Criminal Minds Casting

It's been half a century since my last post, but I've been really busy working and umm..err.....partying! Yes partying. I spent most of my first year in Los Angeles focused on my goals. It was all work and no play. I hardly went out at all. Now, I'm still focused, it's just time for me to get out and meet people and things like that. I'm having fun.

Last Wednesday I had the honor and privelege of working in the casting office of the show Criminal Minds. A HUGE thanks to April and Scott, the 2 casting directors in the office and Erica the casting assistant for letting me spend a day with them even though things are hectic over there. It was so much fun and it really opened my eyes to a lot of things and put my mind at ease for others. I'll try to go briefly through the day.

It was the first day casting for a new episode: Espisode #4. The cast and crew were on location filming episode #3. The day started off with a meeting in which the casting directors, writers and producers get together to discuss exactly what they want the characters to be like. This was the first thing we did and I'm so glad they let me go to this meeting, because I was originally scheduled to come in after the meeting. This meeting really made me feel better about myself as an actor for one reason. They talked about what the characters were supposed to be like in such detail. They already have a preconceived image in their head about what kind of look they want. I hate to say this, but in Hollywood, it really is more about looks than "talent", whatever your definition of talent is. I'll explain more about this as I continue my story. My point here is that, as an actor, you go on so many auditions, yet rarely hear back from any of them. It really is a hit or miss thing. I had read in books that said that when you don't hear back from an audition, to never take it personally and to not get down about it. I never really believed it, but it is true. You still can't help thinking every now and again, "Am I really meant for this?"

After the meeting, I got to do something really fun. I got to audition 4 actresses that they wanted to see for a small role in this episode. I can't explain how relieving this was!! To be in an audition room and NOT be the one auditioning! It was great! In the room were the 2 casting directors, one of the producers, and me working the camera. The first actress came in and read the scene which was about 4 lines. It took a few seconds and she was done. The producer did not ask her to do the scene again. Now see, this is something that it took me a while to catch on to. When an actor goes on an audition, and they ask you to do the scene multiple times, they're at least interested, or see you as a potential candidate for the role. If they don't ask you to re-read, it's probably a no go. This may seem like common sense, but it took me a while to figure out. This is another reason why I really wanted to shadow in the casting office. In any other profession (i.e. -medical school), part of your training is shadowing a professional to get some hands on experience. In acting, you can't just go shadow another actor and watch them audition. You're just thrust out there to fend for yourself and learn everything on your own pretty much. I'm speaking of auditioning in particular, not acting technique or anything. So, for me it was essential to have this experience. They ended up choosing the 4th actress that auditioned for this part. The overall mood for this scene is going to be kind of dark, I think, so they wanted someone who fit that look. The first actress was bubbly and blonde. See, so they were all "talented", but they needed to go with someone who fit the look of the scene.

The rest of the day consisted of me helping Erica around the office. I got to read the whole script and check it against the updated version and make note of any changes. This episode is going to be really good by the way. I helped Erica call actors to bring them in for auditions the next day. How great they must've felt to get a call and hear: "Hi, this is Kris from Criminal Minds. We want to audition you tomorrow". Exciting! At some point in the day, Scott received a delivery from an actor. It was an elaborate fruit basket from a company that can do some amazing things with fruit. They make flower bouquets and stuff all made from fruit. It was good, and I know that casting directors and agents get gifts like this all the time. Honestly, it is SO cheesy and I'd never do it. Thanks to all the books I read before I moved to Hollywood, they said that doing things like this is a waste of time and money. It's true, and besides, it just makes you look desperate!

So, that was my day in the Criminal Minds Casting office (in a nutshell). Great experience and I definitely took a lot from it that hopefully I can put to good use for myself. I wanted to meet Ed Bernero the executive producer (and writer) and also Simon Mirren (also a producer/writer), but I wasn't able to. They know my blog buddy Jill very well and I wanted to say hi to them for her. Oh well, maybe next time.

Criminal Minds: Honor Among Thieves, Part 2

As for the rest of my day on Honor Among Thieves, I spotted someone sitting in one of the producer's chairs on the set, and I thought it would be good to introduce myself. So, inbetween one of the takes, I did just that. I told him my name and that I was Jill's friend, the lady who runs the Criminal Minds Fanatic blog. His eyes lit up and he goes, "Oh yeah, what a neat lady". This guy turned out to be Aaron Zelman. He is one of the writers for the show and a producer. Jill also mentioned her time talking with Aaron on her blog. He was a really cool guy and I talked to him for a few minutes. He had a coke in one hand and his writing pad in the other. I imagine Aaron would be able to empathize with me as a medical student. I mean, both of us have probably spent many nights in a small room, with a bunch of papers and a caffeine product to stay awake.

At around lunch time, I had a little conversation (actually rather lengthy) with Trish. Remember I mentioned her in my last post. I just wanted to mention her here again because she said some really nice things to me. I told her my story about leaving med school, coming to LA, blah blah blah. Most, actually the vast majority, of adults that I tell this to give me an adverse reaction ranging from a face that says, "are you stupid?", to flat out telling me, "ohhhh no, you gotta go back, you gotta go back" as they sigh and shake their head. This is why I don't share this story in person much anymore? I mean, what is the BIG DEAL??? They act as though acting is not a legitimate profession. I know that the chances of succeeding here are microscopic. I probably have a better chance of getting struck by lightening. That's not negative thinking, it's just the cold, hard facts. It's reality, from a statistical point of view. But how will I ever know if I don't TRY?!?!?!? Geez.....I've gotten so mad at one point that I really almost cussed someone out one time (I actually was in my head), but luckily my parents raised me to always respect my elders, and I do. So I kindly bite my tongue and just walk away. Look, I'm young, I don't have a wife or kids. I have no responsibilities. My goal is to have no regrets when this (meaning life) is all said and done. Now, back to Trish. She told me that I should keep up what I was doing here because she could tell that I was not happy in med school. She was very supportive and told me how her family kind of shot down her dreams when she was younger and it had a devastating effect on her. It's not right. Parents need to let go of their children when they become adults and let them explore the world. There is so much out there, and I just want to say that I feel I am where I am supposed to be here in LA. Thanks to Trish for her positive words and advice!

Toward the end of the day on set I was still trying to squeeze in a "Hello" to Thomas Gibson (Hotch) and Paget Brewster (Prentiss). Didn't happen! As Jill mentioned in her blog, Thomas had been having some long days and was really tired and stressed and I wasn't even going to go there. I mean, when he finished his last scene, it was like he vanished into thin air he was out of there so fast. I don't blame him. Paget was a different story. Inbetween almost every take, she would leave the set and go to her trailer. So, I couldn't really catch her to say "Hi". It's ok, hopefully I will get the chance to work on the set again!

That folks, was my time on Criminal Minds. I had a good time. I hope to see them all again and I hope Jill gets to come back for a visit.

This quote is not "positive" per se, so much as it is a true statement, which fits rather nicely with my rant from above:

"Countless numbers of men and women, both young and old, permit relatives to wreck their lives in the name of duty because they fear criticism. People refuse to take chances in business because they fear the criticism that may follow if they fail. The fear of criticism in such cases is stronger than the desire for success.
Too many people refuse to set high goals for themselves, or even neglect selecting a career, because they fear the criticism of relatives and 'friends' who may say, 'Don't aim so high, people will think you are crazy.'"

--Napolean Hill, Think and Grow Rich

Ahhhhh......where do I start? I know this quote is long but I relate soooo much to it. I literally had to read this quote at least once a day for 30 days leading up to my move from Ohio to Los Angeles. I was scared, but I did it. I know it was hard for my mom, and I know it must be hard for any parent. But if you are a parent reading this, please acknowledge it and at least think about. After all, what you want most for your child is for them to be happy, right?

Criminal Minds: Honor Among Thieves

Ok, I have a little spare time to talk about my time on the set of Criminal Minds on March 1st and 2nd, 2007. It all started off on Wednesday, February 28th when I received a call from the casting agency that I had been requested by the producers to work on Criminal Minds for the next day on a SAG voucher. I was so happy, and I immediately thought, "Wow, Jill must've talked to someone over there". She works fast. I knew that this was going to be my 3rd voucher and that I had was finally going to be eligible to join the Screen Actors Guild, something that EVERY actor is trying to do. It makes sense to note here that SAG vouchers pay more than double what the non-union rate is. It also is worthy to note that, at this time, this was the first week I started my job at 24 Hour Fitness. I ended up asking for a total of 5 days off within the first 2 weeks. Two days for Criminal Minds and 3 days for the short film, lol.

Anyways, I had to arrive to the set super early at 7 am. Luckily the show has great catering service and I gorged myself on breakfast burritos and pancakes. I was sitting there talking to a nice lady, Trish, that I had met when all of a sudden I hear, "Good morning!". I look up, and it's Jill! She was on the set the day before, but had come back to meet Mandy Patinkin (Gideon). Jill was with her CBS benefactor, who took some pictures of us, including the one on the left. Jill was then whisked off to the set and I went to the props department to get my badge and my gun, haha. After I had gotten to the set, I talked to Jill for a little bit and then I had to listen to what we were going to be doing for the day. I saw Jill talking to cast members, crew members, producers, etc. I am not going to lie, I had the biggest urge to politely barge in on their conversations and introduce myself as her friend, but I had to hold back! As an actor, to meet people with power on a personal level is a to-die-for event. I have manners though, so I didn't do that. Jill met with and talked to Mandy Patinkin in between one of the takes, she came out of the office, kissed me on the cheek and then was taken to the airport. I really wish she could have stayed longer.

Now it was up to me to meet some of the people on the set, especially the ones who played a part in getting me my 3rd voucher. I knew I needed to meet Scott David and Gina, the casting directors. I didn't know who they were obviously, so I asked one of the production assistants who Gina was, and he pointed her out to me after basically interrogating me as to why. I explained how I was Jill's friend, etc., and he was like, "oohhhh, ok". Everyone on that set knows who Jill is and they know her blog. I introduced myself to Gina and couldn't thank her enough. She was very nice, but she told me that Scott David had left for the day. Bummer. The crazy thing is that when Jill posted the picture of Scott David and Gina on her blog, I realized that I had in fact walked right past Scott David early that day, but I didn't know it was him. Maybe he didn't recognize me, if he even saw me. So, I sent him a postcard thanking him for everything he had done.

A little later on, I met Matthew Gray Gubler (Reid) at craft services. I introduced myself and then said I was Jill's friend, and he's like, "oh yeah!! How's it goin?" I'm glad I could be associated with Jill on this set. I talked to him for a few minutes and then he had to get back to the set. I wasn't able to talk to Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson (Hotch) or Shemar Moore (Morgan) because they were really busy and I didn't want to interrupt. I was NOT trying to get yelled at or make a bad impression that day, lol. I told myself I'd try to talk to them the next day, but little did I know none of them were coming back the next day. I screwed that up! Oh well.

Before I end this, did I mention that as soon as I walked onto the set, one of the first people I was Kate Jackson......from the original Charlie's Angels. Charlie's Angels was before my time, but I still knew who she was. It was crazy to be standing there next to someone who has done so much in this business and had such a successful career. Now, I will talk about the rest of this day and the next day on my next post. No, I'm not trying to drag it out. Yes, I'm going to finish it all on my next post. I've just been working crazy hours this week and I'm beat! Plus, I hate it when my posts get too long. I know no one wants to sit there and read for 20 minutes.

For The Criminal Minds Fans

UPDATES AT THE BOTTOM!

Hey guys, I have a new blog buddy who is the nicest person ever! Click here to see what she wrote about me on her blog.

As I was adding labels to all of my blogs last night, I realized that I had just barely mentioned that I was on Criminal Minds one day and I never even talked about filming that day. So, in honor of my new blog buddy, Jill, I'm going to talk about it now!

The date I was on this show was September 20th and the episode shouldn't have aired too long ago. There is usually about a 4-6 week time period between airing and filming. One of my friends actually called me and said they saw me on this episode. So, we shot on location at a local high school in Tarzana, CA which is in the valley. I played a football player. Let me start by saying that it takes 8 days to shoot one episode, and I was only there for one day for one scene, so I'm not sure what went on in the entire episode. Anyways, in the scene that I was in, we were having a huge pep rally because our football team was going to the championship. The last time our team had made it to the championship was back in 1984, so this was a huge deal! We, the football players, were on a podium with our coach and there was a huge bonfire behind us. For anyone who has this show recorded, if you're looking at the television screen, I'm on the left hand side, toward the back and I have me glasses on. It may be hard to spot me because, honestly, I was bored and it was FREEZING cold that night.

Earlier in the day, we actually had to put on some old raggedy football jersies and pose for a picture as the 1984 team that made it to the championship. Yep, that's right. I was part of a 1984 team and 2006 team in the same episode. That's Hollywood folks! I can't remember, but I think they were going to show this picture in the episode as part of a newspaper clipping from back in the day. So as we were waiting to film our scene, we were sitting in the football stands watching them film another scene. In between takes, Shemar Moore was throwing the football with us and just having a really good time. He is really cool. Unfortunately, he is the only part of the cast that I knew at the time, so I'm not sure what other cast members were there. Thanks to Jill, I know them all now!

That being said, I must confess that I have had many more opportunities to be on Criminal Minds but I have declined ONLY because they mostly shoot on location in a town that is like 40 miles north of L.A. and most of the time I don't feel like fighting the traffic to go there when I could just work on Warner Brother Studies 5 miles away. BUT, now that I have a reason to be on Criminal Minds I will most certainly see what I can do once we get back into the swing of things on January 3rd.

**UPDATE** I did some research and I believe this episode aired November 1st and it was titled "North Mammon". My scene would have been the opening scene!

***UPDATE#2*** Jill, my new blog buddy and genius found the screen caps for this episode I was in. http://www.iad-ordnonstop.net/index2x07.html. I am on page 1, row 2, pictures 2,3, and 4 and also row 3, pictures 1,2, and 3. I'm behind the coach, the guy with the glasses on. Jill is awesome!!!!!

My Desperately Grey Week

How's that for a corny title? It's 12:15 am, and I just got home from being on Criminal Minds with Shemar Moore, so I'm going to make this quick, hopefully.

As you may remember from my last post, I was excited about being on a certain set on Monday, and in case you haven't figured out what it is by now, it was Desperate Housewives. Turns out my day was ruined because I was really hoping Eva Longoria would be working that day, but sadly, she was not. All I got was Marcia Cross. :( We shot on location at a country club and the scene took place in a reataurant. I was just at a table eating. The day was pretty much boring, and Marcia didn't make it any better. She looked good from a distance, but she had SOOO much make-up on, and up close, you can tell she hasn't aged very well. It is amazing what make-up can do for a person. And of course she didn't talk to any of the background people. Typical. There was someone making a guest appearance on the show that day, and I'm sure you know who she is. I can't remember her name, but she was in one of the Scream movies. She was Bill's mother (one of the killers) and she dies at the end of the movie. But you may know her better as Roseanne's sister on Roseanne.

Yesterday was more fun because I was on Grey's Anatomy. Of course I like being on the medical shows. I played an intern and a patient in the same episode. Episode #6, which should air on October 26th. I really liked this set, first and foremost, because they fed us really well, and that's always at the top of my list. Secondly, everyone was pretty cool for the most part.

Ellen Pompeo (Meredith) is really tiny, and didn't speak to any of us, of course. I tried to say hi, and she acted like she didn't see me. But it's ok because a few weeks ago, at the Emmy's, the critics ripped her apart because of her sloppy hairdo, haha. The girl who plays Christina seemed cool, but she looked so serious all the time. The guy who plays Alex, his eyes were really red like he was up all night, and he wreaked of cigarettes. He reminded more of a construction worker than of a doctor. The one thing I liked about this show was that they were really efficient. They set up a scene, did it a few times and moved on. They got a lot done in one day, whereas on other shows sometimes they spend hours on one scene. I won't give any details on what scenes were shot that day though. I won't ruin in for anyone.

On my way home from Grey's, I was driving down Hollywood Blvd, and noticed there were a lot of people there for a Tuesday night. I drive a little further, down to the Chinese Grauman Theatre, and lo and behold, the premiere of Employee of the Month was happening! That's the movie with Jessica Simpson and Dane Cook, who were obviously there. It was my first glimpse of a red carpet since I moved to L.A. Now, I just to find out how to know when there is going to be a premiere, before it happens. I didn't see Jessica or Dane, and I couldn't stop and see what was going on because I was tired and plus there was no parking anywhere near the theatre. Oh well, maybe next time.

I think that pretty much sums up the first part of my week. My bed is calling me because it's been a long day and I have to get up early tomorrow.