I'm starting a new blog on wordpress. It has alot more features and you can actually follow my blog! It will chronicle my life as I moved from NYC to LA this month. :) It's called "Get Ready Cuz Here I Come". Check it out!


http://grchic.wordpress.com

  I graduated from City College this week. It felt great getting my named called and walking across the stage as the crowd applauded my name. I felt like I had achieved so much as an undergraduate and now it it was time for me to move on and contribute to the world in a greater way that I had in school. Yet, I almost had a meltdown this week and i realized I had sooo much more to learn and questioned if I had really learned anything in college. I remembered this feeling...it was like I was a freshman all over again. But this time I was a freshman at life. The week prior I had planned this blog post out to a tee. I was going to discuss everything that lead to this great accomplishment of graduating with a job in my chosen field and enjoying the ride and just feeling like I hit the jackpot. But the world is very different outside of school. The pressure is on and you don't have a professor that tells you to relax when you freak out. You just have to call your Mom. All I know is I have so much more to learn, but now I know what I need to learn instead of justing taking classes because they interest me. 

Who are you? Not the things you like to do on nice day but, who are you really? Do you know these things? Knowing yourself is not only important as a person roaming the earth but it helps your job prospects. If you know who you are, what you're capable of, what conditions you cannot tolerate and so on you wont be wasting you time auditing for projects you aren't right for. I've learned that I'm still learning who I am. I know quite a lot about myself, but I am still making discoveries all the time. Knowing yourself is also key to self satisfaction and happiness. And everyone loves a happy actor! :)

-Nydia Simone

    So I'm half asleep so don't mind me if I don't make too much sense. I trust you'll catch my drift. In the past week I have felt simply joyful and I have gotten hired and promoted in the same week! Some of you say "of course you feel good, all these amazing things are happening to you" But no young grasshopper, I took up a new hobby about two weeks ago. Painting. I've just finished three watercolor paintings and I'm going to work on my canvas in the morning. Painting is so relaxing and I believe it holds so many metaphors for life. For example when you begin to paint on a canvas you have to apply three coats of a special paint primer called "gesso" before you can actually create your masterpiece. The gesso takes at least 20 minutes to dry before you can add another coat. I feel like I've become a little more patient now that I have taken up this awesome hobby. And I think its important to do things simply because you enjoy them. My grandfather once told once told me I should laugh at least once a day. As artists and entertainers we are in the business of fun so I feel we snub ourselves sometimes. You may see a lot of theatre and watch lots of films, but are you enjoying yourself? When was the last time you took a break and decided to color or play ping pong? I think I've started to fair better in the job market because I'm really enjoying myself and I'm not paranoid, needy and greedy. I am able to relax and enjoy the life I have and I think people are attracted to that. Be someone that others are attracted to. Be thankful and truly enjoy your life!

Go pick up a paintbrush!
-Nydia Simone 

    A  wise friend once told me "Keep your head in the clouds and your feet on the ground". It's important to dream and believe in the impossible, yet its just as important to have the ability to be practical and realistic when you need to. I've never been a realistic person, And I think that's why I'm considered lucky by a lot of people. I consider myself an extreme optimist. Some people consider that being delusional. 
    I hate being practical or realistic.. What' s the fun in that? Isn't the airplane, impossible? It's literally a bent piece of metal flying the sky. But someone believed in an impossible idea. Believing in yourself is probably a talent that will take you further than any of your creative talents in this industry. If you truly believe you will be the next Hollywood or Broadway star, you're halfway there. 
    With that being said, there are rare times in life you should be realistic and practical. I don't like being practical, but I realize its value. So you want to audition for the lead for in Wicked, but you don't have any Broadway credits, an agent and you've never been trained....probably not going to happen. Or you want to book a series regular role and your resume is full of stage credits....probably not going to happen. Start with something you know you can book, then work your way up from there. You just graduated from college and don't have any professional credits? Or you don't have any acting credits al all? Start with a student film or short film by an indie film director. This way, you build a relationship and you build you resume at the same time. Soon you'll meet people who have bee in more high profile jobs and you will be on your way to becoming the next Broadway/Hollywood star you've always dreamed of. But remember you'll be ON YOUR WAY. Its a journey.

Love your life.
-Nydia Simone

    Last summer I had the unique opportunity of interning for the Producers of "A Streetcar Named Desire". The production was on Broadway and Blair Underwood, Nicole Ari Parker, Wood Harris and Daphne Rubin-Vega played the starring roles. It definitely changed my life and allowed me to learn more about the "business" of show business. 
    Many actors...especially those new in the business forget that it is a business. Plain and simple. In order to move forward with your career, you must at least attempt to master the business side. What is the business side of it you ask? Firstly, its your brand? Who are you? What is your type? Are you the naughty mean girl who gives no one a break or are you the nerd whose only friend is her pet rock? You basically have to typecast yourself. If you don't know who are, Casting Directors won't know how to cast you. 
    Do you have headshots that aren't crap? Bad headshots are worse than no headshots. Find a good headshot photographer and really take shots that capture you're "essence" as an actor. Christopher Dietrich, an Executive at Actors Connection calls headshots "Essence Shots". Keep that in mind the next time you get headshots. 
    Resume. If you don't have one, make one. Even if you have to work for free, if you don't have a resume, no one will take you seriously. Submit to projects you're right for even if its unpaid. Your going to have to work for free sometimes...unless your fathers name is Steven Spielberg. 
    Do You know what shows you're right for? Do you know the Casting Director for those shows? You have to do your homework. It sucks, but it must be done. Research the shows you're right for then, send mailings (headshot/resume/cover letter) to the Casting company who works on that show or production. So you want to be on Modern Family? Look up the show on IMDb and you'll find that Jeff Greenburg cast 67 episodes.  If you dig a little deeper you'll find that Jeff has also cast other awesome shows like "Frasier, Up All Night and a bunch of TV movies. Now you have to find Jeff so we can't send him our stuff. Its YOUR homework so do it!

Toodles!