I had a meeting at Universal Studios with an agent yesterday. This was how it went:
Agent (wearing a hippy looking skirt and purple tights with holes in them that she can't really pull off. I tell her 'cute tights.' She is on the phone): 'Just hold for one tick.' (Looks up) 'Hi, Veronica is it? Come on in.' (Still on phone) 'Can you hold for about 5?' (To me): Ok, headshot, resume? Great. Oh I thought you were SAG eligible? No? Ok not to worry. Piece of paper is there, I'll get you to do a cold read, just let me know when you're ready. (Pulls out ipad, stars writing what I can only presume is an email; person on phone still on hold).
I read the line in front of me. It is from a commercial for a hospital. It reads 'treating me like a person and not just another patient. Now that's a good idea.' Ha. How ironic. I go over it a few times in my head. Then I stand up and say, ok, ready. I recite the line to the spot on the wall she told me to direct it to. It comes out ok, perhaps a little stiff, then again I may have just been distracted by her tapping on her ipad. I remind myself this is what it is like. She smiles at me, shakes my hand and says 'great, I'm seeing people all this week, but I'll shoot your manager an email when I've made a decision.'
I leave. Total time in office: 6.3 minutes. Total cost for parking: $5.
Ok it wasn't quite that abrupt, but pretty much. I managed to convey I was Australian and have only been here 6 months which is why I am not SAG yet (of course I didn't mention that I don't have a visa yet, it just didn't come up).
Today put together some more documents for the lawyer so that in a few months from now when I get asked in an audition 'oh, do I detect a slight accent? Oh Australian? Lovely, now....do you have a visa?' I can say 'yes.'
And so it goes...
