Old Acting Blog

Time seems so important once it’s gone.

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Last Thursday night I discovered that my Friday day was free. What could I accomplish with this newfound time? Something important I decided. I wrote up some ideas: they included things like re-read the rehearsal chapter from the Challenge to the Actor book, read through parts of Howard Fine’s book, and pick up some items for the scene I am doing in my acting class.

I remember spending so much time walking up and down Chinatown, trying to find a gun that looks like what Boston police would have in 2008, which according to research meant a Glock 22, after hours of walking around and revisiting the same stores I saw on the Tuesday prior, I finally spent $6 on a plastic version, instead of a metal air pistol. Then, realizing that my time was running out, I quickly stopped at the Central Library in Los Angeles, and picked up several marionette puppet books that are only available there. Then I rushed over to Pasadena to meet up with my scene partner and improvise what it would be like for “Pete” to tell “Sully” about how he was leaving town.

I had an excellent time, but in my rush I misunderstood parking directions, and paid $5 at a place a few blocks away, instead of free. Then the pub we went to had some great food and a beer that was pretty tasty, but I drank it too quickly and got all tipsy (I usually don’t drink).

“Pete” had to leave, so I walked back to my car and set a timer for the beer to wear off… then fell asleep in my car.

Later in North Hollywood, I went to four different stores (Smart & Final, Ralphs, 7-11, AMPM) trying to find single beers instead of having to buy an entire case. Then I realized I could probably get them at a liquor store, which I finally did.

-Sat-
Acting class: Jack, my scene partner, and I went up first. The first thing I do is drop that plastic gun and it snaps apart.

Great.

Fortunately, there’s only a small part that broke off, and our scene went only a few movements before I was reprimanded for saying “line” so quickly. I think one of the things I am trying to work on is the entire memorizing thing. I get too concerned about saying things perfectly, that I don’t just let things come out.. I’ve noticed this even in my regular speaking pattern, I can hear myself taking pauses at irregular intervals as I form the thoughts and process of talking.

It is annoying, but I’m working on it.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the “proper” way of rehearsing with the Howard Fine way of acting. I’m not exactly sure when to call “line” or improvise my way through. Later when I was on book for another actor I gave too much time because I didn’t know if they had forgotten their line, and they didn’t call for it. I’ll figure this all out soon.

My scene partner and I haven’t “rehearsed” in the usual sense, and I don’t think we are supposed to quite yet. The Uta/Howard Fine/ Laura Gardner way is to work in small beats and really fill each moment. Cool, I’m game, but I won’t be able to do this until Thursday and Friday, because of the clashing schedules between me and my scene partner.

Anyway, let me get back to the topic of this post.. time.

After class I worked nannying until the kids went to sleep, and then I fell asleep. My sleeping schedule has been all askew this week.

-Sun-
A day off, and hopefully productive.

This time I gave myself specific tasks that would create the most impact.. deciding what to purge from my life. I have had several plastic tubs full of all of my items/collections/memorabilia from childhood, and it is too much. So after moving everything around and taking several photos of items, I called it quits for the day (10-4pm). I realized I still have 8 boxes of items that are “tough” to part with, but that there are 9 that I can “go through” and get rid of somehow.

Then I went to church and hung out with some friends instead of going to the Pop Culture night that no one could attend.

Instead I watched a movie called “Time Crimes” that was recommended. It was interesting.

-Mon-
In the morning I discovered that I could finally get rid of this box of Boy’s Life magazines I had since I was in cub scouts, all because they are available on http://boyslife.org/wayback/ hooray! That’s one box less junk in my life.

Then I worked and when I came home I found myself falling asleep earlier than normal. Fortunately I stopped myself from watching an episode of Family Guy.. I don’t even really like that show.

-Tue / Today-

During my morning pages, I came up with all these productive things I could do- post items for sale on ebay etc.

Throughout the day I was plagued by my lower back pain that happened while I was moving boxes Sunday, and a headache that often surfaces when I have stuff I want to do.

Then I make mistakes, like wasting time day dreaming and researching on Raspberry Pi projects, or looking at Poppy updates. Neither of which are the best use of my time.

Soon I’ll be leaving for acting class tonight, and I don’t have a monologue ready (even though it is optional, I am missing the opportunity).

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I don’t want to complain, but I’m finding myself falling into traps where the decisions I make at the time seem like a good idea, and then turn out to be a colossal waste of energy and most importantly time.

My next day off is Sunday, so throughout the week, I hope that I spend the rest of my waking hours doing something that will get my life to a place where I want it to be.

I’m warning you future Matt.. remember this before you become past Matt.

hmatt all, goals

On July 3, I finally donned my running shoes and ran around that track that’s nearby where I live. There’s also these outdoor exercise machines I’ve been meaning to try out and the most important is the pull up bar. I used to have a pull up bar in my apartment, but it broke and I haven’t replaced it yet. This was an obstacle.

At one time I couldn’t a pull up from a ‘dead hang’ and I had read that the best thing to do is to try reverse pull ups every day until you are able to do a real pull up. I tried and tried using that pull up bar in my apartment and lo and behold I finally could do one! I was so proud of myself. There was a time when I couldn’t run for 2 minutes without feeling pain in my chest and then after adding minutes every day I was able to get to an hour!

These things happened several years ago now, and my ‘obstacles’ were pretty weak. No bar to use, and as for running, my obstacle was the lack of motivation.

That changed on the 3rd. I woke up with no excuses anymore. This day was the first “holiday” day in preparation for the 4th of July weekend, I had the day free and I was determined to make the most of it.

My most recent audition was on Saturday June 29, and although I thought I felt comfortable, and thought I would have been perfect in the commercial, I made simple mistakes and that was that. Then I remembered about my last post and how I had wanted to start taping again, and how important it was.. so I decided that July 3rd I would make myself tape something whether or not I felt like it that day.

I ran only a 3 laps, and could only do 10 pushups and no longer was I able to do my amazing pull ups. Even though I started small I remembered how I was able to conquer my goals and get to amazing places by adding a little each day. I took that motivation to my taping too.

After my run I began the process to turn our living room into a studio. I moved the furniture around, set up the camera and prepared my props and costume, and then I taped. In reality I didn’t tape all that much, but it was enough to fill in key pieces of the latest episode 4 of my kids show, and I felt accomplished. I had to do everything myself, but that didn’t bother me this day.

I quickly edited together the scenes and worked the rest of the day on fine tuning the timing and the effects. The process has been slow altogether, but oh so worth it. I now still have a couple shots and some audio to tape, and then I need to find a suitable background (ah the wonders of green-screen).. but I’m finally making progress!

It is amazing, in a non-happy way, how easy it is to let one day go into the next and be sitting, waiting on accomplishing one’s goals. I want to speed up the setup time that has been such an obstacle (about 2 hours) and the editing time, which has already sped up SIGNIFICANTLY now that I’m using FCPX instead of FCP 6 (from 2007) and a new computer.

The final product is already looking wonderful, and even though I still have some work to do on this one, I am already looking forward to taping episode 5. Sometimes I have to give myself a little push.. okay, a BIG push, to get things going again, and overcome the obstacles that I let stay in my way for far too long. Once the motivation kicks in things can be happening!

Today is another day off, and although it is almost over I’ve already made more progress on the episode. Diligently I peck away at the ‘to do’ list and get closer to the release.

Like I’ve written before, you are what you most practice- and I want to practice being productive and streamlining the process to make my own path for my own work. That way I’m not sitting down, waiting for something to happen. Obstacles are only obstacles if you let them stay that way.

Today I ran 7 laps, and did 15 pushups.. little by little I can reach my goals.

hmatt acting update, goals