Casting Workshops in July: Part 1.

This past month I've been kept busy with Acting stuff and that makes me so happy.  As an Actor you go through spurts, or really slow times in your career, and sometimes when it rains it pours.  I love those moments and that's how I've felt this month.

I had three weeks of Casting Workshops that I took this month at Act Now.  My first was with Erica Silverman (Bream) who most recently was working on Revolution and has also cast for Criminal Minds, Workaholics, House of Lies, and Law & Order.  This workshop was an all day intensive with her and the class had received our scenes on Friday for our Sunday workshop.  Mine was from Revolution and I was nervous and excited to perform in class.  After meeting her and answering some questions about the casting process, what she's looking for in a headshot, and on a resume, we got started with One-Liners and then had a Mock Producer Session for each group that was performing.  Basically, there were a couple of us assigned to decide who the role would go to after they had performed the one line they were given.  It was interesting to see each actor make a completely different choice than the other and what was more difficult was deciding who would get the role.  The few of us that were deciding made choices based on certain parts of their performance while other times it was easier and one actor stood out or just fit the role perfectly.  

Erica looks for a headshot that looks like you
(makes sense) and is natural!

Next up, we did Jargon Roles where each of us got cast as a Doctor, Paramedic, Lawyer, or in my case, Pharmacist.  This was also a great opportunity to practice this type of role, even if in typical casting, I might be a little too young-looking to play this type of role.  I had a lot of fun doing these Mock Producer Sessions and thought it was a great addition to the Workshop experience.  Although, it would have been really beneficial to find out why we didn't get cast over someone else so we could improve on something, if that was the case.  

Our last part of the afternoon was performing our assigned scenes, which we did on camera, and then Erica gave each of us a re-direct and we got to perform again.  I really like when we get assigned a scene because then you see what a Casting Director sees when they look at you, and the types of roles you could play.  I played my scene like a typical reporter:  Excited, asking questions, being a little bit of a know it all, but at the end of the day, searching for answers.  She re-directed me saying I was over my job, burnt out, and it was definitely more work than it was fun.  I loved the differences in playing each side, made strong choices for both, and was happy with my re-direct!

I was really happy to meet Erica and spend the day learning about different roles that come up in nearly every Television show and get to perform them in front of such an encouraging CD.  Not only did I have a fun day at this Workshop but I felt like I learned a lot too!

Casting Workshops in July: Part 2.

After my Intensive with Erica I was very excited about my next Workshop which was two weeks with two different Casting Director's from the same Casting Office.  The CD's I had targeted this month were for Drama and I felt it was good for me to change it up and try something different.

The first week was with Marlo Tiede who is currently casting Grimm.  She has also cast Necessary Roughness, Ghost Whisperer, the new Beverly Hills 90210, and Castle.  After doing an initial Q&A she talked about the Casting process for Grimm.  She looks for mostly guys because it is a more men-heavy show and also character actors since most of the roles transition from human to animal throughout the episode.  She paired us with a scene partner and assigned us scenes that we were able to rehearse for about 10 minutes.  I liked my scene but my scene partner proved a little bit difficult because I couldn't connect with her and felt like we were on opposite pages.  The scene was from Grimm and there was some major crazy terminology but my scene partner was trying to memorize and changing the lines every time she did them so I couldn't be off script because she wasn't consistent.  She was playing the mother role and I was the younger daughter-in-law role and as soon as we performed and were finished the CD had said there was no connection or chemistry with us.  I couldn't have agreed with her more!  She also said we weren't listening and made the wrong choices; I needed to play my side more sympathetic and understanding while she needed to come off more over-bearing and bitchy.  I made my adjustments but my partner read almost exactly the same way she read the first time so I just listened and responded as best I could.  I felt defeated when we were finished.  I knew I did the best I could and made the changes she had asked for (which she did notice) but I couldn't help but feel frustrated with the whole situation.  

The face and smile of Determination!

 Last week Monday was my workshop with Kendra Castleberry who currently casts Castle but has also cast for Wildfire, October Road, Life on Mars, and The O.C.  She was very direct and said she was looking for someone who could bring it on the first read or audition.  She treated the Workshop like an audition and we had one opportunity to impress her.  Kendra had sent out scenes to the class a week earlier so I had chosen one from Ghost Whisperer that gave me the opportunity to play a bunch of emotions.  I'm glad I had my scene memorized since she had mentioned it was important to come to auditions prepared and since we were given a week to do so, the class really had no excuse.  We all performed only once but she did give feedback to each of us and mine was that I gave it too much, the scene was more subtle, and didn't need all the emotion.  That surprised me since I had rehearsed the scene with Kristina and Neil, and both had thought the scene was emotionally full and gave me the ability to portray so many emotions.  We could have been completely wrong but I would rather hear I gave too much rather than not enough, because it's that much harder to bring it than to tone it down.  Once again, I felt a little disappointed but proud in my decision to play the role the way I thought it was written and didn't waiver.  I made a choice and even if it was wrong, I stuck to it.

You can't create chemistry, nor can you make someone listen to you (in real life or acting), or even be exactly what the casting director is looking for because you just don't know.  But you can be open to the process, positive and understanding in receiving feedback, and hard-working and determined with the material.  Every Workshop is a lesson and practice for an audition, day on set, or real-life experience and you just need to make strong choices and be optimistic in your life.  If you gave your all just know the only thing you need to be is the best version of yourself :)

Casting Workshop at ACT Now!

This weekend I finished up my two week Casting Workshop with Melanie Crescenz from CFB Casting and they work on a bunch of shows while her main focus is "New Girl", a couple shows on Adult Swim, and she's finishing up a movie with Cameron Diaz that's filming in Boston.

Fun & Quirky Lyndsey

The first week we brought in our own scenes and after a Q&A we each got a few minutes with her while we performed our scene with a Reader.  I performed a scene from "Sex & The City" as Carrie called 'The Good Fight' which Carrie and Aidan argue about his stuff being all over the apartment after Pete (Aidan's Dog) chews up one of Carrie's fancy shoes.  It's a fun scene that has comedic undertones but is honest and real.  Melanie laughed throughout the scene and said it was a very real fight that most couples have at some point and if I hadn't talked about Carrie and Aidan she wouldn't have known it was from "Sex & The City" which I think is good because I don't want it to be recognizable or be compared to Sarah Jessica Parker, because she is the perfect Carrie.

This past week was Cold Reading so after chatting about the shows and answering a couple questions from people in the room we were given our scenes with 15 minutes to prepare and then read in front of the other actors.  My scene was from "Newsreaders," in fact, the entire episode, so I picked a few different scenes that I felt flowed together well and although the script was a little daunting, I felt like I was making good and honest choices.  Joseph Pearlman gave me some great advice when I had taken an Intensive with him; make choices that excite and motivate you, find the danger, and then let the words come off the page, but really listen to your Reader.  I made sure to put all those techniques into my Read and was pleasantly surprised when Melanie said that I was more prepared in my Cold Reading than some of the actors who had 2-3 days to prepare this when they auditioned with it.  She said I chose the meatiest parts of the script and that brought out my best side.  YAY!

Each Workshop I take is a learning experience and an opportunity for me to perfect and hone my craft.  It's another time to perform a Cold Read in front of a Casting Director as well as a room full of actors (whom are all talented, Act Now does a great job with that) and also see what you would be cast as.  My character was carrying the show, a beautiful but annoyingly quirky girl, a Host type, that was fun and just a tad bit strange.  I like that Melanie challenged me with something interesting!  Now if "New Girl" would give me a chance to meet with them, you'd see an even happier girl ;)

Soap Opera Intensive Day 2

My Class didn't end when I left on Saturday evening, it was still going as I wanted to be as prepared as possible to do my best work for Casting Director, Bob Lambert, who casts Days of Our Lives.  The second day of our Intensive started on Sunday morning but I rehearsed as soon as class was done on Saturday and right up to class on Sunday morning!

Neil helped me prepare and go through my scene, being an awesome 'Cara.'  My scene was between my frenemy, Cara, and Amanda, whom I was playing.  Basically, I tried to get her deported because she's in love with my husband, but is marrying someone else and she confronts me on her Wedding Day.  The scene had a lot of fun moments and I was able to take my note from the first day to make sure that I had variety, levels, and changes throughout the scene to really build it and make it fun.  By Sunday morning I was memorized and Neil and I had played around with emotions and ideas for Amanda and I felt very strong and understanding of my character.

Annie and I practiced on Sunday morning of Day 2 as soon as she arrived at Act Now.  I had to laugh when she walked into the room because we were both wearing a sweater of the exact same color (Bright Royal Blue) and style.  We must have been on the same wave-length as we got ready in the morning and wanted to wear something bright that popped.  After running the scene a few times we hit a high point and decided to stop because we wanted to keep things fresh for both of us.

Day 2 began with Bob showing us some examples of good and bad Headshots and Postcards and also gave some notes for taking good headshots and what he likes to see on Resumes.

Next up, each scene went one by one into the room with Bob to run our Screen Test where we slated and then performed the scene.  Annie and I hit the mark as both of us really felt the scene and became a part of the world and Bob noticed and gave us some great compliments.  He said it was strong and perfect for the show, so different than yesterday, he could feel all of our emotions and we kept the scene going and the energy up.  He loved the emotion I had brought to the scene and my final moment where I actually had tears in my eyes.  YAY!  After each of us performed our scenes we got to watch all of them on camera and I was really proud of Annie and I and the changes we had made to make our scene pop and come to life!  It was very relateable and the connection between the two of us was strong and I knew my moments were truthful because I realized I couldn't remember what I did because I lost myself in the scene.

The last part of the day were one on one meetings with Bob and when it was my turn he asked about my representation and said I had really proved myself and he would love to call me in when a role fits me!  We talked about my headshots and a little more about the scene and I thanked him for giving me new ideas to think about, that I had learned a lot from him and that I was thankful for such a wonderful experience.  

I would recommend this Intensive to anyone interested in Soap Operas because Bob has a vast knowledge of information to share, he makes the class fun, and really helps you improve on your Audition skills and wants you to succeed.  He was honest and fair and ran his class with enthusiasm, and I can't wait to work with him again :)

Soap Opera Intensive Day 1

This weekend was crazy busy for me...I had work on Friday and Saturday night and had a Soap Opera Intensive with Bob Lambert all day on Saturday and then again on Sunday morning until the afternoon.  Running around well weekend was so worth it for a wonderful learning experience and a lot of fun!

The Intensive was at the Act Now Studios in Sherman Oaks and Bob arrived right on time and a bundle of energy and smiles.  He is a Casting Director for Days of Our Lives and used to Cast for All My Children.  We all introduced ourselves, talked about where we were from and what our experience was.  Bob was full of information talking about the types of roles they cast for Days of Our Lives, what to expect, pay rate, and the Audition process for each of them.  We had a note-taking session on all of this which also included expectations from Soap Opera Casting Directors and Audition notes specifically for Soaps.

We were all given a scene that we looked over in the hallway and 20 minutes later we were all performing our Cold Readings on Camera.  Bob gave some re-directs and ideas for each of the actors and some of us performed again and after everyone finished we all sat down to watch the performances on camera.  He gave me some great notes, telling me that I was a strong actor, had good pacing, and that I was living in the scene.  He said I could add more levels and variety so I made sure when I was Reading for the next Actor I was already applying that note.  When I watched myself on camera I saw what he was talking about and would make sure my next performance on camera would include that note.  I don't usually get to see myself Audition or on camera so it was nice to see what a Casting Director or Producer may see after Auditions.  This way I was able to see what worked and what didn't work which was super beneficial for future Auditions.  I was really nervous when I got up there and was actually shaking but as I watched the playback you couldn't tell at all so that was awesome!

What does this Headshot sell to you?

Next up we talked about the Camera Shots they use on Days of Our Lives and most Soap Operas, blocking, and what to do during your scene based on the camera angles.  Then he gave us some more notes on what to look for in your Sides and talked about our Headshots and Resumes.  I have an exercise I'll be working on this week to make sure my Headshots are selling me and how people see me.

The last part of the day was working with a Scene Partner where he gave us another scene and we would be doing a Screen Test.  So Annie and I worked on the scene for a few minutes, he gave each group blocking and then we rehearsed the scene once through and next up we were filmed.  Our scene definitely felt like it dragged and that was the first note Bob gave was that the energy was brought down with the emotion of the scene and even though there were some sad notes we still needed to keep it up and exciting.  When I saw it on camera, he was 100% right, we were kind of boring, and although he said both of us were living in the moment and were natural there was room for improvement and we were up for the challenge!

That was Day 1 of my Soap Opera Intensive with Bob Lambert and I felt like I had already learned so much and had so many ideas for what I wanted to do with my scene and couldn't wait to perform again and show him the changes I would make to make our scene exciting and feisty!  He's a fantastic teacher and made this intensive interesting and fun :)

Act Now!

I was on my way to my Act Now Interview on Tuesday with a 45 minute window to get to Sherman Oaks when Google Maps had predicted a less than 20 minute drive and I got stuck on the 405 behind an accident for nearly an hour and a half!  Thankfully, my Consultant at Act Now understands the traffic in LA (she is also an Actress) and just told me to get to the Office safely as I sat with my windows rolled down, sun shining in and jammed out to some music during my wait.

I've always wanted to play a Vixen on a Soap Opera!

Upon arrival at Act Now I made my way to their suite and after having an initial meeting, my Consultant left me with my 3 copies to rehearse for about 20 minutes until she came back; one was a Commercial copy, the second was a Comedy scene from 'Scrubs', and lastly a dramatic piece from an Indie Film.  I pulled out my notes to make sure I was getting the most from my scenes, finding a moment before, pulling from my own personal experiences, and allowing the words to disappear off the page as I started to memorize all three pieces.  Obviously, I wasn't going to have 3 different copies memorized in 20 minutes but I wanted to have a good understanding and be able to take direction if they wanted me to change anything.

The 30 second Commercial Copy was a breeze, fun and sassy, while the Comedy piece was very quick and after a quick re-direct I had the pacing spot-on and it became more funny as the scene went on.  The Indie piece had some great moments and I felt like I really connected with the character, wiping away a tear at one point.  Both Consultants in the room liked what I did and said those were parts they could see me playing so I was glad I was comfortable with the variety of scenes and was able to perform my Cold-Reads well under pressure in a short amount of time.

The point of meeting with Act Now was because they offer longer Workshops and Intensives to build a better relationship with Casting Directors and network.  I'm taking a Bob Lambert Intensive this weekend, as he's the Head Casting Director for 'Days of Our Lives' and it'll be my first Soap Opera Intensive!  I've been looking forward to this for weeks and I needed to have this meeting to make sure that I was at a high enough skill level to be placed in this workshop.  The second half of the Meeting was talking about what my type was and what shows I would like to work on and whom I should take Workshops with to have the opportunity to be called in for Auditions.  Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll have a little more freedom with my schedule and will be able to take some more Intensives.

I'm so excited for this weekend...it's going to be crazy busy with work but I can't wait to do some Acting Work for Soap Opera's and learn some new skills!!