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December 31, 2007
Current TV Obsessions
Like Greg Garcia, I had a TiVo that was bubbling over with shows to watch, around the first week of November.
Now, my beloved TiVo is empty. :(
(Luckily, there is no end to the number of hours of 90210 and The People's Court that I will happily consume.)
But with no Heroes, no Pushing Daisies, no Big Bang Theory to delight my nights (seriously, when I went to "select programs to record" last night--as I do every Sunday night on my TiVo--I wept. These huge bars of "To Be Announced" dominated the program grid--peppered only with Who Wants To Contract Hep-C, I Can Recall Fewer Lyrics Than You Can, and Watch People Squirm While They Lie About Their Opinions... each causing me to long, more and more, for The Donny and Marie Show), I have developed an affinity for the following excellent programming.
What It Takes (Reelz)
Absolutely lovely half-hour portraits of actors who have "made it" and how it is they have done exactly that. If there were a Self-Management for Actors TV series, this would be pretty dang close to it.
The Directors (Reelz)
I often talk about the importance of thinking like a producer. This show helps me understand the madness that is the creative and business-savvy successful Hollywood director. Wonderful.
Biography (A&E)
The classics never die. Now, I loves me some juicy E! True Hollywood Story as much as the next spectator, but there is something so classy, so cool, so educational about Biography. For instance, I am now officially obsessed with Carole Lombard. So much so that I may just update my HEROES section at my MySpace page. At the very least, I will be renting My Man Godfrey this week. That's for dayum sure.
Iconoclasts (Sundance)
Oh, my lordy! I have loved this show since it launched. It's inspiring and it teaches me things about people I find fascinating at levels I didn't know existed in their worlds, based on the coverage mainstream media provides. My latest favorite--to such an extent that I saved it on the TiVo to watch again (and honestly, I would've done that even if space were at a premium on that sucker)--is the one between Mike Myers and Deepak Chopra. I KNOW! But trust me... it is pure greatness (and you really don't get a sense of that from watching the clips at the site. Not at all).
So, that's where I've been finding my inspiration lately. How 'bout you?
Posted by bonnie at 5:08 PM | Comments (1)
December 29, 2007
My... Husband...
Eesh.
I know I've written about Keith's various disorders before.
Like the vacuum cleaner one. And the expired shaving cream one.
Like the dreams about buddy pic adventures with Archie.
Like the $100 book he spent 90 seconds with.
Like his secret love of the overplayed romantic comedy.
Like his baffling sense of logic, when it comes to grocery shopping.
Like his general tendency toward miscommunication.
But today, he may have topped 'em all. (Well, actually it was yesterday that he did it. But today that I learned about it. So.)
See, yesterday we had this big-ass meeting about the film I'm EP-ing and that meant we needed to tidy up from the holiday hubbub. And the general dustiness. And life. So, we scurried around to clean and I went into the kitchen and stepped squarely into a large, long puddle of sudsy water trailing from our dishwasher (which Keith had run).
"Naturally," I thought. "We're in a hurry to get the place lovely and there's a leak in our dishwasher. Nice." Keith cleans it all up and the meeting is rockstar, as is the one I had today for another project. When I get home, Keith is back from the market and running the dishwasher.
B: "Oh, it's fixed? What was wrong with it?"
K: "Um. I had used regular dishsoap, rather than dishwasher detergent."
B: *blink*
K: "That's why I have to run the dishwasher again. Now I bought detergent. The dishsoap didn't get the dishes clean enough."
B: "Of course it didn't. All of the water and suds came flowing into our kitchen floor!"
K: "Yeah."
B: "Why did you run the dishwasher with dishsoap?"
K: "We needed clean dishes."
B: "And you couldn't just HAND WASH THEM?"
K: "Nah. I just ran the dishwasher with the dishsoap instead."
B: "HAVE YOU NEVER SEEN A SITCOM FROM THE 1970S?!?"
K: "I just didn't use enough! That was the problem."
B: *blink*
Seriously. This is my life.
Posted by bonnie at 4:38 PM | Comments (5)
December 28, 2007
Dear Mom,
When we last held each other and spoke, I was an actress with a cool little survival job, interviewing casting directors for Back Stage West.
I am now an author, a columnist, a casting director, a public speaker, a *gulp* producer.
When we last held each other and spoke, I was a single gal, living in a studio apartment in Miracle Mile, pet-sitting as often as possible to get time with animals and in residences larger than one room.
I am now a married step-mother with custody of your cats (plus one of my own), living in a gorgeous two-bedroom ocean-view home just seven blocks from that very same ocean, happy to work from here, because "here" is so lovely.
When we last held each other and spoke, I was driving a super-cute 1990 Mazda Miata that I bought all by myself on my 19th birthday.
Some things never change. Hee! I do love that cute TicTac car (leaks and all)!
When we last held each other and spoke, I had come to the North Georgia Mountains to take care of you in your last days before pancreatic cancer would end you.
THEN
Art Weaver, Charlsie Simonds-Weaver, 1997
My last trip to Georgia was over three years ago, when I cast a TV show for E! and I have no plans to go back.
When we last held each other and spoke, I had been living in LA just under two years (after having done a 13-month stint in LA between undergrad and grad school).
Tomorrow will mark my ninth anniversary (this time) in LA. I'm a local. I can't imagine living anywhere else. I love this place and it loves me.
When we last held each other and spoke, there was so much uncertainty in my life.
I guess there still is.
But I'm better-equipped to handle it, it seems.
It's like--when you died seven years ago this morning--you were put in a much better position to direct traffic into and out of my life. And I always, always feel as though we are holding each other and speaking.
I just have to get quiet enough to recognize that truth sometimes.
I was happy then. I am happy now. You raised a happy child, Mom. What more could a mother want?
Posted by bonnie at 8:01 AM | Comments (5)
December 27, 2007
Yippee!
So, in addition to the two films I've been casting (and that I'm assured are both a GO for 2008, which means smaller role casting now that a few name actors are attached) and the film I'm both casting and exec producing (news on that one next week or so), I've just signed on to cast a $1M feature film shooting in Louisiana in late March.
It's a super-cute rom-com and I'm very excited about it. Breakdown should go out mid-next week.
Yippee!
PS--Brr! It's chillycold!
Posted by bonnie at 6:57 AM | Comments (1)
December 24, 2007
Why We Write: another must-read
I loved Greg Garcia's "Why We Write" essay (see where I posted about it here).
Well, now I see that Charlie Craig and Thania St. John have a dedicated site for these posts and I wanted to send you there for more wonderfulness. (Yes, that's totally a word.)
Today's offering is by Steve Levitan (Just Shoot Me). Just awesome.
Again, I urge you to go. Read. Be inspired. Remember why we love these brilliant, creative people.
Posted by bonnie at 11:13 AM | Comments (0)
December 23, 2007
2007 in Questions
(See also 2006 in Questions, 2005 in Questions, and 2004 in Questions.)
1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
Produce actor showcases for industry buyers.
2. Did you keep your 2007 resolutions? Will you make more for 2008?
I don't really do resolutions for each new year. I always have goals, and those change more frequently than annually, so... sure!
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Technically, Eitan's wife gave birth after I did last year's post, but that was still 2006. Um... a bunch of not-as-close close friends gave birth, but no one in the "inner circle," so to speak.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. My great aunt Bonnie (yes, after whom I was named) and my great aunt Heddy. Tough year.
5. What countries did you visit?
Honey, I didn't even leave the STATE this year.
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A slammin' bod. I'm just gonna put it out there. I'm pretty much as badass as they come... and you add in the body that I had a few years back and you've got "the total package." So, let's get back to that ass. ;)
7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory and why?
Probably October 23rd, since that's when my spec script got an audience at Tuesdays@9. It was huge, for me.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Producing the showcase and having loads of industry folks come out to scout talent, just because I promised them the actors would rock and they'd have a good time. Usually, your first time doing anything in this town is scary and sparsely-supported. Somehow, my reputation was good enough to take care of the "support" part of things. It was still dang scary.
9. What was your biggest failure?
That's tough. I certainly wish that we had hosted another Hollywood Happy Hour event this year. I'm sad that's over (or on such permanent hiatus that it's not coming together anytime soon). A part of me wishes I'd made the biggest life change I had started to make mid-year (but I celebrate that I'm moving forward on faith that not having made the change is okay, because there's hope... maybe). Deciding to go back on the pill means I'm not looking to have kids, like ever, and there's a sadness attached to that realization. But I don't know if any of that is failure as much as it's just LIFE, y'know?
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Ugh! Getting three teeth bonded... that's pain, baby. It counts! And I threw my lower back out, like, three times. Ugh.
11. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Steve Carell's, for damn sure. The jury in Eric's murderer's third trial.
12. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Where do I begin? AMPTP? Any number of politicians with a collective sense of entitlement? My husband? The paparazzi? Members of my family who fleeced another family member out of over a million dollars? Seriously. Where do I begin? Cowards, all.
13. Where did most of your money go?
Probably Sid and Nancy. Or, collectively, Dan Tana's. It's a toss-up, really. ;)
14. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The showcase. The web series based on the showcase. The trailer for Broken Windows. Getting to see my writing "come to life." Several times. Meeting with a superagent.
15. What song will always remind you of 2007?
Probably "Hey Ya," simply because it was the Uma Anthem. We even made it the curtain call to our first showcase.
16. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
Same.
b) thinner or fatter?
Same.
c) richer or poorer?
Same.
17. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Write. Seriously. I know I write all the time, but now that I'm stretching this sitcom muscle, I need to develop some major discipline in my non-non-fiction writing routine.
18. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Sleep. Yes, it's true. I've started sleeping more than my standard three hours for every 30 I'm up... and it's weird. To me.
19. How will you be spending Christmas?
Probably (hopefully) recovering from a massive hangover after having played over at the Vo-Tarqs on Xmas Eve. (This is the first year in seven that we've not done the "orphans gathering" for Christmas. I figure it's because I hired one of the hosts of this annual event this year and now our relationship is different. Eh. Whatevz. Life is bigger than that. I just hope I'm wrong.)
20. Did you fall in love in 2007?
I fall in love every minute of every day. Keith is very fortunate for this truth.
21. What was your favorite TV program?
"Studio 60" for the first part of 2007 (y'know, when we thought it might survive) and then probably "The Big Bang Theory" or "Chuck" or "Heroes" for that brief period of time we got to watch "real" shows before the strike. Since then? Um... I'd say shows like "The People's Court" and reruns of "90210." *sigh*
22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't hate. Not even the meanies who hate me. Nope. I don't hate 'em back. Life's too short for that nonsense and I'm just happy I've learned new ways to deal with the massive amounts of hate flung my way this year. Being high-profile will do that to a gal. *shrug* No biggie.
23. What was the best book you read?
Probably "Created By..." (but seriously I read a bunch of great books this year. I've already blogged about 'em. Good stuff).
24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
VHS or Beta, probably. (Although there have been a few.)
25. What did you want and get?
Happiness, fitness, success as a first-time producer, new opportunities based on the success of previous courageous ventures.
26. What did you want and not get?
A spot in the Warner Bros. TV fellowship. Goal weight. The truth from some people I trust... every single time.
27. What was your favorite film of this year?
Oooh. Good question. Um... is it disingenuous to say "Broken Windows" now? Hee! It was really good. I also really liked "The Simpsons Movie."
28. What did you do on your birthday? How old were you?
I think--not sure--I did absolutely NOTHING on my birthday. Yes, the exact opposite of last year's birthday. ;) I'm old. I'm 37. (And seriously, they should just go ahead and call "37" "40," since at 37, people feel that it's totally appropriate to approach you and say things like, "Oh, so. 37. Decided on no kids then?" and other asshole stuff like that. I remember turning 29 and having people say, "Oh, gosh! Are you okay?" Like I needed to back up my body's hard drive for the Y2K virus or something. There was going to be complete system failure at 30 or somesuch. Yeah, well, 37 is the new 29 and the assholery is much deeper.)
29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Immeasurably? Hmm. Probably having Quinn live with us year-round (coming soon!!!!) and making buttloads more money.
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Same as always: jeans, black cami tank, and a duster. I'm so predictable.
31. What kept you sane?
Ciroc vodka, my cats, my friends, sometimes Keith, and always laughter!!
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hmm... that's tough. This is the year I met more of my favorite "famous" people than ever before, but I guess... um... I was most cray-cray-crazy about Harvey Levin. I know, I know. That's disturbing. But it comes from a good place. I so totally loathed him for the past five years. Like, seriously, found him icky. And then I realized what he was doing, ingratiating himself as the expert on all celeb legal issues. And then he launched his TV show with everyone OTHER THAN HIM as the star. Brill. And that EP move (with years of strategy in place) is worth fancying in my book--at least for 2007.
33. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Strike. I know, I know. Outside of Hollywood, it's not political, but babe, here, it's THE hot-button issue. And it's still stirring me.
34. Who did you miss?
My mom, as always.
35. Who was the best new person you met?
Y'know, I've been dreading this question. I really, honestly, sincerely swear that I met at least a dozen "new people" who rocked my world in 2007. At least. And these are people whose impact in my life will be felt for years--if not decades--to come. So, I'm gonna punk out and leave it at that. 2007 was filled with intersections with great new people. Yay!
36. What valuable life lesson did you learn in 2007?
That sometimes it just takes getting through it to get through it.
37. What song lyrics sum up your year?
Darlin'
My lovely one
I know you could deceive me if you wanted to.
Dreamin'
Is all I do
I said I wish I could be somethin' that I might've been.
If my time is up,
Well, my head ain't down.
I swear I've seen your face around.
If you find I'm undermined,
I was only tryin' to meet you.
I never questioned it.
I just believed her... and the joke.
I guess that's just as well.
When my time is up,
Well, my head ain't down.
I swear I've seen your face around.
Leave your body undermined,
I was only just glad to meet you.
Posted by bonnie at 8:57 AM | Comments (6)
December 22, 2007
Why We Write: a must-read
So, while I was in the dentist chair, Nikki Finke posted the first in a series of essays called "Why We Write" (the brainchild of WGA members Charlie Craig and Thania St. John). I am now de-Novocained enough to use my computer for a moment. (And why do they only give a girl Motrin after such a painful procedure and assure her, "It'll do," for the pain?)
This first one is by Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl) and, like I said in this blog post's title, it's a must-read. Made me laugh and cry, as good writing is known to do.
Of course, they're looking for contributions from high-profile WGA members, but if they want my take on it, I'd recommend posts like "The Human Element," "The Strike," "Community, Creativity, and Cheers," and probably the last couple of paragraphs in "So, this was fun."
Go. Read. Be inspired. Remember why we love these brilliant, creative people.
Posted by bonnie at 1:05 AM | Comments (0)
December 21, 2007
I just have to say...
...that I would rather have LASIK surgery again than get three teeth bonded.
Any day.
(PS--Thankee Uku, for the most awesome dentist. He's perfect for me.)
Posted by bonnie at 1:37 PM | Comments (3)
December 20, 2007
Son of a...!
So, I've been nursing a mildly annoying toothache for... um... like 18 months now. Mildly annoying, I can put up with for, apparently, a really long time.
Until it becomes a pain of the excruciating (i.e.: squirreled away Vicodin) variety.
That means, now, instead of trying to go to the "girly doctor" during early drop-in hours tomorrow, I get to try and go to the dentist.
Either way, tomorrow looks like F-U-N, huh?
So, please send good-health, pain-free vibes in a beachward direction.
And don't bother trying to call.
Turns out the phoneline will start working again, randomly, at some point after we call to cancel the technician they're gonna send out to inspect it (y'know, because we don't want to spend the $90 to bring 'em out here if the phoneline is working, nor waste anyone's time, so we'll cancel the guy), and then it will stop working again. (Could this setup ever produce a short during the rain? Nah!)
And now that we've cancelled the guy, it's gonna be MONDAY before he can come out.
Any thoughts on how I can:
1. not be in pain
2. be productive
3. stay motivated
4. get through the "dark days"
will be muchly appreciated.
("Dark Days," somehow, don't get easier each year, even though I think they should. This is the anniversary of the period of time between the last time I ever heard my mother's voice (before the morphine took away her ability to speak) and the day I flew back to be with her 'til she died... only she passed away before I got home.)
(Yes, I know I did the right thing. My mother encouraged me to go back to LA after having been with her during the first--only--parts of her treatment, so I could get my life in order--after having left town so quickly upon her diagnosis--and then stay with her for the estimated six weeks left in her life. Who knew she'd die so quickly? (Twenty days after diagnosis.) Maybe she did. And maybe that's why she took care of me by sending me to LA to take care of MY life instead of hers.)
*sigh*
Least favorite part of the year.
And bonus no phone.
And bonus toothache.
And bonus girly doctor plans.
And bonus lack of motivation to do anything other than whine and play computer solitaire.
Bleh.
I don't even like posting this blog entry. Bad hoo-doo.
Maybe it'll get me off my ass to do some work, just having this "out there."
Vicodin makes work a little more interesting, at least.
But right now I'm totally distracted by the very odd for-TV-edits they've done on Big.
*sigh*
Posted by bonnie at 9:09 PM | Comments (2)
The Year in Review
(See also 2006, 2005, and 2004.)
Take the first line (or so) from the first post of each month of 2007. That's your Year In Review.
January 2007:
It's Quiet... Too Quiet
And I know why. Within a few hours, agents and managers will hit their offices and start in on follow-up calls for the auditions 250 of their clients had with us before this town shut down at close-of-business on the 15th of December.
February 2007:
*glee-filled giggle*
Heeeeeeeee! Welcome to the cast, Mister Keaton.
March 2007:
Uma Benefit Update: LOWER PRICE!!
Hi Guys, This just in! WE'RE LOWERING THE PRICE TO $30 PER TICKET!!!!
April 2007:
"Hey, Bon! Y U No Mo' Bloggy?"
Because I'm so FREAKIN' busy, y'all! Seriously! WOW. Producing a showcase is some WORK.
May 2007:
Cricket Feet Casting: Actors Showcase
Hey everyone, I'm really excited! After a great inaugural showcase last month, we are now producing the second version of the Cricket Feet Casting Actors Showcase under the direction of Emmy Award-winning director Anna Christopher!
June 2007:
Casting Is Exhausting!
Let me be more specific. Casting for the showcase is exhausting!
July 2007:
The Actors Voice, 7/2/07
Hi Everyone! Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.
August 2007:
Showcase News: Director HIRED, Call for SCENES!
It is with great yippee-filled glee that I announce our November 2007 showcase DIRECTOR, the inimitable rockstar hyphenate: Annie Wood!
September 2007:
The Actors Voice, 9/3/07
Hi Everyone! Here's how today's The Actors Voice starts out.
October 2007:
Fixing a Hole
It's like magic when this happens. (And it doesn't happen often.)
November 2007:
Call Me a Cockeyed Optimist
I really thought we could make it through. No WGA strike. No work stoppage in Hollywood. I had hope. I had optimism. I had delusions.
December 2007:
Saturday Night Search Party
Holy hell, has it really been a year since my last BonBlogs Search Party? Wow! Yes it has!
===========
Moral of the story? 2007 was a year of WORK, y'all. I think I'm feelin' that.
Posted by bonnie at 4:26 AM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2007
A-ha!
So, here's what happens when it rains in Southern California.
(Well, when your phone box crap lives outside.)
(Exposed.)
(To the elements.)
You have no phone for 40 hours. (But you have DSL and TiVo connectivity, proving it's not a line-inside-the-house issue.)
Hee!
I have to say, I enjoyed the break.
Let it rain again, baby! :)
Posted by bonnie at 10:19 PM | Comments (0)
December 18, 2007
You'd Think.
You would think that I would enjoy a day in which my phone is out of service (seriously. "Ringing busy" to callers and no dialtone here, although we have TiVo and DSL connectivity).
That I'd love the calm. The quiet. Goes with the rain, right?
Instead, I'm anxious that I'm missing some key calls regarding... well... a few new deals I have brewing (yup, it's true. I'm gonna EP a movie in 2008).
Enjoy the quiet, Bon.
I'm workin' on it. ;)
Posted by bonnie at 6:30 PM | Comments (1)
December 17, 2007
My Heroes.
So, I did this thing over at the SAG Foundation with the cast of Heroes this weekend.
Hee!
L-R:
Me: Having a total "dear diary" moment.
Noah: The most together, mature, brilliant person in the room. I love balanced kid-actors. They really should be more of a focus than the out-of-balance ones that get most of the press.
James: Of course, James and I have known each other forever, so it was really fun to catch up on all that's happened since we last saw each other (pre-Heroes).
Jack: I love this guy. He was great last time and this time too. Just so giving and wonderful and FUNNY.
Dana: She actually arrived before *I* did! Really sweet and happy to be playing someone older than 16 for the first time in her career.
Dania: Gorgeous. Like, stunningly, distractingly so. And so gracious and happy to be there. Lovely.
Sendhil: Sweet, quiet, enjoying the prep for arrival of his new baby (and taking a ribbing over the name choices he's considering).
Rachel: Fun SAG Foundation rep. Also having a good time. Always. ;)
Adrian: Wow. He's way hot. And political. I love that combination.
Masi: So nice and happy to be alive.
Milo: My new favorite person. Ever. Seriously, this guy is so "livin' it right" that I adore him that much more. Awesome.
David: Ah, you know I've tried to cast him three times now (and it almost took, one of those times). So, this was an especially fun meeting, filled with jokes and laughs and knuckle-touches. This guy is always on... and I love it!
Jesse: Rarely photographed and often under-appreciated Jesse of SAG Foundation. She and I have known each other for YEARS and she just rocks.
Not pictured:
Hayden: Wow. Talk about "head on straight." This girl is seriously smart, savvy, and a total pro. Great perspective and simply lovely.
Zach: Such a cutie! Like a little kid: wide-eyed and happy and filled with smiles. Love his storytelling too! Cute!
Not in attendance:
Greg: My fellow lefty-born-on-7/11 friend. He was awesome last time but woke up sick for this event. Boo!
Ali: We knew she wasn't coming prior to the day of, due to another professional commitment. Bummer. I'm a big fan.
Kristen: Another actor I've tried to cast before! She called in unavail the day of. We'll have to catch up later. ;)
The most-repeated word in this blog post is HAPPY for a reason. This cast really, really, really is filled with love and gratitude and joy for the process and their place in it. You meet some casts and can feel the undercurrent of "not good." Not with these folks! That's a happy set, and I think THAT--as much as the brilliant writing and commitment to genuinely fine storytelling--is the recipe for the phenomenal level of success this show is finding.
Posted by bonnie at 11:18 PM | Comments (2)
December 14, 2007
SMFA3 Cover Leaked!
Yes, it's true! Way sooner than we were ready for it to happen, the lovely cover for the 3rd edition of Self-Management for Actors popped up on the French version (I know!) of Amazon.com, and that meant it was only a matter of hours before everyone got a sneak peek.
So... here 'tis.
Thank you, Shelley, for doing such lovely work! Hee!
I've taken a break from content work to update the Self-Management for Actors website and MySpace page. Yeah, I still need to update the contributors' area, plus TOC and testimonials, but you get the idea. ;)
Thanks, everyone, for the relentless support. Y'all rock. And I really am grateful to you for reading!!
Cheers,
-Bon.
Posted by bonnie at 3:53 AM | Comments (5)
December 13, 2007
2007 in Photos
This is my attempt at doing the year-end 12 of 12 without actually having done all 12 of the 12s of 12 this year. ;)
What a great year! (Look for more recaps to come in the next few days. I'm using these memes as ways of procrastinating work on SMFA, 3rd ed. Hee!)
Posted by bonnie at 6:05 PM | Comments (2)
December 12, 2007
Happy Birthday, Quinn!
Today, my beautiful stepson Quinn is NINE.
And today Quinn gave a wonderful present to his dad and me: a 46-minute long phonecall.
We love you too, Quinn. Can't wait to see you in just a few short months. (Oh, how we love it when it's closer to your next visit than your last!) Happy, happy birthday!
Posted by bonnie at 2:23 PM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2007
SAG Foundation Events, Saturday & Monday
Just got contacted by the wonderful folks over at the SAG Foundation and I--along with my fellow Actors Access/Showfax columnist Mark Sikes--will be putting on a SAG Liferaft Seminar as a part of their PREP FOR PILOT SEASON series. We're going to focus on headshots and resumés, making sure actors are presenting themselves in their most marketable light.
If you're a member of SAG, you can sign up right now using the link below.
http://www.sagfoundation.org/cgi-bin/event.cgi?session_file=&site_category=liferaft&date=20071217y
This event will take place on Monday, December 17th from 1pm to 3pm at the James Cagney Room at SAG. Please bring your headshots and resumés and check in early to get your materials reviewed by us in front of the whole group. :)
Very excited to do another seminar with SAG Foundation (I'm also moderating a talk with the entire cast of HEROES on Saturday the 15th, and you can RSVP for that event here: http://www.sagfoundation.org/cgi-bin/event.cgi?session_file=&site_category=conversations&date=20071215 if you'd like).
Thanks, everyone, for your support of SAG Foundation activities.
See you soon,
-Bon.
Cricket Feet, Inc.
Posted by bonnie at 4:30 PM | Comments (1)
December 5, 2007
9 Things
Okay, so I'm gonna do this survey thingy (nabbed from the lovely Sarah) and then I'm gonna tell you something really sad about my biggest reason for wanting the strike to be over.
9 Lasts
Last dollar spent: parking at Tuesdays@9.
Last cigarette: I'm sure I took a drag off someone's at some drunken party somewhere at some point, but I haven't had an entire cigarette in a long while... and I then coughed for days.
Last beverage: ice water.
Last movie: A Beautiful Mind (and I swear I am certain I'm meeting fictional people ever since I saw it).
Last phone call: hmm... I don't really do the phone, but I left a message for Keith last night. Last call received from someone trying to buy Casting Qs (good luck with that).
Last song played: "Bootystitious" mash-up of Destiny's Child and Stevie Wonder (greatness).
Last bubble bath: two weeks ago, with this yummy chocolate bubble bath stuff that a manager friend gave me (along with chocolate scrub and chocolate lotion and a cool CD by one of his clients... plus a bunch of headshots, of course). Hee!
Last time you cried: yesterday? Day before? Definitely.
Last thing you ate: Houston's takeout sushi! Yum!
8 Have You Evers
Have you ever dated a best friend: of course.
Have you ever skinny dipped: of course.
Have you ever kissed somebody and regretted it: of course.
Have you ever lost someone you loved: of course.
Have you ever been dumped: nope. Wow. How'd I miss that?
Have you ever been drunk and threw up: of course.
Have you ever run away: during a fight, in anger, swearing never to come back. Sure.
Have you ever wanted someone you thought you couldn't have then found out they liked you: of course.
7 States You've Been To
Georgia, California, New York, Hawaii, Texas, Florida, Utah...
6 Things You've Done Today
Made an appointment with my chiropractor.
Washed my hair.
Answered emails.
Watched an episode of 90210.
Printed copies of my scene for next week's Tuesdays@9.
Confirmed a meeting and a playdate for Friday.
5 Favorite Things
Humor.
Intelligence.
Freedom.
Laughter.
Cuddling.
4 People You Can Tell Anything
Keith.
Anna (not telling you which one, because this answer allows me to name three people at once, which is appropriate).
Milissa.
Faith.
3 Things That Make You Smile
My cute car.
My cute cats.
My awesome life.
2 Things You Want To Do Before You Die
Travel the world with no limits on length of vacation or money spent.
See The Bucket List. (Heh heh... get it?)
1 Thing You Can't Live Without
My faith in everything.
And now... ready for my big, fat, selfish reason I want the strike to end?
I am so freakin' tired of using the same MySpace profile photo for the past five weeks! I'm the type of person who changes her profile photo several times a DAY, for cryin' out loud.
Posted by bonnie at 1:31 PM | Comments (3)
December 3, 2007
Better Get To Work!
Ack!
So, I get this Google Alert on Self-Management for Actors.
And I realize the ISBN is not the ISBN of the existing edition(s) of Self-Management for Actors.
So I decide to check it out.
Ruh-roh. That's the 3rd edition up on BN.com!
On Amazon.com too!
And that's definitely not the 2nd edition that's showin' up.
So... um... I'd better get to work. Already way behind my first two deadlines.
Way.
'scuse me if I seem MIA for a bit, here. I gotta get this sucker to the printer--and fast! Yowza!
Posted by bonnie at 11:54 AM | Comments (1)
December 2, 2007
The Actors Voice, 12/3/07
Hi Everyone!
Here's how tomorrow's The Actors Voice starts out.
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Rookie Orientation
For our first anniversary, my husband and I went to an amazing spa/resort place with his precious son (my precious stepson). (Don't worry. It was located near a really cool amusement park, and the boys had multi-day passes while I got wrapped in goo and rubbed and pampered for hours on end, each day bookended by family meals and activities.) When we checked in, we were made aware that our neighbors in the bungalow we'd rented were NFL players. More specifically, they were seasoned NFL players brought in to do talks and sessions during a week of "Rookie Orientation."
Now, I don't know about you, but I'd never heard of Rookie Orientation, and the idea of some NFL hero next door to us for a few days was endlessly amusing to me. Turns out, after players are recruited to NFL teams, they go through an intense process of being groomed for the non-field parts of their lives as pro ballplayers.
What a great idea! Before experiencing the first game of your first pro season, you train physically, of course. You study the playbooks. You learn about everything that will impact your time on the field. But before you do press, before you begin fielding offers from throngs of sponsors wanting to have you endorse their products, before you find yourself faced with adoring fans who have no limits to how much they'd like to express their worship for you, you have Rookie Orientation. I love it! Now, how can we create such a thing for the future pros in showbiz? And what should that Rookie Orientation include?
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Continue reading this column in the morning, along with a Your Turn request for help on an upcoming series about kid actors at Showfax.com.
And!!
Be sure to visit The Actors Voice: POV for a POV from demo reel editor Robert Campbell.
As always, THANK YOU for reading!
Woo hoo!
Cheers,
-Bon.
Live your dreams! If you don't, someone else will.
Posted by bonnie at 9:51 PM | Comments (0)
December 1, 2007
Saturday Night Search Party
Holy hell, has it really been a year since my last BonBlogs Search Party? Wow! Yes it has!
Okay, so I blame the MySpace. Because, y'know, more people are visiting me there than here and I can't track what's sending people to those pages (despite what those cool, scantily-clad-women-illustrated ads tell me I could do, if I were to just click-click-click).
That said, I do still get a fair number of visitors here to the BonBlogs (thank you, Chip, for the li'l corner of the SpyNotebook) and here's some of what's been bringing people here in the past year.
actors help the wga: Yes, they do. And writers will remember this, when/if actors have to strike in a few months. God help us all.
april 11, 2006 is $189,000,000: Good Lord, how did this search land here? Did I miss scratching a lottery ticket somewhere? Dammit, Keith! Why do you wash your jeans without emptying your pockets?!?
arguing on the internet competing in special olympics poster: Ah, yes. A favorite quote about message board bickering. Not sure I have a poster for that, but I sure as shit have a strategy for dealing with the jaggoffs I want to throttle. I Google 'em. If they're actors, I bring 'em up in the casting databases. Suddenly, the loud, obnoxious jay-holes who want to put me in my place are a lot easier to ignore. (Remember that line from Family Guy's Brian? Anything on that remote lower than MUTE? Yeah.)
arm involuntarily curls when yawning: Cool. It's like a workout for narcoleptics. (Ironic on both counts that this would lead to a search of my blog.)
casting director blogger: *waves* Hi!
casting posters, trailers: Only of those I've cast (and dammit, I need to update the Cricket Feet website again... sheesh. Is it time to hire a web guy? I'm so out of date lately), here.
Do you think that the tobacco companies should pay for people's medical bills?: Yes. But only for the rectal exams.
dream of someone throwing darts at me: But do they hit you? I think that's the more important question.
"freaked out" blog: Damn. I have my moments, but in general?
gimlet night: Yay! I love that the "gimlet night" has become a search item! It's an event Dawn, Michelle, Faith, and I dubbed after gathering to sip lovely vodka drinks (not always gimlets, but that was what we had first--since it was my (then) new fave) and to catch up like only we can. It's been far too long, ladies. Before year-end, right? RIGHT?
"good vibes" "promotional code": Okay, I search for promo codes when I shop online like everyone else, but really? Are there "good vibes" codes out there? Sign me up!
how do you get inside a notebook: Um... not to sound like a dick, but, um... opposable thumbs seem to help.
how late should eat last meal if working out: When are you working out? I go to the gym after midnight and my "last meal" is probably around 7pm (just like Oprah), but then, if I'm up 'til 6am, I'll eat again after the gym. Ugh... are you sure you want to land here with that question? I mean, really.
how to cast on while work in progress: Is this a knitting question? Again... really?
is it okay to eat gravy that sat out: Aw, this is just too funny. I burn water when I cook. What would I know? Keith bakes it and I eat it. (Should I be worried?)
it could have been worse jac: Yes. It could've been worse. You could've lost a more essential letter than the "K" at the end.
katie murff trotter: I didn't even Google to find out what this *might* really be. I just lurved it so much as a "sound" that I included it. Bring on the follow-up searches!
lemonface: No doubt, one of the best young bands today. I am not kidding. They rock. Love 'em. (Especially Dana. No offense, boys.)
mario cantone + ant: No, no, no. It's not "Mario Cantone plus Ant." It's "Mario Cantone is Ant! Duh.
neck deep + pictures: I have no idea why this started turning up in my searches, but it's there. A lot. I'm disturbed in that same way my mom probably was when she wasn't sure whether "huffing" meant "a sex thing."
pictures of Camille off of 90210: Don't have any. But--fun fact--the actress who played Camille also played a character the season before who was asked out by Steve and Brandon (with those two not being smart enough to understand that she and her "roommate" were girlfriends--it was the '90s and all). One of several actors who did multiple roles during a 90210 tenure. Should we take on the world with our trivia prowess, Stephen? ;)
principal vs. principle: Dude. Seriously. I am so happy people care enough to search this shit out. Read it. Bookmark it. While you're at it, bookmark this one too. And this one. And this one. I'm just sayin'. (And thank you.)
recent actors: "Recent" or "Resent"? Eh. I love 'em, no matter how current they are.
SALEMA: Ah, that's my little girl kitty! She's so pretty.
spasm baby hand arm: Aww... this almost reminds my of my Somesuch friends. Miss y'all! It's been way too long.
suddenly I miss someone: Aww... me too! It's cool how this one came in right after the "I miss my Somesuchers" one. Aww.
talent manager bonnie gillespie: Nope. Not in a loooooong time. And probably not again. Want to hemorrhage money? Become a manager. It's tough!
tight size 14 jeans: My goal. Woo!
tweeds clothings: Okay, I get a buttload of searches for Tweeds. And I get a TON of emails after people find my post about how much I miss my beloved Tweeds Catalogue and, by extension, my Tweeds Clothing and Shoes and Jewelry. Waaaah! I really, really, really do miss 'em. But I love the emails. It's like we're all members of this club of really well-dressed (one and two decades ago, anyway) ladies who loved clothing in colors named in pretentious but crafty ways. *sigh*
What casting websites actually work?: Um... they all seem to "work" (if by "work" you mean "load"). As for which ones casting directors use, I'd check the message boards at Showfax.com and my columns, of course. I'm not unbiased, but I'll always tell it like it is, even so.
what is the "mother tooth": No clue. But it sounds interesting.
what is the dumbest thing: Attempting to get different results by doing the same thing, over and over.
what kind of car did dylan drive in 90210: Have I mentioned that I love 90210 searches landing here? Hee! It was a cool car. ;) That's all I'm saying.
what's a corsage?: According to badass Jessica Bendinger, it's the universal symbol for "whipped." Good enough for you?
writers are selfish: This is only funny if a writer Googled it. Y'know, 'cause it's all about me. ;)
Hope y'all enjoyed the search party!
Happy weekend! Whee! :)
Posted by bonnie at 8:24 PM | Comments (0)