VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[donrandall]

In one of the other topics, the conversation drifted into how one should handle an audition and how to handle rejection. It seems to me that this is good fodder for a topic of it's own.

I recently got an email inviting me to read for an audiobook assignment. I was pleased to do so, of course, and submitted my read of the script provided. I did not get the job - okay - no problem with that. What I have done, is to send an email thanking the man for the invitation to audition - and I told him that I hope to use the rejection as a learning tool. I asked him if he would be kind enough to critique my submission and offer any advice he believed would be useful to me, and then thanked him again for his kindness and consideration.

If he favors me with his critique, advice and wise counsel, I will grow and benefit from it. If he does not answer my request, I will have not lost anything.

[Spacegypsy]

I was under the impession that it was a no-no to ask for a post mortem after auditions? I know there's never a hard and fast rule for anything, Does anyone else ask for feedback after an audition? Of course, I would love to GET feedback, but I have never asked.

[Philip Banks]

I expect that the people who ask for auditions do not remember the rejects unless they were so bad or it was down the last two.

Whilst I can see the "have nothing to lose" point, I would suggest that the "everything to gain" is more likely to be "little or nothing to gain".


As I left a voice over booth flanked by the senior station announcer and the head of presentation, Kate, the head spoke.

"I liked the way you ....................." a compliment plucked out of thin air. Good management policy. They had no intention of ever using me again, I knew it and they knew it.

"Yes? Thank you" I said enthusiastically "and I'm quite tall too?"

Feedback? There are women who won't go out with me because I'm bald. If I had a full head of hair they would simply find something else about me not to like.

[Bailey]

[mcm]

[Deirdre]

In the theater, it is an ABSOLUTE NO-NO to ask why an audition failed. You need help with your audtions? Take a class. You'll be paying someone for their feedback and it's up to you to believe it or not. In my career as the director of a small theater I came to see that nearly all actors were complete sociaopaths and anyone asking for a critique on a failed audition was a ticking bomb.

There are very few times when I can be assured that a personality is not too brittle to handle critique. The last thing I need is an argument with the "talent" about what worked and what didn't-- and that is invariably what occurs.

If you want to find out why an audition failed, pay a repuatable coach to give you feedback and help you. Unless you have an already-established, GOOD relationship, don't ask the director to donate his time to the advancement of your career.
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DBCooperVO.com
IMDB

[Bruce]

This brings up my philosphy, which I first picked up after hearing Jeff Bridges on a talk show many years ago, and many other places since: He said he considers auditioning to be his job, not acting. He prepares the best he can, delivers the best he can, and then walks away, considering his job done. Then every once in a while someone calls him up and says "Hey, you want to have some fun and do a movie with us?". That's the gravy.

Rejection and then obsessing about rejection will just pull you down. Avoid it totally by getting ready for your next audition.

And if you really feel your audition wasn't up to snuff, then what are you going to do to make the next one better? Check some audio books out of the library and listen to and learn from the masters? Not a bad idea.

Having cast a ton of audio I can tell you that most producers have the sound of the voice they're looking for already in their mind. They're looking for someone who can match it, or even improve upon it. That's who gets the job. So you can be quite good, just different then what they were looking for. Imagine how much more difficult it is to cast for the stage or screen when the actors have to look right together as well as sound right.

I concur that the best source of feedback on auditioning is from a respected instructor. Your agent, if you have one, might be helpful, and in the case of film and video there is often a casting agent in between you and the director and it might be appropriate to ask them for a critique at a later date.

In conclusion, screw the bastards for not recognizing your obvious talent, and hope that the next auditioner has a better ear.

Bruce

[SoundsGreat-Elaine Singer]

Failure at an audition does not necessarily mean you did not do a good read. These decisions are very subjective. They just 'liked' someone else's voice better. It doesn't necessarily mean you did a bad read. Maybe they were looking for a higher pitch or lower pitch than yours or a certain timbre. Nothing you can realistically do about that. I'm sure they often can't even put a finger on it so there would be nothing to gain from feedback. You just gotta do what you do and hope for the best. I guess that's what is so frustrating about this wonderful business.
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Elaine
The Youthful Mature Voice (Emeritus)
Senectitude is not for the faint of heart.

[Hart]

So I'm very young at this, and I've done very few auditions but that's exactly how I view it. I do as good a job as I can and assume that if they didn't pick me that just means they liked somebody else better but not because I did poorly at it, just like Elaine said. Maybe it's arrogance, but I don't think so. I know I'm good at what I do, maybe not great, but good.
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Hart Voice Overs Blog
Brian Hart Productions

[Dan-O]

I couldn't agree more with Deirdre. Anything said to you before an audition is direction; after, it's training. It's your job to get training not the clients to give to you. They are expecting a professional, not someone insecure with their abilities.

I read in a book a while back by a guy named Squire. (Could someone tell me his full name? He used to be the spokesperson for Toyota and I believe was Ronald McDonald for a bit.) The book was on auditioning for commercials. One of the few things I still remember was a good actor should land one out of ten auditions. It's a simple scale to judge yourself by. If you start falling short of that number, it might be time to seek some extra training.

[anthonyVO]

Do it and forget it.
If you're not booking, then it's time to consider another source for auditions or sign up for an audition technique class. Although it sounds silly, you will learn more about yourself than you ever thought you did.
And in the end, it's yourself you're brining to the copy.

Worrying about what you caould've done to fit the "requirements" of the casting director/client is futile. One of several things happened:

1 - You were not what they envisioned
2 - You weren't true - in other words, you didn't bring your personality to the copy and lifted the words off the paper to show the truth
3 - You reminded someone of their ex... it happens.

Pick your auditions wisely. If you're not right for the role, you shouldn't be auditioning.

As far as feedback is concerned there are two kinds that an agent usually gets (if they get any at all):

1 - Where did you find this guy? He was great!
2 - Don't ever send me this fool again.

-Anthony

[anthonyVO]

one more thing:

the worst feedback you can ever get is "You have a great voice, but..."

When all you have is a "great voice" then you're doomed.

-Anthony

[Philip Banks]

So is this the best feed back?

Emma (no last name to spare her blushes) said following a take "You could give me an orgasm reading from a paint colour chart".

Silence from the studio end of the ISDN line.

Me " Mint green, scarlet blush, satin white, black velvet, titian sunrise, luxurious lavender ...."

Emma "Shut up, shut up! I SO hate you!" Background FX JJ the sound engineer on the floor in hysterics.

[Frank F]

All the above is why I DON'T do auditions.

I hate "cattle-calls".

I hate pretending I like making nice to directors and producers.

I ....

O.K., so I do an audition once in a while. NooBe's need them, I need them, But do I have to like doing them?

I am picky about which auditions I do, and because of my attitude towards them, I land three out of five. Do I ask for "feedback"? Not on your life. I am choosen for the job, or not. I can't do them all, so it leaves room for Banksey.

The best thing you can get out of an audition you did not land work from is: experience. The feedback you get comes from satisfied clients, who book you again and again.

In this business keep this thought in mind: "Don't take it personal". Growth comes from doing the best you can and keeping yourself humble enough to admit you did a d#@! good job. "Ego" is what keeps you going back for more abuse.

humbly yours,
Frank F

[dhouston67]