I could say I've been too busy...but that's just ridiculous. I could say I forgot my password, but they have ways of resetting those these days. Aliens stole my computer? naw...that's no good. I guess there's really no excuse for it. My apologies to the 3 people who have read this thing in the past.
I have been rather busy, which is a good thing.
Since my last post (way back in 2011), I've moved 3 times (still in Atlanta), gotten an Agent (Houghton Talent...love them), taken acting classes, gotten new headshots, and even booked some professional acting jobs! It's been a wild ride. And it hasn't been easy.
Two (plus) years have passed since my entrance into the film industry. I've learned a LOT. Opportunities have come and gone. I've worked behind the scenes, auditioned for countless projects, and booked a few. But I must admit...the rejection of it all, will get to you from time to time. There's only so many times a person can hear "no" before eventually they throw their hands in the air and say "WHAT's THE DEAL?!"
As far as I could tell, I was doing almost everything right! Headshots, check. Resume, check. Acting classes, check. Agent, check. Maybe it was my acting skills? Was I even any good at acting? Was I simply ignoring all the warning signs? Was I one of those singer's on American Idol auditions who have an extremely false sense of their abilities?
And yet, I could not deny the positive response I was getting from people that HIRE actors. It seemed that I could handle the work, and yet I still wasn't booking. It was the most frustrating thing in the world.
The more I waited, the more clear it was...God had me in a season of Preparation. In the same way a Goldsmith purifies Gold, God was putting me in the fire, taking me out periodically, scraping the impurities off the top, and then putting me back in. Refining. It's exhausting.
So...after 2 years of this...I finally reached the end of my rope. I wanted to be where God wanted me to be, and do what He wanted me doing, but I could NOT handle this anymore. I needed affirmation. More than that...I needed confirmation. So I prayed.
"God...if you want me to act. To be an actor...like...for my job. I asking you to provide a professional acting job that pays over (X) amount of dollars...by the end of the month. Otherwise I'm going to start looking for full-time jobs. This is not an ultimatum. If you want to show me in some other way that this is where you want me...that's fine. If by the end of the month I don't book anything, and I start looking for full-time jobs, and you want to turn me back around, feel free to slam the doors in my face. I'm just letting you know...If I don't book a professional acting job that pays over (X) amount of dollars by the end of the month...this is the direction I'm headed."
And then we wait.
Every day I prayed again "Lord, thank you for your answer". Because even the absence of an answer is an answer in this instance.
I didn't really have that many auditions that month. It made me nervous. I didn't want to quit. I just wanted all of this to work. I wanted this to be what God wanted me doing. But either way...I was looking forward to having an answer. Either I would continue acting, or finally feel free to move on to something else.
On October 22nd, I had an audition for a commercial. I almost couldn't go, but I made it work. Then, I waited in the waiting room for over an HOUR...watching people go in the audition room in groups of 4, and spend 10-15 minutes in there. I was prepared to spend that much time in the room as well.
Finally they called me in with 3 others. We were to play out the scene. They told us "feel free to improvise..." and one of the actors really took that to heart. It was quite surprising, how little of the actual script he stuck to. It was confusing, but I managed to say 2 of my 3 lines in the process.
Then the casting director stopped us. "Ok great...thanks Steven...we're done with you".
My inner monologue: "um...what?! are you kidding me? That's it?! That guy screwed me up! I want to do it again"
What I said on the outside: "ok...thank you."
Me in the car: "What the heck happened there? what a waste of time! I didn't even say the last line! All those other people were in there for 15 minutes...I was in and out in 3. This sucks."
Eventually I got to a point of resolution. I determined that they knew something when I walked into the room. Either "Absolutely" or "Absolutely not"....more likely the latter.
2 days later, I got a callback. Unbelievable. It was one of the worst auditions I've ever had. Or so I thought.
Went to the callback, it was a very similar experience, but judging by the first time, I resigned that I pretty much don't know anything about how this is going to go.
2 days later...I'm on first refusal. Which means, that production has "dibs" on me for the shoot date. They asked if I could be at a fitting on Friday. I could not. I was in Nashville for my best friend's wedding...and I was the best man. I was, however, available for the shoot date. I can be there.
I was REALLY hoping that this little detail of not going to the fitting, would not keep me from booking the role...but I decided to stop worrying about it. Either God was going to do this...or He wasn't. And if He wanted it to happen, even I couldn't screw it up.
Friday at the rehearsal dinner...I get the e-mail. I booked it. What a weekend that was. I book my first commercial, and my best friend gets married. Excellent!
The wedding went perfectly, and I made it back in time to shoot on Monday. We filmed for 12 hours, and it was a blast. 2 months later, the commercial Aired in GA, SC, and AL. It continued airing almost constantly for 2 months...and even aired during the SUPER BOWL!
Yes that's right...I was in a Super Bowl commercial (in GA, SC, and AL). Words cannot express how that felt...
Ok. I've rambled on long enough. If you're patient enough to have made it to the end of this post...here's the commercial. Enjoy!
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