Filming Day for Barzhini or A Day in the Life of Celebrities

I can't say I was expecting filming day to be quite so... entertaining.  I always expect to make new friends and hopefully do a good job, but I actually miss my pretend company of incompetent indiots.  We all arrived a couple hours early to allow the beautiful Kelly to make us all pretty with her ten pound case of Mac.  It's quite fun to watch men get their makeup on--they look so uncomfortable.  Except for AC and Denim, that is--our seasoned actors who act like having someone put makeup on them is what they do every day.  Maybe it is.

Our fearless leaders had some impressive looking equipment and let me do the filming once they realized I had a natural talent for it.  (See photo for proof).  It was difficult to both film and act in the commercials, but I pulled it off.  Alright, Santa (AKA Denim), snapped a photo of me behind the camera when no one else was looking.  I could've done it though.

Denim Pete delivered his lines with gusto and looked like he was meant to sit at the head of the conference table.  I stayed focused and stopped laughing at all the men long enough to stumble through my two lines.  I'm going to blame the two and a half hours of sleep I got the night before for my absolute loss of the power of memory.  I'm lucky, actually, to be remembering enough to write this blog.  What was I saying?

AC and Austin were the perfect duo and fought like best friends in fifth grade.  They made acting dashingly juvenile look easy.  Oh, wait, maybe it is...  My BFF Tucker was BRILLIANT at sleeping on the job, but really shone during the scene when everyone tries to get away from posessed me.  It was the thumb-sucking that really brought the whole scene together.  I didn't get to actually see it all, as my eyes were rolling up in my head at that time, but I saw clips later.  Hilarious!!! 

I'll leave it there for now.  I'm off to Vail for a shoot and haven't actually finished packing yet.  I should do that.  Stay tuned for all about Troy, the strong and silent and Mark who keeps asking for his business card back....

  

Vegas Hotel #2--The Encore--ooooo, shiny

Hotel #2 is the Encore by Wynn.  Last time I was in Vegas, it didn't exist, so I am quite excited to explore somewhere brand-spanking new.  Any ideas for hotel #3?  I am presently leaning towards the Mirage or possibly Bellagio or Caesar's Palace.  The hotels that didn't make the list are:  Mandalay Bay for a subpar remodel, the Luxor, Excalibur and all those like it because although they are fine, they're not in the luxury category, and New York, New York for noise (or thin walls combined with constant screaming from the roller coaster outside).  I LOVE roller coasters, but not having a room next to one.  :)  I didn't include the Signature at MGM or the Venetian this time for my own reasons, but just an FYI if you don't already know--both of those hotels are absolutely wonderful and I highly recommend them.  If you have a favorite, please pass it along!    

Vegas, Baby!

I'm finalizing plans for a luxury in Las Vegas series due to be published in April for Examiner.com.  I will be reporting on Trump International Hotel and possibly the Mirage and MGM.  Erin McCleskey of SK+G has been my liason for Trump.  Her professionalism has been so very appreciated!  When I decide and make final arrangements for the other two hotels, you, Dear Reader, will be the first to know. 

Don't you just LOVE Vegas?  I don't think there is another place on earth that has so much to do in such a small geographical area.  I will definitely be reporting on at least one Cirque Du Soleil show, possibly O at the Bellagio.  If you are a Vegas-lover as well, write to me with your favorite hot spots/shows/cuisine and I will try my best to check them out.   

redwriteandedit@hotmail.com

Goodnight!

Script Reading Tonight

Tonight, all of us famous actors gathered to read through the Barzhini script for filming on Friday.  It was a fun group--very diverse.  Of course by diverse, I mean as diverse as a group of white males could be.  I am the only woman.  The filming is not one commercial, but sevenish thirty second spots.  My character, Janet, has only two lines (nice).  Janet, does, however:

*become possessed

*levitate

*fall drunkenly to the floor and

*die

I'm going to have fun with this. 

Upcoming Broadmoor Story/Getting Ready to Film

Ivy Canady (very nice and helpful) has just sent me my itinerary for my percursory stay to my upcoming series of stories on the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs.  I've always loved that hotel.  I stayed there once a long time ago, but not with an eye for a story.  I'm ready to discover it again!  I will be touring the hotel in the middle of next month, so please look for the stories at the end of March.

The mezzanine--Gorgeous!

In modeling/acting news, I have a script read tomorrow evening, then filming on Friday for my first commercial.  I plan on bringing my camera and if allowed, will post a behind-the-scenes look.  Should be fun!!!

       

The Joy of Commercials/My Audition 2/11/2010

I've had yet another brand new experience today.  I auditioned for a Kodak commercial.  This time I had to prepare a monologue with a day's notice.  I found the perfect one--a piece from Oscar Wilde's, "An Ideal Husband."  I chose Mabel's speech about Tommy.  Mabel is an adorably self-absorbed character whose main interest is to get Tommy (who proposes to her daily) to propose louder in order to attract more attention.  She often gets distracted and find herself on long tangents.  I found myself perfect for the part. :)  My favorite couple of lines from the play:

"Musical people are so absurdly unreasonable. They always want one to be perfectly dumb at the very moment when one is longing to be absolutely deaf." 

I did manage to memorize the monologue perfectly this morning, but, unfortunately, that is about the only part of the day that went well.  I am badly in need of new pants.  However, my size is not very common and absurdly hard to find.  So, I wore a new pair that are about two miles too long.  I thought I could make up for this by wearing my boots with the two inch heels, but that didn't quite do the trick.  I made do last minute by pinning them in places.  I nearly died when the gaps got stuck on my stillettos.  As I was going to be late (gasp--can't have that), I painted my nails in the car. 

Arriving slightly early, I answered a few texts then went inside.  The husband and wife production team duo was very nice and had I not been preoccupied with trying not to fall and die, I may have done a good job on camera.  Well, we'll see.  Don't hold your breath for this one!  Although miracles do happen...  I did arrive early, after all.

Afterwards I needed retail therapy to put a smile back on my face, so I headed to the Cherry Creek Mall.  I had forgotten what an absolutely fantastic place that is!  I hit Neiman Marcus, Saks and Juicy Couture with enough time to get back to Colorado Springs and pick up my pumpkin from Kindergarten.  I think I'll write a piece for Examiner on overnights in the Cherry Creek area with a focus on shopping.  Yum.

 

Barzhini Commercials, Casting Calls and Cambria Suites

The Barzhini casting call a week or so ago was a first for me.  I have never done any acting except for in high school and even then, not in an actual production, just an "easy A" class.  Or so I thought.  Acting is not easy (at least not for me! Lesson #1 re-learned for the day).  Neither is modeling, which requires a lot of acting.  It can't matter if you're exhausted/ hormonal/swamped with work/dealing with relationship issues/dealing with a naughty, but adorable five-year-old at home who flatly REFUSES to go to bed before 2 am, etc.  On camera you need to be whatever the photographer (or director, I suppose) envisions for the project, i.e. most likely the opposite of whatever you are at the moment.

The day of the audition I was perfectly happy and I'm sure it showed.  I hear I smile a lot.  I was handed a monologue to cold-read from and told I could read it over first.  I did, but only enough to get the basic gist--I was reading something having to do with a parent and child in a crowd.  I really should have read a bit more! (Lesson #2 for the day).  I gave the camera my best smile and read with feeling.  Halfway through, it dawned on me that I was reading about the Holocaust.  So, smiling was probably not the way to go.  Oops.  I felt utter despair was a little too much of a jump from happy-go-lucky to attempt mid-sentence, so I opted for "grave concern."

Yesterday I received my part for the commercial.  I am "Janet," a businesswoman who smiles too much and whose emotions seem forced.  I have a suspicion the part may have been written just for me. :)

Tomorrow I have another casting call in Denver for another commercial with a different company.  I have to prepare a monologue.  As I have no aspirations (delusions) of Broadway, I think this time I'll go with something, well,... lighthearted.

I just wrote my first not-so-glowing report for Examiner.com.  It's not that I don't like Cambria Suties, I do--the value is fantastic and how many budget hotels have nice decor?  That matters to me!  I just felt I needed to mention the fact that the rooms are the same, everywhere.  Now why would they do that?  Surely, they see the allure of a little variety?  Hopefully I didn't hurt any feelings or get myself banned for life...

Click here to read the story.

If you have any comments or story suggestions (for travel writing.  I have enough for my life), please write to me at redwriteandedit@hotmail.com.  I would love to hear from you!

              

TV Commercial

OMG, I got the part.  Well, this ought to be interesting.  Feel free to wish me luck!