Follow your Passion!

So I don’t claim to be a some great magnificent actor. I really don’t even claim to be some good actor, I’m just some guy who fell in love with acting, performing, and possibly getting the chance to do or say one thing that reaches one person on some level that they connect with.  If I do that, then I am a very happy person.  

That all being said, I am rather new to acting. I didn’t move to LA to be an actor. In fact, I never, ever would have even thought of it.  I moved here to play music, start a band and well...rock.  But the universe had a different idea, and as the stars aligned, I kinda fell ass backward into acting.  I was smitten, and a little over 2 years ago I had this moment of “wow, this is how I want to spend my life, this is the hardest, most rewarding fun experience I have ever had and I don’t want it to ever end”. 

Now contrary to what you may think, acting is not glamorous. Its the furthest thing from it actually.  It’s uncomfortable itchy heavy winter clothing in 100 degree weather, lying or sitting ass naked on rocks and debris, face in the dirt for 12 hours mixed with fake sticky blood, and lots of sweat.  If you’re shooting a Blistering Cold Winter Scene, you can bet your ass it’s the middle of summer and 100 degrees out.  On the other hand if it’s a Summery  Swimming Scene in the ocean,  well, it’s 50 degrees outside and the ocean is freezing.  But to say that, and still say it is the absolute most fun I could have, then I think, maybe, I am doing something right.  I feel very fortunate for this, to know what I want to do and love it. Everyone should have this,EVERYONE- Follow your passion! 

This very short two second clip of me

playing a dead Viking Guard, I laid in the 

dirt for 4 1/2 hours, in sticky fake blood.

Man I had to pee, HAH! 

CJ Brady as Viking Guard on HBO's True Blood

Erics Flashback Scene. 

Now like mentioned before, I am new to acting.  It’s been an experience. I absolutely had NO idea how to act, or what acting was.  A brief example of this is falling into my very first real role in a short film with actual dialog, before I had decided I was going to pursue acting as a career. I was, well a wee bit FREAKED out!!  So I asked a buddy of mine, an actor named Jonathan, if he could help me with the part and what to do, because I had NO IDEA what to do.  He agreed and I promptly set a time to meet up.  

"Oh jesus, what have you gotten 

yourself into this time you stupid,

stupid little boy"

coming to Jesus moment

Above pictured CJ Brady as "Casey"

in The Pleasure of Purr Company 

at The Raven Playhouse

Now, to emphasize that I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, I am going to give you an example of what I expected to happen next... I sent him a copy of the script, drove to his house, and I had assumed in my head that he was going to tell me exactly how to say my lines.  Because I thought, that’s all acting was right?  You just say lines, because actorsknow how to say them better than regular people.  (I know I know)  So... I had expected him to say, “Okay CJ, you say this sentence like this, and this word say it like that.  Look up here, and down here”. 

Ok, ok seriously, I know how this sounds and it’s really very embarrassing I know, but I like to live on “front street” -  I believe in just putting it all out there, being upfront and honest.

So I had no idea of any process that actors used or go through in order to create depth and meaning to simple words on paper.  (and FYI, that’s what we get... just words on paper)  Well, long story short, my mind was blown, my eyes were opened, and an entire new world just opened up to me.  I was excited....and scared shitless. “What the fuck have I gotten myself into?!”  ...I’m not going to dwell on this for too much longer, maybe this will be another blog later but for now, I want to get into my point of this story and how it intertwines with the play I am in.  See “First Kiss."

So one, of the biggest things I have learned about acting, is that it is about “making choices”.  You make choices and commit to them.  Since I have started acting I look at film, TV, and plays in a completely different light.  Now, anyone who knows me will attest that I tend to be a bit overly optimistic and positive, this is true.  But now even more so when watching a movie or television show.  Now I see the actor making choices, good bad, great... whatever opinions I have, I try to respect that the actor made a choice to do that, and yes OF COURSE along with the direction of the director, script etc, (I’m not trying to exclude any other talents on set..) but a choice the actor has made.  I respect that, and in fact get very excited about it, even the smallest choices like “I drink out of my coffee cup now” choice.   During the run of the play, I have come to realize as soon as you do something live like a play, and you make your choices on that stage, many of your family and friends all of a sudden become “directors” and “critics” and you start to hear feedback like, “it would be funny if you said this instead of this”  or “I think you should do this instead of this”  Everyone has an opinion, much like watching a movie when you see the hot girl run into the woods and you yell, “you dumb bi*ch now you’re going to die, hey good, good scream a little louder, I don’t think the axe murderer heard you?!?!”  Except in this situation, you’re friends and family have a voice and your ear to speak into.  

My character "Happy" in the play

Hollywood Positive at The Raven Playhouse.

"laid back, hippie, harmless, stoner nice guy"

Choices made.

photo credit - Every Candid Moment Photography 

Now feedback can be good to hear, insightful even, as well as a boost when it’s positive, but I guess what I am trying to say is you kind of have to filter what you’re going to listen to.  So about 4 shows in,  (took a while, I know) I came to the conclusion that everyone and their mother is going to have an opinion,  but an ongoing  play really seems to be a living, breathing thing, it keeps evolving and changing slightly night to night, and that’s part of the thrill I fell in love with.  

Yes, it took a while, but I had concluded that I had made choices for my role, for my character,  and was excited and happy the work I had done.  I guess what I am trying to say is, sit back and enjoy the show and maybe get moved a little bit, or hate it and and let that move you as well, but the last thing the actors need to hear is what “you” would have done, or how “you” would have written or said that. Because really, if that’s the case, then the only thing stopping you from going out and doing it yourself is you, and I highly say DO THAT. It’s an amazing experience I wish everyone could have.  Follow your passions!