Not Advised: Flashing the Head of Network Casting

General meetings.  I've just completed my first LA "general" meeting, and have two more lined up this week.  Now... the concept of this whole general thing baffles me just a tiny, tiny bit.  I had a conversation with my manager the other day as she gave me the lowdown on an upcoming meeting with the Head of Casting over at CBS:

"So, Ashley, I wanted to give you the lowdown on your meeting with Bethany* tomorrow."

"Awesome, Fabulous Manager, praytell The Lowdown."

"Ha, Ashley, not only are you a brilliant Method actor who can cross over from bizarre, if inspired theatre to the television medium -- but you are overwhelmingly witty and silvertonged, to boot!"

Obviously, this is not the conversation I had with my neverendingly awesome manager.  But, rather, the mental concoction that a combination of Starbucks Double Shot Mocha Espresso and the Muscle Milk my Los Angeles roomie has somehow convinced me to try... resulting in a state that's not only hyper, but full of protein!    Whoaaa.

I digress.  So Fabulous Manager briefed me about what would go down -- and basically?  A chit-chatty conversation by which I would make myself... well, silvertonged and lovable... and have said Head of Casting wish to refer me to all the other CBS casting directors she reigns above on her King of All Shows throne.  She'd taken a look at my resume.  She'd [maybe] taken a gander at my reel.  But for the most part?  It was a meet-and-greet that I didn't have to pay for via one of these One on One's, and actually get taken seriously.  

[Not to knock casing director workshops -- I've gotten dayplayer work out of many of 'em -- but there's an in-the-body different feeling getting to drive onto the CBS lot with your name at security, and walking up to meet someone in a cushy network tower versus paying the thirty, thirty five bucks to have two minutes with the fellow, who's likely uncomfortable and generally unimpressed anyway, in a tiny white-boxed workshop room.]

Thank you, Fabulous Manager.

_____

"How do I look?" I asked one of my Los Angeles roomies, walking out of my Nook the day before this "General".

"Er..." she smiled politely, nose-dipping into her coffee before answering.

"Like ... you just came back from New York!".  Her intonations told me enough.  I needed to rock a bit more of an LA vibe and get out of the mostly-black, I-freakin'-miss-Manhattan thing.

So a quick trip to this shopping area called The Grove resulted in a simple but flattering 90210 meets Manhattan-chic top, and a piece of amulet-inspired jewelry I immediately decided would be very, very lucky.  I returned home.  I got the LA-roomie thumbs up.  

Twenty-four hours later, I was flashing the Head of CBS Casting.

Wait, wait-wait-wait.  Back up just a bit.  So I donned all appropriate, we're-not-in-Manhattan-anymore attire, got in my little [...they make airplanes, too?!] Saab, and drove over to the delightfully serene network lot over in Studio City.  The security guard joked with me over my odd selection of music (Velvet Revolver), and I pulled through to park at one of the larger buildings.  With a quick retouch of makeup and the grabbing of my headshot folder, I made my way inside the tower.

A woman should always be conscious of her attire, especially when she isn't aware of the immediate perils that bending or reaching might inspire upon her.  Especially when leans over to shake hands with the Head of Casting, and more especially when she knocks over Head of Casting's daily copy of The Hollywood Reporter and bends down to pick it up.  

Let's just say... I'm rather thrilled that in that standing-up-with-mortification-moment, the real Head of Casting came out of her office.  I had just kinda-sorta flashed the assistant.  Still not the best thing to do pre-meeting, but phew.

"Ashley, are you ready?"

Oh-ho, more than you know...

-- Free People really likes to make things go "free", Ashley Avis

Comments

[Justine]

Hee. :) I love your blogs, Ashley. Your writing style is so engaging and entertaining and really pulls me in. I know you've said you've done a lot of writing, and it's a big interest of yours along with acting and I'm not surprised. Keep at it, please!

Kudos to you for getting this general. I know what you mean about the casting workshops. I'm not going to knock it completely either - I know for many they have become a necessity, or a necessary evil, and well...I could go on and on about it, but I won't. Except to say, it's a crying shame that more actors can't get these kind of meetings like the one you had, where they don't have to purchase it. Things used to be different, and they should be different again.

Hope you get some great results out of your CBS meeting, and can't wait to read about your next adventure! :)

[Ashley Avis]

Aw, thanks so much Justine... comments like this that keep an actor truckin', you know? :)

And yes... I've been super-lucky to find my Fabulous Manager. We've been working together for about two years -- and he belief in me has never wavered. I've really run the gamut with agents -- so it's nice to finally have a champion you in with you no matter what.

En route to an ABC General in about an hour, so I'm sure I'll have additional stories... especially since I'm [intelligently or not] wearing the same CBS-Flashing outfit... but this time, with TAPE!

[Johnnie Marie]

I just found your blog and I LOVE IT! I can't say it any better than Justine. Congrats to you on having a great manager and getting the general meeting.

I'm just starting out on this journey into the business and I hope to achieve what you have one day.

Keep it up!

[kule Jack]

I want to kiss you