Audition Day #1: I Remembered My Pants.
In other news, today I just about abandoned this project out of despair. An hour later, I was flying high. Now, I’ve found a nice middle ground and thinking to myself, in a sane way, this this really can be done.
Such is the way of running auditions.
This morning we had five people scheduled to audition. Out of that, we had three people show up. Now, one of those had actually been scheduled for next weekend. The other was a walk-in that our director had finagled into trying out, even though he was a student working on a project in an editing bay down the hallway.
That’s right, folks: *one person* who had scheduled a time with us actually tried out. He showed up on time, which was a major saving grace.
What blood, sweat, and tears went into preparing for this audition? This sadly neglected audition?
Well, I can’t speak for Sabina, but I was up until about 2am last night, taking care of very-last-minute business and hating my neighbors, who chose to celebrate finals all night in the face of my having to get up early today. Add to that all the paper-stapling, cooking, organizing, packing, driving, unpacking, panicking, and general higgledy-piggledy that goes into trying to get a bunch of people to do what you went.
Most of the morning was spent waiting through time set aside for talent who basically gave us the finger: all that effort, so many no-shows. A serious bummer, that.
“Most of the morning.” Not, “all of the morning.” As is so often the case, all it took was one good time to turn the tide.
I can’t give you a name — sorry, miss — but she was awesome. Just before lunch, this woman strides in with her paperwork. She’s confident. She’s ready and eager. She’s off-book.
Hot damn!
So she gets down to it, and it is sublime. I got to see Sabina really pull out the stops and give some damn fine direction. I got to see an actor nail the part she’d prepped for. I saw her shoot for the moon on another part that we put her through on a whim. And I felt that unusual tingly radiance from the camera crew that told me they really enjoyed what they were recording.
Oh yeah! That’s why we’re doing this. I’d forgotten. Now I remember.
I think the actor saw me dash out of the UNM Arts Lab and leap in the air, fists flying to the sky, bellowing energetic joy for the world to witness. At least, I hope she did. It’s not often you get to see first-hand exactly how much you’ve put a shine on someone’s day.
The whole event turned around from that moment. More talent is pouring in through the doors, they’re on time, and they’re bringing their A-Game.
Most of the heroes of the world, the ones who operate on the mortal plane and are the kinds of people that perhaps you and I both aspire to be, they go unrecognised. Their names get lost in the shuffle.
This one actor, though — this one I hope you learn her name soon.
God willing, she’s going to have her name in lights.
Now, lest I neglect other light-worthy names: Thanks to John Maio, Gloria Martinez, Patrick Melvin, Maria Varela, and Ed Merta for bringing important parts and making them go smoothly.
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In the Wind » The Stars Are Completely Wrong says:
[...] do I have so many posts that revolve around me not being naked? You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site. RSS [...]
September 27th, 2007 at 8:13 pm