I’ve been moving to a new apartment over the last 10 days or so and today is the day that I finally turn in the keys of the studio apartment where I have lived for the last 11 years…yup 11 years. That’s longer than I’ve lived anywhere other than the boyhood home I grew up in. I didn’t plan on doing it over such a long period of time, but I’m glad I did. I think the new apartment had been vacant for a minute so they were eager to get me on the payroll.

It worked out well because I didn’t have to take the weekend off of work like I had planned. I just did a little moving everyday over the 10 day period when I had the energy. Let me tell you, these overnight shifts are a beast. I do not, I repeat DO NOT recommend working graveyard shifts. It’s like going down a one-way street against oncoming traffic. That said; I have definitely made the situation work for me. I devised a plan some time ago and I have to say it’s working really well. At the same time I have to look at other phases of the plan, because I have no plans of doing this indefinitely…physically I can’t.

As I was making the final trips back and forth to my car I became more and more eager to finish, turn in the keys and be on my way. On the way out the door the very last time it hit me that this chapter in my life was over. Forgive me for making this move into such a dramatic thing, but I guess it’s all relative because it has been a major thing to me. I’ve been nervous and extremely anxious for months- headaches and all. I remember when I moved here from New York; I had a headache for 6 weeks.

Anyway, as I was about to lock the door for the last time I stopped dead in my tracks. I put the items down that I had in my hands and re-entered the apartment. It looked exactly as it had on June 28th, 1998, my birthday. That was my last day of my LA trip for my agent meetings. I prayed that I would be approved. I remember being so excited about living alone, having a little natural light that I never had in New York and moving to the next chapter in my journey. Looking at the empty place made it very clear as to why I wanted to live there. I guess I was “stopping to smell the roses”. It almost brought tears to my eyes..almost.

Next stop; the rental office. The property manager was very nice and wished me well. I got in my car, screamed with joy that it was over and gave the middle finger to the “No Parking from 6am to 11pm” signs for the next day. FU!! No parking signs!...I’m serious…I did 11 years.

The old parking spot...at least for March 16 '04. There's my old white Honda with "for sale" signs on it in the background.



The new parking spot...cold chillin'....Underground parking was one of the "must haves' along with central air, carpet and of course a bedroom with a door.


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Eleven years ago today I left New York on an ATA flight to Chicago on my way to Los Angeles to continue the journey of my acting career. While on my layover in Chicago I called my new agent, Alicia @ KSR (formerly KSA), and informed her that I was flying standby and didn’t know exactly what time I’d land in Los Angeles – tonight or early in the morning. Either way I told her that I would be ready to rock n roll by 12 noon tomorrow. She answered that she had an appointment for @ 10am….let the games begins.

That first week in Los Angeles Alicia got me 3 commercial auditions and, in return, I gave her 3 callbacks. I didn’t book any of them, but eventually that would change. So much has happened in those eleven years. I have been fortunate to work on numerous TV shows, a few films, 30+ commercials and even travel to a few places. It’s often said that it takes 10 years to be an overnight sensation. I guess things are about to get interesting.

Audition: “Toyota/NFL” @ Joe Blake Casting. This went really, really well. It’s for 16 spots!! They HAVE to bring me to callbacks. Well, they don’t have to, but it would be smart I think. I can add to this project MAN! 16 spots! I’d start specifically saving to invest in the family business or a condo/house – or both.

Oh yeah, here is the link to the CNN piece where I’m quoted. I was also quoted in an article in Back Stage…wow twice in one week! I guess I’m “moving on up!”

http://www.stephonfuller.com/

Audition: “Comcast” @ Ross Lacy Casting. This one went really well. Wall-to-wall copy, but they wanted it kind of loose so I was really able to make it my own. They should bring me back.

I think I’m going to be quoted in a piece about the entertainment business in a CNN.com story on Monday the 27th.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Today is the big day. The day I start moving from my studio apartment that I’ve lived in for the past 11 years to a deeeluxe apartment in the sky!! Yup, moving on up like the Jefferson’s! This has been a long time coming. Not sure why I waited so long, but the past is the past and I’m moving forward.

I can’t believe how much crap I have gathered over the years. I am purging in a big way. Never again will I have so much stuff…at least until I have a wife and kids.

My new refrigerator was delivered this morning, but they brought me a white one instead of the black one that I wanted – I’ll give it a couple of days and see if wanna keep the white one; if not, they’ll have to come back and swap it for the correct one.

I can already feel the beginnings of a new energy and my theatrical agent said that TV is picking up in a big way.

Audition/Producers: “Brand Dead” @ Dori Zuckerman/Lorna Johnson Casting. Honestly, I didn’t feel as prepared as I should have been for this appointment, but it still went okay. I just have so much going on right now with working fulltime overnight shifts, a few auditions here and there and the moving thing has my anxiety levels going crazy. Who knows, maybe I’ll hear back from them.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Audition: “Southwest Airlines” @ Cathi Carlton Casting. I was all over the place in this audition, but since it was sort of an improv type situation it worked pretty well – a little off balance and very real. Hopefully, I’ll get a callback.

A very strange thing happened immediately after I walked out of the audition room. An actor approached me and raved and raved…and raved about the WaMu commercial that I had done last year. I mean he thought it was just the greatest piece of work. At first I just didn’t know what to say other than “thank you”, but then I shared some of how it actually came about and the 4-day shoot. It was pretty cool. I think I sometimes forget that I have actually worked in this business. I don’t really carry it on my sleeve. I just have so many other things on my mind these days, but make no mistake, I love what I do. I just love other things too.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Audition: “Lincoln” @ Terry Berland Casting. This was fun! I had a great lady playing my wife and we hit it off right away. I’m hoping it looked as good as it felt. I’m way overdue for another booking and hopefully my “KY Brand” spot will start running sooner or later.

I bought my refrigerator for my new apartment and set up delivery today. Things are really coming together for the move. I’m anxious, a little nervous, but excited. I had a very specific plan and it’s all coming together the way I’d hoped. I’m purging a lot of “stuff”. There are things I currently have that I do not want to see the light of day in my new place. I’ve also bought stuff for the new place that I’ve left in my car because I want it to be as fresh of a start as it can be. A similar thing happened when I moved to New York; I want it to be a brand new chapter – a real change. I feel it inside of me.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Audition: “Anti-Smoking PSA” @ Gabrielle Schary Casting. This was a pretty funny audition and it went well. Hopefully I’ll get a callback.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Today someone I met a few months ago looked me up on IMDB and commented about the acting credits I’ve built up over the years. She assumed that “a good amount of them” were background credits without dialogue. I wasn’t at all offended; I was intrigued by how she came up with that assessment. I asked her and she said she thought I was the type that would talk a good game, but really be full of a lot of hot air. What ??? I mean I talk a lot of smack, but it’s usually when I’m in character and just messing around. I guess she believed the character I created. I found that to be hilarious. Actually, I hadn’t spoken to her about my credits at all which is why she didn’t already know what I had or hadn’t done. I take the whole thing as a huge compliment because every single one of my credits were and are hard earned and legitimate.

I think it’s simply that’s she’s new to the game and didn’t really know that I’m not so new to the game. I also don’t think she knows many actors who have actually made a living as a professional performer for any length of time – so she assumed that I hadn’t either. I wonder how many other people might think the same thing. Who knows…

http://www.stephonfuller.com

This morning I gave my 30-day notice that I’d be vacating my studio apartment after 11 years. It felt weird and exciting at the same time. For some reason I was a little nervous…don’t ask why. I’m nervous about a lot of things in general, but I don’t usually let it stop me. I think I get so nervous because I tend over analyze almost everything.

When I walked in the office I wasn’t sure if the property manager had already been alerted that I was leaving or not. She had; she told me the new leasing company had called and she gave me a great reference. Not sure why I was nervous about that because, yes, I deserved a great reference.

SHOOTING: “Greenpeace PSA” in Silverlake. This was fun and, again, proves to me that not everyone can do what “we” as performers do. Nope. Not everyone is interesting. Some may be interesting in a reality show sense; like watching a car accident (and yes, I do watch some of those accidents). But not everyone is interesting in a “talent” sense. The lead actor in the PSA we were shooting was organically interesting take after take, after take. A very talented man and I was honored to get to work with him.

http://www.stephonfuller.com/