Seasoned Actors Setting Audition Boundaries with Casting & Directors

I'm a really good actor, work really hard on prep, come in and leave blood on the floor...that's my job...

I ain't mad about it or resentful doing it...i love it...

what i expect in return though is for folks to be gracious in the room and in follow-up and not waste my time...

Once that behavior becomes chronic, I stop going in for folks like that...

I've been out here a long time...

You know what I can do and you know how I look

And if you don't, go to my website or IMDB page, watch the reel, view my presskit..that's your job...I spent the time to create a place for you to make that kind of decision, you should take the time to do that work......

Don't ask me to do hella prep work and decide after the fact that I'm not right for the role...

You've wasted 48 hours or more of my time preparing and showing up to give you a stage worthy performance...

I come prepared, I expect folks on the other side of the table to come prepared...

Unlike lots of actors, I absolutely understand that this is a business...

so, let's act like it ...because time is money....

So, if I stop coming in for you...it's cause I need my time and my $500,000 education respected...

I honor you by doing exactly what you need me to do...above and beyond...

We don't do enough of that for actors who have paid their dues and that needs to change...

As a producer/playwright, if I'm passing on someone who's worked for me for free and they have mad skills and credits, I'm following that up with a phonecall and email explaining why I made the decision I made. 

Do I have to do that?

No.

Do most people in positions of power over actors do that?

No. 

But if we, as actors, start demanding that as a requirement for going in to audition for someone, then a few things will start to happen: 

1. If they plan on going another way anyway, then you won't have wasted your time

2. If they really wanted you and knew your work, they would have just made an offer upfront instead of making you jump through hoops

3. They'll call you in, you audition and if they decide that they're not going any further with you, they will tell you that or least give you feedback so that you can up your game the next time around...that's how you respect actors who've been grinding for 15, 20 years on jobs that don't pay any real money...
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4. Or if none of this happens, you learn to set your own boundary, tell them what you need before you go in and if they can't honor it, you don't go in...especially for jobs that are paying you a non-livable wage for a few weeks.





#GrownAssArtist #ArtIsABusiness