Happy Holidays!

Make a Smilebox greeting

GREAT NEWS!

Yesterday was awesome.

I performed with friends in a sketch that I wrote, at Second City--and it went really well! We had fun, we did a great job, and we even made some new fans!!

On top of that, the non-union actors that we Taft-Hartleyed for the short began to received their notification of eligibility letters from SAG! I found mine waiting for me when I got home!! So...YAY!!!!! I AM NOW SAG-ELIGIBLE!!!

I'm so proud and excited that we were able to do this for ourselves and that we were able to help so many of our friends achieve the same goal, too. SAG New Media is the way to go if you want to be proactive about your union eligibility!

I'm so excited!

Big Lots Commercial

Fauxvivor shoot, Second City show & commercial

Really thrilled about all that is going on!!

We shot our SAG New Media short last Saturday, and it went REALLY well. Very excited to see the rough cut, which we should have soon. The overall experience had some difficult moments, but I learned a lot, and I'm so happy we were able to see it through--not only for ourselves, but for the others that we were able to bring along with us. My fellow co-producers and I finished up the SAG & Taft-Hartley paperwork and dropped it off at SAG today. If everything is good, we should have our eligibility pretty soon--maybe three weeks??? We'll be uploading the short, which is titled, "Fauxvivor", to YouTube once it is done. It is a 'behind the scenes' look at a wilderness survival reality tv competition, shot for public access television and stocked with ridiculous people who are obsessed with the real "Survivor" tv show. :)

I'm looking forward to performing at Second City in about a week--should be a fun time. I've been tweaking the sketch, and we'll be having a rehearsal of it on Monday. :) I'm hoping we get a good turn out amongst our friends and whatnot!

Also, I have the copy of my Big Lots commercial--which I have yet to see on TV, but nearly everyone I know has seen it, so that's fine. I'm in the process of uploading it--hope to have it done soon (it's taking forever.........).

Yay for being proactive! I hope to get back to class--and maybe some cd workshops--in the new year. Also, I need to sit down with my co-creators on our show and hammer out a time to work on the remainder of the pitchbook--I've been so busy with the short that I haven't had much time for anything else. Hopefully, we can knock the rest of it out after the holidays.

Just a couple of pics from the set of "Fauxvivor" (we had soooo many photos, too many to upload here):

November update

Wow, this 'no internet at home' thing is a drag! Not updating anything nearly as much as I could be! So, let's see...

~I did get a callback on the Drunk Driving PSA--was happy about it! The callback was a learning experience--the woman running the lobby told us all ahead of time to not take the behavior of the director personally...which was good to know. It's not that he was rude, he wasn't--he was just very brief and quick to look at us, then send us on our way. I can understand how some people might be upset by that, and I'm sure I would have wondered about it if I hadn't known what to expect.

~Had a print audition this week, which was my first of that kind. I'll go into that more in a bit, because there is a good learning experience story behind it...

~Also, the last draft that I wrote of the pilot works a lot better--my co-creators are happy with it. Hopefully, we can now focus on the pitchbook again and keep moving with it.

~The short project that I am writing and producing with friends is now in full pre-production mode. We've gotten our SAG New Media tentative approval--working on our pre-production cast list and detailed budget (which isn't that detailed, as we're borrowing and calling in favors for almost everything). Once we submit this round of paperwork, we should be set to Taft-Hartley ourselves and all of the other non-union actors in the project. Yay for being proactive!

~My acting class has started back up! So excited! But I won't be able to rejoin for a little while--need to make sure my finances are in order. And, at the moment, I'm not even sure I'd have time for it, since I just started a new job. My hope is to return at the start of 2010, once I've set aside some money to do so!

~And...my Big Lots commercial should be running soon--it's supposed to debut the week of Thanksgiving. One of the still shots is already up on their website--if you go to the main site and choose the overall 'Christmas' heading, you'll get a page that cycles between two photos, one of which is from my shoot (photo of a couple outside of their house, from far away). SO EXCITED!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, now for the learning experience from the print auditition...it wasn't so much the audition itself, although it was an entirely new experience (walk in, have name written on a slip of paper, have photo taken four times--front small smile, front big smile, side profile, front full body--and that's it). It's what followed the audition that is worth learning from, for everyone:

After any audition with a CD for whom I've never read before, I send a Hallmark-type Thank You card with a postcard tucked inside of it. (I also do this after any CD workshops, if I go into an office where I have not been for a while, and in the event that I book a job, I sent cards to the CD, production company, director, my agents and the reps from the product.) I consider it my nice way of putting some gratitude into the world. I don't know if they always receive the cards or if they open them, but I know some people do (I've had a CD from General Hospital mention it to me--and keep calling me--and another CD I booked with mention it as well).

I went looking for the mailing address of the CD of this print project, intending to send a card. I ran a few internet searches, but got next to nothing--an IMDb page, a MySpace page, a brief listing on LA 411 and a Linked In profile. That was almost all I could find. I looked at each of them, but no mailing address. All I found was some basic pet peeves on her MySpace page blog (i.e. "Don't ask me to represent you, I don't do that") and a few video clips on YouTube of her advice to actors, which was more audition based, from what I could tell--I did not watch the clips, as there were a few of them, and I did not think I had the time at the moment to do so, as I was supposed to be returning to my writing meeting. Perhaps she details her policies in the videos...I did scan her blog, but can't recall anything being listed in the three posts that specifically mentioned mailings. So, hoping to find the mailing address, I called the number listed on LA 411, thinking it was an office number.

Since it was after 10pm, I figured it would roll to the afterhours voicemail. I did get a voicemail, but it did not list any address. So, I sent an email, requesting the mailing address.

I got a response this morning from the CD, explaining that she does not give out a mailing address because she feels it is a waste of paper for actors to send her mailings and she's trying to reduce her carbon footprint (understandable--this town does waste A LOT of paper). She also added a postscript, saying that she doesn't appreciate after hours calls (i.e. at 10:30pm) because she has a baby at home.

Well, I felt like a jackass. I had no idea the phone went to her home. It was listed as a number for the business. The only other contact info on the voicemail was her direct cell phone number, and I'm not foolish enough to call that (and, even if I was, I don't think I'd be dumb enough to call it late at night).

I wrote her back, explaining that I was looking for the address because it is my custom to send Hallmark-type Thank You cards after auditions, that I didn't see any policies or preferences online regarding her mailing address and what she accepts (a lot of CDs will detail that sort of thing), and that I apologized for calling her so late, because I had no idea the call went to her house (or that she'd have a phone on her that would ring so late--i.e. a work cell phone or if she had the calls rolled to her home at night). I also wrote her a brief note of thanks in the email, for calling me in on the audition.

I think my response was polite and clear as to why the entire situation came about. I genuinely was trying to just say Thanks. She did write me back after my apology and explanation, thanking me and saying she'll call me in again. We'll see, who knows. What I do know is that I did the right thing by writing to apologize and explain my actions. I had good intentions; it was just a misguided attempt due to lack of public information about her specific policies/preferences.

In hindsight, maybe it should have occurred to me to not call the number. I remember pausing before I did it, because I have a natural inclination to not bother anyone, but I also recall thinking that it would be afterhours, so the voicemail would pick up. Also, maybe I should have just sent an email saying thanks...but it seemed, I dunno...less genuine, I suppose. I really do think receiving a card is better than receiving an email, particularly in the case of trying to say something nicely. At any rate, it's done, and I've learned. Which brings me to my overall point...

I'm posting this because I want people to learn from my mistake. Katie Taylor Casting DOES NOT accept mailings and will not give out a mailing address. You can do the research on her email address or office number, as both are available online...but don't call it afterhours, so you don't disturb her. Since her mailing policy information wasn't readily accessible online, as far as the searches I ran (who knows, may have missed it), I hope I can save someone else this mistake in the future--and maybe save the CD the headache of dealing with a well-intentioned, but uninformed actor, too.

New movement forward!

The other day, I put a status update on Facebook, asking the universe to please send me more auditions, because I'm ready to rock them. About two minutes later, I got a call from my commercial agents, with an audition for a Drunk Driving PSA! Yay! I felt like I took the adjustment well--they wanted things really subtle. So, we'll see! I would love to get the callback! I'm ready, baby! Working actress, SAG member--bring it on!

I wrote out a rough draft of a sketch for possible submission to a friend's variety show (recurring every other Thursday at Second City LA). I like it so far--it's based on a sketch I did in college (and cowrote with a friend).

In other news, had a cd workshop with Scott David today. He's always so much fun! It felt a bit odd to not have been acting for so long--got a little nervous about being rusty, so I was kinda down on myself afterward. But, he said I took his adjustment well, so that's good.

Keep your fingers crossed that I'll get a callback for the PSA!!!!!! Just putting it out there--I want to book the PSA!

Checking in!

Wow, been a while! I haven't had internet at home, so I've been kinda MIA. But, I'm sitting at a Coffee Bean right now, intending to get some work done. :)

So, let's see...

~I had an audition for an industrial a few weeks ago, which was gotten for me by the gal managing me. It was an interesting experience--I looked at it as a learning opportunity, because the entire thing was a little unorthodox.
~Finished another draft of the pilot, updating it so as to have my character be part of the opening. We'd received some notes that it needed to be more like a pilot, and I think refocusing it has helped. I just sent it out for more notes and got back some good ones--looking to incorporate them this week. Zach has a meeting coming up with a family friend who is a producer on a good CBS drama that is doing well, so he'd like to have the script in time for the meeting, so he can pass it along.
~Been researching subject matter for the short film. We're looking at filming in about six weeks. It's less of a short film and more of the start of a web series, as it's designed to be under the SAG New Media contract and we have more than one episode planned. Research has required me to watch 'Survivor', which I had never watched. It's not really my type of show. While I totally got hooked on this last season of 'The Bachelorette' and I love me some 'Dancing with the Stars', reality tv hasn't interested me much since I was a teen. Oh, but I do love 'The Biggest Loser', because I feel like they're actually doing some good--addressing personal issues, promoting self-awareness and personal growth, and (of course) improving health. Anyway...we've all started playing producer--Leigh and Michelle have been doing research on what we'll need contract-wise and equipment-wise. I started contacting actors this week. We're meeting Friday, to hammer out what we need for paperwork and the outline of the script.
~The pitchbook for the show is coming along, slowly but surely. We're really taking our time, making sure every word is right, finding places where characters are weak and strengthening them, etc. Once we have it done, we'll have the actors over to see it, so they know what we've been doing.
~I have a casting director workshop this weekend with a great CD, who I've done one workshop with previously. I'm excited--I like the scene I found for it--and a bit nervous, of course. But more excited than anything else. :)

I miss my acting class more than I can even say--not sure it'll be starting back up anytime soon, which sucks a lot. I haven't yet begun looking for a new studio, and I would prefer not to have to do that, but it may be necessary. I know I'm not the only student who misses class a ton. I may explore some improv options, too, instead of a traditional class. We shall see...

Things have slowed down a bit commercially, but I'm hoping they pick up soon. I dropped off my usual batch of cookies to my agents the other week--I always like to drop in, say hi and give them something tasty just to say thanks!!

I just looked up at the TV in Coffee Bean, which runs news, weather and other kinds of updates. My horoscope was just on: "You're about to make your mark on the world. Get ready for greatness!" LOVE IT!!!! Excellent!!! I'm ready to be a working actress and writer!! Let's book some projects!!!

Woo!

I had an audition for Verizon this morning--actually, I auditioned for two separate holiday spots. The audition was fun, and I felt like I did fairly well. The session runner and I had an entire conversation about our shared heritage, which was interesting. :) Keep your fingers crossed!!! I said I wanted to book another commercial before the end of September--just gonna keep putting that out there!

On a side note, I was lucky enough to get to go to Nine Inch Nails' final concert (ever)--it was epic. Amazing. Awesome. I'm so grateful that I was there to experience it--and special thanks to my co-creators on the show for giving me their extra ticket as a gift! (More info on that below--it's not really related to acting or writing, but it's awesome, so I want to share.)

Speaking of my co-creators, we've been working to get more of the pitch book in order, too--we met up a few days ago to work on language for the character bios, which I continued to work on this week. I need to finish my rewrite on the pilot, too. We're supposed to meet again on Sunday, to continue working on the remaining bios and possibly start on the other areas of language for the book (i.e. future episodes). Yay!

Okay, back to NIN...
Rolling Stone's review of the show:
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/09/11/nine-inch-nails-wrap-final-tour-with-epic-los-angeles-show/
Photos that I took at the show:
(Nine Inch Nails)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=141482&id=772153053&l=0ae312a2aa
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=141500&id=772153053&l=fe33c6b89f
(opening act, IO Echo)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=141497&id=772153053&l=a87ad3ff48

Quick bits

I met a really lovely casting director last night, through a friend! We compared war wounds from our cats. :) It was nice to be out and about, too. I've been cooped up for a week because of these crazy LA fires!! The smoke has made the air even more toxic than it normally is, so I've been trying to keep inside whenever possible. Therefore, no hiking, no open windows...I've really been a shut-in! Today has been the first day in a week where I didn't feel completely exhausted the entire day. A little tired, yes...but not as truly weary as I'd been all week (which is totally because of the crappy air quality...when combined with my asthma, it's no bueno!).

I sat down and composed post cards to all of the CDs that I've done workshops with over this year, plus one I did a workshop with last year. I just updated them on the two commercials I've booked (including mentioning the Big Lots one by name, since it should be airing in LA) and gave them the contact info for my new management. I just got home from mailing them. :)

Next up, I NEED to finish the rewrite for the pilot. It's a good two weeks overdue, but nobody's been on my ass about it, so I haven't been disciplining myself.

I am glad that I'm feeling better--feeling more like myself. The fires really took something out of me. Happy to be back to things!

September rolling in...

Well, I got my check for the Big Lots! commercial! Yay for being a paid to do what I love!! Yay for being a working actress!

I had an audition for Vick's Cough and Cold the other day--had to dress as if I was going camping. :) It was interesting. It was for a CD that I'd never been to before. I made sure to send a Thank You card with a postcard inside the same day as the audition, as usual. The audition itself was simply four people, sitting around a table, playing cards. I did fine in the audition, but what I failed to do was to cheat to camera. I simply forgot--I was super tired and had been waiting a little while, so I just didn't think about it. I remember thinking about it before the camera was rolling, but the moment we were filming, I focused so much on what we were doing around the table that I forgot the camera was there--which is not a bad thing to do, I just should have been more mindful of how I was positioned in relation to the camera. I was so annoyed with myself afterward, because I DO know better. However, I had to let that go. So, just something to remember for next time. :)

I'm working to figure out what I can use for reel footage. I may have to ask for footage from people I'd rather not approach, but I do need something I can splice together for now. I want to film some stuff, but I need to get on how to do that without breaking the bank...but while still making sure it looks and sounds excellent. I know what scene I would like to film for dramatic purposes...I just need everything else (i.e. location, camera, sound, lighting, someone to film it, someone to edit it...etc). Oh, and I'd need an actor old enough to pass as my dad.

So, we'll see...in the meantime, I am supposed to meet with my co-creators this weekend about the show. We've all been busy with other things lately, so it's time to refocus. I'm also still bouncing around ideas for the short film I was asked to help write. We had an idea and an outline, but then switched things up because of location concerns.

I'm hoping for more auditions soon! I enjoy auditions and would love to book another commercial before the end of the month!!

Little by little

I got myself set up with a management firm that will begin sending me out for more projects! Very excited! We'll see how it all goes!

I also emailed a CD about a possible role in a major new film--I was told that I would be a good fit for one of the roles (it's based on a historical event, so some resemblence to the real people is necessary...and I look a little like one of the women), and since I did a workshop with the CD a few months ago (and got good feedback), I thought I'd email and say, "Hi, I heard this rumor, if it's true, I'd love to throw my hat in the ring" etc.

So good

Well, the commercial shoot was a BLAST!!! So much fun!!! We shot on the Suburban Street Backlot at Downey Studios (in Downey, CA, which is sort of east/south of LA, about 20 miles from Hollywood). It was such an awesome set--they had decorated the lawns and houses/housefronts with fake snow and various holiday light set ups. It was so neat! We shot all night--calltime was at 7pm, with "lunch" at 12:30am...we wrapped around 4:45am. :) I had a great time on set. I always am excited to learn and see what happens with all of it, but I also really was able to enjoy feeling like a professional this time around. :) And, at one point, I had the joy of looking around and thinking, "Wow. This is my job. How awesome is this?!?!" :) Here are some wardrobe shots taken for the production--in the talent trailer, on set (I had two looks):




I'm putting it out there: I want to book another commercial by the end of September! Preferrably a SAG Network National!! :)

Everything else is going well--working on some ideas for a short film to write and star in; also working on the show (have a rewrite to do and the pitchbook to work on). Oh, and I have a laptop (on loan from my mom)...just need internet access at home--then I'll be set!

Yay!!!! Oh, and the spot premieres the week of Thanksgiving, nationwide! :)

Wowsers!

Wow! Busy!

I'm waiting to hear from the production company about the wardrobe fitting for the commercial--hopefully, they call me soon! It was supposed to be tomorrow, according to my agents. :)

Got another call from a lady in the casting office at General Hospital, about extra work--a friend of mine from middle school (whom I also went to high school with) put me in contact with a friend of hers that works with the show somehow. They got my info last week and called about extra work, but I wasn't able to commit to all of the time they needed. So, I sent the lady a thank you card with my postcard in it, just to say thanks for calling me and considering me. Well, she called me today and said that she received my "nice card"--and offered up another couple days of extra work. However, the first day they need would be on the same day as my commercial shoot--so I can't do it. However, I'm really happy to know that she received the card. I'm never 100% certain that the thank you cards I mail out reach their destinations/are opened/are appreciated. So, it's always good to hear that people do open them!

We're working on the pitch book for the show, too. The photos have all been chosen--now we're working on touching them up and fixing the backgrounds (some of them are photos that need to be dropped on to new backgrounds). We're also starting to script the character breakdowns. Next will be reconfiguring the pilot--we have some changes to make to it.

I was also asked to write a short film for a friend--she wants to meet with me about it this weekend. I'm also helping another friend prepare for a big audition this weekend, which is cool.

Yay for being so busy!

BOOKED!

I BOOKED THE COMMERCIAL!!!!!

YAY!!!

My fitting is on Friday; shoot is scheduled for Tuesday night. I'm SO excited!! I found out yesterday afternoon--one of my agents called and said, "Guess what..." I got all "shy little girl" about it, it was funny. :) I'm so excited and thrilled!!! I am excited to be on set, to be working, to be doing well, to get more experience--and being paid for it is totally the icing on the cake!!!

According to my agents, the spot will run on tv, internet and include some print. It's a holiday commercial, so it'll start up in October and run until January.

I have yet to hear from the production company about the fitting, but I'm sure they'll call sometime tonight or tomorrow, as it's supposed to happen on Friday. We'll be in winter wear, so that'll be interesting--I'm not sure where we'll be filming, but I'm really curious to see what they do to transform summer into winter. :)

YAY!!!!!!

Yay for auditions!

So, I've had a string of fun auditions over the last month! All for commercials--one for the NHL, one for an NHL game for Wii and one for Big Lots (might have been another one, can't recall). I had a callback for the Big Lots spot last week and am currently on avail for it! YAY! I love it! I've always heard that getting a callback is the goal, so I'm always happy to get called back...and I love being told that I'm on avail, because I feel like it's reinforcement that I'm doing well and doing the right thing--and that it makes my agents happy. :)

We shall see what happens!! I am so excited to be on set again soon, to be working as an actress--keep your fingers crossed for me for this spot (and for everything!). :)

Pitchbook, Mad Men, etc.

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted! Lack of a computer has kept me from my usual internet activities. :)

First, PLEASE VOTE FOR ME:

http://madmencastingcall.amctv.com/photos/view/843

You can cast one vote per day, and I would so very much appreciate your 5 star vote(s)!!! We worked really hard to get the look right, from the dress to the hair/make up to the jewelry--and I'm pretty proud of what we were able to pull together!! :) Mad Men is one of my favorite shows, and I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to win!!!!

I've been keeping busy lately--commercial auditions (always learn a lot--and interesting to see the final commercials, who they picked, etc--learning that I can't really take it personally, because sometimes they want a 37 year old blonde woman, and I am not that type), writing meetings, etc.

We produced a photo shoot the other weekend to get the necessary photos we need for our pitch book. It went really well! We got GREAT shots and everything went fairly smoothly. I'm really impressed with how we put everything together. :) We narrowed the 2200 pics down to 420, then just narrowed everything down again to around 25. Crazy! We're meeting tonight to discuss the content of the book--what we'll be writing for each character, etc.

Class is now on hiatus, which is sad, but we went out strongly. I really hope we can start up again in a couple of months, and I know I'm not the only person who feels that way!!! We'll see! Not sure if I'll check out an improv classes or whatnot in the meantime.

Oh, and Indy got adopted--yay!! He's with a really nice family in Calabasas--they found him through his YouTube video! :)

Permagrin, etc.

We had our table read for the second episode of the web series this weekend--it went well, I was happy with it, and it was great to see most of our cast in attendance! I have a few tweaks to make to the script, but I think it's close to being ready to show to outside folks. We're currently discussing the pitch book, what the format will be, etc. We need a great photographer to help us create photos that look like stills from the show--and we need to evaluate what our budget for that will be...

In other news, I'm so sad to report that my acting class is shutting down at the end of July. My teacher is going on sabbatical for at least a month. Unfortunately, the economy being what it is inspires a lot of fear in people, and we'd lost close to 2/3 of the class over the last couple of months. The cost of overhead just got to be too much. The studio is still, in effect, open--my coach is going to be around for support and private coaching--but class will remain closed until we can get the right energy and people back to commit to it. I'm sad--I've been in class consistently, with my coach, for over five years (never taken a leave). It's such a part of my routine. I also firmly believe that I would not be the person that I am without my coach, who is more than just a coach to so many of us. It's really weird to think about not having class each week.

I'm not sure what I'll do once it's closed--I thought about some improv classes, but we'll see. I'm trying to be positive about it and look at it as a possible opening for something amazing to come into my life concerning my acting career. Maybe it's creating space for me to book something awesome or for the show to get picked up and put into production...we'll see!

The trailer for Permagrin is now up on YouTube! I'm featured twice, looking like Tina Fey. :) This is the indie that I shot in February and March--the part was written for me! It was written, produced and directed by my best friend's boyfriend, Todd (he also costars in it). Check it out:

Rush of blood to the head

(Listening to Coldplay, while I do computer-y things.)

Is it weird that I've watched my Cox commercial at least 10 times? :)

Had two commercial auditions this week. I'm pretty sure I bombed the first one. I could have definitely made stronger choices in the room--they wanted my character to be one step away from being "crazy cat lady"...I was a little confused by the direction to not make it too broad, though. So, I kept it closer to the vest, and even after the redirect to not be so normal, I still was more "a little off" than "crazy". That's never a fun feeling, walking out of an audition and feeling pretty crappy about your work. However, I just had to look at the experience overall and say, "Next time, go for broke."

The second audition was fun--I thought I did well in the room. It was for the CD that booked me on the Cox commercial. When I walked into the room, the session director remembered me and made a comment about me being a favorite of the CD--always nice to hear!! He had me do the part I came in for, as well as another part they were casting (I think it's either a series of spots or one spot with four characters). I felt like I did well--I had a lot of fun with it and felt like I had good energy. Have yet to hear back on whether I got a callback...and trying to not feel discouraged.

I think booking my first spot was so important to me, and rightfully so...and now I'm in a space of really wanting to book the next one. I'm trying to refocus on just doing other things for my career and not worrying about whether or not I get this particular callback. I was saying yesterday that I think this spot is a good fit for me and that I felt strong about what I had to give to it. I'm trying to have the right energy about it, that's all. So, we'll see! Regardless, I'm still super grateful to have such amazing agents and the have the chance to go on great auditions!! I feel very lucky.

In other news, I finished writing the first draft of episode 2!!!!! I met with Sheryl and Zach on Sunday, to talk about the show. They both really loved the first draft and said that they think it only needs some minor tweaking, which is great! We went over the mock-up for the pitch book, discussing some of the layout options, and tried to line up a time for a table read. Our plan is to create the pitch book around episodes 1 and 2, while including outlines and arcs for the rest of the season and subsequent seasons. Depending on time, we may have episodes 3 and 4 put into it--if I can get them written and polished enough where we're okay with people reading them, then awesome! Zach would like to start meeting with people by the end of the month, if we get the book in good shape. We'll need to start doing photo shoots--so we'll need a good photographer to help us create some of the moments. The idea we had is to make one of the pages in the book a photo collage, treating the book as if it's a scrapbook created by one of the characters. Therefore, there will be photos on that page of past events, that sort of thing--which requires some extra work on our part as far as costuming/makeup, but I think it'll be worth it. More than anything, we need a great photographer (that won't break the bank!) to help give the photos style and depth.

It's an exciting process!! I'm happy episode 2 came out as well as it did. I'm looking for my notes on episode 3, but I can't find anything detailed, just basic stuff I've scrawled on other notes. However, I think I know the three major arcs to hit. I'm looking forward to working on it!

Started the Audrey Wells script in class. I've marked so many scenes to do in class, nearly 4 months worth of scenes (if I do all of them, one per week). This is my second week of working on it. It's exciting to be working on it, as it's a challenging piece, but I think it'll be a great experience!!

My Commercial is Airing!!

My Cox Cable Communications spot is now airing in the San Diego area!!! Check it out:



Yay I'm an actor!!!!!!! More to the point, YAY I'M A WORKING ACTRESS!!!

In other news, my computer is still out of commission--hoping to get a new one soon. Started work on the unproduced Audrey Wells script in class, looking forward to doing more of it! Hoping to get back to doing some casting director workshops again soon, too! We might have an industry only screening of Permagrin sometime in the next couple of months--keeping my fingers crossed!! Still plugging away on episode 2 of the webisode--almost done! Yay!

Wow, long time...

Hello there...

I apologize for the long time between posts--my computer, which has been issuing a death rattle for a while now, finally shuffled off this mortal coil. So, I have been without regular access to the wonderful world of computing for a while. (I'm currently bogarting a friend's laptop.) Hopefully, soon, I will have a new laptop of my very own!

Things have been a little quiet lately, but here's a general recap:

~Wrapped up working on Mad Men and Nine Lives in class. Had some issues with my concept of the scenes and how they should go, but I know by now that when I give myself trouble about that, it's generally just me getting in my own way. Had some good realizations about things, though!

~Started the search for a new script/character to work on in class--I always feel like I do my best work, or at least, grow the most when I work on the same character for a while, doing their various scenes from a film/show/play. I think I've settled on an unproduced Audrey Wells script, circa 2006, which was passed to me by my classmate/friend Bryn. The character is older than I am, but most characters I gravitate towards have always been older than I have been when I've worked on them. :) I start work on the script this week, and Adam wants me to approach it as if I am actually booked on the film and starring in it, so that'll be interesting!

~Hoping to get into a Scott David workshop in a couple of weeks--it's currently sold out, but we'll see what happens! Just putting it out there!

~Saw Star Trek again (third time). It is still just as awesome. I have a feeling I'm going to be seeing it again, too. :) I'm so impressed each time I see it--I catch more nuances each time I see it. Love it! I want to be in the sequel! Somebody let JJ Abrams know, please!!! :)

Onward and upward!

Well, the Crest audition last week was interesting...

I was on the younger end of the age range, based on the others in the waiting room--and they were auditioning SO many types! Men, women, all races, various looks, etc. I'm not sure if they really knew what they wanted ahead of time, as far as a look went. The audition was interesting in the sense that I got to use a teleprompter for the first time--that was kinda neat! I was excited to learn something new. As for what I did in the audition itself...I knew my lines really well, and I listened to the adjustment and think that I did it, but haven't heard back. Ah well. It was a good learning experience. Onward and upward!

It is always interesting to me to see the commercials I've auditioned for, once they hit the airwaves. Many times, the individuals that were cast look nothing like me or are older than me. I was also once called back for a spot where they really wanted a Latina actress--which was evident in the waiting room, as I was the least Latina-looking actress in the room (despite being 1/4 Spanish, I most often am told that I look Irish, because of my freckles--oddly enough, I am not at all Irish...the fair skin comes from the French Canadian side). In one cast, the part I auditioned for was cut out of the commercial completely! So, it is true that you never really know why something doesn't work out. It's easier to take it less personally when you see that the commercial has someone who looks nothing like you. I've seen only two that had women who somewhat resembled me, and I was called back for both of those spots.

This is an ongoing process of learning to not take things personally, which I think is a great lesson overall. I am trying to work on not being so overly anxious about getting out there and booking work, because I so want to be working and I am very much ready to be doing so. :)

Had a casting director workshop last week, too--it was intense, for a workshop. The CD really worked with every actor, often interrupting scenes to ask character-based questions to make sure the actors understood the scene and what was going on...it was like going to a second acting class, except that he wasn't talking about technique as much as he was almost investigating the type of work we'd thought about for each character. If that makes sense. He was fairly blunt with his comments at times, and while he had no comment about the backstory I'd created for my character, he gave me a couple of small adjustments, including one to pick up my beats. I made the adjustments he asked for, particularly concerning the pacing, and felt fine with the scene in the end. It wasn't the best scene in terms of writing--it was supposedly sitcom, but had almost no traditional sitcom beats or phrasing. (I say that with confidence, as I write sitcom myself and have studied a fair number of sitcom pieces.) However, what he wanted was a sitcom reading, and I think we got closer to that with the final run through. As I made my way back to my seat, he did tell me that I did a good job, so who knows? Anyway, I felt good about picking up the pacing well and taking the adjustments well. I think I generally take adjustments well, which is great.

So, I'm finishing up the last scene of Mad Men with Ben (in class this week), then I have no idea what I'm doing as far as scenes go...need something new to tackle! :) Class is always more productive for me if I have a specific thing to focus on for a while, like one character or script. I think that's true for a lot of people, actually--I always see a lot of growth in actors when they commit to doing every scene from a film, that sort of thing.

I'm holding off on more CD workshops through the end of the month--may have one that I'll go standby on next week, though. In the meantime, I am trying to figure out how to keep busy and keep the momentum going. I do need to work on the 2nd episode of the show--I've got about 9 pages written, all of it very rough. A lot of it is simply placeholding dialogue, if that makes sense.

I have a couple of plugs, by the way:

http://www.comebacklittlehorny.com
Fun play, in the Hollywood area, featuring some solid performances, including one by an actor we're looking at for the show. :) Check it out!

http://www.harveyandbobshow.com
Podcast movie reviews and popculture discussions (related to films), done my a friend of mine and his pal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oq3pfKgLFQ
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=109642&id=772153053&l=cd8ba0bf31
Video and photo gallery of the cat that I am currently fostering (as of last week). He's very playful, outgoing and sweet, only 14 months old and still totally a kitten in a lot of ways--everything is a toy for him. He needs a new Forever Home. :) If you click on the links, you should get more info along with the video and the photos.

Next up

Got a commercial audition tomorrow, for Crest! Yay! So excited! The sides were online, so I have a copy of them to work on tonight. Definitely need to put some work in on learning the dialogue and getting used to saying it, as it's a big "jargon-y". :) Luckily, I have a good track record of being able to work with this sort of thing, based on my last commercial and my work in my old commercial class. Still, going to put in some major practice tonight and prior to the audition tomorrow. (I'm playing a doctor!)

Another workshop on Thursday--should be fun! Heard the CD likes to really work with the actors, so we were told to plan on being there later. :)

I really want to keep moving forward with my acting, with getting callbacks, bookings, etc. I want to book this commercial!! :)

Star Trek

Star Trek is the best film I have seen in AGES. Seriously. Go see it.

I *love* JJ Abrams. Alias was a show that I loved (own the first season and pop it in to watch every couple of months--would love to get at least seasons 2 and 3 as well)--it's the reason I have a girl crush on Jennifer Garner. :) And, I think we all know how utterly obsessed I am with LOST. :) He did an amazing job with Star Trek. Really. I'm so impressed, and it is bloody hard to impress me on the first viewing of a film. It really is--I pick things apart a lot, figure out what worked and what didn't, and more times than not, I'm left feeling "bleh" about whatever I just saw. Not this time. I am SO impressed with the film.

I have said this before, but I'm putting it out there again: I would LOVE to work with JJ Abrams. It'd be a dream come true for me.

Busy Bee

Well...let's see! Workshop last week was fun--had a sitcom scene with a great partner, and it went well, so that's happy!

Sunday, had a casting director workshop with a gal from the office that casts Mad Men (*swoon*...love that show!!!!). It was interesting--a little different than some of the other workshops I went to, as it moved very quickly. I chose my own scene, something from Trust Me (which I have yet to see...it'll be something I'll rent once the first season is on dvd). Recently, instead of choosing flashier scenes, I tend to look for scenes that might be something I would either be cast in or typed as...something that I think might fit me well enough for the show, too, if I can find it. I was able to do a dry run of the scene I chose, as my partner for class had been absent last week--kinda nice to have the practice! :) Anyway, my notes from the workshop were good--that I was very natural, etc. I seem to get that note a lot, which actually makes me happy. I think I'd rather be natural than be chewing scenery. :)

Had another workshop on Tuesday night, for a different office and at a different studio. Got a scene from The Savages, which was funny to me, as I'd done a bunch of scenes from that script already (last year, in class). I hadn't done this specific scene, but a lot prior to it, so I had a bit more to work with than I might ordinarily have had. It was the sort of scene that is preceeded by a confrontation of sorts, so there's a lot of energy carrying into it, which can be tricky sometimes. But it went fairly well. :)

Voice over audition on Wednesday morning--rarely have had vo auditions, so that's always an interesting experience for me. I just walked into it thinking, "Well, let's have some fun and learn something!" The office was really quiet at the time I went in, so I was able to hear the women reading in front of me--that was a little weird, but it was interesting, as I could hear that most of them were missing a beat that was written into the script and intended to be funny. Prior to my read through, the cd came out and gave myself and the other remaining actress in the lobby a direction to hit that beat. I went in, did my first take and hit the beat, but a little too strongly. The cd popped into the room and gave me the direction to pull it back a bit, which I think I did well. As I was leaving, the cd yelled, "That was great" from her office (where she was watching the session on a feed). So, I guess we'll see?

Class on Wednesday night was awesome. So many great scenes, such wonderful moments for a lot of the actors--people breaking through, having big moments, etc. I had an interesting improv, where my partner was trying to pick a fight with me, but I refused to take the bait. And my scene was gorgeous. It was just my favorite kind of acting to do, and my partner was divine, and I love-love-loved it! It was the first portion of a vignette from Nine Lives, which is a film I really enjoy (by Rodrigo Garcia). We're doing the second portion of the vignette next week. :) I was nervous about this scene prior to it, but I think that was just because I really love the piece, and I loved the original actors in the piece. :) Anyway, very happy with everything.

Had a nice afternoon watching LOST--so LOVE THAT SHOW!!! :) Also, had another workshop tonight, with an associate from the office that casts Southland (which is another of my favorite new shows--REALLY AMAZING). Went up first, as my partner had to leave early for a screening of a film he was in, and it went okay. I got no redirect, although my partner was given some notes. The scene had my character blackmailing his character, but I don't know the source material. It was interesting to watch the other scenes, too. :) I really love Southland--came home and watched it after the workshop. Such subtle acting, so great; love Regina King!

Might go see Star Trek in a bit...love myself some JJ Abrams!!!

Next workshop is currently in a week's time. We'll see what fun happens prior to that day...you never know!! Auditions, callbacks, we shall see!!! :)

Little bit each day

I put my name in for a workshop happening in two weeks, and I will keep another one in mind for next week. I already have two that I'm signed up for in the meantime. :)

Played a small part in a friend's short film today--came to set and played a waitress that gets hit on my the douchey guy in the short. I offered to help in order to repay the actress starring in the short, as she helped me out last minute & played the bridesmaid when we shot the Here Comes The Bride short last year. Plus, it's always fun to be on set! :)

I sent off my headshot and resume to the director of my Cox cable spot (also had to create the PDF file) and mailed a thank you card to the cd associate whose workshop I attended yesterday. Both great little things to do!! :)

Workshopping

I am ready for great theatrical representation! Just putting it out there!

Had a fun workshop tonight!! Casting director was really nice and had a fantastic partner. Our scene was from a sitcom, so that was a lot of fun! It's always enjoyable to work the beats of a sitcom and just get up & play. :)

I have two more workshops scheduled over the next week. There are two more I'd like to sign up for--one within the next week, the other two weeks away. I'm waiting for my paycheck from the commercial to arrive before I commit to those two workshops, just to be on the safe side (as rent is also due). :) I'd love to say, "Screw it! Sign up! The money will come!" And I probably will say that...but I also want to respect what I have right now. :)

I've been watching Southland every Thursday, and I'm really becoming a big fan of the show. It's so well done. Regina King just had a scene that made me hope she'll get at least an Emmy nod, if not a win. She's always awesome, in everything I've ever seen her in.

Screening and LOST on the beach

Friday, we had a cast and crew screening for Permagrin (formerly The Known Devil), the indie film that my best friend's boyfriend wrote/directed/produced/starred-in. I had a part in the film, which he wrote for me, and did most of my work in February and March. It was a lot of fun to watch this cut of the film with everyone, but most of all, I just thought it was a great example of what can be done with great determination. Todd's budget was around $8,000. He really willed this project to life, assembling great actors, calling in favors, and just generally busting his ass to get what he needed to get to make it happen. It's really impressive to me, and I have a lot of respect for him. Our screening was in this awesome studio/screening room at the Sunset Marquis Hotel--which is gorgeous--and it was a great time!

Monday night, I went over to Dockweiler Beach to participate in a make up class for my studio. It was set up to be like an episode of LOST, in which we all came to the beach with characters in mind, having done some work on them, made choices about them, etc. Adam, our coach, then directed us into improvised scenes, filming as he went. It was a lot of fun! I was surprisingly tired afterward and most of today, but I really enjoyed the experience! I think Adam is going to cut the footage together so we can see some of it--that'll be neat! It was an interesting challenge--really learning how to make adjustments on the fly and stay focused in the moment, while things were changing around us or providing distraction (the big one for me was mastering how I dealt with the smoke/heat from the campfire). Overall, I felt like it was really valuable!

I've signed up for a couple more casting director workshops, including one for someone from a cd office that does a lot of big budget films and one for someone from the cd office that casts Mad Men. I've also put in for one that happens next week, with someone from the office that casts Southland (waiting to hear a confirmation). I specifically have been looking to do a mix of offices that I am unfamiliar with, as well as offices that cast shows/projects I love or projects that I think would suit me as an actress. It's exciting to keep lining things for my acting. I don't think I realized that I have been continually lining things up until today--but, wow, what a neat thing to realize. I am making an effort, and I have the evidence to prove it. :) I'm hoping for some more commercial auditions coming up--and I may be particpating in a short film shoot on Friday (helping out someone who once helped me with a short film shoot).

I want to refocus some energy on writing for the show--we've all been busy with other things lately, so things had been moving more slowly than before, but I'd like to make a push this weekend. :)

My scene for this week is from a movie I love--so I'm a wee bit nervous!--but I think it'll be a great exercise for me. :) I'm very happy with a lot of what I've been working on in class lately. I have scenes lined up for the next couple of weeks, then I'm not sure what I'll be working on--but I'm sure something great will come up!

Just putting it out there...

I am ready to be a SAG actress and work on a SAG project! I am ready to work on a SAG commercial!! I am ready to work on a SAG network national commercial!! I AM READY!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cast and crew screening of The Known Devil tonight--the indie film that I performed in during February and March. :)

Set

The shoot was SO MUCH FUN!!!

I arrived at crew parking at quarter to 7am, where I met up with our director, my co-star and various crew members--was introduced to the 1st & 2nd ADs, the DP, etc. They had a lovely catering spread, complete with an omelet bar! Sets are always catered in some way, but I still thought it was so cool. My breakfast was an awesome scramble with turkey, cheese, zucchini and corn, some bacon (you know I love bacon!), raspberries...and a doughnut, for good measure. :) I made good use of the catering, obviously. ;-)

After being driven over to the location--which was a GORGEOUS Craftsmen-style home in South Pasadena, near the crew parking--my co-star and I hung out in the production trailer while we waited to go into hair and make-up. I went in first, put on my costume (which was comprised of my clothing and accessories from the wardrobe gal), then had my make-up done and my hair styled a little nicer than how I had it.

The production crew did a great job of being on top of everything and moving quickly. A lot of times, the general thing on set is "Hurry up and wait", which is in reference to how everyone always needs everything to be ready, even if the shot is an hour away. :) However, they called for me, and once I was done being styled, I was driven to set and my first shot came very shortly afterward! It was great!

Filming itself was so much fun. We worked straight through, with set-ups going very quickly, and I believe we had the majority of filming done in about four hours. The shots began in the house, following me as I went to answer the door, then moved on to do the medium and close ups for my co-star. The camera was then turned around to do my medium and close ups.

My co-star was so great--really funny and quick with his improvisation. After getting the lines that were down on paper, he was given the chance to run with his improvisation at the end of the scene, and it was very, very funny! My lines were a little trickier, as they were the "selling point" sort of lines, more about how great the product is, etc. It's interesting to find the balance between selling the product and being a normal person. :) However, I was told I did well, so that's great! I was able to improvise a little bit, but as my character was the straight man, it was more about my reactions. I got a couple of funny moments in there, but on the whole, it was more important for me to hit the scripted lines. They were rewriting some of my lines as I went along, so I had the challenge of learning them on the fly, which was great to experience, as I'm sure it won't be the last time that happens!

Overall, we received a lot of positive feedback from the director and crew, as well as the production/marketing company rep and the reps from Cox. I met a couple of them at the craft table, after my scenes were wrapped, and they were incredibly nice. Actually, everyone on set was amazing and kind, very friendly and professional. Our director was great--really hands on, very involved, creative, positive--it was fun to work with him. I feel very lucky to be involved in such a great production!!

I wasn't able to see any of the footage, but I saw a couple of black and white polaroid type shots, used by the script supervisor to track for continuity, and the shots looked nice. I'm really excited to see how it's all edited together--the director had us playing around, saying a lot of lines over and over again, just to give him options in editing. That's a learning experience for me, for sure--I've not had to repeat a lot of things like that, and I love the opportunity to learn how to do that well.

One of the things I realized was that I was feeling a little curious as to whether or not I was doing well, if they were happy with what they got, but then I realized that if they weren't happy, they would have kept me there until I got it right. :) Also, I believe that if there had been any serious issues, I would have been worked with so that I could make the necessary adjustments. I also really realized how true it is that everyone does want you to do well! :) The folks I spoke to seemed very happy with what I was doing and happy to have me there, and it really made an impact on me to see that sort of energy all around me, because lord knows I was thrilled to be there myself!!!!

Overall, I'm so very happy and excited to have had this opportunity!!!!!!!! I was nervous this morning, before I got there, but just found that my joy at being involved won out over anything else. I really loved being the "talent"--so much fun!!! :) I have already sent out thank you cards to my agents, the casting director, the production/marketing company rep and one of the Cox reps that I met on set--and I passed a thank you card to the director before I left. I've been told it's rare for people to send thank you cards out like that, but I guess I've just had great teachers in the past, who have given me the amazing advice to always show gratitude for those folks. I love being able to send thank you cards to people--I feel like it's an awesome way to send out gratitude and positive energy into the world.

I look forward to seeing a final cut of the commercial--the production/marketing company rep told me to make sure they had my contact info so they could mail me a copy for my reel (my info was on the contract/waiver I signed). If it's not put online by someone else or by Cox, I'll try to upload it once it arrives, so I can have it to send to people and put on my website. I was told we looked great, so it should be fun to see!

I'm looking forward to my next commercial audition!! I can't wait to ROCK it and enjoy it just like I enjoyed this whole experience!!! Next up, I am ready to book a SAG commercial and be Taft-Hartleyed!!!! Yay!!!!!!!

Two Weeks

Two weeks ago, on April 7th, I posted the following blurb on Twitter (I can't bring myself to call it a tweet):

[I am] ready to be working in my field of choice...and being paid for it!

Today, April 21st, I am proud to say that I have made that a reality!!!!!!!

I BOOKED THE COX CABLE COMMERCIAL!!!! :) :)

One of my agents called this morning to tell me I was on Avail--meaning that the production company wanted to book my time, so that they could use me if they chose me out of the last round of actresses. A couple of hours later, the same agent called back to give me the good news.

It's a non-union spot, with a lump sum flat rate buy out. In my agency's eyes, it's not a lot of money--and, compared to the kind of money one can make on a union network national, it's not a lot of money--but it is a lot of money TO ME. :) More importantly, it's what I set out to do!!!

The shoot is on Thursday--I will have wardrobe fittings tomorrow, at some point. The wardrobe gal called me briefly today, to tell me the look they were leaning towards and ask me to bring some options to the fitting (common, from what I'm told, even though they're really not supposed to ask that of you). So, I went out and bought khakis, which was painful, because khakis are so unattractive. I was overdue to buy a pair anyway, since auditions sometimes ask you to wear them (I think I'll keep them in my car, along with a polo shirt that I bought, just as an emergency audition outfit).

I'm so excited!! I am excited to have great energy come back to me, I am excited to be hired, I am excited to have had a great experience at the callback, I am excited to get on set and work, I am excited to be a professional, I am excited to learn when I get to set, I am excited to make contacts...I'm SUPER excited!!!

I really think it's amazing what can be created so quickly by focusing the right kind of energy on that which I want for myself and my life!!!

And that's how it's done!

My callback today was FANTASTIC!!!!

Prior to the callback, my agency called me to tell me to be sure to be very prepared with the sides, which was a special request from the casting director. So, I headed over to the area early and sat in a blissfully airconditioned Starbucks to review both sets of dialogue.

After arriving to my callback, I was directed to rehearse with some of the guys who were waiting. I had the opportunity to rehearse with one guy in the waiting area before I was pulled into the room with a second actor.

The director of the commercial was in the room, as was a rep from the production company. It's standard to have folks like that in the room, but what was very cool was that the director took the time to come up to us and introduce himself, as well as the production company rep, shake hands, etc. He was very hands on in directing us. I had the opportunity to read with four different actors--I think they were calling back fewer women, so we all got the chance to read with more than one person. I've seen that happen before if the calltimes are spread out so that there's an uneven number of actors to actresses, but I've never before had the chance to do multiple reads. It was a lot of fun!!

Overall, I had a really great time in the room. I got to play with the script a little bit, which was great fun--and I actually got a laugh from the director and production company rep with an improvised line! :) Near the end of my time in the room, I chatted with the director a bit about positive energy, forward momentum and the like, including a little bit about Obama's election. On the way out, I rode down in the elevator with the production company rep, who told me that I had one of the best lines of the day and that I did a great job.

So...YAY!!!!!!!!!!! :)

I'm so very happy and excited that I had such an amazing experience this afternoon. I felt good about what I did in the room, I had fun, I handled myself well...and I believe that I made fans! Those are all amazing accomplishments and things that I can OWN. :)

Another writing meeting tomorrow, although I'm not sure what we'll be talking about...and I'm confirmed for another casting director workshop in about a week and a half!

Monday

I've got a callback, for Cox Cable, on Monday!! Yay! Haven't heard anything about Pizza Hut, but am not sure when the callbacks were supposed to be...so maybe they haven't happened yet, and I'll get a callback there as well! You never know--anything is possible! I'm excited to have the Cox callback and looking forward to it. Reminds me, I have to look up the scripts! :)

Put my name in for a casting director workshop at the end of the month. Considering doing some last minute sharking for a couple more--showing up the night of, seeing if there are spots open. I don't want to sign up ahead of time at the moment--I'd like to see how my finances are looking and make up my mind the day of the workshops. I did put myself on the wait list for two workshops in May, both of which I *really* want to attend! Putting out the energy that a spot will open up for me!

Meeting tomorrow with Sheryl, to finish watching a movie for research. Then, time to start the rough draft of episode 2!

Not sure what scene I'll be doing in class this week, but the following week, I start work on a vignette from Nine Lives, a film by Rodrigo Garcia. It's a beautiful, interesting film that I really love. It has nine vignettes, following nine women through a certain moment in their lives, and each vignette is done in one continuous take. Really awesome and interesting to watch from a filmmaking perspective...and I love the performances. I've loved this particular vignette since I first saw the film, a couple of years ago, and I've long thought about performing it in class. So, I set about transcribing it the other night. :) Yay for making good on that desire!

"Let me get some action!"

Audition yesterday was for Cox Cable. It was interesting...the sides were different than the ones we were told to look at online, and the time in the room was a bit odd itself. Overall, it went decently. I was kicking myself a bit for botching a line, but considering that they'd changed them and neither of us had a good view of the cheat sheet board (owing to how we were told to stand), I had to let it go--I got the point of the line across, it's not the end of the world. :) The session runner wrote my name down (getting it wrong at first--called me Mary, no idea why), but I don't really know why she wrote down my name--I'm pretty sure she wrote down the name of my partner, too. Maybe just keeping track of who they'd seen. I wrote a thank you card to the CDs and mailed it off this morning--I always do that when I see new CDs or go in to an office that I haven't visited for a while.

The casting director workshop went well. Got a scene from something I wasn't familiar with, but it was a good scene...great practice at how to just be a normal person in a scene, if that makes sense. I'm really enjoying the experiences of these workshops, it's been a lot of fun!

Audition this morning was for Pizza Hut. I got a bonus, too! They were casting one spot, but last minute, they were told that a second spot had been added--so I got to audition for both! The first had me playing an assistant in a "Man on the Street" sort of spot; the second had me playing two different waitresses. I really like going into see this CD--his session runners are usually so nice and chill. I had a lot of fun in both reads, so we'll see! I really love getting to go in and play--it's so much fun.

Class tonight is going to be fun and a bit challenging--I have two scenes, which are pretty far apart on the spectrum (as far as content and tone go). I'm looking forward to all of it, particularly the comedy scene--I love, love, LOVE 30 Rock. After all, there is a reason I wrote a kick-ass spec script for that show!!! :)

Writing meeting tomorrow with Sheryl--I think we're doing research? I haven't had much time or focus to work too much on the rough draft of episode 2, but things clear up after tonight. I've been mulling over certain things that need to be brought up in the episode, and I'm sure I'll get into it more after our meeting.

OH! AND...this is awesome: Adam's put together an amazing opportunity to do a class make-up that is totally different than anything we've done before...he's having us all create characters as if we were on LOST and come down to the beach in a couple of weeks to spend the evening interacting with each other in character. And he'll be filming it! I'm SO EXCITED!!! Being on LOST is a dream of mine, so to get to go play like I'm on the show...HELL YES!!!!!! :) :) :)

Busy Tuesday

Had a fantastic writing/development meeting on Sunday. Met with Sheryl & Zach to discuss the outline for episode 2. We worked out a basic outline, spending some time to develop what looks to be a stylistic theme for the show (for lack of a better description). I'm fairly busy the next few days, so we'll see how much I can done writing-wise, but I hope to have a few pages hammered out soon. Sheryl and I are meeting again on Thursday. :)

I have two scenes this week in class, both of which I am excited about! Mad Men--continuing my arc of scenes with Ben--and 30 Rock. Two shows I love!! Should be really fun!

I have an audition tomorrow for a cable related company--I believe it's a regional spot, as I'm not very familiar with the company. Exciting! I love commercial auditions! I also have a casting director workshop, which I'm jazzed about--always fun to go in, meet someone new, learn and play!

Why another blog?

I chose to create this blog so that I would have a place--a public place--to catalogue my efforts related to my acting and writing careers. I believe that by putting out positive energy, with a focus on forward momentum, I will be helping myself to attract the right energy and opportunities for my artistic success & fulfillment.

Since the start of 2009, I have done the following:
~co-created a web series with friends (which came to me through previous efforts in the realm of writing and acting, specifically in my class...a classmate approached me to ask me to help her and her boyfriend develop the idea they had for a series)
~had hours and hours of development and writing meetings with my co-creators
~written a hilarious pilot for the web series, and by doing so, created a starring vehicle for myself, one of my co-creators and a number of our friends/fellow actors
~written three drafts of the pilot
~done two table reads of the pilot, at various stages of its development
~collaborated on the overall arc for the series, as well as individual character arcs (about to start writing episode 2)
~auditioned for, booked and shot a student film for LMU (for which I received great feedback, and for which I got to do some ADR--yay new experience!)
~filmed a part written expressly for me in an independent film
~auditioned for a talent manager
~auditioned for and was accepted to a local casting director workshop studio
~attended and done well at four casting director workshops in the last month (including receiving feedback such as, "You are a great actress" and comments on my realism, great emotion and ability to make great adjustments)
~attended a Women In Film workshop taught by a well-known sitcom director (later sent her a link to a short film that I both wrote and starred in, receiving positive feedback for my work)
~got new headshots, with specific looks in mind--and feel that I achieved exactly what I set out to do concerning the looks
~printed a new headshot from the set, as well as matching postcards for marketing; looking at printing another option as well
~updated & renewed my personal website, IMDb page/resume/pics, Actor's Access page and LA Casting page
~had a handful of commercial auditions through my great agents, with a callback for Altoids
~submitted myself for roles online, via Actor's Access
~wrote a scene for class, based on our web series (probably to be used in a later episode)
~signed up for one and researching additional casting director workshops
~done a GREAT job with my scenework in class!!!
...and more!

I list all of these accomplishments so that I don't lose sight of the victories I've had along the way. Ownership of what I've done is very, very important. My new mantra is "Own it! And get out of your own way!"