The Fastest Acting Hack to Ditch the Stress, Audition and Chill.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been acting, there are going to be some auditions you’re really
nervous about. It can be because you’re new to the game, or because it’s a really important part for a role you’ve been waiting for - but either way - you’ve got a lot riding on this audition and you’re afraid to mess it up. All of these feelings are totally normal, but you’re going to need to get ahead of them if you’re going to get anywhere in this industry - much less the part!

The downhill slide you’re experiencing is basically an anxiety snowball. You get anxious about the results so you tense up during your performance and you mess up. This makes you anxious that you won’t get the part (the results) and causes you to trip up your lines and focus during the audition. You get the idea, right? I mean, if you’ve got any experience at all, you get it because you’ve been there.

The truth is, you’ve got to start by letting go of the end outcome. As long as you think it’s a life or death situation around you getting this job, your body’s nervous system will step in to protect you with anxiety and the underlying need to run. Your body’s running from a fire you’ve decided exists but only exists in your mind.

So when you think of it like this, then there’s no actual reason to cave to audition anxiety, and it can lower your chances at getting the part, so we want to share with you some simple ways to calm your nerves before embarking on an acting audition.

The first thing you can do to empower yourself is to remind yourself that these feelings are normal. You aren’t the first and you won’t be the last to panic over a mind-made fire. You also aren’t going to be the first to overcome it. That’s great news, right? No need to reinvent the wheel. Let’s just go with what works, shall we?

And what works, is actually your breath. It’s the only aspect of your autonomic (unconscious) nervous system that you can consciously control. AND, it’s the part of you that has the influence over your nervous system to calm it down! What does that mean? It means the fastest way to put out the mind-made fire isn’t with water, but with breath. Your breath.

Here’s how you take the concept to the anxious moment of your audition. The minute you start to feel the nerves racing, you take a deep breath. Breathing deeply brings more oxygen to your nerves and helps to calm you down. Be sure to take a long deep breath in through your nose and out your mouth as soon as anxiety hits, with an inhale for 4 counts and an exhale for 7 counts. You will be pleasantly surprised at how fast this works.

It’s not too complicated, it’s science based and it’s proven itself to work time and time again. So the next time you find yourself sweating under pressure, remember there are simple ways to get you through it. At the New York Acting School for Film and Television, we know that auditions place a lot of stress on the actors shoulders. But with classes and coaching, these weaknesses can be overcome. Please call us today and see what would be best for you.