As I mentioned last time, there hasn't been a lot of acting news to report lately. But one thing that has remained steady, are my modeling jobs. Now, up until recently, they have all been fit sessions. However, a few weeks ago my agent asked me if I wanted to do a photo shoot for a print job. Ted Baker, a clothing company from London, was about to open a store in New York, and they wanted some larger models to dress up like old-time British moving men. The shoot would consist of us unloading a moving truck in front of the new store. The truck contained the personal effects of the fictional "Ted Baker" persona that the company has established in London. I was quick to agree to it for two reasons. One: like the fit sessions, print modeling pays very well. The other reason was simply that a man my size doesn't get a lot of offers for print modeling, so I figured I'd better jump at the opportunity.
The store is in the Meatpacking District, which is a very cool area of the city I had not been to yet. This seems to be the way I explore most of the city, through the different acting jobs I book. The costumes they provided looked great, however they didn't fit anyone! I guess they forgot larger models require larger clothing. I was at least able to button my jacket. Not everyone was, and unfortunately for them, it limited the number of shots they were in. (Although, they got paid the same for less work, so they probably didn't mind too much.) At first I wondered if we were going to get a bit of a workout, but the items we unloaded were all very lightweight props. Plus they wanted to get a lot of shots of us slacking off,which was fun. They even did a shot where we stopped in the middle to have tea.
Overall, it was a lot of fun, and a great experience. I don't know exactly where these pictures will end up. We were told the internet, in the store, and possibly in some ads. I did find some of them on their website. I will share the link here for anyone who wants to see!
http://www.tedbakerblog.com/2010/11/moving-into-the-meatpacking/
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Joined SAG
I haven't had a lot to blog about the last couple of months. Like most young actors, I have to balance auditions with having a job that actually pays the bills. I was lucky enough to find a great seasonal job that pays really well, so I've purposely taken a few steps back from acting, while I get my finances in better shape. However, I've just experienced a major milestone in my acting career that I wanted to share.
As I mentioned in my last blog, my film DESPERATE ENDEAVORS opened the door for me to join the Screen Actors Guild. It took some time to get through the paperwork side of it, not to mention saving up for the large initiation fee, (which the new job made possible, thank you Marriott!). But today I opened my mailbox, and there it was. My SAG card. Even though I have known it was going to happen for a couple of months now, it's a little surreal to be holding in my hands. So many actors struggle for so long to get to this point, and I got it off of my first film audition I went to in New York. Not that I'm apologizing for it. Years of acting work and training helped prepare me for that audition. But I am definitely aware of how fortunate I've been, and I'm very appreciative of it. I went to an orientation at the SAG office the other day. During the introduction they showed a video. It was a clip from an awards show. It showed Tom Hanks accepting one of his many awards. I can't remember exactly what he said, but it was something like, of all his achievements, this was one of them he was most proud of, and he whips out his SAG card. I had seen that speech before, but it had a much more profound effect on me this time. Let's hope I can put my card to good use, like Mr. Hanks does.
As I mentioned in my last blog, my film DESPERATE ENDEAVORS opened the door for me to join the Screen Actors Guild. It took some time to get through the paperwork side of it, not to mention saving up for the large initiation fee, (which the new job made possible, thank you Marriott!). But today I opened my mailbox, and there it was. My SAG card. Even though I have known it was going to happen for a couple of months now, it's a little surreal to be holding in my hands. So many actors struggle for so long to get to this point, and I got it off of my first film audition I went to in New York. Not that I'm apologizing for it. Years of acting work and training helped prepare me for that audition. But I am definitely aware of how fortunate I've been, and I'm very appreciative of it. I went to an orientation at the SAG office the other day. During the introduction they showed a video. It was a clip from an awards show. It showed Tom Hanks accepting one of his many awards. I can't remember exactly what he said, but it was something like, of all his achievements, this was one of them he was most proud of, and he whips out his SAG card. I had seen that speech before, but it had a much more profound effect on me this time. Let's hope I can put my card to good use, like Mr. Hanks does.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Film shoot
I have now completed my first film shoot! The movie is called DESPERATE ENDEAVORS. I played Quincy. A small time criminal/lowlife who tries, unsuccessfully, to pick up a woman in a bar. It was a fun scene to shoot. I had one other scene where my partner and I attack the woman in a park. Most of that scene is left to the imagination, with just a few carefully planned moments filmed, so I'm excited to see how it turns out. The scenes took two days to shoot, and were a very positive experience! There was another scene we almost got to do, where we stole a car, but the director ended up switching that one to involve some different characters. So, we just got the two work days, not a third.
Now, originally I thought I needed a third day to become SAG eligible, but it turns out I wasn't correct. That is how background actors can get in, but since I had a principal role I am now eligible automatically! I was so excited when I found that out. So now, there's just a little bit of paperwork (and a lot of money) keeping me from joining SAG! The good news is that the dues are not bad. It's just that initial joining fee! SAG just happens to be the most expensive of the three acting unions. But I'll make it happen! I have to. I was VERY fortunate to become SAG eligible so quickly. So my goal now is to join SAG and AFTRA before the end of the year. Then I'll be covered by unions whenever I do any film or television. That will leave only EQUITY to join. Hopefully I'll be cast in an EQUITY play soon, but if not I will be eligible in a year. As a sister union to SAG, I can join a year after I join SAG as long as I work a principal SAG contract during that time. And since I already have, I'm all set now! So, this one film role will now open the door to both of the exclusive unions! Not bad, for a couple days of work!
In addition to becoming a union actor, the other major perk from this movie was the fact that I made some really great contacts. There was one in particular, and that was Robert Clohessy. Now, I highly doubt you've heard of him, but you've no doubt seen him in something. He has been in TONS of movies and television shows over the last twenty five years. Currently, he has recurring roles on BOARDWALK EMPIRE and BLUE BLOODS. Some of his past credits include OZ and HILL STREET BLUES. Anyway, he was the bartender in my scene. He and I were chatting on a break and when he found out I didn't have an agent yet he gave me the name of one. Bob said they were close friends and told me to use him as a reference. Referrals are huge in this business. Agents get headshots in the mail constantly, so this could go a long way in separating me from the other ones.
Now, originally I thought I needed a third day to become SAG eligible, but it turns out I wasn't correct. That is how background actors can get in, but since I had a principal role I am now eligible automatically! I was so excited when I found that out. So now, there's just a little bit of paperwork (and a lot of money) keeping me from joining SAG! The good news is that the dues are not bad. It's just that initial joining fee! SAG just happens to be the most expensive of the three acting unions. But I'll make it happen! I have to. I was VERY fortunate to become SAG eligible so quickly. So my goal now is to join SAG and AFTRA before the end of the year. Then I'll be covered by unions whenever I do any film or television. That will leave only EQUITY to join. Hopefully I'll be cast in an EQUITY play soon, but if not I will be eligible in a year. As a sister union to SAG, I can join a year after I join SAG as long as I work a principal SAG contract during that time. And since I already have, I'm all set now! So, this one film role will now open the door to both of the exclusive unions! Not bad, for a couple days of work!
In addition to becoming a union actor, the other major perk from this movie was the fact that I made some really great contacts. There was one in particular, and that was Robert Clohessy. Now, I highly doubt you've heard of him, but you've no doubt seen him in something. He has been in TONS of movies and television shows over the last twenty five years. Currently, he has recurring roles on BOARDWALK EMPIRE and BLUE BLOODS. Some of his past credits include OZ and HILL STREET BLUES. Anyway, he was the bartender in my scene. He and I were chatting on a break and when he found out I didn't have an agent yet he gave me the name of one. Bob said they were close friends and told me to use him as a reference. Referrals are huge in this business. Agents get headshots in the mail constantly, so this could go a long way in separating me from the other ones.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
My first SAG movie!
After a pretty slow month in acting, I received a few interesting phone calls over the past couple of weeks.
The movie I auditioned for back in June, the one I had given up on, even though the director seemed to really like me and said I would "definitely" hear from him, finally called! I assumed I hadn't been cast, since it had been about three and a half months with no call. But I did in fact hear from them. Unfortunately, the call was to see if I would have an interest in doing a couple of days of background work for the film. I was disappointed of course, because I had been called back for a speaking role. And the pay was quite a bit lower than the usual background work I do. But I figured it could still be a positive experience, and at least the director was honest about hearing from them, so I decided to do it.
Here is where the story gets more interesting. About a week later, they called again asking if I would play an actual role in the film. Of course I said yes right away. They said they would get back to me soon with more details, but to plan on a one day shoot next week sometime. The best news was still to come. As it turns out, this is an actual SAG film, not a non-union film like I originally thought. Now, it's still a low budget indie film, so there is a different pay scale than there would be for a regular SAG project, but it's still very good money. But more important than the pay even, is the fact that I have now taken a huge step toward joining the Screen Actors Guild! A non-union actor must work three days under SAG contracts and then they are eligible to join. I am on contract for two days with this film (even though they originally said one. The good fortune seems to keep coming with this project!) So I will be one day away from joining! I'm hoping to somehow get one more day added to the shoot, but it's probably not very likely. Shooting schedules are very strict. If not though, hopefully I can get a waiver on SVU or some other TV show for my last day.
I'll blog again soon about the actual film experience. I shoot tomorrow and Tuesday.
If there is a lesson in this I think it's to take all the work you can, even if it doesn't pay much. You never know what it could lead to. I don't know if I would or wouldn't have gotten this role if I turned down the background work, but I believe I made the right decision, and I think it lead to this great opportunity!
The movie I auditioned for back in June, the one I had given up on, even though the director seemed to really like me and said I would "definitely" hear from him, finally called! I assumed I hadn't been cast, since it had been about three and a half months with no call. But I did in fact hear from them. Unfortunately, the call was to see if I would have an interest in doing a couple of days of background work for the film. I was disappointed of course, because I had been called back for a speaking role. And the pay was quite a bit lower than the usual background work I do. But I figured it could still be a positive experience, and at least the director was honest about hearing from them, so I decided to do it.
Here is where the story gets more interesting. About a week later, they called again asking if I would play an actual role in the film. Of course I said yes right away. They said they would get back to me soon with more details, but to plan on a one day shoot next week sometime. The best news was still to come. As it turns out, this is an actual SAG film, not a non-union film like I originally thought. Now, it's still a low budget indie film, so there is a different pay scale than there would be for a regular SAG project, but it's still very good money. But more important than the pay even, is the fact that I have now taken a huge step toward joining the Screen Actors Guild! A non-union actor must work three days under SAG contracts and then they are eligible to join. I am on contract for two days with this film (even though they originally said one. The good fortune seems to keep coming with this project!) So I will be one day away from joining! I'm hoping to somehow get one more day added to the shoot, but it's probably not very likely. Shooting schedules are very strict. If not though, hopefully I can get a waiver on SVU or some other TV show for my last day.
I'll blog again soon about the actual film experience. I shoot tomorrow and Tuesday.
If there is a lesson in this I think it's to take all the work you can, even if it doesn't pay much. You never know what it could lead to. I don't know if I would or wouldn't have gotten this role if I turned down the background work, but I believe I made the right decision, and I think it lead to this great opportunity!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Phantom closes
My Phantom show closed about a week ago. The "open-ended" run didn't exactly go as planned. We didn't even finish the tentative schedule. Instead, they have decided to rent the space out for another show. Teller of Penn & Teller fame wrote a show that he is producing and directing there. They made it sound like they want to bring Phantom back after Teller's show ends, but hopefully I'll be busy with a different, higher paying project by then. I did enjoy the run however, and would be open to returning if I am available. Overall it was a positive experience, and I was happy to add another NY credit to my resume. For now, I'm still modeling, and hopefully the TV work picks back up!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
New Phantom show up and running
I'm a couple weeks into my new Phantom show. I think it's going well! It's been fun. I think it's pretty good. At first I wondered what need there really was in the world for another version of Phantom. But it is different enough to not be compared too much to the more famous version. The music is good, and I like the scaled down, intimate style of the show.
From what I understand, they are trying to get more producers involved. This financial help could allow us get the word out more, which could obviously lead to more performances, and hopefully more pay eventualy! It helps that the composer of the show is also the owner of the theater, so we'll have the option of running it there as long as he wants. That should buy us a little time, and allow us to really refine the show. I've enjoyed working with him. His name's Michael Sgouros. He's a very talented man. He's a Julliard graduate, and he also plays percussion for the show. The director/playwright Brenda Bell has also been good to work with. It adds some pressure as a performer to have the authors there like that, but it's a challenge I've enjoyed.
It's exciting to see what could become of the show. It's also exciting to be performing at a theatre with so much history. It's the Players Theatre in Greenwich Village. It was the home to the very successful off-Broadway run of the musical Ruthless. I'm not a big fan of that show, I saw it once in Grand Junction, wasn't too impressed. But it's cool to see where it began. Laura Bell Bundy was the original lead in that show and Natalie Portman and Brittney Spears were both understudies. They all seem to be doing ok for themselves now. Hopefully I'll have the same luck!
For more information about my new show, check out http://www.phantommusical.com
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Booked another show, my first Broadway audition (take two)
June was a pretty productive month for me as an actor. Especially considering I spent a week of it in Arizona with Heather's family. I didn't book any TV work, but I did have an audition and a call back for a movie. I'm trying not to get my hope up about it, but the director told me he would definitely call me. I felt really good about it, but I haven't heard anything yet, so we'll see. It shoots in the fall. It pays, but it's a non-union film, so it may not be that much. It would be a good experience for me though, so I really hope he does call.
I auditioned and was cast in an off-Broadway musical! It's for a new version of Phantom of the Opera. I will be one of the opera house managers. I know in the Andrew Lloyd Webber version, those two have really good, featured roles, so I hope it's the same with this one. It will be at the Players Theater in Greenwich Village. The same place where I did Cabaret. This time, it will be on the main stage though, not the blackbox. It pays a little, but I will need to keep the day job unfortunately. It's an open ended run, so depending on how well it does, this could keep me busy for a while.
After a few frustrating months of going to equity auditions only to be sent away because they didn't have time to see non-union actors, I finally had a break though! I went to the Broadway call for Mary Poppins yesterday. I was running really late, so I thought I had an even worse chance than usual. I was surprised however to find the audition room fairly empty. At least by Broadway audition standards. I checked in with the monitor and was very happy to hear that they hadn't sent the non-union actors home yet. There are never any guarantees, but that meant there was a least a chance they would see us. They finished with the equity actors with about fifteen minutes to spare. And all of us non-equity men, there were about twenty five of us, we were able to audition of a Broadway show! I know the odds are not great, but if they liked me enough, they can offer me a contract and I will finally be an equity actor!
I auditioned and was cast in an off-Broadway musical! It's for a new version of Phantom of the Opera. I will be one of the opera house managers. I know in the Andrew Lloyd Webber version, those two have really good, featured roles, so I hope it's the same with this one. It will be at the Players Theater in Greenwich Village. The same place where I did Cabaret. This time, it will be on the main stage though, not the blackbox. It pays a little, but I will need to keep the day job unfortunately. It's an open ended run, so depending on how well it does, this could keep me busy for a while.
After a few frustrating months of going to equity auditions only to be sent away because they didn't have time to see non-union actors, I finally had a break though! I went to the Broadway call for Mary Poppins yesterday. I was running really late, so I thought I had an even worse chance than usual. I was surprised however to find the audition room fairly empty. At least by Broadway audition standards. I checked in with the monitor and was very happy to hear that they hadn't sent the non-union actors home yet. There are never any guarantees, but that meant there was a least a chance they would see us. They finished with the equity actors with about fifteen minutes to spare. And all of us non-equity men, there were about twenty five of us, we were able to audition of a Broadway show! I know the odds are not great, but if they liked me enough, they can offer me a contract and I will finally be an equity actor!
Monday, May 31, 2010
John Gibson, Calvin Klein Model
Yes, you read that title correctly. I have now modeled for Calvin Klein. But, I feel I should clarify myself. This is more of that fit modeling, like I discussed in my previous blog. My agent has booked me twice with a company called Redcats, and now once with Calvin Klein. So, no big billboard in Times Square with me in my underwear (that's probably in everyone's best interest), but I am getting paid well, so I'm happy!
Last time I talked about shooting the show LIGHTS OUT. I did end up booking that second day of shooting like I hoped. It was crazy. About 17 hours on set! For anyone who thinks TV and movie stars are way overpaid, they should at least understand the physical and mental stamina that is required to do this kind of work. I get tired doing it, and I don't usually work more than a day or two on set every couple of weeks. The principal actors do this about 6 days a week, for months at a time.
The other television work I've booked recently was a two day shoot on the HBO show BORED TO DEATH, starring Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson and Zack Galafinakis. I'm a big fan of all three of them, so it was exciting. And there were two cool things about this shoot. One, I got to work with Heather which was awesome because that almost never happens. The other cool thing was the scene took place at a comic book convention, so it was filled with all kinds of nerdy stuff I liked! We didn't get much interaction with the leads, but it was still cool to be there and watch them work.
We recently saw PROMISES, PROMISES on Broadway. It was a lot of fun! It stars Sean Hayes from WILL AND GRACE and Kristen Chenoweth is the female lead. I've wanted to see her on Broadway for years, so it was great to finally be able to! We got to meet them both after the show too which was great!
That's all for now. We're going to Arizona this week to see Heather's family! More blogs to follow!
Last time I talked about shooting the show LIGHTS OUT. I did end up booking that second day of shooting like I hoped. It was crazy. About 17 hours on set! For anyone who thinks TV and movie stars are way overpaid, they should at least understand the physical and mental stamina that is required to do this kind of work. I get tired doing it, and I don't usually work more than a day or two on set every couple of weeks. The principal actors do this about 6 days a week, for months at a time.
The other television work I've booked recently was a two day shoot on the HBO show BORED TO DEATH, starring Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson and Zack Galafinakis. I'm a big fan of all three of them, so it was exciting. And there were two cool things about this shoot. One, I got to work with Heather which was awesome because that almost never happens. The other cool thing was the scene took place at a comic book convention, so it was filled with all kinds of nerdy stuff I liked! We didn't get much interaction with the leads, but it was still cool to be there and watch them work.
We recently saw PROMISES, PROMISES on Broadway. It was a lot of fun! It stars Sean Hayes from WILL AND GRACE and Kristen Chenoweth is the female lead. I've wanted to see her on Broadway for years, so it was great to finally be able to! We got to meet them both after the show too which was great!
That's all for now. We're going to Arizona this week to see Heather's family! More blogs to follow!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Modeling work, seeing shows
I found an interesting way to earn some extra money here. I was recently contacted by a modeling agency to see if I'd be interested in doing some work for them. This came as a surprise to me, as I had not pursued any modeling work here. But this was a similar scenario to that of my commercial audition I had a couple months ago. I submitted my head shot and resume to a casting director for a film, and Ellen, the modeling agent saw it and thought I'd be a good fit for this modeling job. She explained that is was "fit modeling" which I had never heard of. Basically, I will go in for sessions with some designers and buyers where I try on some of their clothes. They ask me how they feel, and they get to see them on a live person instead of a mannequin. I had the measurements they were looking for, so they brought me in for two different fittings. They seemed to like me and they are going to give me a try! My first session is tomorrow! It sounds like it could be fun, and it pays really well, so obviously I'm very excited about that.
As far as acting jobs, things slowed down for a few weeks. But I did get to do another episode of LIGHTS OUT yesterday! I played a sports photographer at a press conference. That was fun. And my camera got paid too, so bonus. They said they may bring me back for another scene on Friday, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that.
We've gone to see some shows they past few weeks, which has been a lot of fun. We were getting bummed that we hadn't been to more shows so we've been working on that now that we're making a little more money. Heather has always wanted to see CHICAGO, so we went to that a few weeks ago. It wasn't as good as I remembered it being, but it was still fun. Summer was in town last week, so we took her to see MEMPHIS. Heather and I saw it back in October, but she's really been wanting to see it again and we thought it would be a good one for Summer since she had never been to a Broadway show. It was amazing again. Definitely recommended to everyone! Summer actually saw a bunch of stuff while she was here, but time and money limited what we could see with her. I did go to ROCK OF AGES with her one night while Heather was working. It was about what I expected. Cheesy as hell, but fun. Then this past Thursday, Heather and I went to EVERYDAY RAPTURE. This one we were excited about. It's pretty much a one person, semi-autobiographical musical starring one of our favorite performers, Sherri Rene Scott. She did it Off-Broadway last year, and it just opened on Broadway. It was awesome! There a bunch of other shows we want to see. Hopefully I can book a lot of these modeling gigs so we can afford to!
As far as acting jobs, things slowed down for a few weeks. But I did get to do another episode of LIGHTS OUT yesterday! I played a sports photographer at a press conference. That was fun. And my camera got paid too, so bonus. They said they may bring me back for another scene on Friday, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for that.
We've gone to see some shows they past few weeks, which has been a lot of fun. We were getting bummed that we hadn't been to more shows so we've been working on that now that we're making a little more money. Heather has always wanted to see CHICAGO, so we went to that a few weeks ago. It wasn't as good as I remembered it being, but it was still fun. Summer was in town last week, so we took her to see MEMPHIS. Heather and I saw it back in October, but she's really been wanting to see it again and we thought it would be a good one for Summer since she had never been to a Broadway show. It was amazing again. Definitely recommended to everyone! Summer actually saw a bunch of stuff while she was here, but time and money limited what we could see with her. I did go to ROCK OF AGES with her one night while Heather was working. It was about what I expected. Cheesy as hell, but fun. Then this past Thursday, Heather and I went to EVERYDAY RAPTURE. This one we were excited about. It's pretty much a one person, semi-autobiographical musical starring one of our favorite performers, Sherri Rene Scott. She did it Off-Broadway last year, and it just opened on Broadway. It was awesome! There a bunch of other shows we want to see. Hopefully I can book a lot of these modeling gigs so we can afford to!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Getting caught up
It's been a little while since my last blog. March was kind of a weird month for me. I was pretty busy with my show and I didn't audition for much. It was sort of a stressful time, I think mainly because of financial concerns. I was hired by JCPenney around Valentine's Day, and didn't actually start until about a month later. But we've got some money coming in now, so things are looking up!
My play has come and gone now. It was a positive experience. It was definitely the best show I've been in, in terms of the talent involved, so that made it enjoyable. I didn't establish as many friendships as I usually do, but that was my fault. They were a nice group of people, and I turned down a lot of offers to go out after shows. I will try to keep in touch with some of them though, and I'm sure I'll cross paths with many of them again soon. The acting community here is smaller than you might think.
I actually just turned down an offer to be in another show. Carlo, my Cabaret director is doing a children's show in Connecticut. It pays a little, plus free travel, housing and food. And he asked Heather to be involved which sounded like a lot of fun. But we agreed it wasn't the best financial decision for us right now, since the salary was pretty low. I was was also afraid that could set us back a little bit here in the city. I really want to make more progress in television. Especially since March was so unproductive. But I thanked him for thinking of us, and told him to keep us in mind on future projects.
The good news is, April is already off to a better start. I was on Lights Out, a new drama about a boxer that is going to air on FX in January, and I was on Law and Order as a juror. I also turned down a second day of work on Lights Out and some kind of background work on a talk show because my parents were in town. I hated having to do that, but I was glad they took the time and trouble to come see us. Today actually, I was booked on a new movie called Win Win, but the shoot is out of the city and the shuttle they use for the actors was already full when they booked me. No train station nearby, so I was out of luck. But at least things are getting busier, so I'm happy about that.
Hopefully I'll have more to blog about soon!
My play has come and gone now. It was a positive experience. It was definitely the best show I've been in, in terms of the talent involved, so that made it enjoyable. I didn't establish as many friendships as I usually do, but that was my fault. They were a nice group of people, and I turned down a lot of offers to go out after shows. I will try to keep in touch with some of them though, and I'm sure I'll cross paths with many of them again soon. The acting community here is smaller than you might think.
I actually just turned down an offer to be in another show. Carlo, my Cabaret director is doing a children's show in Connecticut. It pays a little, plus free travel, housing and food. And he asked Heather to be involved which sounded like a lot of fun. But we agreed it wasn't the best financial decision for us right now, since the salary was pretty low. I was was also afraid that could set us back a little bit here in the city. I really want to make more progress in television. Especially since March was so unproductive. But I thanked him for thinking of us, and told him to keep us in mind on future projects.
The good news is, April is already off to a better start. I was on Lights Out, a new drama about a boxer that is going to air on FX in January, and I was on Law and Order as a juror. I also turned down a second day of work on Lights Out and some kind of background work on a talk show because my parents were in town. I hated having to do that, but I was glad they took the time and trouble to come see us. Today actually, I was booked on a new movie called Win Win, but the shoot is out of the city and the shuttle they use for the actors was already full when they booked me. No train station nearby, so I was out of luck. But at least things are getting busier, so I'm happy about that.
Hopefully I'll have more to blog about soon!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
More background work, acting class, Cabaret opens soon!
Well, I have stayed pretty busy since my last blog. I got to work on the NBC show MERCY twice! It was on the same episode, which I think was an oversight on their part. They usually wont hire you for background work twice on the same episode, but somehow I slipped through the crack on that one. Good news for me! More money, and I doubled my chance of being seen now! The episode is number 17, which is going to be a St. Patrick's day episode. I believe it will air March 17th, but I can't confirm that just yet.
The first day, I played an Irish gang member. There is a fight scene that takes place in the waiting room of the hospital. I should be easy to spot, I'm wearing a huge shamrock around my face. I look pretty ridiculous. But, like I said, it's a St. Patty's day episode, so we're all decked out in that kind of stuff. We also shot a later scene that day where we are in the ER. I'm in a bed then. (No shamrock this time). Like my day on LAW AND ORDER:CI, I got to work up close with several of the stars, particularly Michelle Trachtenberg and Guillermo Diaz. James Van Der Beek was also there, but I didn't really have any interaction with him.
The second day of shooting was much more interesting. It was a bar scene, and I was a featured extra. I got a name, and part of the script and everything! I was "big dude #2". Doesn't sound like much, but a big step up from "extra". In fact, if I was union, this role would have come with a pay increase, but apparently for non-union there is no pay bump for featured extras. The scene was a drinking contest between the lead character of Veronica, played by Taylor Schilling, "big dude #1" and myself. So I should definitely get some screen time for this one. "Big dude #1" was just a day player, not a regular, but he was a nice guy. His name is Steve and he has appeared in several other shows with speaking roles. UGLY BETTY and LAW AND ORDER:SVU to name just a couple. He was fun to work with, and most importantly, I think he's going to be a very valuable contact. He teaches an acting class that he invited Heather and I to come try.
We went to our first class on Wednesday. I think I liked it. Heather's not so sure yet. But we both agree that he could be helpful. He seems to view me as a potential protege. He's cutting us a deal on the class since we're new to town. He understands it can take a while to adjust to the cost of this city. There is another guy in the class that he has also taken under his wing. He helped him get an agent, and now that guy is getting some auditions that pay some real money, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that he will do the same for us. I will definitely keep everyone posted on that!
As far as CABARET, things seem to be going well. I'll be glad when it's over though. I'm enjoying it, but like all plays, it takes a lot of time. It opens in less than 2 weeks now, and I do think it will be a really good show, so I'm excited for people to see it!
The first day, I played an Irish gang member. There is a fight scene that takes place in the waiting room of the hospital. I should be easy to spot, I'm wearing a huge shamrock around my face. I look pretty ridiculous. But, like I said, it's a St. Patty's day episode, so we're all decked out in that kind of stuff. We also shot a later scene that day where we are in the ER. I'm in a bed then. (No shamrock this time). Like my day on LAW AND ORDER:CI, I got to work up close with several of the stars, particularly Michelle Trachtenberg and Guillermo Diaz. James Van Der Beek was also there, but I didn't really have any interaction with him.
The second day of shooting was much more interesting. It was a bar scene, and I was a featured extra. I got a name, and part of the script and everything! I was "big dude #2". Doesn't sound like much, but a big step up from "extra". In fact, if I was union, this role would have come with a pay increase, but apparently for non-union there is no pay bump for featured extras. The scene was a drinking contest between the lead character of Veronica, played by Taylor Schilling, "big dude #1" and myself. So I should definitely get some screen time for this one. "Big dude #1" was just a day player, not a regular, but he was a nice guy. His name is Steve and he has appeared in several other shows with speaking roles. UGLY BETTY and LAW AND ORDER:SVU to name just a couple. He was fun to work with, and most importantly, I think he's going to be a very valuable contact. He teaches an acting class that he invited Heather and I to come try.
We went to our first class on Wednesday. I think I liked it. Heather's not so sure yet. But we both agree that he could be helpful. He seems to view me as a potential protege. He's cutting us a deal on the class since we're new to town. He understands it can take a while to adjust to the cost of this city. There is another guy in the class that he has also taken under his wing. He helped him get an agent, and now that guy is getting some auditions that pay some real money, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that he will do the same for us. I will definitely keep everyone posted on that!
As far as CABARET, things seem to be going well. I'll be glad when it's over though. I'm enjoying it, but like all plays, it takes a lot of time. It opens in less than 2 weeks now, and I do think it will be a really good show, so I'm excited for people to see it!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Commercial audition
So on Saturday I went to an audition for an equity production of Fiddler on the Roof. After a very long day of waiting, I did finally get to go in and sing. This was exciting since I wasn't seen at either of the last two equity auditions I went to (the Broadway productions of Phantom of the Opera and South Pacific).
I felt really good about the audition, but what really excited me was after I sang, I was invited to audition for something else. The man there was also casting a national commercial for Febreeze. So, this morning I went to my first commercial audition!
There weren't very many men there. It wasn't an open call. Just a few people. I think I was the only one without an agent. I was called in with another man, and we auditioned for a couple of delivery men. We weren't given scripts. We just improvised a scene where we were delivering a large television. Not sure the connection with Febreeze, but I'm sure they know what they're doing.
It was very quick, and I have no idea how to evaluate how I did. So, it's probably best to assume I didn't get it. That would be an awesome call to get though!
I felt really good about the audition, but what really excited me was after I sang, I was invited to audition for something else. The man there was also casting a national commercial for Febreeze. So, this morning I went to my first commercial audition!
There weren't very many men there. It wasn't an open call. Just a few people. I think I was the only one without an agent. I was called in with another man, and we auditioned for a couple of delivery men. We weren't given scripts. We just improvised a scene where we were delivering a large television. Not sure the connection with Febreeze, but I'm sure they know what they're doing.
It was very quick, and I have no idea how to evaluate how I did. So, it's probably best to assume I didn't get it. That would be an awesome call to get though!
I got cast in a show!
Ok....so remember a few blogs back when I talked about my Cabaret callback? Well I did get cast after all!
I'm not sure exactly which part yet. I'll find out tonight I think, when I go to my first meeting/rehearsal. But I do know it will be one of the boys in the club. Bobby, Victor, Hans or Herman I believe are their names. I was actually very surprised by this as these roles require dancing. But, I guess they liked my voice enough to work with me on the dancing. I will be the featured soloist on the song Tomorrow Belongs to Me, so that's exciting!
I don't know much about the pay yet. The audition listing said "some pay", so we'll see what that means. Again, I'm sure all my questions will be answered today. But regardless of the amount, I think this will be a great opportunity for me. Having a New York credit on my resume will carry a lot more weight than all my Colorado and Utah ones. Plus, it will give people here a chance to see me, like casting directors and agents. Above all though, I'm just really excited I got cast in the first show I got to audition for. I hope this is a sign of more good things to come!
I'm not sure exactly which part yet. I'll find out tonight I think, when I go to my first meeting/rehearsal. But I do know it will be one of the boys in the club. Bobby, Victor, Hans or Herman I believe are their names. I was actually very surprised by this as these roles require dancing. But, I guess they liked my voice enough to work with me on the dancing. I will be the featured soloist on the song Tomorrow Belongs to Me, so that's exciting!
I don't know much about the pay yet. The audition listing said "some pay", so we'll see what that means. Again, I'm sure all my questions will be answered today. But regardless of the amount, I think this will be a great opportunity for me. Having a New York credit on my resume will carry a lot more weight than all my Colorado and Utah ones. Plus, it will give people here a chance to see me, like casting directors and agents. Above all though, I'm just really excited I got cast in the first show I got to audition for. I hope this is a sign of more good things to come!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Law and Order: CI
A few days ago I had the awesome experience of doing background work on a T.V. show. It was for Law and Order: Criminal Intent. My least favorite of the three Law and Order shows, but unfortunately I'm not exactly in a position to pick and choose yet. I eagerly accepted though, hoping for a positive experience, and that's exactly what I got!
It was way out in Queens, a section called Broad Channel. It's on the water, so it was nice, but extremely cold this time of year. And of course it had to be an exterior scene, so I got to freeze all day! But that aside, it really was a neat experience.
You get paid a flat fee for up to ten hours when you do extra work. There's overtime if you go beyond ten. My whole day was less then eight hours, so I got off pretty easy in that aspect. The first two hours were just sitting in the holding room, while people were getting into wardrobe and stuff. I was in a small group of bystanders that had to bring their own stuff and just run it by the costume designer for approval. Other people played officers, ME's, CSU techs, etc. After everyone was set, we made our way out to the location.
We shot two scenes. Each was about 90 seconds long, and it took over five hours. So, this was definitely a good indication of the type of patience that's required to be a film or television actor.
The scene involved Jeff Goldblum who joined the cast this season. I have to admit I did get a little starstruck for a few minutes. It was hard to believe I was working with an actor that I've been watching since I was a little kid. I had to focus though, I found myself watching him and not the scene a few times. I was really impressed with him, for a couple of reasons. One: he seemed very appreciative of everyone on set and went out of his way to show that and interact with them (myself included!). This took real effort on his part considering that between the actors and crew there were probably 100 people there. But he keep doing it. Between takes he'd joke around with people, sing, dance, etc. The other thing I liked was that despite the fact that it was painfully cold, he wasn't running inside between takes, or asking for additional breaks or anything. He toughed it out with the rest of us. I'm not sure that always happens, and I know the stars aren't always as friendly as he was.
As far as the actual scene, I play a resident of a neighborhood where someone was murdered. I'm in a group of people at the yellow police line, trying to see what's going on. Goldblum's character cuts through the line, so I think I'll get some camera time. Not sure when the episode airs yet, but I'll keep everyone posted!
It was way out in Queens, a section called Broad Channel. It's on the water, so it was nice, but extremely cold this time of year. And of course it had to be an exterior scene, so I got to freeze all day! But that aside, it really was a neat experience.
You get paid a flat fee for up to ten hours when you do extra work. There's overtime if you go beyond ten. My whole day was less then eight hours, so I got off pretty easy in that aspect. The first two hours were just sitting in the holding room, while people were getting into wardrobe and stuff. I was in a small group of bystanders that had to bring their own stuff and just run it by the costume designer for approval. Other people played officers, ME's, CSU techs, etc. After everyone was set, we made our way out to the location.
We shot two scenes. Each was about 90 seconds long, and it took over five hours. So, this was definitely a good indication of the type of patience that's required to be a film or television actor.
The scene involved Jeff Goldblum who joined the cast this season. I have to admit I did get a little starstruck for a few minutes. It was hard to believe I was working with an actor that I've been watching since I was a little kid. I had to focus though, I found myself watching him and not the scene a few times. I was really impressed with him, for a couple of reasons. One: he seemed very appreciative of everyone on set and went out of his way to show that and interact with them (myself included!). This took real effort on his part considering that between the actors and crew there were probably 100 people there. But he keep doing it. Between takes he'd joke around with people, sing, dance, etc. The other thing I liked was that despite the fact that it was painfully cold, he wasn't running inside between takes, or asking for additional breaks or anything. He toughed it out with the rest of us. I'm not sure that always happens, and I know the stars aren't always as friendly as he was.
As far as the actual scene, I play a resident of a neighborhood where someone was murdered. I'm in a group of people at the yellow police line, trying to see what's going on. Goldblum's character cuts through the line, so I think I'll get some camera time. Not sure when the episode airs yet, but I'll keep everyone posted!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Carrie Fisher, Tituss Burgess and other celebrities
So I thought I'd spend a few minutes bragging about some of the cool stuff we've experienced here so far.
About a week after we moved here we went to see one of the final performances of Carrie Fisher's Broadway show, WISHFUL DRINKING. It was supposed to close before we got here, so we were very excited to hear it was extended for two weeks. And they had rush tickets still available at the box office, which saved us about 75% off the price. Equally exciting, considering we are unemployed. The show was great. She's really funny, and has great command of the stage. That actually surprised me a little. Whenever I see her on live TV she seems a little befuddled. Not the case here. The show basically just made fun of her life. Particularly being the child of celebrities, failed marriage's, the ridiculous fame that followed the Star Wars movies, and her struggles with being bi-polar. After the show we waited at the stage door, but someone came out and said she wasn't feeling well enough to come out that night. So, we didn't get to meet her, but we still had an awesome night.
Our next celebrity encounter was a much more personal one. We found out that Tituss Burgess was going to start giving voice lessons. So I contacted him through facebook and set one up. If you don't know who he is, he got famous playing Sebastion in the Broadway version of THE LITTLE MERMAID. After that, he played Nicely-Nicely in the GUYS AND DOLLS revival last year. He was also in the original cast of JERSEY BOYS. You-tube him, he's fantastic. Anyway, I had the lesson about a week and a half ago. It was very nerve racking, but I loved it. He's actually not that expensive either, by New York standards at least. Heather and I both want to take more with him, but we need to wait until we have jobs.
The last thing I want to talk about is something cool that Barnes and Noble does here. The Lincoln Center location has a large event room where they host book signings and things like that. There have been two Broadway related ones I've attended. The first one was about two weeks ago. Gerard Alessandrini, who is the creator and one of the original cast members of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY wrote a book about the show. For those of you don't know, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY is a musical spoof of Broadway, sort of like Saturday Night Live. They parody different shows and performers. It started in the early 80's and they have updated it often to keep it relevant. Anyway, he was there, with a few other key members. They performed a few pieces and told stories about their experiences from the show. After the performance they signed the books for people. It was great, and best of all it was free! Tonight we went again. This time the leads of the Broadway revival of FINIAN'S RAINBOW was there to promote the new cast recording. Again, they performed some songs and then signed our cds. We've never seen FINIAN'S RAINBOW, but it was really nice to get a free sample of it. Plus, we were excited because the male lead, Cheyenne Jackson is also on 30 Rock, one of our favorite shows! New York is expensive, so it's been fun to find some cool things to do for free. There is a lot of stuff like this here too, so I'm excited to find more!
About a week after we moved here we went to see one of the final performances of Carrie Fisher's Broadway show, WISHFUL DRINKING. It was supposed to close before we got here, so we were very excited to hear it was extended for two weeks. And they had rush tickets still available at the box office, which saved us about 75% off the price. Equally exciting, considering we are unemployed. The show was great. She's really funny, and has great command of the stage. That actually surprised me a little. Whenever I see her on live TV she seems a little befuddled. Not the case here. The show basically just made fun of her life. Particularly being the child of celebrities, failed marriage's, the ridiculous fame that followed the Star Wars movies, and her struggles with being bi-polar. After the show we waited at the stage door, but someone came out and said she wasn't feeling well enough to come out that night. So, we didn't get to meet her, but we still had an awesome night.
Our next celebrity encounter was a much more personal one. We found out that Tituss Burgess was going to start giving voice lessons. So I contacted him through facebook and set one up. If you don't know who he is, he got famous playing Sebastion in the Broadway version of THE LITTLE MERMAID. After that, he played Nicely-Nicely in the GUYS AND DOLLS revival last year. He was also in the original cast of JERSEY BOYS. You-tube him, he's fantastic. Anyway, I had the lesson about a week and a half ago. It was very nerve racking, but I loved it. He's actually not that expensive either, by New York standards at least. Heather and I both want to take more with him, but we need to wait until we have jobs.
The last thing I want to talk about is something cool that Barnes and Noble does here. The Lincoln Center location has a large event room where they host book signings and things like that. There have been two Broadway related ones I've attended. The first one was about two weeks ago. Gerard Alessandrini, who is the creator and one of the original cast members of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY wrote a book about the show. For those of you don't know, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY is a musical spoof of Broadway, sort of like Saturday Night Live. They parody different shows and performers. It started in the early 80's and they have updated it often to keep it relevant. Anyway, he was there, with a few other key members. They performed a few pieces and told stories about their experiences from the show. After the performance they signed the books for people. It was great, and best of all it was free! Tonight we went again. This time the leads of the Broadway revival of FINIAN'S RAINBOW was there to promote the new cast recording. Again, they performed some songs and then signed our cds. We've never seen FINIAN'S RAINBOW, but it was really nice to get a free sample of it. Plus, we were excited because the male lead, Cheyenne Jackson is also on 30 Rock, one of our favorite shows! New York is expensive, so it's been fun to find some cool things to do for free. There is a lot of stuff like this here too, so I'm excited to find more!
Callbacks
So, to follow up with my last blog, I was called back for the Cabaret audition I went to. I don't think I was cast, because I haven't heard anything yet. (A friend I made there did get a call with an offer, so I'm not just being impatient.) I suppose it's still possible, she just heard yesterday, but I've made peace with the fact it probably wont happen this time. I do want to share the experience though, because I thought it was interesting.
They had some people there earlier to read for principal roles. I was called for the dance audition. This came as a bit of a surprise to me, as I am not exactly gifted in that department. But the routine was fairly easy, so I gave it my best shot. After that, I was asked to go learn a piece of music with some of the other men. This came rather easy for me since I've done the show twice before. I keep that to myself though, hoping they would just think I was a fast learner. There were probably at least twenty of us. After we all sang, they asked four men, including me, to stay and sing it again. After that, they asked me to sing another piece from the show. I was one of two men they asked to do that. After that, we were finished.
I didn't expect to book my first show I auditioned for, but I did start to get my hopes up a bit after that night. Oh well. I feel like I'm off to a good start here. So we forget about this one now and it's on to the next!
They had some people there earlier to read for principal roles. I was called for the dance audition. This came as a bit of a surprise to me, as I am not exactly gifted in that department. But the routine was fairly easy, so I gave it my best shot. After that, I was asked to go learn a piece of music with some of the other men. This came rather easy for me since I've done the show twice before. I keep that to myself though, hoping they would just think I was a fast learner. There were probably at least twenty of us. After we all sang, they asked four men, including me, to stay and sing it again. After that, they asked me to sing another piece from the show. I was one of two men they asked to do that. After that, we were finished.
I didn't expect to book my first show I auditioned for, but I did start to get my hopes up a bit after that night. Oh well. I feel like I'm off to a good start here. So we forget about this one now and it's on to the next!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Getting to work
So today I went to my first audition that I was actually able to AUDITION at! It for a non-equity off-Broadway production of CABARET. Heather and I went together, so that made it a lot of fun. It's one of my favorite shows, so it would be really cool to make our NYC debut in it. Not that it really matters what the show is though, we just want to be in something! Keeping our fingers crossed!
I also got all situated with one of the casting companies here in the city. They cast primarily background actors (extras) for television shows. I submitted my info to several job listings for this week, so we'll see how it goes. Heather should be registered tomorrow, so hopefully this is something we can do together sometimes! That would make it a lot more enjoyable. Background work is probably the bottom of the barrel for acting jobs, but at least it's a step in the right direction. We will both benefit from spending time on sets. It doesn't pay much, but at least it's something. And it's always possible that it can lead to bigger and better things!
I also got all situated with one of the casting companies here in the city. They cast primarily background actors (extras) for television shows. I submitted my info to several job listings for this week, so we'll see how it goes. Heather should be registered tomorrow, so hopefully this is something we can do together sometimes! That would make it a lot more enjoyable. Background work is probably the bottom of the barrel for acting jobs, but at least it's a step in the right direction. We will both benefit from spending time on sets. It doesn't pay much, but at least it's something. And it's always possible that it can lead to bigger and better things!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
My first Broadway audition
So I decided not to waste any time and went to an audition three days after we got here. There was an audition for the Broadway production of Phantom Of The Opera and I thought that I'd begin with it.
The audition was at 10 am, but I figured the earlier I got there the better, so I got up at 6 am. Also, the auditions were at the Equity Audition Center, and since I hadn't been there yet, I needed to leave early in case I had trouble finding it. I made it to the audition site around 7:30, which was right about the time the doors were opening, so that was lucky. I signed up on the non-equity list and started to wait. For those who don't know, equity is the union for professional stage performers. Broadway productions are all-equity, so as a non-union member, I can only audition if they have time AFTER all equity actors have been seen. They announced to us to return at 10 and they would be able to tell us then if they going to have time for non-equity people.
I saw a lounge area near the sign up. I started to head that way when I was stopped and informed that the lounge is for equity members only. So, I went outside to brave the cold. The building is right by Times Square, so I went and walked around for a while. Times Square is really nice that early in the morning. It's pretty quiet, compared to usual at least.
Despite how excited I was, the time went by pretty fast. I returned to find that they were not going to be able to see non-equity this time. They did take my headshot and resume though, and said the casting director really will take the time to review them all, and some people have been called in that way and booked jobs from it. So, I realize it's a long shot, but I'm much closer than I was last month when I lived in Utah!
The audition was at 10 am, but I figured the earlier I got there the better, so I got up at 6 am. Also, the auditions were at the Equity Audition Center, and since I hadn't been there yet, I needed to leave early in case I had trouble finding it. I made it to the audition site around 7:30, which was right about the time the doors were opening, so that was lucky. I signed up on the non-equity list and started to wait. For those who don't know, equity is the union for professional stage performers. Broadway productions are all-equity, so as a non-union member, I can only audition if they have time AFTER all equity actors have been seen. They announced to us to return at 10 and they would be able to tell us then if they going to have time for non-equity people.
I saw a lounge area near the sign up. I started to head that way when I was stopped and informed that the lounge is for equity members only. So, I went outside to brave the cold. The building is right by Times Square, so I went and walked around for a while. Times Square is really nice that early in the morning. It's pretty quiet, compared to usual at least.
Despite how excited I was, the time went by pretty fast. I returned to find that they were not going to be able to see non-equity this time. They did take my headshot and resume though, and said the casting director really will take the time to review them all, and some people have been called in that way and booked jobs from it. So, I realize it's a long shot, but I'm much closer than I was last month when I lived in Utah!
The big move
The first thing I learned when starting this crazy process was how difficult moving to New York could actually be. Obviously when you try to move over 2000 miles away, there are the challenges you would expect; learning about the neighborhoods, having to look at places online instead of in person, etc. However, the most difficult thing wasn't finding a place we liked, but finding a place we could qualify for.
Maybe this happens in other large cities too, maybe it's just a New York thing, but most places we looked at required our yearly salary to be at least 40 times the monthly rent. Now, as most people know, rent in New York is extremely high. Combine that with the low wages of southern Utah, and you've got a problem. They also want you to have a well paying job lined up before you get there, so you can imagine how excited our potential landlords were when we told them that not only did we NOT have jobs lined up, but we were actors and we just planned to audition for a while. Now, this at least makes sense to me. The surprise came after I told them that we had money to pre-pay our ENTIRE lease with, and most places still couldn't get past these requirements.
We're here now, so obviously we found a place to work with us, but it took some time. I'm sure the further out from the city you get, the easier the requirements, but we were determined to be close to the action. We ended up settling on Roosevelt Island, which turned out to be a great find. It's really nice here, and you get a bit more for your money than you do in most of Manhattan. And the location is pretty convenient. It's one subway stop from midtown east, three stops from Rockefeller Center, four from Bryant Park, five from Herald Square, and so on. Everything we wanted is right at our fingertips. And the views are hard to beat!
Now that we're settled, it's time to get out and enjoy the city!
Maybe this happens in other large cities too, maybe it's just a New York thing, but most places we looked at required our yearly salary to be at least 40 times the monthly rent. Now, as most people know, rent in New York is extremely high. Combine that with the low wages of southern Utah, and you've got a problem. They also want you to have a well paying job lined up before you get there, so you can imagine how excited our potential landlords were when we told them that not only did we NOT have jobs lined up, but we were actors and we just planned to audition for a while. Now, this at least makes sense to me. The surprise came after I told them that we had money to pre-pay our ENTIRE lease with, and most places still couldn't get past these requirements.
We're here now, so obviously we found a place to work with us, but it took some time. I'm sure the further out from the city you get, the easier the requirements, but we were determined to be close to the action. We ended up settling on Roosevelt Island, which turned out to be a great find. It's really nice here, and you get a bit more for your money than you do in most of Manhattan. And the location is pretty convenient. It's one subway stop from midtown east, three stops from Rockefeller Center, four from Bryant Park, five from Herald Square, and so on. Everything we wanted is right at our fingertips. And the views are hard to beat!
Now that we're settled, it's time to get out and enjoy the city!
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