Welcome...
This is the Official Website of Darby Ford - an Actress living in Los Angeles.
Click around to learn more about Darby and her adventures and career in Hollywood.
07.12.18
Yes, and . . .
Darby loves comedy, and she is especially good at improv! In April of this year, Darby auditioned to participate at the LA Connection Comedy Theatre. In late June, Darby was invited to do a few performances with the veteran improv team Temporary Insanity, which performs weekly at the theatre. Darby’s other classes now include scene study at Krater Studios and commercial acting at The Acting Class. She continues to participate in a sit-com class at Scott Sedita Acting Studio and hopes one day to be a series regular in a network sit-com. Meanwhile, Darby is having a ball making the world a better place, one laugh at a time.
04.12.18
Extra! Extra!
One of the less glamorous jobs as an actor is background work, although there are a number of people whose entire acting career encompasses being an extra on set. A background actor does not have any spoken lines or a name in the script. Extras are there to create an environment and make the scene more real. And, even though an extra might only be on screen for a few seconds, the amount of time on set can be several hours. Call time can be at any hour, and shooting can be overnight.
There are some very positive things about working in the background, the most obvious of which is being paid. Background work cannot be included in screen credits on an actor’s resume; however, if production decides to give any lines to an extra, then credit can be claimed and the pay is increased. There can be a substantial amount of down time while waiting between scenes, so there is an opportunity to meet new people. And just participating in a film or television production is a wonderful learning experience.
Darby has worked background for a number of projects since arriving in Los Angeles in late summer of 2016. She has been in two music videos (for artists Sidney Samson and Tiana), two feature films (Almost Home and Wedding Wonderland), two YouTube videos with Miss Tiffany Tynes (“Shambles” episodes 3-4 and “The Walking Dead in the Hills”), one episode of an Amazon television show (“Jean-Claude Van Johnson”) and one commercial (due to a non-disclosure agreement, it cannot be named yet). If you want to try to catch a glimpse of her, the Sidney Samson music video is on YouTube, and it is called “One Word”. In the movie Almost Home, Darby is a student in classroom scenes. In Wedding Wonderland, Darby is a patron in the beauty salon scene. In “Shambles”, Darby is a press reporter, and she is a very messy zombie in he Walking Dead in the Hills”. And in “Jean-Claude Van Johnson”, a blurry Darby appears a little past 17 minutes into episode 6.
09.23.17
Chasing My Dream
When my first agent asked me at age 14 why I wanted to act, I said because it would be fun. He told me no, that it was hard work. I said I didn’t care what anyone else said, that I thought it would be fun. Well, it’s both. I take multiple classes – right now I am taking three classes, one workshop and one private coaching session per week. I have homework that includes learning lines, reading about acting theory and watching movies and TV shows to study them. And learning a script is much more than memorizing lines; it includes developing characters and becoming a living part of the scenes. And I love it!
I had the privilege of meeting director Wendy Faraone at a workshop at Talent House Academy. Wendy currently directs Disney Channel’s “Liv and Maddie” and “Walk the Prank”, and she has also been dialogue coach for several TV series, including “A.N.T. Farm” and “Hannah Montana”. This month, I began private coaching with Wendy, and she is awesome! I have to travel more than two hours each way to get to her, but the journey is so worth it!
Just today, I had another photo session for new headshots, the fifth since May of last year. Today I worked with the phenomenal photographer Paul Gregory, and there is just no comparison with my past photos. It will take a while before they are processed and ready for sharing; I can hardly wait! I will post them here as soon as I can.
08.08.17
Little Buddy
I love dogs! My family has four dogs in Louisville, and I miss them so much! I tried to bring Hagrid out to live with me in LA, but he was too homesick. So a little over a week ago, I adopted this cutie and brought him to live with me. His name is Gilligan, and he is a four-month-old toy poodle. He is a little rascal, and he is very good company to me.
I have now been taking classes, auditioning and acting in Los Angeles for almost a year. It has been a big adjustment living so far from home and family, but I am so excited about my new life! I still take classes for commercial, improv, sit-com and dramatic acting, and I take special workshops from time to time. In the spring, I did a little background work and was cast in an episode of “Mysteries of the Unexplained” and in one of “Ghost Hunters”. During the summer I performed in a few YouTube videos; I will post links on my videos page, after they are available for viewing. Episodic season starts this month, and I am excited to see what projects will be casting co-star roles.
Many thanks to the people who have sent me emails through my contact page. I love to hear from people who are following my journey, whether they are from my hometown of Louisville or another corner of the world. If you would like to follow me on social media, click on the links for Facebook, Twitter or Instagram that appear on any page of my website.
07.13.17
Checking In
I started performing for an audience when I was five years old, during my school’s Christmas music program. Unfortunately, I got in trouble because I was putting on my own show. Two hundred or so parents were laughing at my antics, so I just kept at it. Someone said I ought to be on camera, and the rest is history.
Last summer, I left my home in Louisville to pursue acting professionally in Los Angeles. I now take classes for commercial, theatrical, sit-com and improv acting. I have worked on a number of projects for TV, internet and cinema, although my parts are pretty small so far. One thing I have learned well is that there is no short road to success in this business. My managers at The ESI Network and agents at The Envy Agency are wonderful, and I love working with them. I have made new friends in LA and I am enjoying exploring my new neighborhood. My classes are great fun, and I have learned so much!
Check out my videos page periodically, as I add new ones from time to time. And if you want to send me a message, you can do it through my contact page.
05.28.17
A Taste of Home
After almost four months away, I made a visit home this past week. I had a great time visiting with my parents and brother, as well as some of my high school friends. Some of the other best moments of the week included playing in the rain, drinking delicious Louisville water and seeing Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales at the Baxter Avenue Theatres.
Tomorrow I will return to Los Angeles and all of my fun classes at Scott Sedita Acting Studios, The Upright Citizens Brigade and The Acting Spot. I now have more frequent auditions, and I have worked on a few more projects for film and television. My new new demo reels are in post-production; I will post them after they have had their final edits.
Also going to Los Angeles with me will be my fluffy buddy Hagrid, whom I have missed terribly. I hope he learns to love Hollywood living as much as I do.
05.01.17
Adulting
Mom went back to Louisville a few weeks ago, so I am out here in LA, learning how to adult on my own. Other than a nasty cold that had me down for a bit and missing my dogs constantly, I am having a really great time. I take a variety of acting classes, go to auditions and have worked on a few productions, all small roles for now. A few weeks ago, I was fortunate to walk into the wrong building, on my way to a photo shoot. As I was leaving, I got to hold the door open for Adam Sandler! And last month, I was able to watch Jean Claude Van Damme in action while working as a background extra for his TV program. Life is good!
04.05.17
A New Look
Last week I had new headshots because my hair has grown so much since my pixie cut last summer. The photo session with Blake at The Acting Spot was a lot of fun, but it was a lot more work than you would think. It took almost four hours for everything, which included hair and makeup by a professional, four clothing changes and at least that many location changes, not to mention the work involved in inspiring a variety of facial expressions. My manager, Nelson at The ESI Network, will choose from the 450 + shots which ones will be added to my website and print portfolios. If you want to see my profiles that are seen by casting directors, you can visit these websites: www.imdb.me/darby ford and www.lacasting.com/darbyford. And if you would like to send me a message, visit the Contact page on this website. I would love to hear from you!
03.07.17
Busy, Busy, Busy!
Lots of exciting things going on here! I have been in LA four weeks now, and I have had multiple auditions, one callback and one booking in that time. My classes are going great, and I have added a couple of workshops with Scott Sedita and a series of improv classes at The Upright Citizens Brigade. I especially love improv because it allows me to be my true, silly self.
As of March 15, I will really live in Los Angeles! I have leased an apartment in West Hollywood, and I am so excited about moving in! It is in a great area and very convenient for all of my needs; it will be a lot of fun furnishing and decorating my own place for the first time.
The photos above are from a few projects I worked on last week: zombie for YouTube video The Walking Dead in the Hills (to be online very soon!), prostitute for a class scene and nerdy girl for an audition. Three fantastic looks in one small package!
02.04.17
Back in LA
I arrived in LA two days ago and got settled into our rental house right away. I have started rehearsing for an episode of the YouTube series “Clique Wars”; it should be online sometime later this month. I will post a link when it is available for your viewing pleasure.
Great weather out here! Thinking of going swimming soon. Who would have thought? Swimming in February!
My acting coach from Louisville, Beth Hall, and some of my acting buddies will come tomorrow, so we will have a house full of noisy fun, when we all have free time. It will be a busy time for all of us, with auditioning, rehearsing, acting classes and school work (well, no school work for me! :D) But I will definitely be busy with homework for my acting classes.
If you want to send me a message, you can visit my contact page. Would love to hear from you!