Success Story: How Ernesto García-Orduña Booked a Karol G Music Video and a Wacky Alien Role for YouTuber Sameer Bhavnani

July 19, 2024 | Chris Butera
Photo courtesy of Ernesto García-Orduña.

Ernesto García-Orduña is a rock star in an actor’s body. The performer’s expressive demeanor got people at work talking, foreshadowing his next career move. A trip during the pandemic led him to Hollywood, where he found his passion as an entertainer. García shares his acting beginnings and successes that he found on Casting Networks.

How did you get started as an actor?

I didn’t know I could act, but I had hints. I worked in offices before, and people would tell me that they would know when they could talk to me and when they couldn’t talk to me because of my expression. I didn’t think anything of it. I would just be like, “Okay, sure. Well, thank you for at least noticing that I’m not in the mood right now or that I’m busy.” But little comments like that would come to me occasionally with people asking me “Are you an actor?”

One of the changes that happened after COVID was that I lost my job. When that happened, I took some time off to drive around the country. While I was traveling, I met some people in Hollywood on the streets playing some music, and I started playing with them a little bit—I just took out my guitar and started playing. I really started to enjoy the scene, and they invited me to a couple of jams in Hollywood and a couple of the venues.

Then I started writing my own songs, and then eventually I got on a stage, and I really started to think that I could make it in this business because I could see people [were] interested in what I was doing. Some people would give me comments [like] “You have a good look, we like the way you dress, we like your sounds.” I was like, “Why not give it a shot?” That took me to the comedy club, because somehow just being in Hollywood drove me to that next step.

While I was doing that, I noticed that these people were very similar. I was similar to them. I was like, “I think I belong here with people who love the arts.” That’s when I started really getting into it. Someone mentioned background acting [to me]. I signed up with Casting Networks and that’s when it started.

How did you first discover Casting Networks?

I got into YouTube and [started] watching several people. Wendy Alane Wright has done a lot of stuff in Hollywood. She offers a lot of advice on YouTube. I pretty much followed her step by step. Casting Networks was one of her suggestions. Casting Networks was the first thing that attracted me because she mentioned [that] this is a [way] to get into commercials.

Ernesto García-Orduña in Western gear smiling. Photo courtesy of Ernesto García-Orduña.

You mentioned in your submission that you had booked Karol G’s Mi Ex Tenía Razón music video. What was the audition process and the on-set experience like?

That was one of my favorite experiences. It was one of those rush calls. They were missing someone in the band. There was no audition for me in that situation because they needed someone right away. It was one of those rush calls like, “Hey, can you make the set? We need someone to play the bass.” I got lucky that they called me and they liked my look. I had a photo up with Casting Networks that they saw.

It was my first major project. I had no idea what to expect. It was my first real set. It was all day, like 10 hours, maybe more, but I was so excited just to be there.

I get there and they have us go through all kinds of stuff, wardrobe and makeup and all these cool things. I’m like, “Wow, this is actually happening,” so I feel like a star even though I’m just going to play bass.

We get onto this little float that they set up on a lake and we’re doing our thing. We’re these cowboy-looking guys and I’ve got my bass. And of course, Karol G comes out and does her dance. I’m sitting here watching a superstar doing her thing and I’m like, “Wow. This is what I’ve got to do.”

Tell me about the YouTube series. What series was it, and what was that process like?

I was applying through Casting Networks for different roles. At some point, someone reached out to me. There was no audition. I had a few short clips [posted] of my acting and photos, so they liked whatever they saw that I had with Casting Networks.

It was the first time I was going to be on an actual show, and it [was] for a guy named Sameer Bhavnani. This guy has a couple of different things going on. He’s got one channel where you talk about general life experience, he’s got a channel for his kids and then he’s got another channel called “Ghosted,” and it’s about strange experiences like ghosts and aliens.

The first time that he called me was for his Ghosted channel. It was [for] the role of an alien. It’s similar to the scene in Men in Black, where the alien crashes into some farm and he comes out of his flying saucer and he takes on a man’s skin. The story that he’s telling here was that the husband—in this case it was me—had been abducted by an alien and was acting strange around the house.

It’s really strange because it’s not [filmed on] a set, it’s just a house. I expected to go onto a set. Then they tell me, “You’re going to wear a mask. We have no lines for you today, but you are going to do some improv.”

[The director] gives me a quick explanation [of the project]. I go and I take my break, and in the meantime, I sit back and start to imagine what I was going to be like. I’m like, “Okay, so I’m going to be an alien. I’m going to act this way, I’m going to move that way.” When it came time to do my scenes, that’s what I did. We filmed for about three or four hours, and then it was over.

About two, three weeks later, he calls me again and was like, “Hey, can you film tomorrow?”

What happened on that project?

The second video was for his regular channel. That was probably my best experience because he sent me a script. This [character] had five different personalities, so [I had to do] five versions of this one character. I was so excited that I actually had something that I had to memorize because I’d never done it [before].

The guy that I had to play was a rich man. I guess he had so much that he wasn’t really grateful for what he had, and he just expected everything to be given to him. So he has to go from being a big jerk to a super sweet, loving, understanding person.

That’s my best experience I’ve had acting thus far, because the director was right there. It was just two of us, and he was just telling me exactly what he needed. He taught me a bunch of things that I hadn’t heard about. He said so many things to me that all came together. I got so much confidence that day.

What about Casting Networks keeps you coming back, and what features do you find to be the most helpful?

First of all, it’s the results. At least once a week, I get someone asking me for an audition. It keeps you active. A lot of people go to acting school and they go through acting training classes and all these other activities that we do to get ready, but with Casting Networks, you’re live. These people that are reaching out to you, they’re casting directors. It’s like you’re putting your hands into it.

Second, it’s so much experience. With this alone, it’s like having a class. If I spend enough time with Casting Networks responding to the auditions that I get and going through that process of self taping or memorizing lines, [it’s like] I’m in class every single day. That’s invaluable to me.

I can [also] see what the market’s looking for. As you’re going through Casting Networks, you’re seeing the roles that are available and you’re like, “I see a lot of doctors and I see a lot of nurses, or I see a lot of lawyers.” So you get an idea like, “This is what they’re looking for.” Then you can adjust yourself to those roles and see if that’s what you want.

What’s beautiful about Casting Networks is that every time that you get an audition or a request to tape yourself and then they ask you to put it back up on Casting Networks, it stays there so that it’s visible to other people or you can just send it out to someone. You have a data bank of all your videos. It’s not like, “I went to an audition and I didn’t get it.” No—it’s not that.

It’s hey, you went to an audition and now you have a video of it, and you have something else that can show another director [of] what you can do. And maybe one of these days you get lucky and a director’s like, “Hey, wait, I like what this guy sounds like, I want that.” You never know. Casting Networks is great because it puts you out there and it leaves you out there.

The other part that I really love is [that] it’s really easy to use. The setup is beautiful and it has a feature where you can just set up what you’re looking for. So you can specify, “Hey, I’m looking to fill a role from 40 to 45, or 30 to 35, and these are the looks that I have.”

And third…it’s not that expensive. Honestly, [for around] 30 bucks a month, it’s so worth it. All you gotta do is get one role and you pay for a bunch. The Karol G role basically paid for my membership for, I don’t know, a year. It’s worth it and honestly, it’s that piece where it keeps you connected.

Ernesto García-Orduña smiling in a suit. Photo courtesy of Ernesto García-Orduña.

What would you say helps someone succeed on Casting Networks?

Consistency and patience and just reading everything. Every chance you get [where] you see a role that you like, go through the script. Even if you don’t get it, even if you don’t apply, at least look at it and get that practice. Casting Networks is a place where you can polish your skills. It’s great for you because you improve yourself and it puts you out there.

What audition tips or advice do you have that you could share with your peers, whether it’s how to be the best at an audition, how to get better at self tapes or what not to do in a self tape?

The first step is to understand what the director is looking for. Whoever posted that has got something in mind that they want. So be patient because there’s so much to read. If you find a role that you like [and say to yourself], “Hey, I think this looks like I want it,” take your time to really understand what they are about and what this group wants, and then take it seriously.

You’re going to Casting Networks thinking, “This is a serious thing. I could get discovered here.” That’s how I think of it. [There’s] a chance that someone’s going to see me and [the] next day I’m going to get a call and I’m going to get a role. Go in thinking, “I’m going to get this,” and what you do is focus on the role and nothing else.

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