AshleyFlys.com - tales of travel, torrid affairs, and a hatred for DELTA » Acting… Stuff.

‘Cynical Life’ – trailer

Ashley — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 23:03:49 +0000

New trailer for ‘The Cynical Life’. Non-color corrected, but check it.

www.imdb.com/title/tt1990064/

Created, written, and produced by Ashley Avis
Directed by Matthew Sullivan
Starring Ashley Avis, Camille Cregan, Gerry Bednob, David Ballam, Chelsea Rae Bernier, Janna VanHeertum, Justin Taite, and Jensen Daggett.

New Sonas Campagin – Ash for Sonas Denim

Ashley — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 22:58:41 +0000

A few new shots from the shoot last week for Sonas Denim / editorial campaign, photographed by Paolo Mascatelli in Venice, CA.

. . .

Sonas Denim Commercial

Ashley — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 22:53:07 +0000

Initial editing pass on Sonas, check back for a new update in a few days.

Alchemy Pictures teamed up with Sonas Denim for a whimsical beach short / viral video.

Exec Producers: Sonas Denim / Gerry Kelly
Co-Producer: Xun Xiang
Directed & Produced by: Ashley Avis
Director of Photography: Nathan Haugaard

Starring Ashley Avis & Rob Browning.

Also, a few photos from the set of our commercial shoot by Chris Willard in Malibu, CA (with Rob Browning).

The Cynical Life – Teaser

Ashley — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:51:57 +0000

The Cynical Life is in post production, and we’ll be finalizing a premiere date within the next few weeks! For the moment, our editor has put together a quick teaser to satiate until an official trailer can be released.

Check it out – starring Ashley Avis, Camille Cregan, Gerry Bednob, David Ballam, Chelsea Rae Bernier, Janna VanHeertum, Justin Taite, Alex Ashbaugh, Kayley Gable, and Jensen Daggett. Full cast here: www.imdb.com/title/tt1990064/

The Cynical Life for William Rast

Ashley — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:44:54 +0000

Whew! I don’t think I’ve slept for another 38 hours or something, again, but hey. What else is being twenty-something and having access to copious amounts of coffee for?

So a publication I occasionally do editorials for, Bunker Hill Magazine (Google Shepard Fairey + Manny Pacquiao articles, some cool folks) is doing a story on us this month (August) and then a cover with William Rast jeans in September. I met with Steve Ford, who runs Bunker, a few days ago – and pitched the idea of doing a dual shoot. William Rast rocks, the Rast pairs I own I literally live in, and they have an edgy brand that matches the tone of Cynical. Plus, the ladies in our cast? Stunners.

So… twelve hours after talking with Ford, we got the cast together at a bit under 5 a.m. and ran around Venice with photograper Paolo Mascatelli. Here are a few teaser images of my individual portraits with Paolo and then one very cool shot of some of the cast – go to the link below to see the full spread!

http://thecynicallife.com/2011/07/28/the-cynical-life-for-william-rast-gallery-test-by-paolo-mascatelli-bunker-hill-magazine/

The Cynical Life of Harper Hall – A Pilot by Ashley Avis

Ashley — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:39:58 +0000

Hey there guys,

Apologies for the lack of cynical blogs and horrifying DELTA experiences… but we’ve been shooting a pilot over the past few weeks, and I’m finally getting around to drinking another case of sugar-version Red Bull and posting some news on here.

www.thecynicallife.com – cast list, updates, photos from the set (courtesy of Kelly Lee), videos (including our car getting towed… with ALL the lighing equipment in it), extended Behind the Scenes, and more.

Starring Ashley Avis, Camille Cregan, Chelsea Rae Bernier, Janna VanHeertum, Alex Ashbaugh, Justin Taite, Bennett Gillespie, and a slew of other brilliant folks. Produced by Ash, co-produced by Alexander Emmert (Paddock Pictures) and Paul Harrison Daggett.

The Cynical Life of Harper Hall is the story of a lovably cynical, failed twenty something children’s book author, Harper (Ashley Avis), who works out of her local coffee shop attempting to pen something more Disney commercially viable than ‘When Barney’s Parents Died in the Lava’.

After a relationship implosion involving her folk-rocker ex (and the illegitimate daughter of David Hasselhoff), Harper moves in with her little sister Sparrow (Camille Cregan)… an aspiring actress who sells her eggs to an Invitro fertilization clinic in Beverly Hills for rent money. Harper is suddenly dragged, unwittingly, into a whole new horror filled world. Being late twenties, NOT an actress, and suddenly single in Los Angeles

Check out the “Behind the Scenes” trailer. This was put together at around 4:45am post day two of shooting, so do excuse the double ‘the’.

A Press Tidbit: Ash @ Star Magazine Party, with Jennifer Tapiero for Starcam

Ashley — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 22:38:30 +0000

Beverly Hills, CA: Short and sweet interview with Jennifer Tapiero. Dress by Calvin Klein … and, YES! I didn’t TRIP in it! ;> Victorrry…

“StarCam’s Jennifer Tapiero hit the Star Magazine Party and talked with Ashley Avis about supporting Star Magazine’s third anniversary event. Lacey Schwimmer talks about her dancing tips and whether she likes working out, Tatyana Ali dishes on her guilty pleasure reading, Carla Ortiz talks about reading “Star,” Jason Wahler talks about what it’s like seeing himself in the magazine, and Jackie Warner talks about a 6-minute workout. Interviews with Tess Taylor, Shanna Moakler, Lisa and Brittny Gastineau, Shannon Bex, Hanson, Jesse Bradford, Hope Dworaczyk,Gavin DeGraw, and Alexis and Jim Bellino. Check out these exclusives with Tionne Williams, Mary Schmidt Amons, Amber Mead, Chanel from Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, and Dmitry Chaplin.”
http://blog.starcam.com

Press on BFF… Comedy Shorts Film Fest 2010, Los Angeles

Ashley — Wed, 05 May 2010 07:23:37 +0000

Ah, the unfathomably intelligent things you’ll say when being interviewed directly after David Koechner, like “Fruit Rollup Sushi”.

Well, that’s what they were serving. And yes, it WAS my favorite part of the fest. Besides seeing our delightful little comedy on the big screen… also directly after a $400,000 BBC post-Apocalyptic production with six thousand freakin’ extras. ”BFF”, starring Raymond McAnally, Matt Unger, and myself. Directed by Ryan Gould, produced by Daily Fiber Films. Interviewed by the lovely Dana Honeywell for RealTV.

Watching Stupid Actors Is Better Than Going to the Zoo

Ashley — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:48:47 +0000

Oh. My. Goodness.

I’m presently experiencing the next best thing to driving around South Africa, oogling up-close rhinos on an experimental “do it yourself” safari tour.

I’m in a Starbucks. In central Hollywood. Four feet away from me… there are actors rehearsing.

Now, I’m not talking Broadway “star” types, that would be far less exciting – and you wouldn’t find second-string Simba or The Phantom running lines in a commercial chain California coffee house anyway. These are Brand NEW Actor-Types (BNATs), obviously going to the Super Method Acting School around the corner from here (I know, because I went there for a spell before getting kicked out for non-conformity), where you pay $600 a month to essentially join a cult and cry once a week in front of your balding, over-the-hill classmates.

These BNAT’s are only table away from me — dressed in every piece of black they could find in their wardrobes, have matching little “artist hats”, and are theatrically flailing around brand new (uncreased, unread) Drama Book copies of whatever basic play they’ll be attempting scenes from. I’m trying not to stare.

…

Aw, to hell with it, let’s name them!

We’ll call the guy… Trundle… and the chick… Gertrude. YES. TRUNDLE and GERTRUDE. Now, I’m going to directly transcribe a few of the idiot dribblings that are being flung from the mouths of these creatures. No editing. Here we go:

______

Gertrude: So we’re in the car in this scene. We’re driving. Should we, like, move around like a car?

Trundle: Maybe. If we want to establish truth. This is Method.

Gertrude: Right. Method.

______

Are you listening to this? These two are seriously discussing — and I mean, “like, for-seriously!” — discussing whether to mimic the movement of a VEHICLE during an acting class.

No offense to the mentally challenged — because I’ve volunteered for the mentally challenged — but ARE THESE TWO PEOPLE RETARDED?!

_____

Gertrude: So… like, there’s a kiss in between these words, here. Do we have to do the kiss in front of, you know — like, the class? Like in front of the teacher?

Trundle: Well… not many girls are going to go that far. Not many girls have that much invested in this character — I think we should show them, like in the room, that you’re really invested in Blanche’s character.

Gertrude: Really? You think?

Trundle: Yes. I do. I mean, this was one of the greatest novels of all time, so we need to do it justice. For the the guy, you know, the poet who spent half his life writing it and other things… for our careers, you know, for your character…

Gertrude: Blanche? I’m playing Blanche, right?

_____

Oh… my… goodness. I’m about to throw up into my triple shot Macchiato… did Trundle just refer to A Streetcar Named Desire as a NOVEL, and Tennessee Williams as a poet?!

_____

Trundle: The way I’m sitting right now… you know, the way I look right now… do you think this is a good look for the scene? You know, the black and stuff?

Gertrude: Yeah!

Trundle: You know, because I grew up in like, Connecticut, but the bad part of the Connecticut… like, I have a lot to give. I’ve seen alot. That’s why I became an actor. I want to show the world my pain. Like Pucino.

Gertrude: Wow… you have so much to show an audience, like, experience…

Trundle: Yeah, I don’t even really need to be in this class. I met an agent from ICM on Facebook the other day. He really thinks I should be out there just working, you know?

____

THIS is where I accidentally let out a snort that’s so explosively loud, the two of them turn around and stare at me. They’re both so collectively offended I can’t hold it in anymore. I begin laughing. Uncontrollably.

Trundle’s eyes are like fire.
____

Trundle: Let’s go rehearse at my place, Chrissy, this obviously isn’t a good WORK ENVIRONMENT anymore.

____

At this point I’ve put my Starbucks cup over my mouth, and I am laughing INTO it. Good work environment, Trundle? IT’S A @#$%-ing STARBUCKS!

Trundle and “Chrissy” (I’m still of the opinion that Gertrude is more fitting), huff and glare as they loudly gather their things, slamming and crushing scripts into Actors Connection branded messenger bags, and scraping the chairs against the floor as they roughly push them in.

And finally… glowy, exfoliated chins vaulted higher than the Nora Jones blasting ceiling stereo system, the two young Almost Method actors march out of the Starbucks, simmering and visibly attempting to kill me with their bad energy.

I smile into my mocha.

Sorry, guys. Even with three Basic Meisner classes under your belts — you still can’t even pronounce Stanislavski properly, much less successfully mind slaughter me for laughing at your idiocy. Good effort, though.

I love actors.

Happy Sunday.

– Ashley Avis

Crazy Actors – Go Meisner-Kill Yourself

Ashley — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:59:30 +0000

Wow. So a friend of mine runs a PR company that I helped establish (do the webdesign, help out with marketing, etc) that is targeted towards actors. The amount of money they charge is a pittance compared to any of the other PR companies in town (100 bucks, 200 bucks, compared to the thousands upon f-ing thousands demanded — and rightfully so — by 42West, Workhouse, etc).

Here are the keywords highlighting the initial business-model mistake of this friend: working with actors, working with actors for $100, marketing to the Crazy Actor Demographic.

If you provide something insanely beneficial but undercut yourself and your prices — naturally, the resulting clientele will be 95% out of their damn minds.

They’ll be overdemanding, call you at all hours of the evening wondering why the shitty reel they put together isn’t getting press (clue: you’re a terrible actor and you produced it yourself), and then when they DON’T get attention on a red carpet (clue: you’re not attractive, you have no real credits AND you’re crazy) they’ll send you a four page email about the things they’d like to do to you / your company / your physical well being, etc.

Actors, man. I’m an actor. But I’m finding out… as I help out friends who start companies like mine that target this insane (albeit interesting) demographic — we’re all @*!$-ing nuts. Not to knock us all — I have a select group of relatively sane Broadway and television friends that are actually working on projects that mean something… real actors… but the majority of this industry?

Go Meisner-kill yourself, already.

Sincerely,
Ashley