Who knew how much buzz the cheesecake post would create? I have been fielding emails like a madwoman, and trying to rack my brain/sort through old journals to remember all the antics that happened at the beginning...the shitty stuff that we try to forget/let go of, but that is in some perverse way pretty funny.
So while I'm working on that -- how bout this:
YOU TELL ME YOUR WORST/FUNNIEST/MOST IRONIC INDUSTRY MOMENT
It can be an audition, something from a casting person, agent drama, whatever may have boiled your blood at the time, but that you will look back at and laugh about one day (hopefully on the couch of some late night talk show). But instead of waiting for that moment, let's find the humor in it now!
At the end of next week (4/23) I will choose my favorite, and the winner will receive:
-A DVD of MY FAVORITE FILM ABOUT THE INDUSTRY
&
-A GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR SOME...CHEESECAKE FROM CHEESECAKE FACTORY (because, seriously, what better way to celebrate?)
***Please submit your entries in the COMMENT SECTION FOR THIS POST -- and also, only 1 entry per person, so make it a good one***
Best of luck!
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This happened a few months ago!
ReplyDeleteI was at callbacks and it was down to two other girls and three guys. They kept pairing us up with different people. I was the last girl to finish and I walked out with my last scene partner. As we're walking out, he says, "I've got to be honest with you, the other girl and I had really great chemistry. So...."
But I ended up booking the role. And he didn't.
And even though I love that story, wait'll you hear Phoenix's Zale's Commercial superheroism.
How to choose? ... Has to be the manager at the BIG TIME management company that I was repped by for a year (who I thought would take me away from the hustle and set me up with my dream career since being repped by them obviously meant I made it (they, and everyone else told me so)), who allowed me to buy us both drinks (just lemonades, but $4.50 lemonades) at the meeting in which he broke up with me. Yep, I hydrated the bastard just before he told me that while they'd love to work with me, there is just "no career to manage right now." Ummm, wasn't that their flippin' job? To help me get the career?! He then promised to help me find a new agent because, according to him, it was all the agent's fault. Of course. However, I think it was the sugar from the lemonade talking because I never heard from him again. That manager owes me lemonade. A really big, tall, sweet, expensive, frou frou lemonade. Super Dick.
ReplyDeleteWell a couple years ago I booked my first big Hollywood movie and worked as a local in NYC to shoot it. I was so excited with my little dayplayer part, but more psyched that I didn't pee myself on set. I was totally cool as a cucumber and thought to myself, "You are ready for success." So cut to a year later and i get tickets to the premiere! I'm so excited. I go buy a new fancy dress and shoes I could not afford, as I had just been let go from my stupid day job and I pay for a flight on the fly. I'm all dolled up, sitting in the theatre watching the movie and about 40 minutes in I realize, I'm not in this movie! My scene has been cut! Then I can't get into the afterparty because I can't tell them I was in it, cause clearly I wasn't and then my name gets snapped off of imdb for that project. The most hilarious part about it is that I had just had a talk with my agent about how we were gonna paper the town with postcards about the movie when I got back to LA. Making that phonecall to them the next day was less than fun. So what was supposed to launch me through just ended up making me look like I did I horrible job which I totally did not. I rocked it. I think we all know when we suck. They just didn't use the storyline I was apart of...Boo. I get it. I've been on the other side too. So back to square one trying to sell myself on older credits. Oh and the movie really didn't do very well, which honestly felt a little better.
ReplyDeleteSO...I was new to LA and was determined to get an agent. I offered tons of my time for FREE to an agent at a C-LEVEL agency. I could tell she was a little strange and cooky...but it seemed like she meant well.
ReplyDeleteAfter about a year of interning, getting new headshots that she approved, and finally starting to get considered for submissions...She started getting a little weirder. I suspected she had an addiction of some sort.
A few months after my suspicions arose she came into her office in the middle of the night, trashed it, and threw all the headshots of her clients in the dumpster outside. All she left on her desk was a note addressed to the agency owner: "I did so much for you. Have a nice life!" The owner was completely nice and normal. How did I not know better? Ahhh youth.
This is a toughie, because I want to say the rudest anyone has ever been to me was the casting director that noticed immediately upon me entering the room that I had a cold. Now, being in Hollywood for a few years now, I'm completely aware of the "don't go for the handshake unless it's offered" rule, so I get inside, put down my stuff, prep my sides, cough a little, and the casting director glares at me and snarls, "If you're sick don't expect me to ever shake your hand." The room goes dead silent and everyone looks at me, as I smile back innocently and don't even reply, just look to my scene partner to start my sides. Lovely, no?
ReplyDeleteBut the Zales commercial Lira referenced was also a hoot - I got sent out on an audition for a national commercial where the actresses had to know sign language - and I only know a little bit of it. I get there, turns out they only want girls that are fluent in sign language, so actresses are running up left and right to the Casting Assistant complaining that they don't know sign language... and I don't say a word :) I go into the audition, do the signing they ask of me, and as I'm leaving I tell the Casting Assistant what the word for "thank you" is in ASL so that he can thank the hearing-impaired actresses that are auditioning. I'm convinced that that, right there, is what got me to callbacks. I go to callbacks - it's ONLY people fluent in ASL except for little ol' me, but I hit the emotion of the scene and got cast. I get onto set...only to find out that they thought my ears were pierced, since it's a jewelry commercial. They don't want to recast (Thank GOD) so do I mind if they pierce my ears on set right then and there?
Gulp.
Luckily they found clip-on earrings, the commercial shoot went great, it's still airing, and I had an awesome time. :)
We've all got our stories, eh? lol
I'm a lifetime theater actress trying to make the transition to film (great timing, huh?), and when I'm not auditioning/working in film I still do stage work so I'm at least seen (and working). I'm booked to do a show in Washington, but just before leaving I find out that the theater is having unexpected issues with the rights, so the director tells the entire cast they're free to pursue other options since it's only a 50% chance they'll get the rights back. Now I'm fiercely loyal to my commitments, and would never back out of a show - even at only 50% probability. However...
ReplyDeleteI had seen an audition notice for this big LA show - great theater, great artistic team, great role - so I have a long talk with my agent and at the last minute I decide to audition. I make it to the final three girls, and we're told the decision would ultimately depend on who they cast opposite, so I'm on hold until that decision is made. I really, really (did I mention REALLY) want the role - afterall, it's in LA at a prestigious theater - how great is that? While I'm waiting to hear about LA, Washington calls....the rights are back, the show is back on, and I still have the lead if I'm still available.
Ugh.
After a series of frantic phone calls worthy of a comedy sketch, we convince Washington to give me a few days to make my decision, and get a promise from the LA team to give us a decision by the end of the week. Friday finally rolls around, and I get the call from my agent. I didn't get the part. Although they really liked me, I wasn't an exact fit. I was disappointed, but not completely heartbroken - afterall, I had another great show at my doorstep. So, phone calls are made, commitments reconfirmed, and I'm on my way to Washington. And then...
As I'm ON MY WAY to Washington (literally, suitcase in one hand, script and score in the other), I get a phone call. The LA artistic team had a meeting about me - they really liked me, reworked the issues they initially thought existed, and wanted to know if I was still interested.
I cried all the way to Washington...
I had a commercial audition for Bud Beer once and I was not exactly having an 'in the zone' type of day. I am more your quirky Mom, dramatic/comedy type vs. the beautiful model that the casting required. Didn't want to offend my manager so I went anyway trying to please, ewww. It started off great, I was feeling confident (besides from being a bit bloated from Aunt Flow's monthly visit); dressed in a super tiny dress and incredibly high heels. Did the dramatic smokey eye and nude lips with extra gloss. On my way I found out I had another audition later in the day that demanded an opposite character. So, I began rushing and as you know street parking can be a challenge in Los Angeles. I found a spot and accidently scraped the entire side of a brand new BMW utility vehicle parked ahead of my space. Next I'm frantic on a busy street trying to find the owner to notify them of my accident and give appropriate insurance info., etc. I'm now racing across the street and enter the casting office out of breath. I sign in and since there were multiple castings going on at once, the office was packed. I looked up and noticed a bunch of guys kind of smirking at me. My EGO felt offended that they were looking at me as if I was a hooker even though I was surely wearing a hookers uniform. Suddenly I realized they were looking at my breasts and I looked down and noticed my strapless dress was tucked under my bra and I was completely mortified. Quickly I grabbed my dress and pulled it up to cover myself unintentionally raising it so high my thong was now showing. I scrambled to pull it back down and my left friend the chicken cutlet flopped out of my bra and sort of bounced on the floor. Everyone was awkwardly starring at this rubber falsy and I just burst out laughing. The tension was relieved and my "competition" began making jokes while empathetically nurturing me. I started to feel really connected with all the other actors in the room and just went with it. When it was my turn to go in, as I'm doing reactions to the casting directors requests my cell phone went off. Reflecting on the way home I discovered that I was so hyped up about trying to be this character so obsessively that I obviously attracted this chaos. After laughing it off and getting ready for the next audition I felt relaxed and thankful for the other actors who helped me see the humor in that experience. And the good news is I did book the next one which was an Indie film I truly wanted to be a part of. It is quite amusing how we can get caught up and lose sight of where we are. Sometimes the Universe has to set us back on the right track.
ReplyDelete