Creepy Film Locations

Abandoned Factory

Ken Arnold posted a notice to Facebook this week about Lovely Molly, a new horror film by Writer /Director Eduardo Sanchez in which he appears (and which just screened at the Toronto International Film Festival), and it reminded me to post these links to creepy, abandoned locations.  I came across the Web Urbanist site awhile back while researching another project.  If one could get the appropriate permission, these would make great locations for filming (especially horror movies) and many are on the East Coast.  (Web Urbanist also has lists of abandoned sites abroad.) There's a prison, a monastery, children's mental institution, tech office building, brewery and more.  All very creepy and I would think even more so after dark.  Just think of what locations like these would add to a production.  Wow.

http://weburbanist.com/2007/12/18/7-more-abandoned-wonders-of-the-world-amazing-american-abandonments/

http://weburbanist.com/2008/01/06/7-more-abandoned-wonders-of-america-from-military-islands-to-mental-institutions/

http://weburbanist.com/2008/03/18/7-more-abandoned-wonders-of-america-from-deserted-breweries-to-famous-factories/

p.s. By the way, if you know of more abandoned buildings/sites that would make good movie locations, please share.

p.p.s.  Here's another site referred by a friend: the abandoned Six Flags New Orleans... also known as the most terrifying place on earth (short of the children's mental institution):

http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/05/creepy-crusty-crumbling-illegal-tour-of-abandoned-six-flags-new-orleans-75-pics/

Downtime...again.

The desk view (sigh)

Downtime.  Submitting for this.  Submitting for that.  Nothing yet lined up.  And it’s raining.  Which makes my hair frizz.  And I'm staring at the phone.  And it’s another three and a half hours until my husband supplies my Friday night glass of wine.

Things are going to be a whole lot different around here when I’m Empress of the World.

What to carry in Your Actor's Kit

Los Angeles actor and voiceover artist David H. Lawrence XVII has a wonderful online site called Acting Answers that is a wealth of practical information on everything from auditions to working with agents to how to format your résumé.  Plus, he’ll answer questions!  I’ve only just scratched the surface of what is there, but this jumped out at me: putting together an “Actor’s Kit” so you’re always prepared for an audition.  Here’s David’s take, and here’s the original post with links to some of the items he mentions.

David H. Lawrence:

"I imagine a day where iPads and iPhones will replace most of what’s in the kit with electronic versions of physical items, but for now, I keep these items in my actor’s kit:

"Headshots/resumes. My headshot photographer, Terence Heuston, is amazing. Our session yielded 8 or 9 looks, of which I use three to submit when I hand my headshot to a CD. One is harsher for villain stuff, one is sort of an everyman look, and one is for comedy. I have a few others of which I carry one each, but I carry 5 copies each of my main headshots. I print my resume directly on the back of my headshots with my trusty Epson Artisan 50 printer, and I immediately replace the shots in my actor’s kit with new versions should my resume significantly change.

"Highlighters. You get a script, you highlight your lines. I prefer yellow, but you might want to carry several if you’re an actor that goes highlighter crazy and highlights different characters in different colors. I carry the clickable Pentel Handy Lines highlighter because it doesn’t have a cap I can manage to lose, and it’s slimmer than most highlighters. It’s also refillable, but it’s so inexpensive, it’s hardly worth the effort.

"Business cards. Like any other business, you need to be able to take advantage of interactions with others that can provide you work, leads on work and general networking. That means carrying the worldwide accepted format of promoting yourself: the business card. I take it one step further to create a memorable moment of levity: I create and purchase a new business card whenever I get a new part, and when I offer someone a business card, I grab a handful from my actor’s kit and fan them out in a pick-a-card fashion. People love choosing their own, and it speaks very loudly (without being boastful) to the depth of my experience.

"Promotional postcards. Whether it’s a production I’m in, the voiceover demo service I offer or my iPhone app, Rehearsal, I carry an assortment of postcards that I can offer to people who express interest in those items when they meet me, or to spend time while waiting in offices and studios addressing and posting to promote them. Most of the time they are 4×6, but I can accommodate oversize postcards should I have something really powerful to promote. I also carry postage stamps should I want to put some stuff in the mail.

“An open-ended side-loading letter size hard-backed plastic folio with a clear, attached plastic zippered pouch. Here’s what it looks like, filled with everything I need to enter the audition room with speed and confidence:

“Scripts. Obviously, I carry scripts for the auditions I am headed to, even though I use Rehearsal [IPhone app] to electronically prepare for my sessions. But, sometimes, you’re in a position to provide a scene for a casting person, one of your own choosing. Certainly, in most casting workshops, the casting director will be bringing scripts that she will dole out to the participants, and usually those scripts are from projects she has worked on or is currently casting. But, occasionally, you’ll be asked to pick one and bring it with you – and there are a couple of scenes that really highlight various facets of my acting skill set that I love performing. I carry two sets of those scripts, one highlighted with my lines, and one highlighted with the other character’s lines for the reader or CD to use.

“Mints and gum. There is nothing more distracting when working with another actor, or talking in close quarters with a casting director, casting associate or casting assistant to experience bad breath, either theirs or yours. Carrying a flat pack of mints and gum has come in so handy, especially after a quick charge at Starbucks before the session.

“CastingFrontier.com bar code. When attending a commercial casting session, I’m finding that instead of asking for headshots, casting session runners are relying on electronic means of identification in the form of CastingFrontier.com bar codes. You can usually find workstations at the major casting centers that will both allow you to register with CastingFrontier, and print out your bar code should you forget it. As your the headshot you have uploaded to CastingFrontier will pop up for the runner, make sure you check every month or so that that headshot is up to date.

“Thank you notes, envelopes and postage. Another way to spend productive time while in a waiting room (once you’re completely prepared, naturally) is to send out a thank you note or two. I actually take advantage of those few minutes before casting workshops begin by not only tapping the casting director’s current address into my iPhone’s Contacts app, but by hand-addressing the envelope that will, once the workshop ends, contain a short but memorable note from me. I also add postage, and drop it in the nearest mailbox on my way home.”

For women, for those last minute calls to audition when you might be hiking, at the beach, or otherwise away from home and closet, L.A. actress Alexandra Raines also suggests keeping a "Prep Box" in the trunk of your car with the following:

• The exact matching makeup you used in your headshots, including foundation, concealer, lipstick/gloss, eye shadow, blush and brushes.
• Deodorant
• Hair brush, hair spray, curling iron, flat iron (most auditions offer a bathroom). 
• Black slacks, black skirt, khakis, jeans, black low heels, clean tennis shoes, semi-casual flats, sweater set, casual top, dressy top – all neatly stacked and folded in a box. [Note from Kay: If you slide a short stack of folded clothing into those plastic bags from the grocery it will keep them from getting wrinkled.]
• Extra headshots and resumes already cut to 8×10, but not yet stapled.
• Stapler, pen, and several highlighters
• A $10 roll of quarters (useful for parking and other needs.)
• Acting music for meditation, inspiration, contemplation. As Raines puts it, if you’re at the beach having the time of your life and you get a call for a tragic mom scene you’ll need something that will focus you and bring you to your center.

It’s a lot to always have on hand, but worth it to make sure you’re always prepared when opportunity knocks.

No politics please, we're actors!

Years ago when I put together my first clip reel, I ran it by a friend and former instructor who said he liked it but that he wouldn't have included one comedy clip that showed news footage of a former president. Well I thought long and hard before putting it in and even queried an on-line LA acting group about it. The consensus was that casting directors would see the clip for what it was – art.

Eventually the clip was rotated out of my reel and was no longer an issue, but I understood my friend's concern. We live in polarized times where a political viewpoint may be so wedded to a director's or casting person’s sense of self that someone suspected of taking a different view must logically be seen as a “bad” person and therefore not worthy of being hired. There's also the very real possibility that a political stance alienates half the audience and impacts box office. This is a business after all.

Views differ on this, but I avoid mixing acting and politics in open discussions among those in the biz, not only because of the issues above but also because the rhetoric has become so casually over the top that genuine discussion seems no longer possible. Politicians of all stripes are routinely described as “crazy, extremist, dangerous” and worse, and the only response that doesn’t risk a shouting match is “amen,” so what would be the point?

Getting into an argument with another acting professional over politics risks losing sight of the goal, which is to be a truly fine actor and to get as much opportunity as possible to learn and practice that craft. Any deviation breaks my concentration and makes that goal harder to attain. I guess I could also say that arguing issues on which my information is limited and my influence nil is an exercise in futility.

Asked to comment on political goings on, I usually just say "I've watched the sausage being made and it ain't pretty" or fall back on Rick's great line from Casablanca, "Gentlemen, your business is politics, mine is running a saloon."

I am eating my face with envy...

I am eating my face with envy, which is not a good mood to be in when I’m trying to lose three pounds by Friday.  Bah!  Found out yesterday that a drama classmate of mine has snagged a principal role in Veep, the new HBO television series with Julia Louis-Dreyfus that’s filming locally.  It’s Erik Mueller, below, who I’ve mentioned before in this blog.  Charming fellow with a warm, sad, funny face that is just wonderful.  He’s going to do great things in comedy.

But what’s wrong with me, me?!!  Why didn’t they pick me?!!  (Because you didn’t submit for it, you dolt!  Oh.  Yeah.  That. )

Actually now that I’m a union member I just yesterday submitted for for Veep through Pat Moran & Associates in Baltimore, as they put out a new call for principal roles.  (That’s when I checked the cast list on IMBd and saw Erik listed.)  I know Pat favors actors with theatre experience (which Erik has), so I may still be toast.  Still, it’s good to see someone I know do well.  He’s a sweet guy and deserves it.  So Hooray for Erik!!

I’m still eating my face though. (wink)

Everything takes so long...

I've spent most of this weekend drafting personal emails to people who will get a link tomorrow to my acting reel.  This isn't something I can blast out with a one-size-fits-all cover note.  Personal relationships deserve personal attention.  Some I'm hoping will provide feedback so that I can improve the reel in the next go 'round.  Some will get it because the reel contains a clip from a film we appeared in together.  Casting agencies will get it as both a link and DVD.  Everyone, I'm hoping, will pass the link along if they know of someone looking for an older Union actress to fill a role.

Everything seems to take so long.

This season 23 shows are shooting in New York, including soaps like One Life to Live and a whole slew of comedy and dramatic series:  Blue Bloods, The Good Wife, Suits, White Collar.   Steven Spielberg is filming Lincoln down near Richmond next month.  Lots of great actors.  Almost all of the smaller roles were for men.  Bah.

I must find a way to get into foreign films!

I must find a way to get into foreign films and soon. I am continually blown away by the wonderful quality of films coming out of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, non-Bollywood India, Spain, Argentina, and elsewhere.  I’ve been searching on the Internet for information on  how one would go about looking for foreign productions.  Lots of study-abroad programs for acting students, but that isn’t really what I’m looking for.  I know working abroad often sets you up for double income tax, but I wonder what are the other obstacles?   A fellow actor suggested I submit the idea to the editor at AFTRA’s magazine and see if they might have someone look into it and do an article.  Sounds like a plan.  It’s obviously easy for foreign actors to appear in American films and TV - just look at how many Brits and Aussies we have - but as with many things it isn’t a two-way street.  Foreign countries make it difficult for non-citizens to work.  Anyone with information on acting in foreign films, please write!

What prompted all this is that my husband and I saw Sarah’s Key last weekend.  The casting and performances in the WWII part of the story are just excellent.  Again I’m impressed by a child with little experience or training – Mélusine Mayance, in the title role - who gets it so right.  How do kids do that?!   The overall look of that part of the film is beautiful.  Foreign filmmakers have a knack for telling a simple tale and making it compelling. (sigh) I was going to make some crack about how awful the present day part of the film was, how miscast, how badly acted, but I learned this week that Aaron Schneider, who directed and edited the perfectly wonderful film Get Low, was second unit director of photography on the 1997 Winset/DiCaprio Titanic, which I think means he shot the part with the insufferable Granny and her insufferable family.  As such, I'll shut up and allow that everyone grows in their profession, hopefully even me.

Here at home I’m running to get all that needs to be done done and even the earthquake on Tuesday allowed only a brief pause while my life flashed before my eyes.  The acting demo reel is finished at last and can be seen at lower right along with an interview I had edited down as a promotional piece.  I very much took to heart what Geoffrey Soffer said about reels - that they're less about wowing them with my version of Lady Macbeth than about conveying a type.  I think it does convey a type.

A big thanks to my friend and editor Austin Smokowicz for pulling these together for me.  I haven’t promoted the demo yet – that takes place next week when (so an actor friend tells me) Mercury is no longer retrograde and the New Moon will portend good growth (I think that last bit is from the Farmer's Almanac) – but I’m very happy with the format.  I think it has a crisp look that not only accommodates different-sized video files without distortion (films shot 4x3 and 16x9, for example) but is also easy to update without having to redo the whole reel.  I expect several new clips to come in over the next few months so I’ll be bumping off the least of these and replacing them with more recent work.  So glad that my clips are finally arriving with some regularity.

Speaking of which I just wrapped on The Louder the Better, Michael Toscano’s SAG Master’s Degree thesis for Columbia University, where I had the pleasure of working with the very talented actor Regen Wilson.  (Nice job, Regen!)  It’s always a good sign when the director shows up with a ton of crew and equipment because you can rest assured that as long as you turn in a worthy performance you’re going to look great on camera.   Toscano had a sure hand though the long (and late!) days shooting.  I’m very much looking forward to seeing the finished film, which will screen in New York next spring.  With any luck I will be there with bells on.