Why Does Every Room Feel Like An Audition?

Why does walking into a room full of your peers feel so intimidating? Benjamin and Patrick unpack the invisible scorecard we all carry—and why genuine curiosity might be the best networking strategy you'll ever learn.

When you walk into a room full of people in your industry... what's the first thing your brain starts measuring?

Who's more successful?

Who already knows everyone?

Who looks more confident?

Who just looked over your shoulder?

Whether it's a film festival, a casting director workshop, an opening night, or a networking event, many of us stop having conversations and start auditioning for the room.

This week on The Working Actor NYC Podcast, Benjamin Howes and Patrick Richwood unpack the invisible scorecard we all seem to carry—and why "schmoozing" feels so uncomfortable for so many creative people.

Using Benjamin's recent experience at Tribeca Film Festival as a jumping-off point, they explore:

• Why networking often feels fake
• The psychology of comparing ourselves to everyone in the room
• How curiosity changes every conversation
• Why community—not performance—is what actually builds careers
• The simple question that transformed Benjamin's experience of the festival

One realization sits at the heart of the conversation:

"I stopped trying to be interesting. I became interested."

If you've ever walked into an industry event feeling like everyone else belonged more than you did, this episode is for you.