Actor In The City

It's been almost three weeks since my last post. Lots going on, just wasn't "feeling it". And by "it" I mean "ke writing". And by "feeling" I mean "feeling li". Let's boil it down to the major days, shall we?

Tuesday, June 16:

Was quite a day. It began with me preparing a pre-screen for a Lifetime show called "Mistresses". I read the pilot script, and it's a very female show, like "Sex And The City", but I've never seen "Sex And The City", so I don't know if I can make the comparison. OK, maybe I've seen an episode or two, but it doesn't count because I watched them against my will.

This pre-screen was for a pair of casting directors that haven't seen me yet, so I wanted to make a good first impression. I prepared the scene as best I could in the limited time I had, bought some new clothes (the scene took place after a funeral) and cabbed there to be on time. Once I arrived, I found-out they were running an hour behind, which was no good, because I had a call back for DRAGONSTEEL at 4:15, while my pre-screen was at 2:30.

I called my agent to tell him, and he said he'd call me back. Upon calling back:
"OK, I told them the situation, and they're going to try to get you in first for the next session. If it ends-up taking too long, just use your judgment and leave if you have to."

Given the stress this pre-screen caused initially, I did not want to just walk away from it. 3:30 would be late, but I could book-it in a cab for my call back and still make it. Heck, the call backs were probably running late anyway (most director/producer sessions do). The Casting Assistant told me that my agent had called them, and that I would be going first, just like he said I would. Well, the next session didn't start for about 20 minutes after that, but I was still able to go into the room and give a good audi- I mean, pre-screen. I changed out of the suit and into my goblin garb, went looking for a bank to take out some money, grabbed a cab, got extremely frustrated with traffic and construction, but made it on time.

In the waiting room I saw a varying degree of hulking individuals, one of whom was one half of the twins I saw for the audition, with his boots, cut-off sleeves and 2x4 in tow. I can't help but thinking that it's gotta be awkward for them, these call backs. How does the other feel about his brother's call back? Whatever, apparently they "book lots", so I guess they're over any sort of sibling jealousy.

Upon entering the audition room, I had to immediately bolt after being introduced to the director and producers (always amazes me how many can fit in such a small room; it's like a clown car, but they're not clowns, they're directors and producers, and it's not a car, it's a room). I had to grab my bag, which I was using as a prop. I did they audish, sticking to the Casting Director's notes (this guys gives a lot of them) and felt pretty good that I pulled-off a hectic day; but they day wudn't over yet.

I had to take another cab (three all day) downtown to meet-up with my good buddy Sara to work on out scenes for that night's class. This is what I was dreading all day, but the class went well, my scene didn't get ripped-apart too badly, and I had a great talk with my acting teacher afterwards. I told him about everything I was doing, and he came to one conclusion: I'm an actor, in the city. I'm doing it.

Wednesday, June 17:

I found out I was "too good-looking, too all-American" for "Mistresses" and "too small for what we all want" for DRAGONSTEEL. Actor in the city.

Thursday, June 19:

I had my friend Greg King visit. He's a been a buddy of mine since High School, and we stay in touch by "drafting" real men with a computer program, and judge ourselves based on their weekly performances in the NFL. He was in town for a UBC conference, but he arrived early to stay in the luxurious "Chateau Will's Room" which is famous for it's plush, carpeted floor. Greg's came prepared, though. Dude lived in Inuvik last summer (check out blog, the "Summer Above 66" that I have linked to the right to read more about it!) so he came with backpacks, and a therma-rest. Dude knew what he was doing.

Friday, June 20:

I showed Greg around town, kind of randomly pointing to things, and not really knowing what to show him. He was going to Victoria the next day, to check-out the town, and to see the house he grew-up in. I had Saturday off, so I figured I'd go too.

Saturday, June 21:

Taking public transit, it's actually pretty cheap to visit Victoria from Vancouver. The ferry sails out of Tsawwassen, which is a forty minute bus ride, costing $2.50. The ferry itself is only $5 for foot passengers, and when you get to Vancouver Island, you have to take another bus from the ferry terminal to Victoria, which is another $2.25. All said, about 4 and a half hours and $9.75 one-way on a weekend.

Victoria was a lovely little town, and we spent a good amount of the day in Esquimalt, seeing the home Greg grew-up in on a military base. I'm fortunate that the home I grew-up in is still occupied by my family, but it was cool being there with Greg remembering his childhood. We went walking around Victoria some more, walked along a beach, visited Greg's great uncle (who is a spry 89 year old) ate breakfast at Smitty's (!) at 6pm, then had to hop the bus, ferry and bus to get home on time for me to work the next day. It was a great day, and it felt good to get out of Vancouver. It was my one day vacay.

Wednesday, June 25:

I had a conversation with my agent when I visited his office to pick-up some resumes. I picked-up another check for "I Love You Beth Cooper", which was sweet. He said it's tough to act and balance a full-time job, and that it comes down to money: it's good to have it. No kidding. He said another actor on his roster reads for Brooksbank, and every now and again, she'd have small parts offered to her. Here's hoping I get so lucky.

Thursday, June 26:

I had an audition for another Casting Director that hasn't seen me yet. This project was a horror movie called "Messages Deleted", and the role was a 30-year-old Real Estate agent. Another stretch for me, but hey, I'm used to it. Taking a lesson from my acting class, I worked the crap out of the scene (six very wordy pages) and the end result being the Casting Director telling me I was "very grounded" and that I looked like Jason Bateman, which I'll take as a compliment. "Arrested Development" rules.

Friday, June 27:

I received a phone call at 7:30 from the Casting Assistant at Brooksbank who needed me to read for them that morning. I agreed, and enjoyed reading for another Kyle XY session. I had a chat with one of the actors who auditioned on the way home on the bus/Seabus. I've met some actors at work, and I always find it interesting to talk to the people who have been doing it in town for longer than I have. Actors have lots to talk about, and I always find it fascinating to hear their tales and share mine. We're just a great, big acting family.

Monday, June 30:

After waking up too late, feeling ill effects of movie theatre snacks from the night before, Will sits on his bed in his underwear, sweating on a hot Vancouver day after a hot Vancouver weekend working under the hot heat lamps at Vancouver's hottest restaurant.