How I'm Handling Pilot Season

Pilot season can seem to go in two different ways depending on who you are.  The first group are the actors with top agencies who are going out all the time.  These are the actors that are going out so much that they actually complain about it.  Seriously, I've heard them complain, ugh.

The second group of actors are the ones who desperately want to be going out for pilots, but are not getting called in for anything.  The ones who maybe don't have as much experience or aren't with one of the big five agencies.  I am in this group and as a member of this group I can say it sucks.  Pilot season will seem to last forever with maybe an audition or two if I'm lucky.  So, the question is how do you make the most out of being in the second group?

Here is how I am handling Pilot Season.  I help out at my agent's office and make sure I go in at least once a week.  The day I go in is one of the days that they have their pilot meetings and I get to sit in on that.  This allows me to keep very up-to-date on where the pilots are in their casting process.

I also got a copy of their pilot grid which gives you tons of information about every pilot being produced or that they are considering to produce.  It tells you what network is producing it, the plot summary, character list, the casting director, and more.  I use the grid to figure out which pilots I might be right for and then get those scripts.  Pilot scripts are rarely secret (unless it's a JJ Abrams or Joss Whedon show) and floating around all over the place.  I can usually get them from my agents, but if you don't have an agent ask around to your friends.

Once I have the scripts of the shows I am interested in, I work on the role I want - just like I would if I was called into the office for an audition.  If I can get a hold of the actual sides, I will use those.  If there aren't sides available I will just use my favorite scene.  Then I put myself on tape for the role.  I send that on to my agent who can pass it on to casting.

Will this get me into casting rooms?  I don't know.  I am getting a lot out of just watching myself on tape - working on my on-camera skills.  And you never know what can happen.

How are you handling pilot season?  What are you doing to get yourself out there?

TV is Back (or why I love Fall.)

Fall is officially here.  The DVR is cleaned out and prepared for the onslaught of new television shows.  I can't tell you how happy this makes me.  The magical light box in the living room that tells me stories is pretty much my favorite thing ever.

My love for television may be genetic.  I've had entire conversations with my mother and sister about Ross and Rachel, Rory and Lorelei, Jack and Kate, and Quinn and Finn.  Deeply etched into my memory are final episodes of shows in the same way as a lost loved one.  Oh yeah, at 10 years old I sobbed inconsolably when "Family Ties" went off the air.  And who didn't shed a tear when Sam ended "Cheers" for the final time with the line Sorry, we're closed?  Well, I did.  In fact, I am pretty sure that my love of television is a big part of why I chose to become an actor.

This may be why one of my biggest pet peeves is when actors say with that super pretentious attitude I don't watch TV.  It makes me want to scream why on earth are you in this business then?  I don't actually scream that because I am a polite person, but truthfully there are lots of good reasons for actors to watch TV shows.

If you are an actor in LA and want to work then chances are you are going to go out for television series co-star and guest star roles.  The best way to prepare yourself for these auditions is to watch the shows.  That way you'll know the tone and look of the show.  Plus, you should be familiar with the main characters.  Don't be the guy that goes into an audition for "Community" asking, who is Jeff Winger?

If it's an audition for a show that hasn't aired yet, you can figure out a lot about what a show will be  based on what channel it's on and knowing other shows written or produced by the same people.  For instance, the new Aaron Sorkin show will probably involve walking and talking - at a very fast pace.  By watching TV you'll also know what shows are likely to cast your type so you can target those Casting Directors.  Basically watching television is necessary research for any actor that wants to work.

Plus, we should all be supporting scripted television by watching it because we want to keep those jobs coming for all of us actors.  I've been through a few non-existent pilot seasons because of the strike and all the reality shows that came out of it.  Let's not go back to that.

If you are still confused about how awesome television is, just watch Jane Lynch's intro to the 2011 Emmys.

Who the heck booked Pilots this year?

Now that the upfronts are pretty much over and we know which pilots got picked up and which ones didn't, there are those of us actors who didn't even get to go out for pilots much less book one.  So, of the pilots that got produced who did get those jobs? 

James J. Jones owner of The Premier Talent Group did the math for those of us not good with numbers:

“2011 PILOT SEASON stratification by the numbers
Of the 529 Series Regular Roles (assuming that named
doing recurring roles):

112 or 21.2% Went to NAMED ACTORS
262 or 49.5% -­ Went to KNOWN ACTORS
374 or 70.7% -­ Went to NAMED AND KNOWN ACTORS

*Of the additional 27.3% of the bookings, almost all of them had significant credits
as series recurring actors or series regulars in shows that did not last long. Only 7
bookings (2.0%) would be considered truly developmental received series regular
roles, and many of these went to the under 18 category.

In short,

21.2% of series roles went to bonafide star names (ie Ethan Hawke and Christina Ricci).
49.5% of series regulars went to former series regulars of major shows.
27.3% of series regular roles went to heavy working actors with numerous.
series recurring roles and/or series regular roles of shows that did not last.
2.0% of series regular roles went to true developmental actors."

I spent a number of days helping out at my agent's office during "pilot season" and can tell you that no matter how much he pitched it was hard to even get an audition for any talent who did not already have significant credits.  One of my agents was pitching me for a co-star role and they told her it had gone to an offer.

On top of all the roles going to offers many of the Pilots were filmed outside of LA.

"As of April 18th, Variety was reporting that confirmed Pilot Shoots will occur in:

United States
48 Los Angeles
11 New York (Unt. Susannah Grant, Over & Under, Unt. Redlich/Belluchi, Prime
Suspects, Smash, Weekend at Bellevue, Georgetown, Persons of Interest,
Ringer, Rookies and Pan Am)
4 Florida (Bad Mom, Magic City, The Finder, Angels)
4 Illinois (Cooper and Stone;; Boss, Playboy)
2 Georgia (Hail Mary, Partners)
2 New Mexico (Reconstruction, Longmire)
2 North Carolina (Revenge;; Hart of Dixie)
1 Oregon (Grimm)
1 Louisiana (Wild Card)
1 Texas (Good Christian Bitches)
1 Pennsylvania (Locke and Key)

Outside of the United States
5 Vancouver, Canada (17th Precinct, Secret Circle, Alcatraz, Heavenly and Once
Upon a Time)
2 Toronto, Canada (Awakening, Poe)
1 Prague/Rome/Vienna (Missing)
1 Puerto Rico (The River)
1 Montreal, Canada (Identity)"*

That tells me it is time to either marry a Canadian so I can legally work up there or make some magic happen with the local hire casting offices outside of LA. 

Now you can either take all this information and chose to be discouraged, but I don't think that is the right response.  I think it is even more evidence that you can't rely on other people to give you opportunities to do your art.  Create your own films!

Need some inspiration? See what your colleagues are creating by joining us at the Playhouse West Film Festival to be educated and inspired.


*See the complete 2011 PILOT REPORT from The Premier Talent Group