Talent is important, yes. But is it still essential? Honestly, no. Do we prefer that you have the talent? Absolutely. In the entertainment sector – and mostly online media, but also in parts of TV, film and theatre in extension – your success is nowadays determined by other factors than your talent or artistic qualities. This applies to creative makers, actors, singers and everybody ‘on stage’.
It can also influence your audition. Remember watching Idols years ago or something similar, and the awful people getting as much attention as the good ones? Just because they sold themselves in front of the camera? I fear we’re living in a continuation of that, and it has only gotten worse. You can do the best audition in the world, but you also need to work the system.
Let’s discuss what these factors are and how they came to be.
If you’re more interested in how to make the best out of your audition, this article might be a better fit for you.
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Talent in the modern world
We like to believe that the best quality wins. It’s the dream we’re all being sold from the moment we’re a young child. Create your best work and you will reach the top. I don’t believe that has ever been true. You can find Van Gogh’s artworks in every famous museum in the world. Yet, Van Gogh only sold one painting in his entire life. It’s an artist’s dream, but it’s very difficult to make it far without support and luck.
However, it has become more complex in modern times. The question of whether someone can become successful has shifted from the stage itself to the many factors surrounding it, with the internet and social media playing a crucial role. I’ll discuss five factors where this comes into play.
Visibility is becoming more important than quality
Everybody can upload videos on YouTube. With some simple apps, you can edit and filter the photos and videos before you post them online. This means two things:
- Evaluating quality is more challenging in a digital format. Even online auditions can be manipulated.
- As there is so much output, it’s more difficult to stand out. The people who stand out in the crowd are the ones with the most visibility.
To be discovered, to find an audience or just to be seen, you need to understand the system of becoming visible. You need to understand who your audience is and how to attract and hold them. When to put something online, when to publish, which tags to use, which tone to use. Every aspect of your appearance and character needs to resonate with a wide audience.
Was Justin Bieber the best singer on YouTube when he was discovered? Probably not. He was certainly talented, but he was discovered because many young girls shared his videos, helping him gain traction and visibility. Music producers saw an opportunity: an artist who can sing, who already has a following and also has the right appearance. It was a win-win.
If you rely on just talent, you can still have luck. And if you don’t have talent but a large visibility, think about what you would like to achieve and for how long this is interesting (for both you and the audience). This is why I believe talent remains important, but without an effective distribution strategy, it will fade amid the flood of output.
You might also want to read this earlier article about the choice of a casting director whether to go for the talented one or the more known one.
1. Algorithms award repeatability, not depth or content
This point is purely online-based: all platforms are directing behaviour. They analyse what you watch, search for and click on and then show similar content that falls within your preferences. An account that offers the most talented singer one day and shows a dress designer the next day is more difficult for algorithms to place than an account with repetitive content.
Platforms reward predictability, recognition and frequency. Meaning that consistency is preferred above surprises. Formats work better than experiments. Volume is better than refinement. In short, everything is favoured above talent and artistic quality.
Platforms don’t judge. They do not say your work is bad or good. They are only built for keeping their customers on their platform for as long as possible to make money. Understanding this game increases your chances of success. On being cast, being discovered or being known. Independent of your talent.
2. Sell the story, not your talent
The audience doesn’t want just an average, unknown person anymore. They want a character. A background story of this person. For example, one where he had a difficult youth and had to work hard to reach the top. Or the famous person has a clear ambition and is willing to give up everything to get there. Why are the Kardashians so popular? It’s not because they’re so talented in creating make-up. They have a whole team to do that for them; it’s their personality that sells. Here you can read an interesting research (although a bit old from 2014) about what makes celebrities appeling.
Who are you? What do you stand for? Why should we see or listen to you right now? It touches on the previous points mentioned: your story will give you visibility and makes you stand out from the others. Keep the story going and strong, and you will be rewarded for your consistency.
Bridgerton season 4 is almost coming out, and we’re being bombarded with interviews. Are we really watching the interview for the information about the show? Most viewers haven’t for years. That’s why Buzzfeed has quizzes, lets actors play with puppies or creates silly challenges. It’s about the actors and their personalities that need to sell. That they are fun and nice. And because you like the actors, you will watch the show. With the few exceptions where they actually discuss playing their character.
3. Networking is everything
It seems almost too obvious to even mention, but it needs to be added to the list. Networking is key. Collaborations, references and cross-references can be seen everywhere online, and can make your position so much stronger. No longer are the auditions just behind hidden doors.
The right network makes it so much easier for you to reach a goal. The entertainment sector has always been a world of connections; that is nothing new. However, as connections are now also online (think about LinkedIn or who follows you on Instagram), your network has also become so much more important. People can check who knows you and decide if they are worthy enough to be valuable.
It’s not just about your network. It’s about having the right network.
4. Mentality and makeability
One feature that has always existed is the mentality of makers and actors. We’re all familiar with celebrities unable to handle their fame and delving into alcohol and drugs. Online, the whole world can see you and have an opinion about you. Throw anonymous nasty comments at you. The pressure to sustain success has become much greater.
Famous artists who died at 27 of age, often a consequence of having difficulties dealing with the pressure of fame.
Success requires self-management, emotional resiliency and strategic thinking. People are now being screened in advance on their mentability and also their makeability. Can they be moulded into the right story and keep it? Can they survive success? Consistency and positive visibility are needed to maintain success. Not everybody is able to carry this burden. If I’m a producer, director or anyone backstage, I will probably choose the stable person if the talent is more or less similar.
What does this mean?
Is talent irrelevant? Absolutely not. I hope this article shows that you need other aspects besides talent and artistic quality. Is it only possible if you meet the other requirements? Also no. There are still enough cases in which talent is enough to achieve success. Ed Sheeran does not do any social media himself, doesn’t even have a phone, and yet earns great success. It is still possible, but it has become rarer.
We need to face that today’s world is all about being seen and being present. And it has its effect on auditions, campaigns, actors and everything else in the entertainment sector. It’s very important to keep that in mind and also play around with it if you can.
As a consolidation, in case you do auditions, this means that maybe your talent was good enough, but someone else knew how to play the system better. And the nice thing about the system? It can be taught. But watch out, because authenticity is also key. It’s a contradiction that I won’t delve too deep into for now, but find a way to present yourself with authenticity while using the system to work for you.
As a last note, I would like to emphasise from personal experience that you do need talent to make a start in the sector. When I create a live performance, I find it more important to find someone who fits my creative concept than his or her fame. A talented unknown is cheaper and works better than an expensive famous one, so it can also be an asset. However, how will I find you? A network or a place where I can meet you is important. And once you’re in the sector, you need to build your reputation to achieve more. The better you get the system to work for you, the easier it might be.
