Print auditions are weird...

Okay, so I’ve only been on 3 print auditions in my life – The Post Office, Frito-Lay, and most recently this week, the Illinois Lottery. Now, I’ve been trained in how to audition for all kinds of different things – character roles in a film scene, voice-overs, improvisation for a TV commercial, etc., but I’ve never been “trained” on how to do a print audition. This has got to be, by far, the hardest audition to perform. Well, for me at least.

In order for a model to be considered for a print ad (for example, magazines or outdoor billboards), the client would need to see what that model currently looks like in photographs. So they arrange for a photography studio to do a “mini photo shoot” of all the candidates, or models, who fit their criteria for the job. Agencies call it a “go-see”. The rest of us experienced auditioners call it what it really is – a cattle call. Because really, it’s a plethora of people (a.k.a. “cattle”) coming to one place to put in their application for one job.

So here’s how my audition for the Illinois Lottery went. I drove over 2 hours to Chicago and arrived at the studio just after they cut the line off so the photographers could go to lunch. As slightly inconvenienced as I was having to wait an hour before getting in line again, I was happy to be near the front of the line when the photographers had returned -- full and happy -- and ready to run through the next batch of hopefuls.

When it was my turn, I greeted the photographer and took my mark. He took one close-up shot and one body shot, then asked me to pretend I was driving in a car. Silently I was laughing to myself because I had just spent the better part of the last two hours doing just that. So, I put my hands up like they were on the steering wheel and was ready to go.

Then he described to me that I needed to look like I was having a good day – but not too good. He then took a couple of pictures (snap, snap). Then he said to look in the rear view mirror (snap), and then around to some shops (snap) and then pretend I was driving in reverse (snap). Then, for the final shot, he said to look straight into the camera and give just the smallest hint of a smile (snap). Then he thanked me, shook my hand and I was done.

And that was it. I traveled 2 hours (a little more than 4 hours round trip) for about 2 minutes of the photographer’s time, and I have no idea how I did or how I fared. I will never see the photos from the shoot, so I have no way of seeing how I could improve for the next one.

This was the same scenario with my other two print auditions. For Frito-Lay, they did a close-up, a side shot, one from the back (which seemed weird at the time), and then I had to pretend I was throwing a Frisbee. For the Post Office, they took a close-up, a body shot, I had to pretend I was receiving a package already in my hands, and then pretend I was putting one in a mailbox.

Seriously, how does one prepare for such auditions? As an actor, if they told me what facial expression they were looking for, I might have a better shot. Like, we’re looking for the instant you realized you were in love, or you’ve got a secret you just have to share with your best friend -- something like that.

Not that I mind pretending, of course. That’s totally my nature. But asking me to pretend like I’m doing nothing more than driving in a car just isn’t very riveting. Guess that’s what I should be working on, eh -- finding the “riveting” in mundane tasks and reading between the lines, so to speak. Sounds like I’ve got some homework to do. Hmmm……

To be, or not to be...a real "Soccer mom"

Today, I had my first audition for a national print ad -- Frito-Lay. Truly, I was "too excited to sleep" last night. :) I only had a day to prepare, so my biggest stress (besides picking out the right shirt to wear) was making sure my kids were taken care of while I made the trek up to Chicago. Many, many thanks to my wonderful neighbors who pitched in and let my kids hang out an their houses this afternoon. :) :)

Okay, so it took me 3-1/2 hours to get to Chicago (the longest it has EVER taken in my life). It's usually a 2 hour, 10 minute drive, but there was construction just south of Merrilville that added an extra 20 minutes, and then for some reason, traffic into Chicago from the Lake Shore Drive exit on I-90/94 was going (and I use this term loosely) at a crisp 2-3 miles per hour. It took me 45 minutes to get from there to the downtown exit I needed (typically about a 15 minute drive).

So after a couple of calls to my agent updating her to my progress and asking her to tell the studio I was going to be late, I finally arrived 15 minutes before the casting call was to end (at 4:00 their time). Luckily, there were still quite a few people left to go, so I was in good shape.

That being said, it was a very educational experience for me. I was told by my agent to look like a "soccer mom". I asked her if I were to be more upscale or more real, and she said definitely leaning more toward real soccer mom.

So I show up in a casual blue cotton shirt and regular jeans and sneakers - very "real" mom (except that I did have my hair down and curled and make-up on...;p). Well, the other mom-types who were there tonight were much more "polished" -- cute tops, tight jeans, strappy sandals... So I don't know if I were misinformed, or if the others just overdressed slightly.

This was the first national print job I've ever auditioned for, so I really didn't know what to expect. After entering the photographer's studio, I filled out my paperwork with my name, agent, phone number, sizes, etc. and then I got to watch the several other people who were in front of me (which was very helpful).

Each person got five pictures taken: 1) smiling "mugshot" which is a headshot with me holding up the paper with all my info under my face to easily identify me, 2) full-length casual pose, 3) side pose, 4) picture of me walking away from the camera (to get my backside), and 5) throwing a pretend frisbee (to show action and excitement).

Well, it became clear to me that I need to practice my "modeling" poses. I think I did pretty well with all of them except the frisbee one. I only say this because the photographer said the typical "great" or "nice" after each shot until after the frisbee one. He said, "okay", in that drawn out "I'm not really sure what you just did right there" kind of way. It almost made me laugh.

I had watched the other couple of moms before me and they threw the frisbee like they were throwing it to a really tall guy on a ladder (lots of extension and long, lean lines with their body poses). In true "me" form, I decided to throw a frisbee like a real mom who was throwing it to her child (who is, in actuality, shorter than I am). So no long, lean lines for me. I was a "real" mom in all my "normal-sized" glory. ;) ;)

So we'll see. It will all depend on what they are really looking for. They'll have my pics from today, and my comp card with my "pretty" pics to peruse. If anything, I will be better prepared for the next audition. :) With any luck (okay, an inordinate amount of luck), you may just see me on a billboard somewhere... hehehehe...