One thing about the “biz” is that you have to keep current photos.  This means that I often find myself in need of lots of photos but I don’t have lots of money.  It’s all a balancing act in regards to money.  You see, I don’t want to skimp on a photo but I also have a difficult time justifying this expense – - at least until I start raking in the cash.

Over the last few months, my agents at Wilhelmina have been asking me to get some updated photos for my zed card.  A zed card is like an extra large postcard that you take to castings to give to the casting director.  On this card you should list your stats (height, sizes, coloring, agency information) and it’s nice to have several photos on it that offer a wide range of “looks” for the casting director to review.  In addition to these “zed” cards for my print auditions, I also needed to get a new headshot for my commercial and theatrical auditions as well.  The images I currently have are good and I love them but my hair has grown and it’s been a little over a year and so I figured I would try to squeeze a couple of these shots into the shoot as well. 

Lucky for me, I have a great old friend who used to also live in Seattle and she is a fantastic photographer who now lives in LA and is a full-time rockin photographer!  Paige Craig is rad!  She has such a keen eye for lighting and a great personality (not to mention an amazing camera and lens – I totally checked out her gear now that I’m a budding photographer myself   Paige actually did our engagement photos over 7 years ago in Seattle and she always delivers excellent work.   I can’t wait to show ya’ll the final pics but here are a few of my favorites!  I’ll post my “headshots” in a later post. Enjoy!  

This is likely a much longer entry but some exciting things that I’m grearing up for are as follows:

1.  More Casting Director Workshops – -Jeff Greenburg (casts Modern Family and did all the casting for Cheer, Eli Stone, and many more) on the 12th.  I’m also working my soap angle and going to do a workshop with the casting director for the Bold & the Beautiful.  I should also note that my feedback from my first workshop with Sherie Hernandez (she does the casting for Melrose Place and 100 Questions for Charlotte Payne) was awesome!   She gave me written feedback that said I was “hilarious” so we’ll see if I ever get a chance to show the rest of the world. 

2.  On hold for a hidden camera show for the Game Show Network “a la Punk’d”  Filming would begin end of January and would be SO much fun!

3.  Big meeting with a great agent next Thursday the 7th - – fingers crossed!

4.  Filming the next episode of Judith and Judis

That’s it for now.  I know there is more but you’ll just have to wait

I’ve been filming the pilot, Buskers, for a couple of weekends and I think it’s going to turn out really well.  Not only do I think the idea and stories behind these street performers/buskers is compelling, Michael, the producer/creator, is a great guy who is a consummate professional and is very talented.  I mean, he has a great eye too – -he cast me   tee hee.  Saturday morning/afternoon we met in Hollywood to shoot a few of my stand-ups and then moved over to Griffith Park, which was a nice setting for my interview with Silvio the magician. 

Silvio is an incredibly talented magician!  I won’t give his whole story away but he actually enrolled in magic school in Germany when he was only ten years old!  Who even knew there was such a thing.  It’s fascinating hearing about the journey he has gone through and I love this about the show.  All I have left to complete is some voice-over work in the sound booth and then Michael will edit it and shop it around to the networks.  Here’s hoping and praying that they love it and they love me as the host! 

You can find out more via the website www.buskerstv.com  for more updates, production status, etc…

Wrapping up the day on Hollywood Blvd with Producer/Creator, Michael White

Post-Thanksgiving has been great.  I’ve been in a cold reading class for a while now and it’s always a great feeling to go to class, work on my craft and learn something – - Annie Grindlay is the best teacher in the world, AND she is super cool.  She is a professional who is a “real” person.  She’s not always trying to sell something and she is genuine, which is unique in this industry. 

Also, I have decided to enroll in a casting director workshop with Act Now.  I auditioned for them a couple of months ago and then was assigned a consultant, Helon.  She helps me navigate my way through all of the possible workshops.  For instance, I am a member of Aftra so I am going to a workshop with a casting director who books primarily Aftra shows.  It’ll be good to see how well my training has prepared me. 

I hope to use this next month as a time of preparation and goal setting for the coming year.  I just did a mailing in hopes of securing a more aggressive theatrical agent so keep your fingers crossed.  It would be nice to have a relationship with an agent where the ultimate goal is to work together to achieve success for both of us.  Here’s to hoping.  xo

Many of you know that my performance improv group (ducktapeimprov.com) and I have been working together for nearly two years now.  We finally decided that we were ready and put up two shows this past Sunday, November 15th!  We’ve been getting great feedback from all who attended and it was such a wonderful feeling to finally get back on stage after nearly a year off.  

We held the shows at The Lounge Theater on Santa Monica Blvd and it was awesome.  It’s tough to find a theater to rent that is clean and is somewhere you’d actually enjoy spending time in but The Lounge is definitely the coolest place we’ve found in Hollywood.  Two cheers for Matt Fox for finding it!

We served beer and wine (actually, my mother-in-law extraordinaire was the bartender and she did great!) and everyone enjoyed the shows.  We were nearly sold out for both performances…maybe five seats available at most so that is also a huge victory for us!

While we are still working out the kinks, it went really well and ran relatively smoothly (a big thank you to Meghan and Travis for your great work on lighting/music and video and to Russ for recording both shows for us).  It was truly a family affair!   We can’t wait to put up our next shows in January!  Woo hoo…watch out Saturday Night Live!

Hey All!

So you all know that I booked a pilot for a hosting show.  Well, I had a meeting with the Producer on Monday and he assured me that I can share more about the show!  The show is called “Buskers” and it’s about all of the wonderfully talented performers you see on the street.  There are a ton of amazing artists all around the globe who “busk” for a living.  Many of them could have their own show but they prefer the lifestyle of busking.  Their stories are fascinating and I think viewers will thoroughly enjoy the show. 

I feel incredibly blessed to have landed this and get to work with a very cool guy, Michael, and can’t wait to work with him even more.  Say your prayers that all goes well!  You can read more about the project via our web-site at www.buskerstv.com  

Ciao!

Angela

I am thrilled to let ya’ll know that I booked a hosting job for a pilot.  I signed a confidentiality agreement so I can’t tell you any details.  It’s slated to be shot in the next couple of weeks and then the Director/Production company are going to pitch it to a number of networks including The Travel Channel and others. 

There are many hoops to jump through before I actually get a network hosting job…one of which is to shoot the pilot (and do a great job) and then, a network has to want to buy the show, lastly – - the network has to want “me” vs. casting for a new host.  Say your prayers….it would be such a great opportunity!  More information to come.

Yeah!!!

Me with my "kids"

No, I am not going to be a “mom” but I did just shoot a Ronzoni webisode and played “Supermom” last Wednesday. It was a very long day but super fun and incredibly rewarding.  The director, crew and actors were all very professional and it was a treat to do some solid acting and use my comedy chops. 

I’ll post the footage when I receive it but the general flow of the two minute commercial/webisode is a mom trying to get her kids to eat healthy.  I try to get my kids to eat sardines, liver, brussel sprouts, etc… and I do a lot of crazy things to convince them that eating well is important.  The conclusion or “funny” is that Ronzoni has vitamin and calcium infused pasta that can work in place of some of these gross things and that your kids will actual be excited about eating!

The shoot consisted of over 50 shots and I’d say that I was in at least 45 of them and I had about ten costume changes!  It was a blast to shoot and my “kids” were perfect!  Things are lookin better and better.  I hope the positive momentum keeps moving me forward. Below are some entertaining photos from the shoot.

Me giving my son an early bday present of sardines! mmmm

I chased this "Diverticulosis" (i.e. stomach inflamation) around with a spoon.

Me and my "Futuristic Mom" costume with driector, Andrew Miller

Me fighting off a team of Ninjas...bad a** mom!

Me with the "bear" I arm wrestled...I won of course!

The funniest costume of the day, me with my fellow Luchador

Me, playing a "mom", playing Vanna White

Andrew Miller - Director, Me, Michael - Camera, Michael - Costume/Props...yes this is a dress I wore in Miss America...I knew it would come in handy!

I was out of town for a lot of September and while I love the flexibility of “my job” as an actor, it is also very difficult to maintain a sense of productivity and order especially when I am not in L.A. I find myself wondering if I could be doing something more and what if I miss a casting because I “booked out” and don’t get called in for an audition because I am out of town. It’s a delicate balance and one I am still perfecting. Nonetheless, I enjoyed my visits with my friends and family over this past month but its back to work and I am in “turbo mode”. As an actor, we are our best advocates and I don’t expect anyone (including agents) to hustle for me better than I can hustle for myself, right?

One way I try to be productive and get ahead is through creating a plan and being persistent. This plan is mostly comprised of networking through mailings and emails, staying in a good class and working on my craft, and submitting or everything I can get my hands on. I believe that many people could achieve greater success if they had a clearer plan and treated acting like a 9-5 job. I know that I do this and work hard but not because it guarantees I’ll be success in the sense of booking a series regular role. Rather working hard is in my nature because I want to know that I am doing everything I can to get work so that when I look back on this time in my life I won’t kick myself and say, “well, if you would have done it this way, you would have been a success.”

My five words in the script and my call sheet - - very exciting!

This strategy of persistence is paying off because I landed two very cool jobs upon my return to LA on Sunday! Honestly, it’s a tie as to which is more exciting. The first one was offered to me by my “friend” and someone I have mailed at least 7 postcards to over the year, Gwen, the Casting Director for General Hospital. She called and asked if I’d like to work on Tuesday and that she was giving me an “under 5”. Meaning, I had actual words on network television. While I only had five little words, the significance of this day was a personal and professional milestone for me. I am now Sag eligible and have a recognizable credit on my resume. The cast and crew were fantastic and now I feel like all of my jitters are officially out of my body and I’m ready for a bigger role!

The second job is a hilarious webisode for Ronzoni Pasta. I will be playing a “Supermom” and it is hysterical. I go through at least 10 costume changes, fight off ninjas, arm wrestle a bear, and play a Vanna White-type character. It’s about pages of dialogue and I can’t wait to shoot it next week! I will definitely keep you posted on this and am tickled that I’ll get some good footage out of it.

I played "the woman" that Max uses to get Diane jealous. Me and "Diane"/Carolyne Hennesy

Lastly, I was called and asked to be an extra on Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie, Olivers Arrow. While it’s only extra work, it’ll be fun to pretend I’m a famous movie star. Plus, I get to wear a fancy gown and be a “party goer” in a castle. Once Leo and I are on a first name basis, I’ll be sure to invite you over to our place to hang with him. My strategy of persistence is paying off and LA better watch out…I’m on fuego (fire)!

Not only did I enjoy performing in front of  a live audience for 9 shows, I also loved that I was a part of something.  I loved  that I wasn’t waiting around until someone called me.  Essentially, I had taken my career into  my own hands and this was empowering.  Most of all though, I was thrilled to be doing what I came to LA to do….”PERFORMING”!  I am definitely going to look for more theater opportunities and am excited about what the future may hold.  Until then, here are a couple of fun pics:A compilation of Cabaret, Chicago, Damn Yankees and Sweet Charity, Forever Fosse was a blast! Needless to say, we were dressed (or not dressed) for most of the show…hence the black lingerie. Mom and dad approved..whew!

Um…somebody thought they were hot stuff apparently. Nice collar (thanks Jeanna for the loan)