Backing Into Artistickiness

Last Monday, the Monday of Independence Day Week, a new guy showed up at my Improv class. (I say "my Improv class" like it's mine, which it isn't, so I'll amend that to say "our Improv class", which it is.) The teacher introduced him as a Director, and she actually did pronounce the capital "D", because he is a Director in the sense that he directs movies. At the moment, he is directing a short film.

Our teacher explained that he was there to meet the class because she thought he might find someone he'd like to cast in his film, and we all welcomed him, not because he is The Director Who Might Cast One Of Us In His Movie, but because that's how we are. Improv is fun and reasonable human beings like to share their fun, at least most of the time.

Later, when he was leaving, the teacher pointed to me and said, "Kurt is the guy I told you about who might be good for your lead."

Gulp.

Me?

He told us a little about the project, and invited me to what he referred to as an open casting call for the project on Thursday night.

So. I went.

Reading the pages, I immediately understood the character I was auditioning to play. Divorced dad, slightly angry, doesn't get along with his ex-wife. Got it.

Once I'd read the two scenes they wanted me to read, and done a couple more exercises the Director wanted me to do on camera, they asked how long I could stay. "We just want to have you read with a few of the boys auditioning for the role of the son, and if you can stay a little longer after that, with some of the women auditioning to play the ex-wife."

I was there for two hours.

When they let me go, I felt I'd done okay...there was more I could have done to polish the performance...but I knew it was a good sign that they's asked me to stay and read with a variety of other actors. It meant they wanted to see how well the other actors played off me.

Yesterday, he called and offered me the part.

One scene will feature me fly-fishing. I have never done any fly-fishing, so before we shoot that scene, the Director will arrange for me to get some tutoring on the subject. So, I did some research on fly-fishing, and it turns out that Brad Pitt had to do the same thing to prepare for his role in A River Runs Through It.

So, I will have that in common with Brad Pitt, at least.

Life is funny that way.