Without a book-out notice, the agent might continue to submit the actor for auditions, despite their impending unavailability, leading to frustration by both the casting director who requested the actor and the rep who submitted the actor. There may be any number of reasons why an actor might wish to book-out. Here are a few scenarios:
You’re going on vacation for a few weeks and will not be in town to audition.
You are feeling sick and need to stay home and get well.
You’re already committed to working on another project and the shoot dates of that project would conflict with potential auditions.
You are dealing with a major life event, such as getting married, having a baby or a death in the family.
You have an important appointment that cannot be broken, such as surgery or a doctor appointment.
A Few Key Points About Booking Out:
Always send your book-out notice in writing, such as sending it in an email, to ensure there is documentation.
Book out well in advance of your scheduled book-out dates, if possible, to give your rep enough time to adjust and prepare for your absence.
When in doubt, book-out. If you believe you will be unavailable, but are not sure, book-out anyway. You can always rescind the book-out later. It’s better to book-out and then undo it if you become available, than to wait too late to book-out and have to cancel an audition.
Booking out with your reps when you are to become unavailable is an important part of building trust and dependability with your talent agent or manager.
#actor #audition
Great share, Tammy Hunt! I've never heard of a book-out notice. I bet your advice is gonna save actors, reps, and casting directors a lot of headaches. Thanks for sharing.