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.

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Auditions: December

December was a busy month with several auditions, other work, and our trip to Atlanta for two weeks around the holidays. Here's a brief list of the auditions with a few comments as appropriate.

12/1 - Verizon @ Ross Lacy - to be one of the "network" army you see behind the main guy. There was no information really other than that. The session runner made up some stuff for us to do so they'd have something other than our slate on camera.

12/2 - Rosetta Stone @ Gabrielle Schary - I've had a couple of close ones at this office with the avail for the national Tabasco thing, but, strangely, I don't go there very often. I was dog-tired at this one, but the character was supposed to be sleepy anyway. Hooray for Providence!

12/8 - Culvers @ Liz Paulson - New CD for Culvers. I guess they're replacing our spots from before.

12/10 - DirecTV @ Cathi Carlton - This was fun! Felt good. I wore a bad tie though. It didn't look right on camera.

12/17 - Callback DirecTV @ Cathi Carlton

12/18 - Aflac @ Ross Lacy - This spot was kind of confusing, and didn't have a good flow or shape...if I could think of more obscure descriptives, I'd use them too. Oh - it wasn't sharp. No one seemed to know what to do with it.

12/18 - Coors Light @ Lisa Fields - Baseball umpire. I was perfect for it, with the experience and everything. I got to do some random calls, so I did the basic "Ball" "Strike" "Foul Ball" and then I threw in some fancy stuff like my strike three call, foul tip, check swing called strike. Afterward, I realized I should've done a little vocal warmup in the car.

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Industrial: US Food Service

I haven't done an industrial since I left Atlanta. Now that I'm unionized, they pay a good deal better. My fantastic agent called today to let me know I had been booked off my photo and online reel. That's a nice way to book a job and another first for me out here. The shoot is next Tuesday.


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ADR: Honda

My agent informed me that the Honda folks needed me in the sound booth for some voiceover work. When we shot the spot originally, we did two versions, each with a different Honda vehicle. In the end, I guess they wanted the third one. So, I spent a short time in the booth this morning. Because the replacement piece was in the middle of a chunk of dialogue, we had to work hard to match my original tone, pace and energy. That was tough. The mixer would play back the original for me and then I'd give it a few takes. Then, we'd listen to see if it was matching up seamlessly. It took a few minutes to get it, but we did. I got to see the spot in the mixing room as well. Good stuff.

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Audition: Microsoft @ POPCasting

Scheduling issues with all of our baby-watchers and my wife led to the baby accompanying me for the second time to an audition. POP casts out of Craig Colvin's studios, which I'm very familiar with, and I was sure we'd be fine. My girl had a good morning, fed, napped, etc. so our timing was working out perfectly. This was the only spot casting there this morning, and there were only a couple of other actors there. The baby was very relaxed and laid-back...super quiet. Nancy, the CD in the room, came out to give me the scoop on what to do and, of course, became immediately enchanted by the baby who was happily obliging her with smiles and cuteness. Nancy also mentioned that I should just bring her in the room with me. When my time came, that's what we did and she was perfect. We set her up so she could see me perform, and she just chilled out in the stroller. Between takes she started chatting a little, giving me direction I suppose, but she got quiet again just as we were ready for the second take. Afterward, we were toured around to the other people in the office so everyone could witness the cuteness, pinch her calves and practice their funny faces and falsetto voices. I was/am a very proud Dad.

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Audition: PG&E @ Ross Lacy

Busy week...
This was a fairly simple reaction type spot, with one twist. We did it three times, but the third time was in Spanish. It was just a few of the most basic Spanish words (si, bueno, ahora), but another first for me in an audition setting.

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Audition: Hillshire Farms @ Kathy Knowles

It was nice to get called in again so quickly. This audition took a group of 4 at a time into the room. It was a funny little cheer that comprises the client's tag line. I saw an actress with a baby in tow who looked to be about my girl's size. The actress wheeled her right into the room. Sometimes, an actor with a baby in the waiting area will just ask someone else to keep an eye on the kid for a couple of minutes. We're usually not in the room long. I've watched a baby for someone else a few times. Basically, you just stand there, make goofy faces and hope the kid doesn't start choking or something.

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Callback: H&R Block @ Kathy Knowles

So, my feeling turned out to be right on this one. The callback adjusted my take on the scene a bit, and I'm not sure how it played. I didn't feel as strongly as I did about the original audition. Never know. However, I did get another audition for this same CD tomorrow. I sent postcards out a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps that has generated a nice run of activity. A friend and I are communicating about our business tasks and goals for each day or week. It helps to stay on top of that.

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Callback: 7-11 @ Colvin; Audition: H&R Block @ Kathy Knowles

I had a little juggling to do today since both of these were scheduled within minutes of each other, but in very different geographical areas. Luckily, the audition in Santa Monica had a time range and I got in on the early side. I think it went well. No lines, just physicality and an intense reaction to something. Felt convincing to me.

The callback was good too. So, we'll see. No avail call tonight, but I figure everyone is watching results anyway.

Speaking of...I'm not one to get into political discussions outside my own home. Most people believe what they want and aren't really looking for someone to change their minds, and friendly discussions turn into prickly squabbles too quickly. Since this blog isn't really a conversation per se, I'll pay homage to the day with a brief quote from Ben Franklin and you can make of it what you will. "When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic." I truly hope that's not the trend.


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Audition: 7-11 @ Craig Colvin

Last second audition for today. It was a quick hitter...get in, get out deal.

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On-Set: SoCal Honda

Had a great time and got to work with a cool director today. I also worked with a live turkey named "Jerry". I've done some weird, fun stuff in this business.

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Booked: SoCal Honda

Booked this one. Another avail turns into an actual job. Is it a trend? Wardrobe Wednesday and shoots Thursday.

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Callback: SoCal Honda @ Alyson Horn; AVAIL: SoCal Honda; Audition: TurboTax @ Ross Lacy

This callback for SoCal Honda was one I absolutely did not expect. I didn't feel great walking out of the original audition, but I'll take the callback and run. The callback went great. The director and I seemed to be on the same page. I got laughs in the room. Good stuff.

Ross Lacy continues to call me in more than any other CD in town. I want to book something in this office so badly. The TurboTax spot will be a lot of fun with some cool makeup.

UPDATE: Got an avail call for the SoCal Honda spot. Not a booking yet, but an avail is better than umm...not an avail.

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Auditions: Catch up

I think since my last post, I've had about 5 auditions. Most of them have been at Ross Lacy casting and one with Alyson Horn. No callbacks in this round so far as I know, which a little surprising, but as you read here so often, "You never know."

Yesterday's audition wasn't so grand. The session runner was giving a lot of feedback in the many rehearsals we did, but it wasn't translating into something directly workable for me. Another case of being at war with my instincts for the scene.

Will, Matt and I did a three-man improv show on the 9th that went over very well. It was our first performance as a trio, though we've been working together on writing a show that we plan to put up in January. I wrapped up Level 4 class at IO. I'm taking a break for the holidays but will probably jump back in for Level 5 after the first of the year.


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Audition: Kmart @ Ross Lacy; Cub Foods @ Craig Colvin

The Kmart audition didn't feel great to me. I wasn't completely satisfied with the way I related to my scene partner. I didn't have time to rehash it in the car since I had an appointment immediately after, luckily just a couple of minutes from there. A sign at the audition did say to keep cellphones handy as the callbacks would be tomorrow. I had "booked out" with my agency for tomorrow afternoon, but I should be able to make it work if I get the callback.

The Cub Foods audition involved kids. Craig's stuidos were packed as there were two separate family spots being cast. It's interesting to watch the kids and their parents beforehand. I was matched up with a couple of kids, and the audition was just me talking to them about school and their day.

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Audition: Life @ Mia Levinson/Josh Einsohn; Home Depot @ Cathi Carlton

A two-audition day that worked out perfectly. The auditions were solid. No unexpected surprises. For "Life", a series that I enjoy, I gave an initial read that was more understated or channeled the anger of the character differently. Josh redirected me to more of a clear expression of that anger and I felt satisfied with my adjustment.

The Home Depot was a silent, physical audition...a guy just doing stuff.

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Auditions: NBC Promo @ [CD left blank]

This was weird. I was greeted at the door to the building by people wanting me to sign a release form because they were shooting a documentary segment on this casting director for a certain entertainment channel. As I sat to read the thing, distracted from the audition mindset, a number of other actors just walked up, said "Ok" and signed without even reading anything. I don't want to tell someone how to run their business, but this release was one of those complete, wholesale, you have no rights whatsoever, give us free reign over your life kind of releases.

So, I asked, "The cameras will just be outside the room or inside too?"
Them - "Inside too."
Me - "No thanks."

Who wants their audition to end up as fodder on some entertainment show? These things can be weird enough as it is. I received a green sticker to wear, which was supposed to alert the camera people not to film me. I was the only person wearing one for the entire time I was there. It also didn't stop the camera guys from coming into the room and trying to get me to answer questions. I just politely ignored them. The whole thing was awkward, and I think unfair to surprise actors with release forms and roving cameras on their way into an audition. The agents should've been forewarned so they could pass the knowledge to their clients.

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Audition: Ebay @ Kathy Knowles

Ahh...Santa Monica in the late afternoon. Unfortunately, there's just no good alternative to the 405 for me. Getting there was fine, but coming back in rush hour was not fun. The audition, however, was fun. There was copy that was very short, and it's a good spot in the Ebay vein of funny spots. We did some improv in the room to insert a couple of lines. I felt like I improvised more like I would in a scene than maybe I have at auditions in the past. It's tricky because although it's "improvised", you do have a minute or two to consider once you've been told the scenario. Anyway, I expect a callback here.

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Life: Baby, Showbiz: SAG Card

Those of you who check in regularly may have found it pointless as my updates have been sporadic recently. I've back dated a few items to catch up. Life is full with the baby. We've had lots of family visiting, which has been entertaining. Every time someone comes to town, we try to do/see something we haven't already done/seen. One of the highlights has been the Autry Museum here. I was very impressed with the collection and the lunch.

In other news, I received the coveted SAG card in the mail the other day. An expensive, but necessary, tool for acting work here. It comes at a time of uncertainty in the business overall. SAG and the production execs have still not reached an agreement on a new Primetime contract. AFTRA signed a deal last month. I'm an AFTRA member too. I must say it seems odd that the union with fewer overall shows in this jurisdiction would cut in front of the union with the most on the line. The whole thing has seemed a debacle and makes me wonder further why there are still two separate performer unions working against each other.

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Audition: Toyota @ Melissa Martin

For the audition, we were just asked a question and taped for the response. These types of auditions are used when there's no dialogue, but the CD is giving the decision-makers a chance to see who the actor is. Four of us were in the room at the same time. It's interesting to see how quickly some become uncomfortable talking off-the-cuff about their life.

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Audition: Circuit City @ Ross Lacy

I hadn't been in for this CD in a while. His office is one of the busiest in the city when things are rolling. It was another straight-forward, no dialogue bit. Good to be hitting the commercial streets again.

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Audition: My Wife is a... @ Kendra Shay Clark

This one came through my agent in Atlanta. It's a web series pilot. The interesting thing here is that the role description in the breakdown and the dialogue in the sides didn't really jibe in my mind. I think some lines in the sides had been reassigned to give this particular character more to do. However, some of these reassigned lines ascribed too much "hip life wisdom" to a character that seemed a little more lost. I was given a choice of scenes and went with the one that had a quick comic rhtyhm. Kendra read with me and gave my cue lines the pace they needed, which was great. It's so awkward reading comedic scenes when the reader isn't right on it. It was a pleasure reading for her.

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Audition: Zales @ Gabrielle Schary

Things have been slow for some time commercially, which is not atypical of the summer here. This audition seemed perfect for me. The spot called for a young dad coming home to his wife and infant...hmmm.... No real dialogue or anything, so it's all on the look again.

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Show: Jack & Johnny July 17

Our sophomore show didn't slump. The house was packed, the show was fast-paced...perhaps slightly more scattered than previously...and we got positive feedback from the audience and our critics (wives). We are definitely planning to get the show up more frequently, producing our own evenings or whatever it takes to get a few shows each month.

The audition front has been deserted. Class at IO is still great. At home, we've had lots of visitors and family time. We took the baby for a "hike" in Malibu Canyon last week at the hottest time of a hot day. "Poor planning" you say? Pushing the compact stroller uphill, through loose, sandy gravel and a bumpy trail made for a little adventure. We had to portage her over some larger gravelly areas. In the end, we had to turn back within a quarter mile of the MASH location because the trail was impassable with the stroller. The baby slept through the whole thing. Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa perspired through the whole thing.

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Show: Jack & Johnny debut 7/3/08

It's a belated update, but the Jack & Johnny debut was a rousing success.

We hung out earlier in the day, and let Will's wife experiment on us with her repetition exercise. Then, we rehearsed a little bit. I must admit that I find it difficult to rehearse in apartments, parks or other non-theatrical type spaces. However, classrooms and possibly yoga rooms seem to be exceptions, perhaps because they're still largely blank spaces. Anyway, the rehearsal was ok, but we were both a little tired and hot. We wrapped it up in time for me to spend some time at home with the little family and eat a bite.

Around 7pm, we met for a little coffee, or a lot, at a Starbucks just a few doors down from the theatre. I needed the jolt to get the blood flowing. The Pale Irish Bastards, our hosts, got the place open and we talked for a bit about movies and such. Will and I did an "idea at a time" story exercise to warm-up, which worked very well indeed. I came up with it as a result of something I learned in our first class at IOWest with Craig Cackowski, which, by the way, is a phenomenal class that I should blog about later. The exercise got us riffing and jazzed. The house wasn't huge, but we were ready to go. After a somewhat overdramatic lighting situation for our entrance, we got our suggestion "Born to be wild" and took off.

We had a fast, compact show, with all the specifics, multiple character work, high-energy play you could want. It was a very satisfying experience and quite a bit different than our rehearsals. Of course, I expected that based on what I told you above about my rehearsal quirks. Even when I was doing plays in high school, my teacher/director noticed that I seemed to hold something in reserve during rehearsals that was loosed in performance. Not a good habit I think, but it's a little like not tipping your hand or leaking the magic. What I should be able to do is have the magic in rehearsal and even more magic in the show. I'm looking forward to our second performance on the 17th! If you're on Facebook, search for and join our group "Jack & Johnny".

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Show: Jack & Johnny

My friend Will and I have finally had the opportunity to stop talking about doing a show and just do it. It's exciting to have shows coming up on July 3 and 17, and we're also taking the same class at IOWest. I'm ready to get back on the stage after a little hiatus. The show is called "Jack & Johnny" as a result of our affiliations with Johnny Lunchpail (Will) and JaCKPie (me). Here's hoping for a rousing success.



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AVAIL: ESPN

Well, it's good, but "You're hired!" is better. Wait and see.

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Callback: ESPN @ Cathi Carlton

Chuckles in the room are usually a good sign, but you just never know. I had a discussion with another actor who was in a class I took a year or two ago. He was telling me about another commercial actor who did a spot with him who was in the midst of booking 13 spots for serious dough. That's what we need here. A streak.


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Audition: ESPN @ Cathi Carlton

It has been several weeks since my last audition. I was beginning to wonder if commercials had left LA for a bit.

This one went very well I think. The wardrobe called for boxers, t-shirt, shirt, tie, slacks, jacket. I was thinking it would be another "take your clothes off" type thing, but it turned out that for the audition, it was just about being in the pants and t. The wardrobe that's involved in the final product may be different from what they need at the audition, but you never know until you get there. Sometimes, it's way off. You may get an audition notice in writing that says "suit and tie", but you may be the only one in your suit while everyone else is in safari gear. Then you wonder, how could we have possibly gotten the same notice for the same role and be this different.

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Life: Baby with the Bathwater

I haven't been posting much lately since the auditions have been sparse and I've been extremely busy with work and the little family. In an attempt to combat a nasty diaper rash, we've been giving the girl some soak time in a little tub. We have to get her wrapped up quickly afterward to keep her from getting cold.


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Audition: House M.D. @ Amy Lippens Casting

My first time into this office came, I think, as a result of casting workshops I did with the associates last year. The role is short and sweet, and so was the read. I discovered that I may have a bit of a bad habit of not instinctively looking at my reader. I made plenty of eye contact before and after, just not on my line. It's probably the result of all the commercial auditioning, which is played more to the camera. I don't think it should matter that much in this particular audition because it was so quick, but I have to remember to coach myself a little more just before going in next time. Auditions are perhaps like seeing one's brand new beau/belle off for an extended trip. For now, I must kiss her goodbye and go about my business. If she comes back to me, we'll have a grand time together.

I had to come back and add a couple more thoughts, because I'm reminded of an audition I had while living in Atlanta. I hounded my then agent (not Houghton) to submit for a movie that I found out was shooting in North Carolina. After a couple of weeks, my agent called with the audition. After rehearsal for a show I was doing, I drove the 6.5 hours up to Wilmington, N.C arriving at 3am. I booked a hotel room to catch some sleep before my 9am audition. At the casting office, I grabbed the sides for my role. I walked in, did it and was back on my way to Atlanta within about 3 minutes. The next week, I got a callback. Nice. This time I drove up and back in the same day. Yikes. In the casting office, I found out that I was called back for a different role. This one had 5 words. I was in and out within 60 seconds. Another 6.5 hours back to Atlanta. Later, I was told the production cast native Brits who were living in the Southeast. This is one of the reasons I moved to LA. I couldn't see doing that Wilmington trek again and again like that. The sides may have been short, but so was the drive.

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Carded

The day arrived. I sent off the paperwork (and the significant fees) to become an official member of SAG. My real name is apparently already taken by someone who, although he doesn't appear to be working, gets to keep his unique hold on our name. Not a huge deal. My professional name will just include an initial in the middle.

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Life: Baby Debut

Last Monday, after a sprint labor, nervous car ride and miracle moments, my wife gave birth to our first child, a baby girl. This experience has been truly mind-blowing. I was blessed to see my wife's superhuman strength and courage. We were further blessed by a perfect little bundle of life. It is hard for me not to stare at her all the time. My wife is more beautiful now than even before. We're nervously excited about parenting, its challenges and opportunities, happy to have such wonderful family and unrivaled friends, and looking forward to all the good times ahead.

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Audition: Verizon @ Ross Lacy Casting

Had an audition this morning for Ross Lacy...a nice Verizon series of 2-4 spots that would be sweet. I think the audition went great. The material was good and I felt comfortable with the comedy and awkward pauses. It was my first audition since...ta-da...my daughter was born last week.

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Shoot: First Energy

This spot was challenging physically, and we had a little hiccup with the contract. In the end, it was all ironed out by my fantastic agent, who helped me out on the phones and gave me great counsel. It was cool to work with several of the key crew who also shot Culver's in Houston. The Culver's spot is up and running in their markets, and available for your internet viewing HERE.

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Callback: FirstEnergy @ Craig Colvin, Booked: FirstEnergy @ Craig Colvin

This was same-day craziness. The callback had just a couple hours notice, but it worked perfectly with my schedule. I went into the room with my scene partner to meet the director, producer, agency people. Guess who? The same director and production company as Culver's from January. We did the spot a few times, then the director wanted to switch the roles. We did it a bunch of different ways with redirection, got some good laughs, and I went off to my day job. Craig called me personally tonight to tell me about the booking. That's 3 now in his office. I also learned that this particular director was Budweiser's main man for quite a few years, and that he likes to use people again. Bring it! We have to recover from the crippling blow delivered by the evil IRS.

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More reasons to backup your computer

I keep finding more and more things that I need but cannot recover/remember since the terrible hard drive crash of 2007. My postcard templates, records of submissions, who I sent what, who responded when...details I need are lost to the electronic ether. It's a slow road to recovery. I should have written more of it down in my calendar.

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Audition: FirstEnergy @ Craig Colvin

This was a political/psa type spot. I can't remember auditioning for one of these before. It went well.

All is moving along with our upcoming arrival. The past several months have flown by. We found out yesterday that our building, which we just moved into a few weeks ago, is being sold by the owner. We hope that doesn't mean we have to find another place to live any time soon.

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Callback: Verizon @ ASG

I just had a feeling about the original audition and expected the callback. I suppose I should do that every time. The callback seemed to go just fine. It's hard to tell. The only redirection my "wife" and I got was that the expression should be more awe and less fear. We "wow"ed a few times and got out of there. I'm going to the chiropractor today for a much needed adjustment, and we've got a hospital tour tonight. This is our chance to ask for directions.

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Audition: Verizon 2 @ ASG

This is the 2nd time in the last couple of weeks I've been to this particular office, which is conveniently located near our apartment. Sometimes, when sides are posted online, the notice I receive will mention it, and sometimes the notice does not. I always check to see if sides have been posted. There were very recent Verizon sides from this office, so I prepared with them. However, upon signing in, I saw that that the sides I worked on were not connected to the spot I was actually auditioning for. No problem though, because the new sides consisted of "Wow." In the room, we did the "wow" several different ways. I played with the delivery a little in my tail slate too, which seemed funny to everyone else. It's weird. Sometimes little stuff like that gets you the callback, or it could just tick people off. I think I have a pretty good ability to read the situation and know the difference.

For LIFE - We've been accomplishing more tasks to prepare baby space. We painted a couple of small sets of drawers and received a Bulldogs stroller my mom got for us. Last night, we attended a meet-and-greet of local Georgia alumni. It was nice to chat with people outside the frequently intense setting of game-watching.

Slow and Fast

Some things have been a little slow lately. Other things are moving along quickly. We're only 6 weeks away from having a baby girl in the house. We haven't settled on a name for her. Or we have, but we've misplaced it for the moment. We've been building cribs, moving furniture, obtaining furniture (a real table!), going to childbirth classes, yoga classes and reading "The Little Prince". We've been reading baby product guides and poring through the baby universe of the internet. My shower door has a stripped screw. The painters fixed our walls. We almost had a melt down of exhaustion at Lowe's and/or Outback. We had dinner at our very own table tonight with real chairs like big boys and girls. I'm working more at my day job at the moment, while getting things rolling with my reel and trying to redesign all the promo materials I lost in the hard drive crash of 2007. My reel can be found HERE. We got our taxes out to the accountants, and now we pray that the evil regular tax and the superevil Alternative Minimum Tax don't kick us in the face. It's a short spring training before the regular season, which will last us the next 20-30 years. We're excited, awed and unprepared in the best possible way for it all.

Audition & Callback: Numb3rs @ Mark Saks

I got a call out of the blue yesterday to go in for Numb3rs today. This was my first time back in the office this season, and with today's results, I'm 3 for 3 with callbacks. I was reading for two FBI agent roles, one of which I suspected would end up being a different type. That was confirmed in the room. I read for the other role a couple of times, and got the callback appointment for later in the afternoon. The producers' session was smaller than previous times I've been there. My bit was short and sweet. Mark said after the reading, "Wasn't that worth the drive." I just said, "Absolutely, anytime."

Audition: Ad Council @ ASG

There were 4 actors in the room on this scene and it was supposed to be an intense scenario. I'm torn about how this went...not sure I got to where I wanted to be within the scene. Who knows? These are sometimes the best.

Audition: GM (internet) @ Michael Sanford

People seem to seek me out for advice. Maybe I should be a psychologist. At the audition today, I ran into one of the other actors who was in Houston working on a Culver's spot a few weeks ago. She asked about the progress of the baby, etc. My scene partner overheard, and after a bit, was asking about my philosophy/fears on the big combo of parenting, the career, this town, etc. Another actor had his baby girl with him. He left her in the carrier outside the room, and several of us spent some time entertaining her. The audition was taking a bit, so she eventually tired of our schtick, but he came out just in time. I've seen a lot of actors with their babies at auditions. Guess we'll see how all that plays out with us. We're only 10 weeks or so away. It's exciting and there's still so much left to do. I guess you're never fully prepared, even with the 9 months.

The audition was good. It's for a series of webisode/commercials.

Audition: Charter Communications @ M Casting

This is not the cable company we're leaving, if you ad execs are out there reading this. I've noticed that even when a casting director puts, "Must be great with lots of dialogue", or something to that effect on a notice, there usually aren't all that many lines. Then again, I guess a lot of actors come from varied backgrounds, some who haven't worked in theatre, which may make it a rarer skill than I realize.

I've added a photo from the set to the Culver's posting.

Audition: Hyundai @ Gabrielle Schary

Quick and easy audition down in Santa Monica. There's just no good way to get there from where we live in the valley.

We're mostly moved into the apartment. Just a few items and some cleaning left at the old apartment. On Friday, if all goes well with our satellite installation, we'll be free of the cable company!!! Funny that I got the best customer service from them for my cancellation. That seems backward.

Callback: Aviva; Audition: NCB @ Ross Lacy

I had another fine day of multiple auditions. First up was the NCB audition. We had to adjust my call time so I could make it back up to Studio City for my callback. The audition was good. We did two takes. In the first, I probably played "the funny" a little too much. The second, we toned down a bit and played it more real to better effect.

The callback was huge. There were quite a few people there including a group for a different spot and it took a while. It's difficult to stay focused and relaxed when things run late. The waiting area was crowded and I was getting sleepy. When I was put on deck though, I just shook it all off and got ready. There were four of us at a time reading as a group. In that situation, I've learned to consider how I can be a contrast. This group was very low-key and dry, so I played the optimism and eagerness of the scene. It seemed to work well without tromping all over everything. There were laughs in the room again. Wait and see.

On Location: Culver's - Houston

A driver picked me up early Tuesday morning for the trek down to LAX. Even at 6am, we hit a snag in the traffic, which led to an adventurous detour. The guy got me there on time. It was nice to have the driver and the sleek SUV. Sweet ride. I flew out to Houston first class. Four of the five actors hired out of LA for their 4 spots were on my plane. I chatted with one of them on the way out. This plane had individual video units for each first class passenger. We had a selection of 19 movies, various TV shows, etc. So, I ate, watched a movie and we landed. The trip went by fast.

We were picked up by a PA from the airport and driven to our hotel. After a few minutes of getting checked in and settled in the room, we were driven to the fitting. I ended up wearing some new pants and a new sportcoat I just bought last week with a shirt from the production. Some of us had dinner at the only restaurant near our hotel, which was not in a great area, but the food was good.

Wednesday
Call time to leave the hotel was early and the weather was not cooperative. My spot was to be shot mostly outside, a drive-thru theme. I was concerned that we may not get it in. On set, there were contracts to fill out, makeup, hair, wardrobe, and then we got rolling about an hour late on my spot, even with a light, misty rain falling. The crew worked hard to keep the car clean and clear. With only a few different shots to knock out, and then some voice only versions for the sound, I was done and out of there by about 1:30pm. Before I left, they told me I was coming back to finish up on Thursday. I got back to the hotel, tired, but in need of a little walk. I walked to a mall that was about a mile or so away. When I entered, I could tell I was a little out of place. Without dawdling, I made a quick circuit and exit, walking back to the hotel.

Thursday
Another morning call time to wrap up the last few shots for the drive-thru spot. It was nice to get the extra day. The rest of the actors I flew with were travelling back to LA Thursday. A new actor arrived Wednesday night, and her spot was up first in the day. Today, I told the PA/driver about my jaunt down to the low-end mall. He told me the locals don't call our area "Greenspoint", they call it "Gunspoint". Yikes. Wish I had known that yesterday. The sky was overcast and it was even colder than Wednesday, but at least it wasn't raining...until I got in the car of course. This time, though, it only sprinkled a little and then held off until we were done. These shots were mainly on me for the reactions that form the "joke" of the thing. I felt good about the process, had fun on the takes and managed to flub my lines just once, and even then, there was a sound problem anyway. We had fun and played around with various tag lines and reactions. People around the monitors seemed to react well and laughed, but I didn't see any playback. We'll find out in the end. Thursday night, I was able to meet up with a cousin that I've rarely visited with. She was older than me growing up. Well, she's still older than me, but you kind of "catch up" at a certain age I guess. It was fun talking with her.



Friday
Back to LAX, back in the same SUV with the same driver, and home at last. This was the longest my wife and I had been apart since well before we got married. We moved some stuff into the new apartment in the afternoon. She had already moved a few things. We're making the transition at a comfortable speed. And so, it's back to work of a different sort, doing the day to day and working to get the next job. We all hope the Culver's job is the first of many this year.

Booked: Culver's

I got word late last night from my agent that I booked the Culver's job. It's nice to break through the avail gates and book a spot. It's my first official acting business trip.

Callback/Avail: Culver's @ Craig Colvin

I nailed this callback. I got the laughter immediately in the room, and they'd already seen it done 6 other times by my predecessors. After my first take, someone threw in the comment, "Check the gate," which, on a set, basically means we're done. The director redirected me twice more, solid laughter each time, and I was out of there. On the way back home, my agents called with the avail notice. I'm ready to break the avail cycle and shoot this thing in Houston next week. Pre-audition was interesting. I read the new copy and had a strong instinct for the vibe they wanted. There were some notes from the session runner that were a little contrary to what I was feeling. Sometimes, you have to just go with your gut. So, I decided I would go in with my instinctual read anyway, and let them adjust me if they felt it necessary. Before I even began, the director mentioned that I should feel free to let it fly a little bit and get bigger if I felt it. Precisely my instinct. It was nice to know that I was on track already.

My buddies met me over at our new apartment to help me move a fridge from another apartment in the complex into our place. That thing was a beast. It was the first time I've seen the apartment since we first viewed it. There's new carpet, new countertops, a new sink, and the cleaning crew is coming Saturday. I think we'll try to get our stuff shifted over next week sometime, pending the utility switcheroo.

Audition: Aviva @ Francene Selkirk-Ackerman

This spot involves swimming in open water - exciting. They asked us to rate our swimming abilities on a scale of 1-4. I hate these kinds of ratings. I'm a good swimmer, no racing. I don't do laps all the time and I don't swim often, but I can swim. Is "4" Olympic quality? I mean, it IS the top rating, so I wouldn't think you could find a better swimmer than a "4". Is a "3" someone who couldn't compete in the Olympics but did swim on their high school team? Is "2" someone who can swim across the short side of a pool, but not without a break in the middle? Is "1" someone who requires swimmies? I overthink these things and that's why I hate them. I put 3.5, which is a cop out, maybe, but at least says I don't think I'm the greatest swimmer you'll see but I won't drown on your shoot.

Callback: Pizza Hut @ Ross Lacy

Sound the trumpets! I had my first callback in the office that has called me in more than any other. My original scene partner and I were teamed up again for the callback. I know for a fact that our dialogue portion was solid again. We were redirected a few times. Since he was playing the "hero" guy, he had to stay and eat a slice of pizza. As I was signing out, the session runner popped back out to ask me to hang on and run the thing one more time switching the roles. That went well too. Then, I also had to eat the slice. I didn't feel quite as good about this. They get very, very specific with how they want you to eat something in a commercial. I did the take multiple times with slight adjustments in the direction each time, but I'm not sure I nailed it. I think I was better for the other role anyway.

Audition: Culver's @ Craig Colvin

Had a quick audition today in Craig Colvin's office. I hadn't been there in a bit. The audition was for Culver's, which is apparently a restaurant chain in the Midwest. I also just got a call from my agents with the callback info for Pizza Hut tomorrow.

Life: Apartment Successfully Hunted

A big relief...we found an apartment and came in under our max budget. The place is massive compared to our humble one bedroom, which has been very good to us. The new two bedroom has wonderful closet space with built-in shelves and cabinets. We'll have a real, full-sized kitchen, and an area where we can have a proper table and chairs for eating instead of eating on the couch all the time. The building is well cared for with a pool, and the manager has been there a long time. We're excited about the move and getting ready for our new roommate's arrival in May.

Audition: McDonald's @ Deborah Kurtz

This audition was ok. It was one of those "sit in the chair and give a couple looks like this..." kind of deals. Who knows? Watch these fast food spots and pay attention. You will only see skinny people associated with the company doing the advertising. A regular Joe might appear to represent the competition. For instance, that Subway spot I got called back for before Christmas is running all the time now. There's a guy who eats burgers (my role) who gets not so subtly nailed for having a big butt. I guess I should be flattered that they didn't cast me.

Our meeting with the doula was good. She seems like a very nice, knowledgeable birthing helper person consultant. Not sure what the exact description is. We spent the entire morning driving around looking for "For Rent" signs. Why do people put out a "For Rent" sign without saying how many bedrooms? They must get a ton of calls like ours - "How many bedrooms?...oh...thanks." Click. We're at sea in a world of people who don't think. Unfortunately, we seem to have experienced a serious rent escalation around here. The stuff we looked at today was already at the top of our price range and most were not acceptably appointed. We walked into one place that was renting for $1250/month (sadly one of the cheapest), and every single apartment's patio was loaded with trash. The whole place smelled like a dump. It was startling that someone would let their property deteriorate to that level.

Life: Belly moving

Last night was another milestone in the pregnancy adventure. While I was brushing my teeth, my wife said, "Ok, I just saw my belly move." I finished the brushing, and then we watched her belly for about 10 minutes straight. It's so wild. The visible movement is small right now, just a little fluttering here and there, but it feels much stronger than previously. We hired a doula, which is basically a personal childbirth assistant, since we don't have a lot of resources ourselves out here and it's our first time. My wife has obviously met her already, but I'll be meeting her for the first time Friday. We have to find a childbirth class, I have a couple of books to read, and we have to find a new apartment before things get out of hand, or rather, belly.

Audition: Pizza Hut @ Ross Lacy

This office calls me in more than any other, and I'm waaaaay overdue for a hit. The audition went great. "Must eat meat." No problem. I love these pizza or food auditions in the morning. They frequently have the real food there, but you know they can't get it at 10am. So, it's been in someone's fridge overnight. Delicious.

Audition: Purina @ Jessica J.; Production idea?

Today was cool. I had an audition for Purina in a new (to me) office. The audition felt really strong again. No actual dog in the room, but a stuffed bear filled in nicely as my scene partner.

Over the last week, a reality show idea has taken root in my head. It's not a stupid reality game show, but more along the lines of something you'd see on TLC or HGTV or something. A friend of mine works for a successful producer in this arena and arranged a phone call for me. We talked for a few minutes, he gave me some good ideas about what to do next and offered future assistance as well. I've got to do some more conceptualizing, but it's fun to bat it around.

Callback: AT&T @ Joe Blake

The audition was before the holidays. Luckily, the callbacks were scheduled to be after we got back. I was supposed to have a scene partner, but the guys for the other role weren't there at the time. Instead, the session runner played along with me. I think it was a solid callback. The director gave me some re-direction a few times, let me improvise a little, and I got laughs in the room, which is usually a good sign.

Audition: Tidy Cat @ Dowd/Roman

Tidy Cat! My first audition ever for a pet product. No cats were present for the audition. They were ahead of schedule here, which rarely happens anywhere. I showed up, signed in, and was almost immediately whisked into the room. There were more girls than guys, so I was coupled up with two different "wives". The spot is simple and cute. Daddy needs to book!

Speaking of which, for those who don't know, we found out that we're due for a girl.

Audition: KFC @ Deborah Kurtz; AT&T @ Joe Blake

Back to back auditions, perfectly timed, conveniently located...nice. Both went great I think, aside from a slight delay on a line in one take at the KFC audition. It was one of those moments when I hadn't forgotten the words, they just would not come out of my mouth. It seemed like forever, but was probably just a second or two before I got back on track. Luckily, we were doing additional takes anyway. The AT&T was very smooth. After all that, I met a friend before he left for the holidays, and then had to jet off to work. Then, it was back to the house for holiday cleaning and visiting with another friend since we're departing Thursday ourselves.

Audition: Jack in the Box @ Alyson Horn

Jack in the Box is a fast food chain out here with some clever commercials. The audition was quick, good, and I got to wear the exact same thing I wore in my wedding. It's the nicest tie I have.

Baby: Overwhelmed R We

Anyone reading this --- it's not a registry.

My wife and I traded freakouts last night. We R going to be in/around Atlanta for the holidays, which is the only time we'll be around there before the baby arrives, and the only time for showers and such to take place. It's fantastic and so kind of friends and family to want to do this. Even though it's too early to be carting a lot of stuff around, we felt we should start a registry or something or at least start investigating the world of baby supplies. Friday, we went to Babies R Us after finding one about 40 minutes from our place. Mistake?

If you've never been in one, let me share. As we walked through the door, we were immediately greeted by a massive registry desk with about 10 chairs seated around multiple computer stations. Is there a "rush"/season for babies? We discussed before we went in that we didn't want to sit through a big sales pitch, so I stood while Corrin sat down to fill out the form. The lady asked if we were in a hurry. "Absolutely." The short version still took her 7 minutes, complete with a Babies R Us credit card pitch. "Just think of those 10% off coupons!" Ooooooooooooh. Then the manager has to come by and stumble through the same credit card pitch, even suggesting that people who buy something from our registry should be encouraged to sign up for the credit card and get 10% off the purchase. "Thanks, we'll be SURE to pass that along to all our financially ignorant friends and family."

Set scanners for stunned.
There we were, adrift in the sea of baby merchandise. With the constant reminders of unsafe manufacturing practices in China, not to mention their militaristic regime and penchant for screwing things up in the world, we do know that we'd like to avoid the "Made in China" label. What kind of bottles? Don't know, need to research. What kind of pacifier? Silicon vs. Latex. Silicon. Great, which ones? Classic Gerber - made in China. No thanks. Never heard of this brand - Made in Germany. We have a winner. Why is everything pastel? Diaper Genie II vs. Diaper Genie vs. Diaper Champ? Research. Fold up placemat thing. Sure. Washcloths - China. Onesies - China. I'm still not sure what a "onesie" is.

And then, the car seats, strollers and swings. Holy mackerel. 25 options each. Where do you start? I'm not sitting in it and I have to have one before I have a baby to put in it, so I can't even test the heft. How can I possibly differentiate? Infant seat vs. Convertible. Removable car seat bucket thing vs. Stay-in-car. Drop seat in stroller vs. Stand alone stroller. Some of those strollers R tanks the size of my kitchen. Where would I put that? How do they break down? Slide here, push there, lift this while depressing that and BANG--it's just that easy.

We know we want a baby pack thing. Hey, we can try those on! Where do you unclip the...tighten the...strap the...unhook the...snap the... Yes! I have achieved full pack-readiness! However, my pack is empty. Now, how do I know what it feels like to have an 8-20 pound sack of my progeny in there? Hmmm...you could just pull down on it. ummm...Ok.

YOU MUST HAVE A THEME FOR YOUR KID's ROOM!!! We don't even have a room yet! Blankets - China. Wraps - China. Hats - China. Sheets - China. Booties - China. Wooden freakin' blocks - China! Play mats - China. Now I picture China as a vast, very brightly colored, animal (possibly aquatic) themed play set. How can they possibly make everything, especially in a country full of so many cool things to play with?

The freakout. So, believe it or not, we weren't even freaked out at that point. We were so not freaked out, that we were able to go into a store where I could try on shoes and BUY them. Some of you know how difficult this is for me. Maybe it was an effort on my part to do something certain. My wife was there for the critical fashion eye. She brought me the candidates. "I like these. I will buy them. I am done."

Last night, was the freakout. I have a stack of books I'm supposed to read. Corrin was looking through possible registry sites after we decided that we don't really want to register at Babies R Us. Then, she started getting a little overwhelmed about having to decide on a stroller, car seat and all that now. She asked for help and asked that I start looking through "Baby Bargains" to find out what we really need. I did. That led to lots of detailed stuff about car seats I hadn't even known existed. The LATCH system. Which car seat fits which car? Huh? They don't ALL fit? You may have to drill a hole in your floorboard. What!? Call a Canadian dealer to find out the part number of this bolt. Are you kidding me? Every review of every seat and stroller has pros/cons that don't seem to really help you sort it out. On top of that, it's not a new book, so good luck finding some of those items. On top of that, we have to find a new apartment to store baby stuff for 3-4 months. Oh, and unrelated, Georgia got shafted by the BCS. My turn to freakout. Bourbon is good.

Where we "R" now.
Researching seats, strollers and non-store-specific registry sites. Researching whether it's possible that someone out there somewhere sells something that isn't made in China. The shower will almost have to be gift cards and whatever little things people give at showers. Crisis averted. Holiday excitement restored. Sugar Bowl enthusiasm in tact. Bourbon empty.

Audition: Microsoft @ Francene Selkirk

I believe this is my second time into this office. The audition went well I think, but again, it's one of those computery types. I seem to get called in for these, but I wonder if it's just as a counterpoint to the usual guys. Maybe I need to get some of those black, square framed glasses and give them a run.

Thanksgiving 2007

For Thanksgiving this year, we flew to Dallas to visit my grandmother, aunt, uncle, cousins on my dad's side of the family. Dad flew out too. It was a quick trip from Wednesday to Friday. We flew out of Burbank, which is waaaaay better than LAX. It's small, quick and friendly. Crazy. As part of the visit, we broke out some old home movies and an old projector. The projector still worked, which was a minor miracle, and the movies ran. It was quite a trip in the time machine to see the 6-year old me, my baby bro, my grandfather, my parents and everyone else 25 years in the past. Funny what you can remember so vividly.

This picture is from our lunch stop after we arrived in Dallas. We went to a BBQ place that was, as advertised, delicious. However, I don't quite get the diving connection. By the way, she's diving into a baked potato loaded with beef barbecue, cheese and sour cream. Good thing she's wearing a cap!


My Georgia Bulldogs are #4 in the BCS without a chance to win the SEC championship but virtually guaranteed a BCS Bowl. There's even a chance it could be the Rose Bowl, about 20 minutes from my apartment, or the Fiesta Bowl, a 6 hour ride to Phoenix. The Rose would be tough to make based on our travel schedule for Christmas, but if they get the Fiesta Bowl, we're going!

Life: Apartment Hunting in Los Angeles - things you should know

My wife and I are apartment hunting again. This reminds me why I hate looking for a new place to live. Here are a few pet peeves, some from Craigslist/classified services and the rest from the overall rental process.

1. Craigslist posts with generic email addresses (i.e. laishome@inbox.com) and identical photos posted on disparate listings clearly trolling to spam you. I will flag you all day and then come back and flag you again.

2. Posts that are purposefully miscategorized. Don't post in the rental section looking for roommates. Don't post your "lease to own" in the rental section. Don't advertise your foreclosure lists in the rental section.

3. Posts with headlines for a 2BR that turn out to be a 1BR with a den or a "spacious" 1BR. Folks, we know what a bedroom is. It's not the living room.

4. Posts that don't list the street address or at least the nearest cross street. There's no "luxury" anything in Panorama City, which brings me to...

5. The rampant abuse of the English language. I've included a handy decoder, but when in doubt, assume the opposite.
Luxury - having at least two walls and a sink
Deluxe - comes with lettuce, tomato & a trash bin
Lush - a dusty ficus tree circa 1977 in the entryway
Gorgeous - walls have been painted white
Adjacent - when connected to a neighborhood name (i.e. Sherman Oaks-Adjacent), if you close your eyes and imagine as hard as you can, you'll still be 15 minutes from Sherman Oaks
Quiet Building - noisy neighborhood, lots of traffic and vagrants
Charm - a nice looking man died in here 20 years ago
Lavish - the toilet handle is gold-colored and the tile is pink
Reasonable - unreasonable
Lots of Extras - you don't have to pay the lawnmower guy to mow our property and you get your own mailbox!
Renovated/Remodeled - new paint, carpet, we cleaned the mold off the tub, the tile isn't pink anymore or it's even more pink than before!

Strike

Today, a friend of mine picked me up and we drove down to Century City where the WGA was holding a unified rally for the day instead of picketing individual studios. This is officially the first time I've walked the line. There were tons of people there. Representatives from some of the agencies in town milled about with power bars, churros, donuts, sandwiches, etc. We picked up signs for "SAG in solidarity". It was very interesting. There was a sign that echoed my earlier post on the subject, wondering what's the big deal with "2.5% of $0?" If there's no money, you pay zero. Seems easy enough. At various points, we were mixed in with the staff from "My Name is Earl" with "The Office" crowd nearby. A couple of the guys from "Reno 911" were in costume.

Empty Coffee Cups

Felt like blogging about a pet peeve of mine. Last night, we watched an episode of "Life". I like Damian Lewis in the lead role, and I've generally enjoyed the first few episodes. However, last night, apart from some huge continuity issues, the specter of my pet peeve raised its ugly head. Ever notice those little coffee cups? Someone has one in virtually every episode of every show or one scene in every movie. Often, they are the paper variety with the plastic lids. Unfortunately, it is frightfully obvious that the cups are completely empty. You can tell by the way the actors hold the cups, pass the cups, gesticulate with the cups. I don't understand this. As many coffee cups as we've all held... If pretending is difficult, then why can't they put water in them to give them weight and a semblance of reality? I understand not wanting to put hot coffee in them, but the water makes a lot of sense.

Welcome to the world of my hyper-critical eye. Still, I hate being jolted out of the experience of the story by something so easily corrected. Anyone else?

Strike and stuff

We live in the vicinity of Universal Studios, and I've driven by there a couple of times since the writers' strike began. I've seen plenty of "strikes" elsewhere at which there's one or two people holding up a giant sign that says something like, "Shame on Ramses Construction". You see those and don't really think about them. This WGA strike is interesting because it's the first time I've really been up close with a strike that I understand enough to form an opinion. I see the writers' point.

Sometimes people read a few things in the paper and conclude that the strike is all about these filthy rich writers who already make tons of money off their cushy little jobs wanting even more money so they can fuel there coke habits. They're not all filthy rich, and not all have coke habits. I think. My understanding of this particular strike is that it is based on the considerations of "emerging media" or other fancy terms for internet streaming, downloads, etc. More and more entertainment is being offered via the web, and writers feel like now's the time to make sure there's an appropriate compensation structure in place to cover it. I agree with them. It is important. The trend seems to be toward more offerings online, which could conceivably take a huge chunk out of conventional TV/cable or replace it. You snooze you lose in this case. The studios and corporations want to deny or discount the potential of the internet becoming a major profit source for them. Here's where they lose me. If it's not going to be that big a deal, then...umm...what's the big deal? Let the writers have a percentage of $0. But it's not $0. There are ads on the websites. The online episodes may have ads before and/or after the viewing. As promotional material it drives viewers back to the network or particular channel. It would seem to be all tied in together to me. The outcome of this strike will affect the upcoming negotiations for SAG and other unions. So, it affects me. I hope it gets resolved soon.

Audition: Mr. Clean @ Craig Colvin

This was another of those after which you walk out laughing at the silly things we do in this line of work. Four of us guys went into the room at a time and were positioned behind four random objects (mine was a blender). Our mission was to smell the objects and enjoy the fresh clean scent over and over again until the session runner ended it. So, I smelled the blender and smelled it some more. Delightful.

A little Ghost Whisperer follow-up...the role was changed to require someone with blue eyes. So, no dice there.

What up Daddy-o?

This is another of the cool things happening right now.

Audition: Ghost Whisperer @ Donna Rosenstein Casting

This audition for Ghost Whisperer was a happy occurrence for a number of reasons. Obviously, it's good to get more auditions for TV/Film. It also validates my strategy to leverage my Atlanta network as well doing my own work. Houghton Talent, my Atlanta agency, is enthusiastically submitting me electronically. This was our first team hit. The casting assistant who brought me into the room said, "Chris, cool! I didn't know if you would make it since your agent was in Atlanta." The CD mentioned it too. Whatever it takes, you know. The audition went great...another guy who is doomed. Aside from "Passions" and Jimmy Kimmel, just about all my TV auditions have been for ill-fated characters. My callback ratio for TV prior to this is 100%, booking is 60%. I don't expect there will be any callbacks for this one. They'll just cast off the tape.

Audition: Home Depot @ Ross Lacy

I did a number of Home Depot industrials when I lived in Atlanta. This may be only the first time I've auditioned for a Home Depot commercial here. The audition went great. You've probably seen the spots with their NASCAR driver, Tony Stewart. This will be one of them. It would be interesting to work with a non-actor personality on a shoot.

Audition: Red Robin Restaurant @ Landau/McRae

This was a quick-hitter down in Santa Monica. I felt right for it and that the audition was good. The session runner was an actor I met at the Subway callbacks. He gave me a couple of ideas and we did it twice. Seemed fine. My first time in this office.

Audition: Jury Duty @ Burbank Court House

I got the call to fulfill my civic obligation. Right after I found out that I had to report, I got an audition for a FedEx national...naturally. I reported to the courthouse and decided against postponing my service since I have no way of knowing if one week will be more convenient than the next (auditions, work, etc.). I decided to just go with it and figured I'd be vetoed by the lawyers anyway based on my fairly closely-held beliefs in personal accountability and my ability to see through BS. When I finally got into the courtroom, the judge told everyone that the trial was expected to last at least 2 and a half weeks and that he would hear excuses or "hardships" from the potential jurors. As he went around the room row by row, people had the usual...single income household, contractors, childcare problems, etc. No actors, until me, the last person in the room. I made a quick joke about being surprised to be the only actor in the room, then just explained my situation and that while I'm happy to serve, the length of such a trial would damage my ability to develop my business which depends on short-notice availability. In particular, it would hurt at this time of year when things are so busy. He asked me some questions, and, after consulting with the attorneys, excused me. This afternoon, I got another audition for tomorrow. I'm glad it worked out.

Callback: Subway @ popcasting

The callbacks were in a different location, Santa Monica instead of W. Hollywood. The drive down the 405 in the morning is never much fun, but I left in plenty of time to at least avoid fretting about getting there. It was another video conference audition with the ad guys (I guess) on the video feed, but the director was in the room. We did it a bunch of different ways, and I felt good about my adjustments each time.

Audition: Budweiser @ TLC/Booth

This was my first time into this office...an important office based on the type of directors they work with. I saw a friend from my commercial class too. The wardrobe for this one was tough to figure out "Upscale professional and upscale casual moving attire". I settled on a golf shirt and khakis but took a button down in case it seemed more office-y. When I got there, the sides were from a weekend office football game. Some other actors were a little dressier like me, and others were casual. Nothing in the sides about moving. Later, we found out that the scene we were actually auditioning for had no dialogue, so we were given the lines from a different scene to overlay onto the moving scenario (kind of) instead. It was mostly, "work hard, drink beer to chill." I can handle that.

Between Subway and Budweiser, I managed to squeeze in another audition for an animation thesis at USC and a rehearsal for another student short I'm doing. Then, I picked up my pal Will for a quick writing/idea jam and then UCB improv class at night. It was a day packed with acting.

Audition: Subway @ popcasting

Recently, I've had several auditions at which the information (wardrobe, sides, etc.) given beforehand has nothing to do or very little to do with what's really happening at the audition. This was one of those. The email said to get the sides from the website. As there was only one set of sides I could find for Subway in a recent timeframe from this office, I set to work on them last night. It wasn't a ton of dialogue, but a hefty chunk with a lengthy list that had to be delivered. When I got to the audition, that scene was not the one I was auditioning for. Fortunately, the new one had less dialogue and a premise that wasn't at all difficult to grasp. That's also why I try to arrive at least 30min early...just in case.

Audition: Bud Light @ Joe Blake

A beer commercial too! Finally! There was a little trouble in this one...lots of dialogue and my scene partner and I weren't communicating somehow. I guess we'll see.

Audition: Comcast @ Ross Lacy

I go into this office a lot, but haven't booked or avail'd yet. This one was another improvised scene, a phone conversation with a brother I don't talk to much. I felt like I nailed it, and had a good reaction from the session runner. I'm way overdue.

Audition: Arby's @ Beth Holmes; Callback: NFL Network

Busy day... I've been in for Beth Holmes casting several times and seem to get close. This one was a little weird because the breakdown clearly said "casual", but most of the other guys there were dressed up. Sure enough, the spot was set in an office breakroom. How does that happen?

Got the callback for that good NFL Network audition. This one was weird too. I got there and was the only guy who looked like me for the role, and there were quite a few people. The sides were completely different and it was clear they were after the nerdy computer type yet again. I looked more like a guy in another role that had apparently already been cast. When will this geeky thing end?

Audition: NFL Network @ Typecasting

Great! A football spot at last! My first audition for this office went very well. We were improvising a discussion about football, with some written dialogue to get in there. I had the session runner and CD laughing which is usually a good sign.

Audition/Booked: Faithful Paradox @ USC

I haven't really been looking to do any student films in a long time, but I stumbled upon an interesting one. It's a well-written scene and a good role for me, so I went to the audition and got the role. It'll shoot one day in October.

Witness

On September 11 of last week, I was rolling in the car, finishing up a lesson with a student when I witnessed a terrible motorcycle accident. A guy on a "crotch rocket" zoomed past us heading to a point where the road gently curves left. Just as he began to pass, he hit the accelerator just a bit more and, unable to match the curve, began to slide toward the curb on the right side of the road. His bike grazed the curb creating sparks and causing him to completely lose it. The motorcycle crashed into the curb, the rider was thrown and one or both of them hit a light pole there. We stopped the car and I jumped out to get on the phone with 911. The guy was seriously messed up. Other passers-by came to assist, and I relayed the instructions from the operator giving as much detail as I could. It wasn't pretty. The guy lost at least the lower half of one of his legs and who knows what kind of internal injuries he had. I've never seen anything so horrible in person. It's bad when the operator asks if you can put the guy's leg in a clean plastic bag. I don't even watch that kind of stuff on the movies. It's a real reminder of how fragile life is and how a stupid decision can change your life in a moment. I don't think I'll ever get on a motorcycle after seeing that. For those of you riding them, be smart about it. For those of us driving any sort of vehicle, stay focused and vigilant.

Audition: SoCal Honda @ Alyson Horn

Well, again, I had another good read in the room. The session was running behind with some actors showing up 2 hours before their actual appointment times. When I'm sitting there waiting and waiting, I try not to beat the material to death. It can be difficult to keep your mind clear and not let the situation affect you. You think about feeding the meter or having to move your car to avoid a parking ticket. You think about the traffic worsening. Or, you just kick back, relax and try to avoid inhaling the dog hair flying around with the arrival of someone's pooch.

Audition: Wendy's @ Ross Lacy

I get called in to Ross' quite a bit, but haven't seemed to break through just yet. This was for one of the "red wig" series they're running now. To be honest, I don't have a good sense of how this one went. And so...as always, we wait and see.

Audition: Southwest Airlines @ Melissa Martin

I had another good audition today. It has been a little while since I've been in for Melissa. This one specifically mentioned improv as a requirement. There were still sides, but in the second take we improvised. I'm back in class at UCB and feeling good about stretching my improv muscles again. It had been a little too long. I felt great about the audition and the work I'm doing in the rooms.

Audition & Callback: "Life's Chronicles" @ Josh Einsohn and Melanie Burgess

Friday, I got an audition notice from one of the online casting resources I use scheduled for Sunday (today). I haven't had many from this particular site, so I'm not quite as familiar with the functions and layout as I am with the other sites. Somehow, in reading the parking instructions and reviewing my submission history, I got it in my head that I was auditioning for "Life" which is a new show that Josh is working on. The role I submitted for was only 2 lines. It was funny and weird, and I didn't want to overcook it. We did rent the NBC Fall Preview DVD to watch the pilot episode. This morning, I worked until 12, got home to go over the other characters' sides to get a feel for the show. The character description for my role was in one of the other character's sides. "Bald with a big beard..." Uh-oh. I quickly double-checked the audition notice and my submissions and discovered that there was in fact a short film I submitted for called "Life's Chronicles". I subsequently retrieved the sides for that...6 pages...with only 30 minutes before I had to leave to get there. Yikes. I got to work and got comfortable quickly, went to the audition, got the callback for the same afternoon. The callbacks went well too. I feel good about delivering another good showing with a new casting director. Melanie, the associate on this project, is also an associate on ER.

Right after the callbacks, we had some people over for a cookout to celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday. I got ice cream cake! Haven't had one of those in a while. He's out here for a week, and we're seeing some sights like The Getty Museum, doing some hikes, etc.

Surprise: Stainmaster Carpets

I got a surprise check in the mail today. The Stainmaster Carpets commercial I shot in Atlanta a bit before we moved was renewed. The residuals are nice even though it was a non-union job. Things have been kinda slow and very hot around here. I have an audition today for a UCLA student project and the second class of my latest improv level at UCB.

We were in Boston a couple of weeks ago for a cousin's wedding. Boston seems like a nice city, but we weren't able to explore much. I did have my first ever lobster. Tasty. This week, my brother-in-law is visiting, so we'll be roaming around here quite a bit. My Georgia Bulldogs kicked off their season last weekend with a whooping of Oklahoma State. I love having the game-watching festivities here with fellow alumni. Fall is great.

Sick: Hard drive disaster

Got word today that our hard drive is beyond recovery. I guess the universe is doing us a favor in not forcing us to put a price tag on our photos (which cannot be replaced) and our files (which will be...with time). Now, we have to get a new computer and a new laptop. Yeehaw. I will never be without back up again.

Audition: AIG @ Lisa Fields

This one came in about an hour and a half before my appointment. Luckily, it was in the morning, so I could do it with no problem. The role I was reading for, according to the breakdown, was an audience member. When I got there, they said I was, in fact, to be singing on stage a song I don't really know with no music. Supposedly, they didn't want it to be too good, which means they should love me.

In other news, my procrastination in backing up the files on our home computer is either going to cost us a significant amount of dough to recover the data (photos, biz files, etc.) or we'll just have to cut our losses and lose it altogether. The hard drive broke down Thursday night sometime. I find out today how many pounds of flesh the recovery place wants to give me my files back. And, it all could've been prevented with a little $100 backup drive. Don't procrastinate people. Back up!

Audition: Hungry Man @ Beth Holmes

Lots of same-day auditions popping up recently. What can I say about how it went? You know the drill.

Audition: McDonald's @ Jessica J.; Audition: Wendy's @ [skirts]

Fast food marathon for me today. The first was a blue collar deal with a few lines and an office I hadn't seen before. The audition was running a little behind, with my second audition scheduled within a half hour of the first. Luckily, the second was more flexible, so I made them both. The Wendy's audition was another of those in which what they intend to pull off in the spot, with special effects, stunts, etc., is somewhat difficult to fake in confines of the audition itself. I often wonder how they make the translation when they watch the tape. Some auditions in the past included such challenges as floating on the ceiling or changing pants in "the car" while holding an unattached steering wheel. I won't say which one it was, but in one audition, my scene partner had to throw a rope up, ostensibly catching it on a building, and then climb it. In improvisation, we do crazy stunts like this all the time, and it works because we don't have props. It's all in the imagination. This guy had to use an actual rope. So, when you throw it up, it comes back down on your head...kinda tough to climb. It's a funny world.

Audition: Verizon @ Ross Lacy

I've been into this office a number of times, but haven't had any hits yet. Again today, I felt I had a very strong audition and the role was a perfect fit. The Fall football tie-ins are beginning which is good news for me!

Audition: Cisco @ Megan Foley/Chuck Marra

Another new office for me. I think this was more of an in-house/demo project than a commercial. It was tough for the guy in the other role. Mine was mostly reactions to the zany things he was doing. My scene partner and I were the first ones up, which isn't ideal when the audition involves a lot of physicality like that. Over the course of the day, the CD's get a better idea of how to set up the wacky stuff within the confines of the audition.

I had two workshops last week. One is a three-weeker with Christal Karge of Liberman/Patton casting, and the other was just a one-time thing with Will Stewart of Linda Lowy Casting. Both went great.

Seattle

We spent last weekend in Washington for the reunion and had a lot of fun. It was also exhausting and HOT. Apparently, the area was experiencing a bit of an unusual heat wave with temperatures in the 100's for the wine country area where the reunion actually took place. Last Wednesday, we flew into Seattle where my friend picked us up from the airport. The Seattle skyline is beautiful at night, and the view of Mt. Rainier on the flight in was also amazing. We stayed with him and his wife at their place in Everett before picking up Corrin's brother and grandma for the drive down to Yakima on Thursday. Since we had no set time to arrive, we took the scenic route through the national forest near Mt. Rainier. The drive was fantastic. Along the way, we saw a sign in Auburn, WA which read, "If it goes up or blows up, it's illegal in Auburn." Within a mile or so of this sign, we must've left Auburn, because we drove by a huge cluster of fireworks stalls scattered around a large lot. The lot itself was absolutely covered with debris from spent fireworks. Apparently when the hunger to light up the sky overwhelms them, the Auburnites can simply walk next door and Roman candle, crackle, shell, and rocket to their hearts content.

We stopped off in the park at a picturesque stream with views of Rainier, the forest and valley below, and a little snow right there by the road. The closer we got to our destination, the more signs popped up advertising FRUIT! of all kinds, various ciders, shakes and delights, and then, my personal favorite, Walla Walla Sweet Onions. I don't appreciate the onions themselves, but I like to read signs exactly as they are written. Somehow, this one came out with a bit of a robotic voice and the result was a funny bit that lasts and lasts. From Walla Walla Sweet Onions, I branched out into Walla Walla anything. One other favorite sign "Fruit Antiques". Maybe you had to be there.

On Friday, we took a leisurely float down the Yakima River with Corrin's parents and bro. The outfitter who rented us the raft had zero sense of humor, sarcasm or wit. She probably thought we were jerks or insane city-folk. That night, the reunion started with a dinner and showings of old home movies and photos. Saturday was a wine-tasting tour. Overall, I was unimpressed by the offerings of Washington wine. There were decent options at Bonair (very entertaining owner), Silver Lake and Sagelands (the best overall experience of the bunch and the site of our brunch on Sunday). The reunion ended Sunday, and we drove back to Everett to have dinner with our friends. We spent the night in Seattle and headed back to Burbank early Monday morning, then went straight to work.

Stay tuned

Acting-wise, not much has transpired in the last couple of weeks. I participated in a workshop with casting director Scott David. Due to some administrative issues, I didn't find out I was "in" until that morning while I was working. As a result, I didn't have a chance to work on the sides until just before the workshop started. Neither of the character choices really fit me, but I picked the scene with a cop since that's something I could definitely play on "Criminal Minds". The performance went well. He redirected me and complimented me on my versatility in taking the adjustment. You never know when the workshops will pay off. It could be a while before you get called, but I feel good about the work I've done in these so far.

Corrin and I went to see "Wicked" for her birthday. It was a good show. The witches in particular were excellent performers. The show itself didn't have as many memorable songs, and some of the tie-ins to "The Wizard of Oz" didn't make sense. We had dinner beforehand at The Smokehouse in Burbank. It had an old Hollywood flavor and the food was tasty too. Overall, it was a great night out. We leave for Seattle in a couple of days for a family reunion (Corrin's side). I've never been to Washington state, so I'm looking forward to it.