Recently, as there seems to be almost every week, another conglomerate gets into the game of monetizing or investing in the ability and future reality of content creation. So now Amazon, not so long ago, dumped a bunch of money into the commitment of 6 Comedy Pilot orders. And while this is GREAT news in so many ways it is also causing quite a bit Continue reading
Yes, phobia, that weird thing that we have in our language that is listed as such: pho·bi·a (pho·bi·as), strong fear or dislike; an irrational or very powerful fear and dislike of something such as spiders or confined spaces (a phobia about traveling in elevators). Since the day I FOUNDED what became, The Actors’ Network, it was and always has Continue reading
Vocational training. Yes, you heard me…vocational training. Here is another one: apprenticeship. There are lots of ways to say, or discuss, education…but at the end of the day when it comes to ALL forms of knowledge you are either an intellectual who simply discusses things…or you have UNDERSTANDING…which means you’ve experienced them. One of the hardest, and most painful elements of our careers as performers in Hollywood is trying to UNDERSTAND…casting. Continue reading
Opening night of my one-woman show, “Jonna’s Body, Please Hold.” The first act went great. I was glowing as I headed backstage for intermission, so happy. Until I looked down and realized my fly had been open the entire first act. Continue reading
I was thinking about a lot of misconceptions that other actors have about session runners who also act and that they have a perceived “unfair advantage” when it comes to booking jobs over other actors. Here are a few of the myths about working in casting as an actor.
Myth #1 – The session runner can just put him or herself on camera for the job they are working.
FACT #1 – Not all casting directors will let you audition for the job that you are working and if they do, they usually have you be one of the first ones to audition so you don’t have the advantage of watching people audition all day.
Myth #2 – Session runners can just “book the job” by getting on tape.
FACT #2 – As explained above, even when the session runner gets to audition, there is no guarantee that he/she will get a call back or have a better chance at booking the job.
Myth #3 – even if the session runner never auditioned for the job, by just working the call back they could book the job.
FACT #3 – Yes, this could happen, but it is more the exception than the rule. Out of the 10 years I have run casting sessions and callbacks, I have never booked a job, just because I was in the room. I do know of 1 person who booked the job because he ran the callback.
Myth #4 – When you audition with a session runner at a callback (and he/she is not running camera and just auditioning) and you walk in the room, for a group explanation, or are paired with him/her and the director knows them and talks only to him/her, they will probably book the job.
FACT #4 – When a director talks to an actor who happens to run casting sessions or even talks to an actor he or she knows and no other actor in the room, all it means is the director is talking to them. It does not mean they have a better chance of booking the job than you do, the director is just being friendly. That is it, nothing more.
In part II I will continue with more myth vs. fact …
Hi everybody, I know I’m in the middle of a blog series about self-producing, but I just had to break out to tell you briefly about a solo performance train wreck I recently saw and the important lessons it offered. Continue reading
We, as actors, are inundated with hundreds of ways to forward our careers everyday, especially in Los Angeles. In addition to film and television, we can pursue voice over, hosting, industrials, stand-up, student films, and a host of other venues. Not to mention opportunities at writing, directing, and producing. And being the innovative creatures that we are…we hear about someone being discovered doing improv on a street corner and we add it to our list of worthwhile pursuits. Continue reading
Once upon a time in a casting office far, far, away…let’s face it, with LA traffic they’re all far away…an eager, young actor (we’ll call him Woody) arrived for what he thought would be an ordinary audition. Granted, it was for a film to be directed by one of his favorites, Robert Zemeckis, but the audition itself was pretty straight forward. Except it wasn’t. Continue reading
People often assume I’m an actor because I work on-camera; and while, I hate to be nit-picky, I have to correct them because I am NOT an actor. I’m a host.
Um, what’s the difference?
As an actor, one plays a role (another person). Duh. You’re probably an actor, so you didn’t need me to tell you that; however, as a host, one plays (what could be perceived as) the most difficult character out there… YOURSELF! Continue reading
