Zoom Callback

 Had a great callback for the commercial today. It was through Lauren Charkow Casting out of NYC. Jordan was a lovely greeter in the waiting room and the audition consisted of a casting agent, Becky, and the director. He gave me several line reads and different directions for each so it was a lot of fun.
Stoked for the callback, now let's get to booking!

 Lots of Updates.
Moved back to Virginia to be more help to my mom and thus I'm starting again in this city that I left 20 years ago for adventures in NY & LA. I do love this city and every change is a chance for new adventures so here goes.

I reconnected with my agent in the town and have been submitting myself for various things for them weekly. All just photo submissions.
Till this past weekend, when I got to record my first acting audition for a tv spot. It was a really fun character role and I wore the outfit my incredible stylist got me for one of my looks for my last hs session. It is an outfit that I would never wear in real life, who are we kidding...i wear a blanket moo moo all the time in real life.... I mean... It is COLD here. I just moved from LA. So I will be wearing a blanket moo moo every day all day until the warm weather makes its appearance.

This was the first time that I've had to do all of the set up and recording all by myself. I really miss my amazing neighbors in LA. They made auditioning a breeze. I played around with the lighting and tried to get the frame right. Lots of recording and running back and forth. 
I recorded the scene two times and did a little improv. Downloaded the footage and wasn't in love with the lighting but it was good enough. Upon inspection, I found I had lipstick on my teeth. HA! I debated changing and doing the recording again but really liked my delivery, so decided it was a character choice and sent the audition in on Sunday. Auditions were due at the end of the day on Monday.

EXCITING NEWS is that today (wed), I got a callback for the role! The callback is tomorrow on zoom so now I'm going to set up my studio so I will be ready. Very stoked to have gotten my first callback of the year on my first self tape of the year. Here is to many more callback and bookings in 2025! 
I'm really excited about this because this is the first self tape that I have submitted to my agent in VA, I feel it reads well to get a CB on it, so they know that I am ready to rock a set for them.

Booked a BG gig

 So stoked! I finally booked one of the avail checks!! I'll be playing the part of a pedestrian on the show 'Good Trouble' this coming Friday. Super stoked!! There is a covid test tomorrow and it pays $100, so that's a great bump to the normal extra pay. Location is in Santa Clarita so it is an easy drive for me as well. Hoping that the show is shooting in that location as well. Finger's crossed.

I also got a VO audition that is due tomorrow via VoiceCasters. Its for a video game so I get to have some fun with the characters. Going to record that tonight after Jordan goes to bed, if I can get the cats to shut up. Smoosh always wants to have either a snore fest or practice his huffing and puffing when I try to record. He's such an attention hog.

Gratitude for being able to start over.

 I've done it once. I can do it again and this time I will have experience under my belt and knowing that persistence makes everything possible.

I've gotten 4 avail checks from Central Casting today for background work on 3 shows that I've never heard of and one of my mom's favorite Sitcoms, Young Sheldon. I hope I book YS out of all of them because that would delight her. She is still seeing the Kroger ad that I squeezed a lemon for back in the fall on the air during her evening stories, so I'd love to surprise her to keep an eye out for me on YS. I don't have any qualms about going back to doing extra work. It gives me a good chance to interact and to watch. I've always had great experiences just being on set in any role. 

I've loved the past few years as a Stills Photographer, gives me a whole new appreciation for every member of the crew though now it is time to focus more on being talent.
Voiceover & Hand Modeling & Acting. Acting was my first dream which was taken off course when my hands were discovered. I've loved voice-over since I was a kid in the booth at WTVR TV 6 in Richmond, VA, recording promos for the tv station. I love all three.... and I'm going to go for all three.

Neighbor Steven helped me pick two monologues to start working on. His suggestion is that perhaps that and an audition scene could help land me an agent or a manager. I feel like I'm almost ready for that with my look. I've always felt that I was the wrong age for the roles that I got early auditions for.  Hoping time will be kind and opportunities to show my talents will happen, with hard work and persistence. 

I'm registered for background work with Central Casting. They are the main bg casting house in LA. A few years ago, I did a couple of days on CSI, American Horror Story and a few others.

A month or so ago, I was in 2 scenes on the skit comedy show 'something something with ?? i always want to call it 'win a date with tad hamilton' but that is not it. Jordan will remember the name. He knows the show. That was a fun one, though cold outside, oddly enough. Freezing our booties off in LA.  We all had to wait in line when we arrived for about 30 minutes to get a nasal swab for the covid test and then wait in chairs spread out through a tent to get the results. We had all been tested two days prior, but this is the new covid world. 

First scene was easy. I was paired up with the guy that I met on the covid test 2 days prior so we were already fast friends. The scene was happening across the room from us. I was in my hunter green blouse that all the wardrobe gals love and I sat with my back to the action, which is true perfection. He & I play chatted and I pretended to drink wine while he pretneded to eat and then a waitor came over with my dinner. What a rude restaurant to serve the man so long before me? haha. We were at that locatoiin forawhile and then they picked some of us to move to location 2. Luckily, I had brought my leather jacket from vietnam as we were sitting outside right next to the beach. at some seafood restaurant off the PCH. it was windy and beautiful.  other bg was fun to chat with. we all traded instagrams and spend several hours just chatting about the life and the insanity of what the people in the apartmnets across the way must pay.

the 2nd scene was inside the restaurant and I was partnered with my waiter from before. He was a nice guy and we had a good fake date chat. turns out he was quite taken with my hands. haha. For our scene, the lead guy came in dressed from the 1990's and swaggres by us which is our cue to get up and walk out. Now it was cold as heck outside and the scene was a long one. If we walked out those doors, we would be trapped out there, shivering waiting to hear them yell cut... and it was improve, this could take awhile. I learned steadicams movement and watched where the camera was pointed and found that once we cleared him, there was a brief moment when the camera's back was to us and I pulled former waitor boy down on the floor right behind this big decorative barrell that took up most of the entryway of the restaurant. By the time steadi swung the camera round in our direction we would have been out the door and gone... so this was perfect.  All we had to do was walk 3 steps and plop down and then chill while the rest of the scene played out. It was a perfect plan and it worked. Made the AD laugh when he saw us there, I think he was headed to get us from outside when he turned the corner on the barrell and saw us there. he gave a thumbs up and we were golden. Did this scene, i dunno how many times and then it was a wrap. We did get OTso that is good. Really, my true goal is to just get back on SAG health insurance. life was a lot easier when I had that. Health insurance is so stressful, I just don't understand it. All I know is that when I had SAG, I could go see all sorts of specialists, even for mental health. I would like to go see a therapist. I think I'm finally ready to talk to someone about my past and my future and not feel a burdon taking up someone elses time. Though now, during covid.. everything is really a burden for everyone. we all just have to do what we can do to get through the day.

Fingers crossed that I can break through again, starting at the bottom. Get those BG gigs.

Oh and F called me about another gig with the German Director. She doesn't know what he needs yet though, I'm just stoked she's finally calling me again to book. I love working on her sets. 

Starting Over

I get a lot and I mean A LOT of emails from people wanting to know how to get started in the industry. So I’m starting this post as I’m about to restart in the industry! I took a break y’all. When I left NYC and all of my agents and all of my work contacts, I knew that I was taking a risk. I took a risk to try for something that I love and something that I do love but what I’ve found out recently is that I am missing what I loved before. I worked on a shoot all last week with an incredible team and it reminded me of just how much I love the work. I love figuring out how to get a shot quickly for camera. Almost anyone can set down a drink, but to set it down for camera is another deal entirely. & I love figuring out how to contort my body around the camera or flags or other obstacles to try to find a way to make my hand look like it is naturally doing whatever is needed.  It was an incredible week on set and I loved being back in that world. So I’m going to give it a go and see what I can get started out here, in a new state!

Granted, I have a good background to start with. I am not starting from scratch, like so many people are. But I did start from ground one back in the days before google and self promotion became easy. I had to research for long periods to figure out who to mail my information too. Now everything can be found in a few clicks. and contact can be made by filling out a form on a website. So here goes, I’m going to keep track of what I’m doing to get started, lay it out, step by step.

Time to get back into the gloves!!!

Today, I am researching places to send my composite cards to in search of work… Also, starting to think about finding an agency to rep me for commercial work.

Hamilton Beach

Always so sweet to shoot with Double Image Studio and for one of my favorite art directors of all time, Tom Chambers. Check his work out! He's an incredible artist.

DOW

Reunited & it feels so good! Back with Director, Jason DeSimone for a day of foaming for DOW! 

Production Designer Alex Choate

AKA - My stand in :P 

My foam practice lines

How you know a production loves ya! RESERVED PARKING!

Woodford Reserve

Beautiful shoot for Woodford Reserve. The color of their bourbon is divine.

Lady Face Ale Company

Burgers & Beer!

and some delicious mac & cheese, that I got to eat after we shot it!!! Everything was made in house and was EDIBLE! This is a rare happening on a lot of food shoots, usually everything is stuffed with mashed potatoes or coated in something that you wouldn't want to eat. Today's shoot for Lady Face Ale Company was 100% real with food stylings by the hella talened Shellie Anderson. Shellie is a true food artist and she makes everything look mouth watering good. & lucky for me, as everything also tasted divine!

one of my shots had me stabbing this unsuspecting burger to crack the egg hidden underneath the bun so it dripped out. HELLO YUMMMMMYYYYYY!!!!!!

after the stabbing! 

Shellie dressing what would later become my lunch. 

Kitchen Aid

Reunited with one of my faves - Jason DeSimone! I always know if he is on set, it is going to be a great shoot. 

When you are working with chrome and EVERYTHING reflects, you have to become invisible! 

To Tell The Truth

I had the best time on To Tell The Truth! I ended up getting to do two segments for the show. The first one was where I was one of the 'liars' pretending to be a professional cuddler. Yep, you read that right, professional cuddler. The gal who was the professional cuddler was awesome and she helps a lot of people feel connection in the world. As she was being revealed, the remaining gal and I slipped white gloves on our hands underneath the table and they rolled right into the 'who is the real hand model'. 

It was an absolute hoot & I cannot WAIT to see it when it airs. I may have coined a new phrase "the reverse popsicle" :P 

Tifa AKA Chocolate Explosion Shoot

Some shoots are definitely better than others. Like, infinitely better! & this was one of them. The commercial was shot in their store in Agoura and OHMYYUM, this place is incredible. I highly recommend stopping by to treat yourself! Tifa Chocolate & Gelato

I was told early in the day that anything I touched, I would get to take home. This was a mistake on production. They should never have told me that. I mean... come on, I touched EVERYTHING. Not really, no really. I mean, wouldn't you?  Look at all this!

Baskin Robbins

Oh, just twist my arm and call me lucky! A day shooting Baskin Robbins is a fantastic day. My neighbors would also agree as I brought so much ice cream home that I went door to door introducing myself and passing out ice cream! Great way to meet new neighbors!!!!

My arm rest for the oreo drop!

                                     

                                         spreading that lovely yummy ice cream!

Slicing the YUM

the master at work

perks of the job