The Angry Man, Sean Penn and Christopher Walken...

Do you know what Sean Penn, Chris Walken and I have in common? Nothing much! They are, however, 2 of my favorite actors. The role types and characters they play are right up my alley. I have been told I look a bit like Penn, but have also been told I look like Dave Coulier, Jeff Daniels, Robin Williams and Danny Aiello. The Coulier and Daniels I get. The Penn is wishful thinking. Robin Williams looks nothing like me, but we share a racing mind. I look more like Snookie than Danny Aiello!

Before I get to my first "real" acting gig I experienced today, I must shatter a Hollywood myth. I hope you will forgive me but I can not keep this information secret and sleep with a clear conscience. Besides COPS and a few other shows: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS REALITY TV. If you understand this fact, and still enjoy the entertainment, good for you. However, if you think you are watching "REAL" conversations that are unrehearsed or never reshot, you're canoeing with a short paddle. If there is a camera following you, or in every room, it is not real. It is not natural behavior. No one has a flawless dramatic encounter or dialogue with someone in every day life that is perfect!

NO ACTOR can deliver lines perfectly every time. Tweaks and adjustments are made on the spot and reshot. The shows may have elements of truth in it, but they are developed and then reshot. Think about it! When you are at a party, unless someone takes your picture when you're not looking, you change. You are aware of the camera and you mug it up for the photo. You change into an "I'm getting my picture taken mode." How many times have you asked the photographer to take another because you didn't like the first shot? I sound like Andy Rooney!

I recently got offered an audition for a production involving "people leading double lives." Who is going to audition for that? I can just see myself sitting down with my wife explaining to her that I am auditioning for the part. Don't ask questions honey. I have another wife in Hoboken. We can talk about it later. Have a great day at work! Some of the submission requests are just plain far out and border on unbelievable! One was looking for a couple to climb mountains in Norway. To Squeaky, staying in a hotel without room service is camping. The vision of her in snow shoes toting a backpack is as ridiculous as my fantasy of owning an Alpaca farm.

As for my day, it was an amazing experience. I can't share a lot of details about the company or product but will fill you in on the day's events. I arrived at the set location 30 minutes prior to my "Call Time." That is the time you are to report for duty. I told you I hate to be late and I arrived at 2:00pm.
They were shooting 3 commercials in one day and mine was to be last. I was immediately greeted by a production assistant who is basically a concierge, gopher, cattle herder and organizer. He explained that the 2nd commercial was running an hour behind and I would be needed in about 2 hours. Note to the would-be-actor: if you do not like waiting or being hurried up and then told to wait, Show Biz ain't for you.

I was directed to the "holding" area, a grand term for waiting room. Then I was shown where "Craft Services" was located. These guys are the actors' source of coffee, sugar, protein and snacks to get them through the long shooting schedule. I grabbed some coffee and sat with my fellow actors chit-chatting about rumored projects and local gossip. Note two to the would-be- actor: if you're uncomfortable changing clothes in front of people, acting is not for you. There is a locker room mentality to wardrobe. Seeing both men and women in skivvies just comes with the territory. That new thong you like is not a good choice for the day of your shoot, especially if you weigh 300 pounds and are male or female. It doesn't phase me changing in front of others. I am Irish and have nothing to hide. Literally!

To give motion and perspective to a scene, multiple cameras are used and the shots are done and redone from every angle conceivable. There are long shots, prop shots, close-ups, rear shots, safety takes and a myriad of others to create the magic. Our 60 second spot took 3 and a half  hours to shoot. On a TV series episode I did, a two minute scene took 14 hours to shoot. Some scenes are done with pantomiming to print the action with sound added later. Many scenes are shot with a visualized focal point that represents the person or object that the scene revolves around. It's a lot more involved than you thought, huh? Staring at a cameraman and convincing the audience that you are conversing with a dying friend is challenging.

When it was time to shoot, the first step was to wardrobe. After you are dressed as your character you move on to hair and make up. I get satisfaction and have appreciation for these often overlooked invaluable cogs in the acting wheel. It is quite comforting having make up put on and very relaxing. I always tell the make up artists that they should probably grab a spackling knife to put my makeup on. My face looks like it caught on fire and they put it out with a meat tenderizing hammer. I was the "Angry Man" in a spot with two really nice guys. One was 19 and the other was 24. In the scene they try to play a prank on me and it goes terribly wrong. After their mishap I come running to physically "thank" them for allowing me the opportunity to be the recipient of their mischievous prank. I really liked the guys but had to separate from them before shooting. Some actors use the "method" style and others use the "character" style of acting. I subscribe to Uta Hagen's notion that acting is a combination of both. Note to the actor "wannabe," books by Hagen, Lee Strasberg and Constantin Stanislavsky are great reads and amazing tools to help develop skills. I am obviously a novice, but greatly appreciate reading the books and articles these acting gurus have contributed to the profession. I especially adore Uta Hagen.

To paraphrase Hagen's approach to a character, it is better to be yourself in the role of the character instead of trying to act like a stereotype of the character. Drawing on your own past life experiences and emotions makes a character more believable than trying to think like someone you are not. By combining method and character acting a more complete authentic performance is created. I really learned a lot from the many "extras" roles I have had because the physical movements of a character are equal to, or sometimes more important than, the lines they spit out.

I was feeling great about my first mortgage paying job and was supposed to be angry. I have 3 daughters and I asked my two co-actors if they were dating. What kind of women do they like? What was the craziest relationship they were in? Then I took those answers and applied them to the image of them dating my daughters. The two fine young men I was giggling with moments before, now felt the ire of a father. Mission accomplished. I also reflected on missing my youngest daughters' 11th birthday. I was catapulted into pissed off in an instant. The pain and rejection, isolation and hopelessness I felt when trapped in my addiction have become useful tools for channeling a feel into a character. The different personalities I use in my comedy performances also have been very helpful in acting.

Prior to the commercial I had only worked on films and television programs. There, a director has a vision and calls the shots and directs the path he wants the actor to follow. In a commercial you have the director's vision and the ad agency client's, both combining and colliding to create the desired message the spot is supposed to deliver. The director wants it like this. No! The client wants this. You do a scene as told and then are told to do it differently. I had no idea the clients were sitting on location. They were holed up in a room watching the shooting on closed screen monitors and passing on tips and recommendations to the film crew for each take. My first solo scene took 8 takes. I was frustrated because I was doing the scene as layed out by the director. As he became frustrated with me I didn't realize then that the clients were changing things as we went. Note to the new actor: if your feelings are easily hurt or you can't take criticism, this is not the life for you.

My second scene I did in one take. I was thrilled and so was the crew because we were shooting outside in 17 degree temperatures. My final scene was with myself and the other two principal actors. My anger toward them was genuine as I thought of them around my daughters and exacting my revenge for their ill conceived prank they were playing on me. The final shot is called the "Martini shot." This is a cue to the actors and crew that it is the end of the day. The term explains itself. We then recorded some "wild" audio. That is where the principals record audio of lines in different tones and emotions to be inserted into the film later.

I really enjoyed the waiting, the filming, the standing around and camaraderie that fills a set. For the hours you are together, you are a family. The cast of characters and personalities are diverse and amusing. I loved everything about it and was wiped out by the time I got home. As I drove home through the icy snow pelting my car, I reflected on my day and took pride in knowing I was now a professional actor. I made more money doing that spot than all of my comedy appearances combined. I thanked God for giving me the talent to do a good job and was grateful to be a part of "show biz". I don't think that I would recommend it to just anyone. Actors are an odd but driven lot. There are lots of unpaid gigs learning the ropes, but the drive to perform is powerful. Well paying jobs are few and far between and it isn't as easy as it looks. For me I'm all in! I have found something I have a great passion for. 

My wife has been calling me a drama queen for years! The queen part is a slam but I know I can be a big, dumb baby sometimes. As for the drama part I love it and will continue to compliment it with my comedy. The more sober I get, the more I appreciate my life and the new experiences sobriety brings. I am no longer afraid to try for fear of failure or success. Edison failed thousands of times before he got the light bulb right. All of our life experiences combined only make us wiser and more prepared for whatever gig God has planned for us in every today we live. Enjoy TODAY!