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Alec Merlino appeared on season 37 of “Survivor,” commonly referred to as “David vs. Goliath.” The former bartender played an impressive game scoring a total of nine challenge wins, but in the end, it wasn’t enough to take home the “Sole Survivor” title. He was unanimously voted out on day 28 of the competition and sent to jury.
Alec opened up about the “Survivor” casting process in a November 2021 YouTube video titled, “MY TOP 7 TIPS FOR GETTING CAST ON SURVIVOR (THE TRUTH ABOUT AUDITION VIDEOS!!).” In the video, he shares his insights on the casting process and offered some insider tips.
Alec Merlino’s Tips on Getting Cast
Alec starts off the video by telling viewers that one of the questions he gets asked the most is how he got cast on “Survivor.” He goes on to say that while he is not a casting producer, he has a sense of what producers look for when casting.
Here are Alec’s Main Tips:
Be Yourself
Alec’s number one tip is to “just be yourself.” He tells viewers that producers will see right through it if you try to adopt a different personality or mimic a past “Survivor” contestant.
“Casting is like we want to know who you are when you’re around all your friends. Are you the life of the party? Are you the center of attention? Are you kind of the quiet, shy one in the corner?” he says in the video.
Have Charisma
Alec’s second tip is to have charisma. He tells viewers that he knows audition tapes can be tough, especially if you’re not used to being in front of a camera. His tip for correcting any awkwardness in front of the camera is to have someone you feel comfortable with record your tape.
“I get it. It can be a little awkward at first,” he says in the video. “Maybe have a sibling there or a friend who makes you crack up. Someone you can just be yourself with.”
Alec advises viewers to be a more charismatic version of themselves, telling viewers, “I’m not telling you to be someone that you’re not, but you don’t want to be boring.”
How Does ‘Survivor’ Relate to Your Life
Alec’s third tip is to tell producers how “Survivor” relates to your life. He states that telling casting how life experiences have prepared you for the show will show them that you’re a good fit.
“Survivor is a game of social politics. It is a game of stroking people’s egos and being able to get what you want,” Alec says in the video. “People with sales backgrounds are great candidates for ‘Survivor.’ Simply because they’re good at talking to people. They’re good at getting their way.”
He also adds that producers like contestants that are fans of the show. “If you’re a fan of ‘Survivor,’ tell them you’re a fan of ‘Survivor.’ I know they love that,” he tells viewers.
Tell a Story
Alec’s next tip is to tell a story in your audition tape.
“This might be the most important point of all the points in making a great audition video,” he says in the video. “No one wants to watch a video of someone just going through a resume.”
He tells viewers that telling a story makes an audition tape seem more personal and will give producers a better idea of who you are.
Don’t Worry About Your Editing Skills
Alec’s next tip is to not worry about making a high-quality video.
“I think a lot of you guys wanting to audition are overcomplicating it,” he tells his YouTube followers.
He advises them not to overthink it.
Have Fun
Alec’s last tip is to “have fun with it.” He tells fans not the take the audition video or themselves too seriously. He advises them to incorporate their passions and interests into their audition tape.