I didn't know what AMA's were until last week. (I barely knew what Reddit was.) AMA stands for Ask Me Anything, and it's like doing an interview via an old school threaded message board environment. And as someone who remembers the days when online interaction was all via message boards, I find the AMAs pretty endearing.
You know how it is – Christmas cards to write, sugary treats to make, and a slew of errands to complete before traveling for the holidays. No really, I’ve been super busy!
Ugh, excuses. I’ll return to regular blogging soon. Expect a renewed commitment to daily posts when the new year hits. Until then, here’s what’s been happening in my world --
Got the stamp of approval from my agent on my sci-fi pilot outline, so I’m going to script. The goal is to have a readable draft done by New Year’s Day. If I can do that, I’m treating myself to a new pair of jeans. You heard it here first.
My small parts in two episodes of Grey’s Anatomy finally aired. My small parts in two episodes of Don’t Trust the B-- in Apartment 23 should air in the new year – I’ll let you know as the dates approach!
Got another rejection letter from my first round of literary journal submissions. Immediately submitted to two new journals. Onward and upward.
Pulled together a few scenes to submit to the NBC Diversity Scene Showcase. I didn’t get in as an actor, let’s see if I have better luck as a writer! One scene was modified from a one-act play that I’d completely forgotten I’d written until I found it on my hard drive. Better than finding a twenty in an old pair of jeans!
Shot a corporate industrial video with the awesome Sunil Malhotra. We were complete professionals, expertly improving the most ridiculous job interview ever before snapping into the written lines. This is us with the director --
Truly, I’m impressed we didn’t ruin any takes with our shenanigans. We both agreed if it were a sexual harassment industrial, we never would have gotten through it without breaking down into a puddle of laughter.
Wrote several PSA spots for an ad agency about mental depression. Really fun work, despite the subject matter. Hope the client is pleased!
See? Told you I’ve been bu-sy!
Finally, here’s my 2012 holiday card to all of you – here’s to a new year filled with love, career success, and joy!
My friend Christopher is excessively creative. His latest project - Journey of Red Shirt.
He's taking this red shirt --
And sending it around the world. Here's how it works --
Genius, right? He gave me the privilege of kicking off the whole thing, so I wanted to do it right. I decided to wear the red shirt on my busy, busy Sunday.
The shirt was a little big for me, so I decided to dress it up --
Sorta works, right?
First stop - Sunday brunch with MIT ladies at the super elegant and super yummy Bottega Louie. Their beignets were like heaven - warm and fluffy. Portabello mushroom fries - SO good. My Lobster Breakfast Hash was gorgeous but just okay --
Bakery at the front was stunning --
A fantastic morning of nerd girl bonding - love MIT women!
It was wonderfully educational seeing the process from the other side. Henry is a fantastic teacher and an all-around awesome guy. Can't wait to work with him!
Final stop for the day - Atwater Village for the inaugural Work in Progress reading. I shared a piece of my latest sci-fi tale to a packed house --
You know, the crowdsourced microfinancing site where artists and entrepreneurs can raise money for dream projects by receiving donations from many, many backers in exchange for gifts and rewards.
I feel like every time I get on Facebook, someone I know is launching a Kickstarter campaign. And the problem is - I love these people! And then I look at the project they're putting together and I fall in love with that too!
So then I have to give money. I have to. How could I not contribute to someone's artistic dream? It's like when I sample the new cheese at Trader Joe's - it's so delicious, I have to buy it. I have to.
Here are just a few of the projects that inspired me to open my wallet this past week - check them out and you'll want to give too!
I've known Helen and Mike for years - one of the "it couples" of the Asian-American arts community in LA. Hilariously funny on stage with Cold Tofu Improv, talented singers, and now they're putting together an original musical. Done and done. No Kickstarter video, but how can I say no to these beautiful faces?
Allison is a fellow MIT alum and AXO sister. I didn't know her while I was an undergrad, but when I saw her video, I just had to support her ingenuity. I'm so inspired by MIT women - smart and amazing. Watch this video and you'll want one of these sunglass cases too! (I love how it starts like an infomercial...)
Remember Moxy Fruvous? I was one of Murray's people. Many, many college and post-college hours were spent listening to their geeky rock tunes. I don't think I missed a single Moxy Fruvous concert while living in Boston. I even interviewed them for an article and told Murray I was going to move to Los Angeles to become an actor.
Fast forward to becoming an actor in Los Angeles and finding Murray on Facebook - we're buds now. He plays with a new band - Great Big Sea - and just wrote and directed a feature film inspired by hijinks with his fellow former Fruvous compatriot Mike Ford. Appears to be a Brit pop version of That Thing You Do! It looks fun - and Murray is just so damned handsome...
It was pretty great! Solid dialogue, good cliffhangers, and an Ocean’s Eleven-worthy twist at the end. And their sponsor – Equal Exchange fair trade chocolate bars – was integrated smoothly into the series. There was even a contest – find the coupon code among the footage and win free chocolate! (I found the code and won two fantastic chocolate bars – you know I couldn’t miss that opportunity...)
What was most impressive was the number of views for the Boston-based series – over 50,000 for the first episode alone! And that’s without any big name stars!
I reached out to Anna Callahan, Executive Producer and Director of Connection Lost, to learn more about the project.
Tell me about yourself.
I was a jazz trumpet player for about 10 years in LA, then came to Boston and became a software developer. I now run a startup company called CrewTide -- we match independent filmmakers with brands that want episodic, narrative video.
What do you think was the most effective part of your marketing plan?
Two things were very effective: Facebook and YouTube SEO. In our title, keywords, and description, we had popular and relevant phrases. I think "Valentine's Day" in particular helped us a lot.
How did you connect with Equal Exchange to sponsor Connection Lost?
I couldn't get any chocolate companies to answer my phone calls or emails, so I picked a local one and drove down to their office and waited in their lobby till someone came out to talk to me. Sales is hard!
Why did you choose to produce a Web series for them instead of a short film or feature?
Series are much better for viewer engagement. We would never have reached 150,000 views in a week if we'd only had one video. I also prefer Web series to shorts or features as both a viewer and director. There's just more time to explore character development, relationships, philosophical ideas...everything.
Dream lunch date?
I don't really think much about famous people. I have a dream lunch date every time I eat lunch with my sweetie. :)
Usually the casting director will bring scenes for actors to read, either from the show they're currently casting or from past shows they've cast.
Last night, we were asked to bring our own scenes, which I dislike greatly. It's difficult to find good scenes and then the pressure is on to give a perfect performance since you've conceivably had plenty of time to prepare. I much prefer the even playing field of a cold reading situation.
I brought my go-to scene of late - a guest star wife role from NCIS which starts right after she's been attacked in her home by a stranger and shot him out of self-defense. The character is in a heightened state of fear and worry when Agent Gibbs begins the scene, so I took myself out of the room to prepare.
In the silence of the hallway, the task of "getting there" feels daunting. How to scare yourself half to death in a vacuum? I gave myself plenty of time to try technique I could remember to evoke a strong "moment before," from picturing myself in jail to describing the attack to Agent Gibbs.
Then it was a matter of keeping this heightened state until it was my turn. Because you don't want it to fizzle too soon. After a few false starts, I finally went in and did my scene. Pushed the first scene a little, but the second scene was there. Afterward, the casting director looked truly impressed and kept praising me for my quiet, solid presence. Phew!
Went home and promptly returned to obsessing over the Woot-Off! I really want one of these, which I've seen on the Woot-Off! before:
Actors, what do you do to "get there" before a heavy scene?
As of this writing, I have 246 followers on Twitter. I only follow 24. Mostly comedians, TV news feeds, and a handful of friends.
I’ve been called on this many times by other friends who I don’t follow or people who msg me specifically to ask for a follow back. I politely decline them all.
It’s not that I don’t love all of your or want to be involved in your virtual lives. The reason for my Twitter coldness traces back to my long-standing technophobia. (Or spendophobia, really.)
Despite the fact I went to a tech-focused university, I’ve always been a spendthrift when it comes to new technology. I never ride the wave – I wait for it to pass. When the world went crazy over palm pilots, I stuck with my imitation Franklin-Covey planner. When people were buying Gameboys and PSPs, I bought Sudoku books. It took me forever to finally give in and get a DVR. I was still using my VCR to record shows just three years ago.
And I don’t own a Smartphone. I’m still using the free phone I got when I switched to T-Mobile more than three years ago. Yes, I know I qualify for an upgrade and could probably get some sort of free Smartphone, but I’m not ready for the additional data cost yet and I don’t want to be locked into a 2-year contract. Plus I’m not ready to be one of those people whose faces are permanently planted in their phones.
So on my free phone, which doesn’t use apps, all Tweets come through as text messages. When I started on Twitter, I followed over 100 people. My phone buzzed non-stop all day. So I pared it down and started to be more selective in who I follow. I pare it down further all the time. Now my phone only buzzes every 10 minutes all day.
I’ll get a Smartphone someday and I’ll follow each and every one of you. But until then, this is how I manage my phone life. Please don’t hate me.
Whenever I see an actor doing one of the following, I instantly know – they’re clueless about their career.
Are you still doing one of these things? Cut it out!
Not Having Your Headshot Ready at an Audition. I’ve seen it so many times – an actor pulling out their headshot and a separate resume and asking the waiting room, “Does anyone have a stapler?” Imagine sitting in a restaurant where the chef wanders up and asks, “Does anyone have any salt?” I’ve even seen actors ask casting associates for scissors so they can trim their resume to fit their picture, or even worse, actors who just let the excess hang out.
Your headshot and resume are a representation of your professionalism. Have them ready to go before you walk in the door!
Auditioning in Costume. I’m talking head-to-toe rented cop uniform with a fake badge, clown costume with the rainbow wig, or surgical outfit with booties over their shoes. It’s overkill and it makes you look crazy.
Be creative and wear things that hint at the role you’re auditioning for. I always wear a v-neck pink t-shirt when I audition for nurses. I know guys who wear the same tight black t-shirt when they audition for cops. The casting directors have imagination – they’ll get it.
Not Having a Demo Reel. You don’t need a montage or twenty different contrasting clips. If all you have is one solid scene, that’s fine. Casting directors want demo reels to show how you look on camera – are you natural, can you be authentic, do you connect with your fellow actors? Plus having a demo reel puts you at the top of the submission pile on Actors Access, so it’s a must. If you don’t have anything, shoot it yourself! You can do it on your iPhone in a day. No excuses.
Refusing to Work for Free. I get it, we all have bills to pay. But working on student films and indie projects is like getting free on-the-job training. It’s impossible not to learn something from every project if your attitude is right. Experience is experience, and today’s no budget student filmmakers are tomorrow’s highly paid filmmakers. It’s a better use of your time than surfing College Humor.
Not Having your Acting Resume Link on Facebook. What’s the point of having an online acting resume if no one can find it?! Every actor should have ALL of their resume URLs and IMDB page listed under Contact Information. And make sure Everyone can see it – not just Friends. Bonus points to those who put the link on the Twitter profile too.
Now I get my news from two main sources. For general news headlines and happenings, I listen to news radio in the car – succinct, to the point, and traffic every 10 minutes. I love it – I live in LA, so I’m always in my car. The radio switches to NPR after I’ve gotten the gist of the day. Morning Edition, anybody?
Everything else I get from Twitter, either by looking at Trending Topics or from the news feeds I follow. Here are my faves:
Yes, they’re all TV entertainment news feeds. That’s the beauty of Twitter – I can find just what I want to read instead of sorting through a mountain of news. If your passion is basket weaving at high altitudes, there’s probably a news feed just for you.
I’m a social media idiot. And I don’t mean idiot in the hipster sense.
I mean I’m an idiot because I know that social media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, et al) is the way people communicate about everything nowadays, I know it’s shattering old paradigms of access and distribution of content, and I know it’s important for branding myself as an artist.
And yet I’m still not using it as thoroughly and consistently as I could to engage the world and make a name for myself.
The excuses abound. Time, for one – I am writing a pilot on a deadline, after all. Lack of vision about my brand potential is another excuse. I fight definition in many areas of my life, even though I embrace it in others.
What I need is a good kick in the pants to get off my butt and just start doing it.
Tonight I attended a seminar he gave on using social media to maximize your visibility and propel your career forward. And boy did he make a good case.
He showed us this:
Then presented about a million examples of individuals who used YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter to make six figure salaries, get signed by CAA, or get starring roles in TV and film. Six figures? Damn. Let’s do this.
Ronnie and casting director Caroline Liem are giving an all-day workshop this Saturday called Social Media for Creatives - “Define your uniqueness, Take action, Create content, and Maximize exposure doing what you love.”
It’s only $99. If you’re an artist, you MUST go!
As for me, I’m vowing to engage the Twittersphere more often and start devising a YouTube channel strategy. What kind of videos would you like to see me create? (Keep it clean, people...)
I didn’t mean to, really. It all started so innocently. A friend sent me a column from a popular journalist on a hot-button topic that I happen to have a strong opinion about as well. Feeling a “hell yeah” in my gut, I posted the link on my Facebook profile and went about my day.
By morning, my posted link had gathered 5 comments. One FF (Facebook Friend) from Georgia grumbled that the journalist was being a counter-productive dickhead. Another FF from Canada thought the FF from Georgia had lost perspective and wanted the dickhead to be President.
My initial reaction to the comments was flattery. People visited my profile page! I’m seen! A fleeting self-centered moment that was quickly forgotten considering what came next.
God came along.
That’s right, God entered the conversation, and not to be crass, but all hell broke loose. Pretty soon, I was getting email notifications every hour that another FF had commented on my link. Two FF’s in particular became engaged in fervent battle, citing federal law, lobbyists, and the Bible.
My feelings on the topic aside, I was seriously impressed. I was witnessing the power of Facebook. My little corner of cyberspace had suddenly become a forum for open discourse. The column from the journalist was no longer the center of the debate. This was about justice!
So to all the people who “don’t get” Facebook or think it’s just a waste of time, I say this. Facebook is an expression of what I love about America. It’s a democracy. People of all types, ideologies, and economic status are free to come together and say what they want to see. No one has to agree to disagree – they can just disagree.
I have FF’s who are die-hard Tea Party Republicans, apathetic teenagers, Mormon PTA members, and cross-dressing engineers. Facebook is a place where we can celebrate our birthdays or call each other heartless sycophants and still be okay. All profiles are created equal and everyone has a voice.
So I may have started a fight, but I’m not sorry I did. Here’s to continuing the discussion…
Alessandra Torresani couldn't have looked more like a Cylon if she tried. Shiny, silky hair, full red lips, wearing a black mini dress that showed off her long, statuesque legs. Clutching a handheld mic, her sexy, raspy voice implored, "Please tweet! Hashtag CapricaisBack!"
I witnessed her heartfelt plea last weekend at an exclusive screening of the Caprica Season 1.5 premiere, hosted by SyFy. Alessandra appeared on stage with series stars Esai Morales, Sasha Roiz and Executive Producers Ronald D. Moore, Kevin Murphy, Jane Espenson, & David Eick. Each one begged us to get the word out about the show in their own way. Ron expressed pride and excitement in the new episodes and said he couldn't wait for us to see them. Esai declared he was "frakkin' sick of reality TV." Kevin Murphy asked us to find a Nielsen family, because "it only takes one." Everyone asked us to tweet. And then tweet some more.
As we settled in to watch the episode (which was absolutely fantastic), I couldn't help but think there was something wrong with this picture. Caprica is an excellent television show - sharply written and expertly designed. Featuring superb acting performances by under-appreciated veterans of the biz (Eric Stoltz, Esai) as well as stunningly talented new faces (Alessandra, Magda Apanowicz) and cameos from genre favorites (James Marsters, Patton Oswalt). Yet as SyFy's Mark Stern clearly stated before introducing the screening, Caprica won't get a Season 2 unless people watch - now!
Now I'm pretty sure no one is tweeting about Two and a Half Men, and that show pulled in 13.8 million viewers in the premiere of its 8th season.
What gives? Why do good shows always have to fight so hard? Even within its genre, Caprica is a top-notch show, yet it's still struggling for viewers to stay on the air.
So watch the show, won't you? Caprica Season 1.5 premiere tonight at 10pm on SyFy.
And then Tweet away - Alessandra will really appreciate it.
I joined Twitter late in the game. Only a year ago to be exact. Well past the days when Kogi BBQ was making a Korean taco truck the newest LA food craze and Ashton Kutcher was proving himself to be more Internet savvy than most tech CEOs. Like most people, I just couldn’t grasp the point of the whole thing. Microblogging? Really? What was next – microteaching? Microjobinterviewing?
But eventually I caved and signed up for an account. A few minutes ago, I sent my 409th tweet. 409 thoughts, pictures, questions, and opinions shared with the global Internet community. And it’s been wicked fun.
No, I’ve never tweeted about what I ate for lunch. I’ll be the first to give props to Conan O’Brien’s Twitter Tracker sketches for brilliantly ridiculing the mundane tweets of celebrities. Still, if a fan in North Dakota really enjoys hearing that Jessica Simpson had tacos for lunch, who am I to judge?
Because ultimately, as humans, we just want to be heard, acknowledged, and validated. And we’ll take it where we can get it. Being on Twitter and having over 100 followers might mean nothing to you, but it feels pretty damn good to me. Knowing that some of those people actually read what I have to say feels even better. And if just one of my kooky thoughts or random pictures brings a smile to someone’s face, then the circle is complete.
This weekend, I’ll be tweeting non-stop from the geeky halls of the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International. Check out my profile page at twitter.com/teresapalooza to see what I’m up to. Follow me. Or don’t follow me. But rest assured, I will be microblogging the day away.
I am currently blogging while 36,965 feet in the air on a red-eye flight from LA to Boston. How do I know my exact altitude? My trusty RED in-flight interactive entertainment system tells me so. I’m also catching up on episodes of LOST on Hulu.com, thanks to WiFI from GoGo Inflight Internet. When I touch down, I’ll text a few people to let them know I arrived safely, then use my mobile phone to send a Tweet that will also update my Facebook status.
The world has truly become an amazingly connected and advanced network of personal relationships and technical devices. It’s awe-inspiring, especially when I consider all the changes that have happened during my lifetime.
Then again, is the feeling of wonder that I experienced when introduced to the iPad any different than the wonder I felt when my dad introduced me to the Commodore 64? Or when I was introduced to email in 1992? Every technological breakthrough is a game changer, no matter how awesome the world was before it came along. The advancements will never end. The innovation continues because our imaginations are endless.
So if you're feeling overwhelmed by our increasingly complex society, my advice is to get over it, because it’s only going to get worse. Find a way to go with the flow while maintaining a healthy sense of humor. You’ll be much happier.
