I grew up taking acting classes, but I only did extra work (background actors) and theater. So this year I jumped back into the acting world and began auditioning for different Utah films.
The whole experience of auditioning is crazy, and scary, and exhilarating, and fun. It seriously pushes you out of your comfort zone. If you want to get a role, you have to be bursting with personality and show that you are willing to work really hard.
A few weeks ago I got an email from my acting agency about an audition for an LDS short film. I sent in a video submission, got a call back, and then met with the writer and director of the film for the final callbacks. Not long after I received the good news that literally made me do a happy dance at 11:30 at night, even after an exhausting day with my baby. I got a role! Wahoo!
The film is based on a true story about a family and their experiences with family on the other side of the veil. I was so grateful that my first credit role was working on an uplifting movie about family. I play the midwife who delivers the baby! And that was interesting trying to figure out how to best portray that role.
On my way to set, I was sooooo nervous. I started second guessing myself and kind of freaking out because it all felt so foreign to me. But once I got on set, my nerves calmed. I met some of the cast and crew and was so relieved how kind everyone was.
One of my favorite parts was going into the hair and make-up trailer and getting "camera ready." Even though the hair and make-up for the film was supposed to be simple, the actors still had to wear a lot more make-up for the cameras than they normally would. The make-up artist put my hair into a fishtail braid and airbrushed my make-up on (side note, airbrush make-up is insanely awesome). Then she sent me to set!
I wish I had taken more pictures of everything, but I'll be honest, I was scared! One of the most important things in the acting world is being professional. And as much as I wanted to run around and snap pictures of the actors, director, and set--I didn't want to get in the way or distract people. I was just happy to be a part of everything!
The film premiere will be in Utah, and from there it will be submitted to different film festivals, which is really cool. I can't wait to see the finished product. I'll post more about the premiere when it happens!
