Grindings #001: The Simpsons Table-Read
I’ve decided on Sundays to do weekly check-ins, progress reports, updates, et cetera which I will call “Grindings”. Basically as I work my way up in the world of Hollywood, this is my week-to-week thoughts, feelings, experiences and emotions. Enjoy!
On Thursday I was invited to sit in on a table-read of The Simpsons. For those not in the industry, a table-read is basically the first time a cast gets to see a script, and they read through the whole thing with the writers, director, et cetera. In the past I had only known these to be closed to anyone outside those involved in the production, but turns out a number of animated shows bring in folks to see what jokes hit, what works and what doesn’t.
Needless to say, as a fan of the show since I was youth, it was an amazing experience. Even despite some of the bigger voice actors – Hank Azaria, Dan Castellaneta – being on a conference call and not in the actual room, it was really cool to see the actors see the script – like a kid opening a present on Christmas – the writers hear the work and the other guests see the process.
The show is based out of Fox Studios in Century City, and I will admit there is an energy / aura when you are on a lot. Stages next to stages of shows entertaining hundreds of thousands. You just get that feeling I guess of childlike whimsy. You can’t help but want to explore and see what everyone is doing; are they building a set? Making costumes? It’s a unique feeling, something I hope to feel more often in the future.
How did I land this you ask? Simple, a friend of a friend. The world runs on who you know, and that is never more true than in Hollywood. A friend of mine I met through improv, does improv with the showrunner’s assistant, and one of his tasks is to get people into the weekly table-read. Voila.
Oh, and I got to take the script – next year’s Treehouse of Horrors episode no less – home with me as well, a lovely little keepsake following a pleasant little morning!
Mike ‘Box’ Elder is an aspiring actor and entertainer. He likes to sleep with a pillow between his legs. Follow him on Twitter @mikeboxelder.
