Ugh! I had a feeling this was going to happen. Why do I say that? Because I think it’s official that the Marie Callendar’s/Healthy Choice commercial I booked and shot back in early March is not going to go beyond the test marketing phase. I knew there was a chance of that from the beginning, but you hope for the best…and I still am. The possible use of the campaign was as follows:

Rate: Scale. Option for foreign, theatrical, industrial, dealer, simulcast, internet and new media at SAG minimum***

Run/Usage: Test Market (probably 1 to 2 cycles as wildspot) prior to roll out Nationally***

I guess that means the campaign didn’t test as they had hoped? I don’t know, but I saw another spot for Healthy Choice/Marie Callendar’s that was very similar to the one I was in. I haven’t had the best of luck in recent years commercially; not sure why. That’s just the cycle of things and my cycle of things hasn’t been all that favorable, but I keep moving in a positive direction. It seems that if there is some way, any way, for a booking to not end up the way any actor would hope; that way finds its journey into my life. This is run down of what the most recent commercial bookings I’ve have booked have gone:

MICHELIN TIRES – October ’06 - I had to pull out of OCEAN’S THIRTEEN and a scene with Al Pacino to do this one. In the end my scene was edited out of the commercial.

WaMu – December ’07 – Multi-day shoot and a great, national airing for a couple of months.

CHEETOS – September ’08 – A few days after being booked and just before I was going to the fitting I received a call informing that my booking had been cancelled.

KY BRAND – March ’09 – I flew to New York to shoot this one. After receiving holding fees for a year the commercial never aired.

CARS.COM – December ’09 – While it was great that this was a commercial for Super Bowl; those spots don’t always continue to run after the big game. To my knowledge, they only aired it on TV once, but I’ve made a nice amount of money through other ways the client bought it.

MARIE CALLENDAR’S/HEALTHY CHOICE – March ’10 – My commercial was one of a 6-spot campaign, but it appears they cancelled the entire thing and filmed new ones.

Oh well. What can you do? Good question. What I do is realize that it’s a great “problem” to have. It’s much better than to not have booked them at all. This cycle, if that’s what it is, will change into something more favorable I’m sure. In due time; I just have to keep my head in the game.

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Callback: “USPS” @ Francene Selkirk Casting. It’s been 2 full weeks since my last audition. I HAVE to get on the grind or my career will be in the past. That can’t happen. I’m a professional actor and I need to act professionally.

The callback went okay; not sure I gave to the director what he was asking for. It went really well in the first audition so we’ll see what happens.

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hmm…another week with no appointments…at all. I would think that things would be picking up for me, but it doesn’t seem like it. I’m sure commercials will come back around, but theatrically, I have to stay on the ball. There is so much “trickle down” going with actors from a higher tier being willing to do work that they wouldn’t have taken in years past.

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Audition: “USPS” @ Francene Selkirk Casting. This went great and I think I’m right for it. This is where I had my very first commercial audition in Los Angeles…12 years and 15 days ago. I’ve had many callbacks and avails, but haven’t yet booked. One day I will.

Audition: “Nationwide Insurance” @ Lisa Fields Casting. This came in as a same day call from my agent and also went well.

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Callback: “Jack-in-the-Box” @ Alyson Horn Casting. Yes! Finally a callback for something. This was the appointment I had last week that I totally could not get it together. Fortunately, the session director was quite patient with me and got me to where I needed to be to shine on the tape. I guess it worked because I don’t think there was any way I would have gotten to round two.

It went well; who knows if I’ll book or even get placed on avail, but I do know that it felt good in the room. Alyson always calls me in for this client and I believe I’m right for these spots in particular; so eventually I should score some points with a booking.

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Audition: “Ford” @ Liz Paulson Casting. Eh, this went okay. Kind of caught me by surprise. In hindsight, I think me and my group would have been better off playing it smaller…but who knows.

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Audition: “Jack-in-the-Box” @ Alyson Horn Casting. Ooops! Not so much on this one. I was having trouble getting the dialogue out of my mouth…so was my partner. Thankfully, the session director was super patient with both of us and I think we put good stuff on the tape in the end.

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Audition: “Wells Fargo” Skirts Casting. Yes! Good stuff here and I think I’m right enough for it. Very happy with how it went.

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This morning, after working all night, I drove to Manhattan Beach to…Adopt-A-Kid-For a Day. Yeah, it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while and I finally stepped up to the plate. It was a great day and a great way to give a little back. I really want to be a part of the solution. I mean that in general in many aspects of my life. No, I’m not perfect, but I aspire to be one of the people who care about humanity…like my mother.

I was paired with a 7 year-old and his 8 year-old friend along with another mentor. We got in the water with them, taught them how to fly a kite, participated in a 3-legged race, etc. It was wonderful experience and something I’m sure I’ll do again in the future.

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Check this out! I went surfing today! Yup, sure did. AND paddle into, caught, and stood up on the very first wave I attempted to catch. I hooked up with a few people at work and had a blast. I think it might be something I want to do on a more consistent basis and it’s much more fun than going to the gym…although I need to go to the gym to be able to do it. It wore my a** out!

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Audition: “Charter Communications” @ Ross Lacy Casting. Can we just skip to the callback already??? It’s been since forever it seems.

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Audition: “Cox Communications” @ Michael Sanford Casting. I really like Michael Sanford; he’s just seems like a super nice guy, but I hate trying to park near his office in Hollywood, lol!

Anyway, the audition the audition went fine…neither here nor there.

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Time for my yearly comprehensive physical examination. I’m fortunate to have qualified for SAG medical coverage, consistently for the past 12+ years. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment in my acting career that can sometimes slip away in the day-to-day journey…especially when I’m asking someone how they want their burger cooked at 4 in the morning…

Anyway, I appear to be in pretty great shape according to my results. I’m definitely getting a little banged up by the night job, but I’m fortunate and making it work for me the best I can. I’ve even started to hit the gym again…I’ve been told that the gym is a good thing, LOL!

Oh yeah, there HAS to be a better way to perform a prostate exam. If you haven’t had one…it sucks. No, really it does.

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Audition/Tape: “Chuck” @ Patrick Rush Casting. This office has cast me twice in the past and I am way overdue for a third one, but I don’t think it’s going to be this one. I wasn’t terrible, but I don’t think I nailed it either…not happy about that. I haven’t had many TV/Film appointments lately and I have to make each and every one count.

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Audition: “Bank of America” @ Ross Lacy Casting. This was quick-fast, pretty simple…how about let’s book something?

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Callback: “McDonald’s” @ Kathy Knowles Casting. Yes! I left feeling really good about this one. I think the director and I had a real connection. Of course, the director doesn’t usually make the final decision…at least not alone, but I felt it was a start. Who the heck knows with these things?

I also finally got my birthday present today…my new iPhone4! I must admit that I am soo excited. My current phone is being retired for one that, hopefully, works better.

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Audition: “Target” @ Davis/Baddeley Casting. This was a blast; I even had a girlfriend in the scene. Imagine that! Hopefully, I’ll get a callback. I think it might be a holiday spot.

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Audition: “McDonald’s” @ Kathy Knowles Casting. Good time, good actors; hopefully I’ll get a callback. While I was waiting to audition a woman came in who I thought I recognized, but I couldn’t figure out from where. We happened to be in the same group and when she slated her name it came to me. We had worked on “CSI” together almost 10 years ago!

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It’s my birthday! I have always kept my birthday a low-key affair. Part of the reason is that I’ve always looked a bit younger than I actually am and it usually draws attention to that fact. Another reason is that I have a serious fear of rejection. I have always feared that if I tried to have a birthday party nobody would show up. Same thing with Christmas; I never ask for gifts for Christmas.

What I thought I was going to do was to go to Olive Garden, alone, for dinner (I like the breadsticks) and buy the new iPhone 4 (it’s on order). That isn’t what happened. One of my co-workers at the night job sent me a text, wished me a Happy Birthday, said we’re getting wasted and sent a text to the whole staff at work to inform them of the fact. Needless to say I was freaking nervous…I’d never had any type of birthday gathering.

I have to say it was a great time and very interesting to watch through my sober eyes. Sure, I’ve been to plenty of gatherings and watched people morph from normal guy/gal to “who IS that?” This was different because this particular gathering was being held in my honor and for some reason I felt a certain amount of responsibility to keep things in check. Yeah, there was some broken glass, but nothing crazy or insane. I know I wasn’t supposed to, but I slipped the waitress an extra tip…I know how great that feels when someone does that for me when I’m waiting tables.

It would have been even cooler if I was a drinker, but I’m just not. I hated cheating my friends out of the joy of “THIS GUY NEEDS A DRINK!” or “WE’RE DOING SHOTS!” To replace the void of me not drinking I smoked a few cigarettes instead. My goal was to feel crappy in the morning…like I had partied like a rockstar. So I smoked a brown thingy by Nat Sherman and a Parliament Light. Neither of them left too much of an after taste, but I did get a little light-headed.

Later a group of us hung out at a co-workers apartment while they played music that was waaay too loud at 3:30 in the morning. Then we headed to another friends apartment for more music. I finally got home about 5:30am. I was partied out. I hope I can wake up for my 11:30 commercial audition in a few hours. I had a great time.

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Audition: “Church’s Fried Chicken” @ Gabrielle Schary Casting. Having a great time in an audition is always a great thing. It doesn’t mean I’ll get a callback, but I think it’s good start.

This sides were in English & Spanish and the session director asked me if I spoke Spanish, “No” I replied. But then, when I slated my name on camera, I gave him my alter-ego from my night job – Hector-Jesus de la Cruz…the son of Fernando de la Cruz Espinoza Nunez, Junor… My partner and the session director started laughing and complimented me on my accent. It was a risk. The audition went well and hopefully, I’ll get a callback.

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