ACTOR STORY
Have I been booking out too much?
You have to be all the way in or all the way out…
(The Anonymous Actor)
(Photo: Jorge Salvador | Unsplash)
In the past, when I would book-out with my agent, I would send him an email the night before. I did that at first…until he excoriated me for it!
He explained that he needed more of a lead-time so that he could stop submitting me for auditions. He asked me to give him at least 2-3 days ahead of the actual book-out date.
Even after I began complying with his request, he would still submit me for auditions and beg me to send in requested self-tapes. I, not wanting to disappoint my hardworking agent, would do my best to complete the audition.
RELATED: ACTOR STORY | I Got an Acting Job Without Auditioning
But that was before I discovered that Casting Networks gives actors the ability to book-out on their own, without ever having to directly inform their reps. You just put your book-out date into their system and that’s it. Your profile becomes unavailable for audition submissions.
Since then, I’ve been booking out excessively. And it’s beginning to make me wonder if I’ve gotten lazy or lost my appetite for the business. Or maybe I just need a break.
You have to be all the way in or all the way out
I’ve always booked out for major things, like dentist appointments, out-of-town trips, vacays, work conflicts, car trouble, etc.
Now I’m booking out for minor things, too, like sporting events I want to see, Tinder dates I want to go on. It’s gotten so bad, I’ve now been booking out for things like “It’s Monday!”, or “It’s Friday!”
Making myself unavailable for auditions for the flimsiest of reasons leads me to believe that it might be time for a break from the business. Maybe the rejections and disappointments have finally gotten to me.
A now famous actor once told me, “You have to be all the way in or all the way out”, to succeed in this business. His point was that if you’re only giving minimal effort, you’ll get minimal results in return, which leads to frustration, which erodes your motivation even further.
So, I’m taking my constant book-outs as a sign that it’s time for me to take a well-earned break. After a few weeks off, I’m going to boldly jump back in with both feet!
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
ACTOR STORY | Technical Difficulties Ruined My Virtual Audition
Acting Magazine Newsletters
Never miss out on the best from Acting Magazine.