How a ‘Deliberate Choice’ Won Me 6.5 Minutes on The X-Files.

At the audition, the deliberate choice involved an unplanned box of Kleenex, more on this in a bit.

What is a deliberate choice?

• When acting teacher Sanford Meisner directed students in class, his constant question was “What are you doing?”
• As an actor in a scene, you should be making deliberate choices about WHY and HOW you’re doing WHAT you’re doing at any given moment.
• If you are wandering or pacing around the stage, it looks (and is) aimless and distracting. But choosing to cross the stage to get closer to the other actor, the audience or a prop, this looks (and feels) confident and conveys command of the space.
• Being conscious, deliberate and owning your performance in this way will give you a surge in confidence, and it shows.

What was The X-Files deliberate choice?

Up to this point in my acting career, I’m onto my 3rd agent. Dropped by the other 2, because agents make money if you’re booking $$ work.

3rd agent: “Joel, I’ve got a principal audition for you on the X-Files…” I don’t think they say these exact words, but I’m pretty sure I hear “Don’t blow it!!”

In 1995, X-Files is BIG. I never watch it, it ain’t The Simpsons, but I know the ‘The truth is out there’

I’m auditioning for a French Engineer role searching for a lost submerged WW2 aircraft. I’m nervous, feeling the pressure to land this or else…

And this is where I make the deliberate choice.

1. I manage my emotions. I decide I want to do this, and I can do this by making it EASY for the casting team to go with me. All they want is an invested engineer in the mission.
2. I need to own the room, I reach for a Kleenex box sitting on the side and THIS is going to be my monitor (searching for the aircraft). I do a whole scene to the box, giving me laser focus, this inanimate object helps my intentions and choices. I hadn’t planned this, I was probably going to look aimlessly at the casting team, the vast room, probably stare at the camera…

What deliberate choices do you need to lead

I meet 2 different managers this week and 1 makes a deliberate choice.

1. Manager 1: “It’s difficult when my bosses ‘crap’ on me, and then I have to go talk to my team. I deliberately take space before I talk to them, I don’t want to bring that energy or those problems to to them. My part is to lead them, help them thrive not make it about me”
2. Manager 2: ” It’s difficult when my bosses ‘crap’ on me, and then I have a coffee talk with my team but when I see nobody arriving on time for the coffee talk, I lose it and ‘crap’ on them”

Manager 1 uses self-management, putting their needs on hold to get what they want- a thriving team. Manager 2 makes no choices and reacts instead of responding. They don’t get what they want- a thriving team.

A deliberate choice as a leader, ask yourself:

• What do I want for myself?
• What do I want for my team?
• How would I act if I really wanted that?

Deliberate choices are subtle moments that have huge impacts. A thriving and safe team collaborating with an actor getting the part.