With the launch of his new e-book keeping him busy, Big Brother 10 champ, Dan Gheesling, was willing to take some time of his busy schedule and answer a few questions for the Yak and our readers who would some day like end to end up on their favorite reality show. As but a supplement to his Step-By-Step Guide, How A Normal Guy Got Cast on Reality TV, is a great way for hopefuls to brush up on the characteristics those involved with casting reality TV shows are looking for. You can access your free e-copy, by clicking right here! In addition to the e-book, check out the extra bit of insight Dan provided below. The Yak thanks Dan for his time and wishes him great success with his future endeavors!
If you’re applying to an upcoming season of a reality show, be sure and let us know! We always love to know what our Yakksters are up to!
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The Yak: How does a real fan show they would be more valuable to the show more than a Jersey Shore mactor wannabe?
Dan Gheesling: Passion is something that will help you connect with a lot of people, including the Casting Producers. If you are really passionate about getting on Reality TV they will be able to see it. If you want to get on Reality TV just to be “famous” they will also see that (not a great idea). For someone trying to get on Reality TV, they have to define what is driving them to apply – this is what I call the “why-factor.”
The Yak: Any tips on how to draw the line between defining what your “why-factor” is without going overboard and over-saturating casting with that factor?
Dan Gheesling: Your why factor is defined by your passions in life. The problem with that is people have a difficult time even defining their passions let alone their why-factors (I know this first hand!). When you boil it all down there are only a handful of why-factors. In the Guide I go through in depth specifically how to determine your own personal why-factor using a set of individual Guide-sheets that are included with the guide.
The Yak: What compelled you to write this e-book?
Dan Gheesling: About a year ago I started my personal blog – www.IWouldCoach.com – and on the blog I have a form where people can contact me directly. The most asked question I got, was asking me how to get on Reality TV. After I responded to a ton of e-mails answering that question – I figured out I could help a LOT more people by writing a book about it. Back in the day I searched every corner of the Internet for information on how to improve my audition video and casting interview skills, and I couldn’t find anything. The goal of HowToGetOnRealityTV.net and both books I have written are to help someone looking for that exact information.
The Yak: Let’s be honest, you have your critics out there who think this is all a ploy to suck more money from your fans. While I don’t believe this at all, I have seen it on the internet already. I’m sure you have too. What do you have to say to the skeptics?
Dan Gheesling: Anyone who knows me knows that I truly appreciate all the support people have given me since I have been off the show. As a small way of thanking them for the support, I put a ton of time and effort into writing my story, How A Normal Guy Got Cast On Reality TV. This book is available for them for FREE. This was written specifically for my supporters but can also provide some insight for an individual interested in getting cast on Reality TV.
For people who are really serious about improving their casting game, I wrote How To Get On Reality TV: The Complete Step by Step Guide. It is a 75 page Guide that is a resource and tool to hone your casting skills. The Guide teaches readers the following: how to create a compelling casting story, the best way to develop your audition video, critical interview tips, includes a set of Guide-sheets, and much much more. My goal is to genuinely help others improve their casting process skills by using this Guide. Bottom line, I’ve put a lot of time and energy into producing this valuable tool which includes information that cannot be found anywhere else.
The Yak: So, you’ve made it known that you initially applied for Season 9 but ended up getting cast for season 10 – likely due to the twist. For hopefuls out there who have already applied and maybe been told by casting that they are wanted back next season, what advice do you have for them? Do they need to reapply or does someone in the casting department get a hold of them based on some special list they’ve been penned on?
Dan Gheesling: In How A Normal Guy Got Cast On Reality TV, you will find out I first applied for Season 6, and was rejected many times after. My advice to someone who has had some success in the casting process is to keep applying. Each audition there after you have to step it up or change something about your approach. If you continue to do the same thing time in and time out, you can’t really expect different results.
The Yak: And if you’ve made it farther than you ever imagined and casting has specifically told you that they want you back next season, does one still have to apply or can one expect a call back from casting automatically for the semi-finals rounds?
Dan Gheesling: In my story How A Normal Guy Got Cast on Reality TV, that exact same thing happened to me. I always erred on the side of caution and applied regardless of what I was told.
The Yak: Alright, so we’ve been called back. Now what? How do we keep ourselves relevant and appealing to the casting team?
Dan Gheesling: Have a story to tell. Reality TV is just an outlet to tell stories. You have to be comfortable talking about yourself and really selling your story. A lot of people walk into a casting interview winging it without any stories to tell. Some people can pull that off – I could never do that. Dynamic story telling was never my strong suit, but I found a way to make it happen. So if a normal guy like me can get on Reality TV, so can other people, if they know what to do.
The Yak: I take it your guide summarized how you found a way to make that happen. Can you briefly summarize for Yaks everywhere?
Dan Gheesling: You’re right, Building Your Story is detailed very clearly in How To Get On Reality TV: The Complete Step by Step Guide. It’s actually quite an in depth process that takes time, effort, and most importantly dedication to getting cast. Building your story is like building a house, it starts with your why factor, is stacked with your life experiences, and finished off with your compelling details. The best advice I can give to someone who hadn’t read the Guide yet is to deliberately take time before you audition to define your story. It’s the most important part of your presentation, yet a lot of people never take the time to build their own story.
The Yak: Let’s take it one step further. You’ve not only made it on the show, but you made it to the winner’s circle. Any insider advice for someone who heeded your advice to not only get on the show but home $500,000 richer?
Dan Gheesling: That’s a tough question to answer in a few short sentences. In the end its about focus and desire. How bad do you want to win? What are you willing to do to win? And most importantly, in an environment built to distract and get a rise out of you, can you stay focused long enough to make the right decisions?
The Yak: I know this is aside from the casting talk, but this past season of Big Brother has brought the fangs out of fans more than before. With the advent of social media, contestants are more easily targeted for hate related to game play or decisions. Do you have anything to say on that and how we can help combat that for incoming contestants?
Dan Gheesling: There is really not a whole lot you can do to combat it. It is sad to see when people’s real lives are influenced by negative messages via social media. That’s when it goes too far. At the same time, when you put yourself on a platform like Reality TV you need to be prepared to handle it. Incoming contestants just need to know that IF they choose to read blogs, forums, etc it is not always going to be positive and just take everything you read with a grain of salt. I would encourage them to interact with the people that connect with them but ignore the people who have negative words for them.
Great interview! I found these books to be a solid resource for Big Brother hopefuls. I’m always surprised at how many times some people keep applying whereas other people get cast with little effort.