I grew up in a Catholic household and every year got that little ash smudge on my forehead signaling the beginning of Lent and the 40 days before Easter. Every year, my dad still sends me an email reminder to consider giving something up for Lent, which is done traditionally as a form of penitence and reflection. To be honest (and sorry Dad), I don’t usually end up following through on this. Giving up chocolate just never felt like it was going to bring me closer to a spiritual connection. Well, this year, I decided to go for it. But…
Author: Catherine Kresge
Catherine Kresge
Catherine has been an actor and acting coach in Los Angeles for over 10 years after graduating from the University of Arizona with a BFA in Acting and a BA in Political Science. She has guest-starred in television shows from “That 70s Show” to “All My Children” (now that’s range), as well as “90210”, “Franklin & Bash” and “NCIS”. Film roles include turns in the indie dramas “The Things We Carry” and “Brahmin Bulls” and appearances in “A Good Day to Die Hard”, “R.I.P.D.” and most recently “Devils Due”. One of her favorite roles was playing a secret government agent in Machinima’s first original web-series “RCVR”. You may have also caught her during commercial breaks in one of her dozens of national commercials including her recent campaign as the spokesperson for Xerox. She’s passionate about empowering other women and can really handle some business on a salsa dance floor.
As actors, the need to feel and look our best is a consistent necessity so I’ve turned to actress and certified Ayurvedic Practitioner of Veda Health and Wellness, Stacey Wiren, for some solid advice that has stood the test of time. 4000 years to be exact! Ayurveda is a holistic healing system from India that uses food and lifestyle choices, herbs and an understanding of your individual constitution to create health in the mind, body and spirit. Ayurveda is most effective when a practitioner who understands your unique individual constitution guides you to create a specific lifestyle plan. However, these…
I’ve admired actress/writer/director Hillary Baack since we met doing the ABC Diversity Showcase in 2007 and I’m very happy to introduce her and her unique experience as a Deaf actress working in Hollywood. CK: What sparked your passion for acting and what sustains it to this day? HB: Perhaps it was because I ended playing by myself a lot as a kid, but I really loved to imagine and create. As an outsider, I enjoyed observing people and considering their experiences, so being able to embody different characters and tell their story felt like a heart-calling, and still does. I…
There’s a lot of advice out there on how to get killer headshots: from your fellow actors, your agent or manager, your acting teacher, and yours truly. And though the advice may be solid, why not look to an expert, someone who has been shooting headshots for over 17 years and is one of the most sought after photographers in Los Angeles? Here’s some serious insight from someone who has seen it all and knows what works: Brad Buckman. CK: What mistakes do you see actors making when they come in for headshots? BB: I know some actors would rather…
Recently I discovered a women’s kickboxing gym in Hollywood and have been going regularly. It’s been some of the most fun I’ve had working out since I discovered salsa dancing years ago. We practice shadow-boxing, working with the “big bag” and partner work with boxing pads. There’s just something awesome about feeling your body’s ability to strike, especially when you focus not just on the move, but the purpose for that specific move. When practicing push kicks on the bag, our instructor is yelling, “Push him back, push him back!” When throwing elbow punches, he’s yelling, “Hit him in the…
One of the ridiculously awesome things about our job is the occasional opportunity to TRAVEL for work! I’ve had the good fortune of going to China, Hong Kong, Vancouver, New York City, Atlanta, Scottsdale and Colorado. So. Much. Fun! Along the way, I’ve learned how to make the most of these trips and avoid some potential pitfalls. Before You Pack Those Bags Have a current passport! Yes, this should be obvious, but you’d be surprised how people can shoot themselves in the foot with this one. Don’t be left stateside when you could’ve been world-travelin’! And even worse than missing…
A new year is almost upon us, so if dust is gathering on that old box of headshots, it may be time to freshen up your most important marketing tool. It should be no surprise to you, but your headshot can be the difference between getting called in or not for an audition. Step into a casting director’s shoes for a moment and imagine scrolling through hundreds or thousands of submissions for a role, each with their own little thumbnail of a headshot. You don’t want the headshot that gets scrolled over. I recently helped to produce and cast a…
Having a career in the arts can be very alluring for folks who want to live life on their own terms, to develop their creative voice and use it to move people, inspire, challenge and entertain them. As an actor, or anyone in the business for that matter, that’s the dream. However, when you don’t have a consistent 9-5, organizing your life around making those dreams a reality can become overwhelming and even paralyzing. It’s a time management issue, but it’s also an issue of having a million different ways to spend your days and too many options isn’t always…
This business certainly has its way of toying with your emotions, messing with your schedule and playing with your mind. You can be on Cloud 9 one minute and have your balloon popped the next. Crazy busy one week and couch potato-ing the next. Employed one month and…‘un’ the next. The constant need to re-group and get charged up can be exhausting, and after enough cycles of ups and downs, it can be downright deflating. When you’re in a slump and having a tough time finding your spark, here are some ideas to warm up, strike the flint and get…
So, a friend of mine had been harping at me for a while to check out HGTV. Like I needed more reality television in my life. Well…she may have created a monster. Kinda. Obsessed. As much as I love fantasizing about buying, remodeling and flipping property, this knowledge has no real benefit in my daily life (as much as I love knowing what a backsplash, en suite, and an open concept kitchen are). But truthfully, there are a lot of lessons about our careers to be gleaned that I am happy to share and spare you from spending countless hours…
I think we can all agree we are lucky. Lucky to have found ourselves an industry in which our talents and ambitions can grow and thrive while entertaining and inspiring others along the way. We get to stretch creative muscles, push the boundaries of our comfort zones, explore new territory, get lost in the process, and meet amazing like-minded individuals who are on a similar journey. If you’re a creative type, you get to learn about the business side of things and if you’re behind the scenes, you get the chance to think and respond creatively to challenging and fluid…
So, it’s wedding season if you hadn’t noticed. There are a lot of weddings and wedding-related events to attend, especially this time of year. Last year around this time was MY wedding and soon I’ll be the Matron of Honor at my best friend’s wedding (who happens to be Ms. In the Biz contributor extraordinaire, Tristen MacDonald!). Fun times to be had by all!! Getting married is no joke. Seriously, planning a wedding is a huge undertaking (a gauntlet of decisions, people’s opinions, details and expectations) if you decide to undertake it. During the planning of a wedding, eloping becomes…
Maybe on July 1st you’re not entirely focused on those New Year’s Resolutions from way back when as much as the summer tan you’re about to get. But we have arrived, whether we like it or not, to the second half of the year. Welcome! Rather than let memories of those pesky New Year’s Resolutions that you were so optimistic about, that you diligently game-planned out and then completely forgot about cramp your summer style, why not reboot and re-energize some big goals to carry you through the end of the year? Now is the perfect time for a bi-annual…