Posts Tagged ‘Acting Lessons’

embrace it!

I’m a huge fan of Jason Katims. HUGE. His shows have so much heart they always stay with me after. He was a big part of making two of my all-time faves, the faves of so many… Friday Night Lights and Parenthood.

AS WE SEE IT:  a Comedy? Drama? Dramcomedy? Comdrama?

AS WE SEE IT  on Amazon Prime has the heart and soul of Katim’s trademark, but with lots of twists and turns. I’ve never seen a show quite like it. And you don’t have to take just my word for it, it has an audience score of 100 on Rotten Tomatoes.

It’s about three Autistic Twentysomethings trying to figure out how to fit in. And it’s actually played by three amazingly-talented actors who are on the spectrum themselves. I know it sounds serious, but it’s not. It’s funny and charming and very real and relatable… we all want to fit in, right?

AS WE SEE IT’s Harrison, Violet and Jack

Wants and Needs —

• Harrison (Albert Rutecki) wants to stop being afraid to leave house.
• Violet (Sue Ann Pien) wants a boyfriend
• Jack (Rick Glassman) wants to take care of his father who is taking care of him.
  (And I want it to already be the second season, so there’s more to watch, haha.)

Mandy (Sosie Bacon) plays the Den Mother/Aid with never-ending compassion who’s running away from her own life — or at least trying to figure it out. I first noticed Bacon in MARE OF EASTTOWN. With talent-genes from her parents Kyra Sedgwick & Kevin Bacon, Sosie shows all of the layers of Mandy in AS WE SEE IT.

Adapted from the Israeli comedy series “On the Spectrum,” AS WE SEE IT is lightness and laughter as Harrison, Violet and Jack face their fears —  frequently with catastrophic results (something else I totally relate to).

As I see it, everyone should give AS WE SEE IT a look… It’s that good!

I barely feel like an Actress or an ER Volunteer…

Remember how they said ER Volunteers could come back to my hospital last month? Well, we’re still not back.

Waiting for my COMEBACK!

Charlayne, my supervisor, had us take a brush-up written test. Did that. Aced it. Then a health check-up. Did that. Then we had to get a flu shot. Did that.

Then she sent an email about a mandatory Booster. Have that.

Then she added a Zoom meeting to go over all over the new Covid rules. Sat in on that.

We learned how we must now enter the hospital through a tent, then wait in line for a temp check, then pick-up two hospital masks (to be worn at the same time) and then get a daily badge to wear in addition to our regular badge. Haven’t done any of that yet, because Charlayne’s now supposed to tell us one-by-one when we can go back.

This is starting to feel like waiting for a callback…

To make things worse… haven’t heard from Dr. A in forever...

Or my Agent!

I’m SO OVER IT!

Oh, and I can’t take my homemade goodies to the doctors and nurses anymore because now the staff isn’t allowed to eat in the hospital!) But, it seems like the hospital isn’t the only organization that keeps changing its mind because the CDC is continually Covid-confused too.

On the good side…

Since I’m not doing anything I haven’t made any MISTAKES lately. haha.

And since I’m on auto-Purelling as a way of life after working in the ER for so long, I haven’t gotten Delta, Omacron or any kind of Covid yet. Fingers crossed.

Oh, and I’ve been going on okay-during-Covid-WALKS with a really cute boy in my neighborhood whose name I’m keeping private at the moment;) Not exactly romantic, but at least we don’t have to wear masks and he can see my smile:)

Hang in there Evie, haha …

Promising Young Woman is a rollercoaster ride disguised as a thriller-dark comedy-revenge flick? As someone who used to be a Promising Young Woman I related, though Cassie’s situation is wayyyy different from mine — with a different ending, hopefully;)  But, we were both on the road to success before WHAM! Something happened to change everything.

Enough on my situation — let’s get to why this film affected me so profoundly. Like life, it never goes the way you expect it to. Like an old Hitchcock film, it keeps you on the tip of your toes from the beginning to the end. And like any really good film, it makes you think about it for a long time after.

It’s not what you think —

I thought I’d be watching a woman’s revenge vigilante pic, but it’s not exactly that. You’re never quite sure what Cassie (played by the mega-talented Carey Mulligan) is up to — maybe it’s because she’s not sure how far she’ll go herself. Read the rest of this entry »

I love films. Love being in them, working on them, watching them and hearing about them in Q&As. I try to see EVERYTHING.

Summer is usually a challenge because I’m not into blockbusters. But this summer’s smaller films have touched me deeply… and have left me thinking about them long after I’ve left the theatre. Yeah, I still like seeing films on the big screen. I prefer watching movies with big audiences. Laughter’s contagious and more intense in a crowd, like the higher connection you feel when you’re at sitting in an outdoor amphitheater listening to a concert under the stars where the music’s really loud. It takes you to another place…

These three films took me to another place…

CIVIL RIGHTS infused with humor

BlackkKlansman –

Spike Lee couldn’t have picked a more important time to release this sly and chilling black-and-white expose.

With our country divided in such an ugly way right now, I wish everyone could see this film, In this true story, John David Washington (Denzel’s son) plays passionate undercover cop, Ron Stallworth who infiltrates the KKK on the phone, then drags an unlikely partner played by Adam Driver, into a courageous and crazy caper fooling members of the Klan and leader David Duke deliciously. Spike Lee’s film about racism, rebellion and working within the system forces us to face the realities of our past, present and future. Horrific scenes from Charlottesville remind us Ron Stallworth’s fight is far from over. BlackkKlansman is an important film to see. Really important.

Blindspotting —

Daveed Digs and Rafael Casal opening weekend in L.A.

Two life-long friends, convicted felon Collin (Daveed Diggs) and troublemaker Miles (Rafael Casal), try to get through the last three days of Collin’s year-long probation, when Collin witnesses a white cop shoot an innocent black man in cold blood and then ends up with a gun while he can’t stop thinking about what he has seen. Stars and Writers, Diggs and Casal, explore new and old worlds, racial biases, and the push-pull of an intense and complicated friendship set in the gentrification of modern day Oakland.  Loyalty and self-preservation clash in frightening situations with sweet moments. Blindspotting is unlike any film I’ve seen before. Worth seeing.  

COMEDY infused with anxiety

Eighth Grade –

Elsie Fisher and Bo Burnham in a Q&A at the Landmark in West L.A.

OMG! If I hadn’t already gotten through that grade in school, this film would’ve scared the s—t out of me! I’m sure I would’ve begged to be home schooled, ahaha!

Awkward with a capital “A,” Bo Burnham’s sensitive portrait of a shy middle schooler is stressful yet refreshing, lonely yet universal and depressing yet hopeful.  It’s like a real life horror movie that we can laugh at because we’ve been through it and survived. Eighth Grade is really good and btw, Elsie Fisher is the real deal, breaking out in more ways than one, ahaha.

I’ve got this love/hate situation going with the two jobs in my life: Volunteering and Acting.  They sorta counter-balance each other and fill up different parts of me. I got into acting by accident, and forced into volunteering — but I can’t seem to give either of them up.

What I LOVE about VOLUNTEERING IN THE ER

• The Rush
• Helping Patients in need
• Working with dedicated Staff
• Making patients LAUGH
• Feeling Appreciated
• Giving Back
• Hanging-out with my Hot Doc
• Witnessing miracles
• Halloween in the ER
• Being called an “Angel”
• Finding the funny in the ER

What I HATE about VOLUNTEERING IN THE ER

• Blood
• Vomit
• Stinky Smells
• Bad News
• Crabby Staff
• Seeing Pain
• Screams
• Death
• Pelvic exams
• Demanding Family Members

What I LOVE about ACTING

• Working with talented Directors
• Working with talented Actors
• The Rush
• Being in the zone
• Getting Laughs
• Supportive Casting Directors
• Call-backs
• Nailing it
• Red Carpets
• Being Recognized
• Fans

What I HATE about ACTING

• Rejection
• Insecurity
• Feeling nervous
• No Call-back
• Distracted Casting Directors
• Not being Recognized
• Depending on it
• Being Typecast

I love living in L.A. I love seeing Independent Films on opening weekend with Q&As by Directors or Writers or Actors. These usually happen at The Landmark, Arclight or Sundance Cinemas on Sunset. And they’re easy to get into if you buy your tickets online in advance.

Just saw two good films, DEAN and BAND AID, each with Q&A’s led by a lead Actor who’s also the Director and the Writer of his/her film.

Demetri Martin (DEAN) and Zoe Lister-Jones (BAND AID) are the Triple Threats possessing talent that crosses over into just about everywhere. These Hollywood Hybrids have stick-to-itiveness, charisma and the courage to turn their dreams into financed films, Festival Darlings and films that open with Q&As in major cities.

Like me and most Actors (except for maybe Actors like Jennifer Lawrence and Dwayne Johnson) Martin and Lister-Jones became frustrated with a system in which Actors are at the mercy of someone else’s vision and conflicting priorities. Unlike me, they’ve got the balls to go all the way.

Demetri Martin is the heart and soul of DEAN

Martin is more than a Triple Threat, he’s a Quadruple! Yes, besides being the Director, Writer + Talent, he’s also the Illustrator of charming sketches that share the screen with live action and offer insight into the mind and mood of the main character, “Dean.” Martin’s very personal film is about loss, love and coming-of-age. He’s surrounded himself with a talented cast, including Gillian Jacobs, Reid Scott, Kevin Klein and Mary Steenburgen and has allowed them the freedom to do what they do best. The film’s got cool music and cool images. Martin tells his heartfelt story in a very funny and relatable way.

Speaking of relatable, that’s how I’d describe Demetri Martin. He’s hilarious, but never in that typically Stand-up Comic “ON” sorta way. His talent and humor sneak up on you. I loved hearing his stories about his trip to the East Coast to pitch Kevin Kline and how that meal changed everything — or how Martin struggled to stay in character on set when the next day’s location had just fallen through completely.

Zoe Lister-Jones’s BAND AID is about love, pain and rock ‘n roll therapy

BAND AID’S premise spoke to me immediately when I saw the trailer: “Young Couple (Zoe Lister-Jones and fabulous Adam Pally from The Mindy Project) starts a band and turn raw-and-real fights into songs to save a marriage.”

Lister-Jones is the Director, Writer, Female Lead and the actual, songwriter,  so she too is a Quadruple Threat. Kudos to Lister-Jones for hiring an all-female crew and for surrounding herself with smart Actors who are known for comedy, but can expose dramatic truths. Lister-Jones is one of the best parts of LIFE IN PIECES, but you can really see her incredible range and willingness to show vulnerability in BAND AID. Adam Pally’s really impressive in the way he does double-duty with his voice saying one thing, while delivering an even more powerful message with his eyes — particularly in the last Act. Read the rest of this entry »

… when the contract EXPIRES!

Will Writers Strike?

I hope they won’t. Not after the long-term effects of the last strike. But I totally get why the WGA must fight for important deal points, just as SAG/AFTRA does to protect Actors. As the industry shifts from lengthy network series to condensed shows on premium channels (like HBO, Showtime) and streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu) traditional season orders get replaced with smaller episodes.  An insanely competitive field gets even more insane as the rules and opportunities change. Pay cuts result. Health plans become unhealthy (aka nearly bankrupt.) Writers and their families get SCARED.

Fears Rise from PRIMETIME TO DAYTIME

They’re down to the wire. It’s hard to know which way things’ll go. The effect of any strike always casts a wide net: Producers, Directors, Actors and everyone on set from the DP to the grip loses work. Everyone who supplies that set loses business.  Opportunities shrink. Bank accounts dwindle. Still bills must be paid. Businesses must go on.

As an Actor I hope-hope-hope there won’t be a work shutdown, along with its inevitable domino effect. The last time there was a writer’s strike, reality shows started multiplying obnoxiously. The work that was around wasn’t polished and it showed. Even with the best of intentions, side-effects of a strike can be painful to many. Read the rest of this entry »