Nickerblog

inspiration

Wow.  THIS is the best read I've seen on the internet in a long time.  I'm not sure about the ending, but maybe it takes a while to get.  Or maybe I'm just a dolt.  Probably the dolt one.

in the caves of a winery

Will Forte's funny movie trailer

Will just sent me a link to the trailer for his new movie, "The Brothers Solomon." 

It's a must see.

The Official Rob and Big Blog

I convinced MTV to let me blog from behind the scenes of Rob and Big Season three.   Actually, it took no convincing at all.  They were eager to have an inside source blogging for the show.  Inspired by Ronald D. Moore and other TV producers who maintain production blogs, I thought it would be nice to have an official weblog for our show.  Anyway, I know the blogging here is sparse while I'm working, but if you're interested, you can read my show-related entries from the production office, from the road, and from the field of Rob and Big... HERE.

*OK, the link is live now.

gulp, plug

For those who may be interested, I've been invited to perform with the cast of Crazy Uncle Joe Show at The Groundlings Theater this coming Wednesday (8/22) at 8pm.  About ten years ago, I was in The Sunday Company at the Groundlings, and every now and then I'm invited back to do an improv show with some of my old friends.  I've performed at comedy theaters all over Los Angeles, and there is still nothing quite like The Groundlings.  It's my favorite stage in town. 

The regular cast includes:

Brian Palermo
Roy Jenkins
Jordan Black
Stephanie Courtney
Christen Sussin
Ted Michaels

You should come see it.  Unless you hate laughter and good times.

Details:

Crazy Uncle Joe Show
Tickets: $12.50
8:00 pm @ Groundlings Theater
7307 Melrose Avenue
323-934-4747

In a world where entries become challenges...

Today's challenge:

First, read THIS.

Now, write the movie trailer script for it.  (Think Don LaFontaine.)

AJ Gentile has agreed to do a spiffy audio sound-a-like version of the trailer, with sfx and stuff for the best one.

Of course, if you're REALLY feeling it, you can record and link to your own audio version.

GO! 

We now return to our dork...

When we moved into our house back in April, I upgraded to an HD setup with DirecTV.  Whoa.  I've become re-numbed by television.  If I were a cable or network TV suit, I'd immediately mandate that all shows in production convert to HD to avoid looking dated within a few short years.   It makes it hard to watch standard definition television once you get accustomed to High Def.

Current HD Favorites:

-Planet Earth on Discovery HD (duh.)
-Firefly on Universal HD
-Star Trek: Enterprise on HDNet
-the Red Sox on the MLB HD channel
-Sunrise Earth on Discovery HD

And damn it I'm ready for some HD football.

return and release

One of the nice side effects of letting go of the resentment and bitterness that ten years as a struggling actor instilled in me, is that I am now genuinely happy for the successes and the collective momentum of my friends here in Los Angeles.  I know it seems obvious to cheer on the wins of your friends, but I'm afraid there was a time when I dreaded hearing the good news of others because it reminded me of my own stalled career.  I was, it turns out, self-centered with a keen sense of entitlement.  (Hmm, that's weird....an actor with an ego...)

Anyway, because I've been having so much fun as a TV producer for the past few years, I've gotten used to not needing the validation of a casting room or a casting director or a casting associate that doesn't really know what the casting director wants, or a director, or a team of producers in a board room laughing cordially at my bits and exposed nerves.  It's empowering to not be the guy waiting for the decisions to be made around him, and instead embracing the role of the guy who makes the decisions around others.  As Robert Evans so eloquently put it, "I want to be THAT guy."

But of course, there will always be an actor in me.  I still love theater and I do sometimes miss performing, if for no other reason than this: It can be so FUN.  I no longer have the delusional need to be some mega-star or Academy Award winning recluse, confined to my 8 story house because the throngs of fans won't stop pole-vaulting my Scottish castle walls.  Reality caught up to me (har, har) when I realized that if your acting career (or any career, for that matter) doesn't naturally snowball, and if you're forced to constantly keep pushing new, mini-snowballs down hills hoping they turn into something massive, it may just not be the ideal way to make a living.  Having kids tends to shatter imaginary dreamland and you are forced to face ACTUAL land. For me, ACTUAL land does not include trolling for bit parts and hosting gigs.  As they say, F that.   I stopped enjoying the process, and thus decided to remove myself from situations and the horrible auditions I no longer enjoyed. 

Instead of abandoning such a big part of my life and a major part of the path that took me to where I am today, I decided last year that I would reserve the right to be an actor on my own terms (in commercials, or in shows I create or write, or in something that a friend asks me to be a part of, you know, stuff like that), but that my days of crossing my fingers for those bit parts on sitcoms or shitty panel shows was over forever.  I'd rather just do a play I really love than be GUY #1 in some show I've never heard of.  With that single decision, I let go of more frustration than I even realized I was harboring.  It was entirely liberating.  I recommend listening to the nagging voice in your head telling you that something is broken.  It's usually right.

And yet, I'd be lying if I told you there isn't a kernel of my original dream lying dormant somewhere deep beneath the surface.  "Once an egocentric actory type, always an egocentric actory type," as they say, and I am no exception.  I may have successfully cut the imaginary cord that tethered me to a career as an actor, but that doesn't mean I can't go back to it when it's convenient or fun.  It's the best of both worlds, really.  It removes the need to succeed continually, which removes the built-in failure ratio that all actors face: One success for every shit ton of failures wears you out quickly.  It did me.  Plus, I got sick of hearing myself say things like: "I feel like I went in there and did what I wanted to do and so it's out of my hands now, but I am perfect for this so I I'm hoping they saw that but even if they didn't, I'll get 'em next time and I wonder if I should have gone bigger?" 

Of course, all of this self-convincing babble went out the window earlier this week.  I was offered a role in an episode of an upcoming show called "Hollywood Residential" written and created by my friend, Adam Paul, who recently sold the comedy series to Starz Network.   I know quite a few of the people involved in the show, so in addition to being thrilled to get back in front of a camera (once an egocentric actory type, always an egocentric something something), I was even more excited to be working on something with a bunch of friends.  Best of all, I got to play the husband of Cheryl Hines in the show, which was just the cherry on top of the actory sundae.  Cheryl and I were in The Groundlings Sunday Company together about ten years ago, and most of us who were in the company back then have remained close throughout the years. I can actually trace most of my favorite friends in LA back to The Groundlings, even to this day.  Obviously, I gladly accepted the role offered to me.

It was exciting.  I felt rusty and slightly out of place at first, and even though the very first scene I had to do was actually one of the higher energy, final scenes of the episode, it was a total thrill.  I've managed to scrape together a few minor TV roles over the years, but this was, ironically, probably the most substantial TV role I've played (which I know, isn't saying much about my illustrious TV career).  I honestly can't tell you how the scenes are going to look or whether or not I was even funny or good, but it doesn't matter all that much to me.  It was such a treat to be an actor again for the day, with a bunch of friends making a funny TV show.  I don't miss the daily grind of waiting for the phone to ring for a job or audition;  I don't miss the way being broke and working shit jobs to pay the bills used to make me feel; I don't miss the tension I used to choke down, when seemingly everyone around me had exciting news to gloat about, but I do miss the simple joy that creating a funny little bit in front of the camera brings.

It was also odd closure, in a way.  I enjoyed myself immensely on the set, but I didn't have the overwhelming NEED to do it as a primary career anymore.  That surprised me.  I guess I've gotten so used to the respect and status of my current job, that it's hard for me to revert to the relatively powerless role of incidental day-player again.  Perhaps it's not as black and white as: I'm a producer OR I'm an actor.  Perhaps it's not worrying about the ultimate destination so much. Maybe it's releasing control and allowing the road to lead where it leads, even if it leads into a grey area...or better yet, even if it happens to lead back to once familiar ground with fresh perspective. 

I think that's when it gets fun again.

fenway