OK, so I've been a lazy blogger of late. Summer will do that to you. First things first, vacation was so nice, being at the beach always brings clarity and perspective to my life and pursuits. It recharges me and gets me ready to dive back in.
So, I rocked an audition yesterday for a show host! The whole conversational spokes thing is always a challenge for me but I'm finally getting better at it. Keeping my fingers crossed for a callback.
Also, I got a callback for a commercial audition that I had before vacation. It will be held next week. They are casting a "couple", there are seven women and five men being called back. The client is going to pair us up and see what works. I hate these types of callbacks. If you get cut early, you know that you didn't get it. Although, it's nice to know how many people are going to be at a callback - and this is a relatively small number. It seems the past few years that callbacks have been getting bigger and bigger. They used to only be handful of people and you felt like you really had a chance.
I stopped by my agent's office yesterday and was told that they are having all talent sign a Social Agreement. Basically it's a confidentiality statement that we agree not to reveal any specifics of auditions, go-sees or anything that we may book on Facebook, Twitter, blogs (!), etc. I've been pretty good about keeping vague but I guess I need to be even more careful.
Well that's it for today from this lazy blogger. I'll be performing in a show tonight in downtown Dallas with my actors' company, so I'll be running lines the rest of the day, woo hoo! Hope you're having a stupendous week.
Keep on keeping on.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Today Was a Good Day
As Ice Cube would say, it was a good day. OK, 90's rap song reference aside, it was a pretty decent day in the life of an actress.
This morning, I was booked for a half day spokes job for an industrial shoot. The script was all on teleprompter but we shot five very wordy videos. Somehow we knocked all of them out in ONE HOUR! The client told me that it normally takes at least four hours. He was very impressed and complimentary and told me that he wants to use me on an on-going basis. Woo hoo! Even though I hate to admit it, spokes work is my sweet spot. I need to quit fighting it and just embrace my strengths.
From there, I raced off to a commerical audition for a national pizza chain. It is a super fun spot and my audition partner and I worked great together. We got to pull out our improv skills and have a blast and I'm sure it showed. Fingers crossed for a callback on that one!
And now I'm ready for a much needed vacation starting tomorrow morning - eight glorious days on the beach. My beach read will be Michael Caine's "Acting in Film" and I'll share some of what I learn when I get back.
In the meantime...keep on keeping on.
This morning, I was booked for a half day spokes job for an industrial shoot. The script was all on teleprompter but we shot five very wordy videos. Somehow we knocked all of them out in ONE HOUR! The client told me that it normally takes at least four hours. He was very impressed and complimentary and told me that he wants to use me on an on-going basis. Woo hoo! Even though I hate to admit it, spokes work is my sweet spot. I need to quit fighting it and just embrace my strengths.
From there, I raced off to a commerical audition for a national pizza chain. It is a super fun spot and my audition partner and I worked great together. We got to pull out our improv skills and have a blast and I'm sure it showed. Fingers crossed for a callback on that one!
And now I'm ready for a much needed vacation starting tomorrow morning - eight glorious days on the beach. My beach read will be Michael Caine's "Acting in Film" and I'll share some of what I learn when I get back.
In the meantime...keep on keeping on.
Why I Love My Day Job
For over 12 years I've felt like the square peg in the round hole of corporate America. My career in telecom has definitely had its ups and downs . The first few years, I tried my hardest to fit in and get ahead but something never felt quite right. When I started taking acting classes, I finally discovered why. I just didn't belong there.
From that moment on, my day job lost a part of me. The part that cared about fitting in and getting ahead. My emotional energy was invested somewhere else. Don't get me wrong, I've always done well in my corporate job, my pride won't allow me to be an underperformer. But now I'm satisfied to "blend in" a little more and just do what I need to do.
But, for what it's worth, I've learned and benefitted a lot from my job experience. I don't plan on leaving anytime soon, unless they ask me to or I book the most fabulous steady acting job that requires me to.
On the occasional days that I do get the day job blues, I remind myself of all that it's taught me and allows me to do.
1. I get to work from home. - This is quite possibly the BEST perk of all. After being with the company for 12 years, I have the flexibility and have earned the trust to work from my home office. This is an incredible privilege and for that fact, I respect it. Sure, I run out to auditions, but for the most part, they are easily accommodated by a flexible lunch hour. Because I'm not working in a traditional office, I have the advantage of working very early in the morning or late in the evening if I ever need to make up any time.
2. It pays well. - The square peg (creative type) has discovered a niche in the round hole (engineering) that satisfies the analytical side of my brain and pays the bills. Engineer and actress don't normally get mentioned in the same sentence, except when I'm meeting new people and telling them what I do!
3. I've learned what "healthy" work environments look like. - Let's face it, the entertainment industry isn't exactly the poster child for a healthy work environment. I've seen directors cuss out actors on set, agents send demeaning e-mails to their talent, casting directors treat us like dirt beneath their feet. I have no tolerance for any of that because it doesn't happen in my day job. I've never been treated with anything less than the utmost respect by my management and peers. And that's the way it should be. Period.
So while it would be nice to be living the life of a working actress and not worrying about where my next job is coming from, I'm perfectly satisfied to be living the life of a "working as an engineer" actress and knowing I have a paycheck every two weeks. I still get to scratch my itch as a performer and progress in my acting career. But there's a lot less risk involved.
Next time you start hating your day job, count your blessings for what it allows you to do. I do every day.
From that moment on, my day job lost a part of me. The part that cared about fitting in and getting ahead. My emotional energy was invested somewhere else. Don't get me wrong, I've always done well in my corporate job, my pride won't allow me to be an underperformer. But now I'm satisfied to "blend in" a little more and just do what I need to do.
But, for what it's worth, I've learned and benefitted a lot from my job experience. I don't plan on leaving anytime soon, unless they ask me to or I book the most fabulous steady acting job that requires me to.
On the occasional days that I do get the day job blues, I remind myself of all that it's taught me and allows me to do.
1. I get to work from home. - This is quite possibly the BEST perk of all. After being with the company for 12 years, I have the flexibility and have earned the trust to work from my home office. This is an incredible privilege and for that fact, I respect it. Sure, I run out to auditions, but for the most part, they are easily accommodated by a flexible lunch hour. Because I'm not working in a traditional office, I have the advantage of working very early in the morning or late in the evening if I ever need to make up any time.
2. It pays well. - The square peg (creative type) has discovered a niche in the round hole (engineering) that satisfies the analytical side of my brain and pays the bills. Engineer and actress don't normally get mentioned in the same sentence, except when I'm meeting new people and telling them what I do!
3. I've learned what "healthy" work environments look like. - Let's face it, the entertainment industry isn't exactly the poster child for a healthy work environment. I've seen directors cuss out actors on set, agents send demeaning e-mails to their talent, casting directors treat us like dirt beneath their feet. I have no tolerance for any of that because it doesn't happen in my day job. I've never been treated with anything less than the utmost respect by my management and peers. And that's the way it should be. Period.
So while it would be nice to be living the life of a working actress and not worrying about where my next job is coming from, I'm perfectly satisfied to be living the life of a "working as an engineer" actress and knowing I have a paycheck every two weeks. I still get to scratch my itch as a performer and progress in my acting career. But there's a lot less risk involved.
Next time you start hating your day job, count your blessings for what it allows you to do. I do every day.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Moving On
Last week was a rough week, I counted all of the things going wrong instead of all of the things going right. And that's always a dangerous game. It never leads anywhere good. No matter how much progress we've made, it's so easy to forget all about it as soon as we hit a rough spot.
Over the weekend, I pulled out my "progress sheet". It's a timeline that I've kept for the past five years highlighting all of my acting accomplishments. I'm a very visual person and having something like this in front of me to prove how far I've come is a very powerful tool to get out of the acting doldrums.
It chronicles everything from signing with my first agent to getting my first IMDB credit to getting my first network series audition. It's really cool to see a clear line of progress. Yes, there have been dry spells and steps backward but overall it's forward progress and that's a very good thing.
So what about you? What do you do when the acting doldrums strike? Why not start your own timeline now. Think back over your accomplishments, large and small or simply start where you are and jot them down.
And when in doubt, take the next logical step forward by faith. Ask yourself what is next, your inner guide will let you know. I'm ready for my next breakthrough, bring it on!
Over the weekend, I pulled out my "progress sheet". It's a timeline that I've kept for the past five years highlighting all of my acting accomplishments. I'm a very visual person and having something like this in front of me to prove how far I've come is a very powerful tool to get out of the acting doldrums.
It chronicles everything from signing with my first agent to getting my first IMDB credit to getting my first network series audition. It's really cool to see a clear line of progress. Yes, there have been dry spells and steps backward but overall it's forward progress and that's a very good thing.
So what about you? What do you do when the acting doldrums strike? Why not start your own timeline now. Think back over your accomplishments, large and small or simply start where you are and jot them down.
And when in doubt, take the next logical step forward by faith. Ask yourself what is next, your inner guide will let you know. I'm ready for my next breakthrough, bring it on!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Ginormous Funk
I'm in a ginormous funk this week and I'm not quite sure why. Well, I am kind of sure why, actually.
Maybe it's because three of my friends became SAG-e this week and I'm still waiting. Maybe it's because I never heard back from the agent I submitted with in another city that was supposed to be a "sure thing". Maybe it's because I didn't get selected to audition for the SAG feature this week that I was submitted on. Maybe it's because a lot of my friends got auditions for an upcoming network series and I didn't. Maybe it's because I was really on a roll this spring just to have everything come to a screeching halt.
I don't know what's going on right now but I feel like I'm swimming upstream every day. Things just aren't flowing. When this happens, I question my path. There's only so much you can put out without anything coming back in. I need a win. I don't ask for one often, but I really need one to keep going right now.
And I need to find a way to take my own advice and keep on keeping on.
Maybe it's because three of my friends became SAG-e this week and I'm still waiting. Maybe it's because I never heard back from the agent I submitted with in another city that was supposed to be a "sure thing". Maybe it's because I didn't get selected to audition for the SAG feature this week that I was submitted on. Maybe it's because a lot of my friends got auditions for an upcoming network series and I didn't. Maybe it's because I was really on a roll this spring just to have everything come to a screeching halt.
I don't know what's going on right now but I feel like I'm swimming upstream every day. Things just aren't flowing. When this happens, I question my path. There's only so much you can put out without anything coming back in. I need a win. I don't ask for one often, but I really need one to keep going right now.
And I need to find a way to take my own advice and keep on keeping on.
Want More Fans and Followers? Check This Out!
Do you have your own Facebook fan page? Would you like to reach more fans, network with others in the industry or just shamelessly promote yourself?
I've created a page called Actor Fan Page Likes on Facebook so we can like each other's pages and make new friends. It exists solely for the promotion of performers. I get nothing from it...except more work. Which I don't mind, because I love ya'll so much!
The rules are really, really simple.
1. Like Actor Fan Page Likes on FB.
2. Post a link on the wall to your Fan Page, Twitter account, web site, whatever you want to promote.
3. ALWAYS like back everyone who likes you.
That's it! Easy peasy.
I've created a page called Actor Fan Page Likes on Facebook so we can like each other's pages and make new friends. It exists solely for the promotion of performers. I get nothing from it...except more work. Which I don't mind, because I love ya'll so much!
The rules are really, really simple.
1. Like Actor Fan Page Likes on FB.
2. Post a link on the wall to your Fan Page, Twitter account, web site, whatever you want to promote.
3. ALWAYS like back everyone who likes you.
That's it! Easy peasy.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Quitter
Have you ever "quit" acting? I have. Many times, actually. The thing is, I'm usually the only one who knows that I quit.
To me, quitting is getting to the point where I've put so much out (and very little has come back in) that I have to pull all of my energy back. In my mind, I entertain the thought of not putting myself back out there again. Ever. In my heart, I know better.
Sometimes all I need is a break, some time to collect my thoughts and realize why I do this. Then I pick myself back up and take a few small steps to putting myself back out there again.
Acting is sort of like an abusive relationship, I just keep going back for more and more. I leave it for a short while, swearing to never go back, but somehow I get drawn back in. Except unlike an abusive relationship, I make progress each time I go back and have a breakthrough or two that pushes me forward in my craft and career.
Quitting is a good thing for me. Even if it's only for a week or so. Sometimes it's exactly what I need to realize how awful life would be if I ever really did give up.
Keep on keeping on.
To me, quitting is getting to the point where I've put so much out (and very little has come back in) that I have to pull all of my energy back. In my mind, I entertain the thought of not putting myself back out there again. Ever. In my heart, I know better.
Sometimes all I need is a break, some time to collect my thoughts and realize why I do this. Then I pick myself back up and take a few small steps to putting myself back out there again.
Acting is sort of like an abusive relationship, I just keep going back for more and more. I leave it for a short while, swearing to never go back, but somehow I get drawn back in. Except unlike an abusive relationship, I make progress each time I go back and have a breakthrough or two that pushes me forward in my craft and career.
Quitting is a good thing for me. Even if it's only for a week or so. Sometimes it's exactly what I need to realize how awful life would be if I ever really did give up.
Keep on keeping on.
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