I figure, not too late to post my visions of the place once known as the City of Angels.
I took the day off to drive down to LA for an audition for a TV commercial. The casting people were too kind. When that happens, it makes one a bit suspicious...the jury is still out on this one, but I don't have a good feeling. When I saw the casting director’s name attached to the project, I immediately looked her up before deciding whether or not to audition. She appeared legit. She’s got a long history of acting and comedy. When I got to the audition, her name was listed on the script as "Writer."
The casting company is near Melrose, and it has a warren of casting rooms with lots of separate casting sessions going on simultaneously. You show up, sign in, and wait to be called. You are given sides, then called in to perform your piece. Mine was for a phone app that helps you find your lost phone. I was to be the Worried Woman. Audition at 4:30 PM.
No lines. This worried woman is upset that her cell phone has ended up in a dumpster. I did my audition in front four people, including a cameraman who looked like an old Hollywood type right out of Central Casting, bleached hair and all. Too old perhaps, to be doing casting for a tiny low-budget TV and Internet commercial? The gorgeous young blond in the spike-heeled purple short suede boots, her amazing skin-tight jeans on a rail-thin bod, flat ass, tucked into them, told me I was "beautiful." I know I have my moments, but, this didn't feel right. When called upon to show both profiles and make funny faces, I do not feel beautiful. Anyway, I told her she was beautiful, too, and as I left my audition, I told them in that audition room that they were all beautiful.
Here's what I saw of Hollywood on this bright sunny 80-degree day:
• a man in a dress, wearing a big straw hat with feathers, seated and writing, in front of Starbuck's on Santa Monica (We all used to know a guy just like this in Berkeley.)
• at least six guys dressed like James Dean, black hair slicked back, in tight jeans and shirt, one carrying a guitar same place, different audition.
• two totally hunky, buff black guys, one equally hunky tall white guy, also for the phone app auditions - I assume they played the guys in the mens' room scene.
• a sweet faced blond, skinny, in for her audition, in yet another room.
• many pretty young women wearing the exact same uniform of tiny shorts and very fancy boots with buckles and other laces and stuff.
• at least 500 For Rent signs all over Hollywood, in cute neighborhoods, places I remember being expensive 10 years ago.
• an amazing cliffhanger modern glass home, seen when I took a challenging drive straight up a narrow mountain passage.
• the old Paramount lot - had never seen this one before, amazing how huge it is.
• many, many tourists , as usual, at Hollywood and Vine.
• lots of Latino people leading their lives, playing in parks, walking their kids, playing in a schoolyard.
• at least two major accidents on the highway.
As always, was so glad to be home by midnight thirty. For the larger story about ethics and casting...well, please try to keep up with this blog. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose...n'est-ce pas?
All photos above by Lisa Carlson who owns the copyright to these images taken May 12, 2010.
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