Thank You's

Although this blog will likely not be read by them, I wanted to extend sincere thank you's to casting directors, Adrienne Stern and Judy Bowman, whom I met separately at Actors Connection within the past 30 days. Meeting with them led to some proud moments.

THANK YOU #1
My thank you to Adrienne comes because of film intensive I took with her. My reading wasn't perfect but she complimented how natural I was on-camera but also said that she thought I would make a great on-camera host - based on my energy and look.

A day or two later, I noticed a breakdown on Actors Access for a hosting job for a video gaming webisode. I submitted and was called to audition. After a long day of auditions and callbacks, I landed the role. Turned out that the company I would work for just weeks later was Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Thank you, Adrienne Stern for having a part in the reason I paid attention to that breakdown and booked the job!

THANK YOU #2
This past Wednesday, I attended a seminar with Judy Bowman at Actors Connection. Not only did I appreciate her warm, honest and direct style and take on the industry, but she gave me great feedback. I performed for her a monologue from one of my favorite movies, It's a Wonderful Life. Her feedback was so helpful. She gave me feedback that tightened it up physically for the audition room as well as made me see the monologue in a contemporary way. She encouraged me to find its 'relevance' to today as well as to make it feel more 'contemporary' in my performance.

Tonight (just two days later) I had a casting director seminar with Liz Ortiz-Mackes from Casting Solutions. I kept all of the passion of the piece but brought in Judy's notes. By doing so, Liz applauded me for performing it with such 'relevance' and for making it a 'modern' and 'personal' take on an iconic piece for which Jimmy Stewart will always be remembered.

I don't pretend to hold a candle to Jimmy Stewart, but it seems I have taken a step towards helping people forget his performance during the two minutes in which I'm performing the same piece.

Thank you, Judy. Your feedback was so clear and helpful. I applied it and found terrific results.

NOTABLE MENTION
I can't end this blog without thanking the others mentioned (or connected) herein. So, I'd like to end with a Thank You to Kelli Lerner, Allison Twardziak and Nintendo Co., Ltd. for entrusting me with your hosting job. And, thank you to Liz Ortiz-Mackes for being a fun and no-nonsense casting director with an open, welcoming spirit.

Trust in the doing my friends.