Author Archive

The LA Acting Adventure Has Begun!

HollywoodI’m here! Someone suggested that I blog about my move to LA to broaden my acting horizons. I’ve never been one to keep a journal up to date, and I’m a little sporadic at blogging, but I’m going to try to post about this new journey.

Dipping My Toe In

I came out for a week in May for a look-see and to get the lay of the land. Hit the ground runnig with a Casting Director 1 on 1 with Scott David. Great experience. He really liked my scene and told me “You need to be here”. Not a bad way to start my visit! I also had a meeting with a manager which went very well, and I was requested to come back in for a second visit and cold reading, which I’m doing this evening. During that first visit, I also broke in my travel audio gear. Missing my beautiful home studio that we built a few years ago back in Houston, I was back to recording in a closet. But the gear was easy to use and the audio worked well for my clients. I didn’t miss a beat.

Taking the Plunge

Now, several weeks later, I’m back for an extended time. Many thanks to my friend, LA actress and acting coach Connie Cooper! Her invitation to come out here, her help in getting me around the city, and her willingness to share her years of considerable experience and knowledge about living and working in LA make her my “angel”. My other angels are my family for their support and encouragement in pursuing my dreams.

Hit the Ground Running

As has become my norm, I hit the ground running this week. I’d signed up for an agents and managers showcase at Actor’s Advantage several weeks ago. When I discovered they were having a bonus rehearsal the night before the actual showcase, with Aqua talent agent Courtney Peldon on the day my flight arrived, I did everything in my power to make sure to be there. As luck would have it, the last leg of my flight was delayed by an hour, but thanks to my friend, and the fact it took awhile to get everyone checked in at the rehearsal, I made it! Another great experience. Courtney was very happy with my scene and encouraged me to use it everywhere. The other actors were very friendly and kind, too.

The next morning, I had a voice over session via ISDN at The Voicecaster audio studio with a client in NY. (I’d done an ISDN session from my home studio with a client in Louisville the day OF my fight) I recorded and sent audio files from “the closet”, too. The showcase that evening went very well, and I received lots of good feedback from the agents and managers in attendance – there were 20 of them and a large group of actors performing.

Tonight is the second meeting with the manager and my cold reading. He’s been responsive to my interim emails with updates to my reel, and I’m curious to see what he has me read. Wish me luck!

New Theatrical Demo Reel – 2 Minutes!

I’ve been learning so much lately from a variety of courses and sources! I’m getting ready to take the plunge into the LA market, so I’ve been updating websites, demos, reels, resumes – you name it! I’m waiting to get new headshots until I get to LA because I want to wait to see what my new manager and agent will want. It seems there are differing ideas depending on who you talk to. Bottom line, they need to look like me, of course, but whether I just want/need shots that express me or if I’ll be requested to provide headshots for specific categories – that still represent the real me, of course – remains to be seen. I like Amy Jo Berman’s way of describing that headshots show CDs what to do with you.

Another topic discussed in Amy Jo Berman’s “Social Discover Me” course was the acting demo reel. So much good information! I was already in line with many of the things discussed, but there were some areas on my demo reel that needed to be tweaked. I’ve also just received footage from my appearance on Salem, so it was a great time to clean up that theatrical demo reel!

Here’s the result:

Leave a comment to let me know what you think!

 

 

 

Actress MELANIE HAYNES Demands Truth on WGN America’s Witchy New Hit-Series “SALEM”

Also Appears in Festival-Favorite Indie Film “THE LAST MARK”

HOUSTON, Texas (May 19, 2014) – Actress MELANIE HAYNES flexes her strength in an all-new episode of WGN America’s spooky freshman drama series, “Salem,” set to air on June 1, 2014. Haynes also appears as one tough lady in the indie feature, “The Last Mark,” currently screening on the festival circuit.

In the episode titled, “Our Own Private America,” Haynes gets fed-up and turns to the authorities for answers. Set in the volatile world of 17th century Massachusetts, the show explores the infamous times of the witch trials, uncovering the dark and supernatural truths of the times. Created and executive-produced by Brannon Braga (“24”) and Adam Simon, the show stars Janet Montgomery, Shane West, Seth Gabel and Xander Berkeley.

Haynes rolls up her sleeves as the no-nonsense bar owner Sissy in the indie drama “The Last Mark,” which recently premiered at WorldFest-Houston. The film reveals the stories of the good ol’ days of a legendary card shark (Bo Brinkman) and his sidekick (William Morgan Sheppard), which leads to the exposure of a long lost dark secret. It’s only then, that the legend’s son (Jeremy London) can escape his bleak future as a ‘mark’ and find redemptive kindness.

Haynes was thrilled to be part of the Houston-based project, adding “Not only did I get the chance to work with wonderfully seasoned actors, like William Morgan Sheppard, but I also got to share screen-time with actors I’ve known for years but have never had a chance to work alongside. We all had a great time telling this story!”

Haynes has built a solid resume both on-camera and as a voice-over actress over the years. The Houston native has appeared in and voiced numerous television projects, including “A Face to Kill For,” “The Con,” “Arrest & Trial” and “The Daily Apple.” She earned her Bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate in Theater and English at the University of Houston, and danced for several years with Patsy Swayze’s Houston Jazz Ballet Company. Haynes served on the board of SAG-AFTRA’s Houston Local Branch for 15 years and as the President for two terms. Today, Haynes continues to run her own professional voice over studio which she established back in 2002.

Melanie Haynes is represented by Linda McAlister Talent (Los Angeles/Dallas) and Pastorini-Bosby Talent (Houston).

For further information on MELANIE HAYNES visit: www.MelanieHaynes-Actress.com

 

Melanie Haynes Gets Tough at Worldfest

imageActress MELANIE HAYNES Gets Tough at WorldFest-Houston in “THE LAST MARK” and in WGN’s Upcoming Series “SALEM”

HOUSTON, Texas (April 7, 2014) – Actress MELANIE HAYNES is one tough lady in the indie feature “The Last Mark,” screening at WorldFest-Houston on April 10, 2014. Haynes also flexes her strength in an episode of WGN America’s spooky new drama series, “Salem,” premiering later this month.

Up first, Haynes rolls up her sleeves as the no-nonsense bar owner Sissy in the indie drama “The Last Mark.” The film reveals the stories of the good ol’ days of a legendary card shark (Bo Brinkman) and his sidekick (William Morgan Sheppard), which leads to the exposure of a long lost dark secret. It’s only then, that the legend’s son (Jeremy London) can escape his bleak future as a ‘mark’ and find redemptive kindness.

Haynes was thrilled to be part of the Houston-based project, adding “Not only did I get the chance to work with wonderfully seasoned actors, like William Morgan Sheppard, but I also got to share screen-time with actors I’ve known for years but have never had a chance to work alongside. We all had a great time telling this story!”

Up next, Haynes gets fed-up and turns to the authorities for answers during the seventh episode of WGN America’s highly-anticipated new series, “Salem.” Scheduled to premiere on the network on April 20th, the show is set in the volatile world of 17th century Massachusetts and explores the infamous times of the witch trials, uncovering the dark and supernatural truths of the times. Created and executive-produced by Brannon Braga (“24”) and Adam Simon, the show stars Janet Montgomery, Shane West, Seth Gabel and Xander Berkeley.

Haynes has built a solid resume both on-camera and as a voice-over actress over the years. The Houston native has appeared in and voiced numerous television projects, including “A Face to Kill For,” “The Con,” “Arrest & Trial” and “The Daily Apple.” She earned her Bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate in Theater and English at the University of Houston, and danced for several years with Patsy Swayze’s Houston Jazz Ballet Company. Haynes served on the board of SAG-AFTRA’s Houston Local Branch for 15 years and as the President for two terms. Today, Haynes continues to run her own professional voice over studio which she established back in 2002.BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMzIxNzYzOQ@@._V1_SY317_C

Melanie Haynes · Copyright © 2024 · All Rights Reserved · Designed and Developed by Actors Web Studio