The following scenario is based on a VERY similar situation that happened to one of our staff members here at Holdon Log in 2005. Had this actor been a newcomer, she might have just been "thankful" for the audition and who knows what could have happened! So, let's put you in the same situation...

The audition is being held at the Holiday Motel in Room 1642?!

Your cell phone rings and the conversation goes something like this:

"Hey! Thanks for calling me in to audition for your project! It sounds like a great short film! Hold on a sec, let me enter the details into my ActorTrack…okay, so the audition is in Room 1642, at the Holiday Motel. Your name is 'Tom Jones' and you are the director. You'll be the only person at the audition, and you want me to read the love scenes with you. And you just want me to show up ten minutes early to look over the sides? Great, I'll see you on Sunday at 9:30pm!"

Please, please say that RED Flags are surrounding you! First, it's VERY rare that an audition would be held at a motel or hotel. Maybe, just maybe, there's a space rented in a function room. Sure, we'll give 'Tom' that. But first, call the Holiday Motel and see if 'Room 1642' is a function room or a guest room. If it's a guest room, then call 'Tom' back and tell him that an audition in a guest room is not where you'll ever be auditioning!

"...at 9:30PM!"???

It's also VERY rare that an audition would be held this late at night. During the phone call with 'Tom' it would have been wise to say that you'd prefer an earlier time to audition. If there wasn't then please ask a friend, a boyfriend, a parent, etc. to accompany you…or simply say to 'Tom' it's too late, you need an earlier time, or you won't be auditioning.

Do Some Research!

The ActorTrack Software program has a prompt in its Contacts Section for you to "Know Before You Go" with a quick-link to IMDb.com and Google. This is for you do a little research on those who you are going to meet BEFORE you go to an audition. If you do not use ActorTrack then make a habit out of going to IMDb.com first to see if the audition contact (like 'Tom Jones') has any credits. Hmmm? Not a one? Okay, then go search their name on Google…is there anything there linking this person to the Entertainment Industry? Is this guy even in The Business?

See the sides (and the signs)...

In our scenario 'Tom' said to "show up ten minutes early to look over the sides"…maybe it would have been better to ask if they could have been e-mailed ahead of time, because you'd like a chance to get familiar with the material and learn more about the project.

Why not call "Tom" back and ask for the sides? If he's adamant about not e-mailing them to you then decline the audition invitation. You might also want to do other performers a favor. If you were told that it was a Union project, then call the Union and make a report about this suspicious audition. You might want to put a call into the hotel and to the local police station to let them know about this odd circumstance. They just might decide to check it out if they get a few calls.

It is always better to be safe than sorry! The more often we as performers stick together and insist on appropriate audition locations (not a motel room, an apartment or a private home) and on realistic audition times (like 9am-7pm), with material in advance (a treatment, sides or a script), the more respect as a group we should garner without putting ourselves in potentially risky situations.

Going to an audition or a shoot? Save money and park in a dark alley...

Certainly we hope that this isn't something you do. That's one of the reasons why we've added the Parking Details in ActorTrack. If you are hoping to give your best performance at an audition or at a booking, then why would you want to run late or make yourself stressed out because you were in search of a parking spot? Before you go to the audition don't hesitate to ask what the parking situation is like - are you going to need money for parking in a garage? Will you need quarters for a meter? You should be prepared so you DON'T RISK your safety by parking far away from your destination just because you don't have adequate money for parking.

Also, don't forget parking costs are possibly tax deductible! So keep track of what you are spending!

You are wrapped…now you are on your own.

If you are in a situation where it's dark outside (late at night, early in the morning) do not be afraid to ask for an escort back to where your car is parked. Usually a PA or Security Guard is available to walk you back to your car. If not, then find another person who is going to their car that you are comfortable with and walk with them.

Also, this should also be something that you do when leaving a networking event, leaving class, etc. It is always best to buddy-up or find a proper escort to walk with you to the subway or your car. Not only will it be a safer option, but it's a nice way to perhaps meet a new person to network and share ideas with.

In closing…

We know that some of the ideas above may seem basic, but in our seminars with performers it has been rare that one or more of these circumstances have not been talked about. We here at Holdon Log want you to be safe, knowledgeable and reading our ActorNation Newsletter for a long, long time!

Did we miss something? Feel free to email us at safety@HoldonLog.com and let us know some other safety ideas for a future Performer Safety Awareness follow-up article.

Note: This article is Part Two of a Two Part Series. Click here to read Part One.