How to survive auditions for creative jobs

Auditions are designed to get a feel for a performer’s skills. Rather than just watching, or listening to a recording, the recruiters watch the candidates performing in the flesh. This makes for an experience that is both potentially more stressful for the performer and, if done correctly, more compelling and convincing for the audience.

As well as levelling the playing field by giving performers the same opportunities, auditions put them in a similar situation to the one in which they will be doing their job. This article is designed to help those who need advice before performing in front of a live audience.

It should help them deal with the inevitable pre-audition nerves. It is also relevant for those who will be giving a presentation as part of the application process, since also involves an element of performance.

Accept the challenge

The first and most important thing to do is to make sure understand the brief. This is much like answering exam questions in that you need to make sure you understand what is required.

If you’ve got a particular piece to perform, try to familiarise yourself with other versions of it. You will then be in a position to prepare a response that the audience will be expecting.

Use the resources at your disposal

Find out early on what props you can use. For example, you may be allowed to bring in visual aids or a backing track. Not using these resources could put you at a disadvantage; if you are giving a presentation, it may be that colourful modelling putty is just what you need to explain yourself.

Sort out your routine and stick to it

• Be imaginative – If the assessors are going to see a number of candidates that day then they will remember the unique aspects of your performance. They should not remember you for anything else.
• Simplicity is crucial – Focus on what you want to communicate and avoid unnecessary complexity or gimmicks.
• Only make minor changes – Having hammered out a strong plan, try to avoid deviating too much. The fewer changes you make, the easier it will be to remember the routine.

Practise

After developing a plan that you are comfortable with, practise the routine. You can start by dividing it up into stages, and getting each of these stages polished. After that you should be able to put them all together and do the performance from beginning to end; getting your timings perfect.

Practise in front of an audience. You might try performing in front of several different audiences too – who knows what the assessors will actually be like on the day? You should also make sure that you time yourself. If you are going at a natural pace then you will probably use up far more time than you think.

Have confidence

If you’ve done all you can, then there isn’t much point in worrying. Nevertheless, there are a number of things you can do when you get into the room:

• Have some water handy – recent research suggests that slowly drinking a glass of water has the same calming effect as a mug of tea.
• Step into your ‘circle of confidence’ – an imaginary circle on the ground filled with positive thoughts and emotions; stepping into it can fill you with confidence.
• Smile! – smiling can have an incredibly positive effect on both you and your audience.

You’re now ready to go. Take your time; you will be at your best if you aren’t rushing. When you come to the end of your piece, thank the appropriate people and let them make the next move.

Before you go…

Debriefing is a good way both to develop your technique, and to make sure you don’t spend too much of your own time dwelling on the experience. Find a quiet spot where you can think about the performance.

• Analyse what went well, and what did not – Go through the performance step-by-step, thinking about how comfortable you were with each section, and what reactions you could gauge from your audience.
• Figure out how to make it better for next time – Decide whether you should develop your routine for next time, whether that is expanding on sections that went well or tackling bits that didn’t. Decide whether you need to work on techniques or remove them entirely.
• Write these actions down and move on – Make a reasonably detailed plan of how you intend to develop yourself. Ensure that it is written down somewhere – that way you don’t have to memorise it. When this is done you can fully relax and take your mind off of the performance.

This will mean that even if you were unsuccessful, you will have gained something from the experience, and will be able to use that knowledge in the future.

• More advice on giving presentations.