It's all in the details

My Barry Shapiro commercial class started this week. I wasn't sure what to expect, but so far I like what I saw. He's not a scary guy, but he's a no bullshit kind of guy. My favorite kind. Also, the type of teacher that will demand things of you that force you to stretch yourself to do good. At least this is what I gathered from 2 1/2 hours with him. For example, two people were late for the first class so he made them stand in the corner. While he did not draw it out and make them stand there all that long, this was not a joke, and I appreciated that. Besides, what asshole shows up for their first class with a working commercial casting director 20 minutes late?!?

About a week ago I met Amy Davidson and David McDermott on two consecutive days at Actors Connection. Despite a rough around the edges, tough love Q & A with Davidson I had a really great private meeting. It's absolutely the best I've ever felt after one of these things. I chalked it up to practice, I've gone to 5 or 6 of these by now and perhaps I've hit my stride. The next day, however, I had a just-ok meeting with McDermott. I've been using the fairly consistent notes that I've gotten: make it real and focused, not general and over the top and they were what Davidson was looking for. Conversely, McDermott encouraged me to go farther with it.

After thorough obsession I might have figured out what went wrong. The commercial copy I'm using is about someone going to "the biggest party in high school". I am quite obviously older than a high school student. This is something I've been slightly self-conscious of while using this copy, but I've held onto it because it is a lot more fun than most other copies I've read through. Nobody seemed to mind that I was "in high school" when I auditioned, I guess they were dismissing that small detail too. McDermott didn't, though. A high school student is excited for a party in a much different way than a twenty something gets excited for a party and so he wanted to see me go there. I was so used to scaling it back that I still didn't go as far as he wanted me to.

After class the other night I went up to ask Shapiro what he thought of the whole mess. "Easy," he said, "just change it to the biggest party since college." And that's it. Problem solved. I hope.

REDEMPTION!

I did it! I went to my Jodi Collins class this week and I really think I did it! I felt way better about my read this week and I think maybe people think I don't suck anymore INCLUDING JODI!

We got our sides a few days in advance this time so I had lots of time to obsess. I practically memorized them and then I changed the lines that I didn't love. Against everything I've ever been taught, I paraphrased to make things sound funnier coming out of my dirty mouth! It was amazing! And it worked! Hallelujah.

Another exercise we did in class was to collectively play casting director after each actor read. The whole class would "type" the actor and find good comparisons for roles to fit each individual. This is the kind of thing that one should be self-aware of for marketing purposes, and I've certainly tried to do it before. Apparently my self-assessment was off. The 4 actors I was compared to I never would have come up with on my own but I'm thrilled! I now need to stalk down: Maggie Wheeler, Vicki Lewis, Jane Kaczmarek, and Kirstie Alley! So fun! Especially Kirstie- LOVE HER! Some people, I know, are completely disenchanted with her repetitive personal girth issues of late, but not me. I loved Fat Actress, which she also wrote for, and I plan on watching her new A&E reality show. Maybe I could get the roles of Kirstie Alley, the longevity of Vicki Lewis and Jane Kaczmarek while staying skinny like Maggie Wheeler? That'd be nice.

You callin' me out?

Before I get torn a new one for taking an on-camera class when I, in fact, had vowed to focus only on commercial work for the moment, I'd like to explain! I signed up for and paid (in full) for this class before my vow. That's all. I'm glad I'm taking it though!

I think I'm getting better at the whole commercial copy/shmoozing deal. Last week I met Casey Purcell of CESD and I felt really great about it. I applied the notes I had gotten from the past 3 of these things and he told me that I had a nice clean read. I haven't heard from him (yet), of course, but like the others I'm supposed to follow up with improv show invitations in a few weeks.

So I'm glad I'm taking the Jodi Collins class, because as my confidence is growing in one area and I'm trying to get myself out there I can be honing my skills in another one in which I now have very low confidence. Despite my disappointing spirits it's good to know that there is a reason that I have not been uber-successful. Now it's been pin-pointed and I can work the shit out of it.

But, ah, low confidence. It sort of seems like a recurring theme in my career. For some reason I always feel like I'm coming in from behind, that all my peers are ahead of me and that I am constantly trying to catch up. I always feel late to the game. Nothing comes naturally, it all takes lots and lots of work. Maybe I'm too cerebral. Some people just jump right into things but I don't really do anything without careful deliberation. Ever. But, alas, these "peers" give me something to strive for. It's a reason to stretch my limits and push myself to sprint in order to catch up. And since I've had a lot of practice at this, I know what I gotta do.

I thunk I learned somethink

I never thought I was a particularly bad cold reader. That is, until now. I just started taking a comedy class with Jodi Collins. I'm not exactly sure why, I've never heard of her or anything but there was a picture of the Comedy Central logo next to her class listing...

I was trained in theater but since being in New York I've been way more interested in the film/tv side of the industry. I'm fully aware that there is a difference, but there is one difference in particular that I have been oblivious to and as a result I'm fairly certain that I've seemed brain damaged to many people that matter.

In theater, you are trained to be a stickler for your lines. You are taught that the playwright slaves over every single word and that they each have a very specific purpose and intention. Paraphrasing and ad libbing were very much discouraged. This training has certainly carried over into my cold reading skills. In addition, my recent class with Karen Kohlhaas on cold reading taught a very specific technique of staying with your reader on his lines and only going to the script on your own to generate a real reaction rather than a preparation for your next line.

For tv, apparently not...Jodi gave all of us sides to look over for 15 minutes before reading in front of the class on camera. Everyone read, got notes, and then had a chance to adjust. During the second takes I realized that a lot of times the words were different. These people were PARAPHRASING! And it seemed like everybody was doing it! I didn't know what to do, I had spent my 15 minutes worrying about character and backstory and actions and objectives. Should I have been memorizing? When it was my turn, I went with my Kohlhaas technique: holding my script up and out to create openness, staying with my scene partner, taking my time. My notes were not to hold my script so high, get out of the script, and pick up the pace! There goes $275 out the window. I adjusted as best I could, still uncomfortable with editing the prose, but apparently it was a little better. I think I looked really dumb, really inexperienced, and flat out bad.

How was I supposed to know about this? Maybe the moral of the story is take on camera classes if you want to be on camera, dumbass, not theater ones. Next week we get the sides beforehand. I don't know if I should memorize them or practice riffing on them. Maybe just maybe I should try to use those improv skills I've been working on for 2 years! (God, I'm dumb.) I have a lot to prove, my friends, that's pretty much all I have to say about it.

My new (pretend) best friend

Last week I had no idea who the hell Johnny Weir was. It just so happens I was flipping through an Entertainment Weekly during jury duty when I read a blurb recommending the new reality show "Be Good Johnny Weir". I set up the DVR and forgot about it. As things go, my smart little machine also recorded the documentary "Johnny Weir: Popstar on Ice". Last week I sat down unprepared to commit 90 minutes to the feature but started it anyway. And then I finished it.

Like most Americans, I care about figure skating/skaters once every 4 years. And even then, I don't care very much. Until I met Johnny Weir! Weir is a flamboyant, bitchy, funky, emotional, fun-spirited, breath of fresh air that provides the young, urban, hip demographic instant access to the mostly stodgy world of figure skating. Weir is somewhat controversial to the sport because he has a personality and he is unapologetically always himself. He embraces his feminine side (who doesn't look fruity when they skate? Fo' real!), he speaks his mind (hilariously offending the very easily shocked), and he loves Russia and Russian skaters despite being an American (my word!).

The documentary is well made, and I bet the majority of people walk out a Johnny Weir fan! Also, as a good documentary should, Weir was so relatable. He is a natural talent who easily took the gold earlier in his career, but then he hit a rough patch. His struggles allowed his main competitors to catch up to him and start beating him in competition. After a disappointing showing at the 2006 Winter games, the now 25 year old is vying for his place in the 2010 Olympics for the last time in his career and I will be glued to the TV rooting my guts out!

I'd like to think that I have a lot in common with Johnny Weir. Unlike him, I have never been labeled a phenomenal talent and made my mark on my industry as he has. But I adore that Weir works his ass off and although he doesn't always win, he keeps trying every single time like he will. His determination, passion, and work ethic combined with his struggles and frustrations ring amazingly true. Even under intense scrutiny, Weir does not compromise who he is for anyone despite the "experts" criticisms. He boldly self-labels himself as more of an artist than an athlete in a category where most people are athletes more than artists.

I so want Johnny to win. I want him to get everything that he's striving so hard to achieve and I want it to end up being worth it.

What to do? What to do?

Making the decision to pursue commercials. Check. Now what the hell comes next? I have never been in a god-damned commercial.

Commercial work is not really posted in the same way that film and theatre auditions are posted, in trade papers, on casting websites, etc. To me, the logical things to do seem like: book private sessions with as many peeps that I can at One on One, the Network, and Actors Connection, and take a class. Now, all this stuff costs money. Lots and lots of money. If I register for all of this bologna does that make me a go-getter or a total fool? Maybe both? I have to keep reminding myself, like some sort of mantra as dollar signs flow out of my bank account, that this is an investment.

As far as classes go, I'd like to find something affordable and something that starts sooner rather than later. This is what I've found:

1. There's a class at Atlantic with Paul Urcioli (a working commercial actor) but it doesn't begin until TBD. Upon further inquiry I was told it may not start up again until April/May or the summer time. This class is $380 for 2 1/2 hour classes for ? number of weeks. Great. I found the ambiguity of this class listing infuriating and a total turn off.
2. Casting Director David Cady of Donna DeSeta Casting offers a class that I've heard some word of mouth about. Apparently it's a great nuts and bolts all-inclusive class for beginners and also those with experience. It meets for 3 hrs. a week for 6 weeks for a whopping $450 and is currently accepting on rolling admission for early March. I'm very interested in this class. I am not, however, interested in dropping this much money...
   
3. Weist-Barron is an acting school that I know absolutely nothing about. I don't know one person who has ever attended there, I haven't even heard anybody mention it. Ever. Their classes run $350 for 20 hours of class broken down in various options.
4. A fellow actor told me about a Brooke and Mary commercial class that apparently refuses to advertise. I guess they are doing that well. Especially considering that they charge a ridiculous $425 for 2 hour classes for only 3 weeks! That comes down to 71 bucks an hour THAT GETS SHARED WITH 14 OTHER IDIOTS. And by the way, this class is sold out until May. Count me out.
   
5. At Actors Connection Don Case Casting CD Tish Ioli is teaching a 4 week On-Camera commercial class for $249. Now we're talking. My main concerns are that the class time length is not listed and it doesn't start until late March.
6. Also at Actors Connection: Herman & Lipson Casting CD Barry Shapiro has a 5-week On-Camera Commercial class that starts at the end of February for only $325. Ding ding ding! We have a winner.

Focus: Commercial

After some introspection and much needed peer counseling, it has come to my attention that I am such a frazzled maniac because I don't have a short term focus or any short term goals. I am all over the frickin' place! This leaves me feeling overwhelmed, lost, unproductive and generally depressed.

So, here it is. My short term focus is dedicated to getting commercial work. For the next 2-3ish months all my energy, classes, and meetings will be dedicated to exploration within the commercial field. Why commercial? Apparently it's easier to get a commercial agent than a legit one, it's decent money and exposure, and my improv and comedy training are assets to this side of the biz.

Let me start off by saying, other than accidentally watching commercials when I forget to fast-forward the DVR, I know nothing about commercial acting. Some actor friends of mine advised me: everything is happy in commercial copy, there are no conflicts, and there's no time for character. Okie dokie!

So, to start things off, I went to a One on One session with David Elliott of Buchwald. I went in, read my commercial copy, and acted perky. He was very nice and made the room super comfortable but he caught me off guard when he straight up asked me how old I was. I've been taught that we actors are supposed to dodge this question like woah! Instead you're supposed to give the age range that you could realistically portray. I don't really give a shit, so I told him and god bless his heart. He said, "That's a good age. You're not too old and you're not dumb anymore!" WORD. I left the room feeling really good but I think he's the kind of guy who makes everybody feel really good so we'll just see if the damn phone rings.

I also met Stacye Mayer of Paradigm at the Network. At the Network, Mayer addressed the whole group for a Q & A and she gave some guidance. Basically she says that commercial peeps are looking for personality. They don't expect big bold characters or for you to try too hard to sell a product, they just want to see you. This I'm a-ok with! Mayer also stressed how arbitrary commercial casting can be, "If you look like the casting agent's fiancée you'll get cast, if you look like their ex you won't." Nice. She also stressed that improv and sketch comedy training are very important (score!). My private session with her was pleasant as well, she gave me some adjustments to the copy, let me do it again, and told me to follow up with her when I have another improv show. Time to sit and wait. Oh yeah, Jeff Mitchell, Mayer likes postcards! Ass.

So far I haven't crashed and burned in front of anyone but beyond that I have no idea how I did. Maybe it will just be dumb luck. I've booked 2 more private sessions that are coming up. Hopefully I'll learn from doing, and keep doing until someone takes this bait.