Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Rhyme or Reason?

As a freelance full-time voice actor/actor, it can be easy to become complacent in the face of endless auditions.

Each week we are confronted with auditions from on-line casting sites, agents, fellow actors, random website hits, etc. We are taught by time and experience which types of work we are best for. Therefore, when one comes along we believe we may be wrong for, we either ignore the request or submit something believing all along we'll never actually get cast.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog post about an audition I thought I had really messed up on. I arrived insecure, unprepared, and feeling quite foolish. It has become a bit of an inside joke with my local agent in the time since (the joke always begins and ends with my own self deprecation). "Don't give Kara the long scripts to memorize, hahah."

It is always easy to be the first to put ourselves down, for fear someone else may beat us to the punch. It is like building a cocoon around our feelings lest they be poked at a bit too deeply.

If I am honest, I would like to book every audition I submit, because I always believe deep down I am the best person for the job. This is the type of confidence each of us must possess in order to truly succeed in this business. There is little room for self doubt as an actor.

So, why the long diatribe?

Today I was reminded that I should never sell myself short. The audition I just knew I had blown? I was offered the job today. Not only did I book the original job, but I have also been offered a second job by the same studio to do some on-camera work for a different client.

There is no room for complacency in this business. We are given one chance to smile, hold our head high, and prove why we are the best person for the job. You see, while I did not do my best during the audition, I was sure to express my gratitude at having been given the opportunity.

Sometimes it isn't just the audition itself that books the job, it's the full package that comes with it.

9 comments:

MCM Voices said...

Congratulations Kara - I'm not a bit surprised :)

Peter O'Connell said...

nice job!

best always,

-peter

Nisha M said...

Hey Kara,
Congrats! That's so great to hear, and it's something that is inspiring as well!

I've been reading your blog lately, and it's been a pleasure. Keep up the great posts!
~Nisha

Anonymous said...

Very cool Kara!
Great lesson for everyone.
James

Kara Edwards said...

Mary and Peter,

Thank you for the encouragement- it means so much coming from folks I admire!

Nisha,

Welcome to my little blog- it is wonderful to have you! Thank you for the comment!

James,

It is always wonderful to hear from you. Thank you!

-Kara

Liz de Nesnera said...

Kara!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
I'm SO glad for you!
Have I told you today that...YOU ROCK! :-)...uhhhh..don't forget it! ;-)

Peace!

Liz

Anonymous said...

good for you, ms. kara! and bless you for passing those reminders along.

not long into my own on-camera efforts i auditioned for a trenchcoat detective in a corporate video. i don't remember much about my audition except that i left wishing i could have paid the casting people to forget they'd ever met me.

yep...i got the job.

lesson learned? nope.

years later i was the last guy to audition for a tv spot in your home town. i felt so inconsequential afterward i spent the afternoon immersed in used book/cd stores before the long drive home. finally checking in with the answering machine at supper time i picked up three frantic calls from my agent. i'd been cast :30 after i walked out the door...the shoot was in the morning...could i be there? and why wasn't i checking messages? (this was in the days before cel phones.)

since driving 3 hours home then driving another 3 hours the next morning to be on set at 8:30 was ridiculous, i booked a hotel in town and just stayed the night.

luckily, the part called for me to look rumpled and unshaven!

i'm glad you're learning to compartmentalize some of your own self-evaluation, and trust your natural great looks! i learned from a movie casting director that they usually scan audition tapes at high speed, and only stop and watch performances of someone who has "the Look" they're searching for.

lady, you've got "the Look"!

rg

Kara Edwards said...

Liz-

Thank you for your comments, and I believe it is YOU who rocks my dear!

Rowell-

I always love reading stories from you :) I'm not sure if it was that I had 'the look'- or that I was the only one that could spend so much time on the project- heh! Thank you for your comments!

Kara

Bob Souer said...

Kara,

What a great story. And Rowell's comment was worth the price of admission, too.

Be well,
Bob