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Agents & Auditions

Suzie Steen — Sat, 22 May 2010 08:10:45 +0000

Hi guys! Being an American and now from both Continents, I know how difficult it is to find a Good agent who will take you and is right for you, here are just a few tips!

1. Ask other successful actors who have had the training and experience that you have in common.
2. Get referred by one of them.
3. ALWAYS make sure your Biography and Headshots are in tip-top shape (NO EXCEPTIONS).
4. In Los Angeles, you can go to a company called GLOBAL P.R.E.P. They have an amazing knowledge of the industry and I can attest to the fact that they have integrity.
5. If you get the interview with an Agent, interview them too. You need to know that they are the agent that will work for you — as long as you have the ‘goods’ to sell.
6. Never under-sell yourself. “Oh I only did” etc. Better is: “I did a play….” and it was a real eye-opener and I feel so much more confident…..” etc.

I use the word “sell” rather loosely as I don’t like to think of us as merchandise — however, aren’t we? If
you are buying a shirt/skirt and they cost the same, won’t you pick the one that is displayed better?

Here is a page from my book “Audition Secrets”. This passage is really more about Auditioning for Casting Agents, but don’t Talent Agents want to know HOW to handle audition situation?

Accept/Adapt
Accept what is going on in the room, some like a chat, some like to say hi, do your bit, bye – so adapt to each situation as it arises. It’s their party. You may be the star, but they invited you.

 Take your cues from the room

 As above, accept that you may have 2 minutes (in and out), if the auditioners ask questions you don’t quite understand…..ask and adapt to it.

 Accept that you may not be reading with someone you like, but adapt to it.
 It’s you’re time to make an impression. Please make it a good one!

I once went into an audition and no one really spoke to me. They sat back and talked to each other, told me to talk to the camera and said bye. Hmmm – really all they wanted to see was if I was pleasant, professional and looked right for the character on camera — which they would look at later!

I also once auditioned for the Director (big one) myself. The Casting Agent did not even speak to me, so away I went and just talked to the Director about my life in Hollywood and Australia — dropping, of course, all the names I could think of. Well, I got the part! And it has just been released in Australia to rave reviews. I’m a lucky American in a ‘foreign land’. It’s all a foreign land isn’t it?

So chin up, be happy, HAVE FUN, and good things can happen. Go to www.imdb.com/name/nm0824800/ to find out more about me. I am your American in Australia. Love what you do!

The Award Goes to…

Suzie Steen — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:50:28 +0000

Oscar Statue Well, unless you’ve been under a rock or don’t care, the “winners” have been chosen for the Oscars. Interesting Face-off between Cameron (Avatar) and ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) seems a bit ‘political’ to me, but you read my preview of ‘Avatar’.

So, here’s the list. I can’t understand why ‘Mao’s Last Dancer’ is on DVD and hasn’t even been to theatres in North America! They’d have taken out some good awards. Go to my website to see the trailer: suziesteen.com

The full list of nominees (winners in bold):

Best picture
“Avatar”
“The Blind Side”
“District 9″
“An Education”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Precious”
“A Serious Man”
“Up”
“Up in the Air”

Best actor
Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney, “Up in the Air”
Colin Firth, “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman, “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner, “The Hurt Locker”

Best actress
Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren, “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan, “An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe, “Precious”
Meryl Streep, “Julie & Julia”

Best supporting actor
Matt Damon, “Invictus”
Woody Harrelson, “The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer, “The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci, “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”

Best supporting actress
Penelope Cruz, “Nine”
Vera Farmiga, “Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air”
Mo’Nique, “Precious”

Best director
James Cameron, “Avatar”
Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”
Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”
Lee Daniels, “Precious”
Jason Reitman, “Up in the Air”

Best foreign-language film
“Ajami,” Israel
“El Secreto de Sus Ojos,” Argentina
“The Milk of Sorrow,” Peru
“Un Prophete,” France
“The White Ribbon,” Germany

Best adapted screenplay
Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, “District 9″
Nick Hornby, “An Education”
Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche, “In the Loop”
Geoffrey Fletcher, “Precious”
Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, “Up in the Air”

Best original screenplay
Mark Boal, “The Hurt Locker”
Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”
Alessandro Camon and Oren Moverman, “The Messenger”
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, “A Serious Man”
Bob Peterson, Pete Docter and Tom McCarthy, “Up”

Best animated feature film
“Coraline”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“The Princess and the Frog”
“The Secret of Kells”
“Up”

Best art direction
“Avatar”
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”
“Nine” “Sherlock Holmes”
“The Young Victoria”

Best cinematography
“Avatar”
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“The White Ribbon”

Best sound mixing
“Avatar”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Star Trek”
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”

Best sound editing
“Avatar”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Star Trek”
“Up”

Best original score
“Avatar,” James Horner
“Fantastic Mr. Fox,” Alexandre Desplat
“The Hurt Locker,” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
“Sherlock Holmes,” Hans Zimmer
“Up,” Michael Giacchino

Best original song
“Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog,” Randy Newman
“Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog,” Randy Newman
“Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36,” Reinhardt Wagner and Frank Thomas
“Take It All” from “Nine,” Maury Yeston
“The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart,” Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Best costume design
“Bright Star”
“Coco Before Chanel”
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”
“Nine”
“The Young Victoria”

Best documentary feature
“Burma VJ”
“The Cove”
“Food, Inc.”
“The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers”
“Which Way Home”

Best documentary short
“China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province”
“The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner”
“The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant”
“Music by Prudence”
“Rabbit a la Berlin”

Best film editing
“Avatar”
“District 9″
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Precious”

Best makeup
“Il Divo”
“Star Trek”
“The Young Victoria”

Best animated short film
“French Roast”
“Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty”
“The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)”
“Logorama”
“A Matter of Loaf and Death”

Best live-action short film
“The Door”
“Instead of Abracadabra”
“Kavi”
“Miracle Fish”
“The New Tenants”

Best visual effects
“Avatar”
“District 9″
“Star Trek”

Thoughts on Golden Globes 2010

Suzie Steen — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:22:22 +0000

As I watch Ricky Gervais present the Golden Globe Awards last night while in Santa Barbara – just before the rains hit us and everyone started sandbagging their properties – I had some pretty good laughs. He was entertaining and funny. However, I noticed the audience wasn’t as responsive and seemed to be more serious than usual in Award Ceremonies – if they do decide to turn up. Perhaps they felt their careers were on the line, as the ‘non-winners’ did not fake smile nor continue the applause, they seemed genuinely pissed off.

Or perhaps it was that all the glam and glitter seemed rather self-serving in the light of the horrendous plight in Haiti.

Meryl Streep in her usual eloquent way accepted her award for “Julie & Julia”, and did not get the ‘musical wrap it up, girl’, from the producers when she began to talk about the less fortunate and the way in which people live in other countries who aren’t as privileged as we are.
Here is what some of these actors are doing to assist and still keep their integrity while being ‘stars’. Hats off to all.

Hollywood stars including Meryl Streep and Gerard Butler are auctioning off the outfits they wore to the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday to raise money for the Haitian relief fund.

Josh Brolin, Amy Poehler and House’s Olivia Wilde (@oliviawilde) are also donating their awards show clothes to Artists for Peace and Justice, which is raising funds for the earthquake-ravaged country.

Wilde was involved in building a school in the nation in December, but it was destroyed in last week’s 7.0-magnitude tremor.

The auction will start on Ebay next week (starting 25th January, 2010). Find out more information at the Artists for Peace and Justice web site, and by following @artistsforpeace on Twitter.

USA Box Office Film Rankings (12/31/2009)

Suzie Steen — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:10:47 +0000

Here are the box office rankings for the last week of 2009.

We are still waiting for ‘Mao’s Last Dancer’ to come to America! Help it out by checking out its IMDb page and by writing your own blog posts about how eager you are to see it.

These are the earnings for the previous weekend; gross earnings in parenthesis.

Avatar $19.4M ($232M)
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel $12.1M ($87.7M)
Sherlock Holmes $11.2M ($73.6M)
It’s Complicated $4.27M ($26.4M)
The Princess and the Frog $3.07M ($66.8M)
The Blind Side $2.81M ($187M)
Up in the Air $2.26M ($26.3M)
Did You Hear About the Morgans? $1.1M ($16.7M)
Nine $1.1M ($6.93M)
New Moon $959K ($282M)

Happy viewing!

Be sure to check out my IMDb profile for more info about me.

AFI Awards 2009

Suzie Steen — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:52:12 +0000

I flew down to Melbourne from Sydney for this Red Carpet event. The members and Cast and Crew were treated like royalty and the evening was very enjoyable. Australian ‘stars’ who came from the USA were Anthony LaPaglia & Toni Collette. I met up with Rachel Ward & Bryan Brown again briefly and other noteworthy ‘stars’. We are all the same, just some more famous. At least I certainly didn’t need a body guard!

Mao’s Last Dancer was given the award for Best Musical Score, Christopher Gordon, who is a wonderful man. Jane Scott, Producer of Mao’s Last Dancer, picked up an award for ‘People’s Choice’ best film. She was quite emotional as our 1st AD on the film has died at an early age.

Lot’s of great Australian films won the major awards. Australia got the new award of “top box office”. Baz Luhrman accepted and appeared very humble and grateful.

The ‘after party’ was crazy for the younger crowd. I sat with Christopher Gordon and his AFI award on the table (it’s beautiful), feeling very pleased. I left early and ran into Fred Schepisi & Anthony LaPaglia. Mr. LaPaglia was not too impressed with the hundreds of on-lookers who wanted photos. Paparazzi were quite respectful.

To find out more, go to: Suzie Steen on IMDb.

Golden Globe Awards 2009

Suzie Steen — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:10:50 +0000

I will be going to the USA December/January. It’s Pilot Season in Los Angeles and will meet up with my contacts over there to introduce some of my actors. More info for the USA – Nominations for Golden Globe Awards.

It is always said that the Golden Globes are a good indication of who will be nominated for an Oscar.

Sometimes it’s true. Sometimes the Golden Globes are a bit of a popularity contest.

Anyway, in my opinion to be nominated or to win is wonderful either way.

Best Motion Picture – Drama

Avatar (2009)
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
Up in the Air (2009)

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

(500) Days of Summer (2009)
The Hangover (2009)
It’s Complicated (2009)
Julie & Julia (2009)
Nine (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart (2009)
George Clooney for Up in the Air (2009)
Colin Firth for A Single Man (2009)
Morgan Freeman for Invictus (2009)
Tobey Maguire for Brothers (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Emily Blunt for The Young Victoria (2009)
Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side (2009)
Helen Mirren for The Last Station (2009)
Carey Mulligan for An Education (2009)
Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Matt Damon for The Informant! (2009)
Daniel Day-Lewis for Nine (2009)
Robert Downey Jr. for Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt for (500) Days of Summer (2009)
Michael Stuhlbarg for A Serious Man (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Sandra Bullock for The Proposal (2009)
Marion Cotillard for Nine (2009)
Julia Roberts for Duplicity (2009)
Meryl Streep for It’s Complicated (2009)
Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Matt Damon for Invictus (2009)
Woody Harrelson for The Messenger (2009)
Christopher Plummer for The Last Station (2009)
Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones (2009)
Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Penélope Cruz for Nine (2009)
Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air (2009)
Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air (2009)
Mo’Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
Julianne Moore for A Single Man (2009)

Best Director – Motion Picture

Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker (2008)
James Cameron for Avatar (2009)
Clint Eastwood for Invictus (2009)
Jason Reitman for Up in the Air (2009)
Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

District 9 (2009): Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
The Hurt Locker (2008): Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds (2009): Quentin Tarantino
It’s Complicated (2009): Nancy Meyers
Up in the Air (2009): Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Best Original Song – Motion Picture

Avatar (2009): James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell (“I Will See You”)
Brothers (2009): U2, Bono (“Winter”)
Crazy Heart (2009): T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham (“The Weary Kind”)
Everybody’s Fine (2009): Paul McCartney (“(I Want To) Come Home”)
Nine (2009): Maury Yeston(“Cinema Italiano”)

Best Original Score – Motion Picture

Avatar (2009): James Horner
The Informant! (2009): Marvin Hamlisch
A Single Man (2009): Abel Korzeniowski
Up (2009): Michael Giacchino
Where the Wild Things Are (2009): Carter Burwell, Karen Orzolek

Best Animated Film

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
Coraline (2009)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
Up (2009)

Best Foreign Language Film

Los abrazos rotos (2009)
Baarìa (2009)
Das weisse Band – Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
La nana (2009)
Un prophète (2009)

Best Television Series – Drama

Big Love (2006)
Dexter (2006)
House M.D. (2004)
Mad Men (2007)
True Blood (2008)

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Entourage (2004)
Glee (2009)
The Office (2005)
Modern Family (2009)
30 Rock (2006)

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Georgia O’Keeffe (2009) (TV)
Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)
Into the Storm (2009) (TV)
Little Dorrit (2008)
Taking Chance (2009) (TV)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Kevin Bacon for Taking Chance (2009) (TV)
Kenneth Branagh for Wallander (2008)
Chiwetel Ejiofor for Endgame (2009)
Brendan Gleeson for Into the Storm (2009) (TV)
Jeremy Irons for Georgia O’Keeffe (2009) (TV)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Joan Allen for Georgia O’Keeffe (2009) (TV)
Drew Barrymore for Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)
Jessica Lange for Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)
Anna Paquin for The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler (2009) (TV)
Sigourney Weaver for Prayers for Bobby (2009) (TV)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock (2006)
Steve Carell for The Office (2005)
David Duchovny for Californication (2007)
Thomas Jane for Hung (2009)
Matthew Morrison for Glee (2009)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Toni Collette for United States of Tara (2009)
Courteney Cox for Cougar Town (2009)
Edie Falco for Nurse Jackie (2009)
Tina Fey for 30 Rock (2006)
Lea Michele for Glee (2009)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

Simon Baker for The Mentalist (2008)
Michael C. Hall for Dexter (2006)
Jon Hamm for Mad Men (2007)
Hugh Laurie for House M.D. (2004)
Bill Paxton for Big Love (2006)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama

Glenn Close for Damages (2007)
January Jones for Mad Men (2007)
Julianna Margulies for The Good Wife (2009)
Anna Paquin for True Blood (2008)
Kyra Sedgwick for The Closer (2005)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Michael Emerson for Lost (2004)
Neil Patrick Harris for How I Met Your Mother (2005)
William Hurt for Damages (2007)
John Lithgow for Dexter (2006)
Jeremy Piven for Entourage (2004)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Jane Adams for Hung (2009)
Rose Byrne for Damages (2007)
Jane Lynch for Glee (2009)
Janet McTeer for Into the Storm (2009) (TV)
Chloë Sevigny for Big Love (2006)

I think some of these categories all the actors and actresses should ‘win’. I haven’t seen all these films or shows — but Clint Eastwood can do no wrong by me and is an amazing human being! Go Clint!
House is a favorite and Hugh Laurie says the single hardest thing he has to do every day is to use his American accent!
30 Rock created by Tina Fey (remember, she ran for Vice-President of the USA), was quite a leap of faith for her and I really like to know that people are willing to take chances — and better yet — have them become successful!