The Glamorous Life Of Auditions - Day 1

Most people see actors/actresses and see the end result with no idea on the daily struggle of life for most artists. They can wonder why they are paid so much, how they look so good and how easy life must be...but what about the rest of us. The "struggling" artists just trying to make ends meet, passing up lunch because of the need to pay for acting classes, waiting tables because it's one of the few jobs you can get someone to cover you or even leave for a last minute audition you want to make, or skip getting the new shoes/outfit and getting your clothes on clearance/thrift stores is all you can afford because you need gas. The glamor and fame of it all...so far fetched as it seems but when you're an artist just wanting a moment to express your art, you deal with rejection after rejection, you spend most of your time in classes furthering your art, you submit like crazy every chance you get because you've got to make sure you're doing your foot work as well and you sacrifice - time, money and energy. You gotta do that. If you're lucky, you may be off for the day and get to do your preparations for the auditions beforehand but there are so many times when you're trying to get out of the last table at the restaurant only to drive in traffic stressed out, to realize you don't really have the right clothes but oh well and to arrive to a room full of people waiting. Today was a day I got to relax, get my mind right so to speak and do the things I would love to do every time I had an audition...today was a good day but not every day is like that. On the days you get to ease into "it," you spend all day doing the do to have 1 minute in the room, to finally shine so it's nice to feel prepared, this is one I got to celebrate on...

I love days like this, I feel less stressed and no one wants to take that in the room, you've got enough to deal with. Memorizing or trying to figure out what they may want, trying to look your best so you're not intimated by others but actually enjoy the company and relish in the fact that out of hundreds of people that could've been there, here you are. I get to the casting office within 40 minutes which is good for L.A. during rush hour, then I get the scene with only the time there to prepare, it's only 3 lines, but it's what to do outside those lines that matter to an artist...

It's 3 lines with 2 extra pages of dialogue you're not in, so you've got to figure out what you want to do while saying your lines and if you get the time, what to do while you're saying nothing because the scene isn't over because you've said what you've had to say. Which the camera kept rolling for another page of dialogue while I stood there being engaged. All you can do is to be in the scene, every moment and stay in it until the camera stops. Training helps you prepare for that, so don't ever stop training. Then it's over...just like that. The director liked my take, thought I understood the scene so there was no redirection today...1-2 minutes in after waiting 50 minutes in the wait room, but you've got to appreciate the time given to really get the scene, even for 3 lines. Then it's the drive home, all day for this 1-2 minute time of expressing yourself for the opportunity to book a job, hoping that you do but you gotta let it go. Let it be, enjoy this process of the journey, enjoy the moment that you get to be in the room, just you, the camera, the director and casting and just put it down! Can't wait for the next one, the next character, the next scene...stay ready...I WILL BE and don't forget to celebrate however you can!!! See you when I have my next audition...YAY!