Tuesday, May 29, 2012

What I'm doing, Dramatically - Late May 2012

Inspired to blog some more by the blog of a new friend (here).

So, yeah.

I shot that commercial you heard about in the last post. Amazing feeling, feeling like a professional. The set was wonderful, and being a principal actor in a shoot where the DP had been the 2nd unit DP on LOTR in a barn used by True Blood just felt geektastic.

Was asked by a friend to be in his film - Way Down in Chinatown. Nice little cameo for me there.

Had to miss an audition for really fun sounding (and paying) project - with a WMM friend who had especially requested me - because I was on set for a second day of shooting the commercial - so that was a bummer, but it's nice to feel wanted.

Was asked by another friend to cameo in his Web Series. (I like saying cameo more than co-star. It makes me feel already famous. Don't judge.)

My acting studio, Lifebook, is hosting 2 showcases coming soon. Lifebook showcases are always free to be in (which is apparently a pretty big deal). I auditioned for spots in both and got them, so soon many casting directors will see me doing my thing.

CGETC is taking off. If you don't know what that is, keep your eyes on cgetc.org. CGETC is my passion project (and the passion project of all the other company members). I'm thrilled with how it's turning out. Making movies!

Randy and I have been sharing Shared Kitchen with our Lifebook classmates, and it's been getting good feedback. We have another script in the Gerard and Esteban series ready, and we're looking for a time to shoot it.

I'm getting along well with my agents. It's been a couple weeks since I've auditioned, but I was out of town for a bit and then shooting the commercial, so it's understandable. I called them today to touch base, so hopefully things will start revving up again to pre-NOLA trip regularity.

Feeling groovy.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

What I'm Doing, Dramatically - Spring 2012, or Who has two thumbs and booked a national commercial? This guy!

So, yeah. I haven't arrived, exactly, but I feel pretty on track. Considering how successful I feel, I think I can look back at the past year and a half and talk about what's worked for me, and what I think truly works best.

Friends. It's what people call networking out here, and I think that's a terrible name for it, because you can't do it if that's what you're calling it. Nobody cares, nor should they, about supporting and helping their acquaintances who they met while "networking". Hyperbole, but sufficiently true. But friends? Friends help each other. Friends share in each others' success. Friends offer each other things that aren't necessarily career advancement.

What am I saying?

I'm saying, be yourself. Hopefully, yourself is friendly. If you're mean and not a fan of other human beings, this probably isn't the career for you.

Why is making friends important? Well, for me, I can point to a week a couple months ago when I was looking back and thinking "Terrible. I have done nothing for my career this week. I haven't been to any auditions. I haven't shot anything or written anything or anything anything."

That was the week I met C. G. F.

And CGF is the fellow who recommended me to his agent.

And that agent got me the booking on the national commercial.

So, really, that was a very productive week.