Well July is over and I can’t say I did much. I got a new Children’s Entertainment job and spend my weekends pampering and making balloon animals for children. I am also now a proud owner of a TAG set of face paints (which I have wondrous plans for). I done a few more Stand-Up gigs (some good, some bad) and have been learning lines all in prep for August and September.
I’ve just flown into Brisbane for my Perform Educational Musicals (Echelon Productions) tour this month with Andrew Hearle. I’ll be settled back with my parents for the month of August as I go round Brisbane schools educating kids about Book Week and some pretty rad books. The show is called ‘Space Jump’ and is about an alien who comes to Earth in search of Fiction books and learns all about imagination. I am playing the roles of Claire, Alien Claire and the ever so devious, Doctor Drivel. Rehearsals begin this coming Monday at Metro Arts for a week and then the fun really begins. Check out the poster for the show.
While in Brisbane I will be participating in a workshop with Damian Walshe-Howling called ‘Experiments in Truth and Emotion on Screen’ on the 24 August which I am looking forward to. I’ve decided to do at least one workshop a month from now on. I just love how close you get to work with industry professionals and there is so much wisdom you can gain.
At the start of July, I did a workshop with the beautiful Anthony Brandon Wong. What a fantastic workshop. I recommend it to any/ all of my acting friends. He specialises in the Ivana Chubbuck technique, which was unfamiliar to me, and talks a lot about his experiences in the industry. The Chubbuck techniques focuses a lot on Substitution and using a relationship/ experience you have had in your life in order to get the truth out of a scene. It was $360 for a two-day workshop that ran from 9:30-7pm. What a bargain and I learnt so much. At the end of the workshop he also gave us all individual advice and what next we could do to enhance our career.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of working with Director Ian Gilmour (Winners & Losers, Dance Academy, All Saints) at Sydney Drama School. We did a few scenes and he directed us asking us questions about the characters and what were their objectives/ wants. It was fantastic getting to hear the Directors side of the industry as well. He said about casting shows/ features, the director doesn’t get much (or any) say in the matter. The casting directors and the networks are the ones who make the decisions. I thought that was very interesting. The best part about this workshop is we got to keep our scenes and they’ve now been uploaded to YouTube.
If you aren’t aware yet, I upload a scene every week just to keep myself working and to have lots of material to showcase. Check out my YouTube Channel and please feel free to email me and give me any tips. I love getting feedback.
Later in the year...
September is beginning to look a bit packed. I’m working on 'The Army Within' (TAW) where I play Sal, a young woman who has been infected by an alien species and is now pregnant with one of their kind. We recently had a read though of Episode 1 and have shooting dates organised. Here is a picture of Paul and I. Paul is playing my boyfriend on screen, Traye.
I have also been cast in an AFTRS short film titled ‘Die Krankenhaus’. I play the role of Nurse Reeves. The story is about Major Evans, who wakes up in hospital after departing on a war mission and suspects something fishy about the place. This will be shooting in the second week of September.
There is another short that I may be doing, but I can’t disclose any information yet. You will have to wait till Septembers update ;)
The Improv Music Show and Musical are on hiatus. I am thinking of staging a mini-version before I try and control a big group of people. My friend Elise and I may start work on a small comedy/ cabaret show, a show where I will improvise songs about funny things in life. It’s still in the very early stages however.
And finally, I’ve decided to head to the US at the start of the year in 2014, just to see what this whole LA thing is all about. I won’t be taking a dive into Pilot season because there’s no rush but I will be taking a few short courses just to make some contacts and get my head around the industry over there. If you have any suggestions about where to study or anything at all please send me an email.
Before I go, I just want to say big thank you to my agency Natalie Hall Management, especially Poppy, for the ongoing acting support and for doing such a stella job representing me. Am looking forward to what the future brings us.
I will speak to you all again in September. See you then. :)