8:44 PM - Fri 12.04.15
Putting "Shameless" To Bed

(Just lost everything I'd been writing for the past hour-and-a-half or so, which happens on this computer - my first laptop - more than any other computer I've ever had. Wish I could figure out what the problem is. I'm not frustrated about it, though - I'd describe it more as "lightly enraged". But anyway...)

Shot my final episode of Shameless for Season 6 yesterday (which also happened to be the final episode of the season, period).

I was happy when I got the script - it was an Alibi scene (like all but one of my scenes this year), which was fine, because as I've said before, I enjoy those scenes at the bar (When I think about it, those scenes have basically been where I've learned - and am still learning - how to act on camera).

But I was also getting to interact with Jeremy (aka "Lip") for the first time, which made it sort of "special" (It's fun when I get to interact with someone on the show I've never worked with before. And Jeremy is really good - It was just fun to watch him work, close-up).

I also liked my bit in particular - I've sometimes said to people "Details about Kermit come up in a given episode - He's epileptic, he has a girlfriend, he's a gun nut, etc - and are never heard about again", so it was fun to have a little bit to do that, in my mind at least, is consistent with a thing about "Kermit" we've seen in some previous episodes (Mike M. opined that might have to do with John Wells writing the episode, which seemed reasonable - You'd imagine he might have a firmer grasp on the show's recurring characters than someone writing their first episode).

So "doing the thing" was fun - more on that later - but it was slightly torturous getting there...

The initial call was at 4 pm, which was fine - I got someone to sub for me at WW, and I assumed I'd just have a mellow day beforehand.

Then I got an audition for Fresh Off The Boat at 10:30, at a casting place practically walking distance from my apartment (I like the show, and the scene was opposite Constance Wu, who I think is very funny, and super-cute besides).

And I thought "Cool! I'm going to be having a very 'actor-y' day...!". And I confirmed the audition with "my people".

Then I got a commercial audition for 3:45...which I of course had to cancel (It's the second time that's happened this year. Very frustrating, when it's a fucking "audition desert" for weeks on end, then you book a gig, and that's when you get the auditions. And each time - embarrassingly - I'd failed to "book out" with my commercial agent. Though in my defense, this time I'd only gotten my call time for the shoot earlier that day).

Then the final call sheet came out, and my Shameless call had been changed to Noon, which I worried put my Fresh Off The Boat audition in danger (I didn't want to cancel the audition - not when TV auditions now happen once in a blue moon - but I also didn't want to be driving to the audition, and get a call that my Shameless call was now "As soon as you get to the studio").

So panicky calls were made to various people, and I decided to "take a chance" and do the audition (Which went fine, though I didn't book it).

At that point, if I went home, I'd be home maybe a half-hour before having to leave for the studio, so I decided to just go straight there.

So I did, and I was in the parking lot, looking for a spot, when I get a call from Production - They were running really late, so they didn't need me to come in till 2:00 (It was 11:30).

"I'm actually here...", I said weakly.

So I got a little something to eat, hung out on the set a little bit, watched TV in my trailer, and waited.

And we ended up shooting the scene around 4:00 - the original call time.

As we shot the scene, I have to admit, I was feeling a little jealous at one point, even as I was in the scene - It was a "heavier" scene than usually happens in the Alibi, but I was only peripherally part of the "heaviness" (At one point, Mike was given the go-ahead to improv a bit to Lip, and delivered like gangbusters - Mike's got an improv background - and it was cool to see Jeremy respond in kind).

Then when the camera set-up was on me, the Director said I could "try some different things" to register my response to what was going on, and that was fun - I'm not an improv guy like Mike (I find improv kind of stressful), but I came up with something on one take that the Director complimented me on at the end of the day, and that was nice.

...and that was Shameless for another year.

The word "bittersweet" keeps coming to mind as I think about the season ending.

On one hand, it's been a good season, both in the fact that I got a lot of episodes, did a couple new things (to say the least!), and got to work with a couple new people. It was gratifying to be used as much as I was, and it's just cool to think "I've been on this show for six seasons now!".

On the other hand, that's the end of "The Shameless Gravy Train" for the next seven months or so (I'm presuming there'll be a 7th season...though beyond that, who knows?). It'll be fun when the episodes air (And "interesting" when the one episode airs), but once I get my last paycheck, that's the last "acting money" I can count on getting for the foreseeable future.

Beyond that, there's just the comfort of having "an acting home", where you know you're going to get to do at least a couple things during the year.

I want to say, "It'll be interesting to see what happens...", but honestly, right now, I'm too anxious to really pull that off.

But anxiety aside, Shameless has been really good to me this year - traumatic nakedness aside - and I am extremely grateful.

(And I'd like to be "grateful" for how much I book in 2016, before the next season of Shameless starts up...hopefully.)

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