Michael 🎩🐹 pfp
Michael 🎩🐹
@michaelsullivan
Thought I’d share my perspective as a “working” actor in Los Angeles. It’s definitely not glamorous and the slow reversion back to in person auditions is reminding me just what a struggle they are for the 95% of us that still need to work a part time job for steadier supplemental income.
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Michael 🎩🐹 pfp
Michael 🎩🐹
@michaelsullivan
I had an in person audition last week and a callback for it this week in SM. Meter parking both days cost me $10, for one audition/callback. This year I had a record breaking 100 auditions to date. If half of them were in person it would cost me roughly $500 a year just for parking.
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Michael 🎩🐹 pfp
Michael 🎩🐹
@michaelsullivan
These micro costs add up and can’t be expensed unless we turn a profit in terms of taxes. If we report a loss as an actor 5 years in a row we (can) get audited. So quality CPA’s that deal with actors will advise against reporting a loss as the IRS deems it as a “hobby” at that point.
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Michael 🎩🐹 pfp
Michael 🎩🐹
@michaelsullivan
Now back to the auditions. In the last 12 months I’ve booked 3 jobs (including one last December). When I was breaking into the industry my teachers said the goal was to hit a 1% booking rate. After 20 years of doing this I’m at 3-10% consistently. I’ve never once made enough to support myself just from acting.
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Michael 🎩🐹 pfp
Michael 🎩🐹
@michaelsullivan
Here’s another example of the disconnect I experience as a working actor. People think it’s just laying around and not working too hard. Last week my agent had a meetup he likes people to try to make once a month. I had an in person audition that morning which took about 3 hours total: prep, travel and audition.
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Michael 🎩🐹 pfp
Michael 🎩🐹
@michaelsullivan
Then I went to the agency meeting for an hour and a half. Then I went to my survival job for 8 hours. Then I got home and spent an hour self submitting for other projects since we can’t rely on our reps to cover every aspect of our careers. This is a relatively normal day.
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Michael 🎩🐹 pfp
Michael 🎩🐹
@michaelsullivan
I’m lot having a pity party, but just trying to give people a glimpse of day to day in my life. Imagine going on 100 interviews a year, every single year. It takes a lot of mental energy to be “on” that often and to remain positive in the face of so much rejection. Then on top of that encountering people that
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Michael 🎩🐹 pfp
Michael 🎩🐹
@michaelsullivan
don’t respect actors even though they spend all their time watching Netflix and can recite lines from their fav TV shows. I wouldn’t change my path because I honestly love what I do, but I’ve been more introspective lately as I approach 50 and how I’ll survive when I physically can’t bartend anymore…
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Michael 🎩🐹 pfp
Michael 🎩🐹
@michaelsullivan
…how many 50 year old bartenders do you know? It’s pretty tough on the body. So maybe I’ll pivot, maybe I’ll move, maybe I’ll find a subway to live in and perform monologues, haha. Either way it’s been a wild ride and I’m thankful I got to do something I enjoy on a daily basis and live in some amazing…
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Michael 🎩🐹 pfp
Michael 🎩🐹
@michaelsullivan
…cities doing it.
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