Now It All Makes Sense

Remember how on my last post I said that there was all kinds of chaos on the Grey's Anatomy set? Well, I clearly see why now. If anyone watched this past Thursday's episode, the very last scene of the night was the first part of what we filmed just one week prior, with Meredith in the emergency room. Usually, when an episode is taped, it airs 4-6 weeks later. This means that production on Grey's was waaaaaaaaay behind. Everyone was stressed. And when I went in that day, I noticed they were moving at lightening speed. Usually, it takes a few hours and many takes just to do one scene. I've been in scenes where the director did 19 takes!! On this day on Grey's, they were doing 2-3 takes maximum and moving right along. Crazy crazy day. We are approaching the end of the season anyway, with most shows finishing up in April or so, so things do get behind and get hectic. Let me also say here that Ellen Pompeo was nice on this day too. It was funny though, because I remember when she walked onto the set and I though to myself, "Man, is she late or something and not have time for hair or makeup?". But, she didn't need hair and makeup because she was just rescued from the water.

So I guess this is where I'll talk about my token "crazy". On Valentine's Day, I was back on Rush Hour 3. We did an explosion scene and I played a paramedic. There really wasn't much to the day at all. We only worked for about 10 hours. I went through the whole day looking for my crazy, but I was unsuccessful. It made the whole day pretty boring, but then he popped up at the end of the day. It was this older man, he had to be at least 55 years old. I think he played an FBI agent, and so I wasn't near any of them all day, which is why I didn't run into him sooner. Anyways, it's the end of the day and everyone is changing out of their costumes into their regular clothes. Our changing rooms are in these trailers that they have. They are small, and only fit 2 people at most. It was cold since the sun went down, so they had the heat on in the trailer, but it was at maximum. It was burning up in there. So, I'm in there changing, and this man comes in to change too. He starts talking, A LOT, and I have no clue what he's saying because I really didn't care! I mean, I can't even remember what he was saying, I just remember a lot of cuss words, expecially the F word. He was pissed about something. So, I'm minding my own business, changing my clothes, when he FARTS.....loud! Now, I'm a guy, and normally farting is funny. Come on, we all do it!! But when you're in a small trailer, that's literally 12 feet by 5 feet, and it is hot and stuffy in there....it's just GROSS!!! Luckily, I was just about done changing, and I got out of there before my gag reflex went into action! Ugh. Where's the respect people!?!?!? And this guy looked like he just sits around all day and eats hot dogs and farts all day. Seriously!

I want to ask everyone.....have you ever questioned your own normalcy? I mean, think about it. Crazy, weird, or strange people, don't know that they're crazy, strange, or weird. If they did, they wouldn't do or say the things that they do, right? Sometimes I meet so many weirdos, I think to myself, "Am I the crazy one? Am I normal?'. Because there certainly can't be this many crazies in the world. I mean, what if other people think I'm crazy? haha I am not!! But I did have an embarrassing moment the other day. I can't believe I'm about to tell this to the world. Anyways, we have a window in our bathroom (I just know everyone is jumping to conclusions with just that sentence, lol). The back of our apartment, where the bathroom is, faces another apartment building, so there is a little walk way between the 2 buildings. Our aparment, is just a few feet above ground level since we live on an incline. So I went to go take a leak, and the window was open, but I didn't think anything of it. So I'm peeing, and u know the sound it makes, tinkle tinkle whatever. Well, it was kind of loud, and as I'm MID-STREAM, some lady walks by, and as a reflex to hearing the sound, turns her head toward the window and we make eye contact!! AHHHH She could only see me from the chest up, but still!! NEVER AGAIN!! I hope she doesn't live around here. Geez!!

So that's all I have to say for this post.

Positive quote of the day:

"A good example of the power of persistence is show business. From all over the world, people have come to Hollywood seeking fame, fortune, power, love or whatever it is that human beings call success. Once in a great while someone steps out from the long procession of seekers, and the world hears that another person has mastered Hollywood. But Hollywood is not easily nor quickly conquered. It acknowledges talent, recognizes genius, and pays off in money only after one has refused to quit. The secret is always inseparably attached to one word, persistence!"

--Napolean Hill once again. I can't help it, the book is so good I think everyone should read it!

This quote is one that is important for me to read very frequently. I'm such an impatient person, so that is one of my personal obstacles. One thing that I do know I have, though, is persistence. I'm a fighter, and honestly, I have accomplished everything that I've put an effort into, so I don't know why I worry so much. Oh yeah, it's that damn loan debt that I have!!!

2007 Started off OK!

Well, it seems like 2007 came in and things just started happening for me. Small things, but "things" nonetheless. Baby steps. I actually want to take it slow and steady and work my way up. As far as work, it's the same routine. It was pretty cool on Wednesday though. I worked on a new pilot starring David Duchovny. It's not titled yet. We shot at someone's mansion in Malibu. The house was on the side of a hill overlooking the pacific ocean. The whole time, I just kept thinking, "This is someone's life? Someone actually lives here!". We were there shooting a high school house party scene on the back patio until 1 am. It was COLD that night and some of us had to get in the pool. They heated it for us, but coming out of the pool was torture. There was this guy there, and I wouldn't call him a "crazy", but he made a comment that I just don't understand why he didn't keep it to himself. When I fisr saw this guy, I thought he looked a little nerdy. He reminded me of the guy in the American Pie movies with the red hair and freckles. You know who I'm talking about. So, I was talking to this guy and he goes, "I'm playing the nerdy guy at the party that can't get a girl to talk to me. That's not too far from me in real life?" Why do people say things like that?? What am I supposed to say to that? "Yeah, I can totally tell."? I mean, it reminds me of this lady I met on ER. We had just checked in and she busts out her lipstick and says, "Well, I better put on my face before I scare everyone away!". Geez......these people can't think of anything else to say??? Next time I'm going to play along and agree with them and see what they do. Seriously!

This weekend I was back on Rush Hour 3. We were shooting a traffic jam scene at an intersection in Downtown L.A. That means I basically sat in my car for 2 days straight! It was soooo boring, but you get paid extra for using your car in a scene, so that was cool. Chris Tucker was there this time. He is funny, but his high pitched voice is solely for his career. I heard him talking to the director and he sounded normal. Mia Tyler was there too. She is Steven Tyler's daughter, the goth one. They had her made up all pretty though. I don't know if she was just making a cameo or if she has an actual role in the film. Brett Ratner is directing this film. Do you guys know who Brett Ratner is?? If not, let me explain. He's directed many films and many rap videos, but more importantly, he know Mariah Carey personally and has directed several of her videos as well, including We Belong Together. This means I've come in contact with someone who knows Mariah personally! I'm one step closer yall. I just can't wait until she gets her (long overdue) star on the Walk of Fame so I can be there. Gosh.....I'm so sprung!

Now, onto more good news. I was going to wait to tell everyone this, but what the heck. I got the phone call on Thursday that I've been offered a role in an independnt film!! SWEET! I auditioned twice for it and the diretor liked me and wants to use me. This is good because this short film is going to be submitted to film festivals. That's a lot of exposure for an actor. Film festivals are also great for networking. The director actually made a film in 2005 and won the top honor at a film festival. She eventually wants to make this current film into a full length feature film. So, cross your fingers and hope it does really well. We shoot the weekend of February 17th.

Positive quote for the day:

“Have your plans carefully in mind of what you will do when success arrives, because just when it seems least possible, the tide will turn for you."

~Catherine Ponder (The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity).

Different News For Once!!

I hate it when I get so busy that there is a week's time between posts, because they end up getting really long. I'm sure no one wants to sit and read a blog for 20 minutes. Anyways, I have some good, no great news for once. I FINALLY have an AGENT!!!!!! Whew. It took me exactly 5 months and 21 days since I started the search. This is a huge step for a new person in Hollywood. The agency I joined signed me to a commercial contract, so I'm starting in commercials. This is great because commercials are very lucrative and only licensed talent agents have access to these types of jobs. You really can not progress here without an agent. I already thanked God a million times because as you all know I'm under a little more of a time crunch and more pressure than most other actors out here. I have to let Ohio State know in June whether or not I'm comging back or not. Well, I don't want to have to make that decision. I want to be doing so much here that there wouldn't even be a question in my mind as to whether I'd go back or not. Ya know, up until now, the fact that I had this decision to make really stressed me out and depressed me, because I obviously don't want to make the wrong decision. However, I think this is a blessing in disguise. It keeps me working over time to make things happen. It keeps me on my toes. I see so many actors out here who get lazy and they're just floundering. This leads into my next point, and my next bit of good news (there are 3).

I went into one of the background casting agenices last week to ask if they could help me get another SAG voucher. I told them I had 2 (even though it was still technically 1), and that I only needed one more. I told them that I had been doing background for 5 months, i had 2 vouchers and I didn't know why I was having trouble getting my 3rd. The dude in there looked at me like I was crazy! He said that on average, people doing background get one voucher every 1.5 years!!! He said I was waaay ahead of the curve by having 2 already. But see, that's just my frame of mind. When I do something, I HAVE to be first, and I HAVE to be the best. My mother can validate that. The fact that it had been almost 6 months and I didn't have my 3 vouchers was really getting to me. This brings me to my next point!

I GOT THE OTHER SAG VOUCHER 5 days later, and I had to hustle to get it! This is so crazy. So last week they had put out a casting notice about needing people to play protestors for a scene in Rush Hour 3. I submitted for it, and they didn't call me. Two days later they postedd it again saying they still needed people. I'm thinking to myself, "why would they post a 2nd time if they hadn't called everyone from the first notice?" They were shooting, on the weekend, and Friday rolls around and I still hear nothing. January has been such a slow month for work, so my ass CRASHED the set. Haha. People do it all the time apparently. Once the people who were booked finish checking in, then the "set crashers" or SPECS can try to get on. I wasn't the only one; there were like 20 other people who crashed. I had heard that they were possible going to recall people for the next day, but only a few. So, when we finished that day, I made sure I was on the first bus back to where we check out. As I got there, the girls was counting people off. She counted the first 40 people to come back the next day. So, I go back the next day and there are considerably less people. And feature films are requred to use 50 SAG vouchers before they can start using non-union vouchers. If there aren't 50 union people there, then they have to give some SAG vouchers to non-union people. So, I heard the girls say they were going to need to give a few of the vouchers out at the end of the day. Man, I was her best friend ALL day. I flirted like heck with her, and it paid off! They needed to give out 12 SAG vouchers, and she gave one to me. But my friend that was with me both days didn't get one. Sad, but hey, it's a cut-throat business and I got my voucher and that's all I cared about. Now, I'm still waiting for my 3rd one (that's owed to me). Not bad, huh?

Well, this is getting too long, so I'm going to wait until Monday to talk about the rest. Ahhh....don't you hate cliffhangers? Well get over it! This is Hollywood. This past Monday I was on a new pilot called Drive. It's a high school show and I played a high school kid on the baseball team. Yes, that means I got paid to play baseball all day! Nobody recognizable was on this how. Yesterday I was on Without A Trace. I played an FBI agent and we worked from 10 am to 12:15 am!!! That was grueling. I don't know anyone on that show either. Oh I almost forgot, on Rush Hour 3 we only worked with Jackie Chan jumping out of windows. He's cool, and they hired a bunch of Chinese extras for this scene. The Chinese women were all trying to take pictures of Jackie Chan and yelling for him and saying they loved him. It was funny.

Crap!! I just remembered that I met 3 crazies (I think that's a record) on the set of Without A Trace. Oh well, I'm sick of typing. I'll have to tell you about them in my next post. It's really funny.

Quotes of the day:

"Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity." (We knew that, but it fits this blog)

"The essential question is not, "How busy are you?' but 'What are you busy at?' 'Are you doing what fulfills you?'"

--both by Oprah Winfrey