A Beginner's Guide to Living An Actor's Life.

Hey Abyss,

Today marks my second week living in Toronto. Time has already flown by; today and last night were really the only moments that I have let myself enjoy. I went out for sushi by myself last night and had a great conversation with the waiter and the musician who was playing there. I always underestimate the pleasure one can get from eating alone, simply taking in the flavours and the ambiance. Restaurants work hard on creating an environment for their customers and rarely do I take it all in. It was wonderful.

Today is Victoria Day, and I woke up feeling like it's the best time for me to get myself back into a much-needed routine. That is one thing that I find myself missing from school, the routine. I didn't have much time to myself there, but everything was structured and planned out. All I had to do was fit my life into the time slots. Over the last week I have slipped into some negative states and fallen back into some old habits, I simply need to find structure again to pull me out of this pool of ooze.

Now comes the challenge.

I have been thinking about what is important to me: maintaining my craft, staying on top of my game, and dominating when an audition comes along. I am fearful that all the work I have done over the last 3 years will start to melt away if I don't stay on top of it. I simply need to establish self-discipline and start to manage my own time, easier said then done.

Ain't nothin' to it but to do it.

It's weird, I have felt on vacation for the last week and only now is it starting to sink in that this is my life.

On Thursday, I got a job as a dishwasher/line cook at a locally owned restaurant 2 minutes down the road from my apartment. I have put in 2 workdays already and am working all week starting Wednesday. It's 40 hours a week, and only evenings and weekends (this is the perfect schedule to accommodate my audition schedule). I am really stoked to be working again and I am surprisingly really enjoying the simplicity of washing dishes. It's constant work, which makes the time go by quickly. Cool people surround me and let me work in silence, if I choose. I feel this job, will help me achieve serenity and allow me to focus inward rather than constantly being in a state of performance and accommodation to those around me. I think it will be a nice foil to my acting life.

I am still babysitting, and thoroughly enjoying that. Both of these jobs offer me something completely different and require me to use very opposite skills. I love it. It has been a while since I have felt this content. I know that everything is where it should be. I am poor, but that’s only temporary. I am alone, but that's perfect; I am excited for the next opportunity to act, which is exactly how I want to feel. I need to revel in this simplicity and embrace the fact that this is what I have been wanting for a while. I do have a lot of friends here, but I have been transplanted into their lives and I understand that it will take a while to merge our lives together. At the very least, I know that I have a support system, which makes me feel safe and happy.

I had a wonderful meeting with my agent on Thursday. It was super chill and casual, which allowed me to confide my fears and desires to her. I left that meeting feeling ready to step into battle. I know that our relationship is going to be stellar and I cannot wait to see where she takes me. I just have to loosen my grip on having control over my career, as we need to work together. People that want the best for me, who are able to be candid and supportive surround me. I feel blessed to have found these people and really want to be around them as much as possible. Not only do the give me great advice, but they teach me how to fight for what I want.

On Wednesday, I have an interview for the SummerWorks Leadership Intensive Program and am very excited. I would love to be a part of the program and need to focus on nailing that interview. They only take a limited about of people, and knowing that I have made it to this round is encouraging. It is a program that specializes in leadership within the arts and has a large focus on the business side: how to produce work, how to market that work, and who to market it to. All the while, being introduced to mentors and the juggernauts of the Toronto arts community. All of this excites me immensely.

I feel my positivity growing as each day passes, and I love meeting new people. These last few days have really restored my faith in humanity and that is awesome. If you put out positivity and honesty you can only get it back. It is helping me to be more authentic with my needs and myself as a young man. There is so much to see, eat, hear, love, dream, and experience right now; I want to do it all. And right now, I can.

Night Abyss.

P.S. If you haven't already heard All the Wrong Reasons will be released on DVD via Amazon.ca on June 23rd, 2014. Depending on your area it might vary. Make sure you look for yours truly :)

Blackbird has yet to have a release date, but you can always check it out on iTunes.

Back to the Hood of Things.

Hey Abyss,

I want it to be known that I have attempted to write entries throughout these last few weeks chronicling the process of working on Our Countrys Good. Needless to say, my computer either messed up before I could save the entry, or I was tired, or I just couldn't think of anything reflective to say, etc. What I also want to be known is that this process has cracked me open in a way that I have been waiting for since second term of first year.

Better late than never.

Perhaps it was exactly what I needed; to be MIA for this process and really just allow it to permeate my brain and body rather than trying to put it into words. We have our preview tomorrow at the Monument National and I'm really excited to finally show an audience what we have been working on. As you may have read, I was extremely excited for this process to begin and I can honestly say I am not disappointed at all.

In short, I feel like I rediscovered why I love what I do. I found the fun in performing again. The freedom that comes by truly existing as another person, and how that momentary escape is addictive.

In long, it has been quite the journey so far and I am so happy that I am coming to terms with many of the issues I have had here. These last two years have been a struggle for me personally and artistically. I was recalling how confident I felt auditioning for the school and how I knew that I had something to offer, and that no one was going to stop me from achieving my dreams. Soon after getting in and meeting my class I saw how talented everyone was and became extremely judgmental and self-abusive. This kind of attitude stopped me from doing the work I loved, I would spend all of my energy in a competitive headspace and avoid looking inward and seeing how I could improve.

This summer I had many breakthroughs, which I have spoke about in previous posts. It was a very reflective and educational period for me and it has thankfully bled into this term. I am still in a state of reflection, as I am still discovering how to use every situation to discover something about myself and allow it to feed my work. There was a moment during this process (working on Our Countrys Good) where I became frustrated with myself because I knew what Tadeusz (our Director) was trying to get out of me, but for some reason I could not pull it out. It came down to the simple fact that I was over thinking and analyzing everything he was suggesting, rather than revelling in the ideas he had put forth. I was making my performance too precious. It was like I was holding an animal, but instead of just cuddling it I was squeezing it and it became uncomfortable and attempted to escape. It was only a few weeks ago I started to loosen my grip on the character and really let him live, but also loosen the grip on my expectations. It was then that I started to discover the pleasure in being him, and it has serendipitously brought back my passion and love for theatre, live performance, and attempt at being truly entertaining.

I feel so blessed to have had this moment and I can't wait to spend all week with Robert Sideway, but I can't help but ask myself, "why did it take me so long to rediscover what I had before coming to this school?" The conclusion I have come to is simply that I needed to be blown apart before I could be built back up. I had come to acting as a kid as a form of escapism and avoidance of difficult times in my life. And now that I have sunk to the lowest point, thus far, and re-evaluated who I am as a human I can approach acting from a healthier more self aware way. I never used to care about judgement or failure before coming to school, and I deeply want to exit it the same way.

My mom once said to me, "How can you play another person if you don't know yourself?" It has taken me until this point to truly feel what this means. Of course people want to be aware of themselves and confident in who they are, but to actually get on the path that will lead you there is hard to find. The month of November was a difficult one for me to get through in many facets, but at the same time it has been the most transformative and insightful this year. The progress that I have been wishing for is finally starting to happen and I am greeting it with open arms.

I apologize for not being more explicit with my process throughout the rehearsal, but I felt that the above was something that I really needed to say.

If you are going to be around Montreal for the next week I highly recommend paying 9 bucks to see Our Countrys Good playing from the 10th-14th at the Monument National.

The premiere of Bone Deep was moved from November 16th to an unknown date. Hopefully a new date will be reassigned soon. I am really excited to share it.

If you have yet to see Blackbird you can now buy or rent it on iTunes.

Now to get some rest.

Night Abyss.

Photo Credit: Stephen Tracey

It's Morphing Time.

Hey,

These last few weeks have been insane with getting Lion in the Streets up, so I apologize for the lack of inner thoughts from me lately.

Not to worry, you will get your fill right now!

We had our preview tonight and it went well, considering how nervous I was. I am really looking forward to the run this week, I feel like my classmates and I have really risen to the challenge of this piece and are doing phenomenal work. I'm really proud of the show. I find the longer I spend with something, a play, a character, the more love I feel towards it. This play is a really hard one to love because of all the atrocity, but I have grown really fond of it. Ravi has been excellent to work with, his young energy has been really refreshing in the room. He has really made this show work visually, his confidence in his ideas really allowed us to play, which I, personally, don't feel we have had the opportunity to do in a show yet.  I really wouldn't have wanted this process to be anything than what it was. It has been an amazing opportunity to work with Ravi, and I hope it isn't the last time.

Starting out this year, I was really aiming to open myself up to processes and just be calm. I am discovering success in both of theses avenues. It has been such a relief to stop worrying about things I cannot control, of course there are going to be things that bother me, or irritate me. But, overall it's just been so relaxing to leave school at school and come home and live my life for me. Before, I found myself needing to do all this meaningless research and putting my energy into stressing about class drama instead of actually working and focusing on what was needed at that time. This year, I come home and I work for a bit and then I relax and enjoy. It seems simple but it has given me so much freedom. I will always have control issues, I am an Aries, but that doesn't mean that I can't let go of the things that I really have no say in. And accepting that has been a huge step for me.

I feel really happy and healthy this year, I promised that I would take care of myself Mind, Body, Spirit and I have been! It has been so great to simple focus on those things, when you take care of yourself: eating well, exercising regularly, etc. you feel the benefits quickly, seriously. It has feed my work and made me relax in a lot of departments. As cheesy as it sounds, I am becoming the person I have wanted to be for the last 2 years. And I cannot think of a better time to come into my own. This year is already blazing by and I can honestly say I am only worried about one thing, and that is what happens after.

Over the last few weeks, I have been asked, "So...what are the plans after you graduate? "This is a pretty normal question, but the problem is I seriously don't have an answer. I have no sweet clue what is happening after I graduate. There are obviously things that I am interested in and projects I would love to be a part of, but once this year ends I have to uproot myself from Montreal and pick where I take my stuff. It is daunting. I'm aware that I can only take it one day at a time and just keep sending out my antenna for possible opportunities, but it is the one thing that is regularly on my mind and what truly worries me most. In the end, all I can do is good work,  and eventually someone will take notice. What's encouraging is that I am good at something that I feel passionate about, and all of the other students that graduate this year are in the same boat "What happens after?"

So, at least I am not alone.

Speaking of not being alone, if you have live/know anyone who lives in Montreal, please spread the word about the show. You can get all the details from the link above. The more people we have at our performances the better an experience this year will be. I am so excited to see how the run goes and what things will change and grow. This year is shaping up wonderfully. I am blessed.

In recent news, I was nominated for Best Actor in a Short Film at the ACTRA awards a few weeks ago, I felt so honoured to be up against some veterans in the industry and that people thought highly enough of my performance in Bone Deep to nominate me. It would have been nice to win, but losing so someone who inspires you isn't really a loss. In my eyes, it was an honour, and I still have many more opportunities to show my skills ahead of me.

Bone Deep is premiering on CBC November 16th, and will be uploaded to iTunes to rent or purchase later that day!

All the Wrong Reason's played in Montreal last week and I was so upset that I had to miss it, but tech week for the show was extremely demanding (time-wise). It is so wonderful that it's getting attention, it is truly deserving of it. Also, if you missed the opportunity to see Blackbird, my previous film, you can now buy it on iTunes by clicking here: http://blackbirdthefilm.com/screenings/

If you live in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia you can see Blackbird on the big screen as part of the Parrsboro Film Festival this weekend!

That is all for now,

Night Abyss.

Evaluation.

Hey Abyss,

This week has happened.

I head to Ottawa in 9 days and I feel like I don't know where the time has gone. It hasn't really hit me until this year; time just escapes when you aren't looking. I am preparing for the second stage of my summer which is going to consist of a lot of plane rides, directing, performing, meeting new people, exploring, watching Beyoncé and of course teaching. Basically in that order. The first part of the summer was supposed to be "down time" time to recollect on what has happened to me this term and how I can improve going into this year. Although I have done some recollection, I feel like most of the things I have been grappling with are going to fall into place once I am utilizing them all again.

It is so scary how quickly I can become lazy and abandon the practice they teach us at NTS, now this of course is due to a compilation of things; me being tired, lazy, wanting to escape...and so on. Lately my body has been giving me signs that is misses the schedules and the regulation. It craves the stretching and the warming up, despite how much I loathe them. I feel like this is part of the process though, if you continue to work on the things you hate eventually they become things you enjoy. The hardest part of this cycle is not just running away, but sticking with it, as hard as it is. Believing in the system.

The biggest challenge for me as a person/actor is listening. Frankly, I just don't do it. And by listening I mean all aspects: scene partners, myself, situations... I spent the weekend with one of my very close friends at my cottage which has no running water or electricity. All we had was a wood stove, a propane light, and clean water in a Gatorade cooler. The place is the epitome of serene. There was a moment, one evening, where he was very quiet and I asked him what he was thinking about, and he replied that he was purely listening. I asked him, "To what specifically" and he said, "All of the sounds. And each of them individually. The wood stove, the light, the clock, the ocean.." With that, I laid my head back on my chair and started to just listen for the sounds he mentioned. Almost instantly my mind cleared, like someone had taken a chalkboard eraser to my mind. It was peaceful, finally.

All year my teachers, my family, and my psychologist have all repeated the same things to me; LISTEN! And it took my closest friend in my cottage to actually let that hit for me. It was a revelation. If one can listen without judgement, to all things, then one can exist authentically. Everything that pours out of them is truth. There is no indulging, no pretending, just living. This word is my word for life, whenever I feel overwhelmed or chaotic, I have to take the time to simply listen.

I watched Inside the Actors Studio yesterday and it featured the cast of Mad Men. It was a great episode, all of those actors have come from such diverse backgrounds and have had extremely different routes to the show, it was inspiring. The one thing that stuck with me the most was Jon Hamm's response to a girls question from the audience. She asked him about how much rehearsal they get before shooting a scene. And he replied, "None. You are expected to come onto set knowing your lines and having done your research. You are coming into a well oiled machine and if you junk it up with tripping over your lines then you are replaced." He was talking about TV, but I think the rule applies to all mediums of acting. His frank statement really drove home what happened to me earlier this year in Snap Back to Reality, also this quote by Tom Hardy has resonated with me the last few days:

''Surviving is one thing. You can get through, you can white-knuckle. You can do the bare minimum. But there comes a time when life stops rewarding potential. If you want to participate on a certain level in anything, you cannot just turn up and be respected." 

These instances have really impacted me, and how I need to change up my approach. The things that have been working for me over the last 22 years are not going to work forever it is time to reevaluate.

On a lighter note I had an audition yesterday with a very nice girl. I felt okay about it, but who knows what will come of it. And Blackbird opened on over 50 screens in France yesterday!

I feel truly blessed to have the amount of support I do, thank you to all the readers for letting me unload my brain and evaluate myself in front of you. This blog is coming up on is 3rd year anniversary!

Night Abyss.

Education Vs Entertainment

Hey,

If you have been following my Facebook and Twitter updates you will know how busy this weekend has been regarding the premiere of Blackbird across Canada. The film opened this past Friday in 4 theatres, and will be expanding to more over the next few weeks, so if it has not come to your city yet, check out the future screenings here: Screening Info.

Today was the last event on the docket for opening weekend here in Halifax, it was a Q&A with some of the local actors from the film (including myself). It was a fairly small audience but this was most likely due to One: the Rain, which is of biblical proportions and Two: the fact that Iron Man 3 and The Great Gatsby also happened to open this same weekend. Nonetheless, the audience was extremely supportive and curious about the film and its journey. Something that has been talked about, at most of the screenings I have had the pleasure of attending, is how relevant the film is to youth and the effects of social media today. As teenagers and even as young adults we sometimes underestimate the severity of what we can put out online, via text message or even Skype! Things can become misconstrued because there is a piece of technology between us and the receiver, and these things can lead to extreme situations.

For those of you who have not heard about the film or are still on the fence about taking time out of your schedule to see it, the aforementioned is the situation that is dealt with in the film. How one teenage impulse is blown completely out of proportion and proceeds to damage a whole community. A situation that is all too relevant to what we have all seen in the media of late, with all the cases of bullying and suicide I think that there is absolutely no better time for this movie to be surfacing.

This afternoon we were discussing the fact that Iron Man 3 was sold out in both theatres, and Blackbird only had about 30 people in it. Here is a film that people are walking away from learning something about themselves and the children around them, and yet it can't pull in audiences like a movie about a bionic man, it is mildly upsetting. The fact that this film is Canadian means that it already has a bad rap before it even gets out of the gate, people don't want to see it because there is no explosions or hot celebrities in it and its not American. This is a sad but true fact. There are extremely talented people involved with this film, at least 90% being local. It is filmed in Nova Scotia and it is about Nova Scotia, and it is educational on all levels. I find it strange that more people would not want to see something like this.

There was couple that talked to me after the Q&A and they said they want to bring there son so that he can see how the path that he is on will only lead to destruction, and that there is hope for him. My question is when did entertainment become more important than education? I mean, I am all for the beauty and escapism that comes from films, hell my girlfriend and I can't wait to see The Great Gastby next weekend, but when there is something in your community, about your community, and could educate you or bring awareness to a situation you haven't been privy too -- why wouldn't you want to see something like that? Is it really that much of a hassle to make time to see that film first? It is certainly cheaper than seeing Iron Man 3 in 3D!

I am not going to try to figure out peoples motivations for what they see and don't see, I just would hope that the question is left to sit in your mind. Film can be so many things, but don't let the educational part of art be passed by for simple, mind numbing entertainment. The more we can learn and educate ourselves about one another the more we can help change the world around us, and film is such a beautiful starting place for change. Do yourself a favour and walk away from the theatre thinking, its only 12 bucks worst case scenario.

Audition update: Didn't get the part; I am too short and didn't look enough like a stoner. But they liked me and if they can get the money for a pilot they are thinking of writing something for me, which is sick!

I am going to drink some tea and and read about Prince.

Night Abyss. 

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.

BOOM.

Hey Abyss,

This week has zoomed by, the work with Joe has been wonderful, and considerably less stressful than I anticipated. He is such a generous man and is very text driven in his direction, which is providing a very organic space for us to work in. And by that I mean that he is allowing us to free form choices and blocking to some extent, as long as the focus is on truthfully speaking.

We finished "staging" the whole play on Friday and started to re-run through it on Saturday with a more fine toothed comb, which is great. Right now the challenge for me is getting off book and having the text truly live in me so that I can use it to my full advantage. It is such a blessing to have 5 weeks for a production, this is a luxury.

Today, along with doing my laundry and cleaning my insanely messy apartment I am learning lines for 4 different things: Midsummer Night's Dream, my Nova Scotia Talent Trust submission and two auditions in Halifax. So, needless to say I have a heavy day for memory. I am excited to be submitting for things in Halifax though, it is making me anxious to get back and be there in person. I miss it. I am hoping for a lucrative summer this year, as I usually am, and just hope that I can get some great work in.

Last summer, was really difficult but paid off in the end with the people I met and projects I was able to work on. And so I hope that similar opportunities arise this year.

Last night I celebrated my birthday with some of the cast and crew of Midsummer's and I had a blast. We went Laser Tagging and it was the most intense 20 minutes of my life. I ended up coming in last place out of 27 people.

It was the little Rambo children that kept killing me.

I really had fun though, and will most likely be going back before the year is out. So great. Then we went out to dinner to this place called Restaurant Hachoir which was very fancy and the food was amazing. I totally splurged and got a drink, appetizer, main course and dessert. But hey, it was my birthday!

What amazed me the most was the generosity of a few of the people at my table who paid for my entire bill, which was completely unnecessary, and extremely expensive. I was totally humbled. It is moments like those that make me believe in people and how generosity is something that is so rare and it truly is something special. I am so blessed and feel extremely grateful to have people in my life with this quality.

Well, I am off to do what I mentioned above and hope that If you are in town for May 1, 2 and 3rd that you will drop by The National Theatre School to see our rendition of A Midsummer Night's Dream!\

Also, if you haven't already heard; Blackbird is being theatrically released on May 10th across canada in select theatres! Here is the trailer:

Blackbird Theatrical Trailer

Night, Abyss.

The Seagull

Hey Abyss,

This week we start seeding work on Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, which my class will be performing in the new year as one of our three studio performances. Our version is being directed by Tanja Jacobs and I am really pumped to meet and work with her for the next little bit. We are working with her for the next two weeks and then will be moving onto work with Yael Farber and Strindberg's Miss Julie. Leaving only one week after that before Christmas Break happens.

Things are moving so fast, its nuts.

During this time we have to be working on our Solo Show which will be presented in March of the new year (our second studio show). This is more or less a "moon project" it is always orbiting whatever we presently have going on. I am still trying to find things to write about for this project, but as time goes on I feel that something will inspire me and I will go like a locomotive. The essence of the project is we have full creative liberty over what we want to present, but we have to write and perform alone onstage for 15 minutes. Kind of scary, but also exciting.


To touch on the last two weeks, after Maiko and Antoine, we worked with Nina Lee Aquino and David Yee on a new play he is writing for my class. We basically workshopped for the rest of the week and now have a full text and were asked to continue exploring that until we receive a revised draft closer to December 14th, which is when we are doing a staged reading of it. I really like the play and hope that we will be able to bring it into full production in our third year.

Nina and David are great.

And last week we had the most amazing Shakespeare Voice class with none other than Andrew Wade, who has worked with the likes of Judy Dench and Gwyneth Paltrow. He was so great, I learned so much from him in 6 days and kind of wish that we had him more often. Definitely a memorable moment from NTS.


Not much else has been happening of late, I am getting over a cold brought on by the inconsistent weather changes here in Montreal. So thats nice.

Blackbird is still making its rounds, which warms my heart.

It did well in Warsaw, and is playing in Rome these next few days. It will make its theatrical release in Paris during the month of February. A North American release has not been decided yet.

My break from reading the two versions of The Seagull, has been used to write this entry so I am going to go back to reading.

Thanks to all the readers who continue to read my ramblings, it means a lot.

Night Abyss

Here are some neat links:

Yael: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/edinburgh-festival-reviews/9480925/Edinburgh-Festival-2012-Mies-Julie-The-smash-hit-of-the-Fringe.html

Nina: http://kapisanancentre.com/2011/07/20/reasons-why-you-should-know-who-nina-lee-aquino-is/

Andrew: http://www.actorsworkout.org/2009/11/andrew-wade/

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

Wooden Feet

Hey,

The last few weeks have been insanely busy for me.

Hense the lack of creative writing.

To recap: I received a callback to The National Theatre School, which is the last portion of the auditions that they do before choosing the 12 students for their program. I have come to terms with myself that I will probably not be one of those 12. And if I am, I am going to cry like a pre teen girl at the sight of Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling yelling at each other in the rain.

Now to salvage my masculinity.

I am currently taking a break from my pieces to write this update. I have worked really hard on them and have had some awesome coaching sessions with some extremely talented and just all around great people. I am going to channel as much of their talent as I can. I am forever thankful to them for helping me the way they have.

Since the National Theatre School is in Montreal, I had to fly up for the audition. So I am here now and my audition is on Wednesday (Today is Monday).  I am staying with one of my friends up here so as not to cost me money in hotels. But his apartment is pretty much a hotel. It seriously looks like something out of an Ikea magazine. Living for free. Oh yeah.

Although I am compelled to pose on the different furniture of the apartment, as if I am in the magazine as well, I can't due to that there is a French dude here who is attempting to fix a modem that is not working.

SO here I am barely knowing any French, and left alone because my friend had to go to rehearsal, with the French technician who doesn't speak any English. So, we have found a successful way of communicating by grunting and motioning with our hands, similar to that of Neanderthals. It makes me think about how language came to be...

At times I almost felt like the Miracle worker where I am putting words into his mouth, luckily we haven't had to share any moments under a water pump.

I am stoked to be here and my nervousness is setting in. I am going to go back to work now.

Also, I start filming Blackbird next week and the tour has come to an end. Now I just have to find some work after the movie....

Night Abyss.

ACTRA > Equity..

Abyss,

Well don't we have a situation. Due to my recent persistance about whether I have garnered any union status I have discovered something rather positive...

First off, when I took this contract that I am currently on I assumed that i would be getting at least one credit towards Equity. I found out today that this would have been the case had it been expressed when the contract was signed.. needless to say it was not due to my naivety. I will have to be more aware next time, but do not despair for since I was cast in Blackbird I have been given my ACTRA status! With this I feel like I am no longer just some kid doing acting for fun.

I am now of legitimate status and can be considered for bigger things :) While still maintaining my availablity to partake in community theatre.

So needless to say I am stoked beyond reason.

Tomorrow is the end of our 5th week on tour and then we move into the last phase of the tour. 2 more weeks then sadly we are done. Time has moved so quickly, I cannot get over how fast it has gone. I am grateful for every minute.


I am still waiting to hear from NTS and am looking forward to start filming. I am going to attempt to get a little bit more in shape before the shoot, just to improve my physical presence on screen (haha).

That is kind of it for now, haven't heard from any new auditions.. but at this point I don't need anything till after the film is done.

I will update accordingly.

Night Abyss

Skin

Hey Abyss,

Today is a transitionary day. Meaning its one of those days that I want to move quickly though and just be done. I actually want this week to be a transitionary week, I want it to be Friday.

Granted not as bad as Rebecca Black, but still a sufficient amount.

There is three more weeks left of the tour and I am stoked for that, so I guess I don't necessarily want to breeze through the shows, but I need money and I get paid on Friday..

This weekend was Easter weekend and I couldn't go home because I had to work saturday night and by the time I got off no more busses went. So I spent Easter Sunday sleeping, literally for like 18 hours. When I did decide to wake up I decided to purge myself, figuratively. I cleaned my apartment and washed everything down as well as shaved my head.

I felt clean.

On Friday I went to see a show called When it Rains. It was an awesome new play that was extremely innovative and thought provoking, isn't that an original review, it actually was though. The director used technology as a medium in which I have never seen used before, it almost reminded me of a movie.

Wow, I could never write theatre reviews... Anyway it was awesome and I highly recommend it.

I am still waiting to hear back from NTS, I think I have decided that I am not going to go to Sheridan. It is just not where my heart wants me to be. The more I think about it I know that it is not the place for me.  So I am going to let them know that they can take me off the list.

I hate not being able to make plans for September, I really want to know if I am going to Montreal or not. I would give my left arm to got to NTS, probably wouldn't help my chances as an actor with only one arm but I feel you understand. And if I am not going to NTS in September then I want to be able to let people here know. There are a couple theatre companies interested in me and I want to be able to tell them I am available.. I hate not being able to make plans for September.

Good News: I got the part in Blackbird that I auditioned for! My name is Danny and its a principle role, so I am stoked. This will be my professional film debut! Thus giving me an ACTRA credit as well as hopefully opening some film doors.

I am so grateful to have the opportunity. My parts don't start shooting till later in May, so my goal is to get in peak condition for that time. Starting May first I am going to get a gym membership and get back to pumping some iron as well as taking care of myself. I haven't been eating well and just really stressing out over stuff, so it will good to get some structure back.

I had an audition last week for a new project that is being workshopped, about Sable Island, I am hoping to get involved in it. It seems like an awesome project, really physical and impulsive. I hope things come of that, also there is another TV series shooting here so I am hoping to be submitted for some episodes of that.

Summer is coming and I just want it to be awesome, I just really want to work and get out there as much as possible.

Im off to work my joe job.

Night Abyss

Mac; Attempt Two

Hey Abyss,

So I am currently on my second Macbook Pro in the span of four days. The first, as previously stated, was a dud. Just kept going into something called "Kernel panic" which apparently has something to do with the Kernel endings...

Anyway I went back to the shop and exchanged it for a new one today, everything seemed fine at first with this new one then it did the same thing after about 10 minutes. So, I did what it said and restarted my computer and then loaded it back up... It seems fine now as I am typing and using some of the applications, but I am still hesitant. Hopefully in the next few hours/ days I will find out exactly if everything is good. I pray it is.

I have wanted a Mac for about two years and to finally have one is wicked, I just want one that works. A simple request if I do say so.

Today we had a another show where three schools composed the audience, they were great. It is funny, they are always really restless at the start of the show then as soon as the yelling starts, they all calm down and are attentive. I am glad we are keeping them interested.

They didn't have a whole lot of questions today, probably due to the age group, but thats cool. I just was always the kid that had questions so I find it weird when no one asks anything.

I am honestly just rambling today, this is one part killing time as well as trying to see of my Mac is a time bomb. Sorry if I am not being as entertaining as usual.

I received some great news today about two auditions: One being a film called Blackbird, which my friend Thom Fitzgerald is producing, and then another audition in Toronto for Daniel MacIvor's "His Greatness". I emailed the casting director about auditioning in hopes that they will see me and they replied that they are. Alas, since I am on tour I cannot fly up to TO to audition on Friday, so I am hoping that they will allow me to send a tape of my audition.

I would kill for the role in the movie, I really need to garner some film experience, other than the short films I have been doing over the last couple months. Also, it seems like it is going to be a well composed cast and to be part of the project would be awesome. So, here is hoping.

I will of course keep you posted on those things.

It is a beautiful day out today and I don't want to miss too much of it so I am going to end early.

On a last note, I am thinking about singing in a fundraiser where the performers choose a song that they would never, other than this event, get the opportunity to sing. I am contemplating singing, "Run and Tell That" from Hairspray. Thoughts?

Night Abyss