CELT final blog post!!

WOW. I am so sad that that it’s over. It was awesome. When I first came out here I didn’t know what to expect…but I was really nervous that it was going to be a lot of fake people and loneliness. It has been the exact opposite. I have met the most wonderful people and been surrounded by so much culture. Los Angeles really has a lot to offer. My internship with Sheila/Michelle has been totally eye-opening. I have learned so much about what goes on “on the other side of the table” in regard to casting film and television. This information is totally invaluable for me (or any actor hoping to pursue a career in Hollywood). I feel so lucky. And the classes I have taken have been awesome.

I couldn’t thank CELT enough for helping me out with gas and housing this summer… providing me with the essentials so that I could truly live, enjoy, and learn the utmost possible. The gas especially….. It’s so expensive here! And you have to drive everywhere! I don’t know how people afford it. I guess I need a more efficient car. But all the driving and gas was totally worth it. I got to meet incredible people… working actors, managers, casting directors, editors, producers, etc. Sure, I spent a lot of time sorting through paperwork and running errands but all of it got me closer to the place I want to eventually be.

I came into this summer hoping to be able to make a decision about whether this is something I really want to pursue and with this information and this experience I think I can actually say that yes, this is the place I want to move back to after graduation. That’s a great feeling… knowing what my trajectory is post college.

Overall, I’m really proud with the work I’ve done this summer. I feel like I’ve really helped Michelle and really learned a lot. I couldn’t thank CELT enough for helping me out. Without the money from the scholarship this summer wouldn’t have been half as fulfilling (or possible at all). All summer I’ve felt fulfilled and fueled and like I’m learning sooo much. Is there anything more I could ask for?

This is a picture of the outside of the UCB building where I took classes all summer. UCB is an a comedy troop that was created by Amy Poehler and they have an improv and sketch comedy training center. It’s awesome! And I’m so grateful for CELT which gave me the financial freedom to take this class!! It really enhanced my experience in LA.

 

This is a picture of the view from my backyard. I lived on a mountain- Mount Washington, which is in North East LA. Its great because you get the nature of the mountain but the skyline of downtown!! When I move back to LA I hope to be living here again.

 

Was having technical difficulties before…..

CELT internship midpoint blog

I can’t believe summer is half way over! Pardon me for the sparse blog posts… I’ve been busy out here in Los Angeles! It’s been a great summer so far. Since the last time I wrote, the plan changed a bit. I was originally planning on working primarily with the casting director Sheila Guthrie but because of some last minute plans of hers, I have ended up spending most of my time with talent manager Michelle Benedetti. She works for herself under the label Benedetti Entertainment and is recognized as a phenomenal manager in Hollywood. My time with her has been great. I go into her office most days of the week to help with paperwork, errands, or making phone calls- mostly anything that can make her day easier.

I also get to do more interesting stuff! For example, Michelle brought me with her on the set of Home &Family, which films at Universal Studios. It was fascinating! I got to watch really watch how the show is put on. The face-paced, perfectly timed orchestration of the camera crew and actors is really impressive. And even though its all business, everyone is smiles all the time. Everyone was really welcoming to me. They answered my questions, humored my excitement, and even let me be in the audience for one of the segments. Walking around Universal Studios with an insider pass was an experience of its own. I almost felt famous! Below is a picture of me on the Universal Studios set of Home and Family with actor Jocko Simms and host Mark Steins.

I’m feeling really grateful to CELT for the scholarship money because it has given me the opportunity to take some really amazing classes out here in LA- classes I would otherwise not have been able to afford. Between this learning opportunity and the networking that I have been able to do, I’ve really been able to take the strides I need to take in order to advance my career. Looking forward to the rest of the summer!!!

 

On May 17th, after plenty of tears and goodbyes said to graduating seniors, I will be leaving packing up my 2006 Jeep Liberty and hitting the road for California.

I will arrive to old friends and family, people that knew me when I was 2, welcoming me to the land of celebrities and not enough water- the place that will become my home for the next three months. I was fortunate to receive an Internship with Sheila Guthrie, the former VP of casting for CBS television. I will be working with her, exploring my new (old) neighborhood, and eating in-an-out burger all summer long… and I can’t wait!

My internship this summer (or as the plan thus far suggests) will include a lot of time in the office sorting through head shots/resumes, making calls to actors and agencies as well as going with Sheila on auditions. On auditions I will serve as the reader, which is the person that reads the other lines of a scene with the auditioning actor.

This internship is going to help me immensely with my career goals as I move forward. I hope, someday to be a film/television actress or be involved in the field in some way. With this internship I will meet a lot of professionals- including actors, producers, and casting directors, which will help me to create a solid network for when I move back to California after college (considering all goes well!). I also will be working from behind the casting table, which will serve to give me lots of insight/perspective on what a good audition/headshot/resume looks like.

As I reference earlier, I am originally from LA though I grew up in Virginia. This internship is also a wonderful opportunity for me to explore my roots and reconnect with old family & friends who knew me way back when.

I am soo very excited for this opportunity! And I am so grateful to CELT who has been so generous and supportive throughout the process- this wouldn’t be possible without the scholarship!

Wish me luck and safe driving!