Continuing our conversation from last week about Episodic Season, let’s talk this week about the mental work involved…⁠
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Yes, this is so much tangible stuff to prep here, but what about the non-tangible things? ⁠
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We all know actors spend a lot of time alone: working on sides or scenes, characters, their process, etc. we also tend to LIVE in our own heads when it comes to the job. which also means we question ourselves constantly and it lives in the echo chamber of our brain. ⁠
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So the mental prep for a season that is perceived as busy (whether it is actually busy for you or not doesn’t matter) is important. ⁠
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🙋🏻‍♀️Let’s say you have the best case scenario: ⁠
You have reps and you get a ton of auditions. Awesome! However, tons of auditions doesn’t equal tons of bookings. And there are mental ramifications of self-tapes constantly going into the ether. So what is your mental work to do an audition, do it well, and then leave it and move on to the next? ⁠

So if you don’t have that, this is your homework for today. Tangible homework, meaning write it out if you need to! But start testing and retesting processes that will help you leave an audition/self-tape after it is tuned in.

Here are my suggestions:

Use your audition tracker to check your last boxes and give it that closed circle feeling.

Create a ritual of self-care (ideally something actually good for you, not just a cocktail) like a dance to a song afterward. Or maybe you write a one-sentence note to your reader and thank them for being a part of your work.

I personally love the feeling of changing my clothes and taking off my makeup. It feels like I am leaving that character behind and moving back into myself.

Figuring out how you mentally ‘close the circle’ while giving yourself a pat on the back *regardless of the outcome* is a way of building mental toughness for the constant fight that is auditioning.

Stay tuned because we are only getting started here. I will also be discussing the other common scenarios that come up with Episodic Season: