Doubling Up

Had a workshop last night with Marilyn Atlas - Not a casting person, like we usually get at ACG, but a manager and producer (She produced, amongst other things, Real Women Have Curves).

Like my last workshop, I wondered afterwards if this was a person I'd really needed to see - An older white woman, she's all about projects reflecting "diversity" (And I don't think giving more opportunities to "older white character actors" is what she means by "diversity") - but as she said herself during the Q&A, "you never know where things are going to lead".

Scene-wise, it was a fun night - there were an odd number of people, so I got to "double-up", and do two very different scenes.

My first time up, I was doing a scene with Pedro, an ACG semi-regular, from the movie Fort Apache The Bronx, a 1981 movie starring Paul Newman.

It was a really good scene - we were two cops, and in the scene, my partner is confronting me about basically executing a suspect (I shoot a guy I'm chasing after he's clearly given up) - but in the room, it didn't come off as well as I'd hoped (It was a mistake for us to sit down, cause it took a lot of energy away from what should have been a high-energy scene); sure enough, when we were done, she said that we didn't get to where we needed to be in the scene till towards the end, so she quizzed us on our characters, told me not to look at Pedro (And told Pedro to do everything he could to get me to look at him), and had us do the first part of the scene again.

I enjoyed the scene, because it was more dramatic than what I typically get to do at these things (And frankly, I think I can make a pretty kick-ass bad guy), but it was disappointing that it didn't really "click".

Afterwards, a couple of "regulars" implied Pedro was the problem (They said between his heavy accent and how quietly he was speaking, you couldn't understand him over the air conditioning), but I blame myself - I don't think it was Pedro, and I don't think it was a problem with our understanding of the scene or our characters; It was a mistake in staging, a mistake as simple as sitting down; a lot of the energy of the confrontation leaked out of the scene.

We should have done the scene standing up, the way we'd worked it when we were outside.

And as the more experienced actor, I should have imposed my will in this situation - Pedro was the one who thought we should sit down - because if I had, I don't think we would have gotten the re-direct.

My second scene was with Molly (Who owns ACG), and it's the first time we've ever done a scene together (As I've said before, I don't get to do scenes with the pretty girls too often. Which is a shame in this case, cause Molly's really good).

I don't remember what the scene was from, but basically we're on an elevator, and Molly's character thinks I'm hitting on her and reads me the riot act (How I'm too old and uncool for her, how I should stick to hitting on women who aren't out of my league, etc.), when I'm really just trying to tell her she has t.p. stuck to her shoe.

Then we find out that I'm "Greg Barney" (Of "Barney, Smith, and Barney", the firm where she works), and things really get interesting.

I'm happy to say, we rocked it, with the only note being that Molly should watch how "animated" her face gets (Because of the "40 foot high movie screen" and all that); it's not a note I've ever heard Molly get before, and it's not something I've ever noticed (And I've seen Molly do a lot of scenes at this point), so I don't think it's really a big "issue".

Anyway, it was a real pleasure getting to do a scene with her - It's always fun when you get to go up with someone you know can do the work (And that's always one of my goals - to be the actor other actors are excited about getting a scene with); you can just relax, and play, and I think that sense of "fun" is infectious.

When it was all over, I considered asking Ms Atlas if she was interested in representing me, but ultimately thought better of it - if/when I look for a new manager, I think I'm going to want someone focused on managing actors.

And in a situation like last night, I feel like if they're not inquiring (About your current representation status), they're clearly not interested in working with you anyway.

The big news today is that I have a callback for Orbitz in a few hours.

I think I have a good shot at it - between my hangdog looks and ability to deliver a deadpan line, I'm great casting for a guy working in the mail room, who informs a passing tour group, "I have a Masters degree" - and that's a good feeling to go into a callback with.

(It's interesting - while I wouldn't want to be this narrowly "typecast" theatrically, in terms of commercials, I'm totally up for having a niche as "Depressed Guy".)

I really want to put something in the "win column" - for all the reasons one normally wants to "put something in the win column", but to also have my first win to report since starting this blog.

Wish me luck...