Who needs an agency anyway?

Today is the day. The last feasible day to shop before Christmas. It's also the day I bought my managers gift and made red velvet cake pops for my agency. And it's also the day I sit back and reflect on this past year and thank my team for all of the work they've done.

Speaking of my team, I'm well aware that I'm heading into pilot season without a theatrical agent. Very few agencies will take on new talent at this point of the year, as they're too busy prepping their current clients for pilots. So this pilot season I'm just going to go with my manager and commercial agents, which I've been unsatisfied about.

Until I read this article by one of my heroes, the anonymous Working Actress:

http://theworkingactress.com/2010/12/18/last-business-day-musings/

I now feel much more content. I have an amazing manager who hustles like no other. I can do this. We can do this. Pilot Season 2011, here we come!

I love my team.

Quickie Update

Hello friends,

Not much to write about this week, so I'll just give you a quick update on my life:

-I feel like I'm finally making some progress in my acting class. I can see my procedure start to change; the way I approach a script today is completely different than 2 months ago and a million times better than 6 months ago.

-I'm doing a webisode. It's a Cham (an Asian culture I'm still not too familiar with) based drama. More details later.

-I had a fantastic fashion photo shoot yesterday with Michael Magers. Check out his photography at http://www.aidanjamesphoto.com/

-2 commercial auditions this week. I had one yesterday and I'm heading to one tomorrow. I'm praying I book something before the year is over!

And that's about it friends. Happy holidays and love to you all.

Feeling Much Better!

Sometimes it's easy to get lost in a lifestyle. Especially with acting; it seems so easy to get lost and consumed into that world. I'm finding that when I get into a slump, it's best to walk away for a little while, to get perspective and then re-enter with new eyes.

This last weekend I went to visit my good friend Jamie. It was wonderful just to have a weekend away from the worries of the acting world; we got to visit the Capital building in Sacramento, we decorated for Christmas, we watched chick flicks and baked cookies. We visited Cat and talked about old times and boys and sang Christmas carols and had a wonderful time.

Yesterday I went to Disneyland, a place I haven't visited in awhile, with a new friend from my acting class. It was great to go on rides and to laugh and talk and run around from place to place.

I'm helping with the children's choir at church and it's wonderful to see all of them sing and get excited about dressing up and performing. After helping with the older kids I've been going to the baby room to help and hold and play with the little babies. There's a wonderful joy in having a baby fall asleep in your arms; they're so innocent and sweet and untarnished and they're just so trusting, I can't help but marvel at the beauty of it all.

Then I think about the little pre-teens that come to volunteer in my classroom. There are three girls ranging from 11-13 years old, and they're just so excited to come each week to tell me about their adventures. They love it when Meaghan (the other teacher) and I take time to spend time with each one of them individually.

Between babies, friends, pets and family, I have so much love in my life. These people love me regardless of whether I booked my last audition or not and these are the people that keep me grounded. No matter what happens, whether I become the next A-lister or whether I leave acting completely, I know these people will be the same.

I think I'm definitely in need of a break from acting, and I welcome the break that is coming in acting-world. For those of you unfamiliar with the Biz, the last two weeks of December and the first week of January are dead. That's the reason why your favorite shows aren't coming up with new episodes; everyone needs a break. So unless I book something within the next week, I'm pretty much done with acting until the second week of January, which will be lovely. It'll be a time to regroup and recharge, and just to get some perspective and motivation going into pilot season.

So happy holidays friends. Enjoy the many gifts the holidays bring: time off, family, friends, food, memories, traditions and reminders of the meaning of life.

Love you all <3

What a Blessing the Internet is!

Some of you may think this title may have been written by a delirious person, but I have SO come to appreciate the World Wide Web in the last two weeks. Just as I was ready to delve back into blogging, screenwriting (I use an online software source), and practicing my choir song off of YouTube, the internet at my house crashed and we were cut off from the world (well...) for two whole weeks. Two weeks! It seemed like a lifetime, not having Google, facebook, Gmail, and all the other wonderful things you can do with lightening-speed information all at our fingertips.

Well, I am most happy to say that AT&T pulled through for us (after making us WAIT for so long we were this close to switching to Comcast). Our internet is up and running and I can finally say again, "Hello world!"

I guess it happened at a good time though...all of last week I was so sick I couldn't do anything but count the hours till my next dose of medication. Wisdom tooth pain, sore throat, cough, flu, and hoarse voice. Oh yeah, I got quite the wallop. But God is good, as always, and He pulled me through! My voice is back, I feel energetic again, AND the internet is back. It was like the hiatus was timed with my sickness. It's funny now that I think about it. But I digress.

I just wanted to say hello. And that I miss writing very much. And that you'll be seeing more of me (got the hint, best friend ;)

Life is a beautiful thing. Focus on God, and the rest will fall into place. God can't go wrong. He has a PERFECT track record. How many people can say that? None :) We serve an awesome God.

Ah, C'est la vie!!

Love you all!

I'm in a slump.

I haven't worked on a set since August and it's been incredibly frustrating. All of those auditions, all of those coaching sessions, all of those acting classes and so far, nothing.

I've been thinking long and hard about it. Next summer, when pilot season is over and contracts are finished, if I don't book any work I think I'm moving into the next stage of my life. I'm going into full time marketing.

The words are strange to type. For years I thought I had a calling into acting; that I had a greater purpose to being in this industry. That God would somehow use me in this industry for His will. There were so many signs and encouragements along the way that I was made for this crazy, zany lifestyle. I loved it. I still do love it.

But the question now is could I be happy doing something else? I don't think I could ever be as happy as I am driving into an audition or an acting class, but if I could still do something creative, such as graphic design or copy writing, I think that will sort of fulfill my creative needs.

I turned down a full time job offer today. It was something I had interviewed for over the summer, once I was done with college. It represented that fork in the road: do I go into acting and sign with a great manager and agency or do I take this amazingly high paying job (especially for a new graduate)? I took the acting route.

Now that fork comes back again. And because of my commitments, I'll take the acting route again, until summer, when those commitments are over. Then the fork reappears again; maybe this time I'll take a different path.

Hello Friends!

I always heard that Hollywood was a small town. I didn't get it at first; it seemed like I was always meeting new people and hearing new names and I was always greeted by a room full of strangers when I went in to auditions.

Well, my world is shrinking considerably. On Friday I went in to audition for a commercial: I had seen the CD the day before for a different commercial, she cast me in a commercial last year, I knew the casting assistant from before and I was competing against 3 other girls I knew from previous jobs. As I was leaving my agent's office I saw a guy from my acting class (which only has 20 students) and I saw him again at a commercial audition a couple of weeks ago. I have one friend that I KNOW will be at 90% of my auditions, because we've somehow been called into the same audition for 2 years now. Seriously?! Today I went in to a producer's session for a network drama and they had only 5 girls there to audition. Total.

As I was leaving, I saw one girl's headshot pinned to the wall. Yep, another girl I had worked with last year.

I see familiar faces everywhere. Staring back at me.

What are the odds? In an industry where hundreds of thousands of aspiring actors come and leave on a regular basis, how is it possible that I'm auditioning and working with such a small group of people?

I'm not complaining though. Fortunately I really like all of the people I work with. It's a good thing too; imagine if I didn't like them? My life would be very unhappy since I'd never stop seeing them.

*Cue the "It's a Small World" theme song*

Gift Giving!

Hello all!

First off, I note how wonderful it was to have Cat back on this blog. For those of you who are unfamiliar with us, we met a couple years ago in our first drama class at UC Irvine. We bonded instantly and have been the best of friends ever since. I love having her on this blog and I look forward to many more postings by her (hint, hint).

Anyway, Thanksgiving is over and it's time to celebrate the gift giving season! Ok, we all know Christmas isn't about gifts (except to celebrate the ultimate gift of Jesus!) but it's a great time to show people around you how much you appreciate them.

I've been thinking for a few days now about what gifts to get the wonderful people who are supporting and working for my acting career (agents, manager and acting coaches). Much like getting gifts for a co-worker, it's hard to think of something appropriate for everyone, cost effective and not cheesy. I think I've finally thought up something and I'm excited to make it (yep, some DIY time).

I was completely inspired by this blog post http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/11/thanks-glassing/ and I LOVE the way the etched apothecary jar looks. So now I'm planning on buying a bunch of apothecary jars, etching each recipient's name on there, filling them up with salt water taffy (I mean, who doesn't love salt water taffy? Plus it's hard to find unless you live right by the beach) and finishing them off with a pretty ribbon.

I can't wait to see how they turn out! I'll try to post pictures once I'm finished (unless they turn out horribly).

Wish me luck!

Hello. Is Your Name "The Real World"?

Hello all.

So. You may not even remember me, but I am the other author of this blog. Diane has been regular and faithful, and I have - so many, many times - wished with all my heart that I had enough time to devote to one good writing session. But spare time for me in the past few weeks has been all but nonexistent.

Let me tell you why.

I got a job in October that by all accounts is definitely a blessing. It's part time, but it pays well enough, and I now have at least something to tithe from, which made my whole universe improve. You do not know how long I have been waiting to be able to give my 10%. It is something I am excited and happy and thankful to give.

I also go to school for music twice a week. I'm taking piano and voice, and I am loving it so much. I'm even going to play at this semester's honors recital! So excited.

Aaaaannnnd, I'm training to run a marathon in a year. A full-blown marathon. Yup, 26.2 miles of non-stop running. Why? Because my friend, who we shall name Ironman for conversation's sake (because he seriously can do it all when it comes to extreme fitness), made me promise him that I'd be his marathon buddy in a year. Oh yeah. And that we'd be running another one when we turned 108 years old, too.

So in-between all of this, my acting endeavors--which I threw myself into so passionately in the middle of the summer this year--seems to have taken a back seat, and I think that makes me very sad.

Because here's what happened after I graduated UC Irvine and moved back to the Bay Area:

August: Was an extra for a indie film in which I got to wear my prom dress for a Winter Formal scene. The film was a modern-day take on Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing." The pay wasn't great, and it was a night shoot, but the boathouse was beautiful, I got to wear that pink dress that I love so much again, and I was definitely in a lot of scenes. A win-win all around.

September: I auditioned for and got cast as the lead female role in an epic short film shot in Monterey, CA. It was set in the future, and I was a detention-facility escapee trying to find my individuality. It was a poignant and intelligent film about memory and identity; and though it was short, it was incredible.

Also in September: I was a better-paid extra in the new Brad Pitt film "Moneyball," which is about the Oakland A's. Another night shoot (16 hours to be exact), but we were fed, paid, and got to cheer in our A's gear. Oh yeah, and free hot cocoa! Another win-win :)

October: I was asked to participate in a two-week product trial for a new acne skin-clearing device, and was told that if the product worked for me, they would ask me to give a testimonial in an infomercial. I got to keep the device for free, it worked for me, and they paid me to participate in the infomercial, which was shot near Marin county, and which was a blast. They said it was going to air on national TV, and possibly go international, so if you see anything for the no!no! skin device (weird name, but the product is fabulous!), let me know.

Lastly, I auditioned for an SF talent agency, and they signed me on. Still though, it's been about a month and half and still no auditions. I keep telling myself that SF is a much smaller market than LA, but a part of me still wishes there was more to do than wait around and hope.

So right now, my life has been ALL about work, school, and church. With the holidays coming up, we now have Christmas choir rehearsals, health seminars, fundraisers, and volunteering to do...and my church days are packed to the gills. With work, it's 3-4 days a week of 10-12 hour days of marketing and office time and travel time; and though I love my co-workers and my leaders and my manager, it can get tiring. My body has had to do some adjusting, that's for sure. And with school - let's just say that learning piano is not something you can do without practicing. A lot. Neither is singing. Enough said.

And them the gym. And running. Try waking up to the alarm and realizing that between your school and off days (what ARE those, anyways?? Off days??), you still must find time to keep your word to Ironman about that marathon, who lovingly kicks your butt in workouts 2-3 times a week.

I was talking with my mom the other day (something I do often and never take for granted, I LOVE my mom), and she said, "You're in shock, in transition. You just graduated, and this is the "real world." You were a student for so long, and now you have more responsibility, and that of a different kind, for that matter. Give yourself time to adjust to the unknown. It's always the unknown that's the scariest."

So. This is the "real world." I long to be back in the "real world of pretend," but for now, it seems like that's on hold for maybe just a bit. Hopefully not for too long.

Sometimes I am so, so sad. I want things to happen a certain way, or I dream for them to be a certain way, and when it seems like they aren't, I get discouraged. But there is just too much on my mind to think about myself...I have a family to help, and for now, that needs to come first...*sigh*

What do I do???

Well, let's not get depressed...so! You may ask how do I get my acting fix when the market is biding its time? I watch movies. I study acting, on-screen and off. I people-watch. And I talk to SO many different kinds of people at work all the time that it's impossible to not get better at improv...or at the very least, gain more confidence.

I sing karaoke, I sing for my classes; I do random skits with my brothers, I do actor impersonations. I write when I can, and I always have a good screenplay storyline brewing on the back-burner of my creative side.

Most importantly, I know God's timing is His own, and that I'm just one piece of His lovely mosaic. I can't see the big picture. I'm one person, living one life. But God sees the kaleidoscope...He sees what goes where and at what time. And He's in control. My job is to trust in Him, forever and for always.

My human self sometimes dwells on the negative far too much. Blame it on sin. But I am trying with all my might to exalt God above all else, and know that when He says something, His word will never come back empty. So if I serve Him and Him alone, all the rest will fall into place.

I love you, Lord. And all my life, I live for you.

There are no other hands I'd rather be in than His.

... ... ...

I'll try and make it so that I'm not a complete stranger next time ;) This means writing more often, doesn't it, Diane? Haha, I'll be back soon :)

Love always,

Catherine

Getting Over Rejection

You know what makes me happiest after being rejected?

Guess...

Exercise?
Nope. I've been working out everyday for the past 2 weeks

Chocolate?
Nope. Too short term

Another audition?
Bingo! I'm all set for another audition tomorrow and I'm all ready to move on.

All is right in the world again :)

The Working Actress

Whew...so yesterday's blog was kind of depressing, but I write about everything, the good and the bad.

Today I was reading over old blog entries of The Working Actress (if you haven't read her blog yet, read it! It's amazing!)

http://theworkingactress.blogspot.com

And I realize that these feelings are perfectly natural. I'm not depressed...I'm an actress!

And eventually, I will book something.

In the meantime, I'm trying to throw myself into work, because I currently have too much time on my hands in which I wallow in self pity.

The (Pessimistic) Reality of Acting

When I entered into acting and was initially met with some small successes, I was so optimistic about the industry. I thought I would be one of those cool lucky ones that Hollywood would embrace with open arms. I had huge starry eyes and everything was just great and dandy. A year and a half later, I'm not so optimistic anymore. I'm finally playing with the big boys, meeting all of the big agencies and big casting directors and today it hit me: this industry is ridiculous!

It doesn't matter that they initially thought you were perfect. It doesn't matter that you paid a ridiculous amount to coach with one of Hollywood's best coaches (who is "exclusive and by referral only"...so silly). It doesn't matter that they loved your reading. It doesn't matter that you did your research for hours. Because, sometimes, despite pouring all of yourself into a role, it comes down to your look. Or your hair color. Or because they think you're too old. Or too young. Or your voice. Or that skirt you're wearing. Or because they already have someone that looks like you.

It's absolutely ridiculous.

People say to grow a tough skin in Hollywood, but I've never been one to take emotions lightly. I love that I can find joy in the smallest things in life (like the fact that I got to park over a freeway with the prettiest view. So awesome). But the flip side is that I feel bad things more greatly than other people too.

I think it's that greater sensitivity that makes me an actress. It doesn't take much motivation for me to really feel emotion. For years I couldn't read a Hallmark card without crying.

All of that works in my favor, until it's time to deal with the business side. The side that says people will reject you and give you a reason for rejecting you that you can't fix. Over and over and over. How does one deal with that without growing a tough skin? And if you become immune to emotion, how can one adequately act?

In addition to all of that confusion, my stakes feel so great. Any one of these series regular roles could be life changing. It's the difference between being a starving artist with two support jobs and being a prosperous working actress. How can someone raise the stakes that much and not expect actors to feel emotion when being rejected?

I don't have the answers and I'm still learning. Learning how to not get attached to projects, though I put hours of preparation into it. Learning how to trust that eventually something will come up that I am right for. Learning how to believe that I will work in this industry again, hopefully in a big way.

This is the real reality of acting. Something I always heard about, but never believed it would happen to me. Something that every actor goes through. Even the ones you think are successful and are frequent bookers.

But despite knowing this first hand, I can't help but still be optimistic about the future. Because I'm a dreamer. I'm an artist. I'm an actor. And I love what I do, rejections and all.

Pilot Happy

Woah, is it the start of pilot season already? Last week I went to audition for a pilot for Nickelodeon and today I just got a call from my manager to audition for a series regular for another pilot, this one for ABC Family.

I'm super excited about all of these great auditions, and I'm praying I book one soon!

I'll keep you updated on how it goes!

Preparation is Key!

I'm a commuter. I've always been a commuter. I commuted each day to college and now I commute several times a week to L.A.

The problem with commuting is you can never go home to grab something you forgot. Which means you always have to be prepared. All the time. For anything. No more last-minute resume printing or forgetting a headshot on a way to an audition

So after a year and a half, I finally turned my car into a proper actor-mobile. Here's how I do it:

The box:
I have a box in the back of my car with all of the actor essentials
-Headshots (all of mine go into my car)
-Scissors
-Staples
-Wet wipes
-Water bottles
-Snacks
-GPS & charger
-Phone charger

The folder:
-Agent/Manager contact info
-Many pre-cut resumes for both my agent and manager
-Two or three of each headshot
-Sides
-Size card
-Casting Frontier barcode
-Words of inspiration (because you'll need it as you sit there in the waiting room)
-Agent/Manager contracts and policy papers
-Directions
-Receipts (for gas, expenses, ect.)

The Purse:
-Mini Stapler
-Pen
-Pencil
-Highlighter
-Enough makeup to look camera ready at anytime
-Bobby pins and hair ties
-Driver's license
-Coins for parking meters


And with all of this in my car, I'm never unprepared!

A Good Audition

You find out the night before that you have an audition at 11am the next morning.

You stay up late at night learning the scenes and dissecting it and making choices

You call around at 7pm at night (after finding out about the audition) to find an acting coach who is available at 8am the next morning

You wake up at 5am the next morning to drive far away to pay a ridiculous amount of money to have a guy coach you for half an hour

You then head over to your managers office to show him the scene and get his stamp of approval

You head to the studio (while reciting the lines for the 100th time in your car) and find street parking and walk to the pedestrian entrance

You show them your ID and hope that you don't get lost in the lot as they explain directions

You sit across from the CD's office, waiting and overhearing the CDs talk about you like you're just another name, another number, another "reader".

Then you finally go in and audition. You know these people have heard the same lines done hundreds of times before by many different girls. They no longer laugh at the funny parts. They have the same glassy, stoic look throughout your audition.

Then it finally ends and you look at them for some kind of reaction.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Usually the reaction is just a general "Great job, thank you and goodbye".

But today, the CD took off her glasses, looked at me and said in a very genuine way "Amazing job. That was fantastic."

I left their office absolutely ecstatic. I call my manager to tell him how it went, and he told me to not care what they say, because often they'll just say things to be nice in the audition room. We hang up and I walk to my car.

He calls back 5 minutes later. The CDs just called him and told him I was fantastic. That they were going to show the tape to network executives and hopefully get me in for a producer's session.

I'm thrilled. There are many steps before a booking (especially for a bigger role) but for the first step at least, I rocked it.

And that made all of this work worth it.

Coincidences

Today's been a strange day of coincidences. It's almost like all of the mini pre-shocks before a big earthquake comes. I'm praying this large earthquake is acting related!

First my work canceled my shift for tomorrow, because they have a new girl in that's going to be training, so I'm really not needed. That was a bummer, but I was thankful to have a day off.

Two hours later, my manager calls with an audition (or appointment, as he calls them) for tomorrow morning. Plus he wants me to do some coaching first, so I need to set aside a few hours. How convenient that my work just happened to cancel my shift on me...

Funnily enough, the last time something similar happened, I auditioned for and booked Disney 365. Hmmmm...

Then he recommended this coach to me, that I've never heard of. I googled her name and it turns out she's a well known acting coach for Disney/Nick shows and she also happens to be a talent manager. I look on her client list and she represents a girl I did a film with a couple months ago...hmmmm...

I was browsing around different actor blogs (because I love reading actor blogs) and as I visited this one http://caligirlfromva.blogspot.com/ I saw my car on the top of the Paramount lot! How funny...that was the same day I went in to film Big Time Rush (which, btw, my scene got cut out of! I was sad).

Many coincidences, all of them.

But now I'm going to get ready for an audition.

Pray for me friends, that I book this project (or a project soon!).

Faith & love,

Diane

Frustration

I'm thrilled for my friends when I find that they've booked jobs or they've upgraded agencies. Really...I am genuinely happy for them, that we get to climb this amazing adventure together.

But after 2 months of not booking any kind of work or even landing a theatrical agent, I'm starting to get pretty bummed. Especially as I see my other friends booking work and changing to great agencies.

I know this business comes in spurts, and I have no doubt that I'll probably book my next 3 projects within a week of each other, but for now I'm pretty frustrated.

As for now, I'll be wishing, waiting, praying and studying. Oh the joys of being an actor.

Audition Adventures

Ok maybe it's just because the weather is crazy, but I've been having crazy audition adventures!

On Tuesday I had an audition on a studio lot. I wasn't allowed to park on the lot, so I had to park on the side streets and walk on. Except that I parked on the total opposite side of the pedestrian entrance and I couldn't find the entrance at all. I think I ended up walking a good half a mile or so. When I got out of the audition, I couldn't find my car! I kept walking up and down streets, looking for something familiar but I couldn't find my car. On top of that, it was raining AND I was supposed to be back at work since I left during my lunch hour. I freaked out, especially since I was downtown, and kept wandering up and down the streets, with my hot pink pepper spray in hand.

By chance I finally wandered onto the correct street, but I ended up coming back half an hour late to work!

So I thought that was bad, but here's today's adventure:

I wake up at 5am for work and leave at 6am, so I can be at my work (which is pretty far away) by 8am. When you wake up at 5am, it's too early to think about hair and makeup, so I left today with my hair in a high bun and no makeup. Once noon rolls around and it's my lunchtime, I check my phone and I saw that I missed a call from my agency. They have me scheduled for a last minute audition at 2:00. Yep, I had 2 hours to get there but I had work until 3pm. What's a girl to do? On top of that, they said to come hair and makeup ready and wearing short shorts and a tight tee shirt.

What?!? With only 2 hours? It's going to take me that long just to get there and find parking, plus I'm supposed to be at work! How am I going to get the outfit and get my hair and makeup done? And it's freezing cold and they expect me in short shorts?

I begged my supervisor, who is incredibly sweet and accommodating, and she let me go early. I then raced to the mall, grabbed the nearest t-shirt and short short I could find, took them in the fitting room and did my hair and makeup in the fitting room while trying on the clothes.

I get to the audition to find that 1)they made us sign pre-audition contracts locking in the rate we get paid and 2)it's for a feminine hygiene product! Haha I couldn't help but laugh as we were told to go in there, show off our thighs in this weird flamingo like stance, then pretend like we were walking through a field of flowers. So cheesy. Thankfully, even if I book it, it only airs in Taiwan and China so no one here will see it and mock me endlessly

Auditions. Crazy things.

I'm failing as a blogger

Hello my few but loyal followers. So I've been incredibly busy training for my new job and I haven't had time to blog (or eat or sleep) so my apologies for that! There's so much to write about, since I've actually been auditioning, but I haven't had time to just sit and write. That should all change next week, when my training is done and I'll just be working nights and Friday mornings/afternoons.

Let's see...last week I had a fun, super quick audition for a video game commercial. It was actually at Space Station casting studio, which is where I booked my first job ever (a Bank of America industrial, which made me eligible for SAG), so it was nice to see it again. So much has changed over the course of a year and a half.

Today I had a pre-read for a guest starring (and possibly recurring) character on a popular Disney show. I've read for this CD before, when I auditioned for a lead in a made-for-TV film, so it seems that they normally cast big kid/teen projects. I ad-libbed a couple lines in my scene, which is a huge no-no, but the CD was such a sweetheart and I thought the scene ended well. Afterward she asked me about my singing and dancing abilities, explaining that it wasn't for this role but possibly for future ones. Hopefully if I don't hear back for this project she'll call me for future work!


Yesterday I went in to do the agent showcase and the agent is such a sweetheart. It was a cold reading showcase, and I had requested to be one of the first ones, since I had to get home early, so I was paired up with another girl and we literally had 15 minutes to prepare 2 scenes. I'm starting to understand how I work as an actress: I first like to do 2-3 run throughs with the scene, just reading it out loud. Then I'll go line by line and try to figure out how to make that line pop. It's a method that I've gotten good feedback on, but I'm sure it'll change as I continue to train and learn and grow.

Even with only 15 minutes, the reading went well. For the first half of the scene, everytime I said my lines, the agent laughed, so that's always a good sign. We talked briefly afterward and I'm getting a really good feeling about her. I'll have to wait and see though. She has my manager's number so hopefully she'll call us soon!

I've been noticing my auditions keep getting younger and younger. I'm in my early 20s, but I know I can comfortably and convincingly play 17 or 18. My last two auditions though have been for 15-16 year olds, which feels like a stretch for me. We'll see...my manager thinks there's no problem with me playing 15, so I trust him. It's just hard to believe when you're sitting in a room next to actual 15 year olds, with their moms there!

I think that's about it for this week though. As always, I'll try to keep you guys updated on my adventures!

Udates and things

Hi everyone!

I'm so sorry about not posting more recently. I've been doing a lot of non-acting activities lately so there really hasn't been much to update on. But here's what I've been doing:

-Got an amazing part time job. I'll be working at home on weekday nights and one day a week at the office (perfect for auditions). The office is literally on the beach and I LOVE my new job. It makes me smile everyday I work.

-I had a general meeting with casting for this new ABC show. The location was mind-boggling...that story deserves its own post (with pictures!)

-Fashion shows! I've recently gotten more into fashion (see my previous blogs on style) and a few days ago I went to a charity fashion show where I got to reconnect with old friends and meet some awesome new ones. Next up: I'm heading to a show during LA Fashion Week to see more designs from up-and-coming designers. I just got a super cute dress (thanks to my dear friend Stephanie who helped style me) and I'm excited to go there with some new friends!

-Acting classes: I've decided to start studying with this kind-of-pricey but brilliant acting teacher. I figure, if I'm going to do it, I'll do it right. It's worth the investment to me.

-Workshop and showcases: I did end up going to a CD workshop where I learned quite a bit, which I'm sure I'll share in a future posting. Since I bought a package deal when buying the workshop, I have one more workshop credit that I have to use up, so I'll be using it for an agent showcase. I don't expect much to come out of it, but I'm big on the "4th No" philosophy, so at the very minimum I'll introduce myself to some of the big players in Agent-land.


Also I came up with this rule of thumb to figure out who's what in Hollywood. Here it is:

-if the person is very pleasant but nervous, he's probably an actor.
-if the person is extremely perky or very arrogant, it's probably an intern
-if the person talks 1000 words per minute and rushes like crazy, it's probably a casting director
-if the person is over bearing and nit picky, it's probably a director
-if the person looks extremely bored at the world, it's probably a producer
-if the person seems like a slick know-it-all, it's probably an agent
-if the person seems to find the whole industry a joke, it's probably an acting teacher

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the real world of pretend.

You will work again

Since today was a fabulous rainy day, I decided to take advantage of the bad weather and browse in my local Barnes and Noble (love that place!). I was browsing through the actors section and I came across Margie Haber's "How to Get the Part Without Falling Apart" book (I know, that should be underlined. I can't find the underline button). I briefly skimmed through it, before picking up and buying Stella Adler's book, but I came across a short passage that I loved (I'll probably return to buy the book later).

Since I don't have the book, I can't quote it verbatim, but here's the general idea of rules of auditioning that every actor should know:

1)You will not get every project you audition for

2)Sometimes you think you nailed the audition, and you still won't get the part

3) You will work in this industry again

I love that last rule. Let's repeat that again, shall we?

YOU WILL WORK IN THIS INDUSTRY AGAIN.

I just love the sound of that. Because that was the first time someone's verbalized a fear that I have but never said: I'm terrified I already booked my last acting job.

It happens all the time. I treat each time on set like it's my last, because I'm so afraid I won't work again. What if I never book another job? What if that was the best to come, and I never knew it?

I'm hoping the third rule rings as true as the first two.

So tomorrow I'm heading off on another commercial audition, with a casting director that I saw 2 weeks ago. Maybe I'll get the job, maybe I won't but at least now I know:

I WILL WORK AGAIN.

Finding my mentor

I was in a great acting class that I loved, but I didn't feel challenged enough by it. I had lots of fun and I learned a lot about what to do and what not to do in auditions and I felt like I grew a lot; but then I hit a plateau. I still felt lost when looking at scripts...I knew I had to give them levels, I knew I had to make stronger choices but I didn't know how to.

Enter my wonderful manager. He coached me through a monologue, but he noticed I wasn't getting the basics of acting like I should have been. I knew how to do a cold read, but he pointed out that most auditions aren't cold reads. I could make initial strong choices, but I wasn't getting the depth of out the scenes and I wasn't making them real and organic enough.

So yesterday I went to audit a new acting coach. She's an absolutely brilliant coach, but the class is painfully slow for a beginner. I can't go two weeks on one exercise. If I had a scene I could study it for two weeks, but to improv a simple scene seems too slow for two weeks for me. I'm well aware that acting is a craft, but I don't have 3 years to spend in a beginner class before I move onto scene study.

That too worries me. I've heard the saying, "Don't give it five minutes if you aren't willing to give it five years" and I've heard that it takes ten years to make a career, but how long until I'm able to work?

Surely just studying for 5 or 10 years isn't going to suddenly make you a regular booking actor. It takes time to build up to that, and I'm looking for a teacher that can help me now both learn the basics and teach me how to book those co-star roles. I'm looking for a teacher that will let me do scenes to really explore the character. And I'm mostly looking for a teacher that will teach me HOW to make choices, not just give me choices that I can mirror.

So the auditing search continues.

Finding A Good Team

As my friend Caleb pointed out, Hollywood is like eating a huge elephant. Getting a successful acting career is a huge feat that requires many little steps. Having team members on your side makes it a lot easier.

I used to think that because I was a beginner, I didn't deserve a good team. I had to take whatever came my way, because that was the best I could get for now, and I would eventually work my way up. That's how I ended up with this manager that wasn't the best manager for me. He and I rarely talked; perhaps once a month via email or a super long phone conversation. He did little to help my career and it didn't seem like he really cared about my career. When we talked about getting a theatrical agent, he said he would come up with a list for me to submit to, which I never got. He did send me out on one audition, a fantastic one, but his cons outweighed his pros by a lot.

Fast forward to my new manager. He's absolutely amazing. I finally feel like I have an ally on my side that treats me like more than just another name or number. He doesn't just give me a list of agents; he sets me up on meetings. He doesn't just make resume suggestions for me; he makes my resume for me. This guy has spent hours working with me on my monologues and he was thoughtful enough to set up my IMDB page for me. He suggested a new acting coach that will work specifically on scene study with me, and when I called her, she asked for a monologue for the first class. He was thoughtful enough to talk to her and email me suggestions about the monologue for my class.

The difference between my managers is like night and day. One just looked at the elephant and verbally encouraged me. The other is actually eating the elephant alongside me.

Lesson learned: don't settle. Find who works for you and hold onto him (or her).

Keeping Perspective

It was one of those days. Everything seemed to be going wrong. It's the end of the month and I booked zero acting jobs this month (I've been steadily booking acting/modeling jobs every month since January of this year). I've been moving and the house is just full of boxes that need to be put away (I'm rather tempted to get rid of everything and live like a monk). I spent 3 hours on making 2 dozen cupcakes, just to have the frosting melt and then stick together in the car, rendering them gross and inedible. Summer finally decided to arrive at the end of September, so today was over 100 degrees (probably why my frosting melted). My tail light burned out and I need to replace that. Except I have no idea how to.

Yeah it was one of those days.

On my drive over to work I kept thinking about how badly my acting career is going. I mean it's been a whole month since I've booked anything at all! And I started having all of these bad actor thoughts and I was feeling intensely frustrated and rejected from my lack of work. I get to the church (one of my workplaces) and I just feel this incredible amount of love and support from everyone there. Different people, some I never met before and some I've known for awhile kept telling me about how they saw me on Disney. I do work in a nursery, so I suppose everyone does watch the Disney Channel, but I really had no idea they reached such a wide audience. Tween girls came to the nursery to meet me, and I could hear them telling each other, "That's the girl on the Disney Channel". One of the pastors (who I didn't think ever noticed me) told me that his 3 year old son, who isn't even in my class, recognized me on TV and yelled for his parents to come over so they could watch me together. When I was telling my co-worker and close friend about all of the attention, she told me that she didn't tell anyone (I told her of the filming long before it aired) but everyone at church was talking about it. She called me a celebrity.

I can't help but smile at all of that. I know in reality I haven't even begun to get started yet. I've hardly done anything and there's just so much more I want to do. But it's great to be in such a supportive environment, with people who will always celebrate your successes, no matter how minor. My churches keep me sane. I help a child learn something new or I make someone feel better and my self worth becomes more than just the number of acting jobs I book in a month. It's about keeping perspective.

So my suggestion for all of you actors: find a life outside of acting. Find friends outside of the industry. Have supportive people in your life. For me, all of this comes through my church. For others, it may be through a charity or through a hobby. Surround yourself with positive, loving people.

When I walked into the church, I was a confused, upset mess. When I walked out a confident young woman, once again ready to face the world. That's what a supportive group does.

Thank you to all of the wonderful people in my life.

Quick Tip: Parking

Auditions are unpredictable. Sometimes you're in and out within 10 minutes. Sometimes casting runs behind and you're there for an hour. So do yourself a favor and find residential side streets to park on instead of parking in the expensive metered parking (or the ridiculously overpriced parking garage). Trust me. It's definitely worth the extra block or two of walking.

And read the street signs. If it's street sweeping day and no one else is parked there, you probably don't want to park there either.

If your meter is broken or not working, you can park there! For free! You just have to hope that the parking police don't come by to reset it while you're auditioning.

One of my friends adds money to people's parking meters if they're about to run out. Good random act of kindness idea.

Always, always, always have small change handy.

Happy parking.

"Snazzy"

Usually we post once a day, but I couldn't help but throw in a thing or two to emphasize Diane's point in her last post - to be good-lookin' in this Industry, you do have to look like "all that."

Funny story...when Diane and I were happy-go-lucky college girls, we always talked about upping our style sense. We dreamed about it more than we actually worked on it our junior year; but when senior year rolled around we amped up our style like we planned. We loved looking back at our photos and seeing how much we'd grown. We took a few shopping trips to places other than our usuals, and when we'd see a style we liked on someone, we'd mentally jot it down and save the idea for later. Diane taught me the powers of accessorizing and matching.

We couldn't help but gravitate back to comfort most times, though; after all, going comfy is fast, easy, and totally acceptable. Paired with the right make-up, a girl can still be a girl, and not feel closeted by the modern-day corset (whatever that may be for you).

And that's okay for going to the store, your local classic car show, or the post office to mail your headshots out. But when auditioning? The powers that be do expect a certain look, and I must say, my room looks like an absolute mess every time I have to dress for an audition. I try on a million things, and still, I never think I have enough stylish clothes...I have clothes coming out of my ears, but most of them are the comfy-girl clothes we love so much...jeans, boots, long tees...now though, I know...I have to be wearing a dress and heels, I have to do my hair nicely (no gym-ponytails!), and I always wear heels or shiny flats. I spend too much time on make-up, but that's because I'm not so pro at that yet. My speed is improving, though!

I had to teach myself how to walk in heels this summer. Yep, you heard that right. If I had it my way, I'd wear flats or boots all the time. Heels are too much trouble. But I know that to look "snazzy" it is the must-have accessory for your feet, so I started wearing heels every week to church (at least if I fell in church I wouldn't be judged, haha). I'm comfortable enough in them now. Proof? They have a place next to my flats. They aren't just kept in the laundry room anymore.

Over the summer, I have also learned to lay drywall, drive a stick, and change car oil. I have two brothers (enough said, right?). I remember Diane told me over the phone one night as I was regaling all my summer conquests, "Cat! Construction? Driving a stick? Do you still dress up?"

I laughed so hard at this, because she was so right. Was I neglecting my sense of style because I was around my brothers full-time again (since coming home from school)? Probably. Was it affecting my girly snazz? I'd have to say it was. I told myself that no matter what I was doing from then on, I'd be doing it in better style. Changing the oil? I'll be in a white tee and cute overalls. Working out in step class? A neat pony tail and just enough lip gloss to match my cheeks. Out to the store? Summer dress and boots. Audition? SIGH. As much work as it is, it'll have to be a dress and heels.

But you know what? I kind of like it. Like Diane pointed out, the confidence boost it gives you is matchless in many ways. So, your clothes may have a price tag...but getting that callback, booking that job, getting that face-to-face with an agent...priceless.

At the risk of sounding like an Mastercard commercial...

The point is, snazzy is great. What is it for you? I've always heard that if you are confident in what you wear, you can wear old curtains and still you'd shine (Maria from Sound of Music, anyone?). Some of us, though, need it the other way around. We need the style to make us confident. And that's totally okay. Because celebrities eventually launch their own clothing line anyway once they're established, right?

For now, though, we play the game.

Hey Good Looking!

I grew up with a mom who loved looking pretty. To this day, she won't leave the house unless she spent at least one hour getting ready, from head to toe. Her daily routine still amazes me. Wash this, rinse that, tone here, brush that, pluck those, shave this, wax that, moisturize here and put sunscreen there. And that's just prep. Then you're ready for the makeup.

I'm exhausted even thinking about it. But growing up with that turned me off to long prep times. I like looking pretty, but I like being comfortable more. Most of the time I'll just spray on sunscreen (yep, too lazy to rub in the lotion) and swipe some lip gloss, throw on some jeans and a tank top and I'm out the door.

To be fair, I was also in college. That was the college pretty standard. Mother Nature gave us all our youthful beauty, so we college girls didn't have to do much.

Then I started auditioning. My first few auditions said "casual dress", so I took casual to mean jeans, a cute top and some flats and simple makeup. I mean I usually go out for high school/college student roles. That's what they wear, right? That's what I wore in high school/college.

Wrong.

So wrong.

I didn't notice the faux pas right away. I noticed that most girls came in very fashionably dressed, yes, but it took me awhile to put 2 and 2 together. I started noticing when I looked more cute and when I spent more time on my outfits and makeup, I started getting more callbacks.

Then the day came. The day I went in to meet with a theatrical agent. That theatrical agent. The horrible, atrocious, I-wish-I-could-forget-it meeting. In addition to pointing out my many flaws, he also mentioned my outfit. I thought I came in cute: skinny jeans, flats, long lacy cami with a cute cover-up over it. I had my hair down with a headband and my makeup on.

He called me a tomboy. He said I should come in dressing nicer, that I should look like I was about to go on a date, not like what I was wearing.

Ouch.

Then my manager (who set up that meeting and is friends with that agent) asked me to dress up and do my hair and makeup the next time I came into his office.

Double ouch. At least he was nice enough to make sure this request came awhile after the horrible agent meeting, so I didn't feel too bad about myself.

But it WAS a wake up call.

Now, no matter where I go or who I'm meeting with, I make sure I look like I belong in a magazine. I layer and accessorize. I wear leggings and tight jeans and dresses like the best of them. I now actually own cropped jackets and jeggings (yep and they're actually pretty comfy). I now know that casual NEVER means just casual.

And you know what? I do feel more confident. I have yet to see if it helps my booking rate, but I arrive at my meetings and auditions knowing that I look my best and no one will EVER criticize me again on looking dowdy.


Then I realized my mom was right all along. Those hour long prep sessions are necessary, if you're a young 20-something actress. I hate I-told-you-so's.

The Co-Star Audition

So I've been on very few theatrical (film/tv) auditions. For the last year and a half, 95% of my auditions have been commercials. Which is fine with me. I know the commercial world. I'm good at the commercial world. It's all about improv and personality, which happen to be my specialties. I thought that commercial world and theatrical world were similar places; after all, they're all professional, on-camera jobs. Right?

Wrong.

So yesterday evening my manager calls me to tell me about an audition for a co-star role on a TV show. I'm so excited, because this is the first audition my manager's gotten me. And it's for a TV show! Woot! I get the sides (only 1 scene, 11 lines) and I pour over those sides. I knew them cold. I wrote each line on flashcards and I wrote an unsaid thought for each line. I pictured my environment, I made character choices. I probably spent 4 hours on these 11 lines. I knew them like no one's business.

I get to the studio. I walked up in my cute little dress and necklace and heels (no underdressing for me!) and I sign in and I wait. I see six or seven other girls up for the role; thankfully I noticed I'm one of the better dressed girls out there. I see a name on the sign in sheet that I recognize, then I realize it's not because she's a friend; it's because I've watched her on TV before. She's been a series regular and has done a large number of guest star roles on TV.

The girl next to me starts saying her lines outloud over and over. I started to go over my lines again, but I stopped myself, noticing that as I went over my lines it made me nervous. I stopped and just stretched and tried to relax, and I did feel calmer.

Then I went into the audition. Both of the ladies there were as nice as could be, but when the reader started reading, I completely blanked on my lines! It was like my nerves decided to kick in right then, and everything I had memorized flew right out of my head. Lines that I KNEW just disappeared. It was a horrible feeling.

Fortunately I at least remembered my delivery choices, even if I had to look down to grab the lines. They were kind enough to give me a second chance, telling me to look over the sides again. I took a few minutes, tried again, but I was only able to remember a few lines. At the end I thanked them and headed out.

What was wrong with me? I'm not normally like this. I thought the nerves from auditions were now long past.

I am praying that perhaps, by some miracle, they still liked my choices enough to see past the nervousness. However, knowing this business, I'm not holding my breath at all. I'll have to chalk it up to a live-and-learn experience, and know that next time will be much better than this.

CD Workshops

Oh boy. Am I ready to open up a can of worms with this one?

For those of you who don't know, CD workshops are workshops held by casting directors. They're a way to get in front of casting people who are currently casting shows and it's an unofficial way to audition for them. Unofficial because the facilities that hold them charge each actor $40-$75 per workshop to be in front of the CD for a few minutes. In my mind, it's basically a "pay-to-audition" kind of thing.

I was pretty against CD workshops by principle for the longest time. I thought it was ridiculous to pay someone to audition for them, especially knowing they may not be casting anyone of my type. Until I met my current manager. He seems to be a fan of them, since it's a way to get new talent in front of casting, provided they are casting the right types of shows for you.

I've been thinking about the whole risk-vs-reward thing and I've now decided that CD workshops aren't completely evil. They can definitely be used as a tool in the actor's toolbox, provided they fit a few qualifications:

1) The CDs have to be casting the right types of shows for each actor. For me that means anything Disney/Nickelodeon (Young looking? High energy? Light and fluffy? So me!) and any kind of medical drama/crime scene show (because they use a lot of people. Lots of new patients and dead people needed all the time).

2) I have to be willing to see them several times. In sales, you try to get to the 4th "No". Why? Because for whatever reason, after people say "no" 3 times, they are more likely to say "yes". Why do you think sales people continue to persuade you after you decline? It's because people tend to say yes eventually. It's a proven fact.

So I don't want to scatter my efforts. I plan on targeting a specific group of people over and over, so I can make a better impression on them. I need to give them a chance to say no several times, so I can eventually get to that yes.


With all of that said, I think CD workshops will be a very small part of my overall marketing plan. Why? Because it's pricey and the chances of a CD calling an actor in from a workshop is slim.

I just RSVP'ed for a CD workshop this week. The CD is one that currently casts both a Nick and a Disney show, and she's one that I've auditioned for in the past (not through a workshop). We already have a connection, so I'm aiming for my 2nd "no" with her. Plus I think she's a really fun person (during my audition I got to throw a paper towel roll past her head).

I'll keep you updated on how it goes!

The Product

As a companion to my last blog post, I want to emphasize that this business is not all fun and games. This business is serious business! Seriously awkward that is. I’m almost certain no other industry is as crazy. Take the audition for example. In most cases, you go into an interview for a job and talk about your qualifications. Not in show business. Here’s a typical commercial audition: Imagine being placed into groups of six. Then having everyone walk in and stand on a straight line in front of 2 very unamused people who have been there for too long. They say slate and you state your name. They say profiles and you turn 90 degrees one way then the other. They say hands and you put your hands in front of your face, flipping them back and forth. They say smile and you show them your teeth. And they go down the line, while you stand there quietly looking forward.

Any shred of dignity you have is gone by that point as you show them you. And that’s just the preliminary stuff. Then they ask you to do the real fun stuff. “Pretend a spider is chasing you.” “Pretend your washing machine is overflowing and you can’t figure out how to fix it.” “Pretend your mom is really proud of you” (yep that was an actual instruction from an audition I had. How does one react to that?).

It’s so silly. But it makes sense, because this is a business. You are the salesperson and you are the product. Any good salesperson will show all of the features a product has (like the Magic Bullet. I love those infomercials). So go out there and show them your teeth, your hair, your profiles and your mad pretend skills!

What a Wonderful World

Hi! My name is Catherine, and I am voice number two on this blog all about the wonderful world of acting. This business called "show" is such a big, crazy, enthralling, and exciting place to be; it's an Olympian-sized event where the main games are held in Hollywood every year, and the A-listers train and travel all over the world to study the craft and make motion pictures. Anyone aspiring to join and earn recognition must also train and earn their keep, sometimes twice as hard; others win the proverbial lottery and get discovered by someone with enough clout to pull strings and create success.

Most of us are in that stage of trying to earn our keep. We're trying to do student films to build our reels, we relish the chance to be a paid-and-fed extra on a big movie, we have stars in our eyes when we watch the Oscars, and we audition for everything. Some of us have representation, some not yet. Some pray hard for success, which too many people say is hard to come by.

I refuse to believe that. I think success is completely possible, and I think if you really love what you're doing, it will come. What you believe in your mind will manifest in your actions, and those actions will come back to you, so keep at it!

Here's where I stand: I have a degree in Drama from UC Irvine, and I love acting and screenwriting. (I love acting more, but screenwriting is nice because you can always create a job for yourself that way :) Always dreamed of playing a certain character? Write her down on paper! It's like good ol' Sylvester Stallone did with his iconic character, Rocky.)

I moved back up north with my family, so the San Francisco market is now where I operate, at least till plans change (and who can predict when that will be?). My stories, advice, experiences, and commentary will all come from the perspective of girl who's still trying to swim with the big leagues, but for now is comfortably wading still. I don't yet have representation, but there are at least 7 reputable agencies here in SF that I want to work with...I'm waiting on 5 more responses, because 2 of them already said that they could not take me on right now. But ah. So goes this Biz. You learn to roll with it and take it in stride.

Diane and I have had quite a few experiences in this industry between us, so I hope you'll keep reading as we share with you from opposite ends of California. Leave comments, let us know what's on your minds, ask questions. We'd love to hear your feedback.

Thanks for reading, and here's to many happy travels ahead...for all of us!

Things I love!

I constantly hear about how difficult this business is and what a struggle it is, so since I’m big on positive energy, I thought I’d make a list of things I love about this business. These are the things that make it worth all of the challenges:

-Getting the call that you booked a job. That just makes my day and it always warrants a happy dance. Where else can you be this happy about working?

-Craft services. Large selections of free yummy food. Does it get any better than that?

-Wardrobe fittings. Seeing entire racks of clothes, shoes and accessories that are precisely your size. Knowing that you get to play dress up.

-Hair and makeup. Getting to come to work in PJs and no makeup is awesome. Getting to sit in a trailer and get made up by some of the nicest people is even better.

-Seeing familiar faces. Whether in an audition, class or on set, I love seeing faces I’ve worked with before. It makes me feel like Hollywood isn’t so big after all and I have at least one ally in that waiting room.

-Being around pretty people. I don’t know why that makes me happy, but I often look around me and notice how gorgeous everyone is. It’s kind of cool in a surreal sort of way. Like living in an alternate universe. It’s Pretty-land.

-Seeing the awe of people who pass by the set. People always seem fascinated as soon as a camera arrives. I’m in awe that they’re in awe.

-Free time. No 9 to 5’ers for me! I have my part time jobs (I refuse to call them survival jobs) and I have my acting work, but I feel like my time actually belongs to me. I can choose where and when I’m going to be somewhere. The freedom is amazing.

- The paychecks. You mean I got paid hundreds for acting and eating craft services? It’s pretty cool!

- Seeing the finished product. I love seeing the final edited project. Just seeing the collaboration between the writer, producers, casting director, director, actors, stylists and crew cumulate into a product that people watch is pretty gratifying.

What do you love about show business?

The Agent Thing

Last night I was chatting with a dear friend who was talking about her struggles to find representation. It seems to be a common theme with many of my fellow new graduate actors; agents and managers are hard to meet and harder to sign.

I’ve had representation for a year and a half now, but I remember my struggles to get my first agent. I remember being envious and in awe of those friends who did have agents. I remember making a list of 6 agencies and creating those mailings. I remember putting all of my hopes and dreams into those envelopes and mailing them off with a kiss and a prayer. I remember waiting anxiously by my phone, hoping they would call for a meeting soon. Then I remember getting them all back a week later, sent back by the post office because I didn’t put on enough postage (FYI it costs $1.05 to mail a headshot, resume and cover letter!). Major fail. I didn’t do another mailing after that.

Instead I put my energy into getting my own jobs. I signed up for LA Casting and Actors Access and submitted like crazy. After booking a couple of jobs, I researched agencies again and I emailed just one youth agent my headshot and resume. She happened to call me in and a week later I had across the board representation (across the board meaning theatrical and commercial representation).

And that’s how it happened for me. So for all of you actors who are still on the hunt for agents, don’t forget to put most of your energy into working. Learn a skill, get set experience, take classes. Submit yourself for jobs (which I continued to do even after I got my first agent). Have fun and enjoy the process!

For those who have agents, how did you get your first agent?

Check it out!

Student films are either a hit or miss. Either you get the really talented people who know what they're doing, or you get the ones who are completely distracted by the craziness of running a production.

A month ago I was contacted by Jonathan Dhauw, a film studies major at UCI (Zot! Zot!). We have previously acted in a short film together (which never got finished) and he invited me to act in his newest project, a short for a film contest sponsored by some big names.

I love student films. It becomes less about the finished product and more about the learning experience. I learn a lot more about film production during a student film than during a professional shoot, since I get to do more things. I got to help out with lighting (putting my photography training into play!), I got to hold the boom, and I got to really add my ideas to the film. And I had so much fun!

Check it out at the link below and comment on it at the Interpretations website. The more comments we get the better our chances of winning!

http://interpretationsfilm.com/members/zotshot/

Callback!

"When it rains, it pours"

Since signing with my new commercial agency in June, I was only sent out on 4 auditions. In almost 3 months. That worried me, especially since this agency was known for getting their people out a lot. Was it me? Was it my pictures? Did they not know/care/pitch me? There were a lot of questions going through my mind.

But I should have known: things just come in spurts. Sure enough, last week alone I had 5 auditions from them. 2 for print, 2 for SAG national commercials (the big ones!) and 1 for an industrial (non-broadcast videos, usually for private company use).

The main ones I cared about were the 2 commercials. One of them was having callbacks on Monday and one on Wednesday. They usually inform you the day before, so I knew if I didn't hear anything by Tuesday, I didn't get a callback.

Tuesday came and left. And I had 0 calls from my agency about any of my auditions.

Then yesterday I got the call. I had a callback for one of the commercials for today! I guess they moved the callback date.

While at the callback, I was one of the only 2 "ethnic" girls there (out of the 20+ people I saw) and I'm pretty sure I was the shortest (I'm 5'5). They were looking for young, hipster people so everyone there was model gorgeous and tall. I felt kind of out of place but it was a fun callback. No matter what happens I was happy just to get called back. We will see what happens!

Meanwhile, I've been getting text messages and Facebook messages that my 365 episode is now airing on the Disney Channel (thanks everyone for letting me know!). If you haven't seen it yet, check it out here:

http://www.disneymusicals.com/show.php?show=camp_rock

Updates soon and please leave a comment if you're reading my blog! I'll try to update regularly but only if there seems to be interest :)

Introducing...

Hi my name is Diane and I'm an actress.

Am I a recognizable actress? Definitely not. Am I completely new to the world of acting? Almost, but not quite.

I'm somewhere in between. An entry-level actress. Which makes sense, considering I received my degree in drama this past June (woot Class of 2010!). My minor was in business management and that's how I plan to pursue acting: like an actual business. No unrealistic dreams or starry eyes. No diva like antics. Just good old fashioned hard work and lots of ambition.

Welcome to my world.