<![CDATA[home to k@ primeau

<![CDATA[home to k@ primeau - blog]]>Thu, 24 May 2012 12:38:17 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Music Vids Revisited]]>Sun, 25 Sep 2011 11:09:35 -0800http://www.katprimeau.com/1/post/2011/09/music-vids-revisited.html

I'm revisiting a lot of things this week (see my post on My Name is Rachel Corrie on Bitter Lemons) - but this post is primarily about the thing that killed the radio star. Moosic Vidayos. I wrote about working on some videos in this post, but this year, I've moved from low-budg to no-budg, random choreographer number 3 to lead talent, actually commissioned by the label to fan vid or faux band. It's a step up, trust me.

The most recent video I worked on is for CANT - Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear's solo project - and was shot by fellow OU alum John Heeg & Chris Westlund. They pitched the idea to Lisa & I as a post-Black Swan take on the male gaze. Watch the video here.

From an acting standpoint, of course it was awkward kissing one of my best girlfriends and I was wary of exploiting or over-sexualizing a lesbian relationship. Thankfully Lisa is incredibly fun, we became really close working on Girl Band together, so it was very easy to keep things very sweet and natural, grounded in our genuine love and respect for one another. John edited a beautiful piece, I'm really impressed by their work and continually grateful to have the fortune of working with talented people coming out of Ohio.

The videos gotten some mention on the Terrible Records Blog (CANT's label), PreFix Mag, and on Disco Naivete. Check it out.

]]><![CDATA[News History - June 2010 to Feb 2011]]>Sun, 19 Jun 2011 12:51:06 -0800http://www.katprimeau.com/1/post/2011/06/news-history-june-2010-to-feb-2011.html

Decided to consolidate my past "news" updates into one blog. Future "news" updates will be individual blog posts. Makes sense, yet it took me 2 years to figure it out

- Kat books the lead role in The Wedding Day, a short film cast through the SAG Conservatory at AFI. Filming starts Valentine's weekend.
- Laughter for a Change classes are up and running, Tuesday nights and Thursday afternoons at Theatre Asylum.
Latest News: January 2011
- Kat covers Voices From Chornobyl for The Advok@. Read the piece here.
- New Representation: Kat is now repped Theatrically by H David Moss & Associates in Hollywood. Visit the Contact page for more info.
- Laughter for a Change receives a grant from the Flourish Foundation; Kat interviews at the LA Lesbian and Gay Center to become a Comedy Mentor volunteer teaching improv to their Seniors (50+).
- Kat's roomies are going to Sundance & Berlin Film Festivals! Support Jess + Moss and Jiro Dreams of Sushi on Facebook and go see the movies if you can!
August 2010

I am Not Engaged......despite all appearances in a viral campaign for the healthy snack food Pop Chips. Brought to you by director John Pina, watch the video to see the most epic [fake] marriage proposal to ever grace YouTube. Gentlemen, pay attention (or you might miss the product placement!).

Laughter for a Change received its first grant - from google! More info on L4C: www.LaughterforaChange.org

I recently had a blast collaborating with fellow OU alum Ben Begley and Michelle Gritzer on their webseries 24 Minutes. The series spoofs the popular FOX show 24 and will be premiering in one minute segments online this fall.

The Long Beach Poppin' Play festival opened last weekend, including two premieres I've been in rehearsals for lately.
James Scarborough called the West Coast premiere of Brooklyn playwright Nathaniel Kressen's Jumper's with the Gypsy "edgy and profound." The two-person show runs every Saturday night til Sept. 11th.

Also on the bill is my take on "Yin" in Craig Abernathy's short play, What Can We Do?, directed by Jeremy Aluma (of my recent Durang run). According to Scarborough "It comes across as [T.S. Eliot's] 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' on Red Bull." Sweet! For tickets and more information about the 11 plays in the festival, check out Alive Theatre's Website.

I recently became a client of Phil Brock's management team at Studio Talent Group after meeting through Twitter's LA acting community July Generals experiment. We share a love of hiking, community outreach, and social media; I couldn't be more excited about our collaboration!
Twitter is also working to unite LA Theatre Artists with the advent of the hashtag #LAThtr. Read more about the Twitter/Theatre initiative here.

Other Noteworthy News...

Colin Mitchell was so kind as to call me "the prettiest brain in the business" when he quoted my Proposal for LA Theatre Artists on the popular LA Theatre website Bitter Lemons. Check it out his write-up here.
Limehouse Toronto is putting on UrbanMoon - a three course meal with caberet & film - on September 12th. If you're in the area, check it out; you can always keep up with Limehouse Dallas & LA on www.LimehouseTheatre.com

- Fresh off her critically acclaimed performance in The Actor's Nightmare (read the reviews here), Kat is excited to be collaborating with director Jeremy Aluma again in Alive Theatre's 3rd Annual Poppin Play Festival this August. Kat is working with Aluma on "What Can We?" by Craig Abernathy and playing Gypsy in "Jumper with the Gypsy" directed by Roger Q. Mason. More details coming soon!
- Kat and the LA Theatre Review team finished up their Hollywood Fringe Festival coverage with an invigorating panel discussion on the State of Theatre in LA (see photo of invigorated panelists above). Read LATR's coverage of the event here.
-Kat & Awesome.tv recently shot episode 1 of the new webseries Missed Connections. Teaser and episodes coming soon - stay tuned!
- Laughter for a Change classes are starting up again July 10th. L4C is a 501(c)3 improv training ground for performers and comedy mentors who support social outreach improv programs with at-risk youth, PTSD Veterans, and "chronologically gifted" adults in the LA area. For more info, read K@'s blog & check out the L4C site.

- Kat's work in The Actor's Nightmare earns rave reviews! See what all the critics have to say here.
- Hollywood Fringe Festival is coming soon! Kat will be moderating a panel discussion closing day of the Fringe with several of LA's prominent theatre critics and reviewing Fringe shows for LA Theatre Review throughout the fest. More info on the panel discussion here, and to learn about the Fringe Festival itself, clickhere.
- Kat is developing a new webseries with the lovely people over at Awesome.tv called Missed Connections. Teaser and the first couple episodes will be coming soon - stay tuned!
- Laughter for a Change classes are starting up again this July! Kat is an improvisor, grant researcher, marketing consultant and intern coordinator for L4C, which provides world-class training and improv therapy for the elderly, underprivileged youth, and veterans. Learn more on the L4C website.
]]><![CDATA[A little update...]]>Mon, 23 May 2011 14:42:34 -0800http://www.katprimeau.com/1/post/2011/05/a-little-update.htmlOops. I've been a bad blogger. So bad I've been removed from the Bitter Lemons blogroll...ouch. That hurts, Colin, that really hurts.

I lie. It'd take a much bigger windfall than blogroll banishment to rifle my feathers these days. The past few months have been so full of creativity in action, I'm quite grateful to not have to get all self-reflexive about it all the time. Rather than regail you with all the details here (you can buy me a beer if you want the full shebang, eh?), here are some highlights:

- Turning 25: No better way to combat quarter-life crisis than a 90's dance party. Almost all of my favorite people were there, plus a few surprises. If you can measure a woman's worth by her friends, I am truly rich, and for that I am so, so grateful!
- Orenthal: The Musical: My crazy friend Jeff wrote a crazy screenplay about a crazy director staging an OJ Simpson/Othello Musical. The resulting shoot was a 6 year reunion for many of the cast & crew who worked on Jeff's first feature, Relative Obscurity, back in the day. I am so grateful to once again have been involved with a talented ensemble who understands the value of working hard and playing harder.
- Girl Band in the Men's Room: If you haven't heard about this project, you may just be living under a rock, such is the depth of my obsession with the thing. My first go at producing for the stage in LA (since Prague Fringe 08, oy, it's been too long!), I've tapped into every single one of my friend's special talents to pull off a multi-platform campaign for Hollywood Fringe this year. Sharing the stage with three hot babes, writing and recording music w/ my amazing co-workers, designing custom guitar picks and vintage flyers and web content and handmade jewelry, and renting urinals from strange men off craigslist, the experience has stretched my skillset & made me face more than a few of my fears. Now that the ball is rolling I'm really looking forward to performance of the play and raising money for children to received music education here in LA. We couldn't do it without the generosity and enthusiasm of so many people - thank you to all involved so far! Check out www.girlbandinthemensroom.com for more info!

forgot to mention, i've begin a career as a magician's assistant. photo taken at the magic castle, april 22 2011 by gabrielle houeix

]]><![CDATA[A Wedding for Valentine's Day]]>Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:02:59 -0800http://www.katprimeau.com/1/post/2011/02/a-wedding-for-valentines-day.html

What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than to fake break up with your musician fake boyfriend, get a fake tattoo, fast forward 3 years, and then fake marry your roommate (who is actually on the other side of the planet)? I can't think of anything, so that's just what I did this year.
I spent the past three days working on The Wedding Day, a short film directed by Whea-Whea Makor as part of AFI's year one cycle films. I play a soon-to-be bride plagued with memories of a past failed relationship, floating between memory and reality with a great soundtrack and some fancy camera work. I had so much fun on set with a fantastic crew and a great cast of actors. AFI films work in conjunction with the SAG Conservatory, so they not only bring a pool of great talent to set, but they work hard to follow SAG rules and are incredibly respectful of time, safety, comfort, etc. I'm so very impressed with producer Sara Hills and the rest of her team, and look forward to working with more AFI students in the future!
Thank you to everyone involved for such a great time! Looking forward to seeing you at the screening.
In the meantime, here's some photos from the shoot:

]]><![CDATA[Positive Vibrations at the Ovation Awards]]>Tue, 25 Jan 2011 14:03:52 -0800http://www.katprimeau.com/1/post/2011/01/positive-vibrations-at-the-ovation-awards.html

Last week I volunteered at the Ovation Awards, LA Theatre's equivalent to the Oscars. Despite being one of the Box Office ladies at a table Don Shirley described as "worse than traffic on the 101," the event was serious fun. I highly recommend signing up for the LA Stage Alliance mailing list to stay in the loop about volunteering for future events - it's the third-best way to attend the swanky event for free (first would be to be nominated, second to be presenting, duh)!
   Looking around the sea of theatre artists, I was struck by how goshdarn attractive everyone was. Sure, all the ladies were in floor-length gowns and men were super suited-up, but I was so clearly NOT at my high school theatre awards ceremony anymore (no offense, Ohio). LA artists come in very color, age and fashion sense, and surrounded by so many talented, devoted people reminded me how important it is to celebrate the victories of our creative peers. Some (ex-New Yorker) award-winners even thanked the LA Theatre Community for being such a surprisingly great place to work and create! Whodda thunkit.
   I know I'm just a little voice in the big picture, but I'm really proud of the work Bitter Lemons, LA Theatre Review, Hollywood Fringe, LA Female Playwrights Initiative and so many other great organizations are doing to be inclusive and create an overarching community amidst our various theatre spaces and the expanse of our huge city. I'm a proud theatre nerd, confident because I am seeing the work and meeting the people who have devoted themselves to the worthy world of theatre. There are downsides, too (whoever organized that Box Office needs to go back to Organizing 101), but based on the positive tone of the Ovations, I have faith we can figure it out.

In the photo: theatre director extraordinaire Jeremy Aluma and I couldn't help but pretend we were actual guests on the red carpet. I met Jeremy during the Durang plays at the Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica last May and can very well say that he will be nominated for an Ovation one day, providing New York or grad school doesn't steal him away. Send him some love at his website; if you're an actor-friend o'mine, stay turned for casting calls of his in the future.

]]><![CDATA[#LAThtr Tweetup - Bringing the Social to Social Media Theatre Nerds]]>Tue, 16 Nov 2010 13:40:21 -0800http://www.katprimeau.com/1/post/2010/11/lathtr-tweetup-bringing-the-social-to-social-media-theatre-nerds.htmlOn behalf of @gedaly and my friends at Blipsy Barcade, I want to thank everyone who came out to #LAThtr's first tweetup! I had a blast talking strategy, hearing about everyone's work, and meeting so many cool people who are working selflessly and tirelessly to bring out theatre community closer together. Good. Times.
Here's the list of people who signed the sign-in sheet; if anyone was left out please leave a comment so that I can add you to the list!
Now be like @catnick and start stalking...I mean, following :)

@gedaly
@katprimeau
@rebeccahonett
@breeberst
@itsjoeroche
@catnick
@laurendwebb
@abbywilde
@gregory_crafts
@theatreunleashd
@burningether
@latensemble
@insideacting
@dubblebee
@kdtheatre
@tracyeliot
@madhuri567
@pattyjrobinson]]><![CDATA[The Advok@ Launch!]]>Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:32:19 -0800http://www.katprimeau.com/1/post/2010/10/the-advok-launch.htmlDespite this week's dreary weather, I'm feeling elated to be getting my latest writing endeavor underway - my partnership with Bitter-Lemons.com writing the monthly 'Theatre for a Cause' column. Now re-named The Advok@ (forgive me, it was National Cheese Week when I pitched the name), the idea began when BL founders Enci Box and Colin Mitchell were soliciting theatre submissions. I saw their post and considered nominating Laughter for a Change when I realized that I really just wanted to be the one writing the column. We met for coffee, came up with a game plan, and that evening I selected Cornerstone Theater, a company I'd been admiring from afar since my Ohio-theatre days, as our first profile.
I'm very hopeful my conversations with LA theatre artists will help strengthen the community as a whole, and am tickled to be getting back to my actorvist roots working with the BL crew. The way I see it, anyone can read a theatre company's press release - it takes more time to really education and familiarize oneself with the work, methodology, and intention of a particular artist. I've already learned so much, and owe a great debt of gratitude to Ramy Eletreby, Communications Manager for Cornerstone Theater.
Please take a moment and read the links below! I would love any feedback and suggestions for the future:

Introduction
Cornerstone Theater: Anchored in Authenticity]]><![CDATA[Doppleganger Love]]>Sun, 03 Oct 2010 15:30:47 -0800http://www.katprimeau.com/1/post/2010/10/doppleganger-love.html

After a lifetime of being told I look like one actress or another, I finally cashed in on my doppleganger status doing stand-in work for Kate Hudson on her latest commercial. Everyone on the crew was incredibly kind, and Kate was just as cool as she seems she would be. The odd thing was, from my comfy director's chair on set, Kate looked exactly like my sister, Michelle. It took a lot of self-control to not run over and hug her, I miss my Mooshy so much! All in all, I had a blast and was very grateful for the opportunity to meet Kate and work with director Samuel Bayer (who swore I looked familiar - um, I look like Kate Hudson, duh!).
The gig made me a must-join for SAG, so I finally hunkered down and joined the union (yay!), and although the job required no acting skills at all (stand-ins take the place of the lead talent while lighting and other camera logistics are being finalized), it was fascinating to see what homemade contraptions were created to make a beauty-shot happen. Now if only I could stop people from saying I look like Kate Hudson, or Cameron Diaz, or Anna Paquin, or Joey Lauren Adams, or Ellen Barkin, or Blake Lively...but rather, "Are you Kat Primeau?" :)

]]><![CDATA[A Proposal for LA Theatre Artists]]>Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:32:41 -0800http://www.katprimeau.com/1/post/2010/07/building-a-stronger-theatre-community-from-the-ground-uph.htmlAfter LATR's Hollywood Fringe panel discussion and as LA Stage Alliance continues to host conversations regarding growth and support in the LA Theatre community, a lot has been said of what can "fix," "aid" and "mature" our stages. As we await LA Stage Alliance's audience figures, hold our breath on theatre bankruptcy news, and attempt to satiate Don Shirley's requests for support for middle-range equity houses, a lot of the problem-solving seems out of the "little guys'" hands. For those wishing to ride the wave of enthusiasm and community built by the Fringe, or the Female Playwrights Initiative, or developing within their own theatrical enclaves, affecting change must begin on a personal level, in our very rehearsal halls and green rooms.
It's quite simple, really. Rather than bemoaning the LA 99 Seat Equity-Waiver system and banging our heads against the proscenium over a perceived lack of respect and standards, we need to do what everyone else in this town is doing and Fake It Til We Make It. It'd be lovely to be working under LORT contract, but if you're one of the countless thousands of performers, playwrights, directors, designers, stage managers, light board opps and producers working your way up in our 200-odd 99-seat houses in LA, chances are you may have some time before you'll be working under the protection and guidance of the stage unions. But that doesn't mean we cannot remind ourselves of the etiquette and procedures of the unions and behave accordingly.
In my experience on stages in LA, company standards vary greatly, from incredibly respectful to downright disturbing. Some people aren't aware, others (including myself) need a refresher course here and there, and still others I will never, ever work with again. Rather than write the whole community off as amateur, under-developed, and hopelessly "LA", I challenge everyone to step up their personal game. Behaving as a if you were a union member, especially regarding respecting your fellow artist's time, property, and personal well-being are the first steps to building a stronger, more equitable theatre community here in LA.

How to Fake It: Education
- Take a look at AEA's etiquette sheet. Very basic stuff, but sometimes it's the easy stuff that is most forgotten.
- While conduct guidelines vary amongst the country's various Regions/House Sizes/Performance Scenarios, much of the standard LA 99 Seat Contract is outlined here.
- My alma mater Ohio University outlined our requirements (based on a LORT contract) in the Actor's Handbook. It's a great, jargon-simplified look at performance and rehearsal etiquette.
- The AEA Stage Managers Handbook includes pertinent information re: actor's duties as well as random California-specific info like Earthquake Preparedness.
- Still confused about Fight Captains and why theatre artists need protection in the first place? Read more at About Equity.
-For stagehands, costumers, lighting & set designers and crew, or company members who are often asked to wear multiple production hats, familiarize yourself with IATSE's website, particularly safety guidelines. If you're really serious, the e-book One Hundred Years of Solidarity is a great resource on the history and growth within this field.

How to Fake It: Communication
With no Deputy to report to and many productions just barely scraping by, it's easy to see how standards can fly by the footlights. Once you know best-case-scenario regulations and feel confident that you are doing your best to lead by example, practice good communication skills in less-than ideal production situations.
- Meet one-on-one, face-to-face with the offending party outside of the rehearsal space (over a beer perhaps?). No one needs backstage drama, so keep it quiet, if possible.
- Use language that encourages dialogue over defensiveness ("I feel" versus "You make me"). Consider referencing union guidelines ("I know this isn't an equity production, but I prefer to abide by their rules. Any way we work out a compromise along their standards?")
- Not getting anywhere? Consider speaking with the Stage Manager, Director, ASM, or Producer in confidentiality as well. They may be able to talk someone's ego down where you can't.

When your artistic integrity, safety, sanity, and property is at stake, it serves everyone to be honest and communicative about personal working standards. In situations where no one is getting paid, consider the education and the wealth of creativity that comes from mutual respect and understanding to be your reward. It's through baby steps and bare-minimum standards that LA can self-actualize a richer, more professional theatrical environment, one waiver production at a time.

What strategies do you use in pre-production, rehearsal, tech and performance situations to ensure equity and respect for all? Any horror stories? Please share!

Kat is currently in rehearsals for Alive Theatre's Poppin Play Festival's LA premiere production of Jumper's with the Gypsy (directed by Roger Q. Mason) and What Can We? (directed by Jeremy Aluma). As fight choreography and long rehearsal hours are in full-swing, Kat is grateful her artistic collaborators are receptive to playing make-believe Equity with her.

]]><![CDATA[Shots of My Head - Part Two]]>Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:43:08 -0800http://www.katprimeau.com/1/post/2010/06/shots-of-my-head-part-two.html

Oh, if only I could send Casting Directors photos of my favorite pissed-off-and-sweaty hiking photo instead of a headshot.

In last weeks' installment, I shared how I went through every effort to avoid paying hundreds of dollars on new pictures of my face. We are all guilty of cutting corners to spare a dime, but when it comes to essential marketing tools, it was time to make an investment.

First step in any investment is research, and thankfully there are plenty of resources out there for actors. After searching the Backstage Message Boards, Backstage Photographers listings, asking & poking around my actor-friends' websites, getting recommendations from my commercial agent, co-workers, and (my favorite resource) asking the really supportive, generous community of twitter friends for their thoughts, I had seen dozens and dozens of websites. Prices ranged from $100 - $900 a shoot, and galleries ranged from cheesy and poorly lit to incredibly beautiful and expressive, and everything in between. After factoring in my budget and personal aesthetics, I came down with a list of 6 photographers to meet with. It was very important to me to not only respect the work of my photog, but also to feel relaxed and confident in their midst.

The first guy I met with had a great studio, with lots of natural light and a 60% impressive print portfolio (the other 40%, which was conveniently left off his website, was awkward at best). What if I were to be part of the 40% that he just couldn't photograph? As I shook his hand goodbye, I noticed one of his eyes begin to wander. No, not like a perv, but like a person who sometimes looks at you cross-eyed. It's hard enough for me to not feel self-conscious on a 3 hour, photos-of-your-face shoot, let alone if you're trying to hide you're confusion at a wandering eye. Next!

I contacted one photographer via a form on their website and instantly was berated by phone calls, e-mails, and spam messages. While I appreciated the quick response, the message (that actors are so wary of) was Hello! Hi! I'm desparate! Pick me pick me pick me! No thank you...

The third lady I met was very sweet on the phone, had a very professional website (She had even shot one of my favorite actors from Glee!), and had a gorgeous studio downtown. We sat & chatted about my looks and the different backdrops she could use, blah blah small talk, which all went really great...until her next client walked in and she completely blew them off to talk to me. I know it's important to make the sale, but you also have to follow through with a quality product. I was not sold.

Next up, I checked out my fabulous Casting Associate (& children's book author!) friend Amanda Lenker's suggestion, Stephen Busken. He agreed to meet me on skype (so I didn't have to drive anywhere) and instantly got to work helping me pick out my outfits, discussing type, and making me laugh and feel really at ease (it didn't hurt that he's an Ohio boy). As I clicked the End Call button I knew my search was over, and couldn't be more relieved that I was not only happy with my homework but excited to work with him.

We scheduled a shoot, I lined up my hair & make up artist - the fantastically talented Martine Le Blanc - and a week later we traipsed around a quiet spot in WeHo shooting for a couple of hours. When I felt my energy dropping or got self-conscious, Stephen made me laugh, switched things up, and let me see how incredible the compositions really were looking. It flew by and I think I can speak for all three of us when I say the session was a lot of fun!

In the end, when I wrote out my checks to Stephen and Martine, I was 100% positive that I made the right purchase (and not entirely blown away with the amount I was spending!). I can say with certainty (well, unless someone offers to shoot me for free ;) that I will only shoot with Stephen from here on out.

Now it' time to pick through all the shots & finalize the new headshots...more on that next week.

Everyones experience is different and I encourage everyone to find someone that vibes with you - but just in case you wanna check out my favorite people, here's the links:

www.BuskenStudio.com
Contact Martine

Excited for next week! Thanks for reading :)

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