Pieces of me

Spring Casting & Cocktails Events!!

Happy Spring! Bring in the season with a bang at CASTING & COCKTAILS with my friends Jodi Angstreich and Michal Zecher!

Don’t miss this awesome opportunity to learn the ins and outs of television and film casting with two of NYC’s most friendly and knowledgeable casting folks!

In this intimate atmosphere, have a cocktail or a beer, ask them anything you want, and work on on-camera material to get yourself audition ready without the high pressure environment!

Place:
Inc Lounge, at the Time Hotel, 224 West 49th Street, 2nd Floor

Price:
$105.00 (includes beverage & a light snack)

When:
Wednesday, April 10th @ 7:30pm
  - OR -
Wednesday, April 17th @ 7:30pm

New Year’s news, Michal is now the Director of Casting and Production at Stonestreet Studios, where she is working on an indie film, a psychological thriller called “Satellite.” In addition, Michal is an acting coach to many of NYC’s successful working actors on Broadway, film and television, as well as full time faculty at Stonestreet Studios, an Advanced conservatory at NYU Tisch’s Drama Department.  In the past she worked at CBS Primetime Casting where she spent several years casting some of the most popular Primetime television shows such as CSI, How I Met Your Mother, The Good Wife and many more. 

Jodi also hails from CBS, and has since gone on to be a freelance casting associate at Laura Rosenthal Casting on dozens of projects.  She had two projects at Sundance this year: The highly anticipated KILL YOUR DARLINGS (starring  Daniel Radcliffe) and A.C.O.D. (starring Adam Scott, Jessica Alba, Jane Lynch).  Past projects include the upcoming PLUS ONE, ARBITRAGE (Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon), MILDRED PIERCE (Emmy winning Mini Series with Kate Winslet for HBO), THE ART OF GETTING BY (Feature Film with Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts)  RAMPART (Feature Film with Woody Harrelson). She most recently finished casting JAMIE MARKS IS DEAD (Feature Film starring Liv Tyler and Judy Greer).  She is currently casting the Rob Reiner film, AND SO IT GOES, starring Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton. Additionally, she has many exciting projects approaching for the summer. 

In addition to film and television, Jodi casts National commercials including Captain Morgan, Comcast, AT&T, Fed Ex…and many more!

If you would like to sign up (or have any questions) email Michal at mzcasting@gmail.com. Please specify which date you would like and include your headshot and resume. Sides will be selected for you and distributed in advance of the workshop.

SPACE IS LIMITED, if you are interested email Michal right away! …and please tell them I sent you! :)

Casting Notice - Jan 2, 2013

This notice is posted on behalf of AnOpenPlace.com who is looking to cast their 3rd Feature-length Film. All submissions should be sent to aopproductions@gmail.com. For consideration please include your Headshot & Resume & the Role you are submitting for. Auditions will take place the 1st or 2nd week in NYC in January. NON-UNION.

No Phone calls please.

Synopsis: A struggling film company gambles their chance at success when their director postpones an opportunity to lead them in a Hollywood-funded sci-fi film to instead direct an indulgent play based on his recently failed relationship. The company further unravels as an affair between the leading actor and actress begins to mirror the play itself.

…

Director (MALE, late 20s to late 30s) - Artistic director of a small theatre and film company. The eyes of their little uni- verse. Disillusioned by a recently failed relationship, he is now an emotional voyeur. A scientist of sorts, he leads people into scenarios to test their commitments, sometimes to damaging lengths.

The Girl (FEMALE, late 20s to late 30s) - The source of the director’s passion and frustration, and so ultimately the same for the audience. A dancer, make-up artist, designer, teacher, sometimes student.Beautiful and difficult and painful and worth everything.

Actor (MALE, mid 20s to late 30s) - Breaking out as the star of the company, tho a charming pretender more than an actor. Always on display, he constantly needs to be seen to know he exists, which leads him to trouble in his committed relationship, as like an astronaut, he adventures out toward other creatures.

Actress (FEMALE, mid 20s to early 40s) - Unacknowledged as the best actor of the company, she can too easily disappear completely in a role, and risk losing herself to a falsehood. She is built on layers of previous roles and personalities, which lead to problems when they resurface.

Assistant (FEMALE, 20s, English as a second language preferable) - Available or withholding, by mood, and sometimes both in a single evening. An exchange student, she is still exploring who she wants to be, and will try on any personality to find out. Not yet a slave to consequence, her freedom is a flirt.

Mother to Director (FEMALE, 50s) - Locked in the small town outside the city, she pursues local dreams that don’t require much chase. Cynical to long relationships, and well aware of this, she is content to float freely and purposefully ignorant of consequence thru false starts and one-nite stands, especially at her age.

Old Director (MALE, 60s+) - Retired, a mentor to the company. A dual personality. In public, he is the sun at the center of the party. In private, he is collapsing on himself, admittedly lonely after the loss of his wife and now at the end of his career. He is afloat and now untethered, looking down over his own history.

All submissions should be sent to aopproductions@gmail.com.

(Source: anopenplace.com)

Live Chat Tonight - July 19th @ 7pm EST

Please join me for a live chat TONIGHT at 7pm EST! Use the tag #filmindu to tweet YOUR questions about acting, the nyactorstweetup.com networking group or what I’m producing for TheArmyof7.com! - I’ll do my best to answer everyone!! Talk to you soon :)

(Source: t.co)

UPDATED! Big Vision Awards 2012

UPDATE: Confused by the BIG VISION AWARDS, how much the tickets cost and whether or not you have to become a BVEW member to attend?

NO you do not have to join BVEW to attend! Tickets come in 3 price tiers:

- Power Networker (no pre-reserved seating - remember it’s held at a hip night club!) at $30 (or $22.50 with our discount)

- Reserved Tables at $50 (or $37.50 with our discount)

- VIP at $75 (or $56.25 with our discount)

Awards will only be a portion of the evening, then the rest will be mingling & socializing. And frankly it’s not often we actors get the chance to rub elbows with so many filmmakers, directors & artists!

Here’ a direct link to the actual ticket sales page (vs the BVEW ad I have been linking to below). I hope to see you there!

Direct buy link: http://www.showclix.com/event/231484
Discount code: Tweetup

The NY Actors Tweetup is a Proud Sponsor of the 1st Annual “BIG VISION AWARDS 2012” Presented by Big Vision Empty Wallet.

**Featuring Roberta Flack, Collen Zenk and the Godspell cast as presenters! Plus an exclusive performance from Grammy-Award winning artist Miri Ben-Ari!**

On June 14th, Big Vision Empty Wallet will be honoring six people who have achieved success by creating their own path. People who support independent work and would love to meet and champion hard working artists and innovators like you.

The event will be held at Work In Progress. one of the hottest and most exclusive venues in NYC!

Thursday, June 14th, 2012
8pm
WIP, 34 Vandam
Cocktail Attire
RSVP
Tickets are limited and will sell out quickly
Use the code Tweetup to receive 25% off the ticket price

We hope you’ll come out to the awards and get the chance to meet your next great collaborator!

The 2012 honorees are:

Jacqueline Gonzalez, Executive Director of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Executive Producer of the Annual NY Emmy Awards.

Miri Ben-Ari, Grammy award-winning violinist and recognized musical pioneer originally from Israel, credited for the creation of her own unique sound by a revolutionary fusion of classical style with jazz, R&B and hip hop.

Whit Stillman, Academy Award-Nominated Screenwriter/Director (Metropolitan, The Last Days of Disco, Damsels in Distress).

Ken Davenport, Broadway and Off-Broadway Producer (Godspell, Chinglish, You’re Welcome America, Blithe Spirit, Speed the Plow, 13).

Matt Pinfield - Host of over 100 MTV specials, “120 Minutes” on MTV2, recognized as “The Rock and Roll Encyclopedia.”

The BVEW Visionary Award will be presented to BVEW member Ballard C. Boyd for his creativity and commitment to creating outstanding work at any budget level.

RSVP today at http://bigvisionemptywallet.com/awards and use the code Tweetup to receive 25% off of the ticket price!

We would be so honored to have our NY Actor Tweetup members there!

 - Marissa Mutascio & Erin Cronican

NYC Performing Arts Networking Event - June 4, 2012

It’s Our 2nd Birthday!

Can you believe it’s been 2 years since we started the NY Actors Tweetup? Come celebrate this momentous occasion and mingle with actors, writers, directors, casting directors, designers and others interested in talking about the arts!

When…
Monday June 4^th, 2012
7pm-11:00pm (or later!)

Where…
Pig ‘n Whistle on 36th - Upstairs [map]
202 W 36th St. (near 7th Ave)
New York, NY 10018

Bonus…
There will be drink specials all night. (How can you beat that?)

RSVP…
Please let us know you’re coming by adding your RSVP to our Facebook Event page. Not on Facebook?  You can reach us at nyactorstweetup@gmail.com.

Note: We host events roughly every two months.

Special Event: Casting & Cocktails

An Evening with Michael Zecher & Jodi Angstreich

This is a special invitation to join casting directors MICHAL ZECHER and JODI ANGSTREICH for an upcoming SPRING FLING: CASTING & COCKTAILS event.

This is an AWESOME opportunity to learn the ins and outs of television and film casting with two of NYC’s most friendly and knowledgeable casting folks!! In this intimate atmosphere, you can have a cocktail or a beer, and work on on-camera material to get yourself audition ready without the high pressure environment! How great is that?!

Where:
Ten Degrees
121 St. Marks Place
New York

When:
Monday, May 14th @ 7:30pm
-or-
Monday, May 21st @ 7:30pm

Cost:
$100

Michal Zecher hails from CBS Primetime Casting where she spent several years casting some of the most popular Primetime television shows such as “CSI“, “How I Met Your Mother“,  “The Good Wife” and many more. She is now an acting coach to many of NYC’s successful working actors.

Jodi Angstreich also hails from CBS. She has since gone onto be a freelance casting associate on dozens of projects, including the not-yet-released feature films “Kill Your Darlings” (with Daniel Radcliffe) and “Adult Children of Divorce” (starring Adam Scott, Jessica Alba and Jane Lynch).  Other recent past projects include “Mildred Pierce” (HBO’s Emmy Award winning mini-series with Kate Winslet), and the feature films “The Art of Getting By” (with Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts) and “Rampart” (with Woody Harrelson). Jodi is currently casting the indie-feature “Plus One“!  Additionally, she is currently working on many national commercial campaigns including Captain Morgan, Comcast and AT&T…to name a few.

To RESERVE YOUR SPACE in this unique workshop email your Headshot & Resume to mzcasting@gmail.com with the subject “Spring Fling invitation from Marissa Mutascio”.

Questions should be directed to Michal at mzcasting@gmail.com

I’m so excited about this event and I can’t wait to see you there!

-Marissa

(Source: marissamutascio.com)

Networking & The Power of YOU

Whether you are a new or veteran actor, knowing your type – meaning how others are most likely to see (and cast) you – is of primary importance, for this is where the bulk of your work will be. In fact, until you’ve successfully established yourself, embracing whatever type you most represent (e.g. the jock, the femme fatale, the hipster, the comedic side-kick, etc.) should be the tent-pole of your marketing efforts and the focus of your job submissions.

Ironically, once you know the category of actors you are most aligned with, it then becomes your job to distinguish yourself within the pack.   The most perceptive and successful actors are those who know that it’s the small elements of their unique personality that make them stand out in the audition room.  It’s the seemingly simple act of bringing a little of yourself into whomever you are playing that makes the big difference.

In a nutshell, it is your “YOU-ness” that will help get you the job.

While harnessing the ‘power of you’ in your performances is what will help move you from the audition room to the set or stage, many actors seem to fear putting that same “you-ness” to work for themselves in non-acting situations.  This goes against reason, for it is universally true that the more genuine and less ‘sales-y’ or ‘speed date-like’ our industry interactions are, the more likely a tangible lead or connection can be made.

Social media is an amazing gift that gives today’s performers the opportunity to create an online presence, in alignment with their specific type, while also being able to add his or her own unique personal voice through interactions with their audience.  Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Google+ are the stand out choices for building rapport both among your fans and among the industry contacts you WANT to build relationships with.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could just show up to a networking opportunity as our authentic self with the one simple goal of seeing if a connection can be made? In my opinion that is exactly what networking IS about.

Just as your mindset in the audition room will set you apart, it is the seemingly simple act of bringing a little of yourself into your social media presence that makes the big difference when seeking out networking opportunities.  Whether it be in a meeting, online or at an event – in my opinion ‘networking ‘is simply another chance to use our active listening skills and let our unique, authentic voice shine through.

In a nutshell, it’s the subtle and un-manufactured ease with which you share your  “YOU-ness” that will not only set you apart in the audition room, but will help you get in the door.

(Source: theartsentrepreneur.com)

Confidence is a choice! You decide your own worth.

"Believe in yourself and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe with you."

— Cynthia Kersey

Rosemary Apricot Mango Jalapeno Chicken Sausage Stuffing

My best Thanksgiving invention. Ever.

3/4 cups butter
2-4 stalks celery, chopped (aprox. 1 1/2 cups)
1 large onion, chopped (aprox. 1 cup)
1 pkg rosemary bread (aprox. 15 slices or 9 cups, chopped)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground sage
1 pkg Aidell’s Mango Jalapeno Chicken Sausage
12 oz. dried apricots

Brown sausage, chop & set aside. In a 4 quart Dutch oven combine butter, celery & onion. Simmer until tender.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.