Lidia Ryan: An Actor's Journey.

Two kick in the head auditions, one where no shoes were allowed, and one I’d really like to do for the Humane Society

Wednesday, October 29th, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments

First, a SAG deferred web series, an independent project, casting by Lisa Soremekun.  Audition was held at someone’s apartment on Franklin Ave in Hollywood.  It took me a few minutes to figure out why everyone waiting in the living room was barefoot.  No shoes policy!  This would be the first time no shoes were allowed at an audition… It was a very large call, I think I did alright and I’ll just leave it at that and put it to rest.

Second, a secret national cable commercial with Sherrie Henderson & Dan Velez casting exactly one week ago.  Large call, lots of doppelgangers.   Great feedback including “nice pacing and great chemistry” with the other actor.

Third, yesterday I auditioned for ACTEMRA, a rheumatoid arthritis medication, casting by Kaarina Davis and Shauna Tocchet   My character has kids and it’s difficult to do such simple things as make dinner.  A complete kick in the head.  Feedback “great job, thanks for coming in.”

And least but not last was an audition for the Humane Society, at Lien Cowan Casting, in which I had to talk about a dog in my life (talked about my mom’s tea cup poodle) and then had to pretend to walk an invisible dog in front of the camera, talk to it, run into a friend, etc.  I was gonna have the invisa-dog poop but I thought such improvisation would have been a little over the top for this audition.

“Great Job”, “That was a great read”, yadda, yadda…. Mr. Agent and Mrs. Manager call me with some good news!!!!!!!!! I shot a short film earlier this month, a part I got through a personal connection, but I’m really jonesing for a project right now. Hmmmph.

Audition for SAG short film Turn Around

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments

I had an audition with casting director Rosalinda Morales at CAZT studios yesterday afternoon for a short film called “Turn Around.” It was so much fun!  The script reminded me of something like  “Sex in the City”.  They had me pretend I was at mass, talking to my best friend about our husband’s use of porn and other sexy secrets… and I was showing her naughty websites on my cell phone while everyone else was praying to God.  It was so WRONG, but so FUNNY. I had to make the sign of the cross a couple times not to be struck down by lightening. The other funny thing was the casting associate’s name was Lidia, and the character’s name was Lydia… hmmmm.  Thank you for calling me in, Rosalinda.  The director/writer Prarthana Mohan seemed like a cool lady too.  Fingers crossed!

Official Copies of Air New Zealand AD photos

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments

I look like a middle aged woman who had a face lift, but I haven’t had a face lift. They pinned my hair under to look like  Hillary Clinton’s do in the 1990’s. Hair and make-up can do amazing things. You will not see me sporting this look again soon unless ANZ calls and wants to shoot a TV commercial. I love you Air New Zealand. Melinda of BDDO West is a doll to promptly return my call and e-mail me copies.

I don’t wear glasses, but I play someone who does sometimes. Do I look too much like Sarah Palin?

Monday, October 13th, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments

An Example of my latest work can be seen here  http://debtreset.com/Free_Offer_Click.html

I started doing hosting work about a year ago thanks to my boyfriend Roger and his internet marketing endeavors. I bought a camera and he bought a green screen and teleprompter and the rest is history!  At first I really hated it because it was boring and I sucked at it. Then I started making a little bit of extra money at it and became better and better as I did more projects and practiced.

The biggest challenges I think for hosting work (besides not getting tongue tied as you read), is generating warmth and friendliness as your speaking words that are scrolling in front of you. Now that has taken some practice! Then there’s the “what the hell do I do with my hands?” thing… I’m still not really sure. Ha! I’ve also noticed if I put too much pressure on my self to get it perfect I end up rushing and stumbling over words, requiring many takes until I get through the copy in one take (usually there is little or no editing in hosting work, at least not the scripts Roger writes ).  So I try to take my time and play with the words, see if I can be creative with the delivery. Now if we could only have a sound proof studio so I didn’t have to stop mid script and start over every time a helicopter or airplane passed over head. 

I lost my grandfather, how do you still do it and perform? Short film shoot and Pilot Audition.

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments

I received a phone call on Saturday, October 4th that my grandfather was hit by a truck as he was crossing the street. He was coming back home from buying himself some beer.  He was in great health, 84 years old.  The guy who hit him was a fault and may face jail time.  Losing loved ones suddenly like this really fucking sucks. He would have been around at least another 10 years, definately would have known his great grand kids. Woulda shoulda coulda, this is how life deals the hand sometimes. It’s always surreal and more gut wrenching than when you know someone is sick or they will pass in the near future.  It’s happened to too many people I know. I will really miss him.  He was truly a good person, loved his grandchildren very much.  He lost his wife my grandmother a few years back to suicide.  My mother’s parents had both tragically passed. I wish I could give her a hug right now and tell her I love her, but she’s 2,000 miles away. Grandpa was also buried in Serbia, and I don’t have the money to get on a flight right away to be with my family. I spent most of Saturday on the phone and crying and postponing everything I had planned so I could mourn and get my head back together.

I had to suck it up, as fucked up as that is and go to a short film shoot on Sunday morning at Griffith Park.   It was written and directed by Lynn Kuemmel, and the whole team was great.  It’s a story about a couple visiting Los Angeles and making the decision to move out here and also move in together.  I played the lead woman, Soraya, and Ethan Kogan was Zac, the lead guy. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished film.  Sunday’s shoot turned out to be a bit of an escape from dealing with Grandpa’s death for a few hours as well as cathartic.  Of course whenever I mention or talk about it the tears come again.  I also had a pilot audition yesterday at Keri Peyton Casting for a show called ShopNation. Pilot auditions come few and far between for me and so each one is so important.  I have no choice other than take it seriously and put as much effort as I can into the audition.  I struggled very hard to prepare for it.  It was very tempting to say fuck it and go in there and wing it.  I had to be funny, so I decided to be funny for my grandpa and I think it went really well and he was laughing wherever he is right now .

Still sad.

To be or not to be politically correct, that is the question.

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments

I’ve auditioned for several Disney projects this year and I’m starting to feel funny about it. If I were Johnny Depp and making a fourth installment of Pirates of the Carribean, I wouldn’t have anything to complain about with the salary they would provide.  If I only were in his league, correction when I am in his league things will be so great.  I find it interesting the amount they pay actors who aren’t famous for full buyouts in perpetuity for their work in commercials and other projects. It’s really interesting.  I guess it’s better than a kick in the head.  That seems to be the theme of most of the auditions I have been attending lately.  There’s a lot of actors in LA willing to do a lot for just the chance to work and be seen, and not much else,  some of the time it’s better than a kick in the head.  Some actors even do no-budget badly scripted independent movies involving a lot of nudity. Perhaps a kick in the head is better in such cases! I love the work, and so they say the money will follow one day.  I am even happy to do a Disney project as long as it doesn’t leave me too many bruises or bumps in the cranial region.