Friday, August 8, 2014

Starting Over

I've got enough good news now that I thought an update would be appropriate.

As I have related to many, I spent 2009-2013 "mid-life-ing", which - considering that I am 53 years old - might be seen as optimistic. The latter part of 2013 marked a wild departure (literally) as I moved myself and everything I owned cross-country, overnight, 11 hours straight from Michigan to Louisiana in my modified Chevy Express cargo van.
Love is a powerful motivator.

I then investigated my Screen Actors' Guild situation. Protracted unemployment in Los Angeles whilst in a bad marriage, combined with misinformation about the ease of union reinstatement when offered the lead in a non-union film had motivated me to leave SAG. Well, not "leave", but rather I went "Financial Core" or "Fi-Core" status, which allowed me to star in "The Dead Matter" at the time. However, I would need to rejoin SAG, currently SAG-AFTRA, if I was going to reboot my career. You know, for Love. So, I called SAG-AFTRA and, firstly, paid my dues up to current. I then began the process to appeal for re-admittance as a full member.

One other, much larger concern was also on my mind - my "green card". My permanent resident card was set to expire in May 2014, which is kind of a big deal. No amount of SAG-AFTRA membership would matter if I could not legally live and work in the USA. So, I applied in January to renew that as well, which involved having my "criminal history" (damn that Los Angeles speeding ticket!) evaluated by the FBI and being fingerprinted. I also hastily ensured that my taxes from the last few years were in order as well.

Seven nail-biting months later, I finally received some good news: SAG-AFTRA would allow me back in as a full member. For two weeks thereafter, I enjoyed the bittersweet notion that I had cleared that hurdle only to possibly fall at the immigration fence. There really was no good reason why my green card renewal would be denied, but I think everyone knows the crippling power of UNCERTAINTY, especially concerning something so impactful upon one's life.
And one's Love.

Thankfully, I did at last receive that wonderful news in a letter from the government, with my freshly minted permanent resident card arriving in the mail the following day. Now, I had everything I needed to engage in this acting-career-thing again. Well, everything except a professional agent to represent me.

Therefore the culmination of all of this good news is that I now have an agent! There is a lot of television and film in "Hollywood South", so I hope to be in front of a camera again soon.
For Love.

39 comments:

  1. Jason. Such wonderful news. All of it. Best of luck!!

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    1. Ppttthhhh "mid-life-ing" at 53 ?!?! middle age now doesn't even kick in these days until your at least 75. Congrats on both SAG & immigration status.

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    2. Jason....that is such good news on so many levels! Congratulations and I look forward to seeing you in more roles! ♡

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  2. Congrats.

    Hope to see you in new endeavors on the screen again very soon.

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  3. Excellent! I'm glad everything fell into place in a neat, elegant way. Best in your endeavours, and hope to see you on screen soon.

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  4. I just read Babylon 5 movie might be a go.
    Perhaps some original members could be in it? I would love for you and Claudia to be on it.
    Congrats, Jason!

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  5. Good news all around! Congratulations and good luck!

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  6. Good luck Jason.

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  7. Glad to hear things are working out finally. How stressful. Please come back and visit us at CONvergence again sometime soon. We've missed you.

    --gabriel

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    1. Thanks Gabriel, If they invite me, I'll be there. The best of times have been had at CONvergence. I love it.

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  8. Nice to see things are working out for you.

    I first saw you on TV when I was 15, as Alec Connor in Viper...and I thought you were spectacular.
    Here's hoping to see you in many more roles in the future.

    Jason W.

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    1. Thank you Joe. Viper was particularly significant for me as it was my first job in America and NBC actively sponsored my original application for SAG membership.

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  9. Great news Jason! Hope to see you on the screen again soon!

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  10. Excellent news! I hadn't seen any postings on my newsfeed in quite awhile on Facebook, I was actually thinking about you last night. We're packing here, to move, and I had my hands on my B5 series DVDs and saw your face and actually said to my wife, "I wonder what's been happening with Jason Carter lately, I haven't seen much of him online" So it was good to see the blogpost pop up tonight. Very happy for you and that everything is working out. :)

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    1. Thank you David. It is amazing what a good marriage can do for a person. C];-D>

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    2. Déjà vu. You wrote nearly the same thing 20 years ago. ;)

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  11. Will be expecting to see your smiling face on my TV screen soon.

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    1. It depends on how one defines "soon".
      'AGENT' - "Achievement Unlocked"
      Now I have to grind for 'AUDITION' and 'BOOKING'
      C];-D>

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  12. Wonderful news - about the SAG, green card, and agent! I do hope to see you in something - anything - soon! Best of luck to you!

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  13. Had a wonderful time when you got to be at CONvergence in Minneapolis. You are a charming and affable curmudgeon, and I'd really love to be able to interact more.

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  14. What wonderful news, Jason! Thank you for sharing - is so good to hear that things are starting to go your way :-) Can't wait to see you at your art again very soon!

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  15. In the midst of all those shenanigans, thank you for being so kind as to keeping us updated. Kudos to you for all the much deserved positivity that has come your way. Certainly it will be us, the fans, who reap the benefits of these events by seeing you on screen soon, whether it's big or small. Am crossing my fingers and toes that you will make a cameo appearance in the new B5 movie, maybe as the new Marcus Coles' mentor/trainer? :-) Best wishes....

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  16. Congratulations, Mr. Carter, I'm very happy for you!

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  17. Mr. Carter, I had the pleasure of meeting you during a dinner in Melbourne last year and am glad to learn that everything is going well for you. You were a wonderful person to get to know personally and I hope to see you on screen again.

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  18. You've been noticeable in your online absence Mr Carter. Best of British in your new endeavours Sir. What better reason is there than love?

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    1. To quote an obscure British band from the last millennium:
      "love is all you need" C];-D>

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  19. Crisis? What crisis? Glad to hear that you are getting sorted and that life is treating you well. Hope to see you around the Net more often :D

    David Hathaway-Price

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    1. Thank you David for reminding me. It's time to break out the Supertramp.
      C];-D>

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  20. That is good news! Looking forward to seeing you in many new things.

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  21. Best of luck Jason. We met briefly at Gen Con when you were promoting the Dead Matter. I remember you stopping my lady on the street and bowing to her in her Elizabethan dress. She was utterly taken and watched all of b5 once we got home.
    Hoping to see you in front of the camera soon.

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  22. Living in the south for almost two decades has brought me to this one, undeniable fact: Everyday is a bad hair day!

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  23. Congrats! If you ever head to Hollywood East for side projects give me a shout!

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  24. When are you coming to Phoenix?..You know that it's sunny here right?...lol

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  25. Hi Jason ~ Great that all is turning out for the better.

    Btw, I sent word to your Facebk fan page about a CD Resume Donna Neuman did for you that I assisted with material on, a few years ago now. It contains a nice scope of your work both on B5 and your TV guest appearances -- and I still have a copy. As this was with Pipeline Productions, I don't know if you still wanted to check in with Donna for a copy of this -- but if it's all good with her, I can send you the copy I still have.

    As you posted you and your wife were looking for suggestions to create another resume on CD, I was hoping this would give you lots of material in one shot.

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  26. Well, I'm glad it all turned out ok...sounds like a very tumultuous year...rather like a roller coaster ride that you haven't ridden before...up...down...over...under...upside down...up...down...over...under...and then...backwards corkscrew twist...ending in a gentle drift to the gate ;)

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  27. Congrats!
    Hope to run into you at a show sometime!

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  28. Great to hear your doing so well. Haven't seen you in a while. How are your kids doing?

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