It’s official! Pilot season is… 𝘏𝘌𝘙𝘌!
Anyone feeling it yet?
Pilot Season is the time between January and April when networks are casting for and shooting pilots (the initial episode of a series) as a test run for the show.
Traditionally, shows begin to air in the fall, which is why it made sense for Networks to start the pilot process in early spring.
And thus “pilot season,” (aka, the casting dark ages) was born.
Keep in mind, however, with all of the new streaming platforms and cable networks over the past decade, “pilot season” is slowly starting to become an obsolete term.
Pilots are now shooting year round and some networks have even announced that they are doing away with pilot season altogether.
So, what does this mean for you?
Not a whole lot. But a couple things:
– 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗴𝗴𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼. Your job is continue training, updating your materials and showing up authentically and honestly. If you continue that mindset year round, you could find yourself booking a pilot… in November!
– Before you make the move to LA for pilot season, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. And not only is that ok, that’s 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭. Pilot auditions are a different beast. Sometimes we’re open to a search (newer actors), sometimes we’re not. Know that you are in a completely different submission pool for pilots and you’re going to have to show up with your A-game to snag a coveted pilot audition.
– 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲. You need casting offices to know you and trust you. And for most actors, that comes after a few years of booking co-stars and guest stars first. We know you’ve heard it before and we’ll co-sign it again and again, but truly, 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨.
At the end of the day, don’t let pilot season intimidate or disappoint you. 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙘𝙩.
#themoreyouknow #thecastingdirectorscfut #mondaymythdebunker #pilotseason #actorlife
Anyone feeling it yet?
Pilot Season is the time between January and April when networks are casting for and shooting pilots (the initial episode of a series) as a test run for the show.
Traditionally, shows begin to air in the fall, which is why it made sense for Networks to start the pilot process in early spring.
And thus “pilot season,” (aka, the casting dark ages) was born.
Keep in mind, however, with all of the new streaming platforms and cable networks over the past decade, “pilot season” is slowly starting to become an obsolete term.
Pilots are now shooting year round and some networks have even announced that they are doing away with pilot season altogether.
So, what does this mean for you?
Not a whole lot. But a couple things:
– 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗴𝗴𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼. Your job is continue training, updating your materials and showing up authentically and honestly. If you continue that mindset year round, you could find yourself booking a pilot… in November!
– Before you make the move to LA for pilot season, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. And not only is that ok, that’s 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭. Pilot auditions are a different beast. Sometimes we’re open to a search (newer actors), sometimes we’re not. Know that you are in a completely different submission pool for pilots and you’re going to have to show up with your A-game to snag a coveted pilot audition.
– 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲. You need casting offices to know you and trust you. And for most actors, that comes after a few years of booking co-stars and guest stars first. We know you’ve heard it before and we’ll co-sign it again and again, but truly, 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨.
At the end of the day, don’t let pilot season intimidate or disappoint you. 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙘𝙩.
#themoreyouknow #thecastingdirectorscfut #mondaymythdebunker #pilotseason #actorlife