Holiday season is upon us in all its festive glory. The streets are twinkling with fairy lights and adorned with baubles; billboards urge us to spend; and grocery stores seduce us with food and liquor sales. The faint waft of cinnamon is in the air. It struck me, all of a sudden, why people decorate with lights at this time of year; because it’s winter and it gets dark early. This is no doubt perfectly obvious to most people, but this little Aussie is used to Christmas at summertime, when the days are long and (usually) warm. Not that LA becomes a snowy wonderland. Last weekend it was even verging on hot.
UCLA closes for two weeks over the Christmas/New Year period, which happens to coincide with my roommates disappearing; one on vacation and the other to a new apartment. I’ll have the place to myself for a week before the new roommate moves in and I’m looking forward to getting all domestic and doing some cleaning, tidying and, best of all, baking! I’m going to throw a little party just to have an excuse to bake (and a means of preventing myself from eating EVERYTHING I bake). When I was in Melbourne I picked up a Donna Hay cookbook filled with delicious recipes, plus I’ve been soliciting recipes from friends and family in the wake of losing my precious recipe book somehow in the last apartment. Still a bit sad and annoyed about that. But it’s gone, I don’t know where, exactly when or quite how it happened, so I must simply start over. Bridgette, your ginger and spiced caramel slice is top of my list to try out!
On the weekend, I helped Alex shoot a scene for her showreel. It’s a little dramatic, slice of life moment in a car, which I wrote. With James behind his fancy, very neat, camera, and another friend behind the wheel of the car, we drove around for a few hours finding the best light and doing several takes. A fun afternoon hanging out with friends and creating something; what better way to spend your time! Looking forward to seeing the footage. I’m setting my webseries in a car, too. Why this preoccupation with cars? Must be an LA thing! With work being very quiet this last week or so, I’ve written three episodes and fleshed out a fourth in my head. I plan to write the remaining four eps over the next two weeks.
Sport of Acting finished up for the year on Tuesday night. We had a great class, during which Vinny encouraged me to deliver the whole St Monica monologue I’ve been working on in three parts. Last week I performed “Part 3” for the first time, so it is the section I’ve worked on the least (which I felt) but it was delicious fun to do the whole thing; like stretching out in a big bed, or hitting the freeway after traveling in stop-start traffic (there I go with the car thing again). Then the whole class hung out in the theatre and shared wine, cheese, chocolate and passionate opinions, not to mention wonderful bonhomie.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
"Reflections" disturbed
What the hell is going on? Checked in on my wee blog this morning to find that the insidious blank video link had once again attached itself to the blog entry formerly known as Reflections on a Holiday in my Favourite City. I have therefore deleted the whole entry once again.
Quick entertainment review: On the weekend I saw The King's Speech, starring the marvelous and thoroughly lovely Colin Firth, the rumpled and roguish Geoffrey Rush, and the sublime Helena Bonham-Carter. An interesting episode in history involving the infamous abdication of King Edward (who chose the love of American divorcee Wallace Simpson over the throne), leaving his brother Albert (fondly known as Bertie, but formally referred to as George VI) to wear the crown. Saddled with a crippling stammer, Bertie, thanks partly to his intrepid wife, starts working with an Australian speech therapist called Lionel Logue. It's a classic tale of overcoming adversity which made me laugh and cry and applaud loudly. Beautifully written and performed, it's an absolute delight. Go see it!
I've also been watching new episodes of Misfits, an anarchic UK show that turns the superhero genre on its ear. The show follows the exploits of a bunch of young offenders on community service duties who, in a freak storm, suddenly acquire supernatural abilities. Do they go about saving the world? Nope. But they look after each other, and despite their prickly differences (and, in most cases, lack of social graces), form bonds as they try to hide their powers and half-heartedly perform their community service duties. They have foul mouths, behave badly, but are not totally irredeemable (and the regional Brit accents are marvellous). The show is inventive, sharply written, hilarious and thrilling. I'm told Season 1 is currently showing in Australia on ABC2. Season 2 has just started screening in the UK, but no sign of it in the US (Netflix hasn't heard of it, either) so I've been resorting to YouTube!
Quick entertainment review: On the weekend I saw The King's Speech, starring the marvelous and thoroughly lovely Colin Firth, the rumpled and roguish Geoffrey Rush, and the sublime Helena Bonham-Carter. An interesting episode in history involving the infamous abdication of King Edward (who chose the love of American divorcee Wallace Simpson over the throne), leaving his brother Albert (fondly known as Bertie, but formally referred to as George VI) to wear the crown. Saddled with a crippling stammer, Bertie, thanks partly to his intrepid wife, starts working with an Australian speech therapist called Lionel Logue. It's a classic tale of overcoming adversity which made me laugh and cry and applaud loudly. Beautifully written and performed, it's an absolute delight. Go see it!
I've also been watching new episodes of Misfits, an anarchic UK show that turns the superhero genre on its ear. The show follows the exploits of a bunch of young offenders on community service duties who, in a freak storm, suddenly acquire supernatural abilities. Do they go about saving the world? Nope. But they look after each other, and despite their prickly differences (and, in most cases, lack of social graces), form bonds as they try to hide their powers and half-heartedly perform their community service duties. They have foul mouths, behave badly, but are not totally irredeemable (and the regional Brit accents are marvellous). The show is inventive, sharply written, hilarious and thrilling. I'm told Season 1 is currently showing in Australia on ABC2. Season 2 has just started screening in the UK, but no sign of it in the US (Netflix hasn't heard of it, either) so I've been resorting to YouTube!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Getting Sporty with it
December is here and with it, winter— LA-style winter—which means mostly cloudless blue skies and mild temperatures during the day followed by freezing cold nights. Weeelll, freezing is perhaps overstating it: quite chilly, might be a more accurate description. We’re thin-blooded devils here on the West Coast. Pity the poor fools languishing in snow drifts on the East Coast.
Financially, I’m feeling the pinch of my Aussie Odyssey, on top of Thanksgiving holidays. However, I also feel rested and re-energised. And the good news is I’ll be at UCLA until at least the end of January. We break for two weeks over Christmas (sigh, more penny pinching required!) during which I plan to lay low and write. And if I’m lucky I might score a few days work here or there through the temp agency. If I’m really lucky, I’ll be cast in a commercial!
Almost as soon as I got off the plane, I was back in rehearsals for the Sport of Acting’s class project: the performance of four short plays, written by the talented Jeffrey Addiss, and directed by friends of Vinny (also industry pros). The plays were each very funny, with a dark edge, which made them all the more satisfying. It was great to see everyone involved working together. It was especially wonderful watching the members of the class who have less stage experience; they worked so hard and really grew as actors. To use Sport terminology, it just goes to show that no matter how many practice sessions you have, some lessons are learnt out on the field. Performing for an audience puts you on your toes and increases your “match fitness.” OK, enough with the metaphors. Putting on a show and performing for an audience is very familiar territory for me. I must confess I was not particularly challenged (or nervous) but that’s not to say I didn’t get anything out of it. I had the fun—and honour—of working with an exacting director who made me think about the script in different ways, and playing with two of my classmates, both of whom did wonderful work. Plus, I love performing. Gimme a stage, I’ll get on it.
Gotta love Thanksgiving. With no religious connections, it is an occasion in which everyone can participate. Indeed, it is all about inclusiveness and sharing. This year I was once again embraced by some American friends and fed lots of yummy food. Thank you Amber and Jamie for your generosity and friendship. With a belly full of turkey, pumpkin pie and roasted marshmallows, sloshing around in some excellent pinot noir, I eventually rolled home to bed.
I had a big commercial audition last week in which I was able to use my natural accent. It was in fact a requirement. How lovely! Authentic Aussie accents were required because this is a commercial (or, potentially, series of commercials = serious money) being made to screen exclusively in Australia. How ironic to go all the way to LA to have a shot at a big Australian commercial. Aside from the accent, I felt this one was right in my milieu; slightly quirky, girl-next-door, comedy and improv background. So I was excited about it, and felt that the audition went well. However, I haven’t heard anything, so must assume I’m not in consideration. This is a real bummer. It makes me question what I’m doing. People keep telling me I have talent, that I should persevere, but sometimes I think I must be lacking something. That extra something special. Star quality? Pop? Zing? Call it what you will. And I am tired of living like a pauper, being a charity case! I shouldn’t despair at one audition, but I don’t know how much longer I can push on this without a return. I promised myself two years in LA to see what happens, then reassess. The next 12 months will be interesting.
Financially, I’m feeling the pinch of my Aussie Odyssey, on top of Thanksgiving holidays. However, I also feel rested and re-energised. And the good news is I’ll be at UCLA until at least the end of January. We break for two weeks over Christmas (sigh, more penny pinching required!) during which I plan to lay low and write. And if I’m lucky I might score a few days work here or there through the temp agency. If I’m really lucky, I’ll be cast in a commercial!
Almost as soon as I got off the plane, I was back in rehearsals for the Sport of Acting’s class project: the performance of four short plays, written by the talented Jeffrey Addiss, and directed by friends of Vinny (also industry pros). The plays were each very funny, with a dark edge, which made them all the more satisfying. It was great to see everyone involved working together. It was especially wonderful watching the members of the class who have less stage experience; they worked so hard and really grew as actors. To use Sport terminology, it just goes to show that no matter how many practice sessions you have, some lessons are learnt out on the field. Performing for an audience puts you on your toes and increases your “match fitness.” OK, enough with the metaphors. Putting on a show and performing for an audience is very familiar territory for me. I must confess I was not particularly challenged (or nervous) but that’s not to say I didn’t get anything out of it. I had the fun—and honour—of working with an exacting director who made me think about the script in different ways, and playing with two of my classmates, both of whom did wonderful work. Plus, I love performing. Gimme a stage, I’ll get on it.
Gotta love Thanksgiving. With no religious connections, it is an occasion in which everyone can participate. Indeed, it is all about inclusiveness and sharing. This year I was once again embraced by some American friends and fed lots of yummy food. Thank you Amber and Jamie for your generosity and friendship. With a belly full of turkey, pumpkin pie and roasted marshmallows, sloshing around in some excellent pinot noir, I eventually rolled home to bed.
I had a big commercial audition last week in which I was able to use my natural accent. It was in fact a requirement. How lovely! Authentic Aussie accents were required because this is a commercial (or, potentially, series of commercials = serious money) being made to screen exclusively in Australia. How ironic to go all the way to LA to have a shot at a big Australian commercial. Aside from the accent, I felt this one was right in my milieu; slightly quirky, girl-next-door, comedy and improv background. So I was excited about it, and felt that the audition went well. However, I haven’t heard anything, so must assume I’m not in consideration. This is a real bummer. It makes me question what I’m doing. People keep telling me I have talent, that I should persevere, but sometimes I think I must be lacking something. That extra something special. Star quality? Pop? Zing? Call it what you will. And I am tired of living like a pauper, being a charity case! I shouldn’t despair at one audition, but I don’t know how much longer I can push on this without a return. I promised myself two years in LA to see what happens, then reassess. The next 12 months will be interesting.
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