Four performances down, four to go of the one act play I’m in. So far our largest audience has been 16 (3 were friends of mine) in a theatre that seats 30. And after having only 9 in attendance the night before (8 were my friends/family!!), 16 felt like a real crowd.

After all the hard work and time the cast and production staff has put in, we deserve full houses. But how to convince people to see our show–a new play by a new company–when there are dozens of established theatres and hundreds of musical performances competing with us?

The actor who plays my son has to write a suicide note, then shoot himself. Each night when he comes backstage, he hands me the note to read. Each letter is different, each incredibly sad. Reading them, I hope, has helped me reach the appropriate level of despair.

Next project: singing Faure’s Requiem with a symphony chorus and orchestra.

And in the next few weeks my new voice over site should go live. It will be interesting to see how soon it pays for itself. Note the positive attitude.

Sunday afternoon: As previously reported, I’m in a one act play. The role: the mother of a teenager who commits suicide. The director had seen me do a monologue while auditioning for a theatre festival (which I didn’t get cast in) and called to offer me the part. He says I’m not reaching the depths of despair he wants for my short scene near the end of the play and that I’m self conscious on stage. Unfortunately, now I feel even more self conscious.

Just as a lawyer doesn’t have to know how to practice every type of law to succeed, an actress doesn’t have to be skilled in every type of role. I never aspired to be a dramatic actress, but agreed to do this part to step outside my comfort zone. Well. Some comfort zones exist for a reason.

Of course I want to do well. I made a commitment, even tho I’m not getting paid. I don’t want to be the weakest link in the cast and not match the emotional levels reached by my fellow actors.

Sunday night: a friend asked me to record female voices for an animated Web site, for pay. I had to sing three part harmony with myself and create three different characters on the fly….no script in advance. This was challenging but also lots of fun.
After each take, when he told me what he wanted, I knew exactly what he meant and knew I could do it. And I did.

Lightbulb moment: Is that the difference, knowing I can succeed at the VO work even as I doubt I can do the serious drama?
If so, how do I convince myself I can also succeed in the play?

I’d e-mailed my headshot/resume for an internet hosting opportunity. A few hours later, the assistant producer e-mailed that the H/R looked fine, but they needed to see me on camera.

I don’t yet have a demo reel online as more and more actors are doing and more places are requiring. So I set up my digital video camera and recorded the sample questions they’d sent. Now I just had to figure out how to upload the video to my PC and then to YouTube as requested.

I plugged the camera into my PC with the cord provided, and tried several media programs on my PC. Nothing. The software refused to recognize my camera.
Then I realized the cord depicted in the manual looked different than the one in my hand. Fortunately I live above a Best Buy. I ran downstairs with cord and manual. Hmm. They said I needed a Firewire cable, assuming my PC was Firewire compatible (as opposed to USB).

What’s up with that? I’m trying to be an actress, not a computer geek! $35 later, I ran back to my condo, new cable in hand.

Can you guess what’s coming? My PC was not Firewire compatible. So I unplugged everything from my tower, then lugged it to Best Buy. Fortunately, the guy at their Geek desk was very helpful. $39 and 10 minutes later, I had a new Firewire card. I lugged the tower back upstairs, and reconnected all the cords and cables. The hardest thing: prying the new cable out of its industrial strength plastic package.

Lo and behold, my video zipped straight into the software!!!
Now I just had to figure out YouTube. How hard could it be? Kids do it, right?

Let’s just say it took way too long to set up an account and get my video up. Even longer to figure out how to send the link to the assistant producer.

But finally, appx 4 hours and $75 after I began, I had conquered technology, and successfully uploaded my 32 second recording. My reward: the assistant producer emailed her thanks for getting a demo to her so quickly. And, maybe, I’ll get the gig?

Scheduling for the Gainfully Unemployed can be very frustrating. Particularly for those like me, who prefer to know what they’re doing and where they are going every day.

An extras casting company asked for all availability in April (for them you have to be available all day and night). Yesterday I had an audition for a theater festival; you weren’t supposed to audition if you had any conflicts Thursday-Sunday for the month of June, and had to list any non-negotiable conflicts for May. As I left a recent audition, the client asked, “You aren’t going out of town in April, are you?”

I’ve already agreed to do a small but important role in a non-paying one act play with 8 performances this month. And I’m singing in a chorus that’s performing twice in early May.
There could be days the internet TV channel I’m going to be one of the hosts for wants me to work.

If I say ‘yes’ to one booking, and then a better opportunity and/or one that pays more comes along, can I cancel the first without seeming unreliable or offending the first person and company that booked me? I’ve heard that’s why some theatres have understudies…it’s in the contract that if an actor gets a higher paying gig they have the right to not do the play but go make the money.

I try not to worry about over/under scheduling, but it’s challenging when you’re at an audition, see when the callbacks are supposed to be and know what you already have in your calendar for those days. Of course I don’t know if I’ll get a callback. But I wouldn’t bother to be at the audition if I didn’t think I might.

Should first come, first served be the rule? Or just take what comes and deal with conflicts as they arise? The key question: how to stop worrying about it?

In other news, the adventures of Princess Passion Fruit continue at http://pressstartmovie.com/bonuslevels/endgame2.html

I am pleased to report that actingwise, this has been my busiest week ever. And it’s only Thursday morning…

Monday night: worked as an extra on Michael Keaton’s directorial debut film, The Merry Gentleman, until 2AM.
Tuesday:
1) Got cast in a one act play with 8 performances in April. The artistic director of a new theater company had seen my recent audition for a theater festival.
2) Had an audition for a corporate video.
Wednesday night: Cold readings of scenes from plays in progress for a playwright group.
Thursday: national commercial audition coming up this afternoon.
Friday night: Asked to be in a “table read” for a new play. It’s just what it sounds like, actors read the play in front of a small audience so the playwright can see how his work comes across.
Sunday: getting new headshots taken.

Could it be that all of the ground work I’ve done is finally paying off???

Friday one of the talent agencies I’m registered with called about an audition for this morning. She e-mailed the copy, location and wardrobe requirements. I was good to go.
Two hours later, she called back and said the client now only wanted to see men.

These are things I cannot control. What I can control somewhat is how many outgoing audition efforts I make.

I’m registered with several services, some free, some fee, that e-mail with opportunities. I scope out online resources. From March 4-10, I submitted for 11 voiceover auditions–most of which recquired a custom recording, 3 auditions I learned about online, sent pictures to a new production company, went on 2 in person auditions (one for a movie and one for a theatre festival, both no pay), contacted a new writing website with video content about being a freelancer. How many per week is enough? Until I get a part?

As of this writing, no callbacks, no parts. Nothing.

I’m also:
–in contact with a photographer to get another new set of headshots because I’m not that happy with the ones I had taken in January.
–talking with a Web designer about creating a voiceover website.
–awaiting the finished products from yesterday’s recording session: the updated/re-edited version of my commercial demo and my new character demo.

After all that is done, I’ll send my new materials to my current agents and to other agencies I’m interested in.

Then there’s extra work. Though I’ve been an extra in more than 50 movies and thought I had my fill of the long days for little pay, I haven’t done any since last summer. And there are several interesting projects coming to town. So recently I updated my information with 2 extras casting directors. One first opened registration with people he’d already worked with, so maybe he’ll submit us first to the director.

One can hope.

Last week I got an industrial video for a major insurance company. The character was a wife enjoying her empty nest lifestyle. No script, but improv based on her profile.

I look very young for my age. When I met my “husband,” he took one look at me and said he was too old. I agreed. He had white hair and just looked older. When we went on camera in a part of the production company’s offices, conversation flowed. He made up a story about our first meeting, I made up a story about what we wanted to do when he retired. I think we did a great job of portraying a married couple, tho we’d just met.

As we completed different angles, another man entered the room. I assumed he was the next character to be filmed. Turns out he was my new husband, a slightly younger version with salt and pepper hair. At least I’d gotten to chat with Husband #1 for a few minutes before shooting, but Husband #2 sat in the chair next to me, we said ‘hello’ and off we went. We did the same thing. Husband #2 might have looked more age appropriate for me, but Husband #1 was smoother on camera.

Doubt I’ll get to see the finished product to see which husband made the cut…

Recent developments: the first 25 pages of one book finaled in another contest, and will be judged by an editor. Yea.

However, another book, the one my agent sent out… got its first rejection. Ouch.

Supposed to have a 1/2 day shoot for a commercial tomorrow. Interestingly, I didn’t have to audition, just e-mailed my headshot/resume as requested. Then, via e-mail, was asked for a few more pics so they could assess my “look,” and told they’d call Friday afternoon to discuss. I didn’t get a call, so I assumed they didn’t like the additional pictures. But Saturday morning, I had another e-mail that I was cast and would receive info when I responded. Which I did. Have not yet received copy or shoot details…hmmm.

As someone who prefers plans to sponteneity, this is a bit stressful….

And remember that VO job I bid on…? On 2/21 the contact said the person chosen would be notified in a few days. No notification for me. Sigh. I’ll never know how many people I was up against, if they ultimately didn’t like my voice/interpretation of the copy or if my bid was too high.

I’m registered with a voiceover directory that sends e-mails with audition info. If interested, you record the audition copy (on your professional quality microphone with software you’ve bought) into an mp3 and send it to the client. Then the client listens, and if interested, asks for your rate.

This week I recorded potential copy for a Web site and got asked for a quote for 3-4 minutes.

What is 3-4 minutes of my voice worth? A friend who has done literally hundreds of voiceovers says this is a long time (as opposed to a 30 or 60 second commercial) and that I should get $500. But if I wanted the job I could say $300.

Several months ago I got $500 for voicing two 3 minute scripts, which took me about an hour to record. That’s $83 per minute of my voice. Or $8.30 per minute of my time. But I haven’t gotten another gig since then.

I have no idea how good the competition is, or what they are bidding. Should I go below $300 to increase my chances of getting the part, which may or may not lead to more work in the future? Or would doing so undervalue my skills? Go with the $83/minute rate and charge $250?

I told the client $300.

And haven’t heard back…

Ten lessons the average Joe or Jane can learn from the Superbowl:
1) Second is never good enough.
2) Athletes get paid to catch the ball, but don’t get fired when they drop it. No matter how many times.
3) Practice does not make perfect.
4) Companies were willing to pay $2.6 million for their commercials but couldn’t be bothered to communicate what the product was in a way we could remember.
5) Viewers jump up and down and scream for every good play. Yet most of us don’t get nearly that excited about important things that happen in our own lives.
6) Even stars can screw up under pressure. (Billy Joel sang way off key).
7) Watching fans wave their arms is boring no matter the venue (during Prince’s half time show).
8) Don’t wear black while dancing on a dark stage.
9) Don’t wear white when it’s not flattering.
10) Next year, TiVo the game and save hours on recaps and useless commentary.