Wrapped - NCIS

Finished shooting the season finale on this long running cornerstone of procedural drama. Very honored to have taken part. Much of the crew on this show has been together since JAG, and that translates…one of the crew members described it as having the spirit of an indie film crew on a network show, and I think that’s pretty apt.

Had the absolute pleasure to work opposite Wilmer Valderrama, Themo Melikidze, and Chris Petrovski, the dp Billy Webb, and director Diana Valentine. All the rest of the crew (Avery/Wyatt/Nick/Elion/Aaron/Carrie/Rich/Karen/Jose/Kurt/errybody) were incredibly welcoming, professional, and all the other things you hope for.

Oh man, also was really stoked to have worked with stunt coordinator Diamond Farnsworth, and my first stunt double - Nick Eppers! I realize how much I miss the choreography of combat. It was also magic to see someone else turned into a clone of myself.

Very excited to see how it all turns out.

What's Up - The Rule of Booking Pt. 4

You’re on paternal leave and auditions start coming down the line. Some start shooting after or almost after your leave is done (which, by the way, as an artist is arbitrary but completely necessary to allow time to adjust to life with a new baby).

Do you…?

A. Turn down the auditions that aren’t worth it.

B. Do the auditions that are worth it.

C. Do auditions while sleep deprived.

D. Book a substantial role on a network TV show.

E. All of the above.

The answer is E. And to sum up all of these series so far - being busy with life is a great reason to do an audition, not the other way around. I’m beginning to think that a little bit of chaos helps with focus.

What's Up - A Tool for Chaos

My life has been thrown into the wonderful chaos of caring for a newborn while also raising for a toddler.

The noise level of these combined events is sometimes counterproductive to focus, especially on creative work.

This ear protection, made to endure the sound of grinding steel, gunshots, and other cacophonies, has stepped up to save the day.

When I have a spare moment here or there, and when my wonderful wife is caring for the joyous noisemakers, these have allowed me the quietude needed to get some small amount of work completed.

Wrapped - The Company You Keep

Finished up a shoot on a show led by this very talented, humble, and hard working dude.

Have been a fan of Milo’s since Heroes, and am grateful to have worked with him. It’s clear he’s using his extensive experience to helm an extremely efficient set. When every single person seems content, that’s a signal that leadership is on the right track.

Very excited to see what comes of this show, and for my appearance as an enigmatic gatekeeper.

What's Up - The Rule of Booking Pt. 3

The Rule of Booking Pt. III - it’s not hard to book, and it never was. It’s fun.

You cannot game the rules of booking. You can’t pretend it’s not hard if it is.

But if there’s any pattern it’s this - you’re busy working on so many different things (creative work included), which creates a state of mind that’s too busy to obsess over your work. You have just enough time to do the work necessary, so you do it, and then share it.

It’s a small relief that it doesn’t need to be hard. But still - you work hard so that it’s not hard. Many of life’s truths are a paradox.

What's Up - Roundup of 2022

Here are some of my favorite things that I watched this past year:

The Rehearsal - it’s absurd where it went and ended up but I love that they basically gave this man the money to take his artistic whims wherever he wanted.

1883 - Oh, you want more story than dialogue? Everything that could happen to you when playing the Oregon Trail, happens here through brilliantly written and performed and shot scenes. Every aspect is fantastic. Also a textbook way to use voiceover like it is here - to frame this violent world through the hopeful eyes of a young woman exploring it. Usually voiceover seems like a lazy way to lay out story. Not here. Taylor Sheriden is one of the best storytellers in the game right now.

Top Gun : Maverick - Just peak action. HRRRGN, HRRRGN, percussively breathe through the sharp turns of this aerial extravaganza.

Reacher - Likely never loved a character more than Reacher, and I think this hunky dude nailed his perspective. Lotta big guy being hungry humor I can relate to, lot of uncomplicated fun of a classic action thriller.

Severance - a slow burn that pays off hugely…you’ll be glad you watched a few too many ‘walking down a labyrinthine hallway’ scenes in the end.

Adam McKay - nearly any of what he touches is thoroughly excellent.

And here are some slight criticisms of entertainment these days:

I can now tell when a show is ‘doing a thing’. Like there were a lot of talks in pre-production about tone, and style, and there are wigs, and there’s some cool color correction, and it just takes me out of it really quickly. Basically valuing style over content. Have a good story first, then have it live in another world. With so many in the TV and film production game, it’s likely just a product of statistics. But it makes me change the channel really fast. And I lament the sunk cost of just creating a mood. Actors fall into the same trap of doing what they think it feels like or looks like instead of telling an authentic truth about themselves. I’ve done it.

I hope we are over saturated with charismatic con men and women. I know people are stupid and believe what they want to believe, and that there will be people who abuse this. I just find it incredibly boring. Yes, people will lie to get what they want. Lotta great performances are highlighting the morally bankrupt. Is that really what you want to do with your life?

Not everything needs to have musical numbers. I think executives really overshot trying to ride the trend here. Sometimes your leads can’t sing that well. It’s not pleasant listening to people who aren’t good singers. Leave it out and let the story do its thing.

I’m very much against throwing violence against children into a show. Likely because I’m a father now. It seems like a cheap attention grab to crudely engineer stakes. Very sensitive to how violence is used so cheaply to garner our sympathy and hatred of the characters.

Hey, but what do I know? I’m just a guy who’s trying to navigate this deluge of content and spot the trends that aren’t bearing any more fruit.

Now Playing - Law and Order

For me on TV with these folks - Check out the episode ‘Benefit of the Doubt’, now streaming on NBC’s site and Peacock:

https://www.nbc.com/law-and-order

These two fine gentlemen were extremely welcoming and so easy to work with. I know that’s not a given, and I appreciate all they did to make my job way easier.

Another thing that made it easier was that the director was this guy - Carl Weathers.

Directors who are actors have a shorthand that makes it very easy to understand what you need to do to make the scene work. Each setup required a few sage words from this dude, resulting in a couple takes each go.

Overall the amazing machine that is this show was somewhat demanding, but so is my teacher (Amy Lyndon), so it didn’t feel like a stretch, just more work.

Practice how you’re gonna play.

Wrapped - Law and Order

Still reeling from an early morning shoot on Law and Order.

I got the opportunity to work with Jeffrey Donovan, Mehcad Brooks, and Carl Weathers using the writing of Peter Blauner to tell a lil crime story.

Each set up only took 2 takes, maybe 3, so it seemed to just whip by. Probably went so smoothly because the director and leads on that show are very supportive of the artists coming in, so I’m very grateful for the experience.

What's Up - The Rule of Booking pt. 2

The Rule of Booking Pt. II - when you leave town for an extended period of time, you will book a Network TV job in another town for an extended period of time.

You cannot game the Rule of Booking Pt. II. The logistics must be so complex to pull this feat off in a short amount of planning time that your brain will be too fried to be excited about the job. It must cost you and your family a small amount of sanity at least. You will have time later to be grateful.

What's Up - The Rule of Booking

The Rule of Booking - when you make plans to leave town you will be offered a job to stay.

You cannot game the Rule of Booking. It has to be a legitimate travel plan, and it has to cost you dearly to choose one or the other. You can either see your close family that you haven’t seen in a year, or go take part in telling someone else’s story.

What's up - President of Development

My other other job is developing projects with my wife for money and friends for free.

My official title is President of Development of Taco Night Productions, which is to say I’m the only person in development at this production company.

We just got a movie rewrite job, and I want to celebrate that for her and me. It was another one which I helped completely retool. It’s a movie based on a book.

Many of the projects that have been picked up have been after I’ve helped tweak, refine, and streamline the story through the lens of what’s believable (actor brain), what’s compelling (story structure), what’s funny (sketch/comedy brain) and troubleshooting (using what’s there and enhancing it while addressing the problems stated by producers).

Of the projects on which I’ve contributed, 4/5 have been bought/hired to do the work.

I’ll take that batting average any day, and if anything it tells me I should try to widen the scope of projects I’m involved with.

Here’s what I can offer as far as where the industry is at - existing IP, existing IP, existing IP.

Most production companies are buying and making stories about things that either are already written (proof of concept), or actually happened and are crazy compelling true stories. These true stories are especially attractive if they’re about somebody being a scam artist.

This trend is so thorough that it makes me bemoan that we are giving these vile people any more resources (attention), and makes me wonder if there isn’t some glorification of chicanery. I think what we pay attention to is important.

I think, like all trends, it’ll subside, and soon the pendulum will swing to new ideas some day. But they have to be better than the real ones.

Another compelling thing - 90% of all information has been made in the past 2 years*. That makes me really interested in very specific historical pieces that are relevant now. Like when all the workers (plebes) in Rome went on strike and sat on the hillside until the upper class (optimates) realized that they couldn’t run the city without them. Reminds me of the Great Resignation happening now.

Hit me up if you have a project you got notes on from any network executives, or just want fresh eyes on a piece. I’ll give you specific notes along with my reasoning for those.

*https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522085217.htm

New Favorite - Succession

I’m very late to the party here.

The metaphor/simile game of these writers is razor sharp.

The acting showcases a feast of talent. So much to love from every single person on this show.

With that consistency, I would imagine the whole damn team on this show are just the best at what they do.

Every element is masterful.

When afterward you talk about the characters as if they’re real people, it may be a good indicator the show is a masterpiece.

What's Up - The Cycle

May I present - the work cycle (for an actor, and I imagine many creatives/freelancers):

This work is amazing.

No, actually I’m bad at it. This is terrible.

I better work really hard at it or else I’m doomed to never work again.

Actually, I’m pretty happy with it after working on it. Out it goes into the world.

Now what? Life is meaningless. When do I get to work again?

Well, now that I think about it, I like my life without so much work.

Yea no, my life is great.

What’s this? More work? The moment I accepted my life is great as is? Cool.

No really, cool. I love working.

(Repeat forever)

What's Up - My Type

Actors are constantly coming to terms with what type of person they can portray.

When your full self is the product, a little thought about this might be a good idea.

There is an exercise you can do to help understand how others perceive you - ask them! I’m prepping for an updated shoot, and stumbled across an old version of this. I’m struck by how accurate these still are.

Person 1 : Masculine, motivated, approachable, rugged, witty

Person 2: Powerful, inviting, strong, family-oriented, fun, blue-collar, rough, caring, warrior, team-player

Person 3: Imposing, educated, rugged, kind, official, geeky, gentle

Person 4: Intense, intellectual, upper crust, brooding, weird

Person 5: Big, smart, creative, nice, intense, productive

Person 6: Intense, serious, unpredictable, pensive, productive

Person 7: Calm, ambitious, direct, competent, gentle, smart, introverted, polite

Person 8: Fluid, direct, undercover, hidden, strong, instructor, adaptable

These people were all being very kind and using mostly positive adjectives. For that I’m appreciative, so maybe next time I’ll ask people that I know don’t like me. Would be equally as useful. Feel free to send me a message if you don’t like me telling me some adjectives that fuel your disdain. Might be cathartic for you.

---

Also, I recently came across some old notes I’d written as a kid.

Behold, proof of my brooding/pensive/weird self:

What's Up - Physical Fitness Order of Magnitude

Last year, my agent asked me if I was ‘ripped’. I had to admit that, ‘no, that probably wouldn’t be what I’d call myself, I’m more athletic’. On the above order of magnitude chart that would likely be 49.

The goal this year is possibly to get myself to Ripped, which is 56.

But also I have my own problems with this chart. It spends way too much space on the out of shape range. More than half. Maybe this is more a reflection on the author’s own negative perception of being overweight, maybe not.

Currently, after considerable effort, I’m proud to say that I’m probably somewhere between 50 and 51.

I’d like to eventually get to a category not really listed here, which I’ve always liked, which is ‘rocked’, or ‘jacked’. That’s somewhere beyond ripped maybe, who knows. We’ll see what my body can tolerate.

Also, who says ‘yolked’? I know ‘yoked’ like you’re oxen-esque, but maybe I’ve been hearing this wrong. I don’t know how egg yolks accurately describe an appearance. Diet yes, appearance, no. Plenty wrong with this chart, basically.

What's Up - Still Dunking

I had felt my knees get steadily weaker over the years, and I had barely pulled off a dunk many years ago. After it I thought, “Well I better stop now, so I can say the last time I checked I can dunk.”

A friend, who is over 6 feet tall like me and was an ultra marathon runner, suggested I check out an Instagram fitness dude - @kneesovertoesguy - to rehabilitate what was becoming a tricky knee.

He provides lengthening workouts to strengthen the joints, and offers insights that have recently been ignored by a lot of weight trainers. After some research, I decided to give a few of his workouts a try. I very soon realized my joints felt more stable.

Cut to a now, a month and a half later, me shooting around at the park. Layups feeling alright, getting some air to slap the backboard easily. No pain in the knees. I’m like, ‘maybe I can do this’.

I get up there, one hand with the ball, but lose the ball with my hand. Still, I take note of how high I am up, and it’s substantial altitude. As high as I ever remember. Okay, now with two hands I launch, and throw it down easily, efficiently, with no pain. (Two hands is harder than one hand for me usually)

I am just one of a chorus of people who are singing this guy’s praises. What he’s proposing isn’t entirely new. Many athletes and trainers have implemented these workouts. He does innovate a lot of new stretches and gradations so that you can ease your way into having bulletproof joints.

Mine are by no means bulletproof. But I’ll take this latest flight test as positive encouragement.

And, if you ever need a mid-life white dude to dunk in your project, bring me in. I’ve got at least one or two takes in me. By the time you read this, probably more.

New Favorite - Val

If you haven’t seen the documentary ‘Val’ yet, and you’re in the arts, it’s worth a look. It’s a look at his life as an actor through the many lenses from home footage that he shot while working different jobs.

Most actors would be happy with the career of this legend. It’s illuminating to see that even he has had his misgivings about roles he has taken, and choices he has made. It’s nothing I wouldn’t expect - I hear most actors, and people for that matter, are always looking toward the next thing, wanting more.

Desire is what makes human beings human. (an insight from my friend Miles)

He ends the film with footage from him playing Jim Morrison, reflecting on his own nature as an artist, and there’s a great deal of synchronicity between the two. He sums up his approach to acting by offering that he’s found a little bit of himself in the character, and found a little bit of the character in himself.

Another inspiring bit was how he unabashedly pursued roles that he wanted, failing more often than not.

Siempre luchando - a favorite Puerto Rican quote of an actor I worked with (Rudy Willrich) that I’ve held on to.

What's Up - Werk

So much of an actor’s work is transitory, and I celebrate that. I love that. We work, share that work, and then it exists only in memory or on screen. You can’t hold it. You can only experience it.

Many other jobs end in a finished product - something that you can see and touch and use. I’ve done some of those said jobs and there’s a satisfaction to being able to hold your work.

For those whose work is creating an experience, it may feel like your work dissolves into thin air. So it can be useful to remind yourself of the work you have done, if only to say hey, I actually did do something with my time.

Here’s my work station with a folder of scripts from auditions, classwork, and jobs that I’ve kept from this year so far.

I’m grateful for the work entrusted to me by my amazing teacher Amy Lyndon, my new team at UGA and AMG, and for future work that comes my way.

If only to fill up this cardboard box, move my eye line markers around, and keep fresh the muscle that expands my understanding of the human condition. Especially if that human condition includes a drawing of superman that looks like he’s smuggling something massive in his underpants.

What's Up - MQBD is back!

Our podcast is back to dropping weekly episodes every Friday!

Glad to finally share these, just click on the logo above for the first episode in a long time.

What's Up - New Rep: Agent and Manager

I’m excited to get on board with a new manager and remuster the forces of my agency.

Together we form a team of kinda strangers/now coworkers dedicated to finding the markets for my strange art and achieving artistic and financial bliss by helping people transcend their lives into new understanding of themselves, their world, and life itself.

An exciting mission, no doubt.