“Say Goodbye to Love” (yes I like ‘The Carpenters’)…

What a week I have had! I was out of town from Friday to Tuesday in Houston seeing my niece graduate from High School (gulp) and my nephew’s birthday. Before leaving, I had to set up auditions for the director of ONE KINE DAY who was flying in from Hawaii with the actor who is playing the lead in the film. I always say this job is mobile and I could do it from anywhere and now was the time to prove it. The good news is that you really can be mobile and set up auditions on the phone, I don’t really need to be in the office to do that. However I do need to be in the office when auditions happen (obviously). With all of the family stuff going on, setting up auditions, talking to agents/manager via phone or on-line was sorted out in a timely manner and with the help of my new office mate, casting director Monika Mikkelsen – who substituted for me at the Tuesday casting session, sessions went smoothly and I am happy to say offers should be out today to our mainland based cast.
Tuesday, I fly to Honolulu and finish casting the film. I am going to be there for 3-4 weeks as I am looking for actors who are authentic to Hawaii. This will mean not only auditioning actors in Hawaii who are really actors, but also finding people who may have never acted in a film and casting them. For me, this is an amazing opportunity to do what I love: CAST A FILM. It is the nut and bolts of casting to me, to weave together a cast out of thin air, or at least that is how it feels to me right now.
I love the script, I like the people I am working with and the setting is pretty cool. I will miss my home, I’m not really good at being away from my creature comforts and husband, but as I said this is an amazing opportunity for me. So, if you know anyone in Hawaii who is an actor or wants to be one, have him or her email me!
On a sad note, my best friend, my loyal companion, my cherished baby boy, my dog, Austin, passed away Wednesday evening. I could probably write a book on why I loved him so much, but anyone who loves dogs, will know what I am feeling right now. There is a void in my life and by my bedside. We rescued Austin in 2003 when he was hit by a car. He came into our home with so much joy and love and he left with peace. I could see how much he loved us – I think that is what I will miss the most – his unconditional love that only a dog can bring.
All of this just reminds me of how fragile life really is and to not be so serious about everything. I think in this business I am in, I have worked with stressed out people/bosses/actors who have, well let me just say for lack of a better term, “issues,” and need an “Austin” in their life to chill them out. Austin did that for me. In fact, I have never felt so at ease as I have in my life as in the moment I am in now. A perfect moment for me to go to Hawaii, be open, be free to find a cast in an environment totally foreign to me and put together something amazing and inspired. At least that is what I hope to do; Austin would want me to do that…

Austin L. Flynn (a.k.a ‘His Royal Fluffiness’ ‘Mr. Magoo,’ ‘Snoopy’)