So this has been a crazy morning.
Earlier this week, I submitted for a small part in a feature film (operating on a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement). The next day, I was invited to audition. Both of these are firsts for me. It’s very exciting. And a little crazy. The part includes three lines and a speech — about eight sentences total, maybe a minute of screen time.
So now the waiting begins, but it shouldn’t be a long wait. Probably only a few days at the most. It’s been a long time since I submitted something and waited on a response. I had forgotten how intense that can feel.
I spent Thursday learning my lines and trying to get in the headspace of an actor and not a writer. I’m operating on the idea that it’s a lot like dropping into the head of one of my characters, except of course that I have put that into the physical world.
I spent Friday trying to get halfway decent lighting set up in my tiny office and then a couple of hours of practice in front of the camera, something I’m not used to. And then Friday evening with Aubrey’s help, I recorded at least twenty takes until at midnight I decided to wait and do another take this morning.
We went into the office, I did one take, and then I submitted that take because it seemed to me better than all the ones from the previous night.
I found it challenging not to think ahead, to stay in the character and live each line as if it were organic.
How well did I do? I have no idea.
And I won’t know how well I did, unless they select me. If I’m not chosen? Well, the only thing I can know in that situation is that someone else fit the part better than me. That’s up to the professionals. And I’m good with that.
My acting goal is to get a part where I get to speak at least one line in a feature film or major television show. That’s it. Once I get that, then my goal will be to achieve that a second time. Your boy isn’t looking for Oscars and lead roles.
I do know one thing. If I get the part, I’m going to spend the money I make on getting some portable studio lights and professional headshots.
Wait, I know a second thing: That I don’t know even a fraction of what I should know about all of this acting stuff. Not yet anyway.
I do love a challenge, though.
The crazy part of this morning wasn’t doing the scene take. It was getting the files ready for uploading. I thought that was going to be simple. And I didn’t want to push right up to the deadline, just in case of technical difficulties.
The problem was my inexperience with using iMovie. I’ve had the app for years, because it’s free on MacOS and iOS, but I haven’t ever needed it. The app is easy on the iPad, and it works great. Unfortunately, I needed to do one specific cut to make it all work, and I had to use the Mac version for that, and I didn’t know how to do it. Figuring out a more advanced function on the first day you’ve used an app when you have less than half an hour to do it is stressful.
But with Aubrey’s help, I got it sorted and submitted my audition on time.
Writing
Despite the movie business distractions, the writing has continued this week, with new words being written for Outworld Ranger and Storm Phase, mostly the former. In fact, this may have been my most productive week this year.
Now, it’s back to the word mill for me. Need to get some letters arranged into intelligible sentences before the football game begins.
Best wishes,
David Alastair Hayden
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