JB in Hollywood

National Marquette Day!

2012-02-13T10:35:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately I am some 2,000 miles from my alma mater, but I am still an avid supporter of Marquette University basketball. This past Saturday was National Marquette Day as the Warriors/Golden Eagles squared off against (formerly much-more-hated) rival Cincinnati. I know a lot of good friends and former classmates were part of the raucous Bradley Center crowd and I sure wish I was there with 'em! But, since I'm out here -- and a bit under the weather, I had to celebrate from my own couch as I watched the game on ESPNU.

And despite MU getting down to their usual early deficit, they roared back for a convincing win. And despite having no real size, this team has a lot of heart and is exciting to watch. Currently in the top 15 nationally, looks like our boys may be poised for another nice March Madness run. Ring Out A-Hoya!

SAG-AFTRA Launches Website

2012-02-10T09:55:00.000-08:00

For everything you ever wanted to know (and more) about the upcoming proposed merger between the major screen acting unions, check out the new ONE UNION website. Ballots are set to be mailed out to the members by the end of February.

Dog Jack Spotted! At A Redbox Near You!

2012-02-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

Dog Jack -- the little Civil War movie that could -- has finally been released! (Second from the lower right in the above pic, between Spy Kids and Batman.) If you're interested in seeing a family-friendly movie, narrated by Louis Gossett Jr., that was made on a shoe-string budget (i.e. most of us working for free), but with large amounts of love, check it out. (It's also on Amazon.com.)

It's been several years since we braved the crazy August Pennsylvania heat in wool Union uniforms, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Glad the movie is finally seeing the light of day -- congrats to all those who actually made it happen!

Miller Lite Softball Commercial?

2012-02-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday there was a breakdown looking for softball teams for a Miller Lite commercial. I e-mailed the casting director and told her I play on several teams and asked what the "audition" protocol was for such a project. She told me to send pictures of each of the guys on the team. So my friend Chris and I collected as many pics of our softball-playing teammates and friends as we could and I submitted them. Here is a sampling -- overall, I think we make a pretty diverse looking, beer drinking crew.

Now, I'm waiting to hear back. But it sounds like it would be a great time -- spending a day outside shooting a national commercial with some friends playing softball? Per one of the CD's e-mails to me: "The spot is looking for authentic people who would have a good time together on camera." Having a good time playing softball -- and getting paid for it? -- now that we all can do!

The Good People at NCIS

2012-02-06T11:43:00.000-08:00

After Gina's first NCIS episode, "Engaged: Part I" aired last fall, Mark Harmon presented her with this beautifully framed still from her show's opening titles. Every cast member signed it and wrote a short message of congratulations or welcome. What a way to make a new writer feel at home!

A Little Residual Goodness

2012-02-05T11:54:00.000-08:00

When work is slow, there's nothing like opening a nondescript envelope from SAG and finding some residual goodness! Residuals are what actors (and writers, directors, etc.) make when a program/movie is released -- subsequent to its initial run -- or repeated on dvd, pay-per-view, pay/free tv, etc. The value of residuals can vary widely based on what type of medium and how long ago the project was made. My last residual check for Angels & Demons was fifty-some dollars, this one more than 10 times as much! (Yay, for being fortunate enough to be a tiny part of a popular movie that is endlessly replayed on free TV!) I realize that this is probably the last sizable check I will get from the project, but that's okay by me.

Also, last week I got a residual check from my 2010 episode of Criminal Minds -- it was a pretty big check, so the show must have reran in prime time. Of course if I was working more, more of these babies would be rolling in quarterly, but as it is, I am definitely grateful whenever they do arrive.

Cat Yoga

2012-02-03T09:39:00.000-08:00

Recently, I've had several inquiries as to how the cats are getting along. Let's just say there aren't killing each other. Actually, it's better than that though: the other day we came home after being gone all day and they were asleep on the same couch -- not cuddling, mind you, but still a mere four feet apart. And you can see from this post that there are becoming (mostly) civil.

Here is a video of the cats doing their version of yoga. It's is not what one might call "strenuous."

And one final picture of both cats sitting in bed, helping Gina write her current episode of NCIS:

SAG Awards Contrarian

2012-02-02T10:19:00.000-08:00

Of the 14 categories in last weekend's SAG Awards ceremony, the actor/program I chose as my favorite only matched up with the masses twice: Modern Family and Kate Winslet. (How anyone involved in Breaking Bad doesn't win an award he or she is up for boggles my mind.)

However, if my goal was to guess who would actually win, I would have gotten 11 out of the 14. Begs the question of these awards shows: is there only satisfaction in seeing the actor you think should win actually win? Or is there a measure of satisfaction in successfully guessing who the membership will choose?

Here is a full list of winners -- and their speeches.

ONE UNION for Actors

2012-02-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

For any of you who watched the SAG Awards last weekend, you saw many actors sporting these nifty pins:

I wrote about the talks recently. And as expected, the merger proposal passed both boards (it should have -- as they were the ones that came up with it!), and the time-table for an all-member vote looks to be within the next several weeks. Onward...

King & Kennedy -- 11/22/63

2012-01-31T09:37:00.000-08:00

I am a huge Stephen King fan, an avid reader of everything he writes. Sometimes, I'm a bit disappointed, like by his last meandering novel, Under The Dome. But, having just read his newest, 11/22/63, about a time traveler who tries to stop the Kennedy assassination, my love for The King has been renewed. Some brilliant characters, thorough research, and a vivid, entertaining story make this one a winner. The book is a bit of a departure from the author's usual genre fiction, so I would say to give it a try even if you're not usually a fan of his stuff. Here is a favorite passage:

For a moment everything was clear, and when that happens you see that the world is barely there at all. Don't we all secretly know this? It's a perfectly balanced mechanism of shouts and echoes pretending to be wheels and cogs, a dreamclock chiming beneath a mystery-glass we call life. Behind it? Below it and Around it? Chaos. Storms. Men with hammers, men with knives, men with guns. Women who twist what they cannot dominate and belittle what they cannot understand. A universe of horror and loss surrounding a single lighted stage where mortals dance in defiance of the dark...

For a more thoughtful and comprehensive review on 11/22/63, check out The New Dork Review of Books.

Home Sweet Home

2012-01-29T11:55:00.000-08:00

I got to take a very short trip home to see the family last weekend. I also filled my quota of cold and snow for another year. Among the many highlights: eating too many cheesy potatoes, having a family picture taken when it was barely above zero degrees and getting to rock my nephew, Jude, to sleep...

What A Difference A Day Makes

2012-01-24T10:15:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 -- Glendale, CA -- 77 Degrees & Sun

Thursday, January 19, 2012 -- Muskego, WI -- 3 Degrees & Snow

Pulp Fiction Connection

2012-01-22T11:21:00.000-08:00

Upon watching Pulp Fiction the other day -- for the first time in more than a decade -- I was amazed at how many more places and place names I recognize now that I live here in Los Angeles where the film is set. Most notably, Jimmy (played by Quentin Tarantino) lives my neighborhood: Toluca Lake.

So when The Wolf says, "We're going to a place called Monster Joe's Truck and Tow. Now Monster Joe and his daughter Raquel are sympathetic to our dilemma. The place is North Hollywood. So a few twists and turns aside, we'll be goin' up Hollywood Way," I now know what he's talking about!

Oh, and it's a damn fine film, that Pulp Fiction.

Cat Fancy -- Larger Than Life

2012-01-20T20:45:00.000-08:00

Gina came back from her Christmas trip home with these new pillowcases. Yes, that is our cat, Moofy.

Football Mitt (Romney)

2012-01-19T13:17:00.000-08:00

Look at that follow-through -- could be John Elway! I don't know a whole lot about politics, and can't say I'm a fan of this guy, but I did find this story interesting. Apparently, likely Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, was named after distant cousin, Milton "Mitt" Romney who played quarterback for the University of Chicago's second-to-last Big Ten championship team in 1922. Yes, as this NBC 5 story says: "Before dropping out of Division I sports and going full nerd in the late 1930s, U of C (my graduate school alma mater!) had one of the top football programs in the nation." Go Maroons!

The elder Mitt was then the QB of the Bears for a couple years going 12-1-3 in 1926. I daresay the Bears could use him now...

Rock On, Neon Trees

2012-01-18T08:25:00.000-08:00

I got a nice day of work on a Buick commercial recently. (It was especially nice since it was a Saturday, which pays overtime rates.) There were several bands and tour buses involved in the shoot, though the only one I had heard of before was the Neon Trees. And their tour bus looked like it was pretty luxurious. I've got to imagine that riding on a virtual hotel on wheels is a nice way to see this country of ours...

By the way, this is a Neon Trees song in case you were wondering if you knew them or not.

SAG-AFTRA is the Name!

2012-01-17T16:14:00.000-08:00

It was just announced that SAG-AFTRA will be the name of the combined actors' union if and when the proposed merger passes. Sounds fine to me. Looks like we'll get to vote on it within the next month or so. The best part of a merger: money from work under both unions would count towards the same insurance and pension earnings minimums! Oh, and studios won't be able to get one union to undercut another for contracts...

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

"Assuming – as is virtually certain – that the boards approve the proposal, the package would then be sent to the two unions’ membership for a vote, a phase that SAG president Ken Howard and AFTRA president Roberta Reardon are likely to kick off with an announcement at the nationally televised SAG Awards on Jan. 30.

The ballots will probably go out in February, with a return date in March. Within each union, it takes a 60 percent affirmative vote, of those voting, in order to pass a merger referendum. The last merger attempts, in 1998 and 2003, foundered. In both cases, AFTRA passed the resolution, but SAG didn’t. SAG’s 2003 vote was 57.78 percent in favor, or about 2 percent shy of the requisite number.

In the last several years, however, SAG Hollywood members have voted overwhelmingly in favor of pro-merger candidates, which may foreshadow a thumbs up this time around."

Gracias!

2012-01-17T11:09:00.000-08:00

Over the past month or so, I've gotten several nice e-mails and notes about reading the blog; some even mentioned keeping up with it in the Christmas cards they sent me (thank you Nick and Sam!) All of your kind words and encouragements are appreciated.

My 2011 posting wasn't the most consistent or prolific, but I will try to be better about that. And yes, I hope I have some interesting things to share, as I don't want to completely bore those of you gracious enough to listen to my ramblings.

So, a big thanks to you readers who continue to be interested in my wacky journey out here in the City of Angels!

Actors Voting for Actors

2012-01-16T10:29:00.000-08:00

The Golden Globes last night kicked off the unofficial TV awards season. And for the fourth year in a row (I joined after the awards in 2008), I have the privilege of voting for my fellow thespians as part of the upcoming SAG Awards. I have until Jan 27 to submit my votes for the TBS broadcast on January 29th. This year, I have been fortunate to see many of the nominated performances already, but there are a few I have yet to see. For a full list of nominees, go HERE.

The Guild and the various studios have seen fit to send more screeners than in recent years; I have gotten five DVDs including The Help, The Artist, and Moneyball. Plus, they have made iTunes rentals available for several other films -- this is how I plan to see The Iron Lady and My Week With Marilyn. SAG has joined the eco-friendly modern age and all voting is done electronically now; no more filling in the small circles, a la the SAT.

On the TV side, I am thrilled to see the Breaking Bad ensemble and Bryan Cranston nominated once again. And I think the Modern Family nominations are well-deserved. I do have to catch up on some of the mini-series noms.

I look forward to exercising my right to vote!

A Different Casting P.O.V.

2012-01-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

As actors we are constantly talking about casting: who got which role, how can she be playing that? why would that guy be cast as the villain? etc.

My friend, Greg, who is not an actor, but a movie fan and avid reader, recently posted about casting from a different perspective on the Book Riot website, specifically about The Top 5 Miscast Literary Roles. Check it out. Whether you agree with him or not, it's a great read -- also the comments from readers that follow are quite entertaining and insightful. Here's my favorite on his list...

5. Nicolas Cage as Antonio Corelli in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin — Maybe it’s just me, but whenever Nic Cage appears on screen in any role, I can’t help but giggle. He’s just so silly. But his turn as a dreamy Italian guy made me laugh especially hard. Whoa.

Better choice: Brad Pitt

Sitting Next to "The Artist"

2012-01-14T00:02:00.000-08:00

Over a year ago, I wrote about working a few days on a little French film called The Artist. Now, the movie is getting a ton of awards season buzz. Unlike just about every other movie made in recent years, it is both black and white and silent. But don't let that steer you away, it really is a delightful departure from the norm.

If you do get a chance to see it, keep your eye out for me in a few scenes; most notably next to the main character, George, when he goes to see Peppy's movie about 3/4 of the way through (still frame above). And I also appear quickly in make-up and a tux with a clapboard at the very end. Fun times, those Roaring Twenties!

Happy New Year 2012!

2012-01-13T11:04:00.000-08:00

So, according to many reliable sources, 2012 is supposed to be the last year of this planet. Or time. Or humans. Or something. Anyway, if that is the case, I have some catching up to do. The year started off pretty lousily for me health-wise and I'm still trying to get back on my feet. Fortunately for me there are still some 350 days left in 2012! (and the 70-degree, sunny weather is helping...)

I trust each of you rang in the new year with cheer and hope for the future! May you have a successful and blessed 2012.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-27T11:12:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles is something of a ghost town this week. I think that's at least partially since so many people who live here are originally from somewhere else and they go back home. Also, most of the industry is shut down for the week between the holidays.

I wasn't able to head home to Wisconsin (though I plan to get back in January), so I've been enjoying the lack of traffic here in L.A. Also, it's in the 70s all week, so there's that. Still, I missed getting to see my family and friends and hope that each of you had a wonderful Christmas.

The cats are keeping me company; and my friends, Chris and Megan, had me over on Christmas Day to watch the Packer game and play a lot of Rock Band. And I'm continuing my own Christmas tradition of eating way more than necessary. Yes indeed, my holidays have been good so far.

Enjoy the last few days of 2011!

I Quit!

2011-12-19T09:21:00.000-08:00

Here is a project I worked on a little while ago. It is a promo/teaser for a reality show called "Quitters" in which I play the host. Just for reference: when an individual or production company has an idea for a show, instead of just pitching the idea on paper, they sometimes produce a teaser or short to better show what the program will actually be. And that's what this piece is.

It was a lot of fun to shoot, with some great actors to work with. My friend, Alex, plays a tormented employee.

WARNING: SOME LANGUAGE NOT SAFE FOR WORK (or for those with delicate ears)

Holy Cats

2011-12-17T14:37:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, Gina and I recently moved in together. The biggest adjustment? Our two cats, Moofy and Art, getting to know each other. Here are a few short videos to show how they are "getting along." The first is from when we just moved in November 1, the second was a standoff from a couple weeks later, and the last is from this week. Progress?

Poor Art just wants to be friends and Moofy isn't having it:

A standoff:

Thankfully the bellowing business has mostly stopped, though this tender moment is still the exception: