Tuesday, November 30, 2010

My Traveling Companions

One great thing about my journey is that I'm not going it alone. My next few posts will be about the people who are coming along for the ride.

My Daughter - Mariana: She is also signed with Carolina Talent, as a child model. She's 6 (going on 16 or 26, depending on the day - just yesterday, she got all excited over a Justin Bieber t-shirt she saw at the store). Mariana takes acting lessons at Matthews Playhouse, along with the ITS workshops, and she's participating with me at the July 2011 ITS event.  If she can sparkle there like she sparkles at home, she'll be well on her way to being a working model/actress.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

What Is International Talent Showcase (ITS)?

In my first post, I mentioned International Talent Showcase, and briefly described it.  I wanted to get a little more in-depth, as a lot of my posting material is going to relate to it.


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International Talent Showcase Website

From their website:

Are you interested in Modeling, Acting, Singing, or Dancing? If so, International Talent Showcase is the event for you! Through International Talent Showcase, aspiring models, actors, singers, and dancers just like yourself are connected with the world’s leading Agents, Managers, and Casting Directors. If you are selected to attend International Talent Showcase, you will be trained and developed across the country in preparation for the event.
You will be given the opportunity to see if you have what it takes to work in major markets in the United States such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago as well as international markets such as Milan, Paris, Tokyo, and Greece.
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If you are selected to attend International Talent Showcase, you are guaranteed to be registered for the event and fully prepared for it by experienced coaches that will train and guide you in your hometown. Your participation in International Talent Showcase allows you to gain exposure and educational insight about the entertainment industry while also being given the opportunity to appear and perform in the presence of reputable Industry Professionals.
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I will be attending this event in July 2011.  There is a fee to go, so if I end up adding advertisements to the blog, that's where the money would be going to, just FYI.





First Post - Creative Title, right?

I want to start by saying this: I hate the word "Blog".  I think it sounds stupid.  Like the "blarg" sound the Irish make when they're frustrated.  Or the word "blah".  That really makes me want to be involved with something with that kind of name.  And yet, here I am.

My purpose in starting this blog is twofold: A documentation of my journey in the entertainment industry, and also Step 4 in my pastor's instructions on How to Walk on Water (hence, the name of the blog).  Look at that, Post 1 and I'm already on Step 4 - I must be ahead of the curve, right?

Truth is, I KNOW this is going to be a long, slow, frustrating experience.  I've wanted to be an actress forever.  Well, actually, my first ambition was to be the singing voice of a Disney Princess.  There is a specific reason for that I may discuss in a future post.  Also, since it is a slow journey, and there are WAAAAY more "Nos" than "Yeses", the posts could be few and far between at times.

Since I'm already at Step 4, I guess I should discuss what's happened previously in my journey.

Step 1. Make sure that it's what you were born to do.

Honestly, I don't know about "born to do", since my talent is actually more recently developed.  I was not a good actress in high school.  I was not a good singer in high school.  I didn't make ONE play or musical in high school.  I made a few in college, but they were few and far between.  There are several things that have lead to me being ready at this time, whereas I was not before.  But hey, a fellow North Carolinian/Illinoisan,  Michael Jordan didn't make his high school basketball team, so some of us are just late bloomers.



Step 2. Decide that NOTHING can stop you.

This one is easy.  I'm hard headed.  REALLY hard headed.  Check.




Step 3. Do it for real - don't just dangle your feet over the side of the boat.

Ok, this one is sort of a struggle.  I AM signed as an actress to a talent agency (Carolina Talent), but I'm not quite ready to make the big move to NYC or LA.  My daughter and I are going to the International Talent Showcase in July 2011 in Miami.  Casting directors/agents/etc from around the world.  I plan on this being my gauge.  One part of the Showcase is getting callbacks from the directors/agents, and I think the amount of interest showing will be a good determining factor for how far out of the boat I jump.



Step 4. Tell Everyone.

This is where I am today.  EVERYONE: THIS IS MY OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT THAT SOMEDAY, I WILL BE A WORKING ACTRESS.  Which brings me to the next few steps:


Step 5. Expect others to laugh

This is a crazy dream.  I get it.  But if you know me at all, I don't mind crazy.


Step 6. Stick to it

Remember that hard head?  Yeah.


Step 7. Expect to get lonely.

If this is a step I can skip, I'd be happy.  We'll see.  Everyone has lonely days, though.



Step 8. Value those who value your ambitions.

I'm lucky here - I actually do have a network of people already cheering me on.  They mean so much to me.  Not just my immediate family, but my church family, and Carolina Talent families as well.  I also have great Alpha Sigma Alpha sisters who I can count on.  I am truly, truly Step 8 Blessed.



Step 9.  Never give up.

Hard. Head.  I'm glad that so much of walking on water does involve having a hard head.  It's something I'm already good at.  I don't plan on giving up.



So, where do I go from here?

International Talent Showcase:  I have FOUR HOUR PLUS training sessions each month that cover everything from commercial acting, monologue acting and auditioning to runway walking, print modeling, and camera work.  Carolina Talent is providing us with some of the best people in the business.  Besides Marc and Steven, who are our regular coaches, we also get treats like David Elliot with Buchwald and Associates (NYC/LA), and Maxann from Maxann's Casting, and current "biz" people to guide us along the way.


Local Level: I get semi-frequent emails from Marc at Carolina Talent about castings that have been released for this area.  We also have some great local theatre companies: Theatre Charlotte, Matthews Playhouse, CPCC Theatre, and while none of those are paid, they give much-needed experience.


If you're still reading at this point, I thank you and look forward to sharing my journey with you,

Peace,
JLB