A photoshoot, Spanish Mission, Movie, Cello, audition and film screening... read for details.
It is Tuesday July 15...I have 25 minutes to get some thoughts down.
The last 3 days I have been in the car, working with professionals or getting Tessa ready for auditions. I drove close to 2 hours to meet with Tessa's Manager Sunday after Tessa completed a 3 hour workshop. We arrived in Laguna Woods around 4:30 PM. Three hours later after Tessa had tried on (I have no idea how many changes) outfits while I took pictures to record the ones wanted and packed each together in a separate suitcase to make it easier when needed for the head shot session. It was close to 8 PM and we were starving. Her manager made us a lovely meal. I sent Tessa off to bed because we had a long day coming up. Unfortunately I did not follow my own advice and stayed up for hours talking to her manager. I got into bed at 1 AM and had to get Tessa up at 7:00 AM to make her session with the modeling coach in Newport Beach.
Monday Rozella Toomer was wonderfully fun and animated. Not what I expected for a Couture level model. We found out she originated from Georgia. She gave Tessa lessons on poise, turns, sitting and other modeling skills that would benefit her in her acting life. Great fun.
At 11:00 AM we got back on the highway and headed to LA for her two auditions. One on the Warner Bros. studio lot. Of course before the appointment we needed some Thai food to fuel our bodies. A MUST! This was Tessa's first invitation to audition for an episodic (role on an episode of a Nickelodeon show) and she was very focused. Although she was not cast, this is the where her manager wants her... with the large casting directors competing on this level. After our last audition that day we were beat! Leftovers and bed.
Tuesday we had to drive back down to Laguna Woods (1.5 hours) for her head shots. Thankfully I had almost everything packed. We made it there by 11 AM and the session went well. One of the locations we shot was next to the San Juan Mission. We decided to grab a quick lunch and go see the mission. During lunch I got an email inviting Tessa and I to a screening of the short film she did last summer. It had won an award for best director. I especially loved the water fountains. The fish were at least 2 feet long! But that cost us... we left around 3:00 PM. I got stuck in traffic. It took 3 hours to get back home. Thank goodness for my foresight to order a Starbucks iced coffee...getting off the highway is not an option. (oops have to stop)
Thursday July 16 - continuing the story...
Continuing Tuesday... we made it to the theater to watch The Minions. (It's all Tessa has been talking about. I needed to get it over with so she would go onto another topic.) To our surprise our theater seats were electric recliners! Oh my gosh ...so comfortable I almost fell asleep after the long day of driving. I went to bed thinking we could get some rest on Wednesday before going to the screening in the evening.
Wednesday I woke up to an email stating Tessa had an audition at 3:20 PM and needed a cello! Thank goodness I remembered the place that rented me a cello last year. They opened at 11:00 AM. In an attempt to get my head above water Tessa and I did three loads of laundry throughout the day. We headed to the music store and as luck would have it they had a cello. Yay! Stuffing our reward into the car we headed to the office supply store to get tape to mark the fingerings. Tessa practiced diligently while I fixed lunch and continued with laundry. We had no guidance so she decided to be unique and play a Star Wars song! At 2:00 PM we loaded up into the car and headed to the audition 30 minutes (8 miles) away. Thankfully we recognized the location from last year and knew we could not park on the lot. So bearing cello and head shots we headed in. I registered Tessa and we sat. And we sat. And we sat. You learn early on not to ask too many questions. We had fun watching the other actors (there were 3 different projects casting at the same time) but it was going on an hour and 1/2 and it didn't feel right. I went up to the desk and asked them to check to see if Tessa was on the list. Of course NOT! The receptionist was wonderful when she found out how long we had waited. She went in to the casting directors and got us signed in. So in goes Tessa cello and all. The casting director asked to look at Tessa's cello. She dutifully pulled it out. He inspected it closely. Then according to Tessa he asked her if she could dance. Tessa listed her skills...they seemed please and out she went without ever PLAYING HER CELLO!
Back into the car and home for a quick bite and change. By the time we got home we only had 30 minutes. Tessa changed I cooked up some eggs for myself, I changed and Tessa made up some yogurt for herself. We jumped in the car and headed out. The screening was at a small theater in Sherman Oaks, reasonably close by. Several short films were screened in one block. Some were not appropriate for Tessa (her manager suggested ear plugs and and eye mask). It worked Tessa buried her head in my shoulder and we moved on. She couldn't watch her own film (except her part) because it was way to violent. To our surprise Tessa's manager had driven to LA to be with us. Being the manager she is she pushed Tessa's name and handed out cards. But even without that Tessa received many compliments on her acting. Penelope was pleased at how easily Tessa interacted with all of the adults. After some photos it was late... 9:00 PM. Penelope wanted to eat and we were hungry. Long story short we finally landed in a Chinese restaurant. Tessa and I were grateful for food. Bed came finally around 11:00 PM. Unfolded laundry was thrown on a chair. Tessa slept until 11:00 this morning.
Thursday After a swim in the pool I went grocery shopping and and caught up on computer work.
The last 3 days I have been in the car, working with professionals or getting Tessa ready for auditions. I drove close to 2 hours to meet with Tessa's Manager Sunday after Tessa completed a 3 hour workshop. We arrived in Laguna Woods around 4:30 PM. Three hours later after Tessa had tried on (I have no idea how many changes) outfits while I took pictures to record the ones wanted and packed each together in a separate suitcase to make it easier when needed for the head shot session. It was close to 8 PM and we were starving. Her manager made us a lovely meal. I sent Tessa off to bed because we had a long day coming up. Unfortunately I did not follow my own advice and stayed up for hours talking to her manager. I got into bed at 1 AM and had to get Tessa up at 7:00 AM to make her session with the modeling coach in Newport Beach.
Monday Rozella Toomer was wonderfully fun and animated. Not what I expected for a Couture level model. We found out she originated from Georgia. She gave Tessa lessons on poise, turns, sitting and other modeling skills that would benefit her in her acting life. Great fun.
At 11:00 AM we got back on the highway and headed to LA for her two auditions. One on the Warner Bros. studio lot. Of course before the appointment we needed some Thai food to fuel our bodies. A MUST! This was Tessa's first invitation to audition for an episodic (role on an episode of a Nickelodeon show) and she was very focused. Although she was not cast, this is the where her manager wants her... with the large casting directors competing on this level. After our last audition that day we were beat! Leftovers and bed.
Tuesday we had to drive back down to Laguna Woods (1.5 hours) for her head shots. Thankfully I had almost everything packed. We made it there by 11 AM and the session went well. One of the locations we shot was next to the San Juan Mission. We decided to grab a quick lunch and go see the mission. During lunch I got an email inviting Tessa and I to a screening of the short film she did last summer. It had won an award for best director. I especially loved the water fountains. The fish were at least 2 feet long! But that cost us... we left around 3:00 PM. I got stuck in traffic. It took 3 hours to get back home. Thank goodness for my foresight to order a Starbucks iced coffee...getting off the highway is not an option. (oops have to stop)
Thursday July 16 - continuing the story...
Continuing Tuesday... we made it to the theater to watch The Minions. (It's all Tessa has been talking about. I needed to get it over with so she would go onto another topic.) To our surprise our theater seats were electric recliners! Oh my gosh ...so comfortable I almost fell asleep after the long day of driving. I went to bed thinking we could get some rest on Wednesday before going to the screening in the evening.
Wednesday I woke up to an email stating Tessa had an audition at 3:20 PM and needed a cello! Thank goodness I remembered the place that rented me a cello last year. They opened at 11:00 AM. In an attempt to get my head above water Tessa and I did three loads of laundry throughout the day. We headed to the music store and as luck would have it they had a cello. Yay! Stuffing our reward into the car we headed to the office supply store to get tape to mark the fingerings. Tessa practiced diligently while I fixed lunch and continued with laundry. We had no guidance so she decided to be unique and play a Star Wars song! At 2:00 PM we loaded up into the car and headed to the audition 30 minutes (8 miles) away. Thankfully we recognized the location from last year and knew we could not park on the lot. So bearing cello and head shots we headed in. I registered Tessa and we sat. And we sat. And we sat. You learn early on not to ask too many questions. We had fun watching the other actors (there were 3 different projects casting at the same time) but it was going on an hour and 1/2 and it didn't feel right. I went up to the desk and asked them to check to see if Tessa was on the list. Of course NOT! The receptionist was wonderful when she found out how long we had waited. She went in to the casting directors and got us signed in. So in goes Tessa cello and all. The casting director asked to look at Tessa's cello. She dutifully pulled it out. He inspected it closely. Then according to Tessa he asked her if she could dance. Tessa listed her skills...they seemed please and out she went without ever PLAYING HER CELLO!
Back into the car and home for a quick bite and change. By the time we got home we only had 30 minutes. Tessa changed I cooked up some eggs for myself, I changed and Tessa made up some yogurt for herself. We jumped in the car and headed out. The screening was at a small theater in Sherman Oaks, reasonably close by. Several short films were screened in one block. Some were not appropriate for Tessa (her manager suggested ear plugs and and eye mask). It worked Tessa buried her head in my shoulder and we moved on. She couldn't watch her own film (except her part) because it was way to violent. To our surprise Tessa's manager had driven to LA to be with us. Being the manager she is she pushed Tessa's name and handed out cards. But even without that Tessa received many compliments on her acting. Penelope was pleased at how easily Tessa interacted with all of the adults. After some photos it was late... 9:00 PM. Penelope wanted to eat and we were hungry. Long story short we finally landed in a Chinese restaurant. Tessa and I were grateful for food. Bed came finally around 11:00 PM. Unfolded laundry was thrown on a chair. Tessa slept until 11:00 this morning.
Thursday After a swim in the pool I went grocery shopping and and caught up on computer work.