Useful Down Time

Well, I finally got the cold/sick thing that's been going around.  So, while I was sitting on my couch yesterday with a plugged-up head -- pretty useless -- I decided that between sneezing fits, it'd be a good time to write out some postcards.  Postcards are a good way of staying in touch with industry folk: for me mainly casting directors that I have auditioned for or taken workshops with.

So, I wrote out some two dozen postcards with updates on what I've been up to -- my play, the various projects I've been working on -- and lumbered over to the post office to mail them.  The hope is that my postcard (with my headshot and website address on, of course) will find its way onto a casting director's desk just as they happen to be looking for someone of my type.  While possible, that is something of a long shot.  Still, if that doesn't happen, I think it's useful just to have my face in front of them -- even if it's only for two seconds before the postcard finds the trash can -- and remind them that I am still out here and keeping busy.

There is no real quantifiable way to know if this plan works (unless a CD calls you in and tells you it's because if your postcard), but I think it's worthwhile nonetheless.  And no doubt writing and sending postcards is a better use of this downtime than watching Judge Judy and Jerry Springer...

Way to Go, Chicago!

According to yesterday's Variety, construction is already underway in Chicago (5 miles southwest of the Loop) for one of the largest studio complexes outside of L.A.  That could mean big time work for Chicago actors and crew -- the article suggests that, when completed, the complex could employ as many as 6,000 folks. 

"Cinespace Chicago," a state of the art studio will also go a long way towards luring big-budget films -- and even TV shows -- to the Windy City.

HERE is the full article.

Dairylanders in L.A.

I finally convinced my parents to come visit the City of Angels.  My dad has been here before, but my mom took some work :)  Finally, after promises that the traffic isn't always bad and that the weather would be great, my mom was in.  They came for a few days last week, and we had a lot of fun.  Much walking, hiking, eating, and relaxing -- even got my mom to see a movie, Where the Wild Things Are!

With the exception of being awakened at 5:00 a.m. by a SWAT team banging on their hotel door and then herded downstairs with the rest of the hotel's customers (long story, you'll have to ask them...), I think they had a good time.  Come back soon!  Here are some pics:

Play of the Dead @ Psychic Visions

Opening night was a bit bumpy last evening, but now that it's under our belt, I expect the show to get better and better ;)  We run for 5 more Saturdays in case you want to check it out.  The show features all original short plays in easy-to-manage one-act form (about 80 min. run time.) You can usually get half-price tickets on www.stubdog.com.

Happy Halloween!

Thanks to my sister, Chris, Art and I have matching jester costumes to go trick or treating in.  Now, if I can only get him to carry his own pumpkin bucket...

Insanity, It Seems

I had a print audition in Santa Monica this week for National Rent-a-Car.  I was #388, which means they had already seen 387 other people.  According to the photographer, they had seen 276 the day before and planned to see "at least that many today."  Aieesh.  I guess companies don't always know what they want, but you think they could narrow it down a bit -- especially for just a print ad.  Oh well, just another day in the life...

Wal-Mart

I had an audition for a Wal-Mart print job last week. The photographer's studio was nice and close -- about 10 minutes away. There was no wait and I was in and out in 5 minutes. The good news: my agent called the next day and put me on Avail which means that I'm something of a 'finalist' and that they wanted to check to make sure I was indeed available for the shoot date. Great! The bad news: the shoot date was today, and I didn't hear back since last week which means I didn't get the job. So close. And yet so far.

(Or maybe, just maybe, they changed the shoot date and I'm still in the running? That would be nice.)