Pre-Real Vampires

I wanted to tell you about my sketch before it comes out. I also wanted to talk some backstory.

When I first met my friend Chloe, I was really excited to possibly film something with another actor who was on their shit and not just sitting around, like how so many 'actors' are doing. I knew I wanted to do a sketch with her. The question was, what should we film?

My mind sort of worked things out in this way--
I was at home, thinking of characters. I thought of a number of random things and each thought fluttered out of mind. Then I thought "What about some characters everyone already knows? Like a magic well-known person." Then I looked to my random vampire teeth that I have chillin' in my room, from an old Halloween costume. Then I thought: how many comedy sketches are about vampires? I've only seen one. And it was about a guy in a cape. If I did a sketch about vampires, I definitely wouldn't want it to be about stereotypical vampires. I'd want it to be more casual. Like they're just normal people, who do normal people things. Like go to the store, and fall in love. Normal people who also happen to be vampires. Hence the name:
Real Vampires.
Perfect. I decided this would be great for Chloe and I. I started writing it right away. The characters reflecting our real personalities, how we actually talk. Then I did a little research on vampires, and found out that the people who are into vampires, are REALLY into vampires. They even volunteer to have their friends suck blood out of them. Fuckin' weird. "I'm going to add that into my sketch."

So, we decided to film this beezy, and I wrote part of it and a few weeks later we filmed a scene from it. (This picture above is from when we filmed)
There are 3 installments. Episode 1 is all written out, and we are submitting it to SAG so that we can become SAG eligible. I have also written roles that will be played by some friends I've made in LA. The love interest of my character will be played by Nico, a super awesome guy I met on the set of Californication. After playing people digging on each other in a club for like 12 hours, we bonded.
Chloe's love interest will be played by Robert, my friend from the set of Wonder Woman. He's already a superstar, so I wrote his character as- a movie star. That should be really fun.
There will also be smaller parts played by Monique, my friend from my old Starbucks from Newark. She's playing the weirdo who likes getting blood sucked from her. And she's hilarious. Be ready for that.
Then there's roles played by my roommate Marie, and my coworkers Paul, Leah, and maybe Nik from my new store.

As you can see, there's a lot of things I'm excited for. The main thing being a piece of work that is really funny, has characters you care about, and that are intriguing.

This morning I have started writing Episode 2. Then I took a break to write this blog, because, like I said- I'm really excited about it, haha.

Taking Off My Mask

There's been a mask I've always hid behind. A cover, a film. Dingy and separate from my real, pure self. It's almost as if there's been a layer of metaphorical dirt that has clogged my skin and kept people from seeing past, and into something personal. This guard has been up since I moved to Redwood City in 4th grade. Getting teased for being weird. This is also when I started having problems with my skin.
I have begun to see a connection.
Have I brought this onto myself to push people away? Scared that if they see past my mask, they will not like what they see?
Well I'm ready to take it off. I'm able to see who I really am, and I like that person. I AM that person inside- and not the mask I've worn for so long.
I don't want that stupid mask anymore.
I don't need affirmation that I am good, or talented, or beautiful. I know I am those things.
I am happy to be me, and to live comfortably with my self. I am happy to accompany myself along in this journey to achievement. I look forward to looking in the mirror and sharing a smile with myself, knowing full well that I am perfect where I am, and who I'm supposed to be.

I've decided to share this because it feels pretty good having come to this realization. That being myself is what fuels me to take care of my health and continue being creative and joyful. If it can help you to find yourself and ditch that unsightly growth that's developed over the years, then I'm glad.

American Royalty

"Pale skin, a black bow in your hair
I know that you're half crazy, but I don't care"
Bullfighter Jacket by Minature Tigers.

That song is really cute, I encourage you to check it out by going to this link--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6TDP89a_rs&NR=1

So hey! Today was a great, and wonderfully productive day!
Remember I told you about how my friend Chloe and I are working on filming a sketch? If you haven't read about that, check out my first blog. Anyway, we're striving really hard on making this into a SAG affiliated sketch, so in order to do that, we had to do our homework and research, get advice from my lovely friend Jeff (who is a SAG actor), fill out a bunch of stuff on some official forms, and rewrite some of the script. We even got a new member of our film crew! A man whom Chloe met just today, who is a good person aaaand has professional equipment. THIS JUST GOT LEGIT FOLKS!
We are also working hard on beginning the quest of getting some AGENTS. 'Cause really? If we are going to be SAG eligible,  we need to be able to pay those hefty union fees of $2,500 or whatever crazy amount of money it is.
So besides doing actor stuff, (which by the way is really fun stuff to do, I recommend everyone follow their dreams) we kicked it at my place and hit up my peeps at Starbeezy for a bit. We also decided on some music to use as our intro to the sketch. Super awesome! Then we parted ways.
She was to go on and do headshots, and I, to see my dear friend Max perform as Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream at UCLA.
Um. Have you ever been to UCLA? It's sooo magnificent. I kept saying shit while I was there, like "It's like I'm at an American castle right now!!!!" And inside one of the buildings in this American castle? Baskin Robbins. SO. COOL. It's things like that that make me wish I were one of those smart people who took the time to get their education in a legitimate setting. Who work hard and study hard to receive  their diplomas. Me? I went to a community college for a year and a half.
Hahaha, Baskin Robbins makes me want to go to a University. Oh, me.
Anyway, I brought along a coworker and his loved ones- and we were late (TRAFFIC!!!!!).
It was a hassle, and we got kind of lost, but it was so worth it to see Max doing what he does best. Being silly onstage. That's how we met, in high school plays. Boy, I missed that guy.
I realize this post had no real 'theme', but when good things happen to you, and you're proud, and happy, and really living- you tend to want to ramble on about them. I've decided to name this post American Royalty.
To end this post I will now talk of some more American Royalty: Justin Beiber. Isn't he a dreamboat???? I mean, come on. If you don't love him, you're obviously just jealous.
Ende.

Bitter Starbeezy.

Being tired is my disease. Being hurt and aching are things that go along with it. Where does this come from? Stress? I do not want to be so tired all the time.
Right now I'm up, solely because I know that when I wake up, it will be into a day where I have to wake early and work in an atmosphere that makes me uncomfortable.
Starbucks. A place I have grown more and more detached to. I know that being there will cause me physical pain. Carpal tunnel from making drinks, headaches from wearing a headset, and neckaches from the green apron. I know that once there, people will demand and criticize and indulge in great gluttony- and never tip. I know that people will arrive, look past me, talk on their phones while ordering from me, shove their money in my hand, and writhe their ways into getting past the system and pinching a few pennies. I know that they will expect great service, when frankly? I don't want to give that to them. I know that people will honk their horns to get my attention in drive through, only to not even know what they want.
Can you tell that I'm bitter?
I've worked at Starbucks for almost 5 years and it's opened a lot of doors for me. It's flexible, and treats it's partners with a good amount of fairness. BUT, it's a pain in my ass and I can't wait till the day when I can quit that mother.
Every night has become a true test of my strength. My strength to not tell someone "No you can't have fucking extra caramel and extra whipped cream on your stupid Caramel Frappuccino. No, I already wrote down that you wanted a grande, I'm not going to waste a fucking cup because now you're suddenly thirstier and 'need' a venti. No I will NOT remake your drink because you fucked up and ordered the wrong thing EVEN after I made sure that was really what you wanted. And hey, I'm not going to ask you if you want a fuckin' pastry to go with that, because your greedy ass doesn't need it."

Los Angeles is wonderful, and I almost shed a tear looking out of my car window today. I love being here with every fiber of my being. I'm happy. And one day I wont work at Starbucks. One day that will happen. AND. IT. WILL. BE. AWESOME. (understatement)

Amber Jene and the Big Score

I donno why this is titled this way. I decided it sounded cool after thinking, what describes my first Blog?
Well, here ya go. My mostly asleep little body and mind is shutting off and that's the title.

Why am I so sleepy you may ask?

Well, I shall tell you.

Here in LA, I work a lot. I keep busy. And it feels fuckin' BOMB.

 Speaking of bomb, the world was supposed to end today. And it didn't. That's pretty cool. I like the world.

Let's talk of my day, shall we? Alright, fa sho.
I woke up to a cold ass room, threw on my robe and didn't drink any coffee. This is definitely a strange occurrence here in my little dwellings. Hit up my box of cereal and got ready to say what up to the world. I was on a mission. A mission to go to my friend Chloe's house.
Let's get sidetracked for a minute here.
Chloe is my new friend here in LA. She's freaking AWESOME, and if she reads this then hey. Dude. You're super amazing and you know it. Chloe and I met on the set of the Wonder Woman Pilot, where we were both playing members of the press. We sat close to each other and I helped her escape from some creepers who were using some Star Wars 'force' shit to convince her she needed to date them. She has a little English accent, and moved here to LA with her sister 2 months before I did. We are both pursuing acting, working our asses off to get out there in the industry, and are pretty lucky to have found each other. Basically.
So I was going to her house over in West Hollywood, which from my house is about a 40 minute drive. The traffic here is pretty lame, but it doesn't really affect me too much. The freeways aren't what's bad. Stupid Santa Monica Blvd is probably the most annoying street ever. Avoid it, I guess is my advice.
I picked her up to help me look for parking (as there is none and I'm super lame) and kicked it for a while.
Then this girl busts out a super awesome idea. "Hey, you want to be SAG right?"
Ok.
Let's get sidetracked again.
YES. Every actor who wants to be legitimate wants to be a member of the Screen Actors Guild. But it's really hard to get into. It could take years for an actor to become SAG, and there's all these crazy catch 22 type things that go along with it. You have to receive vouchers from getting a role in a SAG affliated movie or a number of other impossible ways. So basically, you want it. But you know it'll be a struggle to get it.
"Yes I want to be SAG." Well- Chloe tells me of a sort of loophole. There's a way to make your own movie, put it up on YouTube, have it SAG affiliated, and you can give yourself a voucher. That's the short version of it. But now we have this option that we can take, and make ourselves fully LEGIT.
SOOO EXCITED!
Then we went to an acting class together. It turned out to be quantum physics type stuff, which I'm fully into, but was definitely not what I was thinking it was going to be.

After the class, and after having Chloe tell me I should just read this other book instead of taking $500 classes from these random people- I took off down the I-5 South, and into my Starbucks. It was a slow night, the first slow night I've experienced since moving to LA. I guess no one cares about Starbucks when they think it's the end of the world.