Patriotism(less)

I'm thinking about ranting about Patriotism. Or, rather, the lack thereof.

I'm not moved to rant yet, but I've seen and heard some pretty disappointing stuff from people lately. Things that make me lose respect for them at best, and really question their ability to think at worst.

That's not true. At worst I question whether they should be in our country if they're so vile and vindictive and hateful of the things that let them have their unreal quality of life.

I'm close to being moved to rant.

Neill Blomkamp to helm "Halo" film

(this applies to both video games and acting, so I'm posting it in both blogs.)

Microsoft and Universal have picked an unknown director for the now officially 2008 Halo film (which is fine, because it likely means we'll get the Halo 3 game in 2007).

Short film and commercial director Neill Blomkamp will direct the film, which has the uninitiated scratching their heads.

Blomkamp is previously known for his 2005 short film, Alive in Joburg, and for receiving Clio Awards and a Visual Effects Society Award for his television commercial -- about a car.

Sure, Microsoft, Universal, and Executive Producer Peter Jackson are arguably taking a bit of risk in going with an unknown, but the reason and payoff is huge.

First, Blomkamp is relatively unknown. When launching a franchise into a new medium, there's tremendous value in having it helmed by someone who doesn't have baggage or expectations getting in the way of the effort (look at the grief the fan boys are giving Michael Bay for Transformers). Blomkamp is probably a good blance for Jackson.

Blomkamp has also been tagged as "One of the Top Five Directors to Watch" (First Boards Awards in 2004).

And the guys is the whole package. Not just a story teller and director, Blomkamp is an amazing visual effects guy. He's done 3D and effects work on Smallville, Stargate SG-1, and Dark Angel (and was nominated for an Emmy), among others.

None of that really matters, though.

Why?

Watch his stuff. In hindsight, picking him is a no brainer.

That car commercial? It's for Citreon, and so Transformers-esque that Michael Bay's going to get a run for his money. If Bay's Autobots and Decepticons are that fluid and natural, the film is going to rock.

And that Alive in Joburg short film? It's about extraterrestrials being marginalized in slums in Africa. Africa. The film looks like it was lifted from the New Mombasa scenes in Halo 2. And watch the opening scenes, where soldiers get out of the chopper. They look like the Halo Orbital Shock Troops (OSTs). And listen to the marriage of music to visuals, and tell me this didn't get Marty O'Donnell all hot and bothered.

So what if this is Blomkamp's first feature film? Jackson's got experience to share.

Links to Blomkamp's stuff (I love the Internet and YouTube):

• Citreon commercial
• Alive in Joburg short film
• Tetra Vaal short film
• Yellow Adidas short film

I'm pissy (2)

Meisnering(ish)-esness

"Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right."

"Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right."
.
.
.
(Ad infinitum.)

Michael Bay, please cast me to voice the Transformers

Dear Michael Bay,

I'm writing to let you know how important it is that you cast me for the Transformers movie.

I'm a huge Transformers fan, but not in a creepy, disassociated from reality kind of way.

I realize the live actors have been cast, but I'm a voice and film actor, so it's not too late to cast me as one (or several) of the Autobots and/or Decepticons.

Look, I've loved the Transformers since giving up outside play time as a child to watch Optimus Prime rally his troops and foil Megatron and cronies' attempts to steal energy from Atlantis, rocket launches, Dinosaur Island, and the sun. I've watched Spike become an Autobot. I've rooted for Starscream's repeated attempts at mutiny.

Hey, you cast the incredible Peter Cullen to reprise his original role as Optimus (thank you!), so you obviously get how important appropriate casting for this film is to fan boys.

Um, I even have all of the original toys. Yes, the metal ones from the 80s. Seriously. Even Megatron as a Walther P.38 (why has there never been a Transformers/James Bond crossover?). I'm going to pick up the Optimus re-issue, and even the new metal War Within Optimus (I totally get taht redesign). I think I'll have Captain America and Optimus face off against Megatron and the Red Skull on my office desk.

Speaking of the War Within Optimus, I have all of the IDW Publishing Transformers comic books -- it's not like I let my love of the franchise go cold after the first animated Transformers movie, then stoked the flames when the new movie was announced. (I have the old Marvel Transformers comic books too; Spider-Man's not making a cameo in your movie, is he?)

Do please thoughtfully consider my request to add my voice to your film.

I'm a voice actor. I'm a Transformers fan.

Seriously, assuming my head doesn't explode when you call to make the offer, could there be a better match of actor and fan for voicing characters from one of the greatest franchises of all time?

You can get a hold of me through my agent (http://www.colliertalent.com/contact.htm), who is amazing and professional and great to work with.

I'm really looking forward to hearing from you!

Best Regards,

--- Adam Creighton

Busy Biz week ...

Dang. I'm fried.

First there was Monday night's Casting Works LA showcase (which went well, thank you), and all of its hours of preparation, then a get-together with talented actor friends into the night.

Then, yesterday, I was back at CWLA to collate headshots and DVDs for mailing the showcase to Casting Directors (Tips for newbie actors: Have enough headshots, have them the right size, and don't get them photocopied at Kinko's in not-so-pleasing green/gray/blue stripes), and then I worked on programming a widget I hope to add to my Web site to make actor's lives easier. More to come on that later. After that, I ducked out to do a Meisner workout with Errich, Nikki, Marcus, and Lydia.

Today, I was off to a kids' film(ish) camp to talk about voice acting, which worked out about as I expected ("Can you do Darth Vader's voice? Can you do R2D2? Can you do a hungry hamster? Can you do Bullwinkle the Moose?"). But, I did have one kid come up to me on my out and say, "Hey, I thought you were going to be a boring speaker, but you weren't. That's good, because I hate boring speakers."

OK.

Then I had drive like a madman back to CWLA for an audition for an in-house industrial, and ran into fellow Collier talents (and classmates) Drew Whelpley and Tom Procida, and met fellow agency talent David Precopia, who people have said reminds them a lot of me. Seems like a nice guy, so I'll rethink my "bump off the competition" plan.

Good guys, all, so it's going to be competitive for this gig. I still want it over them, though.

And tonight, I'm back on for Meisner class #3.

I'm freaking exhausted, because I'm juggling all this with home life and the toy job, where I'm covering for my manager, various projects are going south, and BigHugeCorp, despite it's empty mantras, does not value people, and has no loyalty to them.

But, at least things are busy on the gigs front. For the most part, these are authentic folks who value relationships ...

Successful Showcase ...

Day of the Showcase

OK, tonight is the Casting Works LA talent showcase, and we've been rehearsing for days on end.

I've done my homework, my lines are bullet proof, and now it's time to throw that all away and have a conversation with my incredible scene partner tonight.

It will be what it will be, so I'm excited to see how the adrenaline juice changes and enhances this cute, sentimental, funny-awkward scene we're doing.

Curtain call at 6:30 p.m.

Blogger.com heartburn

Apologies for the blogging weirdness the last few days -- Something's wonky with Blogger.com. Only 2 of my of my 5 "July 26" acting blog posts were actually supposed to be July 26th -- the rest were published July 24th or 25th, and took a day or two to show up on the Website.

And my July 24th post to my video game blog -- which has my biggest readership -- showed up today. Nice. Glad I look current to the gaming public.

Glad they're free, or I'd be more pissed. Might be time to roll over to the Movable Type blog I've been playing with.

UPDATED: Yikes, take a look at the Blogger "system stability" for the last few weeks:

• Tuesday, July 18, 2006: "... photo uploading and serving will be down ..."
• Monday, July 24, 2006: "We've been having some database issues this morning, causing Blogger.com to be inaccessible for some users...."
• Tuesday, July 25, 2006: "Some users are noticing problems with photo uploading timing out or taking a very long time to respond..."
• Thursday, July 27, 2006: "Some folks are finding that some of their emailed posts get dropped and don't reach their blogs..."
• Tuesday, August 01, 2006: "Due to a configuration change made earlier this evening, around 10% of requests made to Blog*Spot will not be successfully returned..."
• Friday, August 04, 2006: "We are having problems with one of the Blogger databases. Posts and commments to blogs that are stored on that database are failing..."

I appreciate that they're up front with what they're seeing (it's not like they can hide it from their users, though).

So, did Blogger.com just become a victim of its success, or did Google screw something up when it bought them?

Links to a buddy's headshots

I've got an acting buddy, Richard Ricks, who is really talented, and a really good guy to boot.

He's kind of my John C. Reilly.

Anyway. I was just checking out his recent headshot and creative photos, and they're cool enough to share (and I have his permission).

Check them out!

The responsibility of an actor ...

I just got back from The Network Austin Mixer, and it was really good.

Steve Prince (my Meisner coach) and Van Brooks (my film coach), were tonight's featured speakers.

That was a little surreal. It could only have been more so if Lainie Frasier (my voice coach), was up there, too.

Anyway, for various legitimate and important reasons, it was a bit of an abbreviated night, but I got a lot out of both of these guys with whom I study (and for Van, with whom I have studied for a looong time).

The big thing that got me in general was how much alike these two guys' philosophy is. Which makes sense in hindsight, because I gravitate to both of them.

The specific thing that got me was the responsibility of the actor.

Steve made a good point about the increasing accessability of filmmaking, which often gets touted as a good thing (and it is), but he opened my eyes to the fact that whereas it used to be actors and writers who evolved to become directors, now it is often technical folks who take that role, and may not have the same history and buy in and love for and respect of my craft.

I've lived that a bunch, but it took having it spelled out that let me get my arms around some of my (mercilously few) frustrating projects.

The flip side is this creates a need for more ownership, more responsibility for the actor.

As an example, a technical director, Steve said, will tell you what to do ("OK, at this point, you cry"); a seasoned director who loves and understands the craft will tell you what's happening, and let you create the emotion and the moment organically from that info.

But, if you're working with a technical director ("You. Cry now."), it's up to me as an actor to build up my backstory and home work in a way that makes that "do this" request real and believable and authentic.

Such responsibility. Such an important deal. And for me, so motivating.

Also, hanging out with my Meisner classmates, it felt cool -- closer, more intimate, more comfortable. That was unexpected. And nice.

And I ran in to a ton of folks (one or two of whom I'm afraid I'll forget to mention, but it was nice to see Lydia, Nikki, Errich, Mark, Richard, Angela, Lyn, Deana, Lauren, Rob (dude is going to be on SNL, which will make me start watching again), my incredible agent Heather Collier, Donise, of course Steve and Van (both need hugs if you see them; don't ask, do), and a great long conversation with Steve Muccini, who gave me one of my first jobs with Suicide: A Love Story.

Good night, and now I'm motivated to create.

The Network Austin Mixer tonight at Mother Egan's

I'm heading down to The Network Austin Mixer at Mother Egans Pub.

You can catch my Meisner coach, Steve Prince, and my film coach, Van Brooks, both on the same night this Wednesday (July 26), 7 p.m. (but show up early). Come see them share about coaching and independent film.

Van's got a class afterwards and Steve's got some important stuff to get to, so please make it easy for those two to bail after they speak.

Hope to see you there!

Napoleon Dynamite

Yesterday, I gave Napoleon Dynamite magnets to each of my team members (I was inspired by a great gift of them from a good friend).

I am the best manager in the world!

Adam's a guest speaker!

Weird -- I made this post last night, but it showed up today.

Oh well ...

I'm doing better today

But last night, I was mad. We're talking rip-roaring pissed.

OK, maybe I'm still a little hot.

Why?

Because after having a good evening as a guest speaker for my film coach, Van Brooks, and his audition class (I blogged about it, but it seems to have gotten lost in the ether), I went back to my old house to confront the people there.

(For those needing closure, I did, indeed, sell my old house. Which I take to be proof that God loves me, does not want me in unreasonable debt, and will even deign to work with real estate agents on my behalf.)

Anyway, I'd ordered a number of things that never showed up. After tracking them for a couple of weeks, I found out that they'd been misdelivered to my old place. Misdelivered and never returned.

The first few times I called the new owners, they'd hang up when I said who I was. Finally, they answered, and said I could come by pick up the things.

So last night I show up to pick up my stuff, and I see the home owners look at me through the shades, then close them. I knocked several times before they had their daughter answer the door with my packages.

The packages had been opened.

They had used or tried to use my stuff. I had a set of anniversary pens BigHugeCorp sent to me, and they had fingerprints all over them. I had some stuff specific to the new house that they couldn't use, but they'd opened the box and unpackaged everything and tried to use it.

I am so disappointed.

They sent their daughter, because they didn't have the character to face me themselves.

Worse? They're an American minority about which there are some negative stereotypes, a minority which is a big part of my own ethnic heritage.

If you don't like stereotypes about your ethnicity, don't be a freaking stereotype!

I can't get my head around trying to steal other people's stuff.

I'm still kind of hot about this.

I auditioned to be Prince Namor

Sort of.

I'm a comic book and video fan boy, so when Activision ran a voice contest for this fall's Marvel Ultimate Alliance, a comic book Role-Playing Game (RPG), I thought, "Why not?"

Originally, auditions were for Incredible Hulk alter-ego Bruce Banner, but they closed those auditions early due to too many entries.

Then they opened up a new character -- Prince Namor the Atlantean -- who has a beef with all surface dwellers.

This is kind of like my Marvel Ultimates Captain America audition for the direct-to-DVD animated film -- which means I almost chose not to do it. That last experience kind of ticked me off, because it looks like Marvel Comics had no intention of casting voice talent from the competition, and were just trying to get ridicule fodder for the DVD extra features.

But, like I said, "Why not?" -- I'd love to be a part of this game.

I am going to be playing it this fall, after all ...

Good Meisner week ...

This was a good week on the Meisner class front.

Class Wednesday was tight. I think I was doubting my coach that we were going to be making huge strides each week. He showed me.

I felt change in the Wednesday class sessions, and Thursday's get together exercises with Marcus/Mark/Lidya/Erin had some absolutely amazing moments -- the connection kind of things that make acting so important to me.

I'm so thankful to be an actor, and to be practicing my craft.

The only downside was he called me out as a "Perfectionist" in class -- which is true -- but I doubt I've given him enough to make that determination, so I hope folks aren't talking out of school.

Two weeks done, 14 to go.

Oh, and you can catch my Meisner coach, Steve Prince, and my film coach, Van Brooks, both on the same night this Wednesday (July 26), 6 p.m. at The Network Austin Mixer at Mother Egans Pub.

We don't take care of each other ...

We were informed today as an FYI at BigHugeCorp that a company somewhere near us is doing mass layoffs, so we can expect large amounts of Austin City Police to be around, "just in case".

What a broken culture it is in which we live.

Adam has magic eyes ...

Recently, fellow actors have been trapped by my magic eyes.

Since what I offer as an actor is unique, I've been thinking about this unique part of me.

To be honest, my eyes are actually "Hazel/green" -- hazel with flecks of green.

Depending on what I'm wearing, my eye color changes, based on light reflecting off my clothes into my face, and if the room's poorly lit, my pupil dilates, lessening the hazel, leaving more room just for the green flecks (since they're more on the edge of the iris).

Green shirts make my eyes look more green. Brown shirts make them look brown. Yellow makes them look hazel. Blue is the most fun, because depending on the shade, blue makes my eyes green, light blue, or slate gray.

And, like anyone else, my eye color changes from certain foods, stress, or health. Depends how the stroma is affected. But it seems to be more pronounced in my eyes that some other folks'.

I once did an awesome taped cold read where I'd been wearing a green T-shirt just before getting on camera, and stripped down to a white T, and as my character got darker, my eyes went from green to dark brown. Unplanned, but wicked awesome to watch.

And if eyes are the door to the soul, then my soul is ... technicolor. Or something.

Now, I wonder if this is worthy of a resume "Special Skill":

"Eyes change color to hazel, green, blue, brown, or slate, depending on clothing (no contacts required)"

Legal Training for Managers

Today, as a manager at BigHugeCorp, I endured a couple of hours of "Legal Review for Managers" training.

There were 55 slides, but here's the summary:

1. Can you be sued?
   Yes.
2. Can they win?
   Yes.
3. Does it matter if I'm right?
   No.
4. Who's fault is it?
   Yours.

I spent the time being sarcastic with a few of my fellow managers, making various paper airplanes out of the handouts, and punking one unfortunate individual who chose to be a good corporate citizen by locking his laptop while he went to the bathroom. Since he locked it to a rolling chair, I rolled it right out to just outside the bathroom.

All kidding aside, the two hours of training frustrated and disappointed me, because it was all around avoidance management -- not management by partnership, or management by doing the right thing.

Are there companies out there that encourage genuine leadership, and put accountability where it belongs?

What a broken culture we're building ...

Thoughts on Meisner so far

This week was the first Meisner class, and it's a bit of a change for me. Not an acting class, per se, it's about authenticity in emotion and communication, and matching emotional and acting levels for every performance.

Some of the things said or done that are sticking with me (not necessarily saying I agree):

• "Drink the KOOL-ADE."
• "My goal is to get your emotion and acting at the same level, and raise that level. The minute your acting at a level above your emotion, you're a liar. The minute your emotion is exceeding your level of acting, you're a liar."
• "Questions aren't allowed."
• We're supposed to figure out this Meisner thing on our own, interpret and articulate it based on the experience, and not by having us told what it is. Interesting. Hard, but interesting.
• For me, "yes" means "yes", "no" means "no", and "maybe" means "maybe". I sometimes use "OK" to mean "Yes". "OK" is not acceptable answer for "yes" for my coach. He told me in no uncertain terms.
• I will likely cry in this class. By "cry" I mean "blubber uncontrollably."

Huh ...

Some things I can't blog about ...

I survived ....

OK, so class wasn't as bad tonight as I worked it up to be in my head. Which would be my problem.

Lots to think about. I might do a bit of a blow-by-blow during the next 4 months, without giving away the coach's stuff for free on the Web (it's not mine to give, and that'd be a disservice).

More later.

Aaron Hallaway just booked a SAG National commercial!

My buddy Aaron Hallaway just booked a SAG National commercial!

The dude is seriously talented, and I'm so stoked one of my buddies is getting recognition in a real, multi-tangible way.

Kudos to one of the good ones!

I'm scared ...

Tonight, I start a new class.

It's a Meisner class.

The Meisner technique isn't so much about acting, as it is about stripping me down, breaking down walls that get in the way of authentic emotion, and being able to call on that emotion when needed.

So, why is it scary?

I'm fairly buttoned up. And by doing this class, I'm asking to be messed over. For four months.

I'm seriously grateful to Van Brooks and the Mastery for starting the change in my acting and my character (seriously, that weekend is a big reason why you'll even see me with my shirt untucked and occasionally a few days stubble). Meisner could make that weekend look like an emotional blip.

This class isn't an acting workout, and it's not a camera technique. It's emotional deconstruction.

So, why am I doing it?

I care about relationships. I care about authentic relationships. I need that authenticity with my self, so I can better know myself, and relate with and connect to the people I love, people with whom I interact, and my acting craft.

This is important. And it's scary.

What happens when the floodgates open?

Good couple of Biz gigs last night

After waking up near death yesterday morning (Public Service Announcement: Turns out taking expired Roitussin with Codeine can be very, very bad for you), I rallied myself for an important couple of acting gigs last night.

The first was the rescheduled Reel Women monthly "First Monday Mix", a networking get together where I catch up with old friends, settle at a table, and hopefully connect with new and interesting folks.

This turned out well, as acting buddy Aaron Hallaway introduced me to Tara, who seeme to be a really cool, confident, and competent producer and writer (and more). We had a pleasant conversation, and she pointed me to a possible video game voice acting gig (and let me know one of my previous Biz contacts had changed gigs). Tara introduced us to Randy, who is a fascinating writer (and more), who was asking a ton of cool questions about other writers' processes, multi-writer collaboration, and the like. And we had good nachos.

Then it was off (with Aaron, and other buddy Adam Langley) to a fairwell deal for excellent DP Dan Parsons, who's moving to LA. This was a cool shindig, with a lot of talented people, and I got to catch up with a few folks with whom I've done work over the years, met some new folks (a la Dan), and met in person a few more that I'd only chatted with via phone or Email.

I gave out some business cards, held on to others (there are some folks with whom I like to build relationships before pressing cards to palms), and generally enjoyed the evening. I am going to miss , Dan though.

I payed for it last night, though, since I was just so physically spent from the day's physical rackings, and pulling myself together for meeting new folks was bit taxing.

(Seriously. Expired Robitussin with Codeine is bad stuff.)

Bad hair day

Whoa, I've got bad hair today.

Adam's doing an acting showcase!

I've avoided it long enough. July 31st, it ends.

Casting Works LA does a once-a-month (or once-every-other-month) live acting showcase, where people perform two-person scenes of 2-3 minutes in front of a number of Casting Directors, Agents, and Coaches.

The scenes are also taped, and DVDs and headshots are mailed out to 27 regional Casting Directors and Talent Agents. The whole effort is geared toward showing the caliber of Central Texas talent, and raising awareness of the opportunities here.

Participants are selected by the Agents who represent them, or by Acting Coaches if the actor isn't currently represented.

I've begged off on doing the showcase in the past for various reasons (including wanting to time my participation with new headshots), but no more!

It's time to light it up in front of a live audience of industry pros and a camera that'll capture the performance for DVD distribution to other professionals around the region.

Plus, my scene partner is the amazing Elizabeth Mason, who is so talented and funny and committed, that I'm totally excited about this opportunity.

Look for more info as we approach July 31st.

Captain America T-shirt

What, you thought I was kidding in my last post?

Happy 4th of July!

I'm going to wear my Captain America shirt in honor of the day ...

My friends are idiots

I love them, but they're idiots.

We were supposed to go to the 7:10 Alamo Drafthouse showing of Nacho Libre for a friend's birthday.

However, two of my friends showed up at 7:05, and realized they'd forgotten to pick up the birthday boy. Rather than get their tickets from me so I could save seats, they turned around to go get him, then called me and asked me to exchange my no refund tickets for the 7:35 show. Which is sold out.

Love them. Idiots.

Roadtrip Day 3 Music Log:

The Clash (The Clash)

Talk radio

Everything in Transit (Jack's Mannequin)

When Animals Attack (Institute)

Local Houston radio

Some Devil (Dave Matthews)

Every Breath You Take (The Police)

Austin!

We made it to Austin, grabbed a bite at a Mexican bar, and are officially calling the trip a victory.

Houston!

We're finally in Houston, and my big brother is all checked in to his new apartment. Not bad.

Now for a few brief errands, and we're off to brave the holiday weekend traffic to Austin. Where we'll likely shop for stuff for his new place -- the dude lives like a monk (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Lake Charles, Louisiana

We just left Lake Charles, our first stop since leaving New Orleans.

Y'know, Lake Charles sounds like a resort town. Not so much.

Most. Foul. Taco Bell. Ever.

Next stop: Houston (hopefully).

Baton Rouge

We're on the road again, just crossing through Baton Rouge on the way to Houston.

Roadtrip Day 2 Music Log:

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (Pavement)

Chute Too Narrow (The Shins)

Come on feel the Illinoise (Sufjan Stevens)

Stubbs the Zombie (Soundtrack)

Strange Mess of Flowers, Disc 1 (David Garza)

Sonic Nurse (Sonic Youth)

The Clash (The Clash)

Lower 9th Ward

We drove through the Lower 9th Ward this morning, which was the hardest hit by Katrina.

The devastation up close is nothing like what's shown on TV, and these picts probably don't show it accurately, either. It looks like the place was bombed.

I feel sick.

New Orleans

We're in New Orleans, and getting ready to have dinner with a college friend of my brother's who works as a security guard at the seminary at which he's also a student.

The destruction that's still here after a year is sobering.

Bourbon Street

We just spent a fun several hours walking the French Quarter, including Bourbon Street (which is sporadically fun, lame, hopping, and just tawdry), ending up at the Cajun Street Market for dinner, then Cafe Du Monde for coffee au laite and beignets -- deep-fried dumpling-like donuts with obscene amounts of powdered sugar.

I am so going to need to run once I finally get back to Austin.

All of this courtesy of my brother's friend Everett, who was a great host.

Hammond, LA

We're stopping off at Hammond, LA, to top off before hitting New Orleans, which we should hit right about rush hour. Nice.

So hot ...

So, my brother's new-to-him car keeps trying to overheat. Lucky for us, if we turn off the air conditioning, we're fine.

So, the last couple of hours to Jackson have been toasty, which sounds fun, but isn't.

Mississippi

After staying in West Memphis(AR), grabbing a quick bite at a Waffle House (my brother had never been), and a quick loop around Memphis (TN), we're in Mississippi, heading to New Orleans (by way of Jackson (MS; not Jackson, MO, or Jackson TN; both of which we've seen)).

Roadtrip Day 1 Music Log:

London Calling (The Clash)

You Could Have It So Much Better (Franz Ferdinand)

We Hate Your Hate (Broken Social Scene)

Hail to the Thief (Radiohead)

We Don't Have To Whisper (Angels and Airwaves)

Vertigo (U2)

we are the night sky (deadboy & the Elephantmen)

The Bravery (The Bravery)

Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk

Plans (Death Cab for Cutie)

St. Louis sunset

I snapped this pict of a St. Louis sunset, as we scooted around the city on our way to Memphis.

Springfield, IL

We're just now leaving Springfield, IL. This was our first stop for the trip, and we gassed up and got pizza.

I don't know the last time I ate at a Pizza Hut, but it's something my brother and I did way back in ID-land, so we gave it a whirl. Not bad, and our server was waaay effucious (spelling? Whatever. Think "Heidi" all growed up and having let herself go).

I think Springfield is where Marvel Comics had the secret headquarters of G.I.Joe's nemesis, COBRA.

And I think it's known for that Abe Lincoln thing...

ROAD TRIP!

They finally found my luggage, We're on the road. Freaking finally. Time to have some fun...

We've landed

We've landed. Hower, our luggage (though gate checked) is missing ...

Getting on the plane...

I'm just now getting on the plane for Chicago. When I should be landing in Chicago.

Y'know, I could have spent a hundred bucks less and got 4 more hours of sleep to end up in Chicago at the same time.

Not that I'm keeping track.

And those are my knees, perv.

United Airlines sucks...

I'm supposed to be in Chicago right now.

I'm meeting my brother, who's driving from Ann Arbor, MI, to pick me up, and we're roadtripping to Houston (by way of New Orleans) for his new job.

I'm supposed to be in Chicago right now.

The flight was on time last night. At 5 a.m., as I'm heading out the door to get a side with silver-screen debut acting buddy Aaron Hallaway, I get notice the 6:40 a.m. flight was delayed until 8:30, due to a "crew rest delay."

They wouldn't switch me to a 6:30 American Airlines flight, unless I was an international traveler in danger me missing my connection -- even though there were 3 seats left when they closed the door.

At 8 a.m., 5 minutes after the next American flight to Chicago had left, they informed the gate agent (not her fault) the flight is now further delayed 'til 10:45, 'cause they're short one flight attendant. Is this a union thing? The flight is only 1/4 full.

I'm supposed to be in Chicago right now. My brother is.

"Spider-Man 3" teaser trailer is up!

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/spider-man_3.

Comic Book Fanboys/Movie Lovers/Kirsten Dunst fans (or Tobey Maguire fans; it's his B-Day today) unite!

Excelsior!

48 Hour Film Project (Group A screening)

I saw the Group A screening for the 48 Hour Film Project today.

My picks'd be:

1. Hidden Places
2. The Arrival
3. You Bleed, You Buy/Latino Roadshow/Jimmy Rigged

Cell phones for the homeless

Did I miss a memo somewhere?

I was at lunch, stopped for a light before crossing over Austin's MOPAC/Parmer intersection. I saw one of the regular transients with his sign requesting money, walking up and down the line of cars, when -- I kid you not -- he put his sign down to take a cell phone call.

He was asking for money.

Has a cell phone.

This is the same guy last year for whom I was moved to run over and grab a big Wendy's lunch, came back, couldn't find him, then nearly ran over him coming out of the grocery store with 4 12-packs of Bud Light.

He's asking for money, drinks a lotta beer, and has a cell phone.

I am amazingly disappointed right now...

"Tysus & Zianne" Update: Alex Lawrence

Previously:

• The Audition
• Landing the part
• The voice session
• The behind-the-scenes interview

Here's another update on the Tysus & Zianna computer-animated short for which I did the lead voice over.

This time, I'm focusing on Alex Lawrence, the film's writer/director/producer, and principal behind D.H. Lawrence Productions.

Check out Alex's Website -- The guy's quite a bit of a renaissance man.

He's got a bunch of nice stuff on his site, and I'm particularly struck with his being a computer modeler, and concept artist -- not a combination you see a lot, and one that's definitely in demand.

Like I said, there are a lot of good pieces on the site, but in particular, check out the following for Tysus & Zianna kinds of stuff:

• Concept Art (has 3 pieces from Tysus & Zianna, Including the Death Knight, whose bum I totally kick)
• Digital Stills ("The Citadel")
• Animations(Check out the The "Wheel of Time - theatrical trailer" to get a flavor of what Tysus & Zianna could be -- and this was 5 years ago!)

Interviews for "Tysus & Zianna"

I did some interviews for Tysus & Zianna Wednesday night -- whatta blast.

Dan Parsons is freaking amazing. His lighting and setup created a warm, professional, studio-like ambiance, and the hi-def camera (in capable hands) puts out an incredible picture.

The interview was lot of fun, and I left with a ton of "what I would have done different" ideas rolling around my head. Not in a negative way at all -- this was my first interview of this kind, some I'm giving myself grace. I just noticed things about myself watching the playback, and can make corrections and more interesting choices the next go-round.

I guess that's one of the big things I took away from the night -- just a like for a character, it's important to make strong choices for the interview.

We then watched some of Dan's other stuff, including his/Alex Lawrence's previous CGI animated piece, Wheel of Time. Five years ago, and the thing is tight, compelling, and fluid, and the technology (and Dan and Alex) have just gotten better.

The interviews'll be used to tease Tysus & Zianna on the upcoming Website over the next year, and'll be added to the DVD for distribution.

I'm really excited to be a part of this.

I went to the Alliance gig Monday night

I went to the Alliance panel and party at MOMO's Club Monday night.

It was a good, informative meet, with a lot of big local industry folks giving of their time and knowledge to help Texas "raise the bar" for film and commercial work. There was also an update on the state legislation/incentive front (go to the Texas Motion Picture Alliance Web page; read; become informed; become a part of it).

The attendance was much skimpier than the previous meeting (which was insane and hot and dangerously overcrowded). There were probably south of 125 people, whereas last time saw north of 300. Not sure what the deal was, but when I finally left, I noticed an abnormal number of empty parking spaces and meters on West 6th street, so maybe it wasn't just the event that was short on attendance.

It was a good experience, though, because the three panels (Talent Agents, Coaches, and Casting Directors) were candid, and so giving of their info -- and they were entertaining, to boot.

On the relational side, I touched base with 14 or so people I know, and met a few more, including a couple of coaches with whom I wanted to meet and talk with in person. A bit of a banter weight evening from an Adam perspective, but great on the quality, if not quantity, of folks ... ;-)

I am so off my game, though; not a single business card given out. What up with that, Adam? All you did was trade numbers and Emails via phones. Kids with their toys today ...

Oh, and check out the official Alliance site for details about that group.

The Alliance meets today!

"The Alliance is having another Panel and Party!"

The Alliance is a group of talent agents, casting directors, coaches, and other Biz folks, and "exists to develop and promote Central Texas area actors, and to ensure continued use of Austin for TV and Film."

The party starts at MOMO's Club at 5:30 p.m., with the real meat at 6 p.m., and drinks and networking opportunities for all hours afterwards.

Check out the official notice.

His name is Cam ...

Learn his name. Learn to laugh at him.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day -- I hope you're enjoying it!

I'm having a great day, though I'm a bit recently ambivalent.

I just watched the original Transformers Season 2 episode, "Autobot Spike", as a sort of semi-homage to the holiday, and I teared up a bit in some of the relations between characters Spike and Sparkplug.

I couldn't get myself where I needed to be in Friday's audition, but I tear up at a cartoon.

I need to stop thinking so much during auditions.

I just auditioned for "The Hitcher"

I just auditioned for the remake of The Hitcher, and ... it is what it is ...

This was an intense audition where I'm a deeply religious dad, and my wife and kids have just been killed in front of me, and I'm dying. It's a brutally tough part (for a bunch of reasons), and I thought I was going to be able to get myself where I needed to be for the audition.

Not so much.

Fortunately, Beth Sepko gave me good direction that let me take it further than I was taking it on my own.

This role is incredibly important to me for a couple of reasons. First, it humanizes the film's main characters in a way the original (still excellent) did not. Secondly, it's a dark, cathartic place for me to go. I really want this role, but it certainly won't be "fun".

But, the audition is what it is, and it's done. God willing, something comes of it ...

Voice session for "Tysus and Zianna"

I had a good recording session last night for Tysus and Zianna, the animated short for which I auditioned last week.

Alex Lawrence and Dan Parsons are really talented, entertaining, and enjoyable folks with whom to work, and fellow voice talents Candace and John rounded out the cast.

We recorded at a home studio that was new to me, owned by John Arispe, and it is a solid, double booth studio, well-constructed with all the necessary gear, and John (and his son, John) both really know their stuff.

The recording session itself was a little unconventional, because normally each actor's lines are recorded independently of each other, then mastered later. Last night, we ran through the script in a linear fashion, recording all of our lines together. This makes it quicker from a production perspective, but longer for the actors. It does make it easier to react off of each other, though.

There are also several physical and fight moments in the short piece, so I had to do a bunch of grunts and various other sounds of exertion that had me working up quite a sweat. Mixed appropriately, they should sound cool. Mixed inappropriately, and these could be so used against me ...

Anyway, good, fun session last night, with talented folks with whom I'd choose to work again (I'd been wanting to work with Dan in particular for a few years), so a very positive experience overall.

Now, I'm off to an intense audition for the remake of The Hitcher, which is a brutally tough role that scares me ...

Getting my blog banned in Utah...

There was an episode of "Picket Fences" that was banned by the network's Salt Lake City affiliates in the nineties because it featured a men's urinal. I've got 6 times that, Utah!

Feeling good ...

Today, in the space of 10 minutes, I got two phone calls. The first said I had an offer on my house. The second said I got the lead in an animated film.

All this on the way to the airport to head out to CA for non-Biz business travel, which could suck, but hey, it's still the Bay Area.

If I were stranded somewhere, I want two tools ...

If I were stranded somewhere (uninhabited island, abandoned Death Valley gas station surrounded by giant mutant ants, etc.), I'd want two tools:

• Vise-grip pliers
• Heavy-duty, all-metal hammer

If the vise-grips are large and sturdy enough, and I'm able to use them as a hammer, I could forego the actual hammer in lieu of a multi-head, ratcheting screwdriver. But that may be cheating the "only two tools" scenario.

Everyone should have a pair of vise-grip pliers.

Voice over audition today

I had a good, quick voice over audition for a partially animated upcoming film, Tysus and Ziana.

Alex Lawrence and company made it a good, comfortable audition, and I got to read for a couple of parts (the titular main character and a "death knight" (which is so cool)) a couple of times.

Tysus and Ziana is what I'll call a fantasy piece (so that I don't give too much away), and from the couple of sides I cold read, it's pretty well written and not hoky -- which is tough to do with fantasy (seriously; watch Tom Cruise in Legend; and that's Ridley Scott).

I realized today I haven't auditioned at the Dougherty Arts Center since Nightlife (I so could have been a vampire, or jaded journalist, or whatever), and there's something sentimental and real that I like about the experience (it's not the parking, though; definitely not the parking -- freaking construction).

The audition was short, because there was no wait, and I have a mongo sinus infection, so I had to hold myself together and get my voice where it needed to be for a brief window before I said "thank you" and bailed so I could cough my lung up in the parking lot next to my truck (seriously, check the parking lot west of the Dougherty Arts Center; it's probably still there, angry and flopping around like a salmon that just got a bad haircut).

Anyway, short audition, but enjoyable, and the folks seemed together and pleasant.

I do need to stand during auditions, even when they have chairs and ask me to have a seat. Unless it's industrial VO, why sit?

This is part one of my possible "3 days, 3 auditions", with this being the committed fantasy, tomorrow possibly being campy, and Monday being the most emotionally demanding audition I've ever done. Diversity of roles is one of the things I love about being an actor.

I need to decide whether to do tomorrow's audition, and I pray to get to do Monday's before I fly out of town...

Environmental Irony

It's an Ozone Action Day in Austin. It's one of those "hot, sunny, still days when conditions are most favorable for the accumulation of unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone."

People are supposed not use exhaust-producing tools (lawnmowers, etc.), drive only when necessary, and carpool.

This weekend is also the 2006 Republic of Texas Biker Rally, where thousands of non-carpooling vehicles will descend on the capital of Texas.

I find this funny.

I bought something because it was on sale ...

Please understand, I don't buy things just becuase they're on sale. I buy them because I want them, or because I "need" them (loosely speaking).

Yesterday, I bought something I neither "needed", nor wanted (necessarily).

I went in to (grudgingly) buy one thing, and there was a "half-price off the second" deal going on. So I rooted around until I found something that I actually had forgotten at one time I thought I "needed", and bought it.

I don't do that. Usually.

And what was I buying?

Shoes. Freaking. shoes.

I don't buy shoes, either, but I'd had this pair for 4 years, and the inside soles, outside soles, and laces had all finally given out. So I was (grudgingly) buying shoes. Which I don't do. Generally.

And I bought two pairs, only because the second pair was on sale.

I don't buy shoes. I don't buy things just because they are on sale.

Usually. Except this time.

I don't know me anymore ...

Audition updates from last week

Last week was crazy (good) on the acting front -- three auditions in 4 days.

Info has started to trickle in on some of them. I'm guessing I didn't get the Sam's Club national gig I auditioned for Saturday, because Action Figure's sign up sheet requested our mobile numbers "because we'll be casting this weekend" (even though the thing doesn't shoot until June 30). And I haven't heard anything.

I did get an Email yesterday for the FirstCare gig that said, "If you are receiving this message, you did not get a callback ..." (and it had a frowny face; my agent is very empathetic). But I heard today Action Figure is going to go with a new concept, scrapping the last round of auditions, and doing it again. So there's a chance.

I haven't heard from the Flatland voice over audition yet, so there's stil hope on that front, too.

And believe it or not, 1 out of 3 would be rocking stats for an actor. Acting is 95% perseverance, as far as I'm concerned ...

Moving, Days #3 and #4

Moving Day #3 wasn't that hard, mainly because I got started too late to do
much useful (delayed because of a late-running audition and spending waaaay
too much time/money at Lowe's; those guys have got a brilliant market
concept). Anyway, yesterday was mainly replacing nobs and fixtures to dress
up the place.

Sunday was more productive, if tedious ( and though still with a late
start). But I did fix some plumbing, hang accordion doors, add baseboards
and quarter-round, patch (cut, fit, and mud) drywall, water the lawns, take
out the trash (at both houses), get another load from the old house to the
new house, and buy a coffee table and a bunch of shirts for auditioning
this summer.

The shirts are for auditioning. The coffee table is for sitting at while
I'm not auditioning ...

It's 2 a.m. I hurt all over, I'm tired, and I'm feeling kind of pissy.

That was a fun audition ...

That was a fun audition.

I just finished an audition for a Sam's Club SAG national commercial
(cha-ching), a la Action Figure, and it was a lot of fun.

I like improv auditions. I don't like having to mime/mock actions with
pre-scripted dialog, but that's what is audition was. That said, it was
fun. I was miming throwing stuff into the back of an imaginary car for an
imaginary camping trip; adjusting the rearview mirror as I yelled jovially
at my nonexistent kids; throwing the car into reverse and backing over a
curb; trying to get my wife (a la actress and audition partner Elise
Ballard as excited about my insanity as I was).; etc.

We got a good several takes, which always makes me happy.

I think the director was Matt Hovis, but I'm embarrassed to say I'm not
positive.

Y'know, This whole week has been really good on the acting front. Having
three auditions in the space of 4 days has really loosened my up on the
audition front. The timing couldn't be suckier (in the middle of the house
move), but it's not like I'm going to turn down opportunities to audition
for Jeffrey Travis, Beth Sepko, or Action Figure.

On the move activities ...

I'm so tired

Yesterday's Moving Day #2 was brutal. I took a few loads solo in my truck
while waiting for friends.

And I have some rocking friends. They spent their Friday evening to help me
move. Very generous.

I think the suckiest part was unloading the attic. It was literally like
120-degrees, and I was handing heavy stuff down to the guys, squatting over
the access opening, trying not to drop stuff on them. I woke up so many
times last night, just hurting.

Now, I'm sitting on wooden stairs, waiting for my shot at a a national
audition that was supposed to start at 10:40. And I'm not even on deck yet
(if I was on deck, you wouldn't be getting this).

I need to get done, so I can begin Moving Day #3.

My ass is so sore...

Another audition for Action Figure Films

I had an audition for a local(ish) health care commercial, with Action Figure, a cool little production company for whom I've auditioned before.

Not only did I get to read for the parts for which I was "supposed" to audition, but I saw there was a decent chunk of AVO dialog, so I asked if I could read for that, too, and they generously accomodated.

Then, while leaving the audition, I got a call from my rocking agent (it's her birthday tomorrow, send her lots of love -- and some tangibles), with another audition with Action Figure tomorrow, this time for Wal-Mart (my first audition for them was for Sam's Club).

This so rocks, but is seriously hectic in the middle of Move Day #2 ...

I had a fun voice audition today

I had a fun voice audition today for the animated version of Flatland, the book by Edwin Abbott Abbott.

The book is great literature, brain brushing on the science and mathematics, side, and has a good message about logic, philosophy, challenging the unseen, and pragmatic faith.

The film's directed (and co-written) by Jeffrey Travis, who was there for the audition. I got to ready for Travis a few weeks ago during Will Wallace's one-day workshop.

I've been working the solid little script for a while, and got to read for about 7 fun, incidental little parts. Besides workshopping the script and characters, I've been running around with a "Roll'n'Ruler", which is a nifty little gadget I think I got in the 80s that "replaces protractor, compass, ruler, triangles, T-Square, Ellipse templates, french curves & parallel ruler."

Basically, it's a cool gimmick I've been using to draw little geometric shapes on flat surfaces everywhere as I prepared for the audition. And I took it into the booth. For grounding.

Anyway, fun audition. Like I said, about 7 characters, and about 18 core voices, then variations off of those. Lot of fun, and the guys were really easy going about the whole thing.

Here's hoping ...

Yellow light district

This guy I know is a really talented photographer, and his latest great Photoshoot cracks me up.

You can check his stuff at Flickr, with "Yellow Light District - 2" being my favorite.

He's doing this for a contest, so if you want to support him, check out his blog for registration/voting instructions for Fark.com.

I own a new house!

I closed on a new house yesterday.

This is exciting and unsettling at the same time.

The only thing that makes the phrase "I own a new house!" less exciting is its corollary: "I own an old house, too."

Yeesh. Time to sell that bad boy.

So, if you're looking to move into Round Rock and want a great starter home with easy access to 1325/MoPac, IH-35, and McNeil, please contact me and make a ridiculously huge cash offer.

Please?

(in bed)

Let's face it -- I'm pretty immature.

One regular exhibition of my lack of maturity is with fortune cookies (wait, it's not as bad as it sounds).

I like fortune cookies that are (A) Genuine fortunes (none of this platitudes crap), or, failing (A), then (B) Funny when appended with the phrase, "(In bed.)"

This particular fortune, while not necessarily the former, is definitely the latter:

I take pride in knowing not only am I "Among the lucky", and "the chosen one", but among the People of Luck, I am the Lucky Chosen One in a very, very important context.

Which makes me better than Neo.

(In bed.)

I was trapped in my house this morning ...

I'm trying to sell my current house, which means (with my current string of "luck") things are going terribly bad.

I had to repair the foundation, which included them putting a support pier under my drain line, which cracked it (of course). I had to have a plumber come and fix the line, and now there's a 4-foot hole up and under my foundation, which needs to be filled (understandably).

Since plumbers are incredibly expensive as diggers, I told them thank you very much, and hired someone else to bring dirt in (the excavated clay won't pack back in; back to the "luck" thing), fill in the hole, and haul off the old dirt.

This was supposed to start tomorrow.

Imagine my surprise when I opened my garage door today and saw a mound of dirt blocking my exit. The only way out was going to be to plow through part of the mound, up and over my lawn (avoiding the retaining wall), and over the curb into the street.

I called the guy and registered by concern, which he genuinely seemed at a loss to understand. I told him I was worried about damaging the lawn, since I'm trying to sell the house (ironic, I know, since there's a freaking huge hole in my front yard).

So asked him if that did happen, would he be willing to help me re-sod the damaged area.

His response?

"You want me to come get the dirt and we call it quits right now, Bud?"

Uh, that seemed a little unwarranted. Especially since he's supposed to be providing me service.

So I talked him down (he never apologised for any of this), then made the Guiness Book of World Records billion point turn inside my garage to get out, over the dirt, miss the retaining wall, miss the mailbox, over the curb and into the street. And there are only minor indents in the lawn (thank goodness we haven't had any rain lately).

Ah well. If it's not this it's something else, and no use getting myself worked up ...

Recognizing Diversity ...

"Recognizing diversity" should not mean "lowering the bar".

Loki's a nubby!

OK, I'm not a big believer in "luck", "chance", "fate", or their variants (though I've got empirical knowledge of the power and applicability of "randomness" and "chaos").

However, I'm beginning to wonder if my dog, Loki (and/or I), is/am cursed.

Loki's already gone through a lot, but last week, she had to go in for an emergency tail amputation. The details leading up to the surgery aren't pleasant, so let's just summarize them as follows:

Crate tail. Gangrene. Dogs lack the cognizant abilities of humans.

The net result being Loki now looks like a stocky, brutish vizsla.

So, not only is Loki not getting cool new stuff (like an anti-cat rocket tail) for the small fortune getting pumped into her, but she's getting body parts taken away (so, far, the spleen and tail).

I wonder if I should have asked them to keep her pieces, so I can build a back-up dog ...

Happy Mother's Day!

E3 2006

I'm a video and PC gamer, so if I'm not writing here this week, it's probably because I'm posting like mad on my video game blog for the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).

Check it out:

• Adam Creighton, Computer and Video Gaming blog
• Updated E3 blog

Fun stuff ...

Selfish birthday weekend: Day #4

The Blow-By-Blow:

• Selfish birthday weekend: Day #3
• Selfish birthday weekend: Day #2
• Selfish birthday weekend: Day #1
• And so it begins ...

Selfish birthday weekend: Day #4

Yesterday (Monday) was "Selfish Birthday Weekend Day 4", and the official end to my birthday 4-day weekend o' playing.

It started out disappointingly enough. Even though I as on vacation, I got hassled by work (for something "needed to be fixed right away", and did not need my involvement), and another run to the vet for poor ol' Loki.

Things picked up after that, as I was able to attend the last part of a very special someone's performance, a Kerbey Lane late breakfast lunch with loved ones, the back home for a bunch o' blogging and video game related shenanigans.

I treated myself to another 3-plus mile run, which sucked with the humidity (breathing was a chore), but I was able to get in the zone and mentally story board a key scene from one of my multi-IPs, MoH.

Then, it was more video game semi-journalistic work before acting buddies Aaron Hallaway (his headshots are wonky on the Agency site -- use the one on the far right for reference) and Adam Langley kidnapped me for a birthday celebration.

It started out with a "mobile cave of manliness", which consisted of the passenger side of the car filled with black balloons and streamers -- kind of a Batcave, but cooler, because it was mobile (if not necessarily safe).

We hit Fox & Hound for dinner, beer and darts (I sucked at the first game, and I suspect they let me win the second), then to Draught House for a grudge match to finish a pint of Arrogant Bastard (that stuff'll slap you around if you're not eating a meal at the same time), followed by a smoother (and more appreciated) hefeweizen. And good, important conversation with guys I think the world of.

Then we were off home, which I made more interesting by popping the balloons (about 100) at opportune times (like when changing lanes or entering/exiting the freeway). There was a brief stop at a Whataburger when I mentioned I've been in Texas 9 years and never eaten at one (and I was riding with "Mr. Whataburger" Langley). They're honey chicken biscuit is good.

And I got another Xbox 360 wireless controller (suh-weet!) -- and a jigsaw puzzle, plumbing goop, and a prize fighter belt. You kind of have to be us to get it.

Great, great evening, and a great way to end a birthday weekend.

Today, of course, hurts -- but it's worth it.

Selfish birthday weekend: Day #3

The Blow-By-Blow:

• Selfish birthday weekend: Day #2
• Selfish birthday weekend: Day #1
• And so it begins ...

Selfish birthday weekend: Day #3

Yesterday (Sunday) was "Selfish Birthday Weekend dday 3", and my official birthday.

I spent a great lazy morning with coffee, a fried egg and bagel sandwich, the Sunday paper, and several more issues of the New Avengers comic book -- which I now have to stop reading, because it referenced the recent Secret Wars mini-series, which I have, but have not read. Damn crossovers!

Then it was off to lunch with Loved Ones at Pok-e-Joe's (sorry, Vegans), to Best Buy to treat myself to a Wacom graphics tablet (for that top-secret project I keep teasing about), Fry's to replace all of old-gen Xbox controllers with dirt-cheap Bluetooth controllers, then home to enjoy some more relaxing, reading, and playing in the back yard.

Then dinner at Buca di Beppo with Loved Ones again for a great birthday dinner.

Then home for some more Biz work, and to watch Yours Mine & Ours. Really nice birthday. And I got another Xbox 360 wireless controller, the first season of 24 on DVD, and another Captain America toy.

"What's my age again?"

Selfish birthday weekend: Day #2

The Blow-By-Blow:

• Selfish birthday weekend: Day #1
• And so it begins ...

Selfish birthday weekend: Day #2

Saturday was official Day #2 of my planned selfish Birthday weekend, and I'm having a good run of it.

Slept in, read quite a bit, then was off to Cracker Barrel for brunch(ish) before heading home to do a bunch of blogging (Acting x3, Video Gaming, etc.).

I then got caught up on a bunch of video game videos, game art, interviews, and a couple of demos, before treating myself to another 3+ mile run.

Then it was off for a get together with a ton of friends, and a very sweet happy birthday cake and ice cream episode.

Then home to get caught up on some TV (The Apprentice and a couple of Justice League Unlimited episodes -- and "Ancient History" was really lacking in continuity and importance and voice acting), some more reading, and bed.

Great, great weekend.

Selfish birthday weekend: Day #1

The Blow-By-Blow:

• And so it begins ...

Selfish birthday weekend: Day #1

Yesterday, which I took off from work, was official Day #1 of my planned selfish B-Day weekend.

Not bad.

My plan was to "sleep in", which didn't work out quite as planned. I had this goal of 10 a.m., but as the clock crawled past 9 a.m., I was about crawling out of skin with boredom, so I nixed that plan.

Next on the agenda was to research Cinco de Mayo, part of the reason I took Friday off.

I'm an all-American mutt, but the two strongest parts of my heritage are Irish and Mexican (which means I drink a lot and then pick fights with myself). Seriously, though, I wanted to remind myself of the importance of the holiday -- not because I claim any credit for the actions of that side of my heritage (I personally believe no one can take credit for heroic actions unless they performed said actions), but because I think it's important to understand specific examples of heroic tenacity and sacrifice.

This day is about 4,500 Mexicans defeating 6,500 French soldiers, through "a combination of their tenacity, inhospitable terrain, and a stampede of cattle set off by local peasants". Amazing.

Then, it was off to catch Mission: Impossible III -- really good movie.

Then, it was off to Fry's to treat myself to Halo 2:Original Soundtrack Volume 2, which is (for me), much better than Volume 1. Then to Dragon's Lair to visit my oft-abandoned comic book pull box.

Cinco de Mayo dinner was at Chuy's (of course) with loved ones, then home, where we caught up on recorded TV for the week, and I further treated myself to the first 10 issues of New Avengers.

Man, Brian Michael Bendis knows dialog ...

Free Comic Book Day #2

As part of Free Comic Book Day, I headed over first to Dragon's Lair, then to my local Hastings.

I picked up the standard freebies for this year (X-Men Runaways, The Simpsons, etc.), and Dragon's Lair was throwing in a grab bag of back issues, too, so I picked up a bunch of one-shots (including a Marvel Team-Up with Captain America and Black Widow; I don't like Scott Kolins art, but I do like Studio F's coloring).

Free Comic Book Day!

Today is National Free Comic Book Day!

Head over to a local comic book store -- most staff are excited to expand people's understanding of illustrated literature, and can make recommendations based on your tastes.

Have fun!

And so it begins ...

Last year's birthday was OK, but ended up being kind of mheh.

This year, Cinco de Mayo and my birthday hit the same weekend, so I've decided to have an admittedly selfish take, and treat myself to 4 days of general me-ness.

And it started out well today, before my 4-day mini holiday has even officially begun.

My boss got me a massage, which I don't do, but ended up a really a good way to start the day. Plus, I was really productive today, and got a nice card from my past and current teams, before my current team took me out to an early happy hour ("early" at BigHugeCorp being after 5 p.m.). One Shiner Bock, two Dos XX, one Guinness, an order of bacon jalapeno poppers, and 64-plus ounces of water later (and a great, fascinating conversation about the intricacies of the Lebanese Freedom Fighters told from a first-hand experience), it was time to head home.

I treated myself to a 3-plus mile run, at that white witching hour of early dusk in the Central Texas early summer where the fireflies kept me company as I made aggressive work of my circuit (thanks in part to Living Color and Method Man), with the tail end of my run superceded by one of those instant, impressive, massive thunder and lightning storms unique to this part of the world.

I learned a while ago that entitlement attitudes are pretty stupid, so I realize nothing else may go my way for the rest of the weekend.

And if today is all I get, I'm really OK with that. Great way to start the weekend ...

The spork...

Someone invented the spork. That someone was brilliant. Or insane. Not sure which.

Han Solo shot first!

The mega Empire that is Lucasfilm just announced the original (non mucked-with) Star Wars trilogy will be available this fall!

Fox Home Entertainment will be releasing individual, 2-disc sets each for Star Wars; The Empire Strikes Back; and Return of the Jedi. Each set will have the 2004 digitally remastered (some would say, bastardized) version of the movie, and the original theatrical edition of the film (in glorious Dolby 2.0). We get to watch Star Wars as it was in 1977 (and Empire in 1980 and Jedi in 1983).

Check out the news at ComingSoon.net.

And, since it's Lucasfilm, it's not going to be just the trilogy released.

Also to be released at the same time will be LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, the sequel to LEGO Star Wars, one of the best concepts since combining peanut butter and chocolate.

There will also be a new line of toys from Hasbro and LEGO, a new book (Darth Bane: Path of Destruction by Drew Karpyshyn, set 1,000 years before Episode IV/A New Hope), and the book, The Making of Star Wars: A New Hope (both titles to be published by Ballantine Del Rey).

And that's not even talking about the CGI series currently under development (and under wraps) at Lucasfilm Shanghai, and the live-action TV series slated for 2007 (which has got to be better than the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special).

FedEx vs UPS

Hmm . . . looks like FedEx got the prime spot. Wonder if UPS is ticked. That would be a good rumble.

Class was hard last night

I had a one-session workshop with Will Wallace last night. I really like and respect Will, and get a ton out of his workshops each year.

And last night's class was ... really hard. Seriously, I was up all night, and my stomache's in knots.

I mean it was a good class, too, and I may write some more about the details of the class later, but I need to talk about what messed me up.

We were doing my scene, and I wasn't getting where I needed to be on my own. Will gave me three rapid fire directions, which I took in-stride with the scene, and created three immediate levels of texture to my performance.

We got done with the scene, and Will said, "Gah, Adam! You took the direction and you did it! In stride, in the scene, you got there! But you don't let you give yourself that same direction, and you don't let you do something with it."

Probably one of the better summaries of where I'm stuck right now.

I know I get stuck in my head. I know that problem is not unique to me among actors. I knew that's one key area I needed to work on when I talked to my agent last week about what kind of coaches I should be thinking about. She told me I need to work with folks that can get me out of head.

Hey, it's OK if I recognize I've got a problem; I don't need other folks pointing it out to me. Which Will also did after the exchange above. And right before a really cool guitar analogy that made a lot of sense to me.

This isn't limited to my acting.

It's my life. That's why acting is so important to me.

I'm a head person. I'm a leader and an intellectual and while I'm also driven out of the need to act ethically and morally, I can get pretty separated from my heart in work, religion, relationships.

Acting gets me my heart back. For me it links the mind and the soul and makes me more of a whole person and gets me closer to myself and other people and God.

This is so important to me -- not just for the Craft, but for me.

AAAAAHHHHH!

I was working through so much stuff last night, and was getting frustrated about things like I felt like I had made some pretty strong choices for my scene last night, but they were the wrong choices (acting is relative). And I get frustrated that I feel like I keep making the wrong choices.

And that's usually where I stop -- frustrated and stuck.

But not last night. Oh, no -- Last night was "Epiphany/Grow-up Night #372". Last night I started to dig into why "I keep making the wrong choices."

I think in scene work I keep looking for that hook in my real life that makes the scene "come alive" for me. The way that plays out is something like I find the germ of something (selfish relationship fight) and over-amp it for the scene (husband/wife divorce scene).

Which is fine, except for me (wait for it) ...

I try to make the scene happen, rather than let the scene happen.

There. That was one of my big ephiphanies. But it couldn't stop there. Noooo -- Now I needed to figure out how to let the scene happen, rather than make it happen.

*sigh*

Thinking nonstop about how I'm stuck in my head is probably not a good way to get unstuck in my head.

I am so freaking tired ...

Good audition ...

I just had a really good audition with Scott Rice (Synthetic Pictures), Beth Sepko, and Sheila Steele over at Beth Sepko Casting.

Rice got quite a bit of festival buzz for Perils in Nude Modeling, and his commercial stuff seems to get a huge, positive comedic kick from his narrative work.

The guy was genuinely a pleasure with whom to audition, and seemed to be having fun auditioning people. Beth and Sheila are absolute pros, which makes an audition rock.

Plus, Scott's done a spot for Activision, and I'm a video game junkie. So that made me more excited to audition for him (no, I realize it could have been just a gig for him, but the thing is fun and slick -- check it out at Synthetic Pictures ("ACTIVISION - GINA").

Oh, the audition was for the Austin American Statesman (Central Texas newspaper), and is full of witty double entendres ...

"I Wear Makeup ..."