Rejection for Actors.
Hello, everyone. Today I wanted to check in with you because I was writing some more articles for my e-book on the business of acting in Texas and found some videos on YouTube about big Hollywood actors and how they dealt with rejection.
I love listening to actors speak from Hollywood about how they got started. I always wonder how they get started and where they come from. I especially love listening about actors that started here in Texas and I love the idea that we have access to Hollywood.
If going to Hollywood is one of your goals, we have a doorway- you have a way to get there, you just have to do it. There is a lot of work involved but you can do it.
Choosing acting as a serious career is just like anything, it's just like when you decide to become a certified teacher or police officer you have to go through training, you have to go through the academy, you have to take the exams.
Well, with acting it's a little bit different because it's not as guided as the other careers. If you decided to go into film or theater for college then that's awesome, I wish I had done that. I wish I had a degree in theater but I was urged to get a degree in a 'more realistic' field. (Ignore all the naysayers in your life, I believe YOU can do it.)
Anyway, so I wanted to talk to you about rejection and I know I've touched on this before because it's part of the process of becoming a serious actor.
This advice is especially true in your first few years. But it's really important for my readers that keep going to auditions and don't hear back from anybody or for those of you that got call backs but then never heard back to remember... don't take rejection personally.
Most of the time the reasons for them rejecting you has nothing to do with you personally. They may have already promised that role to someone else, and I know I keep saying that but that's the truth. They may be looking for somebody with a specific trait or quality like a specific height.
If they've already cast the other members of the family, for example, or cast members of whatever then you have to realistically look like you could fit in. Some things are just out of your control. If you felt like you had an amazing audition: there's nothing that you did wrong, provided that you didn't offend anybody and you were nice to everybody, did your job and were manageable. Provided that you were prepared.
Don't take rejection personally just throw away the sides after the audition don't hang on to them. There's nothing you can do now. When I first started I used to drive away thinking of all the better ways I could have done something.
If you notice something iffy or have a gut feeling about your auditioning techniques, take some audition classes. If you have already taken classes take some more. Try out new instructors. Join a meet-up group or local organization that helps writers read their scripts out loud. Try improvisation classes.
You can only improve with all the extra classes and help your chances of landing a role. The worst thing you can do is doubt yourself and quit.
Don't be discouraged, keep going to auditions, keep studying and preparing yourself.
I know it's frustrating to keep walking in the audition room ready to roll and sure of yourself only to never hear back from them again. I know it's frustrating to not get feedback about how your audition went but that's what the audition classes are for. And remember, overnight success takes 10 years. 😉
If you have any questions send me a message or leave a comment. If I don't know the answer I will find out for you and together we can learn and I hope you have a good day!