LA Film Festival 2013: 7 DAY GIG

June was a huge month.  Kate's film 7 DAY GIG premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival as part of Project: Involve's shorts program to great acclaim, she won a cash award from the Barbara Boyle Scholarship, and she and I finally broke down and bought an air conditioner.  It was insanely hot for the past week (Ridiculous L.A. Heatwave '13) and our little apartment couldn't take it anymore.

I also got my new headshots up and running and they're working wonders for my call-in rate.  I always dread getting new pictures but I went with Joanna Brooks Photography and they were affordable and the end product is fantastic.  I love her style.  She's also tuned in to artists and performance craft and knows how to get something great out of you: your different looks, your presence in front of the camera, your vibe...I cannot recommend her highly enough.

7 DAY GIG was a tremendous experience for me because I was able to work on 5 different levels to get it made and assist Kate in executing her vision.  I was her assistant, her confidant, a PA, an administrator, a set dresser, and I got to have one of the plum roles of my career: "UPS Man." (Technically, I was "Delivery Man" due to copyright issues.)  I feel very lucky to have been able to give so much of myself to this film, and I'm really proud of the work everyone did on it, top to bottom.




I've also been going out a lot for the spanish-language market commercially.  I am finding my way, given that sometimes you get the copy in advance and sometimes you have to translate on the spot when you arrive at the audition and sometimes there's no copy at all and you have to improv in spanish.  Thanks to David Sajadi I have begun an excellent Spanish course based on his recommendation, and I feel like it's working wonders for my abilities.

New Reps!

I am very happy to announce that I have signed with Avalon Artists Group as my Commercial agency! I will be working with Stephany Burns, the head of the commercial division, and she's wonderful.  It has taken me some time to get used to L.A. and build up a head of steam, but the time has arrived for Spartacus to take his place in the arena and accept the mantle of Gladiator.*

I am Spartacus!  Champion!  Bringer of Rain!

I met with founder and head agent Craig Holzberg at a workshop at The Actors Group in Burbank, and I was deeply moved by what he had to say about his commitment to his clients, Avalon's business ethos, and his simpatico with creative people.  He referred me to Stephany, I went in for a meeting, and here we are.  It's like a dream.  Like the man said, "Get them to sign on the line which is dotted."  Done and done.

So now it's on to new headshots, a commercial technique class, wardrobe investment, getting deeper into my Spanish skillset. . .

Yo soy Espartacus! Campeon! Portador de la lluvia!

The nice thing about commercial work is that you are rewarded for being a well-rounded person and how many other things you can do.  The list of all human skills is itemized on the internet actor directories to help Casting know if you know have experience they can work into a spot, but the list is so insane.

Can you ride a horse?
Can you juggle more than three balls?
Can you skydive?
Can you Tango?
Are you also a registered nurse?
Can you sail?

You never know what is going to be asked of you, and that's what makes commercials so magical and exciting.

If it please the court: Exhibit A.

I am going to work on being proficient in as many of these as I can, safely, to better my odds.

Some I won't, because even Espartacus has limits to what he will do for the roar of the crowd.**

On to the next horizon!

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* My sister and her boyfriend got me hooked on Spartacus: Blood and Sand, and with the help of some moral gymnastics, I was able to really enjoy it.  There is nothing like watching a whole season of that to get you pumped for meeting a new agent.

** "Rodeo: Bull Riding"?  Oh HELL no.

A New Year

It's not good when you fall behind on posting on your own blog.  Here is what happened today:

The sun rose on Day 3 of the L.A. Superflu-infected Paco Tolson.
I made myself a seltzer and aloe juice drink and took some advil.
I made a list of things to work on including emailing colleagues and friends I'd lost touch with since the holidays.
I did most of it, including meditating, so there's that.
I did some editing on my comedy reel, too, most prominently featuring the Doritos Crash The Superbowl commercial I shot at the end of December.
Theraflu, tea, coffee, water, airborne...

For late lunch I made trader joe's vegetable dumplings which Kate and I call "little babies".

Last year's immensity cannot yet be handled gracefully on these pages, so for now we'll just plow ahead.