Macbeth rehearsals, 1918 the radio show, and just a nice little update.

So much has been going on, It's hard to know where to start. This year started with a bang, then a pop, but now we're up and running again.
Real quick..survival job laid me off.  But don't worry.  I'm elated.  My time is my own again.  And I have a few things in the works/on the horizon that could garner me some funds.  It's not all terrible.  And I'll pimp myself out as back ground for an easy day's worth of work.  I hate it...but I'll do it.

So in the land of Patrick the actor, this is the first full week of rehearsals with American Globe.  I cannot tell you how much fun I am having.  I've railed on this before and I will again I'm sure, but its sad that being treated as a professional is such a rare thing in this artistic world.  I hate having to point out those few times when I'm appreciated and not treated like second class.  American Globe is amazing to its actors.  The small staff that runs it can not be anymore amazing.  I hope hope hope that I do not screw this up in some way.  I want a nice long loving relationship with this company.  I walk into rehearsal and instantly feel..."ah, my people."  So yes, rehearsals have been going really well.  And the combat rehearsals....hello thighs on fire.  But it's a good pain.  Stage combat, and maybe more specifically, weilding a sword really does come back to you after a few minutes.  I can hear my mentor's voice in my head yelling obscenities when I make juvenile mistakes.

also..I like that my internal combat voice is that of my mentor.

But it's a good sign that I know when I'm wrong.  I didn't forget this stuff, and it wasn't tainted by some crazy outdoor fighting styles.

So we dove right in learning the final fight between Macbeth and Macduff.  There is a bit i'm rusty on, but it's coming up.  Some things just feel natural, you know?  I just have to get these moves into my body.  That, and learn how to handle the hilt of the freakin claymore.  It's more sword than you need.  But then again, Macduff defeats Macbeth...I should have a badass sword, no?  I should name it.....anyway.  The first fight rehearsal I left soaking wet.  Drenched with sweat.  And I loved it!  I hate the gym.  I've tried.  but I just can't go.  Put me in a studio and work on fight choreography and I'm your man.  I'll take fighting over gyming any day.  So far the fight is a rough skeleton that will be filled in with so much good stuff I can't freakin wait.  There are some great moves to show that these two guys are seasoned combatants.  They're just hacking away at eachother.  Good time.s

And scene work has also been going really well.  It's mainly been some basic blocking rehearsals, but we've been able to delve into character fodder as we're looking at traffic patterns and going over the text in these.  I know the real work hasn't come yet, and I'm both scared and excited.  Macbeth is so well known and people think it's so easy.  Um..Macduff's children and wife are brutally murdered.  He also is the first to see the king in all his dead gorey goodness.  There is this horribly sad rage behind his eyes.  I'll find it.  Along with getting my mouth around the line "Oh Horror Horror horror."  Yeah, good luck with that.

In other news, the trailer for the radio show I'm in dropped this week.  You can download it for free here...ITUNES!!!!  or you can go watch the video version of the trailer at the website for 1918.   Just click on the "episodes" link.  This is the amazing project that elevated me to AFTRA status.  So thank you!

The episodes themselves will come out on March first...we're getting so close to the deadline and I cannot wait to hear the finished product. I believe our director and producers are working on some final edits this weekend.  Support radio theater people!
At least check out the website.  There is some great content on there and hopefully will be more soon.  Like the episodes themselves.  Exciting times, I told you.  In case I never mentioned what it's about fully, here is the blurb about the show:

It’s 1918 and aliens have crash landed on the planet.  At the climax of World War I, Axis and Allied scientist are racing to find uses for alien technology.  Triplanes and Sopwith camels are rigged with laser systems.  Believed dead after being shot down, Manfred Von Richtofen, the infamous Red Baron is restored to health as a cybornetic robot and enlisted to aid Germany in it’s quest to fight the return of the aliens.  But the key to their quest lies in the hands – or rather the voice – of a talented, capable and tenacious vocalist, Evelyn Ceriwyn, and the bumbling, but charming scientist, Dr.Henry Isotope. 


Guess who I am....The bumbling but charming scientist, Dr. Henry Isotope. I like it.  It's a good name.


Also this week I've been working on my first website commissioned by dancer/choreographer Seth Miner.  I really do love working for my fellow artists.  Dancers, actors, anyone in our field.  I've never worked on a dance site though so I'm doing my best to try to instill a sense of movement.  Because after all dancers move.  Right?  So you'll be seeing a link to the finished product shortly.  I hope to have it finished by the end of the month as long as we can get all the information in on time.  The only problem with artists is that we're all so busy.  So deadlines sometimes come and go and are replaced with projects.  It's all good.  The interwebs aren't going anywhere.


Ah, yes.  And I also picked up some more headshots.  I went with my alternate look this time.  Something new for a while.  Thank you reproductions.  They really are the best when it comes to printing.  I tried to go to my corner copy place....don't ever do that for headshots.  ever.  I'm not sure what they printed out, but it sure didn't look like me.  So yay reproductions and thank you for all you do.  The photos look awesome and i'm looking to trying them out for the first time physically tomorrow at an audition for an Independent.  We'll see how that goes.


And now I must be off to memorize some more lines.  Our script is cut.  A lot.  But that doesn't make memorization any easier. 


longest blog post ever..methinks.  you're welcome.

Truths I've learned on a film set.

Just spent some time doing annoying BG work for the FX show Louie.  Great show to work on, small crew, small production, big heart.  And the people working it were very organized and fun to be around.  Even Louie himself.

I've noticed, I'm sure on past shoots but mainly during this one, a few truths about people and film-making.

1) If a scene is being filmed and there is a monitor somewhere on set to watch it on, people with be drawn to that monitor to watch the scene being performed. It's being acted out right in front of you, LIVE.  You know, almost like theater.  We're drawn to a little screen.  I watched tonight as we all collectively would watch the monitor until the camera swung around to focus on us.  I understand watching the play back...but while it's being performed live?  I don't get it.  (but was also drawn to it myself)
Maybe its the idea of looking at how it will look on TV, or maybe we like looking at things that appear to be tiny so we feel huge!  Like a Gulliver complex.  Hell yeah I just coined that.

I get that the crew...specifically the director is looking to see how it will look on the screen.  But the scene being filmed was at a rock concert.  There was a band playing.  A damn good band, right in front of us.  But instead of watching them everything squinted and craned their necks to watch a small monitor.

2)No matter how hungry anyone is on the set, they'll eat whatever is laid out from craft services.  This was a small budget shoot, so it was really just snacks.  We weren't scheduled to be there long enough for a lunch or dinner break, so there was pretzels and water, juice, coffee, tea and chips.  People still ate.  And ate they did.  I'm not faulting anyone.  It's not a bad thing.  I had juice.  But its the idea of "free food?  I'm in.  What is it?  I don't care it's free!"

3) the worst part is the repetition.  Over and over again.  Especially from my crappy aspect as just scenery.  We filmed a second scene which took place outside in the 19 DEGREE WEATHER!!  It wasn't too bad.  The standing still and waiting to repeat the scene is whats so painful.  You start to feel the cold through your shoes.  And normally, in average human temperatures it's just tiring doing the same thing over and over again. So here we are freezing and repeating. Freezing and repeating.  Wah Wah, I'm complaining, I know.  But you try it.  Did I mention we were filming in front of an open fish market?  Yeah...Now who was suffering.

4)There is always one crazy person.

5)Likewise, there is always one know-it-all who is too cool for school.  We're extras, get over yourself.

And that's all for now.  Here's to blending in to the background until I get some decent parts!

Sick as a Dog

I have't blogged in too long.  I love to write but sometimes time just creeps away from me.  A quick catch up, I just closed a show at theater for the new city, dropped out of a disorganized student project .. Almost a year of being dragged along, about to start rehearsals for Macbeth with american globe, I'm sick!!!! For over a week now and doing all I can to get better.  (emergen-c your powdery goodness is my new best friend), and ive been knee deep in html code for a new radio show's website.  I'm keeping busy.

Just damn this cold.  

Learning lines its always fun when you're head is a cloud shaped fog.  Yum

More to come, but there is the short of it.  Did see an amazing piece of theater last month I shall write about.  Its good to know good stuff is out there, with so many people just rehashing the sane old stuff.

Off to medicationland!

oh..ps..just blogged from the new blogger app for droid..it's..well, it's new.  So it needs help.