Today I have an audition for "East of Harlem"(later changed to "In America") for acclaimed Irish director Jim Sheridan. I know Jim through Keilana Smith. This is where it really happens, the big moves. I get there and see Sean "P-Diddy" Combs and Terrence Howard. It felt good to get seen for a project like this. Of course, it's a long, long shot, but slowly it's happening for me.

Today I have an audition for "East of Harlem"(later changed to "In America") for acclaimed Irish director Jim Sheridan. I know Jim through Keilana Smith. This is where it really happens, the big moves. I get there and see Sean "P-Diddy" Combs and Terrence Howard. It felt good to get seen for a project like this. Of course, it's a long, long shot, but slowly it's happening for me.

Today is my shoot for the "California Lottery" commercial. When I arrived at the location, to my surprise, I saw everyone that was in my callback session. WHAT!!! Needless to say we were shocked that we all had booked after having, what we thought, was such a horrible callback. We figured that maybe he really liked us at the audition and was making sure he could get us to the place he needed us for the shoot.

It was a short day, call time 9am and I'm wrapped @ noon. Yeah, only 3 hours. It almost killed me and I mean DEAD!!!!!! I was one of a group of "spinners" and one "spin instructor". This spin instructor was no joke. Was she, in fact, trying to kill us? Or maybe she was just trying killing me. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I am so out of shape. Anyway, nice people, and I had worked with the DP on the last "Pizza Hut" spot. It felt good to be working again.

Tonight is the first night of my dance classes. OMIGOD!!!! Keilana bought me gift certificates for several classes. They were getting ready to expire so I had to jump in. I have 2 left feet. I mean seriously. I have been known to go out and "shake a leg", but I don't dance for money. It is a Modern Jazz class and I am so far away from being graceful. I'll keep trying though.

Okay, big surprise. I booked the "California Lottery" commercial. WHAT!!! How they heck did that happen? I don't know and I don't care I'm just glad to be working!!

I just got back from an "audition" even though I didn't actually get to read. My 4th Saturday audition in 6 weeks. No, I wasn't turned away because I do workshops. It was because the damn building caught on fire! Yeah, it was Lien/Cowan Casting on Beverly and we were waiting to go in and the joint starts billowing with black smoke & flames right below the casting office on the 2nd floor. I mean crazy fire trucks, chainsaws, an ax and a lot of water. It was really sad to see people stuff go up in flames, but more importantly everyone got out safely. Firefighters have always been really high on my list and it was cool to see them @ work. Remember, check those smoke detector batteries!!

Today is the BSW roundtable discussion. It was interesting, to say the least. I got a chance to hear several sides of the debate. I don't feel like a lot was accomplished as far as changing anyone's position on the subject. If anything it gave me more information on workshops that I haven't been to. Go figure.

Callback: "California Lottery" @ Cathi Carlton Casting. Okay this HAD to be the worst callback I've ever had. The spot has me and a few others on stationary bikes in a spinning class. First, I don't spin in my real life and I think I looked like a complete loser in my acting life.
Typically, in a spin class the instructor is in front, facing the class. That wasn't the case for audition; the instuctor was beside me. I was sneaking glances at the instuctor to see what the next move was. I wasn't stopping and going into full profile or anything like that I was just trying to see what was going on.

Here is where it got interesting for me. The director, Brian Aldrich, was relentless with giving me direction and asking me questions, and I don't feel like I delivered at all. He said to me, "if you were in a real spin-class would you be looking over at the instuctor?" Okay, I wanted to answer honestly, but I also wanted this job and didn't want to embarrass the CD Cathi Carlton and become an example of "how actors talk themselves out of jobs". I decided to split the difference. I kinda answered by giving him the look that he was right, but not saying so verbally. The director seemed to be trying to embarrass me.
When I left the room, myself and the 3 others, felt like it was the worst callback of our careers. I was thinking that Cathi wouldn't ever call me in again. NEXT!!!