Adapt Or Die

(photo credit: E. L. Nagode)

So, you have a gig and have a few days to work on a character. Then, you show up on set and the director doesn't like the character you've spent so much time and energy to develop. What do you do? Simple. You adapt or die.

The piece you are a part of is the director's baby, and, as often is the case in the world of short films, the director is also the writer and/or producer. So what if the character you've developed is rejected, adapt it to what the director wants. Use your skills and (hopefully) experience to achieve what is being asked of you and not only will the director be happy, but you will be, too. That character that was rejected is still there and more than likely can be put to use on another project. Or even pieces of the character.

I know it seems cliched, but thinking about rejected characters in these terms is all part of the positive attitude you need to have in order keep most, if not all, of your sanity in the insane world known as show business. I know what happens if you cannot adapt enough: you don't get called back. I recently went in for an audition with the most delicious Southern accent of all time. After greeting the director, he promptly informed me that he decided he didn't want the character to have an accent after all. I did the scene but was very uncomfortable, unwilling to fully adapt, and consequently didn't get a call back. But, it was a valuable reminder that you must be ready for anything, that you must adapt or die. Metaphorically, of course.

This Is The City; Los Angeles, California

("This is the city...")

My friend and I arrived in Los Angeles driving a pickup and a U-Haul truck, respectively, nearly eight weeks ago. After a few days of recovery from the three day trip from Portland, I began to get audition calls almost immediately.

Don't let anyone fool you, it is a lot of hard work just to get an audition. You have to submit first, no wait, you have to get your stuff together first: your photos, your resume, your contacts and your internet! Then you submit, submit and submit again! Once you get that audition, of course, be ready to go. Have fun fer cryin' out loud. I have had more than 15 auditions in the last 6 weeks after submitting to over 110 productions. That's a pretty good average they tell me. The 15th audition got me my first call-back. The next step in the process is to book that job! Then, work your ass off in the joyous spirit and then, in the words of Humphrey Bogart, "...work breeds work".

More to come...

Well, Hi Everybody!

Here is a direct website to Rod Harrel - actor. Yep. I'm out there now. And once you check out the You Tube links and my photos you'll slap your head and exclaim that you "could've had a V-8" and then want to hire me.

Here's a link to my actors access profiles.

For more entertainment, there will be more photos and links to come of course. But, for now, here is a production photo from a theatrical production of "Exit The King".

I was the King, of course.

(With Virginia Belt in the "Exit The King" stage production. - photo credit: Llewelyn J. Rhoe)