I'm Back!
Are you ready for my fabulous news? Here it is!
In my recent "O Happy Day!" post, I let you know that I got an interview with an agent. I was very nervous, but I worked hard on my monologue and picked out a killer outfit to wear. And it all paid off! I now officially have representation!
At first, I was worried that the interview wasn't going very well. I got there on time, but the agent was having a crazy morning, and I had to wait. Then, after I waited for awhile, she called me into her office, but she still had some calls to make, so I just sat there and listened in while she called about 10 guys to get them in to a last-minute audition for a beer commercial. But I felt a tiny spark of hope when, in between calls, she said, "You may be able to tell that I like pink. [She was wearing a pink poncho.] So, I like your sweater." My husband helped me pick out what to wear, and I felt that I had chosen wisely!
Anyway, she finally finished with her calls and was all apologetic, but I really didn't mind. It was cool to see the way things worked. She then talked a lot about the business and the types of jobs that were available and how much they paid. She seemed really knowlegeable and confident and I found myself trusting her. Finally, she asked if I had a monologue. By this point, I was feeling pretty comfortable, and I gave my monologue my all. At the end, she laughed and said it was cute, which is exactly the spirit in which it was intended. Finally, she asked if I was meeting with other agents, or if I wanted to think it over or if I wanted to go ahead and sign with her. Of course I wanted to sign with her! I'd heard really great things about her from a couple of other actors, and I liked to whole vibe of the place.
So, it's a done deal. She gave me a bunch of agency stickers to put on my pictures, and I re-did all my resumes with her contact information. Now, I just have to make a bunch more of my voiceover CDs and get those out to her, since she said that there is quite a bit of work for non-union female voiceover talent right now. Of course, the ultimate goal is to get into the unions, but I need to beef up my resume first.
I feel really, really proud of myself. Working as a professional actress has been my dream for 20 years, but it's been a tortuous road. When I was eight years old, to hear my mom tell it, I was reading the newspaper and found out about an audition for a play and begged her to take me down. She did, and I was cast as the littlest Cratchit in our community's production of A Christmas Carol. I had maybe three lines, but that did it. I loved being on stage. I started auditioning for other productions and I always got a part, but since they were usually musicals and my singing is rather atrocious, I never got a very big part. Once, I was one of the top few choices for Brigitta in The Sound of Music. Not getting that part was one of the biggest disappointments of my young life...I think I cried for about four hours straight. But still, I persevered. The problem was that in 7th grade, when I could finally take drama as an elective, it conflicted with my advanced math class. I hated math and didn't want to be in that class anyway. But my counselor insisted. In 8th grade, it was the same story.
My freshman year of high school, I went to a private school, partly because of their drama department. Guess what? The year I arrived, the school cut drama. As a sophomore, I transferred back to public school and again, drama was my top choice of elective. This time, it conflicted with honors English, and I wound up in yearbook. That wasn't all bad, because it set me on the path to journalism, but I never stopped wanting to be an actress. I even took the only drama course open to non-drama majors while I was at UCLA. For a few years while I lived in L.A., I pursued acting, but first I ran up too much credit card debt, and the next time around, I had wonderful new headshots, only to be diagnosed with cancer two months later. Now finally, finally, I feel like my dreams are coming true.
Of course, I know that having an agent is no guarantee of success. Hopefully, she can get me seen by casting directors, but it's still up to me to nail the audition and book the part. But I'm a lot closer than I was. And it feels great to have a little external validation. I mean, this agent wouldn't have taken me on if she didn't think I could make money for her. And now it's my goal to prove her right! Sooo...here goes!
In my recent "O Happy Day!" post, I let you know that I got an interview with an agent. I was very nervous, but I worked hard on my monologue and picked out a killer outfit to wear. And it all paid off! I now officially have representation!
At first, I was worried that the interview wasn't going very well. I got there on time, but the agent was having a crazy morning, and I had to wait. Then, after I waited for awhile, she called me into her office, but she still had some calls to make, so I just sat there and listened in while she called about 10 guys to get them in to a last-minute audition for a beer commercial. But I felt a tiny spark of hope when, in between calls, she said, "You may be able to tell that I like pink. [She was wearing a pink poncho.] So, I like your sweater." My husband helped me pick out what to wear, and I felt that I had chosen wisely!
Anyway, she finally finished with her calls and was all apologetic, but I really didn't mind. It was cool to see the way things worked. She then talked a lot about the business and the types of jobs that were available and how much they paid. She seemed really knowlegeable and confident and I found myself trusting her. Finally, she asked if I had a monologue. By this point, I was feeling pretty comfortable, and I gave my monologue my all. At the end, she laughed and said it was cute, which is exactly the spirit in which it was intended. Finally, she asked if I was meeting with other agents, or if I wanted to think it over or if I wanted to go ahead and sign with her. Of course I wanted to sign with her! I'd heard really great things about her from a couple of other actors, and I liked to whole vibe of the place.
So, it's a done deal. She gave me a bunch of agency stickers to put on my pictures, and I re-did all my resumes with her contact information. Now, I just have to make a bunch more of my voiceover CDs and get those out to her, since she said that there is quite a bit of work for non-union female voiceover talent right now. Of course, the ultimate goal is to get into the unions, but I need to beef up my resume first.
I feel really, really proud of myself. Working as a professional actress has been my dream for 20 years, but it's been a tortuous road. When I was eight years old, to hear my mom tell it, I was reading the newspaper and found out about an audition for a play and begged her to take me down. She did, and I was cast as the littlest Cratchit in our community's production of A Christmas Carol. I had maybe three lines, but that did it. I loved being on stage. I started auditioning for other productions and I always got a part, but since they were usually musicals and my singing is rather atrocious, I never got a very big part. Once, I was one of the top few choices for Brigitta in The Sound of Music. Not getting that part was one of the biggest disappointments of my young life...I think I cried for about four hours straight. But still, I persevered. The problem was that in 7th grade, when I could finally take drama as an elective, it conflicted with my advanced math class. I hated math and didn't want to be in that class anyway. But my counselor insisted. In 8th grade, it was the same story.
My freshman year of high school, I went to a private school, partly because of their drama department. Guess what? The year I arrived, the school cut drama. As a sophomore, I transferred back to public school and again, drama was my top choice of elective. This time, it conflicted with honors English, and I wound up in yearbook. That wasn't all bad, because it set me on the path to journalism, but I never stopped wanting to be an actress. I even took the only drama course open to non-drama majors while I was at UCLA. For a few years while I lived in L.A., I pursued acting, but first I ran up too much credit card debt, and the next time around, I had wonderful new headshots, only to be diagnosed with cancer two months later. Now finally, finally, I feel like my dreams are coming true.
Of course, I know that having an agent is no guarantee of success. Hopefully, she can get me seen by casting directors, but it's still up to me to nail the audition and book the part. But I'm a lot closer than I was. And it feels great to have a little external validation. I mean, this agent wouldn't have taken me on if she didn't think I could make money for her. And now it's my goal to prove her right! Sooo...here goes!
posted by Astera @ 10:29 PM
4 Comments:
At 10:35 PM,
Bruingirl said…
Congrats!!! That is so exciting!!! WOW! That is huge! I'm so proud of you for persevering! :) Don't forget us little people when you become rich and famous! ;-)
At 6:24 AM,
Anonymous said…
Well, I can hear the Oscar Winning Acceptance Speech...."And I would like to thank my mother for having been so supportive of my career and having driven me to that first audition....etc., etc., etc.."
This is wonderful news, Astera. I hope great things come from it. And I hope your family and husband will support your continued quest for faboulousness.
O Kanenas
At 4:54 PM,
Katie said…
Congratulations! I can't wait to hear what happens next!
At 7:49 PM,
Kelly Love said…
Big, giant congrats to you! I'm so happy to hear it and look forward to seeing you on the big screen...
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