My weekend

So I had an audition, 2 photo shoots and a very odd experience this weekend.

The audition was for a feature film called Sabina. I don't know what it's about really but there are 3 female leads, friends who I believe starts pulling these heists. So Saturday I read for all 3 parts. It went fine, but I didn't get a strong feeling if I'll get it or not.

Then I had a photo shoot with Patrick Alt. He shoots with these amazing antique cameras from the 1800s. The cameras itself are art! It was a pretty long shoot as shoots go as, unlike digital, the process is very labor intensive but the images are so beautiful. And his studio has all these headpieces and fabric and jewelry that I got to play with. It was amazing!

Sunday I shot some headshots and some fashion/editorial stuff with Bruce Martin. As delightful and generous as Patrick, but totally different style. I'm sure we shot some beautiful images.

But here's the weird story.

After my shoot with Bruce, which was at a studio on Melrose Avenue, I decided to do a little shopping. I was right in the shopping area on Melrose in West Hollywood so there are a ton of fun, funky little stores.

Anyway, I walk into this one little store and there are a few other women shopping. So as I'm walking around the store, this little old man comes up to me. I believe he was the owner of the store. He's very friendly...very grandfatherly.

He says, "I'll give you a discount for anything you want."

I thought that was very nice so I say thank you and he gives me a hug. A little forward but he's a sweet little guy.

After the hug he's standing on my left side and I turn my head to the right to look at some clothes. As I turn my head back to the left, his face is right next to mine and he's moving toward my lips with his tongue out trying to kiss me!

Shocked, I push him back and stutter, "No...no...with the...tongue...and...NO!"

He looks at me as if to say, "What? What's wrong", like he doesn't get it.

So again all I can get out of my mouth is, "No...no no no...kissing...no..."

And then he starts to show me clothes again as if NOTHING HAPPENED! So I sort of smile and make my way out of the store. I walked down the street in total shock but then I start laughing because it was so absurd. It was the weirdest thing.

Now I can't help but laugh everytime I think of it but also makes me look at old guys a little...different.

Tomorrow's Casting Call

So I have a casting call for an art book. The photographer is Patrick Hoelck, http://www.patrickhoelck.com/ and I think his work is interesting and striking. I don't know what his new book is about. But here are a couple of examples of his work:










So I'll bring this headshot with me:





And hopefully, we'll get to shoot together. I'll keep you posted.

And so it begins.

Well okay, I've actually been in L.A. for almost 4 months but this is my first time blogging.

In the days to come, I'll share my L.A. actor experiences with you. Maybe you'll find some humor or inspiration or comfort in my stories.

So...this weekend I had an audition for a short film called Rapture. I show up at the L.A. Film School, an enormous, impressive building on Sunset and Vine. I meet Heather, who's the producer and Donovan, who's the director. I walk into the room and sit down.

They both smile at me and then he says, "So what did you prepare for us?"

I wasn't told to prepare anything so I thought it was going to be a cold-reading from the script.

"Uh, I didn't know I was supposed to prepare anything," I stutter.

"I said that in my email, I thought," Heather says. She looks a bit annoyed.

I'm usually good about details like that but nonetheless I can't remember being told that. Anyway, they're staring at me waiting for me to do something. And my mind fails me. All the monologues I've done over the years and I can't remember one to save my life right now! They both banter around ideas of what I could do for them on fly and nothing sounds feasible. I feel like I'm one of those "my-dog-ate-my-homework" kind of people. I feel like a huge dork.

So I decide to just take responsibility for this and I say, "Look I guess I messed up. I have nothing prepared so if you want I can just...go."

And I start to gather my things.

The director says, "No no don't go."

So I take a deep breath and pause and then somehow this came out of me:

"Okay. I moved from Seattle about 4 months ago. And everyone wondered why. And people have this impression that L.A. is very slick and superficial and phony. But since I've been here, it has been just as beautiful and spiritual and deep as I wanted it to be. I believe what you think of something is what it will be for you. I left behind everything I knew and loved to come here because something told me that I was supposed to come here to...be the next grandest version of me."

At that point, saying those words out loud, made me get all teary. I couldn't believe I was telling perfect strangers about my life and my journey. I'd never done anything like that before.

They were staring at me and there was just silence for a moment.

Then the director says, "That was the best audition I've seen all day...because it was real."

The producer then says that I can prepare something and come back next week, giving me a second chance at this audition.

Anyway, maybe I won't get the part but it was one of the most memorable audition I've ever had.