3 weeks later

Since my last post I've flown to Denver and back, had a few auditions, started teaching a new class and continue to excel at a meaningless job. don't get me wrong, I am happy to have the work, I would simply rather be doing the things I love to do... but wouldn't we all. Whilst in Denver, I worked with some folks I'd seen before and had a good time of it. I was working a trade show for Kimberly Clark selling impenetrable OR gowns. (that is Operating Rooms... not the conjunction) It turned out to be more fun than I thought it would be. I basically served as a carnival baker in attempts to lure all the RN's that would listen to the booth. For those who don't know, the live industrial is an interesting animal. You get a lot of folks looking for free stuff and then the small percentage who are actually interested in what you are selling. The ancillary benefit is you usually get to roam the floor and bag some free stuff yourself... or "S.W.A.G." (stuff we all get) as it is referred to in the trade. This time I didn't get the chance... but I did get to see the TSAs in Denver do their job while smiling and carrying on conversations with passenger. I almost freaked out... after all I live in Atlanta where the TSAs make you feel like you are imposing on their time by going through the security line. It was refreshing.

The auditions I had have been all over the map. One for a pilot... that involved an airline pilot, one for a movie called "Red" where I played a frightened flower shop clerk who was being thrown in a closet(I didn't get it), another for a movie called "Butter" where I played a butter sculptor. Pretty sure I didn't get that one either. Then I just auditioned for a TLC cross-promo. It is an ad for Lysol Handi-wipes... the future is TBD on that one. I played a bumbling dad who is trying, and failing, to fix the sink creating a huge mess that mom then has to clean up use the aforementioned wipes. Three weeks of auditions... things need to improve. I did however do a voice job for Bob Evans... I use the term "job" loosely because, while I was paid, it's what is called a spec spot. That means, they don't know if they want to use it. It' a pitch right now to the client. If they choose to use it, then I will get paid in a real sense... not a life changing sense, more of a "hey, I can pay for power this month" sense.

I am still doing improv from time to time. I get a lot of joy from doing these shows. Most of the time they are or elementary school or middle schools. In the past couple of weeks I've done both. First I did an elementary school in a very affluent area. In fact, en route to said school, I passed what looked like a castle in a hill. I mentioned it to the teachers and there had been some speculation that it was Ushers house, though no one seemed to know for sure. The shows went well, we did one scene where we were tunneling and we pushed ourselves through the audience stepping over children and the like... the kids just love that kind of stuff. The middle school shows went well too, I suppose. We did have an unusual incident when we asked for volunteers from the audience. Small preface, we go to the teachers to help us select volunteers since they know their student better than we do. We asked for volunteers who were physically able and love to move about. One teacher sent us a 300lb student in a wheelchair, no exaggeration here. I understand diversity and wanting to encourage your students... but really? Why not send up Terri Schivao... too soon? Seriously, we did a scene only moments before involving verbal acuity, that would have been a good fit for this student... not the game where you have to pantomime playing football! That is the beauty of improv, I suppose... in the immortal words of Ms. Gump "you never know what you are gonna get."

the week thus far... or in review

So last weekend I played football on Saturday, like I normally do. It was fun and, more importantly, I didn't injure myself. On Sunday I did an Improv show for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation on the basketball court of Phillips Arena. It had a couple of good points and bad. It was cool to be on the court where the Hawks play... we did our show in the "key", for those of you unfamiliar with basketball nomenclature the key is the painted rectangular part under the hoop. We did the show for an appreciative audience. We had some nice, funny little scenes. However, we were doing our show simultaneously with a magic show on the other side of the court. Here we are, a couple of comedians, going up against a magic show... our demographic for said show was 5-11 year olds... as you can guess, the magic show pulled about 90% of the audience. We made the most of it however and soldiered on. I got a nice little perk at the end, a ticket to that evenings game. So all in all, a good day.

On Monday, I had an audition for Gulf Power. I am pretty certain I didn't get this one... Sometimes you have a feel for an audition or a role, and sometimes you don't... as I say this I am also thinking of what I tell all of my acting students, "We are our own worst judge"... you never know if you have or don't have the job until you hear something or you see the shoot day go by. I've had auditions I was sure I blew completely and booked the job, then others where as I walked out of the audition room I thought for certain the job was mine and never heard a thing. So, you never know... that said... I know I didn't book this. I feel confident I'm not the look they are going to want. S'alright, there's another opportunity around the corner.

Tuesday, I had an audition for a pilot. If you don't know what a pilot is, ask and I'll tell ya. The part was a good role, not big... but good and had a first and last name. More often than not, you can tell a character is important if the have a name. If they have a first and last name, well now you're on to something. Petty? Maybe... welcome to the world of the Atlanta actor. I did well, so I thought... (to be continued)

Wednesday I had an audition for Honda Lawnmowers. It was a fun little spot, I felt good about my audition. I connected with what they were they wanted to do. As it turns out i was put on First Refusal... which sounds like a bad thing, I know, but it's actually good. It means, for those who don't know, that the people who want you have the right of first refusal should you get an offer from someone else... if that didn't clear it up, I don't know what will! (hmm hmm) So, my suspicion was confirmed, they liked what I did with the piece. I was ultimately released from the project... I'm sure they went with a different look. I know that is the second time I've said that and you are thinking I am just trying to make myself feel better, which may be partially true... but in all honesty, most casting decisions are made based on a look. It's true! Which brings us to Thursday...

Thursday, I had a callback for the pilot that I felt I did well in on Tuesday. I walked into the production offices of this particular show, headshots and sides in hand. I see a group of fellow actors congregated in an area not far from the entrance. I waltz over to join them, see what's going on... general chit chat about the audition, questions about the show, etc. After a moment or two the casting director comes upstairs to greet any new comers and get things in order. She looks down at her list and checks off the name of one of the other actors and then she looks at me and goes semi-pale. I catch that look of uncertainty in her eye and glance at the list. She stammers with a "hmmm, that's odd...", I reply with "I'm not supposed to be here am I?" "No," she retorts, "Your agent made a mistake." so with my pride now in my sock, I want to get the heck out of there scraping whatever dignity I can. "Don't worry about it." I say... I figured, eh... it happens. Then, what probably seems like good fortune to some, she asked me to stay put for a second and she'd see what she could do. At this point I really don't want a sympathy audition... They didn't want to see me in the first place, now I'm going to be forced on them. Un-com-fort-able... I muster up what pride I can salvage and try looking at the bright side... maybe this will turn out! as soon as I walk in the room, I could see by the looks on the directors face, it was a pity audition... ugh. I did my thing and got the heck outta Dodge. In retrospect, I wish I had given it more and not let my head get in the way of my performance... I preach as much to students all the time, but I suppose every once in a while even the teacher becomes the student.