What Do You Do After Pilot Season?

The annual event known as pilot season is almost over. The question facing many actors is whether to stay in Hollywood to try and book a job or head home for a few months until episodic season begins in August.

There are acting jobs available if you're willing to stay in town and audition for them. In fact, here are some of my favorite casting notices that recently found their way to my email inbox:

• Looking for a 35-48 female of any race who has pole dancing skills to play a crime solving exotic dancer. Must be willing to exhibit skills during audition process.
• Looking to cast male middle-age actors (40-55) who have experience in fencing, swimming and riding a bike while blindfolded.
• Have a love for gritty 70s crime dramas? Think "Dog Day Afternoon" mixed with "The French Connection" as portrayed by kids in the age range of 12-14.
• Looking for unknown actors to portray a couple who have never met in person but have fallen in love online. Must be willing to cyberchat your most intimate secrets to your costar.
• Seeking a rodeo clown with barrel rolling skills to take part in a film about jobs that are not appreciated by the general public.
• Think "The Avengers" with heroes you've never heard of. Casting athletic males 20-28 to portray heroes who want to do the right thing but can't afford a real headquarters. They meet in the basements of their homes. Gymnastics skills are a plus.
• Know your way around a video game? Would you be crushed if you couldn't play on a regular basis? Indie film looking for males and females 16-25. Must look the part of experienced gamers who have their world turned upside down when they each suffer an injury that ends their game playing days.

Do you fit any of the above parts? Think you have what it takes to book any of these jobs? If so, good luck and break a leg!

This actor always looks forward to auditions...And booking jobs.

7 Tips Every Actor Needs To Know About Being A Professional

I often discuss specific topics surrounding the world of acting such as auditions, agents and acting classes. While these are important topics, there are still many parts of the business of acting that are important for anyone interested in making acting their career. In no particular order, here are a few tips that can help you on a daily basis:

• Don't Be Late - While this might seem like obvious advice, many people don't take it to heart. There are thousands of actors in Hollywood trying to book jobs and be successful in this field. Even though traffic is horrible here, there is no reason not to plan ahead so you will be on time for a job or an audition. In fact, it's always better to be early than simply be on time.
• Learn Your Lines - Once again, this is amazingly obvious advice but it's not always followed by actors. Unless the job you booked specifically calls for improv, learn the lines that are sent to you. You need to know the lines by heart before you can begin to dive into the emotional aspects of the role. Also, don't attempt to make the lines "better" by tossing in your ideas and improv. Unless you want to insult the producers and writers of the project, don't simply change the lines to "fit your character" since you didn't create the character!
• The Business Isn't Fair - Most people know this fact but a few cling to the belief that they've done nothing wrong when they don't book a job. Also, you might book a role and then your part is cut for time. Your dream project might lose its financing. Don't dwell on why something didn't go your way with your acting career. Holding in the negative feelings and energy will only hold you back.
• Make A Choice - Will you conduct your career being prepared and ready to put in the work? Would you rather fly by the seat of your pants and hope that a big break lands in your lap? How you navigate your career is up to you but be prepared for the good and bad results of your approach.
• Don't Be Your Worst Enemy - When it comes to actors, they are their own worst enemy. From being unprepared for an audition to not rehearsing for a booked job to not arriving on time, you can do more damage to your credibility in the industry than anybody writing a review of your work.
• Get It Right The First Time At An Audition - You are not entering an audition to be coached by the casting directors. You are there to blow them away the first time. They might ask for different line readings because the production is not absolutely sure what they are looking for when it comes to character motivation. Be flexible and give other line readings if requested by them. When it comes to first impressions with your initial reading, be prepared to blow them away! 
• Don't Make Excuses - The production that hired you for a job doesn't care that traffic was bad this morning. The casting director at an audition doesn't want to hear how your power went out and you couldn't download the audition sides. Your agent doesn't care why you didn't show up for an audition they submitted you for that happened three hours ago. Acting is a business and these excuses don't matter because there is always an actor more than willing to take your audition slot or work the job you were late arriving to on the day of your shoot.

Acting is fun. Acting is an art form. Acting is also a business with many rules and expectations that should be obvious to all actors. Keep the above tips in mind as you navigate the world of Hollywood and you'll be viewed as a professional ready to get the job done at all times.

This teen actor has been taught to always be professional when working or auditioning.

A Definite "Living In Hollywood" Story

Zach had one of those auditions yesterday that screamed "You Live In Hollywood!" as he was in the moment. The audition didn't require him to study and learn a script. The audition was actually more of an interview with the person behind the project as well as a chance for the people auditioning to showcase their talents beyond acting.

We arrived at the audition and (of course) there were no parking spaces to be found so I dropped Zach off and left to find a parking spot. The audition was held near the Beverly Center in a dance studio that was a little off the beaten path. (FYI....I found out later in the day that it is the studio where the pros and celebs of "Dancing With The Stars" rehearse.)

Zach was already checked-in and waiting for his turn when I finally walked into the building. We didn't have a chance to chat because he was called into the audition room right as I was walking in the door.

After about 5 minutes, Zach emerged with an odd look on his face. We walked outside and he asked me to Google a photo of a certain movie legend. I did as he asked and Zach confirmed that the interview was with the person in the photo.

I then asked, "So what was it like chatting with Francis Ford Coppola?"

Yes...the director of "The Godfather" films, "The Outsiders", "The Conversation" and so many other great movies.

Zach said he was asked to enter the room and go "sit next to Francis". Zach knows who Mr. Coppola is, and what he has directed, but he had no idea what the director looks like in person. That lack of knowledge helped Zach keep from being nervous because "there was a good chance that it was another guy named Francis." Zach went on to describe the audition/interview as being pretty relaxed and he even had a chance to test out some of his stand-up material on the famed director.

I don't think the fact that he spent one-on-one time with such a legendary Oscar winner hit Zach until he was back in the car. The first person he called to share the story with was his mom and the second person was his manager. I could hear his manager laughing on the phone and telling him what a great "Hollywood story" he had to share with his friends.

It's way too early to tell if Zach will get a callback for the project. The one thing he did get from the audition? An experience with a Hollywood legend that he will never forget.

This audition story is a memorable one for this actor.

What Should You Know Before Moving To Los Angeles?

I'm often asked how people should prepare for moving to Los Angeles. It's a big city and can be overwhelming if you don't have a plan of attack when you get to town. I've discussed acting classes and how to find an agent and manager in the past. Even though those are important parts of the process of being an actor in Los Angeles, there are other bits of information you need to know when you relocate to Los Angeles.

The first thing you need to do before you relocate is decide if you really want to be an actor. Los Angeles is filled with good-looking people and you (more than likely) look like many of the other actors you'll see at an audition. Do you really want to spend your time auditioning for the same parts as hundreds of other actors? Can you accept the fact that you (more than likely) won't walk right into a steady role on a TV show or a leading part in a movie? If you can't see yourself doing anything else with your life then you are (more than likely) mentally ready to join the ranks of struggling actors in Los Angeles.

The next step in the process is making sure you have enough money to survive when you first get to Los Angeles. It should come as no surprise that L.A. is an expensive city. You should have anywhere from $5000-$10,000 in the bank when you make the move. Why? You have to find a place to live and also provide the first and last months rent as well as a security deposit when you get a place. You probably won't have a job when you first get here so you need money to survive. You'll need food and furniture for your new place. Plus, moving here doesn't mean your other bills such as student loans and car notes disappear. It's not that hard to go through all of your money just getting set-up to live in Los Angeles much less continue to live here on a daily basis.

Do you want to move to L.A. to study with a certain acting coach? That's a great idea but you don't really need to be here to study with the coach. Acting coaches often do lessons via Skype so you can do scene studies from the comfort of your own home. Do you feel like your acting skills are at the level to compete in Los Angeles? If you can't answer that question with a definitive "YES", you're better off studying via Skype and saving your money.

How attached are you to the city where you currently live? Is it where your entire family and your best friends live? Relocating and leaving your support system behind is not an easy thing to do. Phone calls and social media are great but they don't always make you feel better when you car breaks down or you have a bad audition. Be ready for some lonely days and decide if you can handle being away from the people you love the most on a daily basis.

Finally, do you enjoy sitting in traffic? I'm talking about daily mind-numbing traffic that stretches on as far as the eye can see on a 24/7 basis. There is never really a time that traffic is light in L.A. The drive that took you an hour one day can be a two-and-a-half-hour epic event the next day. Your 4PM audition might require you to leave home anywhere from 90-minutes to two hours early depending on the part of town you have to drive to for the audition. If you hate being stuck in a car, this is not the town for you. If you can't handle the stress of never knowing how long your daily drive is going to last, this is not the town for you. If you can go with the flow and listen to podcasts, practice your lines, warm up your singing voice, get into character or get a friend to ride with you so you can use the carpool lane, you will be able to deal with the 405 on a daily basis.

In the end, the final choice about whether or not to move to Los Angeles has to be your decision. The advantage of being in the center of the movie making business has to be worth all of the sacrifices you'll need to make to move here. Think long and hard and make the decision that is best for your life. If you do move to Los Angeles, I hope you love it here and find much success!

This actor made the decision to move to Los Angeles in 2012.