Luck Be a Lady This Pilot Season

Let’s play word association –

Pilot season.

If you’re an actor like me, those two words conjure words of hope and triumph – steady job, series regular, network contract, dreams coming true. It doesn’t matter that if you’ve never actually had a pilot audition before. It’s a fantasy shared by all actors, whether they actually participate in pilot season or merely talk about it on Facebook.

It’s a lottery with terrible odds, yet we all want to play. Every actor believes he/she can win if given the opportunity to shine. And some actors do, though the numbers are still stacked against them. Match three numbers and shoot a pilot that doesn’t get picked up. Match five and shoot a few episodes before the show premieres and gets cancelled. Match all six plus the mega number and you’re Eric Szamanda on CSI. Eleven years of solid employment and counting – jackpot.

Still, being an actor is already such a leap of faith, why should pilot season be any different? It will always be the goal, and moving toward your goals is what being a working actor is all about. I’ll keep dreaming big and so should you.

Educate yourself to get ready by watching this live streaming event tonight from SAG Foundation – “Prep for Pilot Season: Pilot Season in Hollywood.” Guests include April Webster (“LOST”), John Papsidera (“No Ordinary Family”), and many more. It will be an inspiring discussion and you don’t have to be a SAG member to watch it. You can even email or tweet questions for the moderator to ask the panelists.


Enjoy and bookmark the page for their next event on January 27 – “Prep for Pilot Season: The Work.” If you’re reading this blog post after the fact, you can find a Quicktime version of the program in the SAG Foundation archives.

Break a leg, everyone!