Week 363: Time to Return To My Roots

Weekly Written Review 

Most of 2017 has been directionless for me. The one thing I know for sure is that I'm completely done with my independent projects. I'm retired from wearing multiple hats and I couldn't be happier. As a result, I've put most of my energy and focus into the auditions...at least I try to, yet I've shifted gears before. Throughout my journey I shifted gears multiple times. There were times my web series was my focused. Other times the acting process was my focus. Back and forth my focus/energy would shift. Mentally I was done with one area and pro another. As for now, I'm completed done with these auditions. I have to find another route. This acting route isn't for me. I'll explain why.

Last week I had a callback and I was later put on avail. They called me personally. They called my agent. They gave me dates for the fitting and the shoot. Those dates came to past and they didn't even have the audacity to release me. I'm sorry that's just unacceptable. You don't call someone have them practically book out dates on your calendar and not take a moment to release the person. Who cares that I didn't get the part. Have the decency to release the actor. I just don't have time for this anymore. This might sound like I'm being negative but I'm not. This industry isn't interested in booking me for high paying projects and they're rarely interested in booking people that look like me all together.

What does this mean. For the sake of keeping my agents happy I'll continue to show up to the auditions but I know what time it is. I don't have time to waste anymore. Especially mentally. Everyone wants a big commercial pay out but after 7 years of doing this I'm not playing the fool anymore. I'm more than thankful than ever before for my $100.00 gigs here and there. Anymore than that I'm not bookable apparently.

What does this mean moving forward? It means I have to shift my focus back to late-night. Everything late-night. I got to find a shovel and start digging. I got to dig deeper then ever before. I got to dig like my life's on the line. The time is now. I'm everything and everything late-night focused and I couldn't be happier. So what's my strategy? Before I make a partial reveal let me share something with you about Sunday. On Sunday I was booked for a supporting role in a short film. The shoot was in Irvine so I had to rent a car. During lunch I ended up sharing my late night story with a young Asian actor. An older Jewish guy who I spoke to upon reveal joined our table and over heard my conversation. Sometime after lunch the Jewish guy whose name is David (David L.) He told me how impressed he was with my story and that he could see me as a late night host.

David then began to ask me questions about what I'm doing to get into late night. I answered in confident but honestly words have become redundant over years. I said things in the light of, "I don't have a blueprint. I'm finding clues and collecting puzzle piece everyday. Everyday I'm getting closer." I also may have told him about my additional accomplishments. David then specifically asked me have I reached to "so and so,". I quickly brushed it off. I've conditioned myself to believe you shouldn't invite yourself to the kings table. The king should invite you to the table. I explained that I believed my success in an abstract project such as the short film we were currently shooting may align me with the person I'm suppose to be in front of. One thing will lead to another and then boom, late night.

David, took a beat and told me some story about a woman. I don't remember the details. Somehow he tied that story with me and spoke with sincerity about what he saw in me. He said the saw my name linked with love. What really got me is when he said, that I'm here to make this world a better place. Those are the exact words I focused on with my prosperity bath on August 20th leading into total solar eclipse the next day. After that I decided to shut up and receive. I began to ponder, I realized that reaching out to anyone personally has never truly been a part of the plan. Maybe I sent out a few packages in 2009/2010 but nothing recently. I completely accepted David's message and I began to put my mind to work. My thoughts were so intense I couldn't sit down. I was pacing every square inch of the mansions first floor.

The interesting thing about this spark of inspiration is that it came from David. He's an interesting guy. He's an offbeat, quirky, jokester with an odd sense of humor. Some of his humor had heads turning. One person privately asked me if he was racist. He thought it was cool if someone asked me how I was doing that I should respond, "I'm in the black." He tied it to an accountant term. He asked me how I was doing a bunch of times that day and I reluctantly answered. His heart was in the right place but maybe not his jokes, lol.

Furthermore, David's words really resonated with me. He told me what's for you, is for you. At one point I told him every journey as a test and that's where I'm at... David debunked the notion of a test. He essentially said to go for what's rightfully yours and that it didn't matter if I knew the person or not. He highly encouraged me to reach out to a very specific person. His words opened up my soul and before the end of the shoot I decided to start writing some letters. One letter became a four page package. The effort of seeking out one person domino-ed into several potential contacts. Those contacts inspired a whole new strategic approach to claiming my throne. The power is in the pen once again. Knowing that this was my last week of my free IMDB pro trail my research became even more thorough.


Sunday, August 27, 2017

* Zipcar rental

* Short film - Procrastination and an interesting conversation with a Jewish guy. #Inspiration

* Power at LuLu's


Monday, August 28, 2017 

* VO audition sent

* Blogging...

* Tennis...

* Letter prep and emails sent...IMDB


Tuesday, August 29, 2017 

* Surprising email response from a manager...

* Network calling/research

* Storage/ Trader Joe's

* Library...Food for less...Dollar store


Wednesday, August 30, 2017 

* Letter writing continues...

* (4) VO's sent

* Package preparation continues...


Thursday, August 31, 2017 

* No damn commercial fitting

* Basketball/YMCA

* Audition SMC

* Dollar store/Staples for paper

* Letter package complete


Friday, September 1, 2017 

* Basketball/YMCA. Speaking of returning to my roots, I went back to my roots in basketball to the forward/center position and it paid off with a big win in the end.

* Dollar store...printing color copies at Staples...

* Post-office...4 packages sent

* Additional research


Saturday, September 2, 2017 

* Aaron's house editing

* 2 VO's sent

* Canceled IMDB

* Manager research...the unsolicited acceptance approach


As the quest continues...

The future of Late Night

Motown Maurice