purpose of bookout dates?

i recently returned from the most amazing trip to the ums.
upon booking my plane tickets months ago, i sent my agent a quick email letting her know i would be unavailable during said dates.
upon leaving for my trip, i emailed my agent again reminding her that i would be gone for said dates.

so, please, riddle me this - why am i receiving an email with an audition notice?
what's the purpose of book out dates if you're going to submit me for projects that conflict anyways?
needless to say, i was not impressed as it's just not a good look for either one of us.

this whole incident reminded me that it was time to call in my reinforcements and request the industry consultation i spoke about in an earlier blog post.
i need to sever ties with this agent.
stat.

yesterday's audition?

"success has a simple formula: do your best, and people may like it."

so, how did my audition go you ask?

my audition time was 4:10 pm and i got there super early to do my hair and makeup/get in the zone, blah.

anyways, there were three other girls in the waiting room with me - two of which were "visibile minorities", which i took as a good thing for me as it seemed like casting was leaning in that direction.

the girls were in and out of the room at a rapid pace until it was just me in the waiting room.

the casting associate asked me if i was ready and i was like, you know what?

so, i went in and did my scene the way i had rehearsed it and was told to do it again several different ways.
by my count, i must have performed the scene at least 5 times.
i was told my take was wonderful and that it was always nice to see me.
the CD and i laughed at an inside joke (i love that we have inside jokes...) and i was sent on my way.
i'm not sure if i booked the job (*crosses fingers*) but i definitely booked the room.

xoxo, TA

hallelujahhhhh!

my prayers have been answered in the form of an audition for this monday.

when i saw the email from my agent entitled "audition notice - ********", i actually could have cried.
a principal role on a tv series shot in toronto is just what the doctor ordered.
go figure that it shoots around the time i'm to leave for my sister's destination wedding but i'm hoping the Lord will hear my prayers and the stars will align to help me book and shoot this.

in either case, my agent finally did her job and now it's time for me to do mine.
i'm gonna learn these sides like the back of my hand and walk into the audition room like:

*throws sides.

luck is just preparation meeting opportunity, right?

it's a good thing i'm prepared :)

xoxo, TA

the diary of a mad black actress from toronto

first of all, my thoughts and prayers go out to every in boston and it's surrounding areas.
i pray that this madness will end with no more casualties...

i was initially going to write this post as a way to voice my frustrations of being a black actress in toronto canada period.

i was going to talk about how the roles for black actresses are so few and far between in this city and  that when they do arrive, it's almost always for stereotypical "black girl" roles: 

teen mothers, girls with attitudes, bullies, girls named 'chantal' (why this is the "go-to" black girl name, i'll never know), dancers, sidekicks, rappers, rude gyals...you get the point.

i was going to do all uh dat (*insert stereotypical "black girl" snap in a z formation here*) but that would be the longest blog entry ever.

so, i've decided to make my argument via photos:

i present to you, canadian tv shows - 

republic of doyle

heartland

being erica

this hour has 22 minutes

the border

degrassi

*i'll give them a little bit of credit, as they are probably the only canadian show that has a pretty diverse cast.

"i know...it's been sooooooooooo slow."

on friday, i emailed my agent to ask her how the industry was going because i've "noticed" i haven't had an audition in over a month. i also asked her if there's anything i should do to promote myself or if she's heard of any workshops in the city worth attending.

her response:
"i know...it's been sooooo slow!"

my reaction:

28 days.
0 hours.
19 minutes.


xoxo TA

a letter to the person i will not be working for in four months...

aka. my agent:

it's a shame that i'm even writing this letter as i really had high hopes for our working relationship after our initial meeting.
okay, maybe i'm lying.

prior to meeting with you, i met with 3 out of the top 5 agencies in toronto who all had the same feedback: 

- great talent with a lot of potential

- encourage you to work on building an even larger body of work

- please focus on gaining some union status as that will lead to more opportunities to work with established professionals and gain more connections in the business

- please re-submit within six months

- wish you all the best, blah blah

so, if i'm being completely honest, i came into this relationship with every intention of leaving you once i fulfilled the majority of these requirements.
i also felt that during our initial meeting i made it perfectly clear my disinterest in doing anything in the musical/live theater world for a good while.

flash forward seven months later and here we are:
you've gotten me a total of 10 auditions - 2 of which i've self submitted for and 3 of which i had to literally beg and plead to be submitted.
(i still have a feeling that you didn't actually submit 2 of the 3 self-taped video submissions to their respective casting directors but that's another issue in itself...)
oh and, you're still constantly sending me information on theatre auditions in and around the city.

now, i'm one to give credit where credit is due.
so, i do have to mention that of the 10 auditions, 3 of which were for casting directors i had never auditioned for before.
so for that, i thank you.
but that's about all i'm going to thank you for.

i'm constantly doing my part in trying to stay on top of what's casting in the city and have emailed you a few times about projects i feel fit my specs.
responses like "saw it. didn't submit you" irritates me to no end.
but you know what's more irritating?
seeing fellow actor friends of mine with very similar specs and weaker resumes booking projects that you weren't even submitted for...
let's not forget, refusing to submit me for american projects shooting in the city because "the chances of them casting a non-american is unlikely" even after informing you that i am a DUAL CITIZEN!

i'm on casting workbook, aaaction auditions, actors access and mandy a ridiculous number of times a day and for you to send me a submissions list that contains an overwhelmingly large number of projects I submitted MYSELF for, is beyond disturbing.
being scolded for EMAILING you "outside office hours" was laughable.

i could go on but this letter slowly turning into a short story and i can feel my blood pressure rising.

but here is where we stand:
it is tuesday march 26th, 2013 and as of this moment, i have accomplished a vast amount of the items on the "list of requirements" i was given by other agents.
i have also decided to call in some reinforcements to help make my submissions to these agencies much more effective this time around in the form of a working consultation with one of the city's finest acting coaches.
lucky for you, he's in LA until the first week of may or else i would have already started my agent search for 2013.
so, it seems like i'm stuck with you for 40 more days, 20 more hours and 41 minutes...

long story short, get your sh*t together or i'm gone.

deuces,
TA

love me some will smith.

obviously, will smith is a phenomenal actor.

his resume speaks for itself.

but, he's also been known to drop some serious words of wisdom.

i found this compilation video on youtube of some of his best inspirational quotes that i'd like to share.

my personal favorite?

his theory on talent vs. skill:

"the separation of talent and skill is one of the greatest misunderstood concepts for people who are trying to excel, who have dreams, who want to do things, talent you have naturally. 

skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft.

i've never really viewed myself as particularly talented.

where i excel is ridiculous, sickening work ethic.

you know, while the other guy's sleeping, i'm working.

while the other guy's eating, i'm working.

there's no easy way around it. 

no matter how talented you are, your talent is going to fail you if you're not skilled.

if you don't study, if you don't work really hard and dedicate yourself to being better every single day, you'll never be able to communicate with people - with your artisitry - the way you want...

it's really that simple."

that master william <3

xoxo, TA