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............
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
The Office
Thursday evening, August 20th, 2009
You may remember my mentioning in my last entry that I had auditioned for a role in the NBC Television series, The Office. The audition was on the 11th of this month. Today, I received an early afternoon email telling me that I had been selected to play the role. I read the email once, and thought, “well that can’t be.” Then I read it again and realized that is exactly what it” be”. The scene I’m in shoots this Saturday.
In many ways this defies the odds. While I am represented by a commercial agency, I have no theatrical representation yet, nor am I yet a member of SAG. Of course, this will help with both in the long term, as agents like representing people who have worked, and, also, by working in an episode of The Office, I become SAG eligible, which makes it all that much easier to be hired for another SAG production. It doesn't make the auditions any easier, but it does mean that when chosen for a SAG role it will make it easier for the production company to hire me.
I had a bit of other good news recently. I auditioned for the television pilot episode of a series about political campaign workers. I was chosen to play the role of the Governor of Wisconsin. It’s a small role and the character will appear in the pilot only, if the series is picked up. The majority of the pilot will be shot on location in Madison Wisconsin. It’s a non-union project with a modest budget, but the role was interesting, fun to play, and the director was quite sharp. I shot that scene last night, and enjoyed it immensely.
Friday afternoon, August 21st, 2009
I have just returned from my wardrobe fitting. The scene I am in is not being shot at the Sunset Gower studios in Hollywood where much of “The Office” is shot, but instead is being shot on location in Sherman Oaks. The "base Camp" for the location, is a schoolyard is full of about 15 trailers ranging from equipment and lighting trailers to wardrobe and dressing room trailers. I reported to the wardrobe trailer to be fitted with my costume (Yes, my character requires a sort of a costume….nothing garish, but a costume never-the-less). The wardrobe people were quite nice and a pleasure to work with.
Earlier today, I received the script via email. Each page had KREPS splashed across it in background style gray letters. All shooting scripts for most films and TV shows do that so if a portion of the script is copied or leaks out, it’s easy to see which script it was.
Once you have been to wardrobe and received a script with you name emblazoned across every page, you start to feel like you are part of the show, at least for one episode. I’m looking forward greatly to tomorrow. It should be fun.
Oh, and by the luck of the draw, the location where we are shooting (very near where the equipment and wardrobe trailers are all parked) is only five miles from where I live Sometimes you just get lucky!
Sunday Morning, August 23rd, 2009
Yesterday was a day that all actors dream of….a speaking role on a hit TV series. It was a day of waiting , as are all days on set for actors, a day of joy at being part of the experience, and a day of whiling away the time by talking with other actors, the two most notable being Kate Flannery who plays Meredith on “The Office” , and Rick Overton (a guest star for this episode), who has appeared in many TV shows and films. Kate was a wonderfully friendly lady, and Rick was as outgoing as anyone could be. Both were great people to chat with.
The director decided no costume was necessary so I wore a dark suit provided by the wardrobe department. The director, by the way, was a very good person to work with.
Doing this show just about concludes my first six months in LA. Besides The Office, I have appeared in roles in one film, one TV series pilot and one commercial. I have a commercial agent, a wonderful acting coach, and recently started taking workshops from some fine LA casting directors, with my next workshop scheduled for this coming Thursday. Best of all, I have climbed one steep hurdle for any new actor in LA, and that is to become SAG eligible. This first six months has greatly surpassed my expectations.
That having been said, there is much work to be done in the future. I said in a previous entry that to compete in the LA market, I would have to be a better actor in six months than when I got here. Six months later, I am a better actor. That means nothing if I am not a better actor in six months than I am now, and better still six months after that. Today was a wonderful experience, but it doesn't guarantee any future success. It is, however, a nice step in the right direction.
To the best of my knowledge, the episode of The Office, a part of which we filmed today, will air on October 8th. That, however, is always subject to change and I will give you a definite date before it airs.
Until we talk again…………………..
You may remember my mentioning in my last entry that I had auditioned for a role in the NBC Television series, The Office. The audition was on the 11th of this month. Today, I received an early afternoon email telling me that I had been selected to play the role. I read the email once, and thought, “well that can’t be.” Then I read it again and realized that is exactly what it” be”. The scene I’m in shoots this Saturday.
In many ways this defies the odds. While I am represented by a commercial agency, I have no theatrical representation yet, nor am I yet a member of SAG. Of course, this will help with both in the long term, as agents like representing people who have worked, and, also, by working in an episode of The Office, I become SAG eligible, which makes it all that much easier to be hired for another SAG production. It doesn't make the auditions any easier, but it does mean that when chosen for a SAG role it will make it easier for the production company to hire me.
I had a bit of other good news recently. I auditioned for the television pilot episode of a series about political campaign workers. I was chosen to play the role of the Governor of Wisconsin. It’s a small role and the character will appear in the pilot only, if the series is picked up. The majority of the pilot will be shot on location in Madison Wisconsin. It’s a non-union project with a modest budget, but the role was interesting, fun to play, and the director was quite sharp. I shot that scene last night, and enjoyed it immensely.
Friday afternoon, August 21st, 2009
I have just returned from my wardrobe fitting. The scene I am in is not being shot at the Sunset Gower studios in Hollywood where much of “The Office” is shot, but instead is being shot on location in Sherman Oaks. The "base Camp" for the location, is a schoolyard is full of about 15 trailers ranging from equipment and lighting trailers to wardrobe and dressing room trailers. I reported to the wardrobe trailer to be fitted with my costume (Yes, my character requires a sort of a costume….nothing garish, but a costume never-the-less). The wardrobe people were quite nice and a pleasure to work with.
Earlier today, I received the script via email. Each page had KREPS splashed across it in background style gray letters. All shooting scripts for most films and TV shows do that so if a portion of the script is copied or leaks out, it’s easy to see which script it was.
Once you have been to wardrobe and received a script with you name emblazoned across every page, you start to feel like you are part of the show, at least for one episode. I’m looking forward greatly to tomorrow. It should be fun.
Oh, and by the luck of the draw, the location where we are shooting (very near where the equipment and wardrobe trailers are all parked) is only five miles from where I live Sometimes you just get lucky!
Sunday Morning, August 23rd, 2009
Yesterday was a day that all actors dream of….a speaking role on a hit TV series. It was a day of waiting , as are all days on set for actors, a day of joy at being part of the experience, and a day of whiling away the time by talking with other actors, the two most notable being Kate Flannery who plays Meredith on “The Office” , and Rick Overton (a guest star for this episode), who has appeared in many TV shows and films. Kate was a wonderfully friendly lady, and Rick was as outgoing as anyone could be. Both were great people to chat with.
The director decided no costume was necessary so I wore a dark suit provided by the wardrobe department. The director, by the way, was a very good person to work with.
Doing this show just about concludes my first six months in LA. Besides The Office, I have appeared in roles in one film, one TV series pilot and one commercial. I have a commercial agent, a wonderful acting coach, and recently started taking workshops from some fine LA casting directors, with my next workshop scheduled for this coming Thursday. Best of all, I have climbed one steep hurdle for any new actor in LA, and that is to become SAG eligible. This first six months has greatly surpassed my expectations.
That having been said, there is much work to be done in the future. I said in a previous entry that to compete in the LA market, I would have to be a better actor in six months than when I got here. Six months later, I am a better actor. That means nothing if I am not a better actor in six months than I am now, and better still six months after that. Today was a wonderful experience, but it doesn't guarantee any future success. It is, however, a nice step in the right direction.
To the best of my knowledge, the episode of The Office, a part of which we filmed today, will air on October 8th. That, however, is always subject to change and I will give you a definite date before it airs.
Until we talk again…………………..
Friday, August 14, 2009
The Workshop
Last night was another new experience in my acting journey in LA. There is an organization in LA called Actors West. They don't post audition notices, nor can you post your resume or headshot on their website. What they do offer are a multitude of workshops conducted by some prominent casting directors in town.
I attended my first such workshop last night conducted by a lady who is well known in LA casting circles. All actors know that when you do a live audition, you get zero feedback other than thank you, or possibly "That was very nice." There is no critique of how you really did....what you did right or wrong. In a workshop held by a casting director, that is not the case. there were probably 20 actors at last night's workshop. Each of us were part of a two person assigned scene which we did in front of the casting director and the entire workshop. My scene partner and I did our scene three times, taking different direction from the casting director after each time. Our scene went well with some positive feedback from the casting director. The casting director also collected headshots from each actor and jotted down some notes as she watched each scene. The lady who was my scene partner was a good actor, and it always helps to work with a person like that. Best of all, it was great fun. The workshop was attended by some very good actors, and most scenes went well. Of course, this is LA, and finding you are in a room full of good actors is not at all uncommon.
The casting director also took questions from the actors in a Q and A session, where we got a chance to understand how a casting director thinks, what they are looking for, how casting decisions (or recommendations to the director) are made, and as I have stated before, the many items outside of the actor's control which might, and often do, influence who is cast and who is not.
Having had one positive experience, I will be attending more casting workshops at Actors West. While primarily holding workshops conducted by casting directors, they occasionally have events where agents come in to look at actors. An added plus is that all their workshops and events are very reasonably priced, and it's a short 25 minute drive on Highway 101 for me to get to their location. Also, I have taken only private lessons since being here, and it was great to interact with other actors.
As an added bonus, Actors West has what they call a wall of headshots in their office, where anyone is free to tack up their headshot, which I did. It can't hurt, and you never know.
Other news? This past Tuesday, I auditioned for a small role in the NBC series, The Office.
It's cooler here now, with only a high of 88 expected in the San Fernando Valley, today. 88, depending on where you live, may seem cool or not, but it's a pleasant relief for this area.
More later.........
I attended my first such workshop last night conducted by a lady who is well known in LA casting circles. All actors know that when you do a live audition, you get zero feedback other than thank you, or possibly "That was very nice." There is no critique of how you really did....what you did right or wrong. In a workshop held by a casting director, that is not the case. there were probably 20 actors at last night's workshop. Each of us were part of a two person assigned scene which we did in front of the casting director and the entire workshop. My scene partner and I did our scene three times, taking different direction from the casting director after each time. Our scene went well with some positive feedback from the casting director. The casting director also collected headshots from each actor and jotted down some notes as she watched each scene. The lady who was my scene partner was a good actor, and it always helps to work with a person like that. Best of all, it was great fun. The workshop was attended by some very good actors, and most scenes went well. Of course, this is LA, and finding you are in a room full of good actors is not at all uncommon.
The casting director also took questions from the actors in a Q and A session, where we got a chance to understand how a casting director thinks, what they are looking for, how casting decisions (or recommendations to the director) are made, and as I have stated before, the many items outside of the actor's control which might, and often do, influence who is cast and who is not.
Having had one positive experience, I will be attending more casting workshops at Actors West. While primarily holding workshops conducted by casting directors, they occasionally have events where agents come in to look at actors. An added plus is that all their workshops and events are very reasonably priced, and it's a short 25 minute drive on Highway 101 for me to get to their location. Also, I have taken only private lessons since being here, and it was great to interact with other actors.
As an added bonus, Actors West has what they call a wall of headshots in their office, where anyone is free to tack up their headshot, which I did. It can't hurt, and you never know.
Other news? This past Tuesday, I auditioned for a small role in the NBC series, The Office.
It's cooler here now, with only a high of 88 expected in the San Fernando Valley, today. 88, depending on where you live, may seem cool or not, but it's a pleasant relief for this area.
More later.........
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......................
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A Wise Saying Comes Home to Roost
Before becoming an actor, I had a long stretch of making my living, first as a computer programmer, then as a systems analyst, and finally in computer system sales. Just a few weeks into my information systems career I took my first course called Introduction to Data Processing (the term information systems came along a few years later) at the IBM education center in San Francisco. What does this have to do with acting, you ask? Stay with me and I think you'll see where I'm going.
In that first class, I met a young man (we were all young men back then) named Marty Dupont. Marty and his family owned a rental car agency in Hawaii, and Marty had been given the task of running the data processing end of their business. Marty and I had dinner and drinks a few times during the week long course, and I liked him right away. The instructor was a "take no prisoners" type of guy who spewed out information a mile a minute, as we all struggled to keep up with him. Somewhere along the middle of the second day of the class, the instructor stopped long enough to ask if there were any questions. What happened next has stayed with me over the years, as Marty raised his hand and when called upon said, "I'm not sure I understand everything I know."
I never saw Marty again after that class, but I remember him to this day because of that remark.
That remark (which I have come to view as one of life's wise sayings) certainly applies to my acting studies in LA. There is a great deal more urgency in the approach to private acting lessons in LA, both from the acting coach and the actor. There are roles out there (a lot of roles) in which actors are going to be cast, and both the acting coach and the actor are doing everything in their power to prepare the actor, as quickly as possible, to be one of the people who are cast in those roles, be they theatrical or commercial.
The pace is faster, and you are given an increasing work load by your acting coaches, with frequent (often daily) exercises to do. I have two excellent acting coaches, one in downtown Hollywood, and the other in the Hollywood Hills. Both are tremendously personable, as well as quite demanding, and the actor has to sift quickly through various methods, and procedures designed to make a role or character you are doing, natural, believable, and real. When getting into a role is not working, it is an extremely difficult process, yet when it is working, it seems as easy as a walk in the park.
Sometimes I think back to what Marty said about not understanding everything you know. The understanding does come, but sometimes it's a few days or even the next lesson before it all falls into place.
I had a lesson, today with my acting coach in the Hollywood Hills. It was quite productive, I learned, I applied what I learned, and took another small step on the way to where I want and need to be as an actor equipped to compete in the LA market. Next week, I have a lesson with my downtown Hollywood acting coach, and the week after that it's back for a lesson in the Hollywood Hills.
If I fail, it won't be because I did not listen to and learn from these two men and give it everything I have. If I succeed, it will be because I did.
Finally, LA weather may be great most of the year but not this month in the San Fernando Valley where I live. It is supposed to around a 100 (plus or minus a degree or two) for the next 4 or 5 days, and after that who knows. I can hear my friend in Phoenix (and you know who you are) laughing as she probably thinks a temperature around 100 is a cold snap. They say the winters are nice in Southern California and I can't wait to find out.
Until next time.............
In that first class, I met a young man (we were all young men back then) named Marty Dupont. Marty and his family owned a rental car agency in Hawaii, and Marty had been given the task of running the data processing end of their business. Marty and I had dinner and drinks a few times during the week long course, and I liked him right away. The instructor was a "take no prisoners" type of guy who spewed out information a mile a minute, as we all struggled to keep up with him. Somewhere along the middle of the second day of the class, the instructor stopped long enough to ask if there were any questions. What happened next has stayed with me over the years, as Marty raised his hand and when called upon said, "I'm not sure I understand everything I know."
I never saw Marty again after that class, but I remember him to this day because of that remark.
That remark (which I have come to view as one of life's wise sayings) certainly applies to my acting studies in LA. There is a great deal more urgency in the approach to private acting lessons in LA, both from the acting coach and the actor. There are roles out there (a lot of roles) in which actors are going to be cast, and both the acting coach and the actor are doing everything in their power to prepare the actor, as quickly as possible, to be one of the people who are cast in those roles, be they theatrical or commercial.
The pace is faster, and you are given an increasing work load by your acting coaches, with frequent (often daily) exercises to do. I have two excellent acting coaches, one in downtown Hollywood, and the other in the Hollywood Hills. Both are tremendously personable, as well as quite demanding, and the actor has to sift quickly through various methods, and procedures designed to make a role or character you are doing, natural, believable, and real. When getting into a role is not working, it is an extremely difficult process, yet when it is working, it seems as easy as a walk in the park.
Sometimes I think back to what Marty said about not understanding everything you know. The understanding does come, but sometimes it's a few days or even the next lesson before it all falls into place.
I had a lesson, today with my acting coach in the Hollywood Hills. It was quite productive, I learned, I applied what I learned, and took another small step on the way to where I want and need to be as an actor equipped to compete in the LA market. Next week, I have a lesson with my downtown Hollywood acting coach, and the week after that it's back for a lesson in the Hollywood Hills.
If I fail, it won't be because I did not listen to and learn from these two men and give it everything I have. If I succeed, it will be because I did.
Finally, LA weather may be great most of the year but not this month in the San Fernando Valley where I live. It is supposed to around a 100 (plus or minus a degree or two) for the next 4 or 5 days, and after that who knows. I can hear my friend in Phoenix (and you know who you are) laughing as she probably thinks a temperature around 100 is a cold snap. They say the winters are nice in Southern California and I can't wait to find out.
Until next time.............
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, July 1, 2009
Pursuing Acting On The Side Of A Mountain
Today, I had another acting lesson, but not with my usual Hollywood acting coach.
My new agency, which represents me commercially, has a favorite coach for commercial acting to which they send most of their adult clients (They also represent child actors in a number of areas). After one lesson with him, I see why he is their favorite. He has successfully done commercials and taught for years and knows exactly what it takes to get callbacks and to get bookings. Let me be very clear about one thing. Studying with this new acting coach is not, by any means, instead of studying with my other acting coach, who I have mentioned numerous times in this blog, but is in addition to studying with my long time coach.
The new coach, Like my other coach, is very personable, but brutally honest and direct in his approach. He gets right to the point of what, how, why, and when. This is Hollywood. This is the big leagues. These are big league acting coaches, and I listen to every word both men have to say about acting in general and my acting in particular. I would be a fool not to.
The truth is, they both know what it takes to work in this town, and they both know how to impart that knowledge to their students. Like money, you can never have too many quality acting coaches. I now feel very fortunate that I have found two.
My long time acting coach has a studio in a building in downtown Hollywood. My new acting coach also teaches in Hollywood, but far from downtown. He teaches in a studio in his home, which is perched half way up the mountain on which sits the Hollywood sign. His house is on a winding narrow, often one lane road (due to cars parked on the side). There are houses on both sides of the road and at times, around blind curves, you must drive no more than five miles per hour in case you meet someone coming the other way. If that happens, one car has to give ground so the other car may pass. It's a very adventurous road.
The lesson today showed areas where I need work. I welcome the challenge and know that I am up to it. I have daily homework which I will, of course, do. I have a lesson scheduled with my long time acting coach next week, and one again with my new acting coach the week after that.
For the cherry on top of the cake, I received an email shortly after my lesson concluded, which informed me of an audition I have early tomorrow afternoon. This audition is for a commercial and came through my new agency.
So acting lessons and auditions continue, and hopefully sprinkled in among those will be some bookings. Of course I haven't forgotten that I still need to find a quality theatrical agency to represent me in that area. How will it all shake out? We'll find out together.
Stay tuned.........
My new agency, which represents me commercially, has a favorite coach for commercial acting to which they send most of their adult clients (They also represent child actors in a number of areas). After one lesson with him, I see why he is their favorite. He has successfully done commercials and taught for years and knows exactly what it takes to get callbacks and to get bookings. Let me be very clear about one thing. Studying with this new acting coach is not, by any means, instead of studying with my other acting coach, who I have mentioned numerous times in this blog, but is in addition to studying with my long time coach.
The new coach, Like my other coach, is very personable, but brutally honest and direct in his approach. He gets right to the point of what, how, why, and when. This is Hollywood. This is the big leagues. These are big league acting coaches, and I listen to every word both men have to say about acting in general and my acting in particular. I would be a fool not to.
The truth is, they both know what it takes to work in this town, and they both know how to impart that knowledge to their students. Like money, you can never have too many quality acting coaches. I now feel very fortunate that I have found two.
My long time acting coach has a studio in a building in downtown Hollywood. My new acting coach also teaches in Hollywood, but far from downtown. He teaches in a studio in his home, which is perched half way up the mountain on which sits the Hollywood sign. His house is on a winding narrow, often one lane road (due to cars parked on the side). There are houses on both sides of the road and at times, around blind curves, you must drive no more than five miles per hour in case you meet someone coming the other way. If that happens, one car has to give ground so the other car may pass. It's a very adventurous road.
The lesson today showed areas where I need work. I welcome the challenge and know that I am up to it. I have daily homework which I will, of course, do. I have a lesson scheduled with my long time acting coach next week, and one again with my new acting coach the week after that.
For the cherry on top of the cake, I received an email shortly after my lesson concluded, which informed me of an audition I have early tomorrow afternoon. This audition is for a commercial and came through my new agency.
So acting lessons and auditions continue, and hopefully sprinkled in among those will be some bookings. Of course I haven't forgotten that I still need to find a quality theatrical agency to represent me in that area. How will it all shake out? We'll find out together.
Stay tuned.........
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