The Glamorous Life Of Auditions - Day 9

Print job audition yesterday and like most people, I have no idea what all that entails but I got a good sense into this other life! For actors, these jobs of just taking pictures can mean extra money in our pockets while waiting for the next audition/job and who can be mad at that? What is maddening is the time frame of say 12p - 7p with no time slot, just show up whenever....CATTLE CALLS...urgh! Arrived only to see all sorts of people and your number....#114 and you hear them just call #75 as you're done with your sign in sheet. It is here I just want to walk away but I've already used up gas to get here, put on make-up and clothes and got up early to prep the day, so here I am and here I shall be.

These jobs aren't bad however and usually a couple of hundred bucks for a few hours of your time (at the very least usually) can pay some of the much needed bills but most commercial print auditions will take up 30 mins - an hour if not more of your time. So if you can wait it out, it does pay but boy is it another level of patience.  Bring games, chat and be prepared to hang out!

More happier to leave this mad house of the print world held today at the Space Station, I would've preferred my acting auditions to this and then maybe crash this type of work. Which brings me to the next point...crash commercial print auditions! If you're sitting around for something else and you see a mass load of different peeps hangin' about, go over, sign in while waiting. Most of these print jobs require no prep except for the clothes you may have on, so if at an audition and you're in casual wear, bring a dress shirt with you just in case. Money wise, these are so well worth it...time wise for the audition is another story but hey, if you've got no where to be for a minute....

Thank goodness I hit up my new favorite thrift store in the valley and on Wednesdays they have pretty much 50% off of everything in the store!!!! I was asked if I had any pencil skirts for an upcoming shoot and since I didn't, I figured I may help wardrobe out in case I could find some on the cheap and have it in my wardrobe as well since business attire is a necessity at auditions. 2 black pencil skirts (one with a slit in front and back, one without,) another black fitted, with pleats all around - 1 of the skirts is Jones of New York and the other Ann Taylor, all of them looking practically new, a white skirt - FOR ME dammit, because I can never go shopping just for the task at hand, a pair of business dress shoes and 4 books...yes one of them is a Star Wars book, a gift for the beast...and me since it's the story between Empire Strikes & Return, don't judge, it's not polite...for $27!!!! So either you can save, save, save and shop at the malls which can be easier or you can thrift store rummage and find everyday audition items to fit your budget so you can spend your cash on other items in this business where you usually can't get a deal...the choice is yours...HA, see what I did!!!!

Until next time....

The Glamorous Life of Auditions - Day 8

CALLBACK HEAVEN!!!! I love and appreciate callbacks...now. I didn't quite understand the dynamics of callbacks back when I started but now that I know what happens on the other side for you to have a callback, I've learned to celebrate them more and with that energy, get more! If you get a callback, enjoy and go at it the same way you went with it the first time. Don't change a thing, not your hair, your makeup, your clothes or your read, walk in looking as close to what you came in as because they liked you and now they're showing you that they really like you...also feed your body before putting all that pressure on yourself once again. It deserves all the nourishment it needs to give you what you want in the room -  you gotta give to get...

Same clothes on with discount flair! Marshalls, TJ Maxx and thrift stores are my go to places to create a wardrobe without the price. Picking up solid basics without the idea of trends will keep you in the game of clothes longer, so when you shop, ask yourself - "Can I wear this to an audition as well?" Double duty is what you're looking for in the long game of wardrobe in this business because it seems you have to have everything in order to portray the characters you go out to audition for. The things you can find at these places are amazeballs...stop spending all your money on clothes, hit up the clearance isle and thrifty stores...that's where you'll find me getting the good stuff!

Fun times at CAZT studios, I've been there so many times and I'm telling you guys, they get good projects so get on Casting Networks and start submitting for those roles. The cool thing about this place is that when you're auditioning here and if you happen to have the look of the casting in the next room, you can bet they will ask you to get in their room as well...or you can just ask too! Crash when you can, trust me, if you're respectful, the least they'll do is take your picture so have an extra one on you! You're there, so the worse you'll get is no...and you're already at no, so ask away!!!

Having fun is the name of the game, if you're having fun keep at it and don't you ever stop or let anyone take your hope or love of your art away. I got discouraged years ago because life does that and I had no one to tell me how close I was, that it had nothing to do with me and I walked away. Funny how the art brings you back if you're suppose to be here so don't step in the way of your work because you don't book, if you're out auditioning, if the same peeps are calling you back, if you're getting callbacks, if you have the room in tears, if you got the director doing the shoulder bounce after you read...YOU CELEBRATE - that's a booking and you're oh, so close! Hang in...don't you dare let someone else take what's yours!

It's not work...it's play time! Lucky us, we gets to play....

The Glamorous Life of Auditions - Day 7

These are the days it hurts so good. Getting that audition for a meaty, meat role and you know every actress is chomping at the bit so I go in with my guns a blazing for this one. I submitted myself for this role guys because it sounded well written and different for me, something new for my reel and challenging for my art. Sci-Fi Dramatic Thriller with a female lead...yes, please. Now I get this audition & sides just before the Easter weekend with family but I know how important it is to be prepared, so I make a copy and memorize a page while traveling there and the other page traveling back with a day to make sure I get it ingrained in my brain without overkill. No need to stress, just do yo best! Also, I decided to look at my audition ticket again, a day before the audition and noticed they sent a treatment and the script - what a pleasant surprise. I've learned to check my audition info just for that reason, more information which helps me be a better actress in the room. Go get 'em!!!

Can't stress how important it is to keep up with notifications of your work to the rest of the world. If you don't keep pushing your news out there, who will? You are your own publicist until the day comes when you can hire one. So until that day, toot your horn...as loud as you possibly can. Do it respectfully, do it diligently, just do it consistently but you gotta do it!

Also remember to dress the part, I want to look fabulous at every audition but sometimes that's not the character. Sometimes it's all out makeup, then it's just base & eyes no brows, little blush and then it's just base,mascara, little blush because you want them to get the idea of you having no makeup without looking crazy on the audition...you can look crazy on set after you book the job! So unless it states no makeup, I've been told it's best to come in as close to the character you see fit but don't ruin your audition because you decide to look fabulous for a girl at wits end who just lost everything. Be mindful of your clothes, hair and makeup, have them believing you are the person they are looking for by making their job easy when they see you. Lots of work, yes but it's the details...every little detail in which I'm learning!

Oh and celebrate...NEVER FORGET TO CELEBRATE!