Happy Friday Working Actors!
This week, we're tackling a reader question!
I just started reading your blog and I LOVE it. Not sure if you accept questions or email people with advice, but I wanted to see if you had any words of wisdom for me. I'm relatively new to LA and have been auditioning for commercials for about 9 months. I get a LOT of callbacks, I've gotten like 8 callbacks in the past month, but never book and never really get that many avails. A couple CBs have not gone my way, but for the most part I leave feeling like I delivered at least what I did during the audition if not more. When I think of the avails I have gotten, I don't remember doing anything particularly great! Have you ever been in this position? I can't think what I'm doing wrong :(
First things first — I ABSOLUTELY accept questions! Love 'em! Ask away!
Second and more importantly, CONGRATULATIONS for being in this situation as a relative newcomer. Really and truly. It took me four years to get to the place you are now. So you're already doing really well.
That said, the place you're in is frustrating. SUPER frustrating. You're obviously doing a lot of things right to get those callbacks. But if you're not booking or availing, what are you doing wrong? There are two answers.
1) Nothing. Auditioning is a numbers game, and that is more true in commercials than anywhere else. Actors who get called back are actors who are bookable. Once you reach that point, as long as you don't completely implode in the room, it's out of your hands. The booking may depend on a look, a voice, or a memorable shirt. It likely has more to do with something like how your hair color looks next to the product logo than with your performance. We want bookings to be about how good we are — but they're just not. That's one of the realities every actor has to make peace with. The good news is that if you're getting called back regularly, it's only a matter of time before you book.
(As for avails, there is absolutely no rhyme or reason to why they happen. Sometimes they put everyone on avail, sometimes no one. Trying to figure out the logic behind them is a fast train to Crazytown. What works for me is thinking of avails as gold star stickers on my homework in grade school. Some teachers use 'em, some teachers don't, nice to get one, but meaningless not to.)
2) Attitude. One way you CAN hurt yourself in a callback, even if your actual performance is spot-on, is through your attitude. I don't mean "attitude" like being an asshole (though that is both a terrible idea and a thing that happens sometimes.) I mean if the decision-makers catch a whiff of your wanting to please them, or be good/good enough/better than the last person, they'll get turned off. They want someone who won't be a needy mess for eight or ten or twelve hours on set, because the only needy messes they will have time for are the clients. If you can go in with an attitude that puts them at ease and makes them feel like hiring you will make their jobs easier, you will be in a much better position to get an avail and/or booking.
I hope that helps! Keep the questions coming, and keep up the great work!