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I wrote this post a mere 8 days ago.
And crazily enough, I JUST BOOKED A COMMERCIAL!!!
YAAAAY!
So weird that it happened so soon after I wrote this post.
But not so weird because God answers prayers!
Funny thing is, I had auditioned for the gig before I wrote that post. I then got a callback this last Tuesday. About an hour later, my agent texted me to say that the client liked me and to keep the dates open in case they book me. Yesterday they called to get my measurements, but told me that I was not formally booked yet.
TODAY, my agent called and said they booked me. Jesus, thanks Sir (said in the Igbo accent of my grandmother).
What is the commercial you ask?
It’s a soda commercial, so we know it’s a US production (hehe… as an American educated Canadian, I stubbornly still made sure I said “pop” whenever referring to the beverage).
It’s going to be shown worldwide I believe. And I play a sports fan.
Description of the callback.
It was pretty funny. It was about 40 minutes behind schedule. I saw a couple of friends of mine there. This one guy, had on a Boston Celtics shirt. He went in before me. When he came out, he gave me a quick run down: “They will ask you who your team is (you can pick any team) and they make you cheer individually for the camera.” Although I am an athletic individual, I am not an athletic-watching individual. I thought to myself, I don’t have a team… oh and I said it out loud too. I decided to go with the the Boston Celtics.
Three of us went in. We slated (said our name) and I went first. I screamed for the Celtics like my life depended on it. Then the guy at the table stopped me.
Guy: So, the Celtics are your team?
Me: Umm…. nope.
<<laughter from others in the back watching the monitor>>
Guy: Wow, you did a good job selling it then.
Me: The only person I know who played for the Boston Celtic was Larry Bird.
<<more laughter>>
Guy: Ok, so do you have a team then?
Me: Uhh…. no.
<<laughter again>>
Me: But sommmetimes, I watch university volleyball.
Guy: Ok, what’s your team?
Me: The Spartans [the team I played for in uni].
Guy: The Spartans?
Me: Yep.
Guy: Ok, cheer for the Spartans.
I did. And then the other two went and then we all left. And the rest is history.
My New Anthem
Ok, so people may know that I went to the Toby Mac Winter Wonder Slam concert last Friday. Believe me, this reference relates to this booked gig news.
Toby brought three other acts with him: Relient K, Stephanie Smith and B. Reith. My new anthem is a song by Mr. Reith. I had never heard of him before Friday. I wrote a status update about the concert on my facebook and my friend commented saying that B. Reith was going to be there. I quickly googled him so I could see what to expect.
Anyway, he KILLED IT at the concert.
My sister and I went home and Youtubed his music. And then I bought his Now is Not Forever album on iTunes (*gasp* cheap me bought something on iTunes)!!!!
It’s just that good.
So, fast forward to Tuesday, driving to the audition, I discovered a song called Old School. I soon put it on repeat.
Here are some of the lyrics (verse 2):
They said keep on doin’ what you do B
And maybe one day you’ll end up in the movies
Maybe I can play Shaggy in Scooby Doo 3 and co-star with Angelina Julie
Oops I meant Jolie okee-dokee
I didn’t come just to mess around and make jokes see
I got a mission an agenda and an antidote peep
A contradiction to the message of Oprah Winfrey
Oops, did I just say that out loud? Well there you go now it’s out
I won’t be in her magazine or on her t.v. show now
But I refused to be duped into believin’
The truth is whatever you choose to believe in
Oh boy here come the protesters
Get out your helmets and your bullet proof vests ’cause
They’re comin’ for you if you rock the boat
But I’m gonna go against the flow of the status quo ’cause I’m
Chorus:
So tired of trying to please everyone, a million different opinions
I’m just going to be myself whether they like it or not, I’m giving it all that I got
The song talks about being yourself. Keeping morals whether others like it or not. Sometimes that is hard, especially in the industry that he and I have chosen. It’s difficult, but doable. I have found that sometimes when auditioning or even in class, I try to perform or audition in the the way others might want to see it, instead of letting myself shine through. Listening to this song on repeat loosened me up and I felt a calm. I took myself into that audition, complete with answering the auditioner guy’s questions my way and not in the way I thought he would like to hear.
The client liked me. The real me.
It’s not to say that the song got me the audition, but needless to say, it is my new anthem.
Click here for the rest of the lyrics.
And here is the song.
You’re welcome. 
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Audition tomorrow.
2nd Thursday in a row.
Same casting director.
Different project.
Pray for me.
Please.
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Turning over a new leaf. The leaf: writing more entries, like a blog writer does. You know… consistently. Anyway, here is what I have done for my career most recent.
A few months ago, I took part in a webseries. It is called “Rise ‘n Shine Og.” <<– Watch it there. Anita Smith is one of my current inspirations. She had an idea and went with it, developing it until fruition. That’s what I call dedication. Ridiculousness. Watch it. You won’t be disappointed.
And this weekend, I had the opportunity to take part in film festival. The 2009 Laughing Stock 72 Hour Comedy Film Competition to be exact. I just have to say it was amazing. I know that this is what I want to do in life. It was great participating with others with the same passion. And the good thing about film festival films is that there is a strict deadline and things get done pronto. So, this festival deadline is tomorrow. The film must be done by tomorrow. Can’t wait!
Read my last entry on my other blog here. It’s about reigniting my passion for acting…not that I ever lost it. But… you know. This specific inspiration was a scene from the latest Grey’s Anatomy episode, “Holidaze.” Here is the scene:
Other things that are adding to the fire of my passion:
Good Webseries
Farrah Aviva
Good TV
Good Movies
Other Actors
Classes
Good Scenes
I love this industry.
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I think I’ve already talked about this.
My tendency to doubt myself. And my exasperation with myself. And with my sometime thoughts that I am not good enough, beautiful enough to pursue my dream to become an actress.
For a split second, I contemplate giving up my dream. Because my “inner voice” works hard to convince me that it will never work out for me. So why waste my time?
But then something always happens. I see something, hear something, someone tells me, God tells me… Something happens to make me realize that my dream is worth having. That it is worth the fight. That I can be something. And it should be fun just to even try.
Something reminds me that I should not give up on my love.
This time, it was a video on YouTube. Of Hugh Jackman and Beyonce and a few others.
Nothing too special, but watching it reminded me that I would love to do what they are doing. Performing.
And whether or not I make it to that level, performing in front of that many people, I know I’ll love it. And I will love the journey.
This “inner voice” needs to be silenced.
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My acting career is advancing slowly (very slowly), but I think surely. I do not have an agent yet and I have not been in any productions as of recently, but I am taking a mini step back. I think I’ll focus on training for a little bit.
A lot of people think that acting is a piece of cake and that anybody can do it. Well, I suppose I agree that anybody can do it, but not everybody can do it well. When people hear that I’m taking classes, they ask, “haven’t you had enough of school? Why not just go out there and do it?” Would you tell an aspiring doctor to “go out and do it” after his first year of medical school? If you would, that’s kinda weird, but come on.
I was searching online for good places to train and at the time, I was specifically looking for something that will help me with my acting business plan (more on that later). As a result, I discovered The Actor’s Foundry. The first class that I attended was the Business of Acting Q&A with Matthew Harrison. Immediately, I was hooked. As a teacher, Harrison is incredible and I found that out after three hours of business teaching! As a man, he is also great because he truly cares for his actors and wants to help them with their careers in any way he can. A big thing he teaches is that we as actors need to support each other and not compete. Those who compete will not make it far.
Anyway, the school offers a chance to audit classes for free. In fact, they encourage it. As many as you can and on any day. So, I have taken advantage of that and have been auditing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I am also taking a class on Sundays with Jeb Beach, another teacher at The Foundry. I had my first class this last Sunday, and let me tell you, without even knowing me, Jeb has chosen a scene that is bound to stretch me as an actor.
I’m scared. And excited. At the same time.
The scene is from Sleepless in Seattle. And I have to cry. Those who know me, know that I do not cry too often. At all. And next Sunday is emotional preparation week. Like I said. I’m scared.
Randomness about me and The Actor’s Foundry:
1. Found out that Matthew Harrison was in “Night at the Museum” and “Romeo Must Die.” I was an extra in both.
2. Found out that Matthew Harrison’s wife, Michelle Harrison was in “Paycheck” and “The Invisible.” I was an extra in both as well.
3. Matthew Harrison is connected with TWU (my uni) in that he created a four and a half hour acting documentary directed by one of my professors, Ned Vankevich. He has also guest taught at the university, although not when I was attending. Sadly.
I’ll keep you posted.
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A little while ago, I submitted my headshot and resume to a craigslist posting asking for athletic men and women to play military on a new TV show. And then I promptly forgot about.
Early yesterady afternoon, I get a call from casting at the new Stargate series. Apparently…there will be a new Stargate show taping here in Vancouver and they wanted me to come in for a fitting, tomorrow, which is really today, February 11, 2009.
Funny thing is, the casting guy was like, I have a few questions, “What’s your dress size?” I said, I had no idea. He asked, “Well, two (baaahahahha), four (hahahaha), six (hmmm…)?”
“Perhaps six to eight??” I ventured.
And, let me tell you, I could see his eyes pop out of his skull over the phone line.
“Eight?!” he exclaimed.
I back tracked, “Well, I don’t really know. I think probably six?”
He said, “Well, you know, we’re looking for people who are in shape.” (Or something like that. I don’t quite remember the exact words).
I said, “Yeah, I have an athletic body.”
“That’s what we’re looking for. Can you come in for a costume fitting tomorrow at ten o’clock?”
I said, yes. Later it was switched to ten-thirty.
So, I walk into the studio and let me tell you, the wardrobe people were so nice! Ok, then a lady walked up to me and whisked me into a change room. There was another name pinned on the wardrobe and she wondered why they had the wrong name. It was another “R” name. Yeah, couldn’t tell her.
Anyway, she said, “Try these two looks on and we will come back and take pictures.” I said ok.
Pants were size 1/2 (ahahahahahahahahaha) and the shoes were size five. I wore a size five when I was seven years old.
So I waited for her to return.
She came back and said, “Oh, sorry, your name was on another list. This is not your wardrobe.”
Yep, thought so.
So, she brought me to the area of the room where they were fitting the military people.
Please, keep in mind, that all the rest of the people getting fitted were in and out of the studio right quick. They got their sizes, got their picture taken and left. All the rest of the people, except for me.
The lady said, “What’s your size?”
I said, “I’m not sure.”
She put her hands around my waist and she said, “We’ll put you in a four.”
I just looked at her. But she missed said look because she scurried away so quickly.
I sat for a little while waiting, and another wardrobe person came by and asked, “What’s your size again?” I told her that the first lady said I was a size four.
Second wardrobe lady looked at me. I silently agreed.
A few minutes later, I was led to a back room. I told second wardrobe lady that I don’t think I’m a four, due to my booty.
She nodded and said, “I brought a four and a six. Just humour her (her being first wardrobe lady) and try the four first.”
Hmmm… did the four even fit over my ankles?
Next, I tried the six and it fit better, except it was tight, on account of, that’s right, the booty.
So, when first wardrobe lady came to check on me, I told her, and she looked, surprised and said, “Oh you have a booty.”
Uh huh. Yeah.
So she went to work adding a little extra material. Too bad she had to butcher those pants, because apprently, they were really well made.
Annnnyway, about 45 mintues after I arrived at the studio, I was fit into the pants, shirt, jacket and boots. They took a picture and I was on my way.
When I was younger, this very experience would have traumatized me. I would have felt so fat. Growing up surrounded by a lot of white and asian people who typically do not have booties. Yep, that will do something to the self esteem of a bootylicious black girl.
Now, I’m proud of my booty. And I do not think I am fat.
Yes, I have a booty.
And for that, I can thank my Mama.
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Sad I know.First things first. I had two different casting things in the last two days. Well, the first one was a meeting with an agent, as I wrote in my last post. That was yesterday. I believe it went well, although I am not sure if she will represent me yet or not. The one thing that will probably prove to hinder me in this search for an agent is my lack of experience. She assured me that I would have to go slow, probably start in commercials first. And I would be sent to smaller roles initially and all that stuff. That’s fine with me. Oh, and she also said that I have the look of early 30s. I could probably pass for late 20s, but definitely early 30s. Hmmmm… I did not know that I looked that old. Not to say 30 is old, but…. well, I was unaware. She said she’ll get back to me by early next week.
Ok, the second is what I blew. It was a diversity open casting call for NBC. (you can find the write up here). Basically, talent reps from NBC came here to look for news faces, primarily to add to their roster for the shows filmed here (ex. Battlestar Galactica, Psych, Eureka). It is not a for sure thing, but they just wanted to see different people. Well, I am usually good at interviews. I study and make sure I cover every question that could possibly be asked. I research on the internet about what to expect and all that. Well, what happened is that she asked me to tell her about my last role. I completely blanked. BLANKED! I knew it was Arthur Miller, but forgot which one of the four it was. She was holding my resume. I had to reach over to look at it. I think that, coupled with my lack of experience, made me look like this immature amateur who just wants to be a famous actress. Or something.
And that is definitely not me.
Annnnnyway, she gave me a smile and said, thanks for coming. We’ll keep you headshot on file. Yeah, right. That means, thanks for coming. You suck. We’re throwing your headshot away.
Others got a call back to do a cold read. I didn’t.
But I’m ok with that. It’s a learning experience. I will have other chances. I will just chalk this up to ignorance and add it to my list of things to expect:
Know and remember your past experiences to T!
**NOTE: I know the picture really has nothing to do with anything. But sadness. But that’s what I was going for. And isn’t Matty just so cute??
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