The "Glamorous" Life of Auditions - Day 13 & 14 ( Auditions #16 & #17 )

Don't let the "everything that you can't control" drive ya crazy! This town is built on the you're never enough until someone gives you the chance, then you're on the radar and now you're amazing and wonderful and oh so delicious. Then this town will start to look for people who look like you, sound like you, are close to the mannerisms of you but until then..."YOU'RE TOO PRETTY TO BE A BOXER/FIGHTER. YOU'RE TO TALL/SHORT TO PLAY OPPOSITE OF THIS KNOWN ACTRESS/ACTOR. YOU'VE GOT TOO MUCH HAIR TO PLAY A PROFESSIONAL. YOU TOO LIGHT/DARK TO BE THIS DYNAMIC/DIMENSIONAL. This is what you'll keep hearing until it's your turn to shine, until someone has the kohones to actually give you the opportunity, until you've built up the reputation of finally being the person they are comfortable with. Whatever the reason it is now, understand it won't be later so just keep at 'em...however you can by doing what you can - grow arties, grow! And that means, taking those parts you ain't "right for" per say, making them your own even if you know it's not the actual look they may envision, puttin' yo stank on it and havin' it in the bag...even if it's only for you. It's a character to build upon, to train on, to work with and to play with as you deal with the obstacles of this business. Don't just brush it off as it ain't you so you're not going to do it because you've done it 100 times and nothing has ever came through...who cares, it's not the booking at this point then, it's the growth and the understanding of the character you're developing. This is now for your future - you are actually storing this away because there will come a time when you get that role of a lifetime and you'll know exactly who the person is you'll be portraying. Take that lickin' and keep on tickin' because you've got a date with destiny as long as you hang in and keep pushin' regardless of the odds, your art will win if you allow it to be so - they will know you, all of you...soon enough.

Gettin' creative with your self submissions is something you can do to keep you from the self tape blues. I get it that you're not in the room, feeling the energy, making a connection but I've booked off these and some of my cohorts have booked even bigger shows off these so dismissing this form of work is dismissing an opportunity you may have given yourself. For me, I just try to do things a bit different if possible and with this particular audition, since it was 2 separate scenes, I decided a costume change was something I could do to help them see me in 2 different aspects. One as an overworked mom nurse and the other a concerned, but slightly more attractive mom since the scene lead me to believe there should be some chemistry happening. I tried reading in between the lines as if I was shooting this sucker and this helps make the process bearable. I feel like I'm shooting a short film and I get to be the star...exactly the way you feel when you go into a room, whatever that is that helps you bring the magic, find it and use it - let's not waste our time nor our talents, give them that 100%!

Another audition done for casting I've been in to see but they have a strict policy of not sharing, not even the lot you're on. I've been in several times over the past year and it went from simple co-stars to series regulars to guest stars and it's hard that I haven't booked yet because you figure if you've been in that many times, eventually something will happen and nothing has yet. It's a stinker but I've learned to appreciate the fact that I stay on their lips, they must be searching for me to get a role but it's the role that fits me in their eyes and I am just grateful to be given the chance to show them all these characters I can play if given that moment while they figure it out. Of course it hurts not getting the part after being seen quite a few times but what hurts more is not being called back in...so enjoy the process, love what you do from the fight to the booking and understand that your work is respected and appreciated because you keep getting called back in. Keep fightin', this art, YOUR ART is worth it all....

YAY to making it to the Independent Black Film Festival over at Mann's Chinese in Hollywood. It's a place that has films, shorts, web series etc screened at least once a month at their venue and "Prowess" made it in! Was going to skip the event since I usually work weekends at my regular job but made it out early enough to work early in the morn and get off after 4 hours. It was a lot of racing, a lot of traffic but I made it in time to be able to take pictures on the red carpet with cast and crew along with enjoying some powerful/funny/well done pieces. Casting Director Robi Reed was in the house along with several actors from a BET show along with unknowns that work behind the scenes from directing to distribution, all sharing their info and story. You leave uplifted, inspired and knowing it's something you can/should do...I decided several years ago not to submit to this and I now realize just how important it is to open yourself up to different avenues. Why not give yourself every possible nook and cranny to squeeze in, to learn, to grow and to improve? 2019...WE COMIN' FOR YA!!!!

Head on over to YouTube - Subscribe at Freedom Bridgewater ( Freedom Films - Prowess ) and catch the episodes, Episode 1 up and running on the site. There's some magic to this show, hang in and watch some crazy go down with the girls by episode 5 - we ain't playin'! Copy and paste below...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56oGSPuRRqY

The "Glamorous" Life of Auditions - Day 10 - 12 ( Audition #13 - #15 )

Yay to my 4th commercial audition of the year because it's only February and things will only get better!!! My theory is the more commercial auditions you get to do, the more in the flow you get to be and the more shots you get to finally booking. Once a year is a hard place to connect in, but if it's constant and consistent, it becomes a numbers game, more so here than in television/film because for the most part, it's the feeling you give them with what you look like that matters. This one was for a martial arts instructor at the same casting office I was at recently but of course I was the only POC while at this audition as I saw plenty of the regulars flow in and out. Although I'm always happy to be called in, I'm always at a pause as to why not more of my types are at these auditions because I know we're here especially in the martial arts community. I do know when I see this, I'm more or less of the option, not the focus however, I am thankful for being such and will keep representing until I can see more of "us" in the running as well, especially for big campaigns like these. I was slightly worried I wouldn't have anything quick but martial arts is my blood and as soon as I got in, told the scenario, I went in like the instructor I had been without a shred of doubt. This is when the craft that you've worked so diligently on, lives within you and NOTHING, NOT A DAMN THING can take that away. It may be frustrating to feel like you've given so much to your art and it hasn't quite given what you want back but understand, this is your passion that you get to do every day you wake up and that is where the goodness lies. When you've got an extra talent for something and it seems like no one is paying attention, YOU pay attention...nurture that part of your art because there is nothing wrong with having a bag full of tricks up your sleeve when it's your turn to step into your shine. Think of how many gifts you're going to be able to offer this industry at maximum speed because you already have it sitting in your back pocket so don't look at the situation as it not paying off right now, it's going to do all that and more in the near future, just keep giving yourself options by becoming the best version of yourself. This way, it'll give you random opportunities to perfect your gifts while you create, so hang in and do things to get even better...all around!

It's been interesting as I learn more sides of the voice over business and one of the "different" things that happen are sample submissions. It's were they give you a scenerio and you basically come up with some stuff in the vein of their ask...all in your words, your insight. I'm sure ideas have been taken and used so this may very well make you shy away from this aspect of the business however, it's also a time to truly create for oneself from the ground up. This could help you decide that you are good enough to write, to do, to be in all aspects of this business and get your creative juices flowing as you practice on other not so used skills that you may have hidden. Doing this part of the work as an exercise into my art has already shown me to be quick and a better writer than I imagined. Even got a skit/sketch written out and because of timing will have to wait until I get back from celebrating my Appa to get it done...but these are the gems that come, don't block 'em!!! Get to work arties, I'm right there with you.

I love the unexpected auditions that come in because you know what they may be looking for but you go in to disrupt their ideas regardless. This came in as a one day job for a video game with another half day for rehearsal, "all ethnicities - even though I saw only one other category as me" playing an unassuming badass by being a mom ( yeah, I still look young...but take a look around at all the wonderful signs to tell ya to keep on keeping on ) without telling you any tidbits. What I did appreciate was the fact that it wasn't a cattle call, with only 2 ladies ahead of me when I arrived, both had a different look and varying heights so I felt it wasn't a waste of time. Check in was smooth and I was in the room after stretching my heart out as quickly as possible coming up with improv'd kicks at specific times to go along with the scene. Got to get my vocals pushed with yells as I remembered my drills of doing so as a warm up with barely any time in between my 3 takes I received from a female director. So super cool to just get to do that, practice that and be that for that moment because you gotta enjoy this to truly enjoy all that comes after! Cheers to fighting that fight each and every time...YOU ARE SEEN, YOU ARE TRUE, YOU ARE THE ARTIST THEY ARE LOOKING FOR - go grab your shine time - 👄

The "Glamorous" Life of Auditions - Day 7 - 9 ( Auditions #10, #11 & #12 )

"One liners..." can I officially state how much I don't like the idea of  them??? Not only can I not for the life of me, not seem to mess up the damn line, but usually there is nothing there to do but throw it away which means it's more about the look they're going for instead of any acting ability. I get it, it needs to be said and someone needs to say it and hell, why not me? However, it's one of the hardest auditions to do for some deranged reason to the most of our chagrin. If just given to us, we'd be able to knock it out on set...however, with this audition process to come in and say a single, small line, it can be a bit frustrating. Now I'm absolutely thankful to get in the room with whatever the number of lines may be, it's just a weird place as an actor who did plenty of scene study to see themselves - basically no place to build and the end result usually being the same - throwing the line away...but we all know as artists not to do that. That line is important, the moment is needed because it was written...why are we throwin' it away? Timing, movement of story, an introduction...we know this but for us arties, we know there's a reason for this so we dig a bit deeper than necessary coming up with back story and the mood or feeling we should be in whilst delivering this line. They've seen 15-20 people before you and it's literally a line... You've gotta make your peace with these, they're our bread and butter for the most part if you're the one that books them. So, as much as I fumble on them, I keep at it hoping the pain will go away...it hasn't...in all my years in this business but I've learned to understand the mood of the room and deliver it to as close as I can be involved in it and walk out letting those go asap regardless...because whether you felt like you messed up or not, most likely you didn't really and it doesn't matter anyway because they also know you'll get the line on set for the most part. Don't hang on to these, no matter how you're feelin', it is what it is and it is...a line! Gettin' to do another one for a network show which kept me in town a bit longer than I wanted before heading to the Bay but how wonderful it is, to pack, head to the audition at UDK and then hit the road for some time with fam bam, the most important things of all!

Then of course the usual out of town so now I get a notification happens for a bigger role at another wonderful casting office so the decision to cut the vacay short is upon us once again. Lucky we drove and are in agreement of heading out a day early to give myself the opportunity to be back on the lot with the casting I booked "Arch Angel - VR," but this time for a network show. I'm gonna go in depth with this one because when the role is for you, there is nothing that can stand in the way of that and understanding that as an artist is a beautiful, thing. This role wasn't for me...it was someone else's and everything lead to her booking as well as me learning to stick to my guns on my choices regardless of what casting may have to say because being your unique self is the only truth in the room. I arrived a bit early to get settled in and I could feel I was slowly making it into the bigger rooms and am grateful I'm kinda in that category because these types of roles usually aren't in my playhouse - I know I look/viewed younger than some of my counterparts and it's always been the bane in my backside because there's nothing I can do about it nor is there anything I want to do about it. I am who I am and once I get to my place, I'll be able to share even more about my regimen but for now, I'll plow through this difficult space of being viewed as too young for some roles and too old for others but just by a smidgen. Go into casting and really dig into my choices...I was told not to go so far, that there was this level of professionalism that being a doctor has...so, I listened and adjusted. I could see her nodding and I knew even if I didn't get the call back, that I had given her what she wanted. I waited in the area by finding a small, vegetarian friendly spot, had lunch and received the notification to be back at the studio around 3p for the meeting with the director, writer and producers in the room as well. Happy-happy, joy-joy as I made it through the 1st round gauntlet. Although I was into my choices, because it was my first time being in this particular room in such a long time with new casting, I decided to work their insight into my read. During this process I saw the beautiful, booking machine Nicola and the gorgeous Crystal which brought happiness into my heart. Grateful to be in the same room, auditioning for the same role as my acting tribe I aspire to be more in tune with because as one comes up...we all do! Was told there was a constant beeping noise happening in the room when I entered all that warmth. This session was filled with people that understood actors and was actually truly routing for each one of us to do well...I could feel it and although at ease, some of the words seem to slip from my grasp as I tried to be this "other individual" as told to me earlier. I pushed through instead of stopping and going back to my original choice because that was my individual goal for this casting. I felt okay, but not great because I for the first time in ages, did what they requested but not what I knew to be true of me. They seemed to have gotten my take and even said great job with no redirects, so I exited the room thankful I had done what I did but knew that wasn't going to happen again. I came out to the smiling face of Crystal and her friend Noel whom had also read for the role. We discussed what went right and what went wrong which was a nice release of the art we all had experienced and I left hoping that if not me, please one of them...just someone that I knew. It turned out to be a friend of Crystal, whom was part of the straight to producers group - she hadn't really been in the acting world but she just happened to be off her job, the shooting schedule working with her time off and knew this was basically her. She went in with no pre-read out looks and did her warmth version which got her the role...my first choice. I get it, we have to believe casting knows what they want but also keep in mind of what you want as well, I'm glad I tried it their way in order for them to see that I was able to make the shift but if you also feel strongly about a character's definition, then do that mostly without fail. Your truth, your role, your way until it's absolutely necessary to change that. I did it when I booked "Hello..." with Sally Field & Tyne Daly directed with Michael Showalter, when I flipped them off, that wasn't in the script and I was told to do it another way which I complied however, when the callbacks happened, I went in with my original, gut feeling of what the scene was and he laughed so hard he didn't want to see the other version of that choice. Stick to your guns, whether you book or not, you'll feel better as an artist in the end...and they will get you, eventually someone will! This role was for her, everything lined up as the universe will and you as an artist have got to believe that. What is yours, can't be taken so celebrate your small victories in all ways that it comes because it is about the journey! Let go, celebrate and cheer each other on!!!

As I've been diving into the voice over auditions, I've been practicing characters along the way...they will get better, more fluid but I'm enjoying my process of building and growing in an area I just never thought I'd be involved in. So much fear is now leading to so much confidence that I am capable...I am an artist, I can do it and so can you. Never in my wildest dreams could I have thought I could manipulate my voice into being a 5 year old, 12 year old, 16 year old or whimsical or with different dialects etc but these auditions are teaching me something. I had set limitations on this side of my art because I believed that most are just gifted with this type of craft and I in fact was not one of them, so cheers to facing that fear and doing it anyway! Slowly but surely we create...