Actors explode on twitter revealing how depressing pilot season can really be.
Pilot season can be the best of times or the worst of times for actors. Typically, a TV station orders a “television pilot” or “pilot episode”. The pilot serves as a standalone episode that is used to sell the show to a TV network. The pilot is meant to be the testing ground to determine whether a series will be successful. TV networks use pilots to decide whether the show can be entertaining or not. After seeing this pilot episode, networks will then determine whether the show is worth the investment. According to Variety, only 25% of all pilots made for the US are actually picked up and turned in to a TV series.
From January until May it’s “pilot season”. At this point in time networks are testing several show ideas. By June, networks decide which shows are picked up and which shows are let go.
“Pilot Season” is the perfect time of the year for actors. Typically, actors have hundreds of auditions, meetings, and call backs. If their show is a good idea, then an actor has a chance at a recurring acting gig. However, just as uplifting pilot season can be for aspiring actors, it can be a very upsetting time of the year for others. TV networks usually cancel shows that have bad ratings and pick up “pilots” that have the most promise.
This year’s pilot season has been extremely tough on several actors.
The former “Will & Grace” star, Erick McCormack starred in the Fox drama pilot “Studio City”. However, Thursday night, McCormack took to Twitter to vent about the news that Fox has passed on the show. The drama revolved around a young woman whose father is the drug dealer of choice for Hollywood stars. Ultimately, Fox felt as though it was not that interesting.
McCormack was not the only actor upset over Pilot Season. ‘Cristela’ creator and star Cristela Alonza used Twitter to react to her sitcom being cancelled by ABC, after one season.
Pilot Season is a gift and a curse. What do you think of pilot season?
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