Hello World! Hello Everyone!!
I have more good news ya'll.
* I got 3 magical checks in the mail. 2 random refund checks from utility companies..then the other was for the ADR session I did for Criminal Minds. For some reason, I didn't expect to get paid for the ADR work but, I did! I got paid for 5 minutes of work!! Now, granted the refund checks weren't much but, the fact that I got 3 checks in the mail, checks I didn't expect, I felt like I won the lottery. Oh thank you God/Universe! And of course, I automatically took action to pay it forward. Money, always keep it flowing. :)
* Remember that commercial callback I had to decline due to schedule conflict? Well, a week later, they requested to see me again...and they told my agent they're willing to work with my schedule. Well, I snuck out of my Larry Moss workshop for a couple of hours to go. They had me read with 4 guys/husbands. I started to feel like it was a chemistry/look thing at this point...like I booked it already and they were still looking for the 'husband'. I haven't heard anything so I don't think I got it but, still, I was flattered that they rescheduled just for me. Badass! Again, a sign that I'm exactly where I'm suppose to be.
* I am accepting submissions for my 4th ACCOUNTABILITY BUDDY! Email me at alexandra@alexandrachoi.com by December 31, 2011 11:59pm. Let me know your full name, telephone, email, and your top 3 goals (long-term and/or short-term).
I have a theory...it's marrying two ideas....mystical and mechanical. The mystical is your spiritual life and the mechanical is your practical marketing approach. It takes both to manifest your dreams. And it becomes fun and exciting again. And you feel empowered and confident. Sounds awesome, right? This is a whole new way of thinking...we're going to start with your spiritual life first....the believing, the foundation, this must come first. If this sounds intriguing, you're ready for this. I hope we can work together and see what's in store for us!
* I had a meeting with myself this past week and I made an executive decision on behalf of my career. As the President and Director of Marketing for Alexandra Choi, Inc., I feel it's time to switch gears...and go all the way. No pussyfooting around. I'm going to get so specific with my brand. Alexandra Choi - The Hot Asian with a Brooklyn accent. That's it...simple as that. I take in that chick to every audition room. Now, I can add layers to me by being funny, quirky, edgy, loud, combative, etc....but, the one thing that's always fixed is The Hot Asian with a Brooklyn accent. I can do it all! Drama, comedy, horror, thriller, OMG...I think this is going to be brilliant. Don't you? Do you feel the goosebumps for me? I already see it...I'm going to get so good at what I do and deliver my product so well, that I will be in demand and indispensable. IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
Larry Moss intensive......WOW. Where do I begin??
For starters, logistically, this is how the workshop works.....
The intensive consists of a total of 4 days...usually Monday-Thursday, 9am-6pm. However, Larry meant business...we were there until 8, 8:30pm every night. If you're a working actor, you'll either put up your scene Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday. There are 8 scenes per day. You are assigned a scene and scene partner a couple of weeks before the workshop. You and your scene partner make arrangements to rehearse. Then it begins...you come in with your scene fully rehearsed. You put up your 1st work...Larry will most likely stop you. He works you like a monster and then you get your notes. Now that you know where the scene has to go to work, you then go off and rehearse the crap out of it again and again until you bring back your 2nd work. Larry then takes you deeper and more specific into the work. Larry only works with plays. Just imagine weeks of breathing, eating, living, your character and the play. It's like giving the artist in you a work out...and my soul couldn't have been happier.
I had the most incredible experience.
I'm actually a bit blue now. The experience was so intense and powerful that it leaves you feeling empty when it's over. The artist in me learned that working that way is what feeds my soul. On that level. I feel stretched. I feel open. I feel humbled. I feel excited. I feel passionate. I feel like a pro. I feel good man!
I'm still processing the experience as I write. Here goes.
Play: Where's My Money
By: John Patrick Shanley
Character: Natalie (A straight shooter with a rigid point of view. An accountant.)
I thought I was ready before going into my first work. My scene partner and I felt ready. We put up the scene and we didn't even get past the first page. I expected that. But, I didn't expect to hear I didn't go deeper with my character.
I was pissed because I intuitively knew who the character was but, I held back and played the 'idea' of her. I didn't put me into it. Why? Because I'm Asian. That's what Larry said. He's absolutely right. It's a cultural thing. Keeping quiet, controlled, and submissive. Yes, I'm Asian but, I'm also a human being with a lot going on inside...I'm temperamental, I'm emotional, I'm dramatic, I'm big and animated, I have a combative side. I have a cocky side. I have a loud nature. Exactly who Natalie is. But, I didn't let myself enjoy being Natalie. Instead, I wronged her and judged her.
So, yep, I didn't go deeper. I had to love her to go deeper. Basically, Larry's note for us was to scream out our dialogues. That's it? Just scream it out? One exercise he made us do....stand facing the audience and start punching as hard as we can..and say our dialogues to one another. This obviously helped us get out of our heads...which then helped us get more in touch with our primal side.
I needed to get there before moving on to the next step. I had to get out of my head. Out of my head. Not be so controlled. Get messy. Get ugly. Get irrational. Be loud. Dropped lots of F-bombs. I thoroughly enjoyed it. :)
So that was our first work. Basically lots of cussing, screaming, and enunciating. Back to rehearsal. So, Larry wants it loud ey? We'll give him loud. My scene partner was in one room, and I in another...and we yelled out our dialogues to one another. If one couldn't hear the other, we would call each other out on it. Guess what...the scene and the characters were coming alive. We were out of our heads, speaking from the heart (usually from a broken one since it's comedy), and we discovered different intentions. All of a sudden, it was becoming clear what I wanted. And how I went about getting it changed, moment to moment. We were totally playing off of one another. It was so much fun. So real.
Then the 2nd work. We rolled up in there like screaming monsters. We made it a bit further than the first page this time but, Larry stopped us again. This time, because he was excited about the work we brought in. He was now able to have fun with us...direct us, help us find subtle behaviors to add color to the scene, and help us give our characters wings to fly. I learned mostly technical things in the 2nd work. Especially because it was a comedy piece...finding the rhythm, knowing when to hold for laughs, how to use breathing and voice as instruments, how to use my body and ground myself to own the character fully and unapologetically.
It was so much fun. I miss it and him already. He is the best of the best. I love him. He teaches with so much love..it's incredible. Such a brilliant teacher and I feel so blessed to study with him. Like wow wow wow wow wow. If you can audit a class once, please...I strongly urge you. It's an experience your heart will never let you forget. He and the class is something to experience. To be around so many talented, ego-less, committed, passionate, open, individuals...you can't help but get awakened. I think Larry's class is a soul-shaker.
A quick overview of what I learned.
* Respect the text, the writing, the playwright. Larry only works with plays. Don't add or take out words. The playwright wrote and rewrote and rewrote. Respect their work and words. Larry was on us about every word...not even a "but", "uh" went unnoticed. No joke.
* Enunciate. Larry says tv and film has spoiled us actors...we are lazy. We throw away lines. But, each line is written for a reason. Send the idea and be clear. If you're not clear on what you want, your scene partner doesn't have a partner, and the audience doesn't have a story.
* Voice work, breath work, body work. We don't work on our craft enough. TV and film wants 'no acting' now...everything is subtle. But, Larry stresses how important it is to work on all our instruments. Getting in touch with your voice, breathing, and body...you're getting in touch with you. You will discover intimate and sacred things about yourself...and you'll become a stronger artist and actor. That's why Meryl Streep is so great at what she does because she works on a film, then theater, film, then theater. She's a PRO.
* Intentions. Action verbs. What do you want? How are you going to get it? What will you do the the other person in the scene to get it? Larry says to carry around a thesaurus and choose words that 'carbonate' you. Really get your blood flowing.
* Try rehearsing screaming. Literally yell as loud as you can but, without hurting your vocal chords. The whole point is to get out of your head...and listen and respond from your heart. And trust that your talent, your instinct will kick in when you are clear about what you want.
* You're an artist. Your soul can only be happy when you're being an artist. How can you be an artist everyday? No matter how big or small the action, just take action.
* When rehearsing comedy, try rehearsing it as drama first. Just see. Get in touch with the human condition, pain first.
So many more but, I'm still processing! I'm going back after Christmas to audit the last week. You learn so much from auditing. If you're curious and interested, here's Larry's website.
www.larrymoss.org
Phew, this was a long post. Thank you for sticking with me while I process things. Jeeeeeeeeez. :)
Have a great week! Hope I see your buddy submission! :)
with LOVE,
Alex
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