The Working Actor

An Actor's Review- Morning Glory

2010-11-10T20:04:00.000-08:00

Imagine you are young, broke, a victim of circumstance, nothing seems to be going your way, you have had this idea of what your life was going to pan out like when you were a child, and now you are in your late twenties /early 30's, unemployed, and your own mother tells you to give up, you're embarassing the family. You are heart broken but part of you still has the faith of a child. You just can't let go of your dream so you continue to persist despite the naysayers. Then by some cosmic roll of the dice you get that phone call which leads to as the saying goes "the beginning of the rest of your life".

Morning Glory is the story of a young producer who finds herself leading the dying morning show of a national network called IBS. (Irritable Bowel Sydrome, did anyone catch that?:) I was really impressed with the pace of the movie. It was written well. My attention was continually kept throughout the entire film. Not one piece of copy was irrelevant. Written by Aline Brosh McKenna, who also wrote blockbusters "The Devil Wears Prada" and "27 Dresses", also directed by Roger Mitchell of the 90's hit Knotting Hill and with truly an allstar cast- powerhouse names like Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton and quickly becoming a-lister Rachel McAdams, this film was hilarious, emotional, and deeply resonated with my own career aspirations and challenges being in NYC and struggling to make a living as an actor. A must see for all film makers, actors, and creative types in pursuit of a dream.

Let's continue to chase our passion, not our pension. Here's a great article from Dr. Denis Waitley, an inspirational life coach that first taught me this idea. http://www.ideaman.net/articles/buspersnlleadership/ChaseYourPassionDW.pdf

And go see this movie!

G'nite,

Michael B. Chadwick

The World Is A Stage

2010-10-15T17:52:00.000-07:00

October 22 I'm performing at Shetler Studios for an industry only benefit. Donations go to www.apicha.org, and the event is co-hosted by the legendary Joe Franklin and actor and supermodel Debbie Dickinson!! I'm in a play called "The Stranger Inside" written by the next Tennesee Williams- David Kennedy Polanco and produced by Stage Center. This would qualify for the status of off, off Broadway, and is to an industry only audience.

Today I was so excited to pick up my $425 check from Century 21. $350 of it was already eaten up by car repairs. I've tried selling my 2005 Saturn Ion with great gas mileage..hint.. for over a year and nobody seems to have $7 grand lying around, or 6 grand, or 5950 which is my latest price point..

After finally picking up my check I went back to Queens to pay the mechanic, then had an audition for a new hip hop/urban line. They thought I was Latino, of course..then when I walked in the room the first thing the casting director said was "You look like an actor" then she said " Tom Cruise" . Debbie Dickinson has been been telling me over and over to focus on acting. I'm 27, I've been in NYC a year now and havn't booked any commercials or substantial modeling jobs. I did pick up two commercial print agencies though, so one could argue I did not have the opportunities that I have now. But it was a great reminder to "play to my strengths" .

There are so many things that happen in life that make me think " wow that would be a great scene in a movie".

I'm off to see "Social network" for the second time, this time with my roomate, Joe. I've decided to stop resenting my financial situation and my roomates who in fact are helping me to live cheap, and actually try something new - making them feel welcome in my house. I'll write more later. Tomorrow I'm showing apartments in the morning, working on lines in the afternoon then heading to a catering gig at night.

Peace-

MC

Casting 10/14 from Donna Grossman

2010-10-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

USAGE: 2 years US use for the following: trade ads, trade and consumer
collateral, convention panels, posters, premiums and electronic
media.
ADULT RATE: $1,500.00 + 20% Agency Fee
CHILD RATE: $750.00 + 20% Agency Fee
EXTRA RATE: $500.00 + 20% Agency Fee (all extras faces will be darkened so that
faces are unrecognizable)
SHOOT: October 20th or 21st 2010 (10 hr shoot day)
CASTING: Thursday October 14th 2010 BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
SPECS:
We are casting for real people types who are heavy/overweight.
Their heights should range between 5’5” – 6’1”.
EXTRAS: Caucasian Women & Hispanic Men, 60 – 65
Large/plump/Overweight
PRINCIPALS and EXTRAS Caucasian Men, 60
Large/Plump/Overweight
(Ideally we would love a man with his real grandson, see below)
PRINCIPAL CHILD Caucasian Boys, 4 – 6
Average weight
(Ideally we would love a boy with his real grandpa, see above)
PLEASE NOTE: All talent that checks off “willing to do extra work” on their size-card will be
considered for BOTH the primary role AND the extra role.
E-Mail your current photo
along with your
height, weight and cell phone number
to submissions@donnagrossmancasting.com

10 Ways To Sabotage Your Acting Career

2010-07-25T16:15:00.000-07:00

It takes one to know one my friends..Sad but true!:) Looking back I don't know how I could have been such an idiot. Anyways.. Enjoy!:) - Mike

1.) Go to a casting for Native Americans and try to convince production that you fit the criteria because you're from the Jewish tribe of Levi.
2.) Plug the toilet at an ad agency in Canada, ask the client for a plunger, book the job, and then get stuck at the border because you forget there is certain paperwork you need to work in a foreign country!
3.) Go to a musical theater casting with no sheet music , give a key to the accompanyist, and then sing your heart out- in exactly the opposite key that he's playing.
4.) Try to sell weight loss products to your agent.
5.) Live on your charge cards in college, and then have no money to invest in marketing yourself because you are constantly struggling to survive.
6.) Get a job at a top restaurant in Times Square- and then don't show up for training because you booked a featured extra role as "Dousche bag # 3"
7.) Try to sell knives to your agent.
8.) Tell a commercial print agency that you are there to show your muscles, and they reply with "what muscles?" , and choose to continue to indulge the lies your mother told you about how perfect you are and lift up your shirt with- a keg underneath instead of a six pack.
9.) Send annoying updates to casting directors with no tear sheets or clips attached. They will only remember that you are still inexperienced- and annoying.
10.) Show up to a casting half naked. Don't EVER dehumanize yourself by putting your sexuality above your craft unless the breakdown specifically said you would have a shirtless audition- and that means you don't take it off until you are in the room . Not only have you weirded out the casting director but made a complete fool of yourself in front of the dozens of talent in line.

And ladies- if the breakdown does say this is a shirtless audition, chances are this is not a resume' builder!

Catering Companies-The List

2010-06-28T17:36:00.000-07:00

Catering has got to be one of the best jobs for actors. Flexible hours, good pay, and it's so much fun. The job entails passing hors' devoures, serving , bussing or bartending at weddings, barmitzvahs, fashion shows and corporate events. What I didn't know is that it is seasonal, so while it's busy September 15th-December 31st, it dies January-March, slowly starts to pick up in April, and then there's MAY MADNESS!! Many of the high profile clients go out to the Hamptons July-August.

99% of catering firms look for young, attractive males 18-30, and women only if they are striking. There is plenty of work out there for ugly people in other professions, so if you don't got the genes for this business it's not your fault, just be realistic and look for work elsewhere, I didn't make the rules I'm just telling ya how it is. :)

So here is a list of companies that I have worked for in the past year.

Related Events/The Edison Ballroom. Email your headshot & resume to tcnagasato@gmail.com . The bulk of my work has been at Edison. Todd Nagasato is this short Japanese dude in his mid 30's, he's chill, I've never worked for a manager that is as respectful and fun to work with as him. He has a vision for booking his staff at events outside the ballroom, so he just may have a spot for ya.

PTL Staffing. www.ptlstaffingandevents.com . Seth Whalen was a model with Click for a number of years, he started his own thing and works primarily with clients in the fashion industry, so guys unless you're 6'1 and have a strong book you probably won't work for this one. He is one of the best paying staffing firms in the business, so good luck!

Canard- email your stuff to kurt@Canardinc.com . Kurt Miller was the booker at another catering firm called Taste. I was recruited by an account manager at Canard at a Taste event, then later Canard acquired Taste and many of their staff joined Canard.

-----Aside------

I catered this event for Canard, it was a broadway opening of American Idiot. I ran one of the desert tables.. It was slow and this one couple came and started talking with me..it was Anna Gastyre from Saturday Night Live! We were cracking jokes for like 5 minutes and then there was this pause..and I said " You're Anna Gastyre, aren't you?" and she said " Yes I am " I got to tell her she was one of my favorite cast members on SNL of all time. That was freekin awesome. Also on this same night two of the producers gave me their cards, I had coffee with one of them and had an amazing conversation about ways to use social networking to bypass traditional gate keepers, he used Justin Bieber as an example. Everything is changing- we need to become more savy- and stop giving talent agents and managers all the power. WE have the power.

anyways..back to the list..

Vincent Bracchia at Top Shelf Staffing. TS is one of the lower paying staffing firms but he does an enormous amount of volume. I gurantee if you get in here you will make bank cuz when it's busy you'll work around the clock. topshelfstaffing@gmail.com

Gotham Catering- Gotham is actually a temp agency, so their pay is even lower then Top Shelf. Again sometimes you just need to fill in the hours, so in helps to have as many catering firms as possible- 212-242-8345. Tell Maria I sent ya!

Alright that's all I have time to type right now, if I can think of more I'll let you know. Good luck!

-Mike

Casting: Female Models , Hamptons Event July 3rd $17/hour

2010-06-25T15:25:00.001-07:00

Call time is roughly 11 AM in NYC and will go til late.

Wardrobe- White summer dress (costs $15 , deducted from pay, can use for future events)
Height: 5'10 + ( No Exceptions!)
Runway bodies. NO PLUS SIZE MODELS
Ethnicity- Caucasian, Mixed- Eastern European, Exotic.
Pay - $17/hour, by check within 2 weeks.

Email Headshot, bathing suit shot and resume' of modeling experience SUBJECT: Hamptons July 3rd

to mbccasting@gmail.com