The Job
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House Guests
Some people are gifted at entertaining guests. You’d think that as a performer that would come with the talent like a package deal. Entertaining, entertainer. Basically the same thing. I guess not. I struggle. There’s something about inviting people to my house that suddenly makes me very aware of anything that looks non-Pinterest worthy. Yes… it’s a problem. I know… Of my four girls, I have two children that are of the age where they can help with quite a few chores with very minimal direction (finally). I have one child that needs me to watch her and tell her exactly what to do step by step. And then… I…
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A Commercial Reel
Have I told you that Ben, Jess and I are in a music video together? This past October, one of our dear friends was making a music video for a song that she had done the vocals for… and she asked us if we would be willing to be actors in it! Acting in a music video? Um, yeah! We all thought it would be super fun! How hard could it be? I thought we would be the background… you know, walk through the scene, or sit on a park bench as someone walked by. I didn’t realize that they would be zooming in on my face! I claim to…
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Whither Thou Goest…
Going into this new adventure we’ve embarked on, I never really realized what I would be willing to give up. Honestly, I probably still don’t know. Uprooting our own family, leaving other family and friends behind, sacrificing stability and financial expectations, and so on. I know that God wants us to be where we are. I know He wants me to be an actor’s wife. But each new experience shows me that I am just beginning to learn all of what that really means. I guess I thought we’d just go to California and live with my parents for five to ten years (hopefully closer to five); after the first…
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Adventures with Central Casting
Alright, just to recap, here is our to-do list. With the first four items checked off, it was time to register with Central Casting. The next big movie you watch, check the credits. Chances are, Central Casting is listed; they are the most well-known background talent agency in the country. Background actors, also known as extras, are exactly what they sound like… they are all the people you see in a movie, but probably don’t notice. In fact, a background actor who draws attention is probably not doing the job right. And in places like L.A., the entertainment industry needs thousands of them. To register to work as an extra…
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He’s Not Superman
Ben has always been Superman to me. When I was just starting to date him, I, of course, Facebook stalked him. As I looked through his photos, I found this awesome picture of him as a missionary for our church. Just going off to save a few souls. Apparently, while he was in Chile, random people who had no idea who he was would stick their heads out the front door as he walked by to shout, “Hola, Clark Kent!” Once we started dating, anytime someone asked me how my boyfriend looked, I told them, “Well… he looks like Superman.” I still describe him that way, actually. Funny enough……
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Courting an Agency
Putting together an acting resume was more challenging than we had expected. First off… Ben didn’t have much film experience. He’s done a lot of acting… but most of what he has done has been in theater. Don’t get me wrong, theater is fantastic; many of my favorite film actors started on the theater stage: Hugh Jackman, Kristen Bell, Zachary Levi, lots of others. But theater credits don’t have much weight on a film resume. The little experience Ben did have in film was mostly background work, and some of it was over a decade ago. Another thing about resumes is that they showcase acting-related skills. What skills count as acting-related,…
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The Career Checklist
I know you’re dying to hear about Ben and his career. Since I’m dying to tell you, I will indulge us both. After we had decided to make the move, we told the rest of our family the big surprise. Apparently, they weren’t that surprised… I mean, It seems like it’s every year or so that we are either announcing a new pregnancy or a new job, so they were probably expecting it. Ben’s family was pretty disappointed we would be moving so far away; my family was celebrating us moving closer. But there was also celebrating by many. I think the celebrations were partly because they hope that they’ll…
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The Intro – Here’s to the Ones Who Dream (Part 4 of 4)
So there we were… the director of a non-profit/financial consultant, and the full-time mom. He was still building two businesses, which means the income was still unpredictable. To help supplement our income, Ben would find himself doing odd jobs here and there. This job, though, found him. A friend who works in the film industry offered him the opportunity to be in a small fan film. Due to connections he made there, he was contacted to be an extra in a tv show, and then again in a film. And he loved every minute of it. He started looking for more background work and was able to be in a…
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The Intro – Growing Up a Performer (Part 2 of 4)
Back to my new acquaintance. I have met so many new and lovely people. I have, however, been asked many questions that seem strange to me. It’s not that I’m offended- I’m sure I also accidentally say things that could offend someone else, so I do my best to be understanding. And honestly, I love explaining my life choices, because it gives me a chance to share my beliefs with other people. It’s just that I have a different perspective than they do, so some of the questions I get confuse me. Here are a few of them: You’re letting him do this? How long will you give this (before you…
