Don’t Let Anyone Tell You Differently – Not Getting the Booking Can Feel Bad

Whenever I give my workshop, I always
tell people that after an audition, it
is important to analyze your audition,
make notes about your performance,
then let it go, and think about
your next audition.

I recently had an audition for a national
TV commercial. These can be very lucrative
bookings. If you are a Union actor, your
compensation will be based on where and how long
the commercial runs. This company seems to
run their commercials for long stretches,
which translates into more money for the actor.

I got a call back, which means the director
and people from the advertising agency saw
my audition, liked it, and wanted to see me
perform live.

My call back felt good. I made the adjustment
the director asked, and two days later, I was
put on “Right of First Refusal.” This means that I
need to hold the shoot dates, as well as the date
for the wardrobe fitting for the TV spot.

I can’t accept another booking for those dates
without having my agent call the ad agency to see
if I am booked or released for the commercial.

I waited for days before getting any information
about my status for the shoot. I have to admit
I was thinking a lot about the commercial. It was
not until late afternoon, the day before the
wardrobe fitting was taking place, when I
got an email saying I was released. That news
felt really bad. Not only was it a really funny spot
that would have been a blast to do, but it could
have also been very lucrative.

It is hard to even get calls to audition for national
TV spots, and then to get a call back, placed on
Right of First Refusal, and then not get the
booking, boy that was tough to hear.

I have to admit, I did not take my own advice,
which is to just enjoy and learn from the audition,
and then move on to the next one. The reality
is that not all auditions and projects are
created equal.

There are some projects that are much more
meaningful and important to us than others.
It is only human to focus on things that are
more significant to us. So, now I have slightly
changed my audition philosophy. Sometimes it is
OK to be a human and think about a previous
audition.

Let me know your thoughts. Have you ever had disappointments after the audition? If so, share it with others. Leave a comment below.

About the Author: Aaron Marcus

Aaron Marcus has been a full-time actor and commercial model for over 33 years. His new book, How to Become a Successful Actor and Model is an Amazon Best Seller. Aaron has given his seminar: "Book the Job" over 700 times spanning 3 continents. He also offers online workshops. Aaron saves 5 days each month to give private on-line coaching sessions.