Listen And Respond.

“Really listen. That’s all you have to do. ” - Frances McDormand

What they see when you are listening, is you.‍ ‍

If you don’t allow the reader to affect you, change you, the people who watch your audition won’t believe you. You can’t really listen if you’re trying to control it.

When a casting director sees someone presenting the scene, they see someone pushing their point of view, someone who isn’t really listening, someone who isn’t directable.‍ ‍

To really listen, you have to drop your agenda.
What if you didn’t make any choices, but allowed choices to happen?

“You only speak because you wish to respond to something you’ve heard. All one wants to see from an actor is the intensity of their listening, and what they have to say will be automatic, and then it will be free and alive." - Alan Rickman

If all you know is what you’ll say, but not how you’ll say it, you can put all your attention on the reader, and really listen. Your instinct will be free.

• When you’re waiting to say your next line, you’re not really listening, and the camera sees it.

• When you’ve decided beforehand how you’re going to do the scene, you’re not really listening, and the camera sees it.

• When you’re rushing, you’re not really listening and the camera sees it.

If you’re really listening, you won’t have to worry about pacing.
If you’re really listening, you won’t be waiting for your cue, you’ll be living in the moment.  

Don’t decide anything beforehand.
You don’t have to know how the scene is going to unfold.‍ ‍

Just listen and respond. ‍ ‍

It’s a thrilling feeling to be surprised in your audition.
It’s the stuff casting directors live for.