| News, Events and Happenings 9/28/08 - As the weather cools off, things are warming up for me a bit. First good news is that I'm now represented by Lewis Chambers of the Bethel Agency I shot an Obama PSA yesterday with a director and crew made up primarily of MTV staffers. It was a lot of fun, and should be a neat comedic promotional piece. I'll post the website link when I have it. I have an audition tomorrow for a Nokia print job, and one next Sunday for an NYU thesis film. Fingers crossed... Still trying to finish editing the demo reel, but it's a time consuming process. Hope to get it done and up on YouTube before too long... 8/12/08 - So, in the last month and a half, I've done a play reading at a friend's house; camped out in Central Park to get tickets for both Hamlet and Hair - got poured down rain on both times! but saw all of both shows :) Went to Texas in late July and sang the Ave Maria at my cousin Laura's wedding -the wedding was beautiful, and Laura looked radiant :) I did a screenwriting workshop with Ela Thier. I attended Jagger's event with Kevin McShane and Elizabeth Gans - it was great meeting with Kevin again and OMG, Elizabeth is my hero! She really knows what to say to actors to bring out a great performance, and she was just generally so incredibly personable and supportive. I'm currently taking an acting class taught by Lewis Chambers of The Bethel Agency and Vernon Morris, focusing on Shaw, Wilde, Ibsen and Moliere. I'm enjoying that, and looking forward to my remaining classes. And Thursday I'm going to go see my friend Jenn in a Fringe Festival show she both wrote and is starring in. And that's what I've been up to since my last entry. 6/26/08 - I booked a gig! A paying singing gig with Cobblestone Entertainment! And I didn't even do the hard work to get it. I just have a terrific friend, Jasmine Spiess. The gig she's doing on Monday ended up one female voice short, and when they asked Jasmine to recommend someone, she recommended me! Yay! I sooooooo owe her big time! It's going to be a blast. Rehearsing tomorrow and performing all morning Monday. I'll update more about the experience afterwards... :) So Monday I did an agent and casting director event with Jagger Kaye again. This was a panel of three, Jack Menashe of Independent Artists Agency, Paul Russell of Paul Russell Casting, and Meredith Jacobson Marciano of Amerifilm Casting. I felt like I gave a really good read, and now I'm doing my follow-ups. I'm also looking forward to an event in mid-July with Kevin McShane and Elizabeth Gans. Wheee! 5/20/08 - Yesterday evening I did another class through Jagger Kaye's Actors First NY. This one was a 3 hour commercial audition class with David Vaccari of Telsey & Co. David was great, and I felt like I got some great information and insight into some areas of the commercial audition process I wasn't familiar with yet. I'll be doing another one of Jagger's events in late June... :) 4/19/08 - Goodness, I'm not keeping up well here... Just got back to NYC yesterday after 10 days in Hawaii. I have a bit of a tan (actually, I roasted myself pretty good on a boat trip around the Na Pali coast). Saw some amazing scenery, and visited with family I haven't seen in ages, plus met up with my parents and grandmother there. All in all a wonderful vacation. But nothing acting related there ;) ... I worked background on Duplicity a couple days before I left - probably the worst on-set experience I've had. We were not warned they would be using smoke machines, and they were in use the entire time we were on set - I never would have accepted had I known they would be used at all. Plus, we were there nearly 8 hours and not only were we not fed, we were never given even a 30 minute break to get food, either. Thank goodness for my gluten-free diet - I took my own food to eat, or I would have starved... On 4/2 I did a workshop with Kevin McShane of Fifi Oscard, and on 3/16 I did an event with Lewis Chambers of the Bethel Agency. Both times I got excellent feedback, and I certainly plan to stay in touch with both agents (I've already followed up with postcards). Fingers crossed... Oh, my free headshot shoot with Dorothy Shi is next weekend, 4/26. I won this when I won the Backstage Readers' Choice issue random drawing last year. Yay! 3/18/08 - Worked background Saturday on a web video for The Onion. It was a hilarious profile of the Disney Genetic Imagineering Compound and the process involved in genetically engineering Disney stars! The cast and crew were all wonderful, and the attention to detail was phenomenal - my ID badge even had a fine-print corporate warning on it! 2/19/08 - Finally back in NYC! It'll take a little time to settle back in and move my stuff back in, but I'm ready to hit the ground running and start auditioning again! While I was in Texas I did a bunch of student films, a regional tv commercial voiceover, and an industrial. I also got to spend a lot of time with family I've been away from for almost 9 years. It was great to be home for a while, and it's great to be back. And we're off! 1/15/08 - Okay, finally updating. I've been busy with holiday stuff and prep for my little brother's wedding this past Saturday. I sang at the ceremony, and think I may be able to put clips up soon... Friday before the wedding I had an audition for a national Lipton commercial, and later today I'm off to audition for a Culver's Butter Burger's national spot! (fingers crossed...) Saturday I'm headed to Kilgore, Texas to audition for the Texas Shakespeare Festival! Yay! Fingers really really crossed, because they're taking their repertory to the Beijing Olympics in August!!! What's even more cool is that *they* found *me* online at Backstage.com, and sent me an e-mail inviting me to submit and audition! How cool is that?!?!?! I'm furiously reviewing song selections and Shakespeare monologues to get ready... 12/9/07 - Back in Houston for another audition tomorrow, this time for an industrial. Haven't heard anything yet about any of last week's auditions... My last industrial is up on the web now at www.ResearchPoint.com. The video is called "Trade Show". I just have one little line, but the videos are all pretty cute and well done. Nice production values. :) Door Number 3 Productions did it. 12/6/07 - In Houston today for an audition for a local commercial. I think it went well, we'll see... Unfortunately, being in Houston meant I couldn't get back to Austin in time for a last-minute re-record session on the JJS Attorneys spots, so they had to get another talent to record script changes made to three of the five spots. I'll still be the voice for two of them, though... Bummer... Yesterday I had an audition in Austin for a web commercial for a communications company. Possibly a series of web spots (fingers crossed). I also recorded an mp3 voiceover audition for a Wal-mart commercial. I felt really comfortable with and connected to the copy. Wish me luck! No idea what markets that might air in, could be many, so booking it could be a very good thing... Needless to say, didn't book the Alli spot, but at least I got to audition. Dues paid in the numbers game of auditioning. Next Thursday, 12/13 is the screening of The Appointment, the 3-camera studio piece I did. On the UT campus at 8 p.m. I think it's going to turn out well. If you read this and want to come, e-mail me for the location. ;) 12/6/07 - Quick non-acting note - I'm trashing the Guestbook. It gets far more spam than real entries, and it's just too much trouble to try to stay on top of. For those of you who signed, thank you, and I'm sorry it had to go. Feel free to find me on MySpace or Facebook, though! 11/25/07 - Oops, has it been *that* long since I updated? I've been rehearsing and performing and shooting a whole bunch of student films, for one thing. And finally, some bigger news - Last week I booked a voiceover commercial for Janet Jenner & Suggs, attorneys, off demo submission alone. Didn't even have to audition :) That's always a nice situation :) I also had an audition for Alli, the weight loss drug, fingers still crossed on that one. A bit of a long shot, since they're also casting out of LA, but send me good vibes - a trip to LA to shoot a SAG national commercial would be HUGE. 11/1/07 - Booked another one ;) I booked another UT directing class project, a scene from Hell Comes to Frogtown (great title, isn't it?). Interestingly enough, I'm now doing scenes with three different directors from that same class (though one scene is not for that class). I also had a great audition tonight for a UT tv studio short, which would be extra fun to do because it's basically a ghost story, and it will actually have a screening in December. I'm all about screenings!! But who knows yet if I'll get cast... Btw, the Carlito's Way scene went really well in class. A couple of the directors complimented me outside of class re: my performance. :) 10/30/07 - Almost Halloween! Oops, didn't update for a while... I booked another UT directing class shoot, a scene from Carlito's Way. We present in class tomorrow (Halloween), and shoot probably the weekend of the 10th and 11th. I wrapped one of my ASF student shorts on Sunday, and found out they'll both actually screen at the Dobie on December 15th at 10 a.m., I'll post more details when I get them. I delivered a short VO job for a repeat client on the 21st. Got called in for a few more UT student film auditions since my last update. Had an audition Saturday for a web-based animated series. And I'll be shooting another UT student short this Saturday. Oh, and one of the student directors I worked with recently told me in an e-mail that I "probably the most professional person on and off camera that I have worked with". How's that for positive reinforcement :) Is that enough for now to make up for the lack of updates? ;) 10/18/07 - Three bookings! Two Austin School of Film student films and another UT short. I am tearing up the student film scene! :) 10/17/07 - Overdue an update, oops! Finally made it to another Network Austin Mixer this past Wednesday - great to catch up with some folks and meet some new people. I love the fact that this exists! Had fun at my spec commercial audition - Chris Babb looks like a director who'll go places! My shoots for Door Number 3, ESSM and Floyd's all went well. We'll continue ESSM this Saturday, as there were some unfortunate un-foreseeable issues with the location. I had another Austin School of Film audition on Saturday, and I have a callback for that this Thursday. And I made it to another spec commercial audition on Sunday. This Friday I have two more UT student film auditions. Things are hopping! :) I'm also trying to play catch up with some of the NY student directors who still owe me DVDs of my work! With any luck I'll get those DVDs before too long... 10/9/07 - Booked a web video shoot with Door Number 3 for Friday. They look like a great company to get involved with. I have a callback tomorrow for one of the Austin School of Film shorts I auditioned for. I think I've booked another student film, but the loop's not closed on that one yet. Had an audition yesterday for a web viral video for a T-shirt design company. Tomorrow I have an audition for a UT spec commercial, plus my class performance of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Saturday we shoot ESSM, and I shoot Floyd's Barbershop on Sunday. Busy busy week! 10/3/07 - Yesterday's Ignite! Learning audition went really well, but they were also having auditions today, so I'm not surprised I haven't heard anything yet. Fingers crossed. I have auditions Thursday night for some shorts at the Austin School of Film, and an audition Friday for another UT student film, plus the previously-mentioned UT student film audition on Sunday. 10/1/07 - Booked the second UT student film audition from yesterday - I'm batting 1000 so far on UT film auditions ;) Woohoo! 9/28/07 - I have a voiceover audition Tuesday for Ignite! Learning, and an open call for some short films on Monday. Hope to make it to the Reel Women first Monday mixer - sounds like a great group I'd like to get involved with, but I haven't been able to make it to a meeting yet. I also haven't made it to a Network Austin Mixer in a month, but will try to make the next one if possible. 9/26/07 - Booked the UT student project - a scene from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Great script, should be fun to do! I also have two more UT student film auditions coming up, this Sunday and next. 9/20/07, later - Okay, now it's starting to feel "normal" again. Things are hopping. I got two more audition invitations off of self-submits, one for some paying spec commercials, and another for a UT undergraduate student film project. I also just got word from a voiceover client that they'll have another job for me tomorrow. I also felt like the SAG feature audition went well, though I know even with a good read, there are tons of reasons I might not get the part. At least I'm getting out there and auditioning now! 9/20/07 - Auditioning this afternoon for a small speaking part in a SAG feature film - yay! May be going out on a commercial audition soon, too (fingers crossed). Earlier this month I booked a couple voiceover jobs through repeat clients - woohoo! Love those repeat clients. :) Had an audition and then got a callback for a lead role in a non-union feature film. The showcase for the Intermediate Acting class I was taking with Mona Lee went really well. Some very talented actors in the class. September's been a good month so far! 9/4/07 - Okay, it's official... As you may be able to tell by the changes to my home page, I am now SIGNED with BLVD Talent in Austin and Pastorini-Bosby Talent in Houston. I am looking forward to fruitful and productive relationships with Cynthia and Cindi! Wheeeee! (See top of page for agency links, etc.). 8/21/07 - Well, that Austin agency I met with last week is sending me a contract tomorrow to look at. Yay! It will sure be nice to start getting sent out on (I hope) some good stuff. Along those lines, I had an audition today for a Dell commercial, got called in from a self-submit. The spot doesn't really involve any dialogue, so it's more about look and reaction shots, though it seems they'll need a large cast for a lot of little vignettes/tableaux. I could fit two or three of the more featured characters, or just background, but who knows... fingers crossed. On a side note, it was a little surprising to me to see how many people showed up without headshots. I probably only saw a dozen other people there during the time I was waiting to be seen, and at least three of them didn't have any headshots with them. The e-mail I got calling me in asked for 3. I was never a boy scout, but their motto, "be prepared" comes to mind... 8/15/07 - I just got an invitation to a print casting this weekend for H&R Block's Photo Library. It will ultimately be a couple-hour gig if I get it. Yay print work! Tuesday's interview/audition went well, and there will be a follow-up. Also got my video audition in the mail today for the Houston agency... fingers crossed. :) 8/13/07 - Just got a call from a Houston agency, asking me to send them a video tape of myself performing a couple contrasting monologues -Wheee! So I've tracked down a friend with a video camera, and should get that recorded tomorrow and out the door early Wednesday! Wish me luck again... :) 8/10/07 - Got a call from an Austin talent agency - I'll be interviewing/auditioning with them on Tuesday afternoon! :) Wish me luck... :) 8/9/07 - Got a small voiceover job from a repeat client, which thankfully reminded me to contact all the clients I've worked for to let them know about my upgraded equipment and recording set-up. Love repeat business!! 8/6/07 - Solidly ensconced in Austin now, sending out submissions to agents and casting directors, getting ready for a marketing push with my voiceover demo to advertising agencies, gaming companies, and audio production studios. I've taken some time to relax, recover from New York, and reconnect with family and friends. Now it's time to dig in and get back to work! :) 7/13/07 - Did another day of background before heading for Texas. I worked background in Brooklyn for some restaurant scenes with Tate Donovan and Donal Logue, in Damages, a new FX show. 6/27/07 - Finished the brand-spanking new commercial voiceover demo last night, and it's good, if I do say so myself. Props to Lainie Cooke, my coach, and David Lawson, the sound engineer (they also did my narration demo), for making me sound so good. I'll be working background today on Starship Dave, an Eddie Murphy film, as a Broadway show audience member. Wheeee. Hey, it's something to do, things are slow lately... :) 6/22/07 - Booked a big voiceover job, pay is good, I'll be recording it tomorrow and then editing this weekend. I also had some smaller voiceover jobs earlier this week. So a good week for voiceover work :) 6/13/07 - Well, both of the appointment auditions went well. I got great feedback from the director of the student film, he said he really liked my interpretation of the character and what I did with her. There were still more preliminary auditions Wednesday night, so we'll see what happens... I also had a callback Wednesday night for the paying theatre gig, which I felt went well. Again, we'll see what happens... 6/10/07 - Two appointment auditions tomorrow, one for a Columbia MFA student film, one for a play that's actually a paying gig with a one-month run. Fingers crossed... 6/8/07 - Booked a stock photography shoot for tomorrow. With luck, once I have the image(s) from that shoot, I can put together a comp card, I hope. We'll see... I've gotten a couple more private leads in the last week or so on voiceovers, and I'm booked to go into the studio on the 26th to record my Commercial Voiceover Demo! Yay!! Then I can start submitting my demos to agents and casting directors. Wheeee! And just when I thought I'd missed "my" big premiere on Cashmere Mafia, I see that it's no longer a June premiere, but November 1, so I have to wait a while. (I'm just background, but it should be a pretty prominent spot, at least my parents will be sure they saw me ;) ) 5/26/07 - Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Latest news is having booked a couple voiceover jobs in the last couple weeks. Got one nice one on th 15th, and just booked one I'll record on Tuesday. I also got a private lead on a third one, apparently it's between myself and one other person, so fingers crossed... It's been a good couple weeks for voiceover work, at least. :) |
