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Saturday, April 25, 2009

Choose whom you disappoint wisely, kids.

Good News:

I just booked my first TV show!
(It's a small co-starring role on a new ABC Family show about 10 olympic hopefuls training in high school. I play one of the gymnasts on the opposing team.)
It's called "Make It Or Break It"

Bad News:
I was scheduled to work at my "day job" that day, and the only person who could have possibly covered it had to be at school. 

The Ugly News:
This is the first time I have booked for my agent. It was very important to me. The show is AFTRA and they required me to be paid up before I was allowed on set. This allowed me 2 days to get ahold of casting, AFTRA and $1336.00 to pay for my membership. 


*I had a decision to make- Do I disappoint myself and my new agent who got me this awesome audition, that I won fair and square, not knowing anyone? 
Or do I disappoint my work and my savings account? (Every actor should have a small savings for big, career changing emergencies, like 
SAG or AFTRA dues, or flat tires on the way to set...) I really couldn't afford to lose any more hours at work or money for my wedding, but I wanted it all!
Fortunately, my fiance', Ryan is extremely supportive of my acting career (the few perks of dating a fellow actor-) so I took half of the money out of savings and borrowed the rest (fortunately I never borrow money and when I am forced
 to do it, people know that I am good to pay them back asap. Never wear out your friends or family borrowing money constantly and forgetting to pay them back until they mention it, OK? No one 
will want to help your cause.) I paid AFTRA online, which was very easy to understand, and I highly recommend joining that way. They also send you a confirmation e-mail with all your new membership info right after, so there is no confus
ion. 
And not a moment too soon, casting called that day to say they were going to have to re-cast me if I didn't join so that the show wouldn't get fined by AFTRA for letting me work! Oh, you better believe that I called them right back and assured them I was paid up and forwarded my confirmation # from my lovely email I had just been sent.
^Me in my trailer with actress Amara Cash

I had a great day on set, I think I booked some overtime too, but we shall see, I don't know how AFTRA works with overtime yet....
The bad news is I will be looking for a new day job... But the good news is I can work as many AFTRA jobs as I can get my hands on now and get paid at least $135 for a day of extra work if I have too. (Soap Operas... here I come!)

If anyone has good suggestions on other AFTRA running shows let me know! I also am curious to go to some AFTRA new members meetings, they also have scene study classes and agency relationship seminars you can go to for free. 
Has anyone gone to them?

************************************************************

In other news, Cassie took me to the Women In Film's  (or "WIF") weekly breakfast in Beverly Hills last week. It is a great place to go for networking, everyone is very friendly and the food is great. $35 for non-members including all you can eat breakfast and valuable contacts!
check it out the next meeting and bring a friend:

http://www.wif.org/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&agid=181&year=2009&month=05&day=08&Itemid=60


-Amber

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