Making Movies, Playing Golf

It's all about the big meeting in Vegas for my film this week. This is the new teaser movie poster from Garrett Cury.

We were able to carve out a 26-hour vacation this weekend to San Diego. We spent the day in Old Town and the kids played their first real round of golf at the par 3 chip and put there. Aidan got his first real par on the back nine - about ten years ahead of my pace. Eli chipped in for par on the 16th. Looks like they inherited their golf skills from both grandpa's and not dad.

My friend Todd took me golfing last week. It was my first time in two years. It was pretty ugly, but I may give it another go soon.

I'm either manic or actually excited...

There is no better feeling than seeing an idea become a reality - especially when the idea is bigger than any one person. I was able to experience that in the early days of Canyon Ridge and again at Apex in Las Vegas. For the first time since those days I sense it happening again with "Hitting the Nuts." That is the part of producing that I actually like more than acting...seeing a common creative vision emerge from a group of people. When the vision is your own idea it is especially humbling and exciting.

The great thing about the project is that it has brought people back into my life - people I trained with at Second City in Las Vegas five years ago, people from Tony n Tina's, childhood friends, college friends, current OC and LA contacts and strangers in Hollywood who are quickly becoming friends.

This week two other groups joined our team. Through a chance meeting with a poker friend the general manager of the House of Blues Las Vegas heard about the project. I was able to meet with him and he was very encouraging and accomodating. They have offered the very elite Foundation Room atop the Mandalay Bay to use for our Las Vegas meeting for potential investors on March 4. The same day several members of The Second City show at The Flamingo Hilton offered to perform improv at the same meeting to show our guests a little of what the project will feel like. Our new producing partners are making original videos that showcase the project...it's all coming together. If that meeting goes as we hope we can move on into actual production of the film very soon.

I know full well that there will be more frustrating days ahead with this project, but it had occured to me this lazy Saturday morning that these are exciting days. I've always wanted a life of adventure and creativity and for the moment that is what I have.

Thanks to all of you who have supported us and helped us along the way.

The Actor's Life

I worked yesterday on a prime-time soap. It's called American Heiress and will air starting in March on MyNetworkTV - a Fox affiliate cable station in most every market. I has a co-starring role as the assistant to the main character in the first episode. It was good to work...however:

As always happens to me, I missed a call-back because I was working. It was a big national commercial and they were only calling back a few guys. I'd rather be working on a TV show than auditioning for a commercial, but it does illustrate how insanely complicated life as an actor can be. My last big commercial callback was the same story - I missed it because I was filming a TV show. A good commercial can generate much needed income for people like me, so it just gets frustrating. If I'm lucky I'll pull in $2,000 after residuals for my soap work. The commercial could have been 20 times that...ah, well. It's never been about the money - until the rent is due anyway :)

I've booked a mortgage infomercial that shoots Friday...a typical talking head bit about refinancing.

Having my own film to produce is a wonderful distraction from the hustle of auditioning and double booking. It is good to know that no matter what I am involved in a project that I really believe it, etc.

Oh, and by the way...I woke up yesterday with a monster pimple on my face - the kind of tumor that I haven't seen since high school. So despite the best effort of the American Heiress makeup department you and millions of others will get to see it in early March on national TV. My life rocks.

Updates Galore

I'm happy to announce that the film I am producing (Hitting the Nuts) has officially partnered with That's Hollywood Productions, a company based at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank. Our affiliation with them is opening up tremendous doors in every area. We will be doing investor meetings at Warner Brothers and in Las Vegas (probably at The Palms) in about four weeks with them. They have produced two other films recently at the same budget level, both of which went on to DVD distribution and profitability. I am officially very excited now. I'll be working some at their offices in Hollywood...

Additionally, we have added professional poker player and author Charlie Shoten to the project as Executive Producer. I really like Charlie personally and have enjoyed getting to know him. He is the author of a poker/self-help book entitled No Limit Life.

Add Pilot Season to all of this and I'm a pretty busy guy. I've had a steady stream of auditions, though not many pilots. The folks at NBC (someone there anyway) have taken a fondness to me. I've had several improv-based pilot auditions there. (Look for a lot of game show/improv hybrids this year on network TV if my auditions are any indication.) It's an interesting time to be an improviser for sure. This week I had several commercial auditions and booked an infomercial. Next Tuesday I film a supporting role on the soap opera "The Heiress" which will play nationally on MyNetworktv. It's channel 13 in LA. Check their website for your affiliate and I'll let you know what day you can see me. I also booked a part in an indie film that has had production pushed back - which means there's a good chance it won't actually ever happen.

Lots of fun little things are happening...would be nice to book a commercial or something to pay a few bills, but I can't really afford to complain. You'll know more when I do...thanks for reading.

Sy Waxer - Time Traveler

My friend Mike Betette is the writer for this cartoon. You can see the short pilot at the following link:

I'm a Union Man

This is my first award season as a member of the Screen Actors Guild. I was surprised to find three DVD's in the mail - Little Miss Sunshine, The Departed and Venus. They are basically trying to get votes for the SAG Awards. Pretty cool since two of the films are still in theaters. So if you give SAG a few thousand dollars a year you get free movies and pay bumps when you fall into a pool, smoke a cigarette, or go to lunch late. I guess it all works out in the end.

Big Stuff (Almost)

This is a teaser post. Things are progressing well with the feature film I am producing...see the link for Hitting the Nuts over there -->

It looks like a few key players are joining the team. When it is all official in the coming weeks I'll tell you all about it. This week has flown by so far and been filled with meetings, etc. Pilot Season is officially afoot. So far only one pilot audition - to host a show on the History Channel. It went well...they laughed a lot. I'm just not sure it was supposed to be funny. For hosting gigs I just try to be myself and hope they are looking for a dry, jaded, sarcastic host with a hint of hidden optimism. It doesn't always work...but you never know.

Check back soon for some HTN updates...

Thanks (Ultimate Poker Challenge)

I've received several e-mails and a few voice-mails from people who enjoyed my commentary on the Ultimate Poker Challenge TV show. (Lots of "new friends" from Canada for some reason - thanks for the encouragement, ey?)

Some have asked if I will be on again. I'm contracted for up to 100 shows in 2007, but not gauarenteed any. They have brought on several other co-hosts and seem to be rotating us in and out. If you are a regular viewer of the show and liked my work feel free to drop the producers a note. (You can find their info at www.passportentertainment.com). Don't bug them if you just know me, but they would want to hear from true fans I'm sure.

I actually haven't seen my episodes yet, though I know they have aired in Canada and Las Vegas. They show is syndicated in many markets - you can find your local listing at www.ultimtepokerchallenge.com.

Nothing Much to Say

The new year is off to a slow start. I auditioned today for a feature film...my first audition of the year. The kids are back in school as of today. Things seem to want to get back to normal, but I have a strange "new year" sluggishness about me. I'm normally quite manic in January...very odd.

I'd love to tell you all more, but I'm a little shy of inspiration these days. Hope to share more soon...

Back Home

We made it back safe and sound...looking forward to the new year.

Watch my new short film

I starred in The Cure, directed by Sidney Diongzon. To see it go to my Myspace page. As of right now it is posted in the first comment space. The link to my myspace is over there in the links section --> and labeled "Personal Myspace"

With love from the lobby of the Hampton Inn in Scottsburg, Indiana -

Joe

Christmas in the Midwest

This New Year's Eve Debbie and I will celebrate our 12th Wedding Anniversary. I'd put this last year toward the top of the list to be sure. It is hard to believe that the last time we were "home for Christmas" was before we were married. After twelve straight Las Vegas/So-Cal Holiday Seasons we are flying east tomorrow morning to be with Deb's family in Indiana.

We did all of our Christmas celebrating today since we have to leave for LAX before 8:00 in the morning. Today was a very casual day. The kids got a Nintendo GameCube, which is about five years behind the times but they think it is the pinnacle of technology. I was able to usher Deb into the 2000's with her first i-pod. But mainly today was about doing very little together.

I'm looking forward to a week of rest, family, and dietary freedom...followed by a month of (hopefully) work and weight loss :)

Merry Christmas. Here's to the celebrating the unpredictable, unimaginable, irrepeateble birth of the most rebellious, counter-cultural, optimistic conspiracist the world has ever seen.

I got sick.

Tuesday night Eli came down with a sore throat. I followed suit an hour later. We both were in bed for two days and went to see the doctor together on Thursday. He said that a lot of people were getting this virus that knocks you out for four or five days. This is day four and I am feeling a little better. Eli seems to be ahead of me in the healing process as he is already terrorizing his brother.

I felt terrible but was able to fulfill my commitment at Lifelines last night. Luckily (I guess) I haven't have any auditions or work since Tuesday. I was scheduled to work The Ultimate Poker show on Friday and a film called Space Reserved today and tomorrow, but both postponed the shoots until January. I do have an audition tomorrow for an indie film...things will start to shut down next week for the rest of the year though.

Peace -

Christmas Card

In my ongoing effort to save you from paper cuts (and myself from postage) and in the spirit of the season...I'm happy to electronically present the family in matching shirts. Happy Holidays.

Things are Improv-ing

More and more I am realizing that my Improv background helps me out in tinsel town more than anything else. I have finally started to get a little connected with the casting directors and producers who focus a lot on improvisational shows. Thursday I am auditioning for the first time for Reno 911. It's an improvised show on Comedy Central. I'm excited for it.

Later the same day I have a general interview over at NBC regarding a series regular role in an improvised pilot that they said was "Punk'd meets Wedding Crashers." The show is produced by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Greenberg who do Punk'd, which I have auditioned for about five times in the last year. I've had a few series regular auditions at a network, but never a "general meeting." I'll be interested to see what it involves.

I also have a callback for a Chevy commercial tomorrow. It's been really busy and hectic since Thanksgiving for me. Today was the first day that I actually had some "free" time which I spent working on Hitting the Nuts and Lifelines.

We are having several house guests over the next few weeks...Mom and Dad are coming for a few days this weekend which should be nice.

Tis the season afterall - sunny and 80 degrees today in LA. Ho. Ho. Ho.

"I hate living in LA just like everyone else, but I make the best of it because I am virtually unemployable anywhere else in the nation" -a quote as best as I can remember it from Matthew Perry on Studio 60 last night. It made me laugh.

Blink.

I cannot overemphasize how quickly the weeks go by. It's eerie. People tell me that it is because I am getting older. I'm not sure if that makes sense or not to me. I think it has something to do with my life having no definitive pattern and living in LA/Orange County. This week Monday and Tuesday were very busy with work and auditions. (The Ultimate Poker taping took ten hours on Monday alone.) By the time I took a breath it was Wednesday. Tomorrow is Friday and I feel like this week hasn't even started yet.

Ah well. It's probably all in my head. We will be going to Indiana for a week from Christmas to New Years. I'm looking forward to slowing down...though I know myself well enough to know that I will grew restless of resting come day four or five. January promises the beginning of pilot season and the finalizing of fund-raising for my film. Those weeks should crawl by...

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving awaits. Over all, a pretty nice holiday when done correctly: friends/family, football, no dietary restrictions and the annual viewing of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacations. I'm looking forward to it.

Monday is a very full day of auditions. I'm reading for a guest starring role in the CBS show Numbers in the morning. Then off to HBO for an audition and finally a callback for an AMEX commercial. Any one of those three would be a nice little holiday gift for the Boyd family budget.

The Ultimate Poker Challenge show is supposed to start next week too, but I haven't been given the day yet. I'm still on hold for the soap "The Heiress" as well. It shoots down in San Diego sometime before Christmas. So, yeah. Things are still going on the acting front. Even with all of that, I spend the bulk of my time working on producing Hitting the Nuts. We could have some big news to officially report next week regarding some of the cast.

I'm off to attempt to do nothing for four or five days. Hopefully I can stick to that plan.

Today: Pretty Much a Waste

Pretty much these days I am trying to balance three jobs (not counting the whole parenting and husbanding professions.)

Those three jobs would be acting, producing and the part-time work that I do for The Crossing. For a while the producing and acting felt like one in the same, but as both progress I am starting to realize that managing my time and my schedule becomes even more important. I did not have an audition today so my plan was to spend the day working on several things for the film as well as my lesson for Lifelines tomorrow night. That's a solid eight hour work day. The problem with my plan came when my agent called and told me to get to Santa Monica asap for a straight to callback Office Depot commercial audition. Somebody messed up in the planning of the commercial because you never get called an hour before the audition...and it shoots in two days, which is a very fast turn-around. I should have been suspicious early on.

The audition was a complete embarrasment. Not on my end, because I never got to actually audition. I drove for one hour and sat in the waiting room for over two hours waiting to get in. Everyone in the room (and there were lots of us) grew more and more impatient. Finally, the casting director just came out and sent most of us home. This violates about a dozen SAG rules, so maybe I'll get some fat penalty check in the mail next month...but it was a complete waste of time. Then Los Angeles conspired against me and it took me another three hours to get home in rush hour traffic. Now it's 9:43 and I didn't get to do anything I was supposed to do today.

All that, and to appease my lovely wife Grey's Anatomy is our number one priority Tivo show (her favorite) and The Office (my favorite) is our number two. The geniuses at NBC decided to run them head to head tonight so Tivo killed The Office gang in favor or a bunch of brilliant Seattle surgeons all of whom aren't bright enough to have a normal social life.

Well, I think I'm done complaining now. I need to get to work anyway...

Booked UPC

I got an offer today to co-host The Ultimate Poker Challenge syndicated TV show. My agent is negotiating the terms on Monday, so I'll know more details then. Figured you would all like to know...I'll post more info as it comes in.

Most of my days this week were spent working on the Hitting the Nuts project. We are trying to finalize investors...lots of e-mails and phone calls, etc.

If you haven't checked out the website, it's linked below and to the right -->

The Website is up!

The website for "Hitting the Nuts", my first feature film as a producer, is now live. We are still fixing some minor things with it, but go ahead and take a look around. Garrett Curry, a buddy from college, designed the artwork. If you like it and need someone for yourself, let me know and I'll give you his info...I really like his stuff.

So...click over and look around: www.hittingthenuts.com