Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Last night I attended a mini class reunion of my high school. It was great to see so many faces that I hadn’t seen since who knows when. Through many different types of social networking we are all able to stay in touch. I look forward to the next one.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Friday, December 25, 2009

I’m out of here! Yes! I have an early morning flight home to Virginia Beach for the holidays. It’ll be good to get out of Los Angeles for a bit, but truthfully, I’m looking forward to getting back to work as well. I’m planning on 2010 being a great year and not just for me. I think many of us are going to rebound and make a lot of great things happen.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Monday, December 21, 2009

Audition: “Lowe’s” @ Joe Blake Casting. I wasn’t sure how this was going to go because sometimes when there is a lot going on I get in my head and my best performance is in the car…on the way home. I’m pleased to say that it went very well.

Audition: “Cheez-its” @ Ross Lacy Casting. This is a multi-spot campaign…yup, a big deal. I felt good about what I left in the room…definitely callback worthy. We’ll see what they think.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Thursday, December 17, 2009

I had the wonderful opportunity to, again, read the scripts of at risk high school students. It’s always an interesting and fun experience to get a glimpse into the world of today’s kids. It’s been a great thing for me too as a performer.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Audition: “Jack-in-the-Box” @ Alyson Horn Casting. This was fun, fun, fun and I hope to get to the next step in the process.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Friday, December 11, 2009

Shooting: “cars.com” @ Polsa Rosa Movie Ranch in Acton, CA, near Palmdale. Gotta put on my game-face today. Why? Because I’m tired, but it’s a good tired. I’m tired because I’ve been hustling, trying to make things happen. I can’t expect anyone else to work harder than myself and I am totally up for the challenge.

Last night I got a call for a commercial audition for today, but of course I’m shooting…and not right in town. I think the casting notification informing me that I have an audition goes out from the casting notice company and not from my agency. That is a good thing because I like knowing about it as well because sometimes I know better than my agency what I can and cannot get accomplished in a day. I don’t want to miss an audition unless I absolutely have to.

I worked last night from 10pm until 7:45am; got home about 8am and needed to leave my apartment by 8:30 to get to the location by 9:30. The commercial appointment time is 3:38pm in Santa Monica at the same casting office that cast the “cars.com” spot. I’m not confirmed for the commercial appointment for obvious reasons, but you better believe this brotha right here is going to try to make it.

The drive out to Acton was beautiful! It’s amazing how close you can be to Los Angeles, but the landscape is completely different. I was heading out to the boondocks and I couldn’t wait to get there. I even saw a deer crossing the road about 8 miles from the ranch were shooting at.

I arrived at the location, parked where I was instructed to park and a van took me to basecamp. There I checked in with one of the PA’s and was led to my honeywagon. It was snug, but most importantly, warm, dry and had a place where could sit and write. A few minutes later I went to the make-up trailer which took less than 60 seconds and then to the wardrobe department. My clothes were pressed and ready to go. Of course I went by the craft services table to get some fruit to snack on.

I met up with a few of the other actors I’ll be working with; one of which was in the same callback group as I. About an hour later a van took us to the location where we were to shoot. It was out in the middle of nowhere and a bit chilly with very dark clouds just off into the distance. Actually, it seemed that we were in the clouds since they were almost at ground level.

Over the next 45 minutes the rest of the production team set up shop. We, the talent, were then placed in a “people mover” type van closer to the set. Finally, Ethan, the 2nd AD came to brief us on what was to happen. They were going to bring us all out for a camera rehearsal, but one person, not me, needed to change wardrobe.

A few minutes later I found out that “not me” was, in fact, “me”. So everyone went to set and they wanted me to stay back in the van, but my new wardrobe was back at basecamp. A moment later they started the camera rehearsal and I still didn’t have my new wardrobe. I’m watching them rehearse and I’m thinking to myself, “I ain’t gonna stand here and let them rehearse and get used to doing it without me. No, it ain’t going down like that”. So I moved closer to the monitor where the director, Craig Gillespie, could see me. Before long he motioned me into the scene. I kept an eye out for wardrobe coming back with my clothes and after a moment they did. At this point it was urgent because “camera rehearsal” quickly turned into “picture’s up!” So I ran back to the people mover van with the stylist and she’s helping me get undressed at the speed of light. Yes, I was vaguely aware of how weird it was that this was taking place. I’ve been undressed by a woman before, but this was just funny. So there I am, or better yet, there we are, ripping my clothes off and then we start to dress me back up again. The funniest part for me was her tucking in my pants, straightened me out and then pulling up my zipper while someone else was doing my shoes! What was I doing? Enjoying the ride. Yup, just enjoying the ride.

I sprinted back to the set, running at full speed and got back into the shot. My wardrobe changed me from a tourist to the safari guide’s assistant. I preferred this role. It was very, very cold and starting to drizzle and my new attire didn’t include the jacket that I had been wearing as a tourist, plus I was now in short sleeves. I don’t like to be cold and I was freezing, but I was a trooper about it.

A few hours later we were finished. It was a great time and I worked with great people. I think it’s going to be a 60 second spot for the Super Bowl and then hopefully it will continue to run afterwards…with my performance still in it.

After we wrapped I went down to basecamp and had a great lunch and got back on the road. Oh yeah, remember that commercial appointment that I didn’t know if I could make? Well, I was going to try to make it. I had trouble getting cell reception so I couldn’t call my agency. I tried emailing and that wouldn’t go through either, but after getting about 10 miles away from the location I was able to get in touch with them. The word was that they casting until 5:30. I felt I could make it to Santa Monica in time.

Audition: “Chase” @ Cathi Carlton Casting. I wasn’t on the list and that created some static trying to get seen, but I was able to work it out. The audition went pretty well so hopefully I’ll get a callback.

I needed to get home as soon as possible to get a few hours rest before having to go to work tonight, but you know how LA traffic is…especially on Friday…on the I-10 coming from Santa Monica.

I had a very, very successful day. Some said I should have taken the time off from the night job, but I’m not really wired like that. I think I’ve called in once in my entire life – back in New York when I had an eye infection. It’s all good; I’ll get some sleep over the weekend.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Wardrobe fitting for “cars.com”: I auditioned for the Safari Guide, but I think they booked me as one of the tourist. Actually, they fitted me for both; mostly tourist, but one outfit as a safari guide.

We shoot the day after tomorrow in Acton, CA, about 50 miles away from Los Angeles near Palmdale.

While I was at the fitting I saw that they were still auditioning for other roles – glad I was already officially booked. I mentioned that because often times I’m asked, “how long does it take for them to make the decision?” It varies because things are always changing. Even for this spot my callback time was moved up 2 hours earlier because several roles were cut from the spot. My take is that you just never know. I just try to show up prepared, with a great attitude, do well in the room and be extremely thankful that I have an appointment which means somebody in this town believes in me…they should believe in me.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

I was so tired after working last night, but the call to inform me that I’m on avail for “cars.com” made it easier to get up and ready for my audition today.

Audition: “Budweiser” @ Alyson Horn Casting. This was fun; I got to lie about some of the ways I order a beer at a bar. Obviously, I’ve never ordered a beer at a bar…at least not for myself. It was fun, that acting thing, the committing to something that wasn’t. I like it. I wanna be an actor. Hey, I am an actor! A professional actor too!

As I was walking back to my car my commercial agency called. As usual, I let the call go to voicemail. I retrieved the message, thinking it might be a call for another appointment for today, but that thought changed when I heard the voice of my agent Samantha. These days most of my correspondence with my agents is through email. We correspond quite often, just not verbally and when I do talk to someone it’s usually to the wonderful Leah or the wonderful Jamie. So hearing Samantha’s was great surprise. Talking to my commercially agents, in my experience, usually means one of two things: either I’m being booked on a job or I’m being unbooked on a job. (fyi, the latter sucks.)

It was Samantha congratulating me because I booked the “cars.com” commercial. YES!!! The prospective run is: national network, cable, internet and a possible screengrab for the “cars.com website. Cool! No mention of the Super Bowl.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Monday, December 07, 2009

I guess I didn’t book the “Star Trek” DVD Promo. Clears me up for my callback today.

Callback: “cars.com” @ Cathi Carlton Casting. This went well, really well. I felt a direct connection with the direction…who knows. I have a feeling it might be a Super Bowl spot. I’ve never done a Super Bowl commercial. Often times those commercials seem to just run during the Super Bowl and not continue. The spec sheet said “National network, cable, internet”. It doesn’t matter; I just need to do my thing in the room.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Friday, December 04, 2009

YES!! I have a callback on Monday for “cars.com”. Of course, I’m still on avail for the “Star Trek” DVD Promo. Could get sticky, but things usually work out.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Thursday, December 03, 2009

I was part of a roundtable discussion for www.castingabout.com today. They offer up-to-date casting director/associate/assistant information to actors. I like these guys; they offer a great service for actors.

Cool, I got word this evening that I’m on avail for the “Star Trek” DVD Promo and that it now shoots on Monday instead of Friday.


http://www.stephonfuller.com

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Audition/callback: “Star Trek” DVD promo @ Deborah Kurtz Casting. This went great! CD Jeff Gerard was who I actually read for; it was important for this to go well. It’ll be a quick turn-around on this one because it wardrobes tomorrow/Thursday and shoots Friday. They should hire this brotha right here…jus sayin.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Audition: “cars.com” @ Cathi Carlton Casting. This goes well, not particularly fun or not, but I definitely got travel as a character in my mind. That’s usually fun.

Audition: “Maltesers” @ Craig Colvin Casting. This one went well and was fun; hopefully I’ll get a callback.

http://www.stephonfuller.com