The Call-Back

I'm finally into the swing of things at Bar Lubitsch and getting more comfortable with the bar, computers, and patrons.  I had my highest ring since I started there on Saturday, plus I was working Service Well so it was even higher because of that!  I was really happy with myself aside from the fact that I broke a glass into the well at the busiest time of the night and another Bartender and I were talking earlier about how long it's been since we did that.  Murphy's Law, I guess.  Anyway, it's been a while since I've worked in a bar on a Friday or Saturday night and even though we can't drink at Bar Lubitsch, getting to sleep after a busy Bartending shift has proved very difficult week after week.  This week was a little better because I was getting into bed around 4 am and falling asleep almost right away versus my 5 am bed-time.  My late night weekend habits have been proving very difficult for Sundays and getting up early to watch Football and being exhausted all day Sunday and then sleeping for 10 hours on Sunday nights to catch up for getting just a few hours of sleep a night on Friday and Saturday.

This Sunday I had no time to rest and couldn't be exhausted because I had a Call-Back for the Short Film I Auditioned for 2 weeks ago.  Luckily, I had Neil to help me rehearse for my 1-line scene.  I had to play a Drunk Newlywed which actually is far more difficult than you think because you need to be believably drunk without literally being drunk.  What do you do when you drink?  You sway, you slur, your gestures may be bigger and you're clumsy.  So we rehearsed my foot work, we rehearsed how I would say the line, and what my reaction to the other person would be, and how I would exit.  Then I took a shot, yes, one shot, to calm my nerves and take the edge off the Audition.

There were a couple other people waiting, one for the same part as me, and another for the main character.  Both girls who were reading for the Newlywed were dressed in white dresses with brown belts and brown boots.  I asked the one if that's what she had worn to the Audition and how lucky that she was reading for the Newlywed now!  She said no, she didn't know that you were supposed to wear the same thing from your Audition to your Call-Back, and perhaps in this case, it might not have been necessary but she did learn something at the Audition which can hopefully help her in the future.  Then we waited...

About a half hour later I was called into the Audition Room.  There was another guy that was going to play my Better Half and I was reading to camera (which as a Drunk Newlywed really didn't matter) but I was ready and prepared to do the scene.  Us Newlyweds walked out of the room, shook it out, and then stumbled into the room, tried to steady myself as we got further to our marks but relied on him to hold me up, focused on the camera for a few seconds made a realization and said, 'Iceman,' as I pointed, then realized I had a ring on my finger, 'I'm an honest woman,' with a little surprise and excitement, fist pumped, and flirtatiously said 'Iceman' as I stumbled out of frame.  The Director liked my first read, saying he really liked my instincts but that I should take the humor out of it, say the lines as if speaking them might make me throw up right there because I was that blacked-out drunk.  So my Better Half and I walked back outside, took a breath and tripped back into the room.  This time I nearly forgot what I was going to say which actually worked to my advantage as I slurred my words and barely made it across the room in our 'drunken stupor.'  It was definitely different than my first take, so I was glad I took the direction and gave them something different to see.  Then they told me they'd be filming in November, asked if I was available, and thanked me.

The whole Call-Back lasted about 4 or 5 minutes and then it was over.  I was definitely glad I had an idea before I even came into the room because I would have felt really on the spot and nervous to just perform without any inclination on what to do and would have probably been over the top and way too in my head about what I needed to do versus coming up with something organic as they had given me direction and some tips before we even started the Call-Back.  They're casting this week so it would be great to book a job for the month of November...fingers crossed!