Can Zach Be There On Wednesday????

It's 7:30PM (CST) as I begin to type this post.  One week ago at this same time (5:30PM PST) I got a call from a casting director.  The call went like this:

Casting Director (CD): "Zach auditioned for me about a month ago and I thought he was really good even though he wasn't right for the part.  Can he work this Wednesday?"

Me: "Yes, he can work on Wednesday."

CD: "I'll send all of the details later!  Talk to you soon!!!"

Zach was now booked for a gig in two days.  I had no idea what he was doing, where he was going or how much he was getting paid...But he had a job in 2 days!

About an hour later I received a call from the wardrobe department.  I learned it was a baseball shoot and he needed to bring baseball socks, a glove and some baseball skills.  I still had no idea how much he was being paid, the shoot location or the call time.

Dana and I did some research on various casting sites and determined the shoot was for "Killer Kids".  It's a Lifetime program that shows the backstory of kids who commit the act of murder. 

I finally got the rest of the details on Tuesday.  The shoot was at a city baseball field near Dodgers Stadium with a 7am call time.  I also got the bonus "not enough adults" phone call.  The production crew was looking for parents already on set to be extras in the show.  In other words, Zach was going to be paid and I was going to be paid!

We arrived on set Wednesday morning as the sun began to rise over Los Angeles.  We also arrived to the sound of fireworks.  We couldn't figure out why fireworks were going off at 7am.  It turns out the field was located next to a police firing range!

Zach in costume after arriving on set.  FYI...The team name is not "Homeboy".

The super deluxe on-set wardrobe tent.  There was also a Cookie Monster tent.

Our craft services tent included fruit, crackers, candy, chips, bagels and gum.

The cast included one of Zach's best friends, a kid from his improv show and a 28-year-old playing a teenager.  The adults in the cast included two professional actors playing the parents of the victim and various parents and brothers of the kid actors.  I knew the mother of Zach's pal and had seen the brother of the improv kid at Saturday shows.  The other parents all seemd to want the money without having to be in front of the camera.  It was cutting into their reading, knitting and napping time.

Zach was in a few scenes at the start of the day setting up the events leading to the crime.  His morning scenes took us all the way to lunch. 

His big on-screen moment happened after our lunch break.  The director asked Zach if he could throw out a base runner by firing the ball from shortstop to home plate.  Zach said "no problem".  I looked at the parents in the stands and told them there was no way this would end well.

The Artist telling the cast and crew "No Problem!".

Zach has played football for years at an all star level.  He played baseball but it was always more of a social activity for him.  His friends played so he played/talked/laughed for 3 or 4 seasons.

He walked out to the shortstop position and got ready for the throw.  The director asked him if he needed to do a few practice throws.  Zach said he was ready and I (once again) told the extras this was going to be ugly.  The director yelled "Action!" and the runner took off for home plate while Zach charged the ground ball.  Zach picked up the ball and fired it towards home plate.  The ball and the runner were in a race towards home plate.

The ball flew past the runner into the hands of the catcher.  The catcher tagged out the runner while the actor playing the umpire yelled "OUT!".  The director called "CUT!" and told Zach the take was perfect.  The crew congratulated him on getting the runner out on the first try.  Every extra in the stands turned and looked at me.  I was proud of Zach, shocked he nailed the throw and very quiet as I left the stands.

Zach's last shot of the day consisted of him standing in the outfield watching a ball fly over the head of the center fielder.

His character is upset the other team hit a home run.

It was around 4:30pm when the kids wrapped for the day.  Zach came up to me and let me know he was ready to go home.  I was very happy to inform him that I still had one more scene to shoot and he was going to have to wait for me.

It was the first time EVER on a film set that he had to wait on me!  It was my favorite moment of the day.

Give The Gift Of A IMDb Click This Holiday Season!

Holiday Travel Questions

Here is a rundown of the questions we've heard the most in the 72 hours we've been away from Los Angeles:

*What is (fill in the A-List Celebrity name) really like?

*Are you rich yet?

*Do you live near George Clooney/Sandra Bullock/Brad Pitt, etc?

*I didn't see you in that commercial.  Are you sure you were there when it was filmed?

*How big is your Hollywood house?

*When will you be on Leno/Conan/Kimmel, etc?

*Why haven't you been on (insert name of favorite show)?

*Have you met the Duck Dynasty guys?

*Is everyone in Hollywood on drugs?

*I've heard (insert actor name) is gay?  Do you know if he is gay?

*Why do you always complain about traffic?  It's not bad traffic here.

*Why are you not a regular character on a TV show?

*Why did (insert favorite show) get cancelled?

*Can you get my sister/brother/nephew, etc. in a movie?

*Can you get me George Clooney's autograph?

*Is it really easy to book a role?

*When will you do something I've heard of before?

Give The Gift Of A Link Click This Holiday Season!

Back By Popular Demand!

Here's a list of my favorite casting call descriptions from November and December.  They are very amusing when taken of their project name and character breakdown context.

*Engaged, African American and Gay???

*Oblivious Optimistic 23-30 Female

*Tall, Lanky, Deadly US Marshall 40-50 Year Old American Indian Male

*Cruel and Unnerving Lackey 35-60 German or European Male

*Wise Sad Stout 10-12 Male

*Paranoid Threatening Early 20s Hispanic Male

*Noble 50-60 Female With Own Crutches

*Dark, Swarthy, Unkempt Caucasian Male 35-50

*Diamond In The Rough Female Who Loves Deer 43-55

*Lovable Early 20s Female Brat Who Can Handle Snakes

*Maid 25-30 Who Can Also Switch Hit in Baseball

*Soft Spoken Easy Female 24-30 Who Drives a Stick Shift

Give The Gift Of A Link Click This Holiday Season!

Making A List And Checking It Twice!

It's that time of year when the movie and television industry shuts down for the holidays.  There's still auditions and commercial shoots around town but (for the most part) everyone is preparing to take a well deserved break.

Zach is doing two types of homework:

***His homework for his two-days a week school to wrap up the semester.

***His other homework involves making a list and checking it twice before meeting with his manager.

That's right...It's time for his year-end review.

If this sounds like your job then you're on the right track.  Zach has to come up with a list of 10 goals he wants to reach in the next year.  He also has to review his goals from last year with his agent and determine whether he succeeded or failed in reaching those goals.

It's not often a 15-year-old gets to enjoy the same "work fun" as the adults in his life.

Looking at his goals from last year, he reached 7 out of the 10 goals.  The all important "sign an endorsement deal and get my dad a lifetime supply of Diet Coke" was not reached...But there's always next year!

The list needs to include more than "book a movie" or "land a series".  It needs to include steps we can take to improve his acting skills, increase his visibility and grow his career.

I have to admit...I have not missed doing this yearly task with any and all former supervisors!

It's time for me to stop typing.  The review is tonight and it's time to finish his prep work for the meeting.

The Always Awesome Link To Zach's IMDb Page.


 

One Job = Three Appearances

Zach makes another appearance on "Modern Family" tonight.  He is number 60 on the football team.

I guess he was instructed to play confused in this scene.

 

He shot for two days back in September for (what we thought) was one episode.  He appeared in the episode "First Days" and we realized there would be another appearance in the near future thanks to one plot point that wasn't addressed in the episode.

A few weeks ago, we were catching up on shows on the DVR and started the episode "A Fair To Remember".  There was a shot of Zach at the beginning of the show!

Zach on screen in "A Fair To Remember"

 

It caught all of us off guard (in a good way).  The episode didn't have much to do with football but it did set the plot point I mentioned above into motion.  The days that Zach filmed featured Manny as a member of the team.  After watching "A Fair To Remember" the three of us remarked, "Ohhhh...That's how he gets on the team." 

 

The football scenes were Zach's second time working on the show.  He (thankfully) had a good time again and walked away being impressed with the cast and crew.  A lot of people have stories about meeting actors and walking away less than impressed thanks to a not so friendly experience.  It's not always the fault of the actor but they (almost) always get the blame for the bad experience. 

 

Zach's had nothing but good experiences on the set.  He really enjoyed discussing football with Eric Stonestreet between takes.

 

If you get a chance, check out #modernfamily tonight and look for my favorite football player in the background.

 

Ready for action at 9/8c and 9pst on ABC.

 

One simple click lets you experience Zach's IMDb page





 

 

 

 

 



The Week(s) In Pictures

Sorry for the delay in writing a new post but (like everyone) it's been a crazy week of travel for the Thanksgiving holiday.  I'll have a post with more substance later this week.  For now, here are the past couple of weeks for The Artist...In pictures!

1.  Zach was part of a Red Carpet/Fundraiser event for the T.J. Martell Foundation.  This great organization raises funds to support research for leukemia, cancer and AIDS.  The event was held at CBS Studio City (a 5-minute drive from home!).

The Artist working the interview area.

 

 #karmin entertaining the crowd.

 

In case you get lost looking for the event, hang a left at the corner of Gunsmoke and Gilligan's Island.

 

A pretty cool rolling billboard supporting local job growth.

 

The King of the Cowboys lives on in Studio City.

 

The shows that film in Roy's building.

 

One of my favorite new shows of the fall TV season - #brooklyn99

 

Zach had a great time and I got free food.  A winning day for both of us.

 

2.  The Artist had an audition last Monday night that went well.  It went so well they told him in the audition room that he had a callback for the next night.  The callback was held at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank. 

 

The callback was in the same building as the CBS series #thementalist (as if you couldn't tell from the photo).

 

"The Mentalist" offices are next door to the offices for Conan's show on TBS.

 

We found the @TeamCoco car as we were getting ready to leave the WB Studios parking lot.

 

A peak inside the back window of the @TeamCoco car (with a photobomb from Zach).

 

3.  Zach on Hollywood Blvd after attending a Second City event.

As always, dressed like a million bucks.

 

4.  And for no reason at all, Zach and a goat.  It looks like the goat is telling Zach a joke.

 

Thanksgiving is over and it's time to resume the life of a teen actor.  I'll talk to you later this week!

 

Hi, I'm Zach's IMDb page. Would you please click me?

 



 





 

What Does A Teen Actor Go Through To Land A Gig?

Zach recently shot a Toshiba commercial in Coto de Caza, California.  We were surprised when we got to the set because we didn't know anyone else in the cast. 

Why was this surprising? Read on...

The call for the audition came on a "mehhh day" for Zach.  He had been up late the night before taking care of some homework.  He was also at "low ebb" due to a cold he couldn't shake and various medicines trying to get rid of the cold.

The one plus to the audition was the fact it was all improv so he didn't have to worry about learning any lines.  The audition was in Santa Monica at a place we had never been for a casting call.  We arrived and realized the place was busy when we spotted this sign:

"I'll Take 'C' For $300, Alex"

We made our way to the correct studio and signed in to wait our turn.  The casting director made her way around the room and randomly assigned everyone to a "family".  The actors had about 5-minutes to discuss the scene before they went in to audition together.

The audition seemed to go well.  The casting folks praised Zach's group and said they would need to keep them together since they did such a great job.  Zach left feeling good about his chances since they loved his "family".

We got the call 3 or 4 days later asking if Zach was available for the shoot.  I said he would be there and then I heard nothing for hours.  I finally got a text informing me there wouldn't be a teacher on set.  I told the producer "no problem" since he does a lot of self directed work!  Once again, nothing for hours....

I finally got the confirmation the next day.  I had to contact his school and let them know he would miss his Wednesday appointment.  This is normally not an issue but he was going to miss a test.  We rescheduled his review for Thursday morning and his test for Thursday afternoon.  The only info I needed now was location and wardrobe.

The wardrobe needs were small and easily handled.  The shoot was scheduled for a 7:30am call time in Coto de Caza.  I had never heard of this place and had a feeling it might be a bit of drive.  I looked it up and discovered I was going to have to go on the 101 to the 5 to 133 to 241 to Santa Margarita Parkway to Coto de Caza.  Ugh...

There were also two toll roads thrown into the mix.  I got lucky because I didn't know about the toll roads.  A good 90% of the time I have no cash on me.  It never occurs to me to stop at an ATM.  I only had money on me because I had to use some at a parking garage in Santa Monica.

The distance from Sherman Oaks to Coto de Caza is 73-miles.  With a 7:30am call time, I knew we had to leave by 6am (if not earlier).  I made sure everything (work permit, school work and wardrobe) was in a stack and ready to go so I wouldn't forget anything in the morning. 

I woke up at 5am on the morning of the commercial.  Zach got up at 5:30am and we were on the road for our 73-mile trek by 5:55am.  Zach immediately fell asleep in the passenger seat.

We arrived at 7:40am.

The only talent on time was the grandfather in the commercial.  He left his place at 5am.  Everyone else got stuck behind a wreck on the 5.  I was able to work my way around a good portion of the backup thanks to the car pool lane.  Out of everyone that was late for the shoot, we were the "least late" of the group.

According to Google, "Coto de Caza is a census-designated place and guard-gated private community in Orange County, California."  This also means that every home in the community costs millions of dollars.

The first shot of the day involved the adults of the cast so Zach and I sat on the deck by the pool while he worked on his homework.  After a couple of hours, his "family" was ready for their first group shot. 

The happy family together for dinner.


Our surprise came when the cast gathered together because we didn't recognize anyone in the group.  Zach was the only member of his "audition family" to make it into the spot.  I also found out later in the day that the casting director was leaning towards a teenage daughter in the spot.  She changed the part to a boy after she met Zach at the audition.

Everyone realizes they need their photo taken with the Toshiba camera.

 

Being in a gated community also meant we had to stay on the set all day.  It was actually rather nice because it helped us form a sense of community.  I don't know if we felt like a real family at the end of the day but there was a definite bond between the cast, crew and parents on set.

 

Zach's mom and sister for the day.

 

While I was happy for the shoot to end, I was not looking forward to the drive home.  We left at 6pm (Zach immediately fell asleep in the passenger seat) and arrived home at 8:15pm.

 

Here's an example of what a pain it is to drive on the 405.  It took me a little over 2 hours to go 73-miles from the set to home.  The night before (at the same time of the evening) it took me a little over 2 hours to go 15-miles from Santa Monica to home on the 405.

 

The spot producer was thrilled with Zach.  The director promised to send me a link to the spot when it's ready to view.  I'll ask if I can share it with you once I get the link.

 

Zach's Ultra Awesome IMDb Page





My unexpected trip to Salem

My Dadager job is great fun because I get to spend a good amount of time with my teenage kid.  He even acts like he doesn't mind being around me most of the time.

It's a fun job...But it doesn't pay all of the bills.

I've been doing a lot of freelance and contract jobs to give me a flexible schedule.  As I've mentioned before, sometimes we get less than 8 hours notice before an audition. The freelance gigs are easy to handle on a set and I'm able to work on them away from a traditional office situation.

I had a meeting last week for a contract PR job in Burbank.  I knew the street but wasn't sure about the actual location of the building.  Imagine my surprise when I realized it was this building:

The building formerly known as "NBC Studios"

 

The name change happened last year.  NBC still has a lease in place until 2013.  Jay Leno's "Tonight Show", "Days Of Our Lives" and "Access Hollywood" still tape at the studio.  The tours of the facility ended in 2012.  NBC's local LA news and the west coach branch of NBC News are still located in this building.  Most of the shows/news will (more than likely) move a few miles away to Universal Studios in 2013.

 

I took a right on Bob Hope Drive and arrived at the guard gate.  My second surprise happened when I received my parking pass/guest pass:

 

I had no idea I was heading to the "Days Of Our Lives" set.

 

I followed the directions given by the security guard and passed this giant sound stage:

 

 

I made my way around the building to an open stage door.  I could hear the Tonight Show Band rehearsing for the show.  I also passed by this vital piece of Tonight Show equipment:

Don't even think about throwing your trash in this dumpster!!!

 

I headed down the walkway and reached the main building where I was greeted by this great artwork:

 

 

I knew I was getting close to the PR office when I passed this beauty:

 

Over the years, Stage 4 has included "The Andy Williams Show", "Card Sharks", "Elvis Presley's 68 Comeback Special" and "Days Of Our Lives". 

If you're of a certain age you hear the voice of Macdonald Carey as you read the words in the photo.

 

I walked the hallways and made my way past the makeup room and the main set before I got to my destination.  I thought I was in the wrong place because the room number listed on the visitor pass turned out to be a break room.  I walked in on a group of actors running their lines.  The room also had instructions for recurring cast members and background players.

 

Sorry for the blurry photo.  I was trying not to get caught taking the photo in the room.

 

I was about to turn around when I heard voices from the hallway behind the break room.  I walked back and discovered the PR firm!

 

I haven't heard yet if I got the contract job.  Even if I don't land the gig, it was worth going to the meeting for the adventure!

 

P.S....As always, I'd appreciate it if you would click on the link to Zach's IMDb page.  The higher the number of clicks...The higher his ranking on IMDb!

 

Zach's Ever Awesome IMDb Page

 

 













Life Lessons To Be Learned From Improv

The Artist has been performing in various improv companies since early 2012.  He's been on the stages of L.A. Connection Comedy and The Second City Hollywood.  Zach has also taken classes at The Groundlings.

While a lot of improv is goofy comedy and silly situations, there are also some useful lessons that can be used in everyday life.

One of the basics ideas behind improv comedy is "Yes And...".  What this means is that you always agree with the person you're performing with on stage.  You agree and say "YES".  The act of saying "yes" means you agree with the scene and situation your on-stage partner has created.  This is known as "The Rule Of Agreement".

Working As A Team At Second City Hollywood

Are you always going to agree with your friends and co-workers?  Will you always say "Yes And..." to their ideas?

In a word...No.

But "The Rule Of Agreement" reminds you to keep an open mind and to respect what your friends and co-workers have created.  The idea of "Yes And..." also helps the act of creation because it allows you to add to the thought process and contribute your own ideas.

Practicing "Yes And..." allows each cast member to contribute to a scene.

Improv also teaches you to be decisive and make statements.  The scene will not go anywhere if you answer your partner with a question.  Improv teaches you to make a statement that moves the scene forward and gives your partner the next step in the scene.

The same advice can be used in the business world.  Answering your boss with a question doesn't help resolve a situation.  Answering with a definitive statement lets your boss know where you stand on a question or issue.

 

Don't Be The One Guy Standing Alone At Work Acting All Superior!

 

Improv has helped Zach become a better stage performer and a better "team player" on set and at home.  Not everyone can say they have a teenager who is willing help at home!

Come On - You Know You Want To Click The Link To Zach's IMDb Page

A Night In The Life Of A Dadager

It's a little before 8am PST as I start to write this blog post.  I'm writing it for two reasons:

1.  It's a good example of what actors go through getting ready for auditions.

2.  I'm trying to stay awake!

Zach was working on his homework yesterday when we received an audition notice for today.  The audition is at 4:20pm in Studio City.  I love this because it's after he gets out of school and the audition site is (maybe) 3  miles from our place.

We checked out the casting info and determined his look for the audition.  I decided to take care of the audition clothes laundry after I returned from Monrovia with Dana.  Monrovia is in the San Gabriel Valley.  The headquarters of Trader Joe's is located  in the town and it's also the home of Green Dot and Original Tommy's.

We got home around 8pm and discovered two additional events for today.  Each event requires a different look and feel.  Zach had to stop working on homework in order to get everything together for today.  The rundown for today includes:

11am-Noon
English test at school

Noon-2pm
Nap!

2pm
Wake up and get ready for the first audition.  The first audition is for a "true crime" TV show so we had to study the details of the case last night.  The audition will be an "interrogation improv" where the "police" (casting director) will grill Zach about his part in the crime.

The character is a older/rough teen so we need his clothes and hairstyle to reflect that look.

4:20pm
First audition in Studio City.

4:30pm (I hope!)
Change clothes from the first audition so he can get the look ready for the second audition.  He needs to look young for the next audition so it's time for brighter colors and a different hairstyle.  (Yes, I've reached the point in my life where I'm able to change hairstyles for a teen actor.)

I hope to hit the road by 4:40pm because we're going from Studio City to Santa Monica on the 405 in rush hour traffic.  This will not be a fun drive.

5:40pm
The second audition of the day.  The Artist needs to have a monologue prepared for this audition so we spent a good 45-minutes reviewing possible choices last night.

6pm (I hope!)
Leave Santa Monica (still in the heart of rush hour) to head back to the Valley.  I don't care what time of day you're driving through Santa Monica.  There is no easy way to get out of the city and back to the 405 or the 10.  I'm adding in an additional 30-minutes of travel time devoted to just trying to get out of Santa Monica.

He'll have to change clothes again before his final stop of the day.

7:30pm
Meeting with a casting director.  Zach received an email yesterday asking him to stop by and meet with a casting director.  This person casts Nick/Disney type shows so Zach will need to dress (and fix his hair) in the style of the teen actors you see on the various Nick Teen and Disney XD shows.

We started preparing the looks and scenes around 8pm last night.  Zach started his homework again around 11pm and finished at 1am.  Dana had a 7:30am meeting this morning so she had to go to bed.  I spent the night doing laundry, making copies of scenes, mixing and matching clothes, preparing headshots and resumes, doing more research for his crime audition and returning emails from casting directors.

I'm about to wake Zach up so we can go to school for his test.  After that, a power nap and time to be AN ACTOR!

Zach's IMDb. The more you click, the better his ranking!

Even I Get Nervous When This Happens...

The Artist has kept himself busy with a variety of projects including an ongoing paying gig, a one-off job and a big audition.

***The ongoing gig has been happening for the last 3 months.  Every Monday night I take super closeup photos of Zach's face.  I get shots of his face straight on, his cheeks, his nose and his profile and email them to the ad agency for XOut (from the makers of Proactiv).  Zach also sends a video each week sharing a story about how XOut has helped him in the past week.  The tales have ranged from no acne at auditions to old friends visiting town and commenting on his clear skin to more confidence on stage at his weekly improv show.

He gets paid a monthly fee to use and endorse the product.  Easy money for a teen actor!

***The one off job was a commercial for a music app.  We made our way to Culver City at 8am on a Sunday morning (one of the few times I don't mind being on the 405).  The shoot took place at a middle school and the "holding room" for the parents was in a science classroom.  Since Zach only goes to school two days a week (and only an hour each day) it's been a couple of years since I've been in a "real school".  The parents had to sit at the student desks.  I have to say I felt bad for the students having to spend all day sitting at a uncomfortable desk. 

My favorite part of the classroom?  These words of teacher wisdom.

***The big audition was for a part on a new Nickelodeon show.  Zach isn't rattled by these types of auditions so I make sure to be nervous for both of us. 

We prepared for the audition by running the lines together (The Artist, Dana and Dadager).  We also discussed the character and came up with a game plan for the look of the character.  Once the wardrobe was ready and the lines were memorized, Zach did a private session with one of his acting coaches to get some last minute pointers for the audition.

The audition was at Paramount Studios.  Zach entered through the main gate the last time he was on the lot.  This time the audition room was near a side entrance at the studio.  The first thing you see when you enter through the side door is this sign:

Paramount Studios is the home to these shows.

We made our way through the lot looking for the audition room.  Just in case we forgot the room number we could us this ticket as a reminder:

And now you have the Wi-Fi password for Paramount Studios...

His audition seemed to go well.  You never know how long it will take producers to make a decision to bring you in for a call back.  A Day?  A Week?  Three Months?  The Project Is Cancelled And No One Bothered To Tell You?

***With all of these acting and commercial projects going on, how does a teen actor relax?  

By trying to outrun zombies...

And

Performing improv at Second City Hollywood.

As always, if you could click on Zach's IMDb link we (Zach, Dana and the Dadager) would appreciate it!

Zach Louis' Super Awesome IMDb Page







A Typical Week In The Life Of The Artist

Zach has made a good amount of friends since moving to Los Angeles.  The teen patrol are a combination of teen actors, improv performers, kids he has worked with and random friends made at red carpet events and workshops.

Like any group of friends, they like to hang out at every available moment.  I feel bad for Zach (sometimes) because he often has to skip hanging with his buddies.  

Why?

Here is the rundown of this week in the life of The Artist:

Monday - Homework, Homework, Homework from 8:30am-5pm (with a "get outside for a few minutes and get some air" break built into the day).  After homework, he has an acting class from 6pm-10pm.

Tuesday - Homework in the morning and then a 2-hour math class from 1pm-3pm.  After math class it's time for more homework before a casting director workshop that starts at 8pm.  (The workshop is by my favorite record store so win-win for me)

Wednesday - Homework in the morning and then a 2-hour math class from 1pm-3pm.  The math class is followed by an evening at the House of Blues watching a friend take the stage.

Thursday - (You guessed it!) Homework in the morning and then one hour of school from 11am-Noon.  Once school is over, he can finally relax for a bit before going to another acting class in Beverly Hills from 6:30pm-9:30pm.  His evening in Beverly Hills is also known as "watch people point and stare at my redneck pickup cruising the streets of Beverly Hills".

Friday - Sleep in (!) and then spend the day doing a bit of homework before hanging with his improv crew at karaoke.

Saturday - A workshop (maybe) and improv (definitely) will fill his day.

Sunday - Homework in the AM and Fright Fest in the afternoon.

All of the above means a lot of Dadager Driving Time!

And then it starts all over again on Monday...

He might be a teen but the kid is keeping the hours of a FT worker.  The above list doesn't even include the gigs he books or his commercial endorsement for X-Out acne medicine.

All of his hard work is paying off as his IMDb credits continue to grow.  If you have a moment, click the link below and see what the kid has accomplished (and help his site ranking at the same time).

Zach Louis' Super Awesome IMDb Page

When In Doubt, Make A List!

The Artist has been working on a consistent basis.  It seems like the kid gets a check for working a gig at least 3 times a week.  I’m almost certain he earned more money last month than his Dadager!

While it’s great that he is booking a lot of paying jobs, his schedule has left me with little time to blog. 

What do I write about when I need to update my blog?  The same thing I wrote about last time I posted on my blog! 

Here is a list of my favorite casting notices from the last week or two:

***Heavy, Regretful, Slightly Bitter 60s Female

***20-ish Lead Not Smart Recent Boob Job Female

***Sexy, Vicious Wild-Haired Brunette 30’s Any Ethnicity Female

***Doll Like Casino Employee with Vacant Eyes 20 to 25 Any Ethnicity Female

***Easily Agitated Midwestern Newlywed 25 to 33 Caucasian Female

***Employee at Unnamed Creepy Taco Restaurant early 20s Hispanic Female

***Wiry, Salty, Loners 60s Any Ethnicity Male (give me a few more years and I’ll fit the part)

***Bespectacled Old West Doctor 60s Caucasian Male

***Mustachioed, Fierce-Eyed 40s male

***Innocent yet Destructive 17 to 19 Caucasian Male (do they mean physically or emotionally destructive?)

***Handsome Emotionally Damaged Early 20s Caucasian Male (sounds like the hook-up strategy of most early 20s males)

***Desensitized Veteran News Anchor 45 to 60 Any Ethnicity Male (doesn’t this describe most news anchors?)

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You Never Know What "Type" A Casting Director Needs Today

By popular demand, here is another installment of my 10 favorite casting notices from the past 30 days:

***Self-centered weathered drunk 25 to 30 any ethnicity female 

***Learning to walk 1 year old Caucasian female 

***40-80 middle eastern female who is bedridden but sexy

***Sleazy moron boss 40 to 50 Caucasian male

***Jolly cab dispatcher 18 to 70 male who likes to dance

***Tough and funny Asian nurse male 35 to 70

***Tall, lanky deadly US Marshall male 25 to 50 with a sensitive inner life

***Cruel and unnerving lackey 35 to 60 German male

***Calculating 30 to 40 Asian woman for The Demon (I have no idea what that means but it makes me laugh)

***Friendly yet harried and and mysterious waiter

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A Glimpse Of How The Other Half Lives

Dana has been having foot issues for over a year.  She has been dealing with plantar fasciitis (the ligament is inflamed on the sole of her foot).  Her "best friend" on and off since arriving in California has been a very bulky and uncomfortable walking boot.

Normally, we are smart about what types of activities we're going to attempt on the weekend. The main goal is to minimize the stress/amount of time on her feet.

I say "normally" because every now and then we head out on a "bad idea" foot-wise but a fun idea in reality.

We recently made a last minute decision to spend the day at Disneyland.  Yes, we live close enough to Disney that the only advance planning is deciding to drive to the park.

We called ahead to inquire about any special passes or accommodations for park visitors with foot issues. We were told to head to City Hall once we entered the park to get a pass with two arrows on it that would allow us to skip the lines with a minimal amount of walking.

Fantastic!

We entered the park and immediately found City Hall. Dana trudged her way to the building and patiently waited her turn.  Once we got to the front of the line, the cheerful Disney rep told us that the person we spoke to on the phone didn't know what she was talking about in terms of passes.

I asked about the two arrows pass and was told it was a pass that is only issued to people with mental issues. I told her I could act like I have Tourettes but she was VERY unamused by that suggestion.  Dana's choices were:

*Take a pass that allowed her to enter the handicapped entrances of the rides.
*Rent a wheelchair.
*Take her chances in the regular lines.

We chose the pass that allowed her to enter the handicapped entrances.

And that's when the "fun" began....

We quickly learned that Disney does not have an overall guideline for people who have some sort of physical issue:

*The staff of some of the rides did not make us wait in line at all.

*Some staff members put us in the single rider line.

*Other staff members seemed unimpressed/not worried about the handicapped logo on the pass and put us in the regular line.  We (normally) don’t mind waiting in line but the long wait defeats the purpose of helping someone who isn't supposed to be on their feet all day.

The really annoying part was the process of finding out the different rules for each ride.  

We always walked down the long pathway of the handicapped entrance to the worker at the end of the line.  If we got lucky we were in the right place to enter the ride.  If not, we had to walk all the way out of the handicapped area to the front of the ride where there was no one stationed to tell us where to go in the first place.

My favorite experience was on “Star Tours”.  The worker in front of the building opened a door for us and told us to “walk down the hall and then take the elevator to the next floor.  After you exit the elevator, walk down the hallway and then turn…I don’t remember if it’s left or right…but make a turn and walk until you see other people.  Someone will help you from that point.”

Basically, we wandered around the “Star Tours” building without the help of any guides or workers.  We could have gone anywhere in the building and grabbed any “souvenirs” we wanted as a keepsake of our day at Disney!  Visions of eBay sales danced through my head!

Dana’s injury is not permanent so our Disney adventure with her foot was a funny family memory in the making.  I was surprised how little concern the Disney parks have about the comfort of their handicapped guests.  There is no way I can begin to describe the day as an “easy experience” for Dana.

One other odd note…I somehow went the whole day without seeing Mickey Mouse in person.  What kind of day at Disney doesn’t involve a glimpse of their most famous character? 

It’s just another sign that Disney is not focused on (what should be) their main concern…The complete customer experience.

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A Return Visit To "Modern Family"

Zach got the call last week booking him for a day of background work on "Modern Family".

The casting person was looking for kids that had experience playing football so he was an easy sell for the gig.

When Zach was on the show last year, we went to the set where they film each episode.  The shoot this time was at a high school in Pacific Palisades.  A simple drive on the 101 to the 405 to Sunset or Ventura to Sepulveda to Sunset.

"The set" was a high school football stadium.

For the second year in a row, none of the women cast members were on the set.  The scene featured Eric Stonestreet and the two young boys of the "family".

The first task on set was going to wardrobe.  The extras were waiting in line when Rico Rodriguez appeared out of nowhere.  He walked up to group and (politely) yelled "Yay Football!" and then disappeared.  He seems like a nice kid who would talk to a brick wall if he had a chance.

The casting folks were a little panicked booking the actors to be on the football team.  There appears to be a lack of teenage male actors who can actually play football. 

Zach was cast as the center after it was discovered he was the only kid who knew how to play the position.  

The players were put in position and the camera was ready to roll when the director realized something was wrong.

The director asked, "How big are these kids???"  (They were supposed to look like freshmen in high school)  He made all of the boys line up and had them shout their ages:

"16!", "14!", "16!", "25!", "23!"

The casting department couldn't find enough teenage kids to fill the spots so they had to resort to actors in their 20s.  One of the "freshmen" had tattoos and a goatee!

All of the "older freshmen" were asked to leave for the day (they were paid!) and the director worked around the lack of players.

At least one of these players is a teenager...

It was a good news/bad news situation.  The crew wasn't able to get all of their shots for the day but Zach got a call back to work another day on set!

Eric Stonestreet talking to the actors between takes.

Playing cards at lunch.

Zach walked away impressed with the cast and crew.  It's always nice to meet people you watch on TV and find out they are just as nice in real life!

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Hanging With The Artist On His Birthday

Unlike most kids who want to sleep late on their birthday, Zach had to get up early on Sunday.

He booked a national commercial that was supposed to shoot at the end on July.  The shoot was rescheduled to his birthday.  The rescheduled date forced us to postpone his birthday outing with friends because we had no idea how long he would be on set.  Zach wasn't too upset because he was getting paid to get out of bed!

The shoot location was 3.1 miles from our home (according to the GPS).  Doesn't that sound simple and easy on a Sunday morning????

No.

We left a bit early (thank goodness) because the cast and crew couldn't park on the streets of the neighborhood location.  A combination of L.A. parking restrictions and grouchy neighbors made us park in a garage a mile from the location.

I wasn't really sure what garage we were looking for so I decided we should leave a half hour before his call time (even though it was only a 3.1 mile drive).

We were great for the first 2 miles.

The intersection outside of the Sherman Oaks Galleria was blocked due to road work.  All sides of the intersection were down to one lane.  We also couldn't drive through the intersection because the road crew was blocking our side of the road.

Instead of a (easy) straight shot down Ventura Boulevard, I found myself going Ventura to the 405 to the 101 just to go 2 miles.  I had to drive past our destination before I could exit back to Ventura.  I roared down the road to the parking garage and found the lone parking spot as the shuttle to the set arrived for the cast.  We jumped out of the truck and raced to the shuttle before we were left standing on the corner.

We got to the house and it was obvious the owner of this home did not have a girlfriend.  The main hallway included autographed albums from the Eagles, Van Halen (Diamond Dave/the real Van Halen), U2, Paul McCartney and Third Eye Blind(?).  The decor also included autographed jerseys from Kobe, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Steve Young(?).  The next room had a pool table, a keg, a well stocked bar, a giant TV and a couch that had seen better days.

The back yard featured a pool, three air conditioning units(?), dead plants, and these two items:

A lone kings chair/throne

A well worn bench







The shoot was at the home of the producer.  He put together two different families to film conversations at the dinner table.  Zach decided that his fake family was much better looking than his real family.

It's like the opening line of a joke..."An actress, an Italian guy and a teen actor are by the pool..."

We were on set for about 6 hours and this is the sight I saw each time he wasn't before the cameras!

The shoot wrapped after 3pm and we headed home to cupcakes, cards and presents.  He made money on his birthday and I saved money (for now) on a birthday party.










The days following his birthday have been busy with meetings, acting classes, school and a booking this Thursday to work on "Modern Family".  I'll tell you all about that adventure in a future post!

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