Unscripted - A Blog for Actors - Backstage

I Don't Have Representation, And Yet. . .

I recently was contacted by FOX to audition for a pilot starring one of the funniest people ever. I don't wanna say his name, but he's on SNL (there!)

Anywho, I'm not in New York at the moment so I offered to put myself on tape (although I will admit, the idea of booking a quick flight did cross my mind.)

I got my friend to film for me, and I quickly edited the tape, and by quickly I mean I stayed up late to edit and woke up early to send it due to the time difference.

But that wasn't good enough for me. I called the Los Angeles office and asked if I could come in and read. I've done this before (when a New York casting office called me in for another pilot) and I got a big fat "no." But they said yes!

So the next day, I went in. I was very early, which is not my strong suit. Traffic was on my side, and I was dressed to a tee. I felt good. Lines were all memorized too!

I have not heard back yet, but the moral of the story is - fight for what you want. I was not content with that video tape and knew it would benefit me by being seen in person. Even if cold calling is scary, it is worth it!

-- Dominique | @domtoney 

(Photo is my own :)

How Playing "Mafia" Led To An Audition

You never know who you're in a room with, or who you're sitting next to, or whose dog your petting, or who you're playing "Mafia" with.

That Time I Saw Myself on TV

I've shot a few commercials over the last few years. 3 that appeared online, 1 that appeared in the South, and one that would play in Southern California.

So when I received a message from a friend that she had seen the commercial on MTV Jams, I silently freaked out. It's airing! Why haven't I seen it?! Well, not two nights later as I was channel flipping did I see my bright pink shirt and curly hair. 

I jumped off the couch and did a dance and lifted my hands up in the air joyously. Then I sat down on the rug like a little girl watching "Rugrats" and savoured that minute and one second as if it might never come again. 

Please enjoy my CashNet USA commercial!

 

-- Dominique Toney| @domtoney

Can I Vent For Just A Moment?

Not too long ago I ventured back into the world of “day jobs”, most specifically, RESTAURANTS.

Suddenly filled with fear that my bills wouldn’t be paid, and my creative projects wouldn’t be funded, I accepted – hesitantly – a job in a swanky Beverly Hills establishment.

I was reassured that over 60% of the staff were actors, and that the managers understood such a life. As long as I gave them enough notice for schedule changes, it wouldn’t be a problem if auditions came up, or I got cast in something. 

The restaurant was in the heart of Beverly Hills, situated across the street from a huge movie studio and talent agency. And the clientele who ate there? Well, they run Hollywood. Literally. Producers, CEOs’s, Managers, A list Celebrities.

Full Circle Moment (Thanks Oprah!)

Recently, I was contacted by a blogger who had read my Unscripted Blog Post awhile back about my hair. She wanted to interview me for her blog about natural hair in the media. How serendipitious and ironic and full circle-ish. . .

What Casting Directors Aren't Telling You

Secrets, secrets, secrets!!

Ok, so I dedicated this summer to attending alot of Casting Director workshops. It was important to me to build great relationships with key industry players this year so that by the time Pilot Season rolls around, I am an actor they are familiar with.

I've learned a lot things that have blown my mind about what goes on in the casting room and what goes on inside the head of a casting director. 

I'm excited to be sharing these simply because I am relatively new to the TV/Film world (went to school in NY, have done theatre since high school) and I figured that if I didn't know about alot of these *secrets*, than many people perhaps didn't. 

Ok, here goes!

- Don't ever give casting directors a reason to say no to you. If you give them any doubt or show them you're needy, they will not call you back. This includes:

a) Talking too much. The quicker you can start working, the better. 

b) Asking too many questions. If you have a question about a relationship  between 2 characters, go ahead and ask. But you should have all the information you need in those sides. And you know those areas that are crossed off? Read those too!

c) Taking too long to "center" yourself. To the actor who asks, "Can I just take a moment to center myself?" - you're already in hot water! Again, the quicker you can start working, the better.

Buy It, Use It, Break It, Fix It

I've never been big on technology. I barely joined Twitter last year, still have an old Blackberry, and only yesterday joined the Instagram craze.

And what's the saying - "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." True, true. Ain't nothing wrong with doing things old fashioned. . .

However, I can't deny that such technological advances have helped me as an actor! My life has greatly been eased by:

A) Not having to print sides anymore

B) Being able to access casting information in an instant

C) Having all my notes, inspirations, quotes, etc in ONE place.

I don't know about you, but I used to have a journal for everything - a personal journal, a gratitude journal, an acting journal . . . 

Now I've got them all in one place. I have literally saved minutes, maybe even hours each week by not having to leaf through pages to find "that one quote that that one casting director said in that one workshop."

See how stressful that can be? Because as a woman, I have many different purses for many different occasions. Some are bigger than others. Some don't fit journals, or even wallets for that matter. That means that my notes are scattered.

Some end up on my phone, on the back of a receipt or a program. . . Hmm. Rarely do they end up in the actual journal!!

So I say all this to say - don't be afraid of technology like I have been folks! Go out there and see what can make your life a little easier. After all, that's what technology is there for, right? To make your life easyyyy!

-- Dominique Toney  | @domtoney

Photo by Ismael Cruz-Cordova

Am I on Punk'd?!

One good thing that comes from auditioning more is that I'm no longer the shy girl who talks about the weather when entering an audition room. "It's so hot out, isn't it?!"

In fact, I've gotten to the point where perhaps I'm too comfortable. Here's a play by play of a recent audition:

Showed up to audition for a broadway show/national tour. Saw a friend from college there. Said hi and hugged. Heard bits and pieces from the girl in the audition room. She sounded amazing.

Kept chatting with my friend. The girl comes out of the audition room. Holy... She's a semi-celebrity. From TV. A reality show competition. Did I mention she sounded GREAT?

I'm A Big Girl Now!

For the first time ever, I edited my own reel. Boy, was it thrilling.

I’d been lucky in the past to have someone make and edit my reel whenever I pleased (It’s called having a boyfriend who went to film school.)

Well, when the boyfriend is no more and you don’t want to pay someone to do it because you know you’re perfectly capable of doing it, what do you do?

You spend your entire Friday night learning to edit your own reel.

 

Preparing for An Audition with Less Than 24 Hours

Last week I got a call for an audition.

Cool.

It’s for a Pilot.

Cool.

I was referred by the producer who knows me.

Cool.

It shoots out of town.

Cool.

There are 6 pages of sides and the audition is in 16 hours.

Stop the presses.

Auditioning for Network TV

I went to an audition at a television network last week. Here is what I learned:

The waiting room is almost as important as the audition room. You must do what is necessary for you to stay calm and focused: 

Don’t be swayed by the girl in 4 inch shoes and a short dress!

Don’t be swayed by the tall guy doing yoga in the corner!

Don’t be swayed by the pretty girl putting on lipstick!

Don’t be swayed by the guy giving you googly eyes and trying to flirt with you!

Ah-ha Moment

Yesterday I had an "ah-ha" moment. Oprah would be proud! Let me explain what happened to me:

Over the course of an hour and a half I received offers for 3 auditions. Big ones.

One for a commercial in New York, an audition at ABC, and an audition for a Tony Award winning National Tour.

As the afternoon progressed, I received more emails -

I was being requested to audition for a pilot shooting next month.

I was being requested to sing at a charity event.

And another audition, this time for  a sitcom.

This all happened in ONE AFTERNOON.

Walking Into A Horror Movie

I'm going to make this short and simple:

I don't have an agent.

I want an agent.

How else will I get to audition for products (birth control, razors, tampons, and yogurt) that I should so perfectly be selling on TV?

Three years ago I did mailings to several agencies and heard nothing. I did a showcase at NYU a few months later and heard nothing. I got a few referrals to agencies. Still, NOTHING.

So here I am, July 2012, doing another mailing, but this time I'm for real about it.

In a series of very calculated moves over the course of a month, I presented myself to a handful of agencies. On this particular day, I was to do "the dropoff."

For the non-actors out there, it means I would drop off a packet to the office. As in drive around town, park, go up the elevator, and actually speak to someone. In person.

My Golden Birthday Revelation

Today is my 25th birthday. A time for some reflection, perhaps?

Let's see. 6 months ago I left my apartment in New York, my waitressing job, took a hiatus from my sketch comedy group and boarded a plane to Los Angeles.

I moved back in with my parents. The transformation that has happened in half a year is beyond what I ever thought could happen.

First, can I give myself a pat on the back? I'm single without any kids. I have no day job, no set schedule, and report to no one but myself. I have been able to support myself as an actress and singer for the last 4 months. 

I think I can give myself a pat on the back, right?

Do What Celebrities Do

Things I've learned this week:

Lady Gaga warms her voice up 30 minutes every day

Dr. Oz wakes up and does 7 minutes of exercise everyday.

Oprah writes down things she’s grateful for in Gratitude Journal, everyday.

Discipline. It’s the reason why those people are so successful. Consistency, I tell you! 

Why is discipline so good? Well, it keeps you focused. Gives you a routine. Practice always makes perfect, right?

Is My Hair Holding Me Back?

A friend of mine - an actress - once told me "Working in commercials can be your waitressing job." I was sort of taken aback when she said this. What???

She booked one or two commercials a year, and it helped her stay afloat as she pursued tv shows and indie films. It was her "day job" essentially. No one had put that idea in my head. 

So I've been fervently pursuing commercial representation. First a manager, then an agent. When I met with the manager, she had two words to say about my headshots: "Too old." Those were her thoughts on my makeup. 

Stress Comes in Many Forms

Ever have one of those weeks where EVERYTHING is happening all at once? That is what last week was like for me. 

In the span of 8 days, I had filmed 2 short films and performed in 3 shows. I thought I was holding on strongly until Wednesday rolled around. 

I was shooting my second film and was called to set incredibly early. Not only that, but I had gotten home really late the night before because of work.

Between LA morning traffic and finding parking, I was 30 minutes later and had left an hour earlier than my call time. I rushed onto set, lugging all my bags and slightly perspiring. They were running behind anyways so it was all good.

Or was it?

The Value of A Pair of Earrings

My mother is a costume designer and stylist, so I've always grown up with an appreciation for what clothes can do for a person.They transform you, they really do. And when you add the right pair of shoes? BAM. You're ready to go.

So when I had 2 auditions back to back, I knew I needed to find a way to become these different characters without changing my entire outfit. I just didn't have time. 

So what did I do? I chose a few pairs of earrings that would help define my character and I took a black blazer with me. Easy enough, right?

If I Were White, Would I Be More Successful?

The last week has been aflutter with outrage at the racial tension that is still existent in our country, from Trayvon Martin to the racist tweets concerning the African American characters in "The Hunger Games."

I will continue to call out the issues I see in my industry, as they are incredibly blatant and all too familiar.

Being an ethnic actress is not easy. Often I will not even submit myself to an audition if it's not for an African American role, because deep down I fear that I will not even be seen.

Marketing For Dummies

I know nothing about marketing. In fact, I shudder away from talking about myself at length. You wanna know what I do? "Well, I'm in the entertainment industry. I act... and sing... no you haven't seen me in anything... I guess I'm a working actress..."

So when the opportunity came up to take a free marketing seminar from the self - proclaimed "Actors Advocate", I jumped at the chance. An hour and a half later, I left feeling so empowered that I must share with you all what I learned!