A while back, a friend and I went to the horse races. He was an expert and knew every horse, their lineage, and their winning history. I, on the other hand, knew nothing about horse racing, but went to see what it was all about. Prior to the race, we walked along the stalls to study the horses and decide which ones we would pick to win. My friend made thoughtful decisions based on his vast knowledge; I picked a couple of horses that I thought were pretty and whose names I liked. I think you can guess what happened: my horses won,and he never asked me to the races again.
Has anything like this ever happened to you? It’s called “Beginner’s Luck”, and I’ve experienced it not only with horses but with my own acting career. When I got my first voice-over agent I was sent out on an audition – I didn’t know it was for an on-camera role. I booked it, and looking back, I suspect it was because I didn’t have time to get nervous!
There are countless examples of people who seem to “fall into” success at the beginning of their acting careers.
The 2012 movie Life of Pi, starred a young actor named Suraj Sharma. Suraj was only 16 and had never acted before when he accompanied his older brother (who was an actor) to audition for the movie. Of the hundreds there auditioning for the titular role,, the director noticed Suraj waiting for his brother, and asked him to audition for the role. He booked it.
People often brush off Beginner’s Luck as fluky or unworthy of being taken seriously, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. This phenomenon is powerful, and it’s a good idea to take notice when it happens to you.
On your mark; get set; go!
Whether or not you’ve booked any voice acting jobs yet, at the beginning of your career you are primed for success. There are real and tangible reasons for this: your love and passion for the craft is at its highest and purest point. You are excited and inspired about the possibilities that lay ahead, so instead of judging projects, you dive in head first and grab every opportunity that comes your way!
As you progress in your voice coaching, it’s important to understand that rather than changing who you are and how you sound, you are trying to access your most authentic self. We add the skills of script analysis and acting techniques to give your work more depth, all the while preserving the spark and passion that made you pursue voice acting to begin with!
In the best-selling book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho the author states, “Beginner’s luck exists because life wants you to achieve your highest dreams, so it gives you a taste of success when you start, to encourage you to keep going.”
It’s important to hang on to this truth when you start to experience the highs and lows that come with the auditioning process. Many actors mistakenly throw in the towel when they haven’t booked roles, thinking they aren’t any good. But as Coelho also states, “Every search begins with beginner’s luck. And every search ends with the victor being severely tested.”
So embrace where you are right now at the beginning of your voice acting career, and harness the force behind beginner’s luck. Think back on your life and make a list of all the times you’ve experienced it. You will see that it isn’t really luck at all; it’s the energy that brings you to the place you want to be.
Check out our free PDF with pro-tips from real working voice-over actors here!
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Nice article by Nancy. Well written & thought out. And if I ever go to the horse races I’ll ask Nancy along.