As many of you know, Lydia has an agent in LA who occasionally gets her auditions. We had a crazy week about a month ago where she had a callback for a Target commercial, an audition for a Disney commercial, and an audition for a company who hosts photo images for sale for advertisers or other campaigns (I think) called Getty Images.
The Disney audition was funny because they wanted the kids to sing a song. Lydia wanted to sing "You are my Sunshine." I thought she didn't know that song, and when I asked her to sing it to me, I realized I was right. So I told her to sing another song. She said, "I'll sing Happy Birthday, but the Cha Cha Cha version." I told her to sing another song. She decided on "Old McDonald". When she came out and I asked her how it went, she said,"I only got through the pig and they stopped me!" I'm sure they really wanted to hear the horse, cow, and chicken, but you only have so much time when seeing hundreds of kids.
We didn't hear anything for two weeks after the auditions so we assumed she didn't get any of the jobs. Then we got two calls in one day saying she got the Disney commercial and the Getty Images shoot.
Disney was on a Saturday at 6am at a beautiful house in Pasadena. It was for a new Winnie the Pooh and Tigger show on
Playhouse Disney. Lydia is on a bike with 2 other little girls saying, "Anytime, any place, the Super Sleuths are on the case." It was very early and 46 degrees and Lydia was in Capri pants and a T-shirt, so when the props guy pinched her under her chin with the bike helmet strap, things were a little rough. Joel was with her and said she did recover, and was eventually great by the time they were saying their lines. We forgot the camera...Bummer.
The Getty Images shoot was in the Hollywood Hills. These are very skinny, windy roads through the hills with beautiful, expensive houses smashed into or on the edges of the hills. I had my Mapquest directions, but one of the skinny, windy roads was closed because of a water main break, and I was thoroughly lost. We finally arrived 20 minutes late and a very nice production assistant came out to greet us as an irate neighbor was telling us he was reporting us to the city because they didn't notify the neighbors that there was a film shooting. I referred him to the production assistant, but told him it was a photo shoot. He suddenly turned nice and the pretty young production assistant smoothed things over. Lydia was not in the best of spirits or looking particularly glamorous after our 3 hour drive and being lost.
She began working immediately. First they had her in two different outfits playing the piano. First playing nicely for about a half hour. And then another half hour where they had her hands up high, a fan on her, and asked her to shake her head back and forth. Then she did a shot with a "Mom" who was working on the computer while Lydia colored. At this point, another little boy came and he wanted to play with Lydia, but also let her know that girls were disgusting. The boy also made a big deal that they were "chosen" and "made it". This was too bad, because we blur the lines between "interviews" and jobs and never talk about getting the job or not getting the job. We just talk about having fun and doing your best. She didn't really understand what he was talking about, but he
kept talking about it, so she finally got it. Hopefully, it won't make a big impression on her.
Then they had Lydia in a little equestrian outfit up in a room decorated with horse paraphernalia. I didn't see many of the actual shots because I like to stay out of the way, and Lydia follows all of their direction. I
wish she listened to me as well. She was so amazing at doing what they asked her to do, and I was quite proud. The other children (2 boys) were harder to manage, and they had their Moms in there bribing/coercing them to do what was being asked. Many people came up to me to tell me what a professional she was. Now, you would have no idea that this would be so based on her behavior when the camera wasn't rolling. When she was with me, she was a chicken and a donkey (who only made the appropriate animal sounds-no talking), or was doing baby talk. I kind of think that what she was doing required a lot of concentration for her, even though it was fun, and that this was her form of release after following so much direction. So, I spent some time telling her to keep her hee-hawing and bawking down. Thank goodness, in her little down time, she was happy to color and eat.
The pictures I took were quick, and we didn't have much time for posing because they really were bustling her around. Next, they put her in pajamas and she did have a bit of a hard time pretending to sleep because she couldn't stop smiling. After that, she was in a little apron for a baking scene. She stood with baked goods, holding them out, looking tired after baking so much, etc. That was the end of the day, but she worked 5 hours straight with 45 minutes for lunch and another 20 minute break. It was really a lot of work for a 5 year old. She was remarkable. I hate to compare her to other kids, but I will say the boys were much more difficult to get good shots with, and they kept having to tell them the same direction over and over. Well, it would be like trying to get Ryan to pose for shots. He is a little pig headed and flat out says, "NO", quite often! I'm sure this will change...I hope. Other times, he really loves posing, but he is entirely unpredictable.
Lydia was happy at the end because they gave us her favorite pie, pumpkin, and cookies to take home. It was fun, but tiring for all.
Also, Joel shot a golf commercial with Phil Mickelson. He said that it was exciting to putt and hang out with Phil. After Phil left, Joel was his body double and had to wear extended shoes and putt left handed for the extra shots. What pressure. Similar to when he went in to golf on the Don Johnson show that didn't make it. He got there and he had a trailer that said, "Golf Pro." Don Johnson kept asking him for golf tips, and Joel gave them! Well, he was playing the part of a pro.
