22 days into the new year and it’s already been amazing! I had a great visit back east after working at the bar through the holidays. While I was gone, some magic happened to greet me on my return to LA! I met a very nice producer for a very popular show when she came to lunch at the bar. She gave me her assistant’s phone number and told me to call him and send in my headshot and resume. I did all of this – he was very nice on the phone – but nothing happened. This lovely nice fairy godmothersister of a producer came back into the bar earlier this week, asked me what had happened, I told her, “Nothing so far. I sent in my H/R but haven’t heard anything.”, and she called the office while having lunch and asked them to set up a general for me. The casting director’s office called me 3 hours later with an appointment for the next day! Amazing! I had these great juicy sides playing a character you at first thing deserved to get killed, but then later you find out she was trying help everyone. Let me start at the beginning.
I put some good solid work into my sides and then arrived at the audition neighborhood an hour early because I was determined not to be late. So, I had time to grab a tea, find a good parking spot, and run my sides a few more times in the car. In the meantime, the rain had begun again – for those of you who don’t know, we’ve had blazing sun to drizzle to mist to driving rain to hail to rainbows for pretty much the entire week. I get out of the car my pant legs were soaked in the 30 sec it took to put quarters in the meter. I got into the audition waiting room freezing and wet and shivering – thankfully the casting office had the heat on full blast for all of us cold, wet girls! I signed in and noticed that the other 2 girls their were repped by CAA (Creative Artists Agency) and Innovative Artists Agency – two major players in Hollywood. I meekly but determinedly drew a line through the box next to my name where it said “Agency”. Then I chatted a bit with the other 2 girls there and continued to look at my sides. Girl one left and a few moments later, Jewel Staite from Serendipity, Firefly and Stargate: Atlantis walked in! She was there to audition, too. The nice guy running the auditions came in and called out names and, as he read the list, he called out Meghan (“That’s me”), Jewel – Jewel S said “yup”, Julia “right here”, Jewel – I said “ yes” - and then Jewel Staite and I both said, “you’re a Jewel?” I said to the nice guy “I’m Jewel Greenberg.” “Ah!” he says, “then you must be Jewel Staite” – “Yes” she said. Then he left and Jewel S and I bonded over how each of us is the only other Jewel we know in LA. A lovely interaction and she really is as nice as Kaylee, her character from Firefly. As we were talking, it came out that I didn’t have representation. A collective gasp – “How did you get in here? It’s really hard.” Said one of the girls. I told them the story about the lovely executive producer and they exclaimed, “Wow, that is really lucky. Good for you! People dream about that kind of thing happening to them. Good luck!”
As all of this was going on, we would intermittently hear cussing and hurried walking/stomping from the casting director’s office next door. Not particularly soothing, one of the other girls said not to worry – this casting director is always like this. “Great.” I thought wryly, “My first tv audition in LA and I’m going in to a scary loud-voiced stomper”. Finally, it was my turn – I was fine when I got there, but did get progressively nervous as the waiting went on. When I went in, the cameraman met me at the door and I walked in to meet the casting director who, surprisingly, was all smiles and nice as pie. Well, maybe not pie – she wasn’t sticky sweet, but grounded and a straight shooter… Nice as a mushroom and sausage pizza pie maybe. We talked a little, she asked me how I knew the exec producer, and then we got into the sides. I appreciated how upfront she was about how they did things - right off the bat, she invited me to tell them if I wanted to do something over again because they edit the tape. We did each scene 2 or 3 time – sometimes at my request, but mainly at theirs so I felt like I really got a fair shake even though I’m new to this market. I’m proud to say I accomplished everything I set out to do – I showed emotional range, took direction well, and didn’t come off as nervous but as an actor who knows her craft and is confident. I haven’t heard anything, but I’d be surprised if I got the part. I’m pretty green to be given a juicy guest starring role like this without having a couple of co-start parts first, but you never know. Regardless, I got in front of a great casting director and I’ll keep in touch with her via postcards. Hopefully I co-star or a smaller guest star role when come out of it. And you never know – maybe she’ll call me next week, tell me the producers loved my tape and I’m go in for a producer call. That’s what Theo’s hoping for. I’m letting my hopes hone in on the more realistic eventually co-start. Whew! That long story was great thing number one.
Great thing number two is that I have a commercial agent! Right before Thanksgiving, a good friend of mine who’s a voice over agent gave my headshot and resume to a commercial agent (Rich) at his sister agency. I didn’t hear anything so I asked him to touch base with Rich a week after Thanksgiving. Still nothing, so I asked him to touch base with him again after New Year’s. He did so and they finally called. I went in for my interview last week and end up talking with the head of their non-union department for an hour – for those of you who don’t know, that is a loooooong time to be in an agency meeting. Rich and I really hit it off – I felt comfortable talking with him, I liked the atmosphere in the office, and the woman at the front desk was really nice and friendly. All major points for the agency! During our meeting, I felt that Rich took the time to answer my questions and ask me more than once if I had any questions for him. I felt cared for and I felt like he cared about the progression of my career as well, not just getting me signed. He really wanted to make sure his agency was the right fit for me. And I felt it was! I called him a few days later to confirm that I wanted to sign with them and now we’re all systems go. I’m going in to sign contracts next week, but I’ve already switched my LA Casting account over to BB&R. Now that it’s official, I can give you the details – I am the happiest new client at Brady, Brannon & Rich! That’s great thing number 2.
Great thing number 3 is that I met another (!) producer at my bar who offered to put me in touch with some great managers he knows. Yes, that would mean paying out more of my meager acting salary as I get jobs, but it would also mean I have someone looking out for me and my career and another person on my side who can get me in the door. That, so far, is the hardest part. I’m thrilled to start going out on commercial auditions, but I’ve been doing lots of casting director workshops and, though I feel like I have a good vibe with the CD’s and I get good feedback, I haven’t been called in theatrically yet. Maybe I should be targeting AFTRA shows? Maybe I need to start pulling on my contacts and asking for auditions? I’m not sure. I’m doing Bonnie Gillespie’s Self-Management for Actors Seminar (SMFA) tomorrow, and I’m planning to get answers to some of my questions then.
SMFA is going to be great because we’re going to talk about how to talk about ourselves. I’m great at networking, it turns out – I like talking to people, I’m able to craft an interesting conversation, I’m fun and I put people at ease – but I get all tongue tied when I feel like I’m on the spot and have to impress people with what I’ve done. Also, I always want to get into the details when someone asks, “How do you see yourself getting cast?” Probably, they just want to hear, “Doctor, lawyer, detective, mom, smart and slightly quirky lead.” But I want to say, “Well, I can play the smart, nice girl who gets a little crazy when stressed, or the cop who’s friendly most of the time but kicks ass when she has to, etc.” I need to keep it short, clear and to the point, and we’re going to tackle that tomorrow.
Oh, and one more exciting thing. We finally had our wrap part for Simply Simon and we got to watch Episode 1! It’s very funny and sweet and it looks amazing. Jarrett, our DP, and Tom, our director, did an amazing job visually. Ben, of course, did an incredible job writing (and acting). And the rest of us… oh, we did a’ight. More this spring when Simply Simon airs at www.watchsimplysimon.com.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
late posting from Nov... 2009! Was that really last year?
Nov 29
So, as usual, it’s been a couple of months since I wrote! I can proudly say I’ve been busy. Since my last post, I’ve gotten a job, wrapped a web series, updated both my website and commercial reels, had new headshots taken, and had a lovely Thanksgiving with my mom and my boyfriend’s family, all together, for the first shared holiday. Sigh. You can check out the updated commercial reel at www.jewelgreenberg.com. I’m quickly approaching a year in LA and it’s satisfying to be able to look at my reel and say – these are all new spots. This is the image I’m promoting for myself within 8 months of moving to LA. It’s great to have something concrete to measure my progress by instead of the usual, “Oh, I’ve been doing workshops… I love my acting class… I’ve just been meeting a lot of people…” It’s also great to realize that there really is more work out here, and I’m getting some of it! After having short hair for 2 years in DC, I moved to LA and still had commercial footage of myself with long hair on my reel. After being here since for 9 months, my new commercial reel is all short hair footage!
Other exciting news is that we wrapped Simply Simon! I can’t tell you any details until we air in January, but it looks like my character may be coming back for Season 2, hopefully after some huge sponsor sweeps in and decides to pay our production costs. Keep your fingers crossed, and check out our behind the scenes blogs at www.watchsimplysimon.com.
I’ve also been learning a lot about myself. I’m bartending now at a restaurant pretty near my house and my awesome all girls bootcamp ended the same week I started training. I’ve been doing yoga, but no weight lifting or running plus I’ve been eating more restaurant food and drinking more than normal for me and what happened? Not only do I have a new job, I also have a new 5 lbs. So, it’s time to start running again and lifting weights, even though I’ll be doing it by myself. Theo and I have mad a pact that we’ll lose 7 lbs by mid-Jan. Here goes! We’ve both gotten a little puffy around the mid-section, even though Theo swears that Thanksgiving foods don’t have calories… It’s nice to have a challenge with my love.
I’ve also been reading a book called “The Drama of the Gifted Child” all about how our childhoods – both the good parts and the bad parts – shape our perception of ourselves and the world. As the oldest sort of – my older brother grew up with his mom and my younger brothers and I grew up with our dad – I’ve never really given much thought to birth order other than feeling like I had it the hardest – paving the way for the younger siblings and all. But as I was reading this book, and over a couple of weeks of thinking about it, I realized that a couple of things are linked to the experience of having three younger brothers…
a. having extremely high expectations for myself
b. feeling like I have to get it perfect, whatever it is
c. worrying about being not enough
As the oldest kid, and perhaps as a girl child, I felt not just like I should help my mom with my little brothers, but that she really needed me to. I don’t know what I thought would happen if she didn’t have my help, but it must have been something big… of course, at that age (5 or so), Mom being unhappy in anyway is a huge concern, so maybe that’s all I was worried about. I’ve always expected great things from myself – perhaps that all started with expecting myself to keep the little brothers on track to help Mom and Dad. I’ve also felt that, at least with things that really important to me, I need to get them perfect before I turn it in, perform it, mail it, etc. That’s certainly linked to having high expectations, and acting class has been a huge help in relearning this trigger of not performing until it’s “perfect”. What will happen if I perform something that’s not perfect? I’ll get some great direction and some great feedback and will have the opportunity to bring it back and do it again better. What will happen if I never perform it because I need to get more solid on my lines, I haven’t had enough time this week to work on it, I’m still thinking about the character? I’ll never put it up, never have the opportunity to learn and sit in the back of the class feeling like I suck because I’m not good enough, brave enough, smart enough, etc. Much higher consequences than just deciding to put up with imperfection. And as for feeling “not enough”, it’s all linked up. By believing I have to get it perfect and having extremely (read “too”) high expectations, I often feel not enough – not skinny enough, not brave enough, not knowledgeable enough, etc. These feelings keep me from excelling and meeting my high expectations – I stop myself before I even get started. Not a recipe for success. How do I quit?
a. Lower the expectations – a run doesn’t have to be a hard 45 min every time. It’s enough to get out and move a little every day.
b. Get rid of perfection – do silly things! Don’t worry about the consequences of things that aren’t that important. Be brave.
c. Tell myself, every day, in lots of ways, that I am enough. Visualize it. Believe it.
So, all that said, it’s true that at the moment, I don’t fit the body type of leading lady. It’s also true that leading lady is what I want to play. Since I don’t think the industry is going to change as quickly as I hope my career does, I’m changing my size, but not by beating myself up for being “average”, telling myself to do it while believing I can’t really, and feeling not enough. Instead, I’m going to run a little bit every day, keep doing yoga, keep a food journal and plan meals for calories, and cheer myself on positively. And look at bikes on Craig’s List to find a cheap road bike I can take to work. Consistant and dedicated effort, in the words of the yoga sutras.
So, as usual, it’s been a couple of months since I wrote! I can proudly say I’ve been busy. Since my last post, I’ve gotten a job, wrapped a web series, updated both my website and commercial reels, had new headshots taken, and had a lovely Thanksgiving with my mom and my boyfriend’s family, all together, for the first shared holiday. Sigh. You can check out the updated commercial reel at www.jewelgreenberg.com. I’m quickly approaching a year in LA and it’s satisfying to be able to look at my reel and say – these are all new spots. This is the image I’m promoting for myself within 8 months of moving to LA. It’s great to have something concrete to measure my progress by instead of the usual, “Oh, I’ve been doing workshops… I love my acting class… I’ve just been meeting a lot of people…” It’s also great to realize that there really is more work out here, and I’m getting some of it! After having short hair for 2 years in DC, I moved to LA and still had commercial footage of myself with long hair on my reel. After being here since for 9 months, my new commercial reel is all short hair footage!
Other exciting news is that we wrapped Simply Simon! I can’t tell you any details until we air in January, but it looks like my character may be coming back for Season 2, hopefully after some huge sponsor sweeps in and decides to pay our production costs. Keep your fingers crossed, and check out our behind the scenes blogs at www.watchsimplysimon.com.
I’ve also been learning a lot about myself. I’m bartending now at a restaurant pretty near my house and my awesome all girls bootcamp ended the same week I started training. I’ve been doing yoga, but no weight lifting or running plus I’ve been eating more restaurant food and drinking more than normal for me and what happened? Not only do I have a new job, I also have a new 5 lbs. So, it’s time to start running again and lifting weights, even though I’ll be doing it by myself. Theo and I have mad a pact that we’ll lose 7 lbs by mid-Jan. Here goes! We’ve both gotten a little puffy around the mid-section, even though Theo swears that Thanksgiving foods don’t have calories… It’s nice to have a challenge with my love.
I’ve also been reading a book called “The Drama of the Gifted Child” all about how our childhoods – both the good parts and the bad parts – shape our perception of ourselves and the world. As the oldest sort of – my older brother grew up with his mom and my younger brothers and I grew up with our dad – I’ve never really given much thought to birth order other than feeling like I had it the hardest – paving the way for the younger siblings and all. But as I was reading this book, and over a couple of weeks of thinking about it, I realized that a couple of things are linked to the experience of having three younger brothers…
a. having extremely high expectations for myself
b. feeling like I have to get it perfect, whatever it is
c. worrying about being not enough
As the oldest kid, and perhaps as a girl child, I felt not just like I should help my mom with my little brothers, but that she really needed me to. I don’t know what I thought would happen if she didn’t have my help, but it must have been something big… of course, at that age (5 or so), Mom being unhappy in anyway is a huge concern, so maybe that’s all I was worried about. I’ve always expected great things from myself – perhaps that all started with expecting myself to keep the little brothers on track to help Mom and Dad. I’ve also felt that, at least with things that really important to me, I need to get them perfect before I turn it in, perform it, mail it, etc. That’s certainly linked to having high expectations, and acting class has been a huge help in relearning this trigger of not performing until it’s “perfect”. What will happen if I perform something that’s not perfect? I’ll get some great direction and some great feedback and will have the opportunity to bring it back and do it again better. What will happen if I never perform it because I need to get more solid on my lines, I haven’t had enough time this week to work on it, I’m still thinking about the character? I’ll never put it up, never have the opportunity to learn and sit in the back of the class feeling like I suck because I’m not good enough, brave enough, smart enough, etc. Much higher consequences than just deciding to put up with imperfection. And as for feeling “not enough”, it’s all linked up. By believing I have to get it perfect and having extremely (read “too”) high expectations, I often feel not enough – not skinny enough, not brave enough, not knowledgeable enough, etc. These feelings keep me from excelling and meeting my high expectations – I stop myself before I even get started. Not a recipe for success. How do I quit?
a. Lower the expectations – a run doesn’t have to be a hard 45 min every time. It’s enough to get out and move a little every day.
b. Get rid of perfection – do silly things! Don’t worry about the consequences of things that aren’t that important. Be brave.
c. Tell myself, every day, in lots of ways, that I am enough. Visualize it. Believe it.
So, all that said, it’s true that at the moment, I don’t fit the body type of leading lady. It’s also true that leading lady is what I want to play. Since I don’t think the industry is going to change as quickly as I hope my career does, I’m changing my size, but not by beating myself up for being “average”, telling myself to do it while believing I can’t really, and feeling not enough. Instead, I’m going to run a little bit every day, keep doing yoga, keep a food journal and plan meals for calories, and cheer myself on positively. And look at bikes on Craig’s List to find a cheap road bike I can take to work. Consistant and dedicated effort, in the words of the yoga sutras.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
More on working, and then some.
Work opportunities are flourishing! I got called in for a Swiffer commercial last Thursday and have a callback on Monday! Woo-hoo! What makes it a double “Woo-hoo” is that the first time this casting director called me in, I was out of town, so I couldn’t make the audition. Then, when I mentioned that my agent wasn’t calling me in, he said to tell him that he (the casting director) said I should be called in for anything I’m remotely right for because I would get callbacks. And he was right – I got one! I also dropped off a load of yoga resumes at a businessy area near where I live. I’ll follow up on those in a couple of days and see who wants to do lunchtime yoga at their office. AND I’m training in a week at a local bar. Now we’re talking “bar”, not club. Dive bar. Better yet, a dive karaoke bar. It feels like a real neighborhood family place. My friend, Laura, who just moved to LA from DC… she’s only the first of many… the rest will come. ;) Anyway, Laura and her fiancé arrived 2 weeks ago after a ridiculous , SERIOUSLY ridiculous moving saga, and Laura had no luck with the temp agencies, so she did a bartending course. Through that course, she found out about this opening in Culver City. I happened to have an audition near her place yesterday, she told me about this bar, and I called and got an interview today! They like us both. They’re training us both. And some day we will both work at the same time and have a blast and the whole place will burst open with love, great drinks and baby unicorns. You just wait. It will be super to be working with her and to have some extra money coming in because reproducing headshots, getting them touched up, doing casting director workshops, paying for acting class, joining unions, getting reels edited, having a website built, and keeping up your casting pages on Actor’s Access and LA Casting, not to mention joining all of those sites and Showfax, really adds up quickly. Then you add the work I had to get done on my car after driving cross country 3 times in 5 months PLUS the gas you go through driving all over a huge city… you get the picture. So, I gave myself 6 months to start, I’ve accomplished a lot in that time, and it’s time to add in a couple of jobs. I’m also sending my standardized patient resume into the local med schools and, since my resume rocks and I have great references from DC, I’m sure something will come of that.
In retrospect -
I got called back for Swiffer, but didn't book the job. The bar likes me, but hasn't called me in to train yet - they said they'd get back to me by Thursday. Thinking about doing the bar training Laura did just to get onto that hot line and submit for catering jobs. And still waiting for folks in DC to give me the last little bit of info to complete my resume. But I did get cast in a short film - no pay, but some good people. I've completed the last of the voice over work for a USC project and the director said that even his composer, who had to watch the footage over and over again while figuring out the music, told him I was really really good. And the General Hospital casting director cast me in a one day shoot next week. It's background work still, but she remembered me! And I dropped of 10 resumes at local businesses and 2 at Equinox gyms, and no one is looking for yoga instructors. But I have great people around me to encourage me and I'm not giving up!
xox Jewel
In retrospect -
I got called back for Swiffer, but didn't book the job. The bar likes me, but hasn't called me in to train yet - they said they'd get back to me by Thursday. Thinking about doing the bar training Laura did just to get onto that hot line and submit for catering jobs. And still waiting for folks in DC to give me the last little bit of info to complete my resume. But I did get cast in a short film - no pay, but some good people. I've completed the last of the voice over work for a USC project and the director said that even his composer, who had to watch the footage over and over again while figuring out the music, told him I was really really good. And the General Hospital casting director cast me in a one day shoot next week. It's background work still, but she remembered me! And I dropped of 10 resumes at local businesses and 2 at Equinox gyms, and no one is looking for yoga instructors. But I have great people around me to encourage me and I'm not giving up!
xox Jewel
Home is where the... not sure what home is...
It’s interesting how my relationship to place has changed since moving to LA. At first, I felt very divided between LA and DC. Recently, I had a trip home that felt like saying good-bye. Then I had a trip at the end of which, for the first time, I really wanted to get back to LA. Now, for the first time, I feel like I’m going back as a visitor… as a little bit of an outsider. My friends, of course, would say, “Oh, come on, Jewel, you’ll never be an outsider.” But it’s the internal experience that we know best. It’s how we feel inside that is the lens through which we see the world.
More and more I find myself not caring as much what other people might think. I wear sneakers with a skirt when I travel. I don’t drink as much. I don’t go to every birthday party I’m invited to. I choose to be practical when I travel. I drink when I feel like it. I go out when I feel like it. It’s quite freeing – I’ve heard this happens in your 30’s, so I guess I’m just a year early! But this is a tangent. What I really wanted to write about was home.
As a kid who grew up overseas – an expat kid, a 3rd nation kid, etc. – I’ve always had a bit of an outsider thing going on. Even though I was popular and had a lot of friends in school, I always felt a little apart. Do all of us who grew up overseas feel this way? Do all the kids in my family? Does every human?
There are so many transplants to LA that a frequent topic of conversation is where you’re from. This, inevitably for me, leads to my life story. What I find interesting is that while I was in DC, DC never felt like home. Now that I’m in LA, DC is actually becoming home. DC will be where I go back to for Thanksgiving, Christmas. Where I get to go see Dad and Mom. Where I know my way around the city and have favorite places I want to visit every time I’m there. Yet, I’m not from DC. I didn’t grow up there. I don’t identify as someone who grew up in DC because I didn’t. I’m still a kid who grew up in Saudi on a compound surrounded by empty lots with goats in them that is now surrounded by buildings. But, if we consider Saudi Arabia as home, I haven’t been home since 2000. And now, in my new home – Los Angeles – I feel very much at home after only a few months. More so than I ever did in DC. Am I just adaptable or have I found my essential place, my true home, the place where my dharma unfolds? Hopefully, LA is that, and not just the best of 2 US choices for actors. “Always look on the bright side of life” a la Monty Python.
To be continued....
More and more I find myself not caring as much what other people might think. I wear sneakers with a skirt when I travel. I don’t drink as much. I don’t go to every birthday party I’m invited to. I choose to be practical when I travel. I drink when I feel like it. I go out when I feel like it. It’s quite freeing – I’ve heard this happens in your 30’s, so I guess I’m just a year early! But this is a tangent. What I really wanted to write about was home.
As a kid who grew up overseas – an expat kid, a 3rd nation kid, etc. – I’ve always had a bit of an outsider thing going on. Even though I was popular and had a lot of friends in school, I always felt a little apart. Do all of us who grew up overseas feel this way? Do all the kids in my family? Does every human?
There are so many transplants to LA that a frequent topic of conversation is where you’re from. This, inevitably for me, leads to my life story. What I find interesting is that while I was in DC, DC never felt like home. Now that I’m in LA, DC is actually becoming home. DC will be where I go back to for Thanksgiving, Christmas. Where I get to go see Dad and Mom. Where I know my way around the city and have favorite places I want to visit every time I’m there. Yet, I’m not from DC. I didn’t grow up there. I don’t identify as someone who grew up in DC because I didn’t. I’m still a kid who grew up in Saudi on a compound surrounded by empty lots with goats in them that is now surrounded by buildings. But, if we consider Saudi Arabia as home, I haven’t been home since 2000. And now, in my new home – Los Angeles – I feel very much at home after only a few months. More so than I ever did in DC. Am I just adaptable or have I found my essential place, my true home, the place where my dharma unfolds? Hopefully, LA is that, and not just the best of 2 US choices for actors. “Always look on the bright side of life” a la Monty Python.
To be continued....
Working and learning...
This was really written 3 weeks ago... still working on that procrastination thing.
So, I graduated from yoga school June 28th and I’m up to teaching about 3 classes a week with great feedback every time. It’s certainly down from the 7 or so classes I was teaching in DC, but the numbers will rise, like the carbonation bubbles in a glass of soda water. I’ve gotten referrals from my friend Mellissa for two other yoga studios in Hollywood, and there’s a new studio that just opened on the West Side (closer to where I live) where I’ll be dropping off resumes when I get back from this trip to DC. I have realized that one of the main things I allow to hold me back is marketing. Instead of just making up a simple postcard to advertise my services as a yoga teacher and dropping them off at area businesses, I agonize over how I don’t have the skills to design anything and I let myself get distracted by other things so I can keep putting it off. Ridiculous! And, like all things thus far, repeated in my life over and over again. My acting teacher, for instance, has been talking a lot recently about how we each need to know how we get in our own way. Once we know, we can simply decide, albeit over and over again, not to do it again. Easier said than done, but a simple solution never the less. So, I should just make a damn postcard, print 20 off and hand deliver them. I should also start learning a monologue a week to put up in acting class – the more I do, the easier they will get, and the more confident I will be. So, I’m learning lots and now it’s time to put it all into practice. Just decide. Just do it. Decide. Now.
Despite proctastination and lack of confidence in some areas, I continue to get great opportunities! I filmed a PSA (public service announcement) recently for breast cancer with a group of USC students. Their team, along with 3 others, won grants to cover production costs of their version of a PSA for the Army of Women organization. The directors emailed us all this week with the good news that they’d sent the foundation a rough cut (first draft) of our PSA and the organization wrote back that it’s quality and vision were above and beyond what they’d imagined any of the teams would pull off. Hopefully we’ll win and our PSA will actually air! The next great thing that happened was that I got hired to do background work on the set of General Hospital. I met Gwen Hillier, the GH casting director as a result, and had a great 4 days of filming, hanging out with new people, and getting to see what it’s like to film on a multi-camera day time television set. That would have been fine as is, but I ended up getting bumped up from background to an Under-5 role which I can actually put on my resume. So, I’ve met my goal of having at least 2 tv credits my first year here. Now it’s time to surpass that! Under-5, by the way, is a role with a line that’s less than five words long. I got to say “Augh! Oh, my god!” while riding a ferris wheel into which a car crashed, pinning an evil lawyer to the carnival ride. Good times! From that shoot, I had an audition last night for a short film directed by a guy from Philly who moved to LA with his crew of filmmakers after winning a festival with one of their shorts. All networking, all good. The audition was improve and I got the director and the camerawoman to laugh a couple of times, so we’ll see what happens. As a casting director I met recently said, “Anything you do now for your career is an investment that will come back to you in 10 years.” I have to keep reminding myself that a career in acting is not a sprint. It’s not even a marathon. It’s a loooooooooooong distance run. You just have to keep going, trusting that you’re good enough, believing that there are enough water stops along the way to get you to the end which you know – you just have to know – you’ll find eventually. And, from yoga, abhyasa vairagya – work with consistent and dedicated effort toward your goal, but don’t be so focused on the goal that you miss the joy of the journey, or so set on the goal that you feel like a failure if you don’t make it in this life time. Don’t worry – you’ll have more chances! And, finally, a casting director I know invited me to join her A-List, a list of her favorite actors that she sends occasional emails to when certain opportunities come up, like a last minute casting need or a great agent or manager looking for new clients.
To sum up what the recent months have been about… I’m learning a whole lot about myself, both the good and the, well … let’s not call it the bad, but, rather, the fixable! In this process of learning so much about what I can fix, it’s sometimes hard to remember that there are a lot of parts of me that don’t need fixing. Lesson 1 – I’m in pretty good shape, just as I am, the good and the fixable included. As a result of all this self-inquiry and yoga and acting practice, I’m becoming more aware of, and more sensitive to, the fixable parts of myself. At the same time, as a result of the same work, I’m learning the tools I need to fix those parts of myself. Lesson 2 – My increasing sensitivity to and awareness of my fixable parts is equaled by my growing knowledge of how to fix those parts. And finally, as has happened over and over again the last few months, I’m feeling more and more settled in LA, opportunities continue to present themselves, and I get more and more great feedback from casting directors and other teachers and peers. Lesson 3 – I really am supposed to be here.
As we go forth, may we all have the journeys we need to be strengthened and to feel safe, to teach and to learn, to love and be loved.
Xxo Jewel
So, I graduated from yoga school June 28th and I’m up to teaching about 3 classes a week with great feedback every time. It’s certainly down from the 7 or so classes I was teaching in DC, but the numbers will rise, like the carbonation bubbles in a glass of soda water. I’ve gotten referrals from my friend Mellissa for two other yoga studios in Hollywood, and there’s a new studio that just opened on the West Side (closer to where I live) where I’ll be dropping off resumes when I get back from this trip to DC. I have realized that one of the main things I allow to hold me back is marketing. Instead of just making up a simple postcard to advertise my services as a yoga teacher and dropping them off at area businesses, I agonize over how I don’t have the skills to design anything and I let myself get distracted by other things so I can keep putting it off. Ridiculous! And, like all things thus far, repeated in my life over and over again. My acting teacher, for instance, has been talking a lot recently about how we each need to know how we get in our own way. Once we know, we can simply decide, albeit over and over again, not to do it again. Easier said than done, but a simple solution never the less. So, I should just make a damn postcard, print 20 off and hand deliver them. I should also start learning a monologue a week to put up in acting class – the more I do, the easier they will get, and the more confident I will be. So, I’m learning lots and now it’s time to put it all into practice. Just decide. Just do it. Decide. Now.
Despite proctastination and lack of confidence in some areas, I continue to get great opportunities! I filmed a PSA (public service announcement) recently for breast cancer with a group of USC students. Their team, along with 3 others, won grants to cover production costs of their version of a PSA for the Army of Women organization. The directors emailed us all this week with the good news that they’d sent the foundation a rough cut (first draft) of our PSA and the organization wrote back that it’s quality and vision were above and beyond what they’d imagined any of the teams would pull off. Hopefully we’ll win and our PSA will actually air! The next great thing that happened was that I got hired to do background work on the set of General Hospital. I met Gwen Hillier, the GH casting director as a result, and had a great 4 days of filming, hanging out with new people, and getting to see what it’s like to film on a multi-camera day time television set. That would have been fine as is, but I ended up getting bumped up from background to an Under-5 role which I can actually put on my resume. So, I’ve met my goal of having at least 2 tv credits my first year here. Now it’s time to surpass that! Under-5, by the way, is a role with a line that’s less than five words long. I got to say “Augh! Oh, my god!” while riding a ferris wheel into which a car crashed, pinning an evil lawyer to the carnival ride. Good times! From that shoot, I had an audition last night for a short film directed by a guy from Philly who moved to LA with his crew of filmmakers after winning a festival with one of their shorts. All networking, all good. The audition was improve and I got the director and the camerawoman to laugh a couple of times, so we’ll see what happens. As a casting director I met recently said, “Anything you do now for your career is an investment that will come back to you in 10 years.” I have to keep reminding myself that a career in acting is not a sprint. It’s not even a marathon. It’s a loooooooooooong distance run. You just have to keep going, trusting that you’re good enough, believing that there are enough water stops along the way to get you to the end which you know – you just have to know – you’ll find eventually. And, from yoga, abhyasa vairagya – work with consistent and dedicated effort toward your goal, but don’t be so focused on the goal that you miss the joy of the journey, or so set on the goal that you feel like a failure if you don’t make it in this life time. Don’t worry – you’ll have more chances! And, finally, a casting director I know invited me to join her A-List, a list of her favorite actors that she sends occasional emails to when certain opportunities come up, like a last minute casting need or a great agent or manager looking for new clients.
To sum up what the recent months have been about… I’m learning a whole lot about myself, both the good and the, well … let’s not call it the bad, but, rather, the fixable! In this process of learning so much about what I can fix, it’s sometimes hard to remember that there are a lot of parts of me that don’t need fixing. Lesson 1 – I’m in pretty good shape, just as I am, the good and the fixable included. As a result of all this self-inquiry and yoga and acting practice, I’m becoming more aware of, and more sensitive to, the fixable parts of myself. At the same time, as a result of the same work, I’m learning the tools I need to fix those parts of myself. Lesson 2 – My increasing sensitivity to and awareness of my fixable parts is equaled by my growing knowledge of how to fix those parts. And finally, as has happened over and over again the last few months, I’m feeling more and more settled in LA, opportunities continue to present themselves, and I get more and more great feedback from casting directors and other teachers and peers. Lesson 3 – I really am supposed to be here.
As we go forth, may we all have the journeys we need to be strengthened and to feel safe, to teach and to learn, to love and be loved.
Xxo Jewel
Saturday, April 25, 2009
So much for that...
You know, that whole thing about writing once a week? It just ain't happenin'! So, feel free to check in when you feel like it and see if anything new is up. Perhaps if I stop trying to schedule it in, I'll naturally find time to write... That's the new plan. Organically creating my blog. Allowing the stories to unfurl like the tiny leaves of a seedling. We shall see.
Since I last wrote, I have:
- Seen the Creative Artist’s Agency building, locally dubbed The Death Star for it’s architectural design.
- Caught up with my friend Ed at the NYU Writer’s showcase.
- Signed with AVO Talent for voice-over representation – they are great!
- Celebrated my friend Melissa’s new path and recent birthday
- Started teaching a small group yoga class.
- Met lots of CD’s at CD workshops.
- Introduced Mom and Dad to LA.
- PERFORMED in the 2009 Cricketfeet Showcase!
This has got to be short because I need to catch you up on what’s been going on so I can post on my most exciting news tomorrow.
LA continues to be full of good people, and I’ve been fortunate to be part of two great groups – my teacher training group with Yoga Works and my cast and crew of the 2009 Cricketfeet Showcase. These folks make me feel welcomed and connected here in LA – I am so very grateful! I’ve run into some particularly lovely folks who I hope will become better friends – they’re the kind of person always ready to give an honest answer, a sly joke, or a hug. I am surrounded by them! Lucky me!!
I’m especially lucky that my housemate, Birdy, rocks my world even though we barely see each other. When we do get to hang out, it’s great conversation. We had a full house this past week between my parents and Theo with good times all around and the house abuzz with talk.
I’ve added Lemon Thyme, Spearmint, Regular Thyme and Oregano to my front porch plants. Theo and I ran out of thyme (ha, ha) to build the plant boxes I wanted for the backyard, so I’m on my own for that. Anyone have a drill I can borrow? On the garden list are cherry tomatoes, summer squash, garlic, sweet potatoes, cilantro, basil, and eggplant. The citrus bounty has been added to by Birdy’s friends’ heavily laden grapefruit tree. The peach tree in the back yard is covered in green, but ripening, baby peaches! Tiny peachlets, soon you will be ripe and juiceful.
Clarified that this point of my career is the investment part of starting a business – must put out before getting back. Point was proven in voting results at Cricketfeet Showcase. More on that tomorrow. Really!
Xox Jewel
Since I last wrote, I have:
- Seen the Creative Artist’s Agency building, locally dubbed The Death Star for it’s architectural design.
- Caught up with my friend Ed at the NYU Writer’s showcase.
- Signed with AVO Talent for voice-over representation – they are great!
- Celebrated my friend Melissa’s new path and recent birthday
- Started teaching a small group yoga class.
- Met lots of CD’s at CD workshops.
- Introduced Mom and Dad to LA.
- PERFORMED in the 2009 Cricketfeet Showcase!
This has got to be short because I need to catch you up on what’s been going on so I can post on my most exciting news tomorrow.
LA continues to be full of good people, and I’ve been fortunate to be part of two great groups – my teacher training group with Yoga Works and my cast and crew of the 2009 Cricketfeet Showcase. These folks make me feel welcomed and connected here in LA – I am so very grateful! I’ve run into some particularly lovely folks who I hope will become better friends – they’re the kind of person always ready to give an honest answer, a sly joke, or a hug. I am surrounded by them! Lucky me!!
I’m especially lucky that my housemate, Birdy, rocks my world even though we barely see each other. When we do get to hang out, it’s great conversation. We had a full house this past week between my parents and Theo with good times all around and the house abuzz with talk.
I’ve added Lemon Thyme, Spearmint, Regular Thyme and Oregano to my front porch plants. Theo and I ran out of thyme (ha, ha) to build the plant boxes I wanted for the backyard, so I’m on my own for that. Anyone have a drill I can borrow? On the garden list are cherry tomatoes, summer squash, garlic, sweet potatoes, cilantro, basil, and eggplant. The citrus bounty has been added to by Birdy’s friends’ heavily laden grapefruit tree. The peach tree in the back yard is covered in green, but ripening, baby peaches! Tiny peachlets, soon you will be ripe and juiceful.
Clarified that this point of my career is the investment part of starting a business – must put out before getting back. Point was proven in voting results at Cricketfeet Showcase. More on that tomorrow. Really!
Xox Jewel
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
The Industry-al Complex
Blog Entry 4
Wow… writing a blog is not as quick and simple as it seems. Like everything I have ever found challenging, it takes consistent effort. In yoga, abhyasa means practice, but not just practice. It's practice in the way of a concentrated and conistent effort without a break. Getting up and doing it every...single...day. So, the hardest part of my yoga practice is simply getting onto the mat and sticking with it. It's why the most frustrating part of rehearsing is just getting the damn lines down. And it's why some friendships and some relationships fall apart. But that’s also why it’s possible to have joy every day in your life. It’s why it’s possible to feel loved and loved every day of your life. And that’s why over a lifetime, yoga does make a difference… but only if you make a true effort to do it every day. Let that be a lesson to myself in blogging consistenly… at least once a week, though probably not every day.
Part of the reason I don’t blog every day is that I don’t think that much is happening. Then my boyfriend points out everything that IS happening and I realize there’s more going on and plenty to be proud of. Then I remember that I’m a Greenberg-Ogorzaly and there are always ways to DO MORE - BETTER! Thankfully, Theo is not a Greenberg-Ogorzaly and can see through the fog of overachieving “I’m only as good as the number of things I’m doing” mania. And, thankfully, he’s not a Greenberg-Ogorzaly or he’d be my relative instead of my boyfriend and that’s just too many bad Arkansas jokes to live through.
So, what have I been doing? Manifesting like crazy, that’s for sure. I had a wonderful 2 months in the pretty little house in Santa Monica where I felt safe and cared for by Theo’s visits and by my lovely landlord/neighbors who will someday be my red carpet dates. Now, I’ve found a fantastic place to live for 6+ months which I love in Culver City, walking distance to: Sony Studios, Culver Studios, Trader Joe’s, a yoga studio where I’m going to start working a few times a week, the farmer’s market, the bike trail AND a fantastic coffee shop. Please, can I stay here forever? I live with a great housemate, Birdy, who’s a 3rd grade teacher and her cat, Quincy, who I’ve nicknamed Q and who welcomed me to my new home by sleeping on my knee my first night. There’s good light, a great living room, a breeze that comes all the way though the house when the back and the front door are open, and a peach tree in the backyard and an orange tree next door. Best of all, I feel like I can finally put down some roots (albeit shallow ones - still working on manifesting a job for Theo) after being a nomad since September. It feels soooooo good to be moved in.
On the acting side of things, I finally put up a monologue in my acting class – the first time is always the hardest – and got some good, concrete feedback that prompted me to connect to the piece in a different way which means I connected to part of myself in a different way which means I’m already becoming a more versatile actor first time out. And now I won’t be nervous next time… which is… tomorrow! Ok, make that not AS nervous. Nerves are just something you have to act your way through until you outgrow them. Then there are my reels – 2 of them, commercial and theatrical – which will be finished by March 17 so they can go into my kits for the showcase (more on that soon). I got referred to a commercial agent through a casting director I met recently, though nothing’s happened there… yet. I met a commercial agent at a party and then met one of her client’s the next day, so there’s a double whammy Universe hook-up going on there. And, last but super definitely not least, I got into the Cricketfeet Showcase!
Now, Cricketfeet is something I’ve wanted to do since I first visited LA and my friend Anna was in rehearsals for it. For those of you who don’t know, a showcase is an evening or two of scenes put on by a group of actors seeking representation or exposure. The audience is invitation only as the point is to get as many quality industry folks there as possible – agents, managers, casting directors. So, come mid-April, I’ll be performing a comedic 2 person scene and a comedic 5 person scene in front of 40-60 industry folks, two night in a row. It’s run by Bonnie Gillespie, an actor turned very successful writer and casting director, and directed by Chil Kong, a director out of the Boston theatre scene who’s now in LA. Bonnie teaches 5 marketing workshops while we prepare for the big night so that our press kit, marketing know how, and understanding of how we will fit best in this industry will be as strong as possible. We’ll be at the Colony Theatre in Burbank where the evening will proceed like this. First, we’ll perform our outrageously funny and heartwarmingly sweet scenes. Then, we’ll go backstage and lose some of the stage make-up while the audience changes pants because they wet themselves laughing we were SO FUNNY. Then, we’ll wine and dine with the audience and schmoozola our pants off to find agents we connect with and casting directors (CDs) who want to hire us. Then, we maintain relationships with the CDs we met and make the tough decision of who we sign with for theatrical and commercial representation. Then, we have people fighting for us to get into bigger auditions while we continue to find work ourselves, and in a few years, when we outgrow our agent, we do this all again! Sounds like fun, no? There are 45 actors and I am thrilled to be part of the cast this year. It’s a big opportunity, especially for one as new to town as I am. Talk about getting to make a splash! Obviously, there will be more on that soon. More details on http://www.cricketfeetshowcase.com/. If you know any agents or CD’s in LA, let me know and I’ll add them to the guest list.
So, that’s the lowdown on the acting front. I’ll talk about yoga next time. ;)
Xox Jewel
Wow… writing a blog is not as quick and simple as it seems. Like everything I have ever found challenging, it takes consistent effort. In yoga, abhyasa means practice, but not just practice. It's practice in the way of a concentrated and conistent effort without a break. Getting up and doing it every...single...day. So, the hardest part of my yoga practice is simply getting onto the mat and sticking with it. It's why the most frustrating part of rehearsing is just getting the damn lines down. And it's why some friendships and some relationships fall apart. But that’s also why it’s possible to have joy every day in your life. It’s why it’s possible to feel loved and loved every day of your life. And that’s why over a lifetime, yoga does make a difference… but only if you make a true effort to do it every day. Let that be a lesson to myself in blogging consistenly… at least once a week, though probably not every day.
Part of the reason I don’t blog every day is that I don’t think that much is happening. Then my boyfriend points out everything that IS happening and I realize there’s more going on and plenty to be proud of. Then I remember that I’m a Greenberg-Ogorzaly and there are always ways to DO MORE - BETTER! Thankfully, Theo is not a Greenberg-Ogorzaly and can see through the fog of overachieving “I’m only as good as the number of things I’m doing” mania. And, thankfully, he’s not a Greenberg-Ogorzaly or he’d be my relative instead of my boyfriend and that’s just too many bad Arkansas jokes to live through.
So, what have I been doing? Manifesting like crazy, that’s for sure. I had a wonderful 2 months in the pretty little house in Santa Monica where I felt safe and cared for by Theo’s visits and by my lovely landlord/neighbors who will someday be my red carpet dates. Now, I’ve found a fantastic place to live for 6+ months which I love in Culver City, walking distance to: Sony Studios, Culver Studios, Trader Joe’s, a yoga studio where I’m going to start working a few times a week, the farmer’s market, the bike trail AND a fantastic coffee shop. Please, can I stay here forever? I live with a great housemate, Birdy, who’s a 3rd grade teacher and her cat, Quincy, who I’ve nicknamed Q and who welcomed me to my new home by sleeping on my knee my first night. There’s good light, a great living room, a breeze that comes all the way though the house when the back and the front door are open, and a peach tree in the backyard and an orange tree next door. Best of all, I feel like I can finally put down some roots (albeit shallow ones - still working on manifesting a job for Theo) after being a nomad since September. It feels soooooo good to be moved in.
On the acting side of things, I finally put up a monologue in my acting class – the first time is always the hardest – and got some good, concrete feedback that prompted me to connect to the piece in a different way which means I connected to part of myself in a different way which means I’m already becoming a more versatile actor first time out. And now I won’t be nervous next time… which is… tomorrow! Ok, make that not AS nervous. Nerves are just something you have to act your way through until you outgrow them. Then there are my reels – 2 of them, commercial and theatrical – which will be finished by March 17 so they can go into my kits for the showcase (more on that soon). I got referred to a commercial agent through a casting director I met recently, though nothing’s happened there… yet. I met a commercial agent at a party and then met one of her client’s the next day, so there’s a double whammy Universe hook-up going on there. And, last but super definitely not least, I got into the Cricketfeet Showcase!
Now, Cricketfeet is something I’ve wanted to do since I first visited LA and my friend Anna was in rehearsals for it. For those of you who don’t know, a showcase is an evening or two of scenes put on by a group of actors seeking representation or exposure. The audience is invitation only as the point is to get as many quality industry folks there as possible – agents, managers, casting directors. So, come mid-April, I’ll be performing a comedic 2 person scene and a comedic 5 person scene in front of 40-60 industry folks, two night in a row. It’s run by Bonnie Gillespie, an actor turned very successful writer and casting director, and directed by Chil Kong, a director out of the Boston theatre scene who’s now in LA. Bonnie teaches 5 marketing workshops while we prepare for the big night so that our press kit, marketing know how, and understanding of how we will fit best in this industry will be as strong as possible. We’ll be at the Colony Theatre in Burbank where the evening will proceed like this. First, we’ll perform our outrageously funny and heartwarmingly sweet scenes. Then, we’ll go backstage and lose some of the stage make-up while the audience changes pants because they wet themselves laughing we were SO FUNNY. Then, we’ll wine and dine with the audience and schmoozola our pants off to find agents we connect with and casting directors (CDs) who want to hire us. Then, we maintain relationships with the CDs we met and make the tough decision of who we sign with for theatrical and commercial representation. Then, we have people fighting for us to get into bigger auditions while we continue to find work ourselves, and in a few years, when we outgrow our agent, we do this all again! Sounds like fun, no? There are 45 actors and I am thrilled to be part of the cast this year. It’s a big opportunity, especially for one as new to town as I am. Talk about getting to make a splash! Obviously, there will be more on that soon. More details on http://www.cricketfeetshowcase.com/. If you know any agents or CD’s in LA, let me know and I’ll add them to the guest list.
So, that’s the lowdown on the acting front. I’ll talk about yoga next time. ;)
Xox Jewel
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
