What Do You Do After A Terrible Audition?

Chat about any aspect of your child's Casting or Audition

Moderator: busybusybusy

Post Reply
notanaveragejoe
Nominee
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 11:44 pm

What Do You Do After A Terrible Audition?

Post by notanaveragejoe »

Yesterday I had the worst audition of my life. It was an audition for a Feature Film and I genuinely think I gave the worst audition out of everybody they seen for the role. I forgot lines, mumbled words, it was just terrible acting but as usual The Casting Director said I done well. I know I've never gave such a bad performance and I know all actors have bad auditions but this audition has hurt my confidence and I've spent the last couple hours ranting and going through over and over again in my head. I know i was nervous and felt slightly more under pressure to get this role because I haven't had anything in a while but I still know that's not an excuse, Does anyone have any advice of words of wisdom.
michbv
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 290
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 2:55 pm

Re: What Do You Do After A Terrible Audition?

Post by michbv »

I once went for a job interview in a hospital and went on and on in the interview about really wanting this job as I love medical wards so much etc etc... They then asked me why I had applied to this job as it was for a surgical ward!!! I was so embarrassed. But it taught me a lesson and now I just laugh about it.
You cant have a perfect audition every time. There have gotta be some bad ones so that you can learn from them.
I wouldn't be sad. You probably brightened up their day and put a smile on their faces!!
Onward and upward!
Good luck for the next one! #-o :lol:

www.starnow.co.uk/adambeaver
sapphire
OSCAR Award
Posts: 2261
Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 9:50 am

Re: What Do You Do After A Terrible Audition?

Post by sapphire »

There's nothing you can do about it now, but it's probably worth thinking about what went wrong and what you could do to avoid it happening again. Much the same thing happened to DD last year at a second recall for a really big TV role ... in her case, she worked out that if she was really honest she hadn't prepared properly, she got too distracted talking to other people in the waiting area rather than trying to get her head in the game and she didn't listen properly to the direction she was given. Of course, you could just have had an 'off' day - it happens to the best of us - but there may be a few things you know in your heart of hearts you could have done better and avoid the same thing happening again! Good luck for the next one [-o<
User avatar
Flosmom
OSCAR Award
Posts: 1948
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2011 5:18 pm
Location: Rugby Warks
Contact:

Re: What Do You Do After A Terrible Audition?

Post by Flosmom »

Sorry to hear things didn't go well. We all have times that are not our finest hour so don't beat yourself up about it.

You might want to fall back on critical incident stress debriefing techniques. These are used to help people who have experienced a traumatic incident so that they can process it and (ideally) avoid developing post-traumatic stress disorder.

The short version is 3 F's:

Facts - what happened? Go through step by step exactly what you experienced.
Feelings - how do you feel about it? What emotions are you experiencing?
Future - what are you going to do now? What are you going to do next? What wil you do later? How will you deal with future occasions that remind you of this one.

You can do this in conversation with a sympathetic friend who is a good listener, or by writing it down. If you write it down, some people find it helpful to burn or destroy their notes at the end as a symbolic act of closure to the experience.

Then move on - whats done is done. The fact that you know you we're rubbish on this occasion shows a degree of insight that others would benefit from. Learn from it and do better next time.

And, do you know, you might even get the job - stranger things have happened!

Take care

Deb x
User avatar
Genevieve
BAFTA Award
Posts: 825
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:12 am

Re: What Do You Do After A Terrible Audition?

Post by Genevieve »

put it behind you, put it down to experience, don't dwell on it, take the positives out of it that you were aware the audition didn't go well, which is in itself a good thing, and look to the next audition, it's never the end of the world :lol:
ruby95
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 283
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2011 1:40 pm
Location: London

Re: What Do You Do After A Terrible Audition?

Post by ruby95 »

I had that at a 2nd recall for a big feature film when I was about 13. TBH I still kick myself about it, but I wouldn't recommend doing that yourself! It doesn't make anything any better! As Sapphire says, you just have to try and learn from it! In my case I know I let myself get far too nervous before the audition as I desperately wanted that part, but at least now I know to never let that happen again.

Also (and this is as much of a question as an answer) but I remember watching this Upstairs Downstairs interview about a year ago:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00plspb

In which the actress explains how she messed up her audition but subsequently called her agent and asked to go back in in the afternoon. Obviously most of us on the site are no where near the caliber of Laura Haddock but do you reckon this could be something worth trying next time?
User avatar
nextinline
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 419
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2009 9:08 pm

Re: What Do You Do After A Terrible Audition?

Post by nextinline »

All you can do is laugh. It happens to everyone. Just remember that there is no such thing as one opportunity in life. Opportunities came along in many guises and all you can do is give it a go. We all have bad days. Another opportunity will come along and you will have learnt from this one. Sometimes when everything goes wrong you do get the job. This has happened to me before. Many years ago I had to get to an interview in snow drifts. I eventually met my interviewer in my wellies having walked a long way after travelling by train and taxi. I got the job (must have been for perseverance). Sometimes when we blow an opportunity it is just not the right time for us. Be kind to yourself and chill. Best of luck for the next opportunity that comes along :D :D
User avatar
CatKat_0
OSCAR Award
Posts: 1163
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2010 7:14 pm

Re: What Do You Do After A Terrible Audition?

Post by CatKat_0 »

Keep a sense of humour and don't beat yourself up - no such thing as failure, just early attempts at success :D
Mrs. Shakespeare
GRAMMY Award
Posts: 109
Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 3:19 pm

Re: What Do You Do After A Terrible Audition?

Post by Mrs. Shakespeare »

Eat something 'naughty' and lots of it. Or for mums, a large pinot grigio. :) Actually, thinking about it - for mums, do both!
Post Reply