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9:00 AM - 09.06.21
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Live And In-Person

It's nice to be able to start this entry with some happy news - I have a commercial callback tomorrow morning!

Now, a callback is pretty much always happy news...but this feels particularly good, because 1) The last time I thought I'd done a callback-worthy audition, I actually didn't get the callback (Which was very disheartening), and, 2) For this callback, I'm going to an actual casting office - no self-tape, no Zoom, just "live and in-person".

(The last time I had a "live and in-person" commercial audition, it didn't go well. But that was an initial audition - actually, it was "straight to callback", which means there wasn't an "initial audition" - and they just didn't dig what I was bringing to the party. In this instance, however, I'm walking in already knowing they liked what I did, which is a good "jumping-off point", definitely something "I can work with".)

Recorded a TV audition on Saturday (With my buddy Mike) and I felt good about that one as well (Unlike a commercial audition, there won't be any callback with this one - I'll either book the thing or I won't).

Again, I always want to book, but this would be a particularly fun booking, because 1) It's a small-but-potent costar, and, 2) I worked on the Lead's previous show, so it would be fun to have kinda/sorta "followed them" to their new show.

(And while it would be understandable if I booked it and they didn't remember me, it would be really cool if I booked it and they did.)

"Feeling good" about these self-tape auditions has been a struggle, so as I recently told Jane R., I have to start "collecting memories" of the times where it does feel good, where I feel the way I used to feel "back in the day", after walking out of a happy experience "in the room" (Not "This part is mine!" - There are way too many variables to ever feel that way - but that "There's no reason I couldn't book this...").


_________________________

12:20 pm

(Just off the phone with my buddy Cary B., where a delightful conversation was had...)

What was I writing about...?

I have to start making a concerted effort to enjoy self-taping, to not just feel basically competent with it, but to embrace it (Hence the "collecting memories of when it goes well" stuff). Because the happiness I used to feel about auditions, and the confidence I had, at my best, when "going in the room", might be the "secret sauce" that's gone missing from my auditions in "The Pandemic Era".

And beyond talk of "secret sauce" and booking gigs, it would just be nice to enjoy getting notice of an audition, and getting a little chance to "do what I do".

(Just had a little textual interlude with Jane R. Her day seems to be going well thus far.)

I'm writing this at a good time, a "window" I often miss when it comes to auditions - both the callback for the commercial and the "due date" for the TV audition, are tomorrow morning.

That means, at this writing, that I am in "a world of possibility" (Granted, there is a possibility, since I turned in said TV audition on Saturday, that they've already seen my thing and found it wanting...but I don't know that) - Right now I could book the commercial, I could book the TV thing, or I could book them both.

So you're getting me in about as optimistic a state as I'm ever in.

(So enjoy!)

I'm feeling so optimistic at the moment, that I'm even feeling good about Unemployment.

I had a tough time figuring out how to apply for Unemployment initially (Last year was the first time I'd ever applied).

Now, to my chagrin, I've had a tough time reapplying after my claim expired (After being told I was getting an extension, I was instructed that I still had to reapply for benefits...which, to me, doesn't sound like much of an "extension". But anyway...).

I reapplied, then received a notice from them basically saying, "Try again, numbnuts...!".

So I called my Assemblyman, endeavored to get some information I had only guessed at on the application, wrote the office (Asking, 1. If they could give me some specifics of what I did wrong, because I think I know, but am not sure it's only thing I did wrong, and, 2. If there was any way on God's green earth I could talk to a person about all this), and I had my commercial agent hook me up with another actor he represents who knows the Unemployment system (I had a particular question that I thought I knew the answer to, but wanted to get verification on).

Armed with my extra financial info, and assured by my new actor friend that it was okay to answer a certain question by not answering it (But not hearing anything from Unemployment) I re reapplied.

...and am pretty sure I messed that one up too.

But I still feel better than I did - The mistake I think I made on the re-reapplication was a question of being quick and sloppy, not a mistake where I just didn't know the answer.

And again, as of this writing, I feel optimistic that, while I'm pretty sure I'll be getting another "Try again, Numbnuts...!" response from Unemployment, a solution is close at hand.

Things will work out.

(One thing that's brightened my outlook? Had lunch with a friend recently who went through a similar thing with Unemployment - And she eventually got to talk to a person and worked everything out. And she received "back pay" for all the weeks she had certified for while things were getting squared away.)

Well, I could write more...but I don't want the day to be entirely about this (Besides, I've gotta leave something to talk about for the podcast. Oh, and I have a podcast - It's called Inside Hoffmaster's Head, available through Spotify, iTunes and so on.)

Till next time...



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