Full Crazy

I was lucky enough to do something right during a recent audition to get a call back.  Unlike the initial audition, for a call back you not only audition in front of the casting director but also the ad agency and/or the director (I like to refer to them as The Judgment Panel).  To me a call back says, "Alright, we want to see if the first time was a fluke or if you really know what you’re doing."

For this call back, I was asked to read for the same role I initially auditioned for.  So I went through my lines again, tried to figure out what I did right the first time, and braced myself for the unknown.

Call back day arrives. As I sign in, I see two additional scripts.  A slight panic starts to overcome me.  As I sit down, another actress is rehearsing her lines and says to me 'Man, I'm having a really hard time with this monologue.' As I try to resist the urge to laugh because she said hard, I say 'Oh, I didn't get a monologue to read.' This statement results in the actress giving me a 'You are so dumb, for real' stare.

My panic increases. 

As I make my way back to the front desk to ask for some clarity, the casting director comes out, points to me and says 'You're next.' 

In a panic stricken voice, I ask the casting assistant about the monologue.  She gives me the reply that I feared.  'Yeah. You will be reading for both parts.' ( the bed intruder song  starts to race through my mind).  I grab the extra monologue copy that was next to the sign in sheet and feverishly read through it. As I finish my first read, the door to the audition room opens and it is now my turn.

Poop.

I walk in, The Judgment Panel has started their job - judging - and I'm doing everything I can not to vomit.  After I slate, I am then asked to read the monologue first. The Judgment Panel reassures me that they aren’t looking for accuracy of the lines, but rather the tone and emotion of the monologue (lucky me).  I start into the monologue. I am almost immediately stopped by The Judgment Panel and given the following direction 'You seem to be acting..stop doing that...' The speaker of The Panel continued to provide me with additional context, but after hearing ‘stop acting’ I blanked out.  

Take two.

This time I make it all the way through without any notes.  Now it's time to read for the part I actually know.  I work my way through the scene, hitting the lines I thought worked last time and adjusting where needed.  At the end I felt relatively confident.  That was until The Judgment Panel says to me "So I see you decided to go full crazy on this."

Not knowing what really to do with that feedback, I smile, nod, and say 'Yup.'

After leaving the audition, I am certain that no one wants to hire someone who just went 'full crazy'.

But then life once again proves me wrong.  Always go full crazy.

Audition Brags

One of the best parts about going to an audition (besides of the potential of making some mad cash) is the eavesdropping.

I have heard from my BFG (blog fan group) that the post on Actor Cliques was a very insightful and a useful tool (that was a lie; my fan group doesn’t have a name). But nonetheless I think my learning’s need to be shared in easy to understand categories. So I present to you:

 "Audition Brags: It's not eavesdropping if you are talking loud enough for me to hear you in the next room.”

• 'Back to back audition' Brag
• This is a classic brag that can be heard at most auditions. The point? To make sure everyone in ear shot understands that not only do they have some mad planning skillz (Two auditions? In one day? How will you ever manage?!) but also reinforce that no matter what the auditions were for (Campus Connection) , 2 is more than 1.

• 'Waiting to hear back on a movie in Vancouver' Brag
• Don’t be fooled.  While on the surface you might be mesmerized by the word 'movie', the simple utter of the word 'Vancouver' (or anywhere in Canada for that matter) means that this ‘film’ is either:

1) A Lifetime Movie titled “Crimes of Passion: She Woke Up Pregnant”

2) Photo shoot for flannel socks

3) or a PSA for men/women who can’t grow beards

• ‘Film coming out <in limited release>’ Brag
• Similar to the ‘Vancouver Brag’, and uneducated bystander might have the instinct to grab a piece a paper and ask for an autograph.  But instead of trying to explain this one, I’ll simply provide the overheard dialogue:

Girl: “It’s so good to see you again! So how are things going?”

Boy: “Fantastic! I had two auditions today.  I had to rearrange my hair appointment just so I could fit everything in.”

Girl: “Wow that’s great! Yeah I’m waiting to hear back on a movie opportunity in Vancouver.”

Boy: “Very cool. Speaking of movies, the movie I just shot comes out this weekend.”

Girl: “Awesome, I would love to go see it, where is it playing at?”

Boy: “Well. It’s a limited release film…. about zombies.”

"Now I'll never be a teen model."

I tend to get anxious with photo shoots.  I'm not really sure where that comes from  - perhaps it's due to all the Olan Mills sessions I had as a child (Thanks Mom and Dad).  But I over analyze everything - my hair, my makeup, the wardrobe - I spend a ridiculous amount of time making sure everything is just 'right'.

Recently I took some new photos that were to serve as my new head shot and 'lifestyle' look. The photographer I used is very professional and well connected in the acting/modeling scene in Dallas and LA.  All these new elements contributed to my anxiety level being at an all time high. 

Prior to the shoot the photographer asked to see some recent photos. After sending some over, I receive back notes: “Sarah your tongue shows in all of your pictures. Make sure to work on that before our session.” So I added ‘smiling practice’ to my to-do list. Confidence Level: 90%

The photo shoot day arrives. I have practiced my tongue-free smile, I have fabulously styled wardrobe options, a hair and make-up guy is set up, and I took the day off of work so I wasn’t rushed.  Confidence level: 94% 

We start shooting. Almost automatically the photographer points out “Sarah, your right eye is lazy.  Can you try to open it more?” My mind freezes. How in the heck do I open one eye more than the other?  And how have I not noticed that I have a lazy eye?! Confidence level: 65%

Shooting continues. As we transition into the lifestyle shots, the photographer moves up the skirt I am wearing, saying “You look skinnier if the skirt is higher.” So now an already short skirt has been pulled up so I can look ‘more skinny’ and now my fu-fu is on display (insert inappropriate ‘hope that doesn’t show’ joke here). Confidence level: 42%

The shoot is almost over.  As I am posing for my lifestyle shots (oxymoron anyone?) the wind blows and my hair gets stuck in my lip-gloss.  I try to loosen the hair with my mouth to which the photographer says “Sarah, can you work on not making awkward looks with your face?”.  Confidence level:  21.3%


The shoot ends.

As I pack up my clothes, I reflect on the day and realize that I was never meant to be a model. That is unless a role calls for a lazy eye, tongue showing, awkward face making, pseudo skinny model.  If that’s the case, I got that locked down!

Empathizing with Lindsey Buckingham

An agent's role in any actors life is to get that actor paying jobs. So an agent is a great thing to have - but they are often hard to get (ha, I said hard).  From the start of my journey, landing an agent has been one of my primary goals.  Many headshots have been sent to many agents with the hope that they like the way I look just enough so I could get interview. Well to make a very long and uninteresting story short and slightly interesting - I managed to get someone to actually think I was good and represent me (they like me, they really like me).

Now that I have representation, the next step is to get sent out on booked auditions. This step started with an audition last week.  The Agent contacted me about an audition to confirm my availability, I was available, so The Agent scheduled me to go.

I arrived at the audition.

The check-in guy validates that I'm on the list, then asks me to fill out some information and wait to be called. As I am waiting, other actors arrive.  A  young girl and her dad walk in.  The girl checks in.  The dad gives off the impression that he picked the short straw that said he had to drive his tween to an audition. The Check-In-List-Master then asks the dad "Excuse me sir, would you like to audition too?".  My mouth dropped.  I was now the Lindsey Buckingham in my own version of the ‘What’s Up With That’ SNL skit. The dad tried to politely to decline, but the Check-In-List-Master insisted.   The dad agreed to audition …the same audition I had to get booked from my agent.  The same agent that I tried for months to get.

Here’s hoping a guy doing the running man in a red track suit doesn’t show up to my next audition.