Michael Bott

Michael Bott – Marathon ManFollow MICHAEL BOTT on Twitter @MichaelBott and @ActorChatTVHere is the Michael Bott WEB SITEWhy do I say Michael Bott is a Marathon Man? Because it seems to me he embodies the notion that an acting career is ‘a marathon not a sprint’. He’s in for the long haul.With 35+ years experience in stage and film acting with credits such as the National Theater and the Royal Shakespeare Company in addition to a number of film and television roles (most recently a 15 episode stint on the BBC daytime drama DOCTORS) Michael Bott has a resume to be proud of.This actor’s journey hasn’t been all in a straight line, however. After about twenty years in ‘the game’ Michael stepped away temporarily from acting to work as a videographer and documentary filmmaker. One of his projects is an outstanding documentary called STANDING WITH STONES. More about that project a bit farther down the page.Michael Bott – Actor ChatI first became aware of Michael via the BLAB.IM live streaming platform. I had heard about BLAB while listening to a podcast and I decided to see what all the stir was about.Of course I went there searching for content about acting and filmmaking and one of the first shows I happened upon was one called Actor Chat, with Michael Bott as the host and discussion leader. I found the Actor Chat sessions to be absolutely terrific and I was hooked on them and I suppose to an extent on Blab.I recall being absolutely shocked while listening to one of the Actor Chat recordings when I heard the discussion veer onto a topic that included a reference to some content from an episode of this podcast. Wow! I always HOPE that some helpful information is being distributed through Actors Talk, but to hear something referenced in a live chat happening across the Atlantic was pretty cool indeed.Michael Bott – Actor Notes PodcastAs I began to search for more information about Michael Bott and his career, I soon learned that, like myself, he produces a podcast.Once I had found and subscribed to his ACTOR NOTES podcast, I became an even bigger fan. The presentation skills Michael Bott possesses are top notch. With a smooth delivery and a wonderful tone to his voice, I quickly ‘binge listened’ to (at the time) all nine episodes of Actor Notes. I never miss an episode.As a bonus, not only is the listener treated to Michael’s thoughts about acting and ‘the business’ but he also has a series of shows featuring his wife, Sharon Bott, who is a life coach and a terrific podcaster in her own right.If you check out just one episode, I think you’ll become a regular listener.Michael Bott – Standing With StonesOne of his documentaries, a film called STANDING WITH STONES, which he photographed and directed, is particularly impressive. Imagine packing up in a motor home and hitting the road to through Britain, Ireland and Scotland to shoot a film about prehistoric stone structures. That’s what he did, along with fellow traveler on this project, writer, Rupert Soskin.Here’s what Michael Bott has to say about the project:In 2005 my dear friend Rupert Soskin and I threw caution to the wind and embarked upon the production of an epic documentary film – a travelogue visiting the standing stones, stone circles and other ancient sites of Britain, Ireland and Scotland. It took two years and the result, of which we are very proud, is ‘Standing with Stones.Standing with Stones – The Trailer from M. Bott on VimeoThe post Michael Bott – He’s A Marathon Man | 066 appeared first on Actors Talk.

<h2>Michael Bott – Marathon Man</h2>Follow MICHAEL BOTT on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelBott" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@MichaelBott</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ActorChatTV" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ActorChatTV</a>Here is the Michael Bott <a href="http://michaelbott.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WEB SITE</a>Why do I say Michael Bott is a Marathon Man? Because it seems to me he embodies the notion that an acting career is ‘a marathon not a sprint’. He’s in for the long haul.<a href="http://michaelbott.net" rel="attachment wp-att-4046 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>With 35+ years experience in stage and film acting with credits such as the National Theater and the Royal Shakespeare Company in addition to a number of film and television roles (most recently a 15 episode stint on the BBC daytime drama DOCTORS) Michael Bott has a resume to be proud of.This actor’s journey hasn’t been all in a straight line, however. After about twenty years in ‘the game’ Michael stepped away temporarily from acting to work as a videographer and documentary filmmaker. One of his projects is an outstanding documentary called <a href="http://www.standingstones.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">STANDING WITH STONES</a>. More about that project a bit farther down the page.<h2>Michael Bott – Actor Chat</h2><a href="https://blab.im/search?q=ACTORCHAT" rel="attachment wp-att-4029 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>I first became aware of Michael via the <a href="https://blab.im/search?q=ACTORCHAT" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BLAB.IM </a>live streaming platform. I had heard about BLAB while listening to a podcast and I decided to see what all the stir was about.Of course I went there searching for content about acting and filmmaking and one of the first shows I happened upon was one called Actor Chat, with Michael Bott as the host and discussion leader. I found the Actor Chat sessions to be absolutely terrific and I was hooked on them and I suppose to an extent on Blab.I recall being absolutely shocked while listening to one of the Actor Chat recordings when I heard the discussion veer onto a topic that included a reference to some content from an episode of this podcast. Wow! I always HOPE that some helpful information is being distributed through Actors Talk, but to hear something referenced in a live chat happening across the Atlantic was pretty cool indeed.<h2>Michael Bott – Actor Notes Podcast</h2><a href="http://michaelbott.podbean.com/" rel="attachment wp-att-4033 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>As I began to search for more information about Michael Bott and his career, I soon learned that, like myself, he produces a podcast.Once I had found and subscribed to his <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/actor-notes/id1073953711" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ACTOR NOTES</a> podcast, I became an even bigger fan. The presentation skills Michael Bott possesses are top notch. With a smooth delivery and a wonderful tone to his voice, I quickly ‘binge listened’ to (at the time) all nine episodes of Actor Notes. I never miss an episode.As a bonus, not only is the listener treated to Michael’s thoughts about acting and ‘the business’ but he also has a series of shows featuring his wife, Sharon Bott, who is a life coach and a terrific podcaster in her own right.If you check out just one episode, I think you’ll become a regular listener.<h2>Michael Bott – Standing With Stones</h2>One of his documentaries, a film called <a href="http://www.standingstones.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">STANDING WITH STONES,</a> which he photographed and directed, is particularly impressive. Imagine packing up in a motor home and hitting the road to through Britain, Ireland and Scotland to shoot a film about prehistoric stone structures. That’s what he did, along with fellow traveler on this project, writer, Rupert Soskin.Here’s what Michael Bott has to say about the project:<blockquote>In 2005 my dear friend Rupert Soskin and I threw caution to the wind and embarked upon the production of an epic documentary film – a travelogue visiting the standing stones, stone circles and other ancient sites of Britain, Ireland and Scotland. It took two years and the result, of which we are very proud, is ‘Standing with Stones.</blockquote><a href="https://vimeo.com/32863137" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Standing with Stones – The Trailer</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/michaelbott" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">M. Bott</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Vimeo</a>The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/actor-michael-bott-a-marathon-man/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Bott – He’s A Marathon Man | 066</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Michael Bott – He’s A Marathon Man | 066

Chantel Riley

Chantel Riley – From Open Call To BroadwayChantel Riley was working at an insurance agency in Toronto,CAN and pondering if she should become a dance instructor at the school where she had studied. Then IT happened. A friend told her about and open call for Disney. For THE LION KING.Let’s put a hold on Chantel Riley’s story for just a second. Time for a reality check.Open Call – Cattle CallGoogle search the term OPEN CALL or alternatively CATTLE CALL and, if you’re an inexperienced, hopeful actor/singer/dancer, prepare to be jolted into reality.Open Calls are just that – OPEN. To anyone who fits the basic profile of the talent sought – age, gender, height, body type, sometimes even ethnicity can all be relevant to what the producers are searching for.Still since we are talking Open Calls, there is almost a certainty that if the casting call specified the producers are looking only for blonde women at least 6 feet tall, there will be a certain number of hopefuls who show up not even coming close to the desired specs. They’ve heard the stories about actors getting discovered in stranger ways and JUST MAYBE THEY will be the lucky one who gets picked ahead of the mass of actors who DO actually meet the desired spec. Stop it. Throw cold water on your face and get a grip on reality.Chantel Riley has been in THE LION KING on BROADWAY for several years as of this writing and now she’s landed her first role in a major Hollywood film.  RACE from Focus Features is the film about American track star Jesse Owens and his experiences at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. After seeing the trailer for this film several times recently, RACE has the look of a good film and hopefully, a big hit. Chantel Riley, Paging Chantel Riley Typically everyone is told to arrive at the same time. The actor (or the actor’s parents) will sign in and take a seat. Then they will typically wait. And wait. And wait. According to Chantel Riley, when she arrived at the open call she attended, it was packed. She signed in. And she waited.  Just like everyone else. At some point, if the actor is actually in the ballpark physically, she/he will be called to audition. If the audition goes well, the actor may get a callback.  Or, as with any other audition, the actor may be terrific, but just not what the producers are seeking.  Such is the nature of the business. That’s the good news.  Open Calls – The Bad News The bad news is that the experienced, trained talent is grouped, at least initially, in with the likely majority of ‘talent’ who have little or no training and a similar amount of experience.  This is one reason experienced, trained actors stay away from open calls. There is no filter for who is allowed to attend. I’m not even going to get into the total SCAM OPEN CALLS that purport to be casting for Disney or some other reputable entity when in fact they don’t. Does that really happen? Again, just take to Google or your favorite search engine and do some research. The bottom line on Open Calls and Cattle Calls is this: If you have the time and patience and if you have little training and no agent representation, then go for it. If you have training and experience but you’re not booking work then you might want to consider an open call.  As long as no one asks you for any money, ANY MONEY, all you’re likely to be out is your time. You might even get some good from the experience. Back to the Chantel Riley story Why all the above about OPEN CALLS.  Because this episode of Actors Talk is about a dancer / singer who did take the shot at a legitimate Open Call and hit the jackpot. Chantel Riley was working at an insurance agency in Toronto,CAN and pondering if she should become a dance instructor at the school where she had TRAINED. (Keep that word TRAINED in mind.)  Then IT happened. A friend told her about and open call for Disney. Chantel Riley was a talented, TRAINED dancer/singer but a largely untrained actor at the time. Still he had the desire backed by her extraordinary talent and she was able to perform at a high level under a stressful situation. The Callback Following her initial audition, Chantel Riley received a callback. She came back with prepared to perform some new material she had been given. That callback went well but still she would wait to see if this open call was the beginning of a new adventure, maybe a new career, or just a false alarm, an afternoon diversion. Promise with no payoff. That’s certainly what it was for the majority of the other performers who waited their turns with Chantel Riley that day in Toronto. But the call DID come and Chantel Riley was flown to Germany to AUDITION again, this time for the German company of THE LION KING.   After learning THE LION KING show IN GERMAN, learning it phonetically as she did not speak German, Chantel Riley joined the cast of THE LION KING and performed as NALA in that company for a year.   Then the opportunity came to AUDITION again, for the BROADWAY company. Yes, she had been hired and had been performing the character for a year and still she had to audition again to make the BROADWAY cast.   Chantel Riley – RACE and THE LION KING What a story, eh? Yes, the improbable…almost impossible it seems, does happen now and again. It happened for Chantel Riley.  She’s been in THE LION KING on BROADWAY for several years as of this writing and now she’s landed her first role in a major Hollywood film. RACE from Focus Features is the film about American track star Jesse Owens and his experiences at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. After seeing the trailer for this film several times recently, RACE has the look of a good film and hopefully, a big hit.  Let’s Be Clear The Chantel Riley success story that I’ve briefly described above is a LONG SHOT. A very long shot.  Even with great talent Chantel Riley’s story could have had a very different outcome. I say that not to be negative to put some caution out to all the hopefuls who will hear her story but lack her talent and work ethic. If you have THE DREAM, by all means GO FOR IT. But go for it with training and preparation.  Give yourself a chance to rise above the masses of people who will show up at an open call untrained and unprepared for what is required. Chantel Riley has a great story. Let it inspire you but not deceive you into thinking that what she has accomplished has been easy or for the faint of heart. Could you learn a book and a score in a foreign language, perform that show not really understanding what you were saying and do it convincingly enough to remain employed until the language barrier became a lesser issue and you could finally begin to rock your talent? That’s what Chantel Riley did and I have great admiration for that kind of hard work and great talent. So YOU Want To Be On Broadway? Work hard. Maximize your talent. Always keep training. And follow your dreams knowing you’re ready to do your best.  MAYBE,just maybe, you can be the next Chantel Riley. And maybe I’ll get the chance to tell your story one day. That would be really cool. Go for it. Actor Michael Bott Join me in early March for Actors Talk Podcast Episode 66 when I’ll be interviewing British actor, Michael Bott. The post Chantel Riley – RACE and THE LION KING |065 appeared first on Actors Talk.

<h2>Chantel Riley – From Open Call To Broadway</h2><a href="http://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/chantel-riley/profile/" rel="attachment wp-att-4009 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Chantel Riley was working at an insurance agency in Toronto,CAN and pondering if she should become a dance instructor at the school where she had studied. Then IT happened. A friend told her about and open call for Disney. For <a href="http://www.lionking.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">THE LION KING.</a>Let’s put a hold on Chantel Riley’s story for just a second. Time for a reality check.<h2>Open Call – Cattle Call</h2>Google search the term OPEN CALL or alternatively CATTLE CALL and, if you’re an inexperienced, hopeful actor/singer/dancer, prepare to be jolted into reality.Open Calls are just that – OPEN. To anyone who fits the basic profile of the talent sought – age, gender, height, body type, sometimes even ethnicity can all be relevant to what the producers are searching for.Still since we are talking Open Calls, there is almost a certainty that if the casting call specified the producers are looking only for blonde women at least 6 feet tall, there will be a certain number of hopefuls who show up not even coming close to the desired specs. They’ve heard the stories about actors getting discovered in stranger ways and JUST MAYBE THEY will be the lucky one who gets picked ahead of the mass of actors who DO actually meet the desired spec. Stop it. Throw cold water on your face and get a grip on reality.<blockquote>Chantel Riley has been in THE LION KING on BROADWAY for several years as of this writing and now she’s landed her first role in a major Hollywood film. <a href="http://www.focusfeatures.com/race" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> RACE</a> from Focus Features is the film about American track star Jesse Owens and his experiences at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. After seeing the trailer for this film several times recently, RACE has the look of a good film and hopefully, a big hit.</blockquote> <h2>Chantel Riley, Paging Chantel Riley</h2> Typically everyone is told to arrive at the same time. The actor (or the actor’s parents) will sign in and take a seat. Then they will typically wait. And wait. And wait. According to Chantel Riley, when she arrived at the open call she attended, it was packed. She signed in. And she waited. Just like everyone else. At some point, if the actor is actually in the ballpark physically, she/he will be called to audition. If the audition goes well, the actor may get a callback. Or, as with any other audition, the actor may be terrific, but just not what the producers are seeking. Such is the nature of the business. That’s the good news. <h2>Open Calls – The Bad News</h2> The bad news is that the experienced, trained talent is grouped, at least initially, in with the likely majority of ‘talent’ who have little or no training and a similar amount of experience. This is one reason experienced, trained actors stay away from open calls. There is no filter for who is allowed to attend. I’m not even going to get into the total SCAM OPEN CALLS that purport to be casting for Disney or some other reputable entity when in fact they don’t. Does that really happen? Again, just take to Google or your favorite search engine and do some research. The bottom line on Open Calls and Cattle Calls is this: If you have the time and patience and if you have little training and no agent representation, then go for it. If you have training and experience but you’re not booking work then you might want to consider an open call. As long as no one asks you for any money, ANY MONEY, all you’re likely to be out is your time. You might even get some good from the experience. <h2>Back to the Chantel Riley story</h2> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hpjz9N9x_wk" rel="attachment wp-att-4002 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Why all the above about OPEN CALLS. Because this episode of Actors Talk is about a dancer / singer who did take the shot at a legitimate Open Call and hit the jackpot. Chantel Riley was working at an insurance agency in Toronto,CAN and pondering if she should become a dance instructor at the school where she had TRAINED. (Keep that word TRAINED in mind.) Then IT happened. A friend told her about and open call for Disney. Chantel Riley was a talented, TRAINED dancer/singer but a largely untrained actor at the time. Still he had the desire backed by her extraordinary talent and she was able to perform at a high level under a stressful situation. <h2>The Callback</h2> Following her initial audition, Chantel Riley received a callback. She came back with prepared to perform some new material she had been given. That callback went well but still she would wait to see if this open call was the beginning of a new adventure, maybe a new career, or just a false alarm, an afternoon diversion. Promise with no payoff. That’s certainly what it was for the majority of the other performers who waited their turns with Chantel Riley that day in Toronto. But the call DID come and Chantel Riley was flown to Germany to AUDITION again, this time for the German company of THE LION KING. After learning THE LION KING show IN GERMAN, learning it phonetically as she did not speak German, Chantel Riley joined the cast of THE LION KING and performed as NALA in that company for a year. Then the opportunity came to AUDITION again, for the BROADWAY company. Yes, she had been hired and had been performing the character for a year and still she had to audition again to make the BROADWAY cast. <a href="https://twitter.com/chantel_riley" rel="attachment wp-att-4014 nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <h2>Chantel Riley – RACE and THE LION KING</h2> What a story, eh? Yes, the improbable…almost impossible it seems, does happen now and again. It happened for Chantel Riley. She’s been in THE LION KING on BROADWAY for several years as of this writing and now she’s landed her first role in a major Hollywood film.<a href="http://www.focusfeatures.com/race" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> RACE</a> from Focus Features is the film about American track star Jesse Owens and his experiences at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. After seeing the trailer for this film several times recently, RACE has the look of a good film and hopefully, a big hit. <h2>Let’s Be Clear</h2> The Chantel Riley success story that I’ve briefly described above is a LONG SHOT. A very long shot. Even with great talent Chantel Riley’s story could have had a very different outcome. I say that not to be negative to put some caution out to all the hopefuls who will hear her story but lack her talent and work ethic. If you have THE DREAM, by all means GO FOR IT. But go for it with training and preparation. Give yourself a chance to rise above the masses of people who will show up at an open call untrained and unprepared for what is required. Chantel Riley has a great story. Let it inspire you but not deceive you into thinking that what she has accomplished has been easy or for the faint of heart. Could you learn a book and a score in a foreign language, perform that show not really understanding what you were saying and do it convincingly enough to remain employed until the language barrier became a lesser issue and you could finally begin to rock your talent? That’s what Chantel Riley did and I have great admiration for that kind of hard work and great talent. <h2>So YOU Want To Be On Broadway?</h2> Work hard. Maximize your talent. Always keep training. And follow your dreams knowing you’re ready to do your best. MAYBE,just maybe, you can be the next Chantel Riley. And maybe I’ll get the chance to tell your story one day. That would be really cool. Go for it. <h2>Actor Michael Bott</h2> Join me in early March for Actors Talk Podcast Episode 66 when I’ll be interviewing British actor, <a href="http://michaelbott.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Bott.</a> The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/chantel-riley-race-and-the-lion-king-atp065/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chantel Riley – RACE and THE LION KING |065</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Chantel Riley – RACE and THE LION KING |065

Joe Hansard

JOE HANSARD – CHARACTER ACTORJoe Hansard, the actor I’m pleased to spend some time with on this episode of Actors Talk is a wonderful character actor from the New York area. Joe has been a professional actor for several decades and it shows in his presence on the screen. Whether he’s playing one of America’s most wanted, a NY Cop at the turn of the century on THE KNICK or a homeless person on the mean streets of the big city, Joe Hansard brings something special to each role. The label, Character Actor, is a badge of honor, as well it should be. He wears it well.Follow Joe on Twitter Interested in having Joe Hansard in your project? Joe’s AgentEqually at home in mainstream media and the independent film scene, Hansard has years of experience as both lead and supporting player. Known for an eclectic screen persona, his characters span the gamut, from hillbillies to the homeless — a mixed bag of lovable creeps, kooks, cops, etc.What image comes to mind when you hear the term ‘Character Actor’?  If you’re a fan of the Steven Soderbergh series, THE KNICK, then you’ll recall seeing Joe Hansard recently in his fine turn as Tuggle, a bull dog of a detective who bites off more than he can chew in THIS IS ALL WE ARE, the final episode of season two. Or maybe you caught him as the homeless man in MYSTERIES OF LAURA or on THE WIRE, HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET or one of the many other shows to which he’s contributed his talent.Joe Hansard – Nature of The BusinessIt’s the nature of the business that many fine actors, fine character actors in particular, often labor in a kind on anonymity. They are ‘that guy in that thing.’ Or ‘you know…THAT guy.” Familiar faces who always deliver something interesting in what can be rather pedestrian programming. They are actors whose faces may ring a bell but whose names, sadly, often escape us. But to the people who produce and cast television and film roles, it is these wonderful actors who can be pivotal to the success of a project. I’ve been following the career of Joe Hansard for a few years now and, full disclosure, I consider him a friend. Not that we’ve ever met. But as a character actor myself, I’ve always appreciated what my fellow character actors bring to the set and then to the screen. Wonderful actors like Joe Hansard are, in large part, made we want to try to work in this crazy business…made me believe there might be a place for me. I hope you’ll enjoy my chat with Joe Hansard. Joe Hansard offers a revealing glimpse into the struggles and celebrations that make up an actor’s journey. It’s an honest and revealing chat and a look into the heart of a terrific actor.  CHARACTER ACTOR – It’s a title Joe Hansard wears honorably and wears well.  And if you haven’t checked out THE KNICK, be sure to do so.  Be bold, start with the final episode of Season 2, THIS IS ALL WE ARE, so you can see what I’m talking about when I say Joe Hansard is an actor I will always look forward to watching on screen. MORE ABOUT CHARACTER ACTORS What exactly IS a character actor?  That question will likely provoke lively debate among fans but here’s a decent definition I found in Wikipedia: A character actor is a supporting actor skilled at playing distinctly unusual, interesting or eccentric characters, such that they are “almost unrecognizable from part to part, and yet play many, many roles convincingly and memorably.” Not a bad definition. But What about you? Who is on your ‘go to’ list of favorite character actors? Perhaps you think of Paul Giamatti, Steve Buscemi, Gary Oldman, Danny Trejo or John Hawkes.  Let’s not forget wonderful female character actors like Joan Cusack, Tilda Swinton or Maya Rudolph to name just a few.  Listeners closer to my age might first think of someone like Karl Malden, Jack Albertson, Alan Arkin, Ned Beatty or Wilford Brimley. And character actresses like Lois Smith, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sharon Gless, Mary Kay Place, Regina King,  Older still might go to Peter Lorre, Charles Bickford, Walter Brennan, Gabby Hayes, Harry Carey or his son Harry Carey Jr. who like his father had a very successful career as a Hollywood Character Actor, predominantly in westerns. I can’t leave out actresses like Ellen Corby, Jessica Tandy or Thelma Ritter.  I would also be remiss if I excluded my great friend, the late Gregory Walcott a leading man early in his career but best known as a reliable guest star on hundreds of episodic television shows from the 1950s through the 1980s and for dynamic character turns in films such as Battle Cry, Joe Kidd, The Eiger Sanction, Norma Rae and my favorite of his character roles, Weenie in Prime Cut opposite Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman – two more examples of character men who had long careers as major stars. Who Is Missing? Is one or more of your favorites missing? Of course they are. Any ‘top of the head’ listing of these wonderful actors is bound to leave out scores of deserving men and women. Want to have some fun? Check out these few lists of favorite character actors, male and female. If you really want to honor your favorite character actors, make your own list on IMDb.  Best Female Character Actors of All Time 25 Great Character Actors Best Character Actors Of All Time  The post Joe Hansard Character Actor The Knick |ATP 064 appeared first on Actors Talk.

<h2>JOE HANSARD – CHARACTER ACTOR</h2>Joe Hansard, the actor I’m pleased to spend some time with on this episode of Actors Talk is a wonderful character actor from the New York area. Joe has been a professional actor for several decades and it shows in his presence on the screen. Whether he’s playing one of America’s most wanted, a NY Cop at the turn of the century on <a href="http://www.cinemax.com/the-knick/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">THE KNICK</a> or a homeless person on the mean streets of the big city, Joe Hansard brings something special to each role. The label, Character Actor, is a badge of honor, as well it should be. He wears it well.<a href="https://twitter.com/joehansard" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Joe on Twitter</a> Interested in having Joe Hansard in your project? <a href="http://maultsbytalent.com/models-and-talent.php?group=Male&amp;type=TV/Film&amp;location=New%20York&amp;id=730#view" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joe’s Agent</a><blockquote>Equally at home in mainstream media and the independent film scene, Hansard has years of experience as both lead and supporting player. Known for an eclectic screen persona, his characters span the gamut, from hillbillies to the homeless — a mixed bag of lovable creeps, kooks, cops, etc.</blockquote>What image comes to mind when you hear the term ‘Character Actor’? <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2937900/" rel="attachment wp-att-3968 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>If you’re a fan of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001752/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Steven Soderbergh </a>series, THE KNICK, then you’ll recall seeing Joe Hansard recently in his fine turn as Tuggle, a bull dog of a detective who bites off more than he can chew in THIS IS ALL WE ARE, the final episode of season two. Or maybe you caught him as the homeless man in MYSTERIES OF LAURA or on THE WIRE, HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET or one of the many other shows to which he’s contributed his talent.<h2>Joe Hansard – Nature of The Business</h2>It’s the nature of the business that many fine actors, fine character actors in particular, often labor in a kind on anonymity. They are ‘that guy in that thing.’ Or ‘you know…THAT guy.” Familiar faces who always deliver something interesting in what can be rather pedestrian programming. They are actors whose faces may ring a bell but whose names, sadly, often escape us. But to the people who produce and cast television and film roles, it is these wonderful actors who can be pivotal to the success of a project. I’ve been following the career of Joe Hansard for a few years now and, full disclosure, I consider him a friend. Not that we’ve ever met. But as a character actor myself, I’ve always appreciated what my fellow character actors bring to the set and then to the screen. Wonderful actors like Joe Hansard are, in large part, made we want to try to work in this crazy business…made me believe there might be a place for me. I hope you’ll enjoy my chat with Joe Hansard. Joe Hansard offers a revealing glimpse into the struggles and celebrations that make up an actor’s journey.<a href="http://joehansard.com" rel="attachment wp-att-3969 nofollow" target="_blank"></a> It’s an honest and revealing chat and a look into the heart of a terrific actor. CHARACTER ACTOR – It’s a title Joe Hansard wears honorably and wears well. And if you haven’t checked out THE KNICK, be sure to do so. Be bold, start with the final episode of Season 2, THIS IS ALL WE ARE, so you can see what I’m talking about when I say Joe Hansard is an actor I will always look forward to watching on screen. <h2>MORE ABOUT CHARACTER ACTORS</h2> What exactly IS a character actor? That question will likely provoke lively debate among fans but here’s a decent definition I found in Wikipedia: <blockquote>A character actor is a supporting actor skilled at playing distinctly unusual, interesting or eccentric characters, such that they are “almost unrecognizable from part to part, and yet play many, many roles convincingly and memorably.”</blockquote> Not a bad definition. But What about you? Who is on your ‘go to’ list of favorite character actors? Perhaps you think of Paul Giamatti, Steve Buscemi, Gary Oldman, Danny Trejo or John Hawkes. Let’s not forget wonderful female character actors like Joan Cusack, Tilda Swinton or Maya Rudolph to name just a few. Listeners closer to my age might first think of someone like Karl Malden, Jack Albertson, Alan Arkin, Ned Beatty or Wilford Brimley. And character actresses like Lois Smith, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sharon Gless, Mary Kay Place, Regina King, Older still might go to Peter Lorre, Charles Bickford, Walter Brennan, Gabby Hayes, Harry Carey or his son Harry Carey Jr. who like his father had a very successful career as a Hollywood Character Actor, predominantly in westerns. I can’t leave out actresses like Ellen Corby, Jessica Tandy or Thelma Ritter. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0906966/" rel="attachment wp-att-3988 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>I would also be remiss if I excluded my great friend, the late <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0906966/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gregory Walcott</a> a leading man early in his career but best known as a reliable guest star on hundreds of episodic television shows from the 1950s through the 1980s and for dynamic character turns in films such as Battle Cry, Joe Kidd, The Eiger Sanction, Norma Rae and my favorite of his character roles, Weenie in Prime Cut opposite Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman – two more examples of character men who had long careers as major stars. <h2>Who Is Missing?</h2> Is one or more of your favorites missing? Of course they are. Any ‘top of the head’ listing of these wonderful actors is bound to leave out scores of deserving men and women. Want to have some fun? Check out these few lists of favorite character actors, male and female. If you really want to honor your favorite character actors, make your own list on IMDb. Best <a href="http://www.imdb.com/list/ls000720784/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Female Character Actors</a> of All Time 25 Great<a href="http://www.digital-polyphony.com/top25characteractors.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Character Actors</a> Best Character Actors<a href="http://www.imdb.com/list/ls000369579/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Of All Time </a> The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/actor-joe-hansard-the-knick/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joe Hansard Character Actor The Knick |ATP 064</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Joe Hansard Character Actor The Knick |ATP 064

Lucas Kitchen

LUCAS KITCHEN – A CREATIVE MIND – NOTESAffiliate Link: Infinite Tomorrow: The Kingdom Chronicles Book OneOn this page you’ll find the host’s notes taken as he listened back to the recorded interview with Lucas Kitchen.TIME STAMPSAt various headings and in the interior of some comments you may find some ‘time stamps’ designated [21:29] for example.That is the approximate location within the recording that the comments noted occur. Hopefully that will make it easier for you to skip to areas that you might find most interesting.If you’d like the notes in their entirety, look for the ‘Read Full Transcript’ notice at the bottom of the page and click the arrow.Please let me know if adding the time codes is of any help or value to you!LESSONS FROM DAD[4:15]Dad had a lesson he taught us – never go anywhere without a sketchbook We always had something to draw with or something to write with There were definitely times when we’d stop the van and pull over to sketch a scene or somethingMUSIC THEN WRITING[5:37]Writing came along later, I think for a very specific reason. Being a pretty poor speller and confused about punctuation as a young kid, I thought I couldn’t write. I thought that technical skill that I lacked would keep me from writing. So for years I shied away from letting people see my written work because I was afraid I was doing it wrong.I wish someone would’ve sat me down and said ‘hey, you’re a good storyteller, you havve some weaknesses, it would be great if you worked on those because you really could do something with this. [6:14]LUCAS KITCHEN – VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ROCKS[7:50]I’m a big believer in high school level vocational programs. I first picked up a camera in a high school media class. I got acquainted with a lot of the basics of video production there, using a camera, storyboarding, etc.LUCAS KITCHEN – KID’S CAMPS TO START[8:28]First professionalprojects were kid’s summer camps. Someone asked me to shoot video at a summer camp. He called around and booked 10 camps to video that summer and a freelance videography career was born. That phase of the career lasted 7 years.LUCAS KITCHEN – THE DREAM[9:28]Work on freelance videography projects to fund the kind of film projects I really wanted to be doing. The benefits were that I had the equipment and the skill to put together shot film projects and even some feature length documentary projects. The freelance work was fueled by the education and confidence gained originally via the high school vocational video classesLUCAS KITCHEN – WHY STAY IN A SMALL MARKET[12:00]I wondered if Lucas had ever considered giving up a rather enjoyable small town lifestyle for life in a bigger market. My question, which I failed to follow up on properly was really about being able to work with more accomplished people than one might find in a smaller market.Lucas’ talks about the reality that in larger markets there is a lot more competition from talented people. In his East Texas location, there is a lot of work and less competitionLUCAS KITCHEN – OTHER THOUGHTS ON STAYING PUTonce you get to the level you thought you wanted to be to…a lot of times it’s not nearly as satisfying as you thought it would be [11:40] The peaceful lifestyle would be very hard to give up. When I was in L.A. or in even more distant locations like India, shooting, I realized I’d really rather be at home. I like east Texas.LUCAS KITCHEN – STORYTELLING[12:40]Writing a story is just magical From the first time I bought a camera to do commercials, I dreamed about making feature length narrative moviesRead Full TranscriptLESSONS FROM DAD [4:15] Dad had a lesson he taught us - never go anywhere without a sketchbook We always had something to draw with or something to write with There were definitely times when we'd stop the van and pull over to sketch a scene or someething MUSIC THEN WRITING [5:37] Writing came along later, I think for a very specific reason. Being a pretty poor speller and confused about punctuation as a young kid, I thought I couldn't write.  I  thought that technical skill that I lacked would keep me from writing. So for years I shied away from letting people see my written work because I was afraid I was  doing it wrong. I wish someone would've sat me down and said 'hey, you're a good storyteller, you havve some weaknesses, it would be great if you worked on those because you really  could do something with this. [6:14] VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ROCKS [7:50] I'm a big believer in high school level vocational programs I first picked up a camera in a high school media class.  I got acquainted with a lot of the basics of video production there, using a camera, storyboarding, etc. KID'S CAMPS TO START [8:28] First professional  projects were kid's summer camps. Someone asked me to shoot video at a summer camp. He called around and booked 10 camps to video that  summer and a freelance videography career was born. That phase of the career lasted 7 years. THE DREAM [9:28] Work on freelance videography projects to fund the kind of film projects I really wanted to be doing The benefits were that I had the equipment and the skill to put together shot film projects and even some feature length documentary projects The freelance work was fuled by the education and confidence gained orginally via the high school vocational video classes WHY STAY IN A SMALL MARKET [12:00] I wondered if Lucas had ever considered giving up a rather enjoyable small town lifestyle for life in a bigger market. My question, which I failed to follow up on  properly was really about being able to work with more accomplished people than one might find in a smaller market.  Lucas' talks about the reality that in larger markets there is a lot more competition from talented people. In his East Texas location, there is a lot of work and less  competition OTHER THOUGHTS ON STAYING PUT once you get to the level you tought you wanted to be to...a lot of times it's not nearly as satisfying as you tought it would be [11:40] The peaceful lifestyle would be very hard to give up When I was in L.A. or in even more distant locations like India, shooting, I realized I'd really rather be at home. I like east Texas. STORYTELLING [12:40] writing a story is just magical From the first time I bought a camera to do commercials, I dreamed about making feature length narrative movies DISTRIBUTION MODEL CHANGES [14:13] We talk about how the business of making and distributing creative content has changed dramatically in recent years. With the maturing online platforms such as  YouTube, it's not an absolute requirement to get a theatrical release for your project.  The same kinds of changes are happening for #actors as well, as more and more roles are being cast from self-taped auditions sent to regional production centers, in  Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, New Mexico, etc. [14:52] IDEA EUPHORIA [17:30] Lucas talks about having ideas for what he calls extravagant movies wth enormous budgets.  After a time of shooting film work he realized that these ideas were  unrealistic FIRST FEATURE BOMBS [17:57] The first narative feature we did was a total bomb!  We totally rushed the writing phase. We were like oh people will just love it and we'll just skimp on the script.  [We had the attitude of] We'll make it where we're loose or whatever. We made it and it was the worst move ever." It looked good, good cinematography, but they made terrible mistakes with the story.  The experience made him realize how much work it was to do narrative features and how expensive they are to produce...the expense was a real deal breaker...he began to  ask himself what am I going to do with all these great story ideas that are too expensive to make as movies? WHAT DO I DO WITH ALL MY STORY IDEAS [18:37] Lucas related that he realized he would not be able to make movies that were so expensive to shoot but he had all these fantastic story ideas. What could he do with  them? He decided that even though he knew his technical writing skills would need an editor and proofreaders, he would start writing these ideas as books instead of movies. I started wrting and I just had a blast. It was like I could build a set in thirty seconds.  I could cast the story in another fifteen seconds. And I could be shooting  a minute later. I mean, that's what it felt like. The tool for storytelling was just so much more readily available.[19:27] That was sort of intoxicating. It was such a magical thing. So what got me into writing was wanting to do movies. As soon as I kind of discovered that, the big  narrative movie dream was basically replaced. [20:09] I'd love to see my stories made into movies, but this is the medium for me, I think. AUDIOBOOKS [21:13] In my mind the audiobook is just the most fantastic thing I've ever experienced.  I love audio. When I write something I'm interested to see it become an audiobook fairly quickly.[21:29] There are some in my audience that don't necessarily read, they listen. PICKING A NARRATOR[22:00] I asked Lucas how it was as the author to hear his characters speaking out of someone else's mouth.  He said in essence that he has learned through trial and error that is was worth it to connect with professionals, with people who have some experience - narrators who  have some craft. ( My term not his.) You can get blinded by Mr. Big Voice. What Lucas says he has learned is that getting an actor who understands how to tell a story with his/her voice is much more  important that just finding someone who has a 'big' voice. [22:28] INFINITE TOMORROW - WHAT'S THE STORY [23:22] It's set on a planet called Newearth, a planet that comes after our earth and it opens in a sort of gardened setting where 12 young boys are being taught by a  character called an Elvangeline. It's sort of a 'boy goes on a journey' story. The protagonist [Abriel] is given a task to complete. Anyone who is familiar with ths  style of story understands that the lesson is in the journey not in the completion of the task. It's largely what I [the author] would call a millieu story. It's largely about the world he's living in. This NEWEARTH. More books may come from this same setting,  possibly a trilogy. [24:20] FANTASY, SCIENCE FICTION or SCIENCE FANTASY [24:53] I'm very interested in technology and where it is going in the future. How we as humans interact with technology. I'm enamored of the idea that science fiction and  fantasy are not really all that different. An author that Kitchen likes once said 'the only dfference between science fiction and fantasy is that one has rivets and  one has trees.' In a lot of my stories, the fantasy elements are woven into the scifi elements [25:58] WHO IS THE AUDIENCE [27:10] I don't really know who it's for until it's finished. [With this book]I'm sort of targeting fantasy lovers who are young at heart, that love a journey sort of story. I  read Narnia and The Hobit every couple of years and those are children's books. I feel like a young teen could enjoy it and an older reader will get more from it. I've  been saying it's probably best for age 13 and up. A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY [28:31] The story has at its core a spiritual journey or quest that is undertaken by Abriel, the protagonist. Lucas talked a bit about the spiritual aspect of this story. He  spoke about how fiction is often effectively used as a means to tell a story with spiritual or social significance. He also alluded to influential people throughout  history from Jesus to Martin Luther King, Jr. to Ghandi and how they were great storytellers.  ABOUT FICTION [29:11] I think whenever we have a lesson or moral we really want people to understand, I think there's no better vehicle than fiction, just because it [the lesson] sort of  creeps up on you, you realize it at some point but you're still enjoying the story Web Site [30:03] Lucas describes the type of works that can be found there:  fiction of all kinds, web comics and wearefiction.org  JOIN ME ON BLAB [32:10] I'm going to try something a bit different for me this coming Saturday 1/30/2016 as jump into live streaming on the BLAB.im platform Blab is a relatively new platform that combines some of best traits of Google Handouts and Hangouts On Air with a real time chat feature where audience members can  easily make comments or ask questions in real time. It looks like a very promising platform for an interview show like Actors Talk Podcast. It is live, so whatever  happens, happens. Join me if you'd like as I interview fellow podcaster, videorgapher Doc Kennedy. That's a wrap for Episode 63.  The post INFINITE  TOMORROW – LUCAS KITCHEN |063 appeared first on Actors Talk.

<h2>LUCAS KITCHEN – A CREATIVE MIND – NOTES</h2>Affiliate Link: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01A635WAI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B01A635WAI&amp;linkCode=am2&amp;tag=vinceyounggea-20&amp;linkId=QVKROCR432I7JSQR" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Infinite Tomorrow: The Kingdom Chronicles Book One</a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01A635WAI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B01A635WAI&amp;linkCode=am2&amp;tag=vinceyounggea-20&amp;linkId=QVKROCR432I7JSQR" rel="attachment wp-att-3932 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>On this page you’ll find the host’s notes taken as he listened back to the recorded interview with Lucas Kitchen.<h2>TIME STAMPS</h2><a href="http://wearefiction.org" rel="attachment wp-att-3927 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>At various headings and in the interior of some comments you may find some ‘time stamps’ designated [21:29] for example.That is the approximate location within the recording that the comments noted occur. Hopefully that will make it easier for you to skip to areas that you might find most interesting.If you’d like the notes in their entirety, look for the ‘Read Full Transcript’ notice at the bottom of the page and click the arrow.Please let me know if adding the time codes is of any help or value to you!<h2>LESSONS FROM DAD</h2>[4:15]Dad had a lesson he taught us – never go anywhere without a sketchbook We always had something to draw with or something to write with There were definitely times when we’d stop the van and pull over to sketch a scene or something<h2>MUSIC THEN WRITING</h2>[5:37]Writing came along later, I think for a very specific reason. Being a pretty poor speller and confused about punctuation as a young kid, I thought I couldn’t write. I thought that technical skill that I lacked would keep me from writing. So for years I shied away from letting people see my written work because I was afraid I was doing it wrong.I wish someone would’ve sat me down and said ‘hey, you’re a good storyteller, you havve some weaknesses, it would be great if you worked on those because you really could do something with this. [6:14]<a href="http://wearefiction.org" rel="attachment wp-att-3928 nofollow" target="_blank"></a><h2>LUCAS KITCHEN – VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ROCKS</h2>[7:50]I’m a big believer in high school level vocational programs. I first picked up a camera in a high school media class. I got acquainted with a lot of the basics of video production there, using a camera, storyboarding, etc.<h2>LUCAS KITCHEN – KID’S CAMPS TO START</h2>[8:28]First professionalprojects were kid’s summer camps. Someone asked me to shoot video at a summer camp. He called around and booked 10 camps to video that summer and a freelance videography career was born. That phase of the career lasted 7 years.<h2>LUCAS KITCHEN – THE DREAM</h2>[9:28]Work on freelance videography projects to fund the kind of film projects I really wanted to be doing. The benefits were that I had the equipment and the skill to put together shot film projects and even some feature length documentary projects. The freelance work was fueled by the education and confidence gained originally via the high school vocational video classes<h2>LUCAS KITCHEN – WHY STAY IN A SMALL MARKET</h2>[12:00]I wondered if Lucas had ever considered giving up a rather enjoyable small town lifestyle for life in a bigger market. My question, which I failed to follow up on properly was really about being able to work with more accomplished people than one might find in a smaller market.Lucas’ talks about the reality that in larger markets there is a lot more competition from talented people. In his East Texas location, there is a lot of work and less competition<h2>LUCAS KITCHEN – OTHER THOUGHTS ON STAYING PUT</h2>once you get to the level you thought you wanted to be to…a lot of times it’s not nearly as satisfying as you thought it would be [11:40] The peaceful lifestyle would be very hard to give up. When I was in L.A. or in even more distant locations like India, shooting, I realized I’d really rather be at home. I like east Texas.<h2>LUCAS KITCHEN – STORYTELLING</h2>[12:40]Writing a story is just magical From the first time I bought a camera to do commercials, I dreamed about making feature length narrative movies<a href="#" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Read Full Transcript</a>LESSONS FROM DAD [4:15] Dad had a lesson he taught us - never go anywhere without a sketchbook We always had something to draw with or something to write with There were definitely times when we'd stop the van and pull over to sketch a scene or someething MUSIC THEN WRITING [5:37] Writing came along later, I think for a very specific reason. Being a pretty poor speller and confused about punctuation as a young kid, I thought I couldn't write. I thought that technical skill that I lacked would keep me from writing. So for years I shied away from letting people see my written work because I was afraid I was doing it wrong. I wish someone would've sat me down and said 'hey, you're a good storyteller, you havve some weaknesses, it would be great if you worked on those because you really could do something with this. [6:14] VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ROCKS [7:50] I'm a big believer in high school level vocational programs I first picked up a camera in a high school media class. I got acquainted with a lot of the basics of video production there, using a camera, storyboarding, etc. KID'S CAMPS TO START [8:28] First professional projects were kid's summer camps. Someone asked me to shoot video at a summer camp. He called around and booked 10 camps to video that summer and a freelance videography career was born. That phase of the career lasted 7 years. THE DREAM [9:28] Work on freelance videography projects to fund the kind of film projects I really wanted to be doing The benefits were that I had the equipment and the skill to put together shot film projects and even some feature length documentary projects The freelance work was fuled by the education and confidence gained orginally via the high school vocational video classes WHY STAY IN A SMALL MARKET [12:00] I wondered if Lucas had ever considered giving up a rather enjoyable small town lifestyle for life in a bigger market. My question, which I failed to follow up on properly was really about being able to work with more accomplished people than one might find in a smaller market. Lucas' talks about the reality that in larger markets there is a lot more competition from talented people. In his East Texas location, there is a lot of work and less competition OTHER THOUGHTS ON STAYING PUT once you get to the level you tought you wanted to be to...a lot of times it's not nearly as satisfying as you tought it would be [11:40] The peaceful lifestyle would be very hard to give up When I was in L.A. or in even more distant locations like India, shooting, I realized I'd really rather be at home. I like east Texas. STORYTELLING [12:40] writing a story is just magical From the first time I bought a camera to do commercials, I dreamed about making feature length narrative movies DISTRIBUTION MODEL CHANGES [14:13] We talk about how the business of making and distributing creative content has changed dramatically in recent years. With the maturing online platforms such as YouTube, it's not an absolute requirement to get a theatrical release for your project. The same kinds of changes are happening for #actors as well, as more and more roles are being cast from self-taped auditions sent to regional production centers, in Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, New Mexico, etc. [14:52] IDEA EUPHORIA [17:30] Lucas talks about having ideas for what he calls extravagant movies wth enormous budgets. After a time of shooting film work he realized that these ideas were unrealistic FIRST FEATURE BOMBS [17:57] The first narative feature we did was a total bomb! We totally rushed the writing phase. We were like oh people will just love it and we'll just skimp on the script. [We had the attitude of] We'll make it where we're loose or whatever. We made it and it was the worst move ever." It looked good, good cinematography, but they made terrible mistakes with the story. The experience made him realize how much work it was to do narrative features and how expensive they are to produce...the expense was a real deal breaker...he began to ask himself what am I going to do with all these great story ideas that are too expensive to make as movies? WHAT DO I DO WITH ALL MY STORY IDEAS [18:37] Lucas related that he realized he would not be able to make movies that were so expensive to shoot but he had all these fantastic story ideas. What could he do with them? He decided that even though he knew his technical writing skills would need an editor and proofreaders, he would start writing these ideas as books instead of movies. I started wrting and I just had a blast. It was like I could build a set in thirty seconds. I could cast the story in another fifteen seconds. And I could be shooting a minute later. I mean, that's what it felt like. The tool for storytelling was just so much more readily available.[19:27] That was sort of intoxicating. It was such a magical thing. So what got me into writing was wanting to do movies. As soon as I kind of discovered that, the big narrative movie dream was basically replaced. [20:09] I'd love to see my stories made into movies, but this is the medium for me, I think. AUDIOBOOKS [21:13] In my mind the audiobook is just the most fantastic thing I've ever experienced. I love audio. When I write something I'm interested to see it become an audiobook fairly quickly.[21:29] There are some in my audience that don't necessarily read, they listen. PICKING A NARRATOR[22:00] I asked Lucas how it was as the author to hear his characters speaking out of someone else's mouth. He said in essence that he has learned through trial and error that is was worth it to connect with professionals, with people who have some experience - narrators who have some craft. ( My term not his.) You can get blinded by Mr. Big Voice. What Lucas says he has learned is that getting an actor who understands how to tell a story with his/her voice is much more important that just finding someone who has a 'big' voice. [22:28] INFINITE TOMORROW - WHAT'S THE STORY [23:22] It's set on a planet called Newearth, a planet that comes after our earth and it opens in a sort of gardened setting where 12 young boys are being taught by a character called an Elvangeline. It's sort of a 'boy goes on a journey' story. The protagonist [Abriel] is given a task to complete. Anyone who is familiar with ths style of story understands that the lesson is in the journey not in the completion of the task. It's largely what I [the author] would call a millieu story. It's largely about the world he's living in. This NEWEARTH. More books may come from this same setting, possibly a trilogy. [24:20] FANTASY, SCIENCE FICTION or SCIENCE FANTASY [24:53] I'm very interested in technology and where it is going in the future. How we as humans interact with technology. I'm enamored of the idea that science fiction and fantasy are not really all that different. An author that Kitchen likes once said 'the only dfference between science fiction and fantasy is that one has rivets and one has trees.' In a lot of my stories, the fantasy elements are woven into the scifi elements [25:58] WHO IS THE AUDIENCE [27:10] I don't really know who it's for until it's finished. [With this book]I'm sort of targeting fantasy lovers who are young at heart, that love a journey sort of story. I read Narnia and The Hobit every couple of years and those are children's books. I feel like a young teen could enjoy it and an older reader will get more from it. I've been saying it's probably best for age 13 and up. A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY [28:31] The story has at its core a spiritual journey or quest that is undertaken by Abriel, the protagonist. Lucas talked a bit about the spiritual aspect of this story. He spoke about how fiction is often effectively used as a means to tell a story with spiritual or social significance. He also alluded to influential people throughout history from Jesus to Martin Luther King, Jr. to Ghandi and how they were great storytellers. ABOUT FICTION [29:11] I think whenever we have a lesson or moral we really want people to understand, I think there's no better vehicle than fiction, just because it [the lesson] sort of creeps up on you, you realize it at some point but you're still enjoying the story Web Site [30:03] Lucas describes the type of works that can be found there: fiction of all kinds, web comics and <a href="http://wearefiction.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">wearefiction.org</a> JOIN ME ON BLAB [32:10] I'm going to try something a bit different for me this coming Saturday 1/30/2016 as jump into live streaming on the <a href="http://BLAB.im" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BLAB.im</a> platform Blab is a relatively new platform that combines some of best traits of Google Handouts and Hangouts On Air with a real time chat feature where audience members can easily make comments or ask questions in real time. It looks like a very promising platform for an interview show like Actors Talk Podcast. It is live, so whatever happens, happens. Join me if you'd like as I interview fellow podcaster, videorgapher Doc Kennedy. That's a wrap for Episode 63. The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/infinite-tomorrow-lucas-kitchen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">INFINITE TOMORROW – LUCAS KITCHEN |063</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

INFINITE  TOMORROW – LUCAS KITCHEN |063

Sean Johnson

Sydnee Simone

THE AUDIO PLAYER HAS MOVED TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE After recovering my site following the recent hack as explained in the podcast audio, I have started using a new tool called Thrive Content Builder. Unfortunately there are some issues between this plugin and my audio player. So for now, Please scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to listen to this episode. Hopefully I'll be able to return the player to the top of the page soon. Thanks for your patience!! Interview with Sean Johnson and  Sydnee Simone I got HACKED! Listen to my comments following the interview with Sean Johnson Jr and Sydnee Simone and I'll tell you how I rescued 4 YEARS of podcast episodes after some low life hacked my site and my web host closed me down! Screenwriting Workshop WITH New York Film Academy Top Graduate SEAN JOHNSON JR Writer of "Down By The River," Sean Johnson will be hosting his 2nd annual Screenwriting Workshop in Houston, Tx on January 16th, 2016. The top graduate of New York Film Academic will be sharing the secrets to help you turn your idea into a feature length screenplay. 99.9% of notable screenwriters use this same technique from what we like to call the "Beat Sheet." He will teach you how to finish your story from beginning to end before you even type the first letter of your script! You can reserve your seat now! Click ﻿﻿here to go to the EventBrite Sign Up Page.Or you can make a payment for $75 via PayPal.The PayPal Email is seanjohnsonjr@me.com and we'll send your ticket to enter the workshop.seanjohnsonjr@me.com Jason Tyler Sean Johnson's screenwriting class teaches how to know your screenplay from the beginning to end before you even type the first letter of your title page! He truly teaches you how to master the screenplay Nzinga Rideaux Sean Johnson's Screenwriting Classes are a must for beginners. As an aspiring screenwriter I thoroughly enjoyed the class and his one on one coaching style. I am now in the process of completing my first screenplay for review. This would not have happened if I had not taken this class.  ​ My guests for this episode of Actors Talk are filmmakers Sean Johnson  and ﻿Sydnee ﻿Simone. Sean is one of the Exec. Producers and Syndee is the director and one of the lead actors in a new indie film called Pastor's Daughters.In this episode I spent a few minutes with Sean and Sydnee exploring some of the challenges of producing in the low budget indie market, in the faith-based niche and also to some extent, for an African American target audience.​Pastor's Daughters was the first feature film that Ms. Simone has directed but as you'll hear in the interview, she was well prepared following a long season of training behind the scenes from every position from PA to Unit Production Manager prior to accepting this directing assignment.​For those of you who are long-time Actors Talk listeners and readers, you'll remember Sean from previous episodes. He first appeared on Actors Talk in Epis﻿ode ﻿14 to talk about his first feature film, DOWN BY THE RIVER and then again in Episode 41 to talk about another film he produced called WALK BY FAITH.I love having Sean on Actors Talk because he is actually out in the marketplace making movies. And as you'll hear his movies ARE getting distribution deals. ​ CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO GET YOUR COPY OF INFINITE TOMORROWInfinite Tomorrow: The Kingdom Chronicles Book One The post Sean Johnson and Sydnee Simone |062 appeared first on Actors Talk.

<h3>THE AUDIO PLAYER HAS MOVED TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE</h3> After recovering my site following the recent hack as explained in the podcast audio, I have started using a new tool called Thrive Content Builder. Unfortunately there are some issues between this plugin and my audio player. So for now, Please scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to listen to this episode. Hopefully I'll be able to return the player to the top of the page soon. Thanks for your patience!! <h2>Interview with Sean Johnson and  Sydnee Simone</h2> I got HACKED! Listen to my comments following the interview with Sean Johnson Jr and Sydnee Simone and I'll tell you how I rescued 4 YEARS of podcast episodes after some low life hacked my site and my web host closed me down! Screenwriting Workshop WITH New York Film Academy Top Graduate SEAN JOHNSON JR Writer of "Down By The River," Sean Johnson will be hosting his 2nd annual Screenwriting Workshop in Houston, Tx on January 16th, 2016. The top graduate of New York Film Academic will be sharing the secrets to help you turn your idea into a feature length screenplay. 99.9% of notable screenwriters use this same technique from what we like to call the "Beat Sheet." He will teach you how to finish your story from beginning to end before you even type the first letter of your script! You can reserve your seat now! <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/screenwriting-101-workshop-tickets-20292306836?aff=utm_source%3Deb_email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dnew_event_email&amp;utm_term=eventurl_text" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Click ﻿﻿here</a> to go to the EventBrite Sign Up Page.Or you can make a payment for $75 via PayPal.The PayPal Email is seanjohnsonjr@me.com and we'll send your ticket to enter the workshop.<a href="mailto:seanjohnsonjr@me.com">seanjohnsonjr@me.com</a> Jason Tyler <blockquote>Sean Johnson's screenwriting class teaches how to know your screenplay from the beginning to end before you even type the first letter of your title page! He truly teaches you how to master the screenplay</blockquote> Nzinga Rideaux Sean Johnson's Screenwriting Classes are a must for beginners. As an aspiring screenwriter I thoroughly enjoyed the class and his one on one coaching style. I am now in the process of completing my first screenplay for review. This would not have happened if I had not taken this class. <blockquote></blockquote> ​ My guests for this episode of Actors Talk are filmmakers <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4577252/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sean Johnson </a> and<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4848543" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> ﻿Sydnee ﻿Simone</a>. Sean is one of the Exec. Producers and Syndee is the director and one of the lead actors in a new indie film called Pastor's Daughters.In this episode I spent a few minutes with Sean and Sydnee exploring some of the challenges of producing in the low budget indie market, in the faith-based niche and also to some extent, for an African American target audience.​Pastor's Daughters was the first feature film that Ms. Simone has directed but as you'll hear in the interview, she was well prepared following a long season of training behind the scenes from every position from PA to Unit Production Manager prior to accepting this directing assignment.​For those of you who are long-time Actors Talk listeners and readers, you'll remember Sean from previous episodes. He first appeared on Actors Talk in <a href="/014" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Epis﻿ode ﻿14</a> to talk about his first feature film, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2022384" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DOWN BY THE RIVER</a> and then again in<a href="" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><a href="/041" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Episode 41</a> to talk about another film he produced called <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3108488/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WALK BY FAITH.</a>I love having Sean on Actors Talk because he is actually out in the marketplace making movies. And as you'll hear his movies ARE getting distribution deals. ​ CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO GET YOUR COPY OF INFINITE TOMORROW<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01A635WAI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B01A635WAI&amp;linkCode=am2&amp;tag=vinceyounggea-20&amp;linkId=7RNFH6K3MQQAJMZU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Infinite Tomorrow: The Kingdom Chronicles Book One</a> The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/sean-johnson-sydnee-simone-062/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sean Johnson and Sydnee Simone |062</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Sean Johnson and Sydnee Simone |062

From The Novel To The AudiobookFrom the novel to the audiobook. That’s the journey we’re taking in this episode. If you are an actor who wants to explore audiobook narration but don’t know where to start, this episode will hopefully give you some information you can use.In this episode I’ll be talking with my good friend John Jones. In the interview you’ll hear me refer to him as John J Asher. That is his pen name.As John J Asher he has written a collection of short stories called Stories From Separation, Texas and the novels A Dignified Exit, Yellow Mesquite and The Dogs of Mexico. All of these works can be found at his website, JohnJAsher.com or on his author’s page on Amazon.This episode is a bit different in that it was not recorded via a Skype interview, it was recorded in person in John’s home. Other than the intro and outro to this episode, all audio was recorded live on a Zoom H4N portable recorder.A Little Backstory[vimeo 134268479 w=500&amp;h=281]John grew up in West Texas, in a town of about three hundred.  His earliest artistic inclinations were not toward writing but drawing and painting. John tells me in the interview that he was always drawing and sketching as a youngster, even in the Baptist Hymnal at church. His favorite subjects to draw: Guns.  Maybe he was just preparing for some of the action scenes he would much later write in THE DOGS OF MEXICO.From west Texas, John journeyed to Southeast Texas to the Golden Triangle, though I’m not sure that’s what it was called in those says. He worked at the refinery in the Beaumont-Pt. Arthur area and continued to draw. John met several local artists including Lynn Sweat with whom he remains friends to this day.With layoffs happening at the refinery, John took the opportunity to take a severance from that job and head to New York. There he worked as an artist and illustrator. After having completed a significant number of paintings, John approached several New York galleries and made some promising connections.  While waiting for an upcoming show that would showcase his work, John lost all of his paintings, over 50 in number, and collection of art books in a house fire.The fire took a toll on John’s aspirations in the art world.  He spent the next several years designing and building a new house on the site where his house and all his paintings had burned.John continued to work as an illustrator for many years in New York and later in Austin, Texas where he now lives and writes. Audiobook Production at HomeI have talked and written previously about my interest in narrating audiobooks. I believe I’ve also mentioned some of the challenges associated with producing and narrating audiobooks.  The challenges can seem quite daunting. I know that for a fact. It was contemplating these seemingly endless challenges that kept narrating as a ‘bucket list’ item rather than a reality for far too long.Let me give you an idea of what is required by ACX, the Audiobook Creation Exchange, to produce acceptable audio:AUDIO SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS – FROM THE ACX SITEAudiobooks uploaded to ACX must adhere to the following requirements. The ACX Quality Assurance team may reject titles that do not meet these standards, and their retail release may be delayed. The following requirements help ensure customers get a great listen.Your submitted audiobook mustbe consistent in overall sound and formatting and be comprised of all mono or all stereo files include opening and closing credits and a retail audio sample that is between one and five minutes longEach uploaded audio file mustcontain only one chapter/section that’s shorter than 120 minutes and the section header must be read aloud have room tone at the head and at the tail and be free of extraneous sounds measure between -23dB and -18dB RMS and have -3dB peak values and a maximum -60dB noise floor be a 192kbps or higher MP3, Constant Bit Rate (CBR) at 44.1 kHzI have to tell you it was those last two lines that stopped me in my tracks. I don’t have a proper recording studio. I don’t even have a walk-in closet available to convert into a studio like a lot of narrators use in their home recordings.So I was pretty certain that I could not meet the ACX specifications for recording fidelity. I was so sure of it I didn’t try.Fortunately, I was able to take a wonderful class that I have written about previously, the ACX Audiobook Master Class taught by Dan O’Day and David H. Lawrence XVII. I won’t go into more about that class here but if you are interested in knowing more, check Actors Talk Podcast Episode 58.My Home StudioFor all of you who think you can’t record at home and get good audio because you don’t have a sound proof booth or a great walk-in closet to use, take a look at the photos below. These are photos of my ‘studio.’ Yes, The Dogs of Mexico was recorded in its entirety right there in that little space with nothing more than a few moving blankets behind and to the side and a Reflexion Filter-X behind the AT2020 USB Plus microphone plugged into an old Acer netbook I had sitting around unused. Had I not taken the ACX Audiobook Master Class, I never would’ve had the confidence to give audiobook recording a try in my funky non-studio recording space. I’m glad I took the plunge.Not only did my audio pass muster with ACX/Audible, it passed through quickly without even one technical glitch to fix. If I can do it, you can do it. Here’s a sample of the audio:[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/213027037″ params=”color=ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]The Home Recording ChallengeWhile the audio quality I produced was acceptable to ACX, I will tell you that getting there was not easy. Not from an equipment standpoint. The equipment above together cost less than $300. No, it wasn’t the equipment that was the issue it was the lack of sound proofing.Because I don’t have a sound proof recording space, certain adjustments had to be made. I had to record mostly between the hours of 9pm – 2am because that’s when everyone else in the house was in bed.I had to be able to turn off the A/C to eliminate that noise.I had to have quiet from the neighborhood – no cars passing by. And no birds chirping.All of those things dictated that I had to record at night. That presents a challenge as well. After working all day, a body gets tired. And a tired voice is not good for narration.So I would typically take a nap for an hour or so in the early evening so I could be rested enough and have good vocal energy to do my nightly recording.  I was able to do some daytime recording but it was sporadic and wasn’t the greatest experience because of all the additional noise issues. Stopping and starting for cars or kids playing or, did I mention BIRDS? Those are some of the challenges with recording at home and without a proper sound treated space.  But still it is doable. I know it is because I did it.How Is The PayI’ll get back to you on that.I produced The Dogs of Mexico on what is called a Royalty Share basis. I did it that way because it was my first book and the author is a friend.  If the audiobook sells, the author and I will split the royalty after Audible takes their cut. This is not likely to be a significant money-maker unless we get very lucky with sales.Narration opportunities on ACX come with several types of payment: PFH – Per Finished Hour; RS – Royalty Share; Stipend – A form of PFH pay; and a so-called hybrid method that is part PFH and part RS.I won’t lie. There is a lot of competition – Go figure – It’s the ACTING BIZ – when is there not a lot of competition. And it takes time to build up some credibility as a narrator. I’ve just completed book one! I’m now in the hunt for the next “Dogs of Mexico” to add to my experience and grow my ability as a narrator.Get The AudiobookIf you have an Audible account, check out THE DOGS OF MEXICO and see if it’s your cup of tea.If you don’t have an Audible account use the banner link below and sign up for a 30 day free trial and get THE DOGS OF MEXICO as a free book. If you do the free trial deal, understand that you must cancel before day 30 or you will be billed $14.95 / month until and unless you cancel your subscription. Note: Some links above are affiliate links. That means if you click a link and buy something I get a small commission. You won’t pay any more for the items but a commission flows this way to help support the podcast. Thank you in advance.The post The Dogs of Mexico Audiobook |061 appeared first on Actors Talk.

<h2>From The Novel To The Audiobook</h2><a href="http://johnjasher.com/books" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>From the novel to the audiobook. That’s the journey we’re taking in this episode. If you are an actor who wants to explore audiobook narration but don’t know where to start, this episode will hopefully give you some information you can use.In this episode I’ll be talking with my good friend John Jones. In the interview you’ll hear me refer to him as John J Asher. That is his pen name.As John J Asher he has written a collection of short stories called Stories From Separation, Texas and the novels A Dignified Exit, Yellow Mesquite and The Dogs of Mexico. All of these works can be found at his website, <a href="http://johnjasher.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">JohnJAsher.com </a>or on <a href="http://johnjasher.com/books" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">his author’s page on Amazon</a>.This episode is a bit different in that it was not recorded via a Skype interview, it was recorded in person in John’s home. Other than the intro and outro to this episode, all audio was recorded live on a <a href="http://amzn.to/1U5FgSH" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Zoom H4N portable recorder</a>.<h2>A Little Backstory</h2>[vimeo 134268479 w=500&amp;h=281]John grew up in West Texas, in a town of about three hundred. His earliest artistic inclinations were not toward writing but drawing and painting. John tells me in the interview that he was always drawing and sketching as a youngster, even in the Baptist Hymnal at church. His favorite subjects to draw: Guns. Maybe he was just preparing for some of the action scenes he would much later write in<a href="http://actorstalkbooks.com/amazondogs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> THE DOGS OF MEXICO.</a><a href="http://actorstalkbooks.com/amazondogs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>From west Texas, John journeyed to Southeast Texas to the Golden Triangle, though I’m not sure that’s what it was called in those says. He worked at the refinery in the Beaumont-Pt. Arthur area and continued to draw. John met several local artists including <a href="http://biography.jrank.org/pages/2167/Sweat-Lynn-1934.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lynn Sweat </a>with whom he remains friends to this day.With layoffs happening at the refinery, John took the opportunity to take a severance from that job and head to New York. There he worked as an artist and illustrator. After having completed a significant number of paintings, John approached several New York galleries and made some promising connections. While waiting for an upcoming show that would showcase his work, John lost all of his paintings, over 50 in number, and collection of art books in a house fire.The fire took a toll on John’s aspirations in the art world. He spent the next several years designing and building a new house on the site where his house and all his paintings had burned.John continued to work as an illustrator for many years in New York and later in Austin, Texas where he now lives and writes. <a href="http://actorstalkbooks.com/amazondogs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><h2>Audiobook Production at Home</h2>I have talked and written previously about my interest in narrating audiobooks. I believe I’ve also mentioned some of the challenges associated with producing and narrating audiobooks. The challenges can seem quite daunting. I know that for a fact. It was contemplating these seemingly endless challenges that kept narrating as a ‘bucket list’ item rather than a reality for far too long.Let me give you an idea of what is required by ACX, the Audiobook Creation Exchange, to produce acceptable audio:AUDIO SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS – FROM <a href="http://www.acx.com/help/acx-audio-submission-requirements/201456300" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">THE ACX SITE</a>Audiobooks uploaded to ACX must adhere to the following requirements. The ACX Quality Assurance team may reject titles that do not meet these standards, and their retail release may be delayed. The following requirements help ensure customers get a great listen.<h2>Your submitted audiobook must</h2><ol> be consistent in overall sound and formatting and be comprised of all mono or all stereo files include opening and closing credits and a retail audio sample that is between one and five minutes long</ol><h2>Each uploaded audio file must</h2><ol> contain only one chapter/section that’s shorter than 120 minutes and the section header must be read aloud have room tone at the head and at the tail and be free of extraneous sounds measure between -23dB and -18dB RMS and have -3dB peak values and a maximum -60dB noise floor be a 192kbps or higher MP3, Constant Bit Rate (CBR) at 44.1 kHz</ol>I have to tell you it was those last two lines that stopped me in my tracks. I don’t have a proper recording studio. I don’t even have a walk-in closet available to convert into a studio like a lot of narrators use in their home recordings.So I was pretty certain that I could not meet the ACX specifications for recording fidelity. I was so sure of it I didn’t try.Fortunately, I was able to take a wonderful class that I have written about previously, the ACX Audiobook Master Class taught by Dan O’Day and David H. Lawrence XVII. I won’t go into more about that class here but if you are interested in knowing more, check <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/58" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk Podcast Episode 58.</a><h2>My Home Studio</h2>For all of you who think you can’t record at home and get good audio because you don’t have a sound proof booth or a great walk-in closet to use, take a look at the photos below. These are photos of my ‘studio.’ <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/the-dogs-of-mexico-audiobook/my-studio1/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/the-dogs-of-mexico-audiobook/moving-blankets/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Yes, The Dogs of Mexico was recorded in its entirety right there in that little space with nothing more than a few moving blankets behind and to the side and a <a href="http://amzn.to/1LR2EjQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reflexion Filter-X</a> behind the <a href="http://amzn.to/1U5LpOz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AT2020 USB Plus microphone</a> plugged into an old Acer netbook I had sitting around unused. Had I not taken the ACX Audiobook Master Class, I never would’ve had the confidence to give audiobook recording a try in my funky non-studio recording space. I’m glad I took the plunge.Not only did my audio pass muster with ACX/Audible, it passed through quickly without even one technical glitch to fix. If I can do it, you can do it. Here’s a sample of the audio:[soundcloud url=”<a href="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/213027037″" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/213027037″</a> params=”color=ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]<h2>The Home Recording Challenge</h2>While the audio quality I produced was acceptable to ACX, I will tell you that getting there was not easy. Not from an equipment standpoint. The equipment above together cost less than $300. No, it wasn’t the equipment that was the issue it was the lack of sound proofing.Because I don’t have a sound proof recording space, certain adjustments had to be made. I had to record mostly between the hours of 9pm – 2am because that’s when everyone else in the house was in bed.I had to be able to turn off the A/C to eliminate that noise.I had to have quiet from the neighborhood – no cars passing by. And no birds chirping.All of those things dictated that I had to record at night. That presents a challenge as well. After working all day, a body gets tired. And a tired voice is not good for narration.So I would typically take a nap for an hour or so in the early evening so I could be rested enough and have good vocal energy to do my nightly recording. I was able to do some daytime recording but it was sporadic and wasn’t the greatest experience because of all the additional noise issues. Stopping and starting for cars or kids playing or, did I mention BIRDS? Those are some of the challenges with recording at home and without a proper sound treated space. But still it is doable. I know it is because I did it.<h2>How Is The Pay</h2>I’ll get back to you on that.I produced The Dogs of Mexico on what is called a Royalty Share basis. I did it that way because it was my first book and the author is a friend. If the audiobook sells, the author and I will split the royalty after Audible takes their cut. This is not likely to be a significant money-maker unless we get very lucky with sales.Narration opportunities on ACX come with several types of payment: PFH – Per Finished Hour; RS – Royalty Share; Stipend – A form of PFH pay; and a so-called hybrid method that is part PFH and part RS.I won’t lie. There is a lot of competition – Go figure – It’s the ACTING BIZ – when is there not a lot of competition. And it takes time to build up some credibility as a narrator. I’ve just completed book one! I’m now in the hunt for the next “Dogs of Mexico” to add to my experience and grow my ability as a narrator.<h2>Get The Audiobook</h2>If you have an Audible account, check out <a href="http://actorstalkbooks.com/audibledogs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">THE DOGS OF MEXICO </a>and see if it’s your cup of tea.If you don’t have an Audible account use the banner link below and sign up for a 30 day free trial and get THE DOGS OF MEXICO as a free book. If you do the free trial deal, understand that you must cancel before day 30 or you will be billed $14.95 / month until and unless you cancel your subscription. <a href="http://audibletrial.com/listen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Note: Some links above are affiliate links. That means if you click a link and buy something I get a small commission. You won’t pay any more for the items but a commission flows this way to help support the podcast. Thank you in advance.The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/the-dogs-of-mexico-audiobook/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Dogs of Mexico Audiobook |061</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

The Dogs of Mexico Audiobook |061

Michael Laskin

 Your success, however you may define that, is likely tied to some ‘personal indelibility’ some instant reaction people have to YOU, not to the part you’re playing, but to YOU. That’s hard to teach…in fact you can’t teach it. But you can open people’s eyes to it.  Michael Laskin – Actor – Teacher – Author In this episode of Actors Talk I’m speaking with actor, teacher and now author, Michael Laskin about his new book The Authentic Actor The Art and Business of Being Yourself and about how he came to pursue the actor’s life.  Some actors and other artists I speak with know from a very early age that we want to act or write stories or music or pursue other creative endeavors, and sometime it’s others who see in us something we might not yet see in ourselves. Such is the case with Michael Laskin. I found out that Michael is a Minessota kid who was a good student but really had no aspirations to become a professional actor…at least not until his high school guidance counselor planted that seed in his mind that acting was something he could study and just maybe do well. He went to Northwestern and studied theater, moved to Minneapolis and became immersed in the regional theater scene: he was in the company at the Gutherie, worked in Seattle, Louisville, off-Broadway for 10-11 years and in 1983 decided to move to L.A. With that as a background we pick up the interview where I’m asking Michael what percipitated the move away from a successful career in regional theater into the film and television world in Los Angeles. ACTING – FROM STAGE TO SCREEN    Michael Laskin made the move from busy regional theater actor to L.A. based actor around 1983 with a play called THE BASEMENT TAPES written by Erik Brogger.  So, I wondered, was the transition from stage to screen an easy one or were there some bumps in the road.  “For me it was a difficult transition and…in a large way it has informed my teaching and the book I wrote…”  He had early success. Michael tells how his friendship with a writer on HILL STREET BLUES, Stephen Bochco’s seminal 1980s era cop show, help Michael gain a foothold into the L.A. market. Within six weeks of landing in L.A. he had an agent and he had booked his first job.  But, Michael says,    I was terrible in my first job. I saw it on TV and I was just mortified….That pivot from stage to screen was a challenge.  LEARNING FROM A REAL PRO   … most TV and film actors do not get the chance to be transformative. we are generally hired to be something akin to ourselves a more truthful dynamic version of who we appear to be when we enter into any human transaction..  Michael credits the late Jack Warden for helping him make the transition into becoming an authentic actor.   While working on a recurring role on Warden’s show CRAZY LIKE A FOX, Michael says he learned by watching how Warden worked.  Michael says he realized “Oh, he’s the same guy I’m talking to off the set when he’s on the set…it’s seamless. He’s mastered the art of completely being himself while doing all the things one has to do…to be a good actor.” THE HEART OF THE MATTER Michael says he ‘went to school on Jack Warden and on several other skilled actors he was able to work with and observe. So what were the biggest challenges he had to overcome to make that transition from skilled stage actor to skilled on camera actor? That, says Michael in the interview, gets to the heart of  what his book, THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR is about. A key idea that Michael explores is that actor training is largely still wedded to approaches, ‘the old dogma’ as Michael says, that train the actor to DO rather than to BE. In those schools of actor training “It’s about what you can go not who you are,” he says.   You may see someone and you say ‘he’s not very good…but he’s booking everything…what is he doing?  The thing is he’s not doing anything…he’s just disabusing himself of the notion that he has to pretend to be somebody else.”  So is the Authentic Actor just to ‘play himself’ in every role?  “If that ‘self’ that you present is examined and interesting, if yoiur worldview is clear and interesting, that kind of trumps talent a lot…  TALENT – THE PRICE OF ADMISSION One phrase you’ll hear from Michael is ‘talent is the price of admission.’ It’s a given that most people who are working in the business are talented. Talent alone simply isn’t the whole answer. ON CREATING THE KIND OF CLASS HE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE When he was presented with the opportunity to teach, Michael says he was actually disaffected with acting classes and especially with acting ‘gurus’ where the class becomes more about the teacher than the students. He says he didn’t really see anyone teaching this notion of marrying the ‘who you are’ with ‘what you can do’ and he thought perhaps he could design a class that would be one he would like to go. ABOUT THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR I love this book, The Authentic Actor.  As producer of Actors Talk, I am often approached by publishers, publicists, writers and performers who would like to be interviewed.  For the most part, I have to say ‘no’ simply as a matter of time.  But I also don’t want to bring to you, the Actors Talk audience, material that I don’t really find valuable and think YOU will find valuable. All of the authors I’ve interviewed have met that standard. I knew immediately upon reading the galleys for THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR that Michael Laskin knew what he was talking about, had a clear vision for what he was teaching and that his experiences and his teaching can help actors of all experience levels. THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR is certainly an excellent addition to the library of the beginning actor. But those of us who have been ‘at it’ for a little while or a long while will also benefit from Michael Laskin’s approach. The book is brilliantly and thankfully devoid of fluff.  I promise you will not have to read twenty pages to get two paragraphs of usable content. Every chapter has nuggets of gold. Every chapter. And the chapters are rather short – not because of anything lacking – but because the author gets to the point.  Maybe it’s because Michael Laskin and I are of a similar age ( I think I’m a year older than he.) But I found myself saying ‘yes’ out loud as I read this book. I was not only learning some new concepts but also having my own ideas and concepts reaffirmed by his teaching.  I get where he’s been and where he is in his own career.  A TEACHER, A MENTOR – NOT A GURU He has the heart of a mentor. If you’ve listened to many of my Actors Talk episodes, you know how much I value mentorship.  Let me stop now because I don’t want to make Michael Laskin sound like a guru. He would hate that. Because that’s not what he is about. It’s not about him. It’s about you. The person. The actor.  If you want to understand more, I recommend, without reservation, that you purchase THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR. Read it. Underline it. Keep it handy.  If you want to do Actors Talk Podcast a favor, use the Amazon link at the top of the page when you go there to buy THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR. A few cents in commission will flow back this way to help keep all episodes of the podcast free for the listening. You can also purchase THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR from the publisher Michael Wiese Productions. The post The Authentic Actor with Michael Laskin | 060 appeared first on Actors Talk.

<blockquote>Your success, however you may define that, is likely tied to some ‘personal indelibility’ some instant reaction people have to YOU, not to the part you’re playing, but to YOU. That’s hard to teach…in fact you can’t teach it. But you can open people’s eyes to it.</blockquote> <h2>Michael Laskin – Actor – Teacher – Author</h2> In this episode of Actors Talk I’m speaking with actor, teacher and now author, <a href="http://michaellaskinstudio.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Laskin</a> about his new book The Authentic Actor The Art and Business of Being Yourself and about how he came to pursue the actor’s life. Some actors and other artists I speak with know from a very early age that we want to act or write stories or music or pursue other creative endeavors, and sometime it’s others who see in us something we might not yet see in ourselves. <a href="http://michaellaskinstudio.com/about-michael" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Such is the case with Michael Laskin. I found out that Michael is a Minessota kid who was a good student but really had no aspirations to become a professional actor…at least not until his high school guidance counselor planted that seed in his mind that acting was something he could study and just maybe do well. He went to Northwestern and studied theater, moved to Minneapolis and became immersed in the regional theater scene: he was in the company at the Gutherie, worked in Seattle, Louisville, off-Broadway for 10-11 years and in 1983 decided to move to L.A. With that as a background we pick up the interview where I’m asking Michael what percipitated the move away from a successful career in regional theater into the film and television world in Los Angeles. <h2>ACTING – FROM STAGE TO SCREEN</h2> <center> </center> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0489644/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Laskin</a> made the move from busy regional theater actor to L.A. based actor around 1983 with a play called THE BASEMENT TAPES written by Erik Brogger. So, I wondered, was the transition from stage to screen an easy one or were there some bumps in the road. <blockquote>“For me it was a difficult transition and…in a large way it has informed my teaching and the book I wrote…”</blockquote> He had early success. Michael tells how his friendship with a writer on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081873/combined" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HILL STREET BLUES</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004766/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stephen Bochco’s </a>seminal 1980s era cop show, help Michael gain a foothold into the L.A. market. Within six weeks of landing in L.A. he had an agent and he had booked his first job. But, Michael says, <blockquote> I was terrible in my first job. I saw it on TV and I was just mortified….That pivot from stage to screen was a challenge.</blockquote> <h2>LEARNING FROM A REAL PRO</h2> <blockquote> … most TV and film actors do not get the chance to be transformative. we are generally hired to be something akin to ourselves a more truthful dynamic version of who we appear to be when we enter into any human transaction..</blockquote> Michael credits the late <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0912001/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jack Warden </a>for helping him make the transition into becoming an authentic actor. While working on a recurring role on Warden’s show CRAZY LIKE A FOX, Michael says he learned by watching how Warden worked. Michael says he realized “Oh, he’s the same guy I’m talking to off the set when he’s on the set…it’s seamless. He’s mastered the art of completely being himself while doing all the things one has to do…to be a good actor.” <h2>THE HEART OF THE MATTER</h2> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Actor-Business-Being-Yourself/dp/1615932224/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1428386652&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=the+authentic+actor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Michael says he ‘went to school on Jack Warden and on several other skilled actors he was able to work with and observe. So what were the biggest challenges he had to overcome to make that transition from skilled stage actor to skilled on camera actor? That, says Michael in the interview, gets to the heart of what his book, THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR is about. A key idea that Michael explores is that actor training is largely still wedded to approaches, ‘the old dogma’ as Michael says, that train the actor to DO rather than to BE. In those schools of actor training “It’s about what you can go not who you are,” he says. <blockquote>You may see someone and you say ‘he’s not very good…but he’s booking everything…what is he doing? The thing is he’s not doing anything…he’s just disabusing himself of the notion that he has to pretend to be somebody else.”</blockquote> So is the Authentic Actor just to ‘play himself’ in every role? <blockquote>“If that ‘self’ that you present is examined and interesting, if yoiur worldview is clear and interesting, that kind of trumps talent a lot…</blockquote> <h2>TALENT – THE PRICE OF ADMISSION</h2> One phrase you’ll hear from Michael is ‘talent is the price of admission.’ It’s a given that most people who are working in the business are talented. Talent alone simply isn’t the whole answer. <h2>ON CREATING THE KIND OF CLASS HE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE</h2> When he was presented with the opportunity to teach, Michael says he was actually disaffected with acting classes and especially with acting ‘gurus’ where the class becomes more about the teacher than the students. He says he didn’t really see anyone teaching this notion of marrying the ‘who you are’ with ‘what you can do’ and he thought perhaps he could design a class that would be one he would like to go. <h2>ABOUT THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR</h2> I love this book, The Authentic Actor. As producer of Actors Talk, I am often approached by publishers, publicists, writers and performers who would like to be interviewed. For the most part, I have to say ‘no’ simply as a matter of time. But I also don’t want to bring to you, the Actors Talk audience, material that I don’t really find valuable and think YOU will find valuable. All of the authors I’ve interviewed have met that standard. I knew immediately upon reading the galleys for THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR that Michael Laskin knew what he was talking about, had a clear vision for what he was teaching and that his experiences and his teaching can help actors of all experience levels. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Authentic-Actor-Business-Yourself/dp/1615932224" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR</a> is certainly an excellent addition to the library of the beginning actor. But those of us who have been ‘at it’ for a little while or a long while will also benefit from Michael Laskin’s approach. The book is brilliantly and thankfully devoid of fluff. I promise you will not have to read twenty pages to get two paragraphs of usable content. Every chapter has nuggets of gold. Every chapter. And the chapters are rather short – not because of anything lacking – but because the author gets to the point. Maybe it’s because Michael Laskin and I are of a similar age ( I think I’m a year older than he.) But I found myself saying ‘yes’ out loud as I read this book. I was not only learning some new concepts but also having my own ideas and concepts reaffirmed by his teaching. I get where he’s been and where he is in his own career. <h2>A TEACHER, A MENTOR – NOT A GURU</h2> He has the heart of a mentor. If you’ve listened to many of my Actors Talk episodes, you know how much I value mentorship. Let me stop now because I don’t want to make Michael Laskin sound like a guru. He would hate that. Because that’s not what he is about. It’s not about him. It’s about you. The person. The actor. If you want to understand more, I recommend, without reservation, that you purchase THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR. Read it. Underline it. Keep it handy. If you want to do Actors Talk Podcast a favor, use the Amazon link at the top of the page when you go there to buy THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR. A few cents in commission will flow back this way to help keep all episodes of the podcast free for the listening. You can also purchase THE AUTHENTIC ACTOR from the publisher <a href="http://shop.mwp.com/products/the-authentic-actor-the-art-and-business-of-being-yourself" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Wiese Productions</a>. The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/the-authentic-actor-with-michael-laskin-060/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Authentic Actor with Michael Laskin | 060</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

The Authentic Actor with Michael Laskin | 060

MARKUS FLANAGAN

MARKUS FLANAGAN IS A ROGUE When I found out that actor-writer-teacher Markus Flanagan was doing ROGUES OF L.A., a new web series, I was immediately intrigued.   At first, I admit, I was a little confused. Perhaps because I learned of the project via social media and didn’t have all the details, I wasn’t sure exactly how Markus was involved.  I assumed he was acting in the show but didn’t realize until doing some investigating that his involvement ran much deeper than ‘just’ another acting gig.  You see, Markus Flanagan isn’t only part of the cast, he created and produces the show. That really should have been my first inclination.    Rogues trailer from Rogues of LA on Vimeo.   Over the past couple of years I’ve gotten to know Markus a bit, first as my guest on Actors Talk (Episode 12 – One Less Bitter Actor) then at an all too brief meeting here in Austin and also by watching some of his teaching videos online. Through these points of contact I’ve come to trust Markus as an artist who truly has the heart of a teacher…the kind of person you’d want to mentor your kid if they were pursuing the actor’s journey.  So what kind of web series would this guy create? And why would he even go down this road? With a resume as robust as his, isn’t a web series somehow beneath him? Sometime I make myself laugh out loud. See, the Markus Flanagan I’ve come to know is not about the surface stuff that blinds many people in the acting business. It’s not about how cool it must be to work on this or that hit show. It’s about the experience. Is it remembered fondly for all the right reasons, or is it remembered as just another payday that really wasn’t all that rewarding. His character, his values, his connection to ACTING go deeper. He is a teacher in the best sense of the word. He is a mentor. He is an artist. But he’s also a DOER.  Not satisfied to just come up with the idea for the show and try to sell it off, not interested in waiting for someone to give him ‘permission’ to do the show at a traditional network, Markus made the decision from the getgo to produce ROGUES OF L.A. as a web series.  The web series is the result of too many creative people frustrated over the thought that becoming successful at acting is now more about marketing than actually acting. When anyone with desire to contribute can’t find a suitable outlet they begin the slow progress into living the mundane life that’s presented.  ROGUES OF L.A. – THE PREMISE  The premise is beautifully simple: what if a group of twenty-somethings look around at their world, their immediate community and decide that they will be givers not takers; helpers not the helped?  Why? Because they can.  “Rogues” are about finding a place to contribute, by fixing other people’s problems. It’s risky and it’s exciting and it’s being done by characters that aren’t specialists in this sort of thing. Simple premise, yes? But brilliantly so. For a series, the story possibilities are almost endless.  From a practical point of view, and in order to keep the budget manageable, Markus Flanagan has tapped into all the resources he has at hand : He is a teacher at both his own Westlake Acting Studio and at California Lutheran University.  These resources provide a ready supply of locations on campus and he is able to tap into his database of current and former students to act in the show.  But lest you think the show is acted only by beginning actors and students, know that Flanagan has asked for and received strong support from seasoned professional colleagues from in front of and behind the camera. Another benefit of the show: younger actors getting on set with seasoned pros who are there for the love of the work. A SAG-AFTRA SIGNATORY PRODUCTION Did I mention that because ROGUES is produced under a SAG-AFTRA New Media Agreement, that a number of actors put to work on the show have already secured SAG-AFTRA membership. This is a very big deal for young actors in the L.A. market where being in the union is a goal not easily accomplished. There are just so many layers to this story that I could write much longer…but I’ll spare you, hoping that you listen to my interview with Markus where he explains his concept for not only the ROGUES OF L.A. series, but also for the potential of forging a network of similar shows spread out across the country…or the world for that matter.  It’s a bold vision and one that I personally find quite exciting. Be sure you to to the ROGUES OF L.A. page on Facebook and LIKE it.  Hit the ROGUES OF L.A. web site and watch the episodes online. And just maybe you’re a writer and/or producer who wants to take Markus up on his idea of building a ‘franchise’ of similar shows.    You never know, this could be the start of something big. But then, I think it’s pretty big right now. The post Rogues of L.A.- with MARKUS FLANAGAN | 059 appeared first on Actors Talk.

<h2>MARKUS FLANAGAN IS A ROGUE</h2> <a href="http://roguesofla.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>When I found out that actor-writer-teacher Markus Flanagan was doing <a href="http://roguesofla.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ROGUES OF L.A</a>., a new web series, I was immediately intrigued. At first, I admit, I was a little confused. Perhaps because I learned of the project via social media and didn’t have all the details, I wasn’t sure exactly how Markus was involved. I assumed he was acting in the show but didn’t realize until doing some investigating that his involvement ran much deeper than ‘just’ another acting gig. You see, Markus Flanagan isn’t only part of the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4004278/combined" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cast</a>, he created and produces the show. That really should have been my first inclination. <center> <a href="https://vimeo.com/112445686" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rogues trailer</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user34447548" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rogues of LA</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Vimeo</a>. </center> Over the past couple of years I’ve gotten to know Markus a bit, first as my guest on Actors Talk (<a href="http://actorstalkacting.com/012" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 12 – One Less Bitter Actor</a>) then at an all too brief meeting here in Austin and also by watching some of his teaching videos online. Through these points of contact I’ve come to trust Markus as an artist who truly has the heart of a teacher…the kind of person you’d want to mentor your kid if they were pursuing the actor’s journey. So what kind of web series would this guy create? And why would he even go down this road? With a <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0281074/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">resume</a> as robust as his, isn’t a web series somehow beneath him? Sometime I make myself laugh out loud. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/markus.flanagan.1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>See, the Markus Flanagan I’ve come to know is not about the surface stuff that blinds many people in the acting business. It’s not about how cool it must be to work on this or that hit show. It’s about the experience. Is it remembered fondly for all the right reasons, or is it remembered as just another payday that really wasn’t all that rewarding. His character, his values, his connection to ACTING go deeper. He is a teacher in the best sense of the word. He is a mentor. He is an artist. But he’s also a DOER. Not satisfied to just come up with the idea for the show and try to sell it off, not interested in waiting for someone to give him ‘permission’ to do the show at a traditional network, Markus made the decision from the getgo to produce ROGUES OF L.A. as a web series. <blockquote>The web series is the result of too many creative people frustrated over the thought that becoming successful at acting is now more about marketing than actually acting. When anyone with desire to contribute can’t find a suitable outlet they begin the slow progress into living the mundane life that’s presented. </blockquote> <h2>ROGUES OF L.A. – THE PREMISE</h2> <a href="http://roguesofla.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> The premise is beautifully simple: what if a group of twenty-somethings look around at their world, their immediate community and decide that they will be givers not takers; helpers not the helped? Why? Because they can. <blockquote> “Rogues” are about finding a place to contribute, by fixing other people’s problems. It’s risky and it’s exciting and it’s being done by characters that aren’t specialists in this sort of thing.</blockquote> Simple premise, yes? But brilliantly so. For a series, the story possibilities are almost endless. From a practical point of view, and in order to keep the budget manageable, Markus Flanagan has tapped into all the resources he has at hand : He is a teacher at both his own <a href="http://westlakeactingstudio.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Westlake Acting Studio</a> and at <a href="http://www.callutheran.edu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">California Lutheran University</a>. These resources provide a ready supply of locations on campus and he is able to tap into his database of current and former students to act in the show. <a href="http://roguesofla.com/?page_id=17" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> But lest you think the show is acted only by beginning actors and students, know that Flanagan has asked for and received strong support from seasoned professional colleagues from in front of and behind the camera. Another benefit of the show: younger actors getting on set with seasoned pros who are there for the love of the work. <h2>A SAG-AFTRA SIGNATORY PRODUCTION</h2> Did I mention that because ROGUES is produced under a SAG-AFTRA New Media Agreement, that a number of actors put to work on the show have already secured SAG-AFTRA membership. This is a very big deal for young actors in the L.A. market where being in the union is a goal not easily accomplished. There are just so many layers to this story that I could write much longer…but I’ll spare you, hoping that you listen to my interview with Markus where he explains his concept for not only the ROGUES OF L.A. series, but also for the potential of forging a network of similar shows spread out across the country…or the world for that matter. It’s a bold vision and one that I personally find quite exciting. Be sure you to to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rogues-of-LA/596189507168316" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ROGUES OF L.A. page on Facebook</a> and LIKE it. Hit the <a href="http://roguesofla.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ROGUES OF L.A. web site</a> and watch the episodes online. And just maybe you’re a writer and/or producer who wants to take Markus up on his idea of building a ‘franchise’ of similar shows. <a href="http://roguesofla.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> You never know, this could be the start of something big. But then, I think it’s pretty big right now. The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/rogues-of-l-a-with-markus-flanagan-059/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rogues of L.A.- with MARKUS FLANAGAN | 059</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Rogues of L.A.- with MARKUS FLANAGAN | 059

Audiobook NarrationI’ve been interested in audiobook narration for quite some time.  Since I have no experience in that aspect of the voice over business, I’ve never really pursued it. There just seemed to be too many uncertainties. Too many complications.When I heard or read information from narrators, it was often of the negative sort.  It was too time consuming. It was a hard niche to break into. Etc. Etc.ACX ACX is a marketplace where professional authors, agents, publishers, and other Rights Holders can post fallow audiobook rights. At ACX, those unused audio rights will be matched with narrators, engineers, recording studios, and other Producers capable of producing a finished audiobook, as well as with audiobook publishers. The result: More audiobooks will be made. Too many authors have been left out of the quickly growing and culturally repositioned digital audio market. Until now. ACX puts you in the driver’s seat. If you’re a Rights Holder, you choose how you produce your audiobook—whether on your own or by engaging a Producer on ACX—and you choose among two royalty models. If you’re a Producer, ACX allows you to post a profile and be seen. Plus, you can be proactive and audition on ACX for posted titles. I’m not sure when I first became aware of Audiobook Creation Exchange or ACX. Probably a couple of years back.  I’ve had account there for more than a year, I do know that. But once I created the account, I didn’t do anything with it. Actually, the story is worse than that.   Not only did I not ‘do anything’ with ACX, I actually turned down a couple of opportunities that came my way from just establishing a profile there. What? Yes, I turned down potential audiobook narration, money paying work.  Why? Because I was afraid.  Of what? I was afraid I wouldn’t be good enough…I’ve never narrated a book before. I was afraid I would not be able to deliver the audiobook narration files in a manner that complies with the ACX audio quality control requirements. And the editing requirements. It takes a LONG time to edit the narrated audio, removing bad takes, etc. Right?  Yes. But one of the core elements of the ACX Master Class is instruction on how to speed up the editing process using the excellent, free audio editing software, AUDACITY.  I have no experience interacting with a rights holder in this way and I was also afraid of not knowing enough to be even modestly professional. So I did nothing…mostly.  Oh I would hit the site once or twice a month and download audition material to practice on. But really, that was it. ACX MASTER CLASS About a year ago I got an email about a class called the ACX Master Class.  The class, with a comprehensive syllabus covering audiobook narration on ACX, was to be taught by Dan O’Day and David H. Lawrence XVII.  Dan O’Day, I wasn’t familiar with, but I was fairly familiar with Lawrence, who is a well-known voice over talent and teacher.  He is also the developer of an app I like quite a bit called, Rehearsal. It’s an iPhone app for actors that helps with line memorization.  As it turns out Dan O’Day is very well-known and respected in the radio world. As time to register for the class approached, I began to receive more marketing materials about the class and I was, indeed interested. However, when it came time to register, I discovered that the class was quite expensive.  As in QUITE expensive.   Due to the expense and some uncertainties I had about whether a union issues and about meeting the ACX quality control standards, I decided to pass on the class. ACX MASTER CLASS REDUX    Fast forward to January, 2015 and I began receiving emails again about the ACX MASTER CLASS.  The same class I had passed up in 2014. The marketing materials this time around included testimonials from students from the first class…the one I passed on. One of the first videos I saw was the one just above. This video was recorded by the narrators without the input of the class creators. At least that’s their story, and I have no reason to doubt it.  After listening to the testimonials and doing a good bit of online research, frankly, looking for any ‘bad news’ that was lurking about concerning the class, I decided that this time around I was not going to let the opportunity pass. I talked it over with my wife, Jane. I had her watch some of the student testimonial videos with me and she was as sold on the idea for me as I was for myself. So, I’m happy to report that beginning on the evening of February 2,2015, I will begin a four-week master class on audiobook narration and specifically how to use the ACX site to begin working in this very interesting niche of the acting business. It is my plan to report back my own experience in the class. I have every expectation that my ‘final report’ will be very positive.  But, if I find the class is not what it’s cracked up to be, I’ll certainly report that as well. Did I mention that this class is expensive? It is. But it also looks to be a very good value. Sometimes, you get what you pay for. Either way, I’ll let you know in a month. The post Audiobook Narration – An Intro to ACX | 058 appeared first on Actors Talk.

<a href="https://www.acx.com/narrator?p=A3KZCKJGKKG3FO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><h2>Audiobook Narration</h2>I’ve been interested in audiobook narration for quite some time. Since I have no experience in that aspect of the voice over business, I’ve never really pursued it. There just seemed to be too many uncertainties. Too many complications.When I heard or read information from narrators, it was often of the negative sort. It was too time consuming. It was a hard niche to break into. Etc. Etc.<h2>ACX</h2> <blockquote>ACX is a marketplace where professional authors, agents, publishers, and other Rights Holders can post fallow audiobook rights. At ACX, those unused audio rights will be matched with narrators, engineers, recording studios, and other Producers capable of producing a finished audiobook, as well as with audiobook publishers. The result: More audiobooks will be made. Too many authors have been left out of the quickly growing and culturally repositioned digital audio market. Until now. ACX puts you in the driver’s seat. If you’re a Rights Holder, you choose how you produce your audiobook—whether on your own or by engaging a Producer on ACX—and you choose among two royalty models. If you’re a Producer, ACX allows you to post a profile and be seen. Plus, you can be proactive and audition on ACX for posted titles.</blockquote> I’m not sure when I first became aware of <a href="http://acx.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Audiobook Creation Exchange</a> or ACX. Probably a couple of years back. I’ve had account there for more than a year, I do know that. But once I created <a href="https://www.acx.com/narrator?ie=UTF8&amp;p=A3KZCKJGKKG3FO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the account</a>, I didn’t do anything with it. Actually, the story is worse than that. Not only did I not ‘do anything’ with ACX, I actually turned down a couple of opportunities that came my way from just establishing a profile there. What? Yes, I turned down potential audiobook narration, money paying work. Why? Because I was afraid. Of what? I was afraid I wouldn’t be good enough…I’ve never narrated a book before. I was afraid I would not be able to deliver the audiobook narration files in a manner that complies with the ACX audio quality control requirements. <a href="http://actorstalkacting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/audacity_logo_r_450wide_whitebg.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>And the editing requirements. It takes a LONG time to edit the narrated audio, removing bad takes, etc. Right? Yes. But one of the core elements of the ACX Master Class is instruction on how to speed up the editing process using the excellent, free audio editing software, <a href="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AUDACITY.</a> I have no experience interacting with a rights holder in this way and I was also afraid of not knowing enough to be even modestly professional. So I did nothing…mostly. Oh I would hit the site once or twice a month and download audition material to practice on. But really, that was it. <h2>ACX MASTER CLASS</h2> About a year ago I got an email about a class called the ACX Master Class. The class, with a comprehensive syllabus covering audiobook narration on ACX, was to be taught by<a href="http://danoday.com/index.shtml" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Dan O’Day</a> and <a href="http://www.vo2gogo.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David H. Lawrence XVII</a>. Dan O’Day, I wasn’t familiar with, but I was fairly familiar with Lawrence, who is a well-known voice over talent and teacher. He is also the developer of an app I like quite a bit called, Rehearsal. It’s an iPhone app for actors that helps with line memorization. As it turns out Dan O’Day is very well-known and respected in the radio world. As time to register for the class approached, I began to receive more marketing materials about the class and I was, indeed interested. However, when it came time to register, I discovered that the class was quite expensive. As in QUITE expensive. Due to the expense and some uncertainties I had about whether a union issues and about meeting the ACX quality control standards, I decided to pass on the class. <h2>ACX MASTER CLASS REDUX</h2> <center> </center> Fast forward to January, 2015 and I began receiving emails again about the ACX MASTER CLASS. The same class I had passed up in 2014. The marketing materials this time around included testimonials from students from the first class…the one I passed on. One of the first videos I saw was the one just above. This video was recorded by the narrators without the input of the class creators. At least that’s their story, and I have no reason to doubt it. After listening to the testimonials and doing a good bit of online research, frankly, looking for any ‘bad news’ that was lurking about concerning the class, I decided that this time around I was not going to let the opportunity pass. I talked it over with my wife, Jane. I had her watch some of the student testimonial videos with me and she was as sold on the idea for me as I was for myself. So, I’m happy to report that beginning on the evening of February 2,2015, I will begin a four-week master class on audiobook narration and specifically how to use the ACX site to begin working in this very interesting niche of the acting business. It is my plan to report back my own experience in the class. I have every expectation that my ‘final report’ will be very positive. But, if I find the class is not what it’s cracked up to be, I’ll certainly report that as well. Did I mention that this class is expensive? It is. But it also looks to be a very good value. Sometimes, you get what you pay for. Either way, I’ll let you know in a month. The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/audiobook-narration-intro-acx-058/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Audiobook Narration – An Intro to ACX | 058</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Audiobook Narration – An Intro to ACX | 058

Conrad Goode

WATERCOLOR POSTCARDSWATERCOLOR POSTCARDS aka HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS, is now available on DVD at AMAZON.COM or for streaming or digital download on AMAZON.COM and on iTUNESDon’t miss this film which features a top-notch cast headed by: Bailee Madison, Jonathan Banks, John C. McGinley, Laura Bell Bundy, and Conrad Goode. as Butch. Director is Rajeev Dassani.Conrad Goode – A Change In PlansConrad Goode, unlike a lot of the prior guests on Actors Talk, did not grow up dreaming of becoming an actor, writer or filmmaker. He had other dreams and aspirations.Conrad Goode’s father and step-father were both accomplished football players. That’s American football. College and Professional football to be more precise. Conrad’s father was an All-American football player for the University of Missouri and went on to play professionally for a time in the Canadian football league. Conrad’s step-father, Irv Goode had a long career in the NFL with the then, St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Dolphins.It is not surprising, given this background, that Conrad grew up wanting to excel in sports. And excel he did. He was highly recruited out of high school and considered powerhouse schools such as Ohio State and Notre Dame before deciding to stay closer to home and attend the University of Missouri.Watercolor Postcards Trailer 1 from Rajeev Dassani on Vimeo.There he, like his father before him, won All-American honors and like his step-father, transitioned from college into the pros. He was drafted as the 87th overall pick by the New York Giants in 1984. His dream of playing professional football had become a reality.But…yes there is a ‘but’… it didn’t take long for the life in professional football to lose its luster. There is a scene in WATERCOLOR POSTCARDS where BUTCH, a former pro football player, played by Conrad Goode, talks about how he wound up in this small Texas town selling watercolor postcards on the side of the road.  I had to break down years of brainwashing from all the football coaches to show any type of vulnerability… He, Butch, had become disillusioned with football and simply walked away. And when he did, he found freedom from expectations but lost the relationships of those who could only see him as ‘Butch the football player.’Conrad Goode tells me in our interview that this scene is definitely autobiographical. One day during preseason he realized his love for the game was gone. Football no longer made any sense to him. He was with the Chicago Bears at the time and simply went into Mike Ditka’s office and told him the passion for football was gone and so was he.Conrad Goode The ActorWhen Conrad Goode was still with the Giants he had received a call rather ‘out of the blue’ from a talent agent who helped him get cast in a beer commercial. Somehow something as pedestrian sounding as a beer commercial proved to be the key that unlocked a new passion for Conrad Goode.After retiring from professional football, he would spend a decade studying to develop his craft as an actor.I had suggested in our discussion that there were many athletes, many professional football players who have toyed with acting and the movie business.As Conrad Goode said to me, “A Lot of football players have tried to get into the film business, but a lot of them don’t want to do the work…I stayed in classes for ten years…Meisner for two years, scene study for five years…different types of classes working on my craft so when I got the opportunity, I knew I wasn’t going to lock up when standing next to Jack Nicholson or something like that….” Obviously this transition or transformation from football player to dedicated actor was not an overnight thing, not easy. His first acting teacher had some advice that he took to heart: …You’re going to have to tear that macho football stuff away if you’re going to be a good actor. He pushed me into writing. I started writing poems. Poems became songs. And I really enjoyed writing. When I was in school I couldn’t stand it. I started writing scripts in the late ’80’s and here we are… You can’t have one without the other.Conrad Goode has put his athletic talent and his physical presence to good use in his acting career. But he has always wanted to be seen as more than the bad guy. One of the reasons he has worked so long and hard to bring WATERCOLOR POSTCARDS / HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS to the public is because he wrote the role of Butch for himself so he could play against type.Holding onto the script wasn’t always easy. There were a few times when he could have sold the script and walked away with a nice payday, but no guarantee of a role in the film  I could have sold it a couple of times. They were writing some big checks and passing them across the table but they wanted me to walk away from the project. I knew this script. I HAD to be the guy if anyone was going to see me in another light than being a heavy. So, for eleven years he held onto the script and through persistence, passion and perseverance he was able to get this passion project made with an outstanding cast and a terrific young director.This type of tenacity and gumption along with Conrad Goode’s talent deserve recognition and support in the marketplace.Hey, we all like action films. Conrad Goode would have had a far less successful career if not for action films. But his acting chops go deeper than that. If you even occasionally like movies where character and story instead of action and special effects are the stars, then you should definitely check out WATERCOLOR POSTCARDS aka HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS.By the way…what’s up with the two titles? The film was produced as WATERCOLOR POSTCARDS. The distributor for US territories has decided that they can better promote the film as HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS. As Conrad Goode says in our interview….filmmakers, read the fine print. He had no idea the distributor could change the title, but they could and they did.Either way it’s a film I’m happy to ask you to support. My thanks to Conrad Goode for adding his story to the body of work at ACTORS TALK.The post Conrad Goode – From Football to Filmmaker | 057 appeared first on Actors Talk.

<h2>WATERCOLOR POSTCARDS</h2>WATERCOLOR POSTCARDS aka HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS, is now available on DVD at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Home-Is-Where-Heart/dp/B00KITEHI4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AMAZON.COM</a> or for streaming or digital download on<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Heart-Bailee-Madison/dp/B00MXWFD8C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1419563241&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=home+is+where+the+heart+is+movie" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> AMAZON.COM</a> and on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/home-is-where-the-heart-is/id906158299" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTUNES</a>Don’t miss this film which features a top-notch cast headed by: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1933128/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bailee Madison</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0052186/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jonathan Banks</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001525/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">John C. McGinley</a>,<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0120410/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Laura Bell Bundy</a>, and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0328806/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conrad Goode.</a> as Butch. Director is<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1472423/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Rajeev Dassani.</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WatercolorPostcardstheMovie" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><h2>Conrad Goode – A Change In Plans</h2><a href="http://clcross5.wix.com/conradgoode#!gallery/c1zdo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Conrad Goode, unlike a lot of the prior guests on Actors Talk, did not grow up dreaming of becoming an actor, writer or filmmaker. He had other dreams and aspirations.Conrad Goode’s father and step-father were both accomplished football players. That’s American football. College and Professional football to be more precise. Conrad’s father was an All-American football player for the University of Missouri and went on to play professionally for a time in the Canadian football league. Conrad’s step-father, Irv Goode had a long career in the NFL with the then, St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Dolphins.It is not surprising, given this background, that Conrad grew up wanting to excel in sports. And excel he did. He was highly recruited out of high school and considered powerhouse schools such as Ohio State and Notre Dame before deciding to stay closer to home and attend the University of Missouri.<a href="http://vimeo.com/51884748" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Watercolor Postcards Trailer 1</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/rajeevdassani" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rajeev Dassani</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Vimeo</a>.There he, like his father before him, won All-American honors and like his step-father, transitioned from college into the pros. He was drafted as the 87th overall pick by the New York Giants in 1984. His dream of playing professional football had become a reality.But…yes there is a ‘but’… it didn’t take long for the life in professional football to lose its luster. There is a scene in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2245277/combined" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WATERCOLOR POSTCARDS</a> where BUTCH, a former pro football player, played by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0328806/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conrad Goode</a>, talks about how he wound up in this small Texas town selling watercolor postcards on the side of the road. <blockquote>I had to break down years of brainwashing from all the football coaches to show any type of vulnerability…</blockquote> <a href="http://clcross5.wix.com/conradgoode#!gallery/c1zdo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>He, Butch, had become disillusioned with football and simply walked away. And when he did, he found freedom from expectations but lost the relationships of those who could only see him as ‘Butch the football player.’Conrad Goode tells me in our interview that this scene is definitely autobiographical. One day during preseason he realized his love for the game was gone. Football no longer made any sense to him. He was with the Chicago Bears at the time and simply went into Mike Ditka’s office and told him the passion for football was gone and so was he.<h2><a href="http://clcross5.wix.com/conradgoode" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conrad Goode The Actor</a></h2><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Heart-Bailee-Madison/dp/B00MXWFD8C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1419563241&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=home+is+where+the+heart+is+movie" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>When Conrad Goode was still with the Giants he had received a call rather ‘out of the blue’ from a talent agent who helped him get cast in a beer commercial. Somehow something as pedestrian sounding as a beer commercial proved to be the key that unlocked a new passion for Conrad Goode.After retiring from professional football, he would spend a decade studying to develop his craft as an actor.I had suggested in our discussion that there were many athletes, many professional football players who have toyed with acting and the movie business.As Conrad Goode said to me, <blockquote>“A Lot of football players have tried to get into the film business, but a lot of them don’t want to do the work…I stayed in classes for ten years…Meisner for two years, scene study for five years…different types of classes working on my craft so when I got the opportunity, I knew I wasn’t going to lock up when standing next to Jack Nicholson or something like that….”</blockquote> Obviously this transition or transformation from football player to dedicated actor was not an overnight thing, not easy. His first acting teacher had some advice that he took to heart: <blockquote>…You’re going to have to tear that macho football stuff away if you’re going to be a good actor. He pushed me into writing. I started writing poems. Poems became songs. And I really enjoyed writing. When I was in school I couldn’t stand it. I started writing scripts in the late ’80’s and here we are…</blockquote> You can’t have one without the other.Conrad Goode has put his athletic talent and his physical presence to good use in his acting career. But he has always wanted to be seen as more than the bad guy. One of the reasons he has worked so long and hard to bring WATERCOLOR POSTCARDS / HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS to the public is because he wrote the role of Butch for himself so he could play against type.Holding onto the script wasn’t always easy. There were a few times when he could have sold the script and walked away with a nice payday, but no guarantee of a role in the film <blockquote>I could have sold it a couple of times. They were writing some big checks and passing them across the table but they wanted me to walk away from the project. I knew this script. I HAD to be the guy if anyone was going to see me in another light than being a heavy.</blockquote> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2245277/combined" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>So, for eleven years he held onto the script and through persistence, passion and perseverance he was able to get this passion project made with an outstanding cast and a terrific young director.This type of tenacity and gumption along with Conrad Goode’s talent deserve recognition and support in the marketplace.Hey, we all like action films. Conrad Goode would have had a far less successful career if not for action films. But his acting chops go deeper than that. If you even occasionally like movies where character and story instead of action and special effects are the stars, then you should definitely check out <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2245277/combined" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WATERCOLOR POSTCARDS </a>aka<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Heart-Bailee-Madison/dp/B00MXWFD8C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1419563241&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=home+is+where+the+heart+is+movie" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS.</a>By the way…what’s up with the two titles? The film was produced as WATERCOLOR POSTCARDS. The distributor for US territories has decided that they can better promote the film as HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS. As Conrad Goode says in our interview….filmmakers, read the fine print. He had no idea the distributor could change the title, but they could and they did.Either way it’s a film I’m happy to ask you to support. My thanks to Conrad Goode for adding his story to the body of work at ACTORS TALK.The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/conrad-goode-football-filmmaker-057/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Conrad Goode – From Football to Filmmaker | 057</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Conrad Goode – From Football to Filmmaker | 057

Revisiting 1500 STEPS EASY SKETCH PRO 2.0 AFFILIATE LINK: Take me to Easy Sketch Pro [10/30/2014 [12:20:04] AM] Josh Reid: Hey Tommy. Just wanted to let you know I finally finished 1500 Steps. If you are interested I’m up for a follow-up interview… I hadn’t logged onto Skype for a few days and had missed […] The post 1500 Steps Movie Goes The Distance | 056 appeared first on Actors Talk.

Revisiting 1500 STEPS EASY SKETCH PRO 2.0 AFFILIATE LINK: Take me to Easy Sketch Pro [10/30/2014 [12:20:04] AM] Josh Reid: Hey Tommy. Just wanted to let you know I finally finished 1500 Steps. If you are interested I’m up for a follow-up interview… I hadn’t logged onto Skype for a few days and had missed […] The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/1500-steps-goes-the-distance-056/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">1500 Steps Movie Goes The Distance | 056</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

1500 Steps Movie Goes The Distance | 056

BLIND COURAGE – Never Lose Faith – Never Give Up Bill inspired me to look at my life and to just keep going — whether it’s on the script, my career, my family — to just keep going and have a good attitude. Below you’ll find some of my thoughts on this project and about […] The post Blind Courage The Movie | 055 appeared first on Actors Talk.

BLIND COURAGE – Never Lose Faith – Never Give Up Bill inspired me to look at my life and to just keep going — whether it’s on the script, my career, my family — to just keep going and have a good attitude. Below you’ll find some of my thoughts on this project and about […] The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/blind-courage-movie-055/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Blind Courage The Movie | 055</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Blind Courage The Movie | 055

Kyle Prohaska

KYLE PROHASKA – FILMMAKER This is my second time to interview Love Covers All writer-director, Kyle Prohaska. Kyle was previously my guest on Actors Talk Episode 15. Kyle had written, directed and produced his first film, STANDING FIRM, for his own production company, Praise Pictures, when barely more than a teenager. As a young director […] The post Love Covers All Movie With Kyle Prohaska | 054 appeared first on Actors Talk.

KYLE PROHASKA – FILMMAKER This is my second time to interview Love Covers All writer-director, Kyle Prohaska. Kyle was previously my guest on Actors Talk Episode 15. Kyle had written, directed and produced his first film, STANDING FIRM, for his own production company, Praise Pictures, when barely more than a teenager. As a young director […] The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/love-covers-all-kyle-prohaska/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Love Covers All Movie With Kyle Prohaska | 054</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Love Covers All Movie With Kyle Prohaska | 054

A YouTube Star is Born I don’t think it’s any mystery as to why I started ‘Confessions of a Bitter(sweet) Actress.‘ … At the time, I was frustrated that I wasn’t able to showcase my talent to an audience because I wasn’t getting auditions and therefore wasn’t booking… until I realized that auditions and bookings […] The post Confessions of A Rising YouTube Star | 053 appeared first on Actors Talk.

A YouTube Star is Born I don’t think it’s any mystery as to why I started ‘Confessions of a Bitter(sweet) Actress.‘ … At the time, I was frustrated that I wasn’t able to showcase my talent to an audience because I wasn’t getting auditions and therefore wasn’t booking… until I realized that auditions and bookings […] The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/053-atp-confessions-of/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Confessions of A Rising YouTube Star | 053</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Confessions of A Rising YouTube Star | 053

Beverly Leech – Building Actor Muscle My guest for this episode is actress, teacher, writer, dancer and failed childhood clarinet player Beverly Leech. Beverly is a busy Los Angeles based actress, who has written a most excellent book called Actor Muscle – A Professional Guide to the Business of Acting. Beverly got her early training […] The post Actor Muscle – Building An Acting Career|052 appeared first on Actors Talk.

Beverly Leech – Building Actor Muscle My guest for this episode is actress, teacher, writer, dancer and failed childhood clarinet player Beverly Leech. Beverly is a busy Los Angeles based actress, who has written a most excellent book called Actor Muscle – A Professional Guide to the Business of Acting. Beverly got her early training […] The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/052-atp-actor-muscle/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actor Muscle – Building An Acting Career|052</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Actor Muscle – Building An Acting Career|052

Anita Cordell

Meet Actress – Producer Anita Cordell   I did not produce because it was the love of my life or anything. It was a way for me to become a part of a project called the 168FilmProject Though I’ve known Anita Cordell for several years as a Facebook friend, I only recently had the pleasure […] The post I Will Rise – Five Films By Anita Cordell | 051 appeared first on Actors Talk.

Meet Actress – Producer Anita Cordell   I did not produce because it was the love of my life or anything. It was a way for me to become a part of a project called the 168FilmProject Though I’ve known Anita Cordell for several years as a Facebook friend, I only recently had the pleasure […] The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/051-atp-anita-cordell-actress-producer-will-rise/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I Will Rise – Five Films By Anita Cordell | 051</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

I Will Rise – Five Films By Anita Cordell | 051

Jen Rudin

JEN RUDIN – A Unique Perspective When I was approached by publicity representative of HarperCollins about the possibility of interviewing casting director Jen Rudin about her new book CONFESSIONS OF A CASTING DIRECTOR I was immediately interested. My interest was not solely because Jen Rudin is a busy casting director (The Incredibles, The Princess And […] The post Jen Rudin Confessions Of A Casting Director | 050 appeared first on Actors Talk.

JEN RUDIN – A Unique Perspective When I was approached by publicity representative of HarperCollins about the possibility of interviewing casting director Jen Rudin about her new book CONFESSIONS OF A CASTING DIRECTOR I was immediately interested. My interest was not solely because Jen Rudin is a busy casting director (The Incredibles, The Princess And […] The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/050-atp-jen-rudin-confessions-casting-director/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jen Rudin Confessions Of A Casting Director | 050</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Jen Rudin Confessions Of A Casting Director | 050

Tracy Trost

IF YOU COULD DO ANYTHING …I’ll tell you this: If you believe it’s impossible, then it is. But if you believe it’s possible, then it is. It comes down to you. What would you do? If you could be anybody you wanted to be, if money weren’t an issue and failure not an option, what […] The post Director Tracy Trost – Living The Dream | 049 appeared first on Actors Talk.

IF YOU COULD DO ANYTHING …I’ll tell you this: If you believe it’s impossible, then it is. But if you believe it’s possible, then it is. It comes down to you. What would you do? If you could be anybody you wanted to be, if money weren’t an issue and failure not an option, what […] The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/049-atp-director-tracy-trost-living-the-dream/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Director Tracy Trost – Living The Dream | 049</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Director Tracy Trost – Living The Dream | 049

Perch

Angel’s Perch – The Story Everyone has an emotional home. It’s not necessarily where you were born, or even where you grew up, but it’s the place that you dream about in the quiet moments—the place that defines your happiest memories. A young man must return to his small Appalachian hometown to face his grandmother’s […] The post Angel’s Perch – From Script To Screen | 048 appeared first on Actors Talk.

Angel’s Perch – The Story Everyone has an emotional home. It’s not necessarily where you were born, or even where you grew up, but it’s the place that you dream about in the quiet moments—the place that defines your happiest memories. A young man must return to his small Appalachian hometown to face his grandmother’s […] The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/048-atp-angels-perch-from-script-to-screen/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Angel’s Perch – From Script To Screen | 048</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Angel’s Perch – From Script To Screen | 048

Linda Nelson

VOD DISTRIBUTION – 20 TIPS FROM INDIE RIGHTS’ LINDA NELSON I hope you have or will listen to the interview with Linda Nelson. This podcast episode is not intended to be nor does it pretend to be an all-inclusive discussion about Video On Demand. But if you’re an indie filmmaker struggling to get a handle […] The post Intro to VOD Distribution with Linda Nelson | 047 appeared first on Actors Talk.

VOD DISTRIBUTION – 20 TIPS FROM INDIE RIGHTS’ LINDA NELSON I hope you have or will listen to the interview with Linda Nelson. This podcast episode is not intended to be nor does it pretend to be an all-inclusive discussion about Video On Demand. But if you’re an indie filmmaker struggling to get a handle […] The post <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com/047-vod-distribution-with-linda-nelson/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Intro to VOD Distribution with Linda Nelson | 047</a> appeared first on <a href="http://actorstalkpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Actors Talk</a>.

Intro to VOD Distribution with Linda Nelson | 047

A must for actors, great podcast with interviews and advice. Learned a lot from it!

A must for actors

Great show for who wants to go to the next level. Keep up the good work.

A+ Podcast

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