Nothing to Lose

Actor seeks Agent


I've decided to go in an altogether different direction. For years, people have been telling me that I should get into voiceovers or radio because I have such a "great voice." I actually have done some voiceover work (the disembodied voice in a hospital scene "paging doctor such-and-such") as well as some commercials, and I did DJ at my college radio station for a time. I also sang several commercial jingles for radio and TV, which is great work if you can find it. Not easy, if you don't have a demo and an agent.

So while I continue seeking work in the field of studio management, I have begun working on getting a decent voiceover demo produced. I am fortunate that I know people in the field, and one very dear friend has been kind enough to get me in touch with his agent. So as soon as I can get the recording done, I will send her a copy and say a prayer. I'll send copies off to as many of the reputable voiceover agents I can find, as well as casting directors. I do have a great speaking voice, and I know I could be able to supplement my income at least. Perhaps even do voiceovers full-time.

My husband also seems to think that I could find work as a character actor or commercial actor. For the past few weeks I have been attending a screenwriter's workshop. Not as a screenwriter, mind you, but as one of the actors in the room that are chosen to read whatever scene or script the writer brings in for evaluation. It's kind of fun -- I get to practice my chops as an actor, and the writer gets the chance to see his or her work done live, which allows them to see what is right and what isn't in their script.

If I may toot my own horn for a minute, I have discovered that I have quite a talent for "cold reading" (for those of you who are unfamiliar with acting terms, that means reading a role without any prior preparation or exposure to the script). It could be due to a shortage of female actors in the group, but it seems like the writers keep choosing me over and over to read for them. It's been good for my confidence as well as my ego.

So later this week I will have headshot photos taken and I will schedule studio time for my voiceover demo. I have started checking the online casting notices for voiceover work, and I have found a few commercial jingle producers that may be willing to add me to their roster of working singers.

I also answered an ad looking for a singer to join a four-woman a cappella singing group in my area. I hope they contact me for an audition -- they do gigs in the LA area, and they have even performed the National Anthem at professional sporting events. Now that sounds like a good time and it would be a great way to get back into the musical and theatrical community.

After all, I do live in Los Angeles.

On the Hunt Again

Freelancing is for Masochists


Well, so much for working until October 3rd. The executive producer decided to cut me loose a week earlier because he's too bloody cheap to pay me an one more week to show my replacement the ropes and get him up to speed. Hey - I'm glad to be out of that place, believe me. I pity the poor guy they hired to replace me as Production Manager. I heard they got him for even less than they paid me, and he has no idea what he's in for.

Note to employers everywhere: You can be a jerk, or you can be cheap, but you cannot be both at the same time. A decent paycheck can do quite a bit to compensate for a jerk of a boss. On the other hand, a happy working environment can help alleviate the strain of substandard pay. But put jerk and cheap together, you get a company that sheds employees like cat fur in the summertime. So if any of you are wondering why you can't seem to find good employees, or you can't keep the ones you do find, be honest with yourself: Does the pay suck? Are you a prick? If you can answer yes to both of these questions, then you just solved the mystery of your employee shortage.

It should be obvious, people. But apparently, it isn't.

The downside is that I'm back on the job hunt. The upside is that after working at that awful TV production for six weeks, I now re-qualify for unemployment benefits.

I'm still looking to find something permanent, preferably in my field of expertise. I've taken this week off to regroup and catch up on things at home, update my resume and get some much-needed quality sleep. The TV show worked us an average of 17 hours a day (no overtime, either), and we never got the customary 12-hour turnaround between shifts, so my sleep clock got all wonky. Besides, I missed being able to have dinner with my husband once in a while. I lost eleven pounds on that job. I look great, but that can't be healthy.

Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll take a nap.

Icky Job

This isn't what I had in mind


I know, I know... I have been very lackadaisical about staying up to date on this. I've been so overextended in the past few weeks that I simply don't have the energy to write. I usually drop into bed at the end of the day and barely have the gumption to brush my teeth.

I finally got a job as Production Manager of five new HDTV shows that will be on satellite TV (not mainstream networks). We are producing all five at once, and to tell the truth, it's a nightmare. I am responsible for HD camera rentals, shipping the cameras all over the world, hiring camera crews all over the world, managing the purchase orders and budgets (including rentals, shipping costs and crew labor), maintaining the call sheets and schedules.... there is no Production Coordinator, nor a Production Accountant. And the pay is crap. But it beats fighting the unemployment people and it will help me stay solvent until I can find something permanent with benefits. Which will be soon, I hope. I really hope.

I went to a memorial for Francis (see August 11 entry). Most of his friends were musicians. In fact, his father was a trumpet player and his mom was a singer and they met while playing together in a big band. So we had a proper party with a bandstand and we all took turns going up and saying a few words and jamming our hearts out. If there is a heaven, Fran probably heard us up there. Godspeed, my friend.

Back to the job... I was hired on August 18, and by the fourth day I was already having to find a camera operator in Wales, plus ship a camera there at the very last possible moment so he could go shoot the event. It's been six weeks of nothing but panic-at-the-last-minute stuff. So far we've shot 15 different events in fifteen different places. In addition to Wales, we have shot in Bangkok, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hawaii, France, Ohio, Washington State, Alaska and Canada. They told me the job was until September 29th, but the Executive Producer has changed his story several times. He's also a screamer, and has a very limited memory to boot, so he's always yelling at someone. I have agreed to stay on until October 3rd, but I don't think I can take any more after that. If the shows get picked up, it will be for 53 episodes, and they just don't pay enough for me to stay. Working over 80 hours a week for $750? Sometimes I'm there until 2 or 3 am trying to get the cameras ready for shipping, and I am getting too old for that.

Can't I just get a normal studio job with benefits and a nice commissary for lunch?

I guess I should be grateful I'm working, but I have never worked this hard and gotten paid so poorly for my efforts.