Yesterday, Daphne and I attended our first audition.  For a Similac web and print campaign.

We got the call from a friend in the biz, which just happened to occur the same week we got word from an agency in town that they’d like to represent us.  This also coincided with breaking the news to my boss that I just can’t continue with the odd hours inherent in field work.  It just isn’t working for my family.  Boss was disappointed, of course, but understanding, and I agreed to be available when I can for their work overflow.  As it flows now, I’ve got class 4 sized rapids of work to get done here from home.  I expect the river to slow to a trickle by early next year, which is why I decided that taking Daphne to the occasional audition might be a good thing for the following reasons:

  1.  We don’t get out much.  Daphne only sees me, her daddy, and her nanny most of the time.  While she’s comfortable when we have visitors to our home, for the most part, she definitely is not comfortable being held by strangers, even after several hours.  I accept that this might just be her temperament.  She may be a shy girl who prefers the company of a select few.  But how will I really know, unless I exposes her to different things? I want to give her the opportunity to explore her more social side – beyond play dates with the few mommy friends I know.  In the waiting area of yesterday’s audition, there were dozens of babies and beautiful mommies, all smiling and friendly.  I’d say it was a fairly pleasant experience for little D and I.  And while I acknowledge that there are other ways to socialize your baby, there are few you might actually get paid for.
  2. And she might actually get paid well.  Very well.  This means starting a college fund for Daphne, which will likely be put to good use one day considering the sickening price of college tuition.  Provided we book anything, of course.
  3. We have nothing to lose.  Because we aren’t relying on the income we might make from any jobs we book for basic necessities of life, it takes the pressure off.  It’s probably more likely than not that we won’t be called back for the Similac commercial.  Maybe I’m too tall (I towered over the girl I read with).  Maybe Daphne was too squirmy (she kicked and screeched the entire time I spit back the requested mommy lines).  Maybe my hair’s too long, or her face too round.  We could be wrong for any number of superficial reasons.  Luckily, my self esteem, and my pocket book, are not riding on whether or not we “make it.”  This takes the pressure off entirely, and makes it all just for fun!  And it was fun, I enjoyed reading in there.  I got a kick out of Daphne’s antics.  I loved gawking at all the stage mommies and their bright eyed babes.

I don’t, however, have any delusions of grandeur here.  She, or me, may never get cast in anything, which is totally fine.  She may hate it, and never warm up to new people and new situations in the way that show business requires.  This is all fine.  Exploring “acting” and “modeling” is just an adventure for us, another activity.  If after 3 or 4 months, we find it isn’t worth the gas money, and too stressful for my sweet baby girl, we’ll bow out gracefully.  In the meantime, let Steph Mignon and Daphne Joyce’s foray into Hollywood begin…

I get a little sick to my stomach when I say that though… because right now she doesn’t have a voice.  Maybe she will be intensely private, and as an adult make it clear to us that she would never have chosen this.  Maybe she’ll be angry with me for getting her baby picture in a magazine.  Or maybe she’ll be thrilled that I utilized the opportunities available to her.  More maybes.  They follow me everywhere.

What do you all think?  Am I making a mistake, by exposing her to the lights, the cameras, and the action?

 

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