Commercial Print job audition wonderfulness, not because it's print ( can't stand modelling but dammit, the pay is outstanding for the most part ) but it was the who that called me in that got me floating! No sides because it's print and although it's in the dreaded Santa Monica region, I would drive wherever to see this casting director. WHY? Because when I was just starting in the biz, once he called me in, he always called me in...he was pretty accepting of crashers ( people with no auditions that had heard they may be the type from other friends and crashed the audition ) as long as it wasn't a time crunch for the most part. I think that may have been the very way I finally got into his office and although I never booked a damn commercial ( told you I was cursed in this genre for some reason ) he constantly called me in anyway. I dressed as a nurse, hair pulled up with light make up and I was off wondering if he even remembered me and honestly couldn't wait to see him again. I arrived just a tad late with parking being nearly impossible off Wilshire and driving around the no parking neighborhood in circles looking for anything anywhere and wanting to turn back and go home. Finally a metered spot opened and I raced in to just a few other actors in the waiting room for this particular job. Usually it is madness and mayhem for these types of jobs but usually when handled by a professional cd, things are very different including wait times etc. When he came out to call out names and group us in 3's ( doctor, nurse, patient, ) I was in group 3 with it moving quickly. He came over immediately to hug, say hi and to catch up...that old school feeling of knowing another person on a different level in a business that has grown and changed from headshots and resumes meaning something to popularity/social media wins. He hung out until I was up and then he returned to the room to watch my bit. Although it was print, they wanted to see the movements via camera and gave us marks to hit with openness to improv since there was no script. You never know when this type of training will come up and this is why auditioning for different roles and taking classes are important, coming up with some medical jargon was at the tip of my tongue as well as knowing the tone of the bit. I could tell the older, Asian gentleman who really did look like a doctor was a bit new to it all and I paid close attention to his slate and his body movements because since he was in the scene with me, I knew I was going to have to interact with him. He was given the option to use props ( like a clip board, pen, stethoscope - side note: if you've never used props in a scene and you're just not quite comfortable, opt out - it's okay...) I came in, hit my mark, chatted with the patient about how he was feeling and the food he had for lunch ( something I listened to plenty of times watching my Appa in the hospital ) but when it was the doctor's turn, he completely forgot to hug the chair/bed of the patient and now I'm in his shot. Being aware and being a giving actor is essential, I understood he totally forgot so I tried my hardest to stay tucked in and ducking for the most part so he could be seen and turning to him during the shot to open the camera up. We finally got our cue line, I made my move that I had already asked would be okay to do from the other side of the bed and watched the "doctor" now fumble with his props...he had no idea what to do with it and he just stood there blankly like a deer caught in headlights. Yes, I jumped in, stated "I'll take those doctor and are we ready now?" It still took him a moment to realize all that was happening and stated he wasn't ready yet in which I almost broke out of character and started laughing but quickly told him it was time to go....HA!!! Even Craig laughed pleasantly telling me it was such a good save as he introduced me to the camera man and I was out the door. Next time I'll ask for a picture, it's not every day I get a casting director who remembers me always smiling...even when I was crashing!!! Moments like these let me know it's worth it and to hang in....
Got my umma for a whole 3 weeks of goodness and between seeing family, arting, working out and getting her first professional shoot in, I realized how absolutely wonderful it was to have her around which in turned meant my Appa was! I was actually happy for hardly any calls for auditions except for self tapes and maybe a couple out and abouts which made for such a soaking up moments with my umma so very special! Fill the well, filling the well and letting it overflow with so much goodness my heart can go on...because now my umma is expecting greatness, now she's cheering me on and now she wants me to be as happy/successful as my Appa always wished but she gets to see this if I stay in...if I stay focused...if I push forward. As artists we can be so sensitive that even the strongest will question whether or not they are on the right path as they question life and deaths. How do I best celebrate a man that was my biggest fan? Having my umma around, put it all in perspective once again...I AM WHERE I SHOULD BE, DOING EXACTLY WHAT I SHOULD BE AND BEING WHO I SHOULD BE! I almost broke her with all the activities but she went home full and exhausted...she can sleep now!!! One of her biggest dreams was to get a professional shoot done with my Appa in her hangbok which never happened and realizing I had my own of 10 years that hadn't been worn gave me the inspiration to get some traditional pictures done with her. The absolute joy of seeing her face made up, to her first pictures shot, to our photos together filled me with so much love that I must keep at my purpose...to make moments like this happen in the future. Thank goodness for the people in my life/tribe like http://www.quainphoto.com/ who has always pretty much kept me in the acting game and the fabulous make-up artist http://www.danielchinchilla.com/ who I wait for to do my face whenever he's in town and free from Ariana Grande and such... I wasn't planning on doing some headshots myself but when the dream team is together, you take advantage!!! Whatever, whomever fills your well of inspiration, allow time to get it all in. We give and we give and we give as artists, facing rejections, avails, close calls and our eyes of "failures." So don't forget to smell the roses, see beauty in life, spend time with the ones you love and eat wonderfully because you can and this will give you the stamina to take on the negatives so that you may finally enjoy the positives more!!!! 
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