Table Read

Tonight, I had the table read for the feature film THE LEADING MAN. 

It was a lot of fun. The other actors were awesome and hilarious.

We all sat around a table with our various IPads and lap tops and read our parts aloud. 

It was interesting to meet each other through the telling of the script. (I didn't get to talk to many of the folks beforehand). I think a table read is a great way to just be yourself because none of the lines are memorized. It's like a 2 hour long audition and Pappa Bear LOVES auditioning.

Mostly, I love being around people who are making things happen. This was a room full of go-getters. An ambitious and driven group is a group that I like to associate with!

Will anything come from the table read? Beats me. 

Tonight, I  got to meet some talented actors and create a story with them. 

That's a definite win in my book!

Los Angeles is an Amazing Place!

T'was a flipping great weekend! 

Our friend from college, Summer, has been staying with us, so we've been entertaining her as much as possible.

Friday night Kaylie, Summer, and David joined for a game of Pathfinder near Canoga. It. Was. Awesome. Kaylie and David really enjoyed it! I'm glad that I don't have to feel like the biggest dork n the apartment anymore. David going to become a regular player in our group and Kaylie is going to play as much as she can. The guy that runs the game does a kick ass job and goes out of his way to make sure we have a great time. Happy to have Kaylie and David sharing in something that I have so much fun with.

Saturday, Summer and David went to the Griffith Observatory. I spent the day researching stuff online and relaxing. We played boardgames that night. Fun times!

On Sunday, Kaylie, Summer, and I went to the Renaissance Pleasure Faire. It was a lot of fun. 20 acres of crazy renaissance activities. About 90% of the guest were dressed up in medieval garb. Next year, we will be dressing up as well. They had lots of shows, things to buy, and food. It was a cool experience. I also tried mead for the first time at the fair. The verdict?  Donald loves mead. A lot. I feel like a badass viking when I'm drinking it. Before we headed home, we bought a bottle of mead to split. We stayed up till 5:00am playing cards and being generally awesome.

Today, we went to Venice Beach. We ended up buying a couple of boogie boards and having a blast. We saw some very interesting people at the beach. Lots of speedos and g-strings. The smell of marijuana and salt water permeated the air. It appears that Venice is home to two groups of people: potheads and fitness buffs. 

It was a great weekend. Sorry for not posting more often, but I was a busy boy!

Tomorrow, I have a table read for a feature film. 

Los Angeles is an amazing place!

Reflection On The CD Workshop

It's been a couple of days now. I've had time to reflect more on what I learned.

Here's what I will do differently for my next CD workshop:

I'll choose new material. 

The script I chose to perform for my first CD workshop was something that I could imagine auditioning with. 

It was solid. 

It was ok.

It didn't showcase me. 

I need to choose material that enhances what I'm already great at. Not material that I need to enhance with my acting. 

I need material that puts me in the spotlight. 

Lesson Learned. 

I'll let you know how it goes next time with my new script.

My First CD Workshop

I attended my first workshop at The Actors Key (theactorskey.com) tonight. 

It was interesting.

How does it work?

I paid a $12 fee to join the website. I then paid $50 for the CD Workshop tonight.

It started with a Q &A session with the Casting Director. It got strange. Lots of actors acting like EVERYTHING that she said was amazing. Lots of sucking up. 

Then, we all went into the hall to wait until our turn came up to perform for her.

You go in the order you arrive at The Actor Key. Donald went last. It was a 2 hour wait. 

While I waited, I watched the other actors. I saw some intense, crazy actor stuff. Lots of practicing what faces they would make. Lots of talking to the wall. 

I went in, did my thing, and left.

One cool thing is we get written feedback. 

My biggest criticism? I had only average energy. I think waiting for 2 hours and performing at 9:30pm zapped my energy. 

Lesson learned. Next time, ill be showing up earlier.

Now, I'm off to figure out which CD Workshop to go to next week!

Relaxed Focus

I was hitting the pads with my buddy, Chase, tonight and I had a realization.

When I'm slapping the feces out of the pads, I'm connected. I'm plugged in. I'm in the moment.

I'm 100% present. 

I'm also relaxed. 

I'm loose. 

I'm not tense.

This is what I've been trying to accomplish with my acting.

When I focus on my partner, I tend to tense up. Being tense on camera doesn't read well. 

Tomorrow, (at the request of my manager) I'm going to my first Casting Director workshop. 

I'd been holding off on beginning CD WORKSHOPS until I had more extra money, but my manager is right. I'm NEVER going to be seen by the important CD's until I attend their workshops. So, tomorrow I'll begin going to at least one CD Workshop a week. These workshops cost $35 - $65 a pop, but it's guaranteed acting time in front of the decision makers. Seems valuable.

I plan on putting myself in the same mindset that I'm in when I'm slapping the pads. Focused, connected, and relaxed.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.

You Are Who You Surround Yourself With.

12 years ago, I was a Junior in High School. The cast of our One Act Play was on a camp out/retreat. I was friends with most people in the cast but I hadn't got to talk to the lead actor as much as the others. (You know me, I want deep conversation.) 

I struck up a conversation with him about God. We talked for hours, way past when everyone else went to sleep. During the course of our conversation, we realized that we had the same dream. We both wanted to be in and make movies. We made a pact that we would both end up in Los Angeles and pursue the dream together.

From then on out, we've been best friends.

He moved out to Los Angeles years before I did. He's much braver than me. 

He was the voice that kept pushing me to make the move to LA when I was teaching and everything else in my life was persuading to stay in a  life of comfort and little risk. 

He gave me a place to stay while I was apartment hunting. He'd give me the shirt off his back if I needed it. He's awesome like that.

Even now, he challenges me to learn Kung Fu, Ballet, Parkour, and improve my physicality. We all need friends that challenge us.

They say you are who you surround yourself with. 

That's a good thing.

I choose to surround myself with that rare combination of dreamers who make things happen.

He's one of 'em.

Only in Hollywood

Had an audition for that comedic feature this morning. 

Of all the things in life, auditions are often the weirdest and in the middle of ALL that weirdness, we're expected to be natural. 

It's a funny business friends.

I got there at 11:00am and there were no actors there at all. I was the only name on the sign in sheet. I felt like I was about to get Punk'd.

I went into the audition room. 

"Do you have any questions?" The director asked.

I thought for a moment.

"Yes. When I begin dry humping, do you want me seated or moving around the room?"

"Seated the first time and moving the second."

Only in Hollywood.

I aced my dry humping, by the way.