Let me tell you something that changed my whole view of auditions.

You cannot fail an audition if you change what "success" means to you.

I know that sounds strange. But stay with me here because this idea can save your acting career and your mental health.

Here's the truth that nobody tells new actors. You can walk in, do the best audition of your life, and still not get the job. The people making decisions say things like "He's too short to play opposite her" or "They look too much alike."

Or perhaps, "The producer wants his new girlfriend/boyfriend in this role," instead!

You see, none of that is about your talent. None of it is about whether you did a good audition.

So how can you call it failure when you did everything right?

The Numbers Tell the Real Story #

Professional people in the industry say actors book one job for every 20 to 100 auditions. Read that again. Even good actors with experience book maybe one job out of 50 auditions. If you're just starting out, you might need 50 to 100 auditions before you get your first paid job.

I saw one working actor's numbers from a whole year. They had 73 commercial auditions and booked only 3 jobs. They had 24 film and TV auditions and booked 4 jobs. This is someone who works as an actor. This is normal.

So if you're going to auditions and not booking jobs, you're not failing. You're just being an actor. This is what the job looks like.

What You Actually Control #

Your job at an audition is simple. Prepare well. Do your best work. Be professional and kind to everyone. That's it. That's the whole job.

A CDs job is completely different. CDs look at your talent, your experience, how you look, and if you fit what they need for the role. But they also think about a hundred other things. Does this actor look like they could be that other actor's sister? Does this actor have the same hair colour as someone they already cast? Would the director like this person?

You can't control any of that. So why are you counting it as your success or failure?

Let me give you a better way to think about auditions. You win every time you walk in prepared, make strong choices, and show them who you are as an actor. You win when you're professional and kind. You win when you take direction well if they give you notes.

Did you do those things? Then you succeeded. Whether they give you the job is their business, not yours.

How to Actually Prepare #

Read the script or the sides at least 10 times. I mean, really read them. Don't just memorize the words. Understand why your character does things. Think about their history. Think about their relationships with other characters.

Learn your lines completely. I know some people say you don't need to memorize for first auditions, but trust me on this. When you know the lines, you can really connect with the reader and be natural. You're not thinking about what word comes next. You're actually acting.

Do some homework on the project. If you can find the director's earlier work, watch it. Is it funny or serious? Is it realistic or stylized? This helps you make the right choices for your audition.

Now here's something important. Casting directors can see when you're desperate for the job, and that actually makes them not want to hire you. I know that sounds backwards. But think about it. Would you want to work with someone who seems needy and desperate? Or someone who's confident and professional?

Walk In Like You Belong There #

When you audition, you're a professional equal, not someone begging for work. You're showing them what you can bring to their project. You're a colleague. You're not beneath them.

Or above them...

This confidence thing is tricky because you have to balance it. You're not arrogant. You're not cocky. But you're also not timid or apologetic. You walk in like you're happy to be there and ready to work.

Make bold choices in your acting. Don't play it safe and boring. CDs want to tell people about the amazing actors they hire. They remember actors who take risks and fully commit to something interesting.

And if they give you direction during the audition? Take it happily and adjust right away. They don't want to hire someone who's difficult to work with. Show them you can take notes and make changes fast. That's a huge skill.

Every Room Is Networking #

Here's something most actors don't think about.

CDs remember actors and call them for different projects and roles. The casting director who doesn't pick you for this crime show might call you next month for a comedy. They might remember you six months from now for something perfect for you.

So every audition is really about building a relationship. Even if you don't book this specific job, you want them to remember you as someone good. Someone professional. Someone they'd like to work with.

Be nice to everyone from the moment you walk in the building. Your audition actually starts as soon as you enter the building. The person at the front desk. The reader. The assistant in the room. Be kind to all of them: that assistant might be a casting director in three years.

Rejection Is Just Part of Acting #

One CD I know said it's normal for an actor to have 20 to 30 callbacks before getting their first jobs. Then after that, sometimes they suddenly start booking lots of work. You just need to stick with it long enough.

So why not think about it differently?

Every no is just moving you closer to yes. Every audition where you don't book is teaching you something. You're getting better at auditioning. You're meeting more casting directors. You're building more relationships.

I want you to start tracking your auditions in a new way. Don't write "booked" or "didn't book." Instead, ask yourself these questions after every audition. Did I prepare well? Did I make clear, strong choices? Was I professional and kind? Did I do my best?

If you can say yes to those questions, then you succeeded. Write that down. You succeeded at that audition. Whether they give you the job is not part of your success measurement anymore.

Measure What Actually Matters #

Right now, stop counting how many jobs you book. Instead, start counting how many auditions you get. If you're auditioning regularly, that means your marketing is working. That means people want to see you.

That's success right there.