My New York City: The Land of Opportunity
Last Tuesday, I went to a film/tv intensive workshop with a casting director at one of the top casting companies in NYC. I didn't know it was one of the top agencies until I got there but oddly enough, I wasn't nervous. I felt like I was where I was supposed to be. I was determined from the time I got there that I was going to make something come of the experience.
It's a long story how I even found out about this workshop. Over the summer, I got an internship working with Rema Webb at her performing arts summer camp--an amazing triple threat actress, singer & dancer currently in The Lion King on Broadway--in which I made a huge amount of connections. One of those connections was with one of the artistic directors of an off-off Broadway theatre company. He gave me the heads up about the workshop his partner in the company (who is also a casting director) was having. The moral of this story = CONNECTIONS!
The workshop was AWESOME! I had so much fun learning & observing--there was no other place I wanted to be. I was the only raisin in the bowl of milk and even though I was calm cool & collected, I put pressure on myself (cue Rowan line to Olivia on the season premiere of Scandal lol but for real). Everybody else went up there with their sides in their hands & when it was my turn (I was last), I decided I wasn't going to hold my sides. That was a bit dumb b/c I fumbled over my lines out of last minute nervousness but I wanted to stand out. The casting director enjoyed my work--even when I fumbled the first time, she was so.....drawn, I guess is the right word....to what I was doing that she got upset that we had to stop b/c I messed up the lines. Her exact words -- "It was going so well!" She turned back to the rest of the class "Right?". Needless to say, I got giddy. lol. It feels good when people enjoy your artistry. I got to do the scene 2 more times and she complimented me on my work.
The one question I asked her when the class was over (and some of you fellow actors who read my blog might have wondered this) was how am I supposed to take it when a casting director, agent, director, etc. who sees your audition & gives you a positive comment afterwards like "great job!" or "beautiful work!" I would always think that they were just being polite, especially since I didn't get the part. The casting director's answer was this--Why would you think that they're not being genuine? If there are 9 girls coming in for a role, they all can give phenomenal auditions but the casting director is looking for the best fit for the role. This whole thing is not in my control. My job is to go into the audition and have fun. Make big choices. Not worry about what the casting director "really" thinks of me.
When it was all said and done, I didn't want to leave the room without making a good connection with her. I asked her how I could follow up with this workshop and she invited me to audition for a play their repertory company is producing. & of course she gave me some good advice (that I can divulge if you're interested) but I was stuck on the fact that she asked me to audition! You see, the old Candyce, the Candyce around the beginning of the summer, would've walked out of that workshop without being proactive. This Candyce made a decision to be proactive and it begot her an audition! I'm so proud of my growth!
The audition was yesterday. & it was good! I met another black actress (b/c I want to be friends with all of them in the city lol), got her contact info, and yeah I'm just really happy.
II.
Candyce Adkins
It's a long story how I even found out about this workshop. Over the summer, I got an internship working with Rema Webb at her performing arts summer camp--an amazing triple threat actress, singer & dancer currently in The Lion King on Broadway--in which I made a huge amount of connections. One of those connections was with one of the artistic directors of an off-off Broadway theatre company. He gave me the heads up about the workshop his partner in the company (who is also a casting director) was having. The moral of this story = CONNECTIONS!
The workshop was AWESOME! I had so much fun learning & observing--there was no other place I wanted to be. I was the only raisin in the bowl of milk and even though I was calm cool & collected, I put pressure on myself (cue Rowan line to Olivia on the season premiere of Scandal lol but for real). Everybody else went up there with their sides in their hands & when it was my turn (I was last), I decided I wasn't going to hold my sides. That was a bit dumb b/c I fumbled over my lines out of last minute nervousness but I wanted to stand out. The casting director enjoyed my work--even when I fumbled the first time, she was so.....drawn, I guess is the right word....to what I was doing that she got upset that we had to stop b/c I messed up the lines. Her exact words -- "It was going so well!" She turned back to the rest of the class "Right?". Needless to say, I got giddy. lol. It feels good when people enjoy your artistry. I got to do the scene 2 more times and she complimented me on my work.
The one question I asked her when the class was over (and some of you fellow actors who read my blog might have wondered this) was how am I supposed to take it when a casting director, agent, director, etc. who sees your audition & gives you a positive comment afterwards like "great job!" or "beautiful work!" I would always think that they were just being polite, especially since I didn't get the part. The casting director's answer was this--Why would you think that they're not being genuine? If there are 9 girls coming in for a role, they all can give phenomenal auditions but the casting director is looking for the best fit for the role. This whole thing is not in my control. My job is to go into the audition and have fun. Make big choices. Not worry about what the casting director "really" thinks of me.
When it was all said and done, I didn't want to leave the room without making a good connection with her. I asked her how I could follow up with this workshop and she invited me to audition for a play their repertory company is producing. & of course she gave me some good advice (that I can divulge if you're interested) but I was stuck on the fact that she asked me to audition! You see, the old Candyce, the Candyce around the beginning of the summer, would've walked out of that workshop without being proactive. This Candyce made a decision to be proactive and it begot her an audition! I'm so proud of my growth!
The audition was yesterday. & it was good! I met another black actress (b/c I want to be friends with all of them in the city lol), got her contact info, and yeah I'm just really happy.
II.
Candyce Adkins
Comments
Post a Comment