My morning routine starts with exercise and this is followed by social media (1st cuppa in hand), especially Twitter, to see what transpired in the world while I was sleeping. Twitter is always abreast with trending topics and breaking news. The first trending topic that caught my eye 2 days ago was a post captioned: “An open letter to Somizi”. The woman in the video is an aspiring actress and she singles Somizi out: “your face is all over, give us a chance”. The Open Up The Industry # has been trending for years and I thought it best to write about my experience. You only have to look at my Twitter Bio to see the hustler in me. I always keep my ear on the ground about what is happening in the industries I have interests in. I always look for ways to improve, hence my book titled How To Reinvent Yourself & Stay Relevant. During this lockdown I enrolled for a free online course: Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking. Why, for two reasons. 1. Because I know I can improve as a writer, MC and speaker. 2. I had no excuse. It is mahala-free-gratis and I am stuck at home anyway, courtesy of the lockdown rules and laws.
So, my two cents worth…….Perhaps you weren’t what the client had in mind. This is why some auditions and castings remain ‘closed’, and no, I am not referring to auditions that apparently and supposedly take place in hotel rooms or cars. Moreover, briefs are set out for a reason, I know some people ignore them, I recall models sharing and forwarding auditions. And yes, out of desperation you go. You think to yourself ‘what have I got to lose’. This will only frustrate you, you will end up complaining about the energy and time wasted in preparation. Does your booker or agency even know you are attending these auditions? Did you wonder why they didn’t send you in the first place? Did you even check your availability for the shoot/gig? If you went to a number of auditions and the dates clash, you’ll have to choose and this means your second option, the other client or casting agency has to revisit their list of callbacks, frustrating I am sure. Chances are, you will be their second-choice next time, if anything.
During my modelling days (and I am sure even today) there were a handful of models that were in every fashion show and every magazine. Personally, I did EVERY show and the production companies had one thing to say: “I will always request certain models because I know they are professional. They arrive on time for rehearsals, they bring their own (clean) shoes and they know that it is about the garments whenever they get on stage, they make you want to buy the entire collection. designers love that”. If you did not see me in a particular show then chances are I was booked for another shoot or show. I was unapologetic, I filled up my diary as much as I possibly could. I was a breadwinner and I took advantage of the fact that I was in demand. I knew a so-called ‘fresh face’ was going to replace me at some point. They were ready and waiting, especially to replace the models that were notorious for arriving on jobs drugged up, drunk, unkept and unprepared. Some would not even show up for a show and the entire running-order would have to be altered less than an hour to the opening scene. Some would arrive with braids and glued on weaves, ignoring the ‘natural hair’ brief. This was very frustrating to hair stylists, designers and producers. Soon enough word got around and the bookings would dry up.
The sad reality of such industries is that certain clients have their favorites. More often than not they know exactly who they want for a particular shoot and the only reason they do auditions is with the hopes of finding the closest match, the body double if you would, in a case where the first option is not available or if they have already done a shoot for a competing brand.
My first modelling job, which came as a result of my 41st audition happened to be a massive campaign. So huge I gave my mom the cheque to buy building materials to replace the shack we had been living in. The first 40 auditions were unsuccessful and that morning I had made the decision it would be my last attempt, I made peace with a full-time job as a receptionist or P.A, that is what my qualifications afforded me at that time. I thought to myself: “if I don’t get this one then clearly this is not meant for me as a career”.
Allow me to ask this question, do you even nurture relations with your booker or agent? I used to phone my booker every year on his birthday and if I was in the city I would get him a gift. Moreover, I would bring him a gift whenever I travelled overseas. He never made demands (luckily for me he was not attracted to girls, he was open about that) nor did he have expectations of gifts but this was my way of saying Thank You. Moreover, it was my way of making sure I was first on his mind whenever a client asked for recommendations. We had a beautiful relationship that lasted for almost a decade and I still send him birthday wishes to this day.
My Humble Opinion: allow me to ask another question, a very important one. Would you say to the producer, program manager, station manager, channel manager, production company, advertising agency, casting agency “NO THANKS, I HAVE ENOUGH MONEY”? Personally, I will milk it for as long as it produces milk and for as long as I am still in demand because tomorrow is guaranteed to no one. Fact is, there is someone waiting to replace you. I will take on EVERY project that is aligned with my brand and goals. One of the reasons I declined to be cast on Diski Divas. I will continue to nurture meaningful and mutually beneficial relations that seek to enhance and elevate my brand. I will continue to seek opportunities that will benefit myself and my family, I will continue to build a legacy for myself and for my sons. You would do the same. And lastly, ask yourself, are you someone somebody would invest in. Can brands trust you with their products and service offerings? Are you someone somebody would recommend without hesitation? Are you credible, professional and reliable? Can you be trusted to deliver the mandate? How are your relations with other industry folk? How is your reputation? Are you experienced and suitable for that role? How have you packaged your brand? How is your brand positioned? Do you even know what Personal Branding is about? Are your goals aligned to your brand and vice versa? Are you willing to learn, to start from the bottom and work your way up? These questions are not meant to rile you up, they are meant to shake you out of that couch and into action. To get you out of that comfort zone, I always say ’a comfort zone is a danger zone’.
Aspire To Inspire Before You Expire!
Opinion Booth 