What I Learned in a Year

It's officially been a year since I started writing this blog.  The reason I began was to share some of my experience and pitfalls with my actor friends out there.  I explained Why You Should Listen to Me, which is pretty much that you probably shouldn't since anyone who claims to know anything in Hollywood is probably wrong.

I have to say I've learned a lot just from writing this blog.  Reminded me that I need to enjoy the journey, not to worry about my competition, and how to face rejection.  I got to share with you guys my success at making a movie in 72 hours, what inspired me at the Playhouse West Film Festival, and how I survived the Los Angeles Actorfest. 

Of course, I'm always learning more and am often reminded that I don't know everything.  Just this last week, I had one of those auditions that was not perfect and I forgot some of my own advice, by not owning my audition and losing my confidence.  But with every failure comes a chance to do it better the next time.  You know, what doesn't kill you ...


As the last blog in February it's time to see how my Career goals are going:

Goal: Attend class unless working an acting gig or sick
Actual: I didn't miss a single class this month :)

Goal: Work on scenes from plays I can put up.
Actual: Working on "Vanities" with a couple ladies from my class.

Goal: Read two plays a month.
Actual: I read "To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday" and "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress"

Goal: Find and attend a good on-camera class to supplement my acting classes.
Actual: Finishing up that commercial class with Chris Game.  I am thinking about starting to get a group of actors together to work on camera once a week.

Goal: Complete editing on both my films before the PWFF early bird deadline.
Actual: Not looking so good, but they will be finished!!!

Goal: Write and produce two more shorts this year.
Actual: Let's finish these other two first.

Goal: Continue to help at the agency once a week.
Actual: I've gone to the agency once a week and have been working on a Pilot Season project to help them be super organized.

Goal: Find three casting offices that I can help out at as a reader.
Actual: This month I continued helping out at the TV office and got to help them on their new Pilot.

Goal: Blog every Monday.
Actual: Blogged every week.  Plus you can check out my other blog: Being Crafty and Cultured in Los Angeles. 

What I Learned at ActorFest

This past Saturday I went to ActorFest, a free event for actors from Backstage.  There were casting director meet and greets, panels (those cost extra), and lots of booths for things that might be of interest to actors, like Scientology and psychotherapists.  It's a lot like ComicCon minus cosplay and Kevin Smith. 

This is what I learned at ActorFest 2011:

1. There are a lot of companies that seem to exist for the sole purpose of separating actors from their money.
2. Actors will do anything for a chance to talk with a casting director, including standing in line for over 3 hours to have a two-minute chat.
3. However, most actors are not willing to get up before 9am. 
4. I have no idea what to say to a casting  director in a two-minute general meeting.
5. Casting director's also have no idea what to say to actors in a two-minute general and their go-to question is "So, where are you from?"  Better than, do you come here often?  I guess.
6. There are some very sketchy people out there trying to be actors.
7. There are people who look gorgeous at 8am standing outside in the freezing cold.  I assume these people are genetic freaks.
8. If you are going to be standing in line for most of a day, bring snacks.  And if you ask me, peanut butter cups have protein and are therefore good for you.
9. High heels make your butt look pretty and your feet hurt.  If you are going to be spending all day in line, bring flats.
10. Apparently, Irish-American doesn't count as diverse to NBC.

I'm always pro going to free events when you have nothing else going on.  You never know who you are going to meet or what you'll learn.  This weekend I got to meet some cool actors and chatted with a few casting directors.  I'm not sure how much can be learned about someone in two-minutes, but it is more than they knew about me before this weekend.

Yeah, I waited in lines for most of the day, but all in all a fairly productive way to spend a Saturday.  Now time to write the follow-up thank you notes.