MUSIC: "I Wanna Go" by Britney Spears
TIME: 8:10 PM
She's kind of like a Korean O-Ren Ishii, only her personality is more passive and she's very, very shy.
It's actually funny! The film is actually comedic despite the dark character I auditioned for, but like Alan says: "There's drama and conflict even in comedy!"
Lucky for me, Sun is actually the kind of role I aim to do. Not the traditional Korean girl (although, I have no problem playing a Korean or any sort of Asian girl who just crame fresh off the boat), but a role that's very dark. But even though Sun is a dark role (even darker than Lucy Lui's O-Ren Ishii), there's still something really funny and ironic about her that makes even myself laugh.
Again, though, I wasn't aiming to get the part. My biggest aim was to get my feet wet. The past week was emotional, because I was excited, but really worried about the accent part. A scene - fine. A monologue - great! An accent?! Oh boooyyyy! However, when it comes to going over the scene or the monologue, the last thing I worry about is the accent. It's actually the second-to-last thing I worry about, because not all scenes and monologues I've worked on required accents. The great thing about this is that Alan, my acting coach, let me go over the scene and the monologue slides with him for Thursday's session.
So, I had to put my scene from "Beyond Therapy" and my "Jenny" monologue on the backburner, which I was sad to do, because I LOVE my "Jenny" monologue - it actually has become my favorite one of the three (although it is - what I call - my "secret monologue" - the one I will only use if they ask for something that's more of a stretch for the auditions), and go through the new monologue and scene for the audition. I was pretty stricken, because I had so little time to go over the monologue and scene. And I had only one session to go over the scene and monologue with him. But I pulled myself together and just allowed it all come together - someway, somehow. I had to!
Also, Alan, being the genuine person he is, was really, really helpful. He and I went over the monologue and scene over the phone together, and he told me not to become overly obsessed with it, like most actors tend to do when they audition (and I thought I was the only one). Then, to help me with Sun's accent, he typed out the monologue for me with the same exact volcabulary of a generic Asian accent, which helped a lot. I was really, really, really touched when he did that! It was really, really sweet of him to do that for me, because he really didn't have to do that for me! :)
Now, on Saturday, I haven't been to Columbia University since 2005 when I did the audition for "Kimchi", but I remember how to get there on one of the "red trains", but I wasn't sure if it was the 1, 2, or 3, but then I found out it was the 1, so that worked out fine. Then, I had to look on the university's website to find where Dodge Hall was, but that didn't turn out to be a big issue either. I wasn't nervous about the audition. I was more nervous about finding Dodge Hall, being on time, and if I can nail the accent.
Although I was told this, I wasn't expecting to be on my feet for this audition, because like I said before, when I did my other two auditions back in 2005, I was sitting in a chair. The camera, I DID expect. Luckily for me, Sun was supposed to be nervous and frozen, so I didn't have to do too much movement (not that you would anyway for an audition on camera I guess). And at one point of the audition, I choked, and that struck some nervousness in me, which worked very well for the character. I mean, I'm not an expert at my craft or anything, but I tried to use the nervousness for the sake of my character's monologue. It worked!
By the time the audition was over, I was REALLY happy! Perhaps a little too happy, because when I went to go have lunch later on, I started dancing in the cafe a little bit with my chicken sandwhich at Roastown Coffee in Chelsea to Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" on the radio. (Yeah, imagine shaking your booty to that song, huh? Not neccessarily a song you'd dance to or go ape wild to, of course, unless you're a fanatical drummer or huge Phil Collins fan, I guess). But I was glad, too, because like I said before, I got what I wanted: I got my feet wet! I didn't care if the director liked me or if he didn't like me. I was so excited, because after struggling in the beginning of working with Alan and other things, I am once again putting myself out there. Where it will take me? I have not a clue, but only time will tell!
After a kick-ass day of auditioning, I talked to Alan on the phone for a while and he gave me some extra auditioning advice for me to remember the next time I book an auditon. I then treated myself to my first Shakespeare play - Twelfth Night - that my business coach, Erin Cronican, was starring in as Maria. Very delightful, too, and I was so proud of her and inspired by her performance!
So, overally, Saturday was BEAUTIFUL! Just BEAUTIFUL! =) I hated to see it end, but I think I've officially sealed my fate that day! I know an audition don't seem much to most actors, because we do it so much, but for me it was.
I mean, auditions and acting classes aren't paying gigs or something you can invite people to, but what I love about both is at least I am doing what I love to do! And to be honest with you, if I plan on doing this or aspire to be a working professional actor in New York or anywhere, I will be training for the rest of my professional life. No matter where this all takes me, whether I join a union in the way future or not, I won't ever stop training. You never stop learning, you know!
AUDITIONING GOALS WITH ERIN CRONICAN
Monday, I booked a session with my coach, Erin Cronican, and it was a great session, because we both went over the goals of auditioning. I also learned a lot more about the art of auditioning, because she has shared with me some of her auditioning experiences. She advised me to buy myself an "audition log", where I can jot down my own experiences, whether they were good ones or bad ones, so I can learn to become better at it as time goes by. Believe it or not, auditioning is a skill itself. Pretty cool, huh? Very smart, too!
According to BOTH Alan and Erin, when you audition, you're not giving them a full-on performance like you would when doing a show. I guess that's why actors get so overwhelmed before auditions, because they mistaken them for performances rather than to see what they really are. It's not giving them what it is they want, it's really showing them what you can do. How you respond to the the spontaneities, the unexpected. So, auditioning, itself, is an artform in itself.
Now you see why I'm all for training with a great acting coach or at least training for the rest of your professional life! :)
After my session, it was the New York Actors' TweetUp, again, and the cool thing was seeing everybody and everybody asking me how my audition on Saturday went! Even the ones who don't use Facebook that often or even respond to statuses and whatnot were asking me. That meant a lot to me! It just shows how kind and how supportive my colleagues are. Also, it was great to meet other people again and see some familiar faces! Great night indeed!
So, it's been a week since my audition booking, but it was a very productive week! One of the happiest moments in my life! =) I can't wait to do it again someday! I also realize how lucky I am, because I really did surround myself with the best people, whom I couldn't do any of this without! Hopefully, I can be just as supporitve with them as they are with me!
And I also realized something else by the end of this very productive week: I STILL HAVE A LOT TO LEARN!!!!!! O_O
Oh...and one last thing, going back to both of my coaches: I'm happy to say that BOTH of my coaches are at the #1 spots on ActorRated.com in New York part for Acting classes and Career Advice and Acting Guides! Congrats!!!!
You see? I told you I'm working with the best coaches in New York City! But really, it's all in my hands. Remember that, fellow actors! Your coaches can help you and guide you, but they can't turn you into what you aspire to be! That's all you!
That's enough candy for now!
Cristina
http://www.cristinacho.net/
TIME: 8:10 PM
Oh my -- what a busy week it's been! An exciting one at that!
Hmmmm....how do I start?
THE THIRD AUDITION
As you may recall from my last blog entry about my first audition, I booked an audition last week for a student film at Columbia University, and I was so excited! I freaked out, because I had to work that day, but I was also surprised! Glad, though, but surprised! I ranted about it on both my Facebook and Twitter statuses! I immediately texted my acting coach and then emailed him the rest of the information. Then, viola -- the past week has been all about the up-coming audition!
Basically, the role I auditioned for was a girl named Sun, a North Korean girl who has had a very dark life back in her home country. Her mother was sold as a sex slave to Kim Jong Il, her father was killed, she was sold as a sex slave in China at age eleven, but she learned kung-fu, eventually killing the man who bought her and raped her when she was fifteen. She then aspires to become an assassin, winds up in America, in an ESL class. The monologue they sent me is Sun in front of her ESL class, talking in a heavy Korean accent in broken English, and she's telling them this story. And the ironic twist to her is that she's actually a very timid, shy Korean girl, nervous as anything to be in front of the class, and after she tells her story, the other ESL students and the teacher look at this girl like, "Whaaaaa.....????"
She's kind of like a Korean O-Ren Ishii, only her personality is more passive and she's very, very shy.
It's actually funny! The film is actually comedic despite the dark character I auditioned for, but like Alan says: "There's drama and conflict even in comedy!"
Lucky for me, Sun is actually the kind of role I aim to do. Not the traditional Korean girl (although, I have no problem playing a Korean or any sort of Asian girl who just crame fresh off the boat), but a role that's very dark. But even though Sun is a dark role (even darker than Lucy Lui's O-Ren Ishii), there's still something really funny and ironic about her that makes even myself laugh.
Again, though, I wasn't aiming to get the part. My biggest aim was to get my feet wet. The past week was emotional, because I was excited, but really worried about the accent part. A scene - fine. A monologue - great! An accent?! Oh boooyyyy! However, when it comes to going over the scene or the monologue, the last thing I worry about is the accent. It's actually the second-to-last thing I worry about, because not all scenes and monologues I've worked on required accents. The great thing about this is that Alan, my acting coach, let me go over the scene and the monologue slides with him for Thursday's session.
So, I had to put my scene from "Beyond Therapy" and my "Jenny" monologue on the backburner, which I was sad to do, because I LOVE my "Jenny" monologue - it actually has become my favorite one of the three (although it is - what I call - my "secret monologue" - the one I will only use if they ask for something that's more of a stretch for the auditions), and go through the new monologue and scene for the audition. I was pretty stricken, because I had so little time to go over the monologue and scene. And I had only one session to go over the scene and monologue with him. But I pulled myself together and just allowed it all come together - someway, somehow. I had to!
Also, Alan, being the genuine person he is, was really, really helpful. He and I went over the monologue and scene over the phone together, and he told me not to become overly obsessed with it, like most actors tend to do when they audition (and I thought I was the only one). Then, to help me with Sun's accent, he typed out the monologue for me with the same exact volcabulary of a generic Asian accent, which helped a lot. I was really, really, really touched when he did that! It was really, really sweet of him to do that for me, because he really didn't have to do that for me! :)
Now, on Saturday, I haven't been to Columbia University since 2005 when I did the audition for "Kimchi", but I remember how to get there on one of the "red trains", but I wasn't sure if it was the 1, 2, or 3, but then I found out it was the 1, so that worked out fine. Then, I had to look on the university's website to find where Dodge Hall was, but that didn't turn out to be a big issue either. I wasn't nervous about the audition. I was more nervous about finding Dodge Hall, being on time, and if I can nail the accent.
Although I was told this, I wasn't expecting to be on my feet for this audition, because like I said before, when I did my other two auditions back in 2005, I was sitting in a chair. The camera, I DID expect. Luckily for me, Sun was supposed to be nervous and frozen, so I didn't have to do too much movement (not that you would anyway for an audition on camera I guess). And at one point of the audition, I choked, and that struck some nervousness in me, which worked very well for the character. I mean, I'm not an expert at my craft or anything, but I tried to use the nervousness for the sake of my character's monologue. It worked!
By the time the audition was over, I was REALLY happy! Perhaps a little too happy, because when I went to go have lunch later on, I started dancing in the cafe a little bit with my chicken sandwhich at Roastown Coffee in Chelsea to Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" on the radio. (Yeah, imagine shaking your booty to that song, huh? Not neccessarily a song you'd dance to or go ape wild to, of course, unless you're a fanatical drummer or huge Phil Collins fan, I guess). But I was glad, too, because like I said before, I got what I wanted: I got my feet wet! I didn't care if the director liked me or if he didn't like me. I was so excited, because after struggling in the beginning of working with Alan and other things, I am once again putting myself out there. Where it will take me? I have not a clue, but only time will tell!
After a kick-ass day of auditioning, I talked to Alan on the phone for a while and he gave me some extra auditioning advice for me to remember the next time I book an auditon. I then treated myself to my first Shakespeare play - Twelfth Night - that my business coach, Erin Cronican, was starring in as Maria. Very delightful, too, and I was so proud of her and inspired by her performance!
So, overally, Saturday was BEAUTIFUL! Just BEAUTIFUL! =) I hated to see it end, but I think I've officially sealed my fate that day! I know an audition don't seem much to most actors, because we do it so much, but for me it was.
I mean, auditions and acting classes aren't paying gigs or something you can invite people to, but what I love about both is at least I am doing what I love to do! And to be honest with you, if I plan on doing this or aspire to be a working professional actor in New York or anywhere, I will be training for the rest of my professional life. No matter where this all takes me, whether I join a union in the way future or not, I won't ever stop training. You never stop learning, you know!
AUDITIONING GOALS WITH ERIN CRONICAN
Monday, I booked a session with my coach, Erin Cronican, and it was a great session, because we both went over the goals of auditioning. I also learned a lot more about the art of auditioning, because she has shared with me some of her auditioning experiences. She advised me to buy myself an "audition log", where I can jot down my own experiences, whether they were good ones or bad ones, so I can learn to become better at it as time goes by. Believe it or not, auditioning is a skill itself. Pretty cool, huh? Very smart, too!
According to BOTH Alan and Erin, when you audition, you're not giving them a full-on performance like you would when doing a show. I guess that's why actors get so overwhelmed before auditions, because they mistaken them for performances rather than to see what they really are. It's not giving them what it is they want, it's really showing them what you can do. How you respond to the the spontaneities, the unexpected. So, auditioning, itself, is an artform in itself.
Now you see why I'm all for training with a great acting coach or at least training for the rest of your professional life! :)
After my session, it was the New York Actors' TweetUp, again, and the cool thing was seeing everybody and everybody asking me how my audition on Saturday went! Even the ones who don't use Facebook that often or even respond to statuses and whatnot were asking me. That meant a lot to me! It just shows how kind and how supportive my colleagues are. Also, it was great to meet other people again and see some familiar faces! Great night indeed!
So, it's been a week since my audition booking, but it was a very productive week! One of the happiest moments in my life! =) I can't wait to do it again someday! I also realize how lucky I am, because I really did surround myself with the best people, whom I couldn't do any of this without! Hopefully, I can be just as supporitve with them as they are with me!
And I also realized something else by the end of this very productive week: I STILL HAVE A LOT TO LEARN!!!!!! O_O
Oh...and one last thing, going back to both of my coaches: I'm happy to say that BOTH of my coaches are at the #1 spots on ActorRated.com in New York part for Acting classes and Career Advice and Acting Guides! Congrats!!!!
You see? I told you I'm working with the best coaches in New York City! But really, it's all in my hands. Remember that, fellow actors! Your coaches can help you and guide you, but they can't turn you into what you aspire to be! That's all you!
That's enough candy for now!
Cristina
http://www.cristinacho.net/
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