Acting Needs: An Agent

Though I have not been posting much on my acting career, I am slowly but surely working towards my goal. On Thursday I had an interview with The Agency to be considered for representation! The interview ended with me being told they would love to represent me, and I have a contract in my hand waiting for my signature. One signing of my name is all it will take...my hesitation, this changes everything. Really it kind of scares me, and I'm a little intimidated by the thought.

I've been thinking a lot about it, and I didn't quite realize the things I might have to give up to pursue this dream of mine. Thinking ahead, can I justify auditioning for things like Renaissance Festival and community theatre when it would limit my availability for paying gigs (which will be my primary source of income)? If this is the career I want to follow, then it will be a part of my job to make myself ready for an audition at the drop of a hat. I see now the separation this will put between my acting friends and I. While they are all getting ready for a number of auditions (Renaissance Festival, musicals, plays), I stand by kind of saddened by the fact that I'm not going to be joining some of my best friends

At the start of this blog my main concern had been in having a corporate job and the strictures of that lifestyle as well as leaving it behind with the benefits it offered. Being laid-off made that decision for me, and I am a little thankful for that. However, this time the decision to change another part of my life for this dream is completely in my hands.

Once again I find myself standing on the precipice of an infinite plane of possibilities. All I need to do is to pick a direction and take a step. All things are possible from here.

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"You can't be a pirate if you don't have beard. I said so. MY boat, MY rules"

Gonna Be a Good Year!

Third day of the year, 2nd post, I think it's going to be a good year. I just had to get on and update everyone. Back on December 5th, 2009, I auditioned for a short film and after not hearing from anyone for the whole month I was convinced that I just wasn't what they were looking for. Then on New Year's Eve I get a text message from the director asking if I could do a call back reading. Of course I was stoked! We met at the West Port Coffee House yesterday, and I read for the Lead Male role "Derrick" with Mandy who is the Lead Female "Eiley". The call back lasted for 2 and a half hours (most of this was us just talking and laughing our butts off) and at the end I was told that I would be getting a phone call to let me know what they decide.

The news...

I got the Part!!!!!

I've already read the entire script, and I love it. The movie is titled "The Truth about Why" and it is kind of a self growth, self disscovery type film.

Also, I am calling The Agency on the 5th to set up an interview because they are possibly interested in representing me! So I might have an Agent soon! I'll keep everyone updated! This is looking like a great year!

*Also, I'd still like to know what everyone's New Year's Resolutions are, or why you didn't make one!!*

Happy New Year!

A few years ago I made a New Year's resolution to never have to make another New Years resolution. Most people take this to mean that I just don't want to make them, but that's not what it is. What I decided at that time was that I no longer wanted to live a life style that involved things that would need a New Years resolution to get rid of. I wanted to live a life where everyday I try to be better, to improve something, to constantly be making positive changes in my life.

I think I've done a rather good job of it so far. I've made quite a few very significant changes and some minor ones as well. It has come to the First of January, 2010, and everyone is making their New Year's resolutions, and happily, I do not feel the need to make one. This is not to say that I do not approve of resolutions, but that I have stuck to one that I made a number of years ago. In fact, I would really like to know what your New Years Resolution for 2010 is, or, if you didn't make one, then why?

What Do You Think

I realize I can get some pretty good suggestions from everyone who reads my random thoughts, so here is my current request. I am looking into innovative career opportunities, something new, different, and might allow me to explore my more adventurous side, and I'm open to suggestions.

What I would like, is if you have heard of someone having an amazing career (working on a cruise line, something not normal) share it with me. If you happen to know a site where I can get more information, share that as well. I'm just kind of running out of ideas of what to look for, so I'm turning to you for some... what should I do in the meantime of becoming an actor?

Best Day of My Life

Today I am single, carless, and unemployeed,

But Today is the best day of my life!

A couple of years ago, Jo and I got into a discussion on what the best day of our lives had been. And I realized that I could choose one day from my life to be that day, it could be the day I graduated high school, got my eagle scout, gave my mother's hand in marriage to an amazing man, met Jo, or any other day. But no matter what, none of those days will compare to today. Why? Because today I am here and every one of those days gone by is still a part of me. I feel that if I were to label one of the days from my past as the best day of my life, then everything from there out would just be a downhill ride.

Yes, most people would look at my life today and say "Really, this is the best day of your life?", I say yes it is. Right now my life is on the edge of a bottomless chasm full of infinite opportunity. I am in a position to completley change the course of my life and once again redefine myself and my future. So yes, today is the best day of my life, and thank you for being a part of it. I can't wait to see what today is like tomorrow!

*So what would you choose as the best day of your life?*

I Get It Now!

It finally clicked for me tonight, I have to stop trying to direct the shows I'm in! Arrgghh! After more than a year of the Maestro telling me this, my instructor Brian finally said it in a way that clicked. (Luckily it wasn't directed at me! You'd be so proud of me Maestro!)

Tonight was the last night of my acting class for this cycle. We once again performed the two person pieces that we have been working on for a couple of weeks. Tonight's performance = not so great, but growing. It definitely wasn't the experience of last week (to see what I'm talking about, scroll down!), but I had some growth. One of the hardest challenges of this exercise is that when our scenes are filmed, each person has their own camera, and it is an extreme close up! This means, that every little detail is seen by the viewer, Brian constantly tells us to view this as if we had a 52' head. The challenge with this is to remain still... yes, you read that correctly, still, also known as "as little movement as possible". Anyone who knows me, knows this is a challenge, and that is what showed through tonight. Brian made the comment of "at times you could tell you were really and truly listening, and then you start moving again", I told him that was because I stopped focusing on holding still, and focused on my partner (just say focus with a Germanic accent one time, it'll make you laugh). I was going to ask for advice on how to just hold still without thinking about it, but then I thought back to the book Mastery by George Leonard, and had my answer. There is no short cut to mastering a skill, people who look for them are not on the path to mastery. The solution is to just keep practicing it, do the same practice hundreds of thousands of times, and then do it another hundred thousand times. Eventually you will no longer think about it. That is my solution.

Back to the first part of my Blog, after we all perform our scenes, we then get to watch them on the television. It was in this review that Brian said something that just made all my "directing" frustrations clear up. I don't remember exactly what he said, but it made me realize that Actors don't direct, Directors do. What this means is that no matter how well meaning and good intentioned a piece of advice is, actors do not give advice or criticism to other actors. It's not our place, we are not the director. What always bothered me was what you were supposed to do when someone asked for your advice, and what finally clicked is that we shouldn't be asking other actors for advice and feedback, we need to ask the... DIRECTOR! Thus it is not rude to say: It is not my place to give advice, if you truly want feedback, ask the Director.