Those with audition experience: help needed

[sunflower]

I uphold the standards of ontopicosity!

And get off my lawn, you little brat!

See that LB? I am part of the Brat Pack, cause Marley said so!!

I think Marley forgot to pay his astigmatism bill.....

lb13

That one got a snort out of me...

[tlynn78]

WARNING: Ontopicosity ahead:

only thing I did differently was make a conscious decision to be a lot more excited and exuberant.

Lyn's right. I did the same thing - the only difference I can pinpoint between my happy postcard/no call auditions and my happy pc/call was my determination to make an impression on the AP - at the conclusion of my interview, i stood and held my hand out to him to make him shake it - he seemed startled -lol, but he did. I was still stunned when they called - I thought my brother put someone up to making a joke at first.


t.

[ulysses5019]

WARNING: Ontopicosity ahead:

only thing I did differently was make a conscious decision to be a lot more excited and exuberant.

Lyn's right. I did the same thing - the only difference I can pinpoint between my happy postcard/no call auditions and my happy pc/call was my determination to make an impression on the AP - at the conclusion of my interview, i stood and held my hand out to him to make him shake it - he seemed startled -lol, but he did. I was still stunned when they called - I thought my brother put someone up to making a joke at first.


t.

A handshake and not a kiss? Poor fella didn't know what he was missing.

[LynPayne]

...and here I thought you guys were paying me by the word.

The common thread among those who've been picked seems to be making a standout, positive impression on the interviewer. Be yourself, only make it your best, most engaging, most personable and memorable self possible--it really is like a job interview.

I think it's great to tell them what it would mean to you financially--use a story to illustrate that--but keep that in proportion to also showing them what you can do for them. They need to see immediately that their investment of time and effort in you will be worthwhile in delivering a great experience for their audience. They need to feel comfortable that you're someone they can work with--and believe me, when you're on the show, they invest themselves totally in working with you--who won't melt under pressure, and who can be a great advertisement for the show. As in any business, their first loyalty is to their show. How can you make it a better one? Remember the guy a few months ago who went on the show in his overalls and talked about his farm? He struck me as being a genuine "character" who displayed his quirks proudly, but also as a thoroughly likable person, and the audience adored him.

When I was on, none of my fellow contestants were "characters" to that extent--all seemed like pretty "normal," middle class, bright and professional people, and I don't remember anyone with a really wild personal story--but all were instantly "likable," and all for very different reasons. Figure out what unique qualities draw people to you and make you likable and relatable, and emphasize those.

After reading your posts, I have every confidence in all our auditioners. Relax and really allow yourselves to enjoy the experience, and that will come across to them also.

In bocca al lupo--
Lyn

[tlynn78]

A handshake and not a kiss? Poor fella didn't know what he was missing.

LOL - there's a whole lot of fellas who don't know what they're missing.


t.

[hanzz]

Hi everybody! I'm also looking to audition in Tampa next week, and I am just all around nervous about everything on audition day (the line, the test, the interview). I live an hour away from Tampa, but I'm still planning on heading over the night before and camping out in the car somewhere nearby the testing center. As far as the test goes, I found a spreadsheet on the WWTBAM Bored with the last season's questions, and after going through about 1500 questions I'd say I've gotten about 1400 of them right (I'm marking the ones I got wrong down for later review). My weak areas seem to be common sense stuff that older adults would probably know but not 19-year-old college students (song lyrics from the '70s, etc.). Am I on par for doing well on the test? I'm so nervous that I"ll do something completely stupid like mark the wrong side of the answer sheet or suddenly forget what my number is when they call out the numbers.

Also, this is something I posted on Television Without Pity, and I got a good answer from hcethatsme, but I figured I'd get another good opinion from here:

So I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. I'm trying to get together a couple of good anecdotes from my life. Since I'm only 19, I can't say that I've had too many deep life experiences, but my life has been interesting. So I was wondering, would they not care about funny stuff that happened to me in, say, elementary school, and would they rather more recent stuff? Cuz I got a gold mine of stories from my child and teenage hood including:

-Not knowing my own name until I was 6
-The only reason I wanted to play the cello was because it was an instrument I could sit down to play (as opposed to the violin I was playing at the time. I was a fat lazy kid.)
-I bit a kid in 5th grade and got suspended for it, and my mom didn't find out about it til last summer
-I was a finalist in the National Geographic Bee in 8th grade

Is any of this stuff good? I mean, I also intend to talk about my more recent life and some of my college extracurriculars (acting in the annual interactive Easter play, orchestra, pre-med club, camping in the Smokys, College Bowl). Gosh, this almost all feels like I'm applying to college all over again.

Anyway, thanks everyone, this site is great!

Welcome Hanzz, and good luck on your audition...

I also owe you an apology since I believe I deleted your registration with this Bored once (and maybe twice) in our crusade against an onslaught of spammer registration we have had this year. Unfortunately, many of the spammer accounts register with gmail, and combined with the kinda odd handle you have, I erred on the side of caution... and mistakenly so. But I'm glad to see you kept trying and caught an administartor with a little better sense than I have....

lb13

Grr it was YOU!! Haha, just kidding, I completely understand. What the internet has come down to.....

Anyway, I completely forgot another question I had! How gaga are the producers for the whole "Oh, I just happened to see the auditions and decided to reluctantly drop by" hook? Cuz I kinda want to go with the "Since millionaire first came on, I've been underage for 9 years and gosh darnit, I've (im)patiently waited for my chance in the hot seat!" hook.

[MarleysGh0st]

Anyway, I completely forgot another question I had! How gaga are the producers for the whole "Oh, I just happened to see the auditions and decided to reluctantly drop by" hook? Cuz I kinda want to go with the "Since millionaire first came on, I've been underage for 9 years and gosh darnit, I've (im)patiently waited for my chance in the hot seat!" hook.

We really can't say how much they value one particular answer over another; we just notice certain phrases more often than others, possibly with an observer bias at certain phrases that make our eyes roll. If you've really been waiting since you were ten years old for your chance to play, tell them that!

Be advised, though, that your impatience will not impress those of us who have been actively trying out and getting turned down all these years that you've been busy growing up!

[Bob Juch]

Hi everybody! I'm also looking to audition in Tampa next week, and I am just all around nervous about everything on audition day (the line, the test, the interview). I live an hour away from Tampa, but I'm still planning on heading over the night before and camping out in the car somewhere nearby the testing center. As far as the test goes, I found a spreadsheet on the WWTBAM Bored with the last season's questions, and after going through about 1500 questions I'd say I've gotten about 1400 of them right (I'm marking the ones I got wrong down for later review). My weak areas seem to be common sense stuff that older adults would probably know but not 19-year-old college students (song lyrics from the '70s, etc.). Am I on par for doing well on the test? I'm so nervous that I"ll do something completely stupid like mark the wrong side of the answer sheet or suddenly forget what my number is when they call out the numbers.

Also, this is something I posted on Television Without Pity, and I got a good answer from hcethatsme, but I figured I'd get another good opinion from here:

So I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. I'm trying to get together a couple of good anecdotes from my life. Since I'm only 19, I can't say that I've had too many deep life experiences, but my life has been interesting. So I was wondering, would they not care about funny stuff that happened to me in, say, elementary school, and would they rather more recent stuff? Cuz I got a gold mine of stories from my child and teenage hood including:

-Not knowing my own name until I was 6
-The only reason I wanted to play the cello was because it was an instrument I could sit down to play (as opposed to the violin I was playing at the time. I was a fat lazy kid.)
-I bit a kid in 5th grade and got suspended for it, and my mom didn't find out about it til last summer
-I was a finalist in the National Geographic Bee in 8th grade

Is any of this stuff good? I mean, I also intend to talk about my more recent life and some of my college extracurriculars (acting in the annual interactive Easter play, orchestra, pre-med club, camping in the Smokys, College Bowl). Gosh, this almost all feels like I'm applying to college all over again.

Anyway, thanks everyone, this site is great!

Welcome Hanzz, and good luck on your audition...

I also owe you an apology since I believe I deleted your registration with this Bored once (and maybe twice) in our crusade against an onslaught of spammer registration we have had this year. Unfortunately, many of the spammer accounts register with gmail, and combined with the kinda odd handle you have, I erred on the side of caution... and mistakenly so. But I'm glad to see you kept trying and caught an administartor with a little better sense than I have....

lb13

Grr it was YOU!! Haha, just kidding, I completely understand. What the internet has come down to.....

Anyway, I completely forgot another question I had! How gaga are the producers for the whole "Oh, I just happened to see the auditions and decided to reluctantly drop by" hook? Cuz I kinda want to go with the "Since millionaire first came on, I've been underage for 9 years and gosh darnit, I've (im)patiently waited for my chance in the hot seat!" hook.

That might work. I recall another youngin who had that hook.

[heelsrule1988]

Oh man... the mighty Lyn Payne giving me advice? You better believe I'll be taking it.

I do wish I hadn't been spoiled on your run, though... I accidentally happened upon a message board post about how your game went, and since I had recorded the show but hadn't watched it yet, I was devastated. Players like you don't come along very often, and I didn't even get to enjoy it.