Glass half-full people.......

2nd CALLBACK AUDITION!!!:
"Blockbuster Video” @ Toni Cervantes Casting.

Well 3 auditions for this spot (the initial one and 2 callbacks)
and I didn't get it. This business is entirely too hard to dwell
on disappointments, setbacks and/or negativity. I'm making
Lemonade dammit! Smile.

In my view...I HAD to be very close to getting it. Right?! Not
only that but at least Toni Cervantes Casting knows who
Angel Oquendo is. Hopefully, that will also re-energize my
commercial agent a bit. We'll see. Still, it was a great ride.
I'll get the next one!

One word.......................BOOKED!!!

The CD for Pepper Dennis called me around noon to say I
was on 1st available. She said the Producer's "Absolutely
Loved You!" "Where have you been all this time?", etc. She
was SO nice and sincere it was an out of the body experience.

We talked for what seemed about 15-20 minutes about
me just getting into town: previous lives in the Army,
Intelligence agencies, etc. We just had a GREAT
conversation! She said she would call me later tonight
to confirm the booking.

Then tonight (around 6pm) I get the call. Booked!!! (My
commercial agent also calls me to say that I have a 2nd
call back for the Blockbuster spot! YAY!)

Needless to say, I'm VERY excited and Blessed. This is such
a big deal for me on so many different levels. My first LA
gig since moving out here 5 months ago, booking a gig
without an agent/manager, finding it...going after it...and getting it!

One down and a WHOLE BUNCH more to go! Still, I'll NEVER,
EVER forget the first one. One day when I win my OSCAR
(yes, I said it!) I'm going to remembr this Valentines
Day 2006 clearly. Thank you God.

Please keep me in your prayers y'all. Things are only
getting started. I hope you're enjoying the ride with me!

Crunch Time Baby!

At first I didn't think there would be a conflict with the two
auditions. One at 5pm and one at 6:30, makes sense right?
Well they're running a bit behind and it's 6:00 and I'm STILL
waiting to get in. Ouch!

I call my commercial agent and tell him I might be late...
because I'm at producers @ 20th Century Fox Studios. (You
can tell they're a bit disappointed since they're all about
commercials...and that's understandable. He basically says to
try to get there as soon as I can.) Everything is cool.

It's 6:10 and I'm finally going in. I felt great about my read
and my choices. (The CD is smiling as I'm doing the read...It's
going well.) I'm done and I say thanks. I leave and start to
walk down the street when the CD runs out and says those
famous words I love to hear: "Angel, can you stick around for
a few more minutes?" "Of course!" I reply...obviously I'm
excited about that....that's ALWAYS a good sign. Then I smile
to myself and say there's no way I'll make Blockbuster. So be
it. I would rather book this anyway! That's no knock on
commericals. I LOVE commercials and commerical money
would certainly pay MUCH MORE money but I feel right now
booking my first LA TV credit has to take priority.

They take another person in and when they're done with her,
the CD calls me in. The Producers, who were very nice by the
way, want me to read again....with a slight change in
direction. No sweat....I love to show that I can easily make
adjustments to my work. I felt very good about it again. They
smiled, said thanks and asked if I would be willing to shave
my beard off. I said "No problem, it'll grow back in less than
a week!" They laugh....and I leave. Good sign..but still..you never know.

It's 6:20 and I'm leaving Fox to get to Blockbuster...It's only
5 miles away. Damn, can I make it?! I'm flying through the
city....of course in the middle of rush hour traffic. I'm walking
in at 6:50 without a soul in sight. But they're still there and
they let me read! Hey, at least I made it! I felt pretty good
there too.

Oh yeah...Then I leave there to head up to a workshop that
starts at 7:30. I just make it in time. It lasts until 9:30. I go
pick myself up some dinner and finally catch up to my
messages and e-mails. Whew, what a day. I LOVE IT!

We'll see what happens. They both felt good. At the end of
the day, I felt I did the best that I could. It's in God's hands now.

PRODUCER'S SESSION/CALLBACK!!!:
"Pepper Dennis" @ Stiner/Block Casting. The role of Diaz.

------

CALLBACK AUDITION!!!:
"Blockbuster Video” @ Toni Cervantes Casting.

What a great day!

Okay, so here's the deal about Friday's audition. I'm just
leaving the commerical audition for Ameristar Casinos around
3:45 when I get a call asking if I'm available to audition at
Fox Studios for a part in an episode of a new show called
"Pepper Dennis" on the WB. They ask if I can make it there by
6 or 6:30. I'm like "Of Course!"

My first thought was to race right over, since it is a Friday
and rush hour traffic is a beast, but then I decided to go
home first and do some research. So I raced home,
downloaded the sides, found out who's in the show, etc. Are
we talking 1/2 hr, 1hr, Comedy, Dramedy, Drama, Single Camera, etc?

I leave my place at 4:30 headed to Fox Studios. On my way I
get a call from my Commercial Agent saying I have a callback
for the Blockbuster Video commercial I auditioned for on
Wednesday! Yeah! I'm very happy about that. So I get to the
studio at 5:30 and I go in to read.

As for the read: 1) I felt I was right for the role, 2) I felt as
prepared as one could get with a few hours notice and I
made some good choices, 3) the read went great and the CD
gave me excellent feedback. That's all a person can do.

Before I even walk out of the office they ask me to come to
Producers on Monday afternoon! Once again.....YEAH BABY!
Didn't I say something about the quiet before the storm.
Starting to feel some raindrops!.......I love the rain.

Audition: "Ameristar Casinos” @ Lisa Pantone Casting.

Okay. Now it's about time I start getting a call-back or
something from these commercial auditions. I've been on a
few now and not one call? What's up with that?!

Still, it's nice to be getting out. I'm glad my headshots and
my commercial agent are working for me. Now if I could only
do my part and book the damn thing! I AM going to book one of these!

Maybe this will be the one.

------

TV Audition: "Pepper Dennis” @ Stiner/Block Casting.
The role of Diaz.

The Quiet Before The Storm!

It's not that I haven't been posting because I've been too busy working (although I wish that was the case. smile.) I haven't been posting because things have been pretty slow for me. Workwise the past couple of weeks have been SSSSLLLLOOOOWWWW. Bummer.

Still, the good news is that I've been keeping VERY busy with my drop-offs/submissions, classes, workshops, cold-reading skills, etc. It'll come when God wants it to. I'll be ready when I get the call. I should also have a project or two (for ex. an upcoming new film w/ Lee Daniels whom I worked with on "Shadowboxer") that is due up soon. I'll let you know when I hear something.

In the meantime, stayed tuned and keep me in your prayers!!

Audition: "Blockbuster Video” @ Toni Cervantes Casting.