The Product

As a companion to my last blog post, I want to emphasize that this business is not all fun and games. This business is serious business! Seriously awkward that is. I’m almost certain no other industry is as crazy. Take the audition for example. In most cases, you go into an interview for a job and talk about your qualifications. Not in show business. Here’s a typical commercial audition: Imagine being placed into groups of six. Then having everyone walk in and stand on a straight line in front of 2 very unamused people who have been there for too long. They say slate and you state your name. They say profiles and you turn 90 degrees one way then the other. They say hands and you put your hands in front of your face, flipping them back and forth. They say smile and you show them your teeth. And they go down the line, while you stand there quietly looking forward.

Any shred of dignity you have is gone by that point as you show them you. And that’s just the preliminary stuff. Then they ask you to do the real fun stuff. “Pretend a spider is chasing you.” “Pretend your washing machine is overflowing and you can’t figure out how to fix it.” “Pretend your mom is really proud of you” (yep that was an actual instruction from an audition I had. How does one react to that?).

It’s so silly. But it makes sense, because this is a business. You are the salesperson and you are the product. Any good salesperson will show all of the features a product has (like the Magic Bullet. I love those infomercials). So go out there and show them your teeth, your hair, your profiles and your mad pretend skills!