Last minute audition wacki-ness

The audition!

So i get there...its in the weirdest place. An apartment, I think. You enter through the kitchen and holding is in the same room as they're filming, which I THINK is the bedroom.  So of course we're all as quiet as can be. Did I mention that we're surrounded by gaudy art and sculptures and lady gaga-esque sun glassses? weird.  I feel like we're in some "collectors" trophy room.

Oh and, we're being recorded.  If they use us we get paid..whatever. Really nice crew and director.  It smells scammish, but it's not.

As i'm sitting there watching everyone go before me and of course making mental notes of what not to do, I noticed that everyone who went...everyone save for the cute but not too bright little girl who couldn't read...had an accent.

I spend the next 20 minutes or so listening very carefully and trying to see if they really have accents or if they're putting them on.

I realize...they're doing accents. They don't really have them. Of course in my head i'm thinking..."fuck! I didn't read the notice carefully!"  Something not at all unheard of, but something I try to avoid.  I do my best to read everything carefully...nudity?  No thanks, Crazy accent?  Never mind. Shave 1/2 my head? Mmm, I'll pass.

Now, some of them look the part but are not able to sound like they come from their mother land. Annoying.  What were the accents?...you ask

Middle eastern? Some third world country? I don't really know. They all sounded like charicatures of immigrants.  Finally I ask, obviously concerned and I'm told..."it doesn't matter, we like your look."  Well, that's a plus at least.  But clearly you wanted people with bizarre fake-o accents.  And then they clarify...you're in the non-accent group. The NON-ACCENT group!

whew

Looking back at the notice now I see there were "caucasian men" and "ethnic men" whom they were looking for.

again. whew

So I finally go up and read the sides which was through a teleprompter. Now, we had the sides before hand via email. and when we got there we were given the sides. And on top of that..teleprompter!!!  Yet, still people were screwing up. What gives? So I'm slightly nervous. Maybe its an evil teleprompter...nope. They're just not good readers. So, I read. They don't call me one take patrick for nothing.  It's a great thing when as an actor at an audition you can safely proclaim..Nailed it!

...Nailed it!

When I'm done the director looks at me and says, 'would you mind looking over this other side? we're casting another commercial too.' He says, 'just look over this for 5 seconds and jump into it.' I say..'done! let's go.'

Bam! I rocked the first one and was asked to audition for another piece right then and there. How freakin cool!

So there, that was the tail end of a great weekend.  It was a last minute audition I agreed to go to and hopefully they'll use me.  Or call me in for the second commercial.  Either way, it was a great adventure with NY acting craziness.