Here's to Eight Years of Acting in Los Angeles

As I was looking at my Google Calendar to see the various writing tasks and calls I need to handle this week, I noticed that the 8th anniversary of our move to Los Angeles is this week.

In fact, it is today (as I write this blog on the 22nd).

It's hard for me to believe that so much time has passed. While Zach's career has certainly evolved, all of our lives have changed greatly over the past eight years.

The Decision to Move to Los Angeles

When we moved here in 2012, it was just Zach and his dad on their own as Dana stayed behind in St. Louis in case Zach didn't like living in Los Angeles or if the grind of auditions was too much for him. We didn't really need to worry because he took to California and auditions instantly and never looked back.

I'll always remember going back to St. Louis to see Dana after being in California for a little while:

• The first visit (about six weeks after we moved) had the feeling of "We're home!" Landing at LAX after that trip was very much the feeling of "Okay...Here we are...Woo"
• The second visit was about six weeks later and we were certainly thrilled to see Dana. This trip was different because Zach had already filmed a commercial for Hotmail as well as his first direct to DVD film. It really felt more like we were visitors in St. Louis instead of being at home. Plus, Zach's paycheck for his DVD movie was waiting for him in our mailbox when we got back to California so he was thrilled to be back in LA.
• Zach was also starting to be recognized and known by casting directors and it seemed like each trip also involved having to turn down a paid gig.  Don't get me wrong...We wanted to see Dana and Doc (the faithful dog) but we also wanted to strike while Zach was gaining momentum.

We eventually made the decision in the summer of 2012 for all of us to live in California. 

Changes for All of Us

One of the biggest changes for Zach was essentially going to school at home most of the time. He went to a place called Options for Youth which was the home of many teen actors that didn't have time to go to school on a regular basis. He went to Options one hour a week for tests and to check-in with his teacher. The rest of his work was done at home. While that might sound easy, his studies took eight hours a day (or more) so he was still doing school full-time but all of his school work was at home or on-set.

I was putting together writing gigs and other odd jobs because one of Zach's parents had to be on-set with him since he was underage. There are many times that I don't remember what I wrote at all but I do remember where I did my writing assignments. From a summer camp in the woods of Oregon to a move set in Illinois (outside of St. Louis) to Nick on Sunset to the set of "Modern Family" and libraries, coffee shops, airplanes and offices throughout the greater Los Angeles area, I wrote anywhere and everywhere I could find decent Wi-Fi.

Dana amazed and impressed me when she arrived in Los Angeles. She arrived late on a Saturday night, let me show her how to find Koreatown (since she had never driven in Los Angeles) on Sunday and then she drove to work on the 101 solo on Monday for the first day of her new full time job.

When it comes to the work of the parents, our respective career trajectories have both taken a few hits and bumps over the past eight years but we are still going strong.  Since 2012, some of the tasks I have handled include:

• Starting my own successful marketing and PR firm
• Writing more articles about plastic surgery than I can possibly remember for an online plastic surgery news and medical information journal 
• Edited and wrote the content for a plastic surgery journal that was printed and distributed to medical offices all across the United States
• Worked on a real estate crowdfunding project
• Worked on a website for online health insurance quotes
• Worked for a social media management company
• Planned and executed marketing campaigns for the World Congress on Insulin Resistance Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease 
• Did work for a PR firm that believed the Internet was not a viable marketing tool and they would only work with clients that agreed their PR should only be in print magazines

Isn't this a Blog about Acting?

Zach has been very lucky in that he has kept the same manager since we arrived in Hollywood. His manager is like a second mother to him and always has his best interests (personally and professionally) at heart.

Zach has had multiple agents due to some of his agent teams splitting up, leaving their agency or Zach aging out of the youth division of some firms. His current agents "get him" and are always sending him on interesting and challenging auditions.

His bookings in Hollywood have ranged from:

• A Hotmail commercial
• A direct to DVD family holiday movie
• A recurring role on a Nickelodeon show
• A Disney pilot
• A web series about a scout camp
• Stand-up gigs at multiple clubs in Los Angeles
• A feature film that was shot in the St. Louis area
• Cast member at Second City Hollywood
• Guest spots and background work on multiple sitcoms and dramas

At last count, he has 30 IMDb credits. He is also currently attending college to study screenwriting and directing.

He still performs stand-up at clubs in the LA area. The main difference is that he is now old enough to get in clubs as opposed to the days when he was not even 18 years old and we just kept quiet about that fact when he was performing. He did get busted the night he was scheduled to make his debut at The Comedy Store. Even though Zach was on the bill, the bouncer would not let him in the building since he was under the age of 21. He couldn't even go inside to tell the promoter that he could not get in the door so I had to go into the club and deliver the news. (That was "fun")

Like any good Dadager, I've kept plenty of photos over the years and here are some of my favorites of The Artist in action:

Zach's first booked gig in LA - A Hotmail spot shot near Venice Beach

Zach's second time on Modern Family - His connection with Jeff (the guy in charge of booking actors that can pass as football players on multiple shows) led to his recurring role on the show below:

"Quiet Chris" on "Bella and the Bulldogs"

His work on "Bella" also led to some work on "Fresh Off The Boat"

"Willy" from "Camp Abercorn"

A music video for (maybe) Walk the Earth (not 100% sure)

Various stand-up gigs

Zach on HBO's "Sharp Objects"

A New Decade and New Projects

The last decade was good to Zach and his career but the future looks just as bright.

As I mentioned above, he is attending college to study screenwriting and directing as well as working on projects with his friends and classmates.

One of the most recent developments is the start of a YouTube channel with his good friend, Jake. The channel is called Some Skits 'N' Some Guys and the link is in the name if you want to learn more about their comedy offerings.

I mentioned his IMDb page earlier. If you want to check out his 30 (and growing) credits just click here for the Zach Louis IMDb page. 

Between acting, school, stand-up, YouTube and his never ending pile of laundry, Zach is busy but enjoying his life as an actor.

Here's to eight years (and counting) in Los Angeles. I can't wait to see what years nine, ten and beyond bring for my favorite actor.

Did I mention Zach has an IMDb page??? 

Are you a Hollywood writer? I'm a Hollywood writer! Hey, I'm also a Hollywood writer!

It seems everyone I've met in the past few weeks has been a writer. I write for a living but my writing is not related to the entertainment industry. I write about plastic surgery so I work on news stories and medical articles with board-certified doctors all over the United States.

I also work with different clients across the country on blogs and social media.

In this town, writers can be found everywhere. They are working on screenplays, network pitches, reboots of their favorite TV shows from the past, grim and gritty/adult versions of childhood favorites and video game scripts. It seems the only writers I don't meet are the ones working on their version of the Great American Novel.

To give you an idea about the amount of people in this town that want to be a writer in the entertainment industry, check out this list of discussions I've had with multiple writers over the course of the past few weeks:

1. "A Hulk reboot that ignores all of the Marvel movies in favor of a Hulk that is gray, lives in Compton and drives a taxi."
2. "A game show where all of the contestants can only answer in 150 characters or less even if the actual answer is more than 150 characters. It's a game show where people that text will rule the game!"
3. "Boy meets girl. Girl meets another boy. First boy meets second boy. It's a love triangle mixed with a touch of The Amazing Race."
4. "What if Luigi tried to buy out Mario's share of the plumbing business? What is Mario's second act? The game is Mario trying new professions. The unofficial name of the game is Mario's Mid-Life Mania"
5. 'What if we did an SNL-type show on the web but it was on 3 nights a week for 5-7 minutes each night? It's SNL without the filler!"
6. "I'm writing a screenplay about a guy that writes scripts that are never produced for a living. That way, if it doesn't sell, I look like a man that really knows his subject."
7. "It's like the Real Housewives franchise except all of the women are mistresses instead of wives."
8.  "It's a show kind of like Dallas but, instead of oil, the family is fighting over 1000 acres of avocado farmland."
9. "I'm rebooting the X-Men franchise. No one asked me to do it but, if I believe enough, I will manifest that job opening through the power of positive thinking."
10. "It's the story of an all girl band if they were actually house painters instead of musicians."

Once again, I write about plastic surgery for a living so I might not be the best judge of those wanting to write screenplays for a living. I will say that all of the above ideas seem like they need a bit of massaging before they are ready to be seen on the big screen, the small screen, an iPhone screen or an Xbox near you.

This actor is studying screenwriting in college.

Are You a Happy Actor?

As the end of pilot season nears, let's look at some of the common fantasies of being a "successful actor":

• Land a starring role on a TV show
• Turn your TV success into a successful movie career
• Win lots of acting awards
• Become a rich and famous person that is adored by the public

While some of these items might not be on your acting bucket list, many people want these dreams to come true.  Will achieving these dreams make you a happy person?  How can you tell if you're happy as an actor????

Life beyond acting - Acting is a wonderful way to spend the day but some actors become unhappy with their chosen profession because of a lack of outside interests.  If you just focus on the next audition or roles other actors have landed, you will burn yourself out on any enjoyment of your craft.  Venture outside the acting world by volunteering with a charity or playing sports.  Outside interests in Los Angeles help you "get a break" and appreciate the time you spend on acting more than ever.

Watching other actors - As an actor, watching other actors can help determine if you are happy with your chosen profession.  Do you watch another actor with envy since they got a part you really wanted? On the other hand, do you like to discuss the great work they did? The way you view other actors says a lot about your state of mind.

Time for class - What is your reaction when it's time for an acting class? Are you happy to be going to class?  Do you look forward to supporting your classmates?  If not, are you counting the minutes until class is over and dreading the whole experience? If going to acting class is a chore, it might be time to examine the level of passion you have for your acting career.

Is acting still an adventure - Think about the times your family asked you the dreaded question, "When will I see you on TV and/or a movie?"  This question is asked of almost every actor.  You can give a vague answer or share your adventures with them. Tell them funny audition stories. Describe the casting director and let them know how you stood out from others in the room. Share your Hollywood journey with your family and friends.  You are experiencing moments others can only dream about enjoying!

A thankful feeling - While you might not have landed that big part in the next Marvel movie, you did audition for the role.  That's an opportunity thousands of actors did not get to experience. Take the time to appreciate what you've experienced so far in your career. Keeping the highs and lows in perspective helps you enjoy the journey.

While it might seem obvious, it should be said that being miserable is easy but being happy is better for your daily life.

Are you happy and positive about where you're going or are you worried about what you haven't achieved yet? Are you letting the past drag you down?  

The answer to those questions might help you determine the future direction of your acting career.

This actor seems happy with his acting and comedy careers.