Audition #3- On Camera

     I mentioned that there was another type of audition in my previous post, "on camera" is the best way to describe it. Basically, you are put into a room with the casting director(s) and told to act something pit according to the job you are auditioning for. There may be one other person there as an assistant or camera operator, but other than that its just you and the auditor.
     These auditions are rather sketchy because you never know what going to happen, its not like a cold read where you're given something to prepare with, in this audition, you're placed on a room with little to no preparation. I find that these auditions are far more common than monologue or cold read.

Auditions- Cold Reads

Sorry for not posting yesterday, I actually had an audition; which reminded me that there is another type of audition that I didn't think was all too important. I don't know what they're called, but I will be making another post about this type soon.
     So, cold reads. I love these types of auditions. You are given a section or monologue of the script. It's not like the other type of monologue, this one you have to learn on the spot and present in less than thirty minutes. If you make a mistake, its not so bad because you havn't made it a habit.
     Also, these types of auditions really test the actor. If you mess up or didn't memorize the given script, you HAVE to improvise because giving up half way and saying you don't remember is NOT and option. It tests your memorization and improvisation, if the need arises.
     I also notice that I personally am in a lighter mood in these types of auditions. I feel a lot more calm and talkitive. Being talkative in an audition is very important... I think I might make a post about audition educate. Anyway, cold reads make me so much more comfortable than any other audition. It's like a test that I feel really confident about and usually end up doing well on. Monologue auditions are like Trig tests that I feel confident about but end up failing on worse than Lebron.

Auditions- You Love 'em, You Hate 'em Even More

I've never liked auditions, if my agent could just call me up and say that I've gotten a job, I would love it... But that's about as likely as a dog going "meow". Of course, some auditions I love; the auditors are kind and relaxing, the material is easy and I feel relatively comfortable. Most auditions I go to consist of me waiting in a cold room with clammy hands, looking around at the other people with a fake smile on my face and trying not to peel my skin off.
       There are two types of auditions, Monlologue auditions are probably the bane of my existance, and cold-read which I love more than balloons. Both of these auditions types are father lengthy to describe, so I'm going to make two posts describing both. I don't usually plan ahead when I make my posts, but I thought it would be cool if people knew the differences between auditions and just how difficult some can be.

Acting- The Looks

I think of casting directors and agents as girls. Girls don't like seeing pimple faces or fat Joes, nor do they like broken nails or skinny Petes. When I walk into an audition, I know in the back of my mind that there is a great chance of me not getting the part just because of my blemishes. It doesn't matter how well I act, or how friendly I am, if the people I'm auditioning for don't want to bother putting make up on me, or don't want to photoshop my face, they simply won't hire me.

          Now, I only recently found out what my trigger is, and only certain ointments work on my face for so long before they somehow stop working, so for me, its kinda hard getting work. Its not easy, but its the truth. If you don't have the look that people are looking for, its going to be harder and harder for you to get work.

Memories- Junior Year

          I know I should probably save this for a Throwback Thursday, but I just suddenly got the urge to actually blog for the fun of it. I began thinking of my Junior year. As my classmates know, our Junior year at school was the year that we performed the most. From the 9-11 skit, all the way to the Little Mermaid, we went through a lot. A lot of good times, a lot of fun, and also a little bit of wanting to tear each other's throats out. I will probably never forget my Junior year because it was just so fun and so different. I want to thank my classmates for making it such a good year.
          By the looks of things, its not over yet, we have done everything we did last year, so I wouldn't be surprised if we were asked to do another play at the end of the year. If not, we always have FACCS!

Goodnight, everybody.

The Business- Some People...

          I remember that I once went on an audition for Nike. The casting director was a short, chubby man who seemed to be no younger than 38. I did as he asked with a calm demeanor, I went through all the different motions and acts that he wanted and I thought that I had done great. When the audition was done and he had gotten all the footage he needed, he handed me my headshot and resume back. This had never happened to me before and I had no clue what was going on, none of the other boys that left the audition room had their papers with them. It was then that the man smiled at me and said, "Here, if you'd rather recycle."
          If you didn't catch it, the man was telling me that he was just going to throw my papers out and not even consider me for the job. This is a common occurrence to some actors, luckily, that was the first-and hopefully only-time that has ever happened to me. i have heard stories of people walking into the audition room with a smile on their face and the best attitude ever, they give the casting director their papers and walk to the stage. When they are on the stage,. they see the director look at the headshot and resume, look at them, and then throw their papers out before the actor even had a chance.
          As an actor, you have to deal with people. You have to deal with some people in the waiting room that want you to fail and will therefore say anything to try to discourage you. If that wasn't bad enough, sometimes you have to deal with the casting director that may be having a bad day, doesn't like you, or is just plain mean. If you're like me, you would stay calm, smile, say "Thank you" and walk out. You'd save the depression for when you get in the car.
         The thing is, when people see that you're weak, when they see you cry, when they see you get angry, they remember you. They remember your face, they remember your resume, they find out who represents you, where you live and what you had for breakfast. If you make a big enough impression, you become black listed. When you become black listed, you'd be lucky if you got a job as a janitor in a theatre or movie set.
          The Bible says turn the other cheek. And you had better.

Throwback Thursday- Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. has been in a multitude of movies including: the Iron Man series, The Avengers, Due Date, Gothika, Tropics Thunder, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and A Scanner Darkly... Just to name a few.
          Robert Downey Jr was brought into the business by his father, Robert Downey. He began at age 5. His journey has been a little more than rough. He was put away for substance abuse and came out vowing to never go near drugs again. After this, he went on to earn a Golden Globe for best performance by an actor in a supporting in a series, miniseries or television film.
          From 1992 to 2011, Downey she earned an astounding 20 awards. He was nominated for an even more breath taking 57 in 1992 to 2012.
          If a male actor doesn't look up to Robert Downey Jr as inspiration, he hasn't done much research or doesn't really know all too much about the people that have fought hard to be where they are now.

Researched from Wikipedia.

Acting- A Gift From God

If you havnt been able to tell, I don't act for money or fame like a bunch of other people. Those things are, to me, a very VERY nice addition. I act because it is what brings joy into my life. I feel the same way that a surgeon that just completed a heart surgery does, or how a mother does when she sees her child sleeping soundly at night. Acting isn't just a thing, its what makes me.
          I feel that God has given me this gift. He gave me this gift to bring me happiness. When I act, I feel so envigorated, so happy that I can't explain it. When I act, I know that that is why I'm here, acting is what I was meant to do.
          I can't just accept this gift freely now, can I? No. So I made a vow to God that I will use this gift to his advantage, I will NOT be like other actors- Tom Cruise. Ahem* I will not reject God for the glory of the flesh or of man, I will praise him instead. If someone you know and loves gives you a car for no reason but to benefit you, you would repay them, right? That's how I feel with God. My acting is like a brand new, shiney 2012 Corvette Stingray. And God is who I'm going to pay back for it.

Performing, The Thrills

Ask any real actor what the greatest feeling they have ever experienced is and they will say "Performing"... Or something like that. The thrill an actor such as myself feel is better than a shot of adrenaline. Even when I think of going out on stage or in front of a camera, my blood fills with heat and courses through my veins, heating my body. It's a shame that not even that is an accurate description of what I feel and think.
          When I first performed in Willy Winka for my first FACCS competition, I felt this feeling that just gave me such a high, I knew that this was what I wanted to do. My mind draws a blank trying to describe the rush I feel. It's like jumping out if a plane with BO parachute, giving myself a shot of adrenaline, and kissing a beautiful girl all at once. I'm amazed my heart doesn't explode when I feel it.
          This feeling is only slightly comparable to watching awards shows. I imagine myself walking on stage, grabbing that little naked gold guy and lifting my arms up in triumph.

I'm going to cut this post short before I have a heart attack.

Acting, I Have The Power

Lots of people I've spoken to think that acting is something that takes little to no effort. You go on stage, you say something, people clap; or you walk on front of a camera, say a few lines and, boom, you're a multi-millionaire. If only they knew that with great acting, came great responsibility.
          An actors life isn't an easy one, I was given a choice of two options:

Option A- stay in school, have fun, graduate.

Option B- put my life behind me, homeschool, and devote 25 hours of every day to my career.

I chose option A because although I live acting more than I live the sun shining, I still wanted to live a little. I have heard stories of actors and actresses that joined the business very young in theory lives, just to peak in their teenage years and have life go downhill. I didn't want that.
          Even now, I have to have the will to go on. So many agencies and casting directors have turned me down on my looks alone. If it wasn't that, it was their opinion on my acting skills. There are so many times that I want to look at the fat, old, hairy men that tell me to take my resume back in case I preferred to recycle that I wanted to tell them there was no chance that they like have the confidence, the gall to even attempt to stand where I was. But I had to hold my tongue, keep my cool, smile and walk up with my chin up high. This display of power may not get me the job right then and there like in the movies, but it insured that my name wouldn't be slandered and I wouldn't be black listed.
          Now, that was only one example of the stuff we actors have to go through. There are so many more things like having casting agents throw your $300 headshot right in front of you, or having them say, "Thanks, but no thanks." As soon as you walk into an audition room, or even having certain agencies deny you representation just because they don't like you... Just to name a few. If I didn't have the power I do, I would have never been in multiple Orange County PASs, or a nationally broadcaster television show.
          Of course, this power didn't just come to me. I believe that God and my mother( read Throwback Thursday) have both had a substantial impact on my will. I thank each of them daily, and I will continue to thank them for the rest of eternity.
          Well, its getting late and I have to get some practice in. Goodnight guys, thanks for reading.

Throwback Thursday- My Mother

I know it may sound cheesy, but without my mother, I wouldn't even know what acting was, much less have such a burning passion for it. At the time of the 2008 F.A.C.C.S competition, my mother was going to school to learn about the stage to get back into her passion. All I had to do was walk up to her and say, "Hey. Mom. I like acting, can I do this?" and my mother dropped everything she was doing just for me. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now I know that my mother literally gave up her life-long dream just to help me begin my own.
          My mother tells me stories of how she has had an infatuation with the Performing Arts. She began when she was only in her elementary years. From there, she began working on school PSAs, community videos and various works on the stage. My mother's talent was only overpowered by the love she felt for the Arts, many things got in her way, but her love stayed strong throughout the years.
          My mother was approached by many talent scouts and agents that actually came after HER so they could represent her. Any actor will tell you that having this happen to you is one in a million, unless what you have is something so special that any agent would be stupid to pass up. My mother was ready to go into the Business head first, she had the strength, she had the will, and she had the love, but one thing got in her way: her father.
          My grandfather was the only reason why my mother never truly took off. When my mom went to sign the papers to begin her work, my grandfather would constantly say "no" and rip the papers. This continued until my mother had my brother. She couldn't continue her work anymore, so she put it off to raise a family. For years she waited, for years she dreamt of becoming the greatest actress on broadway, but my mother loved her family far too much. In fact, my onset full mother loves us so much, that after years of waiting, she dropped her dreams in a heartbeat to help me fulfil my own.
         Even now, my eyes water from the thought. I know what it is like to have such a burning sensation in my heart when I think about performing, I know that my mother felt that feeling ten fold. She gave it up, for me. I thank my mother in any way I can, I thank God for putting her in my life. I know that I can NEVER repay my mother for what she has done for me, I only pray that one day, I can come close.


My mother is truly the greatest person in my life. I love her and cherish her and I know that without her, I would not be what I am today.

Thank you, Mami. I love you.

Acting, My Introduction.

Some people that know me know that I'm an actor. I've been on the stage and in front of the camera, I've done regional Fine Arts competitions to nationally broadcaster television shows. I may have made it sound easy, but that is the worst word to describe my journey, or the journey of any other actor for that matter. This blog is not only going to show you the challenges I have faced, but every Thursday, I will describe the journeys of actors and actresses that have inspired me and keep me going no matter what obstacles are placed in front of me.