Doug Traer teaches Teens Commercial Class & Wednesday Workout at KIRA.
As an actor, session director and teacher, I've seen a lot of ways that actors can mess up their auditions. I point those things out to actors as often as I can.
Look, when you go it to audition for a commercial, you face some pretty daunting odds already. So it just doesn't make sense for you to add to those odds.
For instance, a couple of years ago, I reported a story about an actor who tweeted what a drag it was to have to wait to audition for a certain product. Problem was the client was in the room and saw the tweet before the actor came in. So that actor not only shot himself in the foot for that product, ad agency and casting director, his agent dropped him when we told him about it.
A somewhat similar thing happened recently. At callbacks for a fast food spot, for families that include a 15 year old girl, the director passed through the waiting room on his way to the rest room. As he went through, he heard one of the girls bragging about her Instagram account--things that were on it, how many followers and likes, etc. So when he got back to his computer, he looked up her account.
He found a number of sexy photos in very skimpy swimwear--hardly the image you would want for a teen girl in a wholesome family. Once he shared the photos with the clients, the girl was out of the running.
So she shot herself in both feet: the right when she posted the photos to her Instagram account, and the left when she loudly talked about them with the other girls.
In her defense, she was over 18 but playing 15 and there was no way for her to know that he was the director or would overhear her conversation. That being said, we all need to be aware of our exposure on social media.
Actors--think about what you post on social media. Look at it objectively and ask yourself if it can come back and cause you grief in the future.
Also, remember that your audition begins when you get out of your car at the casting facility and ends when you get back in. The time in between is not your own and you should always assume someone is watching or listening. So be careful about what you say and do in waiting rooms.
Keep It Real Acting Studios offers many opportunities for child actors to learn about making smart choices. Sign your kids up for our Youth Improv Intensive, Teens Commercial Class, Kids Commercial Class or Next Step Commercial Class today!