Showing posts with label Casting Directors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Casting Directors. Show all posts

Friday, December 26, 2008

Holiday Reflection

This holiday season has been a strange one for me. For one, I'm not spending it with my whole family, although I am fortunate to spend it with my big brother at the very least. My mom is in Taiwan, and my dad is working in Shanghai. This fall, my mom came to visit the states for several weeks, so she didn't feel like going through the rigmorale of traveling stateside again, and also she stayed behind because my grandmother isn't doing so great. My dad feels it necessary to stay in shanghai for work. the ailing economy has put the pressure on, not to mention christmas isn't exactly huge in asia.

I should also mention that the last three holiday seasons I was in a relationship that broke up this summer. So it's also strange not to have that anchoring the Christmas season, especially because the last two years we went to asia together over the holidays. But this is all just sentimental bullshit anyway, because i wouldn't want it any other way right now. The relationship ended for a reason, and we're both better people for it.

All in all, this holiday has been a period of reflection. I learned so much about myself this last year. I gained invaluable experience and confidence in myself and I feel really good about going into this next year. I have no doubts that my career is gaining momentum. I am so grateful for the work I've gotten in what has been an incredibly challenging year for actors. I shot two commercials, a promo for CBS, and a co-star on a successful show on ABC! Thank you thank you thank you thank you to everything and everyone who was responsible for making these things happen.

In 2009 i intend to do many workshops and get as many casting directors familiar with me and my work as possible. I am a working actress in Los Angeles. My dream is a reality, and I am so grateful for all the joy this brings into my life. I look forward to doing more, telling great stories, and meeting interesting, passionate people who are also living their dreams.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Sister made it on "Brothers.."

I recently worked on the ABC show Brothers and Sisters. It was a small part, a costar, with a whole whopping TWO lines. WHEW! When I tell people I booked this gig, they're generally really excited for me, but I have this little voice in my head that tells me it ain't shit. Why do I do that? I mean, when it comes down to it, this is my first primetime credit (it will show on IMDb once the episode airs), and that's GREAT. But all I want is MORE. Co star roles don't have an arc. They really just facilitate the scene forward. For example, I play a barista in this episode of Brothers & Sisters. Sally Field comes in looking for someone and asks the barista where some dude is. I tell her where he is. Bam. Over. That's that.

Awesome.

HOWEVER, this is not to say I am not SOOOOOOO damn grateful for this job. I really give credit to the casting associate who works with the casting directors on this show. Arlie Day with O'Neill/Bacharach. I did a workshop with her several months back and made a good impression. Since then, she's called me in for a few webisodes, and though I didn't book them, she gave me great feedback in the room. For this episode of B & S, they didn't even release a breakdown for the barista role. The casting directors just called people in from their files, and thus, I received my first job on a primetime show. Pretty great.

And because this was proof that workshops work, I'm doing more now. The place I do mine at is called Actor's Coop Group. I haven't tried any others, but they generally get the same cd's and associates in as other workshop places. This one is close to where I live though, and you can't beat that in LA. The drawback is that it costs money and I'm damn broke and have the most debt I've probably ever had in my life. Still, I have to look at it as a business investment. The more credits like this I can get, the more auditions my agents will be able to get me into.

My goal: To book a guest star on something rad, like the new show Caprica (prequel to Battlestar Gallactica--yeaaaahhhh bitches!!!!). Ok, I don't know if it will be rad...watching the trailer, it's not what I was expecting at all, but we'll see!