Why Didn’t You Get The Part?

Recently, I attended a screening to see if I qualified for paid work doing surveys and group tests. A lot went into these screenings. There were several written tests, computer tests, and a separate test that involved shapes and sounds. It ended with a doctor taking my blood pressure and measurements. When all was said it done (two hours later), I learned that I did not qualify for any of their studies.

I was disappointed, to say the least. I had just wasted my afternoon taking tests only to learn I wasn’t “good enough” for them. As I walked back to the bus, I thought of all the reasons why I probably didn’t fit their qualifications.

And then it hit me: I had no idea what they were looking for.

Here’s what I did know: My diet is great. My workouts are consistent. My self-esteem has never been higher. I share this because all of these facts were related to the tests I took. For all I knew, I was “too good” for their study!

“Tony, I’m so glad you told me all about your day. But what does this have to do with my acting career?”

Think about a time when you didn’t get the part. Did you spend hours thinking about what you could have done better? Maybe about the choices you made in the audition room? We can think all day and night about what we could have done to get the part. But we really have no idea what the director wanted.

Courtney Rioux talks about this too. She helped me learn that we’re making up all this negativity. But since we’re making it up….why not make it something positive and awesome?

Think about this the next time you’re venting about not getting the part. Unless you’re 100% confident that you know what the director wants, save your energy for something you’re sure about. Like how there’s usually too many cookies on set. (Seriously, where are the vegetables?)