Casting Directors & Spritzers
This evening, LA Casting hosted a Mixer with Commercial Casting Director , Ross Lacy . He is one of the most important Commercial Casting Directors in Los Angeles.
It was held at The Sunset Trocadero on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood.
Right after work, I headed straight west on Sunset, stopping off at the Ralphs in Hollywood to buy some gum and get cash back.
The lot across the street from the Sunset Trocadero had a sign out that said "$5 Parking". Well, thats how they get you.
I drive up, and the guy says "Its $10, but if you get validated, then we give you $5 back". Ok, fine - they are right across the street from the place.
I tell the guy "When you drive the car, be very careful. My breaks are bad. I need to get them done next week. So go slow".
Yeah, right.
I go into the Sunset Trocadero and an LA Casting Staff person stamps my hand. They tell me that the Casting Director is running late.
For the first hour, the drinks are complimentary. Anything you want. I get in the really long line of people getting their free drinks.
I start chatting with a guy. He seems nervous. He is saying "Oh, I will tell them I am with you if they ask".
I'm saying "But your hand is stamped, you'll get a free drink". He still seems nervous.
Light-weight that I am, I get a White Wine Spritzer. And whatever wine the bartender used, he chose well. It was a sweet wine, and the it had to be one of
the best spritzers I've had.
The guy I was chatting with asked for a Heineken , but even as we were approaching the bar, he was saying "Oh, maybe they won't let me have an imported beer." I don't know why he is so worried. They gave him his imported Heineken - no problem.
I start to move around, finding people to chat with. And I am not a smoozer. Thats one of my problems as an Actress. A big part of the entertainment business is who you know, and who knows you. I really need to learn to smooze and circulate. But I don't like it. I don't do it well. I'd rather sit in a corner and sip my drink. But somehow I manage to chat with about 3 people. Its a Mixer, so I mixed.
I finally decide to go see if the Casting Director has arrived. They tell me that Ross Lacy is right behind me.
I go up to him, and a 20-something young lady is chatting away. Its kind of hard to hear what she is saying over all the chatter of other people.
I try to be polite and wait until she is finished. During their conversation Ross Lacy looks over at me once, and smiles, to let me know that he knows I am waiting. Very polite.
While I am waiting, a LA Casting Staff person walks another woman over, to introduce her to the him. But somehow, it all gets arranged so that this other woman doesn't jump ahead of me. And she and I end up talking to Mr. Lacy together.
After introducing myself, I start to tell him how I was acting in my 20s, and took about a 10 year break. And now that I am in my 40s, I am trying to get back into it.
He mentions that can be a good thing, because more and more Commercials use 'Real" people.
I tell him I feel good about starting back up again so late because I did find an Agent. And he asks "Who's Your Agent?" I tell him "Mademoiselle Talent".
And he says that he just booked one of their Actors in a commercial just today, and he gives me the name and description of the actor.
Wow - this conversation is getting off to a really good start !
I ask him about his agency. They Cast over 500 commercials per year. But unfortunately, he doesn't teach classes any more due to lack of time.
But I become aware that there is a line of people behind me waiting to talk to him. So I make a polite exit.
As good as it is to Chat - it also makes a good impression to know when to stop talking.
I try to find the guy I was chatting with earlier. I don't see him anywhere near the casting director. I do find him way over on the other side of the room.
And he is with a person I know via volunteering at the Egyptian Theatre. The three of us stand around and chat for a bit. But I point him in the direction of
the casting director. And I realize that I really did Point. With my finger and arm... And maybe the White Wine Spritzer is going to my head.
Plus we are all packed in, and can barely move. For an place with large opened-air windows, there is very little Air. I chat alittle longer with my acquaintance, but I decide it is time to leave.
I ask on my way out "Can I get validated". The LA Casting staff person tells me "Only if you buy something, like a drink or some food".
Well, the drink or food will cost me more than the 5 bucks I will save on the
parking. Okay, never mind.
Memo to self: Don't park in the lot across the street. Next time, find street parking.
Once I get outside, the Air hits me, and even though its warm out, its alittle invigorating. The effects of the White-Wine Spritzer disappears.
The music company that I work for, has a location in West Hollywood. I have a Comp card where I have a certain amount that I can get on Food and Clothes. Its a few blocks down, but I decide a walk would be good.
There is a Punk-Rock band playing on stage. I get a chicken dinner and a rib dinner to go. Then I stop in their store for two t-shirts. I love my Comp card. All I had to pay was for the Tip for the Take-out person.
I walk back the parking lot. I hand the guy my ticket. And I say again "Please be careful. Go slow. I have bad breaks. They're getting fixed next week".
They laugh as they go to get my car. I walk half-way down the lot to meet them half-way because I really don't want them to drive my car in the condition that it is in.
West Hollywood has alot of steep hills. My car has bad breaks. I need to go East. But I can only make a right out of the lot, going West.
So I go West, and I need to turn left and go around the block to turn around in the direction I want to go. But all the streets are steep hills.
So I drive all the way to the Beverly Hills section of Sunset Blvd - until I get to flat land.
Thats when I can make a left into a residential area and turn around to go east. But it was a nice drive.
When I got home, I felt really happy. I felt my evening really accomplished something. I met a top-notch Casting Director, introduced myself and now he even knows who my Agent is. In a few days, I will mail him my picture and resume with a nice note.
Only one thing - I forgot to get a receipt from the parking attendant for my $10 parking for when I do my taxes. Ok, well, I will just consider it $10 well spent.
And once I get home... I leave a message for my Agent and tell them I got a chance to talk to Ross Lacy at the LA Casting Mixer, and what I good experience the entire evening was.
