Casting in LA ...

Was a supreme pleasure and a completely wonderful experience.

I had the time of my life.

Casting director Rick Pagano, who is well respected in Hollywood, and his assistant Russell Boast, could not have worked harder or more dilligently - speaking with agents and managers and actors and others involved with the actors' careers. Noted producer Toni Wells-Roth helped us out with camerawork (wow!).

One observation I must mention: there is an extremely serious problem with agents who don't really do their jobs or do them well, and I'm including folks working with "top" agencies.

Several had *no* idea how to contact their clients (wrong emails, phone numbers), or that their clients were currently working, or in some cases made no effort to send the script or even contact their clients requested by Rick for this project. In some cases they made an appointment for their client and then cancelled it because they did not contact the client.

One very well known actor who is a good friend of my producer (actually our casting director and producer know a lot of great actors) said he was never contacted by his agent. When his agent was contacted (who made an "appointment" for his client to meet with us), the agent had *no* idea his client is currently working on a mini-series at an out-of-LA location. He's coming to Seattle to meet with us soon.

In the case of most actors we auditioned or met with (at a certain level of fame/work, meetings are held in lieu of script readings or auditions - though certain very top professionals still ask to read), they are at the top of their game and crazy about our project.

Some sensational actors dropped by to meet even though they knew they weren't right for this project, but know we have several more slated so wanted to get together with us in person. And believe me, we kept careful notes on everyone we saw.

One well known actor with whom we had a meeting said the industry is now run by "second rate" agents who don't do their jobs, don't know how to do their jobs or can't do them very well - and the people suffering are actors - at all levels.

S/he added that the situation is cyclical -- that their incompetence will only be tolerated for so long before there's a big shakeup, when the system will change again.

In some cases, the agents only want big paying deals for their clients so they can make big fees, regardless of the quality of the work.

There are obviously some agents who take their work seriously and do a good job -- they were spoken of just as positively as the others regarded so negatively.

Enough about that.

The very up side is that the actors with whom we interacted were amazing, terrific and top professionals. They worked so hard on the material to bring their characters to life - screwball comedies are the most work of any genre by all concerned.

Each brought something that only they could bring to their character.

They're making my work of selecting the right person for each role incredibly difficult - which means they did a splendid job. The harder my job, the better the cast.

Some of my choices are going to surprise audiences, and quite honestly a couple people (very well known) came in to speak about doing extremely "against type" characters (unlike anything they've ever played before, unlike the persona they appear to be normally or the characters they've played in the past).

One well known actress from a very popular dramatic TV series did her very first comedic performance in her audition for the lead and absolutely WOW'ed us. She did a brilliant job, looked fantastic, and what's so exciting for me is that she loves the script and the role. Very impressive.

I can't tell you how rewarding it was to hear so many of these top pro's tell me how much they loved the script! Most importantly, I couldn't hear a wasted word in the dialogue. Whew.

A good sign is that everyone who read it felt very strongly about the script - they were either head over heels in love with it, or they absolutely hated it! I think those who didn't like it will feel very differently when they see it up on the screen.

Even our producer was pleasantly surprised when actors who understood the script and characters breathed hilarious life into their scenes.

I enjoyed most audition performances so much - extraordinarily talented, skilled artists did such magnifienent interpretations - that the experience was downright heavenly for me. And I let them know it. I'm not one of those directors who holds back her enthusiasm or appreciation.

After all, these are artists who have shared a part of themselves they'll never get back; they worked hard on their audition scenes and deserve credit and praise where it's due.

It's easy to see why these actors are employed as much as they are. They deserve it. I was proud to be in their company.

Mind you, if anyone shows up unprepared or without doing their homework? I also let them know how I feel. But that was not the case, so I was able to shower actors I met with appreciation and affection.

Our producer, Larry Estes, is a former studio executive and lengendary producer in the field of indie films. He is well known and highly regarded by many working actors who came in to say hello - he now lives in the Pacific Northwest. I was proud to be in his company - I could see the admiration and fondness these artists held for him as they hugged and spoke to him warmly about families, kids, the past, pets, work and life in general.

I was treated to some fantastic stories of show biz past and present by Larry along the way. Another highlight of the trip.

Larry and I met over dinner with our estimable editor Stephen Myers (he just found out the Pixar documentary he edited is nominated for an Emmy!), who has worked with classic comedic filmmakers like Carl Reiner. I showed him my shot sheets along with overhead drawings -- floor plans -- of camera placement, character and camera movement.

After scouring my work, Stephen sent me suggestions for insert shots and editing sounds. The very things that make the difference between work well done and excellence.

Thank you to every actor who came by to meet and perform for The Whole Truth (Gabe, I owe you a little stuffed skunk); decisions will be made soon because cameras roll the third week in September.

Interestingly, we set out to cast three lead roles in LA and came back considering actors to fill 6 roles. We'll be meeting with a few more actors here and in Vancouver, B.C. as well.

Next big step after that: local casting in Seattle for another lead role and several supporting roles with Stephen Salamunavich at Complete Casting, which I know will be just as much fun. Every role is written with a scene to steal included.

We'll also be opening a production office, then bringing production folks in the next few weeks.

The script is finished!

Whew!

The Whole Truth script is off to the unit production manager (UPM), who's breaking down the budget and shooting schedule.

Now I'll go to work writing my next feature, Ghost Hound, and we're getting the crew together for The Whole Truth.

As soon as the budget and shooting schedule are up, we roll our sleeves up and it's off location scouting and putting all the pieces of the preproduction puzzle together so we'll be ready to have a great time shooting the film.

I've been drumming up good will around Seattle, telling people I'll be shooting a fun feature this fall in case they want to help us out, since we'll need lots of extras for a couple scenes, and we want real Seattle-ites mixing it up with actors so it's fun for the whole city.

We're now looking for a great, experienced Director of Photographer who hopefully has working with comedy in his or her background; we're shooting 35mm film. We should find him or her soon.

Lots of information will have to be confidential for awhile relating to casting -- but for now, I've listed the colors I think would set off each character in the milieu of the set pieces, as well as listed a musical instrument that I believe represents each character well.

We've got an unbelievable composer aboard - more about him later. He's in LA, but working long distance with composers is not a big deal to me. I've worked with composers in Manchester, England and Toronto, Canada.

God bless the internet and Skype.com!

OK - I'm going to take the rest of the evening off; I have an actors' seminar to conduct tomorrow (Saturday) and an improv group I've been invited to watch tomorrow evening on Bainbrindge Island. I'll give you a review - it reportedly features a remarkable, talented group of performers. I need an entertainment break!

The Hollywood 4-1-1 IRL

Here's a website recommended by my pal, fine actor and all 'round world class good guy Tommy Kendrick, for anyone - writer, director, producer, et al - who wants to work in Hollywood.

It's a collection of interviews of professionals who have and are working there successfully on a daily basis.

http://www.interviewinghollywood.com/

For folks specifically wondering what it's like to be an actor in LA, here's an interview he suggests:

http://www.interviewinghollywood.com/videos/video-134.html

Thanks, Tommy!

America's straight, white teeth

I don't know how true this is, but I was told that the way Middle Eastern terrorists identify Americans is their teeth.

They're usually straight and white.

I also heard the CIA has trouble recruiting people to go undercover in dicey regions because the agents have to bung up their teeth to fit in with other populations and Americans generally don't want anyone messing up their cool, consummate chops.

My British friend John says that if 2006 American Idol 3rd place finalist Elliott Yamin had earned the same top spot in the UK, his funky teeth would have been fine and he would have still enjoyed a great career because the guy can sing.

But in the US his uneven bite was apparently considered a career drawback because, thanks to the generosity of a dentist willing to do the work for free, his mouth enjoyed a complete makeover.

His show teeth are now straight and white.

This is not a comment on Elliott's lifestyle nor his fan demographics, just the fascination we American have with our teeth.

On one hand, it's a good thing - the better aligned our bite, the more efficiently we can chew - that's good for digestion, and it's good for not getting junk caught between our teeth. Breath tends to be nicer. And it's good for our facial bone structure.

Cosmetically, I'm sure kids would prefer to wear Ugly Betty braces than have even minor lifelong tooth disorientation that might separate them from the "normal" American schoolyard smile.

On the other hand, my hunch is that we spent billions - unnecessarily - on extra special whiteners and whitening processes, orthodontia and other procedures on healthy, well-aligned mouths to make those smiles absolutely *perfect.*

Some actors I've coached have become obsessed with their teeth. Teeth that are actually fine - or may show a little character. But these actors have been told their dental work has to be perfect to get work.

Huh?

As a director, I love to see people with natural or even "unique" smiles because all those unnaturally perfect smiles can be pretty boring.

Look at many top stars - women and men - their teeth have personality. In fact, some have teeth *far* from perfect.

Patricia Arquette has a fantastic smile - she looks like a *real* woman.



Kirsten Dunst has a wonderful, normal smile. There are many more stars who perform as they were naturally created because it makes them unique and therefore more interesting to watch.

The key is to be true to yourself. If you can only see yourself being "real" with false straight white teeth, braces-fixed teeth or veneers? Kewl.

But please, don't change your look or smile or get plastic surgery because you think Hollywood only hires certain "types."

Those days are so over.

Believe me, many of the most employed film actors today wouldn't be considered for lead roles ten years ago because their looks are more natural. Today's stars, for the most part, go more for being true to themselves, which includes looking like themselves.

On occasion, a nose job is necessary if you've got a schnoz that takes up half your face and you're going for lead roles.

But remember what happened to Jennifer Grey. After her smash hit film Dirty Dancing, she got a nose job to lessen its size and uniqueness. That left her "prettier," but unrecognizable.



The "character" in her face was gone. She looked like a million other pretty women in Hollywood. Her look, so to speak, no longer stood out and her career was essentially left on the operating room floor.

So you can see what important, life and career-altering decisions these can be.

If it's to help your health, your self-esteem, the way you actually see your personality or originality, to reflect the way you *feel* about yourself, be certain to consult a certified, well-experienced doctor.

If an agent or manager or some other person who is "supposed to know" says you *have* to do anything or everything to your physical appearance?

Um, wrong.

A legion of successful actors have not succumbed to being told by "experts" and "consultants" and others who are "supposed to know" that they shouldn't act, can't act, need to reconstruct their faces, bodies, backgrounds, wha-evah.

Think for yourself.

Understand that boob jobs, straight white teeth, blond hair, and all the other physical add-ons and subtractions may make you look like a trophy wife, but it will also make you look like a million other women in Hollywood and therefore never stand out.

Well. That is unless you're Charlize Theron, who's not only infinitely talented but spectacularly trained; and she's like nine feet tall -- with her legs taking up seven of those nine feet!

OK, I exaggerate.

Her legs are only six feet tall. ;-)

There are plenty of other agents and managers out there.

Take it from the very independent Renée Zellweger, who has enjoyed a spectacular relationship with her manager through a career that has taken her where she wants to go, doing the type work she wants to do - independent and commercial films. She's also kept her own personal, natural smile.

Whatever happened to her, anyway? ;-)

It all starts inside. Who are you? How do you see yourself - your authentic self?

And the most important question: do you love that authentic you?

Because as soon as you love you as you genuinely are - so will everyone else in real life and when you're on screen.

Having said all that, I know actors who look very "ordinary" off screen, but because of their talent, energy and skills? They look positively *awesome* onscreen. Gorgeous, even. They radiate from within.

One actor I coached looks positively and naturally *beautiful* in her headshot. But that's totally not what she looks like in real life.

A big complaint from casting directors is that people send a headshot that really doesn't look like them. (Um, OK, I'm updating mine this year ....)

But in this case - because of the energy and light she exudes from within and her relationship with the camera? That is simply and honestly the way she photographs. So I've instructed her to tell everyone for whom she auditions that her headshot is actually the way she photographs - so they will be sure to test her on camera.

And sure enough, there she is. As she is, she *loves* the camera, and the feeling is mutual.

I can't imagine what she would look like on camera if she started "fixing" anything that makes her look unique in real life.

Honestly? The only thing I believe most actors need to fix is their attitude. Toward themselves and the camera. If we're nervous, pockets of facial tension make us look different than we do if we're relaxed. The camera isn't there to judge us, it's there to love us.

If you're afraid the camera will judge you .. perhaps you're so busy judging yourself - harshly - that you haven't given that love a chance to reflect who you really are.

I work with *such* dedicated actors!

As of next week I start my day conducting coaching sessions at 6:30 a.m. (that's in the morning) every weekday morning. Well, except Wednesday, when my actors start coming at 7:30.

These folks have day jobs and my evening slots are full .. not much turnover there .. so if they want a slot...

The vast majority of my coaching sessions take place during the day, so there are days I coach from 6:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.

At least my beloved coachees know I'm as dedicated to helping them as they are determined to become terrific camera actors, performers and writers - especially since I will be limiting my practice at the end of the year because I'm spending more of my time writing and directing since I've joined the professional screenwriters' group and production company headquartered in LA.

And it is very kewl these artists are willing to show up so early to study with me ...

Either I'm the best coach evah, or I'm just plain certifiabl-

Hey! I *heard* that!

;-)

Note to self: Get. More. Sleep.

SAG franchised agents represent everyone!

For some reason there are really crazy myths and misunderstandings surrounding the biz of show regarding working in films and the "culture."

One of them is that SAG (Screen Actor's Guild) franchised agents can only represent SAG members.

Completely, totally and absolutely not true.

SAG franchised agents can represent anyone. A super agent may choose to rep just SAG members, but theres no rule that says he or she "must" rep only SAG actors.

This rumor doesn't make sense because the purpose of SAG is to increase its membership to represent actors so they can enjoy the fairest wages and working conditions. The way to get more members is to have non-SAG members work with folks who have SAG connections so they can qualify to join the actors' union.