Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Improvising Life


I've started taking classes at UCB, or Upright Citizens Brigade for those not in the know.
Improvisation out here isn't a suggestion, its a requirement.  It seems mildly daft that EVERYONE be required to have training in Improvisation, but I suppose when you have 5 million people claiming to be actors and you want to thin the herd, you pick up on some useful skill and toss the ones without it.  I get it, but for some people its just not their cup of tea.

Luckily, I am not some people and I think its wonderful!  I've been wanting to take classes on Improv for a while now, and even attempted (and failed) to start a small Improv group in college.  Finally, 2 books and plenty of dreams and ideas later, I bit the bullet and got myself started down the path of learning, in a controlled environment, the craft of improvisation.  Here are my thoughts of the process.

Imagine believing in yourself and knowing you are going to be good at something, then getting into the class room and picking apart every single thing you say and do.  Starting out Improvising, in the fashion taught by the UCB, is like distilling embarrassment and then pouring it on yourself in front of everyone.
I want to be good so bad, but I also know it takes time, and the classroom environment as a good place to do that because everyone else is on the same page.  Also, many of the "students" there are fun to be around, so we've been to a few shows outside our class together.  Its been a nice place to plant myself and meet some new people, and I think I'm beginning to understand the basics of what I need to do on stage.  Like I said, it takes time like anything else.

Photo by Jamie Hanson Photography

 I got new headshots done.  Not because my old ones were bad. They are great.  I got new headshots done because they were beardless, and I was lazy and didn't want to cut my beard.  Also, beards are in so I wanted to get in on that action.

Mostly I was lazy.

I had an idea of how I wanted the headshots to look, and I definitely wanted to get them as close to "Me" as possible.  I think this one screams my name, and so I chose it.  I have some others that are close, but my gut reaction had me stop on this one mutliple times. Narcissism has its moments, and looking at 200+ photos of oneself for half an hour can pay off.

Who says Facebook doesn't teach you anything?





I've been busy filming things!

Discovery ID has a show called Cry Wolfe, a recreation show about PI cases.  That is about the extent of my knowledge of that show, save that I ALSO know you can see me in an episode sometime in the future, most likely in the fall of this year.  I won't give you details or anything, but I'll be sure to keep you posted when they tell me it will air!

I ran into a friend from high school randomly at an audition, which is rather strange being so far from home.  She invited me out that night, I met her friends, turns out they are in the Graduate Directing Program at UCLA.  One of them has a film she is making next week.  I auditioned. Now I'll be filming next week.

On top of that, I've been cast, just yesterday, in another shoot happening next week, and that one is going to be paying the bills somewhat, so I am thrilled about working on that set and getting some money to help pay for that fun thing called rent.


SPEAKING OF RENT!
I'll be homeless this coming Saturday... again.  Alone and homeless on valentines day. (Don't Capitalize a capitalized holiday)  Should be fun.  Not sure if I need to be OUT by Saturday, or if Saturday is my last night...  I should find that out.

At any rate, I'm working on finding a place to stay. Again.  I'm tired of moving all my stuff around. I want to find a place, move in, and plant myself for a while.  I feel like when moving out is on my horizon I am so distracted.  I'm not nervous about moving, or worried about where I'll end up, but it occupies my mind constantly.  I toss and turn in bed while my brain says
"I have to pack my room up, shove it into my car, and find a place... I guess I'll stare at my ceiling all night and think about that."

Like I said, I'm not worried. Things work out, and its all an adventure.  I'm happy to be able to have such an adventure.  I've got nothing and no one tying me down, holding me back, and a multitude of people, many of who will read this blog, supporting me along the way.  I'll be fine because this is all part of it!  I'll be fine because I choose to be that way.


Sorry for the delay readers.  While I'm not worried about moving, it has occupied my time in the form of hunting for a place to stay.  I'm still doing that, but I needed to post something for you.  I needed to post something for me.  Its nice to have this in writing: Therapeutic, cathartic, another synonym of those previous words.

Thanks for reading, thanks for the support, and I'll be a better, more diligent writer in the future.
Promises promises

What could go wrong?

Found this out and about in LA