Auditions can be frustrating, especially since you won’t book most of the projects you are reading for. “There’s always just one person who can get the role”, so Ursula “And oftentimes thousands of actors get submitted by their agents.”
It’s understandable that it can get annoying, but Ursula advises to see it as practice. “It’s a chance to act. And to show what you can do. And you never know who is watching the tape. Let’s say you’re reading for a role that you aren’t the perfect fit for, it happens. And the people producing the project simply have someone else in mind for the character. But you deliver a great performance, and they keep that in the back of their minds. And a year or two years down the road, there’s a character they’re casting that you’d be a great fit for. And they remember you. So embrace every chance to act and to show what you can do.”
Practice, after all, makes perfect. As a perfectionist herself, Ursula knows that all too well. “But really, there is no perfection in the arts. When is something perfect? What makes a performance perfect? And who is the judge? As you can see with movie reviews, the audience isn’t always aligned. Some people may criticize a performance other people love.”
Taste differs. That is true. So it’s important to not take every critique personal. Especially, when you’re pursuing a career in the entertainment business. “I mean, I come from professional dance. I am used to critique. I trained in ballet for many years. I have auditioned for dance shows alongside hundreds of other hopefuls. They call those auditions ‘cattle calls”. Nothing like that exists when it comes to acting. You never get lined up and judged in front of others as an actress, so having gotten used to dance auditions for many years really gave me a thick skin.”
A thick skin is definitely needed when rejection is part of the game. A lot of people give up quickly because of that. But Ursula isn’t one of them. “I’m not a quitter. But I don’t see it as giving up when someone decides that acting or the entertainment industry just isn’t right for them and moves on to pursue other goals. I have seen many, many people do that. We get one life and it’s up to us to decide what to do with it.”
So, why did she decide to pursue acting and move to the US? “I have danced and acted in Austria for many years, have studied and performed. I moved to LA to continue my studies and after graduating decided to give it a shot, and since I quickly got signed by an agency and management team I started auditioning and booking right away. That led to me staying.”
Many people try to get signed by an agency, often with no luck. What can they do to change that? “Oftentimes people have to audition for many agencies before getting signed, so don’t give up. Sometimes, agencies reach out to actors. There’s also showcases where you can audition for multiple agents at the same time. Generally speaking, agents and managers look for someone who is marketable. Who they can see booking. Or who is already booking. They want to make money, it’s their job. So working on your craft matters just as much as knowing your brand. Be sellable. And show that. Great headshots are important as well as having a reel that showcases your talent. Oh and a lot of agencies do not take submissions, meaning you need to have someone in the industry refer you and tell them you’re awesome and that they should consider signing you.”
But things have also changed and these days, social media matters as well. “Very much so. You can blow up on social media and people start working with you, hiring you for projects. Agencies get interested in you. You bring the most important thing with you: an audience. If someone has millions of loyal followers that would watch whatever movie they’d get cast in, that matters!”
What else matters? “Luck, connections, who you know. Talent. Discipline. Being at the right place at the right time. Oh, and did I mention luck? Of course, you can’t influence all of these things. The acting business is far from being fair. You can only focus on what you can control. You can be the most prepared, most punctual and reliable person. You can work on being the best actor you can be and you can make sure you are ready for whenever your big opportunity may arise.”
So stay ready so you don’t have to get ready when there may not be enough time to do so. “Always stay ready!”
Stay up to date with Ursula Maria and what’s next for her, check out her social media handles: Facebook and Instagram.
