Audition: “Bank of New York” @ RMB Casting.  Eh, I’m not really sure how much I connected with what was going in this spot, but I don’t think I stank up the room either.  Fingers-crossed.

Just before heading to a little after 3am I received a private message on Facebook from a friend back home in Virginia Beach.  It began in an ominous way.  It read “Good morning old friend.  I’m sorry to reach out to you with this news…”

My first thought was that my father had been assaulted or killed at the family business. 

I opened up the rest of the message and, unfortunately, some had, in fact, been killed.  I immediately called my younger brother in Virginia who was brushing his teeth as he was getting ready for work.  He knew nothing of it.  At the same time I was on Google and Facebook in a frantic search for details.  To my horror I learned that the person deceased was my father 18 year-old male employee.

It doesn’t appear to have been a robbery; just another senseless killing.  The young man and my father were closing the store for the evening.  The young man was taking the trash out back and my father was in the front of the store when he heard what he thought were pans falling on the floor.  It turns out that what he was hearing were, in fact, gunshots.

  

Honestly, I’d had a feeling that this very thing would happen.  I desperately wanted to convince my family to consider moving to another and hopefully safer location.  This is the way I thought my fathers’ life would end.  I just couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out why he was so okay with risking his life in that manner.

So, to make a long story, I’m broken-hearted over this.  My heart goes out to the family and friends of the young man killed.  My heart also goes out to my father.  I’m sure he’s having a really tough time right now.

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Audition: “Priceline” @ ASG Casting.  I haven’t been to this office for a good little while so it was good to be back.  The audition was fun, simple although I might have done a little too much…hopefully not too much to prevent me from getting a callback.

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Audition: “Shokaku” @ RMB Casting.  Not sure who this company is, but it was pretty simple, fun stuff in the room.

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Callback: “Lowe’s” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  Hmm…I’m not so sure how this went.  Didn’t feel much in the room, one way or the other, from the creative team, but I had fun auditioning with my “daughter”.

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Audition: “BMW” @ RMB Casting.  Funny, funny spot and I had a great time in the room with “my wife”.

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Christmas and The New Year came and went.  I didn’t go home this year.  Feeling more and more distant from my family, so going for a visit wasn’t the priority that it usually is.  I hope that changes, but for now I’m trying to focus on my life in Los Angeles.

Audition: “Criminal Minds” @ Scott David Casting.  I would say that “hopefully I’ll book something on this show one day”.  I don’t say that because I’ve already worked on it, years ago.  I think it was the end of the first season and I would really like to work on it again before it goes off the air.  The audition went well so maybe this is my chance!

Audition: “Lowe’s” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  Yes, I’ll say it again.  I really enjoy playing a dad and connecting with kids in auditions.  This went great and hopefully I’ll make it to callbacks next week. 

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Word on the street is that the Southwest Airlines commercial I did back in July is on the air!  I’m so excited.  I must say that I was losing hope that it would see the light of day, but here is it airing all over the country.  It looks great too!  Southwest doesn’t air commercials as often as some of the other advertisers I’ve worked for in the past so I’ll keep my expectations pretty low.  So far I’m thrilled!  Here’s a link to it - http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7FeV/southwest-airlines-that-smooth-intern-larry

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Audition: “Esurance” @ RMB Casting.  Fun times in the room!  I love playing a dad…maybe I’ll actually be one in the future.  I’d be a great dad I think!

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Callback: “Newcastle Brown Ale” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  This was a last minute callback.  I was good in the room…but I was so much better in the car on the way home.

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Audition: “Newcastle Brown Ale” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  This was a lot of fun.  I had a great partner to work with and the spot was very tongue in cheek.

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Callback: “Staple’s” @ Joe Blake Casting.  Hmm…not so sure about this one.  I don’t think I was really giving the director what he was looking for.    

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Audition: “Staples” @ Joe Blake Casting.  Another one that went really well for me!  Fingers-crossed!

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Audition: “Lowe’s” @ Francine Selkirk Casting.  Yes!  I felt really great about my work in this one regardless of whether I get a callback or not…but hopefully I’ll get a callback.

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Audition: “McDonald’s” @ TLC/Booth Casting.  Always an interesting experience being in the room with, Leland, the session director.  I think I did pretty good and didn’t “work too hard”.

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Audition: “USPS” @ RMB Casting.  This was a fun audition and I think I did well, so hopefully, I’ll be at callbacks.

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Today is my late mother’s birthday.  I lost her 12 years ago to pancreatic cancer and miss her everyday.  Ironically, I sort of lost my father around the same time.  He’s still living, but I stopped reaching out to him back in 2003 and seriously doubt he would reach out to me.  There is a very good chance that I’ve already spoken to him for the last time.  Sucks.  I guess somebody has to be the black sheep in the family.

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Audition: “Criminal Minds” @ Scott David Casting.  Just a short 3 weeks ago I had one of my worst auditions ever.  It was so bad that it made me question whether I should be an actor at all…it was not a good day.

Realistic, I probably wasn’t as bad as I thought I was, but still, I sucked.  I also think that casting directors know that, sometimes, actors have bad days.  Fortunately, this time, things in the room went much, much better.  Sigh.

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Audition: “Criminal Minds” @ Scott David Casting.  This was a nice little scene and the part was perfect for me.  I rehearsed and went through the material back and forth…and got completely tongue-tied in the room.  Like completely.

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Audition: “National Car Rental” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  Simple stuff.  Quick-fast, in and out.

Audition: “Verizon” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  This was a lot of fun in the room.  I had a great “wife” to work off of and I was happy with what I brought to the table.

Audition: “Personal Assistance” @ Michael Sanford Casting.  Funny enough…actually, not funny enough, I’ve been a reader for this short film.  Sadly, I was horrid in the audition.  Painful.

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Callback: “The Odd couple” @ Greenstein/Daniel Casting.  Can I tell you that I was completely shocked that I got a callback for this?  I mean, the pre-read wasn’t absolutely horrible, but I didn’t think I was moving on to the next stage.  This office has hired me in the past and, hopefully, they will again in the future.  Oh yeah, I was happy with my performance in the room!  One of the CD’s, Brett, asked me what it was like to not be working overnights anymore.  He remembered, almost a year ago, when I told him I was going to be leaving the night job.  It was nice of him to ask.

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Audition: “Experian” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  Lots of dialogue for this one and I think I handled it pretty well.  Funny spot.

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Audition: “The Middle” @ G. Charles Wright Casting.  Again, I felt great about this one.  I held my head high walking back to my car…that isn’t always the case.

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Audition: “Diamond” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  Can’t say anything about this one other than it went very well I thought.

Audition: “Silk” @ Ross Lacy Casting.  This didn’t go bad at all, but I felt like I was pushing a little too much in the room.

Audition/Producers: “Living Room Coffin” @ Lisa Zambetti/Emily Schweber Casting. I don’t know how right I was for this character, but I was I was really happy with my performance in the room.  I actually felt their attention shift in the room.  They paid attention to my interpretation of the character.  Lisa is also the associate on “Criminal Minds” so hopefully this audition will help me continue to get called in for that show as well. 

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Audition: “H&R Block” @ Sonnenburg Casting.  I think I was pretty good in this one.

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Audition: “The Odd Couple” @ Greenstein/Daniel Casting.  This was a pre-read for a same day callback at CBS Radford.  I felt okay when I left the room. I just thought it took me too long to get where the casting director needed me to be.  But he must have thought I was right for it since he invested his time in me. 

The audition info clearly stated that callbacks would be held in the afternoon, but the CD said that he wasn’t sure when they would be.  Things change all the time…or was he just be polite.  Hmm…  Honestly, I was still kicking myself when I got to my car.

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One of my long-time commercial agents, Brooke, is retiring from the biz.  My new agent who will be taking her place, Valerie Chiovetti, called to see if I had a moment to stop by for a meeting.  Of course I did.  What a great lady!  I’m really excited to be moving forward with her.  I’ve had nothing but great experiences at that agency and I expect it to continue…I just want to book more jobs for them.

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Callback: “McDonald’s” @ RMB Casting.  This was a straight to callbacks call and it went great!  I’ve book through this office before and hopefully I’ll get an avail…and more.

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Audition: “Criminal Minds” @ April Webster Casting.  I’ve worked on this show before and I’d love to work on it again. 

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Audition: “IHG Rewards Club” @ TLC/Booth Casting.  It’s usually an interesting experience in the room at this casting office and this venture in did not disappoint.  I had a great time with the other actress I worked with.  It’s a Joe Pytka-directed industrial.  I’ve worked with him 3-times in the past and I’d love to make this the 4^th!

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I responded to a posting on Twitter for a last minute request for someone to be a reader for a short film.  I had been wanting to start being a reader again so I responded, but I didn’t get a response.

So.

I figured I would just drive to the office an offer to help…if they needed me and that’s just how it played out.  It was a little awkward at first since I had no idea what I was reading, but after getting more info of what was happening in the scenes I was able to settle in.

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Audition: “The Miller’s” @ Dava Waite Casting.  I left feeling very good about my performance in the room on this one.  And the lead actress on the show waved to me as she passed by in her car on the lot.  Maybe that’s a good sign…or she’s just a really nice lady.  Who knows, but I’m glad CD Dava Waite knows who I am and still calls me in for auditions.

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Audition: “Lettuce” @ Ross Lacy.  Hmm…Lettuce?  Anyway, I had a lot of fun in the room with the other actors.

For the first in many, many years I went to a…gentleman’s club.  There were many scantily-clad women there.  They had stripped down to very little clothing…if any at all.  Interesting.  Not really my scene…I ain’t judging though. 

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Well, my agent got the news, and yes, “Verizon” is renewing the commercial for another cycle which means I’m out of the running for the “Samsung” spot.  That’s cool, at least I can expect a check in the mail…and who knows, maybe the “Verizon” spot will start airing again.  It was a slip up from my agency, but I’m glad it happened like that.  It’s always good to get a callback and I like having my name float through the office for a progressive reason.

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So, the deal is this…I got a callback for “Samsung”

BUT.

It conflicts with my “Verizon” spot of which the holding period ends today.  The spot hasn’t aired since very early in the year so I’ll see if my agent can find out if I’m going to be held for another holding period.

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