After doing fewer and fewer on-camera jobs over the past few years, I find that I don’t jump up and down with excitement when an email comes in with an on-camera audition. It’s a matter of time – and money.

Plus, I have grown so comfortable in jeans and leggings that the idea digging through my closet for business attire for an on-camera audition is becoming less and less appealing. Most of my business wardrobe is getting pretty dated (not to mention just a little snug!). So a lot of time is spent just figuring out what the heck to wear.

Then, you have to put on make-up!!! But since the advent of HD – not too much make up – but just the right amount of make up. This means more time just getting ready to get in the car to actually drive somewhere.

Add to this, the fact that most of these auditions in recent history have been an hour and a half drive each direction.

And finally consider that if I actually land the job, I’ll have to do all of that all over again and be gone for most of the day for a fee that is not much more than what I would be making if I was in my studio recording a voice track for a 30 minute eLearning project.

If it was a national network commercial? Well, that’s a different story of course, but these auditions are usually for non-broadcast buy outs or cable TV.

Of course, once I am on set for a shoot, it is almost always a great time. Lots of people! Lots of people fussing over me. Instant feedback from real people! All of that is good.

I’m heading to bed early tonight so that I can start this time-consuming process early in the morning – but not too early – have to time the trip around the clogged freeways to minimize my time in the car.

At least this time, I don’t have to go looking for business clothes, the wardrobe is “casual.” I’m all about casual! But I am not so keen on the description of the role as “older couple.” Sigh. When did that happen?