IMTA Thursday

Today is "callback day". We get a list of agents or casting directors who want to see us individually and possibly invite us to work with them. I got 4 callbacks, yay! It's a short list, but I'm proud of it. One of them was for the New York Conservatory, which is an acting school with courses anywhere from 4 weeks long to 6 months. At that callback they wanted you to perform your monologue and they give you feedback. Of course they tell you which program would be good for you. I decided not to go meet them because I knew I wouldn't do any of the courses but I was glad to know that I caught their eye with one of my performances (and they don't callback everyone in the competition). However since then I realize that I regret consulting with them as I would have liked the feedback. One of the other callbacks was for a casting director based in New York. He does short films and has even had films at Sundance film festival. The other 2 callbacks were for agencies based in LA. I also informally met with some agents that my managers introduced me to that looked at my portfolio book (it's just a few photos) and gave me great feedback encouraging me to pursue commercial modeling and TV commercials (I did my commercial for one of the agents). They also said to work on my portfolio and get many photos of myself in every commercial setting I can imagine. For example, a shot of me with a pet, a depiction of me as a mom with a child, dinner with my husband, etc. So my next goal is to schedule photo sessions and add more scenarios to my book.

So Thursday night was our black tie awards banquet event. They served a nice dinner and we watched people in every category get awards for things like "best female actor", "best male model", "best songwriter", etc.

The awards night was pretty fun, but it went on forever. It ended at 11:00pm and of course my crazy group wanted to go out to see Times Square and have cheesecake. Ugh, I was so so tired and sleep deprived that I didn't even care if I saw Times Square or not, but I was a champ and joined them. We got in and to bed by 3:00am and I had to get up at 8:30 to pack and leave for the airport.

Besides the massive sleep deprivation during the entire week I had a fabulous time, learned a lot, got more confidence on camera and am inspired to go to the next level, whatever that may be. The next step for me to do right away is to review info that I received from the agencies I met with and to consult with my managers on what my goals are and which agency would be a good fit for me.

Below is a picture of me (in case you don't recognize me in a dress) showing the trophies I received for 2nd and 3rd place for theatrical headshots and commercial photos. I also got a little 4th place medal for my TV commercial, yay! They also give "participation" medals to each person in the entire competition, so I threw that one in the photo too for extra drama.

IMTA Wednesday

Theatrical Headshots/Screen Test in the morning. - we were given a sheet with choices of different one or two lines that we memorize while standing in line. When it's my turn they announce my number and flash my head shots up on the screen, then announce my number for the screen test and I deliver my lines on stage in the spotlight and on film. Hehe! This is an open session and anyone can come watch, not just for judges. Anyway the judges are right in front of you grading your performance and the head shots. Then it's done! It all goes by super fast. Anyway tonight was monologue night and we were divided into groups of about 10-20 women and lead into a room with a panel of judges plus anyone else who want to watch. We each have exactly one minute to deliver our monologue and they time it and stop you of you've gone over the time limit. 

I delivered mine just as I had planned - didn't mess up my lines in spite if being nervous and my performance was fine. Every time I do it it's a little different and I was fine with how it came out :)

Tonight we had an Awards Party where they announce the top 3 in each category. There are so many people here so it took a very long time. But I was excited when my number was called for 2 different categories. I got 2nd place for my commercial photos and 3rd place for my theatrical headshot. Yay!!! (I also found out the next day that I placed 4th for my Crystal Light TV commercial). They didn't have time to do all the awards on awards night so we got little medals the next day for 4th place finishers. 

IMTA Tuesday

I'm sitting in the call room, waiting for my turn to go in before a panel of (agent) judges. I'll be performing my Lubriderm commercial. It'll be good to get it out and over with once and for all. After that I line up to perform my Crystal Light commercial. They put us in groups of about 10 women. We go to a "closed set", which means only a panel of judges are allowed in there and the contestants. They film us as if we are in a real commercial. 

I did my commercials and feel really good about them! This afternoon I do an Entertainment Host competition and a snippet of a Sitcom competition that I've been rehearsing for a couple months. The Entertainment Host competition is on a TelePrompter and we read it with enthusiasm, etc. It's all really fun. I really enjoy doing commercials the most.  It was a super long day and I'm emotionally and physically exhausted. It's really fun though somehow. :)

My friend, Sahithya, and me. 

IMTA Monday

 

Exhausted, but still plugging along. Today we went to seminars and also performed our Cold Read scripts. We got the scripts a couple hours beforehand and performed them in a closed set before a panel of judges. There was a reader for the other part of the dialog and it was fun! It's a little awkward when you do your skit and get no feedback or chuckles or applause. It's all business and they're just "gathering information" and scoring your performance which will be tallied and determined later who "wins" or comes in 2nd, 3rd or 4th place. (We're all winners in my opinion.)

Tonight all the IMTA participants went on a chartered cruise on the Hudson where we could see Manhattan and New Jersey from the water. It was Di beautiful! We cruised by the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I was a little emotional seeing that. And I was chuckling to myself because we were on a sort of "party cruise" with a DJ playing dance music and there are mostly "kids", including young model type teenagers, male and female. I was imagining what our forefathers had in mind when they came here for a better life for their descendants and checked in at Ellis Island. What would they think of this silly party cruise full of aspiring models and actors and our frivolous lifestyles. Sigh. Maybe they would get a kick out of this life? Hmmm...

Renée

IMTA Sunday

Arrived NY this morning at 6:30 and am incredibly tired. This afternoon we attended a couple seminars. One was on how to audition and what goes on behind the scenes of decision making - very interesting and helpful. The other was about being photographed for editorial shoots. This isn't my category of modeling but some principles apply to commercial modeling too. There was a photographer shooting 2 different models and it was really cool to watch. Tonight we attended an all-are-welcome-and-encouraged-to-attend Runway Seminar. There were 3 runway teachers that taught all 500 of us how to walk and hold out posture while on the runway. We practiced walking around the giant ballroom and finally on the runway with lights on us and everything! It was more fun that I expected. I felt less awkward the more I practiced. Because of my age, etc. I won't ever be doing runway modeling, but, as the instructors said, you can use this technique for "the runway of life". It's always good to walk with poise & confidence and good posture. 

Renée