Today on                                  CLIMBING THE HOLLYWOOD LADDER.


Its Sunday went to the car Show At Warner center canoga park it was nice.
 shooting a student film Tomorrow. as a Guru  in a cave?????  its a UCLA student project.
i like to do them. get some interesting stuff and help out someone comeig up the ladder. they don't get a chance to work with veteran actors often.

got a call from Alison Horn Casting. the Casting dir for the  Homeless guy callback from Friday.
 Im Put on First Avail   That;s your there first choice and want to make sure your avaliable for the shoot days. she said the director  was blow away with my  look and read.

Ive been on proudly 400 callbacks to producers and clients in my years of being an actor but this one was the strangest.
 i go in and they want me to read with 3 different actors because they were short on homeless guys that they called back. im always cool with that your in the room much longer and ya get a chance to give them  more looks and or different type reads.  ok as you can see from the pic. " I LOOK LIKE SHIT.' But thats the point. they wanted a fine line " not scare but not comic" so that was my choice for looks.

i walk in with the first actor and the dir looks at me and says so Frankie What do you do for a Living??

i was a little taken aback no one has asked me that at a call back. im thinking well  for fucks sake im an ACTOR  but thought better of it.
 so im thinking ok relax just be cool.

 frankie  -- 'WELL SIR IM AN ACTOR.

Director   Really  but what do you do for Money. because you come in here and you well you look like your homeless.
 i glance at the camera guy. like what the fuuuuck 

im thinking OOOOKAAAAAA  this guy must be from some place other than LA and not very experienced as a Dir.

i thought about saying
Frankie----- well sir i pan handle and sometimes Suck dicks.
there was a lady in the room and it is a baptist commercial
so i though better of it.

Frankie-- well im blessed " it is a Baptist college  commercial lol:   To work Allot.

DIR----- really  Really.. you make a living looking like that.?

INTERNAL DIALOGUE.  im thinking

So dood what do you do for a living. its obviously not Directing.
 what i said was

Frankie .. well ive found that People really don't want to be seen looking like this so there are fewer good actors willing to play such extreme characters. so i chose to play them and have done well.
but imagine . you all get all gussied up to go to work i work hard to make myself look this way.

Dir.... REALLY????? people  really try to make that look a carrier?  what is the breakdown like.

The breakdown is what the casting director puts out for the agents to understand what the role is about and pass it on to the actors they submit.

 FRANKIE... well sir once i got a breakdown that said " 45 year old male looks like homeless shit get's ass wooped by girl and cant get laid.


Dir. Really.....???  no way
Franklie..... Really they are very descriptive and to the point sir. its not about feelings its about getting across what they need in looks and demeanor.

DIR.    REALLY ? and you make a living doing this.
 now the casting dir Alison Horn. is a vet i booked The Boost mobile bill from hell commercial with her and i know she is a pro. but im thinking

Alison really needs to have a talk with this guy.

"Sometimes Directors will just ask you random questions to find out who you are as a person. and get a better read on you.  after all they do have to spend 12 hrs and sometimes many days with ya so i stayed COOL.

15 years ago it would have been " ya know what Dood FUCK YOU  Really.... i don't need this shit.

but im older now and don't have that ego anymore. lol
 so i say.

FRANKIE..... well sir i also taught Pro ballroom and Latin Dancing for 20 years. imaging your dance teacher looking like this.
 i also own a DJ/Karaoke company. Imagine Your Wedding DJ looking like me?

Director....  "Go ahead and guess what he said"    REALLY????

Frankie ... Yes sir.
I look over at the camera man and he is staying very busy and you can see his face is all contorted trying not to laugh.

anyway we did the 3 reads each different actor that i read with i changed my hat my hair or my intention to give them 3 different looks.
 they said thank you and i left.

Come to find out the Director James Gartner is one of the most talented award winning Commercial Directors around. did his First Film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer . Won the DGA award for best commercial director 3 times and is a veteran Director.

Casting Dir said he was Blown away by my look.  The kinds of commercial's he has done have always been nice people pritty people and he had never done anything so character extreme.

and did not realize character actors come in so convincingly dressed for the role.  that he Said that dood is amazing what commitment.

LOL  So you know on set im just gonna have to Fuck with him the whole day.
Hay   Dood I took you character Cherry..
 So im Jazzed to work with him. of course ill show up to the wardrobe fitting in a Suit and tie lol
Gotta show em allot of looks.

For me its a Huge compliment that when you walk in a room and are dressed for the part and a seasoned director. does not believe you are a professional because you look to much the part.
 so to the New guys. dont be so fast to get your panties in a bunch just be cool and answer the question. rarely is someone an asshole just to be an ass hole. but it does happen lol
that's another story

Well My job is Done  Give me a Fucking Raise lol

so that's cool we will do the wardrobe fitting on the 11th and shoot on June 12th.
 its nice when you get surprised after 22 years in a business. when you think you have seen it all.

LOL not when your    CLIMBING THE HOLLYWOOD LADDER .  Really?????????????



Frankie Ray