Awesome Day Nine: The Birth of Sparkle

Despite fitting the LA-waitress-turned-bartender-who-dreams-of-hollywood-stardom profile pretty perfectly, I did not come to LA to be an actress (or a TV host, more specifically).  I never thought about being on TV at all, actually.  I came to LA for college--and I'm pretty sure, although not super sure, that I wanted to be a "translator at the UN" or something respectable and interesting like that.  And then later, I considered diplomat.  And then later, I set my sights on print journalism (whoops).  In short, I never ever planned on getting headshots, and definitely didn't ever plan on "needing time off work for an audition."

Life never really goes as planned, I have learned...

So here I am eight years later, setting out to make it in an industry I know nothing about.  Awesome, right?  (More like hilarious, but here's hoping...)

Still, I decided that the time has come--after two years of traversing the globe with ProjectExplorer.org, months of TV hosting classes (they exist), many helpful tips from fellow restaurant-working fame-seekers, and countless hours of wishful daydreaming behind an uninspiring bar--to go for it.  Like, really go for it.  To change my mindset from "It'd be cool to be a TV host" to "I'm going to be a TV host."  To exude the kind of confidence necessary to get a call back.  To actually go to auditions and take advantage of this whole Living in LA thing.  And, as a first step, to get headshots.  Real, professional, get-your-hair-and-make-up done headshots.

Cue the Hendershotts--a husband and wife team, usually specializing in kid and celeb portraits, but "secretly" doing headshots on the side.  Add in make-up artist/hairstylist Violeta Meyners, and two adorable small dogs, and it was a pretty winning set-up.

I have to admit that I was nervous for the morning; sometimes (often) my confidence in my photogenic capabilities is lacking, and the idea of putting a downpayment on my ability to take a good photo was making my stomach turn.  I am a woman, after all--and I usually leave the house after no more than 10 minutes of fumbling preparation.

God, the wonders that hair and make-up can do.  And the fact that the assembled team was, well, AWESOME in all respects.  Super-fun, super-professional, super-chill, super-ready-to-rock.  Seriously, can. not. give. them. more. high. fives.

A new phrase was even coined during the photoshoot, instructing me to "sparkle out"--which, oddly enough, everyone involved seemed to understand.

Way to go, team.

(Here's a little sneak peek screen-grab from the day--note the sparkle:)

And now, I'm one baby step closer to your TV screen (figuratively, of course).



Awesome Side Note:  Upon showing up for my bartending job all did-up yesterday, I learned that we were set to film an online commercial for Downtown News.  My manager who was supposed to be the on-camera talent for the 30 second plug (in all its glory) was sick--so after a quick "Kat, your hair looks cute today!" from the assembled management, I took the leap (it was a verrrry slow day at the bar).  I'm guessing this will probably lead to my big break (right?), but either way, it's fun to say that within the first day of getting my professional headshots, I "booked my first commercial".  Now how's that for an endorsement?  ;)