TV Talent Show Auditions - Some great tips and advice from an experienced entertainer.
By Tim Marston, 15 September 2011 –
Are you planning to enter TV talent show auditions?
Maybe you are thinking of entering Britain/America’s Got Talent TV show auditions?
Do you want some advice, tips and wisdom from someone who has already been there?
Merlin Bolton Smith....Aka - Ms Merlin entered the Britains Got Talent TV show auditions in 2009. Merlin is a skilled and highly experienced performer, who has worked and trained all over the world. She kindly agreed to answer some questions with the aim of helping you to learn more about the whole TV show auditions process.
Firstly can you tell my readers a little about yourself, your performance career so far, how you came into performing, what acts your perform, etc....?
I`m a hula hoop, stilt walking and fire performer. I’ve been performing with fire for 15 years, stilts for 10 years and hoops for 6 years. I was living in California where I started with fire and then stilts. Then moved to Byron Bay in Australia where got into hoops. I moved back to the UK permanently over 4 years ago. So I could work professionally as a fulltime circus performer.
So...Britain's Got Talent. How did you come to audition for the show? Did you contact them or did they get in touch with you? If so how did they find you?
They rang me the season before I performed and then again the next year. This is when i decided to do the show. They really had to talk me into doing the show. And it took a number of phone calls before I gave in and said yes. They found me from my web site, by one of the shows researchers!!
What were you hopes, goals or ambitions from appearing on the show?
I guess my main hope was to get more work from being on the show.
When you went for your auditions how was the experience? Was it like it appears on the TV or was it different?
I did my audition in Cardiff, coming from Bristol, so did not have to travel far for the audition (which was one of my concerns). As there was no pay, I did not want to be out of pocket just getting to the audition.
Over all the experience of doing the show was a positive experience for me. I was treated well by all the stage hands and production crew with the show. I found the time on stage was fun and the audience were receptive and warm.
The judges were not unfortunately. All three buzzed me, three quarters of the way through the 2 minutes they give me to do the show. Which I was most disappointed about as the audience were obviously into it. Saying this I have learned from this experience, they did pick a moment in my show ,which was a short lull. I have since taken it out of the show and it now has a more impact..... Something learned!
Any way the judge’s comments, Amanda Holden said "It’s a No from me" Piers Morgan also said "it’s a no" And the Simon Cowell said " Well Merlin that’s the best I’ve seen hula hoops done on this show, I would have said yes, but any way good bye"
I laughed at this comment as I felt it was insincere as he had already cut short my show, by buzzing me off. When I came off stage Ant and Dec said to me "Well Merlin, Simon liked it, any comment?" And I replied, "yeah right, if he liked it that much he would not have buzzed me off"
My audition was not actually used on the Britain`s Got Talent show. Although they did use clips of me in the trailer, which advertised the whole show. I had signed a contract that agreed to them using any images of me and my act.
After entering the auditions for the TV show, did you achieve any of the goals or ambitions that you had?
One side note which was quite positive, Steven Mulhern who presented Britain`s Got More Talent, took a liking to me and interviewed me and did a little ditty of me for his show. It was quite funny and I think it showed my sense of humour. So was happy with that. He asked me what I would say to the judges, and I said “Can I finish my act?" He said "yeah why not how about now??" So after all the auditions had finished, we ran onto the stage and I completed my show with a 5 hoops split and then finale with a stack of 40 hoops.
When this was showed on TV .I felt I had accomplished what I had set out to do. Get my show seen on TV.
Looking back on your experience do you feel it was beneficial to your career or not?
Honestly, I can`t say that I know of one job that I have been given because of my show on Britains Got Talent. I did get my show on TV, which is what I set out to do, to get more work, but it did not really help, as far as I could tell. My career would be fine and is fine without Britains Got Talent.
Finally if one of my readers was thinking about appearing on Britains Got Talent, America's Got Talent, or any other TV talent show auditions what tips and advice would you give them?
If you don`t mind giving your hard work for free, go for it. At the end of the day, they used my images to make their show look better for absolutely no fee. At the end of the day I had just made a new show and a new costume, at the time so figured I was ready to do the show without too much work. So it was no skin off my nose, ultimately why I decided to do it.
I do have friends Steve Cousins, who went on with a giant red balloon and Iona the contortionist. Both of whom have received a god number of job offers from appearing on the show. So who`s to know. It can go either way. Marawa did really well this last season with her hula show. But the fantastic Strictly Dumb Prancing acro-balance act, Tat and Nikki who are also a great show, were laughed at by the judges.
I got the feeling at the end of the day; the show producers have their agenda. And you either fit into it or not.
That's it from Ms Merlin. Some great advice and real world experience...If you want to learn more about succeeding as a professional performer or entertainer you can follow this link for more information...
If you want another perspective (from another Merlin) then checkout this link... Advice on Britains Got Talent Auditions.
For more information on Ms Merlin, you can check out her website here and her YouTube channel here....