Movie Making

I had a feeling this might happen, but rather than allow myself to believe it and face disappointment I tried to forget about it, not think about it, and act as if it wouldn't. But now it is. I booked the role in the movie.

Pinch me; am I dreaming? But wait, this was never really my dream, not yet anyway. My dream for after I graduate was to join EMC, not SAG, to book a role in a show with a stipend like Company One or if I dared dream so big Actors Shakespeare Project. I do enjoy doing film, certainly as much as doing theatre, maybe even more I don't know yet. And I'm interested in pursuing film later on in life, but in my "life plan" that would come later after establishing myself as a stage actor. Certainly when opportunity knocked I was not going to stand still, however, and when the initial invite from Boston Casting came to my email, auditions for a movie "Crooked Arrows" of course I RSVP'd "yes", prepared the side as well as I could, and went down there. When the words came out of my mouth the casting director said "that was awesome!" and I was on my way. "Oh I bet I'll get a callback", then I thought "no better not to think about it, just believe that I won't" but then... I did. And that went extremely well. "Please slate your name and union affiliation" she said. "Hi my name is Mike Handelman and I am non union" I said into the camera, to which the director replied "non union? We'll fix that!"

Fast forward I'm home, waiting on the phone to ring, waiting, wondering "what is this going to mean for the month of August, I'm doing this play, my quiz, everything else" meanwhile New York is about to happen, I'm out of school, I'm checking all the pages for auditions, trying to keep myself from post undergraduate free fall. Yesterday the phone rings, and I got the job.

I think in acting, especially when you start out, it's not just getting "a big break" it's about ascending from one level to the next level. Obviously, doing this one job won't make me a movie star, or even a successful actor, however one quantifies success. But it is a step in that direction, and it is the next level of work I want to be doing, the kind that pays.

Did I mention that this gig pays? Oh shit does it pay. Blog you later, probably after 36 hours of shooting in three days.