 For anyone who lives in the world of acting and theatre the phrase 'good luck' is heard almost daily. Auditions, shows, meetings, its lovely to be surrounded by people who want to support you in your endeavors and this snappy phrase is as to the point but can be as genuine as your please and thank you's. Bless my mum, an avid supporter of mine, she loves telling people what I'm up to, translating things in her own little way or going off and working out certain phrases. I told her I did a shot with a crane and she thought I was up in a cherry picker with handheld camcorder and she calls my showreel my video CV. But anytime I do ANYTHING I always get a Good Luck text and that's her sending me love and support in two simple words. However, something I have noticed, especially in auditions is the Standard Good Luck. I was chatting to a friend this morning (Scott Hudson, follow him on Twitter - he'll love that) and we were talking about how others in auditions, sitting in the waiting area with you are your competition but are good people. So they genuinely wish you good luck in the sense that you don't trip on a wire and bust your nose on the way in but not enough that you get the job, as... well, they want it. So they tilt their head, raise an eyebrow, smile wryly and say their good lucks as your name is called. Now I am not saying that is everyone - maybe a third. You get those who get in a zone and focus on the task in hand, not piping up at all - that used to be. Then the other third who enjoy the moment, engaging in their surrounds, communicating with others and just loving the fact that they have an audition - that's me now! I try not to be annoying but I am positive. I sense the 'in-the-zoners' and leave them be but I like meeting new people especially those in this industry. I grew up in a sports family and I live with a lawyer so I thrive on any interaction with those in the same field as myself. But I have come to find that when I say Good Luck it doesn't deliver the sentiment I want to convey. It shouldn't be about 'luck' when you're in the room, it should be about being yourself, doing a good job and enjoying the moment. I act because I like to play. I like to be other people and create other worlds, connecting with those from all walks of life. That has absolutely nothing to do with luck, an invisible force, that is to do with loving what I do, that's down to me. So there I was on the phone this morning (seriously @ScottHudson_ he's funny sometimes) chatting about a casting workshop I did last night where Good Luck was bandied around across my fellow actors, and I decided - I'm not going to say Good Luck anymore, I'm going to say Have Fun. Yes we're each others competition but if we enjoy what we do then we're all winning. Take the pressure off ourselves and enjoy the chances we get to play and explore. I'm now over 25, I'm well past society's general age of acceptance to play make-believe, (however when I'm with my seven year old niece we have no qualms about talking to each other in loud, american accents in public) but its what I do because I have a blooming good time doing it. So rather than pile on the pressure as someone goes in the door, I want to remind them to just have a great time. Then you can come out knowing that you gave it your all and you enjoyed every second. You're not relying on the Luck Gods to bless you today because you know you went in, were the best you you could be and you had fun.
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