I had received a request for an in-person audition for a sizeable role in a popular television
show. I thoroughly prepared as described in an earlier post. The role required a suit and tie.
So, the night before I carefully selected the attire, and steamed it. I was moving the needle in
my favor by having everything I would need, ready to go. The appointment was for the
morning and I would have quite a drive since the casting office was in Glendale, CA and I
would be driving from West LA. I didn’t want to be stressed in the morning because of
worries that maybe my headshot didn’t have the most current resume. If so, I would have to
take time to print, staple the resume to the headshot and then cut the excess paper to fit the
photo.
The following morning, I left for my audition with way more time than I needed. Traffic was
as expected– slow go. I found parking not too far from the building, adding a little more time
than I thought I would need to not stress out about getting a parking ticket if they were
running behind. I walked to the casting office, used the restroom to collect myself and give
myself a little pep talk. Last looks–nothing in my teeth or my nose, and no part of my
breakfast on my shirt. I am prepared, I feel good.
I walk back to the office, returned their bathroom key, and signed in. I put my mobile phone
on “silent,” placing the phone in the inside pocket of my suit jacket. Now as I await my turn
to go in to audition, I take some deep breaths and go over my sides. “Martin?” they call.
“That’s me.” – I reply.
In the room, we begin the audition. Everything is feeling great. I am down to the third and
final page, when – The “Amber Alert” alarm goes off on my mobile phone. Ruining that take. I
apologized and then pulled out my phone. Before powering it down, I see that the alert was
to notify me that the President of the United States, Donald Trump; was going to be in town.
The casting director allowed me to do another take. However, now I was self-conscious and
upset. The second take didn’t feel as good. That audition didn’t end up going further than
that. I say Donald Trump crashed my audition, more as a joke. The lesson is one should power
down their phone completely for auditions. You never know what alarms you may have
active or who may call you, or if the President of the United States is going to be causing
more traffic in LA. Even if you put your phone on vibrate or silent, the vibrations can distract
you and sometimes can even be heard, depending on where your mobile phone is–not to
mention that the light it emits when activated can also be distracting.
So, learn from my experience. Turn off your phone in the audition room. Then, confidently
focus on the task at hand.