THE MEDIA MAID: commercial

Got the call from my agent while I was still in my PJs debating whether I should go back to bed after I finish my bowl of cereal.

"Can you make an audition at 4 this afternoon? Print, for Intel, pays [pretty good amount]"

You bet I can make it. Yes, while it is true that my throat hurts from staying out 'til 4 the evening before and I can barely keep my eyes open and I have to be home by 5:30 to film another audition with my sister (where we play twins, exciting) and I really really really hate driving but I can make it. I mean, seriously, how lucky am I that I even have the opportunity to drive to LA and audition for a huge print commercial? How fortunate that someone out there thought my face could be worthy to put in ads? How blessed that I can afford to not work (for now) and have the time, the car to do this? I sucked up whatever handful amount of energy that remained in my body, downed a hot cup of green tea and prepared for my long drive to Santa Monica.

After parking, I strolled, with my headshot in one hand and paper with the address in the other, to the casting studio. My heels clacked along the sidewalk. I like the way high heels sound when I walk. They sound like grown up. Once there, I took a deep breath, opened the door and walked into the casting studio like I owned the place. The obligatory scan from other actresses in the room follows suit as I sign my name to the check in list. I sit and start prepping my headshot and resume only to have the girl next to me kindly inform me that I actually don't need them. She gestures to the sign that clearly states this, complete with a highlighted bold font. Oh. I'm kind of new to this. I guess.

The man sitting by the sign in sheet starts calling girls in. I recognize a couple of them. Hey, she was in that movie. Whoa, she did that ad campaign. One girl, Joy Osmanski, was amazingly quirky and cool and the best thing in this one movie, White on Rice and she was here! I wasn't sure if I should approach her and be all fanatical about her role when I should actually be her peer. Weird.

When I get my name called, I go into this small room where all these ladies (and one gentleman) are sitting and waiting. I'm number 354. One by one, they go up in front of the backdrop and get their pictures taken.

"Small smile. Bigger. Bigger," the photographer, a bald man, commands.

So fleeting, the actual time that you get to perform. Your work has to come out in that one flash of the camera, one click of the button. You either have what they're looking for, or you don't.

It's finally my turn and I clomp to the backdrop. The photographer stares at me. He scrutinizes my twitching lips and my antsy eyes.

"You're new, aren't you." He inquires as his camera continues clicking away.

Am I that obvious?

"Put your hair down." He orders, taking more pictures of me than he had of the other gals.

Today would have been a good day to wash my hair.

After a few more clicks, he sends me on my way.

"See you around, Janice," he winks.

Welcome to my first legit audition given to me by an agency in over two years.

Mixers, socials, gatherings, and reunions nowadays bring about a slight headache for me. Why? Because of the unavoidable, "so what are you doing now?" question.

Immediate answers that pop into my head range from smart alecky ("I'm breathing, I'm holding this glass of wine, I'm wondering why your breath smells so bad.") to honest ("I am trying to find a job. Can you help me? Offer me one! Please please please! But only if it's a good one because I'm picky! And sensitive! And I want a job that will help me "find myself" and "nurture me" and it has to be fun! And it can't be 9-5! And... and...and...")

But I have found the best and most truthful answer is, "I am between projects."

It's the truth.

If I'm talking to you at a dinner party, most likely I'm not preparing questions for an interview with a famous director, or reading up on how to transfer from Blogger to Wordpress (which is coming soon!) or memorizing lines for an audition, or studying for my real estate exam. Most likely I am in between all those things. "Projects" because I get paid for some, some may lead to future employment, some are just for fun but all are for my personal growth and development.

One of these projects I had busied myself with the last two weeks have been auditions. It was surreal going back to the craft I had spent most of my childhood perfecting; headshot in hand, energetic smile, the hopes of making an immediate good first impression, the toleration of waiting, so so much waiting. During these auditions, many with kids younger than me, watching the stage moms busying themselves with making sure their (often miserable-looking) offspring look their best, act their best, fussing with makeup or hair, I thought to myself, "whoa, that was me a couple of years ago."

But it paid off! I booked my first audition and landed a role in a 2010 US Census commercial. Fame, glory, privilege, luxury, and (most importantly) riches, you are all mine for the taking! (Jk, I'm just happy to be making a little cash).

Here is how shoot day went down:

Woke up before the crack of dawn. 4:30 AM to be exact.

Arrived at the pitch dark set.

Got hair and makeup did and changed into wardrobe.

Then arrived at the actual shoot location and waited. Aspiring actors, you must know that a big part of the job is waiting. Waiting for your big break, waiting during auditions, waiting for callbacks, waiting on set. Why else do you think the biggest side job for actors are as... waiters?

A most amazing thing happened. When I was at the fitting a couple days before, I stepped out of the bathroom and spotted the backside of a girl who looked oddly like my very close high school friend, Debster. "Debbie?" I timidly called out. The girl turned around and it was indeed her! It turns out she would be a part of the commercial too! She and I are respectively playing the Korean and Chinese versions of the same character! When Debs and I were younger, we always joked that we would be famous and work on projects together. I guess the day has finally come! Hopefully, there will be more projects looming ahead.

Fancy shmancy shooting equipment.

After having filmed half of our scenes. Lunchtime rolled around. The entire day was horrible for my weight-watching (I have an upcoming photo shoot), craft food service table, you are the bane of my existence!

Lunch was especially delicious. I've had lunch on big budget blockbuster sets, cable television sets, indie film sets, but this set was the most delicious of all! Especially the bread pudding topped with vanilla bean ice cream.

We blew off all the extra sugar we inhaled during lunch by posing for silly pictures with each other. Here I am with one of the sweetest girls ever, Karen. I met Karen at the callbacks for this audition, where we both waited four hours before auditioning (I guess it paid off for the both of us?) Anyway, this girl is super-cute and has my dream job; as a Disney Channel movie surfer. I can't even be jealous of her because she is so humble and just gosh darned cool about it!

Here I am jumping for joy with my co-star, Grace. I'm so glad I got to work with such a professional, gregarious, talented chick! She is working so hard to get to where she needs to be and seems to be enjoying every moment of it. Watching her interact on set motivates me to up my ante. Plus, she's got awesome taste in music! (Jason Mraz FTW!)