Bootstrap

Nicknames are a funny thing. I've had a few in my life, some I've not necessarily wanted, but as nicknames often go, they stick no matter what. "Rookie" is one that I never understood, and still don't to this day.

At work, I've received the nickname "Bootstrap", which I didn't understand immediately, but upon pondering the matter, I realized I'm nicknamed after "Bootstrap" Bill Turner from the Pirates Of The Caribbean trilogy. Often this nickname is accompanied by stereotypical pirate cries of "Yar", and the like. Now this name has since branched-off from "buckle my boots" to "Buckles", but the core name still remains.

Now, onto this week.

Battlestar Galactica was a blast. I worked with two other actors who were on for these "Webisodes", and we all got along smashingly. We all had a similar dry sense of humour, and we cracked each other up on numerous occasions. The regulars on the show were fun too, and the crew was very laid-back and easy-going.

I play a pilot on the Webisode, and anyone who has seen the show knows that all the pilots get nicknames. "Starbuck", "Boomer", "Racetrack" and "Helo" are what some of the main characters have, so what did I suggest when they asked what my nickname should be?

"Bootstrap."

"Yeah, 'Bootstrap', that's a good one."

They actually "label" the ship with the pilot's nickname, so when I later saw "Shark", I didn't quite understand why I'm flying some other guy's ship when I then realized that they didn't take my suggestion. Not that I'm complaining about "Shark". The fact that the name of a character I've played has been plastered on the side of a spaceship, while I wear a flight suit with a helmet and a gun strapped to my leg is the coolest thing I could ever ask for.

But the "Bootstrap" fun doesn't end there.

At work last night, one of the porters comes back to tell me,

"Those guys from that awful show 'Supernatural' are at the bar, and one of them is actually flexing for a fan."

Oh, I had to see this. I do a very clever thing when scoping celebs at the bar, which is I pretend I'm looking for someone else so I don't look too obvious. Oh yeah, I'm smooth. Sure enough there was Sam and Dean Winchester, the guys I play almost every time I read on the North Shore. So, I see 'em, and think "cool, I've seen 'em," and go on about my business (because it is "my business") when I later get assigned to bathroom-checking duty.

So I'm wiping up the counter that seems to never be dry, when lo and behold the Winchester boys bust in, laughing and cavorting, as often brothers do. I step out to grab some c-fold paper towels, and go back in where Jensen Ackles (AKA Dean) is talking to the guy they're with. One of the off-duty kitchen guys comes in to relieve himself and acknowledges me with a "Bootstrap!"

"Bootstrap?" inquired Jensen.

"Yeah it's my nickname," said I.

"Bootstrap?" he persisted, still curious.

"Well yeah, my name's Will, so it's like 'bootstrap' Bill Turner from 'Pirates of The Caribbean."

"Oh. I just said 'nice shirt' to that guy, 'cuz it's got the big letters on it, and he just says 'bootstrap'."

"Oh, so he totally ignored you?"

"Yeah."

"Weak, man."

And then, I couldn't resist. I had my opening.

"You know, I read for your show all the time."

"Really?" he said, smiling big.

"Yeah, actually one of the girls who works here was on the episode that aired last night."

"Which one?"

"Oh, she was the girl at the doctor's office in the '70's episode."

"Oh yeah, I remember. Hey man, I'm Jensen what's your name?"

I then shook his freshly-washed (I hope) hand, and went on my my way. I could have shot him a "see you on set one day", but that would have been a bit much.

Or would it?

So Hot Right Now

Before I natter-on about my life, a fellow Nova Scotian has moved out here and is blogging about his life as a couch-surfing PA (currently working on a project I auditioned for). He's also an aspiring actor, having taken Theatre at Bishop's University. It's not as highly-regarded as VFS, but irregardless of that, the link to "No I am Not Judd Nelson" is that-a-way --->

Man I needed today.

I've come to the realization that my moods depend on my acting; if the acting is going well, I feel fine. If there's nothing going, then I feel lousy.

To begin, I got a call back for Supernatural, which I think holds the record for most auditions for a single show for me. Actually, most for a TV show, "I Love You, Beth Cooper" still holds the record for most auditions for a single project.

And yes, eight months into my career, I have "records." And they are shoddily-kept. Deal with it.

This one is ... interesting. The whole story about how this audition came to be is rather remarkable. So, allow me to remark upon it.

Last Thursday I read for Supernatural Episode #407, but #408 was reading for one character: A giant, animatronic Teddy Bear. So, the guys came in, I read, they acted, and then the Casting Director suggested that I audition for the part. Well, when it's offered, who can say no? So later that day, I auditioned, and when they asked about any "costume/movement experience" I told them I played Darth Vader in a short (*COUGH* ) and that I took movement classes at VFS.

So today I got the call back for it, and it's a good part because if I book it my face won't be shown, so I can always come back and do another episode.

Maybe "Beth Cooper's" record will be broken after all.

Later that day at the gym I see none other than the Tooth Fairy himself, looking ripped. Like, very ripped. He's not as thick as he was in his wrestling days, but he's still large. I was slightly tempted to go chat him up and be all "hey, you know those guys you're acting with? I knew 'em first, and I helped all of 'em get the job," but I didn't want to bug him during his work-out. I also didn't want to suffered a "Rock Bottom" directly onto the gym floor, and the subsequent "People's Elbow" that would follow. I'm sure he still fights like that in real life.

After all that excitement, I check my phone after coming out of the gym shower, and see a message from my agent.

Without going into too much detail, I'm being "held" from the 24-27th of this month to film a "Webisode" (definition: an "episode", but on the "world wide web", hence the oh-so-clever combination of the words into "webisode"; nothing to do with spiders, I'm afraid) of a certain TV show that filmed it's last episode in July and is now making an MOW and is now apparently making webisodes. It's the show that will not die, and I never want it to.

I'm super-psyched just to be acting in it, and with no details, my brain is going wild imagining what this could entail. I mean, webisode = web series, right? Possible recurring? Ohh, I do love that word "recurring". Another cool thing is I could be shooting on the 26th, which is my birthday, which certainly beats being in an OFA class all day like I was last year. The gay improve show that night was pretty fun, glad I didn't really kiss that Drag Queen.

Moving on.

More Celebrity sightings tonight as Owen Wilson sat at the bar at the World-Famous Cactus Club Cafe, and left happy. He was watching the Monday Night Cowboys/Eagles game, and had to be pleased at the outcome. My guess is that he was in town for "Night At The Museum 2".

I told the roomies I couldn't live where I am now, and thankfully they understood. I'm a big reason we moved here, as I wanted the three of us to stay together, but the place is just too much for me. They love it, which is good, I just need to find another person with some money to love it as much as they do. If you (yes, YOU, Mr. or Mrs. Reader) are at all interested, drop me a line and I can dish the deets on the place. Finding a replacement is top priority, finding another place will be second.

That second part should be easy, considering the front page of the paper was about the record-low vacancy rates in Vancouver. No big deal.

Lovin' The CW

I would have had an audition for three of the aforementioned network's shows: Reaper, Smallville, and Supernatural, had Reaper's session not gotten in the way of Smallville's Monday morning. Ah well, Reaper had first dibs, and I operate on a strict "dibs-based" system.

Supernatural was Friday morning, with my North Vancouver peeps on Brooksbank Ave. It's been a few weeks since I was last there (agent still claims that business is slower than dishwater ... wait, wrong metaphor) so it was good to see them again. I get a terrible anxiety when it's been too long between auditions; so far, I'm averaging one per week, and it's been about two weeks since my last audition (which was technically a pre-screen, but screw you, I'm counting it, a'right?)

It was a fun little part, playing on the classic Werewolf (sorry, lycanthrope) scenario with the guy mackin' on his girl in his car, claiming there's no wolves in the state of Pennsylvania, before getting hauled-off by a pair of furry paws through his car window. It was awkward as hell to "act-out" that last part, with no paws for hauling, and we all had a bit of a laugh in the room. It wasn't supposed to be played comically, but we all can acknowledge the humour that is a guy standing out of a chair screaming, while walking sideways out of frame. Yeah.

Reaper was even more fun, auditioning for a recurring role in the series. This guy was a Red Sox fan who sold his soul to the devil so the 'Sox could win the Pennant. I can promise that at least 40% of 'Sox fans actually did this. The role was fun, and the audition went OK; I seem to be basing my audition's success on what kind of direction the Casting Director gives me. If it's a "Good, now let's try it more ... " then that's OK. If it's a "we're not getting the gravity of the situation ... " that's not good. On the bright side, at least he gave me another crack at it, and he didn't just figure "this kid's not getting it, let's make sure the door doesn't hit him on the way out; I don't want ass-prints on my new doors."

I went to the agency after to pick-up some more resumes, which surprisingly had Battlestar Galactica on them (actually it just says "Battlestar", and "Paul", which wasn't the name of my character.)

"Well yeah, they paid you for it, so it goes on there."
"But what if a Casting Director wants to view my acting in this particular program?"

Well whatever, they won't. I left my agencies office with a "we'll see what comes next," such is the life of an actor.

I'm going to use my free weeks pass to the Steve Nash Fitness Centre that I got from work. My World Gym membership expired, and I will miss the place; I spent the better part of the year there, and the work has shown. It's funny how when you start something, you have a certain idea of how much work needs to be done, but once you get into it, you realize you have to do so much more, and that you can go so much further.

Happy birthday to my mom today who turns -- c'mon, you don't think I'd do that to her, do you?