I know I’ve mentioned a few times that I’m a road warrior, but in case you didn’t catch it before: I practically live out of my car. Being on the road is a love and hate type of relationship, I’m just glad my poor Jetta has always been up to the task and an old faithful.
If you’re an actor in Los Angeles or New Orleans, you are familiar with driving to auditions that are “who knows where areas,” spread all over the city’s landscape. Even if you’re based in the New York City area, as an actor you understand that absolute quickest turn around for an audition time is, basically, at the blink of an eye. Now, say you were visiting some friends or on the road to an appointment and your agent called you and had an audition for you in an hour, how many of you would be prepared with all your materials? Exactly. So, below are some obvious and not-so-obvious essential items you should keep in the trunk of your car at all times- I like to have one of these Clear Water Tight Trunks, so you can see everything your grabbing.
- Granola bars to get your energy up! I’m a fan of Kind and cliff bars
- 2 water bottles, I like THIS eco friendly, BPA & toxin free stainless steel. It’s insulated so that your water temperatures aren’t too drastic. Any stainless steel, insulated bottle will do.
- Makeup bag with the essentials- HD powder is a MUST as we know being on camera at auditions is standard, we don’t want to look like we came from a marathon…men, this applies to you too!
- Small toiletry bag: deodorant, toothbrush, mouthwash -in case you were just at lunch
- A hair accessories bag with hair ties, a headband – for my carpe diem convertible/motorcycle ladies. I like to keep a small travel-sized flat iron to get those crazy, naturally curly strands in check- one must always look like their headshot! That’s why you were called in.
- A folder of extra headshots & resumes, travel stapler – I also like to keep a box full of business cards in my glove compartment for quicker & easier access when heading to meetings etc.
- An audition outfit: anything from a simple top, jeans and flats to a simple sundress – be sure to keep it season specific. That sundress would really suck when it’s snowing outside #justsayin
- I also like to have my headphones ready to keep me focused and in my relaxed while listening to my iPhone’s Zen playlist- in case of a long audition wait.
- Extra change and a couple of dollars for parking! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shown up to an audition and could’ve used coins for the meters.
- Depending on your types, if you can squeeze it: a blazer, medical coat lab, scrubs, yoga outfit. Its always nice to be as prepared as possible, a simple audition outfit works wonders in a crunch but for specific role type, these extras are even better.
I hope this list has been helpful; it sure saved my derrière numerous times. Happy auditioning folks!
About Rhym Guisse
Rhym Guissé stepped into her acting shoes at a young age with witty impersonations and dramatic theatre at the family dinner table. She spent her childhood furthering her natural acting talents with choral singing, ballet dance classes and theatre. The efforts soon paid off when Rhym was cast in her first independent film, “La Méduse Rouge,” a French noir film. Rhym was born in Annaba, Algeria, to a Malian father and Algerian mother. She experienced many different cultures and societies from an early age and speaks three languages. Rhym’s cultural diversity has greatly influenced her artistically and cultivates her intense motivation to succeed. "My background is so varied and diverse, I've never been one to look at what the next person is doing," she says. "My travels and cultural experiences have set me apart and I will never blend in." It is this confidence and passion that motivates Rhym to achieve her dreams. A true artist, Rhym continues to effortlessly float between the disciplines of acting, music and art. Rhym continues to seek roles that challenge her as a woman and as an artist.