Vol 14 No. 06 Question of the Month New York Views SUCCESS …media.breakdownexpress.com/attachment/2010/27/8BCF7EE1... · 2010. 7. 1. · Shawn’s 1979 marriage play, “Marie and

June 30, 2010 © 2010 All Rights Reserved

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Vol 14 No. 06

Question of the Month

Sites Express

New York Views

Much AdoThe Twice Monthly Access Newsletter’s Blogby Richard Hart

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SUCCESS STORIESAt Breakdown Services we are all extremely proud of our actors on Actors Access. Therefore we’ve decided to create a new column devoted to their success called Success Stories. Every newsletter will now spotlight an actor and a job that they booked through Actors Access. Our goal is not only to spotlight one of our successful actors, but to educate other actors by promoting an actor’s accomplishments and how they earned them.

Our first success story is Onika Day. Acting for 10 years now, the Berkeley born thespian has starred in such shows as Law & Order, Damages and Chappelle’s Show. Using Actors Access, her recent big break was being cast in a guest star role on Dexter alongside her favorite actor, Michael C. Hall. She recently just completed her first project, which she co-wrote, produced and starred in called Monika’s

Day.

B r e a k d o w n : What made you go into acting?

Onika: I think w e a r e a l l born knowing exactly what we want to do, but need the

courage to do it. I always wanted to perform, imitate people and make them laugh. I loved the power of being able to not only take people’s minds somewhere else, but to “become” another person, reliving a moment in their lives. I love having an effect on an audience and having them react to what you are doing. It’s a hard job, but someone’s gotta do it!

Breakdown: How long have you been on the site and how did you find out about Actors Access?

Onika: I’ve been on Actors Access a little over 10 years now? One of my first agents told me about the site. She said it was a great resource for actors nationwide and that she herself signed quite a few “undiscovered” talents by posting a call for new talent.

Q: As a manager, is there an advantage to having my clients’ resumes entered manually into the system?

A: For all agents and managers, there is a definite advantage to having your clients’ resumes entered manually into the system. While the initial work of inputting the resume into the system can be time consuming, it is well worth the effort.

To begin with, casting directors seem to prefer the manually entered resumes. They are cleaner looking than the scanned versions and, as a result, they are easier to read and print out. Using the manual resumes also makes it much easier for either you or your client to add credits. Rather than typing out a new resume with new credits, printing it and then sending it to Breakdown Services for scanning, changes can be made very easily by either you or your client by simply going into the system, entering the new changes and saving them. It’s a simple as that. What used to take days can now be done in just a few minutes.

http://tinyurl.com/25fvfbh - here’s a nice video that puts our media’s take on violence in clearer perspective. www.stilltasty.com - this site lets you know when it’s time to toss the food on your shelf or in your fridge.www.tributes.com - create an online tribute to a loved one who has passed on. - learn how to live large on a small budget.www.be-at.tv - watch exclusive live music events from around the globe.www.bookarmy.com - this is a social networking site designed especially for book lovers.

BRYANT PARK NYCSome of the not-so-hidden treasures of New York City’s landscape are the small, local parks that dot the metropolitan area from the Bronx to Staten Island. One of the finest examples is Bryant Park, situated on a square parcel of land bordered by 42nd and 40th Streets on the north and south, and Fifth and Sixth Avenues on the east and west. Not only is beautiful Bryant Park one of the finest examples of urban landscaping in New York, it is also one of the oldest parks in the city.

As far back as 1686, New York’s colonial governor Thomas Dongan designated as public property the land that is now Bryant Park. The area was still wilderness, and the hunting grounds of Native Americans. In 1823, the area was established as a Potter’s field, until urban sprawl forced the city to decommission the site some twenty years later.

In 1842, the city finished construction on one of its most imposing edifices, the Croton Distributing Reservoir, on the present site of the New York Public Library. The field to its

THIS JUST INANDY ROONEY DECLARES WAR ON JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING - Veteran “Sixty Minutes” commentator and all-around curmudgeon, Andy Rooney, has decided to make his life much simpler and just go ahead and hate everything “I call it the Rooney Rule,” said the irascible octogenarian malcontent. “At this point in my life, I’m too old and tired to put any thought into what I say, so from now on I’m just going to pick a topic at random and start criticizing it, using my especially gravelly voice, my painfully awkward hand gestures and my wide variety of patented mugging techniques, like my excessive frowning and

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Vol 14 No. 06

NY PRODUCTION NOTES

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New Haven’s Long Wharf Theater has chosen its 2010-11 season and it will open with a bio-musical called “Ella,” based on the life of Ella Fitzgerald and starring Tina Fabrique as the popular vocalist. Conceived and directed by Rob Ruggiero, the engagement at the Long Wharf is the beginning of what producers hope is a long commercial tour. Judith Ivey will take to Long Wharf’s Stage II in a production of Willy Russell’s solo show “Shirley Valentine” that will be directed by Long Wharf a.d. Gordon Edelstein. The season will also feature a U.S. premiere of a play by Simon Gray called “The Old Master,” which centers on a question of a painting’s authenticity between an art historian and an art dealer. Michael Redman will direct, although no casting has been announced. A new play by Athol Fugard, “The Train Driver,” which recently had its world premiere in Cape Town, South Africa, will be presented in the spring after a run this summer at the Victory Theater in Los Angeles. The final two slots will be filled by a world premiere of a play by an American playwright followed by a revival of an American classic.

Always a pleasure to hear good news about longtime NY performer Mary Testa, who will be starring in a new musical, “I’ll Be Damned,” with music by Rob Broadhurst, lyrics by Brent Black and a book co-written by the two, who are recent graduates of the Tisch Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program. Storyline centers on a comic book geek who gets an offer from the devil during a search for a true friend. Joining Testa is Kenita R. Miller and Kurt Robbins. Show begins performances July 1 at the Dimson Theater at the Vineyard.

Brandon Victor Dixon will portray Ray Charles in the upcoming Broadway musical, “Unchain My Heart,” set to open this fall. Dixon was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award, a Drama League Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award for his recent work in “The Scottsboro Boys.” Nikki Renee Daniels will play Charles’ wife, Della. Sheldon Epps will direct the production, which will have a book by Suzan-Lori Parks and will incorporate music from Charles’ own songbook. Previews

are set to begin Oct. 8 ahead of a Nov. 7 opening at an undisclosed Shubert theater.

After recouping its initial $2.5 million investment, the Broadway production of David Mamet’s “Race” has extended its run past the original June 13 closing date to Aug. 23. Eddie Izzard, Dennis Haysbert, Afton C. Williamson andRichard Thomas star.

Despite the mixed reviews received by Broadway’s “The Addams Family,” the musical has played to strong box office numbers since previews began back in March. The show has been so successful, in fact, that a 2011 tour is already in the works. The tour will kick off at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts in New Orleans. One of the show’s producers is Five Cent Productions, which is a consortium of regional legit theaters around the country.

It seems that every year one show from the New York Fringe Festival is successful enough to warrant a transfer. This year the lucky show is “Abraham Lincoln’s Big, Gay Dance Party,” which will hit Off Broadway this summer for a proposed six-week run. The play is written by Aaron Loeb and centers on a fourth-grade Christmas pageant in Illinois that sparks controversy by questioning Lincoln’s sexuality. The original director, Chris Smith, will direct the transfer, which will begin previews July 27 at the Acorn Theater at Theater Row. Official opening is Aug. 12.

Jenny Gersten will be the new artistic director of the Williamstown Theater Festival once this summer’s festival has come to a close. Gersten will succeed current a.d. Nicholas Martin, who announced late last year that this would be his last season with the festival.

The New Group’s 2010-11 season has been announced and it includes an adaptation by Moises Kaufman of Tennessee Williams’ 1934 short story called “One-Arm,” about a former boxer and Navy man reduced to a life of street hustling. Kaufman will also direct. The New Group will also produce a revival of Wallace Shawn’s 1979 marriage play, “Marie and Bruce.” The third play in the season will be

Quick Notes

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Jesse Eisenberg has joined the cast of “30 Minutes or Less” which plans to start in the summer.

James McAvoy has been cast in “X-Men: First Class” which intends to start production this summer in London.

“Caesar: Rise of the Apes” will start in Vancouver on July 5th.

Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, and Rashida Jones are set to star in “My Idiot Brother”, which will start this month in New York.

Jennifer Lawrence and Max Thieriot are set to star in “House at the End of the Street” which starts this month in Ottawa.

Christian Slater, Gary Oldman, and Dane Cook have been cast in “Guns, Girls & Gambling” which is set to start on July 6.

Thomas Dekker has joined Tim Robbins, James Gandolfini, and Diane Lane for “Cinema Verite” which starts this summer in Los Angeles.

Alexander Skarsgard will join Taylor Kitsch for “Battleship” which starts production Aug. 30 in Hawaii.

Showtime has renewed “Secret Diary of a Call Girl” for a fourth and final season.

Imogen Poots has joined Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Toni Collette, David Tennant, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse for “Fright Night” which shoots this summer in New Mexico.

Michael Madsen and Vincent Gallo will star in “Loosies.” Pic starts shooting next month. Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum will star in “The Vow.” The Spyglass Ent. feature starts at the end of Aug. in Chicago and Toronto. Linda Cardellini and Michael Shannon will

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Vol 14 No. 06

EXPLORING THE WEB

SOME BROWSER TRICKSWhy is it that your computer always grinds to a halt just when you need to do something important? Is your computer just too old to handle all the photos and videos you need to process on a daily basis? Is it time for a new model? Well, buying a new, updated computer with more power and more memory can often fix a problem, but making a new purchase is not always the only solution.

When your computer slows down, a number of reasons may be in play. Perhaps the computer is out of memory. Maybe that new software you installed is slowing it down. It’s also possible that your computer has contracted a virus or spyware. Or maybe you just have a bad Internet connection.

Often times, the problem lies with your browser - Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, etc. - which for some reason or another, is not configured to operate at peak performance. If you are the type of user who relies on smooth and easy Internet use to keep your business going, these browser tips from AOL can help improve your browser performance. These tricks may not solve all your problems, but they should help get you going in the right direction.

1. Change Your Home PageThis may seem simple, but a graphic-heavy home page, or one with a lot going on in the background, may make your browser take longer to get going. For example, if you have your home page set to a site with a number of large ads, try switching your home page to your favorite search engine and see if that makes a difference.

To do this in Internet Explorer 7 or 8, simply go to the page you want to make your home page and click on the arrow to the right of the Home button, located on the far right hand side of your IE Tab Bar. Select the option labeled Add or Change Home Page and select Use this webpage as your only home page. In Firefox, navigate to the page you want as your home page, click on the icon to the left of the web address and drag it to the Home toolbar button

right next to it. Click Yes to confirm.

2. Clear Your CacheThe cache contains details of your browsing history. Images, video, audio files and cookies are stored, presumably to make browsing faster. However, if you have too many temporary files saved on your computer, it will eventually begin to slow down.

To clear your cache and create more space in Internet Explorer 8, click the Tools button on the IE toolbar and select Internet Options. Click Delete under Browsing History and then click Delete one more time.

In Firefox, click Tools, select Options, then Advanced. On the Network tab, click Clear Now in the Offline Storage section.

3. Disable Add-OnsSometimes, with or without you knowing it, your browser ends up with add-ons such as extra toolbars, animated mouse pointers, stock tickers or pop-up ad blockers. While add-ons can make your online experience better, they can occasionally interfere or conflict with other software on your computer. Try starting Internet Explorer without add-ons to see if the problem goes away. Click the Start button, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click Internet Explorer (No Add-ons).

In Firefox, you are given the option to Disable all add-ons if you start Firefox in Safe Mode.

4. Disable Graphics in Internet ExplorerThis may seem like a drastic measure, but if you are desperate, it works and it is easy.

On the Tools menu, click Internet Options, then the Advanced tab. In the Settings box, scroll down to the Multimedia section. Clear the following boxes and then click Apply:

• Play animations in Web pages • Play sounds in Web pages • Play videos in Web pages (Note: This option is not available in Internet Explorer 8) • Show pictures

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Mark Sikes articles on “Inside the Casting Studio” was originally published at www.showfax.com under the Casting Corner. For articles written by Bonnie Gillespie, go to www.showfax.com under the Actors Voice. Both Casting Directors contribute weekly exclusive columns to Showfax. Views expressed in Actors Voice and Casting Corner do not necessarily reflect the views of Breakdown Services.

INSIDE THE CASTING STUDIO: WEEK THREEIf you’re just tuning in we’ve been talking about the casting process for my latest feature here in Los Angeles. This week it’s all about the callbacks and the bookings!

On Tuesday we check in with all the callback appointments and re-confirm via email to make sure everyone has the new sides and the correct address.

The script is available but the producer only wants it sent out on request because a new, improved draft should be coming shortly. But anyone who requests it will get it. Some do, most don’t.

The callbacks go well but like most callback sessions they tend to run long. I would caution actors to understand that these sessions require patience.

You may be sitting in the outer office for an hour as we read actors in various combinations. There are more people in the room than at the pre-reads and so there are more opinions and preferences. Callbacks are a process of elimination. Callbacks are as much a measure of character as anything else.

We’re only seeing about a dozen people but we need plenty of time with each one. That’s the trick to scheduling callbacks. I schedule so that the director will have as much time as he wants with each performer, or set of performers, while scheduling actors tightly enough so that there will always be one ready to come in to read.

Sometimes callbacks may include readings where we mix and match actors to see their chemistry. For the roles we’re casting this

week we don’t need to see chemistry because none of them are related or romantically linked.

Everyone is seen and at the end of the session my producer and director are very happy with the day. We talk about each actor, discussing looks and performance. I make sure they’re considering all the factors, but these guys have experience so they know what they’re doing.

They tell me to expect their list the next morning. It comes that night via email. I send out the initial offers around 11:00 Wednesday night so that agents will have them first thing in the morning.

I leave Thursday wide open so that I can firm up deals and negotiate with focus. There are no name actors being hired so the offers are basic and equal so it is imperative that they stay that way. If you give one actor certain perks on a shoot like this you better be prepared to give it to all of them.

Closing a deal is rarely a quick process. There are exceptions but most of the time there are over a dozen calls back and forth covering every deal point and contractual obligation. You may go into a project knowing full well what it is going to pay but that does not close the deal.

I have hit snags with managers and agents over almost every deal point imaginable. There’s billing, accommodations, per diem, meals, travel, drivers, dressing rooms, photo approval, likeness approval, nudity clauses, wardrobe, release of footage and promotional considerations. There’s more, but I just wanted to give you some idea of how many different items get covered when we hammer out your contracts.

I go back and forth with the agents all day Thursday and Friday and by the end of business Friday I have closed on three of the four actors I was looking to book this week.

Due to scheduling conflicts we have to wait until Monday morning to lock down our fourth actor. They booked another job a couple of days before they booked our film so we want to try to make it work.

But for the weekend my work is over. Contracts and updated scripts have been sent off to the first three actors so we should have everyone signed by Monday.

As you can imagine this was a very truncated casting process. I had about three weeks from being hired to sending actors contracts to sign. And I only needed to cast four roles so far. More may follow but for right now they have what they need.

This has been just one example of how a film gets cast but the model is more or less the same every time. Hopefully knowing our side of the process will make your side of it a little easier.

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New York Views con’t from page 1 Success Stories con’t from Page 1

Breakdown: What success have you had with the site?

Onika: Actors Access has been a huge platform for me! When I feel like I’m not auditioning enough, I hop on the breakdowns page and I always find great casting listings that are not posted on any other casting site. I submitted myself for a very small part on Dexter and although it I wasn’t brought in for that role Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer started to call me in for others. I booked a part after my second audition for that office! I also use my Actors Access profile link to promote myself, using it as one of my signatures on any email I send out. I am one of those actors who haven’t created a webpage because anyone who requests my credits, headshots and my reel can click on my profile link and it’s all right there! I also submit my reel to Actors Access to be a featured actor on the homepage and was shown more than once. I received several calls from fellow actors and casting directors from that exposure.

Breakdown: How was it working on Dexter?

Onika: It was one of the most amazing, unforgettable experiences of my life! I had already been a huge Michael C. Hall fan from his days on Six Feet Under, so I was hooked on this show from day one. When I booked the role it was confirmation that you may hear 1,000 no’s as an actor, but that one yes will make up for all of them. Michael was so generous, answering any questions I had and pointing out a few things that I wouldn’t have even thought of.

Breakdown: What do you think the most helpful feature on the site is?

Onika: There are too many to count! Every year Actors Access is always the first to keep up with new media trends. You’ve got your electronic submissions, sides and the new Media Bank option which I love.

Breakdown: How often do you update your profile? Success Stories con’t on page 8

west was designated as a public park called Reservoir Square. The reservoir itself was a man-made lake four acres in area, surrounded by massive, fifty-foot-high, twenty-five-foot-thick granite walls designed in a vaguely Egyptian style. Along the tops of the walls were public promenades, offering breathtaking views. It was an integral part of the first supply of fresh water carried by aqueducts into the city from upstate New York. The Croton Distributing Reservoir was pulled down in the 1890s.

During the Civil War, the Union Army held military drills in Reservoir Square. Shortly after that, the Civil War draft riots raged in and around the park. Throughout the late nineteenth century, many uses were suggested for the reservoir site and also the square, which was becoming increasingly centrally located.

In 1853-54, New York’s first “world’s fair,” the Crystal Palace Exhibition, took place on the site of Bryant Park. The remarkable iron and glass structure erected to house the fair remained standing until 1858, when it burned down. President Franklin Pierce delivered a speech at the fair’s opening. Within New York’s Crystal Palace four thousand exhibitors displayed the industrial wares, consumer goods, and artworks of the nation. The exhibition set off one of the first major tourism booms in New York, and many hotels were built to handle the influx of visitors. Over one million people visited the Crystal Palace Exhibition, which closed on November 1, 1854.

By 1979, New York seemed to have given up Bryant Park for lost as an urban amenity, as well as an historic site. In 1974, the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated Bryant Park as a Scenic Landmark, calling it “a prime example of a park designed in the French Classical tradition… an urban amenity worthy of our civic pride.” Five years later, however, William H. Whyte wrote in a report solicited by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund: “If you went out and hired the dope dealers, you couldn’t get a more villainous crew to show the urgency of the present Bryant Park situation.”

At Breakdown Services we are all extremely proud of our actors on Actors Access. Therefore we’ve decided to create a new column devoted to their success called Success Stories. Every newsletter will now spotlight an actor and a job that they booked through Actors Access. Our goal is not only to spotlight one of our successful actors, but to educate other actors by promoting an actor’s accomplishments and how they earned them.

Our first success story is Onika Day. Acting for 10 years now, the Berkeley born thespian has starred in such shows as Law & Order, Damages and Chappelle’s Show. Using Actors Access, her recent big break was being cast in a guest star role on Dexter alongside her favorite actor, Michael C. Hall. She recently just completed her first project, which she co-wrote, produced and starred in called Monika’s Day.

Breakdown: What made you go into acting?

Onika: I think we are all born knowing exactly what we want to do, but need the courage to do it. I always wanted to perform, imitate people and make them laugh. I loved the power of being able to not only take people’s minds somewhere else, but to “become” another person, reliving a moment in their lives. I love having an effect on an audience and having them react to what you are doing. It’s a hard job, but someone’s gotta do it!

Breakdown: How long have you been on the site and how did you find out about Actors Access?

Onika: I’ve been on Actors Access a little over 10 years now? One of my first agents told me about the site. She said it was a great resource for actors nationwide and that she herself signed quite a few “undiscovered” talents by posting a call for new talent.

Breakdown: What success have you had with the site?

Onika: Actors Access has been a huge platform

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Summer 1988 saw city agencies approve the newly-formed Bryant Park Restoration Corporation’s plans (drafted by Hanna/Olin Ltd.) to build new entrances for increased visibility from the street, to enhance the formal French garden design (with a lush redesign by Lynden Miller), and improve and repair paths and lighting. BPRC’s plan also included restoration of the park’s monuments and renovation of its long-closed restrooms. That same summer, the city approved BPRC’s designs (by Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates), for two restaurant pavilions and four concession kiosks, which were to generate off-peak activity and added revenue for operations. These facilities opened in stages in the 1990s.

After this period of redevelopment, the park reopened in April, 1992, to lavish praise from citizens and visitors, the media, and urbanists.

And, as the Urban Land Institute wrote it in an award citation, “the success of the park feeds the success of the neighborhood.” Soon the chorus was joined by the business community, whose assessments helped fund the renewal and now benefit from higher rents and property values. By the late 1990s, actual lunchtime head counts on a sunny day would reach the 4,000 range – and the drug traffickers had been gone for a decade.

Nowadays, the park is home to a wide range of activities, from reading in the park’s free open-air “Reading Room,” to a ride on the magnificently restored carousel, to chess and ping pong, to shopping among the holiday kiosks, to outdoor dining in one of the park’s three restaurants. With its lush, green lawn and its beautiful floral landscaping, Bryant Park is like an oasis nestled within a canyon of skyscrapers. It is a place of peace and calm amid the hustle and bustle of New York. Mostly, it is a social place where friends meet, eat lunch, chat, stroll, listen to music, work on the wireless network, or simply sit and think. In the winter, there is even ice skating on the Bryant Park rink constructed each winter. And until recently, the park was home to the spring and winter fashion week shows.

One of the most popular activities that the park provides is the Bryant Park Summer Film Screening Series. Each Monday night during the summer months, hundreds of spectators descend on the park, lay out their picnic dinners and enjoy a screening of a classic movie, shown on the park’s specially-designed movie screen. Here is a listing of the remaining summer films, courtesy of www.gonyc.about.com, along with some tips on making your trip to the park an enjoyable one.

BRYANT PARK FILM SCREENING SCHEDULE

Some tips:• Get there early. Typically, when they open the grass, there are people waiting to set down their blankets. If possible, get one member of your group to be there waiting by about 4:30 or so to ensure you get a good seat and ample space.• It can get super crowded, especially the closer it gets to show time, so if you’re the

designated seat-saver, make sure you keep your cellphone handy to help members of your group to find their way.• Bringing food and drinks to Bryant Park is great and makes for a very fun time, but be aware that the bathroom can be tough to get to with the crowds, especially once the movie starts.• There is a public restroom on the northwest corner of the Bryant Park green, which always has an attendant, making it much cleaner (and safer) than most public bathrooms in the city. July 5The French Connection (1971) Gene Hackman won an Oscar for his portrayal of Popeye Doyle, a profane NYC narcotics cop obsessed with stopping an international drug ring. Much of the action was filmed in NYC, including the greatest car/subway chase of all time. July 12My Man Godfrey (1936) Socialite Carole Lombard hires “tramp” William Powell as her wealthy family’s butler. Not quite what he seems to be, Powell ends up teaching her frenetic household valuable life lessons. A wonderful mix of crazy screwball comedy and trenchant Depression-era social commentary. July 19The China Syndrome (1979) Ambitious TV reporter (Jane Fonda) and her radical cameraman (Michael Douglas) work to expose the cover-up of an accident at a nuclear plant, aided by an earnest shift supervisor (Jack Lemmon). Prophetically released just two weeks before the real-life disaster at Three Mile Island. July 26Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) A huge hit that introduced many throughout the world to the Python troupe’s insanely funny characters including King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the taunting Frenchmen, Knights who say “Ni!”, shrubbery, and one nasty rabbit. August 2Rosemary’s Baby (1968) Roman Polanski’s satanic shocker still packs a punch. Winsome Mia Farrow is married to a selfish actor (John Cassavetes) who will do just

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star in “Return.” Pic starts at the end of Sept. in Ontario. Nicole Kidman and Nicolas Cage will star in “Trespass.” The Nu Image/Millennium pic starts shooting in August in Louisiana. Jessica Lange and Lee Majors will star in “Big Valley.” Pic starts July 26 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Max Minghella will star in “The Darkest Hour.” Pic shoots this summer in Moscow. Steven Quale will direct “Final Destination 5” for New Line. Pic starts Sept. 13 Thomas Carter will direct “Dream On” for Mandate Pictures. Pic starts shooting later this year. Sigourney Weaver and Taylor Lautner will star in “Abduction.” Pic starts in July in Pittsburgh. Chloe Moretz will star in “Hick.” Pic starts shooting later this year in New Mexico.

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Vol 14 No. 06New York Views con’t from page 6 Much Ado con’t from page 1

about anything to land a role. Ruth Gordon and Ralph Bellamy lend creepy support, as does the Dakota apartment building August 9The Goodbye Girl (1977) Struggling NYC actor Richard Dreyfuss unhappily shares an apartment with an unemployed dancer (Marsha Mason) and her precocious 10-year-old daughter. Neil Simon’s romantic comedy testament of just how the ones we grow to love drive us crazy. August 1612 Angry Men (1957) Henry Fonda is the lone holdout on a jury deliberating a murder trial on a hot summer day in NYC. A stellar cast of character actors lends superb support as jurors initially convinced that the accused is guilty. Can Fonda persuade them otherwise? Sidney Lumet’s first directorial masterpiece. August 23Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway are the two most attractive bank robbers ever to rampage across the Midwest. The supporting cast includes Estelle Parsons (who won an Oscar), and Michael J. Pollard as the gang’s none-too-bright accomplice. One of the most influential movies of the 1960s.

Agents/managers can gain access to a client’s blank resume template by going into their client list and clicking on the client’s name. This will bring up your client’s profile screen. Near the top of the page, you will see the Edit Resume link. If you click on that link, the blank resume template will come up. All you need to do is fill out the template and save it. To make changes when a client has a new credit, just follow the same instructions.

Obviously, the best way to get your client’s resume entered into the database is to have your client do it him- or herself. Your client can enter their own resume by clicking on MY TOOLS in their Actors Access account and then going to Manage Profile and clicking on the Resume link. If your client does not currently have an Actors Access account, encourage them to open one. It’s free to register and will give the actor the ability to enter their own resume.

Once the resume is entered and saved, you will be able to access the resume through your Breakdown Services account. Each time you submit your client electronically for a particular project, the manually entered resume will be sent to the casting director. Once a resume is entered into the system manually, it overrides any other resume that has been scanned into the system. Do not be concerned about the casting director getting the wrong contact information. Each time you submit an actor electronically, your contact information and only your contact information is sent along with your submission.

As usual, if you have any questions, or would like further information regarding the above, please feel free to contact us at Breakdown Services. 212-869-2003 (NY) or 310-276-9166 (LA). We’ll be more than happy to help.

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a new play by Tommy Honilly called “Blood from a Stone,” which centers on a working-class family in Connecticut. Casting and scheduling have not yet been determined

my shameless eyebrow twitching, to make my point.”

Exceptions to the Rooney Rule include Oreos and Q-tips. “I still love a good Oreo,” said Mr. Rooney, “although why they have to double-stuff ‘em I’ll never know. Sounds like some kinda perverse sex act. And Q-tips! Whoever invented the Q-tip should get the Nobel Prize, as far as I’m concerned, because that person is a genius! Although somebody told me recently that you’re not actually supposed to put ‘em inside your ears, so you know what? The hell with ‘em. The hell with you all!”

Despite a huge drop in ratings during the last ten minutes of the otherwise popular Sunday night staple, there is no indication that network executives have plans to replace the “Sixty Minutes” commentator anytime soon. “At 106 and counting, Andy Rooney’s one of the few people around here who’s older than I am,” said CBS President & CEO Les Moonves. “Plus, his salary is a great tax write-off for us.”

Petitions for a “Fifty Minutes” option to accommodate dissatisfied at-home viewers have so far met with little or no response from the show’s producers.

BELLA’S BLUESSpeaking of complainers and their constant complaining, is “Twilight” actress Kristen Stewart ever going to stop whining about the price of fame? “I hate that you love me,” said Ms. Stewart to her fans in a recent magazine interview, adding that the public’s interest in her life makes her “want to throw up.”

Granted, Ms. Stewart is very young and very sensitive. And as Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan have taught us, how she handles her newly-found fame will depend a great deal on the stability (or lack thereof) of her family relationships and the expertise of her management team. But if Ms. Stewart wants to keep things on the DL, perhaps she should stop doing so many interviews and photo shoots. I understand that she’s contractually obligated to do a certain amount of promotion for the “Twilight” films, but it is possible to promote a film and still maintain a semblance of privacy,

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for me! When I feel like I’m not auditioning enough, I hop on the breakdowns page and I always find great casting listings that are not posted on any other casting site. I submitted myself for a very small part on Dexter and although it I wasn’t brought in for that role Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer started to call me in for others. I booked a part after my second audition for that office! I also use my Actors Access profile link to promote myself, using it as one of my signatures on any email I send out. I am one of those actors who haven’t created a webpage because anyone who requests my credits, headshots and my reel can click on my profile link and it’s all right there! I also submit my reel to Actors Access to be a featured actor on the homepage and was shown more than once. I received several calls from fellow actors and casting directors from that exposure.

Breakdown: How was it working on Dexter?

Onika: It was one of the most amazing, unforgettable experiences of my life! I had already been a huge Michael C. Hall fan from his days on Six Feet Under, so I was hooked on this show from day one. When I booked the role it was confirmation that you may hear 1,000 no’s as an actor, but that one yes will make up for all of them. Michael was so generous, answering any questions I had and pointing out a few things that I wouldn’t have even thought of.

Breakdown: What do you think the most helpful feature on the site is?

Onika: There are too many to count! Every year Actors Access is always the first to keep up with new media trends. You’ve got your electronic submissions, sides and the new Media Bank option which I love.

Breakdown: How often do you update your profile?

Onika: As soon as I take a new photo or I

especially if you don’t make statements to the press about your personal life, like this recent comment: “People want me to say that I really like it when guys are funny and dorky, but I’ve never really gone out with someone I’ve found attractive initially.” One way to stop the public’s interest in your personal life is to simply stop talking about it. That’s exactly what Julia Roberts decided to do years ago and so far, it has worked.

That is not to say that things can’t get a little nutty for Ms. Stewart and her “Twilight” co-stars. For example, the folks over at Twilight Poison, a popular “Twilight” fan site, have apparently developed a font based on Robert Pattinson’s handwriting (taken from some of the autographs he’s signed) that will allow all vampire lovers and wannabes to write letters to themselves pretending they were written by Mr.

hear the words “that’s a wrap for Onika Day” I add my credit. Giving them my most updated material really helps my manager and agent with pitching.

Breakdown: What advice would you give your fellow actors on finding success on the site?

Onika: You HAVE to take control of your destiny! Never just expect your agent or manager to do everything for you. Even if they work hard for you, no one cares about you as much as you do. Update those photos; make sure you have as many looks as possible for your reps to choose from. Most of the time casting directors can’t imagine a long haired blond bombshell as a defense attorney. So if you’re a good actor who can play multiple characters make sure you are covered by your photos. Also, submit, submit, submit! Even if you aren’t called in, they are looking at every submission. It’s like the Lotto; you have to be in it to win it.

Could you be our next success story? To be considered, please send your contact, information and what role you booked off Actors Access to jennaa@breakdownservices.com

Pattinson himself. “You can make him write every word you are dying to read,” proclaims the website. Totally creepy, to be sure, but not so creepy, I guess, if you’re a teenage girl looking for a little excitement in your life.

SUBWAY DIAGNOSTICIANSWoman #1: Have you spoken to Jane recently? I don’t know what’s happened to her.Woman #2: Really. Woman #1: Yes, really. I was sitting in Starbucks with her the other day having some coffee and we were talking and all of a sudden she stopped me and she said, “Are you aware that you stick your tongue out every time you come to the end of a sentence?”Woman #2: Really.Woman #1: Yes, really. And I said to her, “No, I don’t.” And she said, “Yes, you do. Just like this.” And then she stuck her tongue out like she was a cat or something.Woman #2: Really. Woman #1: Yes, really. I’m telling you, she licked her upper lip like she had milk on it or something. It was very strange.Woman #2: How old is she now?Woman #1: She’s only about sixty-five, but I’m very concerned about her. I think she’s having hallucinations.Woman #2: She seemed fine the last time I saw her. You think she’s that bad off?Woman #1: Am I sticking my tongue our right now while I’m talking to you or not? Am I licking my top lip?Woman #2: No, you’re not.Woman #1: See. I think maybe she’s losing it or something.Woman #2: Maybe she’s just post-menopausal or something.Woman #1: Is there such a thing? I think it’s more like dementia or pre-Alzheimer’s or something.Woman #2: Doesn’t she have two grown sons?Woman #1: Yes. All grown up. Men of the world now.Woman #2: Men of the world.Woman #1: Yes, men of the world. They need to look after her.Woman #2: And they will, I’m sure. Maybe I should call her.Woman #1: Yes, call her. But be careful. Woman #2: Yes, of course. I’ll be careful.

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Woman #1: Very careful.Woman #2: Yes, of course. I’ll be very careful.Woman #1: Because you never know what someone like that is going to do.Woman #2: I’ll be very, very careful.Woman #1: Poor Jane.Woman #2: Yes. Poor, poor Jane.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “Your thoughts are powerful, and you have much more control over your own experience than most of you realize.” - Abraham

Many times, in a situation as grave and widespread as the Gulf oil spill, the ramifications are so far beyond our comprehension that we are often left with a sense of powerlessness and futility about what we can do to help. Our first response is usually shock or anger, followed by an impulse to place blame where we think it most rightly falls. But that rarely improves the situation and seldom makes us feel better.

Short of uprooting our lives and travelling to the Gulf to volunteer our time and energy (although I certainly would not want to discourage anyone from doing that if they feel so inclined), there are ways in which we can help improve the situation, right here, right now. We can start by focusing on the solution rather that the problem. Or rather, focusing on what we would like to see rather than what we actually see, not as a form of denial, but as an affirmation of what we would rather experience in this particular situation.

The first thing we can do is stop talking about the oil spill and what a horrible disaster it is. Our minds often tell us that in order to solve a problem we must focus our attention on it and worry about it until it disappears, but in general, focusing our minds on the problem only adds energy to it. According to the Law of Attraction (“That which is alike in vibration is drawn together.”), whatever we focus on will increase and whatever we withdraw our attention from will eventually dissipate. So rather than spending your time sitting in front of the television set, obsessing over images of devastation and destruction, instead take ten minutes each morning and use your imagination to see the Gulf waters clean and clear. See the fish swimming and the birds flying and nesting. See the kids playing on the beach. Allow yourself to feel the fresh ocean breeze and the salt spray on your face. Put anger and blame aside and send your positive thoughts and feelings in the direction of the Gulf. Let the universe know that you support a safe, stable and unspoiled Gulf environment.

It’s important when putting out this kind of request that you remain focused on the “why” rather than the “how.” When you consider why you want something, your vibration usually shifts or pivots in the direction of your desire. Whenever you consider how it will happen, or when, or who will bring it, your vibration usually then shifts back toward the problem. So instead of saying,” I want the oil to stop gushing” or even “I want the water in the Gulf to be cleaned up,” keep your focus on the solution by remembering the reasons why. “The Gulf is one of our country’s treasured natural resources. The Gulf provides a beautiful home for a wide variety of wildlife. The beaches of the Gulf give a great deal of enjoyment to everyone who lives and vacations there.” You’ll know if you’re aligned properly with what you want by the way you feel. As you do your visualizations and back them up with positive reasons, your vibration will start to lift and you will start to feel better. That is the clearest sign that you are attracting what you desire.

Your mind will try to convince you that this kind of exercise is silly, impractical and futile, but trust me when I tell you that a simple action like this can be a valuable contribution towards helping the Gulf of Mexico return to its natural, pristine state