How Quickly Two Weeks Can Pass
My last blog post was during the push to finish my sitcom spec for class. What followed was a busy weekend where I tried not to think about my story... trying to give it air so that, when I came back to it, I'd have a new perspective. I saw an improv show at Donny's Skybox on Friday night consisting of many of the women with whom I graduated the program... and then Saturday night I went to ComedySportz and saw that show for the first time here in Chicago. They have a new space that's pretty nice (if hard to get to), and the show was what I would later describe as "interesting." I couldn't do ComedySportz... I would probably be annoyed by the format after a while... only playing short games and never REALLY getting into anything that seems real ("real theatre" that is, if you take my meaning).
A week has passed since that last post. I'm finished with my episode of "Family Guy," which didn't get rave reviews in class... but it seemed like the class enjoyed it, and struggled to find something which was 'obviously' wrong.
I had a productive weekend... getting a lot done for the apartment and for my internship. Oh, that's right, I haven't really said anything about my internship. I'm now the Writing Program intern at SC... which means I do stuff for them every week and they give me a free class. That's how I could afford my Sitcom class (BTW, I'm going back and forth on whether or not to take a Screenplay course that's only offered once a year. I should take it, shouldn't I? Well, I need Final Draft and that costs big bucks... so I'm still debating). As the intern, I talk with the younger writing students about their opportunities within the program... I set up the Writing sketch show auditions... and I email people longer and more often than I should. I'm also going to be 'the authority' on what the intern does, as they've asked me to write the internship manual for after I 'pass' (read: die). At any rate, this past weekend I ran the auditions... which is always fun. I try to put the auditionees (who are always nervous) in a light-hearted mood... and I try to set everything up so that the only thing the writers need to worry about is who they are going to cast.
And now I come to this week, when it actually seems like I've got some stuff going for me: three paying 'gigs' in one week! (One refers to 'work' as 'gigs' if you're a poor artist, the pay is minimal, and the work is infrequent) Today and tomorrow, I'll be at SC for a Cingular wireless gig. I don't know the specifics about it yet, just that they wanted 100 Conservatory students (and former students)... and that we're filming something on Navy Pier tomorrow morning. Tomorrow night I'll be reading a script for, well, a script reading. I was offered (through my SC connections) to read a play for a local playwright. It's the first reading of her newest script... at a theatre and everything... and I'm very excited to have my hands in such an organic, local creation. It should be fun. And, finally, later in the week I'll be doing voiceover work for a children's educational cartoon. (what?) Yeah, I auditioned via sound clip for a voiceover gig (a LONG time ago... I think there was still snow on the ground), and they're finally far enough along that they want me to come in and record! So that will be Thursday and/or Friday (depending on how long it takes).
Each of these are paying gigs, mind you... but it doesn't feel like enough. And, in reality, it's not enough... I can't do stuff like this consistently enough to make the money I need to live. That's the part that angers me the most. I'd love to have my weeks filled with filming, play readings, and voiceover work... but that's just not realistic. I don't know how 'actors' do it. How do they make a living off stuff like this? That's just it. They don't. No one can. I find it slightly amusing that there is such a discrepancy between those who can make a living (those millionaire actors whose lives are so great that we have TV shows and magazines devoted just to what they do when they're not working) and those who can't (everyone else that you've never heard of). I suppose that happens in most professions, (except I can't see their being millionaire teachers AND starving teachers, just seems to be the later) but I still find it odd that 'the biz' expects you to work for free (or next to nothing) for YEARS until they say it's okay for you to make some actual, real-person money.
Negativity aside... this should be a fun week. Oh! And I'm trying to call SC to schedule an audition for the Touring Company (auditions are later in October). Wish me luck!!!