ACCLIMATION.  It took a couple months to settle in and acclimate to the area.  LA is quite large, and VERY dispersed.  The highways and traffic are a nightmare.   I learned the different neighborhoods, and am happy to report that today GPS is rarely used.    Not to mention…. I know three ways to get over the canyon to the valley.   Making friends and finding a permanent home fall into this bucket too.

GETTING IN SHAPE was next.  I gained (hmmm…) a tad of weight post-surgery and while traveling last year.  Daily wine + rich foods/eating out – exercise = 20+LBs for Kristin.   Not
good.   I had one pair of jeans that fit – and they were the stretchy kind.    One
needs to be confident in order to make it in this business.   This is something that was never a problem for me but I will say my confidence was lost with the extra weight.    If I
had any chance in this town, I needed to get it back.   So, I cut back on food and alcohol and started working out with an amazing trainer.   I need to give a shout-out to Jim Barcena.  He’s worked on numerous celebrities, and was kind enough to give me a deal so I could afford him.   Ladies/gents, if you’re in LA, he’s fabulous.   I lost all the weight and
attribute it to him.  Thank you, Jim.

EDUCATION.   I started acting classes.  Up until this month, I was attending classes regularly at two well-respected schools – Margie Haber and Lass Moss studios.   I recently
wrote about my experience with Everybody Loves Raymond’s Brad Garrett.   Pepper in some one-off improv classes and workshops, and my daily reading (including books, trade rags and plays), I’m learning the craft.   I plan to start classes again once the holidays are over.
To be an actor is a lifetime pursuit.  I will take classes as long as I can afford it.

Attending productions is important too.  Part of Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way is taking yourself on weekly artist’s date.  One of my fav experiences was attending John Lithgow’s one-man show “Stories by Heart.”  I drove downtown to the Mark Taper Forum to see Lithgow’s autobiographical solo performance.   He began by greeting the audience, seating himself in an armchair with the only prop being a family-owned book of tales, and then stated the evening is going to be about storytelling.  He acted out his favorite short stories from his childhood while sharing memories of his dad reading to the family. I have always admired Lithgow as an actor but to see him act out multiple characters was impressive.

EXPERIENCE/THE WORK.
My first project in LA was taping integration pieces (or b-roll) for an Emmy-winning medical show.   I never actually saw the episode air so I have no idea how it came out.   Nevertheless, I appreciated the opportunity.  Thank you to my actor friend, Svetlana, for the invite.    I started auditions with my old DC head shots.   Auditions are tough!  This is an
animal in itself that needs constant attention and practice.  I’m getting much better though.

For the first year, I’ve focused on student and short films.  I figure this is the perfect place to learn and make mistakes.   I’ve been involved in some great projects, one of which is called “Maple Syrup.”  I’m dedicating Thursday’s post to it so stay tuned.  As the other projects are
finalized, I will plug them on Damn the Odds.

One of my favorite pieces of advice or words of wisdom that I have received is “do shit!”
Along the same lines is what my former acting teacher in DC, Brenna McDonough,
used to say at the beginning and end of every class…”Do something for your career every day.” These are simple but so very true.   An actor needs to put in the work if he/she wants to make it.  As Actor and Instructor Adam Hill says, “Work produces work!”

Admittedly, I haven’t put in the time/work this deserves and what is needed to make it.  Over the last month, I’ve been deep in self-reflection about what I have and haven’t accomplished.
First of all, friends, plleeeease don’t do this.  DO NOT focus on what you haven’t accomplished.  This is not good.  Trust me.  Look at the things you have done.  When I did this, I realized that I have done some great things in my first year – things that have helped me build a good foundation for what I’m trying to achieve here.   Also, I had some unexpected challenges happen that took my time and energy away from acting.  Thankfully now,  these are close to being in order.

I am looking toward the future now.  2012 will be different.  It’s all about putting in the work.   I am motivated more than ever to do this.   My new head shots are done
(thanks to Lorenzo Hodges) and come the new year, I will start auditioning again.

I’m making a commitment to work harder…..to put in the work….to do shit!!!!  You can hold me to it.   Please do!

A famous actor (there is debate about who actually said it), lying on his deathbed, was asked by a friend, “Is it hard, this dying?””No,” replied the actor. “Dying is easy. Comedy is hard.”

Well, folks, I can attest to that.  I just wrapped up a six week sitcom workshop with Emmy Award-winning actor Brad Garrett at the Larry Moss Studios/Edgemar Center for the Arts.  In the class, we explored what it takes to have great comedic instincts from one of the great comedic actors of my time.  What a remarkable experience.   I learned a great deal, including the fact that that I have a lot more to learn about comedic acting.

Acting classes are expensive in LA so when we actors find one that’s worth the money, it’s fantastic.  I highly recommend this class.  Brad’s fabulous.  He not only has the gift of funny but he’s an amazing coach.  I found him to be on point with his redirects, inspirational, surprisingly humble, and refreshingly candid about the biz.  He shared his experiences in dealing with the politics of Hollywood and his ongoing displeasure with auditioning.   I really took what he said to heart.

On the first class, Brad emphasized, “It’s all about the craft!  It has to be or you will get destroyed by the rejection and pressures of Hollywood.  Your craft can never be taken away from you.”   Boy, that is the truth.  This is a tough business on so many levels.   I am not as thick skinned and resilient as I thought – but I’m happy to report I’m getting stronger.

Brad also talked the about the “Four F’s” – Freedom, Finds, Funny, and Fearless.   The last one really hit home because this is something that I’m struggling with regularly. Speaking truthfully to you, I have an unwanted companion on this journey of mine…. an internal demon that I can’t shake.  I allude to it in my 8/11 post titled “Self-doubt is a bitch.” Call it fear of failure (or is it fear of success?), I really don’t know.  I can argue it both ways.  It doesn’t really matter what it is at this point.  Bottom line – it’s a roadblock, and I need to deal with and say goodbye to it ASAP.  This is another topic for another day though.  Blogging is a process of self-development, so I’ll be writing again about this soon.    So, pertaining to Brad’s 4^th F, I am on a quest to become fearless.  I am not quite sure how to do this yet.  Open to suggestions though.

The final class was an industry showcase, where we performed in front of a panel of experts — Jim Vallely, a TV producer and screenwriter (for some of my all-time favorite shows such as Arrested Development and Golden Girls), sought-after casting
director Susan Vash, The King of Queens Director Rob Schiller, plus an actor, an acting
coach, and a literary agent.   My partner and friend, LA-based actress Rachael Simone, and I performed a scene from the hit series Friends.  The performances were taped.   Unfortunately, the camera was positioned behind me so I’m not sure if the video will turn out.   If decent, I will upload to Damn the Odds. Stay tuned…