Where Working Actors Talk

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Eps 15: Dani Scott (Producer, Actress) Oct 19, 2023

Show notes

This week we talk with a woman who wears soooo many hats, and does it seamlessly. Dani Scott is an actress and producer currently working with Redacted Media. She lives for falling in love with new characters and complex stories, all with the goal of being a go-to comedic actress and award winning filmmaker. She has produced and starred in two features in the last three years, A Christmas Sunset and the upcoming The Demon Detective. She has worked for several comedy shows, as well as NCIS: LA, and has acted in several indie shorts and feature films. After graduating with her degree in acting from the University of Washington, she worked in casting in Seattle and LA for several years, before transitioning back to acting and starting as a producer in 2020. She has a penchant for sweets, is obsessed with dogs, and plans to travel the world her entire life. I LOVE this episode, because it reminds us that we have more control than we think in this crazy industry. Find out how SHE took control and became a wildly successful self-made producer, how her years in casting have helped her in every facet of her career, and her advice to any of you wanting to start producing for yourself! WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR: 1:07 Dani's origin story in the business. How she got to LA, and the incredible advice her mentor, casting director, Jodi Rothfield gave her before moving out. (A must listen for any new actor moving to LA!) 4:55 How she immediately became a casting associate for a major television show, working under head casting director, Lisa Soltau. 7:54 Do casting directors give actors a second chance if they had a bad audition? 11:05 Casting WANTS to find new talent! They really do! 12:45 There is something charming about people on TV. Audiences want to watch the charm - even if you are playing the villain. Don't lose YOUR charm when you start acting! 20:30 The life changing moment Dani knew she wanted to switch gears and focus on acting and producing. 24:28 Working in casting led her to taking acting classes at Stan Kirsch Studios. She would look at other actor's resume's who she thought were great and see where they studied! 25:05 How studying acting at SKS was a game changer for her. 33:34 How she self produced her very first film, A Christmas Sunset, (during the pandemic, no less!) 39:09 How she got A Christmas Sunset to Amazon once it was finished. 40:47 All about her latest produced film, The Demon Detective - and everything she learned to do (or not to do) from her experience producing and acting in A Christmas Sunset. 52:58 For those listening, who are inspired to follow in Dani's footsteps and self create - what is one thing you could do today to help get things moving in the right direction. Dani's IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7880072/ Check out A Christmas Sunset: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Sunset-Cassandra-James/dp/B093JSLB67 For more information about our acting classes, audition coaching and audition taping, head over to http://stankirschstudios.com/services

Eps 14: Joe Gressis (All things Demo Reels) Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

This week we talk all things Demo Reels with 3 time Emmy-nominated writer, editor and producer Joe Gressis. Joe has been named Best Demo Reel Editor by Backstage Magazine twice, and he is here to share so many tips and tricks on what makes a great demo reel edit. This is a must listen for any working actor in LA! We taped this during the pandemic, and it is still, to this day, our most requested zoom recording! WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR: :43 Colleen meeting Joe at a SAG-AFTRA workshop and knowing immediately she wanted to work with him. 4:27 How working on the other side of production has helped him hone in on what casting directors, and directors are looking for in Demo Reels when they watch them 5:22 What are your thoughts on having multiple reels. Just comedy, just drama, everything mashed together? 8:28 What’s the deal with length? Is shorter really better? Do you need a speed reel? 11:24 Trim the fat of the scene, and make sure it is focused mostly on you (while still making sense, of course). 12:03 “You have served the project by being in it, and now the project needs to serve you”. 13:42 Do you front load your demo with scenes that show famous actors, even if it’s not your best work? 16:55 How do you make your demo reel “pop”. 23:44 All about “air checks” and how to get footage. You can’t have a reel if you can’t get your footage! To find out more about Joe visit https://www.joesreels.com/ To find out more about our LA and online acting classes visit www.stankirschstudios.com/services

Josh Brener (Silicon Valley, The Last Of US) Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to the SKS Acting Podcast, Where Working Actors Talk. This week Colleen Foy chats with one of my favorite people of all time and a former SKS teacher Josh Brener. Josh is one of the most talented actors I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and with over 70 IMDB credits, he is a wealth of knowledge in the entertainment industry. We hear how he prepped for some of the biggest auditions of his career, the importance of trusting you’re enough as an actor, his thoughts on self tapes vs in person auditions… and how he handles the inevitable disappointments that every actor faces. WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR: 2:31 Josh's origin story. Why he got into acting and why he decided to move to LA. 4:32 How Josh got his first acting agent and his SAG card and booking his first series regular on GLORY DAYS. 7:55 His audition process for THE INTERNSHIP - how he prepped for his chemistry read with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, while also being in consideration for WE'RE THE MILLERS and prepping to chemistry read with Jason Sudeikis. 15:43 When and how to use improv and "scripted' ad libs in auditions. 18:06 The importance of preparation and rehearsing under duress. "Play how you practice and practice how you play" - How the SKS style of teaching got him ready for these high stake situations. 21:20 The mental game of auditioning and how that differs from "acting". 24:02 Finding the note behind a note when a casting director or director tell you to "be'' the essence of another famous actor. Finding your version of that and bringing yourself to it. "Lead with yourself". 31:54 Trusting you are enough as an actor and you don't have to "do" so much. "You're thinking you're alive, you're present. And I think that's just the trust thing, right? Like, I don't have to, I don't have to turn it on here. Because this is enough." 38:24 How does Josh handle the inevitable disappointments that come with being an auditioning actor. Q&A FROM THE AUDIENCE 44:21 What is your dream role, that may not be something you would typically be cast as. 46:21 How do things change once you've been a series regular. Do you get treated differently when you audition. Are things different having one of the top 3 agencies? 50:31 Auditioning in the room vs. self taped auditions. 58:07 What do you do in between jobs, especially now during the WGA and SAG strikes, to stay inspired and feel creative. 1:02:42 Did you feel like the further you went into voiceover that you were seen being pulled out of live action more than Did you feel like it actually opened more doors for you? FOR MORE INFO ON SKS SERVICES VISIT: https://stankirschstudios.com/services

Episode 12 - Adam Tsekhman (Actor, DC's Legends of Tomorrow) Sep 13, 2023

Show notes

This week Colleen Foy chats with the incomparable Adam Tsekhman. Adam tells us how a family trip to Moscow landed him his first job in television, how he turned a recurring role into a series regular on a major hit tv show, how he handles disappointments in the industry, the importance of gratitude, and his feelings on saying no to jobs. He is charming, insightful, witty and just so real. Enjoy! WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR: :20 How did he first come to SKS, and what was his biggest take away from studying with us? 4:09 Adam's origin story: How he got into acting. 8:15 How his dad pushed him to leave NY and move to LA. "LA's not coming to you. You have to push it, you have to be aggressive". 9:48 How a family trip to Moscow led to his first television role. 13:42 The process of getting his first acting agent in Los Angeles. 18:51 All about finding his niche/branding as an actor, and how he feels about being typecast. 25:32 Making his own projects - Comrades and Americanastan and his thoughts on pushing the envelope and being controversial. "Everyone is fucking worried about being offensive. Not me, Colleen". 31:03 The casting process on DC's LEGENDS OF TOMORROW. 36:39 Why it's important to be a team player, be grateful, be a good person. Don't be an asshole. 40:42 How he took a 3 episode arc and turned it into a series regular. 43:50 When and how to fight for more as an actor and the fear it can bring up. 54:50 The process of auditioning for NIGHT AGENT and what it was like working on the show. 1:02:13 A little love for Colleen being an amazing actress, acting coach, and overall incredible person! FOR MORE INFO ON SKS VISIT: https://stankirschstudios.com/services

Episode 11: Elizabeth Knowelden - Uncover The World Of Audio Narration Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

This week we have an illuminating chat with New York Times bestselling audiobook actor Elizabeth Knowelden. Listen as this multi-talented actress, singer and director opens our eyes to the wonderful world of voice narration, an industry untouched by the covid pandemic OR the current double strikes. Learn all the ins and outs and gain a ton of tips and tricks! (Transcript coming soon) **Disclaimer - This was recorded during a record heat wave in LA. There will be a bit of AC noise throughout the episode. We understand the irony, given that this is an episode dedicated to voice acting and the technical aspects of it. 2:48 Elizabeth's journey from England to LA Starting in drama school in the UK. Knowing at a young age she was meant to end up in America. After drama school, joined a networking week in LA and moved out within 6 months. 7:35 What brought her to SKS When she moved to LA, she was auditing classes that were disturbing and left a bad taste in her mouth Had a lunch with a best friend who told her SKS was different and from the first consultation she knew this was the kind of school she wanted to be a part of. "Because there were certain things in the just the formulation of a script that if you don't do them, or if you do do them, it makes it much easier for them to visualize you and see you on screen in their specific show" It was like the heaven's opened up. 10:53 What brought her into voice artistry? Audio dramas that led to audio books Many different little tangents and random roads that led her down this path 13:58 Recording her first audio book Going into a studio vs building her at home studio during covid. Prepping for audio books and the characters. Audio books, audio drama, video games not being affected by the strike or covid. The beauty of being generate income from your own home, doing what you love. There is room for everyone's voice in this world. 23:12 What would she tell someone listening who wants to pursue audio narration? For audio books you do not need an agent. Everything else voice related, you do need an agent. Make a great demo reel. For audiobooks, send your demo to audio book producers and publishing houses. 35:15 Questions from the audience Do you ever struggle with the balance of slowing down your pace, but also trying to maintain the appropriate energy for the performance, Do you annotate your script to help you with changes of energy in the book. How to you maintain your vocal health? How do you go about cultivating relationships with producers and publishers? Any tricks for keeping track of the different characters?

Eps 10: Ulysses Morazan of @ulyandernesto (Social Media Series Part 2) Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

This week we are diving into part 2 of our social media series, sitting down with Ulysses Morazan. Uly is not only an incredible actor, but over the past 5 years, he and his "current husband" have built and monetized a massive social media following with over 432,000 TikTok followers to date. Listen as he demystifies the process, and find out how this newfound passion has helped him in his acting career. For all the laughs, follow him and his current husband on tiktok @ulyandernesto WHAT YOU'LL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE: 2:41 How did you start your social media? *Started 5 years ago with his boyfriend (now "current" husband). *Began filming just for fun and fell in love with the creative process. *Started with the commitment of doing one youtube video a week, knowing that consistency was the most important thing. *Youtube felt a bit oversaturated, so they decided to get an IG account. That began growing much faster, and brands started reaching out. *Follow the money! *Everything changed with TikTok - so much easier to show who you are in video vs images. AND they got in at the beginning before it was oversaturated. 8:15 What makes a video go viral? *Hook in your audience as fast as possible to keep them on the platform as long as possible. *Video content being in "list" form (Buzzfeed is great at this!) *MAKE REALLY GOOD CONTENT. *Capitalize on a current trend. *Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason. You can do everything "right', and it doesn't catch on. *Why Uly prefers videos NOT go viral, and instead cares about the community he is growing, the community that already likes and cares about his content. 12:31 Navigating the success of social media: *How did they navigate their first brand deals and how did they get them? *When did he decide to quit his day job and rely solely on this income? *How important branding is, and how he and Ernesto discovered what they are "selling". *The "I Love Lucy" formula and why it works for them. *How figuring out his branding on social media has helped his branding as an actor. *Has his following helped his acting career? 30:39 What should someone do who is just starting out? *It can be overwhelming at first - so just focus on 5 influencers you would like to model yourself actor. Ask yourself what your "version" of that is. Pay attention to their content. *Rip the bandaid off and just start posting, and realize it's not that scary and it gets easier and easier. *Be authentic...viewers are craving authenticity.

Colleen chats with Sam Valentine of One Broke Actress Aug 15, 2023

Show notes

This week we sit down with Sam Valentine of the wildly popular podcast, One Broke Actress. Find out how she turned a private blog, into one of THE most influential and listened to podcasts amongst actors today. How she parlayed the success of One Broke Actress into a full blown career, which then allowed her to qualify for SAG health insurance for the first time ever since joining the union in 2017. She inspires us, she educates us, she makes us laugh! 0:00 Intro to Sam and how she started in LA 4:27 How to deal with bad reps. 6:37 Learning that theatre acting and tv/film auditioning are VERY different. 13:01 Starting One Broke Actress as a blog. 16:57 How One Broke Actress the podcast took off. 21:14 Signing the SAG contract for the podcast in Feb 2023, and how it led to SAG health insurance. 29:23 Is there a learning curve to social media? 37:05 Dealing with others judging your social media. 40:45 Sam's favorite episodes of her podcast over the years. Check out more about Sam and all of her platforms: https://onebrokeactress.com

Colleen sits down with Stephanie Czajkowski for a powerful, inspiring interview Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

We welcome Stephanie Czajkowski, who's inspiring journey is unlike any we have ever brought you. We talk about how, through her 3 cancer diagnosis, she embraced her power, discovered exactly who she is, and how it helped her approach her acting career in a whole new empowered way. She is a fighter, a survivor, and her attitude is so contagious we know this talk with leave you full of inspiration and ready to take on the world.

Actor and SKS alum, Tim Ciou (NBC's THE COMPANY YOU KEEP May 15, 2023

Show notes

This week, we sit down with actor and SKS alum Tim Chiou. We learn all about his start in the industry, his unbelievable chemistry read for NBC'S THE COMPANY YOU KEEP, how his auditions have changed since being a series regular...... and we hear his thoughts on the writer's strike.

Happy Hour Round table Real Talk w/ Colleen Foy, Angela Fornero, Brock Ciarlelli, Aleks Ristic May 08, 2023

Show notes

SKS teachers, Colleen Foy, Brock Ciarlelli, Angela Fornero and Aleks Ristic, sit down with a cocktail and real talk about the tv/film industry and their life as auditioning actors. The talk about how to ward off burnout, ways to keep your creative muscles working, radical acceptance, how to be unfuckwithable, how to silence perfectionism and the feeling of "I MUST book this job". They cover everything from nerves in the audition room and on set, to table reads and how to us them to your benefit, what tv shows actors should be watching, how to stay in contact with casting without crossing boundaries, and how they REALLY feel about "to memorize, or not to memorize" lines. Nothing is off the table in this chat! Get ready to get inspired, learn a ton and rediscover your love for acting! https://stankirschstudios.com

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