Shoot: Cars.com

Interestingly, there's no non-disclosure agreement on this, but I think I'm good at keeping a secret despite not signing some contract to keep my mouth shut. So, I won't really give away anything other than what's common knowledge on the internet. Cars.com has purchased a Super Bowl commercial for the last couple of years, and has decided to do so again. Our director is Craig Gillespie, who directed their spot last year. You decide what that means.

The shoot was great. My scene has a distinct feel and time period that was fun. The talent and crew were all a pleasure to work with. What a wonderful thing to book just before the holidays too.

We didn't get our tv, because the store with the deal was sold out. But we will. Oh yes, we will.

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Avail, Booked: Cars.com

Got put on avail again last night. Found out tonight that I booked cars.com! I KNEW I needed to make that callback. It seems the crazier the circumstances or the more in doubt the outcome, the better things work out. My buddy Will had talked to me yesterday about a deal at one of the major electronics stores for an flat panel tv. I joked that if I booked this job, I was going to go get it. My wife and I promised ourselves a few years ago that after I got a big job or two, we'd upgrade our old hand-me-down tv, but we still haven't done it.

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Callback: Cars.com @ Cathi Carlton

So, here's a story. Friday, I found out I got a callback for cars.com Monday morning at 11am. Last night, while getting my daughter out of the car, I felt a little twinge in my back. Not a major pull or anything, just a tweak. I was "aware" of it before going to bed, but no pain or stiffness really. This morning, when I awoke, I could not move without pain. I could not roll over. I could not get out of bed. I originally hurt my back playing basketball in high school. When I got home after practice, I made the mistake of lying on the floor for a few minutes and the same thing happened. Couldn't get off the floor. My mom was the only one home at the time and she couldn't help me either. It was terrible, and this morning was the remix.

At some point, I just had to bite the bullet and get up. The pain was unbelievable. I tried to walk a little and must've looked like I was 110 years old. It was ridiculous. I downed some ibuprofen and started icing a little. The pain was so sudden and stabbing that it took my breath away. There was no masking it. Then, it was decision time. How could I possibly drive down to Santa Monica and get through a callback that might involved playing with a kid?

I was close to bailing out, but I had this idea in my head that I was really right for the role and that this is exactly the kind of situation that would surround a booking. So, I went. I sat on an ice pack all the way to Santa Monica. The ride itself wasn't so bad, but it took me a couple of minutes to get out of the car. I had to park about two blocks away, but I thought that would give me time to get moving again. I also got there early to allow a bit of time to just keep moving. Despite being the first one there, I didn't sign in. I just paced around a bit.

When I felt the back was as good as it was going to get, I signed in and got the scoop. They had cut one of the bits that involved leaning over, thank goodness! All I had to do was kneel down and stay there until the scene was done...no real range of motion required. Someone was looking out for me. I went in, did the slate, got on my knee, and did the scene twice from that position. When I was done, I turned my face away from everyone and got up. Whew.

So now, lots of ice packs and ibuprofen. I have to sit out my improv show tonight too, which stinks, but I don't want to make it worse.
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Audition: Cars.com @ Cathi Carlton

This was a smooth one...good old dad type stuff. My audition partner and I worked well together. We had one bit and I had another by myself.

We're getting ready for a trip home for the holidays. My daughter is having a good time talking about seeing our family and riding on the plane. As she gets bigger, she's definitely more prone to roam, so I'm hoping we can keep her entertained on the plane ourselves.

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Shoot: Honda

The Honda shoot went very well. One word of advice to actors everywhere - know what your rate is and read the contract. If there's a question, get on the phone with your agent. There was a little mix-up on mine and my agent was grateful that I didn't sign until we got it worked out.

I got to set before there was a location move. After the move, we had some hanging around to do before getting down to business. The director knew what he was after and we knocked it out efficiently. The bits I saw in the replay monitor looked very cinematic. I hope I get a copy so I can see the final product. Or maybe a friend in Miami can hook me up.

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Callback: Honda @ Sheila Manning

Proof again that you just never know. I had a message on my phone last night as I left Cherry rehearsal, it was a little noisy at the theater, which may or may not be the reason I listened to the voice mail twice.

The callback was fun. We had a little bit of a wait in the lobby because they were taking their time with each set of actors in the room. I like it that way. I saw a few people I remembered from the audition and was paired up with another actor I had talked to that day. She remembered me being the guy in the suit. Speaking of which...when I got the callback, I tried to figure out whether to wear the suit again since it worked, or to wear the more casual style appropriate for the spot I ended up reading. In the end, I split the difference and wore a sport coat and tie look that could easily be made to look more casual. I really liked the director, who, I believe, is from Spain. He didn't mind my lack of Spanish skills (sorry to disappoint you, Mrs. Lawrence) and gave us a thorough explanation of what he wanted. We did it a few times with some adjustments, and then I stayed to do another spot solo. I was very comfortable and felt like it went very well.

That night, my agent called while we were having dinner to tell me that I was on Strong Avail and to ask if I was available for the shoot day. I'm always available for the work. She also said she expected them to finalize the deal tonight and she would let me know. By the time I recounted the details to my wife, my agent had already called back and confirmed that I booked the job.

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Audition: Michigan Lottery @ Vicki Goggin

It is ridiculously hot here and a light dusting of ash is falling from the sky. So, into this blizzard, I ventured with winter gear - jacket, gloves, winter hat and scarf - to audition. I wanted to melt just holding the stuff in my hand as I walked to the building. It was easy to spot other people on the street who were headed to the same place. We had a good laugh about it in the elevator. The audition was silly fun.

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Audition: Honda @ Sheila Manning

This blog is 7 years old. Crazy.

I gotta work on jotting down things other than just the wacky world of the business. If you haven't heard, large swaths of brush and forest have been burning in the LA area. We don't live on the edges where that stuff typically pops up, but, due to the nature of the topography, we do suffer the effects of the crazy smoke that clogged the air. It's brutal. I was in Malibu late this afternoon, and could see the smoke from there (quite a distance). We've mostly stayed cooped up with the doors and windows closed all the time.

Ok...so the audition was with a casting director for whom I hadn't auditioned previously. However, I did a drop-off at her office on my first or second ever round of drop-offs shortly after we moved here. I thought I gleaned the info I needed for this, but when I got there, I was the only one wearing a suit. Everyone else also seemed to be of Latin descent, but I look like I'm from a long line of Ohio-ans. Then, I thought I maybe misunderstood something or was there at the wrong time. But, just a few minutes later, I was in the room. The audition material wasn't what I had prepared for, so I was a little overdressed, but otherwise able to adjust. My scene partner had a line to give to me in Spanish, but I knew what the reaction was supposed to be and I didn't have to say anything back. There were a couple of bumps in the way the scene came off, but it was fine. Afterward, I called my agency to make sure I had the time right, and they assured me I did. You really never know what you're going to do when you get to an audition.


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Callback: Casino Arizona @ Craig Colvin; Improv - Cherry

I'm starting to see some more "usual suspects" as we follow each other around to auditions and callbacks. It was fun bantering a little outside the room. Inside the room, we did the spot several times in a couple of different ways.

Had a Cherry performance tonight that went ok. We're starting to tape the performances so our coach can see them for notes, and so we'll have submission material for festivals. I've been itching to do another festival.

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Audition: IHOP @ Kari Peyton

My favorite word in casting breakdowns recently is "like-able". In the world of commercials, that's a fairly universally desired quality in the talent. I guess you sometimes see a particular role that is meant to be antagonistic or stand-offish somehow, but not very often.

I hadn't been into Kari Peyton's office in some time, so it was nice to be back. They're working out of a really nice facility now. The place was jumping too, because there were a couple of spots and TON of kids.

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Audition: Casino Arizona @ Craig Colvin

Funny - I was just thinking about how it had been a bit since I had stopped in at Craig Colvin's office. I was paired up with another actor and off we went. Things are usually very smooth here.

While I was there, Craig mentioned to me that someone called him, mentioned my blog and asked if he knew me. He thought it was pretty cool. So do I. Someone else essentially put me in the mind of a casting director. And, I was reminded that people I don't know sometimes read this stuff. While this blog isn't really a tutorial by any means, I hope if you've happened upon me and taken an interest, maybe you will benefit from it. I'll also take this opportunity to invite you to email me as well and tell me a little about you and your journey. The "contact me" link is at the top.

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Audition: Pillsbury @ ASG; Improv - Jack & Johnny

Four in the room for this one, and I had a fun group. It's great when you find a quick comedic rapport with strangers at an audition. I felt like we had a strong take on the material and were funny to boot.

I completely forgot to mention the Jack & Johnny show from last Thursday. Will and I played at Crashbar Improv, a fun, small room. Our show was kickin'. While I've been entirely enjoying the group Harold work with Cherry at IO, I feel the two-person format is like going home for me from the years of JaCKPie. Cherry is also doing great. We're getting lots of shows and working with a fantastic coach. Next Friday, Cherry is playing with Craig Cackowski, one of my favorite teacher/performers at IO West.

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Audition: Sprint @ Karen Maseng

I swore on all that I hold dear (and signed a document to that effect) that I would say nothing about this. So, the mystery must remain mysterious.

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Audition: LA-Z Boy @ Dan Cowan

First voiceover audition in quite a while. I don't really market myself for voiceovers yet. It's an area I need to explore, but have yet to assemble the tools necessary to do so (voice reel, etc.). Soon! I do enjoy playing with voices, so this was fun for me. I also look forward to the day when I come home with a LA-Z Boy recliner, so it's perfect for me!

Now, here's a weird thing. I got a callback for Walmart. Then, I got an uncallback for Walmart, something about how they cut down the callback list. I think this is just the second time that's happened to me. Executive decision - it still counts.

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Callback: Samsung @ Jeff Hardwick

I expected a callback for this one and got it. In fact, during a time when things are traditionally slow, I feel that I've been very fortunate to continue to get out and land these. As always, it's great, but booking is better. There were more of us in the room for the callback and quite a range of people. It was more difficult to cultivate the camaraderie, but I felt alright - not rock solid - but alright.

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Audition: Walmart @ Alyson Horn

There were LOADS of kids in the casting facility, which always makes things a little interesting. I was on a tight schedule and hoping to get in and out fairly quickly, and I was! Good job session runner.

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Audition: Samsung @ Jeff Hardwick; Callback: Sprint @ Martin Casting

Sweet! I'm on the go again. Today, was a new CD for me - Jeff Hardwick. Somehow, I've made it this far without getting in there. There were some recognizable faces from other ongoing commercial series showing up for this audition. I felt good about being in their company, and about getting in based on the requirements listed in the breakdown. The Samsung audition went great. I felt it was really strong, and I even had an extra moment on the slate, which got laughs in the room with the camera still rolling.

The callback was good too. I had to sign a confidentiality agreement beforehand so I guess I won't say anything else about that.

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Audition: Sprint @ Martin Casting

I've been very fortunate to have a fairly busy month at a time when most actors lament a summer slowdown. Now, I just need something to break and result in paychecks.

This Sprint audition was painless. It was late on a Friday, which spells disaster in terms of traffic, but I'm not complaining. I'd rather be in traffic after an audition than sitting home without one.

My trip to the dentist was also sorta painless, unless you count the pain my wallet felt. I have only ever had two fillings, and they are in wisdom teeth. Aside from cleanings, that's the only work I've had done. Unfortunately, one of the fillings had worn down and was in danger of breaking apart. So, I have to get it crowned. I hate dental work. There's a funny story of me locking myself in the bathroom at the dentist's office as a child. Ask me about it sometime. This was ok though. I was numbed up good, and though it took a little while, my tooth is now prepped for the crown I get in a couple weeks. I walked out of the office at 4pm still unable to feel the left side of my mouth with only 2 hours before my audition time. The dentist said it should wear off by then. It had not fully worn off by the time I walked into the room (a little early), but I didn't have to say anything really and I think I faked a smile that looked better than Stallone's.

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Audition: Toyota @ Joe Blake

This was to be a very realistic feeling series of spots with three pals in a Toyota vehicle. The writing was a little more toward the announcery sounding end of the range, but my group made it work for us. They've been seeing people for a few days for what will be about 16 spots. Wouldn't that be nice?

In other news, my improv team "CHERRY" won another student Cagematch (#8) and then we won the Mainstage Cagematch right afterward. I've been enjoying our rehearsals a lot as we've been working with excellent coaches. I feel my improv muscle getting more into form with every week, especially since we've been performing so much.

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Callback: Southwest @ Cathi Carlton

This went swimmingly. I was matched up with two other actors for a three-person scene and we had a "friends" feel going.

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Callback: Sprint/NFL @ Martin Casting

Something was off in this one. I was working with the same actor with whom I did the original audition, but I didn't feel so great about the results. There was also a new additional piece of business that wasn't really connected to the first bit. I may have missed something in the translation from the session runner...I don't know. I just felt like I was playing a different tune than everyone expected. While it was going on, I felt like I was in one of those anxiety dreams you may have...you know the ones? You can't remember your locker combination or you suddenly can't speak or communicate with the outside world. An odd feeling.

My improv team at IO West is called "Cherry". We've won 6 student Cagematches in a row. So, we keep playing. Will and I are performing Jack & Johnny in the mainstage Cagematch next Thursday against a team that has won something like 48 weeks in a row. They've got some crazy-dedicated friends.

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Audition: Southwest Airlines @ Cathi Carlton Casting

This one went ok I think. It was kind of improvising, but mostly staying with the lines. It was an incredibly busy day, lots of traffic, and I picked up a friend at LAX, dropped him off at his place, grabbed a sandwich and a change of clothes, then ran out the door again to the callback for Sprint/NFL.



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Audition: Toyota @ Francene Selkirk-Ackerman

This was for an industrial rather than a commercial. I had a good time with the copy, playing a clueless salesman. We did it a few different ways. It is so hot in LA right now.

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Catching Up

Since it's been a while, I'll just do a brief synopsis of what transpired the last couple of months. Bunch of auditions, callbacks and various CD's. Plenty I felt I nailed, a couple that were definitely not a fit. The Sears spot aired the week before Memorial Day and ran a good bit. The checks were decent, and I hold out hope they'll recut it and use more.

Geico - Joe Blake
Dick's Sporting Goods - Ross Lacy
Comedy Central - Martin Casting
Sears (again-funny) - Hayley Marcus
Verizon - Eskinazi
Castrol - Joe Blake
Priceline - Joe Blake
Sprint/NASCAR - Martin Casting
VW - Ross Lacy
Roundtable Pizza - Ross Lacy
VW Callback - Ross Lacy
Sleep Inn - Deborah Kurtz
Bud Light - Ross Lacy
TW Cable - Ross Lacy
TW Cable callback - Ross Lacy
Bush's Beans - Leslie Rhoades
Anti-Smoking PSA - Gabrielle Schary
Sprint/NFL - Martin Casting


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Shoot: Sears

The Sears shoot was fun. It was a little strange in that my scene partner and I really didn't know what was happening until after the first shot was in the can, but fun anyway. We shot in a little neighborhood in Van Nuys, which was not at all far for me. The day was long as there were many shots to get and a lot of it with a small army of children. There were definitely some showbiz kids in the bunch. There was a lot of jockeying for time bouncing on the mattresses in the yard. The spot is scheduled to run for Memorial Day, but there wasn't anything overtly Memorial Day in the spot (flags, etc.). Hope it runs more!

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Booked: Sears

Usually when one of my primary agents calls directly, it's a good sign (well, except for that callback recall a couple of weeks ago). However, this conversation started with, "I've got some good news..." Boom! Avail to booked. Sweet. Wardrobe tomorrow and shoot next Thursday. This is big news for a few of reasons.

1. It's my first SAG national commercial with cable and new media. I've had non-union stuff that was widespread. I've had regionals and cable and smaller market stuff. 'Bout time I got over this hump.

2. It's my first booking through Ross Lacy casting. God bless this man for bringing me in so often and my agent for getting me in there. I'm happy to validate their faith in me.

3. It's my first booking of 2009. I hope that gets the ball rolling. Well, the ball was already rolling based on the number of auditions and callbacks over the last couple of weeks.

Now, having said all that, I want to get this thing in the can and get it on the air. That'll be the real victory.

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Two scoops of Audition, with a Callback on top

Home Depot @ [skirts] - I've had a couple of Home Depot auditions here. Maybe they've cornered the market. Interview-style. I'm getting good at these.

DirecTV @ Jeff Gerrard - Here's an office I have not managed to crack that often. I believe I put in a good showing though, with facial reactions and a good bit of physical business.

Callback: Wendy's @ Hayley Marcus - For the callbacks, we got to go solo. I had the joy of doing all four parts myself. I was a dancing sampler plate. Felt good, out of breath, but good.


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Avail: Sears

Monday morning - the anticipated, sometimes dreaded, "Avail". So this means...who knows?


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Callback: SEARS

I got the call Friday afternoon for this rare Sunday callback. That led to some scheduling wizardry at the ol' day job, but they pulled it off with aplomb. The callback was in Santa Monica. This afforded me a great opportunity to take my niece's school project, a version of Flat Stanley, with me to snap a couple of shots at the SM Pier and the Pacific Ocean. The appointment was early, and there were quite a few kids in on it. I didn't see many other actors in my category, but you never know how long their session is going to be. My "wife" and I were treated to some tall tales by our "kids" while we waited on deck. In the room, we were just improvising the scene and miming the objects. As much as kids pretend, it's kind of funny to see them get thrown by this. I believe one commented, "It's kind of hard to pretend there's a counter when there isn't one. You guys should at least have a table or something." Priceless! I felt like I spent most of my time trying to wrangle one of the kids into a position where he could be seen instead of him hiding behind his "sister". All in all, it was a fun, relaxed Sunday morning!

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Audition: Wendy's @ Hayley Marcus

Ok...so this was fun. I believe this was just my second or third time in to this office. They're down in Hollywood near IO West. I could launch now into a diatribe on Los Angeles parking meters and no parking zones, but I'll spare you. I didn't get a ticket or anything, so that's good. I was matched up with three other guys to go in. We had time for a quick choreography jam session, as there was some necessary coordination of physical activity. How much detail is it ok for me to give in these? Does the term "spoiler" apply in the case of commercials? I don't know. Anyway, I had a good group, and I think we brought the house down. We did not have time (or material) to set up the pyrotechnic scheme I imagined.

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Audition: Sears and McDonald's @ Ross Lacy

A double-header at Ross Lacy casting for today. The Sears audition was interview-style and relaxed. The McDonald's was a little more involved with props and "acting". Both went well I think. It's nice to have 2, and even better to have them at the same location and virtually the same time!

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Audition: WORST EVER

In the interests of discretion, I have chosen not to post the client or CD for this particular audition. In short, it was a nightmare. I can't really fault the CD's office for any of it. The copy itself, was horrible. Sometimes you read a spot and say, "This probably won't make it to the airwaves." Occasionally, you read one and say, "Who could possibly have approved this and how could it've gotten this far?" This spot fell into the latter category. It was an ill-fated concept based on a couple of choice, double-entendre laden words. Of course they say, "Don't betray a hint of awareness about the double-entendre." But you didn't see the words. On top of that, the gimmick was related to finding a name for this new product of theirs. However, in introducing the idea of finding a name, they clearly labeled it already as BLANK's new BLANKETY BLANK BLANK. It's hard to do this without using the real words, but hopefully you get the picture.

I was paired up and revved my naivete to give it the ol' varsity try. Incidentally, I'm pretty good at seeming completely innocent and matter-of-fact. I'll just say my scene partner and I did not gel at all. I think it may have been this person's first audition since they didn't seem to understand that we needed to be in front of the camera. On top of that, it was an improv-welcomed audition. I don't think my scene partner had ever improvised either...well, anyway... I don't foresee a callback on this one. But on the bright side, I probably won't have to see it on TV and wonder "What if?".



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Callback: LG @ Ross Lacy

This was straight to callbacks for LG. The spot had a bit of dialogue, but not too difficult. They were recycling the female in the spot, so she had already done it a number of times. I felt good about what I brought to the room.

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Callback: Johnsonville @ Ross Lacy, Audition: GM @ASG

Got the callback for Johnsonville, and it went like the first round (interview style). I was asked about my Halloween costume from last year. I haven't gone out for Halloween in years, but I blamed the most recent absence on the baby and told the tale of my best costume ever - The Joker- classic not Dark Knight era.

The audition for GM was another interview. This one was kind of funny. I'm a huge Georgia football fan. If you know me, you know this. However, my wife's cousin loves to get me some sort of Ohio State gear every Christmas. This year, she got me a hat. I'm no Ohio State fan, but I have to admit that it's a super comfortable hat. So, for the audition, I was supposed to bring a hat to turn inside out. I have three Georgia hats, but none of them would perform this critical function. I had to take the OSU hat. My question was something about the South vs. The West Coast and I brought up college football, the SEC, etc. The guy before me had also talked about being from South Carolina. Then, when it's time to don the hat, I realized how it wouldn't fit with my going on about Georgia football. It was one of those moments...

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Audition: Johnsonville @ Ross Lacy

Another one in this office. It's great to get in here, I just really want to book something already! This was another personal interview style audition. I feel really comfortable with these, talking off the cuff about what's up. It's probably easier because I have a baby...so there's plenty to talk about!

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Audition: Bayer @ Cathi Carlton

This audition was entirely physical improv set in a car. There should be a whole class on auditioning with a prop steering wheel. Anyway, I felt great about my performance. There is a fine line between playing a headache and just seeming tired and frustrated.

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Callback?: Brawny @ SKIRTS

So, yesterday, I got a call from the agency with a callback for Brawny (personal interview from two days ago). The callback fell on Saturday, which is unusual, but it was later in the afternoon and did not conflict with my other work. Around 9pm last night, my agent called. Normally, when the agents themselves call it's good news, but not this time. She told me the callback list was cut down and that I was cut. What can you do? If I had moved stuff around to make the callback possible, we would've had a problem, but I didn't so... I guess it's better to not waste my time if they already knew I wasn't what they wanted, but this was the first time for me that a callback has been called back.

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Audition: Breyer's @ Joe Blake

Another call into this office for the week is good. This spot was also a typical husband-wife dynamic, heavily dependent on the facial expressions of the husband. I got laughs in the room from the runner. No matter what happens afterward, you have to just enjoy that performance in the moment for what it is. As always, letting go of the results after that is sometimes difficult.

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Audition: ORTHO @ Ross Lacy; Brawny @ SKIRTS

I'm thankful to be brought back to Ross' office so frequently. He stays busy and he has some of the best session runners in the business. They say not much has changed about the old mousetrap, but this spot highlights a new version. It was a husband and wife dynamic...you know the one. I had a good partner and it felt like it went well.

This was back to back auditions on back to back days. Spring is when things pick up out here commercially. Spots that might sometimes shoot on the East Coast shoot out here since the weather is far better.

The Brawny audition was a "personal interview" style. In these, you just stand up there and the session runner asks you a question or two about yourself. No acting. I was asked what gets me going in the morning. I thought of the way my daughter bounces up and down in her crib when we walk in the room to get her up. I should get a callback for this.

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Audition: Pepcid @ Joe Blake; Dave & Busters @ Ross Lacy

Pepcid was straight forward and a return to an office I haven't seen as much lately.

D&B was a little more complicated. We were playing two versions of ourselves. It was fun to differentiate the two though.

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Auditions: Lowe's @ Craig Colvin; Boston Market @ Hayley Marcus

Schedules with our sitter-swap didn't work out, so my baby girl got to tag along on the first of my auditions. Craig's office is the best setup for taking her though. I know the CD's that work out of there fairly well and the atmosphere is relaxed. I was asked if she had booked any commercials already. An actress who's expecting twins was going in after my group, so she and another actor watched the girl for the two minutes I was in the room. Baby girl was great, the audition was solid and we were on our way to pass her off to my wife so I could change clothes and head back to Hollywood for -

Boston Market- This was a new office for me. It's in the basement of a building that feels very '60s to me with the tile floors and fluorescent lights. The basement area itself combined with the myriad of us white guys in suits definitely reminded me of a scene in Mad Men, which is a fantastic show. My timing felt a little off in the audition. Not sure why that was, but it just wasn't clicking. Luckily though, I didn't have to say "Crispy Country Chicken". It looks great on paper, but it's a mouthful when you try to say it.

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Audition: Sears @ Joe Blake

Back in this office for the third time in a couple weeks. That's nice. It's my string of home improvement type auditions. One of them, surely...

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Callback: Miller Lite @ Joe Blake

I suspected this went well enough to be in line for a callback. As is so common, the callback setup was quite a bit different than the original audition and there were more of us in the room at the same time. Still, maybe I'm getting closer to booking that major beer spot.

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Audition: Grapenuts @ Kari Peyton

This was interesting. I'm getting in more and more on improv specific castings, which is good. I definitely feel like it's a strong suit for me. More on my improv class later... Grapenuts in my head has a different image than the one in this series of webisodes, but I guess that's why they advertise. I thought it went well.

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Audition: Home Depot @ [skirts]

It's kind of amazing to me that I have not yet broken through on a major beer or home improvement spot. Back in Atlanta, I did Home Depot industrials from time to time. Even when I shop at stores like this where employees wear clear, easily identifiable uniforms, I still get asked for help. Once, at the grocery store, a lady got a bit indignant when she asked me if I worked there and I said, "Nope, sorry". She responded in a huffy, suspicious tone, "You DON'T work here?" Why would I lie about that? And take a clue from my worn out jeans and lack of logos.

Anyway, the audition was fine. It was a "personal interview" type thing. In this setup, you figure you won't have any dialogue in the spot. So, rather than just looking at photos, the directors or whoever get to see you just be you for a second. I was asked if I consider myself a "handy man". I told the story about installing and uninstalling a horizontal window a/c in our vertical sliding windows. Story aside, I'm clearly the helpful guy you're looking for in Home Depot. However, as my wife points out, commercials aren't always about real life. They're frequently about some idealized, feel better about the world kind of life.

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Audition: Miller Lite @ Joe Blake Casting

This audition went well. It had been a while since I had been in for this particular CD. Just a little "lite" improv with a couple scene partners. They were good and laid back which helps a lot.

View my REEL and RESUME