Promise of Gratitude for everyone who contributed to the making of my demo reel ( see April 2010 post for "A Picture Introducing Kathy Lynn Wood"

what's behind the art? people . I would like to acknowlege some of the people who stood behind me and with me during this process that ultimately led to my demo reel. see April 2010.

Behind the camera in Los Angeles , The Zinestress, inspired a playful and professional atmosphere. Cut to the Manhattan Monologue Slam, based on a premise she suggested.

The Slam is staged with consistency by the Galinsky brothers and Act Two has a thirty second framework.I first found out about this event because it was voted as a favorite from Backstage and I kept the article for a while. Then a couple of years later, Melinda Buckley sent me an email saying it was happening and to come on out and support it, she was among the five judges

That night it was at the New York Film Academy. By the time I arrived, working til the last minute with a Fashion Week VIP, I dashed downtown in a cab to find standing room only , well, really

i made room to sit "INdian Style " on the floor among the many others in a pool of people captivated on the floor. I got to see some of Act One, the three minute, more dramatic part. Honestly , it had a cutting edge to it and at that time a very dowtown New York feel.

How can you tell a story with a beginning middle and end in 30 seconds? I felt inspired by this creative "problem". One autumn day, I trusted another instinct which was to go the New York Library Of Performing Arts, and once there I sat watching a Merce Cunningham Dance Video inside an amazing exhibit which celebrated his art, and where "She" ( the muse of my first slam) appeared . "She"needed attention. Binoculars, raincoat, short curly blondish caramel hair. She was like a character out of a Woody Allen film, except she was real and talking with me. So I slammed about her! I called it my New York Moment.

I was actually feeling very under the weather that day and was in a good place to sit back and listen, be present for her, and she gave a present : for me to watch and be with this woman, while being in that magical space. I went home and wrote the piece. Months passed , then she got resurrected with a brilliant rehearsal with Sedly coaching me. Somehow the timing of my first slam was in between stage work I did, i worked in Harlem then At HB Studios. And I auditioned for the role of a reception nurse for the USA Network,Royal Pains, by the director's request. Well, my muse made it to the stage light. She lives on.

All that to describe the day coming up to a more seasoned slam which I put in my demo:

Again Autumn weather. I worked , went to my alexander class, did my laundry and had one chance to go over the script via the telephone with Milano. 6:15 pm. Milano encourged me by listening.. and that gave me the desire to get up and do it in front of a live audience. I wore one of my favorite colors : fuschia and confidently got on the subway placing my name on the thirty second slammers' list when I arrived at the theater.

Four months later, after some acting "business" classes and people saying actors don't need a demo, I became determined to play a major role in finishing my demo.. I set the date and stuck by my resolution.

The model behind the greenery in the photo above told me exactly what "side" of me to show in the demo, and I did a photo session with an imaginative master painter Kaz Ooka.

Of course I spoke with my mother hundreds of times along the way, so I definately would llike to thank : Karen, Sam, The model who looks like an Indian Ingenue, Sedly, Milano, the entertainment expert, Kaz.Judy B, and Susan for the original invitiations to go to California. And I want to thank the two cities New York and Los Angeles, and the woman in the library who appeared and spoke with me, a native new yorker whom i have never seen again.

Sincere thanks also go to the trial scenario shoot , shot by Brent with two young children posing as mine for the stressed out "angry" Mom. It was fun shooting this and the boys liked being actors. I am sure that I could write more about the making of the demo, and I have raw footage that documents this effort. Thank you Miss Erica for letting me borrow your beau who jumped on board last minute to direct.

The moral is: if you are an actor and you want something done, you must get the DIY on, Do it yourself spirit, that propels a move forward and support from others. Nix the naysayers right out of the picture. If your too careful or waiting for perfection, your result will never be seen.

So many thanks so little time, and time by the way , you must MAKE the time for your career.

If you look at Brando saying "I could have been a contender" from On the Waterfront, and you say coulda shoulda woulda you have entered the vacuum of the defeatest and our world needs Victors . Your victory, my victory , our victory. Get in to the space of your essence! The demo reel has been won of the best experiences so far and has helped to put me in the driver's seat. Let me know what you think!