When going to an audition of any kind  - voice over, on-camera commercial, or legit – never wear noisy clothing, unless, for some crazy reason, you were requested to come in wearing such items of clothing. I know this may sound obvious, but it’s amazing the amount of noisy clothing that has swished, cracked, and jingle-jangled into my casting sessions…

When you’re auditioning, body language is key. When we speak, we use our arms, our shoulders, and our hands to express ourselves. Our heads move. So if you’re trying to be as natural as possible, and are in fact using all of those body parts to BE natural, wearing a leather jacket that creeeeeeeeeks, or a very starched shirt, or even running jacket (or pants for that matter) are going to take away from your performance, and distract the Casting Directors – as well as the Advertising agency folks AND their clients – to no end.

It’s amazing how many items of clothing that can actually take away from a great take. Even the ” silent” items. For instance, when going into a voice over audition, people come in wearing baseball caps. Yes, they’re silent. Until one hits either the mic or the pop screen. Then all I hear on my side of the glass is a heavy thud! A perfectly good take, ruined.

Women come in with long earrings and bracelets. One move expressing themselves with their head and/or hands, and that jangly noise takes over in the headphones/speakers, and even on camera. Men come in with change in their pockets, and watches with metal bands.

And cell phones! Don’t turn them onto vibrate, turn them off. You’re in there anywhere from three to seven minutes. Be courteous. Be professional. You want to impress the New York Casting Directors, not put them off because you didn’t think ahead about how what you’re wearing might effect your auditions.

So. Be very aware of what you where when going into your audition.

Until next week –

Doriane
http://www.dorianeelliott.com/