Shoot: Cars.com

Interestingly, there's no non-disclosure agreement on this, but I think I'm good at keeping a secret despite not signing some contract to keep my mouth shut. So, I won't really give away anything other than what's common knowledge on the internet. Cars.com has purchased a Super Bowl commercial for the last couple of years, and has decided to do so again. Our director is Craig Gillespie, who directed their spot last year. You decide what that means.

The shoot was great. My scene has a distinct feel and time period that was fun. The talent and crew were all a pleasure to work with. What a wonderful thing to book just before the holidays too.

We didn't get our tv, because the store with the deal was sold out. But we will. Oh yes, we will.

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Avail, Booked: Cars.com

Got put on avail again last night. Found out tonight that I booked cars.com! I KNEW I needed to make that callback. It seems the crazier the circumstances or the more in doubt the outcome, the better things work out. My buddy Will had talked to me yesterday about a deal at one of the major electronics stores for an flat panel tv. I joked that if I booked this job, I was going to go get it. My wife and I promised ourselves a few years ago that after I got a big job or two, we'd upgrade our old hand-me-down tv, but we still haven't done it.

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Shoot: Honda

The Honda shoot went very well. One word of advice to actors everywhere - know what your rate is and read the contract. If there's a question, get on the phone with your agent. There was a little mix-up on mine and my agent was grateful that I didn't sign until we got it worked out.

I got to set before there was a location move. After the move, we had some hanging around to do before getting down to business. The director knew what he was after and we knocked it out efficiently. The bits I saw in the replay monitor looked very cinematic. I hope I get a copy so I can see the final product. Or maybe a friend in Miami can hook me up.

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Callback: Honda @ Sheila Manning

Proof again that you just never know. I had a message on my phone last night as I left Cherry rehearsal, it was a little noisy at the theater, which may or may not be the reason I listened to the voice mail twice.

The callback was fun. We had a little bit of a wait in the lobby because they were taking their time with each set of actors in the room. I like it that way. I saw a few people I remembered from the audition and was paired up with another actor I had talked to that day. She remembered me being the guy in the suit. Speaking of which...when I got the callback, I tried to figure out whether to wear the suit again since it worked, or to wear the more casual style appropriate for the spot I ended up reading. In the end, I split the difference and wore a sport coat and tie look that could easily be made to look more casual. I really liked the director, who, I believe, is from Spain. He didn't mind my lack of Spanish skills (sorry to disappoint you, Mrs. Lawrence) and gave us a thorough explanation of what he wanted. We did it a few times with some adjustments, and then I stayed to do another spot solo. I was very comfortable and felt like it went very well.

That night, my agent called while we were having dinner to tell me that I was on Strong Avail and to ask if I was available for the shoot day. I'm always available for the work. She also said she expected them to finalize the deal tonight and she would let me know. By the time I recounted the details to my wife, my agent had already called back and confirmed that I booked the job.

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Shoot: Sears

The Sears shoot was fun. It was a little strange in that my scene partner and I really didn't know what was happening until after the first shot was in the can, but fun anyway. We shot in a little neighborhood in Van Nuys, which was not at all far for me. The day was long as there were many shots to get and a lot of it with a small army of children. There were definitely some showbiz kids in the bunch. There was a lot of jockeying for time bouncing on the mattresses in the yard. The spot is scheduled to run for Memorial Day, but there wasn't anything overtly Memorial Day in the spot (flags, etc.). Hope it runs more!

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Booked: Sears

Usually when one of my primary agents calls directly, it's a good sign (well, except for that callback recall a couple of weeks ago). However, this conversation started with, "I've got some good news..." Boom! Avail to booked. Sweet. Wardrobe tomorrow and shoot next Thursday. This is big news for a few of reasons.

1. It's my first SAG national commercial with cable and new media. I've had non-union stuff that was widespread. I've had regionals and cable and smaller market stuff. 'Bout time I got over this hump.

2. It's my first booking through Ross Lacy casting. God bless this man for bringing me in so often and my agent for getting me in there. I'm happy to validate their faith in me.

3. It's my first booking of 2009. I hope that gets the ball rolling. Well, the ball was already rolling based on the number of auditions and callbacks over the last couple of weeks.

Now, having said all that, I want to get this thing in the can and get it on the air. That'll be the real victory.

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