Just so you know, that was the name of the project. I have no idea what the video will actually be called, and as far as I can tell the producer of the project was the National Board of Medical Examiners. It's not the best project to put on a resume, mostly because I don't what information I'd put on the resume. Even more so, I'm not allowed to have a copy for my reels because the video is for educational purposes. And this is a shame to me only because it went so well!!
The project was supervised by medical professionals from UCLA, and possibly from the NBME themselves, to ensure that everything was accurate and true to life as possible. I was thrilled to have a number of actual doctors helping me to properly conduct myself with a patient and administer an exam. It was like we had five or six directors, but everyone worked together so well that there wasn't any issue outside of whether or not I would tuck my scrubs shirt in. Apparently it's an east coast thing. So on set was a camera operator and boom operator from The Office, and all these doctors, myself, a very talented actress, and another actor who got six heavy scenes of medical jargon the night before and stepped up to the challenge full force. With all this professional and earnest talent around me, it felt like one of the simplest shoots I've been on.
The new doctor actor was determined to get his lines down, which was tough, so I read with him for about twenty minutes while everyone else was on lunch. When our scene came, we were perfectly prepared. Even with last minute line changes he and I were natural and believable as real-life doctors in their break room. The medical staff was impressed, almost surprised, as to how much we sounded like residents talking to each other.
My scenes with the female patient were when I had to be the one spitting out medical jargon, while still being a warm voice to the distressed patient. She acted her anxiety and pain so well that it was easy to sympathize and want to comfort her. After one moment where (I can't say much) she experience a strong pain, we took each other's hand and I was just there for her while she expressed all her pain and strife. We had such a strong connection, and it was clear to the doctors watching. There was concern over whether (I'm trying very hard not to reveal anything that would spoil the educational part of video which I agreed to keep secret) I met a requirement, but they thought the connection we had more than enough made up for it. In fact, when we wrapped they were talking about whether or not they would have to change an answer on the exam because I may have done too well as an attending doctor.
The doctors on staff would help me out in properly conducting myself with a patient and in knowing what it is the doctor is really doing when they say this or do that. They explained how a line would be said in the context of the scene amongst all this medical lingo, and they would help out myself and the directors when there wasn't a line that made sense. They really helped me make my role as a doctor as natural and comfortable as any doctor who's done this hundreds of times would be.
And even the camera operator was a help! She made sure I didn't block the patient's face when they had a tricky camera angle and there was really no room for me. She was a wonderful person to work with, as were most everyone on this set, and the entire project was a joy to be a part of.
I'm kinda bummed that I won't have a copy of it to use for my reels, because I know all of it would be good material. The connections were real, the dialogue was professional, the production was excellent, and I was playing a doctor! A bright, young doctor who through his calm demeanor, truly cares for his patients.
I'm available for any medical programs.
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