{"id":1418,"date":"2022-01-17T10:00:26","date_gmt":"2022-01-17T10:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/?p=1418"},"modified":"2024-01-04T17:35:10","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T17:35:10","slug":"acid-to-asset-turning-rejection-into-opportunity-by-sandra-gayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-industry\/acid-to-asset-turning-rejection-into-opportunity-by-sandra-gayer\/","title":{"rendered":"Acid to Asset: Turning Rejection into Opportunity"},"content":{"rendered":"

It can be disheartening when facing rejection from a recent audition. Singer, Actor, Radio Broadcast Presenter and Voiceover Artist Sandra Gayer provides her tips on how to turn rejection into opportunities and how that recent “no” could lead to something better in the future.<\/h3>\n

100 auditions, ONE job gained! Staggering odds, even if an aggregate, rather than absolute reality. We want to make the numerical gap between auditions and jobs non-existent. However, some rejection is an inevitable part of performing. Is it a negative opportunity for self-loathing, or a cleverly disguised positive opportunity for growth, indirectly gaining future work? Sounds appealing? Read on\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

As an African blind performer, you can imagine my roles are rather niche. There will always be an element of type casting for all of us. I appreciate that many roles will never be mine. Nonetheless, I choose to embrace that\u00a0quality\u00a0trumps\u00a0quantity.<\/p>\n

Audition success depends on how we define it. If the expectation is as narrow as, \u2018success means booking the job\u2019, disappointment will be high. What if our horizons were broader; every audition having a positive impact on your career, building your reputation as a superb performer among casting directors, sowing seeds for future roles?<\/p>\n

No matter where a brief comes from, we\u2019re conditioned to accept everything, any shape or size, AKA the\u00a0spaghetti method<\/em>; throw enough at the wall, some is bound to stick.<\/p>\n

Contrary to popular opinion, we can decide\u00a0not to\u00a0apply for certain projects if they\u2019re unsuitable. If we audition when the part is clearly not ours, we\u2019re sending out poor judgement signals to casting teams. Remember that reputation we\u2019re building? Casting directors have an annoying habit of appearing when you least expect; the next audition after the one you wished you hadn\u2019t applied for! Professionals rehearse until they cannot go wrong; amateur\u2019s practise until they get it right. Post audition, obtaining feedback, regardless of the outcome, is important. We need to know our\u00a0auditions to bookings\u00a0ratio; ideally booking the job every time (parity). If low;\u00a0few\u00a0auditions per job, what\u2019s working? If high;\u00a0numerous\u00a0auditions per job, discover what\u2019s not working. Sometimes, we\u2019ve done everything in our power. Even then, some auditions place us in a rejection cul-de-sac; set it, forget it, move on!<\/p>\n

It may sound counterintuitive, but rejection can be the springboard, bouncing you into the next job, no audition required! Imagine this; You apply for that\u00a0perfect\u00a0role. The audition sparkles, the panel responds eagerly. A week passes. That letter arrives; \u2018Thank you\u2026\u2026.\u2019 or \u2019\u2026\u2026 with regret\u2019. Before binning your script, lamenting your wasted effort, wait! Booked the job? No! Won the room? What? Sometimes we don\u2019t get the dream job, but the panel\u00a0likes\u00a0us. That can be the seed to a job just round the corner. Imagine; your agent says, \u201cLast month\u2019s panel would like you for a week\u2019s filming.\u201d I kid you not, that happened to me. If you make the effort to win the room, whatever happens with the job, you may get another without any application!<\/p>\n

Clich\u00e9s into learning opportunities<\/h4>\n

How about some clich\u00e9 bingo?!<\/p>\n