Okay, so I call the ad agency in Chicago to get an update on the “Michelin” commercial. The person I usually talk to isn’t in so I leave a message for her. Not two minutes later my commercial send me an email informing me that I’ve been outgraded for the “Michelin” spot. What? “You’ve got to be kidding me?” I just stare at the email thinking it’s gonna change, but it didn’t. This was not the news that I hoping to hear. As I've said in the past; "booking the job" is not always enough.
I took a deep breath and called my agent. She had already requested a copy of the spot so that we could judge for ourselves. I told her it was possible that they got rid of all three engineers, but I’d be a little surprised if it was only me that was edited out. Could be though, we’ll find out when we get the tape.
Well, with that news, I’m not gonna be making any dental surgery decisions today or tomorrow. It’ll have to wait until I figure something out; it’s not like I’m bleeding, plus the pain is totally gone.
I’m not feeling so great right now so I decided to go to the gym – which I don’t particularly enjoy, but I knew it would help get me centered again. On the way I stopped by to see Debra and Tannis @ Debra Zane Casting. Since they cast “Ocean’s Thirteen” and I pulled out to do the commercial I wanted to update them of the latest development – plus I like them, they are nice.
We all got a great laugh out of it and I was already feeling better. They then informed me that the group of guys that I was to be with in the film got to go back for re-shoots. Wow, more days on the film. We all agreed that this is happening for a reason – I’m not necessarily sure what the reason is, but there is something behind it. It makes for a good story – I guess. Well, I’m proud to say that I’ve been hired 3 times by Academy Award winning directors…and it will happen again.
So on to the gym…I do my two hours of sweating, running, lifting and more sweating and when I get in the car I have a message from my theatrical agent. I usually leave my phone in the car when I’m at the gym because I just don’t want to hear from anyone during that time, but I should probably change that. I don’t really like being at the gym in the first place and if I’m getting calls it’s all the more reason to not lift those dumbbells or do those leg presses. But business is business and it would be worse if I missed a timely call. So I think the answer is to carry my phone, but turn the ringer off and check it periodically during my workout – yeah, that should work.
The message came in just 5 minutes before I got back in the car and it’s a last minute audition for a pilot at Fox Studios. It’s a co-star role and my agent wasn’t sure I’d go in, but she figured she’d try anyway since it’s a pilot. The call stemmed from meeting someone from the casting office at Actorsite recently. After the last couple of days I’d had of course I was going in. So I rushed home to get cleaned up to get over to Fox. When I saw the sides, I thought I was too young, but I wasn’t going to let that get in the way of my performance.
When I finally found the office on the Fox lot there was snow outside on the ground. Snow? Yeah snow. I actually walked over and touched it. I guess they were shooting something earlier that required snow. It reminded how much I love what I do. It’s the “playing” that is so fun. Snow on the ground in Los Angeles – you gotta love it.
Audition/pilot/tape: “Life” @ Megan Branman Casting. When it was my turn to go in to read the casting associate looked at me for a second and thought I was too young as well. She suggested I read another role as well. I paused and thought about it. Then she told me I was more right for it, but it was smaller. I paused again; then we both agreed that “no”, I shouldn’t read for the other, smaller role. My agents and I have this conversation often about trying to move up the ladder to get more guest star roles and beyond.
Even though I play a bit young for this smarmy lawyer the audition went really well. She thanked me for coming in and we also talked about moving up the ladder in my career; she even gave me hug on the way out.
I took a deep breath and called my agent. She had already requested a copy of the spot so that we could judge for ourselves. I told her it was possible that they got rid of all three engineers, but I’d be a little surprised if it was only me that was edited out. Could be though, we’ll find out when we get the tape.
Well, with that news, I’m not gonna be making any dental surgery decisions today or tomorrow. It’ll have to wait until I figure something out; it’s not like I’m bleeding, plus the pain is totally gone.
I’m not feeling so great right now so I decided to go to the gym – which I don’t particularly enjoy, but I knew it would help get me centered again. On the way I stopped by to see Debra and Tannis @ Debra Zane Casting. Since they cast “Ocean’s Thirteen” and I pulled out to do the commercial I wanted to update them of the latest development – plus I like them, they are nice.
We all got a great laugh out of it and I was already feeling better. They then informed me that the group of guys that I was to be with in the film got to go back for re-shoots. Wow, more days on the film. We all agreed that this is happening for a reason – I’m not necessarily sure what the reason is, but there is something behind it. It makes for a good story – I guess. Well, I’m proud to say that I’ve been hired 3 times by Academy Award winning directors…and it will happen again.
So on to the gym…I do my two hours of sweating, running, lifting and more sweating and when I get in the car I have a message from my theatrical agent. I usually leave my phone in the car when I’m at the gym because I just don’t want to hear from anyone during that time, but I should probably change that. I don’t really like being at the gym in the first place and if I’m getting calls it’s all the more reason to not lift those dumbbells or do those leg presses. But business is business and it would be worse if I missed a timely call. So I think the answer is to carry my phone, but turn the ringer off and check it periodically during my workout – yeah, that should work.
The message came in just 5 minutes before I got back in the car and it’s a last minute audition for a pilot at Fox Studios. It’s a co-star role and my agent wasn’t sure I’d go in, but she figured she’d try anyway since it’s a pilot. The call stemmed from meeting someone from the casting office at Actorsite recently. After the last couple of days I’d had of course I was going in. So I rushed home to get cleaned up to get over to Fox. When I saw the sides, I thought I was too young, but I wasn’t going to let that get in the way of my performance.
When I finally found the office on the Fox lot there was snow outside on the ground. Snow? Yeah snow. I actually walked over and touched it. I guess they were shooting something earlier that required snow. It reminded how much I love what I do. It’s the “playing” that is so fun. Snow on the ground in Los Angeles – you gotta love it.
Audition/pilot/tape: “Life” @ Megan Branman Casting. When it was my turn to go in to read the casting associate looked at me for a second and thought I was too young as well. She suggested I read another role as well. I paused and thought about it. Then she told me I was more right for it, but it was smaller. I paused again; then we both agreed that “no”, I shouldn’t read for the other, smaller role. My agents and I have this conversation often about trying to move up the ladder to get more guest star roles and beyond.
Even though I play a bit young for this smarmy lawyer the audition went really well. She thanked me for coming in and we also talked about moving up the ladder in my career; she even gave me hug on the way out.
http://www.stephonfuller.com/consultations.html
2 comments:
Stephon, haven't written in awhile. I'm glad to see you got your consulting business going and are even writing articles!
You're attitude and approach was crucial to me getting re-started in LA, and I have passed your blog along to a couple friends as well.
The reason for this comment is when I read in this post about your agent requesting a copy of a spot from an ad agency so they could see for themselves if you'd been cut out.
Talk about hands on! When I had a spot turn into three, and called my agent to say they were only calling it one spot on the contract, he told me to figure it out on my own (no, I'm not kidding).
My point being I have admired your approach to work, and I believe that helped you get the agent you have. Because of you KSA has been on my list of regular submissions.
Whether it is KSA, or someone else down the road who is my new agent - I blame you for telling me how it COULD be :)
May you have continued success. Keep blogging!
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, my agents are professionals at what they do. I am quite fortunate to be repped by them.
Stephon
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