And I realize the ISBN is not the ISBN of the existing edition(s) of Self-Management for Actors.

So I decide to check it out.

Ruh-roh. That's the 3rd edition up on BN.com!

On Amazon.com too!

And that's definitely not the 2nd edition that's showin' up.

So... um... I'd better get to work. Already way behind my first two deadlines.

Way.

'scuse me if I seem MIA for a bit, here. I gotta get this sucker to the printer--and fast! Yowza!

Posted by bonnie at 11:54 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

November 22, 2007

My First Los Angeles Thanksgiving

No. Not today. Today is my... um... what... tenth Los Angeles Thanksgiving? Yes. That's it. Nine Thanksgivings "this time" I've been living out here (Yowza. My tenth anniversary in LA is next month? Eep!) and the one from "my first time" living in Los Angeles--you know, before the Northridge Quake. Before OJ. Before the area code called "323."

Okay, so once upon a time, I was a vegetarian. I'm not sure why. Oh, wait, I remember. I'd had my wisdom teeth extracted and I ended up not eating for the entire summer I turned 15. I got blissfully anorexic. Like 108 pounds. And I'm tall. So that was killer-cool. Eventually, I would have to eat again, though. (And how! Hah!) And when I did start eating again, I never added meat back in.

Well, not never. Obviously. I think I went about three years without eating meat. I ate seafood, since that didn't walk around or get milked or anything, but I was a pretty dang good vegetarian, I think. I wasn't militant. I wasn't doing it for "animal rights" or anything.

No one ever really noticed that I didn't eat turkey at Thanksgiving. I would eat dressing and gravy, so why should anyone expect that I would end up hiding that little wedge of white meat under my cranberry sauce? I guess I wasn't a great vegetarian after all. There's turkey broth in the gravy, right?

Oh well.

So, back to My First Los Angeles Thanksgiving.

This dinner took place in Calabassas in 1993. I was away from home for the first Thanksgiving of my young life. My boss, president of the musical artist management firm where I worked, fancied himself my LA-based father figure, and called my mother from the office to tell her I'd be having a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at his home.

Awesome. I couldn't wait. Mom was thrilled. Ended up mailing Jeff a thank you note, saying it meant the world to her that her baby was being taken care of so far away from home.

I asked if I could bring anything, as good southern girls do, and was told just to bring myself; his wife would have everything prepared. Truth be told, his wife was more of a supervisor in that kitchen; directing traffic made up of four non-English-speaking employees. I chose to hang out in the study with my boss, a record label exec, and Meat Loaf's business manager. I had more in common with them, somehow.

Dinner is served. Yay!

Oh... wait...

Why are there raisins and walnuts in my cranberry sauce? How is oyster stuffing considered a complementary dressing for turkey? And where are the mashed potatoes? Where is the candied marshmallow glaze across the sweet potatoes? Where is The Parade of Casseroles? And why are we drinking wine? I'm expecting iced tea so sweet that a spoon stands up in the glass.

Suddenly, I miss home.

Give me over-cooked green beans, five different forms of starch, and cranberry sauce with rings on it, fresh from the can. Then, I'll be able to pass out after Thanksgiving dinner like every other loyal American former vegetarian: properly stuffed, in front of the television, hoping to be woken up for pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and banana pudding with Nilla Wafers.

Tiramisu is for communists.

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November 18, 2007

The Actors Voice, 11/19/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.

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Audition Ad-Libs

Last month, I spoke to a group of actors down at UC Irvine. (Have I mentioned that this most recent graduating MFA class blew me away at the April showcase they put on with Harvard/ART? Just, wow. There's some major talent, there. So, when Richard Brestoff asked me to come chat to the current crop of students, I was happy to do so). After a little Q&A, I watched the actors do some sides I brought with me, then gave feedback to each actor, plus advised them on how I saw their "primary type" based on the work they'd just done. (Believe me, this last thing is something I could build an entire career around doing, if I wanted to. Actors really crave knowing how "their type" comes across to casting directors.)

Okay, so one pair of actors deviated from the script during the read. Actually, two pairs of actors did this. One pair did it to great success. The other pair, I had to redirect back to what was on the page, as their deviations didn't work.

So, the question came: "During auditions, when can we stray from what is written on the page and when should we stay married to the text?"

===========

Continue reading this column shortly, along with a Your Turn follow-up on last week's "The Strike" piece at Showfax.com.

And!!

Be sure to visit The Actors Voice: POV for a POV from Philly-based CD Susan Gish.

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

Woo hoo!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

Posted by bonnie at 11:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 21, 2007

The Actors Voice, 10/22/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.

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I'd Like To Thank the Academy

Last month, I tuned in for some fraction of the Emmy Awards. Truth be told, I'm a bit of an award show junkie, so it was really bizarre that I had absolutely zero interest in staying home to watch the Emmys this year. Not only did I not cut short the afternoon plans I had, I actually extended my plans to include a dinner meeting with a colleague rather than racing home to catch up with the show. Call it The Ryan Seacrest Factor, if you will. But I'm not even sure that's what turned me off to it. I just kind of wasn't in the mood.

Still, when I got home from my dinner date, I turned on the Emmys and joined the show in progress (actually, it had been over for hours, but we get that lovely tape-delayed version here in LA which just really pisses me off, seeing as every tease from the news anchors includes shots of the winners backstage in the press room. I'm like, "If you're gonna force us to watch on tape-delay, then for the love of all that is holy, you should be forced to do spoiler-free news teases on the same channel." But I digress).

I found myself pausing the TiVo to let the show get in the system for ten minutes or so, then watching the last hour of the Emmys by fast-forwarding through all of the "bits" (except for the brilliant impromptu award acceptance by Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Steve Carell), fast-forwarding through the host's intros, and even fast-forwarding through some of the clips of nominated shows. I wanted to watch the acceptance speeches (well... some of them. Some were just... too much. I'm lookin' at you, Gidget). I wanted to hear who these fine actors--actors at the top of their game and at their happiest career moment--listed among those who helped them get to this point. Was it their friends, their family members, their agents, their show's producers, their co-stars, their personal trainer? Who would they choose to honor in that seconds-long moment they are given to do so?

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Continue reading this column in the morning, along with a Your Turn follow-up on The Let-Down at Showfax.com.

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

Woo hoo!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

Posted by bonnie at 5:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 7, 2007

The Actors Voice, 10/8/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.

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The Let-Down

So, you might recall that I was hinting around (but superstitiously not revealing too much) about a "big thing" for which I put myself "out there" a couple of months ago. Okay, well my plan was to have next week's column announce some splenderrifically delicious news about a new chapter in my writing life... but at this point (even though I haven't heard the official word that I'm not moving forward with this "big thing"), I'm thinking there's value in sharing where I am right now, which is absolutely certain I didn't make the cut.

I mean, even if by some miracle I am selected as one of only three writers in this year's Warner Bros. TV Comedy Writers Workshop within days of posting this column, the fact remains that right now, I'm suffering from something actors face every single day: the let-down.

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Continue reading this column in the morning, along with a Your Turn requesting a bit of help in putting together my *next* column (which will be all about life as a series regular) at Showfax.com.

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

Woo hoo!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

Posted by bonnie at 6:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 29, 2007

SMFA, 3rd edition--calling all PROOFERS!

(This is a repost from the Cricket Feet Publishing Proofer Patrol mailing list. Basically, I want to be sure I'm reaching my proofers who have changed email addresses since our last edition AND open up Proofer Patrol slots for aspiring proofers. Yay!)

Oh my!

Like I don't have enough going on.

Yup. Gonna do the 3rd edition of Self-Management for Actors for Pilot Season 2008. That means we're going to the printer right after Thanksgiving.

Nope. I'm not kidding.

:)

So... you fabulous proofers, are you with me? In for another round? (I still love you even if you're not up for this one, I promise.)

Here's what I need to know from you, if you're into it (ENTER THIS INFO when you sign up for the Yahoo Group):

1. That you're into it.


2. What you're into (fact-checking, copy-editing, web research, indexing, general once-overing).


3. Um... your favorite thing about grammar? I don't know. Something fun for number three. ;)

Okay, that's it for now. As always, THANK YOU for the love and affection... for the English language, that is. ;) And me. :) XO

-Bon.
(determined to fill a library by 2045)

Posted by bonnie at 11:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 23, 2007

The Actors Voice, 9/24/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.

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Staying Present

I was watching this weekend's Georgia game and heard one of the commentators say something that seemed somewhat meaningful. This was in the final moments of the fourth quarter. The score was tied and the Bulldogs had the ball. With less than one minute to go, we either had to score a field goal or go into OT. Obviously, scoring a field goal right then would be preferable. Game over. Let the celebration begin. But we only had one time out, and our coach was saving that for setting up his kicker, rather than having him sprint out while the clock was still running. So, we needed to get a first down to stop the clock (without using that one last time out sooner than we wanted to).

The commentator said something along the lines of this: "They can't be thinking about the field goal. It's not about how to score the field goal. They need to get this first down and that's all they can think about right now. Don't worry about that score. Get that first down." And I thought, "Hmm. How tough that must be, staying focused only on the thing you need to make happen first and not about what it means to be able to get through that in order to do the bigger thing." And then, as if on cue for a "hey, write this week's column about this, Bon," moment, I came across a paragraph in this awesome book I'm reading (Created by...) from showrunner Barbara Hall.

[When] I was halfway through writing the pilot [for Joan of Arcadia], I realized I had no real idea what the series was all about and I shouldn't even finish writing the pilot. I thought about calling CBS and saying, "I just don't know what this show is, so let's not even bother." Then, I had a change of heart. I decided that what happens to the show after I finish the pilot is not really my business. My business was to finish this pilot. So, that is what I did.

So often in this business we find ourselves consumed by our goals and our dreams to the extent that we lose sight of the one thing we need to get done in order to even have the opportunity to score. And that's why sometimes the best thing you can do is train yourself to stay present. Because thinking too many steps ahead can actually prevent you from getting the chance to go for it.

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Continue reading this column in the morning, along with a Your Turn filled with answers to quick questions at Showfax.com.

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

Woo hoo!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

Posted by bonnie at 8:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 17, 2007

The Actors Voice, 9/17/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how today's The Actors Voice starts out.

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Doing Theatre

As you may recall from a column two months ago, I'm adding some content here at the Showfax archives that originated in my first book: Casting Qs. So, here's another of the chapters. This one, on the importance of doing theatre in a film-and-TV town, features direct quotes from 22 casting directors. Enjoy!

Casting directors always advise actors, "Do theatre. Get involved in theatre. Do a play. Period." Actors write me to ask, "Does that really work?" So, I posed a few questions to several busy casting directors, in an attempt to find out precisely why they so strongly recommend working in theatre (and, perhaps more importantly to the actors reading, whether or not CDs attend theatre and, if they do, how the heck to get 'em to show up).

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Continue reading this column now, along with a Your Turn in which the stand-in question from a few weeks back is answered at Showfax.com.

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

And!!

Be sure to visit The Actors Voice: POV for the first POV in a four-part series from Prague-based CD, Nancy Bishop.

Woo hoo!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

Posted by bonnie at 7:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 27, 2007

Crappy Writers Are Crappy

I read a lot. Mostly scripts. I also read books about the industry. And columns. And blogs. It's kind of my thing.

Okay, so in the past three weeks, I've read a book a week while on the machines at the gym at 2am five days a week (yes, really. I'm that badass now) in prep for this kinda big bunch of things I've got going on.

And the first two books I read ROCKED. Simply ROCKED. They were fun, funny, informative, and had tons of personality with very few typos (believe me, that kind of shit goes a long way with me).

And then... *thud* ...I decided to pick up a book that I got on gift certificate a year ago, when prepping for my "big entertainment attorney meeting." Because of where I'm going tomorrow, it's suddenly a wee bit more relevant than the one chapter for which I bought it.

And it SUCKS! Son of a fuck, it sucks so much that I wanted to hurl it across the room (which, technically, would mean "off the treadmill loft and onto the head of some cute but unsuspecting 'I love the mirror' freeweights guy down below")... and now I'm pissed because I have nothing in the queue to take with me to the gym tonight and, well, tomorrow's the big meeting and I need as many distractions as possible (hello, vodka in the freezer).

I just thought I'd take this opportunity to say that even non-fiction writers owe their readers a personality, their audience a VOICE.

Ugh. Mediocre is just *not* an acceptable baseline level for escapism material (even when the escape is "work-related").

PS--Speaking of other things I'm OVER, let's include my effin' craptastic 'puter and its busted-ass mouse that keeps selecting shit I didn't select and unselecting crap I'm still clicking-and-holding on.

PPS--Good LORD... am I cranky or WHAT?!?

Posted by bonnie at 7:25 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

August 26, 2007

The Actors Voice, 8/27/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.

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Issues of Race

All righty. Let's get those of you who don't usually read the Your Turn portion of The Actors Voice (tsk, tsk) up to speed. A few weeks back, I was asked the following:

Do you believe that actors of color (black actresses in particular) face any unique challenges out there? Is there anything beyond "preparation meeting opportunity" that we can do to be seen? I don't know if it's "Bitter Actor Syndrome" or what, but I've heard stories of being asked to play slaves time and again, of needing to look like Beyoncé to score a role, etc. I pretty much dismissed these things, because I firmly believe that you create your own reality. What are your thoughts?

So, after running that question once in Your Turn and receiving exactly zero replies when I asked readers to share their experiences, I decided to directly email some of my favorite working actors who could be considered members of ethnic minority groups and find out what they might have to say. Because I received so few replies to that request (even though the replies I did receive were amazing), I again ran this Your Turn last week. And boy, did y'all step up this time! Even many of those actors I had emailed came through, when they realized I was getting so little feedback. THANK YOU!!

What started as a really complicated debate about whether the struggles Hollywood actors face are universal or specifically unique based on issues of race has turned into a really complicated yet inspiring collection of, basically, how to work through it all, no matter who you are or how you're built. [Please note that whenever someone has asked to be quoted without attribution that I personally know that actor and can assure you that his or her IMDB credits are at a level to which most actors--of any race--would aspire.]

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Continue reading this column in the morning, along with a Your Turn in which I ask for your help in directing an actor to some good resources for stand-in work at Showfax.com.

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

Posted by bonnie at 8:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 19, 2007

The Actors Voice, 8/20/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.

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The Blind Leading the Blind

I recently did something that took me way beyond my comfort zone. In a couple of months--when I know the outcome of this brave thing I did--I'll let y'all know what it was. But for now, I'm doing that superstitious thing that actors do after testing at network for a series regular role on a pilot: I'm keeping this thing pretty quiet. What I do want to share with you--about this recent experience--is something that I now better understand about Actor Mind Taffy. And a potential risk we face, when we're "new" at something.

What I learned in going through this new scary experience is that, when we muster up the courage to do a "hard thing" it is really "easy" to do two other things: obsess about the stuff we don't control and look to others for advice, no matter how "clueless" those others might be.

Here's how it hit home for me.

I was in the middle of doing the equivalent of the whole "staples or glue stick" debate. This is something that is so easy for me spot, when I see an actor doing it. I am quick to say, "Hey! Snap out of it! You're engaging in Actor Mind Taffy and you MUST stop to save your sanity. You will never do it the 'right way' for all potential recipients of your headshot and resumé, so you need to find the way that's right for YOU and then let the rest go. Believe me, no one cares anyway. They're way too busy to look at such things. No one in the history of casting has ever seen the headshot and resumé of the exact right actor for the role and then said, 'Oh, too bad. Can't cast her. She used two staples instead of four.' Never. Never, never, never."

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Continue reading this column in the morning, along with a Your Turn asking--again--for help with issues of race and casting at Showfax.com.

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

Posted by bonnie at 6:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 15, 2007

LA Bloggers Live

Well, thanks to the brilliantly wonderful Colleen Wainwright, I'll be participating in the August edition of LA Bloggers Live next week.

This event takes place at the Tangier Lounge on Wednesday, August 22nd, 6:30pm. (There is a $4 cover charge at the door.) Here's the line-up of live bloggers as of this moment.

Kevin Charnas
Julia Frey
Bonnie Gillespie
Liz Rizzo
Abigail M. Schilling
Colleen Wainwright

So, for those of you who have been hankerin' to hear a little Dear Middle-Aged Balding Entitled A-hole at El Cholo, done all live and proper-like, now's your chance.

I anticipate greatness. The last time I went to hear CoCo do the live blogging thing, I CRIED with laughter. That horrifically wonderful belly-laughter that makes you double over and get a cramp. It's soooooo good.

Thanks for the support, everyone! Hope to see you there!

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August 12, 2007

The Actors Voice, 8/13/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.

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What's Your Motivation

Ah, Alfred Hitchcock got it right. "When an actor comes to me and wants to discuss his character, I say, 'It's in the script.' If he says, 'But what's my motivation?' I say, 'Your salary.'" Awesome. Method Actors may want to argue with me, as I side with Hitch, but I think some actors spend so much time mired in thoughts of how to bring realism to their characters that they sometimes spin off the grid of reality itself. It's actually pretty simple: You're hired to do a job. Do it. HOW you do should be invisible to everyone else. Get "there" by doing whatever it takes to get you there. Just do it. But the more you let others in on your process (that is, until you're being interviewed by James Lipton), the higher the risk you're causing someone to glaze over and start thinking of that other, less "precious" actor we could've cast.

Please understand that I'm not bashing any one acting technique or the actors who subscribe to it. Hey, if you can bring the talent, I'm gonna cast you eventually, and I really don't care HOW you get there. But that's really the point: It's not about HOW to anyone outside of you. And I'm not just talking about connecting with the characters you portray. I'm talking about doing the rounds, networking, meeting with agents, staying on the radar of casting directors, doing plays, whatever! Your process is as unique as you are and what works for you might not work for anyone else. But this column isn't about motivation in your acting technique.

See, if there's one thing I've learned about this showbiz thing, it's that most folks seem to think there's some magic recipe to success in the industry. And that if they could just get their hands on that recipe, they'd be living their dreams. Well, I hate to break it to you, but there's just no such thing as one magic recipe. You take a look at what others are doing, try on some things, decide what works for you and discard what does not, and stay focused, disciplined, and committed to walking your path. As for what, specifically, motivates you to walk the path of the actor, well, let's look at some good and not-so-good types of motivation.

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Continue reading this column in the morning, along with a Your Turn filled with follow-up emails on last week's "Don't Drop the Ball" at Showfax.com.

And!!

Be sure to visit The Actors Voice: POV for a POV from a self-proclaimed "Auditioning Actor" on Wednesday the 15th!

Woo hoo!

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

Posted by bonnie at 8:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 5, 2007

The Actors Voice, 8/6/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.

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Don't Drop the Ball

I scrapped this column last week in favor of turning in The Big Lies. (And, wow, y'all liked that one. Thanks!) But, I've been doing some thinking about why I wasn't in love with Don't Drop the Ball enough to stick with it, turn it in, and save The Big Lies for later. Ah! I think I figured it out. It has something to do with Actor Darwinism. Actors who aren't doing everything they can to keep their career afloat are basically selecting themselves out of the oversaturated talent pool and leaving more room for those actors who are better-prepared, more professional, dare I say more deserving of our attention. So, yay.

But then that makes me question why I bother writing any particular column, from week to week. I mean, if there's something to the whole "Actor Darwinism" thing (and actors self-selecting right out of the mix to help us with an already enormous task of finding the right actors for every project, in a sea of seemingly infinite choices), why does the need for "writing for actors" even exist? I write for both beginners (who hopefully get off on the right foot in this career by reading before they leap) and seasoned pros who might need a little re-focusing from time to time. So, am I simply delaying the inevitable, by presenting folks with ways to re-focus for a minute when they'll only end up un-focusing themselves again over time?

Perhaps I scrapped last week's column because it leads to an existential crisis! Why does anyone write anything for anyone? If your career isn't working, maybe that's what's meant to be! Why should we monkey with it by sharing tips that might help you along in ways that aren't organic to your default mode? Okay... then why should we offer classes? Why should the educational system itself exist, if I think like this? If nature always wins out, why nurture anyone, ever? Oy. Yeah. That's why I dropped the column. It heads down the path of, "Why are we here? Why do we bother? What does it matter anyway?" and that's not what The Actors Voice is about! Nope... it's here to--hopefully--provide you with some good ideas and maybe get you out of your own way. A-ha! Now that that's out of MY way, let's get to a very common problem for actors: Dropping the Ball.

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Continue reading this column in the morning, along with a Your Turn follow-up on last week's "The Big Lies" at Showfax.com.

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

Posted by bonnie at 1:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 15, 2007

The Actors Voice, 7/16/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.

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Trust That You're Enough

My husband and I have a relationship that is built on two fundamental principles. One: Always trust that we each have the other's best interests at heart (that way, even when we're fighting, we know it's because we both want a result that improves our relationship or current situation). Two: Always go for the funny. (I tend to argue that that last one is the more important of the two, but it's really because of the first one that the last one works so well.) The idea is that, if there is a joke to make, you'd better take the shot (even at the other's expense). That keeps us laughing, no matter what. Nothing wrong with that.

But this week's column is about the first principle: TRUST. And it's not just trust in an intimate partnership I'm talking about. It's trusting your fellow castmates, trusting your director and producer, trusting your agent and manager, trusting your acting coach, trusting yourself. All while pursuing a career in an industry where self-doubt and cut-throat tendencies seem to rise up. No, it's not gonna be easy, but it sure will be wonderful, once you embrace trust in your career's path.

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Continue reading this column in the morning, along with a Your Turn about the unique issues facing actors of color (Are there any?) at Showfax.com.

And!!

Be sure to visit The Actors Voice: POV for a POV from a very busy TV casting associate.

Woo hoo!

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

Posted by bonnie at 4:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 1, 2007

The Actors Voice, 7/2/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.

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Bringing the Kids Along

Ooh, got a great question from a reader recently.

What is the best way to handle being a mother in this business? I am currently (and surprisingly!) pregnant, and moving to LA in a year. Obviously, my husband and I will have a baby by the time we get there. Is it bad protocol to bring a baby to an audition? I know daycare is the obvious choice, but if I happen to have her for the day...

I worked as an actress in Chicago for almost four years and mothers would sometimes bring their children to the auditions, and of course leave them in the waiting room while they went in for auditions. I just wanted to feel out LA before I make any major faux pas.

As for auditions I'm holding, I might not even know that babies are along for the ride much of the time, since many actors--like those you've observed in Chicago--choose to leave their young ones in the waiting room with friends or other family members they have brought along. I would imagine that session runners might have a less-tolerant stance on this sort of thing, simply because of the overcrowding involved, when you show up with an entourage. But the handful of actors who have brought babies into my audition rooms with them have either done just fine or had their focus so completely split that their auditions were blown from the beginning.

Of course, I'm just one CD in a city of 600 of us. And I cast SAG indie feature films. So, what about the other CDs who are casting studio features, TV shows, commercials, theatre, industrials, voiceovers, and so on? Well, for a sense of what the general vibe might be about kids joining their parents at auditions, I decided to check in with a few working actor parents (some whose kids are also actors, others whose are not) and Anne Henry of BizParentz.com for their advice on this issue. Huge thanks to Robert Clendenin, Eitan Loewenstein, James Runcorn, Anna Vocino, and the amazing BizParentz.com for giving us a sense of what's going on in casting offices all over Los Angeles.

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Continue reading this column in the morning, along with a Your Turn about adding video to your Actors Access account after making a submission (and whether the CDs of that submission will be able to see that video) at Showfax.com.

And!!

Be sure to visit The Actors Voice: POV for a wonderful POV from one of LA's top voiceover talents.

Woo hoo!

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

Posted by bonnie at 11:23 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

June 29, 2007

A New Experience

I have earned a living as a writer for the better part of a decade. But, as anyone who has followed my career knows, I write nonfiction. I get paid to write nonfiction. No one seeks me out to create fictional worlds and populate them with characters (for that type of experience in my career, I have to be hired to cast fictional scripts I did not write).

And even though I have written fiction, it encompasses about 5% of the work I have ever put out there and less than 1% of the work I have ever been paid to put out there. That said, I did attempt The 14-Day Screenplay Challenge last year (as you may recall).

I got a grand total of about 18 pages into the script and then gave up. Ah, well... it happens, right? At least I tried.

Cut to a couple of months ago. It's time to start reviewing material submitted for the Cricket Feet Showcase. We've done a call for submissions and we're ready to read! I figure, "Well, hell. My 'screenplay' is only three times the length of some of these scenes we've been sent. Why not at least get coverage on it?"

So, I strip away its identifying marks (like with the rest of the submissions) and send it along to the reading committee. Turns out, folks like it. Every submission got a "consider," "consider with rewrites," or "pass," and every writer got a "consider" or "pass." My work got straight considers, even though there was hardly a scene to use. It was the start of an unfinished screenplay. There was no stand-out scene to put into showcase format. There were no two characters speaking to one another for any length of time that could work in a showcase scene. But it still got considers.

Hmm.

During final scene selection and casting, I took another stab at Moshi's world. I pulled the scene that had the most potential for showcasing--even though it was only one-third of a page in length--and fleshed it out, bringing it to four pages. Having lost all objectivity on whether this scene could possibly work (and being totally unsure as to its strength as a scene, at this point, since what was originally assessed was NOT this piece, really), I handed it off to my partners (Keith and Eitan) and told them to have their way with it.

Each did some punch-up. Each tweaked a line or two. And when I read the final version, I was very pleased with it. This was getting exciting.

I cast two extremely likable and high-chemistry actors in the roles and then I handed the script off to Anna (our director--who is also a phenomenal writer) and told her to feel free to continue with rewrites as necessary, as she certainly recognized that this scene had been severely retooled from the first version, anonymously submitted to the team (including her) over a month ago. She came back with another round of changes that improved the scene even more. I was delighted.

And terrified.

Cut to last night. We had the showcase "first looks" session, wherein we got a chance to see each scene in its pre-Anna shape, to get our first feel for where scenes should go and where we are strong/where we need work. And as I watched the scheduled scenes get checked off on my spreadsheet, I realized something potentially life-changing was about to happen. I was about to hear my words performed live for the first time.

What?

Yes! It's true! People don't typically gather on stage to read my columns aloud or do dramatic readings from Self-Management for Actors in front of an audience. "Oh, crap," I thought. "What if it sucks?"

And then Emily and Kerie took the stage... and they were brilliant. And the words they were saying were brilliant. And the beats they were taking were brilliant. And the ad-libs they threw in were brilliant. And the improvised moments were brilliant.

Best of all, the audience laughed. And not because they knew I wrote the scene or anything like that. They laughed because it was funny. And sweet. And real.

Holy crap, that's a delicious feeling. I think I might be hooked. And just like the short-short story was always my speed (when I did write fiction), the five-minute, two-person comedic scene seems to feel right for me, now. Awesome. It. Is. On.

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June 3, 2007

The Actors Voice, 6/4/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.

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Paradigm Shifts

So, last week, I participated in a SAG Foundation event with fellow casting directors Bruce Newberg and Erin Toner. We talked about everything from what online services we use (Breakdown Services, Actors Access, IMDB-Pro) to the likelihood of unrepresented actors getting seen by us (everyone gets a shot) and from headshots (no one cares if they're in color, as long as they look like you) to demo reels (we love 'em short and online). Obviously, we didn't always agree on "what works," but that's part of what makes these free events so awesome: Actors get to learn how things are done in specific offices rather than assuming that everything is done the same in every office. Just like actors aren't all alike, CDs aren't all alike.

One of the emails I received after the talk seemed to have something in common with another email that I had received about last week's column on creating your own demo reel footage. Both supported my theory that sometimes all an actor needs, in order to start making things happen, is to just start making things happen! And that often requires a paradigm shift. We tend to get so caught up in all of the things we think we're supposed to do that we miss out on doing things that actually might be a lot more powerful (and more fun)! For example: I said (at the SAG Foundation talk) that if actors took half of the energy they put into "finding the right agent, targeting mailings to CDs, getting a better agent" and put that into creating their own short films, showcases, or plays, the people they're so eager to get in front of would seek them out!

But if you've been conditioned to believe that the busy, frantic energy you're putting into mailings and meetings and researching people is "enough," it might take a true paradigm shift for you to understand that you could choose to work smart, not hard.

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Continue reading this column in the morning, along with a twist on the need to change your name, in the Your Turn section at Showfax.com.

Woo hoo!

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

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May 28, 2007

The Actors Voice, 5/28/07

Hi Everyone!

Here's how today's The Actors Voice starts out.

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Footage Is Footage

A few months back, I was the guest on Judy Kerr's web-based series Acting Is Everything (yes, a web-based series that accompanies her essential book) and we talked a bit about demo reels and whether actors could--or should--create footage for their reels or only stick to professionally-shot, "legitimate" clips of their work. I believe those roads intersect, if the footage you create is professionally shot. And in the era of YouTube, your clips could easily be seen by more people than might ever lay eyes on pilots that don't "go."

So, if you're sure you've got the talent and that all anyone needs to do in order to take a chance on you is see the goods, it might be time for you to consider a DIY approach to getting your demo reel done. Heck, even if you have good footage, perhaps it's just one great scene and a bunch of outdated, one-liner stuff that isn't serving you today. And remember; if it's not getting you work, it's costing you work. If you've decided that you're ready to take your reel to the next level (or to create your first "real" reel), let's jump into some tips on how to get it done right, as poorly-produced footage could actually be worse than having no footage at all.

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Continue reading this column right now, along with a Your Turn about that damn name change issue at Showfax.com.

And!!

Be sure to visit The Actors Voice: POV on Friday for what is quite possibly my favorite POV thus far. We've brought POV closer to home, and it's Andy Henry's turn to share the inside scoop on the casting process inside one of the busiest TV casting offices on the planet!

Woo hoo!

As always, THANK YOU for reading!

Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

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May 13, 2007

The Actors Voice, 5/14/07 (and a few weeks before)

Hi Everyone!

Yikes! It's been a MONTH since I last promoted The Actors Voice (it's been way busy; my apologies for having been out of the promo loop)! Well, here's what's happened since my last promo blast.

We looked at Multiple Electronic Submissions, Paying for Representation, How To Work the Room, LA's Best On-Camera Classes (and rebuttals and warnings about one of the recommended coaches), and Bad Cover Letters/Good Cover Letters. Woo!

And tomorrow...?

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When To Pay Commission

Sometimes a Your Turn question comes in that is so well-suited to a full-on column that I just can't resist. This question, from a wonderfully-talented and business-minded actor, represents dozens of similarly-themed questions I've received from actors everywhere.

Electronic casting has made auditions more available than ever. For the diligent actor that goes after "everything" in Back Stage West, on CraigsList, at Actors Access, etc., what is the best way to deal with commission payments when said actor books a job independently of the agency they are represented by? No one wants to rock the boat, but should an actor pay a cut to their agent even if the agent does nothing to procure the audition or review the contract? If so, what is fair to the actor? Thanks for your input.

The short answer is easy: Always pay commission to your agents and managers. Always.

Now, here comes the long answer (which is all about WHY paying commission--yes, even on work you booked all by yourself--is a good business decision).

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Continue reading this column in the morning, along with a Your Turn about an ethnicity-related name change at Showfax.com.

And!!

Be sure to visit The Actors Voice: POV to see contributions from casting directors in Reno, NV, and Washington, DC! (Still looking for the 5/15 contribution, so I'm not sure WHERE that one will come from... feel free to send your favorite speed-writing CDs my way!)

Woo hoo!

As always, THANK YOU for reading! I'll try to stay on top of my weekly promos from here on out! :)

Cheers,
-Bon.
July showcase submission deadline 5/18!
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.

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May 4, 2007

The Ultimate Guide to Productivity Group Writing Project

Okay, so one of my favorite people on the planet (that's Colleen Wainwright, AKA The Communicatrix, AKA CoCo) tagged me on this productivity meme launched instigated by Ben Yoskovitz.

My first thought (before following any links, just reading her emailed head's up) was, "Cool. I've been remiss in blogging lately and I loves me a good meme." Second thought (after following links) was, "Ack! What the EFF do *I* know about productivity?!? And how on Earth would I write about it in such a way as to be worthy of inclusion in a group writing project of this quality?"

And then I started composing a comment to post at Colleen's entry on the subject. It started out as a quick "way out" of having to do this, and then it became exact evidence of precisely how it is I am productive: I start out thinking, "Eh," but then KEEP GOING until I am thinking, "Holy crap! This is IT!"

So, here's the comment in its entirety. Enjoy!

Oh dear me, I am so embarrassed to say this, but my one and only productivity tip is this:

Don't sleep.

Pretty shitty tip, no?

Because while I have a buttload of ideas about what makes me as productive as I am (doing what I love 95% of the time, doing what I dislike but have to do only 5% of the time; finding inspiration to ACT on ideas before the monkey mind comes in and distracts me or tries to talk me out of acting; writing quickly, editing slowly; using color-coded transparent pockets to organize papers, using color-coded Entourage rules to organize emails; going radio silence for blocks of time in order to recharge and reconnect with Self; cubbies, glorious cubbies; intern days once a week; holding my feet to the fire with regard to my deadlines--both for getting work done and stopping the work; doing as much of my living in public as possible, so that I don't have to answer as many individual questions as the inefficient public would like to have me do; trusting that I am valued not for what I do, but for the very fact that I simply AM; and playing as hard as I work, just not as often), it's the lack of sleep that *really* allows me to be as PRODUCTIVE as I am.

And how can you turn that into a tip? It's a disorder!

Ah well, maybe THAT's my tip.

Turn your disorders into tools to help you ROCK.

Ooh, much better.

There you have it!

And now I tag/request posts on this topic from some of my favorite productive people: Adam Marcus, Alex Collins, Anna Christopher, Anna Vocino, Bob Brody, Camille Mana, Dawn Andrews, Debbie Campbell, Faith Salie, Joel Viertel, Kimberley Browning, Kristina Hughes, Mitchell Fink, and Stephon Fuller.

Happy weekend, everyone.

PS--Anyone else love it when CNN covers Paris Hilton's DUI jail sentence news and breaks for commercials... one of which is an ad for the Hilton Family of Hotels? Man, that's good stuff!

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April 19, 2007

Principal vs. Principle; Theatre vs. Theater

So, today was cool. I spoke for four hours at Rolling Hills Prep about writing, casting, and living a freelance lifestyle. It was awesome. The local media covered it.

More on that in a moment. First, the bigger issue. Principal vs. Principle and Theatre vs. Theater.

For once and for all...

When you're talking about your role in a project or the onset of filming your project, you mean "principal," as that's the only option that can *be* an adjective, and that's what you're listing on a resumé in the billing column: the type of role (principal, supporting, featured; recurring, guest-star, co-star); or in your blurb about starting the main part of your work.

In case you don't believe me, here's my backup:

principal is an adjective that means "main or primary"; principle is a noun that means "beliefs or morals."

A principle is a basic or fundamental idea. The word principle is always used as a noun.
As an adjective, principal indicates that the noun it modifies is the most important thing in its class.

Meanwhile, here's my basic guideline, backed up:

Theatre: refers in general to the art of live performance. Also, the building in which live performance takes place. Theater: refers to the building in which movies are displayed.

To go to the theater means to go to a movie while to go to the theatre means to attend a live performance.

Well, helping the world WRITE BETTER is always a hot topic for me. *snork* (I just *know* one Miss Elizabeth Chambers is loving this rant already.)

But in spending four hours talking about a writer's life, I realized a few things:

• It's weird to earn a living as a writer (probably as weird as it is to earn a living as an actor; it's so random, taste-based, and fickle). It's especially weird to earn a living as a writer for nearly a decade.


• Defining your voice is the only way to create a following as an artist. Yes, you can be a technical writer and do very well for yourself, financially. But to connect with a larger audience--and to be sought out for what you have to say--requires being authentic. Every time.


• Knowing the rules gives you room to break them. (During the talk, I split an infinitive and then commented on how I can totally do that, because it's a part of my writing style. The fact that I *know* I did it makes it okay. Sloppiness and personal style are two totally different things... and that makes the difference between a [non-pro] blogger and a writer [for hire].)


• Branding yourself is essential. You know when you read my work, you'll come across a "y'all" and a "damn" and an "eff." It's just the E in ME, communicating that way. You'll also get a no-BS take on just about anything. I have a lot of opinions. One student asked how to get hired to write with total personal freedom. I told him that the only way to do that is to write for free with total personal freedom, get known for that, and then say yes when someone else realizes there is money to gain from being in the "you" business. Hell... acting is exactly the same! Get yourself known everywhere as the YOU you are. When the hirers need THAT, you're gonna get the call.

Damn. It's just so simple. Do what you do. Do it well. Do it on principle or do it as a principal; do it in a theatre or on a screen at a theater. People will learn that's your YOU and they'll show up to pay for it again and again.

Word.

Posted by bonnie at 6:38 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

November 16, 2006

Announcing THE ACTORS VOICE: POV at Showfax.com

From this week's Your Turn:

Hello, Actors Access,
First, thanks for your service. It's feature-rich, it's above average usability-wise, and--most importantly--it works.
But I have one big complaint; there is no column for working New York actors. LA-based hopefuls and professional alike have Bonnie and Mark. What do I have when I have questions about New York industry etiquette, or auditions, or the business part of show business? I've got nothin'.
Now, I'm proactive. I'm currently on hiatus from one show and rehearsing two others while working a corporate day job AND interning part-time in a talent agency. If I've still got questions after all that, don't you think a bunch of other New York actors do as well?
One day I hope to be knowledgeable enough to write a column for you about the New York industry. Until that day arrives (and to help it arrive sooner), could you find someone else to write it?
Thanks for your time. I look forward to hearing back from you!

Visit The Actors Voice: POV now! Woo!

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October 29, 2006

The Actors Voice, 10/30/06

Okay, so here's what you need to know about The Actors Voice this week... the server on which The Actors Voice lives is going through a little upgrade right now... and it's not yet back up and running (and it may not be for a while). Ugh. I know... but it's one of those things that happens when you start putting out a little advice column for actors and suddenly get more hits per week than your server knows how to take.

So... assuming the techies get everything back in order shortly, here's a taste of what you'll be able to read at The Actors Voice in a few hours.

Demo Reels (Revisited)

Last week, I was a judge for the Inaugural Reel Actors Film Festival. I'd long been planning to revisit my two previous columns on demo reels, but the act of sitting down and making notes during a couple of hours of full-on, concentrated demo reel watching inspired me to make this the week I finally did that. I haven't changed my opinion about the importance of demo reels (high), the best length for demo reels (short), and the true purpose of demo reels (to leave us wanting more, after showing us how to cast you), but I have absolutely had a few shifts in thought that I'd like to share with you. Also, I have now seen some interesting trends in demo reel presentation that I think could benefit you, when you next head to the editor (or your trusty Mac with Final Cut Pro installed).

Check Your Demo Reel for These Sins

Highlighting someone else's performance instead of your own. If you must choose scenes in which someone else plays the hero, remember that your editor can help you edit the scene so that it is all about you. YOU are the hero in your demo reel, even if you weren't in the original scene. I have seen some amazing reels in which it seriously looks like Dr. McDreamy only exists to tell the nurse, "I agree. You're right," in an all-about-her version of the scene. It's awesome to show the world that you've worked with the biggest actors in the biz. But your reel isn't about getting them a job or maintaining the essence of the scene as-seen-on-TV. It's about getting you more work.

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More of that good stuff, plus a YOUR TURN introducing a NEW column at Showfax.com as soon as the techies get the 1's and 0's lined up.

As always, thanks for the support and encouragement. I'm really excited about this new column that's due to start up on November 1st! But I'll always love my first column the best. (For you trivia buffs out there, that'd be "Lunchroom Report" in the Josephine Wells Elementary mimeographed weekly newsletter.)

Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeen!

-Bon.

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August 25, 2006

35K

I recently learned that my column gets 35,000 hits a week. How is that possible?

And why aren't I rich?

Or at least a blogebrity?

Posted by bonnie at 9:39 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

August 11, 2006

2006 Book Tour

I think it's time for another book tour. Remember 2004? Remember the trip we made to NY and ATL/Athens when the first Self-Management for Actors came out? Man, that was fun!

In 2004, I spoke at the Drama Book Shop in New York,