Audition: “Lowe’s” @ Ross Lacy Casting. Ugh! I don’t know how this one went. I’m really working on listening and interpreting at a higher level in my auditions. So far, I’m getting mixed results. In this one I so obviously missed one of the major directions that screamed “he’s an also ran”. That’s not were I want to be. Don’t get me wrong I’ve booked enough jobs to be convinced that I know what I’m doing, but I think I can know “more of what I’m doing” – and get better results.

The session director was kind enough to give me another shot at it, but I shouldn’t have needed that, at least not for that reason. I probably wasn’t as bad as I thought, but still, there is a lot of room for improvement. That said; it wouldn’t surprise me at all if I get a callback.

Audition: “Titleist” @ Pop Casting. Since I have my fitting for “WaMu” today I decided to try to go to this audition about 3 hours early so I won’t end up having an anxiety ridden afternoon. There was quite a bit of copy for this one that I had been working on since last night, but I think I had a pretty good handle on it. So I arrive at the facility and I noticed there were only women there. I figure I was out of category and I would need to return at my correct appointment time. I explained to the CD that I was early, but she said “no problem, go ahead and sign-in”. So I signed-in and began working on my copy.

A few minutes later the other CD partner in the room announced that we really needed to have the lines down because this particular director likes for an actor to tell a story and not be held up by not knowing the lines. “Cool, no problem” I thought. So I went outside so I could work at full volume.

After a moment they were calling my name to go in the room and I felt ready. I was paired with this beautiful woman portraying my wife who I had auditioned with before (she seemed like she’d be a cool wife in real life too….) Anyway, so we both slate our name and they explain how it’s to be read. During this time I glanced at the copy on the board and it didn’t look the same as what I had been rehearsing.

Oh Sh*t! It’s NOT the same copy! I am, in fact, out of category. So the CD is just getting ready to say “Action!”, and I’m seeing this piece of wall-to-wall copy for the very first time. At that point I had to stop and tell her I was early because I have a fitting to go to. I explained that I was told by the other CD partner it was okay to be early and she was cool about it.

I was already slated on the tape so they kinda needed to just get me up to speed. I’m apologizing like crazy while trying to get 25 seconds of copy down – NOW! I started to warm it up and they all seemed very impressed with how quickly I was picking it up. I was not impressed at all, but they made me feel like a pro so I went with it. We laid it down the first time and it went okay; the CD seemed genuinely happy. She gave me a little more direction and we did it again. It was all good and my wife…I mean the beautiful African-American actress who was portraying wife…continued to praise my performance as we went to our cars. Whew!

Fitting: “WaMu” @ Sunset-Gower. I arrived at the studio just in time for my fitting, but you know how Hollywood usually works – hurry up and wait. It was no problem for me because I had gotten the important things I needed to get done today finished. I was there for more than an hour before I even tried on my first garment. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a fitting for more than the allotted hour. Of course, being a guy, it’s usually pretty simple.

Two hours pass and I’m trying on stuff, getting Polaroid’s taken, digital stills taken and then I wait for 30 minutes. It was like wash, rinse, repeat. Wait a minute, I need to back up, myself and someone from the wardrobe department didn’t get off on such a great foot. You see, I’m usually a super nice guy, but I don’t like to be disrespected. Don’t get it twisted, I can be a straight-up asshole if needed and it was brought out of me for a brief period of time. I’m proud of that side of me and I have no problem using it if I need to. I treat people with respect and I demand that in return.

I remember back when I first moved to New York; I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to handle myself with the “City Slickers”. I didn’t want to get pushed around, but I was just a Southern kid from the ‘burbs. I made it through New York just fine; my more stern side came out whenever I needed it. I was proud of that because deep down I’m a bit of a pleaser.

Anyway, the fact that I was there for so long turned out to be a good thing because it made the time I had to “fight fire with fire” seem shorter. I was also wondering about the second commercial I was supposed to be doing. There was absolutely no evidence that I could uncover that I was doing two spots – other than my agent telling me so; and my agent is on her game so I knew there had to be something to it.

By this time “my wife” from the 3rd audition arrived for wardrobe. I was happy to see her because she was nice and so patient and helpful to me. A little while later while chatting with her I found out that she hadn’t been actually cast yet, but was technically doing a wardrobe, hair and make-up test – a type of “hold”, very different than “an avail”. This was her 6th time coming in for this job. She informed me that “another wife” was there at the studio as well and they were being kept totally separate. I wasn’t sure who the other “wife” was, but I was really glad that I was officially cast and wasn’t going through that madness.

4 ½ hours later –

I’m still at the studio and yes, it’s confirmed that I’m shooting two spots – I was given the copy for both. By this time I’ve met producers, clients, both directors, etc. I couldn’t imagine I’d be at the fitting for 4 ½ hours, but I wasn’t complaining – other than being a little chilly. The craft services table had some of the best strawberries I’d tasted in a long time.

I got a glimpse of the “other wife”; she was the sweetheart I rehearsed with at the first callback. I’d love to work with either one of them and hate to think that one of them is going to get the news that in a couple of hours that “you’ve been released…”. Again, I’ve experienced that enough times and I’m glad it’s not me.

All the clothing I had been trying on for hours was for the first part of the commercial. After that was all set the wardrobe assistant gave me the shirt for the dance part. Oh Sh*t. I thought it was a woman’s blouse at first. I went to put it on and I saw that it had a crotch with snaps. WHAT!?!? Yeah! So I’m looking down at the dangling snaps and I felt like I was crossing a line that would threaten my manhood. Do I snap it up or do I not snap it up? That was a no-brainer. I snapped that mofo up like I was one of The Nicholas Brothers! Yeah! I felt really weird, but I also all of the sudden felt like I could dance my ass off. Long live my snapped up crotch!

Another hour later –

I’ve been here since noon and it’s now 5:35pm and I just got released. Wow. So I got back into my street clothes, signed out and was just grabbing my bag to hit the door when the 2nd AD informs me that I need to stay longer. A few minutes later they released one of “my wives” and told her that she should get the call if she’s booked in 90 minutes. Ugh! I’m so glad it’s not me! I have a feeling I know which one they are going to go with….guess I’ll know tomorrow afternoon at 1pm.

After being at the Studio from noon until 6:20pm I was finally released. What a day; a very productive and profitable day.

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