Hello! I have a question for all of you working actors and actresses out there who have careers in Film/TV or Voiceover.

What is your typical week like as far as auditions go during the non-pilot season? Do you audition several times a day? A few times a week? What times are your auditions usually? Do you get to determine that?

I just moved to LA from NY and am currently non-union...but I wanted to get a better idea of what the realities of life as a working actor are so I can start making choices now (specifically regarding survival jobs) that will set me up for success in the long run.

Thanks in advance!

When I was auditioning consistently for COMMERCIALS (I temporarily took myself out of this last year--had a baby and didn't want to drag him across town last minute--so I don't know how busy things are right now) I would go out 3-5 times per week. TV/Film auditions were less than that....for me (with a weaker agent in that area) it was less than once a week....

This is an impossible question to answer. Every actor is different. Frequency of auditions is based on age, type, experience, and many other factors.

I have clients who audition once every two weeks and they're making six figures a year. And then I have some who audition twice a week and can barely afford to feed themselves.

As for the time of day, 99.9% of all film and tv auditions are on week days between 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

Welcome to LA!

Oh Boy, was I spoiled! I worked weekends and by request. 30 years ago it was by referral, word of mouth and an overactive agent. I drove 100-300 miles to studios in St Louis and Chicago for years while still in school. Later when I lived in ChiTown I took off work to record late afternoon and evenings. It helped to have friends in the business that were accommodating. I doubt that I could do that today.
I am trying to put together a demo for VO work with current material and will try it as a second career if I ever retire. As it is, I still do evening and weekend VO upon occasion. Even with major market contacts it is tough.

I'd love to hear from some of our non-union posters on this one. Is there any pattern to your auditions---either their frequency or the time of day when they tend to take place?

Just wanted to add.
Here is a typical day for someone I would like to emulate. He gets up at 8am, rolls out of bed, has breakfast and coffee. Then he goes over to the computer and checks his email for his morning scripts and reads the first appointments for the morning. About 9am he dials up his first client at the network in-house agency on the isdn line from his studio in his bedroom. The engineer and producer go over any last minute script changes. He does 3 or 4 takes until everyone is satisfied for about half a dozen bumper and teasers. They chat a bit more and then say goodbye.
He calls his next client and does the same thing. About 10 or 11am he decides to take a shower, get dressed and do a round of golf on the course surrounding his condo down in Florida. Later in the afternoon he gets around to calling a few clients at prearranged times and does the same thing.
With an ISDN line, web hosting and representation, most VO artists work from home anywhere in the world. I wish I had this capability when I was working……
Anyway, my future plans.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Kostroff:
I'd love to hear from some of our non-union posters on this one. Is there any pattern to your auditions---either their frequency or the time of day when they tend to take place?

Well, I'm non-union and have no agent. I also work a 9-5 job as an assistant to a CFO.
I submit on various sites to EVERYTHING I could possibly be suitable for (and some that may be a stretch) I audition about 3-4 times a week on average. Sometimes it's every night and sometimes it's 0 or 1. Usually in the evenings and sometimes I schedule them mid day at 'lunch hour' times. For print go-sees they usually are during the day as well. Weekends always have a few auditions as well.

Michael -

I'm non-union and not currently repped yet either. i took a little while off from acting after graduating, thinking maybe i could give the normal 9-5er thing a shot. turns out i can't! =)

now i'm back to the crazy actor life. i have a few good credits to my name, and generally submit for about 5-8 projects a day, and go on maybe 1-2 auditions a week if i'm lucky. We were discussing this on another thread started by Jackie... but probably 75% of the calls I see for non-union, 20-something ladies involve nudity, simulated sex scenes, and or being a "model type", which at 5'2", i am, sadly, not.

but i'm happy with where my career is going, confident in my talents, and know it takes time and persistence!

thats my story.

i realize i didnt really answer the pattern question... (minus the whole "must be hot" thing.)

if its an open call, non-union tour or something, obviously during the day. all day. most others (student films, indy films, indy theatre) are in the evening, sometimes on weekends.

"must be hot" is a pattern too!