Last Saturday I was lucky enough to work on-set for the upcoming short film JANUS. I auditioned last month for the role of “Mom” through Crystal Casting, and ended up playing “Nanny”. The story follows a man through his every-day life experiences and plays on the audience’s perception of ethnicity and prejudice. It will no doubt be eye opening and raise some interesting questions when its all put together.

Janus was directed by David Mcleod, written and produced by Rajan Verma. It stars Rajan Verma with appearances by Robert Nolan, Ryan Barret and others.

“Band geek, class president, intern, secretary, comedic supporting, Debra Messing, quirky college student, geeky clean girl, moody sister, quirky girlfriend, med student, Anna Kendrick in ‘Up In The Air’, young mom, closet heroin addict, girl next door, teacher, young lawyer, sweet, innocent, good girl, Laura Ingles in ‘Little House on the Prairie’, rich girl, spoiled daughter, quiet friend, nurse, ‘put upon’ mom, office type, police precinct cop, goofy best friend, sly girl, scientist, neurotic girl, hippy, protester, dysfunctional teacher�

These are all the different characters that the participants at Crystal Kramer and Tom Tkach’s Headshot Workshop thought I could play. I always had a rough idea of how others see me, but to have an entire room of fellow actors put me in these categories based on a thirty-second impression solidified my understanding of how I am viewed in casting. I can put this to use immediately by polishing my techniques for approaching these characters and working on scenes that utilize these types. By asking the questions “what roles have you played?� and “what roles do you want to play�, Crystal and Tom were able to provide feedback on my current headshots, and tips for getting the roles I want with my new headshots.

Gaining perspective on the casting process from a Photographer and a Casting Director concurrently was an invaluable experience. I was able to take away a better understanding of my character type, advice for using my look to get the roles I want to play and finally, a set of headshots that both myself and my agent were very pleased with. Happy auditioning!

I’m heading to Cambridge again today to work for David Hopkinson of Giantkiller Creative. He has been hired to produce an internal industrial video and will be doing some extra filming today to add to the initial shoot in October.

Giantkiller’s website is in the links section as well as a link to UberRiff Films: a cooperative creative team that includes Giantkiller that produces creative short films. Check it out in the links section, there are some great trailers!

This past Sunday, I had the privilege of working with Director and Writer Ryan Keller the production team Cancelproof on a new comedy webisode. The project will eventually form a series of five minute segments for broadcast on YouTube and other web-based video sharing sites. I played “Jennifer”, the date of the main character “Dave” played by Ash Catherwood. I won’t go into detail here until the episode is released for privacy issues, but as soon as its uploaded, I’ll be sure to provide a link. Warning: Adult Humour!

So it looks like there have been some administration/management issues at the venue, and the opening of I Ought To Be In Pictures has been pushed back until Friday November 20th. This is a blessing in a way because I have had very little time comparatively to rehearse with the cast since being re-cast in the lead female role of “Libby Tucker” last Monday November 2nd.

Rehearsals are really going well now, and it adds that extra time needed to really polish things and tweak the comedy so its Juuuuuust right.

Here is the final production team:

Stellar Productions Presents -
Neil Simon’s I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES
Produced by David Russell,
Directed by Gail Henderson,
and starring:
Chuck Therrian as Herbert Tucker
Victoria Murdoch as Libby Tucker
and Elaine Jarvis as Steffy Blondell

For venue, ticket and scheduling info, see the calendar section on the home page.

Thanks!

So, it appears I am in a play. Neil Simon’s “I Ought to be in Pictures” to be exact, and opening night is Friday November 13th. Friday November 13th, appears to be next week and as I type this, I am coming to the distinct discovery that that is in fact, Friday the thirteenth. When did I find out that I was in this play? Why, yesterday in fact. And what part do I play? Oh, well, pretty much the lead. So what will I be doing from now until next Friday the thirteenth you ask? Well, learning lines, rehearsing and dry heaving of course!

Seriously though, Stellar Productions (Aurora dinner theatre @ Howard Johnson Aurora) had a last-minute drop-out and David the producer asked if I was willing to fill in at short notice. I am, and I will.

I humbly ask for you to wish me luck, and any other sort of good vibe, ask the universe, prayer or other method of spiritual assistance that you may be able to spare!

My two feet are officially in the fire. Here goes!

I got home today from the four-day shoot in Shanty Bay, ON for Ryerson Film project BLOOD BOARS. Wow, what a memorable time! We started out with night shoots in the woods off of a rural road on the Northern shore of Lake Simcoe. The temperature dipped to -5′C with the windchill on Thursday night. There were so many deeply dark images and fantastic looking shots. I was able to watch some of the rough footage last night at the Producer’s home in South Barrie where the majority of the crew and cast were staying during the shoot. We finished up today with some short special effects shots including one of me hanging from a tree. All in a days work?

I had the pleasure of working with fellow actors Peter Valdron, Dave Vaughan and Troy Feldman: three fantastically warm and entertaining men who I recommend taking on any cold and scary trip into the woods at night. And the crew headed by Producer Jessica Tooms and director Justin Oakey could not have had a better mix of professionalism and good humor. They really know how to make you forget that you’re working.

I’m really looking forward to seeing the final product in the Spring at the Ryerson University Film Festival (RUFF 2010). Check back for updates on screening info when it becomes available as well as more pictures from the shoot. Thanks to everyone involved in this production for including me in this project. And thanks for contributing to what will no doubt be a fantastically haunting and visually stunning film: I now have one more reason to fear the dark!

I have had a number of auditions over the past week, and I am happy to say that I now have a few more projects on the go!

First,
I auditioned last Friday for an industrial video for Minute Rice with director David Hopkinson of Giantkiller Creative. I was lucky enough to shoot yesterday with David and his crew in Cambridge. The project was a short video illustrating how Minute Rice fits perfectly into the day of a busy, young, urban professional. I played a woman going about her fast-paced life who enjoys the convenience of Minute Rice. I had a great time working with Dave, the other cast and his great crew. They really made the day fly by! Giantkiller Creative has teamed with Aholattafun Creative Solutions and Blue Lizard Productions to form UberRiff Films. UberRiff has produced a number of really interesting film projects, and I would love to be involved in their upcoming projects. Check out some of their past work at http://www.uberriff.com/

Second,
I have been cast in the Ryerson Thesis project BLOOD BOARS directed by Justin Oakey and Produced by Jessica Toombs.

Here is a project description from their Production Blog:

“Blood Boars centers on a modest turn-of-the-century farming village as a small search party heads into the forest in hopes of finding two missing children. Once becoming stranded, implicit human brutality tears through the illusion of community and destroys the group one by one. A quaint folkloric tale meets transcendental horror.”

I play a woman who’s daughter has been taken and I join the search party in the woods in hopes of finding her alive. We shoot October 15th to 19th in Barrie with production to finish in spring 2010. The production blog is at http://bloodboars.blogspot.com/ and you can see updates on the progress of the film, as well as creative influences and examples of past work.

Third,
I have been studying for five weeks now with acting coach and director Lewis Baumander and I feel so much more creatively and emotionally ready and open then I have in a long time. His classes are really helping me work through my roadblocks when it comes to auditioning and I have already signed up for the next session.

All and all, I feel like I’m more ready to work in this field then I have in a long time. So, I’m gonna keep that ball rolling!

POINT OF VIEWING opened last night to a full house! The audience was so receptive, and they were great laughers! Thanks so much to Mike S., Les, Reggie and gang, Andrew B. and friend and of course Jonny for making it out during what turned out to be a tornado in other parts of the GTA!

Everyone was in top form, on their A-game, and it certainly showed in the audience’s reactions to the jokes, and some of the more dramatic scenes.

Thanks so much to Morgan and Andrea from Rogers Cable 10 Mississauga/Brampton for the interviews and show coverage. To watch interviews with myself, writer Todd McGinnis, director Tony Junor as well as some footage of the first act, tune into Mississauga/Brampton Rogers Cable 10 tonight at 6pm, 6:30pm or 10pm. Make a comment on this page if you catch it, and let me know how it looks, I don’t get that channel!

Thanks again everyone. There are still three more shows and a few tickets left. Check the calendar section for online ticket info.

See you at the show!!!

Next Thursdsay, opening night, Rogers Cable 10 reporter Morgan Bargent will be on location at our show to tape interviews with director Tony Junor, writer Todd McGinnis and myself before the show. They will also take some footage of the show for broadcast during FIRST LOCAL news airing Friday August 21st, 6pm, 6:30pm and 10pm on Rogers Cable 10 for Mississauga and Brampton!

What a great way to get the community of Mississauga and Brampton involved in their arts scene!

Thanks so much Morgan, we all look forward to seeing you on opening night!