Commercial Agent Interview #2

One of my goals for this year is to secure commercial representation. I've got a couple months left, and commercial representation is theoretically easier to get than theatrical representation (it's a numbers game). Today marked another solid step towards that goal. I met with an agent at a mid-level agency located in Universal City.

Waiting for the Interview
I arrived at the interview about 10 minutes early – a smidge too close for my comfort. I checked in with the receptionist and sat down to read my current novel; I always carry a book with me as I constantly find myself waiting for things to happen. In this case, I waited about 20 minutes. During my wait, I heard the entire staff of the agency off in some other room laughing at YouTube videos.

After a particularly hilarious viral video, the receptionist returned to her desk and provided me with copy for two different commercials. One of them was for Coors Light, a monologue in which I, The Coors Light Guy proclaimed that it was my duty to serve a Coors Light to every thirsty member of "this stadium." In the other, I played a full-service gas station attendant who "love[s] looking at the ladies." After a trip to the restroom where I read the sides aloud, I returned to the waiting room. A couple minutes later I was greeted by an agent, that for the purposes of this post, I will call Bogart.

The Interview
Bogart escorted me into one of the open meeting rooms, and began by asking me a series of questions:

• Where are you from?
  
• So, are you a Berkeley kid then?
  
• What was high school like?
  
• How long have you been down here?
  
• What have you been doing since you got here?
  

As opposed to my last interview, I feel like I had an opportunity to meet and get to know the agent I was interviewing with. It was a much better vibe all around.

The Audition
Bogart then had me read the commercial copy while standing. After I gave a controlled and earnest rendition of The Coors Light Guy, Bogart gave me an adjustment ("This is your mission in life. Make sure everyone in the stadium knows it!") and I took it. I then performed the second piece – it felt a bit flat, but there were still some connected moments.

The Debriefing
After I finished my audition, Bogart went into a little speech about how your first year in Hollywood is probably going to be a wash and the goal should be to do and experience everything you can. I took this to mean that bad news was coming. Bogart surprised me and told me that he was concerned about my only having been here 3 months – but that if I took a commercial audition workshop that he would be interested in bringing me on as a client. He then asked if I had any questions

My Questions
Q: Do agents divide the work by actor or casting director?
A: Agents divide labor by project, not CD.

Q: How many actors do you represent?
A: The agency has 2.5 agents and 560 actors.

Q: How do you see me most easily being cast?
A: Oh, you're definitely the young everyman. Which is great. You're not quite model good looking, but you're not character either. You remind me a lot of an older client of mine, and he's made me lots of money.

Conclusion
Bogart concluded the meeting by saying "Before you sign with anyone else, make sure that you contact me first." Hearing this and finally getting a solid lock on my type is very encouraging. I'm going to research commercial casting workshops and then make a go of it.

Agent Meetings Are Like Dates

I got into a discussion about agent meetings with my friend Lucas this evening. Lucas is an extremely talented and charming actor who’s a good human being to boot. The topic of how to handle agent meetings came up when I mentioned that I was meeting with a mid-size commercial agency tomorrow. Lucas has great representation; without a TV/Film credit to his name he went to producers for the lead in a network pilot. So, I feel that his opinion on the issue holds some weight.

Lucas had a few great points:

• Treat your meeting as seriously as you would an audition. Prepare for it.
• Come in with a set of questions that you want to ask.
• Ask how many clients the agency represents (they are obligated by law to tell you).
• Specifically: how many clients that look like you?
• If they want to sign you right away, wait. Don’t be too eager.

“Don’t be too eager?” I said. “So it’s like dating.”

“Yeah, I guess it is.” Said Lucas.

“Desperate is unattractive to everyone.” I said.

“Yep. Treat it like a first date. Who are they? Are you a good match? If you like them, you can always go on a second date.”

So there you have it folks, seeking representation is like seeking a relationship. But my question is: How do you get representation drunk and convince it that you are more attractive and charming than you really are?

Neil Patrick Harris is my Competition Now

Yesterday was my 22nd birthday. I spent it up North with family, friends, and my amazing girlfriend in Davis, CA. It was really wonderful to get to spend the day with so many people that I cared about. I was reminded that I do have a complete life; it’s just that different parts of it may be located farther away than I would like.

21 was a really great age for me. I had my first successful year as a teacher (I taught for 2 years previous to that, but didn’t feel wonderfully about the experience). I was in a successful production of “Take Me Out” that played to sold-out audiences and great reviews in the main stage at The New Conservatory Theater. I matured a lot in my dealings with other people and I finally “sacked up” and moved down to Los Angeles to pursue my acting career.

I am optimistic about how this coming year will pass, but not without some trepidation. I can no longer be considered a whiz kid, boy wonder, Doogie Howser, or prodigy – all terms that were bandied about in my previous careers. I am at last going to be judged as an adult.

Just like Neil Patrick Harris who is now forced to prove his mettle beyond his child stardom, I will be evaluated against the same, more universal, yardstick. Here’s hoping I measure up.

My Own Speed Reel

I can have the prettiest headshots, the best training, and party with all the coolest people and still have it mean nothing when it comes time to get work. Why? Because how well you market and who you know only opens the door, it doesn't get you inside.

But almost no one, including casting directors and producers, can turn down something that's free. So, if you're an actor with no real credits to speak of, like me, the way that you get in the door is by working for "food and copy". This basically translates to a bagel, bottled water, and a copy of the film on DVD. I've been acting in a lot of student films recently, and I've been requesting that my directors give me my copy in MiniDV format so that I can edit my own reel.

The demo reel is becoming an industry standard. In particular the Speed Reel, a one minute distillation of an actor's best work on film, is the thing to have. For an example of a speed reel, you can check out my cold-reading buddy Carl Peterson's reel here: http://www.speedreels.com/talent/carlpetersen

My problem is that all of these MiniDV tapes are stacking up and I have no way of capturing the footage onto my computer. I need to get my hands on a MiniDV camera somehow. As a member of the proletariat, I'm really wishing that I was in control of the means of production right about now...

Protecting my Money from Myself.

Since my arrival, I've been dipping into savings on a monthly basis. On average, I've been taking $1k-$3k out each month. In part this has been due to move-in costs, classes, headshot reprinting, etc - but mostly it's been due to my own complacency.

Before the move, I had $17,232.43 in savings. Earlier today I had $12,474.50 in savings. That was until I took out another $2000 to make rent and pay my various bills.

Clearly this pattern of spending way more than I make is unhealthy and unsustainable. As a stop-gap measure, I've taken 8k of my remaining 10k and placed it in a 6-month CD through ING Direct. That means I can't touch the last of my savings for at least 6 months.

My goal: Change from a monthly loss to a monthly surplus.
How to get there:

1. Finish the application process at LA Unified (I just need an ID Photo) so that I can work as a substitute teacher.
2. Finish my current training project, and begin on the next immediately.
3. Take every paying gig I can get my hands on.
4. Prioritize my spending and make some cuts.

Realizing how poorly I've been handling my money is absolutely terrifying. Let's hope the fear can fuel my productivity.

Upcoming Commercial Agent Interview

A lot of working actors make the majority of their income by performing in television commercials. Most commercials are shot in a single day, but if an actor negotiates their contract well they are paid royalties based on where and how long a given commercial runs. A national commercial that runs on network television can bring in tens of thousands of dollars for an actor.

Getting a commercial agent is a very common first step towards a career in film and television. One of my goals for this year is to secure commercial representation. SAGE has been submitting me to various agents, and I just got a call today from a great agency that wants to interview me for placement in their commercial department. I'm excited about the interview, and am currently trying to work out how to best present myself.

I attended another Q&A at The Actor's Network tonight and I was able to glean the following list of agent-meeting turn-ons and turn-offs from the agent's perspective.

• Turn Ons
  
  • When an actor says "Let me show you what I can do," and then he/she performs a scene, monologue, or cold-reading.
    
  • When an actor is well-groomed.
    
  • When an actor is on-time and prepared.
    
• Turn Offs
  
  • When an actor says "I got the goods, I'm a killer actor."
    
  • Over-selling themselves.
    
  • Showing up late, unprepared, or looking nothing like your headshot.

Why Some Actor's Are Stiff As A Board

If you've ever watched a film and then found yourself jerked out of the world of the film by the crashing realization that a character switched which hand they were holding their coffee with in a microsecond, you have witnessed what is called a "continuity error". Films, and most good fiction, are constructions made mostly of lies in order to get at the truth. In film, actors perform the same actions repeatedly over a period of hours so that they can be photographed from different angles. These different shots are eventually edited into what appears to be a single continuous series of moments. For the editing process to work, the actor needs to perform their physical actions in exactly the same way, with the same timing.

Today, I was shooting another USC film school project (the director from a previous project, produced this one). In it, I played the more responsible of two good friends who are seeing each other for the first time in years. (For the sake of ease, I'll write in first person as the character) The scene takes place in my good friend's bedroom. I come in, kick his bed and wake him up. He then throws on his shirt, pants, tie, socks, and shoes. At one point, I hand him a sock and then he heads into the bathroom to take care of his morning routine.

I had my lines down pat, had done my homework regarding these characters and their relationships and felt connected with the given circumstances. However, I kept turning in what I felt were flat reads of the lines. It took me a little while, but I figured out why: I was so terrified of messing up the continuity of the scene, that I had made the conscious decision to move as little as possible. With my body locked down tighter than dick's hat band, it was no wonder that I didn't have great emotional access. It's an understandable fear, because if I made a spontaneous hand gesture in one shot, and forgot to include it in the next – I personally would be making the editor's job harder.

A film actor is responsible for knowing every single gesture, nod, and dart of the eye, before the camera rolls on the first shot. I'm still adapting to this style of working, but in short order I should be able to move from conscious incompetence to unconscious competence. Physical acting is one of my strengths, I can't wait to leverage that in my film acting.

I Believe the Children Are Our Future

While I certainly don't want "Another Actor in LA" to degenerate into another ham-sandwich blog, the following video was just too compelling not to post. My film and gender theory professor could certainly go to town with this one.
Laleesha and Maleesha fightin 4 a MAN!

Good News & Bad News - Feature Film Callbacks

I've been using the phrase "I've got good news and I've got bad news," a lot lately. Its typically in reference to an audition or a shoot conflicting with a commitment that I've made with a friend. But for now, I'll give you the run-down on the good news.

In the past week I've booked two USC student films and I was called-back to two different feature films (one shot on HD, the other 16mm).

The Roles:
Role 1*: An autistic kid. Wait, The Devil. Wait, God. This would be a totally fun role, and a good opportunity to show my range.
Role 2*: A 19-yr old computer geek who desperately wants to have sex with a 19-yr old gal that he met online. he eventually has sex with her and steals her heart, money, credit cards, and self-respect.
Both characters appear to be one thing and then get a fun twist towards the end of the script.

*Names are not included to protect the innocent.

The Auditions:
Role 1: The first audition went well, I focused on stealing lines (no looking at the script when I say my lines) and I was able to establish a good rapport with the casting table. They laughed and a had a good time.
Role 2: I found this role through LA casting. I submitted, and the producer contacted me via email and asked me to send in a video of myself pleading with the female character. Before I recorded the video, I attended an LA Casting mixer (I can't turn down free drinks and an opportunity to network). While I was there, the producer of the film picked me out of the crowd and said that he knew me by my headshot. It was both flattering and a scary reminder of just how accessible actors make themselves to the world (a pretty girl's headshot w/ her cell phone number on it is every drunken man's dream). I ended up chatting with him for the better part of the hour, and he encouraged me to go into directing… Anywhoo, after meeting him I felt encouraged, recorded the video and sent it in.

The Call-backs:
Role 1: I rehearsed the sides in my acting class. The first side (me as an autistic kid) went well, but the second side (me as the devil) was a little flat. However, the CD pointed out specific things that he liked before dismissing me, which was encouraging. I shifted travel plans in hopes of landing the part.
Role 2: The format of this audition was a dramatic improv. The director gave me a scenario and said "go", and then I did. Thankfully I'd been doing a lot of long-form dramatic improv in my acting class, so I was able to key into it all pretty quickly. As a finished, a celebratory mood flowed through the room. Before I left, the director and producer were saying things like "I think we've got a lead." "Did you see his eyes when she said… it was fantastic."

The Pudding:
The proof as they say, is in the pudding. It seems like today is a sad day for Bill Cosby .

Role 1: I never heard back about this project. People almost never tell you that you haven't been cast. It's a lot like breaking up with a person by withholding affection. Still, I feel like I established the beginnings of a relationship with the production crew, and I'm curious to see how the project turns out. It was a darned good script.
Role 2: I ended up emailing the producer that I'd met at the mixer asking him "When are you sending out info to those actors who have been called back?" That way he didn't have to outright reject me, he could just give me a date and not call. People don't like to feel cornered.

Useful Feedback
The producer went above and beyond the call of duty and was kind enough to call me directly. He explained that he and the director really enjoyed my audition, thought I was a good actor, and that he'd bring me in for the next project he was casting. He gave me a really specific note as well "The character is 19, and vulnerable. Now, I know that you can play vulnerable. But your eyes are very intense and have a lot of strength on camera. So we're going to go with someone who is actually 19." When I told my acting teacher this, and asked "So how do I go about getting dull cow eyes?" He replied "It's not about that. You can't change that. This town gets very confused by people that can't be easily fit into a box. You look like an ingénue but you are much older than your years. You just need to find that part."

Here's hoping I find that part.

“Oh, so you wait tables for a living?” - The Survival Job

Almost without fail, when someone asks what I do and I say "I'm an actor", I get one of two responses:

1. Oh really?! My cousin/uncle/brother/coworker is an actor too! Do you know ______?
   
2. Oh. So I guess that makes you a waiter, huh?
   

I don't tend to mind response number one. But response number two can become a little grating. It's usually said to get a laugh, but there is often a sense of condescension in the statement. But then again, maybe I felt it was condescending because I didn't have a proper response outside of "actually, I'm unemployed for the moment. But, I'm doing some freelance work when I can."

I've been dipping into savings each month that I've been down here to pay rent and my credit card bills (darn you frequent flyer mile incentives!). Knowing that I wasn't actually pulling my own weight, my sub-conscious sent me into a malaise in all aspects of my life outside of acting as a punishment. It's just taken me this long to get my procrastinating butt into gear.

Working as a Substitute Teacher
Today (10/16) I decided to set matters straight and drove down to the LA Unified School District central office. It's a 40 story high-rise in downtown LA and it makes my last district seem like some serious small fries by comparison. Despite being large enough that it could have been a bureaucratic nightmare, the employees were all chipper enough that it seemed to move pretty efficiently. However, I feel this has less to do with it actually running quickly and more to do with the Zen mentality about waiting that LA traffic has forced upon me.

As I sat down to wait for my number to be called, I overheard another applicant mention ACT (American Conservatory Theater in SF). When I piped up and said that I had attended ACT, I quickly discovered that 4 of the 7 people waiting to be called were actors. I guess substitute teaching is a pretty popular gig.

UPDATE (10/18): LA Unified IS a bureaucratic nightmare.

After my first trip on Monday, I began going down the checklist of what I needed to bring in to them after my initial interview.

I started by driving to the Hollywood Health Center, a small doctor's office that seems to specialize in physicals and TB tests for LA Unified employees. A visit to the doctor and one test ran me $90 without health insurance. Not terrible, but certainly not ideal. The following day I went to the Social Security Administration and got a replacement card.

For fear of subjecting you to the same boredom that was my experience, I will summarize. I went back to LA Unified. Four hours, four initials, and two official stamps later I was done. But I have to go back for further processing once my fingerprints prove me to be innocent.

Benefits of the Waiting Room

The best thing about waiting around and filling out redundant forms is getting to meet some interesting folks. Whilst waiting for a signature on one of my health forms, I met a gentleman who took issue with the Halloween decorations up on the receptionist's desk.

MAN: I'm surprised they can get away with having that religious holiday in here.
ME: I don't think of Halloween as being particularly religious at this point.
MAN: Oh it's religious alright. It's a holiday for devil-worshipers.
ME: I just think of it as an excuse to dress up.
MAN: And praise the devil… I heard that scientists hit salt water with sonic waves and it made sparks. They're saying that could make electricity for everyone.
(Donovan stares furiously at his book and listens to his iPod)

Does acting always come first?

One of my goals with this blog is to show the joys and complications of pursuing acting as a career. Until now, I've emphasized my successes and career progress, but I've done little to illuminate my internal landscape. Perhaps mostly out of the superstition that if I write down my fears they will become real.

Lately, I've been forced to ask myself the question: Do I want to pursue this career with a singularity of purpose so intense that I will have no reason for not "making it"? Or do I want to pursue my career in a less focused way that allows for me to be a whole person?

The story, as I've heard it, often goes: A happy young man is loved by his friends and family, and he loves them in return. One day this young man leaves home to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. He moves to Hollywood, and begins auditioning. He is not cast, and he is broke. He becomes cynical. He pursues only those friendships and relationships that will help his career. In the case of the exceptional young man, one of these relationships pans out and he lands a plum part. He returns home to celebrate his success, only to find that friends and family do not like the person he has become. The person he "needed" to become. His success feels empty. So he redoubles his efforts thinking that another, better, role will fix things, believing that success is the key to happiness. In the end the he is an old man: tired and alone.

That story scares me. I don't want for it to become my story, but there are times when I see it creeping into the fringes of my reality. Sometimes I feel guilty for seeing friends and family. I feel lazy for taking time away from my pursuit. I worry that on a day that I'm away – I'll miss the audition that will be my break. If I don't put everything into acting, how can I justify the move away from family and friends? But if all of my life is empty except for acting, how can I ever play a whole person on the screen? And more importantly, will I like the person I've become?

Life is a balancing act. The key is to find the right balance. Who are you? What are your core values? If all of your decisions are in line with your beliefs, you will have few regrets.

The problem with balance is that it requires compromise. You can't do everything nor be all people to everyone. With each thing you gain, you must also give something up. So what do I really want? What are my priorities? I have to say that acting is not what I value above all else in this life, and I'm okay with that. But I still intend on making one hell of a go at it!

Apparently I'm a Samuel L. Jackson type.

Last week, I got a call from the gal who produced my last couple projects at the LA Film School. Apparently one of her actors had dropped out, and she needed a replacement who was roughly the same age. So she called me up to play Jules from Pulp Fiction. If you’ll recall, the role was originated by the Samuel L. Jackson; an original badass as I live and breathe. I ended up getting the script at about 1am the night before the 8am shoot. I did what I could to learn my lines before sleep's siren song sent me to slumber.

The shoot went well, and I relished the opportunity to work with such great writing. But I was dismayed at my inability to cram the 5-pages of dialogue into my head for the shoot. I just barely got through the master shot which we took at the end of the shoot. Granted, if I’d had more time it wouldn’t have been an issue. However, I couldn’t help feeling that to be truly professional in that circumstance I should know my lines cold even if I've only got 30min with the script.

Anyone know where I can get discounted Ginko Biloba?

Jennifer Coolidge told me not to sit on my ass.

The Groundlings

My family loves "The Groundlings" theater in Hollywood on Melrose. The Groundlings list of alumni reads like a regular who's who in comedy: Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Janeane Garofalo, and Pat Morita (say what?!) to name a few. This has led many people, including my father, to believe that making it into The Groundlings company is the key to "making it". This has led to the school having 2yr waiting lists to get into some of their classes. Things have cooled down a little since that absurd peak was reached, but the school still requires that you audition to take their beginning classes! Well, I auditioned a week ago, and passed the test. I've been waitlisted for the current term, and will be able to enroll in the next session if I beat other actors to the Groundlings school website.

Jennifer Coolidge Q&A
My dad heard that actor Jennifer Coolidge was participating in a Q&A and he offered to buy me a ticket to the event. As a lover of all things free, and not one to turn down an evening with a busty blonde, I accepted his offer. Ms. Coolidge is far more intelligent and good-looking than most of her film roles would lead you to suspect. The Q&A was a very entertaining and informative two hours where she described her experiences at the Groundlings, working in feature films, and her desire to do just about any project so long as it is paid.

Going Outside
At one point Coolidge said "Cool things happen when you're not sitting around your house with your dog. Go out, even if you don't have the money to drink." I took that note to heart, and instead of retiring to a meal of easy-mac at Chez Donovan I drove over to a vegan restaurant a few blocks from my house that I'd never tried. The food was great and cheap. Towards the end of my meal, I got a call from my sister. I of course couldn't wait to tell her about Jennifer Coolidge describing her as "You know… Stiffler's Mom from American Pie." After I said goodbye to my sister, I went to use the restroom. As I returned to my seat, who did I see sitting in a table just across the room from mine, but: Jennifer Coolidge. I had just had a phone conversation about the woman completely oblivious to the fact that she was 15 feet away from me the whole time.

I spent the next five minutes paying my tab and hemming and hawing about whether I should thank her for an excellent Q&A. I opted to just walk back to my car – she seemed fairly involved in a bowl of soup and I'm chickenshit.

Notes from the Q&A
The following are some of the more cogent points from the evening:

• The terrible jobs you have are the best sources for sketches.
  
• You don't actually get paid when you're a Groundlings company member (ugh!)
  
• Perhaps trying to prove my father right, she said "Everything good in my career came from The Groundlings. If it weren't for them, I'd still be waiting tables."
  
• With one-line auditions, go in there and make a strong impression. Be unique, everyone is giving them the same flat read.
  
• TV shows fire actors more than ever, they're trying to make up for bad writing with good casting.
  
• Modeling is the most brutal, the music industry is cut-throat, but the absolute weirdest behavior happens in the film/tv industry.
  
• Stay away from people at auditions, other actors play dirty tricks and you don't want to get thrown off your game.
  
• Don't get passive with your career once things start going your way. Work even harder.
  
• Building a relationship with a Casting Director is important to the point that you should take crappy jobs. Hooker #3 led Coolidge to American Pie and Legally Blonde.
  
• Go into auditions as your character – CDs are just too tired to be imaginative about this stuff.
  
• The comedy world is much smaller than drama – you've got a better shot of making it in comedy.
  
• In improv, anyone can steal your part. Take it back with some over the top reactions of statements like "You sure talk a lot."
  
• Girls from Texas get cast because they know how to use hair rollers; go into the audition looking the part.
  
• Most Importantly: create your own projects. No one else will.

One of the major themes of her discussion was the dearth of good roles available to comic actresses. This is certainly something that lends itself to further discussion.

1 Feature, 3 Shorts, 1 Play, & 1 Cattle Call

I've reached a point where I have too many auditions to blog about them individually – or at all. This feels pretty good, a month ago I didn’t really anticipate going out this often.

Theater
Biloxi Blues (Donald Carney) – This was my first theater audition, and for whatever reason it was held in a little cubby hole of a casting office. It was me and 3 other people in a 6’ by 6’ room, a little cramped by even SF Stipend-pay theater standards. The audition went fairly well, but my read was a little flat. Unfortunately, I was the last actor of the day so I didn’t get an opportunity for a second read.

Student Films
War Zone (Ross) – This audition was held at The Center which is this rad little theater complex in South Hollywood. There are about 12 equity-waiver theaters crammed into a two story building. This was a cattle call audition, I got there early, waited about an hour and did what I thought was a pretty successful read. I got called back, more on that after the second audition.

Schindler’s List (Nazi Soldier) – I submitted for this project through LA Casting. However, I already knew the director because she was on set for the directing exercise at LA Film School. I combed my hair into an impeccable part in the expectation of playing a Nazi. I ended up reading the sides for Schindler and getting cast as a Polish violence-victim.

Friends (Lonely Guy) – This was a USC student project. The Robert Zemeckis studios are absolutely astounding. These kids have access to amazing facilities. This audition went well, and I ended up getting cast in another student project (Love Thy Brother) because the director sat in on the audition for this one.

Features
The Hereafter (The Devil) - I prepared pretty seriously for this one. I built up some character memories using the imaginative memory process that Richard Seyd described in his weekend workshop. The audition went well, and I’m hoping to get called back. Although, next time I definitely want to be more off book for the audition.

I’m probably missing a project or two in this list, but this is an indication that I’ve been going out a fair amount. If I keep this pace up for another couple weeks, I’ll have done more auditioning in 2 months than I did in the 5 years previous. Frequency is helping to demystify the process – although I still get the willies in professional auditions.