What would your ultimate Role be?

I've been asked this question several times now.  A few times at auditions, and a few interviews.  I'm not sure how I would have answered this 10 years ago, or even 5, but the more I sit down with it the stronger my answer becomes.  So basically:

What would your ideal role be, how would you like to ideally see your career unfolding?

So for me?  I would love to have a career on a scifi show, or film.  Or series of films.  I grew up a big fan of scifi. Yes yes, I was that little trekker who remembers standing in line for Star Trek IV.  And in fact I think that show had a stronger impact on my youth than Star Wars.  Which I came to after my discovery of Kirk's ship.  So I'm a fan.  Big deal.  Why would I want a career in this genre?  Because its such a small world.  A very tight knit family.  How many times do you watch a show within the genre and think...woa, that's so-and-so from that other show?  Let's look at one of my favorite SciFi Actors...Jewel Staite.  Personally I think she is one of the most adorable people out there.  And a huge fan of food.  Yeah.  Food.  Just food.  I love food too.  So bam..something in common.  But with Jewel I feel like every time I turn around she's in another show I love and watch.

HER!  

So let me see how this played out.  I may have "discovered" her on Flash Forward.  You remember?  Zaney kids show from the mid 90's.  It was one of those shows I watched because I kept thinking...I can do that.  That's me!  But alas, I wasn't cast.  We're also close in age, so I've kinda grown up with her. (which also makes me mad cause look where she is being 3 years younger than me.  grr)  This is becoming an article about the life and times of Miss Staite and not an answer to the question.  I'll continue.  So Firefly of course.  And in tern Serenity.  Then she popped up in Stargate Atlantis.  And I love me some Stargate.  (of which I thank and curse my best friend for.  She opened my eyes to it) Then I backtracked a bit and started watching Dead Like Me..thank you hulu and bam..Jewel Staite.  Poppin' in to say hello.  Then it was an ep of Warehouse 13, and then the film Call Me Mrs. Miracle.  My point being with all this...look at all the work shes done and most of it within this genre.  I could list more.  Like her Stargate compatriots Ben Broweder and Claudia Black who prior to that were in Farscape together.  Or honestly anyone. Anywhere that has ever done SciFi.  

The community just embraces these actors. And the studios, and the casting directors.  I think they start to see them as SciFi actors and so of course head in that direction.  And without sounding like a douche (much like an actor on the subway earlier today who will be the subject of an entire blog post possibly tomorrow) I think the fan support is amazing.  To have that many people behind you?  Amazing.  Look at all the Star Trek fans that rallied to name the first Space Shuttle the Enterprise.

So that's my answer and a brief-ish why.  I'd love to be a part of that community and that world.  And I would love to give back to that world that fed so many of my childhood dreams.  

So now dear readers I pose the same question to you?  What Role would be your ideal role, or how would you like your career to unfold?

Indiana Jones Work out

I HATE RUNNING!  HATE IT.  But gotta do something to keep in some kinda shape.  Right? It's supposed to be one of the best exercises for you, save for swimming.  But where am I going to swim in NYC.  Granted it's raining right now, but that's not the same. And this past week I've been soaked enough by the rain that I don't feel like running in it.  So I've been trying to find ways to keep myself entertained on the treadmill.

Sure they have t.v.'s attached to them, but I have yet to figure out how to change the channel.  Every time I attempt it it just goes to static.  Which isn't fun.  And then of course I can't get it back to a broadcast.  I've started bringing my ipod in. These fancy schmancy treadmills allow you to plug in your ipod and listen to your own music.  Sure you can do that without plugging in, but this way the ipod controls are past of the treadmill screen.  No fumbling with a sexy ipod to change songs or whatever.  So anyway, I tried doing the whole music thing and it's still unbearably boring to freakin run!  I can't do it. I get so distracted by everything.  People walking into the gym, playing with the incline (which is kinda fun for a few seconds but then you realize you're running up a mountain practically and people around you are staring) So..I discovered that you can play your videos on the screen on the treadmill.  Win!

So I tried to a few tv shows.  The problem with it is there is music being played at the gym itself.  So it's in the background.  Which makes watching shows difficult.  But then I thought.  What if I put on a movie I'm extremely familiar with. I tried Stargate, but it's too quiet dialogue wise and while there is action to keep me motivated, it's not all through out.  Then it dawned on me...Indiana Jones.  He runs and fights and jumps and get's the girl, and fights some more...this could be perfect!

I tried Raiders first but there is an aweful lot of down time in the middle of the movie action wise.  It you want a short work out.  It's great.  If you want a longer one I recommend Temple.

So here are the rules.  Whenever Indy is running, fighting, pretty much moving fast?  you kick it up and run your freakin heart out.  When he takes a breather, you know to kiss the girl, figure out a map..whatever?  slow it down to a walk.

So here is a break down.
Raiders of the Lost Ark:
Start out with a nice brisk walk as Indy is headed to the Jungle Temple In Peru.
Keep this pace until he recovers the fertility Idol.  Once you hear the rumbling? Start a runnin'
It's a good little wake me up until he dives out of the temple and crashes into Belloq.
You get a breather here.
Take off again until you take off in the plane and keep running until the movie pics back up at the college.
This is why this work out is a little light.  There isn't much until The Cantina scene in Nepal where we find Marion. (whiskey...)
This is a break until the chase scene in the market.  I stretch it out too and go until Indy is pulled away from Belloq by Sallah's children. ALL of his freakin kids.
Then we have a nice break really until the Well of the Souls.  And this then begins a long run.  Starting from the moment the Well is sealed to the fight with the bald German all the way to the end of the chase scene where Indy takes a moment to address his bullet wound.
Honestly that's about it unless you want to run some more at the opening of the ark.

Temple of Doom
This one I feel starts off a bit more energetic.  So it's probably a matter of how fast you want to start off.
So we start off fairly quickly with running at the openning.  You can slowly build speed, but the whole openning scene with Willy's dance number going into the fight at the club and ending on the plane is a nice brisk run.
You can slow down here while they leisurely fly away from Lao Che.
Once the pilots bail out, time to increase your speed again until that life saving yellow raft runs ashore.
I'm tellin ya, this one is more consistent with being more physical.  Now we break though for some much needed exposition and then head to Pankot Palace.  (you can jog this route if you like but I'm lazy, so walk it I do)
There is a fair amount of a break here until after dinner.
Beginning with Indy being attacked in his room and going all the way to them being captured after the Thuggee union meeting is a great run.
Slow it down a bit and walk or jog if you prefer until Short Round begins his escape from the mines.
This can be done at your speed, it's basically one long action sequence going all the way through to the mine cart chase and then slowing down on the bridge.
This is why I say this one is a bit more rigorous. Indy really gets the crap beat out of him and so will you.
Then of course the fight on the broken rope bridge with Mola Ram falling to his death.

And there you have it. The Indiana Jones work out.

What's this have to do with my acting journey?  Well exercise is a big part of it, right?  Being in shape?  Being healthy.  This is my attempt to trick myself into having fun while doing something I find menial and boring and for the most part, a chore.

I can say so far it's working out just fine for me.  I'm also the person who can't get enough of Indiana Jones, so I'll happily watch them over and over again.  And who cares that I can't really hear all the dialogue...I have most of it memorized anyway from years of viewings.