Jun 11, 2026 · 17 min · 10 segments
Why do talented actors sometimes walk into auditions and completely disconnect from themselves? In this episode, casting director and acting teacher Jeffrey Dreisbach explores one of the biggest…
Jeff DreisbachHost
Suddenly, actors begin, oh, the first thing, they start monitoring themselves.
The actors who often feel most alive in auditions are usually the least concerned with appearing impressive.
They are engaged, present, connected, specific, while the actor desperately trying to prove themselves often feels tense, and tension reads immediately on camera.
Now next, I just have to share this, what I call the self-monitoring disaster.
Things that you say to yourself while you're doing the scene are like, did that sound emotional? Was that believable? Should I pause more? Do I look weird? Meanwhile, the scene has emotionally left the building.
And that is if you've ever had a teacher or a director who ever said to you after a scene, whether it's a scene study or whether it's an actual scene that you're doing, After they give you a note, do they ever say to you, oh, how did that feel? You know, I think I've heard that almost all my life as an actor.
How did that feel? Not realizing that when that question gets asked, what is happening? What is happening is that it is reinforcing you watching yourself.
In other words, while you're doing the scene, trying to incorporate the note the director has given you, you are now monitoring yourself.
Suddenly, actors begin, oh, the first thing, they start monitoring themselves.
The actors who often feel most alive in auditions are usually the least concerned with appearing impressive.
They are engaged, present, connected, specific, while the actor desperately trying to prove themselves often feels tense, and tension reads immediately on camera.
Now next, I just have to share this, what I call the self-monitoring disaster.
Things that you say to yourself while you're doing the scene are like, did that sound emotional? Was that believable? Should I pause more? Do I look weird? Meanwhile, the scene has emotionally left the building.
And that is if you've ever had a teacher or a director who ever said to you after a scene, whether it's a scene study or whether it's an actual scene that you're doing, After they give you a note, do they ever say to you, oh, how did that feel? You know, I think I've heard that almost all my life as an actor.
How did that feel? Not realizing that when that question gets asked, what is happening? What is happening is that it is reinforcing you watching yourself.
In other words, while you're doing the scene, trying to incorporate the note the director has given you, you are now monitoring yourself.
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