Performance Rating: 5.7/10
could have done more research of the time period even though I found out what was going on during the day on set, was a touch late cos i got a bit lost. accent was not down and since the shoot was so long with sets not needing me I drifted out a lot.  

I got a role in a directing student's scene exercise for the film Hard Candy, I play a photographer that likes to get jiggy with his models - totally my alley. No images yet but here's a teaser. 
Another great thing is during the rehearsal in front of the class on Thursday, the tutor, who we were warned would kick our ass if we didn't deliver actually smiled... after we delivered ;)
Another student of the class who recognised me from another shoot, also wanted to cast me for his assignment. totally there.

yesterday I got a call back for a car Insurance TVC which i auditioned for last week on Tueday. I shall rock it this time on Monday and make their choice easier. 

since there is so much positivity in this entry I thought I'd balance it and leave with a sour tone. I finally managed to chase down this probono gig i did to promote cancer research awareness last year... I did feel a bit featured in it at the time what with the camera in our general direction, but nope. Not saying AU is racist again, but honestly, the ad had only one non Caucasian face visible, the tattoo artist? I was just sitting there fake playing a guitar, arguably serenading to this girl. Seriously?! all you could show was an elbow to represent the Asian portion of this generation that you believe in? is this a fake representation? or have our perceptions of a multicultural society that we worked so hard to build been an illusion. 
Regardless another small triumph to change.
Performance Rating: 0.1/10 for spacial set presence

Anyone who has ever found a place to call home in a foreign country would understand the bizzare feeling of taking a holiday back to your actual home. 

You feel like the world slows down again, pace is lazy and comfortable almost instantly. But more awe is the feeling that things haven't changed as much as much as yourself. (Unless you moved into a cave for longer than the average time one needs to gain enlightment.)

well this is kinda how I felt being back for a month. I saw all of my closest friends, imported 2 pairs of new heelys, bought the acting bible, visited my old work places, went snowboarding at perisher, Cameo'd in the most talked about reality drama show, watched a youth theatre production, saw Sapphires the Australian film which I extra'd, attended a Comic Con and met Squidward and just before I left, visited the hospital where one of my closest high shool mates just became a father, he was also first to get married. It reminds me of how last year i just managed to catch one of my eldest cousins embarking motherhood in a Vietnam hospital.  A well rounded trip, but I do wish I found time to see more old friends, or they would find time for me, but its kinda a lesson to learn not to wait for people, because anyone, especially friends can hold you back from growing and well your life and you wouldn't know what you are missing, and that's the sad part.  

So after touching down in Singapore again I parked my ass in a decent dorm hostel for 3 nights (they don't really do privates SG) and looked for a place to stay for 2 months (because I supposedly might have a job in NOV and Dec in Malaysia) and omg that was not easy, it took me 3 days.  In between waking up at 5am on my 1st day I had to do my recurring Cameo for Point of entry the multicoloured English crime series of SG.  (i noticed I'm describing extra work as cameo  instead, it feels more redeeming)  The amazing or strange thing is, I'm coming back to wrap my role as a client of an under-age prostitute, the scene this time: a night club I have no lines and yet they were willing to reimburse for my replacement airfare (i've yet to receive). They said they needed me early Sept so I booked 4th and then they said they need me ON the 4th so they would pay for a ticket on the 3rd. Thou Shalt Hath Faith in the Singapore Industry and their respect for... Cameo Talents. 

Anyway, about finding a place to stay, I settled with a place in Punggol, the north east limits of Singapore, a Swanky modern 3 room HDB apartment with a gay house mate and a puppy. 
A friend of mine said that sounds like a recipe for a sitcom!

If only i was a more capable writer. 

Now back to attacking the sets of Singapore, taking them down like Dominoes. 

Performance Rating:  7/10 
A fairly rough welcome back but the extra role was cake

Cameo in The Shire
Got a Cameo Role last Monday for The Reality show Shire, which I vaguely heard of before I left Sydney last December.

I got the job the day before and wasn't told what show, so Wiki-ing on set found out it is the Aussie Jersey Shore, and it did kinda feel wacky like the American counter part which I which I did manage to get a flavour of in the recent 3 stooges film. The Shire ladies Sophie & Vernesa were amazing performers, even though they say they were acting like their real self, they are really fun and professional, knowing ques and all on set including angles to "favour the camera" with their assets.

So what I had to do was walking as part of a bunch of boys they were considering makeovers for, because they were so fashionably switched on. Highlight, I got stripped by the ladies, collar shirt only though, but for better or worse, I was not for the selected for makeover - I probably come off too gay and trendy, oh well. Even though is a reality show and alot of the material is raw, there are certain things they ask us to re-perform and is it a shock to mention that I am an actor on the show? the average Joe has better things to do on a Tuesday than hope for a makeover. Hope I didn't destroy your Reality TV illusion.

Will update when this episode AIRS, assuming I will know.

Performance rating: 7/10
Despite my general confidence, these ladies are intimidating, hey they are well equipped that combined with cameras and you get a bit cautious with saying stupid things. Still, I could have said a lot more funny things, what I did say probably won't make the cut. reality TV still needs to be sharp guys.

I didn't get through the final stage, but passed the other 4 stages with flying colours (pun intended). The 5th stage was the one to one interview where they really judge character, and gave it an epic fail.

But I later spoke to a crew member and learned what it really takes to be cabin crew in a totally epiphanal  and magical way. (assume we can make words like that) I will try to explain this, thing is I was asking "when the next recruitment was" or something like that and this was not to my interviewer or anyone involved in the elimination/examination process, but he would have sensed my self disappointment or disposition (didn't even know it my self) and as a cabin crew dude he is naturally compelled to comfort me. Now he didn't actually answer my question (not that it was that good a question) but somehow made me feel better and actually kinda sorry for being such a nuisance in a subtle way, it was very strange, he just gave me some very reassuring vibes and energy. It felt like a performance but had a real effect, it was absolutely bizarre how it felt. it was like that girl in the wolverine movie who can persuade, or a Jedi mind trick.

I walked away thanking him and complementing on how good he is at whatever he just done, thinking... That was amazing, and that is the vibe I have to bring if I ever want to be cabin crew. Honestly I'm sure he couldn't give a shoe about where I ended up, otherwise he'd add me on Facebook and call me every so often and ask how's the cabin crew interviews going and tell me Emirates is recruiting next week etc. But his helpful nature had me lost in a moment of blissful "someone really cares about you" ecstasy. I understood that moment what sets us apart and was really happy to know, maybe I am not ready for the airs yet.

To move people emotionally, and effectively be supportive is very much a performance and one day I hope to make people smile not with cheap jokes and puns, but an embodied sincerity and compassion.

Been Really busy lately with moving home "for Liberty and not Banishment"
Also done the biggest shoot of my life for a well known Ice cream pallor.
a local remind you what channel or Mediacorp interstitial.
A short for a friend probono and assisting some lovely kids party mascots and also I was born yesterday. 

More updates to come soon!

Where's Jako - Equal Employment TAFEP TVC 
my biggest Extra début ever - honestly it cant get any more cameo than this. I appear 5-6 times in this TVC, see if you can Spot me xD

Solutions below. 
its not casting fail, it's Equal Opportunity Hijaking 

Solutions.
Scene1 in the glass meeting room 00:09
Scene2 behind chasing the Skirt 00:17
Scene3 In the other glass Meeting room 00:32
Scene4 behind the monitor of the pregnant lady 0038
Scene5 Ditto" as above
Scene6 Standing next to the Lead senior on his left 00:58

Hope you had as much fun as I have with this TVC  

Last Wednesday I audition for a lead role in a short film at NAFA school, which turned out to be last minute as I was required the next day and the day after that, requiring me to move another audition for day two of shoot.

Despite it seemingly being disorganised because of the short notice, It turned out to be the most pleasurable production experience I have had to date, and they did deliver professionally and more on the shooting days. The casting called for a character much like myself naturally, and I got to be a dramatized me on screen. I got to keep my Aussie accent but best of all was the cast and crew, they were the most well knit, open, friendly, playful and productive and technical bunch I can think of. they were intrigued with my Australian background and I taught them some aussie Slang. In fact director Farhan told me they even named the crew "bum-chums" another slang that sticked was "she'll be right".


Aside from the crew my co-stars were 2 fairly different but both beautiful ladies, Sabrina and Ashley. their characters differed with Christina being very sweet and mysterious and Ashley as the hot tempered beat me with handbag until her nail-polish bottle breaks and gives everything inside a designer splash however "beautiful no matter what emotion she was in" as my character Chris thought to himself. I got to propose to them both several times in fantasy and comical ways so I am well prepared for a engagement proposal now.

As mentioned the crew was technically switched on, they knew their shots, set up accordingly and were very efficient, but magically we were having so much fun at the same time. Most of our shots even the stunts were done in two or a few takes, everyone on crew even had a cameo role like Chester pushing me to the grass, Farhan smooshing a cream roll in my face and wardrobe Shelia Hunney gave me the most painful staged slap ever (and I have been getting slapped heaps with my role as Jak Arrows, more on that later). yes they did abuse me a lot for the characters sake but were nice and apologised every time, which is really important as the subliminal psychosocial damage can add up... I think

Also a special thanks to Eve and Jerrer, especially Eve who snapped some of the best production stills ever, ran it through LR and uploaded about the next day with really moving instagram*ic effects.

Performance rating 9.5/10
Very close to perfection, although we were very bum chummy, perhaps if I had a bit more chemistry with the ladies for certain scenes. I also think I need to open these Asian eyes more.