WE BACK!

Hey,

I landed in Halifax on Monday morning.

Summer has officially started in my mind. I am looking forward to what the city has in store for me for the next little bit until I head off to Ottawa/Toronto/Montreal in July. I have just been relaxing with my beautiful GF over the last few days. But we both got back to our routine's today and I have started to put out my feelers for surfacing work.

Tomorrow I have an audition for a comedic short film that I am excited about, its been a while since I have auditioned for something funny. This weekend is shaping up to be chock full o' fun, mostly because Blackbird is having its theatrical release across Canada. In Halifax there are many events planned including a Q&A session with yours truly and some other local actors from the film!  The first weekend is extremely important for Canadian films, if there is a huge interest then the theatre can keep it playing for longer. Keeping it running for as long as possible is the goal. So, if you are reading this spread the word and buy your tickets here: Tickets for the theatre close to you.

I am also excited about seeing Scott Nicks and Jennah Barry live at The Company House on Saturday, they are two local and extremely talented musicians, who I unfortunately haven't seen live yet! Check them out if you are in the area.

The last few days at school were very informative, and gave me a solid goal to marinate with and bring into next year. Although the school is a wonderful foundation for my career, I still have much to learn about life and the industry when I graduate. Thus, I want to make sure I use my final year to my full advantage and make the breakthroughs that will benefit my process and artistry. For me this summer is about working, as usual, but also looking inward and listening to how I can help people and learn from those around me. Whether they are on the bus, or in the rehearsal hall, I need to focus on simply taking everything in and allowing myself to be affected.

I have a tendency to go inward and overanalyze every situation. I need to regain access to my emotions and remember what it is like to work hard on the work I struggle with and get better. Let it flow. Things are usually simpler than I make them. I also want to read quite a bit, there are so many books and plays that I want to immerse myself in, expand my mind, become knowledgeable. Daniel MacIvor said something to all the actors the other day in class, "Actors are essentially professional humans." I want to become the best person I can be, so that I can be other people. This is my personal goal for the summer.

Also get a lot of sun.

Thank you for all your continued support.

Night Abyss.

Fast and Slow

Hey Abyss,

It has been intense at school over the last few weeks so I haven't found much time to write unfortunately.

We finished up with Weyni last week and we all went to see Invisible Atom with Anthony Black, after the show it was great to talk to him (seeing as he is from Halifax) and the rest of the team involved. They have been touring the show on and off for about 6 years, which is really impressive. They have taken it all over the world and played to many different audiences over that time. It was inspiring to know that there is potential to have a successful tour of your own work. Of course, it has to be good enough to have the following, but none the less still very encouraging.

Getting to talk to Weyni's husband Eion Bailey (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0047248/) was a pleasure. He is so knowledgeable and positive about the business of Film & Tv and gave some great insight and tips. I was truly grateful to the both of them for providing us with such support and reassurance about the field some of us are planning to traverse into.

We started work this week with sound designer/composer Antoine Bedard who also goes by the mononym Montag as a recording artist (http://www.montag.ca). He is super chill and has so much knowledge about his art and gets so impassioned by the ideas of sound and how they affect the human psyche, which is really sparking my interests currently. At the end of this week Maiko Yamamoto came in and is working together with Antoine to develop and original piece for us called Archipelagos. It is a physical theatre piece with original compositions worked in. I am stoked to see where the two of them take us over the next two weeks.

This week on thursday we had an optional workshop and I am so glad that I went. Myself and 7 other of my classmates worked with a woman named Rhiannon from Hawaii and she was mind blowing (http://www.rhiannonmusic.com/home.cfm). Her and her group of vocal improvisers were so generous and talented. They rejuvenated me as an artist with the work that we did. It is difficult to describe the experience but if you check out her website, there is more details on the work that they do. The memory of that night is one that will remain with me for a long time.

Friday was a big day for me, as it was the Montreal premiere of Blackbird! I was so stoked to finally see the film in its entirety and it did not disappoint. I knew working with Jason Buxton (the director) that it was going to be a solid film, but it was great to finally see it and what the final product was. The film has been sweeping a lot of awards as well, Friday night we found out that it took Best Canadian Feature at the Vancouver Film Festival. It has garnered 5 awards in total.

I feel so blessed to have been part of something so wonderful and appealing to audiences. I feel very proud of the film and only hope that it continues to do well. It is playing again here in Montreal on the 20th and I am trying to convince my classmates to go.

I will post some links about the film below and I encourage you to follow me on twitter @wayne_burns for more consistent updates on what is happening.

And check out my IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4517763/

VIFF press: http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Blackbird+wins+crowing+rights/7386480/story.html

More: http://www.theprovince.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Blackbird+wins+best+Canadian+feature+Vancouver+International+Film+Festival/7384433/story.html

FNC: http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/festival-central/Director+Jason+Buxton+Blackbird+keeps/7375729/story.html

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

Settle Down

Hey Abyss,

I still do not have internet, so I am using the school's instead.

Bell was supposed to come install my internet on Sunday, but of course I gave them the wrong address. I told them that my address was 5389 when it is 5289, which I didn't know until one of my friends came to my new apartment the other night.

Looks like I will be waiting another week or more before I can have the luxury of internet at my own place...sigh.

It has been kind of cleansing to not have access though. I feel like it is always a nice choice so free yourself sometimes.

Just to clarify; my lack of internet is the reason I have not written in a while.

I have returned to Montreal and have started my second week in second year, which I am still getting used to. It is weird to know that I am not a first year anymore, that I am exactly in the middle of my education...

My apartment is great for what I need and the location is perfect, it is such a relief to come home during lunch and shower and eat quality food, rather than starve myself.

Since I am heading back into the school year there isn't going to be a lot of news about auditions and things but I will try to keep it interesting.

Last night Blackbird premiered to a full house at TIFF 2012. I wish I could have been there to support and see it. The director invited me to come but alas, I cannot miss school. He comforted me with information about the National release of the film in November.

So, if you did not see it at TIFF and cannot see it at either the Cinefest in Sudbury or the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax, you may be able to see it near you in November (only in Canada).

My class and I are working with Nina Lee Aquino and David Yee this week on an original project for our final year. I am stoked to work with them both again and am really looking forward to what David writes for us. It is also kind of awesome to know what one of our shows are going to be next year way in advance.

We are headed to Sratford this weekend, which I have never been before, I am looking forward to seeing theatre on the big stage, especially where Sratford is so renowned. We are seeing: Cymbeline, The Matchmaker, Much Ado About Nothing and another which escapes me right now.  I am hoping to catch up with my friend Leah Doz, who is a huge inspiration to me and is working at Stratford right now.

I have to work on  project now, I apologize for the vague post.

Here is some info on Blackbird, see if you can spot me:

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

http://thetfs.ca/2012/09/09/tiff-review-blackbird/

http://thetfs.ca/2012/09/09/tiff-interview-jason-buxton-director-of-canadian-feature-blackbird/

http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/133557-chester-filmmaker-flying-high

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

Sweet Talk

Hey Abyss,

If you have been reading of late some really cool things have been happening to me and in this post I will continue on the cool train.

I found out last night that the film I was in last summer called Bye, Bye Blackbird (http://theaveragelifeofawouldbeactor.blogspot.ca/2011/06/and-thats-wrap.html) has changed it's name to solely Blackbird and was recently chosen as an Official Selection of the Toronto International Film Festival and is the only feature film from the Maritimes.

The two other (short) films that were chosen are: When You Sleep by Ashley Mackenzie and Crackin' Down Hard by Michael Clattenburg.

(Check them all out here: http://tiff.net/thefestival/filmprogramming)

I am going to try to make it to TIFF on the weekends when it does not interfere with school, as my school will be starting on the 4th but the festival runs until the 16th.

So, big ups to the director Jason Buxton and everyone involved.

Also, on another high point; I have been asked to be the Teenage Referee again this season on Mr. D!

They asked me on Tuesday and of course I jumped at the chance. I am unsure what I will be doing in the episode but I am excited to be asked back. I will be filming that on Thursday (16th) of next week.

I have been teaching at the Marigold Centre in my hometown of Truro, Nova Scotia all week and tomorrow the kids will being doing their performance. I feel so blessed to be able to have all these positive things happening to me and then be able to come home and give back to my community, via teaching Drama to kids and bringing awareness to the Arts.

It makes me happy to know that they walk away with smiles on their faces and also have dreams of one day being on a big stage somewhere. I am honoured that I can be part of their journey's and that they can be part of mine.

You can check out the IMDB on all the films mentioned above, and while you are there why not check out mine? And also my twitter: wayne_burns

Night Abyss