I think I want this BLOG to be all about acting and my adventures here in LA. ...And only that. So, to kick it off; the following is where I am right now!
NEW TO LA LA LAND
I am not with an agency... I almost joined AFTRA, (you just buy into it,) but here is the consensus I have heard on both: Don't sign up/join until you have to. AFTRA has monthly dues, and unlike SAG, you don't have to be a part of the union to work AFTRA gigs. Agents aren't required to find you work, but they take a cut of your pay whether you book the job yourself or they book it for you. And, they are unlikely to work hard for you if you aren't already booking work. So, the key is to just get as much work as possible yourself and then when you are getting a lot or "must join" a union: join then.
I have signed onto LA Casting which posts a lot of non-union and union work. Agencies go there too looking for talent. I signed up for Central Casting which is primarily for extras, but I haven't done anything with that. I have really been persuaded against extra work. I want to be in the foreground as much as possible.
And there is a lot out there, so I'm being choosy. I only submit for roles that pay or seem very interesting. I do need to build up a reel. It's hard thought to justify leaving my paying job and spending time and energy on something I don't believe in or won't be paid for. Like Jessie, my friend out here said, we can't give up our power just because we want it so bad. They need us to make their words come to life.
I did a music video for another friend I made out here. The link is on YouTube: Damien Christopher TV: 4 AM Revelations. He asked me to do another one which should be fun. I just auditioned for a student film. Waiting to hear back about call backs. That was at UCLA which the craziest campus I've ever tried to navigate!! I have sent out my very first complete screen play that I have ever written in my life to a few friends so I can get some feed back on that. And there a re a couple or so more projects on the nearing horizon that I am very excited about.
Little by little....
My personal network needs some growth, to help all of the above goals continue moving forward: so all in all I foresee a very busy 2010.
Today i became aware of the overwhelming sexual images all around us. Everywhere you look it's sex sex sex.... I was at the mall...working... but there on the pajamas in the men's department at sears pictures of candy canes that say lick me. And a poster in the mall about a show called "The Pregnancy Pact." Tag line: not all teen pregnancies are unplanned. And then there's Lady Gaga on the radio talking about love games and taking rides on his disco stick and bad romance. I've been noticing it more and more in music: There is so much about sexual promiscuity and even Britny sings "living in sin is the new thing..." We don't have a chance. TV shows that women are empowered if they initiate sexual flings "like men do" and have "meaningless sex." It's the norm...?
I know this has been around for a while. Little by little it grows. Why such an emphasis on sex?
And then I see this site: www.themim.org
About a new museum for musical instruments. And they talk about the Music that we all make every human on the planet. It seems to be alive for everyone who can open their ears to hear it. It's beautiful. And I think: there is so much more to our existance, so much more pleasure to find in this world, than in the fleeting moments of an orgasm. Where is that advertised? What do they think? Are humans so base? Are we mearly animals feeding our variouse hungers/cravings/lusts?
I want no part of that. I want a better life a higher existance. I want the beauty of music and dance, of story telling, of nature, of LIFE. I am an artist. A listener. A thinker. I am not a beast.
I know this has been around for a while. Little by little it grows. Why such an emphasis on sex?
And then I see this site: www.themim.org
About a new museum for musical instruments. And they talk about the Music that we all make every human on the planet. It seems to be alive for everyone who can open their ears to hear it. It's beautiful. And I think: there is so much more to our existance, so much more pleasure to find in this world, than in the fleeting moments of an orgasm. Where is that advertised? What do they think? Are humans so base? Are we mearly animals feeding our variouse hungers/cravings/lusts?
I want no part of that. I want a better life a higher existance. I want the beauty of music and dance, of story telling, of nature, of LIFE. I am an artist. A listener. A thinker. I am not a beast.
So I'm not making any New Years Resolutions... But I do have plans. I'm making a Mind-map of things I want to accomplish. I got the idea from an article I read about treating acting as your own personal business which lead me to this site:
http://www.makingideasvisable.com
For only $250 she will make a 4x8 ft visual mind map mural of all the ideas bouncing around in my head. I read all the testimonials of how much this visual map helped people to clarify the steps they need to take to accomplish their goals...and then I thought, I'm artistic... I'm visual... I could do this myself. :) I made a ruff draft and it was actually really fun and freeing. I can definitely say that this new project is an healthy exercise.
I am reading a book titled EXTRAORDINARY: The life you are meant to live. It's great. I love it! I'm using it as a bible study guide. This year is definately about making sure to follow God's plan and ...I don't want to say involving HIM more in my life... but you get the idea.
In latest, less enlightend, news: I got a new shower head!!! It has an arm attachment which means it sits up higher than where the spout comes out which means i don't have to squat or, or do a crazy backbend to get my head under it! ...it's the little things, you know. :)
http://www.makingideasvisable.com
For only $250 she will make a 4x8 ft visual mind map mural of all the ideas bouncing around in my head. I read all the testimonials of how much this visual map helped people to clarify the steps they need to take to accomplish their goals...and then I thought, I'm artistic... I'm visual... I could do this myself. :) I made a ruff draft and it was actually really fun and freeing. I can definitely say that this new project is an healthy exercise.
I am reading a book titled EXTRAORDINARY: The life you are meant to live. It's great. I love it! I'm using it as a bible study guide. This year is definately about making sure to follow God's plan and ...I don't want to say involving HIM more in my life... but you get the idea.
In latest, less enlightend, news: I got a new shower head!!! It has an arm attachment which means it sits up higher than where the spout comes out which means i don't have to squat or, or do a crazy backbend to get my head under it! ...it's the little things, you know. :)