Still Kicking

Hello Frans!

So, my last two weeks in LA have been the hardest yet. Emotionally. As many of you know, who follow me and my roomie on Facebook, Dotty's mother passed away a week ago Sunday. For all concerned, Dotty went home to Kentucky, is back and moving along finding jobs and going on auditions like a champ. I love you Dotty!! I missed her so much while she was gone. I don't know what I'd do without her support out here!

Also, my dog Charlie died last Tuesday. Charlie was 14 and he died painlessly from a brain tumor. Charlie has been my best friend for so long and I was surprised how broken I was over seeing him go. The tears have subsided, but I was a mess all last week.








 
That said, my Margie Haber classes on Tuesday and Thursday last week were extremely difficult to get through and dealing with any sort of frustration at work was a challenge. Last Tuesday night we worked on a scene from Garden State (where Zach and Natalie meet in the waiting room/at the bus stop). Robin, my wonderful teacher, just had to mention that I was quieter that evening for me to burst into tears about Charlie. Thursday was even worse because I was beyond exhausted from crying/working early/taking Dots to the airport/not sleeping well/feeling lonely and we had to do a scene about our mom getting beaten and our character leaving the house. It was way too rough and now I know from watching the footage back that I could have played Charlize Theron from Monster without makeup. In any case, I'll commend this class again for being wonderful. ANYONE WORKING ON AUDITIONING/COLD READ TECHNIQUE SHOULD TAKE THIS CLASS. Do it. I dare you!

I filmed the Lesbian lick two Saturday nights ago. It was hilarious and they paid me $25. Score! I'll post footage of that when I get it.

I sang again last Saturday night at the Lexington downtown with my new do. Here's a video clip :)

I had two auditions on Wednesday. You know you're starting to get a footing in town when you start running into people you know at auditions! I ran into a friend that worked on Wonder Women with me this past winter, so we paired together for the scene. Hopefully the familiarity worked in our favor. I also auditioned for a fake infomercial video about a cure for FOMO. Don't worry, I didn't know what FOMO was either. It is Fear Of Missing Out. The lamer 4 letter acronym of YOLO. If you live like YOLO you won't have to have any FOMO. Duh!
I also have an audition for a backup singing gig tomorrow night before a date :) $75 per show, and that would be awesome, because ramen has a lot of sodium in it.

LAism of the Week:
Something one could never say in Ohio, "While driving down Wilshire Blvd today I saw a Maserati almost slam into a Porsche." What?!

There and Back Again

I'm a blog slacker!!

I could use the excuse that I went home to celebrate my mom's birthday, but that was two weeks ago today...also, Ohio has the internet...

Instead of beating myself up and giving up, here goes another round of LA wonders and magic.

Aqua sent me on a Dominoes commercial where I played a College Student. Yes. Makes a little more sense the Urban Clubber #2. First audition went well. I was a little late so I used my late angst to be the stressed out student studying for French. omg. My college life was over.
Callback! We played developers for Angry Birds this time. So my first suggestion coming off of "action" was to develop a Game of Thrones Angry Birds a la Star Wars Angry Birds which was immediately shot down by my "team." After cut, one of the producers was like, "Wait, before you guys leave, I want to hear more about that Game of Thrones Angry Birds" I was like YESSSS in my head. Didn't book it, but won the office. Which is a victory all to itself. If they like me, they'll remember me for future Angry Bird developing scenarios. Boom. Acting.






Also here is a quick picture of me singing at a blues bar Downtown called The Lexington. Keri Fantastic invited me back, so hopefully I'll have some more future pictures to show as well :)









So just because I'm going to use going to Ohio as an excuse for not being a loyal blogger here are some Ohio pictures for all of you Californians who ask me "What is Ohio like?"

War of 1812 Reenactment

My last two weeks back to LA have been filled with getting myself back on track. I have noticed that when I go away, I don't check my email for auditions or to submit myself for auditions, you know actor things. I also got an inflated sense of what kind of money I have. I threw a great Great Gatsby Party, but forgot that I'm actually kind of a little poor because I had a doctor appointment that was expensive, I paid rent, and paid for the other half of my acting class deposit all the day before I left for Ohio which left me with the paycheck I got when I returned. LA life is not so glamorous when I have to eat ramen for the next few paychecks to get back on track. And I will concerned parents and friends. This is just the truth of the super-fabulous-not-yet-working-actor life.

But the Gatsby party was fun. I'm sure ours was more extravagant than the movie, which I haven't see yet.

Good News though this week! I auditioned for a really quick role in a short film and was cast, Thanks to my LOVELY roommate Dotty! My only line was "can I walk you to your car" and then I have to lick a girls face. Dotty was my reader and my face for my video audition...here are a few takes. Neither of these are the one I sent in.

Boom. Acting.

Actual acting is happening in my life...not to say that video isn't acting, but let's not start a debate. I started my Margie Haber Fundamental Intensive this week and, you guys, it feels so SO good to be in front of a camera doing some work. If you haven't heard of Margie or her method, buy her book How to Get the Part without Falling Apart.
On Tuesday we worked on establishing a true relationship with your reader, even if your reader is someone who doesn't even look at you. Today we worked on the "where you came from" before the scene began. Basics, yes, but Margie's technique is so set on "living not acting" that it is a completely new approach for me and helping me a lot. I personally am so tired of the GOAT method and well methods. Especially out here when one does not have 6 weeks to establish a character and 12 performances or more to realize it. Sometimes you only have 15 minutes to create a love relationship, a deep friendship, or being a parent, etc. I love the class so far. I cried tonight during a scene and I wasn't even trying...what? haha.

LAism of the Week:
As fast paced as LA is, everything happens slowly. LA is almost human. Ideas, projects, careers, all develop slowly at their own pace like a human mind developing. Sure some careers are catapulted, but only exceptions to the rule. Just like a traumatic event will change a person over night. Realizing this is helping me, because I don't want to admit it, but I was sure I would have booked one big thing by now. And now I see how silly that was to think. I'm still green and casting directors can smell that a mile away. All I can do it be here, take classes, plant my roots and grow.