens to my character, and there's a transformation that's going on. So, uh, I'm sitting there, and because it's a callback, now the writer, the director is sitting there along with the casting director. And she said, okay, uh, let's get started. And I needed a moment. Uh, I needed— really, it was about 10 seconds, 15 seconds, just to look away from the camera, get myself ready. Uh-huh. Mentally prepare for this scene because the character— there's some tough things going on with this particular character. And I'm sure that a lot of people, you feel pressure, you know, when the casting director says, okay, now, you know, or let's get started, you know, or scene, you know, whatever they say to you, and you feel obliged to just get started. But you know what? This is your time. Enjoy the experience. This is your opportunity to play. And, you know, especially for somebody like me, you know, I might have traveled a pretty good distance like I did yesterday to get this audition. I want to make sure that I'm giving it my best shot. So I just asked, I said, could I just, you know, have a couple seconds? And they said, sure. And I looked away like I said, and I prepared, and boom, bam, Then the scene started when I looked up. And then she started. And so I just wanted to share that with you. It's okay to ask. It's okay. This is your time, and it's nothing that would be looked at in a negative way whatsoever, as long as you're making, you know, an interesting choice and there's something really happening there. So anyhow, I just wanted to let you know about that. If you like what I happen to be saying here, please Post a comment either on facebook.com/howtomodel, and please like it. If you're seeing this on YouTube, please give it a thumbs up, and you can also go to my website, howtomodel.com, if you're not there already, and you can make a comment there as well. Anyhow, I'm Aaron Marcus, looking forward to talking with you soon. Thank you.
