My acting career is advancing slowly (very slowly), but I think surely. I do not have an agent yet and I have not been in any productions as of recently, but I am taking a mini step back. I think I'll focus on training for a little bit.
A lot of people think that acting is a piece of cake and that anybody can do it. Well, I suppose I agree that anybody can do it, but not everybody can do it well. When people hear that I'm taking classes, they ask, "haven't you had enough of school? Why not just go out there and do it?" Would you tell an aspiring doctor to "go out and do it" after his first year of medical school? If you would, that's kinda weird, but come on.
I was searching online for good places to train and at the time, I was specifically looking for something that will help me with my acting business plan (more on that later). As a result, I discovered The Actor's Foundry. The first class that I attended was the Business of Acting Q&A with Matthew Harrison. Immediately, I was hooked. As a teacher, Harrison is incredible and I found that out after three hours of business teaching! As a man, he is also great because he truly cares for his actors and wants to help them with their careers in any way he can. A big thing he teaches is that we as actors need to support each other and not compete. Those who compete will not make it far.
Anyway, the school offers a chance to audit classes for free. In fact, they encourage it. As many as you can and on any day. So, I have taken advantage of that and have been auditing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I am also taking a class on Sundays with Jeb Beach, another teacher at The Foundry. I had my first class this last Sunday, and let me tell you, without even knowing me, Jeb has chosen a scene that is bound to stretch me as an actor.
I'm scared. And excited. At the same time.
The scene is from Sleepless in Seattle. And I have to cry. Those who know me, know that I do not cry too often. At all. And next Sunday is emotional preparation week. Like I said. I'm scared.
Randomness about me and The Actor's Foundry:
1. Found out that Matthew Harrison was in "Night at the Museum" and "Romeo Must Die." I was an extra in both.
2. Found out that Matthew Harrison's wife, Michelle Harrison was in "Paycheck" and "The Invisible." I was an extra in both as well.
3. Matthew Harrison is connected with TWU (my uni) in that he created a four and a half hour acting documentary directed by one of my professors, Ned Vankevich. He has also guest taught at the university, although not when I was attending. Sadly.
I'll keep you posted.
I got my hair did today (haha..good English huh? Sounds cooler said than read). Anyway, it's not like I had too much trouble trying to find a place to get it done, but I had no idea where to start. I googled places in LA that did Black hair and read reviews. I settled on a place in Carson, which is where I used to live, but was now more than a half an hour away by car. I don't have a car. I had to canceled. Then I settled on a lady that, by her pictures, did a really good job. The problem was one had to book 2-3 weeks in advance. I was more like four days. She said that she would call me the next day to tell me if she was able to make it into town. It turned out that she couldn't, but she referred me to another hair dresser. I went in, told him what I wanted and came out with this:
Yes, I took these pictures myself and I have my signature poses, smile:
tongue out:
and surprised.
So my hair is did, which is one step closer to being headshot ready. T minus two days.
I like the job he did.
