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.
