Sometimes I feel absolutely stuck in my career. But then sometimes it feels like the spinning wheels are lowered onto the road and you suddenly jump forward.
When we first moved to LA I met with an agent who didn't sign me, but hip pocketed me. Basically this means he would submit me for a role if he thought I was right for it, but he wouldn't actively pitch me to casting. In other words, without spending much energy he would test me out and see if anything stuck. While I'm actually extremely grateful for some of the opportunities I got through him, this approach really doesn't work except in the rarest of situations. ("We're casting a woman with only one eye and half of an arm. Oh wow, you only have one eye and half of an arm!") Instead of constant auditions I spent my time networking and improving my craft. I've become friends with producers, actors, directors, and writers. I've made opportunities for myself through relationships, all the while making sure that when the opportunity arose I would be able to back up my words with my actual acting.
At the beginning of this past summer I set a goal for myself that I would have a brand new acting reel by summer's end. Then I told myself that by the end of November I wanted to sign with a new agent, just in time for pilot season to begin in January. I've gone through two pilot seasons in LA without so much as one audition, and I'm not going through another one like that. A reel and an agent could potentially change that.
Well, at the end of the summer I finally put together a new reel and began shopping it around to agencies. Now I'm excited and relieved to say that I've signed a contract with Berman/Sacks Talent Agency. My agent doesn't represent many actors theatrically, so I feel like I get plenty of individual attention. I've only been with her about a week and I think I've auditioned more this week than in the past 6 months.
Still, this doesn't necessarily mean success. But when you're trying a career in acting every single victory needs to be celebrated. So, Ellen and I are celebrating.
Also, in Blue Like Jazz news....
Check out this really great roundtable discussion with our director Steve Taylor and some guys who had just seen a rough cut of the film.
Click here to listen to the audio.
