MUSIC: "Hate You" by 2ne1
TIME: 10:47 PM
This weekend was the THE BIG WEEKEND! The weekend for my audition for THE KOREAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL NY! I am not going to go into huge ranting and raving detail about how it went, so instead, I am going to talk about it from my personal point of view.
Well, actually, this past weekend was all about auditioning, because Friday, I had an unexpected audition on Beach Street for something totally different than KAFFNY. Saturday morning was the day of the workshop before the actual audition. They held a donation based workshop for the Korean actors who were auditioning the next day so they can present their monologues to the guest mentors, Natalie Kim and John Egan. They also did this for anyone who was feeling nervous, so they can loosen up before their auditions, because this audition was for all types of actors of different levels from beginner to advanced. I was really excited to present my Lisa Morrison monologue from "Collected Stories" to everyone, and John Egan gave me some great feedback on mine, which I appreciated a lot! He gave me some adjustments in the beginning, but he knew I knew what I was doing or going for with this piece. So, I didn't need too much where I had to be walked through it entirely. Also, me being the brave lil soul I am, I volunteered to go first when we were split into smaller groups. They were like, "Who's brave enough to go first?"
My hand shot up in the air with this big Chesire Cat smile on my face that stretched from one ear to the other.
This was the first time I was getting feedback for my work on a monologue from someone I don't work with professionally on a regular daily basis. I actually started working on this monologue last year in September, so I had it down pretty good, but I still went over it with my coach throughout August. But I am - as of now - the most comfortable with this monologue, because Lisa Morrison and I are very similar in personality (if you ever read "Collected Stories" by Donald Margulies), and from what I've been told, you are hired and you book roles based on your temperment.
What was cool about the workshop was watching the Korean actors who did their monologues in Korean language! I had not a clue of what they were saying, because I'm not fluent in Korean, but I enjoyed listening to the native language. I loved the accents, of course! There were other actors there who did their monologues in English, so I wasn't alone in that department.
The next day was the big audition day, and believe it or not, when I was on my way to the city on the train, I started to cry a little bit. I didn't cry, because I was sad, I was crying because I was happy! I'm on the train, hoping not to smear my make-up, thinking, "I can't believe I am doing this! I don't know what I did to deserve it!"
Also, the truth is, THIS is the reason WHY I came to New York City. I came to persue my career in New York for two reasons: 1.) I wasn't in LA and 2.) something in my gut told me I'd have a better chance at finding auditions in New York than finding them in my hometown and that I belonged to the NYC acting industry. My hometown is mainly Caucasian, so unfortunately for me (or any other aspiring actor of color from Ocean County, NJ), the community theatre scene doesn't put on shows with characters of different ethnic backgrounds. So, I got discouraged by the whole community theatre scene down here. That's when I decided to persue it in the city. Lucky for me, it just so happened that my gut was right! :)
Going back to my audition: I was in a room in front of eighteen directors and casting directors! Eighteen people, and here I am on a little stage doing my monologue with the lights beating down on me. I didn't get any direction, but I was listening to the girl before me, they didn't give her direction, either, because there was such a time crunch with this audition. I mean, these guys were spending the entire day auditioning a handful of Korean and Korean-American actors, so they had A LOT of people to see. A lot of monologues to listen to. However, at the end of my audition, I was greeted with a nice applause from the eighteen people I auditioned for and questions they randomly asked me. One of them asked if I performed this role before, which I'm not sure was good or bad. They would ask basic questions like, "What made you go into acting?" or "Where are you originally from?" But I was felt really confident being up there that stage, and I had a great time!
Whatever happens after that, I don't know, but it was a great experience! Would I do it again for the next set of auditions? ABSOLUTELY!
The only awkward thing about the entire audition AND the workshop? Getting applauded! I'm serious - I'm not used to that! I don't think I could ever get used to that. I know, it's funny. I'm fine doing everything else in front of people - monologues, scenes, improvisation. I even answered the questions with confidence, too, because I've grown used to speaking in front of a group of people after a while from going on auditions and networking, but then, I get applauded by a group of smiling directors and CD's, I freeze right in my spot, become extremely nervous, and in my mind, I am thinking, "Oh my God, they're clapping for me! What now?!"
After the auditions and seeing all of the Korean actors, they had an actors' mixer! My favorite part of being an actor is the networking part (as everyone knows)! I got to meet some of the directors, other Korean actors, whom I was so glad to meet, and I even got to connect with Dave Kim again, who was the one who emailed me an told me all about KAFFNY! I did an audition for Dave back in late June, and I thought I bombed that audition. I guess I didn't bomb it that baddly after all, because it lead me to this! I even - to the best of my ability - spread the word about both of my coaches! I also got to connect with Erica Cho (no relation), who knew me from being mentioned by my business coach on Twitter, and two friends of mine on Facebook named Jennivere Lee and Sora Baek.
(PS: This goes to show you -- be professional on the social networks, because you just never know who you might meet!)
I also noticed at the mixer that a lot of actors get so awkward when netowrking. Some of them were comfortable, while others stood in corners, not knowing what to say or do, so me, being the enthusiastic networking actor I am, I pulled a few of the shy ones out of the corner and got them talking to whomever I can grab for them. This is also why I am planning one of my up-coming blog entries about enjoying networking. I can't stress that enough!
Overall, it was a really great experience! I was glad to be apart of the auditions! I have no expectations after that, but after a whole month of putting my heart and soul into this auditon....I'm not used to everything coming to a halt all of the sudden. Now, I'm thinking of adding a fourth monologue to my pocket!
By the way: I had only one goal that day...and that was to walk out of that audition HAPPY! Guess what? I achieved my goal that day! :) I noticed something:
Thank you, again, for everyone's support on Twitter and on Facebook! I really appreciate the best wishes! AND big thank you to my coaches, Erin Cronican and Alan Gordon, for helping me prepare for this audition!
It only gets better after this, right? :)
Cristina
http://www.cristinacho.net/
TIME: 10:47 PM
 |
| Your's truly performing my Lisa Morrison monologue from COLLECTIVE STORIES by Donald Margulies for Audition Workshop/Monologue Presentation at the KOREAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL NY. Photo taken August 20th, 2011 Photographer unknown |
Well, actually, this past weekend was all about auditioning, because Friday, I had an unexpected audition on Beach Street for something totally different than KAFFNY. Saturday morning was the day of the workshop before the actual audition. They held a donation based workshop for the Korean actors who were auditioning the next day so they can present their monologues to the guest mentors, Natalie Kim and John Egan. They also did this for anyone who was feeling nervous, so they can loosen up before their auditions, because this audition was for all types of actors of different levels from beginner to advanced. I was really excited to present my Lisa Morrison monologue from "Collected Stories" to everyone, and John Egan gave me some great feedback on mine, which I appreciated a lot! He gave me some adjustments in the beginning, but he knew I knew what I was doing or going for with this piece. So, I didn't need too much where I had to be walked through it entirely. Also, me being the brave lil soul I am, I volunteered to go first when we were split into smaller groups. They were like, "Who's brave enough to go first?"
My hand shot up in the air with this big Chesire Cat smile on my face that stretched from one ear to the other.
This was the first time I was getting feedback for my work on a monologue from someone I don't work with professionally on a regular daily basis. I actually started working on this monologue last year in September, so I had it down pretty good, but I still went over it with my coach throughout August. But I am - as of now - the most comfortable with this monologue, because Lisa Morrison and I are very similar in personality (if you ever read "Collected Stories" by Donald Margulies), and from what I've been told, you are hired and you book roles based on your temperment.
What was cool about the workshop was watching the Korean actors who did their monologues in Korean language! I had not a clue of what they were saying, because I'm not fluent in Korean, but I enjoyed listening to the native language. I loved the accents, of course! There were other actors there who did their monologues in English, so I wasn't alone in that department.
The next day was the big audition day, and believe it or not, when I was on my way to the city on the train, I started to cry a little bit. I didn't cry, because I was sad, I was crying because I was happy! I'm on the train, hoping not to smear my make-up, thinking, "I can't believe I am doing this! I don't know what I did to deserve it!"
Also, the truth is, THIS is the reason WHY I came to New York City. I came to persue my career in New York for two reasons: 1.) I wasn't in LA and 2.) something in my gut told me I'd have a better chance at finding auditions in New York than finding them in my hometown and that I belonged to the NYC acting industry. My hometown is mainly Caucasian, so unfortunately for me (or any other aspiring actor of color from Ocean County, NJ), the community theatre scene doesn't put on shows with characters of different ethnic backgrounds. So, I got discouraged by the whole community theatre scene down here. That's when I decided to persue it in the city. Lucky for me, it just so happened that my gut was right! :)
Going back to my audition: I was in a room in front of eighteen directors and casting directors! Eighteen people, and here I am on a little stage doing my monologue with the lights beating down on me. I didn't get any direction, but I was listening to the girl before me, they didn't give her direction, either, because there was such a time crunch with this audition. I mean, these guys were spending the entire day auditioning a handful of Korean and Korean-American actors, so they had A LOT of people to see. A lot of monologues to listen to. However, at the end of my audition, I was greeted with a nice applause from the eighteen people I auditioned for and questions they randomly asked me. One of them asked if I performed this role before, which I'm not sure was good or bad. They would ask basic questions like, "What made you go into acting?" or "Where are you originally from?" But I was felt really confident being up there that stage, and I had a great time!
Whatever happens after that, I don't know, but it was a great experience! Would I do it again for the next set of auditions? ABSOLUTELY!
The only awkward thing about the entire audition AND the workshop? Getting applauded! I'm serious - I'm not used to that! I don't think I could ever get used to that. I know, it's funny. I'm fine doing everything else in front of people - monologues, scenes, improvisation. I even answered the questions with confidence, too, because I've grown used to speaking in front of a group of people after a while from going on auditions and networking, but then, I get applauded by a group of smiling directors and CD's, I freeze right in my spot, become extremely nervous, and in my mind, I am thinking, "Oh my God, they're clapping for me! What now?!"
After the auditions and seeing all of the Korean actors, they had an actors' mixer! My favorite part of being an actor is the networking part (as everyone knows)! I got to meet some of the directors, other Korean actors, whom I was so glad to meet, and I even got to connect with Dave Kim again, who was the one who emailed me an told me all about KAFFNY! I did an audition for Dave back in late June, and I thought I bombed that audition. I guess I didn't bomb it that baddly after all, because it lead me to this! I even - to the best of my ability - spread the word about both of my coaches! I also got to connect with Erica Cho (no relation), who knew me from being mentioned by my business coach on Twitter, and two friends of mine on Facebook named Jennivere Lee and Sora Baek.
(PS: This goes to show you -- be professional on the social networks, because you just never know who you might meet!)
I also noticed at the mixer that a lot of actors get so awkward when netowrking. Some of them were comfortable, while others stood in corners, not knowing what to say or do, so me, being the enthusiastic networking actor I am, I pulled a few of the shy ones out of the corner and got them talking to whomever I can grab for them. This is also why I am planning one of my up-coming blog entries about enjoying networking. I can't stress that enough!
Overall, it was a really great experience! I was glad to be apart of the auditions! I have no expectations after that, but after a whole month of putting my heart and soul into this auditon....I'm not used to everything coming to a halt all of the sudden. Now, I'm thinking of adding a fourth monologue to my pocket!
By the way: I had only one goal that day...and that was to walk out of that audition HAPPY! Guess what? I achieved my goal that day! :) I noticed something:
Thank you, again, for everyone's support on Twitter and on Facebook! I really appreciate the best wishes! AND big thank you to my coaches, Erin Cronican and Alan Gordon, for helping me prepare for this audition!
It only gets better after this, right? :)
Cristina
http://www.cristinacho.net/
1 comments:
Great job, Cristina!! And I'm glad you got to meet Erica- small world!
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