Last time we talked I was on my way to LA to study with my acting coach in Hollywood, Glenn Haines. The trip has come and gone and it was a wonderful success. I had two lessons with Glenn (two hours Monday and two more hours on Tuesday), and both went extremely well. Those are Glenn's words, not mine, and those of you who know him also know he does not throw compliments around lightly. In looking at the DVD of the two lessons, I must admit that it was some of the better work I have done with Glenn. As all actors know, it's wonderful when it goes well, and something like walking in wet concrete when it does not.
I also attended a workshop on Sunday afternoon held by casting director Craig Campobasso. Those are quite lively, with anywhere from fifteen to twenty people in attendance, and it's always nice to work with LA actors once again.
This coming Saturday I will be in Portland, playing the role of a doctor in a film for the US Department of Justice. This will actually be the fifth film in which I have played a doctor (as Mr. Rogers might say, "Can you say typecasting?"). Not to worry, as it's a good role and I long ago ceased to worry about the fact that I play a lot of doctors, ministers (or priests), lawyers, and judges. It's honest work doing what I love to do and that's what matters to me. Besides, I've had the occasional roles of a crime lord, hit man, tough guard, corporate CEO, and psychiatrist just to spice things up.
This Saturday, I will be working for a media group which I have had the pleasure of working for before. They are quite professional, fun to work with, and make the set a very enjoyable place to be.
There is a group of actors in Seattle known as The Seattle Theater Readers. They do staged readings of short film scripts once a month at the JewelBox Theater in Seattle. They have accepted one of my short film scripts (a comedy private eye spoof) and will include it on their program this coming June.
I classify myself as an actor first, and a writer second. While that is an accurate statement, I do enjoy writing a great deal and look forward to having one of my screenplays presented in that manner.
Finally, I will be returning to LA sometime in April for more lessons with Glenn, as well as attending a casting director workshop (not sure which one, yet). I'm waiting on Glenn to let me know what openings he has in his schedule for that month before scheduling the trip.
So, actors....the name of the game is to keep studying....work when you can...and keep moving forward....works for me!
We'll talk later........................
Showing posts with label Hollywood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hollywood. Show all posts
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Put Me In, Coach
The life of a backup quarterback in the NFL is a lonely one. He must practice just as long and hard during the week, as the rest of the team, yet his chances of playing in the upcoming game are slim to none. And, if by some chance he does play, his notification time is usually nonexistent, as he is suddenly thrust into the game. Here's a question. What is worse than practicing, being ready to play, and then not playing? To me the answer is simple. What's worse is getting to play and not being ready.
Last year was not a very good year for me as an actor. Call it bad economy, fate, whatever, or all three, but it was not a good year. I felt like the backup quarterback sitting on the bench.
Feeling that being ready is the first prerequisite for an actor, I will be making my first trip of the year back to LA and Hollywood in early February. I hope to make four or five such trips this year. I have scheduled two long private lessons with Glenn Haines, my acting coach in Hollywood, and will also be in at least one, and possibly two (one already scheduled and one pending) casting director workshops. The workshops are a wonderful way to do scenes with working LA actors under the sharp eye of a known LA casting director. I have worked with this casting director before, and his workshops are great fun, as well as being a good learning experience.
Working with Glenn is always a joy and a chore at the same time, as he demands nothing but the best from a student, and is quick to point out to you when you don't give it. He tells you why it wasn't up to par and you do it again until it is. He is a tough and talented acting coach, and that's why I continue to study with him.
I guess, like the backup quarterback, my worst fear is getting to play and not being ready. I have always thought that when you audition for a casting director, you are there with a twofold purpose. One, of course, is to land the role for which you are auditioning, and the other is to do a job which is good enough to earn the right to come back before that same casting director to audition for another role.
When I auditioned for "The Office" it was not my first time before that casting director. Five months earlier, I had auditioned for a small role in "Parks And Recreation" on NBC. I wasn't cast in that show, but was called back by that same casting director to audition for "The Office", in which I was cast. Every audition can serve as a building block to the next audition.
So it's off to LA I go in a few weeks to study and to see some welcome familiar faces. After that...."Put me in, coach."
Later.............
Last year was not a very good year for me as an actor. Call it bad economy, fate, whatever, or all three, but it was not a good year. I felt like the backup quarterback sitting on the bench.
Feeling that being ready is the first prerequisite for an actor, I will be making my first trip of the year back to LA and Hollywood in early February. I hope to make four or five such trips this year. I have scheduled two long private lessons with Glenn Haines, my acting coach in Hollywood, and will also be in at least one, and possibly two (one already scheduled and one pending) casting director workshops. The workshops are a wonderful way to do scenes with working LA actors under the sharp eye of a known LA casting director. I have worked with this casting director before, and his workshops are great fun, as well as being a good learning experience.
Working with Glenn is always a joy and a chore at the same time, as he demands nothing but the best from a student, and is quick to point out to you when you don't give it. He tells you why it wasn't up to par and you do it again until it is. He is a tough and talented acting coach, and that's why I continue to study with him.
I guess, like the backup quarterback, my worst fear is getting to play and not being ready. I have always thought that when you audition for a casting director, you are there with a twofold purpose. One, of course, is to land the role for which you are auditioning, and the other is to do a job which is good enough to earn the right to come back before that same casting director to audition for another role.
When I auditioned for "The Office" it was not my first time before that casting director. Five months earlier, I had auditioned for a small role in "Parks And Recreation" on NBC. I wasn't cast in that show, but was called back by that same casting director to audition for "The Office", in which I was cast. Every audition can serve as a building block to the next audition.
So it's off to LA I go in a few weeks to study and to see some welcome familiar faces. After that...."Put me in, coach."
Later.............
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Easy Come....Easy Go.
A few days ago I wrote a rather cryptic blog entry. In it I said "There is indeed work for actors in Seattle after all, and if the actor doesn't go to Hollywood....sometimes Hollywood comes to the actor"
Here now is the story behind that.
Last Monday I auditioned for a role in a vignette. The vignette was four short sketches for an un-named company, charity, organization, whatever (more about that later). The role was choice, the writing was excellent, the audition went well, and two and a half hours after the audition, I received a call from the production company for the project telling me I had been cast in the role. The pay for the role, by Seattle standards, was quite generous
The final script approval had not yet been received and had to come from China, London, and Seattle. To what degree each location had in the script approval, I have no idea. We were not told the name of the organization at the audition.
The production company (which has a lot of good work under its belt) seemed very professional, and very friendly towards actors, and I was looking forward to working with them on the project, which was to have a half day of rehearsal and a full day of shooting next week. "Was looking forward to" is the key phrase, as I received a call this afternoon from the production company telling me that sadly, the shoot had either been postponed or cancelled. The client wasn't sure at this point which it would be. The production company has a long successful history with this client and perhaps the production will live again some day....perhaps not. We'll see.
I have been in this business for awhile and know that things like this happen. It fact it happened to me once before when I was cast in a role and then the plug was pulled on the project before it could start, and another time when the plug was pulled on a film after we had already completed two days of shooting.
As an actor, how do you deal with something like this.? You simply roll with it and move on. In The Office episode I was in, my character had eight lines, all of which were cut (along with the lines of other actors) in post production. Fortunately I still had a good deal of screen time in the episode, just no lines. Again, roll with it and move on. Regardless of the missing lines, I thought my short stint on "The Office" was great fun.
My Point? Actors must be flexible and ready for anything, because in an acting career, "everything" will eventually happen. Best to just enjoy the ride and all the things that ride will bring you. A seasoned actor once told me not to get too high emotionally when things go well, and not too low when they don't. That's good advice.
Auditions in the Seattle area have picked up noticeably in the last six weeks or so, and that is good for everyone in the business in the Northwest.
OK, that takes care of the first half of my cryptic blog entry, but what about the last half about Hollywood coming to the actor.
Before moving to LA, and even more so after moving there, I have been quite fortunate to be a student of acting coach Glenn Haines. Glenn does most of his coaching from his studio in Hollywood, but on rare occasions, still comes to Seattle. He is doing so this weekend and I have a long private lesson scheduled with him. Of course I still make periodic pilgrimages to LA to study with Glenn, and to attend various casting director workshops. Even though I will be seeing Glenn this weekend, I also plan to take my next trip to LA in a few weeks. So, with Glenn, a little bit of Hollywood is coming here. It will be good to work with him again.
Be good to one another and I'll talk with you again as soon as I have something I think is worth saying...........
Here now is the story behind that.
Last Monday I auditioned for a role in a vignette. The vignette was four short sketches for an un-named company, charity, organization, whatever (more about that later). The role was choice, the writing was excellent, the audition went well, and two and a half hours after the audition, I received a call from the production company for the project telling me I had been cast in the role. The pay for the role, by Seattle standards, was quite generous
The final script approval had not yet been received and had to come from China, London, and Seattle. To what degree each location had in the script approval, I have no idea. We were not told the name of the organization at the audition.
The production company (which has a lot of good work under its belt) seemed very professional, and very friendly towards actors, and I was looking forward to working with them on the project, which was to have a half day of rehearsal and a full day of shooting next week. "Was looking forward to" is the key phrase, as I received a call this afternoon from the production company telling me that sadly, the shoot had either been postponed or cancelled. The client wasn't sure at this point which it would be. The production company has a long successful history with this client and perhaps the production will live again some day....perhaps not. We'll see.
I have been in this business for awhile and know that things like this happen. It fact it happened to me once before when I was cast in a role and then the plug was pulled on the project before it could start, and another time when the plug was pulled on a film after we had already completed two days of shooting.
As an actor, how do you deal with something like this.? You simply roll with it and move on. In The Office episode I was in, my character had eight lines, all of which were cut (along with the lines of other actors) in post production. Fortunately I still had a good deal of screen time in the episode, just no lines. Again, roll with it and move on. Regardless of the missing lines, I thought my short stint on "The Office" was great fun.
My Point? Actors must be flexible and ready for anything, because in an acting career, "everything" will eventually happen. Best to just enjoy the ride and all the things that ride will bring you. A seasoned actor once told me not to get too high emotionally when things go well, and not too low when they don't. That's good advice.
Auditions in the Seattle area have picked up noticeably in the last six weeks or so, and that is good for everyone in the business in the Northwest.
OK, that takes care of the first half of my cryptic blog entry, but what about the last half about Hollywood coming to the actor.
Before moving to LA, and even more so after moving there, I have been quite fortunate to be a student of acting coach Glenn Haines. Glenn does most of his coaching from his studio in Hollywood, but on rare occasions, still comes to Seattle. He is doing so this weekend and I have a long private lesson scheduled with him. Of course I still make periodic pilgrimages to LA to study with Glenn, and to attend various casting director workshops. Even though I will be seeing Glenn this weekend, I also plan to take my next trip to LA in a few weeks. So, with Glenn, a little bit of Hollywood is coming here. It will be good to work with him again.
Be good to one another and I'll talk with you again as soon as I have something I think is worth saying...........
Friday, March 26, 2010
Put Me In, Coach
I have always maintained that most of us should and do wear more than one hat, and should not think of ourselves as being defined by a single skill, talent, or activity. An accountant is more than an accountant, as he or she may also be a writer, or a gardener, or a volunteer for any number of activities, or an expert on a particular subject not associated with accounting, or may possess any number of talents at either an amateur or professional level. Past that, and never to take a back seat in our lives, all of us are husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and so forth. We all are the sum of all these parts, and I am no different there than anyone else.
In the course of my life I have worked as a professional jazz musician, a computer programmer, a systems analyst, a hospital department head, a technical field salesperson, and for the past fourteen years, an actor. Additionally, I have been a writer for years, writing short film screenplays, articles, essays, short stories, and two radio dramas which have been performed nationally on commercial radio. All of this has played a part in who I am.
I have given a lot to acting in time, money (private lessons, classes, workshops), and dedication and acting in turn, has given a lot to me. It has been and continues to be a good professional marriage.
This past couple of weeks, I opened a new chapter in the book known as "Who I Am". I taught and conducted two cold reading workshops for actors. The first workshop was for intermediate actors, the second was for a group of advanced actors. These workshops were scene study workshops (two person scenes), which gave each actor a few minutes to prepare a scene with their assigned acting partner, and then do their scene, and re-work that scene in front of the entire group. I subscribe to the simple, yet important premise of famed acting coach Tony Barr, who said, "Actors should act." All private lessons, workshops, and classes that I attended while in LA were designed that way....scene study, scene study, scene study. Both workshops went well, and I found that assuming the role as an acting coach was almost immediately comfortable for me.
While, like all of you I am the sum of many parts, after family I am still an actor first, with any acting coaching, writing, etc. coming after that. Still, I found I greatly enjoyed the workshops I conducted. I believe I do have something to pass on to other actors, and I look forward to holding more workshops in the future.
Otherwise, it's going to auditions which either my agent finds, or that I find, and continuing my own studies as an actor. Towards that end I will be spending a few days in LA in the first half of April, attending three casting director workshops (including casting directors who currently cast Criminal Minds, Leverage, and Modern Family), and (schedule permitting) a long private lesson from my Hollywood based acting coach.
I cannot stress too strongly my belief that any actor can benefit from spending a year or two in LA. I now have contacts there which I never could have formed any other way. Living and working in LA will change the way you look at acting, and it will change the way the acting profession looks at you. However, obligations being what they are, I understand that many either cannot or will not make that move. It's a highly individual decision to move to LA, but to all serious actors....if you can, you should.
Here's a fact about actors. Most actors have a built in and pesky self critic, which tells them (the intermediates) you are not good enough to find work, or (the advanced actors) sure you can work in the Northwest, but you are not good enough to work in LA. From what I observed in the two recent workshops I conducted, nothing could be farther from the truth. All the intermediate actors I worked with are good enough to work in the Northwest, and all the advanced actors I worked with would have just as good a chance in LA as any other new actor. Perception is half the battle, and it's the old story of if you think you can't, you can't, and if you think you can, you can. I am no better an actor than any other Northwest actor, and certainly not as talented as some. However, I went to LA convinced I could find work, and I did.
Now that I'm back in the Pacific Northwest, the cold facts are that there are not as many gigs for actors here as in LA, which I'm sure, comes as no surprise to anyone. However, there are good opportunities for actors in both Seattle and Portland, with Portland currently holding a slight edge. I have not yet really investigated the Vancouver BC market for American actors.
So, life goes on, auditions happen, actors get cast, films and commercials get shot, actors classes and workshops get held, and it all happens in one of the most beautiful places in the country, the Pacific Northwest. "Ain't" life grand?
In the course of my life I have worked as a professional jazz musician, a computer programmer, a systems analyst, a hospital department head, a technical field salesperson, and for the past fourteen years, an actor. Additionally, I have been a writer for years, writing short film screenplays, articles, essays, short stories, and two radio dramas which have been performed nationally on commercial radio. All of this has played a part in who I am.
I have given a lot to acting in time, money (private lessons, classes, workshops), and dedication and acting in turn, has given a lot to me. It has been and continues to be a good professional marriage.
This past couple of weeks, I opened a new chapter in the book known as "Who I Am". I taught and conducted two cold reading workshops for actors. The first workshop was for intermediate actors, the second was for a group of advanced actors. These workshops were scene study workshops (two person scenes), which gave each actor a few minutes to prepare a scene with their assigned acting partner, and then do their scene, and re-work that scene in front of the entire group. I subscribe to the simple, yet important premise of famed acting coach Tony Barr, who said, "Actors should act." All private lessons, workshops, and classes that I attended while in LA were designed that way....scene study, scene study, scene study. Both workshops went well, and I found that assuming the role as an acting coach was almost immediately comfortable for me.
While, like all of you I am the sum of many parts, after family I am still an actor first, with any acting coaching, writing, etc. coming after that. Still, I found I greatly enjoyed the workshops I conducted. I believe I do have something to pass on to other actors, and I look forward to holding more workshops in the future.
Otherwise, it's going to auditions which either my agent finds, or that I find, and continuing my own studies as an actor. Towards that end I will be spending a few days in LA in the first half of April, attending three casting director workshops (including casting directors who currently cast Criminal Minds, Leverage, and Modern Family), and (schedule permitting) a long private lesson from my Hollywood based acting coach.
I cannot stress too strongly my belief that any actor can benefit from spending a year or two in LA. I now have contacts there which I never could have formed any other way. Living and working in LA will change the way you look at acting, and it will change the way the acting profession looks at you. However, obligations being what they are, I understand that many either cannot or will not make that move. It's a highly individual decision to move to LA, but to all serious actors....if you can, you should.
Here's a fact about actors. Most actors have a built in and pesky self critic, which tells them (the intermediates) you are not good enough to find work, or (the advanced actors) sure you can work in the Northwest, but you are not good enough to work in LA. From what I observed in the two recent workshops I conducted, nothing could be farther from the truth. All the intermediate actors I worked with are good enough to work in the Northwest, and all the advanced actors I worked with would have just as good a chance in LA as any other new actor. Perception is half the battle, and it's the old story of if you think you can't, you can't, and if you think you can, you can. I am no better an actor than any other Northwest actor, and certainly not as talented as some. However, I went to LA convinced I could find work, and I did.
Now that I'm back in the Pacific Northwest, the cold facts are that there are not as many gigs for actors here as in LA, which I'm sure, comes as no surprise to anyone. However, there are good opportunities for actors in both Seattle and Portland, with Portland currently holding a slight edge. I have not yet really investigated the Vancouver BC market for American actors.
So, life goes on, auditions happen, actors get cast, films and commercials get shot, actors classes and workshops get held, and it all happens in one of the most beautiful places in the country, the Pacific Northwest. "Ain't" life grand?
Thursday, January 14, 2010
A Quickie.
Just a short entry to let all know that I will again be appearing on an episode of The Office. It Will be the episode entitled "The Banker" which airs on Thursday, January 21st.
Did I get a call from casting, rush over to wardrobe, sit in the makeup chair, before moving in front of the cameras? No, nothing like that. In "The Banker" will be clips from previous episodes including "Niagara" in which Pam and Jim were married and I played the minister. I signed all the paperwork for "The Banker" yesterday.
Will some of my eight deleted lines be restored in this new episode? I seriously doubt it. Still. it's nice to be seen again.
As a side light I remembered, as I was doing the paperwork for the new episode, something that happened during the shooting of Niagara. As all actors know, there is a lot of waiting when filming any film or TV show. I was standing outside talking with a couple of the background people (The term extra is no longer used). One said to me, "Are you a real minister?" "No," I replied, "I'm an actor." "well, you really look like a minister," they said. Intended or not, that's always a nice thing for an actor to hear, when someone asks if they really are the character they're playing.
Gotta run.
Until next time...........
Did I get a call from casting, rush over to wardrobe, sit in the makeup chair, before moving in front of the cameras? No, nothing like that. In "The Banker" will be clips from previous episodes including "Niagara" in which Pam and Jim were married and I played the minister. I signed all the paperwork for "The Banker" yesterday.
Will some of my eight deleted lines be restored in this new episode? I seriously doubt it. Still. it's nice to be seen again.
As a side light I remembered, as I was doing the paperwork for the new episode, something that happened during the shooting of Niagara. As all actors know, there is a lot of waiting when filming any film or TV show. I was standing outside talking with a couple of the background people (The term extra is no longer used). One said to me, "Are you a real minister?" "No," I replied, "I'm an actor." "well, you really look like a minister," they said. Intended or not, that's always a nice thing for an actor to hear, when someone asks if they really are the character they're playing.
Gotta run.
Until next time...........
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Going To School
What have I been doing since we last talked? Study, study, study (OK and a couple of auditions thrown in).
I have immersed myself in the study of acting. In essence, I'm going to school. Besides regular sessions with my Hollywood acting coach (the most recent one this morning) I have been participating in a number of casting director workshops, a fairly inexpensive way to (1) do some scenes with a quality actor, and (2) be seen by casting directors who cast major TV and Films. I have been in workshops with Michael Testa (Cold Case), Paul Weber (Head of casting at MGM). Sherri Henderson (many films), Mark Bennett (also many films) and four of five other top flight casting directors.
And then there is my every Sunday afternoon workshop with Craig Campobasso, a delightful man who cast the TV show "Picket Fences", a number of films, and with several more films in the works, currently.
Being in LA for an actor at its best means you work fairly steadily and get an education in acting on the set, in classes and private lessons, and through the before mentioned casting director workshops. At it's worst, you don't work, but you still get a hell of a good acting education. I am in the middle ground between those two in that I have found some work, and I am getting a wonderful Hollywood actor education, plus I'm networking.
Many of you know that I was in a episode of the NBC series, "The Office". I had a good amount of screen time but all my lines were cut (along with another actor), as in post they changed the ending a great deal from the shooting script. However, I have found that still photos of myself and others from those deleted scenes (the wedding ceremony, itself) have appeared all over the Internet, in newspapers and magazines, and I was just told that I am in photos in TV guide this week. Alas, fame is fleeting........
I have had one commercial audition recently and I have an audition for a film tomorrow.
I recently had new commercial headshots taken, but am sticking with my same theatrical headshots, as they seem to be working.
Monday the 21st I will be on a plane for Seattle to spend nine days with my wife over the Christmas Holidays....some R&R in my favorite city. As I tell people, my home is in Seattle....I just work in LA.
On the 30th it's back to LA and who knows what lies ahead. I have some big decisions to make early in 2010 as to the direction I want to take my acting career. Stay tuned, and I'll let you know how it all shakes out as soon as I know.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all, and to all a good night.
Later............
I have immersed myself in the study of acting. In essence, I'm going to school. Besides regular sessions with my Hollywood acting coach (the most recent one this morning) I have been participating in a number of casting director workshops, a fairly inexpensive way to (1) do some scenes with a quality actor, and (2) be seen by casting directors who cast major TV and Films. I have been in workshops with Michael Testa (Cold Case), Paul Weber (Head of casting at MGM). Sherri Henderson (many films), Mark Bennett (also many films) and four of five other top flight casting directors.
And then there is my every Sunday afternoon workshop with Craig Campobasso, a delightful man who cast the TV show "Picket Fences", a number of films, and with several more films in the works, currently.
Being in LA for an actor at its best means you work fairly steadily and get an education in acting on the set, in classes and private lessons, and through the before mentioned casting director workshops. At it's worst, you don't work, but you still get a hell of a good acting education. I am in the middle ground between those two in that I have found some work, and I am getting a wonderful Hollywood actor education, plus I'm networking.
Many of you know that I was in a episode of the NBC series, "The Office". I had a good amount of screen time but all my lines were cut (along with another actor), as in post they changed the ending a great deal from the shooting script. However, I have found that still photos of myself and others from those deleted scenes (the wedding ceremony, itself) have appeared all over the Internet, in newspapers and magazines, and I was just told that I am in photos in TV guide this week. Alas, fame is fleeting........
I have had one commercial audition recently and I have an audition for a film tomorrow.
I recently had new commercial headshots taken, but am sticking with my same theatrical headshots, as they seem to be working.
Monday the 21st I will be on a plane for Seattle to spend nine days with my wife over the Christmas Holidays....some R&R in my favorite city. As I tell people, my home is in Seattle....I just work in LA.
On the 30th it's back to LA and who knows what lies ahead. I have some big decisions to make early in 2010 as to the direction I want to take my acting career. Stay tuned, and I'll let you know how it all shakes out as soon as I know.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all, and to all a good night.
Later............
Saturday, October 10, 2009
The Cutting Room Floor
The episode of "The Office" I was in has come and gone. When we filmed it, I had seven or eight lines, as I performed the ceremony that married Jim and Pam. I say seven or eight, as the director wanted me to do some improv lines in addition to the scripted lines. I've been acting for awhile and I know that in the final edit actors sometimes lose a few lines, particularly in television where the length of the show is a definite factor.
What happened was, I didn't just have a few of my lines cut....I had ALL of them cut. While the inside of the chapel in which we shot the scene was a very important part of the episode, the actual wedding ceremony was not shown. In the script Pam and Jim were actually married twice....once by my character, and once by the captain of a tourist boat near Niagara Falls. The actor playing the boat captain also had all of his lines cut, as well. The end result was that Pam and Jim's exchange of wedding vows was shot twice, with neither of the ceremonies making it into the final edit. The producers/directors/editors of any production (film/TV/etc.) have to produce a final product which they feel is the best one possible from the footage which has been shot. While disappointed that my character's lines did not make the final edit, I fully understand and accept that this is what they must do.
By the way, while the phrase "The cutting room floor" is still used in the business, it is a throw back to the old way that films used to be edited. In the past (quite a few years in the past) the actual film which had been shot was run through editing devices whereby the film's editor would physically cut and splice section of the film together until they had the final edit. Pieces of film that the editor had cut from the film fell to the floor of the cutting room, and this is where the phrase came from. Today, all editing is done digitally, and there is no film to fall onto the cutting room floor.
Looking back at my experience on "The Office" I have to say that, other than having my lines cut, it was a wonderful and very beneficial experience. I got to work with a wonderful cast, crew, and director. My appearance in the episode made m SAG eligible. the payday for a non union actor was quite good, and I have a very nice credit to add to my resume. Being SAG eligible means that while I am still technically non union, I am eligible for, and must join SAG the next time I am cast in a SAG production. Becoming SAG eligible in LA is not the easiest thing to do and being in "The Office" cleared a big hurdle for me.
My Hollywood acting coach put it best I think when he said "This is not only your first SAG job, but a credit that ANY actor in LA would covet." Of course, he's right.
So life moves on. Today, I am attending another casting director's workshop at Actor's West. Next Thursday I am flying to Seattle for a few days of R and R, during which my wife and I will attend the Seattle Seahawks/Arizona Cardinals NFL game. After that, it's back to LA to see what the acting life holds in store.
More when I return from Seattle.................
What happened was, I didn't just have a few of my lines cut....I had ALL of them cut. While the inside of the chapel in which we shot the scene was a very important part of the episode, the actual wedding ceremony was not shown. In the script Pam and Jim were actually married twice....once by my character, and once by the captain of a tourist boat near Niagara Falls. The actor playing the boat captain also had all of his lines cut, as well. The end result was that Pam and Jim's exchange of wedding vows was shot twice, with neither of the ceremonies making it into the final edit. The producers/directors/editors of any production (film/TV/etc.) have to produce a final product which they feel is the best one possible from the footage which has been shot. While disappointed that my character's lines did not make the final edit, I fully understand and accept that this is what they must do.
By the way, while the phrase "The cutting room floor" is still used in the business, it is a throw back to the old way that films used to be edited. In the past (quite a few years in the past) the actual film which had been shot was run through editing devices whereby the film's editor would physically cut and splice section of the film together until they had the final edit. Pieces of film that the editor had cut from the film fell to the floor of the cutting room, and this is where the phrase came from. Today, all editing is done digitally, and there is no film to fall onto the cutting room floor.
Looking back at my experience on "The Office" I have to say that, other than having my lines cut, it was a wonderful and very beneficial experience. I got to work with a wonderful cast, crew, and director. My appearance in the episode made m SAG eligible. the payday for a non union actor was quite good, and I have a very nice credit to add to my resume. Being SAG eligible means that while I am still technically non union, I am eligible for, and must join SAG the next time I am cast in a SAG production. Becoming SAG eligible in LA is not the easiest thing to do and being in "The Office" cleared a big hurdle for me.
My Hollywood acting coach put it best I think when he said "This is not only your first SAG job, but a credit that ANY actor in LA would covet." Of course, he's right.
So life moves on. Today, I am attending another casting director's workshop at Actor's West. Next Thursday I am flying to Seattle for a few days of R and R, during which my wife and I will attend the Seattle Seahawks/Arizona Cardinals NFL game. After that, it's back to LA to see what the acting life holds in store.
More when I return from Seattle.................
Saturday, August 8, 2009
The Endless Summer
Who knew that 87 degrees could feel cool. That's what it was here, yesterday, and it did indeed seem cool after a series of 100 plus and near 100 degree days. We're not out of the woods yet, as it will climb back up into the high 90's this coming week. However, the title of this entry, "The Endless Summer", doesn't just apply to the prevailing weather.
The Summer has seemed long for a number of reason. Sure the heat was one, but it has also seemed long because of my impatience. All actors need to see signs of progress. This progress can manifest itself in many different ways. Auditions and being cast in roles is always the best yardstick, but a good, or even outstanding lesson with your acting coach can also serve as a milestone. As I stated in a recent blog, I didn't feel that July went all that well as far as my performance in acting lessons. Yes, there were some good sections of some lessons, but overall, not what I had hoped for.
Both my acting coaches have been preaching the same thing to me...."Let go, take a risk, and let it fall where it falls." They each used different words and phrases, but said almost the same thing. A few days ago I had an hour lesson with my downtown Hollywood acting coach. I had to do three scenes in that lesson....one commercial and two theatrical. While going over the copy I essentially said, "To Hell with it." No, that doesn't mean I didn't care about the results, but that I had decided I would let go, be myself, take a risk, carry no preconceived notions, be in the moment for each character, remember that less is more, and let whatever happened, happen.
I do not say this lightly, but it was the very best acting lesson I have had since arriving in LA. All three scenes went extremely well. I knew it and my acting coach knew it, and said as much. I just let it go and became whatever character I was playing. It felt great, and as most actors know, when that happens it seems like the easiest thing in the world. Conversely, when it is not going well it's like dragging a bag full of rocks around with you.
One of my all time favorite actors, Spencer Tracy, said this. "Acting is fine, as long as you don't get caught at it." I'm finally starting to understand what he meant.
Chuck Norris (Walker Texas Ranger) had worked in films as a stunt man long before he turned to acting. When he did so, he asked Steve McQueen for some tips. McQueen told him, "Always bring a part of yourself to the role." That's wonderful advice for any actor.
So, the weather is cooler (at least for a bit) and my progress as an actor is beginning to show. It's a milestone, but not an end result, as there is much further to go and much more to do. It's also well documented, as my downtown Hollywood acting coach puts each lesson on a DVD and gives it to you before you leave. Reviewing the DVD is almost like taking the lesson all over again. That is a very valuable tool to have.
The endless Summer is showing signs all around of not lasting forever.
Talk with you soon..............
The Summer has seemed long for a number of reason. Sure the heat was one, but it has also seemed long because of my impatience. All actors need to see signs of progress. This progress can manifest itself in many different ways. Auditions and being cast in roles is always the best yardstick, but a good, or even outstanding lesson with your acting coach can also serve as a milestone. As I stated in a recent blog, I didn't feel that July went all that well as far as my performance in acting lessons. Yes, there were some good sections of some lessons, but overall, not what I had hoped for.
Both my acting coaches have been preaching the same thing to me...."Let go, take a risk, and let it fall where it falls." They each used different words and phrases, but said almost the same thing. A few days ago I had an hour lesson with my downtown Hollywood acting coach. I had to do three scenes in that lesson....one commercial and two theatrical. While going over the copy I essentially said, "To Hell with it." No, that doesn't mean I didn't care about the results, but that I had decided I would let go, be myself, take a risk, carry no preconceived notions, be in the moment for each character, remember that less is more, and let whatever happened, happen.
I do not say this lightly, but it was the very best acting lesson I have had since arriving in LA. All three scenes went extremely well. I knew it and my acting coach knew it, and said as much. I just let it go and became whatever character I was playing. It felt great, and as most actors know, when that happens it seems like the easiest thing in the world. Conversely, when it is not going well it's like dragging a bag full of rocks around with you.
One of my all time favorite actors, Spencer Tracy, said this. "Acting is fine, as long as you don't get caught at it." I'm finally starting to understand what he meant.
Chuck Norris (Walker Texas Ranger) had worked in films as a stunt man long before he turned to acting. When he did so, he asked Steve McQueen for some tips. McQueen told him, "Always bring a part of yourself to the role." That's wonderful advice for any actor.
So, the weather is cooler (at least for a bit) and my progress as an actor is beginning to show. It's a milestone, but not an end result, as there is much further to go and much more to do. It's also well documented, as my downtown Hollywood acting coach puts each lesson on a DVD and gives it to you before you leave. Reviewing the DVD is almost like taking the lesson all over again. That is a very valuable tool to have.
The endless Summer is showing signs all around of not lasting forever.
Talk with you soon..............
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Crossroads
Tomorrow, I will have been a resident of the greater LA area for exactly five months. It has been somewhat of a whirlwind of activity, a blur in some cases and agonizingly slow in others. Overall, I would say it has gone fairly well. I have two good acting coaches (more about them later), a quality commercial agent, and I have even managed to find a bit of work in these five months.
I should feel on top of the world about what has happened since I have been here. Truth is, I don't. My downtown LA acting coach says I am too impatient. Maybe he's right (he usually is), but inside I have this gnawing feeling of wanting more....more signs of progress, more auditions, more bookings, more everything that an actor needs as milestones to judge how things are going with their career.
I don't feel my impatience is necessarily a bad thing, if kept in control. A good football coach will tell you that he wants his number two quarterback chomping at the bit to play, yearning to show the coach that he is the man for the job. That impatience is one of the key ingredients which fuels that quarterback's drive. I believe it's the same with me, or any other actor who wants to excel in a major market.
I have two quality acting coaches that anyone would be happy to have, and that's exactly the way I feel about both of them. However, I may have been rushing it too much, in that I am taking a private lesson from one coach one week and the other, the next week. While they come at you with different personalities, they say pretty much the same things. I think however, that I may be (by taking a private lesson each week) overloading my senses, in that I am pushing and trying too hard. As all actors know, trying too hard is not the way to deliver a smooth and natural performance. I thought about taking a month off from acting lessons entirely to regroup my thoughts about the techniques of acting. I decided against that because I didn't want to go a full month without acting lessons.
Before adding my second (Hollywood Hills) acting coach (at the urging of my commercial agency) I was taking a lesson every two weeks from my original acting coach in downtown Hollywood. I believe the two weeks between lessons were beneficial in digesting, utilizing, and incorporating into my acting, what I had learned in each lesson. With that in mind I am strongly considering alternating acting coaches in the following manner. I will take a lesson every two weeks one month from one coach. The follow month I will do the same with the other coach. I believe this will give me more time to more fully understand, and to practice what I had learned in the most recent lesson. This will have the effect of alternating each coach on a monthly basis. This may be a workable scenario or not, but it should only take two months to find out. I haven't made up my mind fully on this, but I am strongly leaning that way.
In with these private lessons, I need to schedule a weekly improve course, and various acting seminars, as they arise. I am taking a one evening seminar from a well known casting director on August 13th.
In the world of Academia, the bylaw for professors is "Publish or perish," For actors it's "Study or perish." I am fully aware that I need to study. It's just that my study schedule may need a bit of tweaking, as I feel I am at a crossroad as to how I continue my studies. Not with whom, just how. I need to continue them in what I deem to be the best way to further my acting skills, and more importantly, my acting career. Perhaps, as my downtown Hollywood acting coach said, I do need a bit more patience. I need to understand that taking a private acting lesson every week may not speed me towards my goal any faster that taking one every other week. The progress of an actor is far more important than the number of acting lessons they have taken.
There is also one other thing which, while I have been doing it frequently, I need to do even more. It is probably best illustrated by an old joke that was in vogue back in my days as a professional musician. A man is walking down the streets of New Your City when he spots a musician coming towards him, carrying a horn case. He stops the musician and says, "Excuse me, but can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?" The musician looked at him for a moment and then replied, "Practice, man, practice." That's good advice for an actor as well. I have exercises and copy to practice in front of a full length mirror, plus filming certain segments with my video camera, so I can study and review my look, actions, etc later. As I said, I need to spend even more time doing that. As a professional musician I spent hours upon hours practicing techniques until they became second nature. As an actor, I need do no less.
Finally, actors all over Hollywood (Using the name Hollywood to mean all of the LA acting community) are complaining that there is lees work than before. That can be attributed to two factors. (1) there is always a noticeable slowdown in work in July and August, and (2) the economy has affected the number of film and TV projects, as well as the budgets of some of the projects that have been given the green light. I have discussed before the fact that there are some things which are directly under the actor's control (being on time, being professional, being prepared for the audition, Being prepared for the role once you are cast, etc.), and there are a number of things over which the actor has no control. The economy is one of those things, and is not something I choose to worry about.
We will talk again, soon...............
I should feel on top of the world about what has happened since I have been here. Truth is, I don't. My downtown LA acting coach says I am too impatient. Maybe he's right (he usually is), but inside I have this gnawing feeling of wanting more....more signs of progress, more auditions, more bookings, more everything that an actor needs as milestones to judge how things are going with their career.
I don't feel my impatience is necessarily a bad thing, if kept in control. A good football coach will tell you that he wants his number two quarterback chomping at the bit to play, yearning to show the coach that he is the man for the job. That impatience is one of the key ingredients which fuels that quarterback's drive. I believe it's the same with me, or any other actor who wants to excel in a major market.
I have two quality acting coaches that anyone would be happy to have, and that's exactly the way I feel about both of them. However, I may have been rushing it too much, in that I am taking a private lesson from one coach one week and the other, the next week. While they come at you with different personalities, they say pretty much the same things. I think however, that I may be (by taking a private lesson each week) overloading my senses, in that I am pushing and trying too hard. As all actors know, trying too hard is not the way to deliver a smooth and natural performance. I thought about taking a month off from acting lessons entirely to regroup my thoughts about the techniques of acting. I decided against that because I didn't want to go a full month without acting lessons.
Before adding my second (Hollywood Hills) acting coach (at the urging of my commercial agency) I was taking a lesson every two weeks from my original acting coach in downtown Hollywood. I believe the two weeks between lessons were beneficial in digesting, utilizing, and incorporating into my acting, what I had learned in each lesson. With that in mind I am strongly considering alternating acting coaches in the following manner. I will take a lesson every two weeks one month from one coach. The follow month I will do the same with the other coach. I believe this will give me more time to more fully understand, and to practice what I had learned in the most recent lesson. This will have the effect of alternating each coach on a monthly basis. This may be a workable scenario or not, but it should only take two months to find out. I haven't made up my mind fully on this, but I am strongly leaning that way.
In with these private lessons, I need to schedule a weekly improve course, and various acting seminars, as they arise. I am taking a one evening seminar from a well known casting director on August 13th.
In the world of Academia, the bylaw for professors is "Publish or perish," For actors it's "Study or perish." I am fully aware that I need to study. It's just that my study schedule may need a bit of tweaking, as I feel I am at a crossroad as to how I continue my studies. Not with whom, just how. I need to continue them in what I deem to be the best way to further my acting skills, and more importantly, my acting career. Perhaps, as my downtown Hollywood acting coach said, I do need a bit more patience. I need to understand that taking a private acting lesson every week may not speed me towards my goal any faster that taking one every other week. The progress of an actor is far more important than the number of acting lessons they have taken.
There is also one other thing which, while I have been doing it frequently, I need to do even more. It is probably best illustrated by an old joke that was in vogue back in my days as a professional musician. A man is walking down the streets of New Your City when he spots a musician coming towards him, carrying a horn case. He stops the musician and says, "Excuse me, but can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?" The musician looked at him for a moment and then replied, "Practice, man, practice." That's good advice for an actor as well. I have exercises and copy to practice in front of a full length mirror, plus filming certain segments with my video camera, so I can study and review my look, actions, etc later. As I said, I need to spend even more time doing that. As a professional musician I spent hours upon hours practicing techniques until they became second nature. As an actor, I need do no less.
Finally, actors all over Hollywood (Using the name Hollywood to mean all of the LA acting community) are complaining that there is lees work than before. That can be attributed to two factors. (1) there is always a noticeable slowdown in work in July and August, and (2) the economy has affected the number of film and TV projects, as well as the budgets of some of the projects that have been given the green light. I have discussed before the fact that there are some things which are directly under the actor's control (being on time, being professional, being prepared for the audition, Being prepared for the role once you are cast, etc.), and there are a number of things over which the actor has no control. The economy is one of those things, and is not something I choose to worry about.
We will talk again, soon...............
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Audition
OK, I couldn't resist The title of this post is a play on the old stand-up comic line of "A funny thing happened on the way to....." In this case, that happens to not be entirely accurate. Actually, a funny thing happened at the audition.
While casting directors vary somewhat in their methods, the audition process itself is fairly standard in LA, Seattle or in any other location. For the non actors among you, here's how it works. You are either sent the sides (a small portion of the script) via email, or you are told that it is a cold reading, and you will get the sides a few minutes before the audition (the email option is much more in vogue now). If you received the sides by email, you study them, make choices as to how you will play the character, and in general, prepare for the audition. If it's a true cold read, you and all the other actors must do this same process in ten to fifteen minutes before you audition.
This past Monday, I had an audition, for which I was sent the sides in advance. What happened when I arrived is when the structure of the audition varied greatly from the norm. Traditionally, when you arrive at an audition, you sign in, and take a seat in the waiting room. One of the casting assistants checks the sign in sheet frequently and calls you, one at a time, to enter a separate room for the audition. Next, you audition, you thank them, and you leave. As I said, that is fairly standard in the business.
For this audition, however, there was no waiting room, and the room to which you entered was the same room were all the actors waited and auditioned. This meant you were able to see the auditions of all the actors who came before you on the sign in sheet. This is highly unusual
I was amazed at the lack of preparation of some of the actors. One punctuated his audition with maniacal laughs, even though the script mentioned nothing about the character exhibiting that sort of behavior. Another spoke in a monotone, even though the script did indicate that the character was somewhat animated. One drew the dialogue out so that it took twice as long as normal. One actor gave quite a good audition, and was obviously prepared.
How did I do? They say the desired result for an audition is to walk away feeling good about your performance; feeling that you captured the character as the script indicated. That is the best you can hope for, and that is what I did. I was also prepared, had a good audition, and walking back to my car, I felt good about how it had gone. Will, I get cast? There are so many variables in an audition, that is impossible to answer. First, I only saw a small segment of the actors who auditioned for the role. Secondly, there are intangibles that are totally out of the control of an actor at an audition, yet often have a direct bearing on who is cast. These include your look, and how all the other actors did in their auditions for the same role. Still, walking away from an audition feeling good about how you did is the desired result, and being able to watch other actors audition for the same role is a rare bonus.
The process of acting in LA continues, as I have a theatrical audition (film) in Burbank this afternoon, and a private lesson with my Hollywood Hills acting coach, tomorrow.
Being a new actor in Hollywood is a work in progress. I attended an acting seminar this past Saturday, and with two audition and an acting lesson this week, that's pretty much par for the course.
Until next time..........
While casting directors vary somewhat in their methods, the audition process itself is fairly standard in LA, Seattle or in any other location. For the non actors among you, here's how it works. You are either sent the sides (a small portion of the script) via email, or you are told that it is a cold reading, and you will get the sides a few minutes before the audition (the email option is much more in vogue now). If you received the sides by email, you study them, make choices as to how you will play the character, and in general, prepare for the audition. If it's a true cold read, you and all the other actors must do this same process in ten to fifteen minutes before you audition.
This past Monday, I had an audition, for which I was sent the sides in advance. What happened when I arrived is when the structure of the audition varied greatly from the norm. Traditionally, when you arrive at an audition, you sign in, and take a seat in the waiting room. One of the casting assistants checks the sign in sheet frequently and calls you, one at a time, to enter a separate room for the audition. Next, you audition, you thank them, and you leave. As I said, that is fairly standard in the business.
For this audition, however, there was no waiting room, and the room to which you entered was the same room were all the actors waited and auditioned. This meant you were able to see the auditions of all the actors who came before you on the sign in sheet. This is highly unusual
I was amazed at the lack of preparation of some of the actors. One punctuated his audition with maniacal laughs, even though the script mentioned nothing about the character exhibiting that sort of behavior. Another spoke in a monotone, even though the script did indicate that the character was somewhat animated. One drew the dialogue out so that it took twice as long as normal. One actor gave quite a good audition, and was obviously prepared.
How did I do? They say the desired result for an audition is to walk away feeling good about your performance; feeling that you captured the character as the script indicated. That is the best you can hope for, and that is what I did. I was also prepared, had a good audition, and walking back to my car, I felt good about how it had gone. Will, I get cast? There are so many variables in an audition, that is impossible to answer. First, I only saw a small segment of the actors who auditioned for the role. Secondly, there are intangibles that are totally out of the control of an actor at an audition, yet often have a direct bearing on who is cast. These include your look, and how all the other actors did in their auditions for the same role. Still, walking away from an audition feeling good about how you did is the desired result, and being able to watch other actors audition for the same role is a rare bonus.
The process of acting in LA continues, as I have a theatrical audition (film) in Burbank this afternoon, and a private lesson with my Hollywood Hills acting coach, tomorrow.
Being a new actor in Hollywood is a work in progress. I attended an acting seminar this past Saturday, and with two audition and an acting lesson this week, that's pretty much par for the course.
Until next time..........
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Into The Great Postal Void
Those of you who are regular readers of this blog may remember me talking about something I call Phase II. Phase II has two parts....first a mailing of headshots, resume, and a short cover letter to talent agencies, and secondly, doing the same with casting directors.
Part one of phase two had the result of my signing for commercial representation with a very well respected LA agency. I am still seeking theatrical (film & TV) representation.
Now for part two....yesterday I sent out mailers, again with headshot, resume, and a short cover letter to twenty-one casting directors who are currently casting films. The same organization that puts out the Casting Directors Guide every two months, also has a web version which is far more up to date. Since the Casting Directors Guide costs $13 every two months and the on-line version costs $5 per month, signing up for the online version was pretty much a no brainer, as it is less expensive and updated weekly instead of every two months.
What will be the result of those twenty-one mailers to casting directors? In truth, I have no idea, as this is virgin territory for me. As the title of this blog entry says, these mailers went into the great postal void. Maybe I will get no responses, or maybe I will get three or four responses. Still, for an unknown actor, it is market or perish in LA, so sending mailers to casting directors is a must. Also sending mailers to casting directors is somewhat of an on-going process, as in a week or two I will do the research to find out what new productions are casting and send mailers to those casting directors. A week or two later I will do the same, and so on. By the way, these mailers went (and will go in the future) only to theatrical casting directors, as the very nice lady who is my agent with my commercial agency informed me in a recent phone conversation, that commercial casting directors rarely, if ever, even bother to look at mailers sent to them from actors.
There have been a few developments in union status desirability in the LA market, particularly on the television side. It is still quite desirable for an actor to first become SAG eligible, and then at the proper time join SAG. However, because of the recent uncertainty as to what the SAG membership was going to do about a new contract (and the length of time this deliberation went on) many national TV shows have switched from being SAG affiliated to being aligned with AFTRA. This has several ramifications for actors, casting directors, producers, etc. AFTRA has no eligibility or waiting period. To join AFTRA you simply visit their office, tell them you want to join, pay the fees, and presto!, you are a member of AFTRA.
The Taft-Hartley law says that within 31 days after you do your first AFTRA job you must join AFTRA, or as I said in the paragraph above, prior to doing your first AFTRA sanctioned job you may join any time you wish.
Now, one correction to something I said in an earlier blog entry about contacting talent agencies. I said some require you to drop off your headshot and resume in person. That was in error. Although a very few will still allow you to drop by and leave these items in person, none that I have found require you to do so. The mail is still the method of choice for contacting most talent agencies, with some accepting electronic submissions.
Tomorrow I have a private lesson with my downtown Hollywood acting coach. It's always an intense one hour workout with him, and one that I look forward to and enjoy a great deal. Whether it goes well (which some have), doesn't go well (which others have) or is somewhere in between, I always leave my lesson feeling I am a better actor than I was when I arrived.
The same holds true with lessons from my Hollywood Hills acting coach, and that is, of course, why I continue to take private lessons from both gentlemen.
We'll talk again, soon......................
Part one of phase two had the result of my signing for commercial representation with a very well respected LA agency. I am still seeking theatrical (film & TV) representation.
Now for part two....yesterday I sent out mailers, again with headshot, resume, and a short cover letter to twenty-one casting directors who are currently casting films. The same organization that puts out the Casting Directors Guide every two months, also has a web version which is far more up to date. Since the Casting Directors Guide costs $13 every two months and the on-line version costs $5 per month, signing up for the online version was pretty much a no brainer, as it is less expensive and updated weekly instead of every two months.
What will be the result of those twenty-one mailers to casting directors? In truth, I have no idea, as this is virgin territory for me. As the title of this blog entry says, these mailers went into the great postal void. Maybe I will get no responses, or maybe I will get three or four responses. Still, for an unknown actor, it is market or perish in LA, so sending mailers to casting directors is a must. Also sending mailers to casting directors is somewhat of an on-going process, as in a week or two I will do the research to find out what new productions are casting and send mailers to those casting directors. A week or two later I will do the same, and so on. By the way, these mailers went (and will go in the future) only to theatrical casting directors, as the very nice lady who is my agent with my commercial agency informed me in a recent phone conversation, that commercial casting directors rarely, if ever, even bother to look at mailers sent to them from actors.
There have been a few developments in union status desirability in the LA market, particularly on the television side. It is still quite desirable for an actor to first become SAG eligible, and then at the proper time join SAG. However, because of the recent uncertainty as to what the SAG membership was going to do about a new contract (and the length of time this deliberation went on) many national TV shows have switched from being SAG affiliated to being aligned with AFTRA. This has several ramifications for actors, casting directors, producers, etc. AFTRA has no eligibility or waiting period. To join AFTRA you simply visit their office, tell them you want to join, pay the fees, and presto!, you are a member of AFTRA.
The Taft-Hartley law says that within 31 days after you do your first AFTRA job you must join AFTRA, or as I said in the paragraph above, prior to doing your first AFTRA sanctioned job you may join any time you wish.
Now, one correction to something I said in an earlier blog entry about contacting talent agencies. I said some require you to drop off your headshot and resume in person. That was in error. Although a very few will still allow you to drop by and leave these items in person, none that I have found require you to do so. The mail is still the method of choice for contacting most talent agencies, with some accepting electronic submissions.
Tomorrow I have a private lesson with my downtown Hollywood acting coach. It's always an intense one hour workout with him, and one that I look forward to and enjoy a great deal. Whether it goes well (which some have), doesn't go well (which others have) or is somewhere in between, I always leave my lesson feeling I am a better actor than I was when I arrived.
The same holds true with lessons from my Hollywood Hills acting coach, and that is, of course, why I continue to take private lessons from both gentlemen.
We'll talk again, soon......................
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Sign Here, Please
There are milestones in every endeavor....a baseball pitcher's first win, a sales person's first sale, a boy or girl's first date, The birth of your first child. Each of these by nature of being the first will never happen again. To be sure the pitcher will savor each win thereafter, the sales person will celebrate all their future sales, the parent will love the rest of their children just as much, but etched deeply into all their minds will be the memory of their first.
And so it was today, when I sat down in the conference room of my commercial agency and signed all the necessary contracts and forms. I am now officially represented by my first Los Angeles talent agency. Sure they have already sent me on two auditions, but never the less, if I said I didn't enjoy today, I would be lying. It felt great.
It was a milestone in my LA acting quest. This is a top flight agency and I feel quite fortunate they agreed to represent me. However, in the overall picture it is but one of a succession of necessary milestones if I am to have any success. This agency will get me auditions, but I have to do well in them, and book some of the roles for which I audition. Not all of them of course, as no actor, even well known actors do that, but I have to have some hits when called upon to bat.
I still need a theatrical agency to represent me. I need my SAG card. I may need to join AFTRA (which, unlike SAG, one may join anytime they wish) There are so many more milestones to reach, but forgive me if I enjoy this one at least for the rest of today.
This past Wednesday, I returned to the studio of my downtown Hollywood acting coach to try and alleviate the bad showing I had two weeks ago. I was partially successful in that, while I was vastly improved on the same copy on which I stumbled badly two weeks ago, I still have some improvement to do with it.
Next week, I have my second lesson with my Hollywood Hills commercial acting coach. He gave me daily exercises, which I have been doing, and we'll see how that goes.
So life goes on, one milestone, one audition, and one acting lesson at a time.
We'll talk again soon.......
And so it was today, when I sat down in the conference room of my commercial agency and signed all the necessary contracts and forms. I am now officially represented by my first Los Angeles talent agency. Sure they have already sent me on two auditions, but never the less, if I said I didn't enjoy today, I would be lying. It felt great.
It was a milestone in my LA acting quest. This is a top flight agency and I feel quite fortunate they agreed to represent me. However, in the overall picture it is but one of a succession of necessary milestones if I am to have any success. This agency will get me auditions, but I have to do well in them, and book some of the roles for which I audition. Not all of them of course, as no actor, even well known actors do that, but I have to have some hits when called upon to bat.
I still need a theatrical agency to represent me. I need my SAG card. I may need to join AFTRA (which, unlike SAG, one may join anytime they wish) There are so many more milestones to reach, but forgive me if I enjoy this one at least for the rest of today.
This past Wednesday, I returned to the studio of my downtown Hollywood acting coach to try and alleviate the bad showing I had two weeks ago. I was partially successful in that, while I was vastly improved on the same copy on which I stumbled badly two weeks ago, I still have some improvement to do with it.
Next week, I have my second lesson with my Hollywood Hills commercial acting coach. He gave me daily exercises, which I have been doing, and we'll see how that goes.
So life goes on, one milestone, one audition, and one acting lesson at a time.
We'll talk again soon.......
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
More About Phase II
In a previous blog entry, I mentioned Phase II in my journey as an actor in LA. Essentially, Phase II is a mass mailing, first to talent agents, and then to casting directors. Monday (two days ago), I completed the first half of Phase II and mailed out fifty one envelopes to local talent agencies. In each envelope was my headshot, resume and a cover letter explaining some things about me, and that I was seeking representation. Mailing them was just the tip of the iceberg, as it literally took hours to prepare those fifty one envelopes.
First, I took my headshot (in digital form on a USB storage device) to a company in LA called Reproductions, and had them print 200 headshots. While I was waiting on the headshots to be ready (only a two day turn around) I took my monthly copy of "The Agencies" and selected the fifty one agencies which I would contact. A good part of my selection criteria was that they would accept submissions from non union actors. Next, I used MS Word's mail merge to create a database from which the fifty one mailing labels, as well as the individually addressed cover letters were printed. You can buy pre-printed mailing labels for all the talent agencies if you do not want to create them yourself, but of course, there is a cost associated with that.
Once the headshots were ready, I printed my resume on the back of fifty one of them. These headshots are on heavy duty stock and are designed to have a resume printed on the reverse side. Printing resumes on the back of headshots far in advance is not a good idea, as your information can change over a period of time, but doing so just before you send or hand a resume to someone eliminates staples and makes for a cleaner looking headshot.
Sunday afternoon, I put all the contents in the envelopes, put the labels on, and was ready to mail them on Monday.
Today, I received phone calls from two of agencies I had contacted. I have an audition with one this coming Friday, and the other next Tuesday. Will more agencies contact me? Don't know. I'll keep you posted.
Until next time............
First, I took my headshot (in digital form on a USB storage device) to a company in LA called Reproductions, and had them print 200 headshots. While I was waiting on the headshots to be ready (only a two day turn around) I took my monthly copy of "The Agencies" and selected the fifty one agencies which I would contact. A good part of my selection criteria was that they would accept submissions from non union actors. Next, I used MS Word's mail merge to create a database from which the fifty one mailing labels, as well as the individually addressed cover letters were printed. You can buy pre-printed mailing labels for all the talent agencies if you do not want to create them yourself, but of course, there is a cost associated with that.
Once the headshots were ready, I printed my resume on the back of fifty one of them. These headshots are on heavy duty stock and are designed to have a resume printed on the reverse side. Printing resumes on the back of headshots far in advance is not a good idea, as your information can change over a period of time, but doing so just before you send or hand a resume to someone eliminates staples and makes for a cleaner looking headshot.
Sunday afternoon, I put all the contents in the envelopes, put the labels on, and was ready to mail them on Monday.
Today, I received phone calls from two of agencies I had contacted. I have an audition with one this coming Friday, and the other next Tuesday. Will more agencies contact me? Don't know. I'll keep you posted.
Until next time............
Monday, May 25, 2009
Shades of Gray
It has now been almost three months since I made the move to the LA area. My acting coach said that I would spend the first few months here learning "how the film industry in LA works", and he was dead on in that statement.
I've been far more fortunate than some in my first three months, auditioning for small roles in two NBC series, doing a commercial, as well as a small role in an independent film, which was produced by a solid company in the LA independent film community. Through those experiences and others, and as my acting coach predicted, I have began to learn how LA works, and oh boy, "We're not in Kansas anymore Toto."
Not yet having an agent, I have a service that emails me audition notices. They are on the up and up and have supplied me with good information. My role in the film was the result of an audition call I received from them. I also have a few other sources for auditions. One of the things I have learned is that when you get or see an audition call, you must respond to it immediately, not later, as fifty, one hundred, or more people are also responding to it within hours of it being posted. He who hesitates is quite literally lost when it comes to audition calls in LA.
Next, we come the title of this blog entry, shades of gray, which is a term my acting coach has used more than once. Here's what that means. The talent pool for any type category (young, old, heavy, thin, tall, short, what have you) in LA is populated with a multitude of good actors. When a casting director sits in his or her studio and has fifty or more actors come before them, all reading for the same role, they are not simply looking for the one or two actors who show they have the chops to do the role. Of those fifty plus actors, maybe a few are simply wrong for the role, or do not have the acting ability to handle it, another ten to twenty give OK auditions, but fall short of what the casting director is looking for, but of the rest....many give quality auditions and clearly have what it takes to do the role. What then causes that one individual to rise above the rest and to be cast in the role. That's where the shades of gray come into play. It can be the simplest nuance in an actor's audition that separates them from the rest. A raised eyebrow at the proper time, a look in their eyes that conveys what the character is feeling, a sneer, an unexpected smile, a struggle as the character fights to to find the right words, playing the role totally against the expected type, anything that makes the character believable and real, and makes the casting director take extra notice. One shade of gray less, or one shade of gray more in the actor's audition can make the difference in booking a role or not. Still, as I said in my last blog entry, if you are just one shade of gray away from booking the role, that means you did well and will probably be asked back to audition for other roles with that same casting director in the future.
Here is a highly immodest statement. I am a better actor than I was six months ago. And to that I say, so what! Being a better actor than you were six months ago in a town overflowing with good actors is certainly no guarantee for success. I will need to be a better actor in six months than I am now, to be competitive, and six months after that I will need to be still better.
There is an old saying that goes like this: "What was good enough to get you where you are today may not be good enough to keep you there". How true that is for an actor in LA.
If you are an actor thinking about making the move to LA, remember, more actors who try it fail than succeed. If that fact doesn't stop you then by all means move here, but when you do, be prepared to elevate your game and to learn about and utilize the shades of gray.
More later.......
I've been far more fortunate than some in my first three months, auditioning for small roles in two NBC series, doing a commercial, as well as a small role in an independent film, which was produced by a solid company in the LA independent film community. Through those experiences and others, and as my acting coach predicted, I have began to learn how LA works, and oh boy, "We're not in Kansas anymore Toto."
Not yet having an agent, I have a service that emails me audition notices. They are on the up and up and have supplied me with good information. My role in the film was the result of an audition call I received from them. I also have a few other sources for auditions. One of the things I have learned is that when you get or see an audition call, you must respond to it immediately, not later, as fifty, one hundred, or more people are also responding to it within hours of it being posted. He who hesitates is quite literally lost when it comes to audition calls in LA.
Next, we come the title of this blog entry, shades of gray, which is a term my acting coach has used more than once. Here's what that means. The talent pool for any type category (young, old, heavy, thin, tall, short, what have you) in LA is populated with a multitude of good actors. When a casting director sits in his or her studio and has fifty or more actors come before them, all reading for the same role, they are not simply looking for the one or two actors who show they have the chops to do the role. Of those fifty plus actors, maybe a few are simply wrong for the role, or do not have the acting ability to handle it, another ten to twenty give OK auditions, but fall short of what the casting director is looking for, but of the rest....many give quality auditions and clearly have what it takes to do the role. What then causes that one individual to rise above the rest and to be cast in the role. That's where the shades of gray come into play. It can be the simplest nuance in an actor's audition that separates them from the rest. A raised eyebrow at the proper time, a look in their eyes that conveys what the character is feeling, a sneer, an unexpected smile, a struggle as the character fights to to find the right words, playing the role totally against the expected type, anything that makes the character believable and real, and makes the casting director take extra notice. One shade of gray less, or one shade of gray more in the actor's audition can make the difference in booking a role or not. Still, as I said in my last blog entry, if you are just one shade of gray away from booking the role, that means you did well and will probably be asked back to audition for other roles with that same casting director in the future.
Here is a highly immodest statement. I am a better actor than I was six months ago. And to that I say, so what! Being a better actor than you were six months ago in a town overflowing with good actors is certainly no guarantee for success. I will need to be a better actor in six months than I am now, to be competitive, and six months after that I will need to be still better.
There is an old saying that goes like this: "What was good enough to get you where you are today may not be good enough to keep you there". How true that is for an actor in LA.
If you are an actor thinking about making the move to LA, remember, more actors who try it fail than succeed. If that fact doesn't stop you then by all means move here, but when you do, be prepared to elevate your game and to learn about and utilize the shades of gray.
More later.......
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Casting About
First a word of warning: While the actors among you might find the subject matter of this entry interesting, those of you who are non actors may find it about as much fun as watching paint dry. With that disclaimer out of the way, I'll proceed
In the LA Casting Director's Guide, which is published every two months, there are literally hundreds of casting directors listed. Besides all the pertinent contact information, the guide lists most casting director's likes and dislikes (more about that later), as well as what project(s) they are currently working on, and what projects they have worked on. In essence, it's a capsule of what each casting director is all about.
I have had several discussions with my acting coach, as to what is an actor's objective when you audition for one of these casting directors. At first look, it might seem like there is only one reason to audition, and that is to be cast in the role for which you are auditioning. Well, yes and no. Actually, there are two objectives.
To be sure, you want to be cast in the role, and through your talent, preparation, and professional conduct you do everything in your power to be into the character, give a good audition, and to make that happen. Of course, there are often conditions concerning an audition which are not within your power to influence. I am reminded of the experience of one of my past acting coaches. A very talented actor, she went into an audition and did exceedingly well. She was not cast, and then one day when talking with a friend who had been at the audition as an assistant to the casting director, she found out why. Yes, the friend said, she clearly had the best audition for the role, but she reminded the director (who was acting as the casting director for the film) so much of his ex wife that he couldn't stand to be in the same room with her. Actually, she was doomed the moment she walked through the door. Actors have no control over things like that and should only concentrate over what the can control.
If giving a good enough audition to be cast in the role is one objective, what is the other? Quite simply, it to earn the right to be considered by that casting director in the future when roles which fit your type arise. You may not be cast in the role for which you auditioned for a number of reasons. However, if you do a good job at the audition, and if you are confident and professional at all times (remember, an audition starts from the moment you walk through the door of the casting director's studio, and not when you say your first line) the casting director will have a favorable impression of you and will be willing to see you for other roles in the future.
As I said, in the Casting Director's Guide are listed the likes and dislikes for many (but not all) of the casting directors listed. They vary some, but there are several fairly universal dislikes, and one trait they all seem to like.
As for the dislikes, one is actors coming before them who have had the sides long enough to be prepared for the audition, but are not. They have not sufficiently studied the scene, or broken it down. They shoot from the hip, and hope that will be good enough. They have not done their homework. This is not a way to win a role, or to be asked back for future projects. A second dislike is being touched. Remember, casting directors may see fifty people a day and being pawed by fifty people is not something that any of us would want. At an audition for a film in which I was later cast, the director offered his hand at the end of the audition, and I shook hands with him. If a director or casting director makes a gesture like that, of course follow through with it, but don't touch them uninvited. A third dislike is obvious. Casting directors dislike actors who are not on time. There is an old adage for actors which goes like this: If you are early, you're on time....If you are on time, you're late....if you are late, you're fired. Good advice.
Again, while there were other things that casting directors like, this one was mentioned more often than any other. Casting directors like actors who are confident. This doesn't mean smug or over the top, just actors who exhibit a calm, confident manner. If you think about it, we all feel more comfortable with confident people than with those who are not.
One final thought about casting directors. Some actors seem to feel that a casting director is the enemy, when in truth, just the opposite is true. Their job is not an easy one and they are quite pleased when an actor comes before them and does the audition in a way that knocks their socks off. They want you to succeed, not fail. Many will offer some direction, and cast in the role or not, an actor should regard each audition as a learning tool. Our moms used to tell us to "Do our best, and have fun." Mom was right, as that's excellent advice for an actor in an audition.
See you soon...........
In the LA Casting Director's Guide, which is published every two months, there are literally hundreds of casting directors listed. Besides all the pertinent contact information, the guide lists most casting director's likes and dislikes (more about that later), as well as what project(s) they are currently working on, and what projects they have worked on. In essence, it's a capsule of what each casting director is all about.
I have had several discussions with my acting coach, as to what is an actor's objective when you audition for one of these casting directors. At first look, it might seem like there is only one reason to audition, and that is to be cast in the role for which you are auditioning. Well, yes and no. Actually, there are two objectives.
To be sure, you want to be cast in the role, and through your talent, preparation, and professional conduct you do everything in your power to be into the character, give a good audition, and to make that happen. Of course, there are often conditions concerning an audition which are not within your power to influence. I am reminded of the experience of one of my past acting coaches. A very talented actor, she went into an audition and did exceedingly well. She was not cast, and then one day when talking with a friend who had been at the audition as an assistant to the casting director, she found out why. Yes, the friend said, she clearly had the best audition for the role, but she reminded the director (who was acting as the casting director for the film) so much of his ex wife that he couldn't stand to be in the same room with her. Actually, she was doomed the moment she walked through the door. Actors have no control over things like that and should only concentrate over what the can control.
If giving a good enough audition to be cast in the role is one objective, what is the other? Quite simply, it to earn the right to be considered by that casting director in the future when roles which fit your type arise. You may not be cast in the role for which you auditioned for a number of reasons. However, if you do a good job at the audition, and if you are confident and professional at all times (remember, an audition starts from the moment you walk through the door of the casting director's studio, and not when you say your first line) the casting director will have a favorable impression of you and will be willing to see you for other roles in the future.
As I said, in the Casting Director's Guide are listed the likes and dislikes for many (but not all) of the casting directors listed. They vary some, but there are several fairly universal dislikes, and one trait they all seem to like.
As for the dislikes, one is actors coming before them who have had the sides long enough to be prepared for the audition, but are not. They have not sufficiently studied the scene, or broken it down. They shoot from the hip, and hope that will be good enough. They have not done their homework. This is not a way to win a role, or to be asked back for future projects. A second dislike is being touched. Remember, casting directors may see fifty people a day and being pawed by fifty people is not something that any of us would want. At an audition for a film in which I was later cast, the director offered his hand at the end of the audition, and I shook hands with him. If a director or casting director makes a gesture like that, of course follow through with it, but don't touch them uninvited. A third dislike is obvious. Casting directors dislike actors who are not on time. There is an old adage for actors which goes like this: If you are early, you're on time....If you are on time, you're late....if you are late, you're fired. Good advice.
Again, while there were other things that casting directors like, this one was mentioned more often than any other. Casting directors like actors who are confident. This doesn't mean smug or over the top, just actors who exhibit a calm, confident manner. If you think about it, we all feel more comfortable with confident people than with those who are not.
One final thought about casting directors. Some actors seem to feel that a casting director is the enemy, when in truth, just the opposite is true. Their job is not an easy one and they are quite pleased when an actor comes before them and does the audition in a way that knocks their socks off. They want you to succeed, not fail. Many will offer some direction, and cast in the role or not, an actor should regard each audition as a learning tool. Our moms used to tell us to "Do our best, and have fun." Mom was right, as that's excellent advice for an actor in an audition.
See you soon...........
Monday, April 27, 2009
Potpourri
The Jerry Seinfield show used to say their show was a show about nothing. The same might very well be said about this blog entry, as it is somewhat of a jumbled collection of thoughts, happenings, and other things that move through my life.
LA weather is usually great until it isn't. I found that out last week when on two successive days the high temperature was ninety eight one day and over a hundred the next. Then, just as quickly as it started, it was over, as the daily high temperature quickly fell into the sixties.
Day after tomorrow I have another acting lesson in Hollywood. It may be my last one for a few weeks, as my acting coach will be out of town for a while pursing his interests in Seattle and Chicago. As always I can expect the lesson to be fairly intense, as he is not at all shy about putting you through the paces. If one is looking for an easy "Oh that was so wonderful" type of acting coach, he's not it, and that is exactly why I like him, and why I feel I progress as an actor with every lesson I take from him. As I have said before, I don't often reveal names in this blog, such as acting coaches, casting directors, product names in commercials, and so forth. However, some of my actor friends know who my acting coach is, and to them I say, study with this man every chance you get, and you will become a better actor for having done so.
This past Friday I had a very enjoyable evening with Bill Thomson and his wife, Bill being a very influential music professor from my college days. Bill went on to serve on the faculty of several universities, before becoming the Dean of Music at USC. Bill gave a talk to a large audience about the history of jazz in the LA area. His talk was fascinating, and was followed by a buffet, and then by a good jazz quartet, fronted by an excellent alto sax man. I finished the evening back at the Thompson's house (in Pasadena), where over a glass of good wine, the three of us talked about music, college days, jazz, and what have you. It was a fun evening.
This coming Sunday, I shoot my scene (yes, I have but one) in the film in which I play an embarrassed priest. I got very lucky in the location for Sunday's shoot, as it's in Sherman Oaks, which is less than ten miles from where I live. I could easily travel sixty or seventy miles from where I live and still be in the LA area. Sometimes life hands you a little luck, I guess.
Well, you were warned that this was really a blog entry about nothing, but the good news is that it's fairly short. Perhaps I'll have more pertinent things to say in my next entry.
Later........
LA weather is usually great until it isn't. I found that out last week when on two successive days the high temperature was ninety eight one day and over a hundred the next. Then, just as quickly as it started, it was over, as the daily high temperature quickly fell into the sixties.
Day after tomorrow I have another acting lesson in Hollywood. It may be my last one for a few weeks, as my acting coach will be out of town for a while pursing his interests in Seattle and Chicago. As always I can expect the lesson to be fairly intense, as he is not at all shy about putting you through the paces. If one is looking for an easy "Oh that was so wonderful" type of acting coach, he's not it, and that is exactly why I like him, and why I feel I progress as an actor with every lesson I take from him. As I have said before, I don't often reveal names in this blog, such as acting coaches, casting directors, product names in commercials, and so forth. However, some of my actor friends know who my acting coach is, and to them I say, study with this man every chance you get, and you will become a better actor for having done so.
This past Friday I had a very enjoyable evening with Bill Thomson and his wife, Bill being a very influential music professor from my college days. Bill went on to serve on the faculty of several universities, before becoming the Dean of Music at USC. Bill gave a talk to a large audience about the history of jazz in the LA area. His talk was fascinating, and was followed by a buffet, and then by a good jazz quartet, fronted by an excellent alto sax man. I finished the evening back at the Thompson's house (in Pasadena), where over a glass of good wine, the three of us talked about music, college days, jazz, and what have you. It was a fun evening.
This coming Sunday, I shoot my scene (yes, I have but one) in the film in which I play an embarrassed priest. I got very lucky in the location for Sunday's shoot, as it's in Sherman Oaks, which is less than ten miles from where I live. I could easily travel sixty or seventy miles from where I live and still be in the LA area. Sometimes life hands you a little luck, I guess.
Well, you were warned that this was really a blog entry about nothing, but the good news is that it's fairly short. Perhaps I'll have more pertinent things to say in my next entry.
Later........
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The Actor's Ladder Of Success - LA Style
Not only do actors in LA come in all shapes sizes, nationalities, and ages, they all stand on different rungs on the ladder of success. I'm not going to try and tell you how many rungs are on that ladder, as quite frankly, I don't know. I suspect the number of rungs on that ladder change depending on who is discussing them. I have also been in LA long enough to know that how I see things now, may not necessarily be the way I will see things, as I become more experienced in the ways of Hollywood.
However, I can identify some of the major rungs on that elusive ladder of success so many of us are climbing. First, and most obvious are the top and bottom rungs of the ladder. At the top, are the established stars. They command huge salaries per picture, they sometimes delve into the production end of things (like George Clooney), and they sometimes direct (like Clint Eastwood). They have arrived. They are the standard. They have set the bar. At the opposite end of that ladder, is the bottom rung of people who almost never get cast in anything. Bless their hearts, they try, sometimes for years, but for whatever reason, it just never falls their way. I'm excluding newcomers like myself from being on any rung, since it takes probably at least a year to find even your starting place in this town. So we newcomers must first find the ladder and then begin our climb.
On the next rung up the ladder are those people who work in various projects (usually non union) like small commercials, independent films (short and feature) and so forth. As I said, I don't yet consider myself to be standing on any rung on that ladder, but I may at least have a hand hold on the rung I just mentioned, on the strength of a commercial I recently shot, and because of the small part I have in a non union film, which is shooting over the next two weeks.
Above that rung are the people who work fairly regularly. Some may be non union, but most are union, and they have carved out a reputation for themselves which keeps casting directors bringing them in for auditions and often casting them in small parts, sometimes in major films and television productions, other times in lesser productions. Strangely, there are a few in this group who do mainly extra work. Again, they have become known by the people who cast extras, they have an interesting look, and they are reliable. They are professional extras (almost all of whom are SAG, AFTRA, etc.) and work quite steadily.
On the next rung are the people who work larger parts in films and TV shows. They are not the guest star on a TV show, or even the second guest star, but play the judge, the girlfriend or wife, the detective asking questions, the bartender with the friendly ear, the doctor talking with the family after an operation, the first lieutenant to the crime lord, and so forth. They work enough that you recognize their face when you watch television or go to the movies, but you just can't quite remember their name.
Next, are the guest stars on television, and maybe they also are seen as the third lead in a film, or in a strong character role. You certainly recognize these actors and many times you do remember their names. They have become known quantities. They have arrived, but are still a couple of rungs from the top.
Then you have the recognizable actors who get the second billing in films. Most do well financially, are respected actors, and are just a short stones throw from the top rung. Some are older character actors, while others are lead types who will be the next generation on that very top rung.
Of course being on any rung is not permanent. All of us who are not on the top rung, are striving to get to the next rung, and then the next and so forth. The people who occupy the top rung are striving to stay there. And, of course, a few icons, are on the top rung for as long as they care to be. They are permanent fixtures. Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, Robert Redford, Tom Hanks, and many others are permanent residents of that rung. Paul Newman was a permanent fixture there until his death.
Some people go up the ladder, some go down, some fall off, and some get off the ladder by choice, as their interests change. Occasionally, a newcomer to town hits the ladder and whizzes straight to the top. It's rare, but it happens.
So, with my feet still on the ground, but with a hand clamped around one of the lowest rungs on that ladder of success, I am but one of thousands determined to see if I can climb it, and if so, how far. Whatever the outcome, I have already learned, it's quite an amazing journey.
More to come........
However, I can identify some of the major rungs on that elusive ladder of success so many of us are climbing. First, and most obvious are the top and bottom rungs of the ladder. At the top, are the established stars. They command huge salaries per picture, they sometimes delve into the production end of things (like George Clooney), and they sometimes direct (like Clint Eastwood). They have arrived. They are the standard. They have set the bar. At the opposite end of that ladder, is the bottom rung of people who almost never get cast in anything. Bless their hearts, they try, sometimes for years, but for whatever reason, it just never falls their way. I'm excluding newcomers like myself from being on any rung, since it takes probably at least a year to find even your starting place in this town. So we newcomers must first find the ladder and then begin our climb.
On the next rung up the ladder are those people who work in various projects (usually non union) like small commercials, independent films (short and feature) and so forth. As I said, I don't yet consider myself to be standing on any rung on that ladder, but I may at least have a hand hold on the rung I just mentioned, on the strength of a commercial I recently shot, and because of the small part I have in a non union film, which is shooting over the next two weeks.
Above that rung are the people who work fairly regularly. Some may be non union, but most are union, and they have carved out a reputation for themselves which keeps casting directors bringing them in for auditions and often casting them in small parts, sometimes in major films and television productions, other times in lesser productions. Strangely, there are a few in this group who do mainly extra work. Again, they have become known by the people who cast extras, they have an interesting look, and they are reliable. They are professional extras (almost all of whom are SAG, AFTRA, etc.) and work quite steadily.
On the next rung are the people who work larger parts in films and TV shows. They are not the guest star on a TV show, or even the second guest star, but play the judge, the girlfriend or wife, the detective asking questions, the bartender with the friendly ear, the doctor talking with the family after an operation, the first lieutenant to the crime lord, and so forth. They work enough that you recognize their face when you watch television or go to the movies, but you just can't quite remember their name.
Next, are the guest stars on television, and maybe they also are seen as the third lead in a film, or in a strong character role. You certainly recognize these actors and many times you do remember their names. They have become known quantities. They have arrived, but are still a couple of rungs from the top.
Then you have the recognizable actors who get the second billing in films. Most do well financially, are respected actors, and are just a short stones throw from the top rung. Some are older character actors, while others are lead types who will be the next generation on that very top rung.
Of course being on any rung is not permanent. All of us who are not on the top rung, are striving to get to the next rung, and then the next and so forth. The people who occupy the top rung are striving to stay there. And, of course, a few icons, are on the top rung for as long as they care to be. They are permanent fixtures. Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, Robert Redford, Tom Hanks, and many others are permanent residents of that rung. Paul Newman was a permanent fixture there until his death.
Some people go up the ladder, some go down, some fall off, and some get off the ladder by choice, as their interests change. Occasionally, a newcomer to town hits the ladder and whizzes straight to the top. It's rare, but it happens.
So, with my feet still on the ground, but with a hand clamped around one of the lowest rungs on that ladder of success, I am but one of thousands determined to see if I can climb it, and if so, how far. Whatever the outcome, I have already learned, it's quite an amazing journey.
More to come........
Friday, April 17, 2009
First Blood
After being in LA for almost seven weeks, I have my first paying job....actually my first two paying jobs. Since I am not yet a member of SAG or AFTRA, both are of course, non union. One is a commercial for an electronic scooter, in which I play an oil company CEO talking about how much oil we use in this country, and about how we need to drill for even more. This is cleverly superimposed (I have seen a prototype of the commercial) over the information about the scooter, which uses no oil. I shoot the commercial tonight.
I also have been cast in a small role in a film as a priest who is caught in a compromising position. It's a scene played for laughs, and should be fun to do. Shooting starts tomorrow for several weeks, and I have not as of yet received my call times. I did receive a call from the wardrobe mistress of the film yesterday, asking about my sizes, and an email this morning saying that my call times would be coming shortly.
I by no means will be getting rich off either part, but it's paid work and it's a start.
My last acting lesson with my acting coach earlier this week, was a real eye opener for me, and I need to practice and use the things he pointed out to me in that lesson. Here's a solid fact for all of us already in the Hollywood area, and for any of you who are thinking about making the move. What was good enough to get you here, is not necessarily good enough to keep you here. By that I mean you must elevate your game, so to speak, to the next level, or perhaps even the next two levels to be competitive in this area. This is certainly true for major studio film and television work, and is even true to a lessor degree for non union work. The television commercial I am shooting tonight received over fifty submissions for the part in which I was cast, within twenty four hours after it was posted. I heard that straight from the producer, and that is a relatively low number, as it is not at all uncommon for a single role to receive hundreds of submission from agents and actors. Every role in LA, Union and non union, is highly competitive. So whatever was good enough to get you work in Seattle, Phoenix, San Antonio, or Little Rock needs to be taken up a notch or two once you get to LA, and that is exactly what I'm working on with my acting coach. I'm still very much a work in progress, with progress being the key word. Yes, he and I can see that progress in each lesson, but more is needed if I am to be really successful in the LA acting market. Time will tell.
Until next time.........
I also have been cast in a small role in a film as a priest who is caught in a compromising position. It's a scene played for laughs, and should be fun to do. Shooting starts tomorrow for several weeks, and I have not as of yet received my call times. I did receive a call from the wardrobe mistress of the film yesterday, asking about my sizes, and an email this morning saying that my call times would be coming shortly.
I by no means will be getting rich off either part, but it's paid work and it's a start.
My last acting lesson with my acting coach earlier this week, was a real eye opener for me, and I need to practice and use the things he pointed out to me in that lesson. Here's a solid fact for all of us already in the Hollywood area, and for any of you who are thinking about making the move. What was good enough to get you here, is not necessarily good enough to keep you here. By that I mean you must elevate your game, so to speak, to the next level, or perhaps even the next two levels to be competitive in this area. This is certainly true for major studio film and television work, and is even true to a lessor degree for non union work. The television commercial I am shooting tonight received over fifty submissions for the part in which I was cast, within twenty four hours after it was posted. I heard that straight from the producer, and that is a relatively low number, as it is not at all uncommon for a single role to receive hundreds of submission from agents and actors. Every role in LA, Union and non union, is highly competitive. So whatever was good enough to get you work in Seattle, Phoenix, San Antonio, or Little Rock needs to be taken up a notch or two once you get to LA, and that is exactly what I'm working on with my acting coach. I'm still very much a work in progress, with progress being the key word. Yes, he and I can see that progress in each lesson, but more is needed if I am to be really successful in the LA acting market. Time will tell.
Until next time.........
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Learning LA 101
No, the title of this entry doesn't refer to the freeway, which I live near in Southern California, but rather to this basic 101 courses we all took in college, no matter what our major.
My acting coach, told me that for the first few months after moving here, I would be learning how Hollywood, and the film and TV industry works in LA. I didn't give it all that much thought when he first mentioned it, but now I am beginning to see what he means.
In an earlier entry I explained how getting your SAG card as as an extra works. While what I told you wasn't incorrect, it was incomplete. It is true that if you work as an extra on three SAG films, and get a voucher for each film, you are then what is known as SAG eligible , and can join SAG whenever you want. However, here's the straight skinny on that. First, SAG films are required to hire so many SAG extras before they hire any non union extras. That, in essence, reduces the number of non union extras needed for each film. Secondly, voucher's for non union extras are not automatic, but instead are very subjective in that the First AD and the director have the absolute final say as to who, among the non union extras who have worked on a film, get a voucher and who does not (or in many cases, simply are not considered, and, therefore, left out). Conceivably, you could work many more SAG films as an extra than three, to finally get your three vouchers.
There is another route (several routes, actually) in getting your SAG card. You can join AFTRA. This takes no eligibility and anyone may join AFTRA any time they choose (with the initiation fee being roughly half of what the SAG initiation fee is). Then after one year, and providing you have had a principal role in an AFTRA sanctioned production, you are also considered SAG eligible, and may join at any time. I am not a stage actors, but members of Actor's Equity have that same rule about becoming SAG eligible.
Another way is to audition for, and be cast in a speaking role in a SAG film. This also makes you SAG eligible. However, this means you would have to be cast over the SAG actors who audition for the same role, and for casting a non SAG actor, the production company must pay a fine to SAG. It's not a huge amount, but it does add to their production costs. Does this ever happen? Sure, but not all that often.
So my education as a new actor in LA continues. In the meantime I am continuing to audition for roles in non union films (of which there are many), as I think about and plan for getting an agent. Speaking of auditions, I have an audition for the role of a priest tomorrow in a feature film. It's a small role, but newbies like myself audition when and where they can,
Yes, I know I have mentioned this before, but for those of you who read this who are musicians, you will particularly understand my feeling, as I drive by the Capitol Records building, as I take the Gower Street exit each time I drive to my acting coach's studio in Hollywood. Of course famous entertainment business locations and buildings are sprinkled all over this area. In Burbank you drive by NBC studios (the Tonight Show, with Jay Leno), Warner Brothers studios, and the Disney Studios. And of course nearby are Universal studios, and in Hollywood there's Sunset Gower Studios. While not as well known as the others it is the home to some well known TV shows (Heros and The Office, being two of them). Just a couple of blocks from the Sunset Gower Studios is the famous intersection of Sunset and Vine, and the Hollywood walk of fame.
Well, that's it for now. Talk with you soon............
My acting coach, told me that for the first few months after moving here, I would be learning how Hollywood, and the film and TV industry works in LA. I didn't give it all that much thought when he first mentioned it, but now I am beginning to see what he means.
In an earlier entry I explained how getting your SAG card as as an extra works. While what I told you wasn't incorrect, it was incomplete. It is true that if you work as an extra on three SAG films, and get a voucher for each film, you are then what is known as SAG eligible , and can join SAG whenever you want. However, here's the straight skinny on that. First, SAG films are required to hire so many SAG extras before they hire any non union extras. That, in essence, reduces the number of non union extras needed for each film. Secondly, voucher's for non union extras are not automatic, but instead are very subjective in that the First AD and the director have the absolute final say as to who, among the non union extras who have worked on a film, get a voucher and who does not (or in many cases, simply are not considered, and, therefore, left out). Conceivably, you could work many more SAG films as an extra than three, to finally get your three vouchers.
There is another route (several routes, actually) in getting your SAG card. You can join AFTRA. This takes no eligibility and anyone may join AFTRA any time they choose (with the initiation fee being roughly half of what the SAG initiation fee is). Then after one year, and providing you have had a principal role in an AFTRA sanctioned production, you are also considered SAG eligible, and may join at any time. I am not a stage actors, but members of Actor's Equity have that same rule about becoming SAG eligible.
Another way is to audition for, and be cast in a speaking role in a SAG film. This also makes you SAG eligible. However, this means you would have to be cast over the SAG actors who audition for the same role, and for casting a non SAG actor, the production company must pay a fine to SAG. It's not a huge amount, but it does add to their production costs. Does this ever happen? Sure, but not all that often.
So my education as a new actor in LA continues. In the meantime I am continuing to audition for roles in non union films (of which there are many), as I think about and plan for getting an agent. Speaking of auditions, I have an audition for the role of a priest tomorrow in a feature film. It's a small role, but newbies like myself audition when and where they can,
Yes, I know I have mentioned this before, but for those of you who read this who are musicians, you will particularly understand my feeling, as I drive by the Capitol Records building, as I take the Gower Street exit each time I drive to my acting coach's studio in Hollywood. Of course famous entertainment business locations and buildings are sprinkled all over this area. In Burbank you drive by NBC studios (the Tonight Show, with Jay Leno), Warner Brothers studios, and the Disney Studios. And of course nearby are Universal studios, and in Hollywood there's Sunset Gower Studios. While not as well known as the others it is the home to some well known TV shows (Heros and The Office, being two of them). Just a couple of blocks from the Sunset Gower Studios is the famous intersection of Sunset and Vine, and the Hollywood walk of fame.
Well, that's it for now. Talk with you soon............
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Seeing LA For The First Time, All Over Again
I have, in the past, made many trips to LA. Most were business trips for various companies for which I toiled, prior to going into acting some thirteen years ago. As all of you know who have traveled on business, you see the airport, your hotel, your client or prospect or convention, a few restaurants and the freeways, and that's about it. As I used to tell people, business travel is like flying to another city so you can get up at 6:00 AM and go to work.
Now that I live in the greater sprawl called LA, it's like seeing it for the first time. Most cities have one, maybe two famous landmarks (The Space Needle, The Alamo, The Golden Gate Bridge, and so forth). LA, on the other hand, has a multitude of them, which you pass in your everyday travels around the area.
On the way to my acting lesson in Hollywood this past Wednesday, I passed the famous circular Capitol Records building, The distributor of records (and then CDs) for Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Stan Kenton (for you jazz fans) and many other great musical artists.
Besides the famous Hollywood sign above Hollywood, there are Warner Brothers Studios, The NBC studios, Disney Studios, Paramount Studios, Universal Studios, Disneyland, the Santa Monica Pier, The Venice Ocean front walk, Mulholland Drive (with fantastic views), The Rose Bowl, all manner of museums and art galleries, The Hollywood Walk of Fame, and many, many more.
I mentioned in earlier entries that while I must never forget the reason I'm here, or my goal, one has to take some time to see and enjoy the many sights and activities available in LA. A little relaxation is good for the soul and keeps you balanced. So next week I am going to the Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, where some 160 plus Hollywood celebrities have left foot prints, hand prints, hoof prints (Gene Autry's horse) and other assorted prints. Oh yes, they also show first run films. It should be easy to find as it is on Hollywood Blvd., less than a mile from my acting coach's studio, which by the way, I can now find without using my GPS.
In my acting lesson last Wednesday I was far less rusty than I was in the one before, and it went pretty well. My acting coach puts each lesson on a DVD for you, and watching it later makes a great review of what you did in the lesson (both right and wrong).
No matter the training, experience, or level of talent an actor had before coming to LA, they must push it up a level or two in order to be competitive in this marketplace. There is an old adage which says "What was good enough to get you where you are today, may not necessarily be good enough to keep you there." That is quite true of the acting scene in LA. While there is tons of work for actors in LA, there are multitudes of good actors vying for that work. For every role you will be competing with the best. It's a challenge which I welcome, and my acting coach is helping me to move towards meeting that challenge.
Well, I've rambled on long enough for one day. Saturday chores await, and then maybe I'll get out and about some, and discover more about LA.
Later...............
Now that I live in the greater sprawl called LA, it's like seeing it for the first time. Most cities have one, maybe two famous landmarks (The Space Needle, The Alamo, The Golden Gate Bridge, and so forth). LA, on the other hand, has a multitude of them, which you pass in your everyday travels around the area.
On the way to my acting lesson in Hollywood this past Wednesday, I passed the famous circular Capitol Records building, The distributor of records (and then CDs) for Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Stan Kenton (for you jazz fans) and many other great musical artists.
Besides the famous Hollywood sign above Hollywood, there are Warner Brothers Studios, The NBC studios, Disney Studios, Paramount Studios, Universal Studios, Disneyland, the Santa Monica Pier, The Venice Ocean front walk, Mulholland Drive (with fantastic views), The Rose Bowl, all manner of museums and art galleries, The Hollywood Walk of Fame, and many, many more.
I mentioned in earlier entries that while I must never forget the reason I'm here, or my goal, one has to take some time to see and enjoy the many sights and activities available in LA. A little relaxation is good for the soul and keeps you balanced. So next week I am going to the Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, where some 160 plus Hollywood celebrities have left foot prints, hand prints, hoof prints (Gene Autry's horse) and other assorted prints. Oh yes, they also show first run films. It should be easy to find as it is on Hollywood Blvd., less than a mile from my acting coach's studio, which by the way, I can now find without using my GPS.
In my acting lesson last Wednesday I was far less rusty than I was in the one before, and it went pretty well. My acting coach puts each lesson on a DVD for you, and watching it later makes a great review of what you did in the lesson (both right and wrong).
No matter the training, experience, or level of talent an actor had before coming to LA, they must push it up a level or two in order to be competitive in this marketplace. There is an old adage which says "What was good enough to get you where you are today, may not necessarily be good enough to keep you there." That is quite true of the acting scene in LA. While there is tons of work for actors in LA, there are multitudes of good actors vying for that work. For every role you will be competing with the best. It's a challenge which I welcome, and my acting coach is helping me to move towards meeting that challenge.
Well, I've rambled on long enough for one day. Saturday chores await, and then maybe I'll get out and about some, and discover more about LA.
Later...............
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