The Actress/Model

SAG Screeners!!!

2012-01-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

For those of you that aren't members of SAG, let me explain what screeners are.

Every January, in anticipation for the SAG awards, SAG sends all paid up members DVD copies of select award nominated films, as well as free movie tickets to new releases, and digital downloads. The reason why SAG does this is so that members can make informed decisions of who they would like to vote for. Plus, it's just a really nice perk of being a member and paying your dues on time. :)

This year, my DVD copies are: The Artist, Bridesmaids, The Descendants, The Help, and Moneyball.

For digital downloads, I have access to: J. Edgar, Midnight in Paris, The Iron Lady, My Week with Marilyn, Warrior, Beginners, A Better Life, Albert Nobbs, and all of the films that were given to me as DVDs.

I was also given free tickets to see The Artist, My Week with Marilyn, and The Iron Lady in theaters if I so choose. I will watch The Artist at home, but will see the other two in theaters for sure.

So while some of the films are available in different formats, it gives me the option of seeing some of them in a way that is most convenient for me. I'm so excited!!

Q & A

2012-01-19T10:00:00.001-05:00

Here are two questions that I received in the comments section of one of my last blog post:

Ryan asked....
"How can you get a manager? I'm a non sag and I have done some student films. I feel like the next step is to go after paid work and be a sag. Or would that be too soon? Also what do managers look for?"

--Getting a manager works pretty much the same way as getting an agent. You self-submit via mail or email, or you receive a referral from a friend. I can't say if joining SAG right now is too soon because I don't really know anything about you or your current resume. Joining the union is a personal choice, but in my opinion, you should not join SAG until you HAVE to.

Are you represented right now? Are you actively auditioning for SAG projects? If you aren't even auditioning for SAG projects, you should be concentrating on doing as many high quality student/indie films as you can so that you can build up your resume and get a great reel.

As for what managers look for, I have no idea. Just like agents, every manager is different. Some managers like actors that they can help develop into working actors, while other managers like actors that are already working. It's up to you to do the research and find out which managers are looking for what it is that you have to offer.

Clement asked...
"How did you make the change from non union free work to paid SAG work? How did you land your first SAG job?"

--I moved from non-union work around the time that I started auditioning for SAG commercials. I had done a handful of non-union commercials up until that point and was able to land a great commercial agent. My first SAG job was a national commercial for CitiBank. The next day, I did another national for Dove chocolate. A couple of months later, I booked my first TV role on a SAG show, forcing me to join the union. I haven't working anything non-union since then.

Leo asked...
Are postcards worth it?
Have you tried any of your own creative was to get under a casting director's radar?

--As for your second question, I can't say that I've really done anything creative. I've had representation for quite some time and they have been instrumental in getting me through the doors of really great casting directors. This leads me to your first question...

Post cards are a great way to stay on a CD's radar. They are way cheaper than full size headshots and the postage is cheaper too. Anytime you have a career update or just want to say hi, you can write one up and toss it in the mail. Many times, post cards end up with the letter mail because of their smaller size. That means it's much more likely that the CD will not only see the postcard, but also read it. If you are sending them regularly, the CD is more likely to remember you when a role that you are perfect for comes along.

New Year Update

2012-01-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, so like many others, my December was pretty slow. I had one print casting and an audition for an indie feature that I didn't even get a callback for. Booooo.

The highlight of my month was a pretty big one though! I booked a co-star role on the heavily promoted "SMASH". If you haven't heard of it (um, where have you been?) it's a new TV drama being executive produced by Steven Spielberg. No, I didn't get to meet him, haha. I think the show premiers on February 6th, but I believe I'm in episode 9 which means my episode won't air until late March or early April.

Anyway, I played a rude casting assistant in a scene with both Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty, the stars of the show. These two lovely ladies could not have been more kind, sweet, and likable. They made me feel included and comfortable. Sometimes, when you're playing a small part on a show, it can be awkward because the cast and crew has already been working together for weeks and they have a dynamic that you're not really a part of. I was made to feel like part of the team for the day it was a good feeling.

***********

January has been painfully slow. I had one commercial audition and callback. I didn't book it, though.

Now that the holidays are over and things are (sort of) starting to pick back up, I'm thinking about where I'm at in my career and what my goals are for the year. I'm meeting with my manager and agents this week to discuss the "plan of attack" and I feel as though I'm already on the right track, but I could definitely amp up the effort that I'm putting forth.

I really want to take the next few months to focus all of my attention on studying my craft (I kind of hate that phrase) and feeling more confident as an actor. Last year, I put so much emphasis on the business side of being an actor that I began to forget what I love about performing. I start a new advanced class next month and I'm really excited.

And OBVIOUSLY, the much anticipated pilot season has begun. I don't really know what to expect this year but this is something that I'll discuss with my reps this week. I hope that I get more auditions than I did last year, but you just never know.

Enough of my ramblings for now. If anyone has questions or comments that you'd like me to address in future posts, just send me an email or leave a comment.

Hello Everyone!

2012-01-14T23:16:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone! First, I want to thank everyone that left a comment on my last blog post. I'm sorry that it took me so long to post them. The holidays were very hectic and once they ended, I just needed to take a break from everything acting related and relax!

I will begin posting once more in a few days so please stay tuned!! I hope everyone's 2012 is off to a productive and positive start!

Sometimes You Get Gut Punched

2011-11-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

I've been meaning to tell you all about this experience for a couple of months now. Back in August, I booked a day player role for a feature film called 'Hello, I Must Be Going...' starring Melanie Lynskey (Two and a Half Men). I had about 3-4 lines in the film playing a restaurant hostess that flirts with Melanie's ex-husband as they walk into the restaurant where I work.

The scene was filmed in Connecticut so I had to travel there by train the day before and the producers put me and the other actors up at a hotel. The morning of the shoot, we were all driven to set and once I got there, I immediately had feelings of trepidation. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, I just had a nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen. I pushed the feelings aside because I wanted to have a good shoot and I was still very excited about playing this part. I had just filmed 'What Maisie Knew' (the scene with Alexander Skarsgard) a couple of weeks before and I was still riding that wave of happiness at booking two big features back to back.

I went to hair and makeup and waited to be called to set. Production was behind schedule so we got started a couple of hours late probably around 10AM. The scene was seemingly pretty simple, Melanie's character walks into the restaurant with her ex-husband played by Dan Futterman (A Mighty Heart), he and I have a little inside joke/flirtation, and then I walk them to their table and give him a flirty smile as I walk away. After that, the two of them (the two exes) have a long conversation that results in her walking out on him. Simple.

So, the director decides to shoot the second half of the scene first. This is where I walk them to the table...etc. However, their conversation is well over 5 minutes long. Shooting me walking them to the table, handing them menus and the long conversation takes a few hours, allowing the director to shoot the wide shots, two shots, and Dan's closeups. Then we broke for lunch.

While eating, this is when that nagging feeling comes back. I overhear the director saying how they have to be out of the restaurant by 4PM. It's after 1PM and we have not shot Melanie's closeups yet. The set also needs to be completely changed around. Once lunch is finished, the crew gets to work changing the set in order to shoot Melanie's closeups. Once they start filming her, this takes another couple of hours. The director is running the scene from start to finish for every single take. There were many takes where either Melanie or Dan flub lines and the entire take needs to be scrapped, even if it's almost finished. Keeping in mind, each take lasts roughly 7 minutes. All in all, the second half of the scene probably ran close to 30 takes.

When the second half is finally finished, the crew begins to strike the set. At this point, the restaurant workers have started to arrive and are preparing to open the restaurant for business. I had known for sure around 2:30PM that my lines would not be filmed but the director, Todd Louiso, finally confirms it once the scene wraps. He obviously needed to shoot the second half first because it was the most important part of the scene and I understood that. He was also very apologetic and seemed genuinely sorry that I would not get to fully play my role. Despite the apology, I was bitterly disappointed and very angry. I could barely contain my tears long enough to walk away and call my manager. Once I got him on the phone, I broke down. He explained to me that I was still booked and going to be billed as a principal actor, that I would still get paid the principal rate. But that didn't matter to me.

It was heartbreaking. As an actor, you spend so much money on classes/headshots/clothes/etc., you go on audition after audition, facing rejection after rejection. But, you keep getting up and going to the next one because you know that your time is going to come. Then, you finally book that job, the job that will give you perfect footage for your reel, look great on your resume, and give you that emotional boost to keep going. You sign your principal contract. You even get on set, get your hair and makeup done, get dressed, and spend the whole day doing your job, waiting for your little moment to shine.

And then the rug gets pulled out from under you. To work so hard, to be that close, to literally be on set and then have the opportunity taken away, through no fault of your own, is infuriating.

I remember having to pull myself together long enough to say thank you and goodbye to the director and producers. I thanked them for the opportunity and I remained as professional as I could under the circumstances. Even Melanie seemed really sad that I didn't get to do my part and she also apologized and gave me a big hug before I was taken back to the train station. I spent the hour and a half train ride home trying not to cry. But when I got home, I cried for two days every time I thought about it, or talked about it. I kept getting angry. I was angry at the lack of time that resulted in my part getting cut. But I was even more angry at the fact that a role that was so important to me, wasn't really important at all. That was the worst feeling, knowing that I didn't matter, that I was expendable.

I suppose you could call it a humbling experience....and being humbled pissed me off too (haha!) because I feel that I have a deep appreciation for everything that I get out of this business. I don't take anything for granted and I work very hard. I kept trying to figure out the lesson in this situation because I didn't understand what I was supposed to be learning.

The biggest thing that I have learned from this is that no matter how close you get, how hard you work, or how much you may think you deserve something, things don't always work out and you have to be able to bounce back quickly. It's okay to feel upset or sad, but you can't let it stop you from moving forward. I've also learned not to put too much stake into really small roles that aren't integral to the story because, most of the time, if there is a lack of time/funds, that will be the first part to get scrapped or end up on the cutting room floor. I look at these parts as necessary for establishing relationships with casting directors, building a resume, and building reel. Once you do enough of them, you'll get the chance to start auditioning for parts that really mean something to the story and allow you to be more creative as a performer.

Progress Report

2011-11-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

This past month has been VERY busy for me and while I have a couple of awesome bookings, my booking ratio wasn't that high this month.

1. Most excitingly, I shot a co-star role on the TV drama 'The 2-2'. This show is being executive produced by Robert DeNiro and stars Leelee Sobieski. It's a cop drama centering around a group of young rookies. In fact, I think the original title of the show was 'Rookies'.

2. Had a general meeting/audition with a casting exec at BET. She's prepping for a slew of new tv pilots that BET will be producing next year and wants to see what kind of talent NYC has to offer. The meeting was awesome and she had nothing but great things to say about me. She was gushing over my headshots and told me that my performances were very natural and that I have a very bright future ahead of me. Hopefully I'll be auditioning for some series regular roles for her in the next few months.

3. I took a 4 week improv class at The PIT (People's Improv Theater) and had A BLAST!! It was so much fun and really liberating. I was scared shitless at first but I learned quickly to just let loose and go balls to the wall. It's already helped me in my auditions, especially in terms of thinking on my feet and being more courageous with my choices. I'm currently researching classes at UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade) and may take one with a couple of my friends.

4. Auditioned for a lead role in a Hallmark Channel movie, no dice. That was a bummer because the story was pretty awesome. I also auditioned for a lead role in a SAG low-budget feature. No dice there, either.

5. I have had a handful of commercial and voice over auditions. I had a callback for one of the commercials today and they are currently holding me for ten days. I'm never optimistic about VO auditions because in two years, I have never booked a single one. I mean, NOT A SINGLE ONE!

6. I shot a print ad for Always feminine products, and while it was a long grueling shoot, the pay rate is very high and kept a smile on my face.

7. I re-signed with Buchwald, this time for 3 years.

8. Oh, and I had my first guest star role audition for a show that will not be named because it's pretty embarrassing. I didn't get it, but it was exciting to move up the TV audition ladder.

----So, as you can see, I went out a lot for a pretty large range of projects and I only booked two. I think that it's time for me to get back into a really great acting class because I'm starting to go out for bigger roles and I want to make sure that my skill set is up to par.

Q & A

2011-11-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

I hope you all have been well!!

Anyway, this past month has been pretty busy and blogging just kind of fell to the back burner. I have a progress report post coming up in the next few days. I'm sorry for taking so long to post the answers to these questions, I feel pretty terrible about it.

Dreamlover225 asked....
Hi! Andrea you're such an inspiration. About a year ago, I moved to NYC to model and I havent had much luck. Its difficult because I hear so much conflicting advice. I read a book that says you don't need professional pictures to apply to an agency but then others say that you do. I don't know if its difficult to get into an agency at this point and time because of the economy or what. I really appreciate your advice, though. Good luck with everything!

---Thank you!! Now, I know that you posted this question on my "Becoming A Commercial Print Model" post, and that post pretty much answers your dilemma in great detail. Here is a quote from the post:

"The photos don’t have to be amazing, but they should be professionally done (re: look professional) even if they are the result of a trade. A simple smiling headshot is perfect when you’re starting out."

You absolutely need at least one photo in order to get started as a model. It doesn't have to be a professional photo, but it has to look professional. Re-read my blog post, it's a pretty comprehensive summary that could help you get over your current hump.

Mark asked....
Say someone who is like me, all they got is one student film, would it be ok for them to start going after commercials. OR would it be a bad idea since it can make them a SAG?
---Go after commercials whenever you feel like it, it's up to you. Booking one commercial will make you eligible. Any SAG jobs you book after that will make you a "must join". I would go after commercials while still trying to build my resume with student films/indies/shorts/etc. Joining SAG before you have enough experience or even a reel can result in you being unable to compete on a professional level.

Never join SAG until you have to. Once you join, you will be unable to audition for any non-union work.

Erica asked....
Hey..this is more a commercial question. How do I get a talent agent if I don't have a reel? Do I just submit pictures to the agency? I've already taken on-camera commercial classes.

---You don't need a reel for commercials. Reels are really only meant for tv/film actors. You would find a commercial agent much the same way you would find a theatrical agent. You would submit a headshot and resume via snail mail (email if you're bold), or ask a friend for a referral. Some actors try to meet agents and workshops and seminars, it's not my cup of tea, but it's an option all the same.

Harold asked....
What are the turn off and turn ons Casting directors would find in a resume.

--It might be better for you to ask this question to a casting director or an agent, but I'll do my best to answer you. Based on things that I've read or heard the past few years, CDs don't like when actors list extra/background work on their resumes. They also like for resumes to be well formatted and spell checked. If you don't have any experience at all, listing just your training is fine. If you're very young (under 22 years old) it's okay to list high school and college theater productions on your resume.

Under your "Special Skills" section, don't list anything that you can't do very well. If you've only been on a skateboard once, then listing it as a skill would be a mistake. Should you be called upon to show a casting director that skill, you will be perceived as unprofessional and misleading. Don't be afraid to list things that seem mundane, such as the fact that you have a valid US passport. If you live in NYC, listing that you have a driver's license is good. If you live in LA, it's pointless.

Sandy asked....
My main focus is on Tv/Film, do you think it is a must to have some theater background? Have you done theater and what was it like?

---I don't know if it's a "must", but it can NEVER hurt to have a theater background. A lot of casting directors love actors that have worked in theater. I have done a bunch of theater but haven't been on stage in about 3 years. I absolutely love theater and I find it to be very challenging. Performing on stage in front of hundreds or even thousands.....hell, just 10 people is very scary, but also exhilarating. The adrenaline rush is insane and so is the high that you feel as you're coming down from a performance. I would recommend that every actor perform in at least one play.

JJ asked....
Casting directors seem to love you! Im glad. But how is it that your charm them?

---I don't try to charm CDs. I just behave as myself. CDs are real people and they can tell when you're being fake or genuine. They just want to see you as you are, not putting on a front because you're trying to impress them.

I think I have a pretty awesome personality, but I'm sure that there are people out there that can't stand me! Hahaha! Not everyone is going to love you, and that's okay. Always be yourself and you'll win more fans that way.


djwhiley asked......
I'm so happy you're doing this. Lots and lots of questions to ask... 1. How do you determine your type? Am I the girl next door, wall flower, leading lady etc? It seems important to know this for headshots and knowing what roles to submit for 2. What sorts of photos should I have in my portfolio to start with? 3. NY or LA?? 4. Do I really need an agent/agency to start? Thanks in advance!

---I'm assuming that your first question is for acting? You don't need a "type" for commercial print. Commercial print, is about you as a person. If you're interested in finding your type for the purposes of acting, I wrote a blog post once on how I figured out my type. Bonnie Gillespie, is an indie casting director and a really great columnist for Actors Access. She's written countless columns on how to figure out your type. Are are a couple that I really like: here, here, and here.

2. You don't need a portfolio to get started in commercial print. Here is the link to last post that I made regarding how to get started as a print model.

3. That's up to you, both are great markets. If you are more interested in theater, I would say NYC for sure. For tv/film, there is more work in LA, but NYC is still great. Mayor Bloomberg signed a ton of tax incentives last year that make it more economical for productions to shoot here in NYC, as a result, over 20 TV pilots were filmed here this year, many of which were picked up.

4. For acting, not really. You can start doing student films and no-budget indies without an agent. For print work, you need an agent in order to be seen for print castings.

Joel asked....
You should do a youtube channel, that would be so cool. Can you also talk about your experience of Acting Schools in NYC, what they were like and which one you like best. And which was afforable.

---I've considered a youtube channel, but blogging is already a lot of work!

I've only been to one acting school here in NYC, The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. I dropped out after one semester so....yeah. The classes were great, but it was too restrictive for my blood. I don't have enough experience with acting schools to justify writing an entire post about them. I prefer private acting classes with less than 14 students.

Finding a great acting class is a lot of trial and error. You just have to keep trying out classes until you find what works best for you. I'm currently on the hunt for my next

Dear Lovely asked....
I didn't want to have to ask this here because it's not a big question or anything but I'm curious. Did you ever take a picture for a Social Psychology textbook? lol I'm reading through my textbook now and I swear this is you! If not, you have a doppelganger! lol

---Not that I know of! I did do a shoot for a test prep book once, but it was for the cover. Hmm, I'm curious to see the photo though. Maybe it's from a stock photography shoot I did a few years ago.

Becoming A Commercial Print Model

2011-09-29T10:00:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer: This post is about Commercial Print, because this is the only type of modeling that I do and feel confident speaking of. I am NOT an expert and am only speaking from MY perspective based on MY experiences. I always encourage others to try different methods that may work for them. Please keep in mind that this post mostly deals with major markets such as NYC or Los Angeles. I don’t know anything about smaller markets or the resources available to aspiring models in those markets.

I tried to make this as in depth as possible so it’s quite a lengthy read. Pop some popcorn and grab a drink!

***********************************

I cannot tell you guys how many emails I get from people asking me how to get started as a model. My eyes always kind of glaze over when I read the question because, frankly, there is no simple way to answer it. But I’m starting to realize that what people are REALLY asking is for me to tell them what I did to get started.

So, here is a summary of how I got started:

I met a photographer at a photo printing studio who asked me if I’d ever considered modeling. Yes, I had considered it, but didn’t feel a strong enough desire to pursue it. I also had the misguided notion that working as a model would somehow lower my credibility as an actor. Oh, youth. Anyway, we chatted a bit and he told me about a website called Model Mayhem, which is a really great networking site for models, photographers, makeup artists, etc. Users create their “portfolios” and add their stats and photo preferences for other to peruse. People then reach out to each other to collaborate on projects, usually on a trade basis. Meaning, you each work for free with the understanding that you will have new photos for your portfolio. He gave me his card and I left.

I checked out his work on Model Mayhem and really liked what I saw. He had good references and I felt like I could get some good photos out of a trade. So, we did a shoot and I got some adorable photos. Well, at the time they were adorable but I hope they never surface in the future. Haha!!!

I created a page on MM with about 5 photos, including one of my first headshots. I immediately started getting messages with requests to collaborate on photoshoots. A couple of months after putting up my page, I got a phone call from a hair weave/extension company that was looking for models for an upcoming shoot. I was only moderately interested until the woman told me that I’d be paid $500 for the day. FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!!?? I had never been paid for a modeling or acting job up to this point so it was VERY exciting for me.

Doing that shoot and walking out with a $500 was exhilarating. I was a model! For the next several months my only paid modeling jobs were with this company because I did not have an agent. I’d ended up going back to Texas for about 6 months (this was the end of 2007) and came back in April of 2008. I linked up with the hair company again, did some more shoots with them, and I got some new headshots as a trade with a photographer who was building his portfolio. Sometime around October of 2008 I submitted 3 photos to Gilla Roos (now closed) who gave people the chance to submit photos through their website. Two days later, I got a call from them and was asked to come in for a meeting. I went in and met Jillian who took me on right away. About two weeks later, I booked my first major print job, earning $4000. I ended up booking two more jobs before Gilla Roos closed, and a few months later I submitted to an agent at CESD via facebook. Yes, facebook. I was contacted for a meeting that same day and have worked with them ever since. Around that same time. Jillian started the print division (PMG Models) at Prestige Management Group and introduced me to my manager, Christopher Silveri.

That’s how I became a model and got with my first agencies.

The biggest mistake that a lot aspiring models make is that they try to become fashion models. If you aren't at least 5'7" IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. They don't do their research enough to learn about all of the different types of modeling. Besides commercial print and fashion, there's beauty modeling, fitness modeling, maternity, glamour (aka nude, think Playboy), urban modeling, fetish (I hear it pays well...), and the often overlooked parts modeling (hands, feet, legs).

The most common and recognized style aside from fashion is commercial print. It's also the most lucrative.

What Is Commercial Print?

It’s not fashion. That’s not to say you may never be modeling clothes (I’ve worked for Puma), because there are plenty of “commercial” clothing lines that will hire commercial print models for their clothes. But as a general rule, commercial print is all about products. I’m talking anything from toothpaste, cell phones, pain meds, hair color, candy, etc.

There are no height or weight requirements, age limits, or racial boundaries. People of all ages, races, and weights purchase/need/want various products and commercial print models represent those demographics. Some commercial print models are gorgeous or what many clients like to refer to as aspirational (meaning, they want the targeted consumer to see the person and aspire to be just like them), some look like average/everyday people, some are really hip or tough looking, some are super preppy. It just depends on what the client is looking for. The most important thing is that the model seems relatable to the client’s targeted customer base.

Commercial print ads tend to project happiness, contentment, or satisfaction with whichever product is being represented. It is rare that you will see a print ad where the model seems unhappy. If the model is unhappy, it’s usually for comedic reasons.

Grab a magazine and flip through it. Pay attention to the advertisements that you see and take note of what kinds of models are in the ads. Pay attention to their facial expressions and body language. This is the type of energy that you, as a commercial print model, will need to project when having your photos taken. That relaxed, happy energy is what will get you booked.

Print vs Fashion

A lot of people ask me if print models make more money than fashion models. The general answer is yes. Obviously, if your name is Chanel Iman or Adriana Lima, that’s not true. In order to make really good money in fashion, you have to be a “name”. Sounds familiar, right?

All of the fashion models that I know say that the bulk of their income comes from doing fashion shows. The pay rates are from a few hundred to a few thousand per model. The biggest source of income for fashion models are campaigns, and most of those go to super models or models that are already building names for themselves. Editorials don’t pay much at all. I’m talking around $200 for the entire day. Magazines are notoriously cheap in the way that they pay models. The biggest incentive to doing a magazine shoot for such little pay is the exposure and the amazing photos that the models can add to their books.

If you go to enough print castings, you will notice that a good number of the models there are from fashion agencies. Some fashion agencies have print divisions, but most of them just send their models out to print castings along with the commercial print agencies. If you are not at least 5’7”, I would not recommend submitting to the print divisions of fashion agencies.

The biggest reason why commercial print is more lucrative than fashion is because commercial print models don't age out the way fashion models do. The career longevity is unmatched.

Pay Rates & Making A Living

Print jobs can pay anywhere from a few hundred dollars, to several thousand dollars. Pay rates are determined by the company/product size (Coca Cola or a Mom & Pop diner), the usage terms, where it will run (just the USA or internationally), and whether or not you will be paid exclusivity (not being able to work for a competitor for a specified amount of time).

Can you make a living as a print model? I’m sure many people can and do, but I think it’s smart to have more than one stream of income. I don’t just do print modeling, I also do commercials and acting. Oh, and being married helps. ;)

Just like with acting, it’s a very unpredictable business. Some months you may book 4-5 gigs, the next month you could book nothing.

Getting Started

Photos & Photographers

Contrary to popular belief, you do NOT need a portfolio. Fashion models certainly need them, but not commercial print models. Don’t go out and waste a bunch of time/money paying to have a portfolio shot. You will be very disappointed when no one ever asks to see it. My portfolio, that I stopped updating nearly two years ago is under a stack of about 10 magazines. The only time I’m asked for is when I’m being seen for a beauty campaign for hair relaxers/hair color. And in this digital age, I’m rarely asked for my comp card.

Your number one priority should be to have a couple of really decent photos that you can submit to agencies. Notice I said “decent”. The photos don’t have to be amazing, but they should be professionally done (re: look professional) even if they are the result of a trade. A simple smiling headshot is perfect when you’re starting out. Most casting directors don’t care whether or not you have a comp card. I’m BEGGING you, please don’t submit photos that were taken on a digital camera, or cell phone. You have NO idea how badly you are embarrassing yourself! If you don’t have at least one professional photo, then wait until you get one. Don’t be desperate!

What’s most important are that the photos give off good energy. Smiles are great (preferred, even), especially when they are genuine. Ninety nine percent of commercial print photos that you see in magazines are showing people that are happy and full of energy. If they aren’t happy, they are proud, or content, or inspired. You are selling a product. Consumers don’t want to buy a product that will make them sad or unsatisfied.

If you decide to do a trade shoot, make sure you choose your photographer carefully and this is for safety reasons, especially if you’re a woman/girl. A lot of photographers have small studio spaces in their homes, especially if they aren’t making a good living. This is not unusual, but it’s still no excuse to throw caution to the wind. Never shoot in a photographer’s home unless at least two people know where you are, the EXACT address and their phone number. Even better would be to have a friend or boyfriend come with you. A lot of photographers don’t like when models bring an “escort”, but you need to protect yourself. Shooting in a home is different than a studio. If you bring an escort, then your escort needs to understand that they are to be seen and not heard. They shouldn’t be disruptive or try to control the shoot. If you don’t feel comfortable going alone, DON’T DO IT. I don’t care how great the photographer is, it’s not worth the potential consequences.

Trade shoots can also be tricky because sometimes a photographer may have a specific vision in mind. Make sure you both are on the same page about the concept of the photoshoot. But also be flexible. They may be willing do some commercial shots for you in the first half, if you’re willing to do some fashion shots for them in the second half. Never agree to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. I’ve had some FANTASTIC photographers tell me that they’d do some gorgeous beauty shots for me in exchange for my posing nude. I’m not cool with that so I say no.

If you have money to spare, you can always hire a photographer to shoot you a comp card. A comp card is a single sheet, usually 5x7in that has a handful of your best photos represented. Many established headshot photographers also shoot comp cards (usually 4-6 different looks), you just have do a search. If you are going to pay to have your photos done, I would recommend asking other models for recommendations. I would also advise against paying more than $1000 for a comp card shoot, especially if it’s your first one. As I said before, you don’t really need a comp card to get started, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have one either, as long as it’s good.

Whether you decide to hire a photographer or a do a trade shoot, make sure that you have a contract stipulating all of the terms and outlining what you each receive in return AND when you will receive it. You should not be waiting more than 3-5 days to get your photos.

And please remember. Just because a photographer is charging, that does not mean that they are a professional! And just because a photographer is willing to trade, it does not mean their photos aren't of professional quality. What is most important is how the photos look.

Agents

In my opinion, getting a print agent is much easier than getting a theatrical/commercial agent. You don’t need a resume, reel, classes, or even experience. You just need a great look (which is VERY subjective), a really great personality. There are really only three ways to get a print agent.

The best way to get a print agent is through a referral. If you have a friend that models, ask them to hook you up. Please don’t ask a stranger or someone you’re vaguely acquainted with, you’ll just annoy them.

A referral is not you sending an email to an agent saying “Hi, my favorite blogger, Andrea, is represented by you guys and says great things about you!....” That’s called name dropping. A referral is your friend, calling up her agent or sending an email and telling them about YOU. Learn the difference! Name dropping is fine, because it creates sort of a common bond between you and the agent, but it doesn’t necessarily give you clout or priority.

If you’re an actor that has a commercial/theatrical agent and you want to get into modeling, ask your agent to refer you. Even if your agency doesn’t have a print division, they know someone that’s a print agent. As long as you and your agent have a good relationship and they view you as professional and trustworthy, they shouldn’t have a problem doing so.

The second way to get a print agent is to self submit. Some agencies have websites that allow the model to submit photos online. But, those are few and far between, unfortunately. There is always email and snail mail. I’ve never submitted my photos via mail before and frankly, I hope I never have to. It’s way too passive for my taste. I’m very assertive and a control freak so things have to happen on my terms. But if you have to, make sure you include a nice cover letter with your photo(s).

Many, many people will caution against submitting photos via email or social networking. I disagree. Wholeheartedly. I got CESD for print via facebook, and I signed to Buchwald’s commercial division after sending an email. If an agent is presented with good talent (i.e. you can earn them money) they care where or how they find you. My rule of thumb is this: if you go to an agency’s website and an agent’s email address is listed there for all the world to see, then I would submit via email. If they don’t want emails from random people, it wouldn’t be listed on a public website. Simple. The worst they will do is delete your email. So what?

If you do email your stuff to an agent, do not put attachments on the email. Agents are wary about attachments from unknown senders because of the virus risk. Attachments can also take forever to load which is annoying in and of itself. Embed your photos/cover letter in the body of the email. If you have a website, include a link. Do not link them to your facebook page, not everyone is on facebook.

I would also recommend dropping off your photos in person. Sounds scary, right? Well, grow some balls. You’d be shocked at how nice agents are. If you’re going to drop off to a larger agency, you will most likely be giving your materials to a receptionist. You are NOT walking in and asking for a meeting. You’re JUST dropping off materials and you need to be respectful. Put your photos(s)/comp card in an unsealed envelope (for easy opening) along with a quick cover letter. Label the envelope to a specific agent. This is where research comes in.

When you walk in, if there is a receptionist (bigger agency such as CESD, Abrahms, etc.), go up to them and say you’re just dropping off a submission for Jane Doe and hand them your envelope. Be polite, and smile. If you walk in to a tinier agency where there is no receptionist, tell the first person you see that you just want to drop off a submission for Jane Doe. They will direct you to who you’re looking for or will take the submission from you. If you’re told that they don’t take unsolicited submissions, thank them anyway and leave. Don’t argue.

Make sure that you look your best when you go to drop your things off. There is a chance that if you have a great look, they’ll want to see you right away.

The final way (that I can think of) of getting a print agent is to be discovered/approached by one. This is completely out of your control, but if it happens, still be diligent about vetting the agent and making sure they are legit.

A few people have asked about getting an agent via seminar/workshop. Personally, I don’t believe in seminars and workshops (the thought of paying to be seen leaves a bad taste in my mouth), but I wouldn’t tell someone not to do them if it’s something they feel can be effective for their career. To each his own. I’ve never known of any print agents that attend workshops/seminars, but you see that one will be in attendance, why not take the chance to meet them? It’s your money! Oh, and speaking of money.......

Scams

**Sigh**

Everyone should know this by now, but just in case YOU don’t know........NEVER PAY ANY MONEY UP FRONT!! EVER!!

Just don’t. Please?

However, some agencies(even big ones) have “website maintenance” fees that they charge for having your photos on the website, but it really shouldn’t be any more than about $75. You also have a choice of whether or not your photos go up on the website. You don’t have to have your photos on the agency website in order to be submitted for print jobs and I would be very cautious of any agency that says otherwise. You will be mostly be submitted through Breakdown Services and Casting Networks. But, on the other hand, there are some casting directors that peruse agency websites and hand pick models that they want to see. If you really want to be on the agency website, I would ask the agent if the fee can be taken out of your first booking, rather than paying up front. They shouldn’t have a problem with that.

There’s one pretty well known “agency” that I can think of that charges something like $400-$600 to be on their website for 1 or 2 years. They have THOUSANDS of models on their site and many of them have been on shows like America’s Next Top Model. However, the majority of their models are not working and there is no way in hell you should be paying that much to be on a damn website. I’ve been to well over 100 print castings and I can’t recall ever seeing this “agency’s” name on the sign in sheet.

Also, if you meet with an “agent” and they can’t stop gushing about your look and how much money you’ll make....and then tell you that all you need is an $800 photoshoot with their in-house photographer....RUN!! Having an in-house photographer that shoots in the next room is almost a sure sign of a scam. I’ve heard too many horror stories!

If you’re meeting with a legit agency and they think that you need better photos, they will give you a list of recommended photographers that you have the CHOICE of shooting with, but you will never be pressured to do so.

Meeting With A Potential Agent

When you get called in for a meeting, make sure you look nice, smell nice (seriously) and bring all of your photos with you. If you have a disk with all of your images, bring it with you as well. Relax. If you’re getting a meeting with a print agent, that means that they are very interested and they probably want to work with you. It’s your job not to convince them otherwise.

They want to see you in person to make sure you look like your photos and will want to gauge your personality. The meeting will most likely be a bunch of small talk and some generic talk about the business, their agency, and what their practices are.

Ask questions and listen to what they are saying. If there is any advice/constructive criticism to be had, they will give it to you and you need to take it with an open and gracious attitude.

Signing Contracts

Commercial print agents don’t sign models. They work exclusively on a freelance basis. This is why many print models work with more than one print agency. I would never sign with a print agency and if you are being offered a contract dictating exclusivity to them, I would be VERY cautious. It is NOT the industry norm at all.

You will, however, be asked to sign forms giving your agent the right to accept payment on your behalf. I don’t remember the technical name but it’s similar to a power of attorney, but only for receiving money. This is the norm and very few agents will allow you to opt out. The client sends the payment, the agent will take their cut, and then cut you a check.

Note for models in Los Angeles: While I know that theatrically, actors cannot freelance, I’m pretty certain that print models can freelance with multiple agencies. If I’m wrong, someone please let me know.

EDIT: I have been notified that models in LA are restricted to working with a single agency and are not allowed to freelance with multiples.

The Commercial Print Casting

Print castings are very easy. When you get a time slot for a casting, your agent will send you a breakdown that contains all of the information: the product, casting office/director & address, dress code, pay rate, usage (where the ad will run and for how long), and shoot dates. Sometimes you will be given a specific time to go in, other times you’ll be given a time range such as 1PM-3PM.

For most castings, you will wear whatever you want, dress in your own personal style. If the casting directors want you to dress in a specific style, it will be detailed in your breakdown. Upon arrival, there will be a sign in sheet and you will usually have to fill out a size card with all of your measurements and contact information.

If there is a specific concept for the photoshoot, sometimes the CD will post a mock up (photographic example of what they want the ad to look like, sometimes it’s animated) outside in the waiting area so that you can have a good understanding of what emotions you should bring to your photos. Other times, the CD will just tell you what to do when you go into the room.

When you’re called in you hand your headshot/comp card to the CD or assistant. Then, you will most likely be placed in a white space (you’ll most likely be is some form of a studio) and after having the concept explained to you, the photographer will take anywhere from (on average) 3-10 photos of you. As I said before, most times you will just be smiling and looking happy/pleasant/laughing/etc.

Holds, Releases, Bookings & The "Other" Release

As the clients (the people doing the hiring) view the photos from the casting session, they will narrow down their favorites. Once they get their top choices, they will ask to have those models placed on hold. Being “on hold” means that the client has first pick of booking you for the days that they place you on hold. So, if you are placed on hold for Pepsi for October 5th, and then later that day you are placed on hold for Apple for the same day, Pepsi has first pick or what is also referred to as “first refusal”. If Pepsi books you, you will not being able to do Apple, even if Apple wants to book you as well. If Pepsi releases you, that means that Apple now has first pick.

If you are “released”, that means the client has chosen not to book you.

If you are booked, your agent will call you with the good news! A couple of days before the shoot, you will be given all of the shoot details such as call time and location. You may also be contacted by the wardrobe stylist who will tell you what items they will like you to bring. Unlike SAG jobs, you are not compensated for bringing your own wardrobe to set.

The Other Release

The other release that I'm referring to is the form that you sign that states all of the pay rates and usage associated with the images that will result from the photo shoot. It also states that you have no right to anything regarding the images. This is what you sign in exchange for being paid. Sometimes the release will be given to you a few days before the shoot, other times, you will sign in at the end of the shoot. ALWAYS double check with your agent and get their approval before signing anything handed to you on set.

***********************************

So this post pretty much explains the process from getting your first pictures, to getting your first job. Once you’re on set, it’s up to you to do what you were hired to do.

Good Luck!!!

Major Post, Ask Your Questions NOW!!

2011-09-23T02:24:00.000-04:00

I'm working on a gigantic post about how to get started as a commercial print model. I have been getting SO MANY emails from people asking me this and it's time I finally made one master post that I can direct people to in the future. I may even need to break it up into more than one post because I've been EXTREMELY thorough in not only detailing what I did to get started, but what steps I recommend others take. I'm also talking about things to avoid such as pervy photographers and scams.

If there are any specific questions that you'd like addressed regarding how to get going as a print model, please leave a comment. I will be publishing the post sometime this weekend.

Thanks!!

Searching For An Agent Just Got Easier

2011-08-31T10:00:00.000-04:00

I was recently contacted by the creators of this new website called Find The Best. It's a search engine that is designed to allow the user to filter based on the criteria that is most important to them. One of the great things about this search engine is that it's completely unbiased in it's content. You don't have to worry about companies paying for favorable reviews or top billing when people type in search tags that pertain to their business or trade.

I thought this wold be an excellent resource for actors who are on the hunt for new representation. Using Find the Best, you can filter through agencies based on name, location, or even the specific industries that the agency focuses on! Below, you can click on the link that was created just for Talent Agencies.

Best Talent Agencies. Compare, reviews & ratings.

I also want you guys to know that in exchange for this post, I have not been compensated in any form other than being gifted a link on the website in order to make my blog more searchable. My blog is not monetized and I do not make money from my blog....yet. LOL

I have only agreed to post this because after checking out the site, I really do think it's a great tool for actors. Finding the right agency for you is tough, and this makes the search so much easier.

NEW HEADSHOTS! & The Opinions Behind Choosing To Wear My Hair Straight

2011-08-27T10:00:00.001-04:00

I'm so excited about my new headshots! I went back to Laura Rose. I wasn't happy with my last set and felt like they weren't marketing me in the most effective way. I also wanted to experiment with straight hair to see if it affects my audition/booking ratio. Even just an increase in auditions would be awesome!!

I have a new commercial shot, and three new legit shots, all of which showcase a different look/side of me. I know I'm facing the same direction in all 4, but I know my angles and this one is my best and most flattering. Otherwise, I think I have pretty good range to work with and I'm so excited!! I apologize for the slight blur, I re-sized them to make them a bit larger and more viewable.

The following two comments are from the "CBS Diversity Workshop & Headshot Advice" post I made on July 10th. Apparently my choice to try out straight hair was a bit controversial. While the first post is the only one that was left on my blog regarding this issue, it's not the first time that I've been confronted with it.

Anonymous said...: "Hey, a friend of mine saw you in the 'staremaster' and told me about you - found my way to your blog. We were so excited to see an actress with great hair! Now I see that that you've decided to straighten it.

Now you'll look just like everyone else, it's a shame. I'm sure this woman meant well, but keep in mind that you can hear advice without having to take it!

oh well . . . . . . moving on"
Well.......um.....I'm sorry you're disappointed? I'm not going completely straight, I won't even be straightening my real hair so keep your panties on! I'll be wearing a straight hair wig. I will have a couple of headshot options with my curly hair, and I will have a couple of headshot options with straight hair.

I'm very aware that one can hear advice without choosing to take it. However, when a VP of CBS casting recommends that I have some headshot options with straight hair, I'm going to take her advice. I've been considering trying out straight hair for over a year now. This decision comes from feedback and inquiries from multiple casting directors, as well as discussions with my manager, agent, and friends. My manager was all for it, and my agent was on the fence until he saw my new photos and he loves the straight hair.

I will be honest, I spent a lot of time rallying against trying straight hair because I was afraid that I would look like everyone else. Then I finally realized that I was being silly and dramatic. It's just hair. Yes, there are a lot of social and racial implications when it comes to how black women are portrayed on TV and it's an exhausting debate/discussion. Do I feel that wearing my hair straight will make me a more desirable choice for casting directors and producers? Yes. Is it fucked up that I even have to think this way? Yes. But, I also want to work as an actor and I want more opportunities so right now, it's just another way to increase my casting range. That's all.

Thanks for your post.

Anonymous said...: "I think that woman is wrong. your small chin, button nose, and apple cheeks read sweet and innocent. Especially your eyes. But you definitely convey a grown and sexy element in pictures and on camera.

I see you as the sweet sexy love interest. Maybe even playing the part of a girl who comes on sweet at first but has underlying motives. I think that your hair since it's grown out gives you extra sex appeal and makes you stand out. You would be a major contender for the usual celebrated Hollywood beauties if they would just be fair and balanced. I have seen the stern, take charge, attitudinal role from black women time and time again, and you just don't have that look. :(

But anyway, I wish you much success very soon, and a long career. Good luck."
Thanks a lot for your post!
Sweet and innocent is not really my type, but I DID think of you when I posted the headshot with me wearing the coral shirt. I think that photo conveys that sweet sexiness that you referred to, so I think you definitely have a point! Fern Orenstein was right that my old headshot was reading girlish. If you look at the types of roles that I book, none of them are girlish. Most of my characters are strong, sexy, smart, and opinionated. There's noting wrong with that. I'm not sure why it bothers you to see black women play strong/opinionated/tough roles. Plenty of non-black women play these kinds of roles on TV and film, why is it a problem when black women do it? While I can agree that many times, some black actresses turn their performances into....caricatures, it can be done with finesse too!

What you said about me being a contender for the usual Hollywood beauties is incredibly sweet, but Hollywood isn't fair and balanced! It's just not. And let's be honest when it comes to hair. When most people think of sexy feminine hair, they think of long flowing hair, not a full highly textured afro. That's the truth, right or wrong. I think my fro is sexy, and if I could cast myself in all of my dream roles, I'd be set for life. But I can't.

Not yet, anyway. ;)

My First Role In A Major Feature Film

2011-08-24T10:00:00.000-04:00

So, on the 15th. I shot a scene in my very first major feature film! It's a new film called "What Maisie Knew" and it's starring Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) and Julianne Moore (The Kids Are Alright). I played 'Waitress' (lol) and had one line.

I originally auditioned for the role of 'Hostess', a role that had about 8 lines. I was placed on hold a few days after auditioning and was told that I was being considered for either the hostess part or or the waitress part. I had not seen the sides for the waitress part so when I was booked as the waitress and saw that I only had 2 lines (which was later reduced to 1), I'm not ashamed to say that I was very disappointed. And may have cried a little.

Which, in hindsight, is pretty stupid.

It's stupid because I booked a role in a major film, after auditioning for Avy Kaufman (a huge feature film CD in NYC) for the FIRST TIME! This means that I will certainly be called back in to audition for her in future and possibly for bigger parts. I was simply weeping for those meaty 8 lines, and that solid two minutes of screen time. The part that I got was not nearly as interesting, but it was still a huge accomplishment and I'm very thankful for the opportunity. They could have easily booked different girls on both parts.

I had a fabulous time on set. For one, rather than having a trailer, the day players were put up in their own hotel room at the W Hotel in Union Square. I got to order room service, lay in a plush bed, and watch tv (ok...sleep) for 4 hours while I waited to be called on set.

While it took only around an hour to shoot my scene, I got to chat with the incredibly sweet (and gorgeous) Alexander Skarsgard in between takes. We start the scene next to each at the bar, in the background, and then I walk into the shot to deliver my line. He reminded me to enjoy my moment and made jokes about not dropping my tray of drinks.

This experience was a great reminder to me that things don't always work out the way you plan, but they always work out for the best. :)

****
Progress Report

In other news, I've stayed pretty busy over the last few weeks. In addition to the feature, I also booked/worked on the following:

1. I booked another day player role in another feature film. It shoots in Connecticut on the 31st. I play "Sexy Hostess" and have two lines!

2. I shot another SAG national commercial for Home Goods. It's a holiday spot so it probably won't start running until late October, early November.

3. I shot a supporting role in a NYFA short film. The footage is going to be great for my reel and because there was a SAG contract, I'll be paid (eventually) for my work. The film was shot on a RED camera and the footage is so beautiful! I got to play a character that is blunt, intense, and kind of nasty. I had a blast!

4. I also booked a print job for HTC. It was a two part shoot for me and was a VERY long day. In the morning, I played a BMX biker chick which I had no idea I'd be doing. It was kind of odd, being put on a bike at a skate park with 3 skate boarders, but it turned out to be really fun. We just rode around the skate park, the actual park, and posed in front of a really nice cafe.

In the afternoon, I shot a picnic scene with my 'boyfriend', another 'couple', and their two cute 'kids'. The photographer was a lot of fun and this was probably the most physical shoot I've done to date. I was sore the next day when I woke up.

Answers To Blog Comments

2011-08-22T10:00:00.000-04:00

The following blog comments are from the "Quick Update" post that I made on July 27th. I thought the questions were very interesting and decided to post my answers in case anyone else was interested. I'm sorry that it took so long to post this, I've been trying to queue up multiple blog posts at once.


Anonymous said...: "Hey, just wondering do you have a survival job? or did you have a survival job while you were working on booking steady jobs. Other than the waiting tables lol"

-No, I don't have a survival job, this is what I do full-time. I do work a part-time job 2 days a week (reservationist) and the money is direct deposited into me and my husband's "Moving to LA" savings account. I'd say 98% of my income comes from my modeling/acting jobs.

I used to work a survival job my first few years in NYC, and sorry to disappoint you, but I was a server!!

Jazine said...: "Hey Andrea,

Congrats on the CBS Stay at Home Dad short vid. It was funny and cute. You were great. I wish you the very best in your career.

I saw Captain America last weekend, and for some reason when I was looking at Chris Evans, I couldn't help but think how stunning you would be in a romantic drama or comedy with him as your leading man!

Cheers!"
-That's very sweet of you to say, thank you! I'd do a movie with Chris Evans any day! LOL
Jamie said...: "What book have you read that you would recommend other actors to read (acting related)"
-I haven't read an acting related book in a long time. To me, they all say the same things. The book I'm about to recommend isn't about acting, but it can help you cope with the business and emotional sides of acting in a tremendous way. It's a great book for life, in general! It's called The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The book is small and very short, less than 150 pages and so worth the read!

In short, the four agreements are as follows:

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
2. Don't Take Anything Personally
3. Don't Make Assumptions
4. Always Do Your Best


Carl said...: "Do you have any career coaches, your doing it up so big!"
-Thank you! But no, I don't have any coaches. I mean, I do ask my manager and agent for advice. I also consult my husband and close friends when I'm experiencing a decision making dilemma. I think I just have a pretty clear idea of who I am, what I want, and how I can attain it. If one method doesn't work, I try something else.

Jay said...: "Hey, before you had an agent. Where would you look for acting jobs."

-I looked to the major casting sites that are accessible to actors such as Actors Access and Backstage, and then the 'lesser' sites such as Mandy and NYCastings. I don't know of any others that are just as good as these four. If anyone has recommendations, please post them in the commments! And of course, STAY AWAY FROM CRAIGSLIST!!!!

Birthday Tribute To My Husband

2011-08-20T10:00:00.001-04:00

I wanted to post this on my anniversary but I forgot! Anyway, today is my husband's birthday and I wanted to give him a little tribute. These are some of my favorite photos from our wedding. I get teary eyed every time I look at them. My husband has contributed a great deal to me being able to pursue my dreams. He supports me in every way imaginable and I love him more than anything. Happy Birthday!

Created with flickr slideshow.

Progress Report

Please stay tuned, I have several entries scheduled to post automatically over the next few weeks. I have some amazing updates that I'm excited to share with you all.

Reader Email

2011-08-18T13:19:00.005-04:00

I received the following email from a reader and she asked a couple of really interesting questions that I think a lot of actors have. My response is below the email, and it's a bit long. :)

****

"Hi Andrea!

I recently discovered your blog and am loving it! I appreciate how honest you are with your bookings and disappointments and even sharing parts of your life (like your bday party pictures). I study acting at a class that seems to be more tailored for the "hobby" actor than the career actor. But lately, I've been getting the bug to be "seen". My biggest challenge is... my nerves. I wondered, how does she calm her nerves? I see that at times you have to do live events or audition playfully eating an ice cream bar. Have you ever had to figure out how to combat your own nerves? I also struggle with my own ability to feel like an "actress". At times I wonder, who do I think I am trying to pull this off! I do wonder if you ever felt the same. Especially because you seem so sure of yourself (it really does come across in pictures!). Also, have you ever dealt with unfriendly competition? How do you handle that if you have?

PS, I'm considering taking classes for the beginner actor at Larry Singer Studios, thanks to your mention on your blog :)

Kudos again for creating your blog, it's wonderful!

Melissa"

****
Melissa, thank you so much for the email (I love how honest and candid you were) and for reading my blog!

I'm sure most actors feel some sense of nervousness when they walk into a casting/audition. For me, the key is to not care whether or not you book the job. And I know that's easier said than done. When I go to a print casting or a commercial audition, I usually have a pretty nonchalant attitude about it. If I book the job, great! If I don't, who cares? But when it comes to TV/film auditions, I have a harder time combating my nerves.

The nervousness generally comes in when you start focusing on the real-life stakes, "Wow, this series regular role can make me a star....I can pay my rent for 6 months from this print job....This commercial will FINALLY make me SAG Eligible!" These types of thoughts are preventing you from focusing on the most important stakes, the stakes within the scene. If you aren't focused on your character and the circumstances, it WILL read in your performance.

And the fact is, chances are high that you won't book the job, regardless of how much the role can change your life, earn you money, give you your SAG card, etc. If you concentrate on just having fun in the room and giving the best performance that you can, it'll be easier to forget the things that are making you nervous.

You also need to remember that the casting director is on your side. They want you do a great job, they want to see you nail it.

In order to cut down on my nervousness, I have a few tricks that have been helping me a lot in the last several months. Keep in mind, this is what I do for TV/film auditions. My number one is showing up early. I try to arrive at least 20 minutes prior to my audition time. This gives me time to catch my breath, cool off and re-hydrate, touch up my hair/make-up, and give my sides one last look. Then, I just zone out. I think about the scene, I imagine it in my mind. I do a few mouth exercises (quietly...) to loosen my tongue. I stretch if I need to, take deep breaths, or lean my head back and close my eyes. Every actor has their own methods for combating nerves and learning to relax. You just have to try a few things and see what sticks.

****

I understand what you mean about not feeling like an actress sometimes. When I first moved to NYC and was studying acting in school, I thought I was the SHIT!! Then, I had to wait tables full time to support myself and wasn't doing ANY acting. Every time I would tell someone that I was an actress and they would respond with, "What have you been in...?", a little piece of me would die inside. For me, I know that the insecurity came from feeling like an actress on the inside, but not being taken seriously by others. Once I starting modeling and booking commercials/indies/small tv roles/etc. it was easier to call myself a model or actress because I could actually answer those annoying questions with real work examples.

But at the same time, that's not fair. When a med student graduates, they are considered a doctor, even if they don't have a job yet. The same with law students, teachers, etc. But as an actor, I have to be starring in a big movie in order to be considered one? Screw that! We put in the work just like other people, it just takes a bit longer for us to reap the rewards. Melissa, if you have the passion and drive, study the craft, and put in the work, you're allowed to call yourself an actress, regardless of how large or small your resume is. They key is learning to take pride in what you do, at any level.

****

I have only had one direct experience with unfriendly competition. This bitch was just plain rude. A few years ago, I went to an audition for a "pilot" (I didn't know any better at the time....) where they were only seeing girls for the character I was auditioning for. When I walked into the waiting room, all of the girls (about 8) were white. I went to use the restroom and as I was washing my hands, there was a girl at the sink next to me, applying her makeup. She asked me what character I was auditioning for and I told her that I was pretty sure all of us were reading for the role of 'Kate'. Then she rolled her eyes and said, "Ugh, these casting directors don't know what they're looking for."

Now, if all of the girls had made up a wide range of ethnicities then her comment would have made a bit more sense. But, all of the girls auditioning were white, save for myself. To me, it was meant to get under my skin. My response to her was, "Well maybe the casting directors are more concerned with talent than skin color." I then walked out of the restroom without waiting for a response from her. I had no desire to entertain her or her negative energy. Stay away from people like that.

Other than that, I haven't had any other experiences with unfriendly competition in an audition setting. I have had run-ins with annoying "bragtors". A bragtor is an actor who brags a lot. Yes, I just made that up and I may need to copyright it. Anyway, these are probably the worst that you will see. When you're in a waiting room with a bunch of actors, sometimes people are friendly and will chat you up. Before you know it, you're forced to feign interest while they check off the details of their 'busy' schedule. You can remedy this situation by pretending to listen to your iPod.

****

Melissa, I want to thank you again for reading my blog and for sending me your email. I answered the questions as best I could, at the risk of seeming long winded! I hope that I've been of help to you and anyone else that reads this post.

Take care!!

Andrea

Quick Update

2011-07-27T10:00:00.001-04:00

A few days after my last post, I flew to Texas with my husband for 4 days to visit my mom and sisters. My niece and nephews were an absolute JOY to be around and we all had so much fun! I also ate like a pig....an indulgence that I'm still recovering from. I practically lived off of Reese's blizzards from Diary Queen, Jamoca milkshakes from Arby's, and AUTHENTIC southern sweet tea. These are three of my favorite things and none of them are available in NYC so of course I made up for lost time while there.

I'd had a couple of auditions the week before I left, but nothing came to fruition. Because the past month has been so slow, I expected to come home to a quiet week. But, as soon as I got to Texas, I started getting calls and emails for upcoming castings/auditions. When we made it back to NYC on the 17th, my whole week had already been booked up!

I auditioned for 2 feature films, two print jobs, and two commercials. I booked one of the feature films, I'm on hold for one of the print jobs (HTC), I have a callback today for one of the commercials (Home Goods). I'm also auditioning for another feature film and have a print casting.

I'm just happy that things are getting back into full swing and episodic season is right around the corner!

CBS Diversity Workshop & Headshot Advice

2011-07-10T10:00:00.001-04:00

So, a few weeks ago, I attended a workshop for actors of color with the VP of CBS casting, Fern Orenstein. It was a free workshop that I found out about through my SAG email alerts. It was through submissions only, so the day I found out about it, I dropped my headshot off at the SAG offices here in NYC.

I got a call a few days later saying that I'd been selected to attend. Basically, Fern would be discussing what it takes to get cast in TV and she also helped each actor determine their "type". On top of that, she'd be critiquing our headshots.

I arrived about 15 minutes late because I took too long getting ready, lol. She had already started and I walked in on her telling an actor that he "Looks crazy as hell" in is headshot. Ha! This lady was ON FIRE. She was brutally honest when talking about how casting works and how casting directors have no imagination. She dropped many F bombs and was absolutely hilarious. She said that they have very specific ideas about what a "type" looks like when casting a role and if you don't fit the description, you don't get called in.

She had a copy of every actor's headshot and went one by one, showing it off to the entire room and asking the others to weigh in on what kinds of characters we thought the person could play. She also asked each actor to tell her what they thought their type was. Nine times out of ten, the actor's thoughts did NOT align with her perception of the actor's headshot. I was shocked at how terrible most of the headshots were. She was not shy about telling actors exactly what was wrong either!

Here are some of my favorite pieces of advice that she gave:

Think of it as "I just got hired to play...." when dressing for headshots. How would you be dressed on set? (Don't take this literally when thinking of a nurse/doctor role, but your outfit needs to have the essence of it, such as a v-neck shirt) Think of the photoshoot as a performance. All of the elements need to contribute to the performance.
You need to have separate shots for each 'character'. Don't try to marry multiple characters into one shot.
Pay careful attention to the background! Make sure it matches the character. (Many actors had headshots that were done against brick walls, giving the shot a grittier feel when the actor's type may have been 'girl next door' or 'sensitive artist'.)

Out of all of the actors (around 30), she only said that she liked about 5 photos. When she got to me, she said that she really liked my headshot (yay!) but that it reads a bit girlish/young compared to how I looked in person. I was dressed in a tight tank top, skinny jeans, and platform heels. I also had a full face of makeup. This was in prep for Geoff Soffer's class that I was taking afterward. Plus, I wanted to look hot. :)

I told her that I'd be re-shooting in a month and she said she wants me to get photos that show me as more sophisticated and womanly. She wants more attitude and a 'take charge' personality. I think she pegged me pretty well considering she'd never met me before. Also, when I look at the acting gigs that I've booked in recent months, she's DEFINITELY spot on because I've been playing women with attitude and a take no prisoners approach. She also said to make sure I get photos done with my hair straight.

All in all, it was a great works shop and I'm glad that I read that email from SAG. Fern was such a nice woman and she gave all of the actors her email address so that we can keep in touch with her and ask for advice on new headshots.

My First Webisode

2011-07-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

This episode is from a web series titled "Stay At Home Dad". I blogged about booking this back in March. The episode has been live for a few weeks now, and it's pretty funny. Please ignore the racist idiots in the comments section.

Progress Report

So far the summer has been DREADFULLY slow. I booked one photo shoot last month and have only had ONE audition since early June. That's it!!

On the bright side, I just celebrated my one year anniversary with my husband on the 26th of June. I'd meant to post wedding photos on the day of our anniversary but you all know I'm not the best at regularly updating my blog. I may post the photos in a day or two.

Since things have been so slow, I've been taking the time to keep on top of my "actor tools". I started a new scene study class at Larry Singer Studios. I also took Geoff Soffer's TV auditioning class again, to see if I've improved at all. I felt very good about the class and Geoff says that I've definitely gotten better since the last time I took his class.

I'm also getting new headshots!! I'm no longer happy with my current ones and I've lost a few more pounds. I'm going to go back to Laura Rose since the photos I got the last time I shot with her were so amazing. I'm shooting with her on the 21st of this month and I could not be more excited. I'm going to be mixing things up and doing a set with curly hair and a set with straight hair.

The Day The Movies Died

2011-06-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

A few months back, I read this amazing article from GQ about how priorities and preferences at the executive level have drastically shifted the film industry in the last 20+ years. Do you want to know why Hollywood execs no longer greenlight original stories? Why our only options are remake after remake, comic book film after comic book film? Well, read this article. It was beyond interesting and has caused me to begin reexamining my future goals in film.

The Day the Movies Died

Progress Report

1. I booked a photo shoot for Morgan Stanley, I shoot on June 6th.

2. I'm currently holding for a Fisher Price photo shoot.

3. Had an audition for a day player role in a new Robert DeNiro film.

My Dove Chocolate Commercial

2011-05-29T10:00:00.000-04:00

I shot this commercial last summer, right after I shot the CitiCard one. One of the spots has been running for over 6 months, and while I'm in it, you don't see my face. As a result, I was downgraded out of that spot and have not been collecting residuals. I get pissed every time I see it, lol. This one (where you can clearly see my face!) starting running last month.

Another TV Gig, Another Let Down

2011-05-26T10:00:00.000-04:00

I booked How to Make It In America!!! The very day that I posted my last update, I got the call after finding out that I had also booked the Citi Financial commercial that I'd mentioned. I was very excited to know that I'd be filming HTMIIA the next day and then flying to Los Angeles for a commercial shoot a few days later.

Filming HTMIIA was a lot of fun. I only had one line (well, one word if I'm being completely honest), but I'm in most of the scene that I shot. Well....it depends on how they edit the scene of course. Never count your chickens before they hatch, right? *sigh* Am I being cynical?

Anyway.

I worked with the two stars (Bryan Greenburg & Victor Rasuk) as well as another actor (Nick Chinlund) who plays another major character. It was probably the most laid back set that I've been on and I had a great time watching the guys perform. They're pretty amazing. In between shots, we all sat around chatting and they could not have been nicer to me and they complimented me on my performance.....even though I didn't really do much. It was still very sweet and appreciated though.

I filmed from 7am to about 2pm and when I left the set, I got a call from my manager. He told me that the Citi Financial commercial shoot was no longer happening. I'm still kind of fuzzy on all of the details, but the gist of it is that they decided to hire LA actors rather than fly NYC actors across the country.

While I was disappointed that I wouldn't be doing the commercial, I was even more disappointed by the fact that I didn't get to go to Los Angeles! I've never been and was really looking forward to spending a few days there. I'm also irritated with the producers/clients for putting me through all of that crap, only to change their mind a day later. Ah well....you take the good with the bad I guess.

Yes, I'm Still Alive!

2011-05-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

I haven't updated in a while because after detailing my restless feelings in my last post, I slipped into a state of pure apathy and laziness. I've been auditioning and have booked a few gigs since then, but if my manager/agents didn't set me up with the appointment.....well it didn't get done.

I haven't self-submitted to any projects, taken any classes, updated my website or blog, nothing! I'm not worried though. I go through these phases periodically and it's really just a time for me to step back and really think about where I'm at and decide how I want to move forward. It's also just an excuse for me to be lazy. But, now I'm moving back into my proactive phase and I have a lot of things that I'd like to get done over the next few weeks.

For one, I've begun working out again and I'm giving myself a month to get back to my old weight. I realized that my weight gain was mostly due to the hormones in my birth control method. I've since switched to a much lower dose and within a week I dropped 4 lbs! I'm also making some dietary changes because I haven't been eating as well I could be. Taking care of my body is part of my job as a model/actress so I need to stay on top of it like everything else.

I will be getting new headshots, most likely at the end of June or early July. I'm giving myself enough time to get back in shape and get my hair situation under control. Most likely, I'll have photos done of me with both straight and curly hair.

Other than that, I've been staying fairly busy and I'll take this time to move into my progress report. I've had some pretty decent ups, but some heartbreaking downs too.

Progress Report

1. I booked a photo shoot for Citi Financial in mid April. I played a bride dancing with her father at her wedding. It was a very fun shoot. The concept is being turned into a commercial and the clients/producers "tested" me and the model that played my dad earlier this week so see how we look on film. If I book it, I'll be flown to Los Angeles this weekend for the shoot.

2. I booked a campaign for Dr. Miracle's relaxer. I'm going to be on perm boxes all over the world now! I refused to have my hair relaxed so instead, my hair was pressed and the hairstylist added a few pieces. It looked absolutely beautiful, but I was a bit sad to have several inches of my hair cut off.

3. I went straight to the producers of Law & Order: CI again. This was my third time going in and once again, I did not book it. I was told that they love me, they think I'm great, but they decided to go in a different direction. The feedback has been great, but it's so frustrating. If they love me, why won't they just book me? The show is almost done filming and this is the last season. I don't have very many more opportunities to be on the show.

4. I auditioned for "How to Make it in America" twice, a new Louis C. K. show, and a new HBO show. Didn't book any of them. *sigh*

5. I had an audition for a supporting role in an amazing play. I desperately wanted the part and prepared as thoroughly as I could. I didn't even get a callback! :(

6. I've also had a handful of print/commercial/VO castings in the past 6 weeks, nothing special aside from the ones that I booked.

My Birthday!! And Then A Quick Update

2011-04-02T18:10:00.003-04:00

My birthday was on March 31st and I celebrated last night (April 1st). I had an AMAZING time!! My best friend put together a small dinner party with our close friends. We went to Spice Market in the Meatpacking District. It was the prefect opportunity to get all dolled up. I wore a beautiful orange dress and went crazy with my makeup, I had a lot of fun getting dressed. Here are some pics:

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Progress Report

I'm starting to feel really restless again. It's time for me to get back into acting class and I also want to lose some weight, maybe 5-10 pounds. I've gained about 12 pounds this past year and I'm blaming it on getting married. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I can definitely see the extra weight in some of my birthday photos. When I reach my goal weight (what I used to weigh) I want to get new headshots. My manager and legit agent think my current pictures are great but what do they know!? J/K.

But on a serious note, once I make up my mind that I don't like my photos, nothing can make me think differently except getting new ones. And honestly, I want to get new photos because I'm not happy with my weight. I already have a square jaw and chubby cheeks, so any extra weight really shows in my face. That's not good for taking photos. I'm hoping to shoot in June, so that will give me two months to get back to my old weight. If anyone has recommendations on good, decently priced headshots, please post a comment or shoot me an email! I really don't want to spend $900 again, but I will if I feel it's necessary.

I'm also thinking about changing my hair, going straight. It's been on my mind a lot but I'm just not sure that's the right move for me. Changing my hair may make a difference in my TV/Film career path, but it will most certainly have a negative impact on my commercial/commercial print path. And right now, modeling and commercials are my bread and butter. I'm not sure I wanna mess with that stream of income. *sigh* This is what happens when I get restless and bored, I start finding (or imagining) all sorts of flaws.

Anyway, here's what I've been up to...and it ain't much:

1. Last week I was called back in to audition for Law & Order: CI, so that was pretty quick right? The audition went well. I haven't heard anything yet so we shall see.

2. Last time I told you guys I booked Puma again for a 2 day shoot. We shot on the 23rd and 24th, and both days were outdoor shoots. It was SO COLD!! But, everyone had a really good time and the the photos look AMAZING! They won't come out until near the end of this year.

3. I auditioned for a role in this new VH1 series and even though I thought the audition went really well, I didn't get called back. *cries* :(

March Is Moving Along Nicely...

2011-03-19T00:34:00.003-04:00

So far this month has been kind of slow. I haven't had very many auditions aside from a teen CW pilot, and a new TV show that's being produced by Queen Latifah. I don't want to say which show, but I'm sure a quick google search might tell you which show that is. ;)

I've also been booked by Puma again. They will be shooting me for two days next week. This means I will have worked with them 4 times in the past two months. The last shoot was pretty easy, other than the fact that we shot outside and it was about 25°. Mmmhmmm, that's right. This shoot is supposed to be outside as well, but considerably warmer. Hopefully.

In other news, I just shot a "guest star" role on a comedy web series called "Stay At Home Dad". It's about a man named Brandon who, due to the poor economy, loses his job on Wall Street and becomes a stay at home dad. He's a crude asshole and this show chronicles his offensive exploits. It's already been up and running since last summer and has garnered quite a bit of buzz. The new episodes (including the one that I shot) will be aired on www.CBSSports.com. I had an amazing time shooting and the episode is going to be hilarious.

I play "Christy", a super hot woman working out at the gym. Brandon spends the duration of his "workout" trying out inventive ways to stare at my breasts and butt without being seen. Except, I see everything and eventually confront him. My episode only took a couple of hours to shoot (each episode is only a few minutes in length) and the director, Adam Jones, was great. As soon as my episode airs, I'll be sure to post it on the blog and my website for anyone who wishes to see it!

Joining SAG, Law & Order Part Deux...

2011-03-06T19:50:00.002-05:00

These past few weeks have been interesting to say the least. The day I got back from Toronto, I had to hightail it over to Chelsea Piers for an audition for a co-star role on Law & Order: CI. I would be heading straight to a producers session rather than pre-reads. I thought that was pretty cool. So, I got home, kissed my hubby, took a 30 minute nap, did my makeup, put on a cute outfit and hopped into a taxi.

I'm not allowed to say the character name or anything like that, but the audition went very well. A couple of days later, my manager told me that the producers decided to expand the role and would like to bring me back in the following week. Awesome news! So in the meantime, I had to head over to the SAG offices to join. I had to join in order to be cleared for the Dove commercial, otherwise I would have waited.

So I went down there, filled out a crap load of paperwork and tearfully handed over my bank card to pay that enormous fee. So, you are looking at a newly minted member of SAG! It is pretty exciting, but it's also a bit intimidating. I'm now considered a true professional actor and the competition that I'm now up against is reflective of that. We shall see where life takes me in the next few years.

Anyway, the following week I had my callback for L&O:CI. I wore the same outfit/makeup as before and did my thing. I felt good about my read and left it at that. After the callback, I had to head to a print casting for Puma. The casting was very strange in that each model went before a huge panel of clients to talk about themselves. Then we were sent back to be photographed. Then the casting director came out periodically to "cut" people.

Rather than just taking a photo and leaving, we had to sit around and wait to be whittled down to the 20 or so 'chosen ones'. This was a long process and I thought about leaving more than once. However, I was too intrigued by the process and couldn't resist waiting to see if I made the final cut. Every 5 minutes or so, the casting director would come out and everyone would get super quiet, hoping our name wasn't called. We were eventually whittled down from 100 or so people, to about 22. I made the cut and was cast for the photoshoot which shot that same week.

Two days later, my manager called and told me that I did NOT book Law & Order. He did, however, receive excellent feedback about me and was told that they loved me and that everyone in the room is now a fan of mine. For this particular role, they were looking for someone less "cute" (LOL) and would keep an eye out for the perfect role for me. I'm not 100% sure what they mean by cute, whether it's looks or personality, or a combo of the two. When the episode airs and I see who they chose, I'll get a better idea of what they meant. I was a bit disappointed because this would have been great material for my resume/reel, as well as a wonderful opportunity to work with some heavyweight actors, but ah well.....can't win em all, right? Besides, I'm confident that when the right role comes along, I'll be getting a call.

I have some more news but I will save that for the next blog post....stay tuned!

I Am Lucky, Indeed

2011-02-16T00:54:00.007-05:00

So the past few weeks have been pretty eventful for me. This is especially great because toward the end of January, I'd begun composing a blog post titled "JANUARY SUCKED!!". I'm relieved I was able to change my mind.

As I type this, I'm sitting in a gorgeous hotel suite in Toronto. I flew in on Valentine's Day to film another commercial for Dove chocolate. I shot my spot today, and even though I'm supposed to be home right now, production was slightly behind schedule and I missed my flight. I was put up in a hotel again and will fly back early in the morning.

Keep reading after photos from the set:

It's actually quite lucky that I booked this commercial. Last Tuesday I shot an ad for Verizon for the FOURTH time! I hadn't slept much the night before and as soon as I got home from shooting (around 2:30pm) I silenced my phone, washed my face, stripped down, and climbed into my glorious king sized bed for a long nap. I woke up around 5:30pm to a handful of voice mails and an email from my manager written in ALL CAPS.

Shit, what did I miss!?

The first voice mail message was from one of my print agents at PMG asking about my availability that Thursday. Verizon loved me and wanted to book me for another day at the same rate. Yes!

The other voice mails were from my manager, commercial agent, and commercial agent's assistant telling me that I'd been called in last minute to audition for a Dove commercial and that the producers (who were all in Toronto) would be casting their choices the very next day based on tape. For whatever reason, I was not a part of the original casting. Callbacks had been the day before and the producers had not found all that they were looking for and wanted to see a few more people. The commercial director, Kathy, was the same director for the last commercial and she specifically asked to see my tape. The casting director would only be there until 6:30 and she was going to personally wait for me. It was 5:30. I flew out of bed, reapplied my makeup in light speed, dressed and ran out the door to hail a taxi at 5:50pm.

I got to the office and the elevator wouldn't take me up, meaning the office was closed. I called the CD's office: no answer. I called my manager's office: no answer. I called my manager's cell: no answer. It was now 6:32 and I was hysterical. Just then, my phone rang and it was my commercial agent. I don't know why I didn't think to call him in the first place. It turns out that I misheard the name of the casting director. I was supposed to go to see Donna DeSeta in Soho. I went to Donna Grossman in Chelsea. I know all of these addresses by heart so all I have to hear is a CD's name or a studio name and I just go. I fucked up. I'd never made a mistake like this before, especially when the stakes were so high.

At this point, I was in tears and my agent told me to relax, that all of the stress would be worth it, and to just hop on the train. Luckily, the closest train to DeSeta has a station right next to Grossman. I got there at about 6:45 and Ms. DeSeta was the only one there. I was extremely apologetic about keeping her waiting but she was so nice to me and told me not to worry about it. I gave myself a moment to relax and went into the room with her. For the audition, I had to playfully eat an ice cream bar. Simple.

The next morning my commercial agent called me. Generally, when I book a job or receive an audition time, everything goes through my manager first. But, after the ordeal from the previous night, he wanted to deliver the happy news to me himself. It was definitely worth it!

Progress Report/Summary

1. Shot another SAG commercial for Dove Chocolate

2. Shot Verizon twice in one week, bringing my total up to 5 times working with them.

3. Did a wig shoot on Friday the 11th

4. Performed in a live event for Puma where I played a 16 year old soccer player. It was to launch their new spring line of athletic wear for teens, and announce the new Pink soccer jersey giving awareness to Breast Cancer. It was introduced by several members of professional women's soccer teams.

Tips For Great Skin + My Skin Care Regimen

2011-01-22T17:38:00.001-05:00

As an actor/model, it's really important to have nice clear skin. You will look younger and healthier, you'll probably book a lot more work, and makeup artists will love you. I have really great skin and get tons of compliments on it. I'm not going to lie and say that I don't work to keep it that way, or that my skin is always perfect. I had acne for a couple of years when I was a teenager and those were some hard times. *cries*

In order to clear my skin, my doctor at the time prescribed me some face cream that contained large amounts of benzoyl peroxide, a chemical that is common many face washes today. I no longer use such harsh products on my skin, but I have perfected a regimen that keeps my skin clear most of the time. People ask me all the time what I use on my skin so here is my regimen:

As far as my skin goes, my regimen is pretty simple. I thoroughly cleanse my skin using cleaning cloths that come in packs of 30. These cloths remove makeup/dirt/oil really well. Olay Daily Facials Deep Cleansing Cloths are the brand, but I actually use the generic version from CVS. The CVS brand has a better texture (and they're cheaper) than the Olay, and gives me better results. The link that I gave you actually shows both brands side by side.

After cleansing with the cloths, I wash with A mbi Even and Clear Exfoliating Face Wash. Then I use Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner. I just take a cotton pad, pour a bit on and swipe all over my face. After it dries, my final step is to moisturize with Ambi Even and Clear Moisturizer with SPF 30. Ambi products are marketed to "women of color" but women of all ethnicities can use it. I've known whites and Asians that use the products.

This has been my regimen for the last 3 or 4 years and it sounds more complicated than it really is. The entire process takes 3 minutes unless I'm wearing heavy makeup from a shoot. I do this in the morning and at night.

*Key Tips*

NEVER SLEEP IN MAKEUP. I don't care how tired/drunk/sick/lazy you are. Break the habit now. Drink lots of water (I mean TONS of water), exercise regularly, and eat lots of fruits and veggies. Nine times out of ten, if my skin is acting up it's because I'm dehydrated or I'm not putting enough nutrients into my body.

Always wash your face immediately after exercising or sweating, even if you don't shower right away. Always moisturize your skin, even if it's oily. Use an oil free moisturizer if you have oily or acne prone skin. The Ambi moisturizer that I use is oil-free. And unless makeup is being applied, don't touch your face or let other people touch your face. Our fingers carry a ton of dirt and bacteria and it can cause breakouts. I broke myself of this habit when I was a teen. It can be hard because, most of the time, you don't realize that you're doing it. But trust me, you will notice a difference once you break the habit.

And finally, don't pop pimples. I know it's REALLY hard, but your best bet is to get a really good concealer and just let the pimple run it's course. Popping pimples irritates the skin and leaves behind dark marks on your skin. I recently popped a pimple on my cheek and that dark mark that it left has been plaguing me for the past month. Don't do it!!

Now of course, it's important that you tailor your regimen for yourself. Perhaps a different moisturizer may yield better results, or the toner leaves your skin too dry. Find what works best for you, this post is just for all of the people who are interested in trying what I do. Finding the right regimen can be trial and error. Hopefully it helps someone out!

Working As An Extra

2011-01-08T21:33:00.008-05:00

If you are truly serious about being an actor and want to be taken seriously as an actor, then I highly advise against working as an extra. Allow me to take a moment to shatter some misconceptions about extra work.

1. Extra work is acting.

Extra work is NOT, and I repeat, is NOT ACTING. It's not, I'm sorry. There are actors and there are extras. If you were an actor, you would not be placed in a separate holding area, you wouldn't be yelled at like children by the second ADs and production assistants, you would have first pick at craft services, you would have lines, and you would get paid a hell of a lot more. This leads to me to misconception #2.

2. You can put extra work on your resume.

It does not go on your resume and if you are guilty of putting extra work on your resume, you are telling anyone of real influence (agents, producers, casting directors) that you are an amateur and that you have no idea how this business works. I see it time and time again: I'm talking to someone about past projects and this person is bragging about how many TV shows and films they've "acted" in. You are thinking to yourself, "If you've done so much, why don't have an agent/SAG card/manager"? Then you see their resume and see a score of "characters" named 'dead body #67', 'cafe patron', 'audience member', etc. All of these are listed next to HUGE television shows and films. If you somehow manage to catch an agent's eye and are granted a meeting, I GUARANTEE they will ask you about your credits and will most likely want to see a reel. When you tell this agent that you were just an audience member on "Glee", or a dead body on "Fringe", you can kiss that agent goodbye. You've just wasted their time and they will not be happy about it.

3. It's a great survival job and you'll have time to purse your acting career.

The day rate for SAG extra work is around $135 a day. That's before taxes are deducted so we're talking around $100 a day. You are generally notified a day or two in advance of your call time and shoot date. In order to make an okay living as an extra, you'd have to do this almost every day of the week. Then you are on set ALL day long so where you'd find time to pursue a true acting career is beyond me.

4. It's a great way to gain set experience.

Meh. I'd say doing extra work once is a great way to get a bird's eye view of whatgenerally goes on on set. But there is a huge difference between the set experience of an actor and that of an extra. The job of an actor is much more technical and involved. The extra has no real bearing on the story being told, and they are easily (and cheaply) replaceable. Extras have one action per scene. For example: You are told to walk to the left of the bar carrying a tray of cocktails and set it down. Don't cross in front of the actors or you'll be reprimanded. You do this over and over until the scene is wrapped. Actors deal directly with the director and assistant director, they are usually given better holding areas and trailers, they are provided costumes (extras are sometimes given costumes on larger productions), and they are all around treated better. It just doesn't compare. Trust me.

5. It's a great way to earn your SAG card.

If you are serious about being a professional working actor, you are doing yourself a HUGE disservice by gaining your SAG card through extra work. For one, the process of collecting three SAG waivers is erratic at best. There is no rhyme or reason as to how they are given out and you usually have to work as an extra several (if not dozens) of times before you acquire all three.

So, say you've worked many films/shows as an extra and you managed to get all 3 waivers. You just joined SAG and think that all of the big opportunities will start pouring in from agents wanting to sign you, casting directors giving you auditions, and producers wanting to hire you. Um, wrong?

Your resume is pretty much non-existent (extra work doesn't go on there, remember?) and you have no reel or a very meager one. Well, your weak resume is going to turn off most prospective agents and when they ask for a reel, you'll have nothing to show them. So now, you can't get an agent and you need an agent in order to be seen by high level casting directors. Forget ever meeting a producer and convincing them to hire you based on the amazing audition that never happened. No job for you.

Now you say, "Well I can build up my reel by doing indies and student films". Wrong again. You're part of the union now, which means that you have single-handedly cut yourself off from the plethora of student films and non-union films that actors use in order to gain acting experience and reel material. You can be fined and permanently lose your SAG status by doing non-union work. I've been SAG-eligible for over 6 months now (well I'm technically a must-join) and I don't plan on joining until I have to. There's too much amazing non-union work at my disposal right now.

Many newbie actors are so caught up in joining SAG that they forget the process of working your way up to a professional status. You have to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run. Start out with student films and non-union films so that you can build up a REAL resume with real on set experience. Then you can use your best scenes on your reel. Once you get some great work under your belt, you can start shopping yourself to good agents and managers. A lot of agents don't care if you aren't SAG, but they do want to see a good amount of set experience, good training, and a great photo. If they really believe in you (and you've given them all of the tools that they need), being non-union is small potatoes because a good agent can get you seen for SAG projects. Then, when you become SAG eligible from booking a principal role on a national commercial, or a co-star on an amazing show, you can feel like a true professional that earned their card the right way.

So, in conclusion....

I hope that I have not offended anyone, I'm simply speaking the truth. It's better to read it here, than to be told by an agent or casting director why you're not being taken seriously as an actor. And for what it's worth, I have worked as an extra. I did it once my very first year in NYC....before I knew any better. It only took one time for me to realize that it was not going to be the right path to get to where I wanted to be. Plus, it was hellishly depressing to watch the stars of the TV show that I was working on do what I'd been dreaming of doing for half of my life.

Now, I will say that if you have already built up your resume with student films and indies, you have a good reel, good headshots, and you are still having trouble getting a legit agent, you still have better options than doing extra work to gain union status. It's much easier to get a commercial agent than a legit agent. Commercials are a great way to earn your SAG card. If all else fails and your dream agent won't take you on unless you're SAG, then and only then would I recommend extra work as a way to get it. But, if you're doing everything that you should be, you're working hard, and keeping your skills up, you should have no problem getting the results that you desire.

Progress Report

I had three commercial auditions this week for: Special K, Kindle, and Payless. I received a callback for Special K that took place on Friday the 7th, and I'm also holding for the shoot dates. It shoots next week in Toronto and if I book it, it'll force me into joining SAG since I'm currently a must-join. Fingers crossed!

PILOT SEASON!!!!!

2011-01-04T18:41:00.002-05:00

OMG OMG OMG!!! I'm so excited about pilot season! Can't you tell I'm excited!! Oh yeah, Happy New Year! But enough about that, back to pilot season....

Why am I so excited about pilot season? Well for one, on Dec 21st I signed with Clear Talent Group. This means that I have started 2011 with a full roster of representation including: a manager, 3 print agents, a commercial agent, and a legit agent. Reason number 2: IT'S PILOT SEASON!!

For those of you who don't know what pilot season is, it's the 3-4 month period between January and April where the bulk of brand new TV show pilots (the first episode of a TV series) are cast and shot for the network executives to view. They purchase the pilots that they like (it's called "picking up" a pilot) and then those TV series go into full production for the fall lineup. Booking a pilot is like the holy grail of acting. The most coveted roles on pilots are the series regular roles, also known as the leads or stars. These are the main characters that you love or love to hate. If a pilot gets picked up, goes to series and becomes successful, you now have steady work and income as an actor for the next 5-6 years.

Depending on the success of the show, you can make from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars per episode. Hour long dramas have around 12 episodes per season, whereas sit-coms have around 22. Imagine making $100,000 per episode on an hour long drama....that's $1.2 million per year. The more successful the show, the more money you make...now can you see why pilots are the holy grail?

I got to audition for a couple of series regular roles on a couple of pilots last year when I was freelancing with Talent House. It's a very scary/overwhelming experience to walk into the CW offices and read for a part that could launch you into super stardom and a whole new tax bracket. Keeping it real, I wasn't ready. I was nervous, insecure, and I know that I didn't give my best. This year, I'm ready.

I've spent the last year doing everything that I can to make sure that when I go into the room, they see their next series regular. I've improved my look (I'll be blogging about that soon), gotten back into class, worked on my auditioning, and pursued legit representation. Now that I'm signed to a legit agency and I have an agent and manager that believe in me and will fight for me, I know that I'm going to be getting some amazing opportunities in the next few months.

Only Pretty People Book Jobs

2010-12-09T00:13:00.004-05:00

I get a lot of spam so I moderate all of my comments. I only get a few per post, if any at all, but I post them all. I was reading a few of my comments today and one was so...intriguing, that I had to write a post about it right away. It was written is response to my November 22nd post, "Finding Your Own Path".

This is from "Becca":

"But see thats sooo easy for you to say. because you're not struggling. You got it going on. so its easy to sit up there and say this. You wouldnt book half of the jobs if it wasnt your looks. You're a pretty girl. Not everyone is pretty"

I don't think anyone has ever said something so complimentary, yet simultaneously insulting to me. While I appreciate her compliments on my looks and perceived success, I take slight offense to her assertion that I'm only booking jobs because I'm pretty. I also feel that her statement is the embodiment of what I was warning against in the post that prompted her to write this.

She's right, not everyone is "pretty". I put "pretty" in quotes because what constitutes beauty is completely subjective...that's another story. Anyway, you don't have to be pretty to be successful, the same way being pretty doesn't mean you will be successful. I don't just book jobs because I'm pretty. I'm also hard working, I consistently do well in castings and photoshoots, casting directors and clients know that I will be professional on set, and I'm a generally pleasant person to be around. All of those factors apply to what makes a person bookable.

Now let's take a look at the industry as a whole. Yes, movie stars and TV stars are, for the most part, attractive or very attractive. But "stars" only make up a small part of the industry. There are tens of thousands of regular working actors who book consistently (sometimes more than stars) and range from gorgeous to downright funny looking. Most commercial actors are average looking or attractive, meaning the average viewer isn't intimidated by them. Their looks are "accessible" to the masses and they make up the majority of actors in commercials. Example: Every other commercial depicts a pretty wife, with an average looking husband that fucks something up, forcing the wife to save the day by utilizing whatever product is being peddled in said commercial.

Everyone has heard the phrase "In New York (or Los Angeles) beautiful girls are a dime a dozen". It's the truth. At every casting, there are going to be 100 pretty girls, and a handful will book the job. For every pretty girl that books regularly enough to support herself, there are 10 pretty girls that are still waiting tables full time. Some of these girls are really talented, some suck. But they are proof that beauty is only a small component in what it takes to make a career out of modeling and acting.

So, you may not be the prettiest girl or guy, but everyone has something special and unique that they bring to the table. Maybe you're really funny, or you're a great character actor, or your talent rivals Meryl Streep's. Take what makes you special and use it to your advantage. That's what all successful actors and models do. And once again, stop worrying about the person next to you. While you're busy comparing yourself to them, they're out there finding success.

My First Role On TV!

2010-12-07T14:08:00.005-05:00

Hey everyone, I recently posted that I booked an under five on an episode of Law & Order: SVU. The episode aired on December 1st and I truly regret not posting a blog entry to let everyone know. I'd just moved into a new apartment and that whole week was insane! I'm so sorry for that.

But, I've come across a clip of the teaser (opening of the show) in which I appear. It's on Hulu so if you have an account you can see the entire episode. If not, the clip is the first 1:20 seconds of the episode. This is the only part that I appear in so, either way, you'll get to see my performance. The show opens with a big party scene. If for some reason the link doesn't work, please let me know. I really hope you enjoy!!

My Performance Clip

Finding Your Own Path

2010-11-22T03:30:00.001-05:00

When I meet new people, especially actors/models who are just starting out, I'm frequently asked what steps I've taken in order to have done what I've accomplished so far. When you're doing research and trying to figure things out, it's really temping to try to mimic the choices that others have made in their careers. I think it's way too easy to get caught up in what others have done. Go on any message board centered around acting, and you will find countless posts where actors post some story about what some famous actor did to become a star.

Just because it worked for Al Pacino, or Julia Roberts, or Halle Berry does NOT mean it will work for you. We can all be headed to the same destination, but every single one of us is on a different path to get there. Many of us won't even make it there. Some actors/models read my blog and see me post about something that I did to get an agent or manager and they think that they can do the same thing. It may work, it may not.

There are many little things that factor into a situation working out in your favor. Perhaps when you and a friend each emailed that agent, they didn't call you in because they already had a girl just like you, but your friend with red hair and freckles got signed because the agent didn't have anyone of her type on their talent list. Or maybe your headshot sucked. Or maybe you remind them of their ex-husband. Or maybe they will see you in a commercial next year, call you back, and sign you. You both made the same effort in the same way, but got different results because you both aren't on the same path. It happens all the time.

Such is life.

Actors/models spend way too much time focusing on the person next to them. We spend too much time measuring our own successes/failures against what the person next to us is doing. Forget about them! Focus on you!

Amazing News!!

2010-11-09T14:39:00.004-05:00

I booked the under five (less than 5 lines) on Law & Order: SVU!! I auditioned for the role on October 29th and had a callback November 2nd. I was booked the same day. I could NOT be more excited or more happy about this opportunity. I had my fitting on Monday and I'm due on set today at 4pm. My character's name is "Rebecca" and my name will appear somewhere in the credits at the end of the episode! I have exactly ONE line and I'm going to make sure that I rock it out!!

I'm not allowed to give any more details and I don't know when it's airing, but I will let everyone know as soon as I know.

October Progress Report

2010-11-01T12:00:00.000-04:00

I think from now on I'm going to post one monthly progress report with posts centered on advice/issues in between. I already have 4 posts written up so they will be ready to post in regular intervals.

So anyway, here was my past month in "The Business":

October 4th

Shot a Promo for TV One.

October 5th

Callback for "Hardluck" short film. Booked it! I think the name will be changed to something else.

October 6th

Callback for Plan B casting from September 30th.

October 7th

Orientation for One On One.

October 10th

Booked short film titled "Father's Day" that I auditioned for on the 8th.

October 11th

Auditioned for an AT&T voice over.

October 15th

Casting for Cosmopolitan Magazine. Had to leave before being seen because I'd been kept waiting too long and had other places to be.

October 17th

Short film audition.

October 19th

Photo shoot for test prep material book.

October 21st

Print casting for Clairol shoot, given a callback and placed on hold.
Audition for a Mag Swing industrial.

October 23rd

Auditioned for a promo for OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network).
Auditioned for a Search Engine non-union commercial, given callback.

October 26th

Clairol callback.
Auditioned for birth control industrial.
Search Engine commercial callback.

October 27th

Had my second meeting with Judy Boals Inc. I performed a monologue...still waiting to hear decision on representation from my manager.
Had an audition for a recurring role on "One Life to Live". It was rescheduled for November 2nd.

October 28th

Print casting for Saphris.

October 29th

Auditioned for an under five role on "Law and Order: SVU", was given a callback the same day. I meet the producers November 2nd.

It was a pretty great month and I get to start November with some gigantic auditions!

September Was Very Good To Me

2010-10-01T16:36:00.006-04:00

So here is a breakdown of my September....

September 1st

Auditioned for a non-union commercial for the SyFy channel
Had a photoshoot for Glamour Magazine
Had a print casting for Huggies, booked it.

September 7th

Had a print casting for Belkin, booked it.
Auditioned for a SAG Axe commercial.

September 8th

Auditioned for a promo for TV One, booked it and I shoot it October 4th.
Auditioned for a non-union Burlington Coat Factory commercial.

September 14th

Auditioned for a Comedy Central Promo
Auditioned for a non-union Boston Market Commercial

September 15th

Took Geoff Soffer's "Auditioning for TV Intensive" for the second time.

September 16th

Auditioned for a SAG short film called "Hard Luck", got a callback.

September 21st

Did photoshoot for Belkin.
Began a new scene study class at The Barrow Group Theatre.

September 22nd

Did photoshoot for Huggies.

September 23rd

Auditioned for and was accepted into One On One.

September 24th

Photoshoot for It's A Wig.

September 28th

Auditioned for ARMS commercial.
Had a callback for "Hard Luck" short film.

September 29th

Auditioned form a web series, was a top pick but did not book it.

September 30th

Met with two agents at Judy Boals for theatrical representation. I have a second meeting/performance assessment on October 27th.
Auditioned for a web commercial for Plan B.
Auditioned for a role in the play, "Uncle Tom's Cabin".

September was a really great month for me and I got a lot accomplished. I also got new headshots which got me called in for several of the projects that I auditioned for and booked this past month. Check them out!

Legit Shot

Commercial Shot

Staying On The Ball

2010-08-28T16:27:00.003-04:00

The past two weeks have been somewhat eventful. August is usually a slow month for castings in the modeling/acting world. Summer is coming to a close and many agents/casting directors/clients are taking vacations or spending more time with friends and family before the fall season arrives. September should pick up significantly.

I'm taking advantage of this slower time to set up some more goals and take care of things that I've been putting off. I told you guys in my last post that I'd taken an auditioning for TV class with Geoffrey Soffer. That class was really eye opening for me and I immediately signed up for his next class so that I could take what I learned and put it to the test. I was supposed to take that class this past Wednesday, the 25th, but I ended up booking a tv promo for MTV and had to cancel. I signed up for his next class on the 15th of September.

The promo for MTV was a lot of fun and I'll post a link as soon as it's finished.

My biggest goal right now is finding a legit (tv/film) agent. I mean, seriously, who isn't looking for one? I was able to freelance with a good agency for this year's pilot season. I'm hoping to find someone to sign with in the next couple of months. Casting for co-stars, guest stars, one liners etc. for the upcoming episodic tv shows will be starting any day now so I'm hoping to get a chance to audition for some of those, but I definitely want to have an agent before pilot season starts. If I don't find one, I can probably kiss pilot season 2011 goodbye.

When I start meeting agents, I want to make sure all of my ducks are in a row. I just shot new headshots (will post my choices when I get the proofs back) and I've signed up for a new acting class. I've also signed up to audition for One on One, a networking program where members have access to classes and seminars with casting directors and agents. I'm not a fan of paid seminars and I've never done one, but I'm happy to pay to take a class with someone I can learn from.....and get opportunities from. I've heard great things about One On One so I hope they accept me.

While I'm sad that summer is ending, I'm very excited to go shopping for the fall. I'm taking this as an opportunity to change up my style a bit!

Progress Report

1. Shot a tv promo for MTV

2. Next week, I have a photoshoot with Glamour magazine.

Mid Summer Update

2010-08-03T20:39:00.007-04:00

Finally updating!! Please forgive the poor lighting.

Here is the link to my Citi commercial!!!

Long Time No See...

2010-05-03T13:51:00.005-04:00

Once again, I'm a terrible blogger. I'm sorry.

On a brighter note, I'm still very busy! This week alone I'm shooting a promo for Spike TV, an industrial for Yaz, and I'm on hold for a big 3 day photoshoot for Yaz that would eliminate the rest of my student loans.

Here's the main reason why I've been so busy. On top of my busy schedule (still working part time as a hostess though....) I'm in the final stages of planning my wedding! I'm getting married on June 26th so when I'm not running around going to castings/auditions, I'm looking at color palettes, reading bridal magazines, setting up meetings with different wedding vendors, and helping coordinate travel arrangements for my out of town guests. My wedding really has been my priority these past few months and the fact that I'm getting busier and busier with my work has only been making it more difficult to juggle my responsibilities.

But don't think I'm complaining. I'm not. In fact, I'm having the time of my life and I'm trying to enjoy every single moment. This past Saturday, I had my menu tasting and it was almost surreal. I sat down with my fiancè, wedding coordinator and my maid of honor. We ate so much food, drank champagne, and stuffed ourselves with incredible desserts. And in a flash, it was over. That one moment that I will never experience again was over so quickly, but I made sure to take in every single detail.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that sometimes life gets crazy and I'm being pulled in different directions. But, you have to maintain perspective. I like to stop what I'm doing and take a moment to appreciate and focus on those important moments truly mean something to me. There will always be another casting or audition but there won't always be another wedding.

So there you have it. I hope it doesn't take so long to update next time. :)

I Hate To Leave Y'all Hangin...

2010-03-23T23:35:00.005-04:00

But I've been sooooo busy!! *does a booty dance*

I signed with Buchwald (Don Buchwald and Associates or DBA) for commercial representation. I was offered representation by Innovative, and Buchwald, Paradigm wanted to freelance. It took me a few days to choose, but ultimately, I felt that Buchwald was a better fit. The contract was huge! It took me forever to read the entire thing and I had to sign several copies of each document, it was pretty cool. I've already gone out for two big commercial auditions, one for Starbucks (got a callback) and the other is for CoverGirl, but it's too soon to know anything about this one, it shoots next week.

Talent House has been blowing my mind with the tv/film auditions that I've been getting. I had two pilot auditions (lead roles) for the CW (they ended up casting "name actors".....go figure, and one of them was cast before I even got to audition, lol) and an audition for a new HBO show called Treme. On Thursday, I have an audition for a scene in a feature film starring Michael C. Hall and Lucy Liu, and for a new character (series regular) on Days of Our Lives. Yowza!! I'm super excited about both of them and I hope that I do well.

I'm going to try to update my blog more often, even if it's just to write a few sentences. :)

Progress Report

1. Shot a promo for a Comedy Central show called Important Things with Demetri Martin. It was my first union job (AFTRA) and was a lot of fun. It's already airing on tv although I haven't seen it. I play a pissed off girlfriend who throws a drink in her boyfriend's face.

2. Shot for Babies R Us for the 5th time.

3. Did a really fun shoot for Gerber. (I've been getting a lot of young mom stuff lately)

4. Shot an industrial for Polo Ralph Lauren. It was a two day shoot in NJ and we were put up in a very nice hotel for two nights. Had a blast, despite the 4am call time each morning!!

5. As soon as I got back, I had to speed off to a SAG short film audition. I was so exhausted that I REALLY bombed this one. The CD had called me in a million times before and told me that she specifically thought of me for this role. I'm pretty sure she regretted that after this audition. LOL??

Major Updates Y'all

2010-02-27T19:28:00.005-05:00

Hello everyone, these past few weeks have been very busy and I've been keeping quiet because I didn't want to discuss things until I was sure they were taking place. Didn't want to jinx anything. Since my last post, I've met with commercial agents at 3 great agencies: Innovative, Paradigm, and Buchwald. All three meetings went very well and I know that at least one wants to sign me.....because I had a second meeting with them and they told me. :) I'm meeting with my manager on Monday to discuss my options and decide where we want to go from here. I don't know what the other two agencies think of me because I haven't spoken to my manager about it yet, but I'll know for sure on Monday. In the next week or two, I'll be signed to a commercial agency and I'll tell you which one I sign with.

On Tuesday, I'm shooting a promo for a TV show on Comedy Central. It's an AFTRA job and my very first union gig so I'm super excited!!

In other big news...okay HUGE NEWS, I have an audition next week for a pilot! I won't discuss the specifics, but this pilot is for a major network and will be appealing mostly to the teen crowd. No, it's not Disney. :P

This is my first audition through Talent House and my agent over there called me yesterday about it. I was afraid that they had forgotten about me but he told me that they were waiting for the right match for me. The character is listed as a series regular meaning she will appear in every (or almost every) episode. I have my sides and read the entire script for the pilot and I'm super excited about this opportunity and I hope that I get great feedback if nothing else. The script is really cool and very different from anything I've ever imagined myself doing, so it will be fun if I get the chance to play this character. Please everyone, send me positive energy!

Progress Report

1. I was placed on hold for another SAG commercial but was released. Same thing happened for a photoshoot for Shell Gasoline. Progress nonetheless!!

Behind the Scenes of My First Commercial

2010-02-02T14:43:00.016-05:00

So, my meeting with David McDermott at JGD went really well and he now represents me on a freelance basis. The day after we met, I was sent out on an audition for Bank of America. I was given a callback and went on to book the commercial!! This is my very first real commercial and I was super excited, I still am!

So, the BoA commercial that I shot was shot POV style and I had to wear a special camera helmet to capture the proper visual effect. Two days before the shoot, I had to go to the studio for a rehearsal with the helmet. When I was on set, the crew was still putting the final touches on the camera and I knew it was going to be very heavy. Luckily, I had brought my big beanie hat with me and wearing that under the helmet gave me a great deal of cushion. The director had me walk around the set a bit and gave me specific directions. The camera on the helmet was connected to several monitors that allowed the producers and crew to see exactly what was being captured.

The day of the shoot, I arrived at about 10:30am and went straight to craft services! There was SO.MUCH.FOOD. I sat in the holding room and met some of the other actors that would be in a few of the scenes with me. I didn't realize until the day of shooting that I was the "star" of my spot. There were four spots being shot over the course of two days and I was the last one. The others involved a mom and her two children, a young business man traveling for work, and a hip artist living with his two dogs. My character was Kaye, a young college grad hanging with friends and celebrating her birthday.

Because the equipment that I had to wear was so heavy and restrictive, I was really doted on. The director, AD and DP (assistant director and director of photography) constantly asked how I was, brought me water and tea when I wanted, and gave me pillows to make me comfortable. Here's a video of me, Chef the AD (who liked to call himself chocolate thunder), and in the background wearing the striped shirt is Pat, the DP.

Once we began shooting around 1pm, it went pretty quickly, only taking about 5-6 hours. My first scene was in full makeup and dress, the only scene where you will actually see my face. Then we shot the other three POV scenes: hanging with my friends at a burger joint, at home in my apartment alone, and at dinner celebrating my birthday. The equipment was pretty heavy and the shooting style was very technical and somewhat difficult. The were certain shots where I had to look down or move sideways, but because the camera was so heavy, Pat had to stand behind me and literally guide my head wherever I needed to point the camera. It was very meticulous.

Everyone was so cool and laid back, and I had the best time ever. The day really flew by and I was a bit sad to leave. I felt really special when the director have me a big hug after the shoot. He told me that he only chooses the best and he knew when he saw me at the casting that I would be great. All of the producers told me how wonderful I was and that my next commercial needs to be for toothpaste! :)

Being silly.

My "friends" in the commercial. This shot is exactly the way it will look on film from my POV. Pretty cool huh?

I was in this thing for hours! Ok, a few breaks in between.

Progress Report

1. Booked a photoshoot for Baked Lays/Sun Ships but had to turn it down because it shot the same day as the BoA commercial. :(

2. My manager set me up with Michele Bianculli, the head of the new commercial department at Stewart Talent. I met with her yesterday and the meeting went very well. She told me she would get the rest of my info from my manager and we would move from there.

3. On Thursday, my manager got me a meeting with a commercial agent at Innovative Artists and I'm crazy excited about that. Most actors/models know that Innovative is one of the THE biggest agencies out there, both East and West coast, so this is a great opportunity. I hope I'm able to impress them.

4. I have an audition tomorrow for a Macy's SAG industrial.

Babies R Us...Again

2010-01-13T12:08:00.004-05:00

I have the worst cold ever! Sunday I woke up and could barely move my body. My throat was sore and I couldn't breathe through my nose. I called in sick and literally stayed on the couch all day drinking apple juice. I had to send my honey to the corner store twice. I needed to feel better because I knew the next day was going to be a long one. I was shooting for Babies R Us again and had to be on set at 12:30 which isn't that early, but the shoots are in New Jersey. I fucking hate going to New Jersey.

I got to the set and for this particular shoot there weren't going to be any children, it was a baby shower theme. The other two models were my age, and we thought it was funny that they always cast really young women to play the moms. Apparently, according to one of the other models, when BRU does consumer polls, the majority of the women have the most positive reaction to ads with very young moms. Who knew?

So anyway, the shoot only took about 3 hours and we spent most of the time sitting around and talking. I was surprised by the length of the shoot because the other two times I shot with them, I was only there for about half an hour or so. I felt horrible for one of the other girls, she had an audition for one of the big soap operas at 3pm and totally didn't make it. We didn't get out until 3:15. I wonder if she still got to audition?

These particular ads are supposed to run in all of the parenting magazines so I'll keep an eye out for the next few months. Those would be some great tear sheets for my book.

Progress Report

Tomorrow is a pretty big day!

1. I have an audition for short film that pays per day. I love those.

2. My manager, Chris, set me up with a meeting with a commercial agent tomorrow morning. His name is David McDermott and he's with Jordan, Gill & Dornbaum or JGD. I've heard great things about this agency, although I didn't know they worked with adults, so that's really cool. Chris told me that David is a great guy and very well respected. I'm super excited I really hope that he likes me. It's like Chris read my mind or something because I've been searching around for a commercial agent to submit to.

Hey Y'all

2010-01-10T16:21:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Okay, now that I got that out of the way I just want to apologize for being so MIA these past few weeks. December was one of the most stressful, roller coaster months I've ever had. Lots of highs, but a few lows to go with them. If I explain every single thing that went down this post would never end. So instead of that, I'm just going to make a list for you to quickly catch up on.

1. I booked Soft and Beautiful. I was then replaced two days before shooting because a.) they wanted to texturize my hair AND cut it after I'd already told them no and b.) the hairstylist burned the entire front section of my hair off with a curling iron during a hair prep session. Yes, you read that correctly, he burned my hair off. After I became upset (sobbing) and had to call my agency (CESD) I left the salon after having been there for nearly 7 hours. I had to threaten legal action in order to be paid for my time. I was devastated by this turn of events and cried for several days. Not only did I (through no fault of my own) lose out on a huge opportunity and paycheck, I had to cut out three sections of hair.

2. My Prestige agency is now known as PMG Models, but on the acting side, it is still Prestige Management Group.

3. I signed with a manager at Prestige. WOO HOO!!! Christopher Silveri, my manager (still getting used to saying that!) had set up a showcase the day after my Soft and Beautiful fiasco with Jed Abrams, an acting agent at Talent House. I went in a performed sides and a monologue for Chris, Jed, and two others. Chris called me in the next day and told me that he loved me, thinks I can be a star and that he wants to sign me. He also said that Jed loved me and wanted to me to come to his agency and meet his partner, Pete. I signed with Chris a few days later.

4. I met with Jed and Pete, read for them, and sent in a taped audition. They want to do an exclusive freelance with me for pilot season and if I get good feedback, they may sign me.

5. I've shot for Babies R Us...twice, and I'm shooting with them again tomorrow. I guess this means they like me??

Other than this, I've been slowly getting back into the swing of things, I'm still kind of tired from the roller coaster ride that December took me on, but I'm excited about the next several weeks and what's to come. I've narrowed down my acting school choices to a handful of prospects and I'm excited to get back into class, it's been too much time. I will not be making a list of goals right now because I'm not really sure what they are at the moment, I'm just kind of going with the wind right now until I'm able to refocus.

So Sorry For The Hiatus!!

2009-12-13T01:37:00.003-05:00

I have had one of the most drama filled months of my life and it's kept me from updating you guys. I will be making a full (and probably long as hell) post in the next couple of days so please stay tuned!!

Moving Forward

2009-11-11T23:55:00.005-05:00

Seeing how I will be moving into a new apartment the next few days, I figured the title of my post would be most fitting. Not only am I moving into a new home, I feel as if I'm moving forward mentally and professionally.

The last few months for me have been wonderful, but I feel it's just the teeny tiny tip of the iceberg. The end of the year is swiftly coming and I have bigger and better goals, and much more to be responsible for next year. While I have done very well as a model so far, I have not (despite doing a handful of great films this summer) put nearly enough effort into my real passion, acting. Duh! One of my biggest goals over the next few weeks is to enroll in a new acting class. It's been a few months since I last studied and it's time to make a more concerted effort to improve my training as an actor.

I feel awful for having slacked in that department, but it's time to get on the ball. I had just begun working with a theatrical manager at Prestige, but she abruptly departed a few weeks ago. Luckily for me, another manager saw enough in me to take me on, but not without some constructive criticism. Because my long term goals are in television and film, he feels that my theatre credits are overpowering my film credits. On top of reformatting my resume, he, of course, wants me to take some more classes. Luckily for me, I already knew most of this information, but hearing it from him further strengthened my resolve.

I'm actively researching some good technique classes and have set up an appointment at The Network in order to enroll in some helpful workshops with CD's. I do not believe in "pay to be seen" seminars and refuse to do them. However, I'm very positive toward CD taught classes on audition technique and self-marketing. I'm hoping something constructive will come of that. I'm meeting there on the 24th.

If anyone knows of or can recommend a good acting class with a small class size (under 15) please let me know by leaving a comment or sending me an email.

Media Mention!!!

I love having natural hair and the decision to go natural has not only improved my self-esteem, it's done wonders for my marketability as a model and has really set me apart from other brown skinned actresses that choose to relax their hair or wear weave. Because of this, I've been featured on some pretty famous natural hair/beauty blogs and most recently, have been featured as the "Natural Chic of the Week" on the blog, Thank God I'm Natural. I'd come across this blog a few months prior to being contacted by the creator, Chris-Tia Donaldson, and I was very excited to be a part of it, especially after picking up the November issue of Essence magazine and seeing a feature on Chris-Tia and her book by the same name as her blog. So, I'd like to take a moment to thank her for giving me the chance to share a bit about my journey, as well as help expand my readership.

Progress Report

1. I'm pretty positive that I did NOT book the Disney Princess thing as the event begins in about two weeks. Not much progress there, but I had many people email me and leave comments after that post and I just wanted to update those who had their fingers crossed for me. Thank you so much for your support. :)

2. Friday I will be on set, shooting a new film "Story of a Madman". I will be playing ANGELA and could not be more excited. The script is wonderful and so is the cast. I have a small part that the director wrote in specifically for me after I was unable to attend the auditions for another character. Thanks Randy!

3. Shot an ad for Garasil, woo hoo!! It was a fun shoot and only took about two hours. I really love those kinds of shoots.

4. On hold for a Fisher Price print ad.

5. On hold for Soft and Beautiful packaging campaign which has a huge payday if booked.....HUGE! I don't like to disclose how much money I make on jobs because there are too many weird folks out there, but I'm just so excited about this one. It will be my highest paid job to date. I was contacted by my agent (this one is through CESD as was Gardasil) and she told me that they want to know if I'm fine with having my hair colored and trimmed. I was opposed to having my hair relaxed for various reasons. My agent told me that this means there's a strong chance that I'll be booked and that she's working out the final details. Once again, I'm asking you all to keep your fingers crossed for me.

6. Finally had my callback for the really cool feature film that I mentioned back on September 22nd. I don't like to name the names of films unless I book them. It was a fun audition and I ended up being asked to read for three different parts. Promising?

This week.....

2009-10-20T21:13:00.004-04:00

Well, I did the shoot for Nintendo on Friday, and other than some contract issues, everything went pretty well. It was a somewhat long day, and I'm sure it could have gone a lot faster than it did. Either way, I'm grateful for the work.

I'm still on hold for Kodak, but I don't feel too confident about booking that. My agent told me that the clients were going to choose the talent after hours today, but it's a bit after 9pm and I still haven't heard anything. They are shooting over the next three days, with each model only shooting one of the days. There's still a chance I can book for the 22nd or 23rd so I'm trying to hold out hope. :/

Did I tell you guys that I had a casting few weeks ago for Soft Sheen Carson hair products which is owned by L'Oreal?? Well, it wasn't really a casting, but they selected models to drop off their portfolios at their offices in midtown for an upcoming shoot. My understanding, from what my agent told me, is that they have several people looking at the books and as they narrow down girls, they will let them come and pick up their books. My book is still there, but I'm going to call one of my agents for an update tomorrow. I would love to work for them, not just because of the money, but the exposure would be amazing.

Progress Report

1. Had my first table read for a film that I'm shooting next month.

2. Have been booked for a two day hair shoot next week.

More Progress

2009-10-15T12:53:00.005-04:00

So, this past week has been nothing short of eventful. First off, I was released from the hand sanitizer commercial the day before filming. I was so upset! That's the third commercial in less than a month that I've been placed on hold for, and then released from. Throw me a TV commercial bone please!!

*sigh*

In other (better) news, I have booked a role in a short film that I'm scheduled to begin shooting on the 22nd. I'm supposed to be shooting for two days. I originally auditioned for the lead, but was given a smaller supporting role instead. My ego wanted to be offended but life's too short for that crap, I'm still doing the film and I'm still happy. Besides, the character that they gave me is a nutcase and I think I'll have a lot of fun playing her.

I shot for Health Magazine yesterday. My photo stories will be running in the December issue. I had been sent to Health Magazine twice before and did not book it, but this time it stuck. It was slightly stressful because I was sent to the casting was placed on hold before I even went in. The day before the shoot, I got a call telling me that the hold for the shoot was being moved to Thursday (today) and that was fine. Then, 15 minutes later, I got a call letting me know I was being released. I almost had a nervous breakdown. Well, to be honest, I cried. I was so frustrated that I was getting released from so many projects and it was bringing me down. My fiance was there to comfort me and he reminded me that I was doing a great job and accomplishing so much. Then about 10 minutes later, I got a call letting me know that there was a mistake and that I was booked for the shoot that I did yesterday. Win!

While I was at the Health shoot, I found out that I had booked an on-line commercial for Nintendo that I'd auditioned for on Monday. I shoot that on Friday (tomorrow) and I'm super excited.

On Saturday, I have my first table read for a film that I'm set to shoot in November. It's untitled right now but I'll keep everyone posted.

So, all in all, it's been a great week! I hope next week is even better.

P.S. I have not heard anything on the Disney Princess casting yet. Trying not to think about it.

The Next Disney Princess? (Most fun audition EVER!)

2009-10-06T21:08:00.007-04:00

Well, this past week or two was nothing short of productive and successful! Where do I start......? This may be a bit long, but pretty interesting. There will be lots of exclamation points in this post so brace yourself.

There was a casting posted on Actor's Access last week for girls to portray Princess Tiana (from the new Disney film "The Princess and the Frog") at the private screenings that will be taking place in NYC this holiday season before the film's wide release. I'm a huge fan of animated Disney films and have been following this film for over a year, so I was geeked about the chance to be a part of such a ground breaking movie. Princess Tiana is the first black Disney princess in the 70 years since the first princess made her debut.

The casting was listed as an open call but I decided to submit my photo anyway. I wanted them to see my face before everyone else's. Well.......later that afternoon, I received a phone call from the production manager of the event. She had seen my headshot and called me to make sure that I would be present for the casting. Naturally, I said I would be. Then, later that evening, I got ANOTHER call from another PM (a male) requesting my presence. Needless to say, I was very excited to have been contacted twice about this event, especially since it was an open call.

I showed up right at 10am (Friday, October 2nd) for the open call, the same time that it was scheduled to begin. I knew I should have come earlier but that would have been too much effort. The place was packed!! I thought they would be seeing just "Tianas" but it turns out they were casting for ALL NINE princesses, so there were girls of pretty much every ethnic background there. By the time I got the sign in sheet, I was number 160 and about 240 girls showed up altogether.

Luckily it was very organized. They were bringing groups of 15-20 at a time (based on their numbers) into a separate studio to have polaroids taken. By the time they got to around 115, they started from the beginning again and had girls going in groups of 30 or so to a dance studio where we had to learn a short dance to showcase our grace and poise. After performing the dance for one of the main casting directors for Disney, she made cuts. If you made the cut, you were given sides to read on the next round.

When I went up to get my polaroid taken, the female PM who called me the day before (I do remember her name but don't feel comfortable posting it at this time) saw my headshot and instantly recognized me! She said hi and snapped my photo. After the group finished, I pulled her aside because I was very crunched for time. I had two more auditions at 12, 12:30, and a booking for MTV at 1pm. I told her about my time constraints and she went ahead and had my measurements taken. Woo hoo! When I went in to do the dance, I was so nervous! We were split into 3 groups of 10 after learning the dance and performed in those groups for the casting director. After each group performed twice, the CD called us out by name into groups of 6. You did the dance once, then she axed the people she didn't like. It was brutal.

I was the third to last group to dance and prior to mine, she had only kept 3 girls. After doing the dance, she cut everyone in my group except for me. She ended up keeping a few more girls in the last groups, bringing the total down from about 34 to 6 or 7. We were all given sides to read over for the acting portion of the audition. All of the "Tianas" were given special sides to read (three to choose from) and notes that specified her mannerisms and accent. The film in set in New Orleans so she has a Southern accent. Thank heavens I'm from Texas! At this point, I was feeling very confident about my chances. Did I mention I look like her?

While I waited to audition for the CDs, I was all over the phone calling my agents getting my other auditions rescheduled because it was already after 12 by this point. Finally the main PM (the one that called me) made an announcement that the remaining girls would be split into two large groups and brought in all at once. I almost died when she said that because that meant we would have to act in front of everyone else! My name wasn't called for the first group but as the girls were rounded up into the first room, she came over and told me to come in with the first group since I was on a tight schedule. I was the last person to walk into the room and she announced in front of everyone that I would have to read first....in front of everyone.

Once again....I almost died.

She then went on to announce to the entire group (I estimate there were 40-60 girls in there) that everyone would read first, then they would make a cut. If you made the cut, you would read again on camera, and then you would have a digital photo taken and measurements. My measurements had already been taken. *wink*wink*

Then I got called up to read first. I had read the sides and was very comfortable with them, so I wasn't nervous except for the fact that I was first, and had to go in front of EVERYBODY. So I stood in the middle of the room in front of the CD, both PMs, and the choreographer (not to mention 40-60 girls) and I read the first set of sides. I felt really great and all of the Disney people were smiling big as I read. After I finished, the main PM and the CD chatted about me, then the PM asked the camera man to set up the camera right away. All of the girls were looking confused and I could feel a lot of tension behind me. The PM announced to everyone that this situation was unusual and that the casting process would go as planned for everyone else. It was literally ALL EYES ON ME. I'm not gonna lie, it felt great.

After the camera was set up, they asked me to slate and read again. I asked the CD if she needed me to make any adjustments and she told me that she loved the way I read it the first time and to do it the same way again. So I read again, and thanked everyone. The main PM got up and asked me to come with her so she could take my photo. All of the other girls were staring at me as I went to grab my bag and I left to finish the last part of my audition. :)

The next step is for the tapes to be sent to Los Angeles where more casting personnel for Disney will look over the tapes and make a final decision. The job starts on November 25th and runs through mid December. I want this so bad, but I think I have a great shot and getting it. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!

As for my other auditions and booking, timewise, everything worked out perfectly. It was a great day.

Progress Report

1. Booked and shot a promo for MTV that begins airing October 7th. That's tomorrow!

2. Booked a short film that I shoot next month.

3. Booked another short film that I had to turn down.

4. Currently on hold for a hand sanitizer commercial. Been on hold for a week and will find out tomorrow! Keep those fingers crossed.

5. Was released from the SAG Capital One commercial. :(

6. Had a bajillion other auditions that I haven't heard anything about yet (either too late or too soon): Lowe's commercial, print ad for Abilify, a couple of other short films, YooStar commercial, Nintendo DS commercial, and a few things I can't remember.

Thanks so much for reading my novel this week! I hope it was as entertaining for you as it was exciting for me.

Updates

2009-09-22T23:09:00.002-04:00

I'm a horrible blogger! Horrible I tell ya!

I'm very sorry to everyone for taking so long to update with another post, I've just been feeling so burnt out lately that my blog has taken a back burner. I work my "day job" Saturday/Sunday/Monday and spend the rest of the week auditioning and going hard core with submissions and research. It can be so exhausting. My problem is that I go a mile a minute for as long as I can and then BAM! I just shut down and lose steam for a few days. The problem with that is my "To Do" list piles up and then the vicious cycle begins all over again. I'm sure most of you can relate!

This isn't to say that I haven't been productive and making some great strides, I have. Here are some updates:

Progress Report

1. Currently on hold for my first SAG commercial for Capital One. Keep your fingers crossed!

2. Got paid for Sprite!!!!!!!!!

3. Have a callback for a really cool feature film.

4. Auditioning for a Mariah Carey music video tomorrow. No, it's not extra work. Extra work is the devil.

5. Have an audition on Thursday for a "secret" product that shoots in Europe for seven days! Had to do emergency passport renewal in preparation for my booking. ;)

6. Auditioned for a really cool product called "Yoostar". It's karaoke meets film.

7. Have been contacted to audition for two more short films, I just need to read the scripts first.

I have a couple of cool posts coming up, working on a video blog. Still.

Lackluster?

2009-09-06T13:33:00.006-04:00

So sorry for the long delay since my last post. I've been working on a few video blogs but those won't be posted for another week or two.

The last couple of weeks have been a bit lackluster for me. I was on hold for three projects (count em': THREE) and was released from all three the day before shooting. A Nokia ad, Trim Stix commercial, and Health Magazine. Talk about getting kicked when you're down! In a way, it's still very good because this tells me, and my representation, that I'm making a great impression with the CD's that I'm meeting, but it still sucks to get so close to booking something and then not quite getting there.

On the upside, I booked a short film last minute and shot that this past Thursday. It was a one day shoot and was pretty fun. The only crappy part was I had to smoke cigarettes for it. I didn't inhale though. :) The name of the film is "Freddy VS Jason......and Sheila In Between". I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived on set because one of the other actors was Yolanda Allen! We met in person recently and it was very nice to work with her. Turns out, she was referred to the director by Danielle Faust, another actress and blogger that I met in person at an audition the day before the film shoot. Such a small world!

Also, one of the shorts that I did a few weeks ago, "Low Brow", is having a couple more scenes added that will be focusing on me. I'm supposed to film them on the 11th of this month. I'm excited about that and will be posting the full film when it's all finished.

I have an audition this Thursday for a feature film that I got through ActorsAccess. It's called, "I Got a Story To Tell". It seems very interesting, and according to the breakdown, will be filmed in the style of "Pulp Fiction", meaning all of the characters stories are intertwined.

On the 17th, I have a paid photo shoot. I'll be doing some hair modeling, the same stuff that got me started in pro modeling. On Tuesday, I'm doing a test shoot with a photographer named Isaiah, but goes by the name six21pix. You can see some of his work here on ModelMayhem. I'm not sure what we'll be doing yet, probably some beauty work. I'll post the final photos when they are finished.

I'm excited because a little over a month ago, I made a personal goal to add 5 new films to my resume before the end of the year, I've already done 3 since then. Maybe I should increase my goal to 8? I really need to put together my reel but I'm still waiting on some footage from a few of my films. My on camera manager at Prestige, Alissa, has been pushing me to finish it because she wants to send me out for pilot season. I'm having trouble getting a copy of a feature film that I shot two years ago. I seem to be getting the run around on that and it's frustrating because I had so many great scenes that I can use for my reel. I'm really hoping to get this resolved soon.

You put so much effort into these projects (many times for no pay except the promise of a copy) and then when it comes time for you to be compensated for your work, you get nothing but the run around. I'm seriously considering making every person I work with for no pay sign an agreement stating that I'm guaranteed a copy of the work. Hell, the only reason why most actors work for no pay is because they are building resumes and reels. What's the point of doing the work if no one is going to see it?! Ugh. Pretty much everyone I've worked with has been great about this, but it's the one or two that make me so cautious.

Anyway, I'll keep everyone posted on the outcome of this little dilemma, and stay tuned for my video posts in the next week or two. I realized after writing this post that it hasn't been as lackluster as I imagined. In fact, things are moving along pretty nicely, despite a few drawbacks. I guess that's the definition of working hard and staying positive.

Progress Report

See above post. :P

Also, I'll be coming up with some draft ideas of an agreement that will guarantee that I have no issues receiving a copy of my unpaid work.

"Short Story" Film/Verizon Shoot

2009-08-20T12:15:00.005-04:00

So, last Tuesday, I began filming a short film titled, "Short Story". I think that's just a working title so we'll see in the next few months. It was a very fun shoot. The film is essentially a re-enactment of a very unlucky night for a dwarf named Lupo. He comes to the US to collect an inheritance and while sitting in a bar one evening, meets a beautiful woman named Alexis, played by yours truly. They have a connection and spend a few minutes chatting and getting to know each other. What happens next for Lupo results in a very bad night.

We shot at an old dive bar in Brooklyn, and while the shoot lasted 4 days, I only shot for 2. The first day, we shot the main bar scene and did all of the master shots and two shots. On the second day, I came back and we shot the closeups. It was so hot outside and even hotter in the bar! The crew had to turn off the AC because of the noise so we were dying all day. Luckily, my costume was a strapless sun dress so I was a bit cooler than some of the other people on set. Lupo, the star (whose name is the same in real life), was very sweet and fun to work with. Pretty much the entire cast and crew was German and Lupo was flown in from Germany the week prior to the shoot.

The director, Klaus Pohl, was so sweet and very passionate. He spent a great deal of time yelling (not really in a mean way.....I think) at the crew in German which I thought was pretty funny. The only person that didn't get yelled at by him was me. :) He was very nice to me and made sure that I was always comfortable and had what I needed. On top of everything, I was paid a very nice day rate for the film. It was a great experience and I'm excited to see the film when it's finished.

Here are some photos from the shoot.

Me and Lupo.

Verizon Photo Shoot

Last Thursday I did a photo shoot for Verizon. It was very strange because the shoot was done over night in New Jersey. We shot at the the Verizon Evolution store in South Plainfield, NJ. The models and crew met in midtown around 9pm, and took SUVs to the location. There were two female models, including myself, and two male models. We got to the store almost an hour behind schedule because one the male models was late. He didn't really care about being late either. He was very nonchalant about it, as if he was doing us a favor by showing up. It made me instantly dislike him. Turns out, both of the male models knew each other and about halfway through the drive, I had to put on my iPod to drown out the sound of them pumping their own egos. Talking about girls that were "stalking" them etc etc. It was really annoying and I knew it was going to be a looooooong shoot.

On another note, I was very happy because Stefanie Syat was the makeup artist for the shoot. She's the same MUA that did my makeup for my headshots! Anyway, the shoot was very easy, despite lasting until 4am. We essentially played shoppers in the store looking at various items and holding one pose for each "scene".

Progress Report

1. On hold for Nokia shoot!

2. Auditioned for Trim Stix commercial a few days ago. Was put on hold this morning!

3. Booked a short film, "Ribbons".

My First Networking Event

2009-08-12T22:00:00.002-04:00

Last Thursday was my very first networking event, so I am no expert by any means, but I think I know how to work a room. The name of the event was Industry Networking Party 2.0. I, unfortunately, missed the first event so I knew I needed to be at this one. The event was hosted by Prestige Management Group, one of my reps as you know, and an organization called Act Outside the Box which is headed by Lisa Gold. It was at a nice bar/lounge and free to attend, although by invite only. On top of that, drinks were half price for the first two hours and there was a stage where people could sing karaoke. I went with my fiance (a non-actor) and good friend Nosheen, who is a gorgeous model/actress/singer from the UK.

The event was also attended by some great industry people such as agents, casting assistants for some of the big soap operas, and producers. Basically, really great people to know....that you don't have to pay to meet. Upon arrival, we were given name tags to correspond with our "specialization". Actors had blue name tags, industry folks had red, and the organizers had gold. It was great because you knew right off the bat who was who, but it was also hilarious because it was so obvious the way people were sizing up others.

Minutes after arriving and being labeled as actors, my friend and I were approached by two agents and told how beautiful we were and that we had great looks. I told them that Nosheen is also a singer and she told them about her music. We chatted for a few minutes, talked about recent projects, exchanged business cards (I just got mine the day before and they are awesome!), and then we all moved on. Simple, quick, and painless.

Right after, I spotted an agent that was surrounded by about 5 enthusiastic actors. She works in the commercial department for CESD and is the kind of agent that a lot of actors would love to meet. Keep in mind, everyone was wearing name tags that also listed where they work. I wanted to introduce myself but waited until she was alone for a moment. I'm slightly weirded out by the thought of speaking to someone I don't know with a bunch of other people I don't know, watching and judging me. Call me crazy. So, Nosheen and I walked over to say hi. Well, before I said two words, and older actress, probably about 40, came over and interrupted me mid-sentence and started talking to her. I suppose she thought she was being assertive or aggressive or whatever you want to call it, but frankly, it was very rude. I looked at Nosheen and she gave me the eye as if to say, "Get in there!" I didn't want to come off that way, so I waited for her to finish, which took about 2-3 minutes. As the other actress said her goodbyes, I asked the agent a few questions about herself. We chatted for a minute, I gave her my card, and thanked her for her time.

I decided not to let the bad manners of others ruin my night. We all ended up having a great time. Nosheen did some karaoke and I also got to see one of my agents perform a song, it was quite hilarious. I met a bunch of other great actors and made sure to exchange contact info with them. I even met someone who reads my blog, hi Yolanda!! I met with a few other industry folk including an agent's assistant from The Gage Group, a casting assistant for "All My Children", and some producers of a web series. I felt like it was a fun, successful night. There is another event on the 20th and I'd like to attend that one as well.

Here are a couple of photos from the event.

Me with Lisa Gold of Act Outside the Box....not sure why I'm making that face. :P

From left to right: Jillian Hasset (my print agent at Prestige), my gorgeous friend Nosheen, my fiance Nodari (I'm cracking up at his expression), yours truly.

Progress Report

1. Booked the Verizon shoot. Shoots tomorrow night.

2. Wrapped up short film, "Short Story".

3. Had a print casting for Nokia today.

4. Casting for New York & Co. tomorrow morning.

5. No longer able to perform in the play "Sisters".

P.S.

Here is what my business card looks like:

The Front

The Back

I love it!!

Having A Great Attitude and Working Hard

2009-08-05T23:45:00.005-04:00

I've been so busy lately and I've been getting bored with just giving updates and I wouldn't be mad if everyone else was too. I want to write about things other than my auditions, but still related to my careers in acting and modeling. I was thinking about maybe just writing about whatever is on my mind and then adding a second section in each post to give quick highlights on my auditions and bookings, as well as classes and meetings with industry people.

Looking back over these past few months and how much fun I've been having, I wanted to figure out what has been most effective in my life. I'd have to say that hands down, having a great attitude and working my butt off have been instrumental in springing me forward. I know that this sounds like a no brainer, but it's easier said than done. After Gilla Roos closed down and I was trying to figure out how to bounce back from the setback, I was feeling so discouraged and low. I was letting the frustration get the best of me and there were a few times where I felt like giving up. I don't what caused it, but one day I realized that I just wasn't putting forth enough effort. I had been deluding myself into thinking that I was doing all that I was supposed to do, and that outside factors were preventing me from moving forward: the business is slow, I'm not getting sent out enough, I can't afford the necessary tools...blah blah blah.

The fact of the matter was: I had an awful headshot and was too cheap to get new ones, I wasn't on the major casting sites, I would read BackStage, but rarely submit, I was postponing meeting with a few agents because I was too nervous (lazy) to prepare material for them, and finally, I just wasn't making my career my top priority.

I guess my first big step was really taking the time to learn my type before getting my headshots done. By fully understanding which roles to gear myself toward, it made everything else so much simpler. From there, it was a snowball effect. I invested in the best headshots and the response has been overwhelming. So far, for every 5 projects that I submit to, I'm getting called in for 3. Of the projects that I've been called in for, I've gotten callbacks on most, booked, or got great feedback. The same can be said for the acting jobs that my agents have sent me on.

Once I started really taking charge of my career and staying focused, my attitude changed because I knew that whatever I was putting out into the universe would come back to me threefold. Now I know that this is only the beginning of a new chapter, and that we all have ups and downs, but I know that no matter what, as long as I stay positive and work hard, anything that I do is something that I can be proud of.

Progress Report

1. On hold for Verizon Print Ad

2. Had another audition for a different role on Gossip Girl. The CD told me that everyone loved me from my last audition, but the role ended up getting cut.

3. Shot a short film, "Low Brow", this past weekend.

4. Auditioned for two short films.

5. Doing a screen test for another short film this weekend, and possibly shooting next week.

6. Had a print casting for Sun Crystals, and Toys R Us.

Sprite Shoot and Other Updates...

2009-07-29T23:09:00.007-04:00

Well, last Thursday I had the photo shoot for Sprite. I had a blast! My call time was for 8:30am and I was the second model to arrive. The first model there was a guy named Justin and he was very nice. While he got his makeup done, I sat on the couch and ate a delicious breakfast. One of the best parts of professional photo shoots is the food! The food is always so amazing. Anyway, I got my makeup done and then went into wardrobe where the stylist put me in this really cute purple halter top.

After I was dressed, Justin was still shooting so I sat back down and began talking another model who had shown up at that point. His name is Lorenzo. He watched Justin while he worked and talked a bit. When it was my turn to go up and shoot, I took off my shoes and stood barefoot on set. I like to be barefoot when I'm shooting because I feel more grounded that way. I was already pumped and energized and the photographer didn't waste any time. He put the camera in my face and just started clicking away! The frame was very tight, from just about my head to by bust. It was all about the face. I pretty much did whatever came to my mind, but wanted to make sure that each expression displayed surprise and pleasure. The photographer liked when I did flirty, cute expressions and had me making a lot of "sour pucker" expressions. Even though the frame was tight, I moved a lot and even did some jumping and head swinging to show movement in my earrings.

After we shot for about 20 minutes, the stylist came down and sprayed my entire torso down with water until I was dripping wet. Then we shot for about another 10 minutes while I was wet. I was then dried off and put into another top where we did some photos just showing movement in my jewelry. Then I was done! During the shoot, there were about 10-15 people watching me, including the other models that had begun showing up throughout the morning. The producer of the shoot came over to me and told me that I was wonderful and that she had a lot of fun watching me shoot. I got to see the photos as they scrolled through them on the monitors and the photos looked absolutely stunning. I can't give anything away but the final product is going to be awesome and is set to begin running in October.

Here are a few photos from the shoot:

The Set

My Makeup

Wardrobe

Makeup

Two Hot Models: Bobby and Chavis

Another Hot Model: Lorenzo

In Other News....

1. I had a final callback last week for the SAG feature film, "Mooz-lum", and it went well. I was happy with what I did and just hoped for the best. Yesterday, I got an email from Alissa at Prestige, my legit agent/manager, and she told me that she had some feedback from the casting director. At first, I thought she was going to tell me that they thought I sucked or some other melodramatic nightmare, but she told me that the CD thinks I'm beautiful and talented. They are still holding auditions in Detroit and Los Angeles but I'm one of their top choices from NYC. She told me that it may a few more weeks before they decide but to stay encouraged and trust in my talent. :)

2. I also booked a short film, "Low Brow", that I'm shooting on Saturday. :)

3. Today I had a casting in NJ for a Belveda Mascara infomercial. So far it's looking like I may book that one. The pay is pretty good.

4. I was offered a job as a shoe model next week for a showroom. There was no monetary pay, but I would be given two free pairs of shoes for 1 hour of work. I reminded my agent that I have a tatoo on my right foot and the client was like...um.....nevermind. Ha! I figured that would happen but damn I wanted some free shoes!

Huge Updates!

2009-07-21T14:33:00.010-04:00

Well, I know it's been a while since I last posted and I apologize for that!

So let me backtrack and work my way up to the most recent events. I've had a bajillion auditions in the last two weeks.

1. I spoke about my audition for the play "Sisters" back on June 29th. Well, I booked it!! I start rehearsals for that on Monday.

2. I auditioned for a short film about a month ago and since then, the CD has been in contact with me. She wants me to come back and read with the lead actor, but doesn't know when.

3. I auditioned for a SAG feature film last Sunday (open call) and it was the biggest waste of time and very poorly organized. Actors waited over two hours to be seen by the casting director. When I went in to read, the CD sat BEHIND me and I was to direct to read to what looked like interns. They were all in their mid to late teens. I was fuming after that audition. Obviously I didn't even get a callback.

4. I auditioned for a play called 4Play and was given a callback for a 3 hour workshop where the actors learned more about the acting technique that the company prefers for the show. It was a lot of fun, but I did not book it in the end. :(

5. I auditioned for a funny short film titled "Low Brow" and I have a callback for that this week.

6. My on camera agent at Prestige got me an audition for the lead in a SAG feature film and my read went very well. The CD (Aleta Chapelle) gave me a callback on the spot and I'm supposed to go in tomorrow!!

7. I had a casting through CESD for a web spot to introduce the inspiration for Cindy Crawford's new shoe line and I booked it! I actually did the shoot for it yesterday and it was a lot of fun. I played the part of Tara, a young woman who works in the fashion industry who always stays hip to the latest celebrity gossip. I'm not entirely sure how this will be put together, all I know is that there will be three different scenes/characters (myself, and two men). The director played back some of my footage and it really looked great. I'm hoping I can get a final copy on disk somehow because I want to start putting together a reel.

8. And finally, I had a really fun print casting for Sprite last week at Impossible Casting. I was submitted by my print agent at Prestige. The models were photographed making very animated expressions to illustrate specific emotions such as anger, fear, happiness, etc. The CDs put up mock photos of what the client wants the final product to look like and the photos were very energetic and lively. They were shaded in lime green and the people in the photos had these crazy expressions to illustrate how intense the flavor of Sprite is.

A lot of models seemed very embarrassed because we were pretty much being photographed in an open space where everyone was watching. Well, I didn't care who was watching! When it was my turn I went balls out with my facial expressions and I made the photographer and some of the models watching me laugh.

Well.......needless to say, I was put on hold for it last week. And today, my agent called me to tell me that booked it. It shoots on Thursday! :D

OMG I'M ON FIRE!!!

2009-07-02T01:27:00.008-04:00

Let me tell y'all. I'm exhausted.

I'm sorry if this post is too condensed or seems rushed, but I just don't have the energy to fully elaborate on all of the things that have happened in the last couple of days. And please forgive any spelling/grammar errors. :)

Tuesday (June 30th) was my audition for "Happy Hour" a very popular (and well reviewed) ongoing off-off Broadway show produced and directed by Micheal Horn of the Michael Chekov Theatre Company. The audition was interesting. I read a few sides from the play for him, and then he had me do some exercises where I was to read the sides while making very ugly contorted faces and speaking in strange voices. At first, I was very shy, then I just said f*ck it and did it. Then he gave me a callback.

Today (technically yesterday July 1st) I auditioned for the company apprentice program at The Barrow Group. I performed a monologue for the school's director, Christel, and then we did some monologue exercises. Afterward, she had me fill out an information sheet and told me that I would be meeting with the co-founders of the company in August. So am I in? I have no idea.

After my Barrow Group audition, I had an audition for the supporting character of a short film with a really cool concept. If I book it, I'll tell you all about the plot. The audition was really fun. I met with the casting director, Sarah, and the director, Klaus. Everyone involved in the production of the film is German and we had a great talk about different areas of Germany and I found out that I used to live in the same German town where the director was born. Everyone was very nice and the reading the sides was fun. We improvised most of the dialogue and it felt very natural. All in all, it was a great audition and I feel pretty confident about it. They told me that I was wonderful and they were gushing over my headshot (big ups to Laura Rose!), then Sarah told me that they would be in touch with me very soon and that the role would be paid. Please keep your fingers crossed!

After that, I went to the 45th Street Theatre where "Happy Hour" is produced for my callback. Michael Horn called me and two other girls into one of the dressing rooms to tell us more about the production. The first thing he did was ask us what we would do if we were offered 1 million dollars. We all said that we would take it. Then he asks us if we want to be in the show. We all said yes, and then he says, "Great!", then proceeds to tell us about the production. Afterwards, we met with the rest of the cast and he gave everyone the parts that he felt were best for us based on our auditions. From July 6th to July 18th, we will rehearse Monday-Friday from 9am to 1pm. Then we will have two performances, the 18th and the 25th. I'm very excited and will give updates on the production as I learn more. I'm still not sure what to expect.

Tomorrow (today) is my Exxon Mobile print casting that pays several thousand dollars and I'm going to try hard not come off as desperate. Ha!

I had to turn down the student film audition.

So, now do you see why I say that I'm on fire? This has been a very exciting (and rewarding) week for me. I still have another theatre callback scheduled for next week. So everyone that reads, please keep your fingers crossed and wish me luck!

"Sisters" Audition

2009-06-29T23:55:00.004-04:00

Well, today was my audition for the "Sisters" theatre showcase. I arrived about 5 minutes early for my audition and the director, Steve, was there waiting. We sat and talked for a few minutes and I handed him my headshot. He told me it was a great photo and he was very happy that I look just like my headshots. Woohoo!! Right before I began my read, another man came in the room and Steve introduced me to him. I feel like a really dummy because I can't remember his name and that's not a good look.

Anyway, I performed one of the monologues that Steve had sent to me the week before and when I was finished, he asked me to perform it again more forcefully (almost the same direction that I was given in my last audition) and so I did. After I performed it again, they both were nodding their heads as if I had nailed it, then they told me that I did a great job. Then Steve asked me to cold read for another character. He gave me a few minutes to go over the sides and then I went right into the read. He gave me a bit of direction and had me read it again.

When I was finished, he told me that it was great and complimented me on on my ability to take direction well. Then he told me that he wants me to come back next week to read with an actress that he has in mind for another character in the scene. So......I got a callback!!! I go back in on Monday and I'm very excited. I feel like I'm on fire right now!

I have an audition tomorrow for "Happy Hour", another play. I also have a print casting for Exxon Mobile on Thursday, and was e-mailed about a student film audition the same day. Unfortunately, the casting is at 7pm and I have to work that night. I e-mailed the director and I'm hoping that we can work out another time. I don't want to pass up the chance to audition for anything. If I have to, I'll try to get out of work.

Feature Film Audition

2009-06-27T21:13:00.002-04:00

Today was my audition for the non-union feature film "Seraphim". The audition was held at Columbia University (which is such a beautiful campus) uptown. I had to leave work about 30 minutes early in order to make it to my audition on time. I ended up arriving about 20 minutes early anyway so I had a few minutes to catch my breath and go over my sides one more time. I was called in after a few minutes and I met John Pasha, the casting director, as well as the director and writer of the film, Ben. He told me that he loved my hair which was really nice.

I sat for a moment and Ben gave me a quick rundown of the character that I was reading for and then I read one of the sides that were provided on Showfax. He told me that the read was great and then he gave me a bit of direction, telling me to be more assertive. After I read the second time, he said the usual, "That was great, thank you so much!". We've all heard that one a million times and I have no idea what it means and I don't really care. I'm not going to read into it or drive myself crazy over it. I feel like I gave a great read and that's all that matters to me right now. But I'm still keeping my fingers crossed. :)

Poly Com Audition

2009-06-26T23:32:00.002-04:00

Today was my audition for a Poly Com industrial which was secured for me by Ramona's Model and Talent. My audition was scheduled for 5:15, but I got an email around 3pm asking if I could move it up to 4:30 because the CD's wanted to wrap up by 5. I was running a ton of errands (dropping off new headshots/comp cards to my agencies) but I wanted to be done sooner as well, so I changed my plans around to go audition sooner.

The audition was at Beth Melsky casting and as soon as I walked in, I remembered having auditioned there before. They have an electronic casting system that's requires you to create a username and password after giving them all of your information, including your address. When you go in to audition, you have to sign in to a computer and the line is always very long because no ever has or remembers their username. Luckily, because I'm already in the system, I spoke to a gentleman at the front desk and he signed me in with no issue. I only waited about 10 minutes before I went in to read and it was pretty easy.

There was a giant board with copy written on it and while I'm still not entirely sure what the product/service is, it's basically about creating a site that gives a business the opportunity to connect with people all over the world, almost like Skype. I slated and read the copy in a very light, conversational style and the CD told me that I was great. Then he asked me to explain in my own words what I thought the product was all about. He told me it was great and that was it. I feel good about the audition, but we all know that doesn't mean shit in this business. It shoots on Wednesday and Thursday of next week so if I don't hear anything by Monday, I'll assume I didn't get it.

Tomorrow is my audition for the lead in the feature film "Seraphim". I'm pumped about that and will let you all know how it goes!

Stock Shoot Update and Three Auditions

2009-06-25T13:18:00.007-04:00

Stock Shoot

The stock shoot that I did yesterday was a lot of fun and I know I'm going to get a lot of great photos from it. The two other models I shot with were two of the most gorgeous girls I've ever seen in my life. And just as sweet. Jamie, the photographer, was just as nice as always and her studio was AMAZING. It's a penthouse studio in Jersey City with a giant rooftop terrace that overlooks The Hudson River and the NYC skyline. The majority of the shoot was nature themed so we did some really cute concepts laying in "grass" and camping. We also did some fitness related concepts as well as weddings, baking, and shopping. I'll receive a disk of the best images sometime next week and, of course, I'll post them!

Auditions!

I have three auditions lined up in the next week. One is an audition for admittance into The Barrow Group Company Apprentice Program. That audition in on July 1st and I have no idea which monologue I want to do for the audition, but I guess that's a good thing because I have some options to play with.

This Saturday (the 27th), I have an audition for the lead in a feature film titled "Seraphim". The character is an FBI agent named Jodie Watchtower who, along with her partner, is trying to locate an abducted child. I'm very excited about this one.

My other audition is for a theatre showcase titled "Sister". It's a focus on women and tough life experiences and is set to be performed in August. The director is having me read for two different roles on Monday, the 29th.

Quick Update: One of my agents just sent me a casting for an industrial tomorrow at 5:15. Dress code is business casual and there will be full copy. The day rate is pretty decent too. This next week is going to be VERY busy!

Photoshoot on Wednesday!

2009-06-22T22:57:00.003-04:00

On Wednesday I'm going to be doing a stock photoshoot with Jamie Grill of Jamie Grill Photography. I've worked with her before and she's very nice. She's been waiting for the weather to get warmer for us to shoot because she loves to work outside. For this particular shoot, I will be working with two other models so I'm looking forward to that. I LOVE doing stock photography because the photos are always so bright and happy. You have to give lots of energy to make the photos warm and inviting. On top of that, you do so many different concepts that you have tons of photos to add to your book. It's not like doing a photoshoot with a single concept where you have the find the best single photo, with stock photography, your options are endless and they never conflict with each other. Her style is perfect for commercial print so I'm excited for the shoot. She's pays a good hourly rate and guarantees a minimum number of hours so that's just icing on the cake......AND she gives you a disk of the photos! Of course I'll post them when I get the disk. :)

Bank of America Casting/Final Headshot Choices

2009-06-17T13:06:00.007-04:00

Yesterday I had a print casting for BoA. It's only background which I wasn't too thrilled about and almost declined to attend. Almost. It's still a recession! I've done background work for TV once and will never do it again. I've never done it for print work and don't really want to but could use the money if I book this job. *sigh*

On my way in to the casting, I was stopped by a woman named Monique who said that she reads my blog regularly! That really made my day. :)

Well, tomorrow I go in to Reproductions to have my final headshot choices retouched and sent out for prints. I'm so excited to actually hold my prints in my hands. I'm also going to get my comp cards done, but I'll need to create a disk with all of my image choices tonight. I have no idea what photos I want on my card, it's going to be a tough choice. Anyway, these are the photos I chose for my headshots. They are both unretouched and I figured out how to make them larger.

My Commercial Shot

My Theatrical Shot

HERE ARE THE PICTURES!!!

2009-06-11T23:53:00.012-04:00

After Laura narrowed down the photos, I had over 500 to look through. I put over 100 in my favorites folder so I still have some work to do. My agent at CESD will help me choose my final photos. Sorry the photos are so small, when I saved them to my desktop, they shrank a lot. I chose 3-6 of my "narrowed" favorites for each look that I did. I'm so happy with how they turned out. They are all un-retouched.

NEW HEADSHOTS!!!!

2009-06-10T21:49:00.002-04:00

Sorry, I can't post them until tomorrow when they're available on the Reproductions website but I did have the photo shoot yesterday on the 9th. I decided to shoot with Laura Rose and I was VERY excited to shoot with her, I mean have you seen her frickin work?!?! She's ridiculous. Anyway, my appointment was set for 4:30pm and I arrived at Hoebermann Studio, where she shoots, at about 4:35. Luckily, she was finishing up with another actor so I had a few minutes to sit and catch my breath. When she finished, she introduced me to the makeup artist, Stefanie, and I wheeled my tiny suitcase into the dressing room where I would hang my shirts and have my makeup done.

Stefanie and I spent a few minutes discussing how I wanted my makeup done. I wanted to start very fresh and natural, and build to a more dramatic look as we went from the young commercial look to the sexier more adult look. Stefanie rocks. Her makeup application was spot on, especially her foundation and powder matching. The first thing I looked for when researching photographers was how well the makeup artist worked with darker skin. You'd be surprised how many MUA's can't properly match foundation/powder to dark skin. When she was finished, I was VERY happy with the results. I looked just like myself, at my very best, without looking done up.

I had shown up with my hair the way I wanted so it was time to begin shooting. Laura came in the room and we went through all of the tops and chose 5 that best conveyed the looks that I was shooting for. Then we talked about framing choices and backgrounds. I told her that I'm not a fan of horizontal head shots or tight cropping for myself and she agreed that my bone structure was better suited for vertical shots that show off my body. In the past, I've received feedback that when I'm tightly cropped in a photo, I look several pounds heavier than I am. For a petite woman who's 5'3" and 98lbs, that's a huge problem. I also told her that for my commercial shots, I wanted to keep the background bright and open.

Laura popped in my iPod so I could listen to the music I wanted and we began shooting. For each look we moved around the studio, either sitting with all studio lighting, or standing in the hall about 10 feet in front of a window where a mix of natural light and studio light was used. Laura was very fast and very energetic, keeping me energetic in the process. She never told me how to move (unless asking me to slightly lift my chin or give a bit of a head tilt) and never told me how to pose. She let me do whatever I felt was comfortable and moved around me in the process. She talked a lot, telling me how beautiful I looked, or how great a pose was (which kept me feeling confident) and she made me laugh a lot which produced some great photos. She snaps very quickly, getting what sounded like 3 or 4 shots per second, and moved the camera a lot. By the end of the shoot, she had snapped over 1500 photos. She will go through them and delete any duplicates or poor quality images before submitting them to Reproductions, that way, I won't have to go through that many images.

After each look, I changed tops and Stefanie touched up my makeup for me so I always looked fresh. For my "legit" shots, Laura used both light backgrounds and dark backgrounds. The dark looked amazing with my more serious demeanor and facial expressions, especially when I was going for a sexier edge. Laura paused between each look to flip through the photos on her camera so that I could see how well the photos were turning out. I was blown away. The number one critique that I've gotten on my head shots in the past is that they don't do me justice. The photos she took were the most beautiful photos I've ever taken in my life. What makes them even more perfect is that they aren't just beautiful pictures, they look just like me, and each type that I was trying to express shows through amazingly.

This shoot was so much fun and I'm so happy that I decided to shoot with Laura. It really was worth every single penny. I will upload some of my favorites tomorrow so stay tuned for them!!

Slow Season/New Training

2009-06-05T12:30:00.004-04:00

Things have been sooooooooo slow lately! I mean damn! In the last month, I think I've been on maybe 5 castings/auditions. This is just bananas. I will admit, I haven't been submitting as much as I could be just because I'm not confident in my current headshots. So I guess it's all my fault, huh? When I shoot my new photos next week, get out of my way! :)

I've been going back and forth on whether or not I wanted to commit to doing the 1 year apprenticeship program at The Barrow Group Theatre (work 8 hours a week in exchange for a free acting class every week) but I think I'm going to call today and set up an audition. The next session starts in September. I honestly think that this is the best option for me for so many reasons. Not only is the class "free" (no such thing as a free lunch right?) but it's working with some great, highly respected teachers in a highly respected theatre company. In addition to the great training, the students will have three different industry showcase opportunities throughout the program. I'm also looking for an ongoing program where I can have plenty of time to learn and grow as an actor. I want to be the best actor that I can possibly be and this is a great place to continue that quest.

I'm going to be speaking with my print agent at CESD to find out what I need to do, or at least what the process is like, to cross over to the on-camera division of the agency. I have so much that I need to be getting done over the next few weeks but I'm VERY excited!

Court Date

2009-06-05T12:24:00.002-04:00

I went to court yesterday against the second client I worked with, and the factoring company that the client paid my earnings to. Both of my cases were adjourned to the 25th. I really just want this whole thing to be over. I will provide a full update after the 25th when I get my final results.

I Got My Money!!!

2009-06-02T11:30:00.003-04:00

I'm so happy I could cry. Today I got paid for the Caress ad that I shot back in December. Ever since Gilla Roos closed back in February, I've been fighting to get the money that I earned, and I'm halfway there. As an actor/model, you literally live your life paycheck to paycheck, unless you wait tables or have another survival job. So when you finally book that job and you're waiting on the big paycheck that you earned (and desperately need) and then all of a sudden your earnings are unfairly withheld from you, it's nothing short of infuriating. I got very lucky with this client, and I'm thankful to them for being so cooperative.

I tried for a few months to get the money that I earned on another job, but the client refused to cooperate with me. So, I've filed a small claims lawsuit against them and I go to court this Thursday, the 4th. I'm really hoping that I win this case, not just because of the money, but the principle of it. They saw this as an easy way to hold on to a few thousand dollars at the expense of a hard working model and I just can't stand for it. My next update will be on the court case.

Sometimes, Struggle=Motivation

2009-05-29T23:00:00.004-04:00

This is a vent that turned into more motivation for myself. Hopefully someone else will benefit from this.

Very recently, I've felt like giving up on my dreams. It's not because I don't love what I do. It's just so hard, sometimes too hard. I broke down crying today after work because I'm so tired of the struggle. I wrote about the major setback that I had back in February when Gilla Roos closed, leaving me out of nearly $4,000 of money that I had earned on two photo shoots. Up until that point, it was as if I were finally getting break, things were finally getting better. I had been booking regularly, booking jobs with high rates, and I wasn't having to wait tables (I'm working on paying down my credit card debt). Then my agency closed and I've spent the last few months fighting to get the money that I'm owed. Luckily, one client I worked with has paid me and I will be receiving the full rate ($2,300) next week. I have a court date with the other client next week.

In addition to that drama, and despite being picked up by a bigger agency, I have had barely any print castings (recession anyone?) and have only done a couple of paid photo shoots. As a result, I've had to go back to working in restaurants which I'd been dreading. I can barely afford to get the new headshots that I'm shooting on the 9th, but I desperately need them. I decided to go with Laura Rose. She's much pricier, but she's freakin' awesome. After paying for the shoot, makeup, retouching, prints, and new comp cards, I've estimated that I'll be spending close to $1500. It's a lot of money, but I'm looking at it like an investment, which it is. A vital one. I'm just so frustrated and discouraged because it seems like every time I take a big step forward, I'm knocked back two steps, whether it's money or jobs or family conflicts.

My fiance and I have been discussing when we want to start our family (after getting married next month) but I just can't image bringing a child into such an unstable environment. While he alone makes really good money, it's not enough to bring kids into the world (especially living in NYC) and give them the lifestyle that I desire for them. Before the last year or so, before I really became serious about having kids, I never really cared about the unpredictable nature of being an actor/model. Now, I've found myself longing for more stability. But at the same time, this is my passion and I can't see myself being happy doing anything else for a living. I think we'll hold off for at least another year before we consider starting a family.

So, if you haven't noticed, I have a lot of shit on my mind. I know that I'm never going to give up, this is just a tough time that I'm going through. I've done my best to stay positive but I needed to vent and let the negativity pass. I'm hoping that I can look back on this blog post in a few months (hell, a few days) and smile at how silly I was being.

Choosing to dedicate my life to such a fickle, unpredictable, scary business was the easiest decision that I ever made. That doesn't mean that the road is going to be easy. Getting to perform as an actor, and take beautiful photos as a model is my dream, and despite the set backs, I think I've been doing a pretty decent job at it. I'm way too talented and smart to let my fears and obstacles get the best of me. I'm going to continue to bust my ass and I know the hard work is going to pay off for me big time.

Now if I could just win that damn lottery......

Updated My Layout

2009-05-26T03:49:00.002-04:00

Well, it took me hours to find the perfect layout. I was unhappy with the last layout and some of my friends weren't too thrilled with it either. This one is still soft and feminine without being girly. I also think it fits the tone of the blog better. I'm happy with it. :)

Discovering My Type

2009-05-24T23:47:00.005-04:00

So, a few weeks ago, I was reading Bonnie Gillespie's weekly column and this particular column was about discovering your type. In the acting world, your "type" is essentially how you market yourself as an actor, what kinds of roles you submit yourself for, and how others would cast you. Bonnie suggested that if you are still unsure about your type, try asking people who know you to give your words that describe you. Yes, sometimes submitting and casting be more complicated than just having a type. Many talented actors play characters that are NOTHING like who they are in real life, that's one the of the things that makes being a performer so beautiful. But that's another facet of acting to be dealt with at another time and Bonnie explains it beautifully in this column entry.

My main reason for pinning down my type at this moment is so that I can choose a headshot (when I finally get them done) that will best represent me because my current headshots and comp cards just aren't getting the job done in a way that I would like. It's time to step up my game. Because my primary focus right now is commercials and commercial print, nailing my type will be most effective in helping me make smarter choices in my career and I feel like it will get me better results with casting directors. Commercials/commercial print is all about the "real person". While I have a pretty good idea of my "type", I felt that it would be good to see how others perceive me. Sometimes people can't be objective when describing themselves so I asked some of my closest friends and family members to give me 5-10 adjectives that they feel best describe me. I also asked people who may not know me well or have only known me on-line and I've compiled a (long) list of words. Most were predictable, some funny, and some quite surprising. Some were said more than once and I wanted to make sure that I listed any repeated words just in case I saw a pattern. I haven't left anything out.

strong

determined

beautiful

funny

kind

beautiful

charismatic

beautiful

intelligent

sweet

confident

delicate but not weak

commanding

sexy

outspoken

energetic

outgoing

vibrant

wild child

upper crust

stylish

sensual

sexy

confident

smart

headstrong

opinionated

personable

loyal

stylish

strong

selfish

seducer

sassy

popular

judgemental

hottie

gorgeous

feisty

cunning

big city

bitch

assertive

vulnerable

outgoing

personable

vibrant

friendly

happy

pleasant

diva

outspoken

educated

strong minded

stubborn

hard working

sensitive

determined

beautiful

confident

intelligent

demanding

stubborn

loving

caring

driven

vulnerable

exciting

sexy

funny

sensitive

bossy

athletic

natural

sensual

influential

firecracker

lazy

complex

Whew! That was a lot!! I'm very thankful to everyone that took the time out to help me. My next step is take these adjectives and create a logline that describes my type. I played around with a few things and what I came up with was: "I'm a beautiful, sweet and sassy firecracker with a commanding presence and tell it like it is nature; but with a vulnerability that only those closest to me get to see". I may tweak it a bit more but so far, it sounds pretty accurate. Now I just need some photos that best represent that. Thanks again to everyone that helped me!

My Caress Ad

2009-05-13T01:13:00.004-04:00

Here is the ad that I shot last December. I absolutely love it! It just ran for the first time in the May issue of Essence Magazine. I'm sure it's in other publications as well. This is the actual tear sheet so there is a folding mark in the upper left hand corner.

It's Been A Little While

2009-05-11T23:43:00.005-04:00

Well, it's been a long time since I updated my blog. I was trying very hard to stay up on my posting but it's been hard. So to cut to the chase, here's what's been going on:

1. I'm still working out my legal issues and will have a new update after June 4th.

2. I had my workshop performance on the 26th of April and it went very well. We all had a wonderful time and I'm so proud of the work that we did. I'm on the hunt for my next acting class. I want to do the apprenticeship program at The Barrow Group Theatre. This theatre is HIGHLY respected in the business and the training is wonderful. Under the apprenticeship program I will be able to take a free weekly acting class in exchange for 8 hours of work at the box office. With money being tight, this will be a great way to save and still get great training, I just don't know where I'm going to find an extra 8 hours per week to work there. I'll have to figure something out.

3. I'm meeting with two headshot photographers this week. The first is Laura Rose, who is very popular and the second is Karol DuClos who my good friend recently worked with. I'm practically dying to shoot with Laura because she is fantastic (and you will see that if you click the link) but she is VERY expensive at $750 for the shoot, $150 for makeup, and $150+ for retouching and prints. Karol is offering half price right now ($375) and I love the headshots that she did for my friend. Not to mention she also has a great portfolio. I will keep you all posted on who I choose to shoot with and I will post my new headshots soon.

I'm in desperate need of new headshots and comp cards. My current ones just aren't cutting it. With it being so slow in the business right now, I need to have the absolute best photos possible to set me apart from everyone else. I'm going to be going to ModernAge (a digital services company) tomorrow afternoon to set up and order new comp cards. It's going to cost me $165 for 100 prints. I may wait until next week just because I'm supposed to be doing a beauty shoot this week and if the photos turn out great, I'd like to put one on my card. I'm getting back into acting and I need a wonderful headshot that will get me called into the casting director's office. The headshot that I have right now is...okay. The number one critique that I get on my headshots is that I'm so much more beautiful in person, the photo doesn't do me justice. I think the photo is beautiful, but sometimes, it's very important to be objective when choosing a headshot.

Anyway, I will let blog about my meetings in the next few days.

My Day In Court

2009-04-23T21:27:00.002-04:00

So, today was my court date in my suit against Gilla Roos. I won. Yay!! I now have a judgement against them, the only issue is that there is no way for me to get my money. I can't really talk about anything else because I have some more legal issues to iron out. I will be giving a full break down in the next few weeks about what the process was like and the final outcome of this messy situation.

Photoshoot Today

2009-04-20T21:33:00.011-04:00

So, I had a photo shoot today. It was for a new hair company and I was called by the marketing director to model some of the new lace fronts and wigs. I have worked with them before and they seem to really like me because they call me whenever they shoot new products. I do a lot of hair modeling and have had several spreads in different hair magazines. I'm also the face on some different hair packages. I get random phone calls and messages from people who have seen my face in a beauty supply store or magazines. These types of shoots are very easy and pay pretty well for a one day shoot. I usually make $500 or $600 for the day.

I had to be there at 9am this morning and it was very difficult getting out of bed at 7:30 in the morning. I was up late last night (until 1am) because I had to get my hair straight so it would lay flat under the wigs. Well, that didn't exactly work out, so instead I just had a giant afro that I forced into a messy puff. Luckily, the other model that I shot with knows how to braid hair so she graciously offered to put my hair in two corn rows so my hair would fit under the wig cap.

Because we were only modeling wigs, there was no hair stylist on the set. The marketing directors styled the wigs and we had a wardrobe stylist dressing us for each look. All together, there were about 30 wigs so we each had to model around 15 different looks. It took an hour for makeup and then we just started cranking out wigs one by one. We alternated shooting with the photographer, doing anywhere from 5-15 poses per look. Each look took about 5-10 minutes from styling to shooting. After we finished one look, we were put in a different top and a new wig while the other girl shot. The day was pretty monotonous, but still very easy. We were fed a nice breakfast and lunch and the photographer (we shoot at his studio) always plays great music.

Here are a few looks from the shoot. My camera died so I couldn't get that many. The flash also made my makeup look kind of chalky in a few photos, but the MUA actually did a great job. The first photo was taken before my makeup was finished. My hair looks a hot mess! The rest are the final looks.

So these are a few of the looks that I did. I also modeled several other wigs that were SO pretty! I was very upset that my camera died. :( I have another hair shoot on Friday, but I'm only modeling one look. I'm going to get some more photos of the set and post them.

NBC Interview

2009-04-12T22:37:00.002-04:00

Last week was very busy for me. In addition to starting a new job, I had (along with about 25 other Gilla Roos models) a lengthy interview with NBC's Brian Thompson. He was so gracious to take on our story and give it the media attention that it deserves. The interview lasted about 2 hours and was very informal. We all sat around a long table in a conference room at NBC Studios in midtown Manhattan. One by one, we were given the opportunity to tell our stories about how we found out about the agency closing, how we felt, and how much money we lost because of the crook that is David Roos.

It felt great to be around a group of people that were going through the same hardship as myself. I didn't feel so alone. I also learned a great deal more about the scandal, including the fact that since GR closed, David Roos has attempted to open a new talent agency. This time, he was looking only for inexperienced talent, in order to scam them out of money no doubt. One of the models at the interview ran into another model that had been rejected from this new agency because she had too much experience. This particular agency has since gone under. No surprise there. I'm going to post the link for anyone that is interested in reading more about the story or for those who just wish to watch the videos again. Also, please leave some supportive comments on the page. Naturally, some inconsiderate idiots have come out of the woodwork to make their voices heard. It never fails.

100 Angry Models

Sony Casting ; Interview on NBC??

2009-04-04T14:56:00.002-04:00

Sony Casting

Friday I had a very quick casting for a Sony Catalogue that shoots on the 15th of this month. It was a very quick, cattle call type casting. You just walk in, get a stat sheet with your number, and when they call your number, you go in the room where they take about three photos of you. That's it. I was in and out in less than 10 minutes. I also ran into an acquaintance from Gilla Roos that I ALWAYS run into at castings. She's a really cool chick. I'll know in a few days whether or not I booked it.

I did not book the Strattera Job that I went on a casting for last week.

NBC Interview??

Well, in the weeks since Gilla Roos closed down, some former models/actors from the agency have put together a group called Gilla Roos Action and they have been on a crusade to bring down David Roos and receive payment for their past jobs. Several people have filed small claims and a few went to court this past week, with rulings in their favor. Yay!

Last week, an article about the entire incident ran in BackStage, a very popular news magazine (newspaper, rather) about the entertainment industries. You can read the article here. Now, a news correspondent from NBC wants to sit down with as many people involved as possible so that we can discuss our situations! Filming is supposed to take place Monday evening and we were asked to bring our comp cards and headshots for a visual effect. I've signed up to do the news broadcast and I'm very excited to be a part of this. I never thought in a million years that this would get as much attention as it is right now, but I'm very thankful to the people that have put forth so much time and effort.

I will definitely be updating on this situation.

Strattera Casting

2009-03-29T23:22:00.003-04:00

Well, last week a got a phone call from a woman named Ramona Pitera. She is one the agents that I was working with at Gilla Roos. In the weeks since GR closed, Ramona has since opened up her own talent agency called Ramona's Model and Talent. I'm so happy for her! Apparently, many of the casting directors that she had relationships with through GR have been very receptive to her new business and have been giving her access to some pretty good castings. I was one the models on her list that she still wishes to work with so she gave me a call on Thursday. She already had a commercial casting for me that was scheduled for 2pm on Friday. It was for a medication called Strattera, which is used for the treatment of ADD. I would be playing a waitress.

I got to the casting office about 10 minutes early to sign in and all the actresses had photos taken and then printed on small information sheets which we were then instructed to fill out. The actresses were called into the room in groups of two. After slating (stating our name) we did an improv scenario where we had just gotten off of work and one girl had once again forgotten their keys. The girl that I was auditioning with was a bit upset when we left because she said she was told the casting was for print, not a commercial. I felt bad for her.

The commercial is set to shoot on the 2nd or 3rd of April, so I'm guessing I will find out sometime tomorrow (30th) if I got it or not. I need to start making real money again and I need to start soon!

I'm officially represented by CESD!!

2009-03-24T23:47:00.004-04:00

So, I had my meeting today with Danielle Russo who is a print agent at CESD. She was so nice and was very interested in learning about my life, other goals, where I had grown up, etc. She also said that would be great for a lot of the shoe work that they get because I have the ideal shoe size. One of the other agents there was a really pretty black woman (I'm kicking myself for forgetting her name) with gorgeous natural hair. We spent a few minutes trading hair secrets and discovered that we are both obsessed with Coconut Oil. Okay, back on topic! We talked about how all of the other agencies that have gone under in the past couple of months and she assured me that CESD is in great financial standing and "ain't goin nowhere". Whew!

I also met Stephanie Bellarosa, the woman that I ambushed on FaceBook, and she was sweet as pie. She put me in touch with another client of hers who was repped by Gilla Roos. I can't go into great detail just yet about this because there may be some legal issues that I'm not yet aware of. I also have some news on my legal action against GR and will share tomorrow. Anyway, in case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm going to be represented by them. Woo Hoo! For print, they only freelance and that's great for me because I can still do things on my own. She gave me a giant stack of vouchers for when I book jobs and some labels for my comp cards. I expect to be sent on my first casting in the next day or two.

They said that things have been picking up a great deal lately and they are excited that the slow season is over. So am I because I need to be working and making REAL money again.

Acting Class

2009-03-21T20:32:00.004-04:00

I'm currently taking an acting workshop based on the Stanislavsky technique. The class is for 5 hours every Sunday and the teacher is Paula J. Riley. I'm having a lot of fun in the class and I feel like I'm getting back on my feet. We have been learning how to develop characters and break down the beats in scenes. It had been a while since I had taken a class so I was a little bit shaky at first. We have our final performance coming up on April 26th.

I'm actually in two scenes for the final performance. I'm going to be playing Cleopatra in a famous scene from George Bernard Shaw's "Caesar and Cleopatra" where Caesar meets teenage Cleopatra for the first time out in the desert. When I first read the play, I didn't really know what to make of the character because Shaw's interpretation of Cleopatra is so different from we've read in history books or seen in other films about her. She's so young, naive, and doesn't really understand the great power and sexuality that she possesses. It's been very interesting trying to find that child like quality that she has.

In my other scene I'm playing Estelle in Jean-Paul Sartre's "No Exit". This play is about three people who are in hell. Each character has awful qualities that they see reflected in the other people and it's pure torture. Each person has done something so awful that it's resulted in the deaths of others. They are trapped in a room together for all eternity and while they could be helpful to one another, they are too far gone in their own egos, insecurities, and hatred to do so. It's one of the best plays I've ever read and I'm so excited to perform it.

We begin blocking the scenes tomorrow in class and we are supposed to be as fully memorized as possible. I'm having a hard time because I'm the only person in class that has two full scenes and the dialogue is a bit old fashioned in both scenes.

Bad News and Great News

2009-03-19T01:14:00.008-04:00

Okay, bad news first.

Back at the end of February, a good friend of mine was supposed to meet with one of the print agents at Gilla Roos, the same agency that I was freelancing with. I got a phone call from her the morning of her meeting and she said, "Um, did you know that Gilla Roos closed?". What?! I asked her if she was sure and how she knew; she told me that when she showed up at the building the doorman told her that the agency closed and there was no one there.

They had actually closed the Friday before and no one knew. None of the models were notified and I later found out that even the employees didn't find out until they went in to work, were given their last paychecks, and were told to clean out their desks. Wow. Not only was I furious about them closing with no notice, I was very worried about the fact that I am still owed nearly $3,000.00 for two photo shoots I'd recently done. After having sent out several emails to the owner/president of the agency with no reply, I have decided to take legal action against them. I will provide more updates to that as the situation progresses.

Now for the great news!!

My dream agency is CESD. They are one of the best commercial agencies in the country and are very exclusive. I hadn't submitted my photos to them because I didn't think I was at the level that I needed to be in order to work with them. After my agency closed, I submitted to another agency and hadn't heard back. I just found out yesterday that they also closed down a week ago, so while I feel bad for everyone at the agency, I felt relieved that I wasn't actually rejected by them. Anyway, I decided that it's going to be now or never if I'm going to try for CESD. Another model that I have done other shoots with freelances with them so I sent her a text asking if she would be comfortable giving me a referral. She text me back that she had just recently tried to give a friend of hers a referral and that the agents said they weren't going to be bringing in new talent. Alrighty then.

I decided another approach. Most people would just mail in their comp cards right? Well, I didn't want to be just another face in a pile of comp cards and headshots. I went back to the CESD website and looked at the lists of agents in the print department. I found the name of the director of the print department. Okay, this is when I switched over to stealth mode. I looked her name up on FaceBook and once I saw that she has listed her employer as CESD, I sent her a message basically telling her how I've always wanted to work with them and that I had been doing great work at my last agency before it closed (providing links to all of my work), also that I was requesting a meeting for representation.

A little over an hour later, she wrote me back asking me to send the message to her work email address because she wanted to forward it to the other agents in her department! I was flipping out! Then I joked to my fiance that she wanted the email so that she could blacklist me to everyone she knows (*insert hysterical laughter*) and that I was doomed. This all happened on Monday. Yesterday (Tuesday) I got an email from another agent at CESD scheduling a meeting for next week! I'm so excited about this meeting and I'm very proud of myself for being gutsy enough to do something that most people would be too afraid to do. It paid off for me and I can't wait to see what happens with this next.

I also have a meeting at the end of the month with an acting manager. One of the agents I worked with at Gilla Roos referred me to her, which I'm very grateful for. I'm not really interested in working with a manager right now, but I'm going to take the meeting anyway because you never know what can happen. She wants me to perform two monologues which I'm absolutely dreading, I hate monologues so much.

Welcome To The Actress/Model

2009-03-17T22:08:00.003-04:00

The welcome video has been moved to the side bar at the top right!

The Road to Where I Am Today In Acting and Modeling

2009-03-17T21:14:00.007-04:00

Well, I don't want to make this endlessly long so I'm going to condense it as much as I can while still being descriptive. I began acting when I was 14, I'll be 22 in about 2 weeks so I guess that would be close to 8 years now. WOW. I don't really count the first 3 or 4 years because I didn't learn much, haha. I performed in several plays, but as far as technique goes, I didn't really learn anything until I moved to NYC in September 2005 after enrolling in Pace University.

I studied the Stanislavksy technique at Pace, and while I enjoyed my meager 3 hours of acting class per week I was miserable there. The bulk of my week was spent doing crappy freshman duties on set and in costume and I felt I was not getting the education that my nearly $35,000 per year tuition should have provided. I got the chance to perform in some really great plays, including The Vagina Monologues, but it wasn't enough. So I withdrew after being accepted into SFT (The School for Film and Television), now known as The New York Academy of Dramatic Arts which is a two year conservatory specializing in Meisner technique.

I LOVED this school. I was in a great section with some really great students and I very much enjoyed the curriculum because it was all acting, all day, every day. Heaven. Don't get me wrong, it was very hard work, but I was having a blast. The downside is that it was very demanding. Too demanding for me. I was struggling through what was the most difficult year of my life. I was going to school full time and working two jobs in order to support myself because I had to leave the dorms when I left Pace. I was living on my own and I was drowning. I had no choice but to leave school and take some time to get on my feet. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do and I wish I could have stayed. However, I needed to move on and withdrew in December 2006.

I got a set of crappy headshots done and decided it was time to start submitting myself for indie films and student films. I got a few auditions here and there and finally booked an indie feature film titled Pressure. I would be playing a principal character but shooting would not be for at least 6 months. By the time Pressure was ready to begin shooting, I had booked two short films. One titled It Wasn't For Love in which I was playing the lead (yay!), and another titled Drug Related where I was playing another principal. Awesome!

Around that time, I decided that it was time for some better photos and after getting new headshots taken, I went to a reproductions office called ModernAge in midtown Manhattan. While there, I met an employee named Peter Gravina who also happens to be a pretty awesome freelance photographer. He told me that he loved my look and asked me if I'd ever considered modeling. Well yes, I had thought about it, but I never thought I would do it. Pursuing acting is difficult enough, did I really want to add another unpredictable profession to it!? So, long story short, I took his card and we set up a shoot (haha). A few weeks later we shot some really cute photos and he told me about a website called Model Mayhem. It's a social networking site for those involved in the modeling industry. Basically everyone from photographers, models, hairstylists, makeup artists, etc. He told me to put up a few of my photos and headshots.

I put up about 4 photos and within weeks, my inbox was flooded with requests from photographers all over NYC that wanted to shoot with me. After a couple of months of TFP shoots and portfolio building, I got a phone call from the marketing coordinator of Shake-N-Go hair who wanted to PAY me to model hair extentions, wigs, and the like!! Yes! Now, this was only the beginning for me. I shot three films and began doing paid modeling gigs throughout the rest of 2007.

After taking about 6 months off in Texas for personal reasons, I came back to NYC in April of 2008 with a whole new mindset for both businesses. I was smart enough to keep in contact with all of the people that I was working with prior to my hiatus and was able to jump right back in to modeling. In regards to acting, I decided that I was not at the level that I needed to be at and felt that it would be foolish to submit myself for projects. So, I put acting on the back burner and decided to set myself up financially with modeling so that I wouldn't have to wait tables anymore. In September 2008, I submitted a few of my modeling photos online to Gilla Roos, a boutique commercial print agency, and less than two days later I received a call about freelance representation. Within a month of meeting them in October, I booked my first major job, an ad for Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo birth control pills. In December, I shot an online ad with Carson Kressley (Queer Eye) for Caress Skin Care. You can see the link in the side bar under "My Work". In January, I booked a major hair ad for Kaneka Hair Care. In between all of this, I've done many hair shoots for Shake-N-Go and have several pages in various hair magazines.

So this brings me to where I am today. There are a few recent events that I will touch on in one of my entries over the next few days.