Friday, May 27, 2011

A Much Needed Update...AGAIN!

Hey! Well, it has been a long while since I have posted on here. So, to catch up, I joined AFTRA, another union, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, on March 16, 2011. I thought I finally had enough money saved up to do it. So, I started posting for AFTRA background gigs and my first call was from Central Casting letting me know that I had been picked by the director of The Big C to be in a small scene as a doctor. I remember seeing the posting for it as "attractive" doctor and just did it on a whim. So, I was a bit surprised. I said I was a must join and they asked if I was willing to join and I said, yes, but fortunately had a few days to join before the shoot. And then got another call from Central Casting to be a featured role of a "decision maker/casting agent" on the sitcom Are We There Yet? and said I was also willing to join. But this time, I had to do it the next day.

I knew that if you were a must join, and had potential gigs coming up, you could do a payment plan. Which means that instead of paying the full amount of $1663.90 in one whole payment, you can pay $650 down and the rest in 4 payments over the following 4 months. I saw somewhere online where someone said you could just pay $300 down, but I learned that was incorrect. So when I checked my account, I only had $625. But thanks to my sister, Rachel, and overdraft protection on my checking account I marched up to the AFTRA office in midtown and paid the $650 (praying that my credit card didn't get denied because of that $25 shortage). I then called the casting director, Abbie, to let her know I joined. She sounded kinda frustrated and let me know that production of Are We There Yet? was cutting the number of background actors and that she would let me know soon. Great! I just joined AFTRA and my first gig wasn't going to happen.

A few minutes later she called to give me my check in number and wardrobe instructions and to call the hotline number later that evening for call times and location. It was a great experience and I got to work with Ted Lange (Isaac on The Love Boat) and get very featured in the episode "Kevin Gets A Commercial". The next day, Matt from Central calls me to let me know that The Big C has taken the scene I was going to be a doctor in out of the script and wouldn't be needed. Ah, well! Luckily, I ended up working regularly and got another show to replace it. I ended up working on The Big C later as a high school teacher where Laura Linney's character teaches. And I booked a total of 12 AFTRA background gigs in the following 4 weeks after I joined, which I found out is pretty good. I have really lucked out on the work. I'm not as busy as I want to be, but I just got here, so I will just have to see what comes of this. I also don't want to be in the background for the rest of my life, so I also know that I need to take a more proactive role and try to go out there an audition, audition, audition!

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