Sure, you may have talent but what about your reputation? The last thing you ever want to do in this business is lose your reputation so guard it with your life. You wanna be a successful actor? Be early for everything. Not “on time,” not “just in the nick of time,” early. One thing agents will not tolerate and that is tardiness. Tardiness is unacceptable in the business. Time is money and it IS a business, remember? Imagine you get a role guest starring on the hottest new TV series out. The crew is there. The stars are there and then you arrive late for your scene. Big no-no so be careful. Word travels extremely quick in the entertainment biz so if you develop a reputation as someone who’s always late–there goes your career.
No matter how talented you are, there’s always someone better and eager to take your place. Good, now that we got that out of the way, here’ some advice to help get you to your auditions and to the set early. Remember, “early” doesn’t necessarily mean you have to arrive one hour before the audition . Twenty or so minutes ahead of schedule and you’ll be smooth sailing every time.
1. Reputation trumps talent each and every time. Remember this. People’s perception of you should be one of professionalism. It’s part of your job as an actor to never be late for an audition or an acting job. Agents work extremely hard to get you in on an audition so cherish those times and seize the moment.
2. Get a head start. Arriving 15 to 30 minutes prior to your audition or “call time” is ideal. Plan ahead. If you know you have an audition, get that fabulous outfit out the night before. Heading out extra early for an audition is ideal because if you ever get caught in traffic, you should still arrive in time.
3. No speeding tickets, please. Why rush? The audition experience should be a peaceful one. If you arrive on the set out of breath, stressed, and late, it will roll over into your performance. You probably won’t get the job. Casting agents know when you’re unprepared. While you’re auditioning, you’ll still be wondering if you locked your keys in your car.
4. Use Google Maps or MapQuest. Know exactly where you’re going beforehand. If your audition or call time is at 10:00am, pretend it’s actually 9:30am. Be careful though, believe it or not, sometimes Google Maps are totally off!
5. Get your rest. No time to celebrate. Make sure you go to bed early enough to feel refreshed in the morning. You’d be surprised how a good night’s sleep will enhance your performance. It’s okay to celebrate but if you want to be a pro, always celebrate AFTER you get the role. If you want to be an ultra cool “major player” pro, celebrate AFTER you’ve COMPLETED the role!
6. Watch your ego. So let’s say you’ve booked a few jobs. Someone may have even recognized you from a commercial. You’re feeling great. You decide to party and celebrate with a few of your friends. During the celebration your agent calls you to tell you about an early morning audition. A little annoyed, you quickly take down the information and continue partying–all night. The next morning you arrive late to your audition. Big mistake. Be careful. If you ever find yourself in that scenario, know that you’ll be in the early stages of your ego starting to get the best of you. Some celebs think it’s actually cool to arrive at everything late. No matter how successful you become, stay professional. Keep it classy. You are a class act and people will always respect you for that. Be early for everything and you’ll be just fine!
