Jennifer on the set of a music video for the band, “Seven Years”.

On Saturday I had the opportunity to work on a new music video for the band,  “Seven Years” .  The song is from their debut album, “Time To Change”.

My long time friend and  acting coach, Christinna Chauncey, cast me in her directorial debut. I have so much respect for Christinna and it was an honor to work with her outside of a class setting.  She has coached me both in class and for various film roles and we have a great rapport.

On the first day of filming we shot at Village Church in Burbank, CA.  When I arrived on location I met with the producer and songwriter, Suthurn Hicks, and wardrobe stylist, Mara Mara.  Everyone was so friendly and I felt so welcome on set. I knew it was going to be a great day.  Mara dressed me in an awesome tan coat and chunky scarf.  You would never know that it was actually sunny and warm in LA (luckily it wasn’t too warm). Once dressed, we started filming around the church campus.  The campus had so much to offer.  The final product is going to look really great and you’ll never believe we are actually at a church.

In between takes I chatted it up with lead singer, Cole Williams.  Cole is also a mom of a two-year-old. Her sweet little one was even on set.  We really hit it off and set up a play date for our kiddos.  What an unexpected little surprise that was.

A quick photo in between takes.

Our second location was at a condo in North Hollywood.  This mood of this scene was somber.  Christinna gave me great notes and I felt like we were able to achieve her vision for the scene.  We shot in a really artistically decorated bathroom, I just had to get a photo of it before we finished for the day.

Day One of filming went really well! One more day to go!

To learn more about “Seven Years”, visit: http://musicofsevenyears.wordpress.com/.

Here I am standing in the spot where we shot:

http://instagram.com/p/Yb4Qpap64r/#

Tagged: American Express Commercial, Commercial, Entertainment Industry, Jennie Keller, Jennifer Keller, The Life of an Actress, Villa del Sol d'Oro ]]> http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/deja-vu/feed/ 0 jenniferkeller http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/2013/03/26/new-headshots/ http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/2013/03/26/new-headshots/#comments Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:57:07 +0000 Jennifer Keller http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/?p=3053 Continue reading →]]> I recently had new headshots taken by Michael D’Ambrosia.  This is my second time shooting with Michael. I first shot with him when I was was a fresh-faced new actor in  LA. He was recommended by my agents at CU. Since they had asked for the new shots, I decided to shoot with him again.

With this session I was striving for 4 very specific looks: an approachable commercial look, a sweet Midwest mom, the icy upscale woman and the detective.  I spoke at length about these looks with Alma, the Make-up Artist, and brought a number of clothing choices for each.  Michael and Alma were really helpful.  For instance Michael strongly suggested I wear the peach cardigan, which I originally brought as a back up.  It turned out to be a great choice.

In fact, I’m thrilled with all my shots! Michael shoots outdoors in natural light, which I really liked.

Here are a couple of my favorite shots. These are unedited shots. To view more of my new headshots, click on the “Headshots” Link at the top of the page.

Which one is your favorite?

Jennifer

So frustrating.

I was scrolling down posts on twitter the other day (find me at https://twitter.com/JenniferKeller1) and I spotted this tweet:

30% of the Feb Wed. Callback Class has ALREADY BOOKED AND WEEK 4 WAS JUST LAST NIGHT!!!!!!!!! OMG CONGRATS CONGRATS CONGRATS!!!!!!

And I knew it was time. Time to take the commercial callback class I have been mulling over for over 6 months.  I immediately called to inquire about the next available class.  Originally I was told it was full, but to call back after the weekend. And you know what?  A spot opened up in the class.

It was a sign.

Let me tell you more about the class.  The commercial callback class is a  4 week, on camera workshop that recreates the different aspects of the callback.  The last week of this class doubles as an actual performance in front of a professional casting director.

I arrived for my first class and I was nervous!  I’ve been acting and auditioning for commercials for years, so I couldn’t believe how jittery I felt.  We started off class as we would with in a commercial callback.  There was a sign in sheet, storyboard of the commercial and sides when I arrived. There were about 15 students in the workshop. We were brought in the audition room in groups of three and then we watched ourselves after everyone had “auditioned”.  Afterwards we officially met Killian. He talked to us about his experiences working at Alyson Horn Casting and gave us some interesting and helpful nuggets about the commercial casting and auditioning process. Now I’m not going to talk about all the ins and outs of this class, you’re going to have to sign up yourself for that, but I will say that it was eye-opening.  And watching myself in an audition setting was oddly calming.  Every actor deals with a little insecurity from time to time, and I think my lack of bookings shook my confidence slightly.  Seeing what I brought to the table in the audition and a couple very fixable mistakes (such as not cheating out to the camera) made me feel empowered.

I can’t wait until the next class.  I can’t wait for my next audition!

For more information about taking this class, visit http://www.killiansworkshop.com/classes.html

Thanks! ; )

I received notification from my agents at CU that I would have a late afternoon commercial audition the night before.  But around noon, I received a call about a co-star audition from my agents at Clear Talent Group. Nice! I downloaded the sides as my toddler climbed on my back and tried to strike all the keys on my computer.  It was a nice scene on a confidential CW show and I started working on it as soon as I got my toddler down for her nap.

I love nap time, when it happens.  I showered, dressed and ran lines before braving late afternoon traffic on my way to Studio City.

My first stop was Beth Holmes Casting.  This was my first time auditioning for Beth Holmes, which was very exciting.  I walked into the casting facility at Loudmouth Studios fifteen minutes early to look over the sides.  There was a sea of blondes in the room when I arrived.  A casting associate in the lobby paired me with another actor and we rehearsed the lines until it was our turn.

The audition was on tape for casting.  The casting associate already knew the actor I was paired with and they started chit-chatting about people they knew.  On a side note, sometimes this happens. Some actors are really “buddy buddy” with the casting directors.  For my readers, especially fellow actors, don’t let that throw you.  You’re there to do a job, and it is okay if you do not have a prior relationship with casting.  If you’re right for the role, you’re right for the role.   So, back to the audition. After their brief chit-chat, we ran through the scene twice.   I felt happy with the audition. I felt that my fellow actor and I had a nice “banter” in the audition.  I’m really hoping for a call back.

Next, I was off to Hollywood.

I had some time to kill and was starving, so I hit up my favorite fast food restaurant: Chick-Fil-A. I got a chicken sandwich and a carrot & raisin salad.  Yum.  Generally I’m not big fan of fast foot, but I think the food quality is a lot better than most places.  I also practiced my lines over, and over, again in the parking lot.  To the other patrons I probably looked a little funny “talking to myself” in the car, but oh well!

Afterwards I drove over to Sunset/Gower Studios for my co-star audition.  Gower Street is a scary place at night.  I had to park on the street, and the only spot I could find was several blocks away from the entrance to the studio.  The neighborhood isn’t that great and I briskly walked by a number of homeless men who were bundled up for the night.  I walked close to the street and held my keys tightly just in case someone tried to grab my bag.  Luckily I didn’t have any trouble.

I made it safely to the studio, checked in, and bee-lined straight to the bathroom to change into my new outfit. Once I was “prepped”, I signed in for the audition. There were a number of ladies in the small waiting room, all with different looks (a contrast to my earlier audition).   When it was my turn, I greeted the casting associate. I’ve been called into audition for this CW show 4 times now and it is always nice to see her.

I felt really confident walking into this audition.  But as soon as we started, I faltered on the lines even though I had my script in my hands. In spite of my prep work it just didn’t go as smoothly as I had rehearsed.  Why?  I don’t know.   Sadly, that’s just how it goes sometimes.   And unfortunately, co-star auditions are just one take.

So, now what?  I’m going to let it go and look forward to the next audition.  If there’s one thing I’ve learned in this Industry, it’s that you have let auditions “roll like water off a duck’s back”.  You must think of every audition as a job: you go it, do the work, and go home. If you dwell on what you said or how you said it, you’ll just drive yourself crazy.  You have to focus on the “win”, which is that you had the audition in the first place.

You may be wondering why I’m fessing up to my not so stellar audition.  Well, because that’s life. If things went perfectly every time, I wouldn’t grow as an actor or as a person.   And who knows what role is waiting for me around the corner?  You may have heard the old phrase “When God closes a door, He opens a window”. Well, I’m just looking for my next window.

It was an awesome experience to participate as a judge in the Miss Ball State Pageant.  I was overwhelmed with nostalgia once I arrived on campus.  In fact, after the pageant I simply stood in Pruis Hall for a few minutes and took it all in.  I was crowned Miss Ball State on that same state 11 years ago.  It seams like yesterday. I can still remember the moment they called my name as the winner.  I was so excited and surprised!  It actually brings tears to my eyes.  I feel blessed to have so many awesome experiences in my life.  Each of them have changed me into the women that I am today.

Below are a pictures with two of my favorite people at Ball State University!

Jennifer and Carol Kosisko, The Director of the Miss Ball State Pageant

Jennifer with friend and mentor, Dr. Michael O’Hara. Dr. O’Hara is the Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts at Ball State University

Tagged: Ball State University, Jennie Keller, Jennifer Keller, Miss America Organization, Miss Ball State University Pageant, Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant, Miss Ohio Scholarship Pageant, Pageant Judge, The Life of an Actress ]]> http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/2013/01/20/and-the-new-miss-ball-state-university-is/feed/ 1 jenniferkeller Jennifer and Carol Kosisko, The Director of the Miss Ball State Pageant IMG_5572 http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/meet-the-newest-judge-of-the-miss-ball-state-university-pageant/ http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/meet-the-newest-judge-of-the-miss-ball-state-university-pageant/#comments Sat, 19 Jan 2013 06:05:04 +0000 Jennifer Keller http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/?p=2939 Continue reading →]]>

I am honored to say that I will be judging the Miss Ball State University Pageant on Saturday, January 19, 2013. The Miss America Organization has a special place in my heart because I am a former contestant.

I began my pageant career when I entered the Miss Ball State Pageant at the urging of friends. In 2002 I was crowned the winner out of 32 contestants. After graduation, I returned to my home state to compete in The Miss Ohio Scholarship Program was the recipient of the Miss Ohio Spirit Award and 4th runner up to Miss Ohio in 2004. I was also awarded the prestigious Miss America Community Service Award for my work raising awareness of dating violence on high school and college campuses in Ohio and Indiana. I’ve held three local titles, competed at the state level 3 times and earned thousands of dollars in scholarships, which I used as a student at Ball State and to pay off college loans after graduation.

I am a strong proponent for the Miss America Organization and the positive impact it has on the women who compete in the program.  For this reason I am honored to help choose the next Miss Ball State who will be vying for the title of Miss Indiana in June. It is also a special honor to serve the University that we love so much.  I am especially grateful the the director of the Miss Ball State pageant, Carol Kosisko, who invited me to judge the competition.  Carol was my first director and has remained a dear friend. The next Miss Ball State is very lucky to have such a kind, encouraging and supportive director on their side!

I’ll post the results on Sunday!

2002 Miss Ball State University Top 5

Tagged: Ball State University, Jennie Keller, Jennifer Keller, Miss America Organization, Miss Ball State University Pageant, Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant, Miss Ohio Scholarship Pageant, Pageant Judge, The Life of an Actress ]]> http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/meet-the-newest-judge-of-the-miss-ball-state-university-pageant/feed/ 0 jenniferkeller animation 2002 Miss Ball State University Top 5 http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/2012/12/23/final-days-on-the-set-of-abner-the-invisible-dog/ http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/2012/12/23/final-days-on-the-set-of-abner-the-invisible-dog/#comments Mon, 24 Dec 2012 05:10:39 +0000 Jennifer Keller http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/?p=3067 Continue reading →]]>

Jennifer with Director Fred Olen Ray and co-star, Ted Monte

Sweet Jane Kean brought butterscotch treats on set for us!

Jennifer with the awesome crew of “Abner, The Invisible Dog”

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2319926/

Jennifer on set with co-stars Jane Kean and Ted Monte

I started filming “Abner”, a new Independent Feature Film on November 18th.  “Abner” is a kids movie and I have been cast as the mother of the lead character.   The first day of filming I met my co-stars, Ted Monte and Jane Kean.  What an honor to work with both of them.  Jane Kean was a series regular on “The Jackie Gleason Show”, starred in Pete’s Dragon (a personal fav when I was a kid) and has a resume that spans decades.   Ted Monte plays my husband in the film and he has also been working for years.  Both actors were really nice and funny.   It was a great way to start my 5 day shoot!

I’m going to keep the name of this show confidential so I can talk  in detail about the audition and my preparation for it.  Releasing information about a TV show, film or commercial that you, the actor, auditions for is a BIG “no, no”.   The Entertainment Industry prides itself in the element of surprise.

I checked my e-mail and read through the sides. The role was a “Pageant Mom” of a 7-year-old girl.  So how did I prepare for that?  I watched TLC’s “Toddlers and Tiaras” online.  Seriously.  I’m not familiar with the world of kids pageants, and this might sound cliché,  but it gave me some new ideas for my character.

Afterwards I chose my outfit to get “in character” and practiced my lines. A lot of work for a couple of lines, but totally worth it!!  The whole process is very exciting for me.

The next day I arrived at the studio and checked in with security. Surprisingly, there were not any other actresses in the waiting room.  I actually like to see who else is auditioning for the role.  It gives me an idea of what the Casting Director might be looking for.

The Casting Associate  walked in and called my name. I was brought into a small audition room with a blue wall and a small camcorder.  Generally speaking, co-star roles are taped for the producers to watch. The role is then cast off the tape.  The Casting Associate asked me to give three different interpretations of the scene without stopping the camera in between takes.  That’s where your training comes in–I didn’t have time to stop and think about my delivery, I had to trust my instincts.

Overall, I felt like I gave three distinct interpretations for this character.  That’s all I can ask for.  Now, if I fit what casting is looking for, then I’ll get the role. But I know I left the studio feeling like I did my job well.

The Saturday morning shoot went great.  The scene was very sweet, I am grateful to have been a part of it.  Though I have to say, I think my toddler stole the show.  She was so sweet.  She had a line, but in true toddler form, she added her own lines.  Everyone on set was smiling.  She did a great job.  And, for the record, so did my husband.

We’ll be very excited to see the finale.

If you haven’t watched “Short Term” yet, check it out at http://www.shortterm.tv/

Check out a photo from the shoot on Instagram:

First of all, let’s talk about what a co-star is.  I know the terms can be pretty confusing: co-star, guest-star, recurring, series regular…what does it all mean?  A co-star is a small role in one episode of a TV Show.  The size of a co-star role can vary from episode to episode.  Sometimes a co-star is in one scene, such as a nurse, secretary or cop, and has a line or two. A co-star can also be a supporting character to a series regular (a starring character who is seen in every episode) and may be in a couple different scenes with a line or two in each scene. And, according to Nelson at Clear Talent, can sometimes work up to a week on the whole episode.

For those of us actors who are just starting out in TV, the co-star role is a chance to get a foot in the door. Like any other profession, an actor has to work their way up the ladder by starting with co-star bookings, then guest star roles (meaning the storyline centers around that particular character, or they have a larger and more significant role in the script) and ideally recurring guest star and series regular roles.

Are there actors who climb the ladder quickly and after one booking find themselves auditioning for series regulars?  Of course.  But there are also actors who work regularly as guest stars and co-stars and have not been able to break into a series regular role. And there are actors all over LA just trying to get their foot in the door with auditions for co-star roles.

So, this was a big opportunity! Very exciting.

Back to the audition.  I was thrilled to receive the call from Clear Talent Group about this audition.  The first thing I did was read through the sides, which included 2 different scenes.   Next, I checked out the producers and director on IMDB so I would be familiar with their work and style. Lastly, I needed to become familiar with this new show so I would understand the tone of the scene and (very importantly) know who my character was talking to.  I easily found the pilot on Hulu and settled in to watch it.

As I wrote above, the show is funny.  It is a single camera comedy, from the producers of “The Office” and “Community”.  I know I’ll be watching for the next episode in 2 weeks!

Once I understood the tone of the show, I worked on my lines and (also very importantly) picked out my outfit.  I needed to make sure I chose something that fit the character.  Once “in costume”, I could continue the work to find this character.

The audition was at 10 am this morning for Lisa Miller Katz Casting. I was so afraid of morning traffic that I left super early and arrived with 25 minutes to spare.  It’s always better to be early!!  I found the casting office and signed in.  Of course, I had to look around the room at the other ladies auditioning.  I always look at what everyone else is wearing.   I guess I want to make sure my outfit choice was spot on. It was. Whew!

Before I knew it,  I was up.  My agent had already informed me that this audition would be on tape for producers. I met with the Casting Associate,  Sibby Kirchgessner.  I actually met Sibby several years ago when I worked as a Career Consultant at AIA Studios. It was nice to see her again.

Overall I thought the audition went well.  We did two takes on camera and I felt confident about that second take.

Thanks to Brianna and Nelson at Clear Talent Group for sending me out and to Lisa Miller Katz Casting for calling me in!

Monday I auditioned for Rick Montgomery Casting in West Los Angeles.  The audition was for a commercial featuring athletic gals.  I am not very athletic, but I donned my fitness gear and drove down there for the audition.  Unfortunately I was paired with a couple of girls for a yoga group.  Let’s just say I’ll be crossing my fingers that they are looking for a clumsy girl who doesn’t know yoga.

Today’s audition was for a commercial print ad with Casting Brothers in Santa Monica.  I know it is going to be a good day when the 405 Highway is clear.  I zipped down to Santa Monica in great time and found a parking space easily.  I love print castings, especially when there isn’t a long wait.  I walked in and the ladies in the waiting room were especially friendly. Within a few minutes it was my turn to audition. I met Joseph, the photographer, who gave me a number and took a few quick pictures of me.

Thanks to Commercials Unlimited and House of Reps for sending me out!

“One Week” is on IMDB!  Check it out:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2319926/

I scheduled this new session with one goal in mind, a new commercial shot.  I shot with David last year and have a variety of really great theatrical looks.  But I’ve dropped 10 lbs since then (bye bye baby weight) so I wanted to try to capture a new commercial look. After a whirlwind 2 weeks of shopping for the “perfect shirt” (and buying 7 shirts in various styles and shade of blue), I popped over to Space 905 in Hollywood for our session.

Upon arriving I was warmly welcomed by Kate Hollinshead, David’s awesome assistant and Make Up Artist extraordinaire.  Coincidentally enough, Kate and I first met on the set of a Tidy Cat Commercial in 2008.  And I was floored when I bumped into her at again at my first session in 2009.  She has become my “go to” Make Up Artist.  She really has a knack for choosing the perfect colors for me so that I photograph well.  And she has to be one the sweetest people I’ve ever met.

Since this is my 3rd time shooting with David and Kate, I am really comfortable with the two of them. They really are more like friends.

If you are looking for new headshots visit http://www.davidmullerphotography.com.  I just cannot say enough good things about David Muller and Kate Hollinshead!!

David is a good sport. He snaps a photo with me for my blog after each headshot session with no complaints.

Tagged: David Muller Photography, Headshots, Jennifer Keller, Kate Hollinstead, Space 905, The Life of an Actress ]]> http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/2012/06/24/new-headshot-session-with-david-muller-photography-13-2/feed/ 0 jenniferkeller Headshots 2012 http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/2012/06/15/recent-auditions-for-jennifer/ http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/2012/06/15/recent-auditions-for-jennifer/#comments Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:43:29 +0000 Jennifer Keller http://jenniferkeller.wordpress.com/?p=2713 Continue reading →]]> I’ve been busy with commercial and print auditions the past month, but have been behind in my posts. I want to extend my gratitude to the following casting directors for the auditions and callbacks that I’ve had recently:

Dan Cowan, Broadcast

Michael Sandford, Sanford Casting

Dan Bell, Bell Casting

Katie Taylor, Taylor Casting

Brigid McBride, McBride Casting

David Martinez, David Martinez Photography

Thank you to each of you for the opportunity to audition for your commercial or print projects.  Some of you I have auditioned for in the past, a couple of you called me in for the first time.

I hope to audition for  each of you again in the future.

Thank you again!

Check out my latest project, a short film called “Selective Memory”

Written and Directed by Thomas D. Moser

Starring Michael O’Hare Wallace, Katherine Phillips Moser and Jennifer Keller

Story: A man wakes up in a restaurant with no memory of how he got there. A wound, gun, and briefcase with just one photograph are his only clues about who he is.

The Apple “One to One” Campaign is up and running: http://www.apple.com/retail/learn/one-to-one/.  “One to One” is a cool way for Mac users to learn about their Apple products.  This was a fun shoot and I spent the day playing with iPads and Macbooks. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to work on such a fun print shoot!  Thank you to all who were involved!

The callback was same day, scheduled for 2:45 PM in Santa Monica.  I left the house super early.  The 405 South was completely clear, and I arrived in Santa Monica 40 minutes early.  I circled the block, checked my e-mail on my phone, and then wandered into the audition 20 minutes early.

The audition was at a different location, 902 Colorado.  This is the same location as the audition I had at Dan Bell Casting last week.  I signed in with Lucy, and waiting to be paired with another actor.  We chatted about the last audition with Dan Bell Casting and all the cute kiddos that were in the lobby.

I also spotted Mike, the casting associate from the original audition.  He is a funny guy.  I like how he breaks down the scene. He brought each group of actors into the audition room and introduced them.

I was paired with a really cool actor.  We went over our lines a few times and then spent the rest of the time gabbing and building a rapport for the audition.

I wore the same outfit from the original audition, a blue dress with a cardi belted around my waist and knee high boots.  As I was standing waiting to walk into the audition room, I looked down and noticed I had a big run in my nylons!  Eek.  Just then the door opened and we were ushered in.  Se la vie!

We met the client and the director and then slated for the camera.  A slate is a quick greeting, introducing yourself on camera.

The other actor I was paired with was great.  I felt we worked well together.  We had two takes, the second we took notes for the director.

Thank you to Casting Director, Brigid McBride, for the callback!!