Time Keeps On Slippin...

VO Audition - NATIONWIDE - 4/27/07

Whew, this week flew by! Okay, since I last blogged, I picked up, filled out, and dropped off my paperwork and h/r's to my new Theatrical Agent. Yeah! I'm very happy, but to be honest, I'm also very nervous. I'm always nervous when I enter into a partnership with a new agency. I feel like I've made the right decision, but I guess only time will tell. Pray with me! I'm hoping for the best. Anyway, as you've probably guessed, I never heard from the manager from a couple of weeks back. Oh well, that's 15% I can save...:)...

On Thursday (4/27), I was asked to return to my old job to work/train for half a day. It ended up being a cool experience, I really enjoyed seeing all of my former co-workers. (Thanks for lunch, Jay!) I think I enjoyed more the fact that, when I left there, I left knowing that I never have to go back there, unless I want to, not because I HAVE to. 3 months and counting, without a day job...

Last Sunday night (4/22), I audited the HEY I SAW YOUR COMMERICAL workshop, which I'm sure most of you L.A. folks already know about...:)...I'd heard about this class for years, and so I decided I should probably go check it out. I tell ya, that guy Mike is right on point, no holds barred. Which to me, is great! If I would have gone to him when he first started the class, I'm sure I'd be much better off commerically! I feel confident that I'll be taking his classes sometime in the near future.

That's it for now.

Me.

This thing called Acting.

VO Audition - COUNTRYWIDE & AT&T - 4/23/07

So on Tuesday, the day after I met with the manager, a theatrical agent contacted me saying she wanted to meet with me. I bet your saying, "wow" those e-mails really did work for you! They did, but this response actually came from the Actors Access thing I did 4 months ago! Crazy huh? I met with her yesterday (4/20), and we really clicked. She said that she wanted to sign me right away, but I asked her to let me think about it over the weekend. I really liked her, turns out, she's even more of a go getter than the manager. So, I'm pretty certain that I will sign with her. Especially since I called the manager back on Thursday, left a message, and have yet to hear from him. This industry is a trip huh?!? They love you one minute, and won't return your call the next. Fortunately, since I've seen it all and done it all, I don't get hurt by those types of things anymore.

Anywho, I'm very excited about the probability of having a theatrical agent again. I'm sure that if I wasn't hammering away on some websites today, I'd be running around the house all giddy and nervous. Just pray with me that things play out well.

On the agenda for tomorrow night (4/22), auditing a commercial workshop. I know, I know, I said I was going to concentrate on VO more these days, (and I guess now on Theatrical) but hey, I hear it's a great class!

Shenita.

MicroMANAGING...

Just got back from meeting with a manager! The e-mail "blasts" I've been doing for the last few days are really paying off. So far, I've gotten quite a few responses. I must admit, I was leery about doing e-mail submissons, but I figured what the heck. What do I have to loose? (Besides that's how I found my last agent AND manager.)

Anyways, the manager I met with was really nice, and positive. I liked him. He seemed like a real go-getter. He told me that he couldn't understand why I was having such a hard time finding a good rep. At the end of our meeting, he took several of my headshots, and told me he'd submit me on a few films, if I was game. If I got called in to audition for something, he'd know which of my headshots worked for me, and he'd get a chance to get feedback on how I do when I go in for auditions. I thought that seemed reasonable. If I don't hear from him (with an audition) before the end of the week. He told me to give him a call to discuss where we'd go from there. Sounds good to me! In the meantime, I'm going to continue with my "blasts," and see what happens.

I saw William Allen Young, aka Moesha's Daddy, at the gym today. (YES, I've been working out!..:)...Actually, I've lost about 6 pounds since I stopped working my day job.) Anywho, I was looking at his resume on IMDB just now, and I was thinking, I really wish I had someone who has been in the business as long as he has, as a mentor. I think it would help me deal with the hurdles I experience a little better and, it would help me to understand the business on a broader scale. Maybe one day.

In other news: No background work yet, been calling the hotline, but haven't scored anything.

Ahh! Can't believe dues are due again. I feel like I just paid them!

Till next time,

Hasta...

Extra, Extra!

VO Audition - HOME DEPOT & TIME WARNER CABLE - 4/12/07

Yesterday I went and re-signed up at Central Casting. They were able to pull up my photo from 1999. Very interesting to say the least, a lot has happened in my life since then! The girl operating the camera said I looked the same, and she couldn’t believe that I’d had 2 kids since then. I thought that was pretty nice of her to say!...:)…

To be honest though, I’m really struggling inside because I’d been taught to believe (from the moment I got here 10 years ago) that once you’ve done background work, and moved on from it, you should never, ever go back. Yet there I was, shelling out $25 for my digital picture to be taken.

Last week when I went in and read for the HALLMARK VO (which I felt I completely rocked by the way..:)...) I talked to one of my agents about feeling pretty crappy for not booking anything lately. He told me not to feel that way, and assured me that I was doing marvelous work when I came in to record. I guess I just have to believe that some client and/or producer will think the same thing at some point, and book me. I have another VO Audition tomorrow morning, so wish me luck!

I’m gearing up to start work on the second edition of my guide. The NM industry has received it extremely well, which I am very excited about!

Today I sent out an e-mail submission to about 25 agents and managers I spotted on IMDBPRO. I’m still looking for an agent/manager who’d be willing to help me get to the next level. Funny thing is, even after being here for 10 years, and working somewhat regularly, I’m still considered a developmental actress with little credits, so noone wants to take a chance on me. And since I don’t have the “Halle Berry look” and I’m not a kid anymore, it's getting harder, and harder for me, every day.

I tell you what though, I definitely feel myself getting sick and tired of this uphill battle. Now that I'm home, (going on 3 months now, can you believe it?!?) I definitely feel the pressure to succeed at acting more. Sad part is, I don't think I've ever felt as unsure about it all, as I do right now. Should I take an acting class? Do CD workshops? Drop offs? Take new photos? What if I don't have the money, and not very much time, to do any of that stuff? Then what?

I guess only time will tell.

In the meantime, believe me, I'm trying my best to keep hope alive!...

Something's gotta give. Right?

S.

VO Audition - HALLMARK - 4/4/07

They were shooting in my neighborhood yesterday...

...and of course I had to pull over to ask a PA what they were working on. All he said was, "It's a commercial, that's all I know." Sure buddy, if you say so. I find it very unlikely that he wouldn't know what the commercial was for, but oh well. Of course it was hard for me to pass by the production trucks all morning!

I got a letter from the Tampa Festival folks saying that their venue was too small, and that they couldn't use my services after all. Especially since I was to be a newbie. They'd decided to fill the Festival with veterans instead. Again, oh well. What can you do?

What else is going on? Oh yeah, the video game I auditioned for at the end of last week went very, very well. They seemed impressed, and I had fun. I read for the role of Persephone: a Nubian Queen. We'll see what happens.

On Saturday (3/31) I took my little one's to a SAG Sponsored Event for Young Performers. It was a good effort, but I thought it would involve a little more "umph." I tried, in vain, to find someone to take a decent photo of us, but they all came out pretty bad, so I will not be posting them...:)...

Everything else is pretty much the same, still looking for a rep, and trying to scrape my pennies together to get my VO Reel redone. I'm also in search of a VO workout class. So if anyone knows of anything, please let me know. (I think I've already said I'm putting new headshots and acting classes on hold since I don't seem to need them at the current moment.)

A couple of days ago, I put my info up on SAG's new iactor thing. Seems like a good idea.

I'm pondering getting back into background/seat filling work. Not only so that I can be on a set in some capacity, but a nice little check wouldn't hurt either.

I'll be honest, when it comes to my acting career, I try to stay positive, and have faith that I'm doing the right things, and making the right decisions, but sometimes...

...it gets really hard.

SGKM