PerformerTrack.com Will Organize Your Acting Career

As I was riding in a train from Alexandria to Cairo, Egypt I sat contemplating the recession and how I was going to make a living on my return. "Create a web service for something I know a lot about!" I thought. So, an idea was born: a web-based program that would allow you to track auditions, marketing campaigns, and even your mileage to and from a location. I spent the next two hours making an extensive feature list and a basic development plan.

Having been down this road before, I wanted to make sure a good web address was available. So once I got to an internet cafe I checked for actorslog.com, unfortunately it was already taken. By performertrack.com - which I discovered is a service that does exactly what I planned to create.

So folks, it exists and it seems to do everything. So as bummed as I am that my money making scheme won't work out, I'm excited to have this tool available to me. It's definitely worth a look.

I'm not in love with the price (~$10/mo if you buy the 12-month subscription) as I'm tired of paying for subscriptions to various acting-related services. However, given level of organization and analysis it offers, it just might be worth it. This statement assumes you're a couple economic rungs above "starving artist" status.

Cairo, Egypt is Just Like Paris, France

Cairo is just like Paris except it's full of Egyptians. Otherwise, all differences are trivial at best.

This city has a surprisingly European feel to it. Old stone monuments, traffic circles, dilapidated filigreed buildings full of charming hotel suites

Of course all of this is based on my impressions of Europe from films and what Gabriel has told me of his travels. So I have no honest point of comparison. But I'll tell you one thing, Cairo is nothing like I expected.

It's cold in Egypt, I'm wearing a hooded sweatshirt to stay warm and protect myself from the rabid mosquito population. It makes perfect sense that Egypt should have seasons, but I often forget that postcard locales exist throughout the year not just the idyllic time when such photographs are taken. Oh, and the Great Pyramids, they aren't in the desert, they're in the middle of a suburb surrounded by parking lots. Folks, there's no hope of saving your neighborhood from Walmart if we can't even save the wonders of the world from suburban sprawl.

How to Save Gas While Dropping Off Headshots

Almost every agent and casting director will tell you that they don't want actors personally dropping headshots at their offices. Yet every actors' marketing session or career strategy session I have attended has suggested that mailing headshots alone won't work, you should drop them off in person so that you can see the office and get a little face time with an assistant. What I think this means is that it's okay to drop off headshots in person so long as you don't dress up like the UPS man and lock an agent in the closet until they agree to sign you.

While the thought of going out and seeing more of LA while furthering my career has always seemed laudible, I always found myself at home licking stamps: "sure you could drive to hell and back dropping off headshots, or you could mail them and save a ton of your time and gas."

Well, there's finally an answer to the age of old question: What's the most efficient route between home, the 22 agencies I've decided to target, and my place of work?

The TSP Solver, a great little google maps mashup. TSP is short for "Travelling Sales Person" a title that a lot of actors can identify with. It allows you to enter up to 24 addresses, press a button, and get a turn by turn route between your destinations. The great part is, it selects the most effecient route between those points, saving you both time and money. Another great feature is that you can choose between home->destination (on your way to work), or roundtrip (on your lunch break) routing.

Thanks go to Thrillist.com for the heads up on this useful tool.

I Miss Home

I recently used timeanddate.com to do a little calculation, the intent was simple enough: how long have I been away from home?

From and including: Friday, September 5, 2008
To, but not including : Friday, January 16, 2009

It is 133 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date

Or 4 months, 11 days excluding the end date

It's a long time to be away from home, friends, and family. To put it in perspective, a typical big-budget hollywood film shoot is 3 months, and 6 months is standard for a hollywood action project. I have no idea how those actors on the Lord of the Rings managed to be away from home for 3 years.

It looks like we've got about 3 weeks left. Wish me luck!

Donovan and the Mysterious Rocks

Okay folks, the first legit info on my around the world film project is eeking it's way onto the Internet. Gabriel just launched the promo website for "Donovan and the Mysterious Rocks". That's the working title and we'd love some suggestions for a better one. Feel free to leave a comment.

Things you'll find on the website:

• Plot summary
• Character Gallery
  
• Filmaker/Performer Biographies
• Production Stills
• And more to come...
  

The more I work on this project, and the further along in the series we get the more I'm loving it. It has elements from my favorite films and genres, it's playful, and I think entertaining. I can't wait for you to see it. It's going to rock your world (pun not intended, but enjoyed once found).