One day I was sitting at my computer looking at something online…more like obsessing over something knowing me. And these two words popped into my head — THINK BIGGER. And I actually said out loud, “Think Bigger DaJuan.” I feel like it was this beautiful moment where I just sat back and said, yes, I need to think MUCH BIGGER than I’ve been thinking. I’ve found that too often I think or stay within the parameters others have set for me in life. Not really wanting to rock the boat and sometimes unsure of the risks I should take. Being very indecisive. (sidenote, I’m a big GAME OF THRONES watcher and my friend said to me yesterday, “you know NED STARKS was plagued with indecisiveness and look how that turned out.” He was beheaded. I don’t want to end up like Ned Starks) Looking back every big decision I’ve made came from me THINKING BIGGER. Not just wanting more, but really thinking of a way of getting there. And ACTING on it. And sometimes NOT knowing how it would turn out, but taking the leap of faith. What I know for sure is that you have to bet on yourself. Hell, first you need to be believe in yourself and then you need to go balls to the wall. And maybe it won’t pan out the way you expected on the first try, but you MUST believe that all the sacrifice will lead to your goal. I do.

The last three months of pilot season have been…very interesting for me this year. I saw a lot of different sides of it this go round. Sides that made me extremely anxious and other sides that made me again…sit back and say…THINK BIGGER. And I had a pretty decent pilot season. (more on that at a later time) I’ve blogged about this before, but I’ll say it again. This wonderful business called show business isn’t always fair. Nope, it’s just not. And when it works in your favor it can be down right amazing. But, one thing I do know, if you’re not among the few that has a career brought to them — well, then you have to go out there and get it! I believe this. ACTING. is what I’m supposed to be doing at this moment in time.  So, I’m going to do it. I’m pretty excited about the next three quarters of the year – because I have a new mantra THINK BIGGER in all parts of my life.

Get out there and write, produce, star in your own pilot. Or Feature. Send your script to that one person who could possibly help you if you asked. Do a spec commercial for Doritos. Take a meeting with new representation. Take a meeting with your current representation. Do something different – anything. Set up your iSight camera or Flip Cam and just start talking. See what comes of it. And if all that doesn’t pan out — Just THINK BIGGER. Let’s start a THINK BIGGER movement. Together. I’m down.

I don’t get it. I listen to actors spend the better part of the year complaining about NOT getting auditions or not booking. Then pilot season rolls around, like it does EVERY year at the same time and now all I hear is how crazy it is? Or how you just got the sides the night before? Or how the auditions are last minute? Honestly, I almost want to pull my hair out…well, if I had any. I wrote about this topic last March and it still frustrates me to this day. I wonder what actors think is going to happen when they say, “just so you know, I got this last night.”  The casting director will say, “of course, poor baby, would you like another week with it?” Not gonna happen. Things happen quick out here in the world of auditioning in Hollywood.

My advice again. Get good at getting stuff last minute. How? Get yourself in class some place where you are getting current material weekly! Look, there’s a place in our craft for the studios that spend weeks, months…lifetimes on those Tennessee Williams plays or Mamet, but not when you are auditioning for NCIS or Grey’s Anatomy type shows every week. Understand me, I am not knocking people learning the different techniques out there — I simply believe you need to understand how LA works as well. VERY rarely are you getting longer than 48hrs with sides. The majority of the time you get less. Get good at the quick turn around. How? Showfax. Pull down sides. Learn them. Have a friend tape you. Come up with a plan. Figure this out before the audition falls in your lap.

And for goodness sakes, “stop saying I just got this last night!” It’s right up there with actors saying “scene” for me at the end of their audition. Like nails on a chalk board.

At the end of the day, you just have to remember that if you don’t bring your A game someone else will bring theirs. And you’re A game starts WELL before you get into the audition room.

March 2011 – I just got this last night blog

In the past I’ve always been accused of not fully taking in the moment. I guess I never understood what people meant by that. I always thought, of course I’m taking in the moment. I’m here aren’t I? Whenever something GREAT happened…booked a TV show, shot a film in Puerto Rico, you name it — sure I was happy. But, in my mind, I was always onto the next thing — the next booking, without that moment even finishing. I get it now. It’s was “fear” of not wanting the ride to end. And while I don’t recommend staying in this place for too long, you gotta celebrate the wins! Actually YOU MUST. You get SO many NO’s in this business…when you finally get a curve ball and you catch it. Take it in. You worked hard for it. You deserve it.

I’m proud of the work I did on this commercial. I couldn’t believe it on the Friday before the game when the online version of the commercial had reached almost 13 million views. Then, I was blown away at the response I got from everyone out there who saw it. And honestly, I was floored to learn that 111 million people worldwide watched the Super Bowl. I had a former student of mine that now lives in Korea contact me to say he saw it there! Korea?! Wow…sometimes in this business you get to sit back and just say…”SWEET.”

Pretty much everyone you can think of in L.A. are knee deep in pilot season: actors, agents, managers, cd’s, etc.  Yup, it’s truly that time of year again. You ready? I made a comment on twitter/facebook at the end of last year: “Everyone out here is getting ready for the holiday season…while I’m getting my mind right for PILOT SEASON!” And I meant that.  A lot of what I share on my blog to my fellow actors is about being PREPARED. Prepared in any and every way you can think of out here. A lot of people I come in contact with haven’t been in an acting class or worked their acting muscle in MONTHS when pilot season comes along. WHAT? I mean I get it…it springs on you after the holiday season and you’re tired and you’re pockets are empty from all the gifts you bought. But, trying to get ready in January for a season that truly has a soft start in November/December is a little cray cray. But, we can talk about that stuff at a later time. Here’s a few tips I use to stay ahead of the eight ball during this time of year.

1. The Workout. Get yourself into class. Cut back on the drinking and use that money for class. It’s imperative that you keep working your acting muscle. You ever say to yourself, “i feel so rusty.” Get into a class. A GOOD class. And if you can’t afford a class right now, form one. We as actors forget that we have a lot of friends that are probably broke too. Get a bunch of your friends together, get a showfax.com account that you split and pull sides off the site. I did this a few years back with a group of people and it was truly one of the best things I could have done. We met once a week like class and had class assignments and it was virtually free. I say virtually because someone had to bring the snacks. We stopped doing this because one of the ladies in our group booked a series and the others started booking so frequently!

2. Your Car is your best friend. Start using your car as your closet, office, shower — everything! I hear too often actors say, “I left my picture and resume at home.” Really?! In L.A.? THAT’S your excuse. Wow. Keep about FIVE headshots and resumes in your car. Put them in an envelope so they don’t get damaged on your way home from your all-nighter. Your car should also have what I like to call the “ACTOR BASICS” in it: Deodorant, toothbrush/ mints, stapler, pens, highlighter and whatever else you personally need. Basically anything that might lead you to say, “oh, crap i forgot ‘blank.’ Auditions are a crazy thing and sometimes our minds aren’t working right. I know I’ve walked out of the house w/o deodorant and thank goodness for keeping it in my car.

3. Coaching. Seriously. Get coached for these auditions. I think this is a YEAR’round thing I share with my fellow actors. Find yourself a GOOD coach that you vibe with and you believe understands the business. And most of all gets YOU and what YOU’RE SELLING. You’ve pulled out your hair for weeks, months, worried about getting the audition — why not make it your best? Get coached. And just remember – coaching isn’t going to work wonders if you aren’t doing the work on your own beforehand. Re-read TIP #1. Coaches can’t sprinkle fairy dust on you and make you better if you don’t come to the table with something. Honestly, how much do you think can happen in a hour? Come armed with choices and ready to play.

If you have any pilot season tips you’d like to share, comment on the fanpage. I truly believe that it’s a jungle out there and helping each other might be the only way to make it out. Til next week…

Networking. It’s one of those crazy things that needs to be done, but yet SO MANY people hate it. I listen to a lot of my friends say, “I just don’t want to kiss anyone’s butt to get anything done.” Or “DaJuan, you’re just GOOD at it – I’m not.” Which is funny because I happen to think I’m NOT good at networking. What I am good at is striking up a conversation with just about anyone. And not expecting anything in return. I just enjoy talking to cool people.  Honestly, I find the whole networking thing extremely confusing. On one hand a large part of our business (show business) has to do with relationships. Who you know as they say. Just like ANY business out there. Then on the other hand, if you “network” it’s frowned upon. Makes you come off slimy. But, if we were working in Corporate America and a new job opened in your college buddies workplace  — you bet your bottom dollar you would ask for a referral or a way in. But, not in LA. If you do that…you’re “using” that person. Even though we hear stories of the behind the scenes deals that went down because of their relationships (i.e. connections) ALL THE TIME.

So, what’s the secret? What do you think of networking? Is there a way to do it? Do you steer clear of it. I turn the question over to YOU. What’s the proper way, if any, to NETWORK? Leave a comment here or on my fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/DajuanJohnsonFanPage

We can chat about it and then I’ll share my personal idea on the topic.

Let’s discuss.