Lights, Camera Action....And No Pay....BEWARE!

Acting is a craft, some say an art, but whichever you choose to call it, there is a learning and experience curve that any actor must go through (sort of a right of passage) before they can truly be called a professional actor. Professional, not only because they get paid, but of equal importance, professional, because of their skill and the way they conduct themselves in the business, both on and off the set.

When we were all beginning actors (i.e. some training, but no experience) the most accepted way to gain experience and credits was to audition for, and once cast, do rolls in "free" films.  These types of films are often student films or new filmaker's low to no budget films in which everyone (cast and crew) works for nothing.  An actor gains practical experience in preparing a role, being on the set, and performing for the camera.  It is good training and experience, and we all did several (if not more) free films as we were starting out as actors. When I teach an acting workshop I highly recommend that any actor without experience or credits do exactly this. In Seattle and in most areas of the country, there are various "anyone can post" online audition call boards that will help a new actor identify and submit themselves for these free film roles.

Once an actor has experience and credits, it is time to look for an agency to represent them.  Agencies can open doors that the actor cannot by themselves, insure that the actor receives decent, competitive pay for their work, that working conditions are solid, and professionally represent the actor for both non-union and union work.

Having read this far, actors may be saying to themselves, "Yeah, I know all that.  Where is all this leading?"

OK. Fair enough.  Free work, or very low paid work, (such as $100 per day or less) is still prevalent on many of the on-line un-monitored audition call boards, except many are looking for more than just new, inexperienced actors. They want experience.  They use come-on lines like "credit for your resume", "opening screen credit", "great experience", "award winning director", and other such enticements. These are not the student or beginning filmmaker projects I discussed earlier, but more ambitious, professional  projects looking for free or very low paid actors.  Example: The Discovery Channel was advertising for actors for $100 per day for a project they are shooting in Seattle.  That is shameful. Others, looking for a particular experience in an actor, have advertised a rate of $50 per day. Say what!

Can this practice be stopped or at least greatly reduced?  Yes it can, but it will take some discipline from actors. If you are an experienced actor, don't submit yourself for this type of free or low paid work. I know we all love to have a chance to act and I am no different than anyone else, but by taking roles in these low or no pay projects you are lowering the bar for us all and demeaning yourself as a actor.  If the Discovery Channel wants experienced actors, they should pay a competitive wage for them. If no actors take them up on their $100 offer, they will raise that offer, and no doubt go through reputable talent agencies to find qualified actors.

Are there ever any good acting jobs offered on craigslist, Performers Callboard, and other un-monitored acting call boards? My agent probably will not like me saying this, but yes.  Now comes the part he will like. While good paying jobs for actors can be found on these call boards, the odds of finding one is pretty much the same as coming upon a gold nugget, while walking across a farmer's field.  They are very, very rare.  There is a production company in Oregon that I found out about through their Performers Callboard notice several years ago.  I have appeared in two films for the US Department of Justice for them.  This production company pays well, is most professional, has great crews and directors, and I would gladly work for them again. I cannot stress too strongly, however, that finding this production company on Performers Callboard is a rare exception to the rule. If you run across one or two like this on un-monitored call boards in your entire acting career, you are fortunate.

So, I caution all experienced actors to steer clear of these no/low paying acting jobs, even in the slow times we all go through. If you are SAG-AFTRA you have no interest in these jobs.  However, if you are SAG-AFTRA financial core you might be tempted.  Even if you are still non union, your agency can do much better for you than this type of work.  If you have experience and no agency representation, do whatever you need to do to get an agency to represent you. They have a lot more established contacts than you do, and they know how the business works.

Water seeks its own level and as actors, we can raise that level.

I grew up in Texas, so I will leave you with a saying which I heard for years down there.  "That's my story and I'm stickin' to it."

More later....................

Why Do Actors Do What They Do?

Let's be honest....acting is a somewhat strange profession. It requires at least some talent, good training, much practice and dedication. When it is not going well it seems as if the actor is walking in molasses. When it does go well, it seems like the easiest thing in the world.

There is another aspect to acting that is not present in many other professions. Case in point: if you are a football, baseball, basketball, whatever player, (amateur or pro) you also need practice, dedication, good coaching and talent. However, in these endeavors, you are practicing for an already scheduled slate of games. You know when those games are going to happen. You have a season with a beginning, middle, and end.

Actors, other than what project they have been cast in next, have no schedule of upcoming events, and is fact, nearly all actors are always looking for their next job. Even successful actors in TV series are thinking about or preparing for their working life after that series is over. I have personal knowledge of one successful Hollywood series actor who is looking ahead and preparing now for when his highly successful series ends.

Forgive me as I use myself as an example to explain what I mean. I go to LA frequently for private sessions with my acting coach and to appear in showcases before Hollywood casting directors. This serves several needs of mine as an actor. One, I see steady progression as an actor due to my five year association with my acting coach. two, I get exposure to LA casting directors who are constantly looking for people to cast in network and cable series, and in upcoming films. Three, I gain confidence knowing I am moving in the proper acting circles in LA regarding being seen by the right people. Yet, (and here is what separates acting from so many other professions) I do this without any guarantee what-so-ever of future employment. I have no "next game" scheduled, and like most actors, I too am looking for my next job. I was in LA last December, again in February of this year, I will be going again in a week, and plan to also go in April, and May. The LA Summers I usually leave to the tourists, again resuming my trips there after Labor Day.

I am neither special, nor am I preparing any harder than any other serious actor. Why do we do this? Why do we spend our time, money and considerable effort to hone a craft in which jobs are usually of short duration (sometimes only a day or two), after which we have to jump back into the labor pool and start looking for our next job. Many of us have help in the form of a good agency and/or agent, but that search for the next job is always with us. I have been fortunate to be represented by the same excellent agency for the past five years, and I wouldn't think of changing. Still, actors can't rely on their agency, alone, to further their career. They must constantly study, market themselves to the industry, and do all the many things it takes to progress as an actor.

I believe I have an answer to why we do what we do in spite of the work required, the competition for roles, and the dedication required for success. At least it's an answer that works for me, and I am sure works for many other actors, as well. The answer is a model of simplicity. We do it because we have to. We have to, not because someone is forcing us, but because there is an inner need within us that can only be satisfied by acting. In essence, we really have no other choice.

Some might call acting an obsession, and perhaps it is. Many obsessions are unhealthy for a person, and so could acting if it blotted out everything else in your life. However, one can be dedicated and highly motivated in a positive way, as long as you allow time for the other important things in their life.

Thanks for letting me share this with you.

Until the next time..........

You Want Me To Act Where?

(Revised September 30, 2011)
It's been awhile, but I have always promised that I will never write an entry to this blog unless I have something worthwhile to say.

A funny thing happened recently on the way to the audition. OK, not so, but I couldn't resist using that take-off on an old (very old) stand-up comedian line. Actually, nothing funny happened to me on the way to the audition, but something that hasn't happened in a long while did happen, as a result of the audition. Since my return from living in LA, all my work and most auditions have been in Portland, where as you know, two TV series ("Grim" and "Leverage") are now shot, as well as some major films. I had not worked, or for that matter had more than a few auditions in Seattle since my time in LA.

My recent audition (a week ago) was for a Microsoft X-Box commercial, mainly for use on the Internet and for trade shows..., and quite possibly, for an additional buyout, a TV commercial down the line. A few days after my audition, I was informed by my agent that I had been cast. My portion of the commercial was shot two days ago in Seattle on the 28th. It was a great experience with a wonderful director, a great cast to work with, and a very professional crew.

As many of you know, the state legislature in their infinite wisdom decided to close the state film office, leaving Washington as one of only six states without one. They ignored statistics which showed that three dollars came into the state for every one dollar spend in perks to film and TV companies. Oregon to the south and Vancouver BC, to the north, both offer attractive incentives which bring film and TV business to their areas, while Washington offers none. I shy away from discussing politics in this blog, but be you conservative, liberal, or none of the above, you should mention the harm that closing the film office has done to our state, anytime you have a reason to contact any of our state's elected officials.

Still, there is work in this state, just not nearly as much as there used to be.

I had a strange audition this past Monday for a photo shoot. The audition consisted of walking into the audition room, saying hi, and having five photos taken (three front, one side, one full length) and the photographer (a pleasant man) then saying "Thanks, that it." The process took maybe two minutes and was so fast that after my pictures were taken, the next person was in and out of their audition before I had finished gathering my jacket and headshot folder from the waiting room. Another unusual thing was that they did not need for you to give them a headshot. Of course, this is only the second photo shoot for which I have auditioned. The other was many years ago and I was cast in that one. Perhaps this is the way most photo shoot auditions work.

On the writing front, the Seattle Theater Readers will be doing two more public staged readings of my short film screenplays, one in November, and the other in December. One is a sort of "bad things come to those who deserve it" story, while the second script is science fiction.

Finally, I returned two weeks ago from a few days in LA where I had two lengthy lessons with my acting coach, Glenn Haines, and also participated in an acting showcase for the casting agency that casts "Chuck" and the new (still in production) "Dallas" series. It was a quick and very productive trip. I hope to take another such trip in late October/early November.

So, as the old saying goes, "That's my story and I'm sticking to it." I'll talk with you again, the next time I have something new to say.

Until then............

Home Again, Home Again, Jigity Jig

Somewhere in my childhood, I heard the nursery rhyme phrase "Home again, home again Jigity Jig", and for some reason I still remember it. I have absolutely no idea what it means. I've also heard most of my adult life, that "You can't go home again." I'm sure ninety nine times out of a hundred that is probably true, as the place you left is usually not as you remembered it when you return. Still, that leaves the one time out of a hundred when it is true, and fortunately, that one time applies to my return to the Seattle area from LA.

We left on January 25th from LA, with bad weather having been the norm up and down the entire west coast. The week before I left LA we had four days of rain which made the rain in the Pacific Northwest look like a spit bath by comparison. Sometimes you just get lucky. We left LA in the sunshine and remained in sunshine for the entire two and a half day trip, and with the exception of a one hour long hard rain just north of Fresno, California, all mountain passes were bare and dry, with the sun shining brightly.

Once home again, I quickly settled into Northwest living, both as a resident and as an actor. I had lunch with my Seattle area agent just before attending the first day of the "Leverage" (TNT) workshop in Portland. I next had an audition in Seattle, followed by an audition in Portland. The one in Portland bore fruit and I was cast as a prison medical director in a film for the U.S. Prison system. That film was shot in Portland just last weekend (Not so lucky with the weather on that one, with rain all the way down and most of the way back....oh, well). And yes, my wife and I really did stay in a Holiday Inn Express the night before the shoot, which means I can legitimately say, "I'm not a real medical director, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night."

The film shoot itself was great fun, and the Portland media production company that was running the show was first rate and quite professional all the way around. For the film I had to learn thirty one lines in two days. Then, on the second day there were a few revisions of my lines, as well as the lines of others. This was a challenge which I welcomed, and is not an uncommon occurrence, as shooting scripts are usually in a semi-liquid state for most productions, right up until the camera begins to roll. The shoot went well with a good group of actors to work with, great crew, and a wonderful catered lunch. We had a ten hour shooting day before we wrapped, coming in only 30 minutes over schedule.

Now it's March 2nd and already I am planning my first return trip to LA, where I will be attending several casting director workshops and taking a private lesson from my acting coach in Hollywood. That is planned for the first half of April.

Other irons in the fire? I'd like to do some teaching, as I feel I have some worthwhile techniques to pass on to other actors in the Northwest. I am just doing some preliminary work to look into that.

Also, while I have written a number of short film screenplays, I have my sights set on something bigger. I have the first 27 pages of a feature length script written. It's been on the shelf for awhile and I want to get back to working on it. If you think getting work as an actor is hard, that's easy compared to selling a feature length script. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained, while an overused phrase, is still true.

I'm still determined to check out the acting scene in Vancouver BC, and now that the Olympics are over, I will need to get serious about that before very long. I will either find out that there is work for U.S actors in Vancouver, and how to go about it, or I will find there is not a possibility of work there and why. Either way, I'll pass on my findings in a later entry in this blog.

So, in my case, you can go home again, and I sum up my year in LA this way. I'm glad I went, and I highly recommend it for all serious actors. Even if, as I did, you decide to leave LA at some point, you will have made contacts that will serve you well, long after you have gone. I'm also quite glad I have returned to the Pacific Northwest, and I am happy to be back.

More later............

Back To Work

Like recharging the batteries in your cell phone, digital camera and other portable devices, people need recharging ever so often, as well. And so it was recently for my wife and me.

She came down from Washington State and we spent eight days seeing some of the sights of LA, as well as spending a few days in Las Vegas. It was wonderful having her here and playing tourist in LA, where the sights and attractions to see are endless. Travel Tip: When in LA you must visit the Getty Center, as it is a wonderful experience.

In Las Vegas we arranged our trip to coincide with a visit from Texas of an old Air Force friend of mine who I had not seen, literally, in decades. Visiting with he and his wife, taking in a show, and a couple of excellent dinners was great fun. Seeing them just proved the point that good friends really are forever. In the gaming area, we came away from Vegas with a few more dollars than we started with, and that doesn't happen all that often.

It was a wonderful time, but now it's time to get back to work for both of us. My wife is back at her job, and I am back at mine.

In line with that I have an acting lesson with my long time acting coach in Hollywood scheduled for tomorrow. That is followed next week with a workshop from one of the two casting directors that cast the CBS drama "Cold Case".

The episode of "The Office" I'm on is still scheduled for October 8th, and I will proceed that with a round of headshot and resume mailings, and postcard mailings. Two days after it is broadcast I have another casting director workshop scheduled.

Some sad news came to me yesterday, as I learned that a man I considered a good friend had passed away. His name was Bill Hitchcock, and through the Internet I re-established contract with his wife, Sherry. Bill was one of the good guys in the world, and I am deeply saddened by his passing. My sincere condolences go to his wife, daughter, and other survivors.

As I have said before, all actors are essentially looking for their next job, and I am no different. However, securing theatrical representation is still quite high on my priority list, and that will be my main focus right now.

So, stay tuned and I'll let you know what happens.

Until then...........

Time Out

A workshop tonight and then a time out for rest and relaxation.

Tonight, I will be attending a workshop held by casting director Ricki Maslar. I have heard good things about her and I'm looking forward to tonight.

Tomorrow evening my wife flies into town and we are then starting a eight day vacation, seeing the sights of LA and spending a couple of nights in Las Vegas. It's recharging the batteries time.

After vacation, I ramp up my search for theatrical representation into high gear, and I have a couple more casting director workshops scheduled.

Like most actors, be they famous or not, I am always looking for my next job. Such is the lot of an actor. Still, we probably wouldn't change it if we could, as each day ahead of us is unscripted and full of surprises. That's part of the fun.

I'll talk with you soon after I return from vacation.

Until then................

Looking Forward

August is gone and September is upon us. Today, marks six months exactly that I have been a Southern California resident.

August, by any standard, was a very good month for me, and while I enjoyed it greatly, it is time to focus my attention forward, and not live in the past.

My immediate goal is to secure theatrical representation from a quality agency, and now being SAG eligible can only help. There are many such agencies in LA. Yes, there are also a few who are not reputable and make their income chiefly by selling things (classes, headshots, etc.) to the talent they claim to represent. This violates acceptable ethics and in many cases, the rules for being a SAG franchised agency. Most of these agencies are proceeded by their reputation and are fairly easy to steer clear of, but newer actors in LA need to know that they exist. Remember, the only way a talent agency or agent should make money is when you make money. Having said that, there are many, many reputable, and hard working agencies and agents in LA. However, all good agencies may not be a good fit for each individual actor, so my immediate job is to find not only one of the good agencies, but also one that is a good fit for me.

Postcards are a necessity for an LA actor (and not at all a bad idea for non LA actors). They can be used in several ways. First, after an audition, it is a good idea to send a postcard to the casting director or casting agency thanking them for that audition. Postcards, by the way should have one or more headshots on the front and your name, address, and other pertinent information (email address, phone number, website) on the back, plus of course, space for a brief message and an address. If you have computer skills and can design and print them yourself in a professional looking manner on blank stock, that's great. If not, there are many services in LA who will do that for you, and I'm sure non LA actors can also find such a service in their area, as well.

Postcards can also me used to bring attention to some upcoming production you will be in, such as a TV show, film that is about to be released, or play. They are sent usually to casting directors, but in my case I will also send postcards about the date and time of my appearance on The Office to selected talent agencies, as well as to casting directors.

There are literally thousands of actors in LA who are actively seeking work. No matter your talent level or credits, you can get lost in the shuffle if you do not market yourself to the industry. There are simply too many actors for casting directors, agents and others to remember, and postcards are an excellent way to keep you name and face in front of them.

I am continuing to take selected casting director's workshops from Actors West. These are very economical ways to (1) get instant feedback from a working casting director, and (2) be remembered by them for future projects which they are casting. I have two such workshops scheduled for this month.

However, a little playtime is good for the soul (and body), so come mid September my wife and I are going to take an eight day vacation. We have not begun to see the sights and attractions of LA and we plan to do a good deal of that, as well as spend a few days in Las Vegas.

After that, it's back to work for both of us.

Filming an episode of The Office was a wonderful experience, but now it's time to look ahead. By the way, the air date of October 8th for the episode I'm in still looks good. It will be an hour episode instead of the usual thirty minutes for most episodes of the series. I'll let you know if there is any change in the broadcast date.

CORRECTION: In a past blog entry (I'm not sure which one), I said that when a SAG production hired a non-SAG actor, that production had to pay a small monetary penalty. That is not so. To hire a non-SAG actor, the production has to fill out the Taft Hartley papers to properly authorize the actor to work in that SAG production, but there is no monetary penalty to be paid. It costs the actor nothing, and all it costs the production is some extra paperwork. Sorry for the misinformation.

More soon............

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.......

Bingo!

This morning I had my interview with the last of the three agencies who contacted me after my mass mailing two weeks ago. This agency is one of the more well known agencies in the commercial end of the LA acting business. I had investigated them thoroughly before today, and found them to be one of the more respected agencies in their field in LA. I could not find one person who had a bad word to say about them. Based on that investigation, I was prepared to say yes, if they offered to represent me commercially. They did and I did, and I now have an excellent commercial agent.

I am still looking for a theatrical agent, and that is not an unusual situation for relatively new actors in LA. Many, many actors, have two agents....one commercially and one theatrically (for film and TV). Of the two, the commercial agent is a bit easier to obtain, as they are more willing to take non-union talent that appeals to them.

I'm not saying I will not find a quality theatrical agent before becoming a member of SAG, but working towards my SAG card remains a top priority for me. Acting in commercials may also lead me to joining AFTRA, but you can join AFTRA any time you choose by telling them you want to, and paying the hefty initiation fee. AFTRA also offers another avenue to getting a SAG card, as after being an AFTRA member for one year, and doing some AFTRA contract work during that year, you become eligible to join SAG. I'm not sure of all the fine details involved, but in capsule form, that's how it works.

I guess I could best sum up my visit to the agency this morning this way. It was a good day....a very good day.

I was quite fortunate in that all three of the agencies I visited offered to represent me. The first two agencies I visited are smaller than the one I visited this morning, and are what is known as full service agencies, in that they cover both the theatrical and commercial side. It is doubtful that either would want to represent a non union actor who already has a commercial agent. Both of the other agencies have a lot to offer, but unfortunately I will have to call them and decline their offers of representation. These are good agencies, staffed by good people, but I feel I will be best served by the commercial agent I visited today, while I continue to look for a theatrical agent.

Tomorrow, I'm off for some R&R in my home near Seattle, returning to LA next Monday, the 22nd.

Talk with you next week.................

Visiting The Agencies

One week ago yesterday, I sent out fifty one envelopes containing a headshot, resume, and cover letter to talent agents in the LA area. To date, I have heard from three of those agencies asking me to come in for an appointment/audition.

I met with one agency last Friday morning and another one this morning. I will be visiting the third agency a week from today. So far the results have been extremely gratifying, with both the agencies I have visited so far, offering to represent me. While I am pleased, it is really not something I thought would happen so quickly.

I will make a decision as to which agency I will go with after visiting the third agency next week. It too is one which people in the business recommend highly. This third agency is somewhat larger than the two I have visited so far, but size in this town is not a good criteria for evaluating an agency. Smaller agencies (or boutique agencies, as they are known in the business) have less talent agents and less clients, while larger agencies have more agents and more clients. Both types can do well, and all three of these agencies have a reputation of doing just that for the actors they represent.

Of course, getting representation by a quality agency is just the start for an actor in Hollywood. Next, you must get auditions (through your agent, and on your own), and then you must do well enough in those audition to get booked. Never the less, being represented by a quality agency is a vital first step, and it appears I have managed that first step, as I will be choosing an agency before the month is over.

I mentioned getting auditions through your agent and on your own. Having an agent in this town (or any other town for that matter) doesn't mean sitting by the phone, letting them do all the work, and waiting for them to call. You must work the other side of the street, so to speak, and constantly submit yourself for auditions through one of the local reputable services (NOTE TO ACTORS: They are not all reputable), send headshots and resumes to casting directors (the second half of my phase II which I will complete before month end), appear in showcases that casting directors attend, and continue to do all the marketing efforts you did prior to having an agent. You don't have an agent to take the place of your self-marketing efforts....you have an agent in addition to your self-marketing efforts.

A final note. The agency I visited today is literally at the corner of Hollywood and Vine. I parked in a lot directly across from the Capital Records building and on the way to and from the agency, traveled down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in which hundreds of large gold stars are embedded in the sidewalk with the names of famous actors and entertainers from the past and present. I walked by stars for Greer Garson, William Holden, Francis X Bushman, Gary Cooper, Randolph Scott, and many, many others. I have to admit, I still get a big kick out of the tradition and landmarks of Hollywood and the rest of the LA area.

See you soon......

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............

Phase Two

After two months in LA, it is now time to begin phase two. That's probably a bit misleading as going to phase two doesn't mean stopping phase one at all, but instead, now phase one and two will run concurrently. Are you confused? I know I am so maybe I had better explain it to both of us. Phase one is taking lessons from my Hollywood acting coach and scouring the audition notices and services to see what film and/or TV work I might find. This has gone fairly well with one commercial (shot a couple of weeks ago), an audition for an infomercial, in which I was not cast, a small role in a film (which I shot on location,today), and of course my auditions for small roles in two NBC series, which I was fortunate to do several days after I arrived in town.

Today's shoot was only six miles or so from where I live (a rarity in LA to be working that close to home) and the director and crew couldn't have been nicer or more professional. It was a fun experience. The director has done some nice work on sci-fi films, although this film isn't sci-fi.

So, in addition to continuing what I have been doing, I must start exploring (phase two) the world of agents and casting directors via submissions of headshots, resumes and a short cover letter. Most are mailed, but some must be dropped off in person (oh goodie, more LA freeway driving. Don't you love it!). There are two magazines which are a great help. One is called "The Agencies" and list all agents, who they are looking for, are they SAG franchised or not (the "or not" being those who will work with non-union actors). "The Agencies" comes out on the first of every month. The other magazine comes out every two months and is called The "Casting Director Guide". It lists all casting directors, what they are working on, what they have worked on, and what type they are looking to audition in the near future. The magazine even lists the personal likes (showing confidence, being prepared, etc.) and dislikes (strong perfumes or shaving lotions, touching the casting director, etc.) of some of the casting directors. Finally in the front of the magazine is an alphabetical listing (a number of pages) of every TV and film project in town, and its status.

Samuel French bookstores (Studio City and Hollywood) are the major acting bookstores in the area and the magazines may be purchased there, or you may also subscribe to them and have them mailed to you. I drove to Studio City yesterday to buy both.

For phase two, I will need to have headshots printed. I brought about thirty with me (and have used eight or nine since being here.), but for phase two I will need at least a couple of hundred. I will also need to prepare mailing labels. You can buy them pre-printed, but I have decided to enter the information myself (from the two magazines) and prepare them on my computer. Finally, there is the cost of postage, which wont be small, since before it's done (over the course of several months), I will be mailing a hundred to a hundred and fifty headshots. The purpose of all of this is to find an agent to represent me, and to put my face in front of as many casting directors as possible. it's all part of the marketing side of being an actor, and believe me when I say, represented by an agent or not, you must market yourself non-stop in this town, so as not to be buried by the thousands of actors all jockeying for agents, auditions, and roles in film, TV, and commercials. If you are planning on making the move to LA, bring a computer and printer, and know how to use them. Hitting town and quickly getting a top agent and landing a big role may happen in the movies, but very seldom in real life.

Last Wednesday, I had my best lesson ever with my acting coach. He had me do four cold reads (no preparation the day before). The first one went really well and he said it was "book it" quality, both the first and second times through. The second cold read, went very well, but not quite as well as the first, the third was again right on target, and the fourth one was only slightly below that. My acting coach does not give out compliments left and right, and when he tells me I did something that was the 'book it" quality that most casting directors are looking for, I have to believe him. Each lesson with him is an insight into what it takes to succeed in acting in LA, and it also tells me how close I am to that standard. It's my yardstick, and it was a highly encouraging hour that I spent with him, last week, as I moved a few inches higher on that stick.

More later...........