Karen Bystedt recently posted a blog in The Network's Talent Community page highlighting some of the struggles of stars before they hit celebrity status. What did famous actors like Brad Pitt find most challenging about a fledgling career?
Brad Pitt and Trusting in the Universe
Breaking into the acting or the modeling industry can seem like a daunting task at first. Walking into your first auditions may make the most self-confident person feel insecure. The fears arise, and suddenly your goals and dreams can appear unreachable and unrealistic. Quite an overwhelming feeling, yet very normal; in fact, these fears have been experienced by even the biggest celebrities such as Brad Pitt, as quoted from my interview with Brad Pitt from my book THEY DARED TO DREAM available on my website and at the Hollywood ArcLight Store.
“I got an agent… but then that was half the battle. Here I was sitting in those audition rooms with all those people who I’d watched on TV and film my whole life, and I was intimidated as hell. I freaked out and couldn’t do anything for months. Nothing came out cause I was also intimidated by the casting directors. I finally had to kick myself in the butt and say, ‘Let’s go, cause here it is. Here is your dream, sitting right in your lap.’ And so I went.” - Brad Pitt
The trick is to work through those fears! Here are a few helpful hints:
• Casting directors are also praying to find the right person to fit the role. You just may be it, and discovering you could potentially be very good for their career as well. They might be looking for you!
• When you walk into the audition room, slow down and take your time, this is your time to shine!
• Trust in something higher than yourself!
“I just know that when you are one with God then credit’s going to go where credit’s due. The key is to rely on that and not to worry about things. DO NOT WORRY. Everyone worries out here. Worrying is the biggest waste of time, because things will work out if you have faith.” - Brad Pitt
Stress and negative self-talk will prevent you from reaching your dreams. The only person standing in the way of you is you. Fear is a very real emotion, yet there is nothing more refreshing, more positive, or more rewarding than doing the opposite of feeding the fear - Trusting. It can be a process, but you will break through if you believe in yourself, persevere, and trust that things will work out… and they will!
Check out Karen Bystedt's Hollywood ArcLight Show airing from July 19 to September 15th!
Karen Bystedt has photographed everyone from Johnny Depp, Djimon Hounsou, Sandra Bullock, and Brad Pitt, to Andy Warhol. She has appeared on many TV interviews and speaking engagements, and continues to photograph up-and-coming actors and models, while living in Hollywood with her husband Fredrik and their bulldog, Gunnar.
She has just released a book on actors, "They Dared to Dream," with early photographs and inspirational interviews, as an eBook, available on Amazon Kindle, iPad, Nook and all eBook formats.
“I got an agent… but then that was half the battle. Here I was sitting in those audition rooms with all those people who I’d watched on TV and film my whole life, and I was intimidated as hell. I freaked out and couldn’t do anything for months. Nothing came out cause I was also intimidated by the casting directors. I finally had to kick myself in the butt and say, ‘Let’s go, cause here it is. Here is your dream, sitting right in your lap.’ And so I went.” - Brad Pitt
The trick is to work through those fears! Here are a few helpful hints:
• Casting directors are also praying to find the right person to fit the role. You just may be it, and discovering you could potentially be very good for their career as well. They might be looking for you!
• When you walk into the audition room, slow down and take your time, this is your time to shine!
• Trust in something higher than yourself!
“I just know that when you are one with God then credit’s going to go where credit’s due. The key is to rely on that and not to worry about things. DO NOT WORRY. Everyone worries out here. Worrying is the biggest waste of time, because things will work out if you have faith.” - Brad Pitt
Stress and negative self-talk will prevent you from reaching your dreams. The only person standing in the way of you is you. Fear is a very real emotion, yet there is nothing more refreshing, more positive, or more rewarding than doing the opposite of feeding the fear - Trusting. It can be a process, but you will break through if you believe in yourself, persevere, and trust that things will work out… and they will!
Check out Karen Bystedt's Hollywood ArcLight Show airing from July 19 to September 15th!
Karen Bystedt has photographed everyone from Johnny Depp, Djimon Hounsou, Sandra Bullock, and Brad Pitt, to Andy Warhol. She has appeared on many TV interviews and speaking engagements, and continues to photograph up-and-coming actors and models, while living in Hollywood with her husband Fredrik and their bulldog, Gunnar.
She has just released a book on actors, "They Dared to Dream," with early photographs and inspirational interviews, as an eBook, available on Amazon Kindle, iPad, Nook and all eBook formats.
This is a terrific post! From working on both sides of the camera I have a few more tips to add to help with fear before walking into the casting room:
- Learn to breathe. A few deep breaths into your belly does a lot to calm nerves and your heart rate.
- Remember casting directors are just ordinary people too that have lives and are just doing their job. Taking the gate keepers off of the pedestals you put them on helps to alleviate the fear of judgement. CD's are in support of you and want you to do well, many of them come from an acting background themselves.
- Remember the Big Picture. You are just one piece in the large puzzle of the project, be it a film, commercial, play, whatever. If you can ask yourself, "How can I serve this story in the best way possible?" it takes a little pressure off of it being all about you. It's about the story, or piece of pizza, or laundry detergent. You are there to serve the story.
- Think like a director. If you were directing this piece, cast it and play it out in your mind. It will often spark your imagination and then your fear may turn into excitement and anticipation to share.
- You are offering a gift every time you walk into that room and share your talents. If you have prepared to the best of your ability then your gift is always good enough. What the casting person does with that gift is none of your business, your only job is to offer it.
Posted by: Holly Allen | 08/13/2011 at 01:40 PM