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.