LIFE AFTER DEATH
Well, I've successfully recovered from my fatal hyena attack. However, recuperating from "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" on the way back from Arizona took a little longer! I won't rehash the details, but suffice to say there is a reason why they say people shouldn't get behind the wheel when they are upset. I think I still have pieces of the arm rest embedded under my fingernails. YIKES!
The last minute casting (3 days before filming) and whirlwind getaway from LA was a welcome surprise, especially after 2 1/2 months without a day off of work. On the trip out, our merry band of actors all had a moment of realization... 5 people who have never met before were just thrown together in a car and sent on a road trip to Arizona to go fake camping in the middle of the desert. Bizarre when you think about it, but par for the industry course. We made the best of it, and the trip there created a camaraderie among us that seemed to serve well when it came to filming.
Off season Lake Havasu is a great place for a horror movie. The only activity on the streets after 9pm was a tumbleweed being propelled down the street by gale-force winds. While walking the eerily deserted town in search of any sign of life, we started to feel like a movie within a movie.... as though we should "split up", follow strange sounds into abandoned buildings, and say things like "Darcy? Paul? Is that you? Come on you guys, this isn't funny!".
The creepiest part however was the wilderness location where we filmed. Apparently the area by the lake serves as prime real estate for several derelict people who, periodically and without warning, emerged from the darkness like moths to a flame (or like a hungry homeless people to craft services). This was again fortuitous, as our characters were supposed to be a little sketched out by the goings on around us.
What minimal contact we did have with the locals revealed that we were quite possibly wading in the shallow end of the gene pool. This was confirmed by those poor individuals we encountered who, through unfortunate circumstances (lost bet? witness relocation?) recently found permanent residence in Lake Havasu. Even an employee at the In-And-Out looked around thoroughly to make sure no one was in ear shot before whispering "The locals are weird". Probably my favorite conversation was the one we had with our IHOP waitress, GINA, which went something like this:
Gina: (nervous laughter) "Gina welcomes you to IHOP!!! What can Gina get for you today?!!!"
Liz: "I'd like eggs, pancakes and the sausage. But do you have turkey sausage?"
Gina: (brow knitted) "TURKEY????? sausage????? Gina isn't sure but Gina will check"
Gina exits
Paul: "Does Gina have any clue that she keeps talking in the third person?"
Me: "I think Gina is trying to distance herself from the fact that she's an IHOP waitress in Scaryville"
Gina reimerges with a nervous twitch
Gina: "GINA CHECKED, AND GINA SAYS (help me) THAT GINA DOESN'T HAVE ANY TURKEY SAUSAGE!!!! GINA WANTS TO KNOW IF YOU WOULD RATHER (get me outta here) HAVE THE ROOTY-TOOTY-FRESH-AND-FRUITY INSTEAD (I'll pay you)"

The shoot actually went quite well, and the crew was great to work with... In all honesty Lake Havasu probably wasn't that bad. Just a little culture shock from city life in LA.
And it looks like this one will see the light of day, as C. Thomas Howell is in it and they already have a distribution deal. Time will tell. For now it is back to auditioning!

TWO LIVES TO GO
Well I've fallen off of the blog lately. I won't bore you with the hiatus details. Reader's Digest Condensed Version: although I've been continuing to take class, interning in agent offices and submitting myself for roles, lately an inordinate amount of time has been devoted to building up my "survival job" as a yoga teacher. It has taken a little time to build classes, but now my work schedule is perfect - all evenings and weekends. And I love it. Doesn't even feel like work. This leaves my weekdays free to beat the pavement and audition.
The latest news is that I've been cast in a horror film shooting in Arizona this week. The film apparently has distribution already, and stars C. Thomas Howell ("The Outsiders", "24", etc. etc. etc.) and Richard Moll from "Night Court".
This performance will add to my growing list, affectionately entitled:

THE WAYS MARK HAS DIED ON FILM

1. Stabbed in the gut with the jawbone of an animal by an apocolyptic specter
2. Electrocuted in cyberspace by a maniac wielding some mad martial arts skills
3. Shot whilst performing bad hiaku at a spoken word contest (yes, you read that correctly)
4. Shot in the head (mercy killing)
5. Shot in the chest by my ex-wife (but I kidnapped her daughter, so apparently I had it coming)
6. Whacked in the head with a baseball bat

and now....
7. MAULED TO DEATH BY A RABID HYENA

I guess I have two more lives to go-- so I'm holding out for something big, like Necrotizing Fasciitis.

Hope to have pics to share from my trip. I'll keep you posted!

Be Well~
Mark

THERE ARE NO COINCIDENCES
So you may have detected a hint of frustration and negativity in my last entry. These things happen when you allow yourself divert your attention and start looking too far down the road. If my yoga discipline has taught me anything, it's to focus on enjoying the journey instead of worrying about "getting there". All I can do is show up and do my thing, and let the rest be dictated by fate. The challenge is being patient and remembering that!
So I drove to San Diego this morning for an audition for an indie Vietnam era war film shooting in the Philippines. I should mention that I used to live in San Diego before taking the LA plunge, so going back is always a little strange for me... like visiting the house that you lived in when you were five. It's hard to tell who has changed more, the city or me.
Strange Coincidence #1: The audition is directly across the street from a corporate 9 to 5 nightmare job I held for 6 years. Suddenly I'm reminded that even though things are a struggle right now, I'm far happier than when I was decaying beneath the green tinge of fluorescent lights in a high-rise coffin.
Strange Coincidence #2: I've actually taken acting classes from the man who is running the casting session. I reflect on how far my life and acting have come since those days.
Very Strange Coincidence #3. He asks me "Are you starring in a film right now?" I'm confused, as there isn't much chance that he would know of "Every Secret Thing". After all, Sunday will be our first local screening. He goes on to say that he was just on the set of Boston Legal and saw my mug on a poster for the film. Turns out my director had a part in the same episode of Boston Legal and had given the crew our poster and flyers. What are the chances?
Does this mean I'll get the part? No, but I can't ignore the fact that at the very least this is encouragement that efforts never go truly unnoticed. It will all work out the way it should.
As I leave to return to LA I'm asked to attend the producer call back tomorrow in Santa Monica.
Ah. There's the cheese. Sometimes you just need a nibble to sustain your energy.

WHERE'S THE CHEESE?
Every Secret Thing makes it LA premiere at the New York Independent International Film and Video Film Festival - NYIIFVFF for short (!) It's playing at the Laemmle Fairfax Theatre Los Angeles. Yes, a New York film Festival in LA... don't ask.
So last night, Karin T. Tucker and I attended the opening night soirée for the festival at the fancy Wyndham Bel Age Hotel. The mixers are just as important as the screenings at these festivals because film makers have the chance to schmooze with potential distributors and investors for future projects. That was what was promised at this mixer. But as I've said before, you never know about these things until you get there...
Upon our arrival, we were immediately inundated by film reps pushing their flyers at us like Chiclets at the Tijuana border. "A hitchhiker becomes stranded in a small desert town when he loses his thumbs in a freak plum pie accident. It's Baghdad Café meets Boxing Helena- but animated!" Filmmakers ran around like drones frantically searching for the queen bee distributor who had long since abdicated the throne. A bald black man painted his head completely white and chased people around in his promotional "Who Da Man?" t-shirt. Just as a group began to launch into a New York subway station style "can I have your attention please!" rant and poorly arranged rap about their film, I came to the following conclusion:
There is no cheese at this party. There are no distributors. There are no wealthy investors. There is no free food or drink. THERE IS NO CHEESE. These poor people spent 400 bucks apiece to set up a booth at this event only to find themselves frantically trying to trade marketing material like declining stocks on Wall Street - only no one is buying. Rats!
I lament to Karin that this overused analogy is appropriate: This business really is one giant maze and that often times we run expectantly down corridors like rats, hoping that THIS will be the road that takes us to the "prize". Sometimes it can be disorienting and frustrating. Even as actors, we would just be promoting ourselves for the non paying or low budget projects like we have been involved in thusfar. You do a lot of free work to start your career, but eventually you want to concentrate on jobs you know for certain will go to theatrical release or to television. So we agreed to save our strength for future battles and call it a night.
Besides, I have to take the Habitrail to San Diego at 5:30 tomorrow morning for an independent film pre-read. I might have to shave my head for this one, but at least its the lead role. And it pays!

LEARNING AND CURVES AND BIG BEAR... OH MY!

Yesterday marked the second public screening of my short film"Encore". The film showed as part of a short series at the Big Bear International Film Festival. For those of you not in the know, Big Bear is a small mountain community at the end of a winding road two hours outside of Los Angeles. It's a popular weekend getaway from LA, and a big ski resort. Our crazy work schedules prevented Director Paul from attending and forced Karin and me to make a whirlwind day trip of it. This was unfortunate as there were several filmmaker mixers taking place throughout the weekend that we would have benefited from attending. Promoting your project while paying your rent... aye, there's the rub!

You just never know how these newer festivals are going to turn out until you get there. In actuality, this festival was very well-run and well promoted. We just need to do a better job of promoting ourselves to the surrounding community ahead of time. Add promotion and marketing savvy to the list of skills needed for low-budget filmmaking.

Our screening time was 11 o'clock in the morning on a Friday... NOT the ideal time to generate a packed audience. This we realized while sitting outside of the Village North Theater without a person in sight at a quarter to 11. Then, in a brilliant guerrilla marketing move by Karin, we made our way up and down the streets of Big Bear Village passing out postcards for the screening and promising Karin's firstborn child in exchange for their attendance. Ideally, we should've shown up the night before to paper the town with the postcards we have and the extra posters we can't afford to buy. Duly noted for the Westwood International Film Festival in October. LEARNING CURVES.

That said, we ended up with a fairly decent turnout! The film was up for an audience award, so ballots were handed out to record praise or disdain for each short. Nothing like that to caffeinate the butterflies in your stomach!

I have to say~ seeing an idea progress from a spark in the quagmire of my brain into a film showing in a theater with an audience is so fulfilling. It brings the same satisfaction as planting a seed, cultivating it into a rosebush and watching people react (positively is always good) to its fragrance. You've pruned it, watered it and fertilized it, but ultimately, it has a life of its own. There are other elemental factors that are beyond your control. Luckily I was blessed to create this film under favorable weather conditions with good soil and a few other green thumbs. Gardening analogy exhausted, I return to the details our screening.

It went off without a hitch (does anyone know where exactly where that phrase came from?). We walked out of the screening feeling pretty positive about the response. Sappy I know, but I still get something in my eye every time I watch it. And trust me, being the co-editor, I've watched it... and watched it... and...you get the picture. Our happy feeling was reinforced afterwards by a conversation with a volunteer who peeked at the ballots and volunteered two thumbs up. Cross your fingers.

As we raced back home down the winding mountain road with smiling faces and singing at the top of our lungs, I couldn't help but wonder what adventures lie in store for us around the next curve.

LA LA LA LA LAAAA, ME ME ME ME MEEE.
Yes, more news of LA and me. It's nice to know that things keep moving forward even when I go away on vacation.
"Encore" and "Every Secret Thing" (aka. "EST") continue their rounds in the film festival circuit, both picking up screenings here in Los Angeles. My pet project "Encore" has been accepted to the Westwood Film Festival - screening at the Crest Theatre at the end of September- date and time to follow. "EST" is screening at the Laemmle Fairfax Theatre, Sunday September 25th at 12 noon.
They are both lead roles, so now it's time for marketing, marketing and more marketing in an attempt to get seen by people in "the biz". The trouble is... aside from working on your craft, acting classes don't really teach you how to make the jump from struggling to "name actor".
Established actors often have a team: An established agent/manager who fields offers and gives them career advice, a personal assistant who handles mundane daily tasks, an entertainment lawyer to keep them out of trouble, and a publicist who gets them seen. I won't even touch on the organic macrobiotic personal chefs.
Struggling actors are an army of one: They scramble for representation by struggling agents who can only get their clients one-line auditions to say profound things like "The doctor will see you now". They turn to Aunt Midge's hairdresser who used to work on the "talkie pictures" for advice, treat their own paper cuts from voluminous mailers announcing their latest project, attend AA meetings pretending to be alcoholic in hopes of making "industry connections", and do their grocery shopping at the 99 cent store.
This is why you have to enjoy the journey or get out of the business. It's also why they say you have to be crazy to be an actor. Or does trying to make in LA makes you crazy?
I raise the question: Do you think Anne Heche really believed she could speak Celistine to her sun-based alien friends before she started acting?

GET OUT OF TOWN!
I spent the last 12 days touring the Southwest, visiting family friends and some amazing sights in Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Nevada. This country really is beautiful. If you haven't taken the time to explore between the coasts, I highly recommend it. I used to believe that leaving LA on vacation during episodic season was a major sin. But recently I've decided that there are more important things in life: family, friends and occasional silence. When you're depleted, it's important to step back, reflect, and "recharge your batteries". Otherwise, it's like driving a car with the parking brake on.

Vacation Highs and Lows:
Temperature high- 118 degrees - Mojave Desert, California
Temperature low- 41 degrees - Trail Ridge, Rocky Mountain National Park
Altitude high- 11,760 feet- Trail Ridge, Rocky Mountain national Park
Altitude low- Sea level- Los Angeles, California
Natural high- Camping under a flood of stars on the top of a pine mountain
Natural low- Did I mention 118°?
Personal high- Seeing grandmother make 180° turn for the better physically and emotionally since I saw her 6 months ago.
Personal low- Getting a speeding ticket leaving the Grand Canyon (talk about a buzz kill)
Gasoline high- $3.49 in aptly named Needles, California (cuz they really stick it to you!)

Things I've Learned
*In the back roads of Colorado, sometimes "road construction ahead" means they are actually constructing the road. (24 miles in two hours up a mountain- yikes!)
*Hot sulfur springs are therapeutic, except when applied to your eyeball.
*The instructions that come with your camping gear make more sense when turned upside down.
*Spending time alone in nature is grossly underrated.
*Tent Rainfly + Wind + Middle of the Night = Man-Eating Grisly Bear.
*Using air conditioning on road trips is for sissies.
*I officially turn into a sissy at 113°.
*Chocolate makes a bad souvenir (see 'temperature high').
* A lifetime can be learned from the elderly, we should respect them more in this country.
*When they say "Trail not recommended for those afraid of heights"-they mean it!
*Never eat anything bigger than your head.
*Driving up blind curves through the mountains in a hail storm is not the time to tell your nervous passengers that you haven't driven in adverse conditions in 12 years.
*HGTV when watched with your family is addictive.
*Pug dogs need supervision, especially when standing under the tail end of a deficating Yellow Labrador Retriever.
*When your car start acting up and the maintenance light comes on, try the following: Turn off the air conditioning, roll down the windows, drink lots of water, pretend "Maintenance Required" means it's time to get your oil changed... and drive like a bat out of Hell!!
*When life makes you crazy: Stop, breathe, and find the beauty around you.