I took headshots yesterday! Now all that's left is to pick about 5 that are the BEST of the best and they'll get re-touched. Nothing major, just getting rid of random hairs, cropping it, and in some cases putting a bit more color in from a washed out look. Check out Facebook so see some of the ones I've singled out!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=234449&id=723512543&fbid=444367187543
We took just over 400! It was a long but pretty fun 2 1/2 hours. We had scheduled that Erik was going to take his headshots at the same time. However...he went to get a haircut that morning (just a trim to clean up his curls a bit) and...it didn't turn out well. On the main street, about 2 blocks away, we saw a barber shop that Erik thought would be good since he could just drop in there in the morning for a quick cut. I didn't go with him but he said the lady was a bit Mexican and a bit Korean. So...not much English was spoken but she pulled his locks and showed how much she was going to cut. He looked at it and the amount was what he wanted so he wasn't too worried. THEN with the first "snip, snip" he was left with only about an inch (FAR less than the gorgeous hair before) and from that point on there was nothing he could do. Furious, he called me and asked me to cancel the appointment for headshots. However, the makeup artist, who was only going to be there for me, was already on her way. So...Erik will get his headshots later...once the hair grows back out from this buzz-cut/military look a bit. And a big ol' lesson was learned: Get hair cut from people who speak the same language as you. AND pay more than $10. :)
So, I have the Belly dance teaching job. HOWEVER, they don't really want a technical Belly dance class. The women who are taking it are upper-class, mostly housewives, who are looking to get a work out without pumping iron at the gym or actually running. So, the owners of the studio explained to me that they don't want to really be Belly dancers, but just have fun and work out. Now, I am conflicted because I feel like I need to put more "cardio" in, so they get a good sweat going but what do I call it since its just like a Belly dance inspired workout? I'm not sure and it frustrates me because I feel like I also have to re-design the whole class set-up. *shrugs*
Finally, I've had 3 whole 5:30am outdoor personal training workouts and I'm SO sore! I'm proud of myself for not giving up and excited to be at my best physical ability! What a jock I am.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Where Do I Start?
So, I've been an extra on two shows so far through Central Casting. It's kind of annoying because you have to call in to a number which has a bunch of recordings on it (separate numbers for women and men), and you have to listen to the recording to see if it describes you, like,
"Hello! We're looking for non-union ladies between the ages of 25-40, all ethnicities, who are brunette and have professional business attire for CSI-New York. If this is you please call..."
And many variations within that. Sometimes it's 18 to look younger, or asking for people who have "bookable" cars (meaning 2007 or newer and not red, black, or white), or for people who have real ethnic wear from India or the Middle East. Or sometimes they want "little people who can ice skate (didn't make that one up), or saxophone players, or experienced cheerleaders. And then, if you fit the description, you call the number they ask you to and, Erik and I have figured out, most of the time the lines are BUSY so you call and call and call to try to talk to someone (or leave your info on their voice-mail). Now, the next thing we have to look at is maybe being AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) so we can become SAG (Screen Actors Guild). They're paid better and get more work!
On Sunday I met with a guy named Dejon "Danger" Miller, who is a personal fitness (and, he says, life) trainer. For his intense work out program he picks a few girls who he can "transform" (like real before and after pictures kind of a thing) to basically be the image of his business. He said he doesn't believe in just finding already fit women to do that because it's cheating (and it is, really). So, along with some other girls he is willing to train me three times a week and in return I help him once a week do some promotional things. Again, I'm not entirely sure what I'm getting into here but today I went and trained with him at 8:30am. It was...horrible. I mean, at least physically. It was the most intense workout I've definitely ever had and I consider myself pretty physically fit. My body was shaking all over and he would just push for more! I left feeling unsure if I wanted, or even could continue this. I talked with Erik and though my body is already sore and I know tomorrow at 5:30am is going to be worse in so many ways, Erik says I should try to stick with it. And I agree, for me and because, quite frankly, I'm not a quitter.
Yesterday I had my first rehearsal with ACFCLA, and the performance we're doing at the end of November is all about helping the world and community. Dances about no hate, and littering, and proud women stuff. So, its cool. Again, I really have no idea what I'm getting myself into. But through the studio I get to take free classes plus perform. And the woman who owns the studio and the company is also a photographer of dance and her work was in the magazine Dance Track for the Fall/Winter. Which is cool. It is interesting to be the newest in a place of dance again. It's been a while and luckily all these girls were really nice but being the new one was something I haven't experienced in a long time.
Oh man, I just remembered that intense workout for 5:30am again. *sigh*
"Hello! We're looking for non-union ladies between the ages of 25-40, all ethnicities, who are brunette and have professional business attire for CSI-New York. If this is you please call..."
And many variations within that. Sometimes it's 18 to look younger, or asking for people who have "bookable" cars (meaning 2007 or newer and not red, black, or white), or for people who have real ethnic wear from India or the Middle East. Or sometimes they want "little people who can ice skate (didn't make that one up), or saxophone players, or experienced cheerleaders. And then, if you fit the description, you call the number they ask you to and, Erik and I have figured out, most of the time the lines are BUSY so you call and call and call to try to talk to someone (or leave your info on their voice-mail). Now, the next thing we have to look at is maybe being AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) so we can become SAG (Screen Actors Guild). They're paid better and get more work!
On Sunday I met with a guy named Dejon "Danger" Miller, who is a personal fitness (and, he says, life) trainer. For his intense work out program he picks a few girls who he can "transform" (like real before and after pictures kind of a thing) to basically be the image of his business. He said he doesn't believe in just finding already fit women to do that because it's cheating (and it is, really). So, along with some other girls he is willing to train me three times a week and in return I help him once a week do some promotional things. Again, I'm not entirely sure what I'm getting into here but today I went and trained with him at 8:30am. It was...horrible. I mean, at least physically. It was the most intense workout I've definitely ever had and I consider myself pretty physically fit. My body was shaking all over and he would just push for more! I left feeling unsure if I wanted, or even could continue this. I talked with Erik and though my body is already sore and I know tomorrow at 5:30am is going to be worse in so many ways, Erik says I should try to stick with it. And I agree, for me and because, quite frankly, I'm not a quitter.
Yesterday I had my first rehearsal with ACFCLA, and the performance we're doing at the end of November is all about helping the world and community. Dances about no hate, and littering, and proud women stuff. So, its cool. Again, I really have no idea what I'm getting myself into. But through the studio I get to take free classes plus perform. And the woman who owns the studio and the company is also a photographer of dance and her work was in the magazine Dance Track for the Fall/Winter. Which is cool. It is interesting to be the newest in a place of dance again. It's been a while and luckily all these girls were really nice but being the new one was something I haven't experienced in a long time.
Oh man, I just remembered that intense workout for 5:30am again. *sigh*
Thursday, October 21, 2010
1st Blog
Not only is this my first blog post but it is the first blog I've ever started. We'll see how this goes.
So, Erik and I have been in Los Angeles for just over a month. It sounds longer than it feels. We are accompanied by my fat but adorable cat Booka, whom I've had for all of his life, about 13 years.
We moved here to pursue our careers; his in Theatre/Film and mine in Dance. However, I won't stop at dance and, in fact, have always loved acting and modeling and therefore I'm looking into those things as well.
Currently, I have a non-career job (ie. to pay the bills but is not performance or dance related) working with a valet company called: Valet of the Dolls. It is a mostly female company, owned and operated by a woman, Gillian. http://valetofthedolls.com/
On top of that, Erik and I are both registered with Central Casting, the largest extra's casting company here in LA. http://www.centralcasting.org/ Today is my second day in a row being an extra. Yesterday was for the NBC show Extras hosted by Mario Lopez, ya know AC Slater from Saved By The Bell. Its a show that just dish's on celebrity gossip (not my cup of tea but I still got paid). It was also the anniversary of Back To The Future (the 80's movie with Michael J. Fox) and so they had a replica of the Delorean they used.
Today will be for a TV show called Friends With Benefits, a romantic sitcom I've never watched. We'll see.
Additionally, I am working on teaching Belly dance for a new studio up in Glendale and being in a dance company called ACFCLA http://www.acfcla.org but haven't had any rehearsals quite yet.
That's all for now but there will be SO much to add.
So, Erik and I have been in Los Angeles for just over a month. It sounds longer than it feels. We are accompanied by my fat but adorable cat Booka, whom I've had for all of his life, about 13 years.
We moved here to pursue our careers; his in Theatre/Film and mine in Dance. However, I won't stop at dance and, in fact, have always loved acting and modeling and therefore I'm looking into those things as well.
Currently, I have a non-career job (ie. to pay the bills but is not performance or dance related) working with a valet company called: Valet of the Dolls. It is a mostly female company, owned and operated by a woman, Gillian. http://valetofthedolls.com/
On top of that, Erik and I are both registered with Central Casting, the largest extra's casting company here in LA. http://www.centralcasting.org/ Today is my second day in a row being an extra. Yesterday was for the NBC show Extras hosted by Mario Lopez, ya know AC Slater from Saved By The Bell. Its a show that just dish's on celebrity gossip (not my cup of tea but I still got paid). It was also the anniversary of Back To The Future (the 80's movie with Michael J. Fox) and so they had a replica of the Delorean they used.
Today will be for a TV show called Friends With Benefits, a romantic sitcom I've never watched. We'll see.
Additionally, I am working on teaching Belly dance for a new studio up in Glendale and being in a dance company called ACFCLA http://www.acfcla.org but haven't had any rehearsals quite yet.
That's all for now but there will be SO much to add.
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