Goals 2012 - How did I do?

Last year I posted my 2012 New Year's Goals here to keep myself accountable.  While going through these one thing I'm going to remember is:

If it's important to you, you will find a way.  If not you'll find an excuse.

So, let's see what ended up being important to me this year.

ACTING/CAREER: Goals Achieved:5  Got Close:4

• Attend class unless working an acting gig or sick.  *Mostly. Although, towards the end of the year when I was going to 4 classes a week I played hooky a couple times.*
• Work on scenes from plays I can put up. *I did work on scenes from plays, but we never got any of the plays up. Next month, I will be in "Boy's Life."*
• Read two plays a month. *I lost count. Some months I read more, other months I reread old plays. In the end I am happy with the number of plays I read.*
• Find and attend a good on-camera class to supplement my acting classes. *I attended an on-camera commercial class.*
• Complete editing on both my films before the PWFF early bird deadline. *One made it for the early bird deadline. The other made it by the late deadline.*
• Write and produce two more shorts this year. *We are halfway done filming one short I wrote. I didn't get a second one done, unless you count the 72 Hour Film Fest.*
• Continue to help at the agency once a week. *Went to the agency most weeks.*
• Find three casting offices that I can help out at as a reader. *I did!*
• Blog every Monday. *This will be my 47th blog this year. I did miss a couple weeks and some weeks were late - but I think that's an okay record.*

HEALTH: Goals Achieved:1  Got Close:1  Did Not Do:1

• Do something exercise-like at least 4 times a week. *Haha, yeah, not even close.*
• Cook at least 3 homemade dinners a week. *I didn't keep track, some weeks I made dinner every night, other weeks we ate more fast food than I would like to admit.*
• Make my own cleaning supplies.  Including laundry detergent and Windex. *I made both detergent and Windex. Plus, I tried to use cheaper, more natural cleaning products like baking soda.*

PERSONAL: Goals Achieved:1  Got Close:2  Did Not Do:1

• Do one craft per week. *I made a lot of crafts, but by halfway through the ear the one a week goal was too much - plus, I didn't have room for all these crafts.*
• Go see/do one cultural thing per week. *I did a lot of cultural stuff this year, but again the once a week goal was overwhelming. I am happy with the amount of culture I got.*
• Work on those novels.  Write 2 pages a day and reach 300 pages of a rough draft by August. *Nope, not even close.*
• Have friends over at least twice a month for movie night, dinner party, etc.  Can be low-key. *We had lots of small events throughout he year including Walking Dead nights and movie nights.  I am pleased with our social life this year.*

Now, it's time for me to start working on my 2013 Goals.

2012 Year in Review

I recently read one way to improve your spirits is to say out loud 5 positive facts about yourself - not opinions like I am nice or I am pretty, but actual facts such as I won best ugly sweater at the Christmas party, etc.  For my end of the year review I am going to state positive facts about me from the past year.

1. I GOT PAID TO BE AN ACTOR.  This year I started off with being cast as a costar in the pilot, Graceland, set to premiere next summer.  In the last month, I was cast in a supporting role in the new feature from James Franco's production company, Rabbit Bandini Productions, called Holy Land.  Plus, it was my first opportunity to act in front of a green screen.

With my "Okie Family" on the set of Holy Land

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to work with Eckhart Schmidt on his latest documentary about Los Angeles, reading passages from literature about the City of Angels.

2. I GOT TO ACT THIS YEAR - A LOT.  Besides the productions I was paid for, I had lots of opportunities to act and many were with my super talented friends - such as The Revolving Doors, Gibbon's Tail, and Nick Acosta.

I got to be in a Revolving Doors short,

in a Gibbon's Tail music video,

and in a Nick Acosta fan film!

Other than the films and plays I worked on, I had an amazing year of acting classes.  I had a master class with Ashley Judd and an intense 3 month class with James Franco, Val Lauren, and Jim Parrack.  We worked on plays I always wanted to but never had the guts to do like Clifford Odets.

3. I WAS AWARDED BEST SCREENPLAY AT THE PLAYHOUSE WEST FILM FESTIVAL.  Just completing the short film, All You Need, that I wrote and produced was a big achievement for me.

With my award and the director, Ricardo Ultreras.

All You Need was then accepted to the Oscar qualifying Los Angeles Shorts Festival.

With some of my cast at the LA Shorts Fest.

4. THE SHORT I DIRECTED FOR THE 72 HOUR FILM FEST WON BEST COMEDY.  This was my first attempt at directing and it was especially difficult since the film had to be conceived, filmed, and finished in that 72 Hour time allowance.  You can watch the whole film here, Little Bride Lie.

Discussing the scene with my DP and actors.

5. I GOT A HUG FROM NATHAN FILLION at Comic-con while I was dressed as The Doctor.  Not gonna lie - this might have been the highlight of my year.

Nathan Fillion is hugging me - this is pure awesomeness.

Also, my Effie Trinket cosplay was featured in Entertainment Weekly Comic-con issue.

That's me as Effie on the far left.

Bonus, I witnessed Chipper Jones' Walk-Off of the Year at Turner Field.  I'm sure going to miss seeing him in a Braves uniform.

At Turner Field with my Mom and a Craig Kimbrel bobblehead.

So, I had a pretty good year and I didn't even mention the trip up to Carmel, dinner at the Magic Castle, my nerdtastic birthday party, or all those wonderful nights spent watching TV and movies with my amazing friends.

Next week, I will take a look at the goals I set last year at this time - see where I succeeded and where I failed.  Probably won't be as cheery of a post.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!

When Relaxing is Productive

Now that Los Angeles is packing up and closing down for the holidays, it's a good time to recharge and reflect.  I'm spending the next two weeks not thinking about classes or filming or worrying about what's on the breakdowns.

Yes, I am going to allow myself to be lazy and sleep in until my body clock wakes me up.  And no, I'm probably not going to worry much about exercising or watching what I eat.  But, that doesn't mean I'm not working on my acting.

Here are four things I plan on doing on my Holiday break to help my acting.

1. Relax and not stress so much.  In LA, with all the classes, auditions, holiday parties, and work-work it's easy to get so caught up that you never find time to yourself.  Trust me by the last couple weeks of this year I was stressed and you could see it on my face.  I wasn't sleeping well and I was getting rundown.  A relaxed actor is a good actor - stress is not conducive to being an open and attentive actor.

2. Read.  My Kindle is full of books I've been meaning to read and just haven't had the time.  So, what does reading have to do with acting?  Well, I'm glad you asked.  An intelligent actor is a good actor.  Like, I've mentioned before you can't act what you don't understand.  One of the fastest ways to gain knowledge and intelligence is by reading.  I also find reading helps give me a springboard for my imagination.  Another thing that makes for a good actor?  A great big imagination.

3. Watch lots of movies and television - new stuff and classics.  One thing that I love to do is watch really great actors act.  It inspires me.  I go through phases where I'll watch all I can from an actor I'm obsessing about.  I just watched all of the BBC show "The Hour" because I was so impressed with Ben Whishaw in "Cloud Atlas."  I also adore Martin Freeman and watching "The Hobbit" (twice already in the theater) has made me want to rewatch his amazing work in "Sherlock."  I love movies and TV, I mean it's why I became an actor, so this holiday will be filled with both.

4.  Spend time with my family.   Being with loved ones helps to remind me what's important.  As an actor, when you know what means the most to you that's when you can access and share the deepest parts of yourself on stage or on screen.  Plus, I'm extremely lucky to have a very supportive family.  They give the strength I need to continue to pursue this career.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and please take this time to rest, relax, and recharge.

Because I am Terrible at Marketing ...

This week I watched an interview with Manager/Producer, Seth Jaret, on MyTeeVee.  He is currently focusing on New Media and creating webseries.  The whole interview is full of great information for any independent producers out there.

Throughout the interview he keeps bringing up the same thing: MARKETING.  He says marketing can be up to 2/3rds of your job as a producer.  This is something most creators forget about, because we are creators not business people.

I know this very well because I am one of those creative people lacking that business edge.  I am not a natural salesperson (I'm probably the exact opposite of "always be closing.")  It's one of the reasons why I am not great at typical networking. 

So, what do us creative-non-business-types do to get our work in front of the audiences we want?  Especially when we are low-budget producers who lack the funds for billboards and commercials?

Well, the wonderful thing about the internet is that it is very democratic.  Anyone can create something that can become a huge hit, but the downside of that is that almost anyone can create something - so how do you stand out among all the rest?

First, of course, you have to produce quality content.  But beyond that, Seth mentioned in the interview that on the internet it is often good to focus on developing work for a micro audience of really involved viewers.  After that, it's important to produce regular content to keep your audience interested. 

How do you build this micro audience?  As I said at the beginning of this, I am terrible at marketing ... so I don't have all the answers. 

I've noticed the people on Twitter who maintain a large quantity of followers tweet multiple times a day, often about the same sorts of things or at least in the same voice (for example: Patton Oswalt's tweets are comedic and the Dalai Lama is inspirational.)  On Tumblr, I've noticed the same thing.  Those who post regular content geared towards a specific theme are the ones with the most followers.

What I gather from this information is the importance of developing a brand and make sure you keep that brand clear across all your social networking sites.  And it's important to keep your followers engaged by creating new content often.

I wish I was better at selling myself since as an actor I am the product.  It's definitely something I am planning on working on more in the New Year.  Something to go on the goals list ...

How I Network

A couple months ago I got an audition for a co-star on a television drama through my agent.  Once I got there I realized that the casting assistant running the session is someone I've interned for at other offices on a number of occasions.  Now, I don't know this for sure, but I am pretty positive that the reason I got this audition was because of my relationship to the casting assistant.  While I was there I made sure to offer my intern services to the casting assistant again.

I am terrible at networking parties or those sorts of things.  Mainly because I am too busy eating whatever free food is available.  Trust me, if there is a cheese plate in a room I will probably not be more than two feet away from it the entire night.  Besides I never know what to say to anyone and generally just glue myself to the one person in the room that I already know.

Since traditional networking doesn't work for me, I've had to come up with other ways to build and form relationships.

Let's go back to this casting assistant that called me in.  My first introduction to her was when she was extras casting looking for volunteers on a ultra low budget film.  It was a project working with some cool people so I volunteered.  Months later she was casting a music video and remembered me.  It was another working for food sort of day but I was happy to come out for it.  After the music video shoot I thanked her because it was a lot of fun and asked if she ever needed interns.  She was an assistant on a show at the time and took me up on my offer.

I have auditioned for her twice since then for two separate shows and I know if there is ever any thing I'm right for she'll call me in.

But, I didn't start my relationship with her with some kind of agenda or end goal in mind.  I simply offered to help when I could.

Remember you are building relationships, it can't be only about what you can get out of it.  I always help out on my friends' short films, intern when I can, and just try to be helpful in general.  People will notice and even if it doesn't pay off immediately, it will eventually.

Just Do the Work

I recently saw "Flight" and Q&A with director, Robert Zemeckis, and writer, John Gatins.  It's a decent film with an amazing cast, but among all these huge names like Don Cheadle, John Goodman, and Denzel (big enough you know who I'm talking about with just his first name) there was a standout performance from a not well known character actor - James Badge Dale.  You are forgiven if you have no idea who he is.

During casting his role was "Cancer Guy" and according to IMDb he is "Gaunt Young Man."  If you've seen the film, you'll know who I am talking about because it is quite possibly the most memorable scene of the entire film.  He only had one scene, one speech, and a few lines - but, it's not one you will quickly forget.

The story of how he got the role all the way to how he prepared for it is filled with juicy tidbits every actor should know.

LESSON NUMBER ONE

James was called in for a different role - Lang, the lawyer role that ended up going to Don Cheadle.  He went in to read with Casting Director, Victoria Burrows, and asked if he could also read for "Cancer Guy."  This was a strange request - not only was Cancer Guy a smaller part, it was also written for a much younger guy.  She acquiesced and he was amazing in it. 

Lesson: Don't be afraid to make requests in the audition room.  It is your time.  Don't demand to read for another part, but it is okay to ask.  The worst that can happen is they'll say no.

LESSON NUMBER TWO

Mr. Zemeckis said as soon as he saw the tape he knew this guy had to do this part.  He said he made different choices than everyone else and made it interesting.

Lesson: Ah, back to the age old thing about making choices.  You know this, I know this, but it deserves repeating: MAKE STRONG, CLEAR CHOICES in all your auditions.

LESSON NUMBER THREE

James finds out he got the part a while before he is set to film.  It is only one scene and he is scheduled to shoot only one day.  He then begins to prepare for this role like he would any other, just like if he was the lead.  He loses weight and makes himself look like a gaunt cancer patient.  I don't know him personally, but I am willing to bet he did a lot of research and knew everything he could about his character - even though we only see him for this one brief instant of his life.

Lesson: Treat every role you are given with the respect it deserves - do the research and don't write it off as "just a small part."  You wouldn't want your surgeon to go in saying, "it's just a tonsillectomy, I'm gonna phone it in today."

In the end this is about being a PROFESSIONAL actor and doing your work every step along the way from audition to finished project.

Persistence Wins Everything

I recently saw an interview with Ray Bradbury, one of my favorite science fiction writers.  ("The Martian Chronicles" is one of my favorite books of all time.)  He spoke about how to become a writer and his advice was simple.

WRITE EVERYDAY.

He began writing when he was 12 and from that moment on, no matter what he was doing he made sure he wrote something everyday.  Does that mean he was a genius writer at the age of 12 creating masterpieces?  NO!  It took years of writing everyday: he says at least 15 years before he even considered himself a decent writer - many more years after that did he think he was a good writer.

Even in his late 20's, Ray Bradbury still was not a "successful" professional writer, although he had sold some short stories.  Being a writer was something he worked at everyday, whether he was in the mood, felt like doing it, or if he had "more important" things to do.  Even after getting rejection letters and not getting published - he kept writing.

It's about persistence.  Trust me, I know how difficult it is to work that hard at something without any guarantee of success.  But, for actors it very important to continually work on your craft - everyday do something for your craft.

Working everyday is the only way you improve as an actor - and if you aren't moving forward then you are going backwards.  There is no standing still.

Are You a Professional?

I recently saw this quote from Stephen King:

If you wrote something for which someone sent you a check, if you cashed the check and it didn't bounce, and if you then paid the light bill with the money, I consider you talented.

Of course he is talking about authors, but it also applies to any artists including actors.  How good does it feel to get paid to do this job you love so much, even if it is just a $100 a day film that requires you to change in an In-N-Out restroom.  Feels even better when you cash that check and it doesn't bounce.

Nice to feel valued as a professional in your chosen career.  But, the trick is to act like a professional even when you are not being paid.

So, what does it mean to be a professional actor if it isn't a paycheck?

• KNOW YOUR BUSINESS  You should make it your job to know what is in production, who is producing what, what casting directors are working on what show, what shows you are right for (and everything is not a good answer.)  How do you find out this information?  Read the trades like Deadline Hollywood, get a CastingAbout account, watch television shows, and talk to your agent - which leads me to my next point ...
• TALK TO YOUR AGENT  and the other people on your "team" regularly.  Let them know when you are dying to go out on a project or if you just saw a casting director at a workshop.  Not only will this help them to get you on a new project, it also shows them that you are working for yourself as well.  Look, I'm not saying call your agents everyday just to chat, but if you have a legitimate reason to reach out to them then do it.  Ask them if there are any particular casting directors they want you to reach out to or what more you can be doing.
• BE ON TIME  LA folks I am looking at you hard about this one.  Why is it so hard to be on time to places?  I mean, I've seen people late to class, auditions, even to plays - what did you think? That they were going to hold the curtain on "Book of Mormon" for you because you hit a bit of traffic on the 101?  Okay, okay, okay I get traffic is bad here, but you know what, it is always bad!  That means you leave an hour early and if you get to where you are going early then hang out a Starbucks (you know there has got to be one nearby).
• KEEP UP WITH YOUR TRAINING  Professionals in nearly every field from doctors to airline pilots will take classes, go to conferences, read the latest trade magazines to keep themselves sharp.  Don't allow your instrument to go dull by not improving on yourself.  I once heard: if you aren't moving forward then you are going backwards, there is no such thing as a plateau in acting.  There are always improvements to be made and you can't allow yourself to slip backwards.  If you aren't in classes right now, you should at the very least do something everyday for your acting.  You can read a play, watch some of the great actors work, write a script, etc.

Look, don't be one of those actors that are just playing at this career.  You know the ones who think going to Hollywood parties is all they need to do to be a great actor.  Maybe it will get them a job on a film and they may even get paid as an actor from it, but that certainly doesn't make them a professional.

Where is your Passion?

I recently watched an amazing documentary called, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi."  Every artist out there needs to start streaming this movie off of NetFlix right now.  Seriously, go do it, I'll wait ...

... great, welcome back.  How good was that film?  Did you see why I think every artist needs to watch it?  There is so much there for actors and artists.  One point I really wanted to talk about was Jiro's passion.

Jiro is so passionate about his sushi and making it absolutely perfect.  It is all he thinks about; he even dreams about it.  It's his love, so much so that he hates to take a day off from his sushi restaurant.

That passion is poured into every bite of sushi he creates and has earned him the title of best sushi chef in the world. 

This is how passionate you need to be about your acting career. 

Yes, there are days when I'm feeling crappy about myself and I don't want to get out of bed to go to class, but I do.  Actually, those are the days I probably need it the most.  Once I'm on stage all that other crap falls away and I remember why I do this.  I love acting and it makes me feel whole to be on stage.

Jiro has spent 80 years perfecting his craft and that passion has never left.  So, when you are feeling down about your career, remember it takes a lifetime to reach your full potential at anything.  Keep working and remember to never lose that passion.

With passion for your art, plus hard work you will find success in this world.  It may not be the success you thought you'd find, but it will make you an amazing artist. 

When is it Time to Give-Up?

We all feel it sometimes, that creeping sensation of "what the HELL am I doing with my life?" and you start to wonder what your life would be like if you got a "real job."  So, when is the right time to pack it in and give up following your dream?

Well, of course, you want the answer to be: NEVER! 

But, that isn't always the right choice for everyone and truthfully I can't tell anyone else if it is the right choice for them.  Those of us who have been in LaLa Land for a few years have a tendency to look down on those who give up the dream for a job that pays the bills, matching furniture sets, and houses with yards.  But, that is unfair.

Following a dream is hard.  It can wear you out and the day to day can start to feel like a drag when you don't see any obvious progress.  It's hard to see your friends buying houses and doing all those things you can't because your day job just pays the bills and doesn't give you weekends free.  But, remember this dream following business is a marathon.

So, when should you NOT give-up:

• When all your friends seem to be going out for auditions and you aren't.  First off, yay for your friends!  Second off, maybe it means the business is picking up and you'll get your chance soon.
• When all your friends seem to be working and you aren't.  Again, yay for your friends (plus, wouldn't it be nice to have one of their coattails to ride in on?)  Secondly, the number of jobs isn't limited.
• When that project that was supposed to be your big break-out job loses financing or your part gets cut or it gets terrible reviews.  Okay, so let's start by saying it was awesome that you got a job.  But, remember every working actor out there has had these things happen to them some time in their career.

When you feel like you might want to quit, maybe it's time to take a personal day.  Go do something you love or go to see a show or take a class.  Remind yourself why you love to do this crazy acting thing.  Don't make a rash decision. 

Remember, when things aren't moving as quickly forward as you'd like look back and see how far you've come.

It Requires Intelligence to be an Actor

There is a prevailing belief that actors aren't smart, that actors are the people who failed in school and that's why anyone would choose this profession.  Maybe it is the case for some, but to be a truly amazing actor you have to be intelligent, well-read, and generally a well-rounded person.

This past weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to take acting classes with two talented and intelligent actors, Ashley Judd and Val Lauren.

One take-away I got from the class with Val was how important it is to study your text and understand every word you say.  He said, "You can never act something better than you understand it."  Sounds like something that should be obvious, but I can't tell you how many times I have been in a play and had the director say, "that's just a throw away line."  I guarantee the writer put that line in there for a reason and this is just an excuse for an actor or director who doesn't know why it is there.  I hear this phrase a lot when it comes to Shakespeare, because you know there's a writer who doesn't know what he's doing. *facepalm*

Val went on to say, "Every play is a puzzle and the words are the pieces."  In well written plays, each word is there for a reason.  It is the actor's job to figure out why those particular words are in that particular order.

Ashley Judd is a big advocate for actors to continually educate themselves and often takes college courses, including a philosophy course she recently took at Oxford.  She recommends actors study both philosophy and psychology to give actors a greater understanding of the characters they are portraying.

If you would like to hear all that Ashley had to say in our class check out my friend, Leigh Ann's wonderful blog post about it: Ashley Judd does PHW.  Leigh Ann says everything I wanted to say, but better.

Actors are asked to portray all kinds of people.  Life experience can help you understand many things, but it is only through expanded knowledge that we can understand the vast spectrum of humanity.

Some Words from Jon Favreau on Filmmaking

I've had a pretty exciting week.  My film, All You Need, was accepted to the Oscar qualifying, LA Shorts Fest, which is going on right now at the Laemmle NoHo 7.  Opening night they gave the Maverick Award to Jon Favreau and he spoke about being an independent filmmaker (and also how he became the director of a little movie called "Iron Man.")

Jon (I've decided I can call him Jon because if he ever met me I am sure we would be besties) has a really inspirational story for any indy filmmaker out there.  He came to LA to be an actor after working on "Rudy," but wasn't getting the opportunities that he wanted so he decided to write his own film.

LESSON #1
That is where "Swingers" came from - the desperation of an out-of-work actor.  He scraped together film scraps and made this movie with his friends.

How many times have I talked about making stuff happen for yourself?  You can't sit around whining that you never get any auditions and think that somehow a job is going to magically fall into your lap.  Do what you can to make the stories you want to act in.  PRODUCE YOUR OWN STUFF!

LESSON #2
When "Swingers" became a hit, Jon thought that his acting career was going to take off - but it didn't.   Instead he started getting meetings to be a writer and a director.

Sometimes life will take you in the direction you are supposed to go, even if it's not the direction you originally planned on going.  I think Jon is really happy with his life as a writer/director.  Yes, he wanted to be an actor, but in doing "Swingers" he found his true calling.  Plus, he gets to act sometimes too.  (I kinda love his character in "Iron Man.")

LESSON #3
When Jon was looking at ways to market "Cowboys and Aliens" he decided to create viral videos.  Instead of doing these himself or through Universal, he decided to ask Freddie Wong because Jon's son would watch Freddie's videos on YouTube and they impressed Jon.  Freddie created this short film: Cowboys & FreddieW featuring Jon Favreau and he got to shoot on the Universal backlot.

You never know who sees what you create.  It is important to maintain an online presence and to create the best things you can.  Jon said, "Everyone gets a shot."  You just have to be prepared when it comes.  Keep working on your craft, so that when your shot comes you are at your absolute best and you don't blow it.

If you want to see my film, All You Need, screen tomorrow night at the Laemmle NoHo 7, you can purchase tickets here: Laemmle Ticketing.

72 Hours, 15 People, and 1 Film: How'd we do?

Last year around this time I told you what I learned working on a film for the Playhouse West 72 Hour Film Festival and I showed you the short we made.  I had such a great time, I formed a team and did it again this year with one small change: I directed the short.

So, the question is: did I learn from my lessons last year?  Mostly. 

But, there were some things I forgot and more lessons learned:

1. Having a huge cast can be a lot to handle in a 5 minute film.  I am proud to say that every member of my 13 person cast got a line and a close-up.  This was not easy to do.
2. Cat allergies are really rampant in this industry.  Seriously, we need zyrtec in every make-up bag.
3. Ladies like to wear very tall high heels.  When you have height differences of a foot between some of your actors, tall girls are going to have to do without them.  Oh, and they still make lots of noise on hardwood floors, in case you 're wondering.
4. Radio Flyer wagons with somewhat deflated tires are only slightly better at dollying than an office chair.  I would like to own some sort of real dolly by next year.
5. Next time I am aiming for a 4 page script.  This year we had exactly 5 pages and the first cut was still way too long.
6. Err on the side of too many takes.  (At some point during the shoot I turned into Ed Wood - "Was she is focus? did we get all her lines on camera?"-Me  "Yes, but, she fell over the table and knocked down a light."-Someone with more sense than me  "I'm sure we don't even see it.  Great, moving on!"-Me)  You and your editor will be so much happier with a wider selection.
7. I could have used a script supervisor: one too many takes unusable because of a glass being in the wrong hand, etc.
8. Once again, we created a film in a weekend.  So, why aren't we doing this at least once a month?

A few lessons still to be learned, but I am excited to say that our short won Best Comedic Short of the 72 Hour Film Festival!  You can watch it here: Little Bride Lie.

It's the hardest thing to do: JUST RELAX!

Right now I am in a post-Olympic, pre Fall TV season malaise.  So, I'm taking an online literature class to fill my time.  I'm telling you this so you know I have a darn good excuse for being late with my blog this week: I was writing a term paper on the theme of science vs faith in "Dracula" (makes me sound really smart, huh?)  Well, now that I'm finished writing and on to reading "Frankenstein" I figured I would take a break and write about my last piece of Olympic inspired acting advice.

JUST RELAX.

I found it fascinating watching how different athletes prepared for their events.  A big theme was relaxation.  One of my favorites was the high jumper who sang to herself while she waited for her turn.  She wasn't focusing on how high she was going to jump or going through the motions, she was just singing.  Or how about all the divers hanging out in the hot tub between dives?  Yes, it allows their muscles to stay warm, but it also relaxes them.  By relaxing an athlete can rely on all their training to come forward and they will actually do better by not thinking about what they have to do.

Acting is similar.  You go to classes and work day after day perfecting your technique.  Then when you get a script you pour over it, figuring out every single moment.  Then here is the tough part: you let all that go.  Once you are on stage or film, you can't be thinking about what you are about to do or worrying about the moments coming up because when you do that, you'll lose the moment right in front of you.

A key for me before any audition or show is to relax.  I don't sit there going over my lines in my head, because they should already be there.  You have to have done the work ahead of time and be able to trust in it.  I got a great piece of advice once: the moment before you begin an audition or go on stage - yawn really big.  This immediately relaxes your jaw and helps get rid of tension in your face and neck. 

Okay, well back to reading "Frankenstein."  Anyone got suggestions on essays topics for this one?

Believing You Belong Here

Watching the coverage of the Olympics, one of the announcers said a very interesting quote:

Confidence is a little voice inside your head that tells you that you belong here.

(I've done a little Googling and couldn't find the original source, so if anyone knows it please pass it on to me.)

As an actor, you find yourself in lots of intimidating situations like auditions, table reads, your first day on a new set.  Actors know that their job is always tenuous.  Just look at Eric Stoltz who shot for 5 weeks on "Back to the Future" before being replaced by Michael J. Fox.  That feeling of being replaceable is something that always sits somewhere in the back of my mind.

But, all that is in my head and it's my job to change the dialogue in there.  Change that little voice inside my head.  Of course, I know it isn't that easy. 

I wish I was one of those people who just exudes confidence that has never known a place they didn't belong.  My problem is that whenever I do get something I think it's a fluke.   And just try to give me a compliment - I am a master at deflecting them. 

Since confidence doesn't come naturally to me at all, I'm going to have to pretend.  Maybe if I pretend enough, I'll be able to change that little voice inside my head

Finding some Olympic Inspiration

I love the Olympics.  Every four years I completely forgo sleep and watch as many events as possible.  The work the athletes put into their sports is awe-inspiring.  So, what's the Olympics have to do with acting?  Well, I've related actors to athletes before, especially when it comes to training.  To be good at anything you need to practice - lots.

One thing training gives you is a place to turn when you hit a snag or run out of steam or things just aren't going your way.  There is the story of Michael Phelps winning a race even though his goggles filled with water and he couldn't see.  He trained so thoroughly that his body knew how many strokes away the wall was and he didn't need to see it to know when to touch.

When you see a gymnast falter during a routine and fall off an apparatus, they get back on and finish with their back arched.  The ability to push slip-ups out of their mind and simply continue is all because of their training.  They are able to do this because they have done this routine so much that their body has the muscle memory of it, they don't have to think.

Actors are the same.  When you are tired, facing hour 12 on set, and have to create an emotion filled scene; it is your training that will get you through.  By training so much that you can do it without thinking.  Actors can create the same muscle memory through training in their craft.

The American Skeet Shooter, Kim Rhode, who won gold in her fifth consecutive Olympics shoots between 500-1,000 rounds a day, everyday.  She figures she has over 3 million targets under her belt.  That is what it takes to be a champion.  How much time do you spend working on your craft?

Well, I have some more swimming and gymnastics to watch.  Go team USA!!!

 

Being Okay with Failure

I fixate on things.  When something goes wrong I can't stop thinking about it, worrying about it, and going over everything that I could have done differently.  Simply put it is hard for me to let things go.

This can be stifling both in my career and in my art.  I take criticism to heart more than I should; and when you put yourself out there on places like FunnyorDie or YouTube you can get a lot of criticism.  Here is a quote my friend, Karen Weza, put on Facebook the other day:

To avoid criticism do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.    -Elbert Hubbard

It's true that no matter what you do someone is going to find fault in it.  If you go around worrying what other people think or if you are going to fail, it can be very difficult to start anything.  This is a battle I have most days.  Once I start something I'm fine, it's the actually getting up off the couch that I find nearly impossible.

One big reason you can't let fear of failure stop you is because it doesn't matter.  Seriously, what's going to happen if you fail?  Unless you are jumping out of plane, failing generally isn't a life-or-death situation.  Okay, so you fail or someone on the internet says mean things about you or things don't happen how you planned - then what?

Then you get up and try again a little differently - the important thing is to keep going forward.  Like I said before Failure is Never Trying.

So, go forth and FAIL.  Seriously, get up and fail in as dramatic a fashion as possible, because this time might be the time that you surprise yourself and SUCCEED.

Know What Play You Are In

Over this past weekend, I attended a panel for The Hobbit at Comic Con.  You can read my musings about this panel at the guest blog I wrote for The List Film Podcast.  Besides all the geeking out over Peter Jackson and getting to watch 12 minutes of footage from the movie, there were some acting lessons to learn from the extremely talented folks on the panel.

Martin Freeman said something that really stuck with me:

You have to know what play you are in and what your role is in that play.  Bilbo [the lead character in The Hobbit] is in a lot of ways the eyes and ears of the audience.  He needs to be relatable.

As an actor it's your job to know how you fit within the entire story that you are telling.  This is true if you are a small or large part.  Every character is there for a reason and everything you do as an actor in that role must serve the story as a whole.  Plus you have to understand what type of play or movie you are in.  Although, the basics of acting by being truthful in imaginary situation are always the same, the way you chose to portray your character can be very different in a broad comedy vs a period drama.

Many actors don't seem to understand that and all they do is learn their own lines, hardly bothering to read anyone else's lines much less reading the scenes that they aren't in.

In the Game of Thrones panel, Michelle Fairley (she plays Catelyn Stark), spoke of the importance of her scripts.  She says everything she needs to know is in the script and she reads it over and over again to gleam every bit of information she can from it.

I've gone on a rant before on how annoying I find it when actors say they don't watch TV.  But, it can be bad for your career if you don't because if you are auditioning for a television show you really need to know how your character fits in with the show as a whole.  Because it is your job to be part of a story that is already being told.

What are your Priorities?

I don't seem to be able to book commercials.  Maybe it's my face or maybe I'm a little too sarcastic, I dunno.  People just don't seem to want me to sell their stuff.  I came to an unusual realization: I don't care.

It's not that I wouldn't love to be the new face of some national commercial campaign, because trust me I would love that paycheck.  It's just that I can't make getting a commercial a priority in my life.  I can't let it bother me that I'm not the next Bud Lite girl.  It's not worth the energy. 

My priorities right now are on creating my own work.  I look at people like Brit Marling who are really making it happen for themselves.  For those who don't know she wrote and produced two movies in Sundance the same year and I highly recommend her movie, "Sound of my Voice."  She is writing roles she wants to play and that is what I want to do.  I think creating your own stuff may be the best way to be in the films you truly want to work on.  To get them seen by other people you need to make them look really good and that is where my priorities lie.

When I say I am not going to prioritize working on things like commercials, I don't mean that I won't go on auditions when they come up.  I will and will do my best on them.  But, in my spare time I will focus on writing and producing my own stuff. 

And cast myself as the star.

Can you be Nice and Successful?

In Hollywood, there is a prevalent belief that the way to success is to step on everyone else on your way up, that you have to be willing to throw anyone who might be in your way into oncoming traffic.   It's true that this town is very cut throat and filled with competition.

But, I don't believe it's the only way for success in this crazy town.  Call me naive, but being nice can also get you work.  People want to work with people they like and, maybe I'm crazy, but I think people tend to like nice people.

Just watch movies, how often do you see the same people working together over and over again.  Many of the "big guys" like Judd Apatow and Adam Sandler have their group of people that they always cast in their movies.  Why?  Probably because they like working with them and they know that they are going to enjoy being on set for days on end.

Here is a little secret about me: most of the jobs I have had in this business are because I knew someone.  Sure, I've had a few gigs that I got from going to an audition, but often it's a call from a friend who needs a role filled immediately.  Why do they call me?  Because I am a hard worker and always do my best to be a pleasure to work with on set.  Basically, I make sure I am the person they want to work with over and over again.

So, is it better to be respected or liked?  I dunno ... but honestly I think I'd rather be liked.  If I work hard maybe the respect will come, maybe it won't.  But, I can't waste my time worrying if people respect me.  I'd rather be able to look at myself in the mirror and be happy with the person I am.

So, You Filmed Your Short, Now What?

When you wrap your short film shoot, you feel so accomplished.  However, that joy doesn't last long because this is when the real work starts.  Especially if you are doing this uber low budget without the luxury of a fancy-pants editor.

I know what you are thinking: yeah, yeah, yeah, editing takes a long time, etc.  Oh, no, before you can even dream of starting to edit your masterpiece you must label - all those days of footage (and you will soon regret all those Take 30s) every one of them must be labeled.

Okay, now that it's labeled you can start to build your movie, right?  Wrong!  Before that you must sync all that sound.  I don't know if you've ever synced sound, but it is pretty much the most tedious job you'll ever do.  You will start to want to murder the director for always yelling cut so much.

Great!  Now that you've spent days prepping your footage you get to finally start editing.  Yay!  You are thrilled because you know all those takes you did are going to be gems.  Slowly you start to piece scenes together and you realize there is no such thing as a perfect take.  In this one the acting is amazing ... but the focus is soft.  This one is perfectly clear, the acting is decent, but the actor has their glass in the wrong hand and it won't match the other shots.  This one is 100% perfect if only your neighbor hadn't started mowing his lawn halfway through.

Don't worry because it will eventually start to come together and you'll find the shots and you will finish it.  But, now you've spent weeks and weeks staring at all the footage so you know every flaw and the idea of actually watching it in front of other people will make you nauseous.  But it's done - mostly.  You still need to fix up the sound, add effects or a soundtrack, which if you don't know how to do yourself costs a lot of money.  In my case I spent twice on sound editing than I did on the entire budget of the short to begin with.

Now you have your film that you've spent months working on.  Yay for you!  Okay, great, now what?  Do you post it online and hope it goes viral, do you do the film festival thing and hope Harvey Weinstein sees it and wants to make you the next Matt Damon? 

I chose the Film Festival route with my film, All You Need.  And here is something you don't think about: film festivals are expensive.  So, there is an extra couple hundred bucks not considered in the original budget.  Also, how do you chose which ones to submit to?  The big ones where you have a chance of getting seen by big people or the small ones that you have a shot at getting into?

I don't know the answers.  I submitted to bigger ones and will see how that goes.  If it doesn't go well then I guess I will try the smaller ones.  I am up for any suggestions you guys have on places to submit my film to.

Learning to Accept Compliments

I am terrible at accepting compliments.  Mostly because I am never that happy with my work.  I tend to see all the flaws and no matter how perfect I want it to be, it's not.  Of course, I understand you can't expect perfection, but I hold myself to pretty high standards.

This weekend I had three short films that I wrote and produced in the Playhouse West Film Festival.   I had a hard time even standing in the theater while they showed.  Two were comedies and it's very nerve wracking waiting to hear if people laugh at the right times.  The third film is a drama called, All You Need.  I had no idea how people would respond and you can't take the temperature of the audience by seeing if they are laughing at the right times.  I kept walking in and out of the theater, biting my nails while it was showing.

Afterwards, I had so many people come up to me and say nice things about the movie.  It was wonderful, but of course I have no idea how to respond.  I wish I knew how to be one of those salesman type filmmakers that could have turned all those into great networking moments.  I should have come out with a stack of business cards and new contacts.  Instead I usually just stammered out an incoherent "thank you" and walked away.

At the end of the weekend, I was awarded the Jury Prize for Best Screenplay.  This was beyond unexpected.  I help run the festival, so I was busy backstage moving chairs when they announced my name.  I don't even remember what I said in the speech, although I'm sure I didn't say everything I wanted to say and probably looked like a bumbling idiot.

Here I am accepting my award.  Did I ever mention that I'm short?

So, since my speech was terrible.  Here is what I wished I said:

This award means so much to me.  I never considered myself a screenwriter.  I've been in LA for 7 years working as an actor, but never as much as I like.  I began writing because I wanted more opportunities to act.  I write the movies I want to see and the roles I want to play.  There are a few people who were a huge part of making "All You Need" happen.  First, Tony Savant and his writing class.  I started this script in his class and his guidance really helped craft many moments of this script.  My parents who are so supportive and really pushed me to make this film from the first time I sent them a draft of the script.  Of course, Ricardo who not only brought so much of my script to life as the director, but also helped me early on making it the best script we could create with all of his notes and edits.   Plus he has put up with me and all my craziness for 6 years, so he gets point for that too.  Lastly, my amazing cast and crew.  Sarah and Gabe worked so hard on each of their roles, going above and beyond rehearsing and getting to know Amaris.  They each brought so much more to the roles than what was on the page.  The Ultreras family for letting me use their home for 3 days and especially, Noemi, for letting me borrow her daughter.  Everyone else who came out to hold a boom, work as an extra, or slate for nothing more than free food and my gratitude: Kim, Marilyn, Alicia, Lacy, Karen, Kinga, Jacqueline, Elizabeth, Valerie, Shannon, Elena, Lance, Juan, Jessica, Brian, Kevin, Jenny, and if I'm forgetting anyone I am so sorry but seriously, I love each and every one of you so much.  

Thank you to everyone who came up and said nice things to me over the weekend.  It really meant the world to me.

Never Too Old

This week we lost a very talented character actor, Kathryn Joosten.  I didn't know her personally, but she always had a place in my heart as Mrs. Landingham in "The West Wing." 

Here are a couple facts about Ms. Joosten:

• She chose to follow her dream to become an actor at age 42.
• The first role you probably remember her in, "The West Wing," she booked when she was 59.
• She won two Emmy Awards for "Desperate Housewives" and the first one when she was 65.

People think Hollywood is only for the young and that as an actor you have some kid of expiration date stamped on you.  Many actors say that if they don't "make it" by 30 or some other completely arbitrary number that they will pack it in and go home. 

The truth is that there are a lot more than just young people in movies and on television.

Don't use your age an as excuse to give up, because the wonderful thing about acting is that you can do it no matter how old you are.  This isn't a sport that requires youth.  The acting muscle actually gets better with age and life experience certainly makes you a better actor.

There is no age limit on following your dreams.  Sometimes when we are young we take the easy path or path that was right at the time, but we come to realize we wish we were on a different path.  Many people might just look wistfully at the path they wish they had chosen without realizing that it's never to late to change things. 

It's never too late to start over, or try something new, or reach for something you never thought possible.  It just takes a little bravery and a willingness to take that first step.

Does Anyone Out There Know How to Network?

I need to admit something to you guys.  I am terrible at networking; I have no idea how to go about it.  Any actor who gets an agent while working as a bartender or cast in a movie after meeting a director at a party impress me.  I'm especially terrible at parties because I tend to just stand by the food (cheese is my downfall) and find it difficult to "schmooze."

No matter how difficult it is to network, Hollywood is a people business and who you know does matter.  If schmoozing at parties isn't your thing and the idea of approaching someone at your day job with a headshot makes you feel sick to your stomach, how do you get to know the right people?

Maybe it's just the word "networking" that bothers me so much.  It just sounds disingenuous.

Quite a few actors have taken to twitter and follow directors, producers, casting people.  I don't know if this has led to any successful business relationships, but I think the key is to engage sincerely and don't try to kiss up as so many people seem to do.  Twitter may be a start, but I don't think you should let it be the only way you try to connect.

What you should be doing is making friends, not "connections" and you don't make friends by worrying about how they can help your career.  You make friends by being there when they need you.

Here are some of my ideas on non-network-networking:

• Help out at a film festival.
• Volunteer at something you feel passionate about, like at an animal shelter or Habitat for Humanity.
• When you meet a casting director at an audition or workshop, offer to be a reader for them.
• Offer to help on your friend's film sets (even if they didn't cast you.)
• Get involved in hobbies you love. 

Do you guys have any other ideas?  How have you all made contacts in the "biz?"

The truth is you never know who you might meet or where you might meet them.  So, never be afraid to say you are an actor, but remember you are a whole person with other interests and those other things may be the key to making a new friend.

Just Do Your Job

When filming things are always changing, plans fall through, and it's probably already over budget.  As an actor, you are normally protected from all this craziness, so what does it have to do with you?   It's your job to make them not have to worry about you so they can worry about all that other stuff.

That means you come to every set, no matter how small your part is or how low budget is, completely prepared.  Be so prepared that when everything changes you can change with it.  Be flexible.

On set you are going to work with people who don't work the same way you do.  That is why it's so important to be strong in your own craft and don't judge the other actors because they don't follow the same technique as you.  Be there for the other actors, if they need you do something to help them be stronger in the scene, then you do it.  Even if it's not part of your "process."  Your job is to create the best scene possible and be the person the other actors can rely on.

Besides being the best actor you can be, you should be the nicest person on set.  Say thank you to everyone.  The crew who likes you will help make you look the best, sound the best, and do your best work.  I recently heard some good advice, "Always remember you aren't as nice as you think you are."  There is always room to be nicer.

Lastly, while on set smile and don't complain.  Remember you love this job.  Be the person people want to be around and then they will want to work with you again.

In short: be prepared and be nice.  Don't make other people's jobs more difficult than they already are and just DO YOUR JOB.

How to Keep my Goals

Since the beginning of this year, I've been making an effort to focus on my career.  I started by created some professional goals to help me measure how I am doing.

As you know some of this work has already paid off.  I got to film a co-star role on a pilot for USA Network, I'll keep you updated if it airs.  I also completed three short films that have been accepted to the Playhouse West Film Festival.  Plus, I've been cast in a couple projects that are set to start filming in the next couple months.

But, one thing that helps me keep track of the goals I set is by telling you guys how I am doing with them.  So, here is how I did in the month of April (a couple weeks late.)

Goal: Attend class unless working an acting gig or sick.
Actual: I believe I missed a day or two when I was helping out at a casting office.

Goal: Work on scenes that from plays I can put up.
Actual:  Still working on "Vanities."

Goal: Read two plays a month.
Actual: I actually read a ton of plays to find a scene for a web series I am involved with.  So, I am probably good for the next few months.

Goal: Find a good on-camera class.
Actual: GOAL COMPLETED!
**UPDATE ON GOAL: Attend acting workout sessions that my friend, Tammy Taylor, is setting up with actor friends.**

Goal: Complete editing on my films for the Playhouse West Film Festival.
Actual: All three of my films were accepted to the festival.   Final touches happening on ALL YOU NEED, just waiting on final sound.
**UPDATE ON GOAL: I want to submit All You Need to 10 more major film festivals by the end of the year.**

Goal: Write and produce two more shorts this year.
Actual: I have two new shorts written and hope to start filming them after the film festival.

Goal: Help at the agency once a week.
Actual: It's been very slow, but I have been helping out when I can.

Goal: Find three new Casting offices to help out as a reader.
Actual: One new one and one old one.  I'd like to find two more new ones!

Oh, How Far You've Come

When you are an actor, you know you spend most of your time not working in the job you love.  I've discussed different ways you could keep yourself busy during those down times, like producing your own stuff.

But sometimes not working can be pretty depressing and it can be hard to even get out of your pajamas much less be proactive.  I've talked about watching movies and reading plays when you feel down, but sometimes you're so far down the rabbit hole even that won't pull you out of it.

So, when I am spiraling down into that dark place, one thing I like to do is remind myself how far I've come.  No matter how long you've been following your dreams, I guarantee you've come a ways from where you started.  Think of everything you've learned since you began. 

I think of the plays I've been in and even the scenes I've done in class; all the short films I've helped out on or acted in.  Every little thing I've done has taught me something new about my chosen profession.  I know I've come far since I moved out here, but sometimes I need to take a moment to reflect on it all to really see it. 

I'm here to remind you that this business is a 10-year project (at the least.)  Yes, some people get lucky and make it before then, but don't expect that.  Just remember every step forward, no matter how small, is still a step towards where you want be and you gotta keep moving. 

But, it's okay every once and a while to look back to see just how far you've come.

How Having a Day Job Can Help Your Acting

For many of us actors, whether or not we have have a day job is not really a choice.  It can be quite difficult to make a living as only an actor.  Without another source of income, every acting job and in turn every audition becomes even more important.  When it's just the job that you want, you often appear desperate in your auditions and your acting can suffer.

Having a day job that you can count on to provide you with money allows you to relax and do your best acting.  It does not have to be a job that you love to do, but it shouldn't be one that you loathe.  If going to your day job makes you miserable and stressed then your acting will also suffer.

Most people think the only job an actor can have is waiting tables.  I waited tables for years and learned that being a server made me a miserable person to be around.  Everyday I had to go to a restaurant was a day I dreaded and made it difficult for me to focus on my acting.  So, this wasn't a good day job for me.  But, there are other jobs actors can do that will allow you to go on auditions and classes.  I have many friends who have very accommodating office jobs.

But, you have to be careful.  Making money can be a trap.  The more you make of it the more things you want to buy and then the more you need of it.  If you get too comfortable with the money you are making then it can be easy to allow your acting to fall off the side.  Suddenly, you don't want to take time off for classes or auditions, and you day job becomes your career.

There is a happy medium that every artist must find.  Money is a necessity, but so is your art.  Don't let the need for money prevent you from creating your art.  But, you have to accept that having a job that you can rely on can also be important to your acting career.

Now that Pilot Season is over ...

A little over a month ago I asked how your pilot season was going.  At that point, most people were feeling a bit crappy about the whole thing.  So, now that's it's over and all the pilots are done, I'll ask again, how was your pilot season? 

Mine wasn't busy.  I'd love to be at the point where I was going out for all the series regulars, but I'm not.  I did however book a co-star on a pilot and I am super grateful for that.  But, of course I always want more work and it would have been great to test for a pilot.

Why is Pilot season so tough?  Well, first of all it's the process of casting with all the hoops actors have to jump through.  You have to go through pre-reads, call-backs, producer sessions, and finally the network test.  If you are one of the lucky ones to get to the network test phase, then it's the network producer's choice.  They are more interested in profits than art and it's not always the best actor who wins, but rather the one who they think will bring in the most money.

Who ended up booking pilots this year?  Well, here are a few of the faces of pilot season.  They look familiar, right?  Networks like to cast people who have already proven themselves.  So, they cast Connie Britton in Nashville and Lucy Lui in Elementary.  Or they want those who they think will bring audiences with them, the movie stars.  Now you have Sigourney Weaver starring in Political Animals and Dennis Quaid, who has never done television before, in a western pilot for CBS.

But, it's not all bad news.  Now that the pilots are pretty much shot, they will be shown to test audiences.  The networks will decide which pilots they will make into shows and based on the tests they may end up recasting some of the roles or even rewriting the pilots entirely. 

The Upfronts, where the networks announce their new line-ups, are in May and until then casting will be pretty slow.  So, if you didn't book a pilot, take a bit of a breather or get in lots of classes or work on your own projects for the next couple weeks.  Then get ready to get back into full swing as episodic season starts.

What you Learn from an Editor

I am always going on about how you need to get out there and produce your own stuff, that you can't just sit around waiting for someone else to write a part for you.  There are lots of benefits to creating your own stuff and more than just the opportunity to do what you love. 

Recently, I spent some time editing a couple of the shorts that I wrote.  Hours upon hours of staring at my computer screen, analyzing and over-analyzing every moment of acting that I did in those shorts.  But besides being hyper-critical of your performance and questioning every choice you made, there is a lot to learn from seeing a film through an editor's eyes.

First, you see why sometimes the clips that get into a movie aren't the ones with your best acting.  When you are on set there is so much that can go wrong from a boom dropping into the shot or the light just isn't right or someone is holding their hand differently from how they held it in the master shot.  That is why you have to be so professional and don't let them get a bad take of you.

Second, you see the importance of matching what you do from take to take to take.  If your drink is in your right hand in the master, it darn well better be in that hand in the close-up or they will never be able to use your close-up.  On major productions you have script supervisors who take notes of all these sorts of things.  On low budget shorts generally you are the one who has to be responsible for this, that is why I always take good notes in my script as to what I was doing.

Third, when acting on camera a little goes a long way.  Every minute facial expression comes across.  After editing my first film, I realized how much less I needed to do to make the moments clear.  Since editing my own films, my acting has certainly improved by making me a more natural person on screen.

I recommend all actors should get an editing program and learn how to use it.  Shoot something and see what you can do with it on it your own.  Besides being able to edit your own stuff will save you so much in the end, even if you just edit your demo reel.

Pretty-Girl-Syndrome

Last week Samantha Brick made a lot of headlines by complaining about the downsides of being a beautiful woman.  Many people immediately attacked her and disregarded her point entirely claiming she isn't that beautiful.  But, the truth is that whether you thinks she is beautiful or not is besides the point.  She thinks she is beautiful which gives her confidence and confidence will make others see her as beautiful. 

So, back to the point of her argument.  Are there downsides to being a pretty girl?  I know what you're thinking: this is Hollywood, being pretty is all you need to make it.  If you were actually thinking that, let me stop you and say, You are wrong.

Girls come to Hollywood after being the prettiest girl in their high school, small town, or college acting program.  I've noticed these girls often suffer from what I call Pretty-Girl-Syndrome.  No one has ever told them no; they have never had to wait in line for anything; they have never once in their lives been rejected. 

But, now they are in Hollywood, the land of beautiful girls and they are competing for parts with some of the most beautiful women on the planet.  They better learn quickly how take rejection.  Most don't.  These are the girls that after not "making it" in a year go home.  Or maybe they do make it into a movie, but then get panned by the critics or the movie bombs and suddenly they are facing a new thing: rejection.  They are often the ones that collapse and then you never hear from them again.

One of the things that I am grateful to have is the protective shell of thousands of rejections.  I am used to being rejected.  I don't expect anything to work out, so when it does I am pleasantly surprised; but when things don't go my way, I am not shattered.

Now for those of you who are Pretty Girls.  If you aren't finding immediate success, remember rejection is part of the game of Hollywood.  If you are doing well in this crazy town: don't expect things to always be easy.  This is a fickle place.  Enjoy it now, but be prepared to work later and be nice to everyone you meet.

For those of you who aren't pretty girls, don't forget to be proud of being a character actor and take comfort in your protective shell of rejections.

Monthly Goals Check-In

As you guys know, I am trying to keep up with the goals I made at the beginning of the year.  So, this is my monthly check-in to see how those goals are doing.

This month was very busy for my acting.  I got to be a Star for Day on a Pilot.   We finally got to do A Mixed Tape, a super fun play where I get to be a gorilla with Eric Edwards and Jonathan Lipnicki, again after a long hiatus.  I booked two more acting gigs that will be starting soon.  Can't wait til I get to share about those with you. 

Here's how my year is going so far:

GOAL: Attend every class unless sick or working an acting gig.
ACTUAL: The only class I missed this month was the day I shot my co-star on a USA pilot.

GOAL: Work on scenes in class that I actually put up.
ACTUAL: Still working on "Vanities."  We've set up a regular rehearsal schedule, but have had some set-backs because of vacations and each of us booking work (great for us, not great for the play.)

GOAL: Complete all three of my films for the Playhouse West Film Festival.
ACTUAL:  Two are complete and the third is a good rough cut with some sound editing left to do.  All have been submitted and I am hoping the final cut of the third will be done by April 20th so I nice version of it will be seen by the PWFF committee.

GOAL: Write and produce two more shorts this year.
ACTUAL:  Have not started work on this one yet.  I have a couple ideas, but need to start the work of writing them.

GOAL: Continue to work at the Agency every week.
ACTUAL: I've been going to the agency at least once a week, sometimes more.  What was really great during Pilot Season is that they asked me to take notes on the pilot meetings they had every week.  It really helped me to see what was happening with all the Pilots.  I also helped keep up our database on who was getting cast in what.  This helps keep things in perspective when you wonder why you aren't going out, but then see people like Sigourney Weaver and Allison Janey are the ones getting cast.

GOAL: Find three casting offices to help out as a reader.
ACTUAL: Still only helping out at two offices, but am going in whenever they need me.

GOAL: Read two plays.
ACTUAL: I was lax on this one and didn't manage to find time to read one.  We were working on Nursery Rhymes in class, so I focused on those a lot (this exercise is much tougher than it sounds.)  I'm also halfway through book three of The Song of Fire and Ice, and those books are long and very dense so it's difficult to find time to read anything else.

GOAL: Blog every Monday.
ACTUAL: Doing good with this one and blogging over at Getting Crafty and Cultured in Los Angeles as well.

For next month, I am hoping to turn all this positive momentum into more opportunities!

Is Your Demo Reel Helping or Hurting You?

Every actor I know is constantly talking about the need to get tape on themselves, so they can put together a demo reel.  They say things like: "Hey, lets go shoot that scene from that super famous play we did in class that everyone said was really good" or "Tape me doing this monologue in front of my curtains."  Okay, so maybe they don't actually say those things, but if you look at their demo reels you'd think that they had said that at one point.

Yes, it can be very helpful to have a demo reel.  It can help you get an agent and it does put you to the top of the list for submissions on the Breakdowns.  But, having a bad demo reel is much worse than not having one at all.  In my agency and at casting offices, I've seen actors not get a meeting because of a bad demo reel.  The following tips are things I have heard directly from casting directors and agents.

First of all, just because you have tape of yourself acting doesn't mean you need to put it on your reel.  Let's be honest lots of those student films and webisodes you did, don't always look great.  Even if your acting is stellar, poor production value will distract anyone watching it and reflect poorly on you.

When choosing footage for your reel here are a few hints that will make you look good:

1. Do you have professional footage from a professional set?  One thing casting is looking for in your reel is: can you act effectively in all the craziness that is a professional set.  In their mind this will help to ensure that you will not make them look bad if you get the part, that you know how to handle yourself professionally.  In Hollywood, most people don't want to be the person that takes a chance on a newbie and gets burned by it, so that's why they want evidence of your credits.
2. Is there someone famous in your scene?  It seems very silly, but if you have a scene with someone recognizable, even if you just have one or two lines, make this scene one of the first ones on your reel.  It shows that you can hold your own with someone considered very good, it shows that someone trusted you to have this scene with  this person, and if the viewer likes this famous actor then some of that may rub off on how they think about you.
3. Do you have very, very, very good looking non-professional footage?  Of course, there are some short films that you've done that look really nice.  The lighting is nice, the shots are professional, and there is even a score.  All of that will help sell you.

Now that you've chosen your footage; here are some other basic rules about demo reels.

1. The length of your demo should be between 2 and 3 minutes.  A good length is about 2 minutes and 15 seconds.  The truth is that most people won't watch the whole thing, if you're lucky they'll get all the way through the first minute.
2. Since most people only watch the first minute, make sure your best stuff is at the beginning.  I recommend starting with any scene with a famous actor, then professional stuff, and ending with the amateur work.
3. Start with you.  Even if the other actor is famous or if they have the first line in the scene, always start with the camera angle that is on you.  This way they know who they are supposed to be looking at and you are highlighted.
4. The scenes in your demo reel don't have to make sense.  No one is watching for context, they are watching to see your acting ability.  So, cut as much of the scene that the camera is not on you as possible.  Don't cut the other people out completely, just make sure you are the focus. 
5. Don't waste time with pictures of you.  It's an annoying trend I've noticed where people feel the need to spend the first 20 seconds of their reel as a montage of pictures of themselves set to music.  It is just wasting the viewer's time and now they are probably going to spend less time watching your actual footage.  If they wanted to see a picture of you they would look at your headshot.
6. It is appropriate to have your headshot at the beginning with your name and contact info that you display for 3 seconds.  It's not too long, but it's long enough for them to read.
7. Montages in general have no place in your demo reel.  We don't need to see you playing basketball or knitting or running.  Any of that sort of thing is what your "Special Skills" section of your resume is for.  If you do have an extreme special skill like Parkour or Belly Dancing, then I recommend having a separate tape of just that.
8. Post your reel on Vimeo or YouTube so they don't have to download it.  That way they can just watch it streaming.
9. If you are posting your demo on Actor's Access or the Breakdowns, I recommend breaking it up into individual scenes.  That way when submitting to casting you can be specific in what video would be right.  Plus, it costs the same, the charge is only for the amount of time not the number of clips.
10. In general avoid anything that seems fancy or artsy.  Casting just wants to see you and if you can act, not how skillful your editor is.

Editing your own demo reel is not that difficult.  If you have Final Cut or even just iMovie, you can put it together easily.  I just fiddled around with the software til I figured it out.

Wanna check out my demo reel?  Check it out here:  Michelle's Demo Reel

Star for a Day

Okay, so maybe I wasn't the star, but I was a co-star for a day on the set of a pilot last week.  For the non-Hollywood peeps out there: being a co-star means that you have at least one line and usually no more than one scene on a TV show.  It doesn't have an exact definition, but if a guest star on CSI is the primary person accused of the crime with a full character arc and multiple scenes then the co-star is the actor who brings them the coffee in the interrogation room and says "Would you like cream and sugar?"

Co-stars often don't even have names and are usually defined by their occupation.  In the script it will simply say nurse or secretary or waiter.  I had the role of Flight Attendant with one line and one speech.  But, as with any job in Hollywood it is extremely competitive and difficult to get even a small role like this one.  Most actors will even tell you these roles are the hardest to audition for and here I wrote some hints on how to tackle these auditions.  One thing that I think helped me book this role was to make a very specific choice on how I felt about the character I was speaking to and decided to make the very boring, exposition type dialogue as a way to flirt with him.

I know an actress that spent a year getting to know the casting directors for her favorite show.  After that year of going to workshops and sending postcards she finally booked that much coveted co-star role.  The day after she shot it, she quit the business.  Decided it wasn't worth all the work she put into it.

Not every role is going to take as much work as your first one.  But, remember as an actor your day job is to network and audition because that is what you'll be doing much more often than actually getting to act.  If you can't enjoy that then you'll never be happy in this business.

So, now that I filmed a co-star role, was all the work worth it for me?  Yes, a million times over, yes.  I love being on set, I love the actors, and I love the crew.  I am never happier than when I get to act.  Even though I only had two lines, I worked on them the same way I would any script.  The best part was after we filmed the director gave me a hug and thanked me for bringing so much to such a small role.

In front of the door to my trailer.

Plus, it was nice to feel like star for a day with my own trailer.  (Okay, so it was only a 6th of a trailer, but I had a couch and a toilet that I didn't have to share.)  I even had my own stand-in, which made me laugh because I am perfectly happy standing on set while they adjust lights and such.  But, I think make-up was happy I wasn't under the lights sweating off my foundation.

Now, if I could just book some more!