What to do, what to do, when da character is older than you ( or older than you'd like to portray right now. ) That was my dilemma for my 3rd audition of the New Start of 2016 but I figured, I got called in for it, why not go...if I'm completely wrong but put a smack down on the audition, I will be remembered! Although I skipped submitting it myself, my management company obviously thought I could pull it off as well as get into the graces of Ricki G. Maslar's casting office and I haven't seen her since I started in this business years ago and would love to get on her radar once again since I'm baaaaa-ccccckkkkk! See, they wanted older in "Hello My Name is Doris" with Sally Field and although I didn't really look like most of the other women there, I was still chosen for the bit, so I'm all up for being cast and doing the part regardless...if they're gonna be open, then so should I, I mean it wasn't the biggest gap but when you look around the room you realize what it is they see as the character. Your job if you get in there, is to change their minds or make them forget if possible and that is exactly what I went in to do. Walking on to Raleigh Studios Lot another gal walking out is letting me know how absolutely wonderful the casting is...isn't that nice?! Lifted my spirit and allowed me to relax, this is what I do all the time and I'm so happy someone did it for me as well. We can all help each other during the process by just giving a little heads up on the positive notes in the room...I love to let people know that the room is super open and warm, it lets you as the actor just be and that's all we want. Walking in nervous with difficult dialogue can get you tongue twisted in a heart beat but when you can walk in knowing the room is routing for you, how beautious is that?!?! I could hear the room chatting it up with the gal inside for quite some time and I wasn't jelly not one bit...I can tell the other lady was a bit off about it by saying "They havin' a good time in there huh?" And I stated, "Gurl, that be da bidness, that means they're super cool, especially with someone they know and now, they gonna know us!" Then I stated how beautiful I thought her jacket was and how impeccable she looked...she might've thought I was cray cray or hitting on her but I didn't care, we need to learn to compliment each other in that room before the room every chance we get. Some don't want to hear it, but if that's not you, spread da LOVE, everyone deserves a fair shot in the process and we've all been there. What is yours will be yours because no one can read like you in the room or make the same exact choices as you, so quit feeling like you gotta compete and have stank face when we're all in this together. We all have nerves, we all hope we look good, we all want to just kill the room...we all know this, so why make it more difficult upon ourselves? We are a community of artists and as one of us gets it, we all win because that is someone new instead the same familiar faces or a star. Let all our beings shine by just saying a kind word whenever you can and see how you feel when you walk into that room to do your work...your shine, will be brilliantly, blinding! Today was "Robin Aldis - Social Services Worker, clean and less make - up, power suit but with flats - my choice ( since they wanted a spit polished character ) and hair pulled back in a clip, not the way I wanted it but since my hair had a few frizzies in the front I had to change the look of what I was going for. Check the character, be you in that character and let 'em have it!!! I made some serious choices in body movement in this one and Ricki took notice as she was off to the side on the computer, I didn't even think she was paying attention but when she took the time after my first scene to let me know how absolutely interesting and good it was, I knew I made some solid choices and that is all I can hope for. Do you...always!
Feeling a bit stagnant? Overwhelmed? Underappreciated...etc., etc., etc.? Well, what have you done for self? Did you quit celebrating last year because it was silly and you didn't have time? Did you tell yourself you'll celebrate only when you book? Did you tell yourself you needed money to celebrate? Whatever obstacles you put in the way of your hard earned celebrations, remove them...NOW! We don't thank ourselves enough for dealing with rejection, working so hard on copy, being vulnerable and fighting to look our best at an audition. These take a toll on your psyche and spirit, you can't keep putting yourself out there and think with no validation you're gonna keep up the positive outlook, it's like having a terrible relationship and just staying in it because you must?!???? In this relationship with this business, there are more valleys than mountain tops for most and the only way to get out of that feeling of being in those valleys constantly is to recognize the effort you have put forth. When you truly see how much you're giving as an artist, those aren't valleys you're in, those are the stepping stones to reach the top. Booking won't be the end goal, showing them who you are and what you've got in your arsenal of art will be your defining factor. You begin to realize the end decision has nothing to do with you but you hit that homer, so instead of stating it was a homer in a losing game realize a home run, is a home run...you still pick up the stats and for that, you must celebrate. That is one more office, one more casting session and one more job you might get under your belt...it's a big deal...PERIOD! The more auditions you celebrate, the more thankful you become of them and the more the universe gives back because you walk in knowing what it took to get you there and it wasn't just plain luck. So celebrate somehow ( I had a gift card to Veggie Grill for one of my Born Day gifts and put it to great use celebrating ), cook yourself a special din din/breakfast ( I took extra time to chop up mushrooms and make fresh guacamole on my veggie meat tacos & I added all that whip to my pancakes with blueberries, almonds and strawberries )...get those bottles of craft beer to celebrate only when you audition...treat yourself to a movie at home that you haven't had time for, whatever the celebration is, no matter how small it may feel, you are giving back to your art and saying thank you. If you don't appreciate all that you do, who's gonna at this moment? I had over 40 auditions last year starting in March and a total of 4 bookings for the year? Those aren't great numbers but if you're in this business and struggling, you realize 4 bookings is better than none and over 40 auditions equals to almost one audition a week theatrically for the most part. For me, last year was one of the best years since I rebooted back into this industry a few years ago. This year will be better and it has already started off as such...no bookings yet, but I've had some wonderful auditions already letting me know, my work, my seeds I've planted are now beginning to break through the rough soil. So keep "watering" your art, keep composting the good stuff to make it grow and watch it blossom and bear fruit...time, yes but boy does it give back when you got all the right things in the mix from the smallest detail...don't forget the details. My tangerine tree reminded me of that this year...can't wait to enjoy the sweet goodness!
So with all the hoopla over the holiday season and just eating like a geranimal, I know when it's time to get back in and I've slacked but now I'm back to making sure I'm at my very best every day. You can find amazing trails in L.A. and one of my favorites is La Tuna Canyon, there's this monster hill that beats it out of me every time because in certain points you not only have to make sure you lean forward so not to go tumbling down the crazy hill but you must use your hands and crawl because it gets so steep. Free exercise and beautiful scenery to remind me that with hard work, lots of determination and even crawling through the toughest part, I will be at my mountain top, enjoying the view soon because one step at a time may be slow, but it'll get you there! Enjoy your celebrations and enjoy each day you're here to fight the good fight my beautiful artists, I love you all and can't wait to share the views with each one of you because when one makes it, we all do!!!
What to do, what to do, when da character is older than you ( or older than you'd like to portray right now. ) That was my dilemma for my 3rd audition of the New Start of 2016 but I figured, I got called in for it, why not go...if I'm completely wrong but put a smack down on the audition, I will be remembered! Although I skipped submitting it myself, my management company obviously thought I could pull it off as well as get into the graces of Ricki G. Maslar's casting office and I haven't seen her since I started in this business years ago and would love to get on her radar once again since I'm baaaaa-ccccckkkkk! See, they wanted older in "Hello My Name is Doris" with Sally Field and although I didn't really look like most of the other women there, I was still chosen for the bit, so I'm all up for being cast and doing the part regardless...if they're gonna be open, then so should I, I mean it wasn't the biggest gap but when you look around the room you realize what it is they see as the character. Your job if you get in there, is to change their minds or make them forget if possible and that is exactly what I went in to do. Walking on to Raleigh Studios Lot another gal walking out is letting me know how absolutely wonderful the casting is...isn't that nice?! Lifted my spirit and allowed me to relax, this is what I do all the time and I'm so happy someone did it for me as well. We can all help each other during the process by just giving a little heads up on the positive notes in the room...I love to let people know that the room is super open and warm, it lets you as the actor just be and that's all we want. Walking in nervous with difficult dialogue can get you tongue twisted in a heart beat but when you can walk in knowing the room is routing for you, how beautious is that?!?! I could hear the room chatting it up with the gal inside for quite some time and I wasn't jelly not one bit...I can tell the other lady was a bit off about it by saying "They havin' a good time in there huh?" And I stated, "Gurl, that be da bidness, that means they're super cool, especially with someone they know and now, they gonna know us!" Then I stated how beautiful I thought her jacket was and how impeccable she looked...she might've thought I was cray cray or hitting on her but I didn't care, we need to learn to compliment each other in that room before the room every chance we get. Some don't want to hear it, but if that's not you, spread da LOVE, everyone deserves a fair shot in the process and we've all been there. What is yours will be yours because no one can read like you in the room or make the same exact choices as you, so quit feeling like you gotta compete and have stank face when we're all in this together. We all have nerves, we all hope we look good, we all want to just kill the room...we all know this, so why make it more difficult upon ourselves? We are a community of artists and as one of us gets it, we all win because that is someone new instead the same familiar faces or a star. Let all our beings shine by just saying a kind word whenever you can and see how you feel when you walk into that room to do your work...your shine, will be brilliantly, blinding! Today was "Robin Aldis - Social Services Worker, clean and less make - up, power suit but with flats - my choice ( since they wanted a spit polished character ) and hair pulled back in a clip, not the way I wanted it but since my hair had a few frizzies in the front I had to change the look of what I was going for. Check the character, be you in that character and let 'em have it!!! I made some serious choices in body movement in this one and Ricki took notice as she was off to the side on the computer, I didn't even think she was paying attention but when she took the time after my first scene to let me know how absolutely interesting and good it was, I knew I made some solid choices and that is all I can hope for. Do you...always!
Feeling a bit stagnant? Overwhelmed? Underappreciated...etc., etc., etc.? Well, what have you done for self? Did you quit celebrating last year because it was silly and you didn't have time? Did you tell yourself you'll celebrate only when you book? Did you tell yourself you needed money to celebrate? Whatever obstacles you put in the way of your hard earned celebrations, remove them...NOW! We don't thank ourselves enough for dealing with rejection, working so hard on copy, being vulnerable and fighting to look our best at an audition. These take a toll on your psyche and spirit, you can't keep putting yourself out there and think with no validation you're gonna keep up the positive outlook, it's like having a terrible relationship and just staying in it because you must?!???? In this relationship with this business, there are more valleys than mountain tops for most and the only way to get out of that feeling of being in those valleys constantly is to recognize the effort you have put forth. When you truly see how much you're giving as an artist, those aren't valleys you're in, those are the stepping stones to reach the top. Booking won't be the end goal, showing them who you are and what you've got in your arsenal of art will be your defining factor. You begin to realize the end decision has nothing to do with you but you hit that homer, so instead of stating it was a homer in a losing game realize a home run, is a home run...you still pick up the stats and for that, you must celebrate. That is one more office, one more casting session and one more job you might get under your belt...it's a big deal...PERIOD! The more auditions you celebrate, the more thankful you become of them and the more the universe gives back because you walk in knowing what it took to get you there and it wasn't just plain luck. So celebrate somehow ( I had a gift card to Veggie Grill for one of my Born Day gifts and put it to great use celebrating ), cook yourself a special din din/breakfast ( I took extra time to chop up mushrooms and make fresh guacamole on my veggie meat tacos & I added all that whip to my pancakes with blueberries, almonds and strawberries )...get those bottles of craft beer to celebrate only when you audition...treat yourself to a movie at home that you haven't had time for, whatever the celebration is, no matter how small it may feel, you are giving back to your art and saying thank you. If you don't appreciate all that you do, who's gonna at this moment? I had over 40 auditions last year starting in March and a total of 4 bookings for the year? Those aren't great numbers but if you're in this business and struggling, you realize 4 bookings is better than none and over 40 auditions equals to almost one audition a week theatrically for the most part. For me, last year was one of the best years since I rebooted back into this industry a few years ago. This year will be better and it has already started off as such...no bookings yet, but I've had some wonderful auditions already letting me know, my work, my seeds I've planted are now beginning to break through the rough soil. So keep "watering" your art, keep composting the good stuff to make it grow and watch it blossom and bear fruit...time, yes but boy does it give back when you got all the right things in the mix from the smallest detail...don't forget the details. My tangerine tree reminded me of that this year...can't wait to enjoy the sweet goodness!
So with all the hoopla over the holiday season and just eating like a geranimal, I know when it's time to get back in and I've slacked but now I'm back to making sure I'm at my very best every day. You can find amazing trails in L.A. and one of my favorites is La Tuna Canyon, there's this monster hill that beats it out of me every time because in certain points you not only have to make sure you lean forward so not to go tumbling down the crazy hill but you must use your hands and crawl because it gets so steep. Free exercise and beautiful scenery to remind me that with hard work, lots of determination and even crawling through the toughest part, I will be at my mountain top, enjoying the view soon because one step at a time may be slow, but it'll get you there! Enjoy your celebrations and enjoy each day you're here to fight the good fight my beautiful artists, I love you all and can't wait to share the views with each one of you because when one makes it, we all do!!! 