The definition of “pushy,” according to Webster’s Dictionary is this: excessively or unpleasantly self-assertive or ambitious.
This kind of pushy is not what I’m talking about. The “pushy” I’m talking about is emotional pushing in the room. This often comes from your lack of preparation, your desperation to book the job, or your need to impress casting with your memorization skills.
Here Are A Few Tips To Keep You From Pushing:
1. Know the story.
2. What’s your relationship to the other people in the scene?
3. Environment; big difference between talking in a crowded bar vs. a library.
4. Know what you’re saying and why (memorization) with the ability to be directable.
5. Make a strong choice, not a general choice.
6. Look for interesting points of view specific to who you are as the character; that’s what makes you unique.
7. Create a strong, specific moment before; what literally just happened?
8. Be normal when you go into the audition room; do your job, be professional and let your work speak for itself.
9. Own your choices with confidence.
10. Be kind, show up early and let the universe work on your behalf.
When we “push” our choices, we don’t allow the material to breathe and to truly live in the moments that the writer has created for us. I mean after all, isn’t that when we do our best work? When we’re not pushing? I say…yes. Yes it is.