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July 30, 2003
Okey Dokey, Smokey
I'm considering sprucing up the Blog using some links and anchors and hooks and whatnots... but I have no real idea how it is that people do these things, nor do I have a lot of time to investigate. I may just join one of those pay services (oy) in order to have the cool things. But then that involves paying. Hm.
Last night, we went to see Faith in a screening of NBC's Significant Others, followed by a Q&A with the show creators and the cast. Very cool. I'm excited. This is going to be a huge hit, whether it airs on NBC or Bravo. NBC gets first rights, since their studio is producing it in conjunction with Bravo, but either way, it'll hit the air in January and the world will be a better place for it. Dang funny. It's the kind of show about which you would say, "It's really well-written," except that it's done in improvisational form. So, I guess that means, "It's really well-cast and the actors are all brilliant." Yes. That's true.
Moving forward with the new book this week. Looks like we're going to have to do some fund-raising, though, in order to get it printed. Dangit. But, I guess knowing we've already sold (through pre-orders, at least) more copies than Casting Qs sold in its first six months this year means that really we're asking for investments, rather than donations. I just hate being in debt to anyone, y'know? Sucks. I'm going to have to see about creativity. Ooh... lotto! 40 million, eh?
Tonight is the benefit performance of Our Funniest FEM, again starring Faith, plus a handful of other gals I was able to bring in for auditions during casting of A Dull House. Very exciting! Meanwhile, I'm working like mad on finishing the book before heading back into the office for casting on the Fox show (I declined the job offered for the period between the three-day stint I did last week and the start-up date for the six-week job I've already accepted, starting in August, BTW). Still doing the web work over at Roxbury and working to get Keith on one of these upcoming cop shows. Still doing career consulting here and there. I really love that. It's a delightful experience.
Oh, I must say... major thank you to dear Jamie Caples for all the proofreading work she's doing on the new book. Wow! So very very very helpful. I owe you, sugar.
Speaking of sugar... still on Atkins. Still down 30 pounds. Started a new exercise routine today, which should help me jumpstart another 30-pound loss. *fingers crossed*
The Shorts Fest is still cooking. Thrilled to have a lot of great screeners lined up to help out. Hollywood Happy Hour is still on hiatus. Wow... what else? I feel like I'm catching up on a lot of stuff. Hm.
Okay, that'll do for now. Next time I post, Keith and I will have won the lotto, funded the book and the purchase of my new car, plus start making our plans for the big home purchase. If we don't win, we're still moving forward with all of that... just on a little slower climb. But, it's still movement in that direction. I LOVE my life! Truly!
Posted by bonnie at 1:37 PM
July 22, 2003
Okay, so...
This is what I just posted on the Somesuch-Whatnot group. Reposted here to get the word out, as I'll be out of touch for a goodly bit, it seems.
...it shall be quite a long while before I post again with anything more than a hit and run, methinks.
Today was the last day of our first casting sessions for the feature film I'm casting.
Yesterday, I was asked to provide services as casting consultant for a short film by the end of this week. I have a tape, a script, and a list of roles and candidates for them. I need to give my assessment by week's end.
Tomorrow morning I start my job with Fox for the Brady reality show. Four weeks of work on that, then six weeks on with Project X. That's ten solid weeks of casting work, in an office, in Burbank.
Oh... and today, I was approached at IFP West (where we were doing our casting sessions) by a director who is having trouble casting a role for her feature film. She wants my help.
We have callbacks for this feature on Friday (so, I have that day off from Brady) and then my job will be done. Unless they bring me on to help cast bit parts later, which I would gladly do, as time permits.
My book is nowhere near done, though I do have a few chapters out for proofing (thanks, somesuchers... especially Jamie, the fastest proofer in the USA). I haven't yet listened to the Hollywood Happy Hour audio files in order to determine which clips will make it to the Best Of CD we're supposedly fashioning during hiatus. [So, if anyone wants to listen to them and email me some feedback, I'd sure love to read it.] Oh, and the film festival I co-founded has put out its call for entries. I am both the location for entry deliveries and the screener wrangler.
I am now, officially, booked out of my brain.
And I love it.
I'll miss the daily (or so) contact with y'all, but I will also be thinking of you all very regularly (despite lack of contact). Please know that I love you all and thank you for the overwhelming support you've not only provided ME but that I've witnessed you providing to one another, time and again.
You are what family means.
Thank you for teaching me that.
And with that... I say...
"Woo Hoo!!"
and
"Tee hee."
;)
XXOO
-Bon.
Really not much else to say in the Blog either. Just... wow. I'm so totally living my dreams I can't even stand it! Pretty freekin' cool. Thanks, Mom.
Posted by bonnie at 9:22 PM
July 20, 2003
Redefining Popularity
If I had known how popular going into casting would make me, I would've done it in high school.
My phone has been ringing off the proverbial hook for four solid days now. I have been able to bring in some incredible actors for this project and I am so very, very pleased. Y'know, I've always known that I know many talented people in this town. I mean, you can't really be in LA and in the entertainment industry for more than a couple of years and not know some really talented people. Well... I guess I just didn't realize how many talented people I've come to know. Wow. I've had the pleasure of seeing so much talent--and getting to know NEW actors I hadn't met prior to these casting calls has been a real treat--that I'm humbled and grateful and thrilled to just have this whole experience. Getting paid to do it is a big fat bonus.
Today, Faith called me and said that she was at Border's Books in Santa Monica and noticed my book in the Acting/Performing Arts section. She called to say, "You forget how great you are. You want to put a book out, and you know what? You just DO it. Do you GET that?" I guess sometimes I don't get that. It really is pretty cool.
It's been a great year so far. I'm only a week or so into 33. Liking it fine. Did career counseling today for a young lady who has been--get this--a fan for the past three years, while living in Paris and reading my column and my book from afar. She's now moved here and is ready to do the acting thing for real. I'm so glad I can help her.
Today has been fun also because I get to call all these actors and congratulate them for booking a callback! Ahhh... it's the little things. Cheers, everyone!
Posted by bonnie at 5:42 PM
July 17, 2003
Casting
Yup. I've been hired to cast a feature film. I've been going non-stop since booking the job on Tuesday evening. Calling actors, meeting with the crew, scheduling auditions, answering a zillion questions...
This is sooo much fun!
Oh, I did get a little break to have lunch in Marina del Rey with Chip, James, Sara, Susan, and Sean. It was GREAT to see the Athens gang in LA. Of course, Chip promised all sorts of postings by now... and I haven't seen a dang new thing at his Blog. Coolest of cools: I received a two-year-old birthday present. It's a customized keyboard! The letters spell, "Happy Birthday Bonnie!" It so rocks! Thanks, Chip!
Okay. Back to work. Loving it!
Posted by bonnie at 9:44 AM
July 14, 2003
Living in Fear
This is serious.
At any time, I could be minding my own business... and boom! The crew from Ambush Makeover could kidnap me and make me change my look (I don't have a look, as you know). That would be evil and scary and awful.
That is all.
Posted by bonnie at 10:55 AM
July 11, 2003
A Little Funny
So, today I'm 33.
Keith sent flowers. Of course, he sent flowers to the casting office where my noon meeting was scheduled. Got a call at 11am that we've rescheduled the meeting for Monday... and Keith hit the road... going to intercept my flowers at the casting office, get a bunch of "aww" from the ladies there, and get them back here to me before I knew what was happening. Very sweet.
Okay, so... the flowers... they're absolutely lovely. There's something like 33 (hey... I get it!) roses and such... just gorgeous! And, of course, Salema has decided that this is the exact nutritional element her diet has been lacking. She did a little chewing, so I moved the arrangement up to a higher spot. And now... she is determined to get up on the bookcase to join the flowers and have her snack.
Just now, she stood up on her hind legs (something she loves to do more than any other feline I've encountered) and reached up three shelves of books, trying to investigate the higher surface on which the arrangement rests. She is now walking around mewing that soft little Salema mew, making sure that I know she needs to be with those flowers. She must floss with the leaves and petals!
What a great day! I like 33 so far.
Posted by bonnie at 7:04 PM
July 8, 2003
What I've Learned from Miss Tyra...
It's not just Miss Tyra. It's all of the anorexics and dysfunctionals on America's Next Top Model. I'm not sure which episode was the first I watched, but it was probably about half-way through. So, tonight, they're doing a little "best of" for the first hour and I am catching up on all the catty. Oh, I have so much to learn to be a true diva!
Today I hurt a friend's feelings. Looks like I misread some signals and a specific request for help and, when I gave advice, I was harsh. I thought she needed it. Oops. I got a nice little over-coals-raking and cried and cried and cried. Still not sure I deserve what I got an earful of, but I'm also not sure she deserved what I dished out, thinking it was what she needed. Ugh. I hate miscommunication. It really sucks.
Chip is getting ready for his visit to Los Angeles. I'm excitedly thinking of things for us to do that will be fun for him and not too terribly expensive or touristy.
Ooh, I wish I could have some popcorn. Hmm.
Okay, if I could just be a diva, I would be a lot less worried about anyone but me. Instead, I worry about what others are thinking... of me. Oh wait. That's me being a diva after all! Cool.
Posted by bonnie at 8:49 PM
July 3, 2003
Box Office Gross
I do not see movies.
Except for when they're brand new. Brand new. BRAND NEW.
See, it's already too late for me to go see Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. I wanted to go early in the day on Wednesday at Mann's Chinese Theatre, but the day got away from us and the date never took place. And now it's too late.
I've now read reviews and heard reviews and, even though no major plot twists have been given away, I now feel as though I cannot see the movie. I mean, I can eventually... just not now.
So, if I ever do see a movie, which sometimes I do, it will always be on opening day, before I've had a chance to hear the buzz that differs from the studio's spin before the movie is out. Once I know what others think of the flick, I know I won't enjoy the movie as much. I'll always watch with a little bit of a nod toward whatever it is I've learned from those other sources, and then feel the need to argue points or to defend things that I, for whatever reason, didn't see the same way the reviewer or well-meaning friend may have.
Since movie-going is supposedly escapism, you can see where that burden of having to defend my likes and dislikes or a movie-maker's intentions does nothing to help me escape. It's just another assignment... and I'm full up.
Posted by bonnie at 4:06 PM
July 2, 2003
A Bit Off
So, I'm guessing that this is an annual thing for me: this malaise, this total boredom combined with an inability to sleep and supreme impatience with myself. Ugh. Don't like it one bit.
We are (well, Keith is, I was) puppy-sitting in Silverlake for 16 days. I had to come on home, though. Seems the neighbors there like to begin celebrating Independence Day early... and by firing their guns into the air. Don't like that. Also... very hot. And no DSL, no cable or DirecTV, no TiVo... (I'm such a tech snob now), which, while very productive for the first week (got lots of work done on the second book... which is now on Amazon.com--good lord, I MUST finish this thing--it's like they believe you when you say you're going to write a book... after you've proven that by writing one already), did not suit me once I got into the absolutely NO sleep thing. So, now back home, still feeling ugh. Glad to know it happens all the time (according to old journals) but also not so glad to have it happen at all.
Anyway, I've received no call that it's "go-time" for the third, fourth, and fifth casting jobs that I was told to plan on, come mid-June or so.
So, today, I sent my resumé out on four possible leads. Hate to move away from something that may come through with that ol' gang I love so much, but dammit, the money has smack run out. I let Katy and Sheila know that I may not be available when they finally do need me. That was hard to do, but also something I had to do, just out of respect for them and for my own prospects. I am definitely in a transitional place right now, and with my birthday coming up, that's not unexpected. As usual, I will celebrate My New Year's Day on July 11th, as January 1st means nothing to me. I have begun listing some resolutions, listing some qualities I care not to bring into the new year with me, etc.
None of that makes me feel any better. It's all just mind taffy at this point, and I'm bored bored bored bored bored.
Oh, I did see the photos of Chip's House and... MAN... yeah, that looks familiar, actually. What was it? There was a time Chip offered me $1000 to clean his house, top-to-bottom, but I had to be topless the whole time. I think the non-topless offer was $500 and I still said no. I did try to organize his comics every time I came over anyway (at least the ones in the bathroom).
Somehow, I think this will make me feel better.
TicTac is still in the body shop (Keith wrecked it two weeks ago) and will be there for at least another week. Grr.
I guess I have a bunch of little things going on that add up to "ugh." And really, any of the little things, alone, would suck a little. All at once and that's a lot of sucking.
Of course, Chip got me hooked on Friendster. Bastid. That's just addictive as all hell.
In news: Hollywood Happy Hour tomorrow. Woo hoo! AND The ActorsBone Flickering Image ShortsFest has put out the call for entries. I'm doing the screener wrangling again this year, so lemmeknow if you want to help out.
I guess that's about it. I really MUST finish that damn book. Sophomore Slump? What is this crap? Ugh.
Posted by bonnie at 8:13 PM