I had four - count 'em, FOUR - commercial auditions last week

I was told to be stoked about signing with AKA by nearly everyone I mentioned it to, but last week I understood why. I had four auditions with them, and for big-name clients: Microsoft, Mercedes, Wells Fargo, and Comcast (the Comcast was a callback...woohoo!...didn't book it though...booh!). This week I had an audition Monday I couldn't make, and a callback Tuesday for Wells Fargo (which I probably won't get...I think they were deciding between "asian" ethnic and "indian" ethnic....guess I'll find out when I see what airs in a couple weeks).

Soo...what have I learned? It really is ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS in this town. For starters, most of these auditions don't filter down to people without agents. No agent=no f'n clue that it's even happening. And even when I did submit headshots/resumes/flowers to get an audition, NO DICE. Enter AKA, and doors start opening.

Thing is though, an audition is just an audition--an interview, but not a job. I met a guy at one audition that has been getting out 3-4 times A WEEK for A YEAR. He says that of those, he averages 1-2 callbacks A MONTH. And in all this time, he's booked...are you ready?...a whopping ZERO commercials.

ZERO.
ZERO ZERO ZERO.