A Movie Star is born? Really?



Umm,  I am as shocked as you..  But enjoy.  NOW WHERE'S MY LATTE???? I NEED A LATTE, STAT!!!!

It's been a long time since I posted anything and the last thing I left you with was my foray into the world of professional modeling.  Since then, it's been an even wilder ride; none of which I truly saw coming.  But now a year and a half later I've been called in for dozens of commercial roles, TV shows spots and multiple movies.  All still without an agent!  How is that possible?  How is any of this possible?  I really don't have any good answers for you, but it's been a fun and interesting ride so far and I thought I could shed some light to all of those that have inquired or still are in disbelief of my second career, if you will.  Yes I'm speaking to you JB, TT, AT, JS, JE, DH, SF, GB, JM, XYZ, *7, LL, CMU!  I've used your initials to keep your anonymity and I may have possibly made a few of those up too.  It certainly is pretty crazy and hard to believe, even for me.



You'd never know it was only 30 degrees that day.  I guess I am a good actor!

After the modeling shoot, I still had no idea if any of my pictures would be used because they took so many of all the models and of course they have to see how they all turn out.  But much to my continued amazement, they did end up using 2 of my photos for the Catalog.  The one above of me running with what is supposed to be interpreted as "my son", and one of just my leg showcasing a new Brooks running shoe.  This won't sound the least bit humble, but I will be honest and say that when I saw my pictures in the catalog, it was pretty cool.  The catalog came out last spring and after that things just started happening.  Keep in mind I had auditioned for the catalog virtually on a whim and never thought anything would come of it.  After I was selected, I still didn't have any illusions of anything else.  Just a cool story and something unique that happened.  I had no agent, no desire to pursue anything, I work a regular job, my life was basically the same as everyone else.  And then I got an email from a producer about a new TV show on the Discovery Channel called The Wheel.  I have zero idea how they found me and I wasn't even sure if the email was real, but I responded cautiously and soon realized it was indeed real and they were looking for individuals to be on a show where you would get dropped off, by yourself, in remote areas of South America and I'd have to try and survive for 6 weeks.  I was intrigued and went through a litany of psychological tests and had to fill out a ton of paperwork.  They too asked for headshots and a video reel, I had neither.  But apparently I was almost cast, yet in the end I was never made a formal offer.  I would have been paid, it wasn't a contest to see if I could survive and earn the money.  I likely would have had to turn it down, as I wouldn't want to quit my job for a 3 month adventure.  But it was fun to think about.  I also learned a valuable lesson in this industry, when you are not picked, you get no word, you hear nothing, you just don't get the call to go forward.  So you sort of sit in limbo wondering for awhile.  Anyways, while that was going on I was also called by the Casting Company that did the Catalog shoot to audition for a bunch of different commercials.




Headshots?  Video reels?  Huh?  I have this selfie I took in Idaho on Lake Pend Orielle, it seems to get me work.

Commercial auditions have been interesting as well.  I was called in for a Harley Davidson commercial and had to pretend I was on a Harley.  Remember, I have no formal training, I am not an actor or a model really.  It was very strange.  Surprisingly they called me back for a final audition and to meet with the Director and he told me:

I watched your audition tape.  You really had that surprised, unsure look about you.  It was perfect.  Do it again.

Umm, okay. I was unsure and surprised, I was pretending to sit on a motorcycle that didn't exist!  I didn't know what the hell I was doing.  But I guess it worked.  So that casting company continues to contact me when they have roles that fit me and ask me to come in.  I'm beyond the open audition part with them at this point, I get called when they think it's a fit.  It's usually a two step process.  The first audition there are maybe 10 people they've called in.  The second audition they call back a couple that they liked from the first one and then they decide.  It still amazes me when I have been at second auditions, they have the talent(cough, cough) in a green room altogether and usually we talk with each other.  Some people are private, but when we get to talking the others are almost always professional actors or models and they have agents and are always talking about the shows and movies they've been in and such.  I've not yet met anyone famous per se, but those that do small roles in many things.  I've done nothing and yet I seem to be right there in the final auditions with them.  So whatever I have going for me, and I'm truly not sure what that is, seems to be working.



My friend Mike Harvey did these for me in his garage.  He's a professional photographer, but not these types of photos.  I needed them quick and he did them in a day.  Thanks Mike!  I'm almost actually a legitimate actor now.  Almost.

Having discussed my ability to get jobs without any formal training with friends, the best I can come up with is that I have a great, regular job.  These things are merely secondary, at best, for me and so I go in with zero nervousness and a casual attitude about it because whether or not I get them, doesn't really impact me.  It's not my career.  But beyond that I must have at least some modicum of talent or at least a big enough personality or something.  It seems like it's all luck, but that can't be entirely true.  Can it?  Who cares, I'll take it.



Currently still playing at IMAX theaters across in the nation and in 3D as well.

Last spring the Casting Company asked me if I'd like to be a Judge in a movie filming in Phoenix in June 2016.  Of course I would!  It was a small role for a big budget IMAX film and I didn't even have to audition.  That led to some interesting conversations with some of the other actors on set as they had to do who knows what to get a part.  I merely answered an email.  That movie was called Dream Big! and it was made for IMAX theatres only and is really about engineering marvels around the world.  The part I was in was a recreation of a true story involving a Phoenix high school robotics club that entered a national competition and competed against top  universities like MIT and Harvard and they ending up winning the whole contest.  I was on the Competition Judges Panel but I was the lone dissenting Judge, not believing that high schoolers could have done this on their own, that their teachers must have helped them.  I was probably in about 5 scenes but that was the only one I had any lines.  The Judges panel scene was to be a 3.5 minute scene and important.  Cut to me going to see Dream Big! at the theater last February with my parents and a harsh reality set in; they cut out that entire scene.  Bummer for sure.  But I was still on screen in IMAX and 3D no less, a number of times including once in the dead center of the screen for a few seconds, but overall I just ended up as a glorified extra.  Which really was fine with me.  I'd never been on a real movie set and it was a fun and interesting experience.  The weekend we filmed in Phoenix it was 118+ every day and the camera kept overheating.  Incidentally this was the last movie to ever be made with an IMAX film camera, the largest film camera in the world no less.  Due to everything going digital, there is no more need for film cameras.  So in my first movie, I was part of film history and I have a small piece of the actual film that they gave each of the actors. 

Because of the heat that weekend and since we filmed many of the scenes outdoors, they had water everywhere and one point I tried to help and carried a 5 gallon dispenser when the Production lady yelled at me:

Talent cannot be moving stuff!  That's our job!  You might get hurt!

Sorry lady, just trying to help.  I'm not some sissy, I can carry water, but whatever.  Talent. That's me, I guess.  I still find it odd when I'm referred to that way on set.



Trying to be a big shot, I even got my girlfriend, Ana, a chance to be an extra in the final banquet scene. The IMAX camera is in the back on the scaffolding.  She even made the final cut!



It's a wrap for me on Dream Big!  After filming the banquet scene at a hotel in downtown Phoenix.  Through the magic of film, we were supposed to be in Santa Barbara. I'm sure it wouldn't have been as hot as it was in Phoenix that weekend.

After filming Dream Big!, I had a number of commercial auditions and a lost chance on a Fox TV Pilot where I would have played a Federal Agent chasing someone into Mexico.  The casting company called me to come in and audition and I was ironically in Los Angeles and at that moment a stone's throw from Fox Studios, as I was there on business for my regular job(not entertainment related).  I told them I could go over to Fox but they said auditions were in Phoenix and I'd have to come there.  So I missed out.  I may not have gotten the part anyways, but the timing was interesting and the chance to audition for a TV series would definitely have been an experience.  Things were quiet through the end of the year and then I saw an audition call for a role as a Detective in a movie filming in Phoenix called Men of Mercy.  So I sent in my "new headshot"(thanks again Mike!) and I was immediately contacted by the Director of the movie.  That in itself was surprising to me, having a Director email, then call me direct.  She asked for my video reel and I told her I didn't have one but I did share the things I had done in the last year and she was open to have me audition.  Keep in mind this is a leading role in a feature film.  All I've ever done was commercials with one or two lines, even Dream Big! the lines I had(that got cut) were mostly improv, so this was a much bigger deal.  I'm not sure what compelled me to think I could even handle a role like that but I mostly was interested in hoping to get an audition for such a role.  Go through the process and see what it was like and if it was something I could do.  So I had a good meeting with the Director, thought I had a good chance and then.......nothing.  I didn't hear anything.  I emailed and called her to no avail.  So I figured I wasn't chosen.  Not surprising really, but sure it was somewhat disappointing.  2 months later I get an email from the Director, she asks if I'm still interested in the role.  This was a Friday night.  I said sure and she sent me two scenes to prepare to re-audition tomorrow on Saturday, so I prepared.  I had the audition and then as soon as I was done she told me I had the part.  To say I was stunned would be an understatement.  Then she says we are filming tomorrow, Sunday, all day.  So I literally went from living my regular day to day life on Friday to filming a lead role in a movie on Sunday.  Turns out they had originally hired another actor and had actually filmed some of the scenes with him already but for whatever reasons, it didn't work out and he was let go.  The Director immediately called me and that was that.



Men of Mercy, Starring Chris Studenka.  Seriously?
This is only a promo poster it may not be used.

I still hadn't read the entire script and I stayed up late Saturday night reading the script and preparing for my scenes the next day.  Certainly I was nervous and it wasn't because I didn't think I could do it, it was more that I didn't want to be the weak link in the film.  I didn't want to be around the other actors and have them concerned about me.  So I prepared the best I could and knew I'd give it my best. The movie in essence is about a teenage girl who gets swept up in the gang life and eventually involved in a murder.  I play the Police Officer that is chasing her and the gang throughout the film.  It is supposed to take place in Los Angeles but we are shooting almost all of it in Phoenix, except the ocean scenes.  One benefit to me is that the real star of the film is still a teenager so we have to work around her schedule; meaning we mostly film at night and on the weekends.  So it hasn't affected my regular job at all, although I have a lot of vacation time to take if needed.

Officers Gerhardt and Sloane.  Don't mess with us!

So that Sunday one of the first scenes we film is my final scene where I meet with the Police Commissioner to discuss my fate.  One thing with films, you rarely film it in sequence.  They get filmed out of order for all sorts of reasons, sets, time of day, etc., then they edit it together.  But here I was sitting at home on a Friday and two days later I'm filming the penultimate scene of a movie.  The Director said to me:

Remember, you are shocked at what's happened and what the Commissioner is saying. So act surprised.

No problem!  I was surprised at the whole thing and what was transpiring. Literally.  But the scenes went well.  I also filmed an interrogation scene with the real star of this film, KK, who is an incredibly talented actress and she's only a teenager.  She has all the ability to be a huge star as her talent is obvious, even to anyone not in the industry.  I also filmed a scene with my police partner, played by Valerie, another talent.  Thus I had to do all I could to keep up.  Despite what may seem like a casual attitude I may have at times, when I am given a chance, I prepare and take notes and I listen to direction and I am very professional at all times.  I don't take anything causally once it's going to happen.  But I was now faced with learning 70+ pages of dialogue for my character and learning how to play off of others far more than I had ever done.  The memorizing of the lines has not been an issue, but still learning how to emote effectively has been the bigger challenge and I've definitely had to practice at home.

We filmed a lot of this movie on location around Phoenix.  My Jeep has become an important piece.  They had another car for me to use and I thought my Jeep was cooler and that my character would drive a cool car.

As it turns out, after dissecting the script, I realized I have a ton of my scenes alone.  I'm in my car driving or on the phone or at the crime scene, always trying to figure things out by myself much to the chagrin of the police chief and my partner. My character, Rudy Gerhardt, is described as a divorced guy, doesn't always do things by the book, intelligent-but maybe not as much as he thinks, dates around... in essence it describes me as a person(except the law enforcement angle), pretty accurately, so it hasn't been that hard to put my own spin on him and "make him my own" as they say.  I have some big scenes in the movie, including one where I go to the crime scene and walk around on my own, thinking through the crime.  I had a lot of lines and the Director wanted to film it as one continuous shot, no breaks, so I had to get it down.  I practiced a lot and we shot it 7-8 times and I think it turned out well.  But I have not seen any of the dailies or raw footage and I don't want to.  I still don't consider myself an actor and I want this to turn out well for the Director, who wrote the script as well so she has a tremendous amount invested in this project, and for the others in the film too.  But I have realized that I can do it, maybe not great, I'm no Tom Hanks, but I can do it and decently I think.  Hopefully editing will be kind and with music and quick shots, maybe I can even appear like a solid actor.  I'll be as anxious as anyone to see it.  We hope to wrap principal filming soon and then it will be in post production for a few months.  As an independent film it will make the film festival circuit and hope to get picked up by a major studio or by Netflix or HBO, Showtime, anywhere.  The Director is hoping to have a Phoenix premiere this fall.

We filmed ocean scenes in Laguna.  Here the girls are getting direction while I am in the suit waiting for my scene.  It was a crazy trip.

Thanks to my friend John Eloff, my character has an "official" diploma from CMU.  It hangs in Rudy's office and hopefully will make final edits.  Fire Up!

While I was filming Men of Mercy I also had the chance to audition for a role as a Professor in a Sci-Fi short film and ended up getting the part. The film is being made for some NASA project and will then be shopped as a TV series or a feature film.  The space race has slowed considerably and there is a ton of money invested at NASA so they want to stay relevant and I guess investing a small amount this way could be beneficial.  At any rate, we filmed over a weekend and it was very interesting as there are so many special effects involved that I filmed mostly talking to air, a clone of myself, or a wall as stuff will get added in, in post production.  It was an incredible production company that put this together and it was a fun, quick shoot.  I will certainly be interested to see it because I literally have no idea what it will look like because of the green screen effects that will be added.  That movie should be done by August as well.

I'm quite certain the movie effects will be a little better than this, but I have nothing to share from the set so this will have to do.  I was taken by Martians in the film and then cloned.  I think.

So now I have done a national modeling catalog, commercials,  and 3 movies, including 2 leading roles, one in a short film and one in a feature film. I have no agent, still don't have a video reel and still have no real connections to anyone in the industry.  So how has this really all happened?  Again, I don't know other than I took some chances in auditioning and for some reason things keep happening. However the industry is so fickle, I may never get another role of any kind.  I have absolutely no plans or desire to move to Hollywood or to try and pursue this as a career.  I love my job and my life in Scottsdale and I don't want to give that up.  Then again, if things keep happening, who knows and if someone ever offers me $10 million to be a movie, you won't have to ask me twice.

The girls can run and hide but Officer Gerhardt will catch them!
Men of Mercy 2018!