September 3, 2004

• SEPTEMBER’s Greatest Hits 

  
  

  The month above always forces me to sit back and reflect.  To me, it always signifies the start of a new year - mostly because the school year schedule has been such a large part of my life (as you’ll soon be witness to).  Looking back the 9 years it’s been since I’ve graduated college and decided to move out to California – it’s been quite a ride.  Here’s a rough timeline of the last decade and what was happening that September of each year:

  
  

  Sept. 1994 – I had just finished my internship at Marvel Comics and started my senior year at The State University of NY at Buffalo (UB).  I finished my business degree in 3 years and this year would be taking all media studies/theatre courses – basically everything I  wanted to take whenever I went through the course catalog.  Got a lot of informal hands-on experience by writing mini-plays and directing and acting with my friends in various talent shows on campus.  I was a Resident Advisor in the dorms to get free room/board and began to realize what a sweet deal it was– something that would become a large part of my survival in ”The Business” in the coming years…

  
  

  Sept. 1995 – In Southern California for 3 months.  Joined Asian American Theatre Company hereandnow – who wrote their own material and performed them in colleges nationwide.  Just got a job as a Boy’s Dorm Parent at a boarding high school.  I got the free room/board but it also came with a salary and benefits.  A great way to save money.  Took acting classes during the day, took care of the kids at night and toured the country with hereandnow on the weekends.  

  
  

  Sept. 1996 -  After taking classes for a year, I got my first headshots done and obtained a commercial and theatrical agent.  Did a ton of extra work that summer to get my SAG card.  Went on my first audition for “Relativity” and got called back.  My future wife joined the staff at the H.S. as the Girl’s dorm parent.  Still toured with hereandnow, still worked at the H.S. at night and still took acting classes/auditioned during the mornings. 

  
  

  Sept. 1997 - I booked my first job in the beginning of ’97, a Stouffer’s commercial.  Hired a personal manager.  Then in Oct, I would book my first TV role opposite a former crush, Lea Thompson on “Caroline in the City” – met John Cho for the first time at that audition.  Also shot a direct-to-video horror film, “Shrieker“.  Still toured with hereandnow, still at the H.S. and still took acting classes/auditioned during  the day.

  
  

  Sept. 1998 – Met Roger Fan and Jason Tobin at a commercial audition in Feb.   Went on a tear with TV roles, booked: “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “Cousin Skeeter”, “Malibu, CA”, “Beverly Hills, 90210″, “Suddenly Susan”, “The King of Queens”, a Toyota commercial and my outtakes from “Caroline in the City” were put in an episode of  “Dick Clark’s Bloopers & Practical Jokes”.  I changed agents in order to move my career forward (my old one closed down, so that made it easier).  Still worked at the H.S., still toured with hereandnow and still took acting classes. 

  
  

  Sept. 1999 – Began dating my co-worker and future wife.  Booked: ”Party of Five”, “Chicago Hope”, “The Wild Thornberrys” and another Toyota commercial.  A rough year acting income-wise, so it was good that I was still working at the H.S.  Meanwhile, I still toured with hereandnow and still took acting classes part-time.  

  
  

  Sept. 2000 – After 5 years of not having any living expenses, I was able to save enough money to buy a house and my future wife and I left the boarding H.S. together.  It was also due to the 5 years of driving 160 miles roundtrip for acting classes/auditions everyday from the school and I’d had enough.  A real rough year at first, booked 2 pilots that went nowhere and a regional commercial that saw no money.  Great for a first time mortgage!  Plus no steady job at the H.S. now.  I released my manager because I could no longer afford his 15% commission.  And just as I was about to tuck my tail between my legs and start a job waitering at Applebee’s, I booked ”The New Guy“ and flew off to Texas for 2 months of shooting the next day — my first lead role in a studio film.  I was no longer with hereandnow and 2 months prior, had auditioned for “Better Luck Tomorrow” and heard nothing.  The day I got back from shooting “The New Guy“, Justin called and offered me the part of ‘Ben’ on “BLT“.  I was also taking improvisation classes part-time with ex hereandnow-ers.

  
  

  Sept. 2001 – Shot “BLT” and had an amazing experience working with all the guys I’d been auditioning against for the past 5 years.  Shot an episode of “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”.  Found out we got into Sundance 2002 and proposed to my girlfriend.  Began teaching H.S. drama part-time at the same boarding school (so back to driving 160 miles,  this time only 3 days out of the week).  My hands-on college talent show experience was all I had to rely on in putting together my student’s Fall & Spring shows — they were very different from what was done in the past but a heckuva a lot more fun.   Still doing improv with ex hereandnow-ers.

  
  

  Sept. 2002 – “BLT” got picked up by MTV Films at Sundance and I pretty much dumped auditions to promote “BLT“ full time at colleges and film festivals.  Got married in Aug with some of my “BLT” castmates as my groomsmen.  Was invited by UB to guest lecture the Media Studies’ grad students along with a bunch of other powerful alumni hotshots.  Shot “The Deviants“.  Still teaching H.S. Drama part-time at the school, which always helped my acting having to articulate it.  www.parryshen.com site was up and running as a vital  promotional tool.  I’d left my agents after being displeased with their lack of promotion on “The New Guy“.

  
  

  Sept. 2003 - Did a ton of press for TV Shows, magazines and newspapers.  Shot individual cast commercials and went on more college tours for “BLT“.  Went back to acting class to brush up.  “BLT” opened up #1 per screen the first weekend and the DVD came out Sept 30.  Booked Circuit City, Dell and Heineken commercials.  Did an episode of “Navy NCIS”.  Shot the films, “The Hazing” and “First Daughter“.  Left teaching at the boarding school.  After extensive meetings with agents around town, I teamed up with a one man agency that just “got me”, three months later he got wooed over to a bigger agency and took me along with him.  Started doing improv on a monthly basis with a core of ex hereandnow-ers.

  
  

  Sept. 2004 – Booked State Farm commercial, did sound work for “Spider-Man 2” and “The Day After Tomorrow“,  parryshen Xanga is up – posting 15,000 visitors/month.  Organized a private college tour/workshop to empower University Students.  Booked “The Fallen Ones” only to be pulled out 3 days later for a recurring role on “Tru Calling” with episodes set to air Nov 11.  Hired to write an action script set for a 2005 release.  Doing SNL-type comedy sketches for “Asia Street Comedy” set to debut on STARZ! Oct 6.  “First Daughter” to be released Sept 24 and ”The Hazing” released on DVD Sept 14.  Invited by UB to teach Summer Master’s Acting program.  Trying to start a family. 

  
  

  It’s easy to get depressed about the present but I find when you actually set the time aside to really look at how far you’ve undoubtedly come, it’s a great inspiration to keep forging ahead.  Who would’ve thought I’d be teaching a new generation of actors at my alma mater from where I obtained a degree in Business Marketing?  It makes you wonder what the next 10 years will bring?

  • 4:31 am
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