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Tuesday November 25, 2014
I get casting notices from LA Casting, some of which fit me to a "tee," others not so much.
Over the weekend when I came across a comedy video project for
Taryn Southern,
I was thrilled it was for a comical father role, the sort of which I'd played numerous times.
I was well aware of Taryn from the
DJ Lubel
2009 satirical music video
Wrong Hole.
Monday I was contacted by email by Production Coordinator
Liz Forcier
as to my next-day availability, to which I quickly responded my very-much availability, after which I contacted my calling service to let them know I was "booked" for the next day.
Little did I know that at the time, Taryn and her talented friend
Rebecca Zamolo
were still in the process of completing the shorts' script.
Liz had let the rest of the cast know of the premise, of a family holiday meal during which different charater's inner monologues would be heard
(by the audience).
As examples, Liz provided links to two videos, each of which dealt with the inner monologue of whose YouTube channel it was.
First off, for Taryn's point of view, there was
Why I Don't Want To Be Your Bridesmaid.
Then for Rebecca's point of view, there was
What a Bride Is Thinking When She Picks Her Bridesmaids.
It was also clear that each video version was edited to focus on that character's point of view.
I had not known Taryn was a full on YouTuber when I'd seen
Wrong Hole,
or I'd have subscribed far earlier.
Going over some of her videos, I learned that three years after
Wrong Hole
she'd created her own follow-up to it with
Wrong Hole: The Untold Story.
A lot of her work can also be viewed at
Funny or Die.
The script was finalized and emailed out; I also learned, via my joinable Facebook
Career Progress Group,
that longtime friend
Rhoda Pell
was also cast, so she and I were pleased to be working together once again.
As with the two Bridesmaid videos, the script indicated three versions of the same event: that not only the two sisters would have inner monologues, but the husband as well, being played by
Jason Horton,
also a prominent YouTuber.
Taryn and Jason had
worked together before
and numerous videos for their respective YouTube Channels
and elsewhere.
Tuesday I arrived at 12:20 for my 1pm calltime, meeting Rebecca, Liz, and
Linda Wolf,
who'd be playing my wife.
Director and DP
Jay Diaz
soon arrived, as did Rhoda and Taryn.
Jay and Rebecca has worked out Who Would Sit Where at the dinner table, and with Linda/wife at one end with Rhoda and Jason next to her, and I at the other with Taryn and Rebecca next to me.
Once seated. we ran through the script a few times, both with inner monologues and without.
When we felt we were ready, we got going.
I'd borrowed a "December-y sweater" from a friend, which was approved, but once we started filming, and had finished with the master shot, I suddenly realized I'd not yet put it back on, so we went with just my red pin-stripe shirt.
Taryn and Rebecca were very flexible, and stressed that lines could be "made our own;"
they weren't going to waste time being sticklers as long as the context was retained.
I tried a different one-word response, that Taryn exclaimed was much better.
As Rebecca and Taryn were brilliant, it's a good thing I've done enough stage comedy to retain a straight face with their performances as the scene was filmed and I was on camera.
I think the coverage was maybe two or three takes each, sometimes single lines being re-done as pick-ups.
Plus some shots had to be done so as such to accomodate the eventually-added ADR lines for the inner monologues.
As the apathetic grandmother, Rhoda was hilarious as always.
With some of her more deadpan acting during her single coverage was such that both Taryn and Rebecca had to clamp their hands over their mouth to keep from busting out laughing.
Taryn added a great line at me, allowing me to play my role even more beaten-down than just from his wife.
The time schedule had been 1-5pm, and we were pretty much wrapped principal photography by about 4:45 or so.
We took some cast photos, and Jason did a quick promo-teaser for the sketch.
The talented ladies were very pleased with the results of our performances, indicating the high probability of utilizing us again at some future videos.
The target was the following Tuesday, the second of December.
Taryn's YouTube Channel
indicates new videos on Tuesdays "except when she's hungover," while
Rebecca's YouTube Channel
essentially indicates new videos on Thursdays.
Jason's YouTube Channel
didn't seem precisely clear as to a scheduled release period.
I felt this could mean he might shoot for launching his aspect version on Tuesday as well.
I changed out while the three began doing their Inner Monologue lines.
When there was a pause between ADR lines, I said my goodbyes, Taryn happened to be relaxing on the floor and I leaned down to say goodbye and she suddenly moved up, causing me to accidently somewhat bonk her on the head.
Thankfully it was all good, and I looked forward to seeing the results the next week.
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