Long Days!!

Filming the Episodes for Penelope K is both tiring and rewarding. Long days starting at 5:30am - theres a 5:30am now?? when did that start?? and finishing at 7:30pm.. I am knackered to use a Bristish expression, but it is a hoot and lots of fun.. The discipline required to do 27 takes of a 1 minute scene plus audio (my trumpet skills at the forefrunt@!).. My trumpet has to talk for me in the show... My favourite line - "Arent they the cheese sandwiches your Mum packed for you a month ago!" - now try saying THAT!! particularly with 30 crew an audio guy with a mic in your face and a director giving you two seconds and saying GO!!... That was good, - now with a bit more inflection on CHEESE!!

Aunty Beeb

CBeebies - the BBC childrens channel is lookin full on. Budget for Penelope K is $1.8m aussie dollars (or about 2 euros lol..) Filming 11 hour days is tiring, but fun and rewarding.. The rest of the cast and Director Peter Cudlipp are fun to work with.

The Terrorist Ninja Rubber Band is go, go go... Fact! Now thats a handy dandy rubber bandy type of clue!!

Contracts, Agents, All systems go..

Well its all go.. contracts going back and forth, liaison with agents, lawyers, even residuals for repeats no less!!

So we start filming again from December 5 through to the 16th.. all rush rush rush... as I said to the production manager - its better to be too busy in this industry than not at all!!

Finished off the Xmas Episode for TVS, plus dealt with some other ploppy stalking fan-fanatical business.. Kissed my bird goodbye.. and so its back off to BBC land and getting on with life.. I am Snoopy doing his little dance.. woo-hoo..

Series is Go..

So the Execs at Aunty Beebs have made their verdict and "Penelope K' has been approved for a 12 part series to air in the UK & Australia in 2010.. So its off for more filming in December - woohoo.. I am the Trumpet - koo koo ka joob... :)

Shooting a Pilot doesnt always get u in trouble

Great time at the Pilot shoot for Penelope K.. breakfast, lunch a DRESSING room - wow!! heavy duty.. Dressing like a Ninja Terrorist came scarily natural.. The Trumpet Terrorist is here!!

Also, paid my agents commission dues (Lee in Oz wont be retiring off me any time soon methinks!!). God bless Aunty Beeb..

If all goes well a 12x25 series is planned.. if the pilot is okay we film again in December for a week.. meanwhile back home and rancho relaxo..

Party with the Crew

Time for a break to party with my crew.. Try to forget I have very good reasons to hate the British, especially those with toffy nose plums up their ass.. but anyway.. go out and have a blast..

Too good to be true.. I'm a Trumpet!!

Get a call back from Freehand Productions - makers of the BBC show 'Penelope K" (by the way).. Apparently the producer was 'more than impressed' with my audition!! I have been skipped the ordeal of the 2nd audition and was told I am to film the UK pilot.

If this goes swimmingly I am to come back and film 5 subsequent episodes on the 7-10December.. as Brian Epstein used to say - "could anything be more important than this!!"

Woo-fricking-hoo.. !! As the Trumpet I now officially have my hand on it!!

Audition 2: "24" with Debi Manwiller

So Lee from Quiet on Set, has told me that Debi Manwiller - 2-time Emmy Award winner and 12 time nominee, is coming to Australia for a Q&A session and to look for new talent.

I find out about an acting workshop/audition being run with Debi, Lee, Alan Nusbaum (US Agent) with her and only 20 possible contenders here in Sydney. The info at the preceding Q&A was awesome - and get my 60 second shot pretending to be "Lieutenant Little" to her "Casey" in a script from 'The Unusuals".. a US cop show - very "24" meet "CSI"..

Give it the old college try along with best husky US voice possible - probably tanked but hey gotta give it a go.. Pic attached is me with Debi Manwiller.

The audition process..

Had my 1st audition for Penelope K here in Sydney. This consisted of turning up and waiting with the other hopefuls in the foyer like a doctors surgery..

I decided to audition for the role of the Trumpet - the leader of the Band that Peneleope asks questions to. Even brought my own trumpet to the audition - how prepared is that.

So picture this - walk into the audition room - 4 people watching behind a desk like the scene from Flashdance with Jeniffer Beale. They play various pieces of music and I am required to make the trumpet "Come Alive".. After this I am required to have a conversation with a Trombone telling it that I am the leader of the band and it should mind its place.. The scary part?? I loved it and got into WAY too easily..

The producer only made me do one take each part of the audition and moved me immediately to the side - then spent extensive time with the other auditionees? Was i that good or that bad? too old? who knows.. wait and see Jason..

Step 2: The Auditions Begin

So the first audition is in.. I'm auditioning for a BBC childrens series called "Penelope K" (By the way).. It is the 1st internationaly effort of the new BBC Chidrens channel "CBeebies".. and a joint work between Australia and the UK.

Penelope K is a problem solver and the show is very Alice in Wonderland in style.

The principal of the show is - "being wrong is the first step to being right!" now if thats not me I'll give it away...!! Audition is this Thursday...

Step 1: Finding an Agent..

Well the first step to being exploited is to find yourself the right agent to suck you dry and leech off your fame.. when this failed I found myself being interviewed and finally signed on the dotted line with: Quiet on Set.

Founder Lee Donehue is awesome, a genuinely nice person and clearly I will read this post at a latter stage and re-assess my ability to judge people.. until then - Love you Lee lol xoxox

Had to do the whole photoshoot headshot thingee and CV preparation. Also had to upload all my info onto "Showcast" and "AT2" the leading 2 casting websites.. Now I exist on a casting website, and have an agent.. we're finally ready to humiliate ourselves properly at an audition...

Jasons Acting Blog

So many of you have requested to follow my path to showbiz obscurity so here it is.

The success of the Tonight Show with Jason Ross and its vast 36,000 viewers per week has afforded me a number of opportunities.. so share with me on the road to my eventual demise and misplaced arrogance..

Here we go..