Ladies and gentlemen, 'Survivor' is officially back, airing its 41st season! That is truly unbelievable. Let's be honest, after the first couple of seasons, seeing how hard it was to last on the island, most fans thought the show wouldn't last half the length but over two decades and almost 600 episodes later, here we are. And yes, it is only fitting that Jeff Probst is still the face of the show.
A frequently asked question is, "how do I get on Survivor?" Throughout this article, we'll take a look at some of the secrets. We'll examine former contestants from the show, and take a look at what they're saying about how they got cast and what were the important key.
In addition, we'll feature the 'Survivor' casting director, who also reveals what you should and shouldn't do while auditioning for the show. Getting on the show isn't easy, and once you get on, it gets even tougher.
It Is All About Storytelling
Insider spoke to a few contestants from the past and according to several of them, a big key is to be a great storyteller. Sure, having some skills for a competition is great but at the end of the day, it is all about how a contestant comes across on television, especially personality-wise.
"It's all about being a storyteller," Freberg explained. "It's not about what you're saying at all. It's about how you're saying it."
Andrea Boehlke agreed with the statement from the three-time contestant, "Make sure it's a heightened version of yourself and definitely lean into your personality, your quirks, and what makes you unique," Boehlke advised.
Personality will be tested throughout the casting process, not only is it a lengthy process to get on the show but those in the audition room purposely try to get under your skin, just to see how you might react.
A Survivor casting director would reveal further information, calling this next rule the most important for anyone who is going to make it on the show.
People Skills
Being shy or living the life of an introvert isn't the best way to get cast on 'Survivor'. According to the show's casting director alongside The Hollywood Reporter, the contestants must have strong people skills, especially to survive on the show in general. It is recommended to get a job in the sales department to improve on those said skills.
"Get a sales job. Spillman is looking for young people with life experience and social skills. If you’ve never worked a job or still live with your parents, you lose points. Casting wants to know that you have cultivated your people skills in the real world and that you can compete with the big boys or bullies like Russell Hantz."
Interacting is a huge part of the show and in truth, it can make or break anyone's game. The show also encourages the contestants to be real, however, showing vulnerabilities might not be the best approach.
"Don’t talk about your failures. People make the mistake all the time of saying they’d be perfect because they just got out of school, and they don’t have a job, or they got laid off, so the timing is perfect,” Spillman says. “And they highlight all the negatives about them or the failures as opposed to showing us why they would be successful at a game that’s socially challenging, challenging from a physical standpoint and emotionally draining.”
It is all about being yourself and as far as the final rule goes, faking it will only get you so far.
Don't Use A Fake Character
Fake it till you make it won't fly on the show.
Using a fake character is regarded as very risky... eventually, those on the show will see the contestants' true colors, which will make the tactic quite useless.
Survivor recruiters make sure to test their contestants' personalities before they enter the show, like trying to see the way they react to certain situations.
"My casting director is infamous for trying to rattle you and see how you deal with it, like to get the personality out of you on the phone," Freberg said. "And I think she likes me because I stood up to her a lot."
To sum up, the big keys are to be yourself, show strong people skills, be able to tell a story in a compelling way, and let's be honest, being a force in competitions can also help your cause. Prior to the show starting, those who auditioned for the show are required to compete in comp demos... if the result isn't a good one, it might be an uphill battle to get on the show.