I had another audition at Catz studio yesterday.  It amazes me how each person has their own perception, idea and dress of the same character.  There were several females all going out for one role, paid, and her description was “a beautiful, conservative, responsible, elementary school teacher who is frustrated with her boyfriend who still lives with his college friends and parties every night.”

When I first read the scene I automatically thought “weekend”.  I figured the character, since she is responsible, probably would not stay the night on a week night at her boyfriends after knowing that her boyfriend’s roommates party all night all week long.  Thinking that, I assumed she would probably not be in a dress or nicer outfits, such as a business suit; because it is her relax time.  I decided to dress in jeans, flip flops (usually a no-no, I was going to wear flats, but for some reason felt I needed to wear flip flops – it is California, a weekend, I think the character would relax more, although she is conservative).  I then chose to wear jeans and a cute conservative top with a necklace.  I felt pretty good about what I was wearing; personally feeling that is what the character would wear.  

As I get there, I notice some actresses wearing a business suit, a nice skirt and top, jeans and a tank, jeans and a nice shirt, mini skirt, jeans and tennis shoes, etc.  Everyone was dressed completely different and had a completely different perception of the character.  I heard the actress before me in the room reading and she was yelling out the scene as if she were fighting with someone the whole time.  It did not help that the scene the casting directors chose was a fight scene, but I have always been told to avoid the fight – in most relationships, you always try to avoid the fight.  So, I went in, avoiding the fight, but still stuck to my guns.  The casting directors then gave me a note TO fight, to be a bitch, to be unlikable, so I did (although I felt it was completely against her character, but maybe that is what they wanted). Unfortunately when I walked in (and before I walked in) the casting directors seemed to be in a bad mood and very unfriendly.  I had a hard time judging or not what they thought about what I did, but honestly by that point, I felt good about it, bad mood or not, I did not care. 

I did decide though, that I most likely will not buy the monthly subscription to Catz studios, where you can watch your audition over and over again online if you like as well as get feedback from the casting director personally.  I booked my first role that I auditioned for there and for this second audition I let myself just forgot about it as I walked out the door.