The Myth of Pilot Season
January is upon us and now begins the mad dash to April. This is the time affectionately known as "Pilot Season". I use the quotes here because the basic truth is that pilot season is a Brigadoon for most actors, a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every hundred years. Eighty percent of the actors in this town will never experience a real pilot season and most are not prepared to. I know this is harsh. I often ask groups of actors at the seminars I give, if they are really ready to carry a pilot and thereafter a series. Do you really know what that entails and the incredible pressure that is on you when you are number one on the call sheet? It isn't just about playing your part and doing the best you can. Very often you will be on every page of the script, every week. You will have wardrobe fittings, makeup tests, photo shoots, interviews, ADR and still carry the show on set and lead a cast and crew who are counting on the success of this