Up in the morning just to be up in the morning. I had to take my beard off. José the caretaker was tidying up the fire escape for the first time for many months, which is typical as that’s where I wanted to go to shear myself. Still, Mel was faffing all morning and she agreed to help with the tape. She’s flatsitting for a friend in Chelsea, just up the road from mine. Too good an opportunity to miss – a good friend, a great actor, local, American and female where most of my scenes are opposite an American female. I spent my day attempting to shunt words into my short term memory, whilst occasionally bumping up the Steam Deck to play Mass Effect 2 (oh my god).
Mel is off back home for Christmas and I know her well enough that I can guarantee you she’ll get swept up in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. I won’t see her until late March at the earliest once she flies away on Friday. So I’m making the most of the time we have now. I was always going to fall into this hole in the run up to Christmas. I am trying not to do Santa, so it is just me and my bank balance at war until I get a decent acting job. Gotta make the plans, roll the dice, believe.
Lou has just returned home knackered from her Christmas show. Mel and I retired triumphant to The Rose and Crown for a pint of beer post tape and pre edit. I’ve just come out of selecting the scenes and editing them all together. It watches fine – nearly three minutes of footage – I hope they cast me. I want this one.
I’m clean shaven again. Back to being mister sharpchin for the festive season. I like him but he can be intimidating. Boo doesn’t care though. She’s attacking my feet as I write.
I enjoy the discipline of self taping these days. Learning is still a bugger, particularly with these tight turnarounds. And nothing beats the magic of being in the room live, so long as you have your lines well enough that you aren’t searching on camera.
I’m off to sleep though. It’s easy enough, but it still can be draining, and Lou is flat out. Seems like a good plan to join her.
AlBarclay 