What is My Life?

Hey Abyss,

These last two weeks have gone by faster than a jar of  Kraft Crunchy Peanut Butter in my cupboard.

As you may know, last weekend I had the opportunity to go to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) premiere of All the Wrong Reasons and had an absolute blast. I took a bus up on Saturday evening after class and arrived Sunday morning at 1:45 a.m. Then I slept at my friends place, caught up with another friend of mine for lunch downtown, then went down to the premiere, which was playing at the Scotiabank Theatre. I have never seen a bigger movie theatre, it was huge and sold out to boot. I took my seat with the rest of the cast and crew and proceeded to watch the film that had been a year in the making.

All the Wrong Reasons was a beautiful exploration of real relationships and issues and how they affect  every day people and their lives. Gia Milani executed it so gracefully, I found myself getting completely invested into the lives of the characters, despite having read the script previously. Karine Vanesse's performance was stunning as a woman who is suffering from PTSD and trying to keep her marriage together. She is married to the late Cory Monteith, who completely pulls off the middle aged store manager longing for a change in his life.  Kevin Zegers also surprised me with his ability to transform into a recently injured fire fighter working to get his life back. They all did a phenomenal job bringing life to the screenplay Gia had written.

After the film, Karine, Gia, Emily Hampshire, Denis Theriault and myself headed out to the after party, but not before seeing James Franco getting his photos taken right in front of us! The after party was at this swanky place called the C-Lounge and as we entered Adrian Brody was leaving with his entourage. Looking back, the best part about the party (besides the amazing free food and open bar) was that there were so many Nova Scotian's there. At first, I felt like I fish out of water surrounded by all these people associated with the Film & Entertainment industry, but as I walked around and investigated (while continuously eating sliders and sushi) I found my community! It was so wonderful to see so many familiar faces and made me ease right into the situation and have an absolute blast. The whole evening was surreal to me and made me feel like Cinderella, especially since I had to dart off back to Montreal at midnight.

I arrived in Montreal around 7 a.m. Monday morning, and went to class still wired off the events that had happened only a few hours ago. That week we worked with Andrew Shaver for 3 days on creating our Voice Over demos. He is an extremely cool guy, and the voice of Subway, and brought in a lot of his friends including Danny Brochu (The voice of Buster Baxter from Arthur) from the Radio, Television, Video Game and Animation world to answer our many questions about the industry and how to transition into it. I really hope he is able to come back to teach us later this year, I had a blast getting in the studio and messing around with voices sound effects. After working with Andrew and his friends I am seriously considering Voice Over work as an endeavour.

This morning I arrived back with my classmates, we just spent two days in Niagara-on-the-Lake seeing 5 shows at the Shaw Festival. I really enjoyed myself and the vibe I got from the Festival. We had the chance to speak with a panel of actors from the company who were extremely inspiring. They had such great advice and really made me feel positive about the choices I am making as an emerging actor. We had the pleasure of seeing Major Barbara, Peace in Our Time, Trifles, and Guys & Dolls. 

Tomorrow we begin rehearsals for out first show; Lion in the Streets by Judith Thompson. I have been looking forward to this moment since I returned to Montreal, the play is a gritty, psycho-sexual piece that is raw and unforgiving and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into the text and bring it to life with my classmates and Ravi Jain, our Director. I have spent most of my Sunday preparing my script and readying myself for the week. Lion in the Streets is premiering in the Hydro-Quebec Studio space at the Monument-Nationale, October 22nd.

Also, BONE DEEP opened at the Atlantic Film Festival on the 14th to a sold out crowd, and I have received a lot of praise for my performance. I am extremely proud of the film, a lot of heart went into it. I hope that people continue walking out feeling just how much.

I need to sleep.

Night Abyss :)

Perspective.

Hey Abyss,

Finally being able to spend some ample time in Toronto was probably the best thing I could have done for myself all summer. Simply walking around and familiarizing myself with the city, as vast as it is, was gratifying.  For some reason, I had fabricated this daunting image of Toronto, I pictured myself drowning in a sea of people and getting locked into a public restroom over night... I concluded that these thoughts were completely irrational as I felt so alive in a city with that much opportunity. There is something beautiful to me about being a stranger in a new place, big or small, I feel like anything and everything can happen. Needless to say, I had a solid week there and had some wonderful experiences with both old and new friends.

I had an absolute blast with the kids in Aladdin Jr. they all did such an amazing job and brought a beautiful energy to the show. They only got to perform it once and I really wish they could have done it again, there is nothing like performing after a successful show. I was extremely proud of the work that we as a team accomplished over those two weeks, they really stepped up and restored my faith that anything is possible with dedication and hard work. Thank you guys :)

While in Toronto I was able to see the Taming of the Shrew at Shakespeare in High Park. I loved it. The set was phenomenal and the cast was really strong and seemed to be having a blast despite the 45 degree heat wave that plagued Toronto for the week. CanadianStage collaborated with the Production grads from York university for the show, which I thought was a brilliant idea and really surged a young and contemporary energy into the piece.

I wish I could have seen MacBeth because a friend of mine was in the lead and it was apparently a very dark rendition of the show (I love dark, and macabre things).  Before I left on Saturday I managed to get rush tickets to the Part One premiere of Angels in America at Soulpepper, which simply blew my mind. The cast was so strong and really made me go, "Oh! those are what good theatre actors are like..." as juvenile and naive as that sounds. Being at a school where we are all training you see several stages of development in performance so it was refreshing to see actors who have been doing this at an extremely professional level for years. It just brought things into perspective for me, as most of the trip did.

I was able to stay with my friend Sébastien Heins and his very gracious family who esentially treated me like their son for the week. I felt so taken care of and informed in all of their hands, I really could not have asked for a better place to stay. I continue to be amazed by the work ethic of Sébastien, he just never seems to stop creatively. I admire this so much because he makes the art that he cares about, and people see this in him and offer him more opportunities to show his skills and talents. It is the creative life in its purest form, constantly producing. I feel that I am still finding out what makes me creatively tick, what makes me excited about acting, what I am looking to accomplish or work towards. And as always those ideas are constantly shifting.

I also got to hang out with my mentor Brendan McMurtry-Howlett who is the Artistic Director of Shakespeare in the Ruff and as always he had some really poignant and blunt answers to all my questions and concerns. I was worried about what was going to happen after I graduate, whether I should head right to Toronto or whether I should stay in Halifax for a year then go to Toronto or all of the other copious amounts of possibilities. His answer was simply to, "Stop planning things out and let them happen." Now, this seems basic but I really needed to hear it from someone other than my mother. That's not to say he is against planning, considering he is an AD, but when it comes to this career there isn't really a way to create a definite path.

This quote comes to mind: "Do what you can, with what you have, right now".

I think there is a large difference between control and organization. I am currently looking for that balance.

Brendan also brought up a point which I hadn't previously thought about: I usually talk, "all about my process" and I have been doing this "process" for many years it has become my fall back plan when working on a show because I feel most comfortable doing it compared to new processes that are introduced to us. This is a bad habit I intend to break this year. Brendan's point was that you shouldn't put your process on a project, but that the project should inform your process. This was huge for me because I have dealt with so much frustration this year regarding directors simply not letting me do "my thing" and it was because they didn't work that way and they didn't care. They were asking something specific from me and I was bucking the system, which resulted in me not rising to the challenge. If I had of simply let myself be open to the process they were showing us I would have learned exponentially more. So, I move forward with this thought in my mind into the new year.

On Monday of this week I went by myself to the Mrs. Carter Tour in Montreal featuring Beyoncé herself. I was blown away by the show and how hard she works at being completely flawless, and I mean that in the best way. Every step was on point, every problem or blip was met with complete confidence and a smile setting us, the audience, at ease. She was so professional and gracious to everyone who helped her put on the show from the technicians to the back up singers. Watching her reminded me of how much work needs to be put into everything before it can be at a place of comfort and flow. There was no hesitation or worry on her face at any point throughout the show, even when her weave got sucked into a fan.

I'm not joking.

Her confidence seems like an obvious thing, "of course she would be confident, she is Sasha Fierce!" But for me seeing her doing a live show, not some edited version, proved to me how little I actually work in preparation for a show. Joe Ziegler's floating head started to incircle mine repeating what he said to me, "You have a lot of talent, but you don't understand the work that it takes to become an actor..."and it finally made sense. Since being at the school I have always, more or less, flown by the seat of my pants when it comes to the lines and homework that is needed on the text. I have managed to get by on looking over the text a few times and running it in rehearsal, but as the roles and responsibilities grow so does my need of dedication.

Now I know most of you are probably thinking, "Wayne, stop beating yourself up! Everyone has to learn!" And I want you to know that's all this post is (as long as it is). I am learning about myself as an artist and a human and I want to progress, and progress happens when you can identify what needs to change. This year, for me, is about listening and changing for the better.

This last month has been extremely cleansing and has shed a lot of light on some of my biggest problems creatively and personally and I am extremely grateful to each an every person who continues to support me as I change for the better.

And speaking of support you can do me a solid by checking out Bone Deep, a film I am in in the Atlantic Film Festival. Directed by the very British Jeremy Webb and written by the delightful Jessica Marsh.

BONE DEEP

Night Abyss.

Back In

Hey Abyss,

Still no sign of internet at my apartment yet. It is difficult to get down to the Bell Store with my schedule at school. It is definitely a goal this week to set up another appointment with the right address this time.

Due to my lack of internet I have to come to the school and get all I need to accomplish in one sitting, then go home.

The last few hours have been a compilation of emails and social networking as well as research and getting things in order.

I am currently updating my iPhone software, which is taking way longer than I anticipated.

I had an interview regarding Blackbird earlier today which was great and I am excited to read the article. I really need to learn how to talk in interviews though, I am painful at articulating my responses.
I am hoping the interviewer could sift through my gibber jabber.

School has been going well, we are currently doing a scene study on Problem Child by George F. Walker and Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris with Weyni Mengesha who is stunning (physically) and really inspiring. She is also quite pregnant and provides for some hilarious stories. I feel honoured to be working with her.

We are continuing to work with her for the next two weeks.

My Student Loan is still in process and I need to send a few more things in order to receive the money I need. I am hoping that it wont take much longer, as I am reaching the bottom of the barrel. I am sure I am not the only student in this situation, but it really stinks to be in it. Waiting on money, that is essentially not yours, just so you can eat.

Student Life.

I feel like this is great preparation for the life ahead of me as a actor.

I'll take it in stride.

Blackbird won three more awards last week at the Atlantic Film Festival and is currently playing at The Cinefest in Sudbury, Ontario.

The press related to the film has been stellar and I am so stoked to have been part of such a film. I  hope it continues to garner great press.

It premiers in Canadian theatres on November 24th.

Here is some more press:

http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/TIFF/blackbird-directed_by_jason_buxton

http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/137985-blackbird-continues-to-soar-with-three-aff-awards

http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/09/10/jason-buxton-talks-about-his-film-blackbird/

http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/136807-chester-filmmaker-wins-tiff-award-for-blackbird

Stratford was a great experience. The amount of work that goes into every show was so inspiring. Every single person in that company is an asset and just as important as everyone else. I know it sounds naive, but you realize how small an actors job really is in a production. Whether it be theatre or film, the actor is just another piece of the puzzle that the director is putting together. I learned a lot over the weekend especially talking to Leah Doz and her last 8 months with the company. 

If you have never been, I highly recommend it. The shows were phenomenal. 

And if you are curious check out Weyni Mengesha @ weynimengesha.com

Night Abyss

Get Me to the Ocean

Hey Abyss,

This is my last week in Nova Scotia before I head back to Montreal in prep for school, which starts on the 4th.

I finish my final week at The Marigold Centre with a great group of kids tomorrow. They have been awesome to work with, really open to my weird suggestions and are very creative. It has been a joy to spend my last week with them.

I only hope that I have inspired them enough to come back next year and hopefully have given them some direction in their own careers. They have certainly taught me a lot.

Filming Mr. D, last week was a good time. I ended up not having any lines which was disappointing, but am on screen quite a bit (basically glorified background; you have to start somewhere). Everyone was super nice on set and treated me with the upmost respect, which was really nice. Most of the crew recognized me from last year and we really interested in how school had gone for me, which was really cool.

One of the best parts of working in Halifax is that it is almost always the same crew members working on the sets, which creates some good relationships and contacts. Although the character 'return' was not exactly what I anticipated I am still extremely grateful for the opportunity to return to the show.

Here is hoping to a third season, and perhaps an expansion on my story line!

I have high hopes!

Some recent good news is that Blackbird (the film I shot last summer) is also part of the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia and the Cinefest Sudbury International Film Festival in Ontario.

So the film is going to be seen by quite a few people and get quite a bit of coverage.

The dates so far are September 9th at 9:45pm and the 10th at 2pm for TIFF.

September 16th at 7:10pm at Parklane Mall in Halifax for the AFF.

And for the Cinefest check out here: http://cinefest.com/tempfilmsandschedule/

I feel so blessed to have this film playing so many places and perhaps you can catch me at one of these festivals on the big screen!

I am going off the grid for the next 4 days, because my girlfriend and I are going on vacation before I take off for a while. You can still tweet to me @wayne_burns and continue to check out my IMDB!

Night Abyss