Adam Creighton, Voice & Film Actor (Ramblings): 08/01/2006 - 09/01/2006

Adam Creighton

About
Resume
Voice
Video
Blogs
   Ramblings
   Gaming
   Seeing
   Hearing
   Playing
   Reading
   Playing with
Contact
Calendar
Feeds

Other Blogs: Karen Commins Bob Souer

Adam Creighton, Voice & Film Actor (Ramblings) (Subscribe)

People, by nature, have some interesting things to say. Here are some of my things. Some about acting. All about living ...

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Last night was rough...

I had a better week last week, and more important repetitions outside of class than I did last night.

I was so bad I got put into "Meisner Chair Jail" (Steve said it wasn't, but it was).

Steve was justifiably upset last night. He was calling for a someone to step up and be a leader for the rest of the class.

I feel like the two things for which God made me are acting and leadership. With Meisner, I can't seem to do either.

And my greatest strength? I'm a thinker. And I can't intellectuallize this stuff.

It doesn't help that my body has been so screwed up the last few days from massive allergies.

Great, I'm screwed on the mental, emotional, and physical fronts. Nice.

I'm having a peach of a day.

Labels: acting, acting process, meisner, training

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

I'm stuck.

I'm emotionally constipated...

Labels: acting, acting process, ramblings, rants, training

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Nervous for class tonight ...

I'm on the road, and, wow, I'm suddenly nervous for class tonight Weird...

Labels: acting, acting process, meisner, training

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Great name for a security company...

Labels: ramblings

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Busy on the acting front

Been busy lately on the acting front, which is obviously good.

Sunday I did another Meisner workout, this time a 1:1 with Errich Petersen, who's really talented, a good guy, and he and I have some overlap in the things on which we need to work for this class.

Right after that I recorded a 60-second voice audition for an AFTRA Lay's/Super B**l radio spot. The copy was well-written (it flowed, had a lot of range, and was easy to fit into the target time) and a lot of fun.

My agent called me Saturday about the opportunity from New York (she's absolutely amazing; working on her vacation and getting non-Austin gigs for me), and sound engineer Chad Furrow spun on a dime and helped me record the thing so I could have a clean, professional submission. If you need a top-notch, skilled engineer who knows his stuff and is a joy with whom to work, Chad is your guy. Seriously, if you want to get a hold of hiim, let me know.

The last several days, I've been going back and forth with several sound production and casting agencies on the West Coast. The interactions have largely been around their preference for union talent. I've been talking to them about the merits of professional talent in work-at-will states like Texas, which also hosts a bunch of their clients. I'm in no way trying to undercut the unions, but I certainly need to sell why the reality of where I choose to live doesn't impact my professionalism and contribution to their project. We'll see. A couple of the folks have been really interactive, and seem interested in exploring this more.

Last night, I finally got my specialized CD burner fixed (I hate software), because I need to burn a ton of voice demo CDs for next week's game conference.

I also wrote another full episode of my "Project X(ish)", and recorded and mastered some test audio. This particular episode is in homage to one of my favorite 90s action cartoons, and is funny sh**. To me. Other people may say, "Not so much." Screw them.

Tonight, I'll probably do another Meisner workout (I so don't feel ready for class), and start burning and printing a ton of demo discs and resumes for next week's conference.

I am so running out of hours in a day ...

Labels: acting, acting process, auditions, biz, meisner, training, voice acting

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Thursday, August 24, 2006

I have a problem with clock watchers.

And legalists in general.

Labels: ramblings, rants

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

comMeisnerating

Tonight was an intense Meisner class.

Up to the 5th change (for those who know how this works), which comes from a bunch of 4th changes boiling over.

We each went up twice, and my first round I was out of head, working with phenomenal guy Marcus Lorenzo, and we were locked in and real and working through important stuff and ratcheting up real intensity with perfect repetition.

I wanted to vomit afterwards.

The second time -- not so much.

It's like that moment in Miss Congeniality where Michael Caine says, "A brief, shining moment, and then that mouth."

Yes, I've seen Miss Congeniality. Like eight times. You should see it, too.

Anyway, the second time I walked up trying to make something happen (wanting it to be different from my first time up, so that I wouldn't be trying to make that happen again), and really screwed up. I was in my head, not dialed in to my partner, superficial, read the riot act by my coach, and so on.

And that's OK.

Because I knew instantly how I was screwing up, and I know how to fix it. And it doesn't take anything up from my first time up.

I'm learning so much about giving myself grace in this class. Nice, unexpected side effect.

And so much was just clicking tonight. Not that I was getting everything, but there was so much important stuff going in the room tonight. Everyone had some moment that was better than they've had in class up to this point, and I knew that before Steve said it. I knew I had my best moment tonight.

Amazing, amazing people with whom I'm working. I'm blessed to work with every one of them.

Labels: acting, acting process, meisner, training

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

His name is Hedojo ...

Learn his name. Learn to listen to him.

His name is Hedojo ...

And don't forget about Cam ...

Labels: acting, gigs, voice acting

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Comic Book film, TV, and DVD projects

A a comic book geek, I'm stoked about how Marvel reinvented itself from bankrupt 1990s company to worldwide mega-brand.

And now they're sooo into movies, and branching into TV and DVD. And not "Bad Captain America direct-to-DVD" DVD.

Marvel just posted a list of their visual media projects in the pipeline -- and I'm a bit giddy.

Of course, I ignore most projects in "Development", as the majority of those never see the light of day -- part of "Development" is feasibility assessment, and if it doesn't make sense, it doesn't make sense. For me, "Pre-production" is only slightly less "mheh."

"In Production" is more exciting to me, as are the "Self-Financed Films", as Marvel has committed bocu bucks for the Intellectual Properties they announced financing for last year.

And applicability to me as an actor? I want to be in all of the Marvel projects. I'm going to be following up on every one of these, particularly the voice acting opportunities.

I'll maybe add more commentary later, but for now, here's the list, with a "*" by those items about which I'm particularly excited (for character, writer, and/or director reasons), and a "?" next to those I'm a little concerned about (for the same reasons).

Marvel visual media projects in the pipeline (with IMDb links where I was able):

Studio Financed Films

Production
(?) Ghost Rider – Sony, Feb. '07
* Spider-Man 3 - Sony, May '07
Fantastic Four 2 – Fox, June '07
Development
* Deathlok - Paramount
(?) Gargoyle - Sony
* Magneto - Fox
(?) Namor - Universal
The Punisher 2 - Lions Gate
* Wolverine – Fox

Self-Financed Films

Iron Man
Release date - May 2, 2008
Distributed by Paramount
* Director - JON FAVREAU (Made, Elf, Zathura)
Production Designer – J. MICHAEL RIVA (Spider-Man 3, Zathura)
VFX Supervisor – JOHN NELSON (I Robot, The Matrix 2, 3, Academy Award winner for Gladiator)
* Director of Photography – MATTHEW LIBATIQUE (Inside Man, Requiem for A Dream)
The Incredible Hulk
Distributed by Universal
Director: Louis Leterrier (Unleashed, Transporter 2)
* Writer: Zak Penn (X-Men: The Last Stand, X2: X-Men Men United, Last Action Hero)
Ant-Man
Distributed by Paramount
* Director: Edgar Wright (Shaun of The Dead)
** Captain America
Distributed by Paramount
Writer: David Self (Road to Perdition, Thirteen Days)
Nick Fury
Distributed by Paramount
Writer: Andrew Marlowe (Air Force One, Hollow Man, End of Days)
Thor
Distributed by Paramount
Writer: Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend, The Cell)
The Avengers
Distributed by Paramount
* Writer: Zak Penn (The Incredible Hulk, X-Men: The Last Stand, X2: X-Men Men United, Last Action Hero)

Animation

Direct-to-DVD
(?) Ultimate Avengers II - Released 8/8/06
* Iron Man - In production
Doctor Strange - In production (Did you know there was a 1978 movie? Watch the trailer. Giggle. Repeat.)
Teen Avengers - Development
TV Series
Fantastic Four - In production
* Wolverine & the X-Men - Pre-production
Iron Man - Development
Spider-Man – Development

Labels: acting, biz, comic books, voice acting

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

It's like they're in my head ...

this is an audio post - click to play

Labels: ramblings

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Meisning

Last night was a good class.

"This is the hard part," Steve said. "You'll be on tilt."

This is the part where stuff starts to get really important and really confusing and really intense.
Of course, I was "on tilt" last week, I think in no small part to this class.

Last night was good, though.

There were some really nice, weighty moments (Megan and Lydia, you are so brave), and it was a gift to be a part of it. And I had a really important moment with Marcus, who is just gifted in his authenticity.

Am I where I need to be? Yeah. Steve said we're "exactly where we need to be".

So, I'm going to trust that, not worry, and not overthink. Very freeing.

And Steve took some time after class to give us a 20-minute "Audition technique" lessen. It was a gift, but for me, just validation that the work and choices I'm making now are on track, and just need to be honed.

I did get an additional nuance, codified by Steve as "why me? Why now?" when I make character choices. I like that. I think I should add it to my worksheet.

Speaking of "gift", one of the things Steve said is, "A note [from a director] is a gift." I've kind of taken this as a given (that's why I do so much homework before every audition). I don't rely on direction or insight that I may not get. But Steve's statement added some positive weight to the surprise of any note I may get from a Director or Casting Director.

Good stuff ...

Labels: acting, acting process, meisner, training

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Toy update

(I'm trying out Microsoft's Windows Live Writer Beta to write this post. We'll see what happens.)

My post yesterday about the Lacie Brick hard drive made me realize I haven't posted about my toy ~~fetish~~ habit lately.

This is going to sound way geekier than it is, because I'm summing up stuff I haven't written about for some time.

First, for those needing closure, I got a Doctor Doom Marvel Mighty Beanz (remember this embarrassment?), but I had to buy the freaking thing, because after finding and opening another 16 packages, I still didn't have the final missing Viktor. I'm pathetic. But now I'm done.

More interesting are the Marvel Legends line of ~~dolls~~ figures, because I like the better sculpted and/or more offbeat characters.

I picked up Captain Britain and Ant Man, because I've got a smaller C.B. from the nineties, and putting these two together creates kind of an Alan Davis moment, and I got Ant Man, because I'm constantly amazed that Marvel keeps making him a viable character. Of course, this the Scott Lang Ant Man, not the Henry Pym ant man. But, Brian Michael Bendis killed Scott Lang recently, so I could pretend this was Hank Pym, and then buy the Ultron figure for irony. But that would be a new level of toy geek pathetic, so let's not go there. I may have revealed too much.

At the very least, the Lang Ant Man adds to my "Dead Heroes" part of my collection (joining Sasquatch, who, uh, Bendis also killed; waitaminute).

I also picked up the variant versions of Marvel Legends Face Off series -- Daredevil/Kingpin and Hulk Leader. I didn't get these because they're variants (I don't do that; I buy toys to enjoy, not to speculate).

Now (because I love almost all things Cap) I'm seriously jonesing for the variant Captain America/Red Skull/Baron Von Strucker. If you find it, let me know. Seriously hot toys right now, which sucks when you're not after them just to jack prices up.

To meet the need short term (and in a big way), I did find the Marvel Legends Icons (12") variant (unmasked) Captain America, which is way cool (if a bit Aryan in sculpt).

What's next on the toy craze agenda?

The aforementioned variant Captain America/Red Skull/Baron Von Strucker (UPDATED -- picked up both the regular and variant of this at Wal-Mart; same body sculpt on the bad guy on both, but a different paint job, head, and accessories -- and the body sculpt is pretty good.)
The metal Transformers "War Within" Megatron and Optimus Prime (I get this redo). (UPDATED: Got 'em!)
20th Anniversary Optimus Prime Re-issue. (UPDATED: I heard the voice clips on this bad boy, and it doesn't sound like Peter Cullen; I'm not going to drop $70 on a toy that doesn't sound like Cullen's John Wayne(ish) take on the leader of the Autobots.)

OK, turns out this does sound really geeky.

Whatever.

Labels: comic books, ramblings, toys

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

A hard drive for toy/tech geeks

I'm an actor, but I'm also a toy and technical geek.

I found the perfect gadget for at least those two parts of my fractured, fragile psyche:

The 300GB LaCie Brick Desktop Hard Drive

It's like a LEGO. Plus it could store tons of game videos.

And, yes, they're stackable.

I wonder if you could actually build stuff out of these. Not that I'm wealthy enough to find out.

Though Fry's does have a generous return policy ...

Labels: tools, toys

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Patriotism(less)

I'm thinking about ranting about Patriotism. Or, rather, the lack thereof.

I'm not moved to rant yet, but I've seen and heard some pretty disappointing stuff from people lately. Things that make me lose respect for them at best, and really question their ability to think at worst.

That's not true. At worst I question whether they should be in our country if they're so vile and vindictive and hateful of the things that let them have their unreal quality of life.

I'm close to being moved to rant.

Labels: rants

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Neill Blomkamp to helm "Halo" film

(this applies to both video games and acting, so I'm posting it in both blogs.)

Microsoft and Universal have picked an unknown director for the now officially 2008 Halo film (which is fine, because it likely means we'll get the Halo 3 game in 2007).

Short film and commercial director Neill Blomkamp will direct the film, which has the uninitiated scratching their heads.

Blomkamp is previously known for his 2005 short film, Alive in Joburg, and for receiving Clio Awards and a Visual Effects Society Award for his television commercial -- about a car.

Sure, Microsoft, Universal, and Executive Producer Peter Jackson are arguably taking a bit of risk in going with an unknown, but the reason and payoff is huge.

First, Blomkamp is relatively unknown. When launching a franchise into a new medium, there's tremendous value in having it helmed by someone who doesn't have baggage or expectations getting in the way of the effort (look at the grief the fan boys are giving Michael Bay for Transformers). Blomkamp is probably a good blance for Jackson.

Blomkamp has also been tagged as "One of the Top Five Directors to Watch" (First Boards Awards in 2004).

And the guys is the whole package. Not just a story teller and director, Blomkamp is an amazing visual effects guy. He's done 3D and effects work on Smallville, Stargate SG-1, and Dark Angel (and was nominated for an Emmy), among others.

None of that really matters, though.

Why?

Watch his stuff. In hindsight, picking him is a no brainer.

That car commercial? It's for Citreon, and so Transformers-esque that Michael Bay's going to get a run for his money. If Bay's Autobots and Decepticons are that fluid and natural, the film is going to rock.

And that Alive in Joburg short film? It's about extraterrestrials being marginalized in slums in Africa. Africa. The film looks like it was lifted from the New Mombasa scenes in Halo 2. And watch the opening scenes, where soldiers get out of the chopper. They look like the Halo Orbital Shock Troops (OSTs). And listen to the marriage of music to visuals, and tell me this didn't get Marty O'Donnell all hot and bothered.

So what if this is Blomkamp's first feature film? Jackson's got experience to share.

Links to Blomkamp's stuff (I love the Internet and YouTube):

Citreon commercial
Alive in Joburg short film
Tetra Vaal short film
Yellow Adidas short film

Labels: acting

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

I'm pissy (2)

this is an audio post - click to play

Labels: acting, acting process, meisner, training

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Meisnering(ish)-esness

this is an audio post - click to play

Labels: acting, acting process, meisner, ramblings, training

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

"Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right."

"Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right." "Prepare for battle." "Never tire of doing what is right."
.
.
.
(Ad infinitum.)

Labels: ramblings, rants, toy job

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Michael Bay, please cast me to voice the Transformers

Dear Michael Bay,

I'm writing to let you know how important it is that you cast me for the Transformers movie.

I'm a huge Transformers fan, but not in a creepy, disassociated from reality kind of way.

I realize the live actors have been cast, but I'm a voice and film actor, so it's not too late to cast me as one (or several) of the Autobots and/or Decepticons.

Look, I've loved the Transformers since giving up outside play time as a child to watch Optimus Prime rally his troops and foil Megatron and cronies' attempts to steal energy from Atlantis, rocket launches, Dinosaur Island, and the sun. I've watched Spike become an Autobot. I've rooted for Starscream's repeated attempts at mutiny.

Hey, you cast the incredible Peter Cullen to reprise his original role as Optimus (thank you!), so you obviously get how important appropriate casting for this film is to fan boys.

Um, I even have all of the original toys. Yes, the metal ones from the 80s. Seriously. Even Megatron as a Walther P.38 (why has there never been a Transformers/James Bond crossover?). I'm going to pick up the Optimus re-issue, and even the new metal War Within Optimus (I totally get taht redesign). I think I'll have Captain America and Optimus face off against Megatron and the Red Skull on my office desk.

Speaking of the War Within Optimus, I have all of the IDW Publishing Transformers comic books -- it's not like I let my love of the franchise go cold after the first animated Transformers movie, then stoked the flames when the new movie was announced. (I have the old Marvel Transformers comic books too; Spider-Man's not making a cameo in your movie, is he?)

Do please thoughtfully consider my request to add my voice to your film.

I'm a voice actor. I'm a Transformers fan.

Seriously, assuming my head doesn't explode when you call to make the offer, could there be a better match of actor and fan for voicing characters from one of the greatest franchises of all time?

You can get a hold of me through my agent (http://www.colliertalent.com/contact.htm), who is amazing and professional and great to work with.

I'm really looking forward to hearing from you!

Best Regards,

--- Adam Creighton

Labels: acting, biz, voice acting

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Busy Biz week ...

Dang. I'm fried.

First there was Monday night's Casting Works LA showcase (which went well, thank you), and all of its hours of preparation, then a get-together with talented actor friends into the night.

Then, yesterday, I was back at CWLA to collate headshots and DVDs for mailing the showcase to Casting Directors (Tips for newbie actors: Have enough headshots, have them the right size, and don't get them photocopied at Kinko's in not-so-pleasing green/gray/blue stripes), and then I worked on programming a widget I hope to add to my Web site to make actor's lives easier. More to come on that later. After that, I ducked out to do a Meisner workout with Errich, Nikki, Marcus, and Lydia.

Today, I was off to a kids' film(ish) camp to talk about voice acting, which worked out about as I expected ("Can you do Darth Vader's voice? Can you do R2D2? Can you do a hungry hamster? Can you do Bullwinkle the Moose?"). But, I did have one kid come up to me on my out and say, "Hey, I thought you were going to be a boring speaker, but you weren't. That's good, because I hate boring speakers."

OK.

Then I had drive like a madman back to CWLA for an audition for an in-house industrial, and ran into fellow Collier talents (and classmates) Drew Whelpley and Tom Procida, and met fellow agency talent David Precopia, who people have said reminds them a lot of me. Seems like a nice guy, so I'll rethink my "bump off the competition" plan.

Good guys, all, so it's going to be competitive for this gig. I still want it over them, though.

And tonight, I'm back on for Meisner class #3.

I'm freaking exhausted, because I'm juggling all this with home life and the toy job, where I'm covering for my manager, various projects are going south, and BigHugeCorp, despite it's empty mantras, does not value people, and has no loyalty to them.

But, at least things are busy on the gigs front. For the most part, these are authentic folks who value relationships ...

Labels: acting, auditions, biz, gigs, meisner, toy job, training

Share: | | | TinyUrl | Twitter

Contact Adam

Contribute to 0 comment(s) | Review 0 comment(s)

Site Feed