Gillian West

"Let's Not Make a Fool of Myself"

Trying to make it in the modeling & theatre scene in Chicago. "Trying" being the key word. 

Entries in Acting (2)

Wednesday
Jul202011

Head Shots... Check! 

FINALLY i've gotten the biggest thing checked off my list (oh, you know... other than buying a mattress & finding out i've been approved for my apartment)! This morning I went to the botanical gardens in Birmingham to have my headshots taken with a photographer friend. After his canceling last week I was nervous they would never get done, but they did! 

Unfortunately at nine this morning it was 85 degrees and humid, something not very helpful for a shoot outside. I chose to wear just a simple v-neck, embarrassingly enough I own the same shirt in five different colors, so I picked the ones that went best with my skin tone & hair. We shot outside most of the time, there was a lot of squatting & sweating but all in all I think they turned out really well. There were a mix of really nice acting & modeling headshots that I will be able to use! Once I get the shots back I'll post some.

T-minus 5 days until the big move! 

Sunday
Jul102011

Not Yet in Chicago, But Getting Ready!

Woah woah woah woah woah. It is t-minus 15 days until the big move to Chicago & how exciting that I am now going to get to blog about trying to break in to the theatre (& they don't know this, but modeling) scene in Chicago! I thought I would do a quick blog post about my preparations for the big bad second city.

The biggest thing I am getting ready to do is get my head shots done & portfolio ready. I recently changed my hair color so it's been a big push to get new head shots. It's one of the things I'm most worried about as it will be the last thing casting directors see and the first thing modeling agencies see. I want it to be right & I am struggling with the pressure of choosing the right look, doing my hair the right way, making sure the pictures aren't too touched up & crazy looking.  So perhaps as those get taken on Wednesday I will do an update on how it went! 

The second thing (maybe this should be the biggest, but it's not a forethought right now?) is getting my monologues in order. At this point I feel i'm flailing in deep water wondering what pieces will work and what will fall flat. It's hard to just let go of control & know that I'll just have to go trial by error - so much more different than auditioning in college! 

Well, let's just hope this all goes well. & like always, that I don't make a fool of myself.