There's 1 thing actors need to do and have a better audition

In this video, I'm going to be sharing with you one tip that all actors should do at every audition. And if you watch this video until the end, you're going to learn how to use this tip that will really make your audition stronger. Okay, let's get going. Hi, I'm Aaron Marcus, and welcome to the Actor and Model Quick Tips channel and the Actor Career Center. If you haven't done this yet, don't forget, click the subscribe button, click the notification bell, and if you like the video, give it a thumbs up. So look, right now we are still primarily doing home auditions. Yes, I do know that in, in some markets there are some in-person auditions again that, that are taking place. So I'm going to be sharing this tip for you If you ever do get back into a casting director's office, which I hope does happen at some point in the future. So a while ago I had a callback and it was for a TV pilot. And, and as it turns out, I did book it, which was great. Unfortunately, the show didn't get picked up, but still it was a— it was wonderful. But here's what I wanted to share with you because I used this tip At the audition, and I used this at many, many auditions. So typically, because I live in a secondary market, a lot of the auditions that I had gone on, I had traveled to get there. And so, you know, when you walk in after, whether it's driving, whether it's taking a bus, whether it's taking a train, however you get to the audition, You know, it can be a little taxing. You know, you're not quite as focused as you would like to be when you first arrive. And so I always make sure that I take some time and just collect myself, get myself together, take some deep breaths, go over my lines again, just to try to focus a little bit. But here's the thing, when you eventually Get called in and now you are reading with the casting director and, you know, and some reader. Typically you walk in, you know, they'll say hello or, you know, something like that, a couple short words, and they'll say, okay, uh, when you're ready, action. Well, typically what I will do— and I'm not quite ready yet— what I like to do is this, and I find this to be a powerful thing for me and incredibly helpful. Right before I start the audition, I will ask for a second. And what I do is my body's in the right position. And what I typically like to do whenever I'm auditioning, I like to have one shoulder slightly closer to the camera. My back shoulder is just, just slightly back, and I will slightly tilt my head to my back shoulder. It's small, it's subtle, but it, it makes me look bigger. It gives me more presence than just standing straight in and having it look like a yearbook picture or a mug shot. So I'm in position, and when the casting director might say, okay, well, let's get going, I typically will say, Could I just have one second? And what I do is I will slightly look away from the camera. Don't scratch the side of my face. Slightly look away from the side of the camera, and I'll just take a beat. Maybe I'll think of a keyword that helps me start the scene. Maybe it's just making a sound that gets me to the right place. of where I want to be, and it's literally a second. I'm not looking away and doing a monologue. Then I come up and I'm looking at the reader. And just so you know, for film and TV, almost never are you looking into the lens of the camera. It's always going to be camera left or camera right, so you're going to be looking at a reader. But I like to take that little moment, and, and I find that it helps prepare me, it helps relax me, it helps me feel more in the zone And sometimes I just need that moment of looking away, starting. And sometimes I know that we're— we can be a little uncomfortable asking for that at an audition from the casting director. They might, you know, we— maybe I'm just speaking for me. I used to sometimes feel a little paranoid, like, you know, they just want this done. You know, they don't want me looking away. They don't want me asking if I can take a moment. They don't want it. It's just like they say, Action! Let's do it! Look, I can't speak for every single casting director in this universe, but I can tell you the casting directors— and, and I've auditioned for many, many, many, many casting directors— they are on our side. They want us to do well. They want us to give the best read we can possibly give because I find that they Generally care about the actors. They want us to, to feel good about our performance in there. And you know what? Even if they don't, even if they have no heart, they have no caring genes in their body, still they want us to do well because it makes them look good when they can submit really interesting and varied auditions to the director It makes them look good as a casting director. And so anything that we can do to give a better read, they want. If it means asking a question that will give us more information, of course they're going to give it to us. So if we just say, hey, I just need a second, they're not going to fight you on it. Why would they if that's going to help you? Once again, you're not going to look away and do a 2-minute monologue. But if it's a second, come in and do the read, do that. So if you ever feel like you need a moment before the audition begins, ask for it. It's okay, it's okay. They want us to be great. So anyhow, I just wanted to share that with you because I know that sometimes we can feel A little hindered by this and we're a little concerned about— ask it. If there is an auditioning technique or something that you do at an audition that you find helpful, please share it in the comments below. That, that's why I'm doing this, to help fellow actors be better at what they're doing. So please share information with others here, and I'm giving you permission share the link here with your other fellow actors, whether it's your social media, whether you send out email blasts to friends, however you communicate, smoke signals, doesn't make any difference how you do it. Look, I want to build a large community of actors helping each other here, and that's the whole point for me doing this. So please share this information with others. Last thing, if you haven't done it, once again, You know, subscribe if you haven't done that. Click the notification bell so that way you always know when a new video is uploaded. I try to do it every Tuesday if I can, depending on my schedule. And if you like the video, please give it a thumbs up. That's very helpful. I'm Aaron Marcus, and I can't wait to talk with you again soon. See ya.