Is it bad asking for a day off in this case?

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I started a new job almost a month ago, and in three weeks I have an opportunity. I am trying to get more and more into the filmmaking community and getting gigs to get more experience and make connections. But I find that it conflicts with my day job and I feel bad about taking days off to do it. Is this normal to feel bad, or is it part of the game, if you want to get into a certain field and want more experience? Even if it's only for a day?

Or what is the best approach to handle it usually?

It's understandable that you feel that you want to take a day off to help your future career that you want to get into, which is great. And you are not irresponsible, otherwise you wouldn't be feeling bad about taking a day off.

I suppose it will be futile to negotiate with your manager about swapping a day for your contracted day off, because the whole point of why you want to take a day off is to give you extra time to fulfill your opportunity.

I'd say take just one day off, but be careful of what excuse you give when you phone in sick, as some managers annoyingly like you to prove it. Think of an excuse that is hard to prove but isn't easy to cure in one day. Maybe some other members here can give you some ideas of how to get a day off.

Sometimes you've just got to take risks in order to work towards your future. Good luck and I hope you get into the film industry!

I've often taken annual leave time (holidays) to go and play gigs that clashed with my working hours- can you do that?

Oh okay thanks. What looks worse though? The shoot date is in three week. So I could make up an excuse and ask for the day off three weeks in advance, thus giving my boss a lot more time to plan around it, or I could wait till the day and call in sick.

The con of option 1 is that it looks bad to ask for a day off, if I have only been there almost a month now. The day off, would be in three weeks though.

The con of option 2, is that calling in sick on that day, leaves the boss in a lurch more. What do you think is better, if any is a good option?

I'd go with holiday, but that's just because I'm boringly rule-abiding. Maybe discretely ask your colleagues how good your employers are about taking time off? Unless they're complete a-holes they should be OK with one day off in your first 2 months. (If they are complete a-holes, sod 'em. Call in sick!)