WORDLESS - the Short Film

So just as I was thinking that I need some new comedy clips for my demo reel, a young female director called me to audition for her short film...I never even submitted my picture for it. Apparently somehow I ended up in the files of her films school, she found an old Black and White picture of me from 8 or 9 years go.

It's a good thing I hadn't changed my email address since then. I read the script, it was hilarious, she was able to picture what I would look like now, and thanks to footage she found of me on the web, she knew I could do physical comedy without being stiff. I had so much fun on the set getting to let my inner dork come out and play. She did a little aging make up on me and found me some dorky pajamas, although I have to admit the leopard shirt and the hot sticks in the hair were mine. Although we just shot it less than two months ago, it has already made it into two film festivals.

Prove It! Act Your Way Out of A Paper Bag

Earlier this week I had to prove myself...I think that is the perpetual struggle of the actor; I almost said artist, but I realized a lot of art, you can do on your own like paint or write a poem without much more than pen, paper, canvas and some color...but to act. You must prove yourself. After all, you've got to prove yourself to get the chance to act.

I know a lot of artists have to prove what they are worth when it comes to commanding a certain dollar amount for your work, but for an actor, unless you are acting for your friends in your living room, or willing and able to shell out several hundred to several thousand to put a film or even a play together, you need to prove yourself to get the chance to act.

So there is this director who really likes my work, he's got a feature that he wants me to star in. But when he brought it before the Powers That Be...all the questions arose...Can she really do it? Do you really think she can pull it off? What has she ever done before? How do you know she will stick it out? Can we trust her to pull it off?

God bless the director, but he did not do his homework before that meeting. Any quick search on google for the name Katherine Norland would have a least brought up half a dozen if not more clips of work I had done in the past, so show I didn't just crawl out from under a rock. But he gave into the badgering. I got called in to have an informal screening of my work. I brought about 20 clips of previous work I had done that I was proud of. And he was put at ease and assured that "I actually can act my way out of a paper bag" :)

The Commercial for Mass Mutual

So here is the link to the Mass Mutual commercial that I was blessed enough to shoot on my actual birthday...they even got me a cake! It was a wonderful experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzIg0vw8gNY


Photo taken by Peter Lang on Mass Mutual Set October 2011

Mass Mutual Commercial

This is a still shot from the Mass Mutual commercial my son and I shot in October. We had a great time, I was shocked at how well he behaved he was. (I'm sure it was because they pretty much just followed him around and let him do his thing.) Pretty sure if he had to hit a mark, we wouldn't have had such great success.

Here is a link to the one minute version of the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzIg0vw8gNY

Shooting scene from BLAME

The director is working on editing a scene out of the feature film he will be doing called "Blame" I am waiting to see the footage, I hear it turned out beautifully. TJ Myers will be playing my sister. She's a beauty, check her out.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0616866/

October 2011 Auditions

Yesterday I had two auditions, one for a skin care line (I think perhaps it may have been for an infomercial rather than commercial but I'm not sure). The second one required my little one, so I went home and picked him up before we headed to Santa Monica...they were looking for mothers of "special needs" kids and I just happen to have a precious special kid. They both went well. I felt good, really I've been in my element since I moved about two weeks ago. Really liking my new digs and neighborhood. Then I got a call back for the commercial, a day or two later I was put on Avail...then during another audition while waiting in the waiting room I got a text from my agent saying that we booked the commercial. So Saturday (on my birthday) my little one and I shot our first commercial together...they even brought me out a cake and sang happy birthday to me.

Just Published in Issue 51 of SGVPQ

Here is an Excerpt for the poem I had published in this issue.

There was no way that I could sleep,

Due to this pain that would not cease;

They wanted me to hold him in,

But my body forced his release.

No preparation, you shot out,

Even the nurses weren’t ready.

The doctor is late as we wait,

Not in stirrups, I’m unsteady.

Forced to have a natural birth,

The drugs didn’t come though I did beg;

Rob cries, but the baby does not.

No movement, spy a pure white leg.

Is he dead? The nurse sees Rob’s tears,

And says “We’re doing all we can”

I don’t yet know what’s going on,

But Rob securely holds my hand.

Now incubated, your chest heaves

I helplessly watch through the glass;

Reeling with all uncertainty,

Yet very certain it will pass.

They say you will be here for months,

And there’s nothing that I can do;

But I’ve got people all across

This country praying just for you.

Some day soon you’ll open your eyes,

Then at last you’ll know who I am;

I can’t wait until they let me

Hold you, like my dear little lamb.

I pray for healing as you lay

On top your tiny papoose-bed;

At last allowed to touch your back

With my fingers; nails painted red.