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.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
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.
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.
Friday, December 10, 2010
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
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
Thursday, December 9, 2010
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!
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!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, December 6, 2010
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*
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*
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