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   6-2-11

   David H. Lawrence XVII says:

   Answer: Once we finally get through the acting audition process, the call backs, the pinning and on to an actual acting job itself, it sometimes feels like we’ve achieved a life long goal. We have to remember that the process starts all over again, sometimes before the current booking is over.

   
   

   Every so often, I get a piece of email that makes me smile – happy that my words have been helpful to another actor. I got this email the other day:

   David,

   I’m sure you don’t remember me. I’m a Chicago based actress. We met last September through Kristine Oller and had coffee in LA at a place right around from where you live to discuss your podcast and how you set it up..

   I just wanted to let you know, I’m re-listening to the SOSA archives (purchased them last June) and during the one where you and Patrick are discussing how many minutes are in a day and why each minute on the set is so important.

   
   

   You made the offhand comment that you couldn’t understand actors who, after working so hard to get a role, then start dragging their feet once they are once set as they wanted to enjoy every single minute of it and milk everything out of it.

   I had such a eureka moment!

   I do the same thing and I didn’t realize it. Not on set, but in my VO. This business has been slow to gain momentum and the drips and drabs of work that do come in are inconsistent. I realized I was dragging this work out and the reason I was doing this was because there was nothing lined up behind it, at least that I could see. So I was making the most of it. Instead of clearing the decks quickly for what was to come, I was hanging on to what I had-probably messing up what was in the pipeline coming up.

   Here’s the new plan. Get the job done and invoiced as quickly as possible, clear the decks and tell the universe I am ready for more.

   
   

   So thank you. You probably never anticipated that comment would help someone but it did. Every word is just as important as every minute.

   Best wishes to you,

   Pam Tierney
   Voice Talent/Actress
   PamTierney.com
   PamTierneyVO.com

   I remember the meeting with Pam very clearly – she asked the right questions about marketing her acting and voiceover career, and seemed focused and driven to be successful.

   Pam’s new plan should be the plan we all have – maintain your energy and don’t rest on your laurels. Remember, it’s not the acting job sale you just made, but the seeds you’re planting and marketing efforts you’re expemding to fill the pipeline with future acting jobs as well. Keep working hard to get more acting jobs even as you get paid acting work, and you’ll have the wonderful problem of having to decide between acting jobs sooner than later.

   What’s your answer to this acting question? Let me know in the comments below.

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