Wishing you all a lovely holiday season from me and Domo! He's wearing a Santa hat. He's very festive.
Oh. You may not know who Domo is (even though he showed up in Targets and 7-11s last year). He's a Japanese cartoon character...and the Christmas before I moved to LA, we almost got a calendar featuring him. We didn't know who he was but my husband thought he was hilarious. I vetoed it though and instead chose a more "sensible" calendar. Of course I regretted my decision. Domo WAS funny. And I wished I had a calendar that made me laugh. So for my husband's birthday, our first year in LA, I tracked down a stuffed Domo doll which, at the time, was hard to find! The next year Domo was everywhere, as aforementioned. Anyway.....the long and short of it is that Domo is now a part of our little family, much like a pet. That's stuffed.
I think I may have shared too much.
Clearly, I need to take a break! And so, I shall. Taking a little break from posting here but I'll be back to our regularly-posting-schedule after the holidays. Hope you all have a beautiful end to your 2011!
It's been a busy couple of days. I've been working hard to meet my self-imposed deadline for my screenplay and I'm getting there! It may be a lot of gobblygook but at least there will be something there to tweak and hone and polish. Tuesday I had my improv class. Level 201 has a reputation for being difficult and not as "fun" as one might think improv should be. I haven't felt that way until this last class. It was our midpoint for the level and I was like, "Oh....this is what people meant." But it was good! I like to be challenged and I'm excited to go back next week and be better. After class I went and audited my old Tuesday night class at the studio. It was the last class before the winter break so not as many scenes went up. It was a short class but it was good to see good work and hear Ivana teach. And it was good to hang out and catch up with everyone after class!
When I got out of my improv class I had an email from my commercial agent - I got a callback for the commercial I went in for last week! Of course, you may remember that I had an audition for a webseries this week also - I got the audition the same day I went in for the commercial the first time. Well my callback time was twenty minutes before my webseries audition time. Luckily, the casting offices were right around the corner from each other so I wasn't too stressed about getting across town. But sometimes callbacks run long so I went early in hopes of being seen early. About a half hour into waiting to be seen, I realized that I was not going to be on time to my webseries audition. I sent them a text - I also gave them a heads up the night before that this might be the case - and let them know that the callback was running behind, so I was running behind. I said I would be there as soon as possible and hoped I could still get the chance to be seen. They thanked me for letting them know. All said and done, I was only about fifteen minutes late for my audition slot for the webseries. But it took a bit of juggling yesterday afternoon! But that is the kind of juggling I like!
It's rainy and cold here in LA. A pretty typical 'winter' day. My New York friends would laugh and say that is downright spring-like but my Florida friends understand that 50s and raining is winter!
On Friday I went out for a run and when I got back I had two auditions. A commercial audition for that afternoon and a webseries audition for this Wednesday. At the commercial audition I ran into an old classmate from Chubbuck studios and we ended up auditioning together, so that was fun. And I'm looking forward to the webseries audition this week. The people who created and are producing it are well-established in the web world and the project seems like a lot of fun.
I'm writing as I wait for a few of the members of my production company to arrive. We are having a meeting before everyone scatters for the holidays to sketch out a schedule for shooting our own webseries in the new year. I'm looking forward to getting a preliminary idea of where we're headed. And I love morning meetings. I baked some muffins and have tea ready for everyone. Any meeting where breakfast foods are involved make me a happy lady!
Was excited to have this issue of THR show up in my mail yesterday. I was tinkering with my screenplay so I haven't had the chance to even take off the plastic yet but I'm planning on taking some time this weekend and reading about the Power 100 Women In Entertainment and envisioning myself profiled in next year's issue. Ok, maybe in the 2013 issue. If I get my movie made next year then 2013 will be the more likely year for visibility for the project. Aw, dreams. I write them here so that when they come true we can look back and say, "See! We knew it all along." And if they don't come true by the set due date, we can still say, "Next year!" Aw, optimism. Putting a positive spin on...well...just about anything.
Guys, I bought a 2012 planner yesterday. And I've already started to fill it out. This year is almost over. Exactly four weeks left of 2011...I'm not sure why that feels so crazy to me. But it does. Would love to book another job by the end of the year. Sometimes there is a little surge of commercial activity in these last few weeks so hopefully I'll get in on the action.
On Friday I got to go to two screenings. The first was a SAG Foundation "Conversations" event with part of the cast of "Raising Hope." I love going to hear casts from shows I love at the Conversations series. We got to screen their Christmas episode, which is a must-see. It's an episode that really shows who these characters are and what is so endearing about them, so you can get up-to-speed on the series - even if you've never watched Raising Hope before. After enjoying the screening there was an intimate Q&A. I say intimate because there wasn't as large of a turnout to this Conversations but I think it's because it was at one in the afternoon, on a Friday. I've only ever been to evening events before. Gregg Binkley, who plays Barney on the show, told about his journey to this role. Basically, 18 years ago, he went in to audition for a role that he wasn't right for. When he got to the audition, the role was changed from a "college golf teacher" to a "delivery boy." Suddenly he was right for the role. When he was at the table read, one of the writers didn't realize the role had been cast and read his one line before he got the chance to. When he got to set to shoot, the main actor on the show suggested that the role of "delivery boy" wasn't necessary. So just like that, Gregg's one line and appearance was gone. But one of the producers on set remembered him when they were working on another show, which led to another small role. That same relationship led to another recurring role on another show. Which led to doing a few lines on the pilot of Raising Hope. Which led to a series regular role. All because he went in to audition for a part he wasn't right for. I love stories like that.
Then, that night, I got to go to the first LA screening of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Avid readers here may remember my slight obsession with the book so you know that this movie was going to be a tough sell for me. When you love a book as much as I did this one, it is really hard to imagine that the movie will live up to it. Well.....
I loved it.
I cried throughout the movie. If I wasn't in a crowded theatre, I probably would have been audibly sobbing. Ok, fine. Maybe I whimpered audibly at times. There are major changes to the book in order accomodate the medium of film but I really think that the changes work. The heart of the story is still there and it really moved me. Even now, just watching the trailer, I'm crying again. The movie takes you on Oscar's journey and I'm ready to see it again. And ready to read the book again.
My suggestion? READ THE BOOK FIRST. My husband came to the screening with me and he wasn't as emotionally effected as I was. I think because I had such an attachment to these characters and to the story, there were moments that were more poignant to me and carried more weight. The book is so beautifully written, you don't want to miss out on the experience of getting to know these characters and their story first in your mind and heart. Then see the movie to see that come to life.
So yeah. There you have it. Your two hot tips: Watch the Christmas episode of Raising Hope and go see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
So last night after my improv class I had a moment.
Most of the class went to hang out afterward and we were all getting to know each other - where are you from? Are you an actor, writer, both? Excetera. All of those basic "LA" questions for a group in a comedy class. And then somehow age came up. "How old are you? Really? Oh, me too. How old are you?" All around the table. And there is a wide range in this class. One guy is 40, another guy is 18. Of the guys, the age range is twenty years wide. But pretty much all of the girls, except me, are 22. Now... they all thought I was their age so, you know, ego-boost. But I'm not. I'm 30. And I remember being in NY when I was 22 and I remember being in class with women who were 30 and I remember thinking, "Oh man, I hope that I'm not still 'trying' when I'm 30." And I remember feeling something akin to pity. Because, at 22, I was convinced that my star would just burn so brightly that someone would see it. Someone would immediately put me in a starring role - on Broadway, on TV, in a movie. There was no way that by the time I was THIRTY, I'd still be pounding the pavement, taking classes, taking new head shots, hustling to be seen. And that might happen for some of these girls - they are so new at this game and most have been in LA for less than a year - they might get snatched up and be given a great opportunity and be on the fast track that I was sure, at 22, that I'd be on. But, very likely, they'll find themselves eight years later - with accomplishments to be proud of along the way, but not exactly where they thought they'd be - in a bar, after a class, mingling with the new, fresh 20-somethings and they'll realize the age disparity and they'll remember me. And they'll think, "Wait. I'm as old as that girl from my Improv class years ago. The one I felt a little sorry for." And they'll realize that time has flown and that they don't feel much different than they did at 22. They'll think there is still a chance for greatness and opportunity. The shininess of hope will be a little duller than it was at 22. The shininess will have been dulled by years of "almosts" and "no, thanks" and "if onlys." But it will still be there. The hope. And glimmers of it will shine through with every booked job and every "almost" and every friend that has a success story and every connection made. It will shine through as you hear stories of other great actors who have found their success later in life. It will shine through as you write your own projects. It will shine through as you see inspiring movies that prove there is a space for your work to be seen. And then, at 30, you'll realize how foolish you were at 22 to limit your definition of success and limit those that didn't fit into that definition. You'll realize that everyone has a different road and that those roads can't be compared. But you'll also forgive yourself and be grateful for yourself at 22 because it took getting to 30 to realize any of it.
One of my 3rd grade classes had a field trip yesterday, so I'm BookPAL-ing it today instead of my usual Mondays as a result. I'm looking forward to seeing "my kids." We've been reading "The Tale of Despereaux" and last week we got to a part where three different story lines start to come together so it should be a fun day full of discussion and trying to remember all of the characters voices! And today is my second improv class. I started up last week and I think we've got a good group of people, which is so key. I felt a little out of the loop last week because there are two handfuls of people that were just in class together and have now moved on to the next level with each other. I took my time between levels so I don't know anyone, which made me nervous, but everyone is really inclusive and supportive and I think we're going to have a fun class.
Thinking of the day ahead of me...
I think most of the people involved in any art always secretly wonder whether they are really there because they're good or there because they're lucky. - Katharine Hepburn
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it is all about stopping and taking the time to recognize what we are grateful for and what we take for granted. Also, the eating. Love the eating.
Wherever you are and whoever you are with, I hope today is full of gratitude, love and food.
On Monday evening Fadhia and I were fortunate enough to hear Viola Davis speak at the SAG Foundation's "Conversations" series. I've been a big fan of Viola's work for awhile now and after recently watching her speech at Elle's Women in Hollywood event, I knew she would have interesting thoughts and insights on this crazy road of acting. She didn't disappoint.
I forgot to pack my notebook so I took some notes on my phone - which I hated doing because it looked like I was texting and being disrespectful! I finally decided to risk looking that way about halfway through the program because I was missing jotting down some real gems. But here are some good nuggets that I did "write" down...which are not in order of how topics were presented - nor are they exact quotes...there was so much that I'm sure I paraphrased trying to get it all down quickly:
In reference to approaching the work:
As actors we have to operate as if we have no other choice. Because we have no other choice in life.
As an actor or director, the first time you walk in and feel like you "know", you're screwed. There has to be an element of surprise.
Start with the text. I listen to all the facts. Then I listen to everything the other characters say about me. ...You have to start with a need. There's always a driving need in a human being's life.
On connecting:
People feel like that that's part of the work - the "pretty" part. I realized that when I came to LA...When we take that away, that's when we can really relate to each other as people.
You have to hope that the integrity of your work shines through past any of that negativity...I have to believe that my work transcends any stereotypical things that are on the page.
On staying motivated:
There is so much that invades the purity of the work. There is so much - the hustle, the jealousy, the competition, the money. It takes you away from the work.
The reason I became an actor is not why I stay an actor. Mostly because there is so much that invades the purity of the work. The love of the work keeps me in it.
The hard part of being an actor is the rejection. You have to make peace with the rejection on a day to day basis.
...then I met my husband. Life rejuvenates you. Praying rejuvenates me. Acting is faith-based. There are things in my life that give me life... It's my faith, it's my husband.
On "what's next":
I want to be more in a position of power. Now more than ever is the time to create roles for me that I've always dreamed of playing.
I want what I want. At least I can try.
The only difference is that I've been in the line for a long time. I've been in the line for 23 years.
*****
See?? There was so much that resonated with me as an actor and as a person. And, like I said, these are only the quotes that I was able to type quickly. I especially related to, "Now more than ever is the time to create roles for me that I've always dreamed of playing...I want what I want. At least I can try." And on that note, I'm going to get back to working on my screenplay. Because "now more than ever is the time..."
Last week I shot new headshots with Molly Hawkey. I picked up the disc of images over the weekend and now I'm at a loss...I'm not sure how I'm going to narrow them down! Here are some that have stood out to me so far:
And there are a lot of other great ones. I haven't gotten feedback from my reps yet but I think there has got to be a winner in there somewhere. Here's my favorite (of the moment):
Would love to hear what you all think! My theatrical agent is looking through all 300+ of them and I'm anxious for his feedback. And I'm having prints delivered to share with my commercial agent so I will probably get some picks from her next week. Man, oh, man. Thank you Molly for giving me a great problem to have!
Finally! I am here at my coffee spot, settled in to get some writing done today. All week I've tried to get here but my first career has interfered. Please imagine a winky-emoticon after that last sentence because I'm not complaining. Monday was the audition with the saga of the swimsuit, Tuesday I went to BookPALs and had a marketing meeting for Girl Parts, Wednesday was a short film audition, yesterday was shooting new headshots and now, here we are at Friday. Sometimes weeks are busy! And I'm the type of writer that needs to have a couple hours blocked off to sink into the world I'm creating and since I like spending my evenings with my husband if my days are busy, then you can bet nothing is getting done at night. Speaking of night, last night I had a dream that I was on The Big Bang Theory as Sheldon's first kiss. Amy Farrah Fowler was very jealous and Sheldon was surprised by how much he enjoyed human contact. Chuck Lorre was there for the table read. Now that is a plot line that should happen! And it should happen exactly as I dreamt it - with me in the role. Maybe the headshots I took yesterday will help get me in the door. Fingers crossed, people. Fingers crossed.
On Mondays I usually read to my 3rd graders for BookPALs. But this week there was a scheduling conflict so the teachers and I decided I would read on Tuesday instead. So on Monday I was looking forward to having an entire day for writing. I ate my breakfast, got ready for the day, packed up my computer and was making my way to the coffee shop when I realized I had forgotten my headphones at home. Even though I was almost to my destination, I decided to turn around because people can be loud and I'm easily distracted and I wanted to be productive. Better to have a 15 minute delay and have my headphones than go straight there and get distracted all morning. On the walk back, I checked my email and I had an audition notice from my agent. Commercial audition, that afternoon, in a few hours. Ok. I can still get some writing done, I thought. Then I saw the attire: one-piece bathing suit. Hmm. Looks like I wasn't going to get much writing done after all. I own one one-piece bathing suit and from the description of the part ("athletic") I didn't think it would work. Mine is a red suit with white-heart-polka-dots and a bottom that does not provide the type of coverage needed when I think "athletic." So I decided to make a quick run to the Sports Chalet - which is basically like the Sports Authority - to see if I could find a more 'full-coverage' suit; something I would feel more comfortable in. So much for my writing plans! I go to the shopping center where Sports Chalet is, take my ticket for the parking garage and as I'm taking it, there is a sign on the ticket dispenser: "Sports Chalet is Now Closed." What?? I drive in and park and sure enough, Sports Chalet is totally cleared out. Luckily this is a shopping center so there are other places to get swimsuits - maybe. It's not exactly swimsuit season. So after striking out at Nordstrom Rack and Marshall's, Old Navy comes through in a major way. I find a great suit that is athletic and covers well and I feel confident it. The only thing is...now I have to wear it in two hours. And wearing a bathing suit without washing it gives me the heebie jeebies. So I think, it's a bathing suit. They dry quickly. I'll go ahead and hand wash it and it should be okay by the time I need to leave. So I give it a good scrub, wring it out, hang it up to dry and go eat lunch. About an hour later I come back to check on it. Totally wet. Hmm. So I give it a good wringing again. And check on it again in 15 minutes. This is obviously going to take more than wringing. So then I proceed to take my hair dryer and blow my new bathing suit dry for a good 15 minutes. It may have been slightly damp when I was at my audition but at least it wasn't soaking wet.
During my NY years, I started a production company called Green Apple Entertainment. Our first production - our 'launch party' - took place at Studio Dante, an absolutely gorgeous theatre created by Michael and Victoria Imperioli. It was a one-night only affair and we showcased a one-act play called The Dinner, written by Libby Leonard, and featured three short films, including an animated short by Bobby Miller. In the lobby during the reception we featured music from unknown artists like Monica Allison and Jared Farrell. Looking back, it's kind of impressive the level of talent that was on display. You may not recognize some of the names yet but many involved with that production are making names for themselves. Bobby had an award-winning short film this past year that showed at Sundance, Cannes, SXSW and many other festivals; Monica recently released her first album, which has quickly become one of my favorites; Jared is playing shows around LA with his new band Audio Murder Wave; Libby continues to have her work produced and celebrated. The actors in The Dinner have also fared well. Melissa Osborne became a good friend and colleague - Green Apple produced her one-act play in the NY Fringe Festival the following year and she recently moved to LA and had a play in production the first month of her arrival. Erica Harsch submitted a show to Green Apple that she was working on with her friend Lindsey to see if we could produce it for them. We didn't have the resources at the time but that didn't slow either of them down. Erica became part of the fictional band The All-for-Nots, a mockumentary web series produced by Michael Eisner. When they played on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, I was excited to be able to be there at the recording, watching along with her friend Lindsey - Lindsey Broad who just debuted her new role on The Office last night. Cody Lindquist was another cast member in The Dinner and she always made me laugh. She has gone on to be quite a force in the Improv scene with her now-husband Charlie Todd. I never knew Charlie but I've enjoyed seeing what the two of them are up to with their Improv Everywhere group. Maybe you saw one of their most recent viral videos? "Say Something Nice" went viral and even Oprah took notice.
And I'm just scratching the tip of the iceberg with these mentions. I could go on about the other cast members, company members and the various connections made and successes that have been developed since that one show. And the whole reason for my trip down memory lane is because Cody posted a video today of her husband doing a TED Talk about Improv Everywhere. I'm embedding it here so you can watch and I hope you will. It is guaranteed to make you smile. I was going to just post the video and mention briefly how I know of Charlie Todd because of his wife Cody but I went down the rabbit hole that you've just read. It's kind of neat to think of that little night in NY, which was a big night to me, which may just be a small moment in their memories; to think of where all this talent was together and where all that talent has grown and splintered off to. It looks like a little starburst in my mind. And that is just one group, from one night. There have been many nights and many groups and many talented, gifted people that I have met since that have their own starbursts. I feel like I'm going to break out into a Katy Perry song...baby, you're a firework. And that is part of what is so neat about the video you're about to watch - the concept behind Improv Everywhere. That we can have shared experiences of joy and even if it is only for a moment, the impact can make an impression. It can last.
It's been awhile since my last full post and I owe you one! It's a little tough to come up with a fresh new perspective for a post everyday when it seems there isn't much to report on the acting front. Not that there isn't anything going on....there's just not much new...at the moment. How do I mean? Well, I'm not currently in a class...but I'm starting one in two weeks! Finally going to take the next level of Improv at UCB. I did 101 last fall, took Sketch Comedy this summer and now Improv 201; signed up today. My new pictures, as much as I love them, aren't working out. How do you know a picture isn't "working"? Your auditions slooooooow down. I was averaging going out commercially three times a week. Since changing my pictures in September, I've been out three times...in three months. Thank goodness one of those times resulted in a booking! But, clearly, something needs to change. So I am setting up a session with a new headshot photographer, recommended to me by a friend's manager. I'm really excited to get those shot and hopefully up the audition-ante in the coming weeks before the year's end. I haven't gotten to work on my screenplay this past week. We went to Vegas to meet my in-laws and then drove them back here to LA for a few days. So spending time with family took over my writing time, which is always a great excuse! Planning to get back on writing-track tomorrow. This morning has been a lot of busy work, involving most of what I've written about so far. Making phone calls, appointments, picture changes, and catching up on email can add up to a lot of time. Now I need to get out and go for my run. We're running in a 5K this weekend and I fear it might be my slowest time yet...I've been a little lax in my workout schedule too so those 3.1 miles might be painful. But I'll do it! Even if I'm a tortoise and not a hare.
"Running" away from the volcano erupting
at the Mirage in Vegas.
It was really cold that night.
Went to a screening of "Like Crazy" last night and really enjoyed the film - the way it was shot, directed, performed. All of it was inspiring and encouraging and made me think, "Yes, the film that I'm writing has a place, an audience, and can be done." I reached the halfway mark of my first rewrite yesterday and I'm feeling...motivated. Having a feeling about 2012 and all the adventures it might bring...
On a not-totally-unrelated note, can you believe it is November??? Only 59 days left of the year. Yowzas.
I'm pretty excited that Halloween falls on a Monday, which is the day I read to my 3rd graders. I'm dressing up as a pirate and reading "How I Became a Pirate" to them - which is a little 'young' for this group but Halloween is all about having fun and being a kid again, right? So we'll read a silly book today and remember not to take ourselves too seriously. Arrrgh, matey!
It was a bit of a Hollywood day yesterday. I had a meeting with a potential manager and then, when I got out of the meeting, I had a missed call and voicemail from my commercial agent for a last minute audition...that was in 30 minutes from when I got the message. No worries - I got there early - but it was a fun little rush to the afternoon. Wonder what today will bring...
Taken by me, on a boat, in the middle of the sea, in the Keys, this summer.
It is a gray day in LA and I've got a sea of writing before me. Pardon my indulgence in some quotes...I blame it on the rain. Milli Vanilli style.
No longer forward nor behind I look in hope and fear; But grateful take the good I find, The best of now and here. John G. Whittier
In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet. Albert Schweitzer
If you want to succeed in the world must make your own opportunities as you go on. The man who waits for some seventh wave to toss him on dry land will find that the seventh wave is a long time a coming. You can commit no greater folly than to sit by the roadside until some one comes along and invites you to ride with him to wealth or influence. John B. Gough
Read an interesting article this morning. The Wrap is doing a series about how the economic downturn is affecting the "business of show" and have featured articles with an actor, a screenwriter, a production manager and a post-production technician. I've only read the one with the actor so far but now I'm interested in reading the other ones as well. The one with the actor gives the perspective of Christine Lakin, who was a series regular on Step-by-Step when she was a teenager. Which was airing roughly around when I was becoming a teenager. Part of my TGIF line-up, I'll admit. So she was a successful child star and has continued to work but lately things have slowed down for her. She used to have pilot seasons where she'd go out for 3 or 4 pilots a day. This year she went out for 4. Total. With the need to sell shows, networks are casting movie stars in the main roles and that trickle down affects us all. So Christine is doing what she can and even wrote a web series...about a former child star trying to make a comeback in the biz. Sound familiar? She is working an exclusive deal with Hulu to have her series air. I'm just glad GIRL PARTS is out now and doing so well on Blip! Besides the web series similarities, the article gives a good perspective of how the hustle is out here...and how different it is to get a job today than it was even a few years ago. Here's a link to the article if you want to check it out.
A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. -Margaret Mead
Did you watch Miss Representation last night? I got together with three girlfriends, and one of their boyfriends, and we all watched together. We surrounded ourselves with some wine and pumpkin bread and settled in for the documentary. It was scheduled to run from 9 - 11 but we didn't finish watching until around midnight because at every commercial break we would end up pausing and talking. And sometimes during it one of us would say, "Wait. Pause. I want to talk about that," so we would pause and discuss more. There was a mixed reaction from our sample group. Overall we liked it. But there were a few that found it to be a skewed view because most of the people interviewed in the documentary were women. To that point I thought, Of course - that is what this is about. Most documentaries are skewed toward the filmmaker's perspective. For me, I loved it - no matter the perceived inherent biases - because it fostered discussion. It had all of us looking at our lives and our influences and how we view ourselves and fellow women. It had us thinking about how we consume media - what shows are we watching? What images are we supporting? What are we ok with? What do we have real problems with? When we were growing up, when did we start to feel a shift in how we determined our worth? I think it is so important. As a wife, as an older sister, as an aunt, as a daughter, as a granddaughter, as a cousin, as an actor, as a writer....I need to be more aware of the imagery that is out there. The imagery that I help to create. On Wednesday at the Web Series Unplugged event GIRL PARTS screened with ten other web series. Of those ten, only 1 other show was written by a woman. I'm really proud to be in a show that is written and produced by a woman, starring women - in several different quirky ways. I feel an increased urgency to complete my screenplay and get it made because I do feel my protagonist shows a rounded woman finding her way in the world. And we need more stories about women - not about helpless women or women as sex-objects but about women as people, with our strengths and our flaws fleshed out...beyond our flesh - or in celebrating our flesh, but on our own terms. There is so much we need to talk about and I want to keep the conversation going. I went to MissRepresentation.org and took the pledge to "use my voice to spread the message of Miss Representation and challenge the media's limiting portrayal of women and girls." And if you think it is important, you should too. If you're not sure about pledging anything yet, no worries. But think about discussing it. Go to the site to learn more. Watch the documentary to learn more. There is a lot to consider...and a long way to go.
We had a lovely time last night at the Web Series Unplugged screening! GIRL PARTS screened episodes 8 and 9 along with several other web series. It is always fun to hear what makes people laugh at a screening. At home, I giggle to plenty while watching the episodes....but I'm a little biased! It was a big audience - most of them unfamiliar with the series - so to hear them laugh and enjoy our show was definitely rewarding. I can't believe we are coming to the end of our first season. It has been so much fun sharing this show with everyone: It was a long development and production process and the finished product has really been something I'm proud to be a part of. Hopefully we'll get into a few more festivals so we can celebrate this work even more.
I was told to do a 'Sam-freakout-face'...it ended up looking like I was waiting in the line for the bathroom.
Before I go....a reminder!
Tonight is your chance to catch Miss Representation on OWN at 9pm. I'm getting together with some girlfriends to watch! Don't know what I'm talking about? You must have missed my post last week. That's ok...here's the link to it so you can be in the know!
Working on tweaking my pictures in hopes of getting some more auditions. This is one of the sides of the industry that is a necessary evil. My agents like my new pictures but finding the right ones to submit me with can sometimes be a process of trial and error. My commercial agent has picked a few new ones out and my theatrical agent wants the ones he picked to be retouched differently. So hopefully these adjustments will help and I'll start getting called in more. The problem is that for every role that casting puts out, thousands of submissions pour in. And they are all online. So they click through the thousands of thumbnails and if your picture doesn't catch their eye, you don't get an appointment. And it's been quiet around these parts. So once these new shots are up on the casting sites hopefully the right tweaks will get us in on some good stuff.
That has been the bulk of 'acting' that I've been dealing with lately - the business side. Not as exciting to hear about...or write about. But, like I said, a necessary evil.
Next Thursday, 10/20, at 9/8c, we all have an assignment. We have to, first, find out what channel OWN is on our cable lineup (it's 219 on TWC in LA, for those of you near me). And then we have to set our DVRs. And then we have to watch "Miss Representation". This is a documentary that debuted at Sundance and it was the only film I was interested in. I'm thrilled that Oprah is distributing it on her network, which is accessible to anyone with cable. Because this is a film that many need to see. It is more than a documentary...it is a movement. I've only seen the trailer but I know it is going to be thought-provoking, disturbing and galvanizing. As a woman, you have to watch. If you are a man who has ever loved a woman - mother, wife, girlfriend, sister, daughter, aunt, cousin, niece, friend - you have to watch. The way women are portrayed in the media, the way we see ourselves, the way we value our worth - it is all intertwined. And the more we recognize that, the more we can work to change that. I'm posting the trailer and, fair warning, there are highly sexualized images in it. But then again...those images are everywhere, aren't they? And I'm not a 'prude' by any means. Sex is a part of life that is important, beautiful and has a place in art. But I also believe that women are reduced to only sexualized images too often and are rarely valued for their intellect and wit in this society. It's something I've struggled with as an actor. I've always seen myself as the girl-next-door that is smart and funny. But those roles are few and far between when you're in your twenties - especially smaller roles. Because in your 20s you're supposed to be hot and sexy, right? Sexy to me is being comfortable and confident - no matter your packaging (body type or clothing). The length of your skirt or the size of your cleavage shouldn't define your attractiveness. But...as you'll see in this trailer...there is a very narrow definition of "sexy" in the land of TV and film. I could go on all day but you should just watch the trailer and then watch the documentary next week.
Monday, Monday. Here we are again. And I've got a full week ahead. Today I have BookPAL, which is always a treat. Then tonight I have a casting workshop - gotta do that hustle. So this afternoon I'll be working on my scene that I've picked out and hopefully will get a bit of writing in. You never know where the day will take you though. And that is the best part - and sometimes the most frustrating part - of this biz. For example, I could get an audition notice this morning that is for an audition this afternoon. Which is always exciting! Or, another example. I was talking to my friend over the weekend - he was all ready to pack things up and head East for a bit. Things weren't clicking here for him here and he thought maybe if he changed locations, changed focus, things would be better. But before he could go, he found a new manager that completely "gets" him, has only been working with him for a few weeks and has already gotten him in on a major network show. Just like that, things have changed. He's staying and life seems to match the weather here...a little sunnier. And those are both examples of how things can be great. And so when you're feeling like things are slow or not clicking or you feel like it's time to head somewhere else...it's hard to say, Yes. I'm going. Because *justlikethat* things change here. You get a last minute audition that leads to a job; you get a new manager that can get you in the door; you go to a casting workshop and make an impression. You just never know. Which can be frustrating. Or exhilarating. It all depends on your perspective.
Last night I got to be a part of something that was incredibly inspiring. My friend Lynn is adapting a book of stories into a play - essentially a monologue play - and she got together seven of her talented friends to read aloud and workshop what she has shaped so far. The material itself is beautifully written and resonating so there was that. And then, to be in a creative environment with this group of women, most of whom I was meeting for the first time, felt really special. I love a good table read. And I love feeling a part of the creative process - whether it is helping a friend along or developing something of my own. The night made me want to go home and write and create. But I didn't. It was late, I was tired, I didn't feel like I could devote much time to writing, so I didn't. I make up excuses all the time to not write. I was talking about this infuriating-procrastination-tendency with a few people on set with me at my last commercial shoot and one of the guys said, "My room is never so clean as when I have writing to do." And I was like, Yes! Thank you! I would rather do laundry and dust than sit down to write. And that is saying a lot. The thing is...once I do sit down...once I finally commit to getting something - anything - done, I'm always glad that I did. And it might not be the best string of words ever but it is a string of words. It's something. It's more than an idea in my head. And I can go back and string those words together a little more cleverly or eloquently. But at least I have somewhere to go. So...now...after a morning meeting of working on Girl Parts, and then a lunch with a friend, it's time to act on that inspiration I felt last night. It's time to string some words together and see what comes out on the other side. Even though the laundry is piling up...
As a University of Florida alumnus, I understand the importance of Saturdays in the Fall. However...I was never a football buff. Football games always equaled nap time for me growing up. Yes, I have been known to fall asleep in booming stadiums while actually at the games. And, yes, that can actually happen. More than once. When I was in school at UF, I was a great friend to have because I always had the football ticket hookup...as in, I'd give you my ticket because I probably wouldn't be going to the game. But something happened after I graduated. I moved to NY, the furtherest I had ever been from home, and I knew no one. I had met my roommate once before moving in with her and the rest of the city was a vast place with little familiarity. And suddenly Saturdays in the Fall became important. Watching the Gators play was like being home for a moment. And there were alumni clubs and viewing parties, where you could meet new friends. And in the nearly (ahem) ten years since that realization, I find myself making a point to watch the games. Not only because now I actually enjoy them...but also because I know my family is watching or they are there at the game. I know my friends from college and the friends I grew up with are watching too. And for a few hours, no matter which time zone I'm in, we're all doing something together.
When I started working in commercials I always thought it'd be pretty cool to have a spot run during a Gator game. It would be a way to connect with home. And I've been fortunate enough to have several commercials that I thought would do just that. My Southwest spot seemed like a shoe-in for a little game time. But it never did run during a game. Olive Garden? Yeah! Maybe that would run. Nope. Pringles?? It ran during the Olympics but never during a Gator game.
So when I shot a Hyundai commercial a few weeks ago, with a college football theme, I was cautiously optimistic. Maybe this would be it!
And it was.
This past Saturday, the Gators may have gotten clobbered by Alabama but there was a bright spot to the game for me. Two bright spots actually: my Hyundai commercial ran twice. Of course, my family was actually at the game...so they missed it...but hopefully it will play again during next week's game versus LSU. The commercial is clever and cute and I'm pretty excited for you all to see it! If you want to know what to look for, then you can go here to watch it. And when you see it during a game, think of it as a little victory. This Florida girl may be far from home but she's working, living the dream and making the most of every opportunity.
Spent a little time revamping my reel. Take a look-see:
Other than that....we have arrived at a Friday of another quiet week. Looking forward to a relaxing weekend and hoping that the audition gods perk up and shower me with opportunities next week. If they don't, that's ok. I'll keep making my own.
"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" is one of my favorite books. I read it this year and then lent it my mom but I want to read it again. The way it is written. The characters. The journey. The perspective. I just love everything about it. And now...it is a movie...that I will see because I can't help myself...but I'll go in knowing that it can't ever live up to the book. That all being said...the first trailer is out. Wanna see?
The tenth anniversary of 9/11 affected me differently than I expected it to. It felt like it was just yesterday. And so I'm a little nervous about how I'll respond to this story on the big screen - as opposed to in a book, that I can put down and come back to when I want to. And Tom Hanks. Come on. He is my favorite. I'm choked up just thinking about it. Looks like I'm going to have an emotional day at the movies this Christmas.
Did you get to watch the Girl Parts: Revealed episode this week with our director, Mike Drobinski? If you haven't yet, I'd love if you did! His interview gives a lot of insight into how this project came together, the behind the scenes and the reality of shooting. I was going to embed the video but there is a preview for next week's episode at the end of it and it's not really suitable for young ears. So above is a link for grownups only.
And for fun...have you checked out my IMDB page lately? There may be some new credits and pictures to peruse...
You rock, so stop modeling yourself after someone you think you'd like to be.
Above is the "quick" version of my horoscope on Yahoo today. Since it applies to life in general -especially in this business - I thought I'd share. It is incredibly hard to put on the blinders. To not compare one's self to someone else's success - or illusion thereof. It is even harder to put on the blinders when we live in a world of social media where every status update, tweet, and picture is a landmine of opportunity to see beyond the blinders we try to put in place. Because people love to post when they are working. Or getting called back. Or signing with a new agency. And they should love to post! Reaching a goal and getting to where you want to be is something to be celebrated, so sharing is encouraged. But when you're not where you want to be yet in your own life, a landmark for one person becomes a landmine of envy for another. And we are quick to forget that on both sides of the landmark/landmine trap. Example: I'm excited to tell people to watch for my commercial...but a friend of mine may have been up for a commercial and didn't get the job, so this could give them a twinge of envy. Just like when one of my friends posts that they have a guest star role on a new fall show and I feel a twinge of envy...because it's been awhile since I've even gotten the chance to audition for something like that. But that's the thing though, isn't it? YOU ROCK. I ROCK. We are all doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing and we are exactly where we are supposed to be. And instead of feeling envy we should be feeling excitement - because there is a enough success to go around. And if one friend is on their way it is a reminder that it can be done. And will be done. We are in charge of how we perceive milestones. And I'm choosing excitement over envy. It just feels better. And right.
I'm kind of thrilled to share this with you. I've been working on updating my website for awhile now and it is finally up and live! Some of you lovely readers have already stumbled upon it - thank you for checking it out! If you haven't gotten a chance yet, I'd love for you to. Also, I know a lot of you come to this blog from my website and there still is a link to do so on the latest version. Just go to the "contact" page and there are three icons underneath the email form: one for Facebook, one for Twitter and the last orange one is for Blogger. Click on that and it will take you straight here.
Happy Friday to you all! I'll be shooting a short film tonight - it's actually a project I've worked on before but now we have better equipment and a crew so we should have a much better product that can be submitted to festivals. And it will be my first footage as a redhead. I'm looking forward to it!
It's been a slow-paced week, in stark contrast to last week. I've been sleeping in later than usual, lingering over breakfast, going the pace that the gray mornings have dictated. I had a commercial audition earlier in the week but callbacks aren't until late next week, so there hasn't been any anticipation or worry. I've been working out and I got my hair color spruced up yesterday. I saw a friend's play which was cute and she was fantastic in it, as expected. I'm going to meet a friend this afternoon for coffee and then I have a casting workshop tonight. Tomorrow I have a quick shoot for a short film. These past two weeks have been a great reminder of how lucky I am to be living this life. Last week was full of activity - auditioning and booking and shooting a job in a matter of sequential days. This week has been more low-key - steadily working but at my own pace. I've been doing "this" for nearly ten years now and it has only been recently that I've grown to appreciate weeks like this. Before I would feel like I should be doing something, anything, and grow frustrated that I wasn't being more productive - that every week isn't like last week. Don't get me wrong, I still have that intention of being productive but now I realize that weeks like this make me more effective for weeks like last week. I work out. I recharge with friends. I redesign my website. I work on marketing. I write. I am kinder to myself. Because there are highs and lows in this business and not every week will be like last week. But weeks like this prepare me and help me appreciate the so-busy-if-you-blink-it's-over weeks. And both kinds of weeks are what it's all about.
Obviously...this was one of my favorite moments from last night. I already knew that Melissa McCarthy was going to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy. Not because I'm a psychic. But because I was watching the Emmys on delay - we were at my friend's comedy show and I had to catch up when we got home. And before the comedy show started, the emcee told us about Melissa McCarthy because she was really excited for her. So I almost fast forwarded through this part (it was nearing midnight, I was tired, and I needed to get to the awards I didn't know about). I'm so glad I decided to slow down for a minute. When they started announcing the nominees and they called Amy Poehler's name and she ran up on stage, I laughed so hard. So hard. And it took me awhile to realize it was a gimmick and not something spontaneous that was happening. But what a great gimmick because it totally worked. And to have all of those women up there, so supportive and happy for one another, was a thrill. I hear the whole thing was Amy's idea and that just further cements her awesomeness. So happy for all of the nominees, for Melissa McCarthy, and for funny women in general.
And speaking of! The comedy show my friend was in yesterday? It was my friend Melinda Hughes, who had been a part of a competition called California's Funniest Female. They started with 80 female comics, went through a series of rounds lasting over a month and she made it to the Final 8! And the finals were last night. All of the women were hilarious - I definitely have more smile lines today - and....drumroll please....Mindy came in 2nd!!! That is HUGE. The winner was a hilarious woman named Lola, who is 81 years old. It's hard to beat the "Betty White" of the standup circuit. And Lola has been doing this for 30 years. Mindy has been doing this for less than a year. To make it that far, to do that well, and to not even have a year's experience...trust me, Mindy is going places. So very proud and happy for her.
Last night was a great night for funny women.
And today the funny continues! All new episode of GIRL PARTS at 2pm PST, 5pm EST. Make sure to watch!
Had a great time shooting yesterday! The rest of the gang in the spot were a lot of fun to spend the day with, the director and crew were great and I even got to work with the same awesome makeup artist that I worked with on another commercial. So it was a lovely day. And we were working all throughout. A lot of times you'll get on set only to have a lot of down time. But on this spot we were working the whole time - and I love that. I brought a book, a magazine and my knitting just in case but I didn't need to get them out of the bag. Ok, that's not entirely true. I did do some knitting after lunch when they were getting a shot I wasn't in. But I didn't get much knitting done because it wasn't long before I was needed on set again. Also after lunch they refreshed my hair and makeup and put my hair in pins to keep it looking pretty:
I hear the spot should start running in a few weeks - so a quick turnaround! As soon as it's on the air, I'll tell you what it is and what to look for.
Hope you have a great weekend! I'm going to spend mine watching the Gator game tomorrow and then watching my friend Mindy kill it in the final round of a stand-up competition. Oh, and I hear there is a little awards show on Sunday too. Maybe I'll catch some of that.
I'm up earlier than usual today because...I booked a commercial! The audition that I had on Monday led to a callback on Tuesday which led to a booking and fitting yesterday. Today we shoot! As soon as it starts airing I'll let you know what it's for and what to look for. For now, celebrate with me another victory on this road. Excited to be working today with some good people on a good job.
Sorry for the lack of posting. Life got a little crazy and there was travel, funerals and not much acting. Everything is balancing out a bit more now though and the busy Monday morning I had has put me back on track. The day started with a run - gotta get back in a fitness routine! - and then I had a commercial audition. Straight from there I went to meet my new 3rd graders...today was my first day back as a BookPAL this school year. Both groups are sweet and rambunctious all at the same time and they seemed to enjoy the book I brought, Jumanji. I'm excited to be volunteering as a BookPAL from the beginning of the year this time. Last year, I started after the winter break. Thank goodness I have some book-savvy nieces to give me suggestions! There are a lot more weeks to fill this time around!
Also, since it's Monday, that means there's an ALL NEW episode of GIRL PARTS! Hope you get a chance to watch!
What are you waiting for? Oh, the link? You don't have that bookmarked yet? Fine...here it is again: http://blip.tv/girlparts. Enjoy!
Sorry the postings have been sparse this week. Seems like things have been busy. Here are some highlights:
Tuesday was a busy day. Had an audition early in the afternoon and then Kelsey Robinson came over and we spent a majority of the day working on marketing for Girl Parts. Then she and I went to mingle and mix at the LA Actors Tweet Up:
Always fun to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones. And tell people about our awesome show!
Yesterday I had an epic meeting with my agent and I felt really great leaving the office. We have a solid plan to close out the year and fingers crossed we reach the goals we set! Also, the lovely ladies over at Indie Intertube chose Episode 4 of GIRL PARTS as the Comedy of the Week this week! So very excited to hear that! It's a pretty big deal since both juggernauts, The Guild and Bandwagon, were new this week too. So proud of our show and how it is being received!
Today is a laundry day (yawn, I know) but the best part is, after I'm all finished, I get to spend the afternoon uninterrupted working on my screenplay. No other outstanding commitments so I plan on turning off the wifi and hunkering down. Wish me luck!
