Always The Bridesmaid, Never The Bride

Just the other day I was talking with a mom who told me that she and her kids were in LA for 6 months this time to give her kids a longer shot at the business. She was telling me that her kids have always come in second, so staying here longer will hopefully give them a chance at coming in first. I have to agree that being where the action is for a long period of time is definitely a good move – getting in front of casting directors as often as possible is always a good thing. But how long is long enough? We've all heard about those kids who come out for pilot season and get lucky, but how often does that really happen? This business is all about being in the right place at the right time and being just what they're looking for. Wow! That sounds like a long shot. But hey, it happens all the time, right?

The Strike Effect

I'm a strong supporter of the WGA Strike but I'm sure not looking forward to the next few months. Having a SAG child actor I know how important the strike and the issues at hand are for our child's future, but it sure is going to make things extra slow around here. I guess we're one of the lucky ones who don't rely on the income from a working actor, but it makes me wonder what the families will do who are in that situation. And what about the families who come here every pilot season – will there even be a pilot season? Think of everyone who is going to be affected by this strike and the change it will make in our economy – some will be fine, but others, I'm not so sure.

Let It Go? I Don't Think So

After weeks of waiting to see if we were going any further on a pilot (we had gone as far as a Producer's session), we hear from our agent that a new breakdown was released still looking for the same roles. What to make of that? Are we still in the running but they want to see others, or is it over for us. So many times I hear people say that you just have to let it go, but how? I believe that it's never over till it's over, because in this business anything can happen. So until I know for sure, I'm going to hold on – not stress myself out or anything, but enjoy the dream.

Oh, The Highs and Lows

After talking about being “pinned”, it made me think about the highs and lows of this business – or as I call it, the 'acting roller coaster'. I've never been a fan of roller coasters and more so even now. It's not so bad when you're at the top of the ride but when you fall to the bottom – OUCH! We have been there, done that. The first time was a real killer – going all the way to Network testing for a pilot. After they decided to take the project to Canada and hire locally, all we could do was pick our hearts up off the ground and move on. After that I swore I'd never get that emotionally involved with another project again – yeah, right!

Feedback... What Feedback?!

OMG! Is there any way of getting feedback in this town? What - you have to be #1 on the STARmeter to get a little info? All I want – no NEED – to know is whether or not we're still in the running. I wouldn't even think about feedback on most projects, but the ones that go all the way to producer/director sessions are the ones you really get excited about. I know, a simple phone call to your manager or agent should take care of that, right? WRONG! Most of the time I get the same answer - “We'll call casting and check on it.” That's great, but did they forget to call me and give me the feedback?

Have You Been Pinned?

I always thought being pinned meant you were “going steady”, or maybe even a wrestling term, but hearing it used in this industry was a new one for me. So, I'm talking to a friend a while ago and she says to me “I just found out that Sara (not her real name) has a pin in her.” I had never heard someone say that to me before although I have seen headshots pinned on a wall at casting offices which I assumed were the ones being considered. And, of course, that's exactly what it means. Then just recently I'm talking with an acting coach and she starts telling me about one of her students who has been pinned 20 times this year (eyes rolling).... WOW! What a ride!