Over the years of being an actor, I have learned some very valuable lessons. These did not necessarily come from being in the audition room, nor did they come from taking classes. Some of the most informative times in my career as an actor this far have been in doing work for people in different parts of the industry, especially working for a casting director. When I was sitting in on other people’s auditions, it wasn’t because I had any special job or anything like that; I was pressing record on the video camera. Something like that may seem boring to some people, but as an actor, you know that there are opportunities you get that will teach you everything you need to know.
Being in the room, watching how the way that someone walks in effects their audition and the opinion that the casting director forms right off the bat, it is so interesting. Something that I realized a lot of actors forget, which really shows throughout their audition and influences them negatively, is that the casting director is there to help YOU, and YOU, of course, are there to help THEM. A funny thing that I used to think and that I believe a lot of other actors have the idea of, is that casting directors are working against you. After having been thoroughly disabused of this idea by seeing one working as hard as they can to get the best performance possible out of an auditioning actor, I have learned to treat all casting directors as friends rather than foe.
Just remember to treat them that way when you walk into the room and they will help you, just as you hope you can help them.