Hard Rock Casino & Hotel Commercial
Thursday night at 8pm, I received a call sheet for a commercial I had auditioned for over two weeks prior. The commercial was for the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel in Hollywood, Florida. It was already in production, so I assumed I didn’t get the role.
The scene I auditioned for was the final one to be shot. It featured an edgy orchestra. In the audition, I was asked to play either guitar or violin. Since I didn’t have a violin, I played guitar and pretended to play the violin.
After getting the call sheet, I immediately booked a flight to Miami, arriving at the casino Friday at noon. Call time was 4pm, so I checked into the ballroom where they had set up staging and waited. As people arrived, I learned more about the project.
There were 4 principal actors – myself, two cellists, and a guitarist. The rest of the orchestra was made up of background actors hired from a local music college.
The director brought me a violin and asked if I could play. I admitted it had been 36 years since I’d touched one, but said I would try. He just wanted me to look like I knew what I was doing. I joked I could “airplay the shit out of it.”
After chatting, I sat for hair and makeup. The stylist trimmed and neatened my hair and facial hair. She asked where I was from, and I said I’d just flown in from Atlanta that morning, since I’d only learned of the job the night before.
She looked puzzled, saying I’d been on the call sheet since Monday and everyone knew I was booked. I guess I was the last to find out.
As we talked, the orchestra practiced “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by The Verve, the song production had chosen. It didn’t sound too hard, so after hair, makeup and wardrobe, I asked a violinist to teach it to me. With a cheat sheet and an hour of practice, I could play well enough to look like I knew what I was doing.
Right before shooting, my Atlanta agent emailed me.
SAG Feature Film
Two weeks prior, my agent sent an audition request for a SAG film under an interim agreement. The role was the right hand man to the Chinese mafia, a decent sized part.
Five days later, I was asked to audition for 4 smaller roles in the same film. This meant I likely didn’t get the original role, which was a bummer. But I still wanted a part to become SAG-eligible.
Thirty minutes after the 4 audition requests, my agent forwarded an email from the casting agent. It said:
“Our director, Michael Jai White, loves your look and wants you to read for the additional roles to try to find a place for you in the film. Please tape auditions for the roles. Email with questions. – George Pierre”
This changed my attitude. I did the 4 auditions and booked one while shooting the Hard Rock commercial. Filming is 11/15 and will make me SAG-eligible.
A Third Role
At 6:30pm Friday, just under 24 hours after booking the Hard Rock job, the casting director for an audition I did over a month ago emailed me. It was for a short proof of concept film to show investors.
The role was a socially awkward guy who could only talk to his best friend. The email offered me the part and I accepted.
Best 24 hours ever.
Simon Shih 