Gray Talent Group

Katie Banks in her commercial for Jewel-Osco!!!

Check avail is a commonly used industry term that causes a great deal of confusion among actors.  They are initially checking your availability of any conflicts and it is a courtesy to keep them in the loop if anything else comes up.  According to union rules, if your time is reserved and then not booked, you must be paid for keeping those days open.  So the industry created other terms that require actors to reserve open days, without officially being put on hold. Some of these terms include “check avail,” “first refusal” and “putting a pin in you.” Casting directors often put several people on check avail for the same role.  And sometimes, every actor brought in for call backs is put on check avail to reserve their time.  But when you get put on check avail, although it is not a legally binding obligation, Casting Directors expect you to keep yourself available during those days.  If you wind up being booked and suddenly are unavailable for the shoot, the Casting Director will not be pleased because not only have you given them more work to do, but the client who liked you will not be happy that they have to find someone else.  So what is the good news of check avail? It means you are coming close. You are doing something right in the audition room and that makes casting directors want to be sure you are available.  And after check avails comes bookings.  So although it is upsetting to be released from a check avail, it means you are coming close and it is only a matter of time.  

Connor Del Rio greeting fans at the San Diego Comic-Con!  Catch his show, LEVEL UP, on Cartoon Network!