Mentors on the Mic: Your guide to pursuing a career in the Entertainment industry

Bonus Episode LIVE from the RED CARPET of the New York Women in Film and Television Muse Awards.

First ever red carpet interviews with:

- Tantoo Cardinal (04:41)

- Michele Stephenson (05:31)

- Raney Aronson-Rath (07:40)

- Sibyl Reymundo-Santiago (09:32)

- Alex Borstein (11:00)

- Pat Swinney Kaufman (14:31)

- Kyra Sedgwick (16:55)

- Latasha Gillespie (18:30)

Bios:

Tantoo Cardinal is an award-winning actress of Indigenous descent, who was most recently on screen with Robert DeNiro and Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese’s newest feature, Killers of the Flower Moon, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023 and hit theatres worldwide in October 2023.

Filmmaker, artist and author, Michèle Stephenson. Her feature documentary, American Promise, was nominated for three Emmys and won the Jury Prize at Sundance. Her work, Stateless, was nominated for a Canadian Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary.

I recorded the intro to this episode earlier this week and already it's outdated! The strike is over! We can now talk about how GREAT Carol Baum is.

Carol Baum has produced thirty-four movies, seventeen of them independently. Before becoming an independent producer, Baum was co-president of Sandollar Productions, Dolly Parton and Sandy Gallin’s production company, for ten years, where she produced such hits as Father of the Bride; the Academy Award-winning HBO documentary Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt; Tidy Endings; I.Q.; Jacknife; True Identity; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Gross Anatomy; Shining Through; Straight Talk; and Kicking and Screaming. As an indie producer, Baum made, among other movies, including The Good Girl; You Kill Me; and Boychoir. She has produced five television movies for Hallmark and several documentaries. 

Her roots are in New York City, where she spent her early career in publishing, working for both Bantam Books and Random House and scouting for the English publisher Corgi. While in New York, she developed Ira Levin’s The Stepford Wives, Stephen King’s The Shining, and Ira Levin’s The Boys from Brazil. When she relocated to Los Angeles, Baum became a studio vice president at Twentieth Century Fox and a senior vice president at Lorimar, where she developed Taylor Hackford’s An Officer and a Gentleman. Following her stint as an executive, she produced David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers.

Baum currently teaches producing in the Film and Television Production Division at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. She is also a mentor for the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC.

Guest:

One of Carol's superpowers as a successful producer is her relationships with WRITERs. She is credited for starting the careers of David O’Russell, Noah Baumbach, and Mike White, in addition to being Former VP at 20th Century Fox and Co-President of Sandollar Productions (founded by Dolly Parton and Sandy Gallin).

This is an excerpt from Carol Baum's new book:

Ready to elevate your social media game? Join us for an enlightening session with Heidi Dean, a master of social media strategy, as we uncover the secrets to crafting an irresistible online persona.

In this engaging episode, we're diving into your most pressing questions:

1. How can you build a compelling brand on Instagram? Heidi shares practical steps to showcase your unique identity.

2. What is Heidi's process? How did she start her social media profile without a team?

3. Mastering the art of a captivating first impression: bio optimization, highlight bubbles, and hashtag strategies.

4. What's the ideal posting strategy? Heidi reveals tips for keeping your audience engaged and coming back for more.

5. Achieve networking excellence: Explore collaboration, engagement, and strategic growth while nurturing valuable connections.

But wait, there's more! Heidi Dean opens her digital playbook:

1. Behind the scenes: Heidi's content creation journey from a one-person operation to a well-coordinated team.

2. Repurposing magic: Discover her step-by-step process for tailoring content across different channels, from blogs to TikTok.

3. Decoding analytics: Gain insights into Instagram analytics, watch time, audience retention, and more.

4. Essential tools of the trade: Heidi reveals her favorite apps for crafting standout content.

5. Engaging your audience: Should you speak directly to your followers or ride the trend wave? Heidi shares her winning approach.

6. Networking like a pro: From casting directors to writers, learn Heidi's tips for building authentic connections online.

Uncover a wealth of social media insights and supercharge your online presence. Tune in to this episode and embrace the digital spotlight with confidence!

Heidi Dean is known as the industry’s top social media strategist for actors and the creator of Marketing4actors.com. She’s a social media writer for Backstage Magazine and a frequent speaker at film festivals, SAG-AFTRA, AEA, conferences, podcasts and universities across the country. Her clients include Emmy Award-winners, Broadway stars, series regulars, directors, producers, casting directors and voice actors. Heidi turns social media rookies into ROCKSTARS!

Guest:

If you're wondering, "How can we use Instagram highlights to network effectively and even book jobs?" – you're in for a treat.

Join us as Heidi Dean, the renowned social media strategist, unravels her secret playbook to harness Instagram Highlights for networking and job opportunities. Get ready to revamp your approach and master the art of strategic storytelling. Heidi's tips will empower you to turn your Instagram profile into a networking powerhouse, boosting your chances of landing those coveted gigs.

🌐 Network like a pro using Instagram Highlights 🎬 Craft compelling stories that resonate 📚 Showcase your versatile talent and skills 🌟 Elevate your online presence and visibility

Tune in now to embark on a journey of enhancing your networking prowess through Instagram Highlights. With Heidi Dean's expert guidance, you'll be primed to conquer the digital realm, connect with industry insiders, and pave the way for remarkable career opportunities.

Heidi Dean is known as the industry’s top social media strategist for actors and the creator of Marketing4actors.com. She’s a social media writer for Backstage Magazine and a frequent speaker at film festivals, SAG-AFTRA, AEA, conferences, podcasts and universities across the country. Her clients include Emmy Award-winners, Broadway stars, series regulars, directors, producers, casting directors and voice actors. Heidi turns social media rookies into ROCKSTARS!

Guest:

Dreaming of making your social media posts go viral?

Join us in this dynamic episode as we team up with social media strategist for actors, Heidi Dean, to unveil the secrets of going viral.

Discover three powerful strategies to transform your online presence and create a buzz that resonates. From engaging content to trending techniques, we're here to elevate your actor journey to new heights. Tune in to explore the uncharted territory of social media during the strike and learn how to captivate your audience like never before.

Lights, camera, viral success!

Heidi Dean is known as the industry’s top social media strategist for actors and the creator of Marketing4actors.com. She’s a social media writer for Backstage Magazine and a frequent speaker at film festivals, SAG-AFTRA, AEA, conferences, podcasts and universities across the country. Her clients include Emmy Award-winners, Broadway stars, series regulars, directors, producers, casting directors and voice actors. Heidi turns social media rookies into ROCKSTARS!

Guest:

Now before you go crazy and DM me that there's a SAG-AFTRA strike and I can't talk about a CBS production, listen to the episode intro, I address it all!

What CAN actors do during the SAG-AFTRA strike?

The SAG-AFTRA strike (not to mention the WGA strike) is causing ripples in the Entertainment industry. I've been consistently getting asked:

- What are we allowed to talk about on social media?

- How do we still stay pro-active?

- What can we post about?

- How do we further our careers when we can't even audition?

- How do we network right now?

That's why my first episode of this 4 part mini series is all about social media strategy during the SAG-AFTRA strike, now that we can't talk about TV/Film.

Heidi Dean is known as the industry’s top social media strategist for actors and the creator of Marketing4actors.com. She’s a social media writer for Backstage Magazine and a frequent speaker at film festivals, SAG-AFTRA, AEA, conferences, podcasts and universities across the country. Her clients include Emmy Award-winners, Broadway stars, series regulars, directors, producers, casting directors and voice actors. Heidi turns social media rookies into ROCKSTARS!

Guest:

Let's end Season 4 with another interview with a Series Regular, shall we? I'm so happy to have Melissa Navia on the podcast. I've known her for years as a working actor in NY, booking co-stars and guest stars in some of our favorite NY shows. During the pandemic, Melissa booked the dream gig, a Series Regular role of Lieutenant Erica Ortegas on the incredible Paramount+ show: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The second season debuted on June 15th and has already been renewed for a third season.  On the television side, Navia’s most recent credits include recurring on CBS’s Bull and AMC’s Dietland. She also recently guest starred on NBC’s New Amsterdam and Showtime’s Billions and Homeland.  On the big screen, Navia has appeared in a variety of indie films and shorts. In 2013, she won the award for Best Actress at the Wild Rose Independent Film Festival for her leading role as ‘Dawn’ in “The Paragon Cortex.” Navia has also appeared in films like “Sleeping with the Fishes,” “Bel Canto,” “The Chosen,” “Hymns,” and “What It Was,” among others. In March 2020, she made her Off-Broadway debut in the world premiere of the highly praised “Bundle of Sticks” from J. Julian Christopher at INTAR Theatre. Navia is Colombian-American. She plays the banjo and is also the creator of the upcoming essay collection and stand-up show, Girl With Short Hair.

In this episode, we talk about:

• First audition she booked with her agent was Girl Most Likely with Kristin Wiig and first co-star on The Affair

• Joining SAG-AFTRA with advice to actors on when they should join

• The story of how she booked her first guest star on Billions, which included losing out to another role

• The crazy story of choosing between a second episode of Billions and a role on Homeland

• If she change how she approached self tapes that helped with booking her series regular role on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

• How the callback for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds went and how she felt when she found out she booked the role

• Tips and encouragement for actors who want to book a Series Regular

• Working with the co-Showrunners and crew, including Akiva Goldsman (who I have worked with on the feature film Winter’s Tale, but who also did films like A Beautiful Mind, I am Legend, Cinderella Man, and more)

• Great story: How wardrobe gave her a heads up about a sword fight scene

• How her creative ventures like writing and stand up help her as a creative/actor

Michael Indjeian is a Daytime Emmy® winning Producer & Daytime Emmy® nominated Director with 5 total Daytime Emmy® nominations (2019-2022), and 26 years in film & television.  Michael is known for producing the feature film, Follow Her (2022), and producing (57 episodes) & directing (7 episodes) the 2-time Daytime Emmy® winning PBS travel show, Samantha Brown’s Places to Love (Seasons 1-6).  His work also includes serving as the UPM (USA Unit) for the Harvey Keitel film, Chosen (2016), Line Producer/UPM for the pilot, Laying Low (2017), and Director/Producer/Writer for the LIFE winning short film, Lucky Day (2007).

In the commercial & non-broadcast arena, Michael has achieved 70+ industry awards and produced & directed 800+ projects for clients that include HBO, AMC, Fox, USA, Discovery, Sony, Hertz, Gap, Pepsi, Avon & Super Bowl XLVIII.  Michael began his production career during the New York City Hip Hop scene in 1996 contributing to iconic music videos for Diddy, Wu-Tang Clan, Lauryn Hill, Faith Evans and 112.  Michael grew up in Cliffside Park, NJ and graduated with a BA from Virginia Tech.

In this episode, we talk about:

• His first job working on P Diddy's Music Video and what stayed with him all of these years since

• Starting at 30fps productions and being Involved in over 800+ projects there for clients including Sony, Pepsi, Avon, Hertz, Gap, Motorola, HBO, AMC, USA, Discovery, TV Guide, MTV, TD Waterhouse, Black & Decker, Lane Bryant, Marchon, Doubleday and IRS

• Writing, directing and producing the short films Scores to Settle and Lucky Day for film competitions, while working a full time job

• Working as a producer on the 2-time Daytime Emmy® winning PBS travel show Samantha Brown’s Places to Love

• How he came upon the film Follow Her, which was written by actress Dani Barker

• Working on the feature film The Good Half starring David Arquette, Brittany Snow, and Nick Jonas wrapping in January, with the world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival

• His experience on set in front of the camera and why he finds it important to do all roles

• What’s something he wishes a filmmaker would know before connecting with him

• The ideal amount of time he would want for preproduction on a feature film and how he would go about recommending how to determine your budget

Guest:

Fiona and Sophia Robert are Producers, Writers, and Actors who have written roles for themselves in two feature films: The Country Club and A View of the World from Fifth Avenue. While The Country Club is available to stream right now, A View of the World from Fifth Avenue was cast by Mentor Julie Schubert and just premiered at Bentonville Film Festival.

Robert Sisters Pictures is an award-winning film production company founded in 2018. Created by sisters Fiona and Sophia Robert, the team writes, produces, directs, and stars in their films. TAll Robert Sisters productions aim to have an inclusive and gender-balanced crew behind the scenes, earning their second feature film, A VIEW OF THE WORLD FROM FIFTH AVENUE, the ReFrame stamp of approval. The Robert Sisters’ first feature, THE COUNTRY CLUB played five festivals taking home “Best Feature Comedy” upon its premiere at the Manhattan Film Festival and the “Marlyn Mason First Prize“ at Flicker’s Rhode Island Film Festival. The film was sold to Good Deed Entertainment for domestic distribution, and Archstone for International Sales. It will be released worldwide June 2023. The Robert Sisters’ second feature, A VIEW OF THE WORLD FROM FIFTH AVENUE will world premiere as one of twelve films in Narrative Competition at Bentonville Film Festival June 2023 founded by Geena Davis.

In this episode, we talk about:

• When they decided to make your own production company and was it before or after they wrote The Country Club?

• The story behind writing their first feature film The Country Club

• Their process for writing a film together and their steps towards pre-production of a feature film

• Lessons that they took to their second feature film from first film

• Made A View of the World from Fifth Avenue in just over a year with recent premiere at Bentonville Film Festival

• Sophia being directed by her sister Fiona and Fiona’s directing tips she’s learned along the way

• Tips for actors on their self tapes

• What the ReFrame Stamp of Approval is and why it’s important for them to promote equity

• Working with Casting Directors Julie Schubert and Kate Gifford to cast their films

You asked for it! A bonus episode all about making your own film. And who better to ask than the Robert sisters? Sophia and Fiona Robert are two women who write, produce, and star in their own feature films. Their second feature film, A View of the World from Fifth Avenue, just premiered at Bentonville Film Festival (founded by Geena Davis) to a sold out audience. They made this film in just over a year. Their first feature film, The Country Club, played 5 festivals and is available to stream starting today. It also stars Elaine Hendrix (or Meredith from The Parent Trap). Fiona Robert directed both projects.

In the interview that comes out this Monday, I ask these incredible women about their career and journey. I took some of their answers about writing and producing a film and compiled this special bonus episode.

Robert Sisters Pictures is an award-winning film production company founded in 2018. Created by sisters Fiona and Sophia Robert, the team writes, produces, directs, and stars in their films. The company was founded with the goal of creating inclusive work which strives to uplift both its audience and its team. All Robert Sisters productions aim to have an inclusive and gender-balanced crew behind the scenes, earning their second feature film, A VIEW OF THE WORLD FROM FIFTH AVENUE, the ReFrame stamp of approval. The Robert Sisters’ first feature, THE COUNTRY CLUB played five festivals taking home “Best Feature Comedy” upon its premiere at the Manhattan Film Festival and the “Marlyn Mason First Prize“ at Flicker’s Rhode Island Film Festival. The film was sold to Good Deed Entertainment for domestic distribution, and Archstone for International Sales. It will be released worldwide June 2023. The Robert Sisters’ second feature, A VIEW OF THE WORLD FROM FIFTH AVENUE will world premiere as one of twelve films in Narrative Competition at Bentonville Film Festival June 2023 founded by Geena Davis. Robert Sisters Pictures are gearing up to produce their third feature, a Gosford Park style mystery set in the English Countryside.

INGRID FRENCH is a personal manager and owner of Ingrid French Management, a dynamic talent management company.  IFM represents actors and models for commercial print, commercials, television, film, theatre and voice overs.  IFM has recently booked clients for several commercial print campaigns including Verizon, GAP, Johnson and Johnson, and Target; for commercials such as T-Mobile, Graco, Amazon Fire Phone, Kraft, Bacardi, Olive Garden, Fed-Ex, Nike, Toyota and Heineken; and voice- overs for Yuengling, Smirnoff, Blue Buffalo, Philips and Yellow Tail. IFM has booked actors on Law and Order SVU,  Crime, Person of Interest, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Blacklist, KC Undercover, Boardwalk Empire, Happyish, The Knick and Orange is the New Black to name a few.  Recent feature film and independent project bookings include The Wolf of Wall Street, Daughter of God, Brooklyn.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Starting off as an agent's assistant and how similar/different it is to now

• Difference between agent and manager

• Freelance vs signing actors and the benefits of both

• Is she looking for talent during the strike

• How she hears about new actors and does she look at website submissions from actors that aren’t referred

• Suggestions for actors that they can do right now to be a better actor, including habits she can recommend

• What makes her interested in an actor and what does she look for. Does location matter? Does she like a cover letter?

• What her happy/satisfied clients seem to have in common

• When she think its appropriate to push for an actor and what she needs from an actor right now to help with pushes

• Who should actors be connecting with aside from Casting Directors

Want to make your own film and have no idea where to start? This episode answers so many questions with Mentor Izzy Stevens.

IZZY STEVENS is an acclaimed Aussie-American Actress, widely regarded for her lead role in Netflix’s ‘Occupation’ Franchise among other lead roles in films such as ‘Rainfall’, ‘Underbelly’, ‘Puberty Blues’, and ‘Another Mother’. On top of her successful acting career, Izzy has created a name for herself as a powerhouse filmmaker and producer. Izzy’s award winning films have been screened on ABC National Network, as well as at Cannes Diversity, Hollyshorts, Cinema Australia, Tropfest, Redline Int. Film Fest, (Winner: Best Experimental Film), LA Shorts, and more!

Izzy is the ultimate multi-hyphenate. As the CEO and business owner of her consulting and mentorship company, Indie Spunk, Izzy is passionate about helping fellow filmmakers, producers, actors, directors etc. find success in this cutthroat industry. Now, Izzy’s dedication to championing independent filmmakers has inspired her to launch her own film focused podcast ‘indie spunk’ which highlights emerging industry creatives, giving them a platform to share their knowledge, advice, and experience! Izzy intends to inspire listeners through sharing her own personal anecdotes, alongside other film professionals and special guests. With her infectious personality, Izzy is determined to revamp the film sector of the podcast world, as she feels there aren’t many film focused podcasts left standing. 

In this episode, we talk about:

• Izzy's start as a series regular role in a TV show in Australia at 17 years old, turning her into a "quiet, conservative people pleaser"

• The similarities and differences between shooting Australian shows and American shows

• How close she was to quitting before booking a huge Netflix film

• How to navigate the film festival circuit and focusing on that during pre-production

• 3 reasons to crowdfund your project: 1. make your money 2. marketing tool to talk about your project 3. helps you focus on your niche which is important in the film festival circuit

• The three tiers of festivals 1. community festivals 2. industry festivals (Sundance, Cannes, Tribeca, Hollyshorts) 3. Niche festivals Sales and distributors go to niche festivals, too. Always ask for a waiver.

• Her Indie Spunk podcast to help encourage filmmakers to create work from idea to script to screen

• Finding your zone of genius in filmmaking so you don’t have to do everything

Guest:

We are so fortunate to have another Showrunner on the podcast. This time, Hank Steinberg.

In 1997, Steinberg successfully sold the cable network HBO on 61*, a biographical drama about the legendary home-run race between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle of the 1961 Yankees. The following year, Billy Crystal came aboard as a producer on the project and subsequently directed the film, starring Thomas Jane and Barry Pepper. 61* garnered 12 Emmy nominations, including Best Motion Picture for Television and Best Writing. Steinberg was also nominated for a WGA Award for the film.

Steinberg then created the CBS show Without a Trace, which aired from September 26, 2002, to May 19, 2009. Without a Trace follows the cases of a Missing Persons Unit of the FBI in New York City. During his tenure as executive producer and show-runner, the show won several Emmy awards and a Golden Globe for lead actor Anthony LaPaglia, as well as earning a SAG and Humanitas nomination. Steinberg was executive producer and show-runner of Without a Trace for the first four seasons.

Afterward, Steinberg created and was showrunner/executive producer of the ABC series The Nine, which he wrote with his sister, KJ Steinberg. The show ran for one season. Steinberg co-created and was executive producer of TNT's The Last Ship ,in 2014, which ran for five seasons. The Last Ship follows a naval destroyer crew, after a pandemic kills most of Earth's population.

Steinberg went on to create and serve as an executive producer of the ABC American legal drama For Life, which premiered February 11, 2020.The series is a fictional legal and family drama inspired by the life of convict turned attorney Isaac Wright, Jr. The success of the show led his Channel Road Productions company to an overall deal with Sony Pictures Television.

Most recently, Steinberg landed a straight to series order with Fox for DOC, an adaptation of the Italian series of the same name.  Steinberg will executive produce under his Channel Road Productions.

In this episode, we talk about:

• His straight to series FOX show called Doc based on an Italian series

• The story behind getting the pitch for For Life and why he had to come back to it months later

• His advice on to get started writing for a TV show

• His writing process and to just get through the first draft

• Working with his sister KJ Steinberg on Nine (she is now working on This is Us)

• Advice for actors approaching pilot auditions and why there are no small roles

• The gentle balance between a strong pilot to hook in executives and having some discipline in holding back to have an engaging season

Did you know what it takes to be a post production supervisor? Or that it's a possible way to climb up the track to Executive Producer?

LESLIE CONVERSE is both a producer and a post-Production Supervisor. She tells us about her start in the industry, assisting Director Frank Oz on movies such as  The Indian in the Cupboard, In & Out starring Kevin Kline, and Bowfinger starring Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy, she goes into how she started as a post-production supervisor and what that usually entails, and working closely with directors such as Ron Howard, Steven Soderbergh, Frank Oz, Noah Baumbach, and more. She has worked on incredible films such as Marriage Story with Adam Driver, Scarlett Johannsen, Laura Dern, Ray Liotta and Alan Alda, The Laundromat with Meryl Streep, Gary Oldman, Antonio Banderas, David Schwimmer, The Stepford Wives starring Nicole Kidman, Bette Midler, and Matthew Broderick, and more, Hillbilly Elgy starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close, just to name a few. She also discusses getting into producing and how much of a commitment that means, especially as a mother. One of her latest projects was Noah Baumbach’s White Noise starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig, which she was both a post-production supervisor and executive producer.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The awesome story about going out to LA to interview to be Director Frank Oz's assistant and working on THE INDIAN AND THE CUPBOARD

• What goes into being Post-production Supervisor on a film and her responsibilities

• Organizing ADR and finding actors for looping and loop groups

• Being bumped up to co-producer, in addition to post production, for STEPFORD WIVES

• Why someone should hire a post-production supervisor for in pre-production

• Missed the jump from 35mm to digital because she took off working to parent

• Finished reshoots for Hillbilly Elegy when the pandemic hit, so post production looked very different

• Bumped to EP for White Noise, also directed by Noah Baumbach for 2.5 years

Guest:

Courtney Michelle Dlugos is an actress and viral content creator with (at the time of this episode airing) 450k followers on Tik Tok with over 20million likes and 127k followers on Instagram. She creates her own work every day on social media, many of which are sponsored/branded.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The vulnerability of creating your own work and sharing it, including getting over her self-judgement

• Whether she has a content creation schedule and what is her process

• Her advice for you about creating your own content now

• Being liked or shared by celebrities like Lena Dunham and Taika Waititi and why those videos surprised her

• Her equipment set up for her videos

• Her start creating sponsored/branded videos and how she got her initial sponsors before getting a social media manager

• She comes up with her own ideas for sponsored videos with parameters

"You can never guess what video is going to do well or what video is going to serve any sort of purpose or move your career forward or anything like that… just like you don’t know what audition is going to change your life either..."

Guest:

Marta Kauffman is an Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning television writer, producer, and showrunner behind the hit series Friends and Grace & Frankie. After graduating from Brandeis University, Kauffman got her big break alongside David Crane when their pilots Dream On (1990) and The Powers That Be (1992) were green-lit. The pair then launched Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions with Kevin Bright and became the trio that created the iconic sitcom Friends. In 2015, Kauffman started her production company, Okay Goodnight, with industry veterans Robbie Tollin and Hannah KS Canter. Their first series, Grace & Frankie, starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen, and Sam Waterston premiered on Netflix in 2015 and is Netflix’s longest-running original ever. The series has received multiple Emmy and SAG nominations and is beginning production on the seventh and final season. In 2018, the company produced the documentary Seeing Allred, which premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and is currently available on Netflix. Kauffman has received a number of honors and awards including the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for lifetime achievement in television writing from the Writers Guild of America, the 2016 Outstanding Television Writer award at the 23rd annual Austin Film Festival & Screenwriters Conference, The Kieser Award at the 44th Annual Humanitas Awards, and Variety’s TV Producers Impact Report for consecutive years in 2019 and 2020.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Writing Musical Theater in NY with her writing partner and friend David Crane and making $18,000 a year, before moving to LA and working with Norman Lear

• Behind the Scenes on the beginnings of Friends including why it was important for it to be an ensemble show and fighting for Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston

• The number 1 thing she wants actors to know when they walk in for an audition

• Why the time after Friends was a really hard period and how she pushed out of it

• Her thoughts on the Reunion and why she could never do a reboot

• The incredible story she hasn't able to sell (yet!)

• The misunderstanding that led to the terrific pairing of Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda on Grace & Frankie

• Was there Improv on Friends or is there improv on Grace & Frankie

• Why she gets credited for every the theme song of Friends is played

• Working with Netflix as opposed to a Network

Guest:

LAMAR RICHARDSON is an actor and producer born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. He received his B.A. from Columbia University in the City of New York in 2015. Shortly after, Lamar made his regional theater debut as 'Sylvester' in Phylicia Rashad's award-winning production of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in 2016. He made his Broadway debut as a Co-Producer of the 2022-2023 revival of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman starring Wendell Pierce, Sharon D. Clarke, and Andre de Shields at the Hudson Theatre. Kander and Ebb’s New York, New York is his next endeavor as a Co-Producer. He is also currently producing Afrika Brown’s new play in development, The Fight. Lamar co-founded Ivy Lion Productions, which is an independent production company that centers underrepresented voices and champions empowering stories. His additional acting credits include: Jordan Peele’s 'Weird City’, Richard Lawson’s ‘Black Terror,’ James Sweeney’s 'Straight Up' on Netflix, and NBC’s 'New Amsterdam.'

• How he got his first representatives with cold outreach
• Hand modeling together for multiple Samsung commercials and getting a parts representation
• The story of booking Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom after a NYC reading with Phylicia Rashad and how he almost got in his own way
• Oprah’s super soul gospel brunch at her house with Reese Witherspoon, Angela Bassett, Kerry Washington, Julia Roberts, and more
• All of his jobs are in service to his work as an actor
• Becoming a Broadway producer for Death of a Salesman and New York, New York: what steps did he take to start and how being an actor prepared him
• Getting the Front Row Fellowship with Columbia University and what that entails
• Producing Afrika Brown’s play The Fight, with a reading at the Apollo theater
• Co-producer of New York, New York with Lin Manuel Miranda
• What he doesn’t have time for anymore as an actor

Guest:

Aliza Licht is back on the podcast for a special bonus episode. In celebration of her new book ON BRAND, Aliza takes us through her 3 actionable tips for building your audience and creating a strong content strategy that you can do right now.

She reminds us to:

- push through our discomfort in putting ourselves on video

- make it easy for ourselves when it comes to social media and creating our brand

- define what we want to be known for (and how to start)

and more.

ERICA A HART, CSA, was born and raised in Washington, DC. Her casting experience spans into network, studio, independent films, commercials, and recently Broadway. Her television/streaming directorial casting credits include both seasons of THAT DAMN MICHAEL CHE (HBOMAX), JODIE, BLACK DON'T CRACK (ABC), BUST DOWN (PEACOCK) and THE GIRLS ON THE BUS (HBOMAX). Her commercial work has been with brands such as Maybelline, Gillette, Hasbro, and Delta. Casting on Broadway for CHICKEN & BISCUITS, PASS OVER, DEATH OF A SALESMAN and the upcoming production of JAJA'S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING. Erica is on the Board of Directors for Casting Society (CSA), a member of the Television Academy, and an educator at institutions like Harvard University, Yale University and NYU Grad Acting.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  First job - NBC casting internship

•  Her time at ABC casting where she worked on the Showcase to Marvel’s Agents of Shield to pilot season, The Goldbergs, Secrets & Lies, Blackish, Scandal, Once Upon A Time, How to get away with Murder, For the People, Grey’s Anatomy, etc.

•  Her advice for actors going in for pilots

•  The great story about getting her job at ABC with John Ort and not selling yourself short

• How she became a Reality TV co-producer by taking a camera, filming a story, and submitting it to places where she eventually got a deal

• Self tape tips and self tape privilege

This is the 100th episode of Mentors on the Mic podcast, so I discuss how I started podcasting, my gratitude for my audience and mentors, and celebrating our wins.

Our Mentor this week is Shaurya Nanavati, who manages the greenlighting process and provides guidance to drive content, distribution, and strategy decisions. Prior to his work at Lionsgate, he managed a music publishing company, wrote & toured as a musician, and, as a CPA, worked in public accounting at PwC in Texas.

Shaurya considers himself a citizen of the world - born in India and raised between Mumbai and Houston. Post high school, he travelled to Austin where he obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at The University of Texas at Austin. After his stint in the world of music, he moved to Los Angeles to obtain an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and pursue a career transition to filmed entertainment.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Going from CPA to Hollywood and how he realized early that his passion for music would not earn the lifestyle he wanted

•  He started researching people he wanted to be like and saw what they did, deciding whether to pursue Law or a Business degree.

•  Why he went to business school for the networking and how that helped him find the job he wanted

•  Getting an internship at 30 and why age shouldn’t discourage you from doing anything

•  Whether they are more focused on development or acquisitions at Lionsgate

• Filmmakers choose Lionsgate because they are the best place for storytellers and talent within the parameters of being a smart financial decision (plus great marketing)

•  "It’s a lot of effort to learn what you know, but it takes an equal amount of effort to try to put yourself in the situation and the places you want to be."

Guest:

How do we detach from what we do?

For over achievers especially, this can feel impossible. It especially hits home when you are in between jobs or not doing what you want to be doing. As an actress, I GET THIS. I understand what it is to question whether I can even call myself an actress if I'm not currently acting in anything.

I'm so happy to have Kara Barnett back on the podcast. She fills us in on what's been going on since our last interview. Starting out as a casting associate producer on America’s Next Top Model, she worked consistently with companies and Networks such as Viacom, Discovery, CBS, BET, A&E, and OWN. We last saw her as Creative Manager of Strong Black Lead at Netflix.

Kara Barnett currently is a Senior Creative with the Apple TV+ Product and Design team. She also loves creating through her film production company of many years, 25EightProductions and has recently added a new agency arm to the company that focuses on short form content development and creation with Black and Brown brands and creators as well as experiential creative direction.

In this episode:

- We talk about where she was after leaving Netflix

- Leaning on her supportive network

- Attending a retreat called "Waking Hours" and shifting her perspective on how much time we have

- The importance of positive self talk

As the Director of Audience Development on the custom podcast team, Amber Smith leads the team's podcast growth strategies, ensuring the content we produce for brands gets the largest reach.

Amber started her career as a researcher on the Today show before jumping to audio. She has worked on multiple sides of the podcast industry as a producer for SiriusXM and later joined the team that negotiated content partnerships for podcasts on SiriusXM and Pandora. Before joining iHeart, she led audience development for Slate Magazine’s podcast catalog.

Amber is an alumnus of both the University of Southern California and Louisiana State University. Outside of work you can find her chasing her toddler.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Starting off as a casting intern for Twinkie Byrd and a working actress before becoming a PA at WBRZ-TV

•  Working at the Today show and understanding that journalists are the first tellers of history

•  How Sirius XM slid into her DMs on LinkedIn

•  How Amber got their first original podcast greenlit which was a news show

•  When Sirius XM acquired Pandora, she met with the Pandora team which started her interest in podcast partnerships (and defining what those are)

•  The key networking strategies she implemented to move up the ladder

•  What a senior audience development manager does and how to build community for your podcast

•  Amber's advice for those wanting to start a podcast

Guest:

Todd Savvas is a spiritual teacher, modern mystic and Sage who has been working with people from all over the world for the last 17 years. He blends ancient wisdom with modern savvy to create powerful and quick transformation.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  His start in Australia in fashion and advertising and how that has informed his current work

This week’s mentor is casting director Maribeth Fox of Laura Rosenthal Casting. Maribeth has cast several of our favorites, including The Kids Are All Right with Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo; Mildred Pierce with Kate Winslet and Evan Rachel Wood; and Late Night with Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson, and many more.

In this episode of Mentors on the Mic, Maribeth and I discuss not only these projects and her other upcoming ones, such as Bottoms with Kaia Gerber and produced by Elizabeth Banks; Apple TV psychological thriller Sharper with Julianne Moore and Sebastian Stan, and; Murder Mystery 2 with Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler, and a mentor from this podcast, Tony Goldwyn.

We then take a look into the process that led up to these actors’ casting – from in-person auditions, self-tapes, and submission preferences, to her own process for selection.

We also learn about her own journey within the industry, starting from her first role as an assistant at Buchwald Agency to having an eight-week casting job that eventually turned into a 15-year career.

Show highlights:

• [02:30] Maribeth’s first role in the entertainment industry as an assistant at Buchwald Agency
• [03:56] Her exploration of different trades within the industry – from talent agencies, publicity, to network casting – and why casting with Laura fit her best
• [10:39] The day-to-day differences between casting at a network and working freelance at a casting office
• [16:44] How many people she confers with for approval on a project, depending on it being TV and film
• [24:42] Maribeth’s self-tape tips for actors that can help them in future auditions
• [29:20] Her submission preferences and how casting actually handles self-tapes
• [30:44] The process of how to select actors for an audition
• [42:22] How Maribeth navigates self-tapes compared to in-person auditions
• [44:18] How they split shows in Laura Rosenthal Casting
• [46:07] A breakdown of Maribeth’s upcoming projects including Kaia Gerber’s audition for Bottoms

***

Links and resources

Resources

My reaction to the Self Tape Controversy. There's a lot going on right now in the world of Self Tapes. Lots of deadline articles and outrage. I discuss it on this special, last minute bonus episode and bring in some friends to touch on self tapes, including an upcoming guest, Maribeth Fox of Laura Rosenthal casting.

Question: What do each of the following Casting Directors have in common? Besides being a guest on Mentors on the Mic.

Answer: They all loved giving tips to Actors regarding Self Tapes.

Self Tapes are the new normal. For non-Actors out there, these are how actors submit auditions now that we're not going in person. For this mini bonus episode, we are going over these Casting Directors's top Self Tape tips.

Featuring Casting Directors:

Maribeth Fox - Upcoming episode (A Quiet Place, The Kids are Alright, Late Night, Halston)

Gaylyn Fraiche started as a Script Coordinator on the CBS series Johnny Bago for Executive Producers/Writers Peter Seaman and Jeffrey Price and Executive Producers Robert Zemeckis, Frank Marshall and Steve Starkey.

Gaylyn’s first experience in feature films was as Oscar-Winning Director Curtis Hanson’s assistant on The River Wild, starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon. She worked for Hanson for almost two years through the release of the movie and through early development of L.A. Confidential. From there she worked as Oscar-Winning Director Kathryn Bigelow’s assistant on Strange Days.

She began working at Castle Rock Pictures for CEO Martin Shafer on such films as The Green Mile, Best in Show, Miss Congeniality, and Proof of Life. She was promoted to Creative Executive and Director of Development.

She also served as VP of Film and Television for Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Starting off as an assistant to Television Producers James Hirsch and Robert Papazian on 10 Movies of the week and 2 series, executive assistant to showrunner for CBS TV Series Johnny Bago, assistant to Curtis Hanson who is now an Oscar winning director (Hand who rocks the cradle), and Kathryn Bigelow on Strange Days

•   Reviewing Carrie Fisher’s script revisions on yellow legal pads

•  Watching dailies with Meryl Streep and her 2.5 year old daughter

•   The perfect response when a man would say something awful in front of her and being the only woman in many rooms

•   Whether she would recommend the assistant producer track

•  Assistant to President of Castle Rock Entertainment, Martin Shafer, from development through international release of Miss Congeniality, The Green Mile, Two Weeks Notice, etc, networking with Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock

•  Transition to Creative Director and then Director of Development for Castle Rock

•  Consultant for Tia Mowry for Motown christmas movie with Smoky Robinson and making movies with Hallmark and Netflix

•  Her role as Vice President for Film and Television at Hello Sunshine (Reese Witherspoon's production company)

•  How she got Nia Vardolis (who starred in My Big Fat Greek Wedding) to be in her movie

Guest:

Ben Feingold is the current CEO of Samuel Goldwyn Films, which licenses, releases and distributes art-house, independent and foreign films. Previous to working at Samuel Goldwyn, he was the President of Columbia TriStar Home Video and the Former President Worldwide Home Entertainment Digital Distribution and Product Acquisitions at Sony Pictures.

Samuel Goldwyn Films is dedicated to working with both world-renowned and emerging writers/filmmakers and committed to filmed entertainment that offers original voices in uniquely told stories. This is best exemplified by the Academy Award® nominated SUPER SIZE ME; the critically acclaimed feature debut by Francis Lee GOD’S OWN COUNTRY; SXSW winner MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND; Warwick Thornton’s Australian western SWEET COUNTRY starring Sam Neill, Bryan Brown, and Hamilton Morris; the Wim Wenders film, starring James McAvoy and Academy Award winner® Alicia Vikander, SUBMERGENCE; A BOY A GIRL A DREAM starring Omari Hardwick and Meagan Good; Sci-Fi/Fantasy PARADISE HILLS starring Emma Roberts; the horror/thriller film starring Patrick Schwarzenegger and Miles Robbins DANIEL ISN’T REAL; the road-trip comedy COME AS YOU ARE; action packed Scott Adkins lead film DEBT COLLECTORS; MR. JONES starring James Norton, Vanessa Kirby, and Peter Sarsgaard; the sea shanty true story FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS; epic drama WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS starring Academy Award® winner Mark Rylance, Academy Award® nominee Johnny Depp, and Robert Pattinson; FROM THE VINE starring Joe Pantoliano; LGBTQ+ teen comedy DATING AMBER; LUXOR starring Andrea Riseborough; and the Danish Oscar® Entry ANOTHER ROUND starring Mads Mikkelsen. Upcoming releases include RAMS starring Sam Neill; LGBTQ+ COWBOYS starring Steve Zahn and Jillian Bell; horror/thriller DREAMCATCHER; the food-centric FOOD CLUB; and THE GOOD TRAITOR.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Being the savior behind the movie When Harry Met Sally

•  How NBC put Seinfeld on the air and cancelled it twice, but how Ben kept the rights to distribution when they sold it

•  Helped launch the DVD format and the digital business

•  Made a deal with Dave Chappelle to make one of his first concert movies in 2004 “for what it’s worth” with SHOWTIME

•  Created the first game show channel

•  Helped Will Packer make his first movie by giving him his first deal

•  Why men were the early adopters of DVDs

•  Turned down running Blockbuster twice because they had too much debt

• Making an offer for CODA (which went to Apple for $25 million) and competing with the big streaming platforms

•  Why a filmmaker should go with Samuel Goldwyn for distribution instead of a larger streaming platform

Guest:

Happy Random Acts of Kindness Day! In this bonus episode, we dive into why 'random acts of kindness day' can be the strategy behind your networking. Learn what I do to network and maintain relationships as a podcast host and actor. While this is super effective for those in the Entertainment industry, I also teach this strategy to my communication clients who work in various industries.

In this episode, you will learn:

- My strategies that I use to network with various Mentors and peers in the industry

- Why networking is a long game

- What you can do right now to support and connect with people in your industry

Podcasts mentioned:

Debra Granik is an American New York City-based independent film and documentary film director and screenwriter. She is most known for 2010's Winter's Bone, which starred Jennifer Lawrence in her breakout performance and for which Granik was nominated for Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, 2004's Down to the Bone, which starred Vera Farmiga, and 2018's Leave No Trace, a film based on the book My Abandonment by Peter Rock.

Winter’s Bone won Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic film at the 2010 Sundance film festival. 4 Oscar noms for best adapted screenplay, best actress in a lead role, best supporting actor, best picture. Jennifer Lawrence was nominated for Best Actress and Outstanding Leading Actress for the Golden Globes and SAG Awards, respectively.

Other projects Granik has in development include a documentary about life after being released from jail and the subject of recidivism in East Baltimore - that was to feature Felicia "Snoop" Pearson from The Wire and elements of her memoir, Grace After Midnight - but is now a documentary about four former inmates in New York City.

In this episode, we talk about:

•   How the production company for Winter's Bone pulled out at the last minute, which gave her and her partner the freedom to choose an unknown actress who was closer to the age range of the character

• Recruiting a fixer: how she develops or recruits a trustworthy group of informants to provide realism and honesty to her stories

•  How she started: graduated college with a documentary project about a guy in Waltham, MA

•  Meeting her producing partner and working on the feature film of Snake Feed: Down to the Bone

•  How she deals mentally and emotionally with intense, dark subject matter

•  How in Europe, they do a great job nurturing short films as opposed to here, it’s a calling card

•  Her journey as an independent filmmaker 

•  How projects get presented to her

Guest:

Is reading Atomic Habits on your to-do list? For a lot of people, it's that book everyone has been talking about that you've been meaning to read.

Look no further. Guest host and Actress Kate Bone joins us to discuss all things habits in this special 5 part mini series. In each mini episode, we will break down a part of Atomic Habits, complete with all of the tips and tricks outlined by author James Clear. Join us as we discuss temptation bundling, habit stacking, identity based habits, habit contracts, habit scorecard, implementation intentions, and more. We share stories on what has worked for us, what feels practical, and what we want to try.

Is reading Atomic Habits on your to-do list? For a lot of people, it's that book everyone has been talking about that you've been meaning to read.

Look no further. Guest host and Actress Kate Bone joins us to discuss all things habits in this special 5 part mini series. In each mini episode, we will break down a part of Atomic Habits, complete with all of the tips and tricks outlined by author James Clear. Join us as we discuss temptation bundling, habit stacking, identity based habits, habit contracts, habit scorecard, implementation intentions, and more. We share stories on what has worked for us, what feels practical, and what we want to try.

Is reading Atomic Habits on your to-do list? For a lot of people, it's that book everyone has been talking about that you've been meaning to read.

Look no further. Guest host and Actress Kate Bone joins us to discuss all things habits in this special 5 part mini series. In each mini episode, we will break down a part of Atomic Habits, complete with all of the tips and tricks outlined by author James Clear. Join us as we discuss habit stacking, identity based habits, habit contracts, habit scorecard, implementation intentions, and more. We share stories on what has worked for us, what feels practical, and what we want to try.

Is reading Atomic Habits on your to-do list? For a lot of people, it's that book everyone has been talking about that you've been meaning to read.

Look no further. Guest host and Actress Kate Bone joins us to discuss all things habits in this special 5 part mini series. In each mini episode, we will break down a part of Atomic Habits, complete with all of the tips and tricks outlined by author James Clear. Join us as we discuss habit stacking, identity based habits, habit contracts, habit scorecard, implementation intentions, and more. We share stories on what has worked for us, what feels practical, and what we want to try.

Born and raised in San Diego, California, Madison Shamoun’s passion for musical theater and talents for acting, dancing, and singing started when she was very young. Recognized for her star potential and undeniable talent, Madison is the recipient of two National Youth Theater Awards for Best Supporting Actress, for her performance as Lucy in “13” (2013) and Motormouth Maybelle in “Hairspray” (2015). Madison recently graduated from the University of California Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting for Theater, Film, and Television. 

Following her graduation from UCLA, Madison’s acting career has continued to blossom. A member of SAG-AFTRA, she's worked with directors like Pamela Adlon, Catherine Reitman, Jody Margolin Hahn, and Ken Kwapis. Madison has been featured in guest star roles on ABC’s BLACK-ISH, Netflix’s BlackAF, and Disney’s Sydney To The Max. She has also appeared in FX’s ‘Better Things’ directed by Pamela Aldon, and Maren Morris’ music video ‘Girl’ directed by Dave Myers. Madison’s upcoming projects include the highly anticipated Amazon Original Series, The Lake, starring Julia Stiles, the CW’s All American, 7 Minutes In Hell and The Restart. She also recently starred in a short film for Tribeca’s 2019 YOUTUBE platform, and an MTV commercial spot for Coca Cola. Madison is represented by Buchwald and Brave Artists Management.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  The process of booking “The Lake” on Amazon Prime (with Julia Stiles, Jordan Gavaris)

• Getting larangytis for the chemistry read for “The Lake”

•  Building her team in advance of her major bookings

•  Staying in Canada alone for 3 months to film the series during the pandemic

•  How it felt to be top billing on the call sheet

•  Process for booking a self tape

•  How she has a coach for every type of script (dialect/accent coach, On Camera Coach, contemporary/artsy/A24 stuff, Multi cam person/comedy)

•  How much of herself is in her roles

•  How was it working with Julia Stiles and Jordan Gavaris

Guest:

As an actor, I face rejection ALL OF THE FREAKIN TIME

You don't even want to know how many auditions I've been on that I haven't booked. It's exhausting.

As any creative artist would tell you, it's important to come up with some tips to deal with rejection because sometimes, it's incredibly devastating. We need tactics and tools to pull us out of it.

Larry Saperstein plays "Big Red" in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, a reinvented take on the two-time Emmy Award-winning "High School Musical" franchise, for Disney+.

Saperstein can also be seen opposite Kiernan Shipka in the film "Fan Girl," directed by Paul Jarrett and as Timmy in the first season of BET+’s "First Wives Club."

Formally trained as a dancer and vocalist, Saperstein has starred in several regional musicals including "Oliver!," "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Miracle on 34th Street.” He also starred as Rusty Griswold in the original workshop reading of Broadway Vacation, a musical adaptation of the 'National Lampoon’s Vacation' franchise, opposite Tony nominee Rob McClure and Kate Reinders.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  His first couple commercial bookings: Crayola, American Express, Goldfish puffs, Xfinity, Samsung

•  Audition process for High School Musical the Musical Series, including his chemistry read in LA with Joshua Bassett

• Getting a VIP ticket to Olivia Rodrigo and showing up in People magazine

•  His next goals in the entertainment industry

•  Shooting the third season of High School Musical the musical series in comparison to the second season before the vaccine

•  Why managers are better for kids than agents and how he got his manager that he is currently with

•  Going from having acting as a hobby to a career

•  Our recommendations on how to answer ‘tell me about yourself’ at an agent or manager meeting

•  His thoughts on LA vs NY

Guest:

Want 3 Tips to Calm your Nerves before any stressful situation? These tips are great before auditions, presentations, speeches, zoom calls, sales calls.

Working alongside Gayle Keller, Allison's projects include several hit series, films and indie features.

Allison's credits include: INSIDE AMY SCHUMER, GOTHAM (Season 1), LOUIE (Seasons 4 & 5), THE WHO WAS SHOW (Netflix), THE DETOUR, MAN SEEKING WOMAN, HOUSE OF CARDS (Season 1), CRASHING (Season 1, 2 & 3), the Woody Allen Feature IRRATIONAL MAN, & MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT, Indie features THE GOOD CATHOLIC and MS. WHITE LIGHT, the Judd Apatow feature THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND and the Amazon feature THE BIG SICK.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Advice to actors for making strong choices in comedy

•  Casting differences between working on movies and tv shows

•  How I was cut from HBO's Crashing and whether asking for payment for the shoot date is frowned upon by Casting or production

•  Her process for casting a role (depending on the size of the role)

• The bigger the role, the more people they’ll see. About 15 people per co-star role

•  Question from Actor Nathaniel Levin: do you find it an obstacle for actors and casting that notes can’t be given in a live room? any advice for this?

•  Question from Actor Jenny Anne Hochberg: what if agents don’t have a relationship with you, how can actors get on castings radar?

•  More information about the two projects that she’s working on now (including one with Judd Apatow)

Guest:

6 Tips to help you memorize your next audition, presentation, or speech

Host:

Bethany Rooney has directed more than two hundred thirty episodes of prime-time network television, most recently Law & Order: Organized Crime, Chicago PD and Station 19.  Her credits include many critically-acclaimed series such as Desperate Housewives, Ally McBeal and Brothers & Sisters, and the American long-running classics NCIS and Criminal Minds. For two seasons, she was the Producing Director of the CBS drama Bull, following her earlier stint in that position on the CW drama The Originals. She serves on numerous committees at the Directors Guild of America (DGA), including co-chairing the Diversity Committee, which implemented the first Directors Development Initiative in 2016, including a mentorship program for rising directors.  Bethany’s enthusiasm for the craft has also fueled her long-term dedication to teaching the intensive Warner Brothers Directing Workshop. Her book (co-authored with Mary Lou Belli) “Directors Tell the Story: Master the Craft of Television and Film Directing” is the preeminent authority at multiple studio and network diversity programs, and in directing classes on many university campuses.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What an acting class taught her about directing: understanding what they go through and the vocabulary actors use

• Tips for actors to make better self tapes

• Advice for actors in auditioning and the process in which she is involved in casting

• Being in the Dick Wolf family and working on shows like Law & Order, Chicago PD, Chicago Med, etc. and which one is her favorite

• How advocating for herself led to her being let go from her first job, but how it all worked out

• How she started working with her first agent

• Her process for directing an episode of an already established show: read at least 5 previous scripts, every script needs to be fully understood, blocked and shot listed by Day 1

Here's an actor story for you. The time I was fired by my Headshot Photographer.

Host:

Celebrity Memoir Book Club is a podcast hosted by NYC based comedians Claire Parker and Ashley Hamilton. Every week they read a celebrity memoir so that you don't have to. Come for the gossip and stay for the banter between two best friends!

In this episode, we talk about:

•  The birth of the ‘Celebrity Memoir Book Club’ podcast

•  Their Tik Tok marketing strategy and how they grow to 237k followers

•  Why We Are the best thing she’s ever worked on and how she didn’t hold back at all

•  Incorporating a patreon, live shows, and merch

•  Our thoughts on Josh Peck’s “Happy People are Annoying”

•  How they split responsibilities as co-hosts of their podcast

•  What Celebrity Memoirs they recommend to look up to as Mentors

• Whether the podcast has been increasing their audience in stand up shows, as well as live shows

•  Celebrity Memoirs discussed:

• Will Smith - Will
• Mindy Kaling - Is Everyone Hanging out without me
• Elvira or Cassandra Peterson - Yours Cruelly, Elvira
• Janice Dickinson - No Lifeguard on Duty 
• Busy Phillips - This Will Only Hurt A Little
• Tiffany Haddish - The Last Black Unicorn
• Rob Lowe - Stories I Only tell my Friends
• Gabrielle Union - We’re going to need more Wine
• Nikki and Brie Bella - Incomparable

Guest:

On Camera Presence - 10 Tips for How to Look and Feel your Best On Camera

"Before anything else, preparation is the key to SUCCESS." - Alexander Graham Bell

A. Be Technically Prepared

1. Well Lit Space
2. Eyes Leveled With Camera
3. Distraction-Free Background

B. Be Mentally Prepared

4. Ground and Activate
5. Define Audience
6. Mind your Audience
7. Get there Early and Fully Prepared

C. Be Physically Prepared

8. Be Mindful of Hand Gestures
9. Vary Pitch and Tone
10. Maintain Eye Contact

Host:

Jenny Halper is EVP of Film at Maven Screen Media, where her credits include THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, DRIVEWAYS, AMERICAN HONEY, SKIN, and A MOUTHFUL OF AIR. As a screenwriter her scripts have placed three times on the Black List, on the Athena List, received grants from Film Independent and the Tribeca Film Institute, and been selected for New York Stage and Film’s Workshop (in association with Powerhouse Theater). She is currently developing an anthology series with Freida Pinto and Emily Verellen Strom's Freebird Films and Forest Whitaker and Nina Yang Bongiovi's Significant Productions, a limited series with Michael Dinner's Rooney McP Productions, and adapting a non-fiction book for Social Construct Films (THE MAURITANIAN).

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Her first “real” job at Plum Pictures led her directly to where she is now developing at Mandalay Vision

•  How working at a small indie production company allowed for her a lot of responsibilities very quickly•  Why We Are the best thing she’s ever worked on and how she didn’t hold back at all

•  Why she only looked at companies that made movies that she loved

•  Working on The Kindergarden Teacher with Maggie Gyllenhaal

•  How often do you need the actors attached

•  Why you can’t have everything in one basket in development because some things never cross the finish line

•  Maven finds financing for some projects and for some, they provide financing

•  What advice she would give people to who are attached to making only projects

•  Taking on A Mouthful of Air with Amanda Seyfried, Paul Giamatti, and Finn Wittrock. Written and directed by Mentor Amy Koppelman and produced by Michael Harrop (Showtime’s Billions)

•  Would you rather have a big director or big actor attached?

•  Which cds she loves working with

•  Some things she looks for in deciding to develop projects

Guest: