Yesterday I was on set as an extra, and it was a great time. The folks working behind the scenes at Boardwalk Empire do an amazing job and I am very proud to have taken part: here's hoping they will call my number again!
Now, there's no certainty of being seeing when doing background work. Although, the great thing about being an extra is that your position within the film can change rather quickly. It's like throwing your name into a raffle and you could win some face time on screen and with a few people you might really like. This is also a great chance to network and meet people. I've learned over time that it's more important to have fun and enjoy the people you're around than always looking for a selling angle. So, I do what I naturally enjoy doing: making some friends and neat acquaintances. This show was an excellent example of that.
But you WILL see my face on T.V tomorrow night. It's Discovery I.D's Dates from Hell, and I'm a lead! It'll air at 10pm tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Happy Fourth
This is one of my favorite Holidays. I love that, tomorrow, we can all embrace each other as country-kin. And, in spite of the fact there remains great difference, I hope you find camaraderie that is beneficent and wide-embracing.
I'm already thinking of the wonderful mellow heat that will fade away into quiet darkness--before the booms of fire flowers make their brief glows across the sky--with the comforting scent of grilled embers, wafting through the background.
Yeah, yeah, I'm getting poetic,
but no matter where you are, or where you have come, or by what category you define yourself, I hope you'll find time to be safe and enjoy!
-Ben
I'm already thinking of the wonderful mellow heat that will fade away into quiet darkness--before the booms of fire flowers make their brief glows across the sky--with the comforting scent of grilled embers, wafting through the background.
Yeah, yeah, I'm getting poetic,
but no matter where you are, or where you have come, or by what category you define yourself, I hope you'll find time to be safe and enjoy!
-Ben
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Discovery I.D. and Me!
Well, the secret is out and you're all the first to know! My humble debut on television will be with Discovery I.D's Dates from Hell. It's a series covering really wild encounters told by the survivors of some very scary first dates. And all the stories are true, which makes the tales all the more fascinating. I guess I won't reveal too much about my own character, but needless to say tha,t if you know me, it's the last kind of person you'd expect.
My episode will air July 25th at 10pm. Huzzah.
-Ben
My episode will air July 25th at 10pm. Huzzah.
-Ben
Thursday, June 7, 2012
The Original Starship Enterprise
I just so happened to be working a gig on the water last night, and saw the Enterprise. And took the photo you see now. It's incredible to finally see it in person. Let's all cross our fingers that we are merely delaying out 'reentry' into American space endeavors.
(Like this picture? I did it WITH MY PHONE.)
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The Best Thoughts on the Arts I have ever Heard.
There are so many of you who are graduating, and many of you who have passed beyond the years of academia, watch the video linked below. The speaker is Neil Gaiman. And his words are the complete truth about the careers in which we artistic souls embark.
The best thoughts on the arts I have ever heard.
The best thoughts on the arts I have ever heard.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
This. Is. ACTING.
Update Report (or "Repor", if you will...):
Yesterday I auditioned for the Philadelphia Shakespeare company season. And since it's Shakespeare, I had to go. This was my first time doing long distance from up North: the challenge was to make a noon audition and then return to New York before 4pm for the start of one of my Supporting Jobs. This was so only because the original day was in conflict and there was no other sane approach to make the commitment possible. Buses saved the day (anything else would have been prohibitively expensive). Although I had somehow lost my charger. My phone was completely out of power when I woke up. By the time I got to Philly, the location was a bit fuzzy and, to my astonishment, no one in the N. 30th street train station or the bus stop had any idea that where this place was. I managed to find an odd-looking charging replacement, looked it up once again for good measure, and made it with seconds to spare. Sometimes, even the best planning has it's foils! I then went in, where I was warmly welcomed, did what we actors do, and then managed to catch another bus 15 minutes later to get back to the Sleepless City. In all, I had been to the land of Cheese Steaks (I still haven't had one from there!) for barely 30 minutes. And there you are.
I have a lot of acting work coming up this weekend and more thoughts on being on my first major Film set.
See ya soon.
-Ben
Yesterday I auditioned for the Philadelphia Shakespeare company season. And since it's Shakespeare, I had to go. This was my first time doing long distance from up North: the challenge was to make a noon audition and then return to New York before 4pm for the start of one of my Supporting Jobs. This was so only because the original day was in conflict and there was no other sane approach to make the commitment possible. Buses saved the day (anything else would have been prohibitively expensive). Although I had somehow lost my charger. My phone was completely out of power when I woke up. By the time I got to Philly, the location was a bit fuzzy and, to my astonishment, no one in the N. 30th street train station or the bus stop had any idea that where this place was. I managed to find an odd-looking charging replacement, looked it up once again for good measure, and made it with seconds to spare. Sometimes, even the best planning has it's foils! I then went in, where I was warmly welcomed, did what we actors do, and then managed to catch another bus 15 minutes later to get back to the Sleepless City. In all, I had been to the land of Cheese Steaks (I still haven't had one from there!) for barely 30 minutes. And there you are.
I have a lot of acting work coming up this weekend and more thoughts on being on my first major Film set.
See ya soon.
-Ben
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Incredi-densed!
Ah....
...
(Is this thing on?)
Oh. There you are. And here I am.
Surprised to see me?
I'm a little surprised myself.
You can take a wild guess that if I haven't been able to post for awhile that a lot of pretty amazing things have happened!
As of now, I no longer return to my dwellings down by the Jersey Shore (not the Show!). I took a look at my bank account. And then I took a, well metaphorical, look at New York City. It's this magical place where actors of many kinds and all directions converge. Four years ago, the light came on and my love for the city has grown ever since. So, OF COURSE, I know how much fun was being missed.
The choice came down to move NOW, and hope that all will move forward as dreamed for a long, long time, or wait at least another year or two and see if any traction would put tread beneath my determined toes.
I
am an impatient man.
The plan has been evolving and striving for realization ever since. We're about an annum from the difficult first attempt.
With lessons learned, and new wisdom now conscript, I made another effort into the battle to push North. And, at last, I have arrived!
Well, I'm in Newark. But it's a heck of a lot closer! Put in Long Branch, New Jersey, in your favorite online map program (I google it myself...the hopelessly Big Brother'd person I am). Then put in Herald Square, New Yorkk. Hit the public transportation icon for directions. This was the first 45 days of my plan to hold the job that will pay for the permanent move. And, by golly, I did just that.
I pounded pavement; got employed. On the first day of official training, literally a week before exhaustion and expenses would, again, have made the whole thing grind to a halt (mind you, I'm up by 6am and not home until 1-2am the next day, not to mention that New Jersey Transit prices from the shore are almost highway robbery), I'm talking to a coworker/mentor the first day of training. He begins asking about where I'm from and why I'm up there (and not a bit further south). I tell him journey thus far, and my serious need for a new living space.
"Well, actually, one of the guys here just got a new place and really needs someone."
A few hours later, I'm finding myself working next to my future roommate and landlord (?!).
This house has the PATH train within walking distance. And the surprisingly charming Ironbound, filled with the influences of Brazilians and Portuguese, is now my home.
Now you may be saying, if you had the fascinating impulse to talk to your computer/smarter-than-you phone screen,
"Hey Ben, but weren't you in that show thing in New York already?".
Yes I was.
And then immediately afterwards, was cast in another show with the good folks at The Attic Ensemble.
When that closed its curtains, I proceeded to allow myself to curl into a warm, crumpled ball and focused on my survival work. And a little rest.
In the past month or so, I put my foot down again and started submitting. There will be a commercial, a TV program, and a new HBO series, all with me somewhere within. And the Attic Ensemble guys called me in for another kids show, which just wrapped up.
There are also a whole snowing of other auditions, including more independent short and feature films, a new musical, a tour, and yes, maybe some more theater dashed in there. All the while, finding more survival employment to extend my stay here and really start investing towards the big stuff.
So there you have it. The incredi-densed version of the last three months.
...
(Is this thing on?)
Oh. There you are. And here I am.
Surprised to see me?
I'm a little surprised myself.
You can take a wild guess that if I haven't been able to post for awhile that a lot of pretty amazing things have happened!
As of now, I no longer return to my dwellings down by the Jersey Shore (not the Show!). I took a look at my bank account. And then I took a, well metaphorical, look at New York City. It's this magical place where actors of many kinds and all directions converge. Four years ago, the light came on and my love for the city has grown ever since. So, OF COURSE, I know how much fun was being missed.
The choice came down to move NOW, and hope that all will move forward as dreamed for a long, long time, or wait at least another year or two and see if any traction would put tread beneath my determined toes.
I
am an impatient man.
The plan has been evolving and striving for realization ever since. We're about an annum from the difficult first attempt.
With lessons learned, and new wisdom now conscript, I made another effort into the battle to push North. And, at last, I have arrived!
Well, I'm in Newark. But it's a heck of a lot closer! Put in Long Branch, New Jersey, in your favorite online map program (I google it myself...the hopelessly Big Brother'd person I am). Then put in Herald Square, New Yorkk. Hit the public transportation icon for directions. This was the first 45 days of my plan to hold the job that will pay for the permanent move. And, by golly, I did just that.
I pounded pavement; got employed. On the first day of official training, literally a week before exhaustion and expenses would, again, have made the whole thing grind to a halt (mind you, I'm up by 6am and not home until 1-2am the next day, not to mention that New Jersey Transit prices from the shore are almost highway robbery), I'm talking to a coworker/mentor the first day of training. He begins asking about where I'm from and why I'm up there (and not a bit further south). I tell him journey thus far, and my serious need for a new living space.
"Well, actually, one of the guys here just got a new place and really needs someone."
A few hours later, I'm finding myself working next to my future roommate and landlord (?!).
This house has the PATH train within walking distance. And the surprisingly charming Ironbound, filled with the influences of Brazilians and Portuguese, is now my home.
Now you may be saying, if you had the fascinating impulse to talk to your computer/smarter-than-you phone screen,
"Hey Ben, but weren't you in that show thing in New York already?".
Yes I was.
And then immediately afterwards, was cast in another show with the good folks at The Attic Ensemble.
When that closed its curtains, I proceeded to allow myself to curl into a warm, crumpled ball and focused on my survival work. And a little rest.
In the past month or so, I put my foot down again and started submitting. There will be a commercial, a TV program, and a new HBO series, all with me somewhere within. And the Attic Ensemble guys called me in for another kids show, which just wrapped up.
There are also a whole snowing of other auditions, including more independent short and feature films, a new musical, a tour, and yes, maybe some more theater dashed in there. All the while, finding more survival employment to extend my stay here and really start investing towards the big stuff.
So there you have it. The incredi-densed version of the last three months.
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