*A couple of weeks ago, on a Saturday morning, I found myself in Westwood to audition for a short at UCLA. Luckily, it was on a week-end because this gal would not have found a parking space and I'm not one for paying for parking just for an audition! Honestly. I parked on the side, right across the street from the campus and in front of some rich looking houses with 3 cars in the driveway and who knows how many in the garage! I got there early. Way early. I went in around 9.30a. Found the room and sat myself down on the chairs that were sitting outside the room. I hemmed and hawed a couple of times, discreetly, to indirectly let the people inside the classroom know that there was a chick waiting outside for them. The director came out. Invited me in. I took a seat. He said that there were going to film the audition but at the last minute decided not to. He asked if I had any questions about the script. No. All he had me do was read a question found on the GRE exam. That was it! Simple. Of course(!), I stumbled on a word (or two, but who's counting?). Then, he had me read another exam question. We spoke a little bit before we got started and a tadbit afterwards. There was another guy with him, it was his friend helping him out. That was it and I was on my way back home. I felt good about it. He sent me the script prior to my audition. It's about a guy bored out of his mind in this GRE Testing class; a girl comes in and he takes notice. Before she came in, he wanted the class to end as quickly as possible. After she arrived (late), he perked up and wanted the class to run on forever. Short and sweet.
I got cast in that role and finished filming on Sunday morn. The shoot was fun and refreshing. I really liked all the people that were involved. It's one of the extension classes at UCLA and the whole class helps with all the directors' projects. I liked the camaraderie between the classmates. They were very kind to me. I think, perhaps, some didn't know how to act around me so they were shy but that's understandable. I'm that way as well. Who really warmed me up was their instructor. He was actually there for the filming and "supervising." I say, "supervising," because he really wasn't, he was just there to lend his presence to his students. He came up to me and another actor that was playing the lead guy and asked us if were the leads. And I just chatted it up with him. There was another actor who played the teacher. The director's classmates ended up being the extra students he needed to fill the classroom. It was a successful shoot. I loved that there was food and drink. Bread and coffee (among other snacks and beverages)!!! Yummy! Though, I only drank coffee.
I can't wait to see the final cut. It'll be interesting how the director plays with the time. Hopefully, I'm not too-ugly in this one!!!
*The next day, I had another audition for a UCLA short but this time the audition was held in Beverly Hills. In the director's home. Yikes! I went, anyway, because I didn't get my usual vibe of paranoia. Honestly. Plus, in his email to me, he was pretty funny about the whole "at my house" thing and said that he lived with his parents. Sold! Ha! So, I ventured to Beverly Hills. Before the audition, he sent me his script and I liked it. He wanted me to read for the lead and also the psychotic girlfriend. Which brings me to the question: "What's up with my headshot that makes people think I'm a killer?" Hm...This is the 3rd role in which I got called to read for a killer. If you'd like to look at my headshot that I use to see if you can figure it out, let me know and I'll send it to you. But, hey...that headshots been getting me auditions for the gamut of roles! So, I'm gonna fermer ma bouche (shut up).
When I arrived, his mother answered the door. She offered me a cup of coffee and I acutally said, "Yes." I never do. Well, I spoke with her for a bit waiting for the director to come home from his haircut. He arrived and set up, straightaway. Of course, there was the regular chit-chat and so forth. He told me that he has a degree in law and that he was also taking the night class at UCLA. I asked if he knew the other director. Nope. Before, we started the audition, he asked if he could ask me something about his script. It had to do with the ending. I told him that if he stayed with his ending that it would be a more positive, sunny spin. But, if he were to go the other direction, then he'd be able to build on that with another film and take his lead girl onto another journey. It was more dark the latter way. He lit up and said, Oh! I never thought of that." He seemed to be pleased. What's funny is when I told a good friend about that, he said, "Well, now he should cast you! You just handed him his next project!" Ha! The audition went very well. And I ended my stay there by asking his mother what kind of coffee she gave me! Ha!
I got an email from him asking me to come to a callback for the lead. At the first audition, he told me that he wanted a certain look for the lead girl. If the other guys were Asian, then he'd want a white chick. If not, then he'd want someone like me. To fill the spectrum of race. So that it's not only an "Asian" flick. Understandable. He also asked me if he could pass my headshot and resume around to his classmates. Now, that was flattering! So, the callback. It went well. I'd change one thing. He said that he liked the way I did it before and wasn't gonna tape me but we did it anyway and I wish I could have done it better. I wasn't there. Well, he told me that he'd get in contact with me about the role the next day.
I didn't get cast in that one. I wasn't disappointed but I was. And it was because of the "look" thing. To which I'd like to say: Is someone really gonna tell you not to be friends with your friends because you don't look like you could be friends? But, that's not what it was about. He wanted a cast that would appeal to all races and that's why I didn't get the role because he already had enough Asians! But, I had a good experience with him and enjoyed it very much.
*Last Friday, I had my first of 2 readings for Cecilia Fannon's students. It was very fun! The play was called THE HIVE by Paula Fell. The characters were all bees! No joke. It was so clever and a joy to read. I got the part of the lead who is enthusiastic, immature, prejudicial and has a heart of gold. Wow. It was also a very fun group of actors to read with. I really liked the differences of the bees, the roller coaster of emotions and the changes that happen within some of the characters.
*On Saturday, I went to an open class with a very good friend. It would be nice to take his class for the work and also to build networking but I didn't sign up for an interview because I'm just not wanting to dish out the money. I was inspired and mad, reinforced and harshly reminded, which is all so good! Mad because I want to be out there and act. And, I know, that pleasure tends to get lost with "working" actors but I would have to have some outlet to provide me with artistic pleasure. And, yes, taking a class does do that. My friend was inpsired and mad, as well. Right after he said, "We're going to Sam French and we're getting a play that we've never read and we're gonna work!!!" And, so we did. I was happily shocked at his attitude. Even during the open class, we were talking about having a class of our own? Why the hell not? And I told him, all we would need is space.
We were also making fun of the teacher, not because he was bad but because he reminded us of one of our friends combined with Tom Cruise in Magnolia and Vincent Lombardi. Honestly. He's one of those guys that knows he's a good teacher and that knowledge lends itself to arrogance. He's a confident guy and I enjoyed his class, as did my friend.
I wanted to cry afterwards because I realized that I do have so much to offer and to give, and I need to be used up. It wasn't really a realization because I do already know that but it was a forced reminder, I guess I should say.
One last thing, when we were in the lobby area, the teacher came out and greeted us. I felt like he wanted something from us. Not money but more like he knew who we were and wanted to be part of our world/our energy. Does that sound gey? I just felt that he wanted something from us. As if he knew that we'd be valuable to have in his class...
*Monday afternoon, I had an audition for a dark short film. All I knew was that the character, Nina, is bold, pretty and a rebel. I brought in my monologue and they wanted me to read from the Pulp Fiction script. I felt uncomfortable, physically. Not because of them or the scenes but something didn't feel right to me. It was a good audition despite that. And the director told me that there were more auditions that afternoon and also the next day. She then asked me if I had a sarcastic, biting monologue for the callback. But, I don't think it's for sure that I have a callback because I haven't gotten an email from her assistant.
One thing that caught me off guard was when the director told me about a scene that will take place after sex. Yeah, didn't know about that because I didn't get a script. Usually, you aren't sent a script beforehand anyway. She asked if I was uncomfortable with that. I told her that I would be unless I was covered up. Listen. Unless, it's Meryl Streep directing me, I'm just not gonna be nude at this time. It really depends. Really Depends. REALLY.DEPENDS. And I would charge thousands of clams for each part I was gonna show! One of my best friends told me that that sounded like prostitution...well...maybe. But, no, because I'm not havin' sex with 'em! Right? Right. I really have to believe in that part of a project to bare it all. I'm tired of these actresses trying to validate nudity in the movies that they've done. Though, I do think perhaps I have a slight prejudice with foreign films. I don't particularly have a problem with nudity in those films, most of the time=) So, unless the film is being directed by Meryl and in Europe somewhere... =PPP
*A couple of hours ago, I auditioned for another short film. The audition was held at the Lee Strasberg Theatre. Ooooooooooooooohhh!!! I was an hour early. Though, I always say better way early to an audition than 5 seconds late. Eh? Let's just say that I whooped major ASS at this audition. Man! I felt so good that I wanted to scream! I had a really good audition partner. We rehearsed 3 times and the 4th time, the producer and the director came out and asked for us to come in. Inside, we found out that there were 2 directors. The one that called us in was filipino. The other director took Marcus aside and I was taken aside by the filipino one. They spoke to us about or characters.
I was sent the sides by one of the directors. I studied them, memorized them enough to be comfortable. But, nothing in the sides prepared me for what the diretor would tell me and that was, "She killed her boss before coming to the park and feeding the cats." What?!! Wow. Whoa! Wait a minute!!! Now, this is the 4th role in which I'm a killer! LOL! That took me by surprise but didn't phase me. I could still play what I was playing. I took the scene and made the choice of covering up her pain with bits of smiles and laughter towards the other character. I did the "Chekhov-thing" of covering up and layering. I made a lasagna with my acting, pretty much.
So, Marcus and I performed. The waterworks did not fail me. Praise Jesus! The thing is with crying in acting...you can't think of that result. It's too much pressure and not very good to be thinking, "Okay, I have to cry in the next couple of lines, in the next couple of seconds." I just need things to be authentic. I can't stress out about emotion. I give to and take from my partner. You never know what's going to happen. What's important to me is that I've done my homework, I'm prepared and when I get to the audition, to the theatre, to the set...I will be open and receptive and truthful. Well, they liked it but they wanted me to not smile and laugh. Pretty much, they didn't want my Chekhov acting. The other director said things about this girl being devasted and it was the end of her life, all that jazz (and I knew that). The filipino director said that he totally got it and really liked the choices I made but both wanted me to take out the covering up business. They went back and forth for a couple of sentences and finally I just said, "Well, I wanted to play the oppposite." But, I will do what you guys want me to do. I won't smile." And then, the filipino director said to me, "But, maybe at the end you can. I like that you did laugh and smile at the end. So, maybe there." Yep. I did it without smiling and I guess it was fine. I felt fine. It was challenging but I did it.
The producer right away came in with, "Will you guys be free for callbacks on Thursday or next week Tuesday?" "Yes." The filipino director asked if I had a comedic monologue. "Yes." "Can you perform it?" "Tonight?" "Yes." "Yes." Uh...yikes!!! I was prepared with a dramatic monologue because that was what the role required. I was not at all prepared with a comedic one, though, I am quite familiar with the one I always use. Which isn't HA-HA funny but more subtle, sweet, chuckling funny. I went back out into the lobby area. Tried to run the lines in my head, went outside and I just couldn't remember. The filipino director came outside to call me in asked if I was ready. "Yes." LOL! I totally screwed up the monologue. It was awful! LOL! Mais, c'est la vie, eh? The director asked how long I could stay, if I could stay longer and I said that I could. The producer jumped in and said that they still had others to see, and this one girl was running late, &c. So, he asked if I was available for the callbacks and I told him that I was. And that was that...
I did. I WHOOPED MAJOR ASS. Sure did.
*Tonight, will be my second reading with Cecilia's students. I can't wait! I'm not the lead in this one but who cares! I love reading for her students. They're very gifted writers and I've enjoyed all the times that I was part of their readings. Whether it be a whole play or just scenes.
*Oh, last thing...that film that one of my best friends recommended me for? The one where I had to leave my baby at the front of the church... Well, I got totally dropped from that one. And in such a horribly unprofessional way that I took a stand and wrote the director a letter. He never responded back. GUILTY. AND! AND! He had the AUDACITY to go up to my best friend and try to talk to her about me. She stopped him and said, "Uh-uh. No. She is my best friend. You keep that business away from me." That's right! Sadly, though, she called me a couple of weeks ago about the filming process and jazz. She had such a terrible experience and wasted so much time. She became very discouraged and disheartened. She told me that she was glad that I was off the film.
*le whew* I've written too much. I'm a chatter-box. Hm...what do you call a person who writes too much? A typing-whore? Meh...
Okay, I now leave you with Kiri Te Kanawa in Puccini's MANON LESCAUT singing the last few minutes of, "Sola, Perduta, Abbandonata." By the buy, the reason I looked up this song was because it played in the beginning of the scene that I had to audition with at the Lee Strasberg Theatre. I'm such a nerd. I wanted to know how it went. I listened to Maria Callas' version of it. Big-time nerd over here.
