These people are happy in the picture because maybe they have discovered the secret to book jobs. I’ve seen many models and actors hurt their chance to book jobs because of a few mistakes that they make. Here are some areas below that can trip a model and actor up in their pursuit to book jobs.
1. You are not prepared. Just because people have always said you should model and act because of your stunning good looks doesn’t mean that there isn’t any work involved to book jobs. You need to take classes, be organized, and deliver what the client is looking for. This is a business and clients only want to pay for people who are professional and prepared. So if you are lazy this may not be the business for you. If you are a driven individual then you will excel in this business that relies heavily on your motivation to book jobs.
2. You think you blow the audition. Usually the people that make decisions to book you on a job are not in the casting room, so even if you tripped on your way into the room, don’t let it shake your confidence. A professional can recover quickly from making mistakes on camera. The client is not looking for perfect people to book jobs but someone who can recover quickly and move on when they do make a mistake. Even if you can nail it the first time you are on camera, usually the director will ask you to do a variety of additional takes so they have choices when they edit.
3. Getting upset when the client or casting director doesn’t seem interested. Remember that clients and casting directors have a lot to think about and being friendly, and making you feel good about yourself may not be at the top of their priority list. For the most part, everyone is friendly in the business, but if you run across someone having a bad day or someone who is abrupt with you, don’t take it personally. Also keep in mind that you will not book all jobs you audition for and that is a part of the business. Just like any business, everyone is looking for something specific and sometimes you fit that profile and sometimes you don’t. Your focus needs to be on your successes and where you can improve to book more jobs. So it doesn’t hurt to develop some tough skin.
4. Control your nerves. Make every effort to be calm when you go into the audition because nervousness can come across as inexperience. Don’t put too much effort on one single audition and think of your career as over a span of time and not on a day by day basis. You may be having a tough day, but tomorrow there’s another audition and another chance to book jobs.
5. Don’t worry. This is not a beauty contest. There will always be someone who’s smarter, better looking and has the hair you’ve always wanted. Thankfully, it’s not about the brightest and most attractive. But it’s about the look and feel of what the human element can bring to a production. It is quite possible that you may be too attractive and stand out too much therefore detracting from the product that the company is trying to sell. So don’t focus too much on why you didn’t get the job, because there’s another opportunity around the corner to book jobs.
6. Thinking too much about the casting afterward. Be excited that your agent sent you out because you are an extension of their business. Many castings only have limited audition spots for talent, so be thankful that the client is interested in you. Everyone who has been successful has had ups and downs in their career. If you do have a bad audition, remember all the great things that you love about the business and that no one audition can end your career. Correct your mistake without obsessing about it and you’ll be a better actor and model. One trick that I do is to forget about the audition after I leave and not tell anyone about it unless I book it. This prevents you from running into someone three weeks later and they ask you about the audition that you may not have booked and then you relive all the reasons why you did not book the job.
Consider this above list and remember that if your career is going to have longevity, learn to deal with the ups and down. This is the most amazing business in the world and if it was really easy then everyone would be able to do it. Count it a privilege when you book jobs as there are many people who would love to be models and actors.