Wow, two in one day.. rearranging the scenes

Remember the G scene?  Originally it was going to be The Bridges of Madison County but I couldn't get the casting together.  Then I toyed with the idea of shooting Prime but I couldn't find a woman to play opposite me so I went with The Fantastic Mr Fox which was never on my list at all.  It turned out to be a great decision because it was an animated scene and I think it broke things up very nicely.

Then, remember M was supposed to be for Marvin's Room?  Well, schedules did not sync up and I was under a pile of videos that needed to be created like the Kickstarter video and the video for the Radio show and the video of my Meryl interview.  It was suggested to me that I just make the Meryl interview the M slot but that put Marvin's Room in limbo.

If you're doing the math, that's two scenes that have replaced two other scenes that now must be squeezed back into the roster.  Make sense?  Here's my new list and I cannot promise that it won't be changed.  The two scenes that were cut?  The House of Spirits and The Seduction of Joe Tynan.  I don't miss them, no time for that.

P  Postcards from the Edge
Q Prime
R The River Wild
S  She Devil
T Music of the HearT or Bridges?
U HeartbUrn
V MarVin's Room
W SilkWood
X Out of Africa
Y The French Lieutenant's Woman or Bridges?
Z It's Complicated

Uh oh, one of these scenes will get bumped or I'll have to do a double feature ... YIKES!

Some A to Z items

Today I must find a way to look at the files that were sent to me for the O scene.  I'm sure we'll find something good and if it turns out to be only one take that works due to a focus issue, as was anticipated by my shooter, then that's the take we'll use.  Forge ahead.  So, I need to see the stuff, get it edited and post it by or around the 14th of this month.  It actually can be done and that's not even aiming high provided I find an editor.  Oh, that little detail.

I also need to find a location and a common date for my next shoot, the P scene.  Wow, things are just swimming along, aren't they?  Dev mentioned being more free to get involved once again in October so perhaps he will shoot the Q scene!  It could all just fall into place, ya know?  That's how I see it anyway.

It's Saturday and I'm going to do the mundane.  I'll clean and run errands.  It's not fun but it must be done.  I wonder if Meryl Streep makes phone calls on Saturdays.  Today will be another awesome day.  Hugs to you all!

Today is a perfect day

I had a meeting with Liz.  We discussed the approach to Meryl Streep's publicity peeps and suffice it to say, the plan of attack was hatched.  We then crafted a press release.  There are some quotes we still need to get but it promises to be an interesting read.

Then I met with my "book guy".  He further encouraged me to turn this blog into another four letter word that begins with B and I think it's a brilliant idea!  Hey, why not, right?  He has a point.  The writing is here.  The time line is all mapped out.  The ups and downs are recorded.  Someone would want to read it, I suppose.  As a side note, we had the most delicious lunch at a Thai restaurant called, Mint Cafe on Coventry. If you're ever out that way, go there.

While on Coventry I wandered into various stores and just felt great.  People were friendly.  All the store owners were helpful.  It felt like love ... all of it.  I was in the best mood ever.  Things were looking way up.

I had only one snag during the day but shook it off quickly when I returned home to a phone call from Liz saying that the assistant to Michelle, one of Meryl's PR peeps, wanted MORE information.  Woo hoo!  More information?  We've got THAT.  We've got that and more than more information.  One might even call it the most information.  Liz told the assistant she would return her email by Monday.  I offered to compose it so Liz didn't feel bogged down by the task right before her weekend.  Moments later, I sent it off to Liz and called her to confirm it's arrival.  So, there you have it.  Not sure if she will send it today but it's ready to go and it's all soooooooooooo exciting!  I also said  in the email that they should forward it to Michelle herself and Meryl and I included my phone number in case they want to call me. WEEEEEEEEEE! 

Yep, I'm on the top of the moon and no one's gonna rain on my love.  That's what it is!

Oh what a night!

Lots of A to Z stuff happening and yet I have to tell you about last night for so many reasons.  I went to a coffee shop concert by The Jimmy and his son, Jonathan.  Their band's name is called "Circle of Silver" because their last name is Silver and if you really watch and listen to them play, you feel like you're in their circle.  That was a tremendous simplification of their name and the experience so allow me to elaborate.  Jimmy and Jonathan are not your typical father, son combo.  They have banter like you've never seen.  Sometimes Jimmy plays the part of the father and sometimes Jonathan does and it's all hilarious to watch.  They have one song called "Happy Song" and it really DOES make everyone in the room happy.  They laugh their way through it and it always gets me howling.  It's good for the soul, ya know?  I encouraged them to act exactly the way they do at home because their show is about the essence of THEM and it's what makes it unique.  So last night, every time they went off course during a song, or teased each other or whispered in front of the microphones, the audience was loving it.  I just know that is their winning combination.  I even suggested that they have a set break "music" that isn't music at all but just a recording of them fighting or talking with each other.  It's like a comedy show with music for the heart.  Oh well, we all know what everyone ELSE should do, don't we?

That reminded me on the way home though, that Jimmy has been pushing me all along to do more videos where I just stand there and talk extemporaneously about whatever because he thinks that's my gold.  What am I telling him to do?  The exact same thing. Here I've been doing Meryl Streep scene after depressing scene because let's face it, she has done a lot of serious movies but sometimes all anyone wants is to smile and laugh.  I'm no different.  So I will continue to do these scenes as we all know but when it's all said and done I will be sure to include lots of moments for YOU to laugh and be happy.

Now here are the stats.  I heard from The Star Beacon yesterday and did a phone interview with a writer there.  That's my hometown newspaper.  I will be driving to Ashtabula so they can take photos of me to go with the story.  You hear that, Mom?  Wanna come along?  I'm pretty sure they'll let you be there with me, if you feel like it.  I have a meeting with Liz (PR) tomorrow and we'll discuss our next step since she has made initial contact with Meryl's publicity folks.  I had a vo audition yesterday, and two auditions today (one vo and the other on camera).  I'm meeting with my writer buddy tomorrow to discuss the making of this blog into something one would love to read aka a book.  I'm meeting old friends tonight and did I say, I'm busy?  Yes I am and I love it.

As for the footage from the O scene, that should arrive by noon today.  I hope I'm able to view it so I can edit it in my own mind and make it simpler for an editor, who remains to be named.  Oh gosh, who will it be?  And what about the next location?  And now what movies will I be doing since we sort of eliminated one with the Meryl interview?  Oh my goodness, lots of decisions all while I'm busy.  I guess that's good so I can't dwell on them too much.  It will all be fine and if I get down, I will sing to myself the words to the Happy Song, "We've got some pizza here.  We've got some wine and beer. And we will sing our Happy Song!"

Light on the blog, heavy on the me time

The weekend was over and yesterday brought me audition notices, O scene details, and 3 contacts from Liz (PR).  She was able to talk to one of Meryl Streep's peeps!  I have yet to hear the details of the conversation but the upshot was that Liz was told to put it in an email.  So, she did.  Then she said she wants to set up another meeting with me.  I'm ready!  Any and all contact makes me smile so this is just one step closer.  More to come on that later.

Today I will stop by The Reel Thing and record a vo audition.  Tomorrow I will be going to my agent's and taping an on camera audition for a commercial in Pittsburgh.  To be honest, I know I have way more plans BUT my blackberry is no longer working and I don't have a real calendar so I'm like a balloon that was just released from a kids hand ... just floating all over the darn place and at any moment could get stuck in a tree or popped by a passing bird.  I really have NO IDEA what or where I'm supposed to be going or how many appointments I've recently missed.  That feeling, btw, is slightly unsettling but so be it.  That's what's happening right now.

I also heard from Andy yesterday.  Andy shot the J scene which I love and he shot the O scene which will be aired on the 14th of this month.  After we shot the O scene, he decided to try his hand at editing.  I know that sounds crazy to want someone who is inexperienced to have any part of this project but you have to know Andy.  He is a perfectionist. He has a great eye and would NEVER let anything go that was sub par so we all decided to give him a crack at it.  He determined, after a few hiccups along the way, that this was no time to learn and possibly hold up my project so he will be sending me the files and I'll need an editor for the O scene.  O is for OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, no worries, I'll figure it out.  He also shared that some of the footage was less than perfect and so he felt there was less to choose from in terms of takes.  Does this worry me? Nah.  Have we encountered worse? Far worse.  Do I have time to correct it all?  Yep, which is part of the beauty of getting things done early, as was the case for the O shoot.  It will all be good and as always I appreciate Andy's honesty and professionalism.  I just know it will be terrific.

So this means I need to scare up an editor who will allow me to hover.  I've had a few encounters where they attempt to do it without me and in every single instance I have a ton of changes and what was meant to speed up the process doesn't accomplish that at all.  Well, according to Andy, "take 3" was the best in the tight shot so we'll look at that first.  If I like it too, I'll encourage my editor who remains to be named, found, coaxed, badgered, to get most of the shots from that take.  Sound good to you?  It does to me.

I better go now.  Sheesh, I've got lots to do, that I know of and can only imagine what I'm missing!

Long weekend, short blog

Without much labor, I got through the holiday weekend.  I truly hope yours was a good one.  Mine was filled with food, friends and music so no complaints here.

What's up my sleeve for getting back to it?  Well, I need to forge ahead with getting a game plan together.  We are in the midst of approaching Meryl Streep's peeps but it's time I began my strategy with the other industry folk.  You know the ones, the people who hire actors.

Also, I think looking more seriously into the book option since I've already written SO much isn't a bad idea either.  Within a week, Mercury will no longer be in retrograde so communications should improve and I should have heard from The Ellen Show, Oprah or David Letterman.  That outta get the ball rolling.  Speaking of rolling, how did you like Cassie's eyes in the N scene?  I really love what both she and Julie Fogel did there.  If you haven't seen it already, check them out now!

Rescued this weekend

As you know, I wasn't looking forward to Labor Day weekend which would amount to no labor at all! My friend, Jimmy, rescued me. He invited me over to go for a hike, eat salad, and even listen to my very own concert by him and his son, Jonathan. Their band name is Circle of Silver and they kept me entertained.

My N scene has been doing pretty well. It's up to about 170 views and that's great feedback for a scene that aired on a holiday weekend and was not titled tricky, if you know what I mean. Do you know what I mean? Here's what I mean. Videos with generic names can often get quite a number of hits just because so many more peeps are searching for them which is some of the reason why my Best Trailer and Best Meryl Streep Interview did soooooooo well. Of course, I'm not discounting the fact that they are pleasant to watch but throw in a "cute puppy" in the title and oh my goodness! The N scene is called A Prairie Home CompanioN and even with that specific title is getting more views than a lot of my previous videos. Yippee, right? Yep! It didn't hit over 200 by 24 hours but it was around 160 at that time so not bad, not bad at all.

I guess I'll continue to post and wait for this LONG weekend to be over so I can meet with people and get auditions and ya know, get to A - Zing!

Happy Labor Day to you and to Meryl Streep who I'm quite sure is about to call me.