9:24 am - Wed 7/16/03
Industrial-Strength Jim

Auditioned for an industrial yesterday (For the uninitiated, an "industrial" is a film that's produced for viewing within a company).

I don't remember the company name, but it was at TLC Booth, a casting agency in Hollywood I've been to a couple times before (I was wondering about that; do they have any opinion of me from other times I've been there? Or am I still basically just a face?).

The audition was fun. Unlike the last thing, there was a script, and it was funny (I'm starting to feel like--for commercials anyway--I'd be okay with just going in for the funny stuff). I was happily surprised--I thought "industrials" were all boring, badly acted safety or "how-to" films. I wouldn't have expected to actually get a kick out of the script.

My part was fairly small, but I liked it nevertheless--I played "Tony", an assistant to the boss who's not very good at actual assisting; At the big company meeting I have to be nudged awake, am obviously not prepared to make my part of the presentation, and pass it off to the next person as soon as possible (Basically, our company has hired a consulting firm to help us with our "RFP", whatever that is).

I'd been instructed that the dress for my character was "rumpled suit and tie", but since I don't have a suit, "rumpled" or otherwise, I decided to wear my camel-colored corderoy (sp?) sportcoat and brown pants, and I think it worked out--I was a little alarmed initially, because I didn't look very "business"-y compared to the other people who came in, but I think looking a little "off" fit the character (I also didn't comb my hair before going in. And I remember feeling the same way about the HBO audition--"I don't look like a business guy compared to these people..."--and ending up playing the president of the company, so I'm going to see that as a good omen).

I auditioned with six other actors, all older than me, and that was fun. We had the opportunity to run through it once, then ended up inadvertantly having a second rehearsal when the casting guy forgot to turn the sound up when putting us on tape.

Anyway, I left feeling good. I never leave thinking "This one's in the bag...", because there are just too many intangibles. But I did feel like "I certainly could end up getting this...", and I like having that feeling.

And it's a union thing, which means the money should be nice if I get it.

Another thing that would be nice is that I could put it on my resume (You don't put commercials on your resume because of the potential for conflicts; If you're up for a Burger King commercial and a casting director sees a McDonalds spot on your resume, he may automatically assume you've got a conflict and not call you in, even though you did that McDonalds spot two years ago).

But anyway...

Last night, while out walking Max (More on her in a moment), I saw a pair of white Addidas running shoes lying in the grass.

Other than having no laces, I couldn't see anything wrong with them--they were white, and clean, and looked better than my New Balance shoes which I should have gotten rid of two years ago--and they seemed about my size, so after some misgivings about grabbing stuff off the street--It feels a little "homeless man"-ish to me--I took them home.

We're going to view them as a little "gift from the universe".

I'm a little concerned about Max.

Yesterday after her walk, I brought her in, gave her a couple treats, like I usually do, but a few minutes later, she threw up.

She hasn't eaten much since, and when we got back from her walk a short time ago, which seemed to go fine (Though her b.m. was smaller and harder than it's been up till now), she didn't want her treat afterwards.

I'm hoping it's just the heat (She's lying down by my chair as I write this). I don't want to be handing Remerro a sick dog tomorrow evening (That's when he's due back). Even if it wasn't my fault, I'd just feel bad about that.

Well, I've got stuff I need to attend to--Can't just do this all day, though to be honest, I'd kind of like to--so I think I'll sign off, and start attending...

previous - next