Since April I have been signed on with a talent agency here in town. I wanted to let you know what I have observed and learned the past three months through this experience:
So far I have gone out on many auditions, mostly for commercials asking me to portray a mom or be a spokesperson. With very little on my resume I need to make a great first impression. I always try to be memorized, well groomed, prepared, pleasant and professional. There are a limited number of casting directors here and I want to establish a good reputation so I don't quickly burn bridges. I try to accept any audition I am called out for so that I can be seen more often, and the odds are much better to book something the more auditioning you do. But because I am so new to film, I mainly see these auditions as a chance to learn. In my opinion, hands on experience is more valuable than any class room.
Speaking of classrooms, Roger and I recently took a film class. He has been working on some independent film projects and we both wanted to hone our skills since we come from a strong theater background. Even though I still stand by what I said about hands on experience, it is still wise to take classes and learn technique in a safe and calm environment. Classes are also a convenient way to network. You meet an eclectic group of people that you bond with and gain friendships with. This can lead to other projects or a good word from one of these people could land you a job in the future. And it never hurts to see a friendly face at an audition.
Being on set is pretty exciting. I like to watch everyone do their job well and work as a team. Some production teams work smoother than others, but overall each person seems to enjoy what they do and I love to hear stories about what projects they are working on next or where they were the day before. So much work goes into a commercial that only lasts for a couple minutes. I get a tiny glimpse of what it might be like working on a full length film. The actors get most of the accolades because those are the faces that people see in the finished product, but what most people don't realize is all the hard work that goes on to make the actors look good and feel safe and relaxed. It really is a team effort. Much like the theater. And in both the theater and film worlds it is always better that everyone does their job and tries not to do someone else's or that no one pulls a "diva". I have yet to see that on set. I have encountered divas in the theater and it is hard. I feel when conceited attitudes are in the mix it hinders creativity on many levels.
I have learned so much from all of these experiences and have met some wonderful people. I look forward to the coming months and (if all goes well) years of working on commercial and film sets.
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