This has proved to be one of the most simple things....that is complicated so unbelievably by the unpredictability of an actors schedule.
I am currently on a 3 week trip and I am so excited and also so scared.
The best dates for our dollar landed during the not so quiet season for acting. Blah.
What are these dates? When should you actually plan a trip?
Let's discuss.
When to leave town...ish.
There are NO hard and fast rules and things kind of happen on a whim (especially when there is money involved) but these are the general times I have heard over and over again and confirmed with an agent.
January-April: Although "pilot season" is rumored to be dead, this post-holday/pre-summer section of the year is still very active. Ideally Mon-Fri plans are kept very flexible...ie: don't buy super expensive nonrefundable plane tickets.
May-July: Huzzah! Summer break is alive and well not just for teachers and students! This is a great time to ditch the smog-city and fly somewhere far far away. Unfortunately this is also when everyone else is doing the same thing so it's expensive. Boo. Side-note: I have booked summer indie projects almost yearly since moving to LA, so don't think there is a big empty void! It's just a little quieter in TV land for sure.
August-November: Also a pretty active season. Lot's of co-star/guest star work going around. And right before the holidays, advertisers try to use up the remainder of their yearly budget, so lots of commercial/print work happening.
December: Easy misconstrued as a dead month, but the first two weeks can be potentially jam-packed with casting agents tying up loose ends before leaving for the holiday break. I like staying in town until the 22nd or 23rd, there are always last minute calls and 3/4 of my fellow actors [competition] are back home eating cookies by then. Score!
So you've got a plan and booked some stuff? Great. Now what?
Don't worry, I'll be back shortly with some more actor-friendly travel tips and what I always pack no matter what! Keep an eye out and let me know below or on Instagram if you agree with my calendar of travel times! :)