... and action!

Quite a few people have been asking me about my acting experience this past weekend, and while I had intended this blog to be used only for my writing, I don't see any reason I can't deviate this one time. I was hoping to have pictures to post with this blog, but I didn't take any. However, other people who were on the set did, and I will add a few to the blog as soon as I have access to them.

About a month ago, my cousin Teri Robinson asked me if I had any acting experience. The answer, of course, was no. She and her writing partner, Michael Farrell, wrote a short screenplay called "Priceless" for a contest and they wanted to make it into a film. I told her I'd try anything once. After I received the script, my husband and BFF helped me make an audition tape to send to them. Teri and Michael liked it and hired me.

I can't say much about the film as it is entered in a film festival and could be disqualified if it received any publicity before its premiere date. I have been given permission to say that I play the lead role; a mother down on her luck. It is going to take a few months to edit, and I've been told the premiere date is in July, so you'll have to wait a while to learn any more about the film. On the up side, I think the film can be aired on Youtube once it has been shown at all of the film festivals it has been entered in, so there will be easy access.

They also mentioned that the film would be put on IMDB.com (internet movie database), and that I would have my own actor page. I know a few months is far away and most of you will forget all about it by then, but I will post as many links as I can on my blog, Facebook fan page, and personal Facebook page when the time comes.

The film is approximately 12 minutes long. That is why it could be filmed in 3 days. All the same, we still worked our hind ends off. All 3 days were 12 hours "shifts." The hair and make-up person flaked on us everyday, so Suzanne Manthei (location/casting director) and I did my own make-up. Since I played the mom of a young child, we kept it pretty natural and I basically looked like I always do expect with thicker foundation.

Teri produced the film and Michael directed. They make a great team! Our DP (director of photography) was Kal Toth. He is so good at what he does! He is also a musician and his music is worth checking out: www.hearKAL.com (sorry, can't get the hyperlink to work)

I know I made mistakes and probably some ignorant comments too, but everyone was extremely patient with me. In my opinion, my first day was a little rough (being that I had no experience and didn't know what to expect), but that day of filming had no dialogue and was mostly scenery, driving, and time lapses, so I think it worked out. I settled into my role a little more each day and by the last day I was ready for most of the dialogue sequences.

The little boy who played my son, also did a great job, but much patience was required by all. It was his first acting gig as well... and he's only 4.

Without giving too much away, there were a few emotional scenes for my character and tears were encouraged. That part came pretty easily though, since the story hit kind of close to home and just thinking about what my character was going through makes me want to ball my eyes out.

I really have a new found respect for actors though. They are expected to act out the same scene over and over with the same (if not higher) level of emotion and feeling. I had to redo an emotional scene many times, not because I messed up, but because we had to shoot it from a few different angles as well. Grueling is a good word to describe it, but I still loved every second of it.

I should also say that the point behind the film is to inform people about a charity. And, that's all I can say about that.

Overall, the experience was amazing... almost surreal. In fact, if I didn't have a few new friends on Facebook who were there, I'd be totally convinced that it was all a dream. I really stepped out of my box and now I have this awesome experience and incredible new friends.