This past Thursday morning I auditioned for a TV commercial. It was one of those improv-y auditions where I got to eat air with plastic utensils and chat with a “friend”. In cases like these, I know the final output will be primarily visual with voice over talent telling the viewer all s/he needs to know about the product in question. My “friend” was a lovely woman whom I had never seen before, but we got along well and were called to audition first. Auditioning first was not all bad this time: we had two chances to enact our lunchtime scene because the first take was not useable due to a technology glitch. It is also in cases like these where I know acting has very little to to with acquiring the job. Instead, it’s mainly about the look: hair, skin, bone structure, height, build and ability to eat well on camera.
Interestingly, the casting director recalled me from my previously festive audition character and asked, “Did you get that job?” I was surprised she had remembered (since I have the impression she really doesn’t know who I am) and indicated I had not gotten the gig. ”Oh, that’s too bad!” she remarked, “You were so funny!” Yeah, I thought I was funny too, but clearly the client had a different characterization in mind than the flamboyant coding specialist I portrayed.
Leaving the audition, I once more harbored that I-don’t-know-how-I-did mentality. It’s difficult to assess how well one has eaten air and blabbed about nothing of consequence! My dining skills seemed to be pleasing enough, though, as I was placed on first refusal and booked the job within 24 hours. I’m so pleased!
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