Secrets of My Hollywood Life #5: Broadway Lights by Jen Calonita Page B
Authors: Jen Calonita
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the case at home. I guess it's not the case here either.
"I'll tell the driver to meet us a few blocks down," Rodney compromises.
The crowd gently pushes us toward the neon bright lights of Times Square. It's impossible not to slow down and look up at the flashing screens and ads here, even if I know I'm walking too slow for locals. I can hear people around us discussing dinner plans (everyone eats late in this town!) or chattering about the plays they've just seen. I can't help but think that they'll be doing the same thing about my show in a few weeks. Will they like the play with me in it? Will they miss Meg Valentine, who originated the part of Andie Amber? It's dizzying to even think about what their reviews will be.
"Kaitlin, look!" Matty says, pulling at my arm as he points up. "It's both of us!"
Strangely enough, Matty and I have billboards right next to each other. Matty's is a cast photo from the upcoming Scooby-Doo . The picture is dark and smoky and the cast is smiling, oblivious to the fact that there is big, green, icky monster lurking behind them. Well, oblivious except for Matty as Velma's boyfriend and the CGI Scooby he and Shaggy are holding. It's a really cool print and I stare wistfully at the tagline: THE SCOOBY GANG--SAYING BOO THIS FALL ON THE CW. Even though the CW is continually struggling, it seems to have all the coolest shows, like Gossip Girl and 90210 ... I so want to be on that network.
Next to Scooby is a poster of the Meeting of the Minds cast, with me front and center. We shot it at a quick one-hour shoot a few weeks ago when I flew in to meet with the whole cast, who thankfully seem pretty cool. I mean, it's hard to tell at an event where you're smiling, not talking, the entire time, but Ben, who plays my brother, was really nice. I stare up at the poster and read and re-read the words over and over. "With Family Affair 's Kaitlin Burke starting June 26th." I take a photo of the posters with my camera, then snap another with my iPhone and send it to Liz and Austin.
HOLLYWOOD SECRET NUMBER THREE: I don't know about Broadway show posters, but when it comes to movie and TV posters, everything you see on that one-sheet is deliberate. Studios market their shows and movies very carefully and posters are no exception. Every word, every actor name and their placement (the biggest star's name goes above the title), and each image is carefully thought out. A studio will use a good review, even if it's by a no-name outlet or critic, to full effect. They'll enlarge the quote and put the unknown critic's name in small print. Sometimes studios will even deliberately use an image that reminds people subliminally of another movie they liked. The Women had a poster with a ton of writing that looked just like the poster for 27 Dresses , on which Katherine Heigl is wearing a dress made out of words. I guess they hoped women seeing the poster would get the same fun feel, but they didn't ( The Women bombed). A Renée Zellweger movie that was dead on arrival looked just like the poster from Sweet Home Alabama with Reese Witherspoon--black dress, sitting/standing near luggage. Studios who try this should be forewarned: If you think the press won't notice the coincidence, you're mistaken and in for a bashing.
But right now, all I can think about is the fact that I'm here. I survived the end of FA , got myself a new job I'm excited about, and now I have a billboard in New York City. Okay, so maybe I've been on one before for FA or a film, but I've never been singled out as the reason to see a project.
It's surreal. I'm standing in Times Square staring at a picture of myself in Times Square, and Matty is doing the same thing. I hug my brother as he continues to look up at his dopplegänger.
"I think I'm going to like this town," Matty says, hugging me back, but never taking his eyes off, well, himself.
I couldn't agree more.
Friday, June 5th
NOTE TO SELF:
Mon: Mtg w/producers, cast of show and rehearsal.
"I'll tell the driver to meet us a few blocks down," Rodney compromises.
The crowd gently pushes us toward the neon bright lights of Times Square. It's impossible not to slow down and look up at the flashing screens and ads here, even if I know I'm walking too slow for locals. I can hear people around us discussing dinner plans (everyone eats late in this town!) or chattering about the plays they've just seen. I can't help but think that they'll be doing the same thing about my show in a few weeks. Will they like the play with me in it? Will they miss Meg Valentine, who originated the part of Andie Amber? It's dizzying to even think about what their reviews will be.
"Kaitlin, look!" Matty says, pulling at my arm as he points up. "It's both of us!"
Strangely enough, Matty and I have billboards right next to each other. Matty's is a cast photo from the upcoming Scooby-Doo . The picture is dark and smoky and the cast is smiling, oblivious to the fact that there is big, green, icky monster lurking behind them. Well, oblivious except for Matty as Velma's boyfriend and the CGI Scooby he and Shaggy are holding. It's a really cool print and I stare wistfully at the tagline: THE SCOOBY GANG--SAYING BOO THIS FALL ON THE CW. Even though the CW is continually struggling, it seems to have all the coolest shows, like Gossip Girl and 90210 ... I so want to be on that network.
Next to Scooby is a poster of the Meeting of the Minds cast, with me front and center. We shot it at a quick one-hour shoot a few weeks ago when I flew in to meet with the whole cast, who thankfully seem pretty cool. I mean, it's hard to tell at an event where you're smiling, not talking, the entire time, but Ben, who plays my brother, was really nice. I stare up at the poster and read and re-read the words over and over. "With Family Affair 's Kaitlin Burke starting June 26th." I take a photo of the posters with my camera, then snap another with my iPhone and send it to Liz and Austin.
HOLLYWOOD SECRET NUMBER THREE: I don't know about Broadway show posters, but when it comes to movie and TV posters, everything you see on that one-sheet is deliberate. Studios market their shows and movies very carefully and posters are no exception. Every word, every actor name and their placement (the biggest star's name goes above the title), and each image is carefully thought out. A studio will use a good review, even if it's by a no-name outlet or critic, to full effect. They'll enlarge the quote and put the unknown critic's name in small print. Sometimes studios will even deliberately use an image that reminds people subliminally of another movie they liked. The Women had a poster with a ton of writing that looked just like the poster for 27 Dresses , on which Katherine Heigl is wearing a dress made out of words. I guess they hoped women seeing the poster would get the same fun feel, but they didn't ( The Women bombed). A Renée Zellweger movie that was dead on arrival looked just like the poster from Sweet Home Alabama with Reese Witherspoon--black dress, sitting/standing near luggage. Studios who try this should be forewarned: If you think the press won't notice the coincidence, you're mistaken and in for a bashing.
But right now, all I can think about is the fact that I'm here. I survived the end of FA , got myself a new job I'm excited about, and now I have a billboard in New York City. Okay, so maybe I've been on one before for FA or a film, but I've never been singled out as the reason to see a project.
It's surreal. I'm standing in Times Square staring at a picture of myself in Times Square, and Matty is doing the same thing. I hug my brother as he continues to look up at his dopplegänger.
"I think I'm going to like this town," Matty says, hugging me back, but never taking his eyes off, well, himself.
I couldn't agree more.
Friday, June 5th
NOTE TO SELF:
Mon: Mtg w/producers, cast of show and rehearsal.
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