Audition: “Keystone Beer” @ Francene Selkirk Casting. This went well; it was a little improv with my partner. I have a pretty good callback ratio at this office, but it’s time to book something…geez. It’s only been 11+ years that I’ve been going there.

On another note, I’ve finally decided to repost my writings into the proper “blog” thingy on my website. So now there will be 2 versions. One will be “My Long A** Bio” that reads forward like a book and the other will be “My Long A** Blog” that reads…well, like a blog. It’s going to take a while to repost the entire thing because it’s over 1500 separate entries and there is space to title each separate one. It’s been fun revisiting stuff I experienced from years and years ago. I’m tempted to rewrite some of it; just so it reads better and fix typos and stuff. Who am I kidding? I suck at writing, typing, plus my grammar is terrible. For now, I’ll just try to get it posted. Oh yeah, you can also do one of those RSS feeds. I guess that automatically notifies you of updates…I think. Here is the link – Stephon Fuller’s “My Long A** Blog…An Actor’s Journey”

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Audition/Callback: “Raytheon Ethics” @ Beth Holmes Casting. I was still asleep when I got this call from my agent this morning – recovering from working last night. It was a callback for an industrial. The best part of it for me was the banter before we actually auditioned. I’m finding that my improv skills are stellar and my ability to entertain in a very organic sense is right where it needs to be…now I have to figure out how to do it with scripted material, LOL!

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Audition: “Ci-Ci’s Pizza” @ Ross Lacy Casting. I walked out feeling good about my performance.

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Audition/Producers: “Cold Case” @ Shaner/Testa Casting. I really want to get on this show before it goes out of production. I’ve gotten close a few times…at least I’ve felt like I’ve gotten close. Two of my favorite associate CD’s, Shaunda Grace Jones & Kimberly Foster-McCollum, work at this office and the partners, Dan Shaner & Michael Testa are the type of Casting Director’s where you feel what they feel. You walk out of the room kinda knowing how it went.

I make the long walk in the rain to the bungalow on the Warner Bros. studio lot. I smiled as I entered; I felt good – great in fact. I’ve had good memories on the WB lot. I did my first real TV job there, “Friends” on January 14th & 15th 1999. THAT was really special. I was still working @ OLD NAVY then. I shudder to think of that experience. I also worked on a Pilot there in ’05 I think; I had my fitting for “Ocean’s Thirteen”; long story there and on and on…

There were several actors ahead of me when I signed in, which was good; it gave me a chance to really focus on the task at hand. After waiting about 30 minutes I overheard a few other actors talking about having already been there earlier in the day and it dawned on me that this was a producer session – great!

Shaunda, the associate for the show, greeted me warmly. I met her in a workshop years and years ago. She called me in for the role I booked on “ARLI$$” back in February 2001. A few minutes later, Kimberly, the other associate said she had just seen me in something on TV. She couldn’t remember what it was; which made it seem like I “work all the time”. I figured it was GREY’S ANATOMY” which just aired twice last week. It’s funny because I started feeling like “that actor”. Ya know, the guy who “knows everyone”. Lol! I am SO not that guy. Yeah, I know a few people, but not at all “everybody”. I wanted to just disappear. Crazy I know. For some reason I spend much of my life trying “stay out of the way”. It’s something I better get used to.

Ironically, the scene I did on ARLI$$ was with Sandra Oh; who I also did the scene with on GREY’S ANATOMY.

Anyway, the audition went well. I read it the first time and the director had some notes for me and I did it again. I would love to book this role; hopefully they’ll call with some good news.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Audition/Tape: “Parks and Recreation” @ Dorian Frankel Casting. I think this went well; not sure I’m right enough for it, but that’s for them to determine. At any rate, it was good to get into an office I hadn’t previously been in to.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Audition: “Hot in Cleveland” @ Greenstein/Daniel Casting. I’m not sure how this one went. I think the best part of it was before I actually read for the part. I didn’t know it was a producer session; I thought I was just going on tape. So I walk in and right away Sean Hayes, Jack from WILL & GRACE, made a comment about my tie and jacket and I responded in a way that made the entire room erupt in laughter. That’s good right? The actual read? Eh, it was okay, but I showed that I was funny. We’ll see I guess.

I attended an agent panel at SAG the other night and for the entire 2 hours I was thinking that one of my best friends cousin would be a good fit for one of the agents on the panel. So I left a message for this actress immediately after the event. Of course I didn’t really know if it would work, but I felt it would be worth a try. So she called me back the next day and I gave her my opinion about why I thought she should contact the agent and how I thought she should approach it. Two days later the actress called me back and said that the agent offered her commercial representation. Yay! I’ve seen the work of this particular actress and I believe she is more than ready to be auditioning on a regular basis. I hope it works for them both.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Audition: “Jiffy-Lube” @ Craig Colvin Casting. This went great! I have STILL never booked a commercial for this office. I’ve had many callbacks and avails, but have never gone the distance. 2010 is gonna change that. I’m going to book at this office in 2010…it’s just time.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Okay, busy day in store. Not sure how it’s all going to play out, but I‘ve got my game face on.

Audition: “Partnership for a Drug-Free America” @ Leilani and Jennifer Casting. I arrived at this audition early so I could, hopefully, get in and out so I could get to my second one on time in order to make it to my 3rd one on time.

So I arrived in Santa Monica and it seemed like it could work, but as I waited and waited it started to look like I was going to have to leave…without being seen. The audition is a PSA and I don’t think it pays. I’ll try to come back later, but right now, I have to get to ABC/Prospect for a job that I really want to book. LA traffic, be my friend.

I got to the studio about 3 minutes late, which I hate because I like to “find my center” before I go in to read. Of course, I was called immediately and as a result I was a little “off center”.

Audition: “Private Practice” @ Lowy/Brace Casting. Just getting this appointment is great news. Why? Because it’s part of a bigger plan to re-connect with this office. They are a very important casting office in this town and I wanna be on their radar. I’d had auditioned for them in years past, but I wanted to freshen up.

I met one of the associates in mid-October. Got called in for a pre-read on “Grey’s Anatomy” 10 days later and had a call back that same afternoon…the callback just went okay. One week later I was called straight to producers for the next episode of “Grey’s Anatomy”. This one again went really well and later that afternoon got the news that I was in the running for the role. Seventeen days later I was officially booked and shot the role the next day. So the plan is to “crossover” to one of their other shows’ “Private Practice”…and he we are. The plan is working!

I went in and laid down the first take, got some direction and did it again. I nailed the re-direct, but I walked away feeling a little confused. Why? I’m not sure. Maybe because I know that this particular office usually gives callbacks “in the room” and I didn’t get the go-ahead that I was being called back. That’s okay, maybe they’ll call later…or maybe I sucked, lol! I don’t think I sucked, but I wanted to move to the next round. I’ll get ‘em next time…and there WILL be a next time. So I race out of there in dash on my way back to Santa Monica for a commercial callback.

Audition/Callback: “Lowe’s” @ Joe Blake Casting. Ehh, I felt okay about this one. There was some confusing about what role I was being seen for, but that wasn’t a big deal. Ya never know, but I didn’t walk out of the room feeling that I was the guy that was going to get the job.

Afterwards I drove back to the first audition that I had to leave in earlier in the morning to see if there was a chance I could still be seen…and there was. I went in, had a little fun and that was that.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

Okay, playtime is over. It’s time to go back to work and Los Angeles. I’ve been doing some stuff for the family business the whole time I’ve been on “vacation”; so it hasn’t been much of a vacation. No complaints though, I love it. Sometimes, I wish things were different in my family, but I think my family is like many families – fractured. Some elements of it are healthy and other parts seem to be beyond repair. So what do you do? I don’t know the answer to that. I have chosen to take the parts that work and try to move forward in a positive direction, but I’m not sure that is the right way to go about it. Who knows, maybe tomorrow will bring another solution.

Anyway, my flight back was pretty uneventful except for the insanely long check-in time because one of the x-ray machines was broken. Fortunately, I got on the plane in the nick of time.

http://www.stephonfuller.com

See ya! 2009 is done and over. I didn’t make as much money as I’d hoped. Didn’t book as many jobs as I’d hoped. Didn’t make as many friends as I’d hoped. Didn’t get as much rest as I’d hoped. Didn’t ride my motorcycle as much as I would have liked either, but it was a very productive, highly successful and necessary year.

I’m thankful to have steady employment. Yeah, I feel a little weird saying that out loud because I didn’t move to Los Angeles to ask people if they want salt on their margarita. I moved here to perform and it’s what I should be doing. That said, the night job has been a positive thing for a few reasons for me. It’s tough to say the least…especially working the graveyard shift, but you do what you have to do while you have to do it.

I have a lot of tricks in my backpack to help me get through the nightshifts…mostly, it’s called denial. I deny it. I mask it. I tricked myself into believing it’s something that it’s not until I could find a better coping method. It’s worked way better than I could have imagined. Yes, occasionally my bag of denial runs shallow and it’s just me and the reality of my situation. It is sometimes depressing or even very depressing, but I feel that I’m doing the right thing. I wasn’t always sure of that.

2009 was much better than 2008, but 2010 HAS to propel me forward in all aspects of my life. It has to. I have so many areas of improvement, but I think I’m getting a handle on who I am, what my strengths are and what it is I have to offer. When I’m good I’m really good and when I’m not it seems like such a blasé thing. 2010 and beyond here I come!

I can’t think of a better way to start off 2010 than to go dirt bike riding. It wasn’t the same as how we used to go in years past, but I got to ride nonetheless. I SO look forward to the day when I can go riding on a regular basis and truly afford it. It’s an expensive, dangerous sport, but one day I’m gonna have my ducks in a row and be able to have a bike on the West coast. Until then I have to be happy with my 1 or 2 days a year in the dirt.

http://www.stephonfuller.com