It's better than you think
Believe it or not, I’m an optimist.
Almost booking a voiceover job or getting short-listed is sometimes better than booking because, for me, it means there’s another opportunity around the corner. Of course one doesn’t know for sure and there’s a good amount of indecisiveness on the client side, but I’ve found the odds are usually in my favor. Trust me- it’s a good feeling.
We can all agree that rejection takes a certain amount of fortitude and bravery. So much so that it’s caused me grow an impenetrable wall around mind that prevents any toxic thoughts or negative energy from entering. Well, lately that is. Not to brag but I’ve been doing pretty well. Lots of auditions, scattered bookings here and there, and the benefit of repeat work from solid clients. I can safely say that for the past two months I have been working every week. When a potentially big job comes my way, I look at it as an opportunity. I see it as a privilege to be considered and that if I don’t book or the client changes directions, it’s an honor to even be on their radar. I smile, I sit back and glance at my body of work. Hubris? No way. Ego? Certainly not! I lied, a little. I’m really awash with confidence though it had taken me a while to get to this place of being satisfied regardless of the outcome.
Back in February, I came very close to booking my first radio imaging gig with a major station. After the audition, I treated it like anything else. Put it behind yet staying positive. If I didn’t hear back from anyone, I assume the obvious. To my surprise, I made it to the finalist round of auditions. We did a demo session (which, btw, was more like a traditional callback) and I sent it off to the client. Never heard from them again. While I was bummed initially, the defeated feeling quickly subsided and I felt relief. The folks were somewhat unprofessional in the session and not very communicative about what they wanted. If that was a snapshot of what our professional relationship was going to be down the line, I didn’t want any part of it. It still felt good to be ‘known’ by a legit corporation. As far as I see it, my material is on their shelves and they know I exist. Perhaps they’ll come back to it. Maybe they won’t. C'est la vie!
Then about two weeks ago at a weekend seminar, I was approached by a top manager whose roster boasts some of the best talent in the business. We had a great conversation and set up a phone call for the week. I slept on the offer for a few days but ultimately turned it down, as there was a caveat and one too many bells and whistles than I initially expected. Still, I felt total joy and privilege that this person wanted to 'take me on.' There’s that 'butterflies in your stomach feeling- a little uneasiness but quickly that feeling is replaced by some hidden joy. It’s like getting an A- on a term paper or better yet a B+……you’re very close to achieving a better grade. And I keep getting closer and closer to my goal.
