I've created an Audition Tracker to help me clearly see the progress that I make this year. The idea came from the Parade of Delusion blog- thanks Justin! While it'll be posted & updated daily in the sidebar of my blog, I figured I'll share it with you at the end of each month along with the rest of my monthly progress. So without further adieu here's January's recap:
AUDITION TRACKER
Student Film: Nightwalkers, Candace (really, REALLY wanted this one but what can you do?)
Short Film: Bring Me Back, Sheryl
Print: Sugabunz, Spokesmodel (CB!)
Web/New Media: Untitled, Karen
Web/New Media: Untitled Game Show, Contestant (BOOKED!)
Feature Film: Inner City High, Lanisa
Industrial: Merck, Principal
Commercial: Vaccine Advocacy, Principal
Web/New Media: Lenox Avenue, Kia
Commercial: PNC Bank, Principal (BOOKED!)*
*= Booked as an extra with the possibility of being upgraded to principal
TOTAL AUDITIONS: 10
CALLBACKS: 2
CB SUCCESS RATE: 20%
BOOKINGS: 2
BOOKING SUCCESS RATE: 20%
I can't think of any other profession where a success rate of 20% is actually okay...then again acting is unlike any other profession so I guess it is what it is.
FITNESS
I've enrolled in a fitness bootcamp that meets bright & early Monday - Thursday and on Saturdays for one hour. The gymnastics facility that we work out in smells like socks {yuck!} but I love that we're on a springboard floor, excellent for our joints. I plan to go 3-4 times a week until around mid-April. I figure by then I'll be in great shape and can swap bootcamp for dance class.
HEADSHOTS
I posted an ad on craigslist asking photographers to do a TFP or TFCD headshot shoot with me. TFP means Time For Prints and TFCD means Time For CD so basically I was offering to shoot with them for free {they won't pay me for my Time} and they will give me either the Prints or the CD for free as well {I won't pay them for theirs}. It's a win-win scenario if you get a photographer who needs your look for their portfolio AND knows what they're doing. This is a great idea for those of you who, like me, are a little strapped for cash right now. No I'm not suggesting you do this in lieu of hiring a professional photographer, I'm saying this is a way to have SOMETHING until you can afford to make that investment.
Anyhow, I shot with Adam Parth of Silver Gecko Photography and it was quick & easy. I'm still waiting on the other 3 shots that I selected for him to retouch but in the meantime here's my new commercial headshot:
I'll be using this shot to seek commercial representation so I hope it catches the eyes of multiple agents when it lands on their desk {or in their inbox}.
CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
This is the one area where I missed the mark and it's partly my fault. I agreed to do some light cleaning for one of the companies who hold CD workshops in exchange for 2 free workshops per month. The cleaning was very easy- mainly dusting so it seemed like it was going to be a sweet deal. The problem? When I tried to use one of my credits to register for a workshop with Scott David I was fed bs. Here's how it went-
Employee: Hi I'm returning your call to book you for the workshop next week.
Me: Great! I'm so excited as this will be my first CD workshop ever.
Employee: Awesome. Let me explain to you how it works...blah blah blah...now I'll just need to get payment to secure your spot.
Me: Oh I'm Brandi. I have a credit with Owner's Name.
Employee: Great. Let me just check with him really quickly.
PUT ON HOLD FOR AWHILE
Employee: I'm sorry but all of the slots are full.
Me: What do you mean? You just wanted to take my credit card number 5 minutes ago. All of the slots can't be full all of a sudden.
Employee: {awkwardly} I think you'll have to talk to Owner's Name. The way it was just explained to me is that I have to take all of the paying customer's first and if there's any room left then we can fit you in.
Me: What the hell? I'll send Owner's Name an email then because if this is how it's done then I'm not interested in working with him.
And from there I sent him an email asking him why he never told me this stipulation before I agreed to work with him. After all, this would mean I will only be able to schedule my workshops at the last minute IF they don't sell out- NO WAY! He lied to me then, telling me that his employee gave me the wrong information and that the workshop really was full. Of course he didn't expect her to call me back the next day trying to get my credit card information for the workshop once again. She forgot to remove me from her callback list and that's how he was busted in his lie. Moral of the story- when bartering be sure to get as much information as possible! I failed to ask if there were any stipulations to using my workshop credits and got burned in the end. Since I still have 2 credits with this company I do plan to use them sometime over the year but for the rest of my workshops {the ones I'll be paying for} I plan to go elsewhere. I don't give my hard-earned money to shady people.
So that's the update for the month of January. Not bad.
