Friday's Audition

Friday was crazy y'all! I went in to work early because I had an audition later that day and knew that my boss would appreciate any help I could give. Fridays are always the busiest days at the restaurant. I printed checks, returned phone calls, sent out confirmation forms etc. Everything was going well until I realized I needed a signature from my boss before I could leave for the day. My boss was running late and I wasn't able to leave til 11:30!!! My audition was at 1:42pm! Sometimes that's totally doable, but again, it was Friday. I don't know if you've ever experienced LA on a Friday but let's just say, every hour is rush hour. Needless to say I was late late late.

I finally rolled up at 2:30 and parked in the first spot I could find. I think I squished a recycling bin. I don't know about you but I absolutely hate being late. My unrelenting NYC training taught me, "if you're on time, you're late." I remember literally sprinting from the subway, leaping over puddles, and pushing over little old ladies, just to make it to class on time. As predicted, the teacher would be standing there holding the door knob intently counting down with the watch on his wrist. He was ready, even eager to slam that door shut, denying us access and as a result dropping our grade an entire letter. Them's the breaks people. You can imagine the difficulty I've had adjusting to this California lifestyle. Nobody even notices whether you're late or not. Of course, it was just my luck that, this one time, someone did. Unfortunately, the casting assistant had called my agent to find out where I was. Fortunately, I had called my agent to let them know I was running late, but still, not good!

I rushed in the door, quickly signed in only to be informed by the assistant that I was "on deck." I had just spent 3hrs in my car and was dying to pee!! What to do? To pee or not to pee, that was the question. I decided not. The casting folk were already pissed at me (pun intended) and I didn't want to risk making matters worse. Its amazing what you tell yourself when the stakes are high. "This will give my performance urgency!" I said to myself, halfheartedly. Fortunately, the audition did not last long. As with most commercial auditions, I was in and out within five minutes. I high-tailed it to the nearest bathroom, did my thing and I was back on my way. The drive home took me about 3 1/2hrs! Ooofff! I was very glad to get home. Some days I crack open my front door and literally feel like kissing my couch.

My product of the day is self explanatory. Nuff said.

Bliss Part Deux

Sorry to keep you all waiting so long. I think I've absorbed my experience on Sunday enough now to effectively blog about it.

In case you haven't yet read my previous post, on Sunday, I shot a short film called, "Bliss." The purpose of this short film was to have something for the creative team to pitch to potential investors. If investors are impressed, they will then fund a full feature length version (by feature length, I mean 90min-type movie). If there is funding for a feature length, it normally means there will be money to pay actors and so forth.

As I suspected it would be, the experience was wonderful. Much of the script was meant to be filled out and embellished by the actors. When a writer/director is willing to relinquish that much control, it displays a great deal of trust. As an actress, I have such gratitude for any writer who believes in me that much. It gives me the confidence to do my best work.

The majority of the shoot took place around a dinner table. It was an unscripted scene where all the actors ate, drank and chatted completely in character. This is what I live for!!!!! Remember when you were a kid and you could spend an entire afternoon pretending to be someone else. Remember how free you felt, well that's how this felt for me. It was so amazing to look around the table and know that we were all in on it. No matter what was coming out of our mouths, positive or negative, there was the underlying joy of playtime. I highly recommend it. My hubby and I have been struggling for so long, I almost forgot I knew how. After years of doing exactly what some employer, director, government told me to do, there I was creating, playing, improvising and breaking rules. Hallelujah!!!! It felt so good.

I know I said we were all in on it, that's not entirely true. There were some extras (friends of the director who wanted to be in the background of the film) who had no idea what we were doing. They were clearly so confused that, eventually, we had to break out of character and explain. It was kind of hilarious to see the looks on their faces... Mean but hilarious.

I'm back to the "real world" tomorrow. Heading back up to LA for an audition for a cell phone provider. Think good thoughts, pray, chant, what ever it is you do, do that for me tomorrow. I could really use a good pay check friends. Couldn't we all!

My product of the day today is my favorite game. Along the lines of playing, I thought it appropriate to recommend a way of doing just that. The rules of this game are simple yet, depending on who you play with, can be very complex!!!! Everyone I've ever met, who knows this game, loves it!!! Check it out.

Bliss

Ever notice how the minute you figure out exactly what you want, enough to be able to verbalize it, the universe provides?

I thought all I wanted was to work as much as possible as an actress. This could make me happy. To stay busy. Simple. However, I've been doing just that lately, staying busy. I've been shooting mainly commercials, and industrials, working all the time. Why is it then, that I've been completely depressed, unsatisfied, empty. I've given the topic a lot of thought in the past few weeks and I came to the conclusion that I must refine my specifications. No longer is it enough to just "work," I've been there and done that now. I sat down with my husband and hashed it out, out loud this time. I wrote it down to solidify my requirements.

-I, not only want to work, I want to create. I want to be a part of a collaboration of which I can be proud. I want to belong to a family of peers that I respect and that respect me. I want to feel comfortable when I go to work, and not like a piece of set dressing. I would like to actually get to know the crew with whom I'm working. I hate doing commercials! Hum, what else? I want to do work that I can actually put on my resume. So on and so forth...

Amazingly enough, the week after I made these realizations and put them out into the universe, I got cast in a short film that granted all my wishes. The title of the film is "Bliss." I had a rehearsal last night and the title of the film, coincidentally, describes the feeling I had. I'm so happy to report that although we only shoot for one day, this is exactly the kind of project I was hoping for and would like to spend the rest of my career doing. I'm shooting tonight, and then it will be over, for now anyway. I just think that the timing is incredible. Sometimes things just come to you when you need them. Thanks world, I really needed this.

Since I'm talking about the universe today, I figured I would help you all navigate it. I bought my gps about a year and a half ago and I highly recommend it to anyone out there looking to pursue a career in LA. I would be seriously lost without it. LA is a big scary place and sometimes mapquest just isn't enough. It's nice to be able to ask your gps for directions to the nearest coffee shop, parking garage, or gas station. I would not try to do the whole LA thing without it!