They Made Me An Offer I Couldn’t Refuse
A few weeks ago I auditioned for a role in another independent film called “South Dakota” which was actually filming about 30 miles west of Des Moines (thanks to Iowa’s new filmmaking tax credits). I auditioned for the role of a football coach, but as I left the audition, another guy came in for his audition who looked more the part than I ever could… so it didn’t surprise me when I didn’t hear anything back.
This past Thursday I received a voicemail from their production office, asking if I would be interested in a non-speaking “featured extra” role. When you audition for a film, there is usually a spot on the audition form that says “would you accept a role as an extra” - this is very similar to the same kind of question you have on any audition form for any type of play… high school, community theater - whatever. In this case I checked “no.” I have “been there, done that” being part of crowd scenes in TV shows in Los Angeles, and it really doesn’t appeal to me. For some people in Iowa, “just being in a movie” is enough thrill - but I know better how drawn out and sometimes boring it can be, so I checked no.
The production office wanted to know if I would accept a “featured” extra role, that was not part of a crowd scene. It would consist of myself and 1 other person doing a scene that is supposed to take place in Philadelphia.
You have probably seen, and possibly made fun of, these type of “featured extra” roles. They are usually noted by “shouting man” or “man #1″ or sometimes “bar customer #2″ … but the point is they DO get in the credits, whereas most of the crowd extras do not.
So, I said yes. I’m actually looking forward to it, and will post more details after the filming. the entertaining part is that we we are filming a scene that takes place in Philadelphia, for a movie called South Dakota, that is actually being filmed in Iowa.
Gotta love the movie business!
iPhone iGone?
I wrote a few months ago, before my trip to PodCam, about my iPhone Buying Nightmare. Now it seems as though there are new things afoot at the old Apple HQ.
In scanning the news articles, it seems as though the conspiracy theorists are surmising that Apple is purposefully creating/pulling back iPhone stock in order to rush the deployment of 3G versions of the iPhone sooner than people were originally anticipating (summer 2008). That’s all fine and dandy, but there is no proof.
What has come out of the discussion, however, is a general agreement among those closely watching iPhone developments, that there is some kind of “deal” that is causing the shortage. It has been suggested that there is a tax/sales reason why the units are easier to find at AT&T stores. Apparently, iPhones that are kept “in stock” at Apple stores are not recorded as “sales.” Whereas units kept in stock by AT&T stores show as sales for Apple. Therefore, keeping less stock at Apple stores and more at AT&T could inflate sales figures.
So is Apple a) Inflating sales figures by intentionally shipping more units to AT&T than its own outlet stores? or b) Suffering an actual shortage of phones or c) none of the above?
Id say a combination of a and b. I bet manufacturing has slowed down on the older models intentionally, and sales figures are being boosted by shipping/selling to AT&T.
Only time will tell.
Technorati Tags: iPhone, AT&T, Apple
Jeff Conaway
Back when I was working at Warner Bros. producing the Official Babylon 5 Web Site, one of my favorite things to do, as you can imagine, was visiting the Babylon 5 set. But besides the flashing lights, illuminated panels and duct tape, one of the main reasons was I always felt at home there, even though I was technically “a suit.”
A typical visit to the set would entail me entering through the main entrance and signing in at the window (in later seasons I had to have a guest name badge assigned to me for some reason.) I would then go through a door and down the hallway, first stopping at Jeffrey Willerth’s narrow dwelling, then stopping in to say hi to John Copeland and his faithful companion who was usually there with tail wagging. Then I would continue down and if I was feeling daring, stop at the last office on the right and say hi to Joe, aka “J. Michael Straczynski” aka “The Great Maker.”
Then I would usually find Jeff Conaway.
Jeff was one of those cast members who always had the time to say hi. We had first met at one of those “live chats” where I conducted a conference online between him and Babylon 5 fans. Ever since then, whenever I was on the set, he would always greet me with a big hello, handshake and smile.
Jeff was infectious. Not with anything bad, but he was always fun to be around. We’ve all seen television bloopers, but when Jeff made a mistake, either he would bust out laughing, or he would very honestly be upset that he blew the line. I remember when I was first told his age, and at the time I couldn’t believe that a guy who looks so young could be over 50 and have grandchildren. I couldn’t believe he was over 35.
In recent years, I have hated turning on the television, as the TV magazine shows have had a field day with Jeff. From getting kicked off/quitting celebrity fit club, and then the awful video from Celebrity Rehab, we have been shown a very different Jeff Conaway. Now he walks with a total chest/back brace as a result of lifting boxes - a far cry from the happy-go-lucky Zach Allen I remember from my visits to the set.
I haven’t spoken to Jeff since the series ended, but I have heard he is investigating Scientology as a way of dealing with his sobriety, drug use, and physical condition - no doubt thanks to John Travolta. Whatever the reason, I’m glad to hear that Jeff is finally doing better.
Take care, Jeff.
Technorati Tags: jeff conaway, babylon 5, jeffrey willerth, john travolta
The Age of Conversation - Rushing and #2
I have volunteered to write a short article for the new book dealing with social networks, The Age of Conversation 2. The book is the brain child of someone right here in Des Moines, Drew McLellan, and has drawn together 275 authors from across the world to participate. Including…
Adam Crowe, Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler, Bill Gammell, Bob Carlton, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Bradley Spitzer, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich, C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Clay Parker Jones, Chris Brown, Colin McKay, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Cord Silverstein, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Goldstein, Dan Schawbel, Dana VanDen Heuvel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Darryl Patterson, Dave Davison, Dave Origano, David Armano, David Bausola, David Berkowitz, David Brazeal, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Drew McLellan, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner, Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Emily Reed, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson, G. Kofi Annan, Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Graham Hill, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J. Erik Potter, J.C. Hutchins, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeremy Middleton, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, Joe Talbott, John Herrington, John Jantsch, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Flowers, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kris Hoet, Krishna De, Kristin Gorski, Laura Fitton, Laurence Helene Borei, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Barnes-Johnston, Louise Mangan, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, Marcus Brown, Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Mark McSpadden, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Hawkins, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Monica Wright, Nathan Gilliatt, Nathan Snell, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul Marobella, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman, Rachel Steiner, Sreeraj Menon, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Beeker Northam, Rob Mortimer, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen, Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw, Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones, Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Cribbett, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird, Susan Gunelius, Susan Heywood, Tammy Lenski, Terrell Meek, Thomas Clifford, Thomas Knoll, Tiffany Kenyon, Tim Brunelle, Tim Buesing, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, Tim Longhurst, Tim Mannveille, Tim Tyler, Timothy Johnson, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Toby Bloomberg, Todd Andrlik, Troy Rutter, Troy Worman, Uwe Hook, Valeria Maltoni, Vandana Ahuja, Vanessa DiMauro, Veronique Rabuteau, Wayne Buckhanan, William Azaroff, Yves Van Landeghem.
Also, apparently there is a bum rush on March 29th for the original Age of Conversation. You can find out more here:
What’s a bum rush? Find out more about bum rushes soon at Content, Community, Commerce.
Send Me A Song… literally
I’ve had a lot of lofty goals in my life. Most of them I have met head on, based on determination and something inside of me that has been called “cahones.”
But there is one goal that I can’t do alone - record a song.
I can’t play any instrument. I played trombone for a few years in elementary school, but thats about it. I’ve worked with several talented singers and songwriters over the years, but most of them I have lost contact with.
What I need to know is: How does someone who can’t write a song…. find a song to “record?” Do I license an already performed, copyrighted work, or do I try and find a song people are looking to have someone record. if so, how do I contact a publisher and say “send me song demos, Im interested in recording something” ?
Whoever can hook me up with a good song that I can record will get my eternal thanks and who knows what else.
Oh…
rock/slow rock preferred. To my podcasting/blogging buddies think Geoff Smith / Guitar man of central park… etc.
Any and all constructive suggestions and/or help welcome.
Troy
