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9:56 PM - Tues 8.25.15
Singing For My Supper

Singing For My Supper

Well, I said I was going to start with this the next time I wrote - Shot my second episode of Shameless, a week ago yesterday.

When I'd heard I was going to sing in the episode, I was excited, in part because I thought it was going to be something "extra" (In addition to whatever else was happening in the scene). So when I got the script and that's all I was doing in the episode - I didn't have any lines - I felt a little deflated.

But it actually ended up being a lot of fun. Just the fact that it was something different was cool, and there was a fun vibe on the set.

(My buddy Mike M. was singing as well - He opens the scene singing, and it goes out on me - and he did a nice job.)

There was no direction in terms of how I was supposed to sing, so really, when it came down to it, there was no reason to be nervous - even though I was a bit, going in - because there wasn't really anything for me to "fail at".

The stage directions were basically, "Kermit sings the song" (not "Kermit sings...and he's really good" or "Kermit sings...and the bar patrons scream in pain" or anything like that), and the Director didn't give any directions when we were shooting (Beyond a slight change-of-position early on), so really all I had to do was...sing.

With Shameless, at this stage of the game, as long as I don't screw up my lines or have a fit or something, how I do whatever-it-is-I'm-doing as Kermit is, inherently, "how Kermit would do it", unless someone directs me differently (And I don't think I've ever been "directed differently". Don't know if that's because I have a handle on things, or it's too small a part to matter, or what...but I'm going to just assume it's because of my impeccable taste and spot-on acting instincts).

So I didn't intentionally try to sing badly (The fact that the song was too high for me took care of that), I just thought in terms of being maybe a little less "musical" than I am in real life.

The only thing that was kind of embarrassing was that, after a few takes with the music playing over the speakers, they gave me an earpiece, and I had to sing in front of the other actors, with them only hearing my voice (For sound mixing purposes).

Anyway, it was fun, people seemed to like it, and I'm gonna be interested in seeing how it turns out when the episode airs in January.

____________________

And speaking of Shameless, got word earlier this evening that I'm in the fourth episode, shooting next week or the following, so I'm pretty happy about that.

Got my check for the first episode I shot on Saturday, and man do they take a shitload of taxes out - between that and commissions, I'm netting about 40% of that $2000 paycheck (Yes, still not a bad day's work, and I'll get some of that back at tax time, but when you're perpetually stressed about money, other people getting a bigger chunk of your payday than you do is a bitter pill to swallow).

I'm pleased I'll soon have shot three episodes of the show, and we're only four episodes in (I was in three episodes total last season). Makes me feel hopeful that they're going to use me a lot this season.

But that said, there's no guarantees, and I'm thinking I should heed the words of my buddy Mike M., and just appreciate each time I get to work on the show when it happens, while it's happening, and forget about how many episodes I do or don't get in a season.

Cause, as Mike said, "Every episode isn't going to have a scene in the bar".

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Weds 8/26/15 (6:31 pm)

Had an audition for Agent Carter today.

I went in for the show once last year, but didn't book it. But they remembered me, and called my people for a similar co-star role they weren't putting out on the Breakdowns (Sometimes casting people will do that with really small roles, a.k.a. "Under Fives" - Instead of fielding a thousand submissions, they'll just call in a handful of actors they've seen before who they know fit the bill).

I think it went all right - I wasn't happy with my first read, but they gave me a "re-direct", and I did quite well with that.

And beyond the "acting" part of the process, I give myself high marks for how I carried myself personally - I thanked them for calling me back in, and I was very upbeat and personable. Not that I don't always think in terms of being "upbeat and personable", but I've just become very "tuned into" how that's not just a personal choice, but a smart business decision.

(And it's a very nice office, so it's not that hard to be nice in turn.)

And shortly after I got home, I got a message from Brett - another casting place had called, for another small co-star thing tomorrow (Even smaller than today's thing, but in a bit with America Ferrera, which would be cool - I was a big Ugly Betty fan, and I really liked her recent "Open Letter To Donald Trump").

We actually talked about this one (I've been here for 14 years now, and I really should be beyond tiny co-star roles like this. Though, dreams of career progress aside, a job's a job, and it's not like casting directors are breaking their necks to bring me in for juicy guest-star roles).

Anyway, he said he was going to confer with Brianna about it (But it was around lunch-time, and I think he just decided not to wait to hear back from my agents, and accept the audition).

(Breaking news: Brett called, talked to my agents, Scot and Brianna, and everything is copacetic. Scot said even though they're saying it pays "scale", if I end up being their guy, he'll ask for more.)

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Went to the LA Bookpals kick-off event on Saturday.

(This is the volunteer thing I started earlier this year, reading for a couple first-grade classes at an elementary school in my neighborhood.)

I thought I was going to a "mixer" (Which is part of why I decided it was okay to just "get there when I got there" from work) - but when I did get there, there wasn't any "mixing", just a group of people sitting in chairs, listening to a series of speakers.

I've actually become somewhat "mixer-averse" over the years, but have been telling myself I need to "get out more", so having it not be a mixer was, oddly enough, both a relief and a disappointment.

(But at least I got a free tote-bag, a pen, and a copy of Miss Nelson Has A Field Day, from a fun series of "Miss Nelson" books by James Marshall.)

While I was there, I volunteered for a new program - new to me anyway - called Pencil Pals, where I'll be paired with a kid, and write letters back and forth with them once a month throughout the school year (Then at the end of the year, they have a little party, where the kids and their "Pencil Pals" meet in person).

I'm actually having some problems reconnecting with my school for the reading stuff - My contact person and one of my teachers has moved on, and my emails to the principal and the remaining teacher have gone unanswered (And I'm a little put-out by that, to be honest - I thought I was doing a good thing, but if they're not that interested, I'm not going to beg them to let me volunteer my time and talent).

So I don't know if I'm going to contact BookPals about it (To have them contact the school, or connect me with another school in the area), content myself with just doing the Pencil-Pals thing, or what.

But I'm surprised that it's playing out this way - I thought I was the one who was going to decide whether I wanted to do it for another year or not.

__________________

Had lunch with Matt and Claudia O., who were visiting LA from Lansing, on Sunday.

Ate at House of Pies - Told myself going in, "You can have lunch, or you can have pie, but you can't have both"...so of course, I had both.

I was a little nervous initially - I know Matt and Claudia, but I don't know them (They're not age-old friends like Mark and Jane, or Tom and Mary), so I was a little afraid of "awkward lapses in conversation".

But it ended up being a lot of fun. They're good people.

(Much to my surprise, I picked up the check - But it seemed "The thing to do", since I was the one who'd asked them to lunch...which was another example of me "trying to make social stuff happen", so I've gotta pat-myself-on-the-back for that.)

After lunch, when we parted company, I decided to check out this giant swap-meet at Vermont and Melrose I'd always been curious about - didn't buy anything (Though almost bought some Marvel action-figures, which would have made me feel very guilty for spending money on toys), but it was fun to just "window shop".

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Well, some other things are going on, and a lot more is percolating in my giant head, but I'm feeling as if I've gone on long enough, and "tomorrow is another day...".

I don't know if I'm built to ever be just out-and-out "happy"...but all-in-all, at the moment, things are definitely "not bad" - I've got some actual money coming in, I'm at least getting some auditions, and I'm working on making more happen than work, auditions, and going to the movies with Howard (In addition to the Pencil Pals thing, I'm going to be doing a play-reading for my friend Liz next month).

And the audition today has already had one positive effect - It finally got me started on watching Agent Carter, which I'm really enjoying.

And if it's all not perfect, it's good enough for now.

 

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