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3:44 pm - Thurs 10/28/04 Having a hard time making myself leave the apartment... Last night, I emailed John O. to see if he wanted to see a matinee of Sideways�the new Alexander Payne movie�at the Grove, but he emailed back this morning to say he couldn't (But we're going to do lunch again tomorrow). But even though I loved South Park: The Movie, and imagine I'd enjoy this one as well, I don't really seem to be in the mood these days to watch puppets have sex and blow things up (Makes me wonder if there's something wrong with me...). That's when I have a hard time getting out of the apartment on a day off�When I don't have any compelling reason to. No auditions, no one to play with, and nothing playing at my cheap theaters that really turns me on. But I can't stay cooped up in here all day... Still obsessing over commercials, but at least for now I'm obsessing in a good way, and not obsessing over how little I'm actually getting out. Where things currently stand: I had an audition for Hertz last week (Playing one of "the other guys"), and callbacks for that are next week, so as far as I know, that one is still "in play" (I wasn't 100% happy with how that one went�I won't bore you with the details�but felt at least "okay" with it, and wouldn't be shocked if I got a callback. Though I'm not counting on it). Yesterday was a banner day�I had two auditions, which has been pretty rare this year (And I've had at least one audition a week for the past five weeks now). The first one, for Jack-In-The-Box, was the one I was really psyched about (I like that campaign, it's SAG, and it's the kind of thing that could get you noticed), but turned out I was essentially going in for an "extra" part. Still good to get, mind you (I can always use the experience, not to mention the money), but not what I'd been hoping for. I know I've said it before, but I never feel good about my chances if it essentially comes down to a "look", so I'm not holding out a lot of hope for that one. (And once again, I noticed I was one of the youngest guys there for the role--I was going in for the part of the "Minister" at an intervention for a "salad dodger"�and it left me with decidedly mixed feelings; I'm discouraged that, at 43, I'm still "aging into"a lot of the parts I'll get to play out here, but at least I know that as I move into "old geezerhood", assuming I live that long, they'll be things for me to do.) The other audition, for Advantix Mortage Loans, was a blast (Regrettably, it's non-union, but it's still experience, and some money, and I'd very much like to book it). And like the "Citibank" spot�the "combover" one�there's a very quick "turnaround", with no callback; it shoots a week from tomorrow. In this one, I was a sleazy mortage loan guy. It opens with me at a sports car dealership, talking to a saleman. In the middle of the salesman's spiel, my cellphone rings, and it's someone asking about the progress of their loan. So I say, "Hey, I'm working on it right now! Fees? Just a sec, let me check on that...". Then I ask the sportscar salesman, "How much for the luxury package?", and when he says "$8000", I turn back to my call and say "$8000", hang up, then start laughing my ass off (I also did a little unscripted "happy dance", which made the three guys watching laugh their asses off). Unlike a lot of my commercial audition experiences, where circumstances throw me, I don't have a solid grip on what I'm doing, etc, this one went off without a hitch, the kind of audition I need to give every time out of the gate. The day's circumstances actually even ended up helping me�I'd worn my blue double-breasted suit for my first audition, but had a different jacket (My crappy corderoy one) for "Sleazy Loan Guy" (I didn't know if "sleazy" meant "low-rent" or simply "unethical", so I took a guess, and went with "low-rent"). But I was running late from the other audition, so when I parked, I was going to change jackets, then decided I didn't have the time; Instead, I just took off my tie, unbuttoned my collar, and that turned out to be the perfect "look" for what they were doing (If I hadn't had been running late, or hadn't had the other audition, I would have went in, by no real fault of my own, not really dressed right for the part). Another circumstance that I feel worked "in my favor"; For whatever reason, no one was showing up for the "car salesman" while I was there, so I ended up going in with another "Sleazy Loan Guy", and we traded off roles. I thought this was good for me on two fronts: Competing head-to-head with this other guy "fired me up", for one thing, and for another, I felt like I now had two chances to get the gig (The script had the two guys laughing conspiratorially once "Sleazy Loan Guy" gets off the phone, but they decided they wanted to try having the car salesman be disgusted with "Sleazy Loan Guy", and I got laughs with my "disgust" too). Beyond how I felt about the audition itself, I was thrilled with how the casting person called me by name while I was sitll in the waiting area, and told me what they wanted from the part, as if the other guy wasn't even in the room. It feels good when the casting people start calling you by name, and telling you specifically what to do in the room. It certainly boosted my confidence, though I can't imagine it did much for the other guy, who didn't read very well once we were in the room (And I mean that literally; when it was his turn to read "Sleazy Loan Guy", he kind of "bobbled the lines", and didn't get anything from the three guys who were watching). I have to assume it's not going to translate into my getting the gig�That's my "new attitude" at work�but it was still fun to get to play, to "show off", and if I can hold onto that "attitude", I think I'll manage to be happier, and ultimately more successful. Well, the minutes of the day are ticking away, so I'm going to post this, and I think I'm going to go to the Laemmle instead of Los Feliz(Which means I have to hit an ATM first, since they don't take debit cards). See ya later, everyone... (And Dick? Your "Mandy" parody made my day!) 0 comments so far 
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