Tag: actors journey

Auditions

Chasing The George

LLL d 31_5418.NEFCasting directors in a scene from “La La Land” / Lionsgate

On Monday, June 5th, I had the honor and privilege of being a reader for a prominent casting director who was casting various roles for a feature film. As the reader, I brought each scheduled actor into the room and read the other characters in the scene they were auditioning for. A reader gives the casting director the opportunity to focus on the actor who’s auditioning, to take notes on them and give re-directs if necessary.

This was my third time being on the other side of the casting desk. The first time was when I was a reader for an AFI short film that was being cast by another prominent casting director. The second time was when I was casting for my own TV pilot. With this project, I read the entire script for context and I rehearsed the scenes I was in so that I could impinge and affect the actors when they read with me.

Being a reader this past Monday was a great confirmation and reminder of things I already understood about the casting process and I wanted to share it with you all:

1) Don’t take it personal if you don’t get the job. There are so many reasons why you don’t get the job. Reasons that are out of your control. This particular casting director (and the director of the feature film) was looking for something very specific with certain roles. So either the actors had it when they walked in the room or they didn’t. In some cases, several of the actors had one dynamic of the character, but lacked another dynamic of the character. All good and talented actors that came into the room. But again, nothing personal. The people behind the scenes are putting together a complicated puzzle and have to make sure the pieces fit looks-wise, age-wise, type-wise. One actor was too tall. Another was too short. One didn’t look high school enough. One didn’t look nerdy enough. Our job as actors is to deliver a strong product and book the audition rooms so that we can be brought back for other projects in the future. Remember, casting directors are not just casting that one project…they are casting other projects down the line.

2) Don’t take it personal if the casting director seems “unfriendly” or “cold”. This particular casting director was literally juggling 10 different things in between each audition session. It’s not that they were cold. This casting director loves actors. It’s just that they were dealing with a myriad of things regarding the project. In between actors coming into the room, this casting director was calling one particular agency to see if they could resolve a scheduling conflict with an actor they already cast in the feature; or they were working out a deal memo; or they were calling Breakdown Services to re-release a breakdown for another character; or they were on the phone with the director and producer of the feature film to let them know that they might be losing one of the lead actors due to a scheduling conflict.

3) Make strong choices. The actors that booked the room made strong choices and delivered a product. One actor asked me before we entered the room, “What do you guys want to see from me?” I answered, “Do what you prepared and they’ll give you a re-direct if necessary.” Don’t ask or figure out what the casting director wants to see from you. Create your product and deliver it. Show us what you created and how you brought this character to life. Give us the answer. Believe in what you created.

4) Don’t apologize. Apologizing before you start your audition, apologizing during your audition or apologizing after your audition doesn’t serve you. Apologizing leaves something in the room that doesn’t need to be in there. Apologizing leaves this icky feeling/energy in the room. Once you apologize, it gives us an “out” to not root for you. Once you apologize, you’re shaping our viewpoint of what you’re about to present to us or what you just presented to us. Don’t apologize. Do your best and let us have our own opinion and viewpoint about your audition. Don’t apologize for us and leave us with an apology.

5) Casting directors are rooting for you. They want you to be the answer!

This was a great experience and I hope to do it again!

Being “On Go” Update!

Chasing The George

Hello my fellow artistic warriors! I hope you all are having a safe and wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

Last Sunday, I posted a blog entry about being “on go”. I challenged myself to be on go for the next seven days for my career. I also encouraged others to share with me how they would be on go for their careers as well. Here is the link to that blog entry: http://wp.me/p8uI5M-cK

Today, I’d like to share my experiences and accomplishments. Now, please understand that this is not about me showing off. Not at all! This is about creating accountability for myself. To hold myself accountable and to see where I backed off when it came to being “on go”. I hope that what I experienced will help others out with being “on go”.

When I look back at the last seven days of being “on go”, I think I did a pretty good job of doing so. I tackled and accomplished a lot of things from my list without hesitation. I reached out. I acted on something. I moved on something. I asked for things. I communicated and expressed. Again, I think I did a pretty good job of being on go. Being on go forced me to not question, to act now. To do it now.

I learned that being on go means that you also honor your instincts. I had an instinct, a knowingness about something on Tuesday morning (May 23rd), but I went against it and now I’m experiencing the repercussions of it. Fortunately, the repercussions are not damaging or devastating or irreversible, but still annoying because I KNEW. I KNEW! My instinct told me to act in a certain way and to go in a particular direction, but I went against it to not rock the boat. To not cause trouble. Lesson learned. I won’t do that again.

I also flinched Wednesday morning (May 24th) on executing the beginning of my social media campaign for a project I have developed. I flinched (to draw back or withdraw from) because I realized I wasn’t ready to launch that social media campaign. I know that this social media plan (plus a couple of other things related to my project) will put me in a position of attention and accountability…and there’s just one dynamic regarding my project that I haven’t mastered yet. So that’s where my flinch came from and why I stopped being on go in this particular instance. I was like, “I have one shot with this. I have to make sure that when I do launch this campaign, that I’m ready to deliver.”

But like my teacher, Richard Lawson, says, “The wrong way is the right way.” Meaning that it’s better to stay in motion than to remain at rest. Cause at least while you’re in motion, you’ll figure out that you’re going the wrong way and then you’ll equip yourself with the right tools or knowledge to start going the right way. I didn’t want to start my social media campaign because I’m still trying to understand this one important dynamic about my project.

That being said, I should have started my campaign and then been on go to get the information I needed. Being on go means that I’ll figure it out. Being on go involves trust and confidence that everything will work out. Being on go means that there are no regrets or what if or would have, could have, should have. I wonder what would have happened if I had launched my campaign on May 24th? I’ll never know now.

However, I won’t stay stuck on that. I won’t kick myself and feel bad for myself. The point is that I identified my stop and now I’m on go again. Since Wednesday, May 24th, I have been on go to get this information and I will execute my social media campaign once the holiday weekend is over. Be on go! I still don’t have all the answers, but I’ll start the campaign and know that I will have the answers and info I need. When the opportunity comes, I will be ready. Trust that, Jorge (“George”)!

Here is a list of things I was able to accomplish by being on go. And this is not just a random list of things. I’m not trying to be busy for the sake of being busy. I’m pushing a career forward as an actor and writer. All these actions are connected to my DOIN’ (Declaration of Independence) aka my business plan. These actions are connected to what I want to accomplish this year from my DOIN’. For each action, I bolded what area that pushes (e.g. actor, writer, producer, human being)

  • Responded to a contact that used to work with someone I am targeting. (Writer)
  • Printed a series of postcards at FedEx for my feature film project. These postcards will be part of my campaign. (Writer)
  • Typed up and printed mailing labels for postcards. (Writer)
  • Posted new blog entry about being on go and shared it on social media and with my contacts. (Actor and Writer)
  • Responded to post-production timeline on a film I produced. (Actor and Writer and Producer)
  • Returned a ton of emails. (Actor and Writer and Human Being)
  • Found other projects that a casting office casts and engaged with them via Twitter. (Actor)
  • Found out who the casting directors were for two TV shows I could be on. (Actor)
  • Donated to a fundraising campaign for a web series that my friend created. (Human Being)
  • Reached out to a director in scene study class and asked them if they would direct me in a scene. They said YES. They suggested I look at “A Fish Called Wanda” (the Kevin Klein character.) I will watch the movie as soon as I post this blog entry. (Actor)
  • Emailed a showrunner to check in and rekindle communication. (Human Being)
  • Posted two procedural auditions on Youtube and shared them with my agents. (Actor)
  • Followed up with and read the marketing campaign my commercial agency did for me. (Actor)
  • Continued reading articles on pitching movie scripts. (Writer)
  • Sketched the floor plan for my office. (Mogul. Empire)
  • Read three new scenes for my actor reel. (Actor)
  • Communicated with team about my feature film project. (Writer)
  • Met with a student from class to answer questions they had. (Human Being)
  • Helped another student on their journey to secure an agent or manager. (Human Being)
  • Sent self-care reminders to another student. (Human Being)
  • Emailed my agent a proposal. (Actor)
  • Engaged three separate times with a list of individuals I admire and respect. (Artist)

 

Being “On Go”!

Chasing The George

From Dictionary.com

Go:

3) to keep or be in motion.

22) to move or proceed with remarkable speed or energy.

48) energy, spirit, or animation.

59) to proceed without hesitation or delay.

Word origin: Old English gan “to go, advance, depart; happen; conquer;”

I love these definitions! How will you be “on go” this week from Monday May 22nd to Sunday May 28th? Let me know in the comments section below and I’ll share my status report with you all on Sunday, May 28th!

Let’s push our careers forward!

What Inspires You?

Chasing The George

 

IMG_1312

“Storm Hits The Sideshow” was the first painting I ever acquired. Famed acting teacher and director Milton Katselas painted it and the second I saw it in his art gallery, I knew I had to have it. As a matter of fact, I walked into his Saturday master class during a break, marched straight up to him, looked him directly in the eyes and said, “Milton, I love your painting, ‘Storm Hits The Sideshow’, and I must have it. I will own it.” And in true Milton fashion, he put one hand on my shoulder, looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Good!” That’s all he said and I knew that he knew the painting was going to be in great hands.

I purchased the painting a week later, and to this day, I still love it.

This is a work of art that inspires me and is personal to me. If you zoom into the picture of the painting, you will see a guy riding a motorcycle in the middle of this storm. I always saw myself as that guy. I am cutting through the storm, the uncertainty and the craziness of this industry. I am that guy on the motorcycle who is cutting through the ups and downs, the naysayers and the rejections with force and intention.

That guy on the motorcycle is stepping into the storm. He’s stepping into the fire to get to the other side. He is bypassing and pushing through any doubts, fears and considerations he has. I have no doubt that this guy will make it to the other side of this storm and into a place filled with sunshine, clear skies, rainbows and drag queens (Yes to RuPaul’s Drag Race!)

I know that I too am pushing through with intention, even when I don’t have all of the answers. Even when things look dark. Even when it looks like the storm will never end. Why? Because I can ask the next question. Because I am on go. Because I take specific actions for my career. Because I am surrounded by a great community of like-minded artists and friends. Because I am a motherfucking artistic force who knows this is what I want to do with my life. In this painting, there is no sense of where the storm begins or ends, but it doesn’t matter because I am creating and building my career one action at a time.

I would love to read your comments below about what inspires you! Is it a painting? A song? A movie? I would love to know!

Maintaining Healthy Agent Relationships

Chasing The George

I wanted to share some cool advice on what I do to maintain a healthy relationship with my agent. I hope this advice will be helpful to you!

Maintain consistent communication with your agent. You and your agent can determine the frequency with which you both communicate because each agency is different. Also, find out what their preferred method of communication is (email, text, phone call, in person) In my case, it’s through email.

Please know that agents are incredibly busy people, so make sure that your communications are clear, to the point and not filled with filler and bullshit. Don’t waste your time, don’t waste their time. Make the communication effective and business-focused. This is your agent, not your best friend from college. The communication should be about something that can move your career forward (e.g., you signed up for a new improv class; you are taking new headshots; you updated your reel and are providing a link for them to watch it; you are taking a casting director workshop; you took a casting director workshop and you are providing your agent with quotes that the casting director said about you; you are reaching out to see what materials they need from you, etc.)

Use communication to work together towards the realization of your dreams. Is there a series you’re passionate about and can see yourself on? Let your agent know and have them keep their eye out on the casting breakdowns for that series and possible characters on it that they can submit you for. If your agent knows you’re passionate about a series, then their attention will be on it. They may even encourage you to target the series as well!

Return their communications in a timely manner. Don’t have them chase after you. If they ask you to do something that could benefit your career, consider it and do it. The relationship between you and agent is a dance partnership. Present your viewpoints and listen to their viewpoints. Fight for the stuff you believe in and consider their ideas as well. Be open and “yes, and…” The cool thing about this dance partnership is that when you first interview with an agent, be clear about what you want for your career and how this partnership can support that. Be clear about what you want from jump street so that all communications and actions can be in support of your dream.

Update your materials on a consistent basis and send to them. Headshots, reels, etc. In addition, email them auditions you’ve done in your on-camera audition class. Email them links to projects you’re in. In this way, you’re giving your agent tools that they can work with and pitch you with. In addition, they’ll also see that you’re active about your career. Keep them excited and invested in you by involving them in your journey. Make the effort to stay in their minds.

Be in a good acting class to continue training and growing as an actor. Scene study, improv, on-camera audition class, etc. I don’t care what it is. Be in class and stay sharp.

Be prepared for the auditions you are sent on. Prepared from confirming the audition with your agent to knowing what the project is about to being off book to getting there on time to sending thank you cards to the casting directors afterwards, etc.

Be enthusiastic about your career and be committed to it! If they see that you are enthusiastic and committed to your career, then they will be more inclined to go to bat for you and prolong the business relationship longer.

Thank them for the work they do for you! Whether it’s in the form of words or gifts, appreciation goes a very long way! Agents do a lot of work and don’t get paid until their clients book work. Show them that you appreciate them. Thank them every time they secure an audition for you. Thank them for going through the casting breakdowns every day for you. Appreciation goes a very long way!

Understand that we have to do the majority of the work in this business relationship. It’s your career and so it’s your responsibility to put in the hours and work. Don’t rely on your agent to do it all for you. That’s not how this works.

Leave me a comment and share what you do to maintain healthy relationships with your agents! I’d love to read them and possibly implement them as well!

Let’s Recap

Chasing The George

Hey everyone! I thought this would be a great moment to recap the blog entries I’ve done so far in 2017. Enjoy!

Follow Your Genius: http://wp.me/p8uI5M-19

Taking Headshots Part 1: http://wp.me/p8uI5M-18

Taking Headshots Part 2: http://wp.me/p8uI5M-12

Taking Headshots Part 3: http://wp.me/p8uI5M-Y

Bad-Ass Women In A Trump Era: http://wp.me/p8uI5M-17

I’m The Artist Of The Month!: http://wp.me/p8uI5M-13

Why Training Is Important: http://wp.me/p8uI5M-11

Taking Headshots Part 3

Chasing The George

Taking Headshots Part 3

Happy Oscars day! Congrats to all the nominees! I’ll be at a fabulous Oscars party to celebrate my fellow artists.

Here’s a picture of the fabulous photographer Marisa Leigh and I after we wrapped our amazing headshot shoot. It was an incredible and fun experience. Everything flowed so beautifully and I can’t wait to see the pictures online on Monday, February 27th! And I love that I took new headshots the day before the Oscars. Talk about a powerful, mother fucking postulate!

The shoot was such a success because I spent over a month preparing for it. Pre-production is everything! Everything ran smoothly because of all the prep work I did beforehand and I had so much fun during the shoot. It also helped to have a photographer who was open to collaboration and play and who makes you feel at ease (which was part of my pre-production process of researching photographers) And it helped to have someone on set with me from my artistic community to be such a vital support system (Reed Iacarella) And a special shout out to my partner Chris Beber for the support you flowed and for making this a reality.

To catch you up on my headshot process and journey, here are parts 1 & 2 below:

Part 1: http://wp.me/p8uI5M-18

Part 2: http://wp.me/p8uI5M-12

And here are the final steps of my headshot preparation…Part 3:

I got a good night’s sleep.

I ate a good breakfast.

I arrived early. This is something many people take for granted. ARRIVE EARLY GOD DAMMIT! I always arrive early so that I can get settled and get present.

In the week leading up to my headshot session, I created a music play list for each character (Thank you Reed for reminding me to do that!) I created music playlists that put me in the zip code and vibe for each character. Some musical choices were literal. Other musical choices were not, but still put me in the zip code and vibe of each character. Here are my playlists below:

Fashionista/Interior Designer (I wanted fabulous, cunty music)

RuPaul feat. Ab Soto “Cha Cha Bitch” (Ralph Rosario edit)

Erika Jayne “How Many Fucks?”

RuPaul “Cover Girl”

RuPaul “Sissy That Walk”

RuPaul “Supermodel (You Better Work)”

RuPaul feat. Dave Aude “Step It Up”

RuPaul “Glamazon” (Gomi Tribalistic Remix)

**Okay, okay, I’m obsessed with RuPaul and his empire!

Public School Teacher (I wanted music that was positive, inspirational and a little unconventional)

Andy Grammer “Keep Your Head Up”

Sara Bareilles “Brave”

Us3 “Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)”

Len “Steal My Sunshine”

Office Worker (I wanted music that gave me this feeling of What The Fuck?)

Madness “House of Fun”

The Proclaimers “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”

Stealers Wheel “Stuck In The Middle With You”

Capital Cities “Safe And Sound”

 

Hacker/Hacktivist (I wanted music that was industrial, dangerous, hard, subversive)

The Prodigy “The Day Is My Enemy”

Rob Zombie “Reload”

The Prodigy “Smack My Bitch Up”

White Zombie “More Human Than Human”

 

Nurse (I wanted music that had a certain sexuality to it. A secret. A mischievousness to it)

Miguel “Adorn”

Alex Clare “Too Close”

 

Last, but not least, the minute I got to set, I let it all go. I trusted that all the work I did was in me and now it was time to play. I was focused and made sure to follow my headshot template, but I was also open and present to impulses and ideas that Marisa and Reed gave to me on set. I sent Marisa my headshot template on February 2nd and Reed my headshot template the night before. Marisa was on the same page! Reed was able to build upon it and feed me other lines of subtext for my characters. I was prepared and able to let it go. I was able to get what I want and more. I was like, “Yes, and…” “Yes, and…” “That’s great, I love that idea…” “Great, let’s also try that…” I wasn’t locked and rigid in things going my way. I wasn’t unmalleable. I got what I wanted and more! Marisa would show me various takes with each character to make sure we were getting the product I wanted. I was incredibly happy with the work that was being created!

After the headshot session was over, I celebrated! Celebration is vital because it cements the win. It locks in the achievement.

I’m truly happy with the work I put into getting my headshots and the support I received. I can’t wait to look over the headshots online on Monday!

Happy Oscars day!

I’m The Artist Of The Month!

Chasing The George

Happy Sunday! Hope you’re all well and having a great weekend.

Just wanted to let you know that I have been selected as the artist of the month. Honored and pleased to be part of a wonderful community of artists at my school, the Richard Lawson Studios. Read my interview to find out how and why I received this distinction:

http://studio.richardlawson.net/featured-rls-student-jorge-ortiz/

Week 2 Status Report!

Chasing The George

For a second week in a row, I stepped up my awareness in certain areas of my personal and professional lives so that I can be in alignment with my career postulates. With this increased awareness, and by taking a set of actions, I am stepping into the light and power of my postulates. If I see and want these things for my career, then I need to behave and act in accordance with the things that I see and want. For example, one of my postulates is:

I am a household name infiltrating and conquering mainstream Hollywood through my film acting work and by creating TV and Film content that is just beyond the margin of comfortability (Daring and artistically free content that falls within the wheelhouse of HBO, Showtime, Netflix, The Weinstein Company and other powerful indie studio houses)

I see this postulate. I just have to fill in the blanks to get there. Take the actions to get there. So that when I do become a household name, it’s déjà vu because I already saw it X amount of time ago. But in order for me to get closer and closer to achieving this postulate (and other postulates), I need to have an increased awareness of how to live and operate my life in certain areas. For example, I have to be a leader. I have to be in the front. I have to speak my mind. My viewpoint must be unyielding with good-humored inflexibility. I have to ask for what I want from the people on my team, etc. I have to take actions and vibrate at the same frequency level of my postulates.

So I tackled the same list of actions again from my October 16th blog entry. Again, some of these actions are already a part of my everyday routine. A few other actions are a little more challenging and I need to lean into them more. That being said, I had a little more ease with tackling the challenging actions in the second week than I did in the first week. Moving forward, I have to continue tackling these challenging actions until they become a way of life for me, a part of my routine.

So without further delay, here are the list of actions I took again. This is not a final, comprehensive list of all the actions I take for my life and career. This is just a small sampling of my career administration, with a focus on challenging actions I need to step it up in. The asterisk (*) indicates a challenging action.

To sit in the front row. (Yes. In both of my acting classes)

**To speak my mind immediately. (Yes. Better. Improved.)

**To follow my impulses and instincts. (Yes. Better. Improved)

To lead. (Yes. Taught my ass off in the PDP 1.0 and PDP 2.0 classes.)

To dance while in the passenger seat of a car when a good song comes on or when the driver dances. (I did not ride shotgun this time.)

To spice things up. (Yes. Sunday night.)

To dance in the streets. (Yes.)

To make extra money. (Yes. Two times.)

To be myself without apology. (Yes. In terms of the way I laugh, the things I say, the jokes I say, the way I dance.)

**To hold my own space. (Yes. Much better. Improved)

To dance without consideration at the top of acting classes. (Yes.)

To continue administering my acting and writing careers. (Yes! Yes! Yes!)

To engage in conversation with a new person (Yes. I engaged with a customer at the smog check station, with the tech assistant at the smog check station and with two people at a Halloween party.)

To ask various industry people for something I want. (Yes. I reached out to two TV showrunners to be their assistant.)

To excite my agent again with a new piece of administrative evidence that will push my career forward. (Yes. I sent them my commercial headshot template.)

To be submitted on 3-5 TV series and 3-5 feature films. See below:

TV Series: The Fosters, Silicon Valley, Counterpart, Grey’s Anatomy.

Feature Films: Happy Anniversary, Willie and Me.

To impinge! (Yes. I stood by my Halloween costume concept and didn’t yield from it at the Halloween party. Also posted my concept on Facebook. I also impinged when I taught PDP 1.0 and PDP 2.0. I impinged with an audition I did. Etc. Etc. Etc.)

From Dead Last to Top 3!

Chasing The George

Am I talking about being dead last on RuPaul’s Drag Race (You know, the wildly-addictive, funny and touching reality show that looks for America’s next drag superstar)? Am I talking about the drag queens who get eliminated on the first episode of every season like Porkchop, Shangela, Penny Tration, Kelly Mantle, Magnolia Crawford, Tempest DuJour, etc.?

Nope!

I’m talking about being dead last when my classmates and I in the Professional Development Program 3.0 class created a comprehensive points system in January 2016 to track our progression as the CEO’s of ourselves as artistic businesses. The points system covers many different categories of career administration and the value of the points varies from one category to the next. For example, putting up a scene in class is worth a certain amount of points whereas booking a guest star role on a TV series is worth a higher amount of points. Mailing out postcards is worth a certain amount of points and making an industry phone call is worth another amount of points.

What I love about the points system is that it gives me an accurate picture of where I am thriving as an artist and where I am not. Which areas I am strong in and which areas I need to put more attention on. And you have to be honest about giving yourself points in the different categories because it’s an honest look at your career administration. To cheat the points system in order to be ahead of others only hurts yourself. To cheat and add points that weren’t earned only hurts yourself in the long run. We are a business. We punch in and we punch out. The points system tracks our progress. It’s our profits and loss statements. It’s our growth statements. No point in cheating.

When we started tracking our points back in January, I was shocked to see that I was dead last in terms of points earned. Out of all my classmates, I was dead last for three or four weeks straight. I was mortified! How could I, of all people, be dead last in the areas of career administration?!?!?!?! I’m supposed to be Chasing The George every week!!!! I’m supposed to be the motherfucking man, careering gaily over the waves!!!!

Instead, I looked like the screaming man in the famous painting, “The Scream”, by expressionist artist Edvard Munch. The horrors! The horrors!

Instead of giving up, I decided to focus and study the facts. First of all, I wasn’t clear about what I wanted 2016 to be about on a professional level. That was problem number one. Public enemy number one. Without clarity, my career administration was general and uninspired. I didn’t have clearly-defined goals to work towards. So being dead last was a wake up call for me to get specific about what I wanted 2016 to be about.

Once I got specific about the professional design for 2016, I moved pretty quickly into the second to last position on the overall points earner list. I was earning more points in different categories and that excited me! The points system also forced me to administrate and take action in certain categories that were uncomfortable for me. Categories I had a flinch on. Why does this section have no points at at all? What am I scared of? Focus on this area. Confront it. Be a better artist at the end of the day because I am confronting uncomfortable categories.

As I gained momentum on my career administration, I continued to move up the overall points earner list. If I saw someone gaining up on me, I worked harder and pushed myself further. What risks could I take this week to stay ahead?

On July 8th, we assessed our six-month progress in class and it was really nice to hear the points list administrator acknowledge how cool it was to see me move up the list over the last six months. By the time we assessed our progress on July 8th, I was in the Top 3! I was positioned at #3!

In RuPaul’s Drag Race terms, I was the drag queen who made Top 3! I joined the ranks of past Top 3 Drag Race contestants like Nina Flowers, Alaska Thunderfuck, Roxxxy Andrews, Adore Delano, Courtney Act, Pearl, Ginger Minj, Kimchi, Naomi Smalls, etc. When you make Top 3 in RuPaul’s Drag Race, your career is pretty much set for life. Top 3 is still a rocking place to be even if you aren’t crowned America’s next drag superstar (the person who ultimately comes in at number one) Top 3 is an achievement. These three have shown consistency week to week on the show and also Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent. C.U.N…

Instead of being told to “Sashay away”, I was told, “Shantay, you stay”. Or, more importantly, I told myself to stay and keep fighting.

It was such a gratifying experience to see my hard work pay off.

On July 8th, the points system got revamped and became more streamlined. All our points have been reset and we’re all starting from ground zero again. I hope to be Top 3 again. I’d LOVE to be number one by the time 2016 comes to an end, but I’ll be just as happy with Top 3. Why? Because being Top 3 is still a cause for celebration. It’s still an indication that the work flow I’ve created and maintained for myself is working. It’s still an indication of how consistent my career administration is. Having a work consistency that produces results, that makes an impact and that is in alignment with what I’m about is more important to me.

And at the end of the day, I can rest assured knowing that if I make Top 3 again, I can come back for the All Stars Season…okay, okay, enough of these RuPaul’s Drag Race
references!

(By the way, RuPaul and Michelle Visage, I would LOVE to be a guest judge on a future season of Drag Race! xoxo)