Grant Wilfley Cattle Call for two feature films

I swore to myself that I would not waste my time going to one of these cattle calls. Last time I went to one of these, I had to stand outside for hours in a huge line of people just to fill out some forms and get a quick digital snap-shot taken. So it was no surprise to head out into the city and see hundreds of people with headshots and resumes in their hands, shivering in the cold waiting to get inside to the doors of the church where they were holding the "auditions".

This cattle call was at least at a decent location over by W.59th St and 9th avenue at the church of Saint Peter the Apostle. it's definitely a huge area to hold a throng of people, though there were just TOO many people to bring in at once.


I recall being in this church before when I was on that movie "Don't Mess with the Zohan" starring Adam Sandler and ended up being a horrible experience. I knew that the location of the church sounded all too familiar and when I got to W 59th and started walking across Columbus Circle,the flashbacks of the horror became all too clear. I will never forget the 3 days/nights on that shoot with NO food and No respect at all. Oh did I mention NO waivers for being out in the cold miserable rains...The list goes on, though I will stop here on that "Zohan Mess"!



I really know how things work too well and how to work the system. Why in the world I still don't have my SAG Waivers...Ask the "GOD of SAG Waivers" I wish I knew why I am still a non-union loser after all this time.



Moving on...So I got there and luckily I saw my friend "D" in line as soon as I crossed the street. Talk about luck b/c this means I avoided having to wait in the line wrapping around the end of the block. Eventually after standing outside for about a half of an hour, which wasn't too bad, we got inside to the church where there were rows of chairs for our next step to sit down and fill out a form which consisted of everything from your name to your bra size. Oh yeah don't forget color and make of your car, if you have one. Very Important information...



The two movies that they were "auditioning" for was an untitled "Nancy Meyers Project" and oh yeah...the movie that I auditioned for on a callback which I didn't get and would have meant a feature role and instant SAG..Named "The Sorcerers Apprentice" . Yes, I auditioned for the role of a Russian Woman and was really close to getting it, though it didn't happen.

Here is the original blog of my devastating failure and how I blew an opportunity of a life time:

http://annietalentsearch.blogspot.com/2009/01/call-backs-for-sorcerers-apprentice.html

So you can imagine how I felt even going to this cattle call. It's humiliating and embarrassing at this point. There I was offered a "Golden Opportunity" and it was stripped from me in an instant.

I'm sure the entire New York Actors Roster will be called for the one thousand people scene that they plan to shoot in April of this year. I'm sure I'll get a waiver for being in a crowd scene. Lord knows I was right beside Julia Roberts in "Duplicity" which is showing on Movie Trailers right now and I got NOTHING out of that.

Life is a long lesson in humility by --- J.M. Barrie --- I think I have humiliated myself enough and need to move on..

Sigh ;(

Taping of the "NEW" Newlywed game

Work has been really slow and you know times are bad when you accept game show tapings from Actor's Reps for income. The only way you can look at something like this is that it's money coming to you as it takes over 2 months to get paid the BIG $30.00/taping. Let's not forget the 10% commission. Times like this I really wish I continued higher education and got a masters degree in something.


On the other hand these days everything lacks originality anymore and ALL these supposed NEW shows are trying to capture the essence of the original success it had back in the 70's. They figure it's a safe bet and guaranteed recipe for ratings. In order to make it appear like it was an original thought, they put a twist to it and try to sell it off as a brilliant idea, when it is nothing more than a copy of a safe blueprint.


The "twist" in this 2009 version of the Newlywed game, they have only 3 couples as opposed to 4 as in the original one. Also the new host is a Woman now. In fact she has been a celebrity for decades and became famous back in the 80's with her hit song "Hold on to one more day!" Yes it's Carnie Wilson from Wilson/Philips. She was a great hostess and very friendly. She was also as big as a house being 5 months pregnant and all.

The segment that I thought was ridiculous was this segment at the end for a bonus round. The Newlyweds who win end up playing a bonus round with the "Goldyweds". Yes that's right, original Newlyweds back from that were on the show back in 1974. This is however not going to be on CBS, it will be aired on the GSN Or "Game Network" now.

Now the concept sounds great, though I was thinking as I'm sure many people were and that is how many couple from the 1970's could they possibly find that are still together after 34 years, still look good, and are still alive??

Not only that but it is really confusing as the Newlywed couple wins but then they have to play one more round and answer 5 questions to win a coffee maker or digital camera. The original ABC version was such success because of it's outlandish replies to the questions and catch phrases such as " Making Whoopee" referring to sexual intercourse.

The huge difference between now and the 70's is that we didn't have so much media and Internet at our exposure. Things have changed significantly and times are not as innocent as they were back then. Sure you had the "Watergate scandal" with Richard Nixon while he was in office, but still the times were simpler.

Now with all the new infrastructure and Internet, cell phones, texting, Facebook, My space, and of course the biggest change ever, a Black President. Who would have ever imagined a black man would get elected to office?? Well it happened.

As for this show, it may be a "neat" idea to bring it back, though not a great idea. You just can't bring something back 34 years later and expect the same results. It's a totally new era and it's a shame that there is lack of originality in these interesting times.

A.