if.net

February 22, 2009

This is a sincere and heart-felt thank you to everyone who helped me achieve my dream of finishing in the Top Five.  It took HUNDREDS of people to get me here, and a lot of hard work, but over the last twenty-six days, we did it.  It all began while I was driving through downtown LA, reading a Bones blog on my crackberry.  It was the first day of the contest, and I was enthralled by the idea that a budding actor (or a Bones FANATIC) could possibly win a role on the show.  I forwarded the entry to a few close friends and family members with a note stating how cool the idea was and then went about my day.  A couple of people suggested that I enter, but I could not even entertain the thought.  It was nerve-wracking, complicated, embarrassing, and far too involved.  I didn't know how I would even begin the process.

Most people in my life know how much I love the show-- it's the ONLY show I insist on watching live, I always reference it in daily conversation, I watch the DVDs incessantly, and I generally end up watching the newest episode every day each week until the next one airs-- but I have never put myself out there in front of everyone I know in order to solicit daily votes over a long period of time, even for something I love.  At first I could not even bear the thought; I was too self-conscious, but then the days started to roll by, and the contest got underway.

I was, of course, fascinated by the entries and the people who were able to do what I would not even consider, so I checked in with the site daily and even cast some votes.  I was impressed with their work and their enthusiasm about acting... and slowly the dreams started play.  I moved away from thinking about the anxieties of the contest process and instead began to focus on the fantasy of winning and being on set.  I wanted it.  I began to fantasize about actually entering, I started memorizing the lines, saying them in my car, thinking about sets... and then I began to talk about it. 

I mentioned it cautiously at first, just to the people who knew how deeply I love the show.  I was met with some encouragement, some wry smiles, and some outright laughs.  I considered it further, but always doubled back on any sense of resolve I could muster.  I had serious doubts about my ability to perform the scene and about my support network, and two weeks of the contest had already gone by with only a little more than that left.  I needed to be sure that I could produce a good video along with strong voter turn out to catch up to the leaders.  I have never liked getting involved in competitive situations unless I could assure myself adequate chances at victory.  I realized why when I told my mom about the contest and she first said "Well, you might as well embarrass yourself while you're young," and then, "Just don't do it unless you know you're going to win." 

However, despite her "encouragement," I still felt certain that entering this contest was something I was meant to do.  I knew it was a daunting task to catch up to the then leaders-- all the Top Five had been there since Day One-- but none of that mattered anymore.  I had to start taking risks for things that I cared about, so when I really began contemplating the logistics of the shoot, I got in touch with my youngest brother who is a talented film student at USC.

If not for his immediate enthusiasm and complicity, I could never have done this, so Garrett, a billion thanks.  I will get you that screenplay for the summer, and maybe one day that RED camera.  Garrett cleared his schedule and gave me two days to think about the lines and the details.  We both studied "The Crank in the Shaft," the set, the camera angles, and how I wanted to portray the characters.  I wanted to stay true to the original depiction of Fisher as a melancholy, matter-of-fact lab assistant, but he seemed too monotone and detached to be interesting on his own in the scene.  I decided I had to also play Cam to get a little more range.  I knew her character and her quirks, and even as the wry, sarcastic ring leader of the lab, she still seemed chipper and light compared to Fisher.

At the time, however, I was still going back and forth about entering the contest.  I talked the ear off of anyone who happened to be around to listen to my dilemma.  Most people were now supportive, if not to rid themselves of my persistant pestering.  I was clearly nervous, but finally the shoot came, and there was no turning back.  We began at my apartment but couldn't find a suitable backdrop for our table. The four person team ended up in my parent's living room with a beer pong foldout in front of inky black velvet curtains.

To the team: Alicia-- you have been with me through it all, always supportive, always positive, always my faithful stand-in/line reader/enforcer. Without you I would not be where I am today.  Garrett-- your vision and expertise are astounding, even for a seasoned professional. You storyboard and edit like a maniac, and your carefully wrought direction comes from life experience I could never believe you've had.  Phill-- you are the worst boom guy in the history of time, but your loyalty and good humor make you the very best person to spend so much time with, and I don't know what I would do without you.

We filmed, edited all night, and were ready to submit at three pm the next day.  I uploaded the video and waited. And waited.  The first night was complete agony, not unlike the agony I am currently experiencing waiting for the results of this contest.  After weeks of debating, sleepless nights of day-dreaming, I had finally decided to enter this contest only to be put on hold by the contest site.  By then I had already emailed a select group of about fifty people, mostly people I had already consulted about this endeavor, and prepared them to begin voting that day when the video was uploaded (Thank you, Weenie and Driz for being so proud!).  Instead, my entry was "Waiting to be processed" for more than a day, and we were left clueless. Later on I realized that I could still enter the contest while my video was processing, so late in the afternoon of the 29th I lit the green light. 

I jumped immediately from 105th to the high 90s, then to the 80s. By dinner I was in the 70s, and thus began the slow climb to the top.  The original group of voters included my close friends from law school and undergrad, some immediate family members (not including my dad), and other acquaintances who knew about my Bones obsession.  At first I thought I didn't want too many people to know.  I thought that I and my small band of faithful voters could do it on our own, but I was wrong.  That first day Lutfi Kharuf made a facebook group called "Get Jaime on Bones!" which later proved absolutely instrumental in recruiting new voters, sending out informational messages and alerts, and unifying a massive group of people, many of whom I haven't seen in years as well as many whom I have never met at all.  Lutfi-- you were crucial in defining my fan base, in getting the word out, and in making me finally break through all of those crappy self-conscious barriers that have always been holding me back. Thank you!

"Get Jaime on Bones!" is now 147 members strong, and most of them have been voting daily from around the country and around the world! A huge THANK YOU to all of the members in the group, particularly new facebook friends who found me through if.net (big Bones fan Emma Easter especially!), the members of UPenn Class of '11 (Thanks, Tonie!), Columbia Law (Sadie!), and others of you who I only know virtually.  Your presence alone in the group has given me hope, peace of mind, and a sense of security through all of this.  To show support for a cause really is not that easy to do, so I thank you. 

In addition, my facebook friends began to share the contest with their other friends, causing a massive chain of new voters to appear from thin air.  I have received messages and emails from voters who know my friends in states like New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, DC, Massachusetts, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon.  I have also heard of support from countries like England, Germany, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Bulgaria, and S Korea. I am touched by all of your dedication from places so far away.

Much of this effort was also homegrown.  After just four days in the contest I was in 33rd place, but then I experienced the first backslide.  I moved up to 31st and then back to 33rd.  The panic began, and in the 21st day of the contest I knew I had hit the first major hurdle.  I needed more voters.  At a large family dinner I recruited (either in person or through their siblings) the rest of my extended family including 16 aunts and uncles, my grandma, and over 25 first cousins. Particular thanks go to Michelle, Nicole, Steve, Melissa, Joanne, Jenny, Matt, Nancy, Sunny, Gilbert, Brandon, and Aunt Helen who also recruited their own friends and significant others to join the cause!

By now, my dad was also well aware of the contest and had seen my rapid progression.  He got on board and suggested that I email everyone at his office to vote too.  I had known many of these people since my youth, so with his permission I solicited about a hundred people at Jamison in downtown LA.  The response was overwhelmingly positive and was delivered with an acute interest in my potential future in acting.  I was excited and decided it was time to get everyone at my own office on board. Thank you, CMC!

Thus came the first surge.  I jumped from the low 30s to the mid 20s.  I could almost taste it, and the contest had not yet been extended, but I still needed more voters.  I invited about 400 more of my facebook friends to the group, no longer caring how long it had been since I had last spoken to the person or even if I knew them very well to begin with.  I was shocked at the overnight growth in membership of the group.  People were getting excited, and I was extremely heartened at the support I was receiving from many who I hadn't spoken with since college or beyond.  Thank you USC friends (and Marf!), PS Nevermind (esp Blankie, Frankel, Bu, Edie!), Trojan lacrosse (esp Donis!), Kappa Alpha Theta (Pinta! Pancake!), MDA 365 (Kate! DJ!), HW (Drellish!), and AEPi.

I got stuck again at 20, and then came the next major surge.  Breann Robowski and Paula Mayeda, two of my current classmates and President and VP of our graduating class decided it was necessary to get the word out at school.  In the middle of the night I received text messages asking if I had noticed that I was in our graduation email.  After all of the information about graduation logistics, credit, and parties, was a section detailing my journey in the Bones contest and asking people to vote for me.  I was naturally horrified.  I did not know many of the 220 people in the Class of 2009, but the next day a few people came up to me to ask for details on how to vote or stating their support. My friends even overheard underclassmen discussing my participation in the contest in class.  I creeped passed 15th.

The final surge included shedding all restraint and finally getting everyone I know to join my movement.  This included the high school lacrosse team that I coach and all of their friends and family (Go Wolverines!), my facialist (Yay Tussanee!), my trainer (That's the ticket, Fred!), former campers and colleagues, family friends, all of my friends' parents, and TOTAL strangers I met at bars. I was in 8th when I stopped David Boreanaz at a Kings game and begged him to vote for me (see other blog entry), and that was all the moral support and positive reinforcement that I needed.  The contest had been extended by a week, and during the game I moved into 7th. I hit the Top Five the next day, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

It has been one of the longest and most stressful weeks that I can remember in a while, filled with lots of ups and downs and many challenges to overcome, but with my fan base I have found that many difficult things are easy to achieve when you have thick skin and the very best people supporting you (Thanks especially to the supportive members of the acting community at if.net. You guys are much of the reason I was able to fight on through the negativity. I cherish your kind words and priceless advice). 

I have said from the beginning what an absolutely incredible feat it would be to finish in the Top Five in this contest, and I am still right.  It has been an epic journey that has consumed me over the last few weeks, and I still can't believe that I did it.  I know that tomorrow I will no longer have to call or text people or stop them in the halls or go to their offices or email them and ask, "Did you vote? Did you vote!"  I will have closure on the matter, an ending to this story, and something new to look forward too.  It will all be over, and I will be sad, but I leave this contest experience with a new sense of myself and what I am able to accomplish.  I leave with a renewed confidence in the people around me and the impact they have on my life.  I really, really want to win, more than anything I have ever wanted, but I also know that I have already accomplished something astounding that has changed my life positively, and for that I am grateful to you all.

Thanks lastly to if.net, the contest producers, and the producers at Bones for providing a truly profound and unique experience.  Opportunities such as these are few and far between AND greatly appreciated!

Jaime