Early Bloomers with Connor Clark, Sienna Druce & Jakub Hapugoda

In this episode, we explore the unique dynamics of starting young versus later in life as an actor. With insights from students at Flinders University, namely return guest Connor Clark (my son) and fellow class-mates Sienna Druce and Jakub Hapugoda, the conversation reveals that regardless of age, the core fears, joys, and learning curves are remarkably similar. Understanding these parallels can empower both early starters and late bloomers to embrace their distinct journeys with confidence.

This episode underscores that the secret isn’t when you start, but how you approach the craft—whether with curiosity, resilience, or joy. Remember, in acting as in life, there truly is no right age—only the courage to begin. Keep blooming, wherever you are on your journey.

Key topics:

• The importance of experimentation and safe failure early in the acting career
• How experience, perspective, and life lessons shape acting maturity
• The role of discipline, resilience, and fun in training and professional work
• The benefits and challenges of starting young, including unlearning habits
• How older actors sometimes overthink, while younger actors retain playfulness
• Practical advice for managing expectations, building a toolbox, and continuous learning
• The mindset shifts necessary to thrive at any stage of acting

Transcript

David John Clark (00:00)

Welcome back to the Late Bloomer Actor. This is episode two of season five. And for everyone watching on YouTube, I have to apologize. I think my face is a little bit red. Not because I'm nervous or having a reaction. Maybe I am. But I had a bit too much sun yesterday out walking with my wife. But there we are. I got some sun. Today's episode is a little bit special for me and not just because I'm slightly outnumbered in the studio.

This episode brings together three actors who are right at the beginning of their professional journeys. Currently training at Flinders University here in Adelaide in the Bachelor of Performance in Acting. They're learning the craft, discovering who they are as artists and starting to look toward an industry that can feel both exciting and terrifying in equal measure. And we know that already. One of those actors is my son, Connor Clark, who some of you may remember from season three, episode two.

when he came on the podcast at the very start of his training.

Joining Connor today are two of his fellow classmates and collaborators, Sienna Druce and Jakub Hapugoda, both emerging actors who've already clocked up stage work, university productions and short films, and who bring very different perspectives into the room. What I want to explore in this conversation is something that

I think doesn't get talked about enough. How different does an acting journey look when you start young compared to starting later in life? What are the advantages? What are the blind spots? And what can each generation of actors generally learn from the other?

If you're a young actor in training, I think this episode will give you reassurance and maybe a few gentle warnings. If you're a late bloomer, I hope it reminds you that there is no single right timeline, just different starting points. All right, let's get into it.

David John Clark (01:49)

All right, welcome, welcome everyone to another episode of the Late Bloomer Actor. I'm really excited about this conversation because it's not one we get to have very often and I think it's gonna be a one. Sitting with me in the studio today are three actors currently training at Flinders University here in Adelaide, South Australia, all at different points in discovering who they are as performers. And full transparency, one of them happens to share my last name.

Rather than me doing a formal bio for each of you, I'd love to throw it over to you. So we'll just go around the room, tell us who you are, what year you're in, well you're all in the same year, first person gets to talk, gets to answer that question. And maybe one sentence on why you decided to pursue acting in the first place. Ladies first, Sienna, do you want to kick us off?

Sienna (02:36)

That's unfair. Okay, I'll introduce us all. Hi, my name is Sienna. We are third year actors, so we're about to complete our Bachelor of Acting this year, which is very exciting, yay. In a sentence, I think the reason I got into acting is I love the freedom and I love getting to play and it's just always been a calling, the live feeling of

Connor Clark (02:37)

You

Sienna (03:02)

performing.

David John Clark (03:03)

Beautiful, beautiful. And we'll talk a bit about your background and where you've come from and everything like that. So Jakub, you're next up, my man.

Jakub (03:12)

Yeah, I'm Jakub. I'm in third year, same as Sandra and Connor. A sentence why acting. I just really like it. really enjoy it and I enjoy entertaining the peoples in any way.

David John Clark (03:29)

I love it. love it. And we'll nail down on that. That's good. We're getting used to the camera guys. This is your first podcast too, isn't it guys?

Connor Clark (03:34)

You

Jakub (03:35)

It is, yeah,

yeah. It is. Just for fun.

David John Clark (03:38)

It's not that scary. It's not that scary. And, Connor, you're an old hack at this having appeared in season three. Welcome my young man.

Sienna (03:40)

haha

Connor Clark (03:45)

Wasn't it season 2? Was it 3? Oh. So if you look up, I'm just... Hi.

David John Clark (03:47)

Season three, I think. It's in my notes for the intro, which I haven't done yet. There you go. Awesome. And where are you coming from today, Connor?

Jakub (03:51)

free.

Sienna (03:52)

Hahaha

David John Clark (04:00)

No banging on the ceiling,

Sienna (04:01)

Ha ha ha.

Connor Clark (04:02)

Just look this.

David John Clark (04:06)

There we go. No,

Connor Clark (04:07)

Hear that?

David John Clark (04:09)

I have a Rode mic. It wouldn't have picked it up, hopefully. So, but for everyone listening, he was banging on the ceiling because he's right above me. Welcome, mate. Thank you very much. You got anything to say?

Connor Clark (04:20)

yes. So yeah, I'm Connor. Same year as these guys, obviously. I talked last time about what made me choose to do acting, but I think the reason why I still do it is because I like the... I've always been a dramatic person. I love the idea of being able to just play someone you're not and just go into these random scenarios that you might not ever...

encounter in your actual life and just performing just things that you might not ever do yourself.

David John Clark (04:55)

Yeah, well that's acting,

isn't it? Being someone else, but bringing something to life on screen or on stage. Guys, before I go into some really formal questions and nail down some serious discussions here, you'll get worried now. As a group, and feel free to talk over each other and back each other up and that, but you're all at Flinders University, you're in year three, so you've done a lot of stuff together. Now I've been fortunate to see you all on stage and you're...

Sienna (05:11)

haha

Jakub (05:16)

That's what we're best at.

David John Clark (05:24)

in your productions, as well as some stuff on screen. So you've got together now and made some film as well, including the last 48 hour film challenge. So that's a big discussion topic for actors and for late bloomers. It's about making your own work. As a group, just the three of you and your wider community that you have, so we didn't get everyone from your class on, how is your third year at university working as a community, as a group of actors and

building that portfolio so to speak.

Connor Clark (05:57)

Who wants to take this?

Sienna (05:59)

I'm gonna jump at it.

David John Clark (06:01)

Go for it. Connor, you start. Go on.

Connor Clark (06:03)

Well, I mean,

I think we're very collaborative, obviously, at uni when we have to work together, even if we're not like, even if you if you're not in a scene with someone, everyone will still be there if you want to like run lines or like just find things. If you'll if you have a self tape, you can just ask someone to help you with it and they'll and they'll just be there to help you the reader and stuff. But outside of uni even

Jakub (06:26)

Mm.

Connor Clark (06:30)

like with the 48 hour challenge and with other films. I think it's just the.

It's the feeling of being like in the industry, I guess, because you're not in uni, you're not doing classes, you're making like a film and being able to collaborate with the people you know already and then meet their friends and some of the directors they know, it's always just a really good opportunity and it's just so much fun. So I think we take any opportunity we can really to collaborate outside of uni on any work possible.

Jakub (06:54)

Mm.

Yeah.

Sienna (07:07)

I do think we're quite blessed to have, like we're all family. I feel so comfortable around you guys as an ensemble and it gives me permission to play a little bit more when sometimes in the outside world I might be a bit more hesitant to go to those crazy angles but with our ensemble and our year which is such a privilege, I feel like I can take those risks and you guys are gonna support me no matter what. So.

Jakub (07:19)

Mm.

Yeah.

Yeah, I think because we're, like, I think part of the reason why they all do a lot of ensemble work with us is because, like, everyone's really nervous to be loud and stupid at first and first year and a big hurdle that we all have to overcome is, like, being okay with looking stupid. Because, I mean, yeah, the whole job is sometimes you're like, you do a scene, like, what am I doing? I look so stupid right now, but that's not the point.

Sienna (07:53)

Yeah, the whole job.

Jakub (08:02)

The point is that other people sit and go, whoa, that was so real. That looks so cool. But like, yeah, I think having outside eyes to what, to see what we do as individuals is really.

Good.

Connor Clark (08:17)

Yeah.

David John Clark (08:18)

I find that really interesting because how you said to feel stupid in front of your classmates and to do silly things and to make faces and that, but because on stage you guys do some serious storytelling. I haven't even started on my questions yet, but I'm going to go down this tangent straight up because there's a lot of discussions on my podcast between the difference between young people and late bloomers. And they say that late bloomers has, we have that positive

aspect of that we have lived a life experience. We've married and had children and divorced and got arrested, not me, but look at Connor's face. That's another story. No, not yet. ⁓ Not me.

Sienna (08:45)

Mm.

Hahaha

Connor Clark (08:52)

I knew it ⁓

Sienna (08:55)

just went insane.

Jakub (08:56)

Big news for Connor Clark 2026!

David John Clark (09:00)

I kind of, you're not my real son. But no, but seriously, they, we, people comment on that, that, that late bloomers have that life experience, but you guys are all in your early twenties, you know, you've gone straight into drama school out of high school, yet you're delivering some productions that have some serious life messages. So do you find that

Having that ensemble training and being able to just free yourself of that, I'm looking stupid or I'm being an idiot, makes it easier when you've got to do that simulated sex scene or that discussion about being pregnant or losing a baby or all those intricate topics that you guys have already addressed in your drama shows.

Jakub (09:50)

I think I want to reword, re reword what I said, because I don't think it's being stupid. I think it's being vulnerable. I think is, is what I meant because, you know, if you act like a, like a, ah, in front of everyone, you're being vulnerable. Like it looks stupid, but you're being vulnerable. And I think it's the same when you have to do scenes where it's a simulated sex scene or like, you know, you just find out someone's died. It's allowing yourself to drop into the truth of what's happening, regardless of how your

David John Clark (09:56)

Okay, I like that.

Sienna (09:57)

Hmm.

Jakub (10:19)

self-conscious mind might view that, I think. And I know that when I've done scenes like that, and when anyone else has done scenes like that, and I've gone, that looks really stupid, we all go, no, no, it it looked really good, it looked really good. Like, what are you talking about? I think it's a big part of the training is overcoming that eye that tells you what you're doing looks really stupid. Or I feel self-conscious about this, and yeah.

Connor Clark (10:43)

I kind of think like, yeah, it's a big part of the training is getting over there, but I don't think, I don't think anyone will ever fully get rid of it. Cause I'll sit there and Jakub will do a scene and he'll say, I don't know about this. And I'll go, no, that was brilliant. That was amazing. It made me feel. And then two minutes later I'll do my scene and I'll be like that, that was shit. I felt stupid. I'm terrible. There's no way that was good. So it's, it's

Jakub (11:08)

And I'll say, yeah, it was so bad. I hated that

Sienna (11:11)

And then we all

Jakub (11:11)

scene.

Sienna (11:11)

go, yeah, kind of what was that? Also, yeah, to answer the question from like a different angle, it is vulnerable, but at the same time, what, like trying to understand those types of scenarios if we haven't been in them before, because we're so young, what a lot of acting I'm finding, especially right now, is it's imagination, it's make believe, it's play. So it's not necessarily, my God,

Connor Clark (11:13)

Yeah, welcome to drama at Flinders, guys.

Sienna (11:39)

I've never lost a child in my life, but it's going, what would I do if I had lost a child? And so it's vulnerable, but the beauty of acting is we get to play imagination and it's safe to be able to put myself in that scenario. Yes.

David John Clark (11:55)

Awesome.

That's awesome. And let's start this podcast right in the serious stuff. That's fantastic. No, that's really good because I wanted to show that my goal here in talking to you is to try and show that, even though our journeys are so different, they can be quite similar and we can all get the same thing. Let's go into some of the stuff that I wanted to talk about and we'll go on divergence if we need to. So you guys are training all together, as I said, but

Do you feel like you're all on the same timeline or are you already finding different paths that you can see yourself going on?

Connor Clark (12:34)

I absolutely think we're all on different paths in a way. We're all like obviously traveling on the same path, doing the same learning and stuff, but we all take the teaching differently. Like we all take it in. Like our teacher will say one thing and Jakub will clock it and he will know how to use it immediately. And then I might have to explore it a little bit on the floor or

Sienna might relate it back to a reading that she's done and then connect it that way. So absolutely, I think we're all on different paths, not like in skill, but like in just terms of learning and using the ability, using your ability and channeling it and stuff. I think we're really, I think we're at that point where we now have our own processes that we know

Jakub (13:13)

Yeah.

Sienna (13:22)

Mmm.

Jakub (13:23)

Yeah

you

Connor Clark (13:29)

work for us that might not work for others and we can see that and understand that.

Sienna (13:35)

Yeah, I'd say

like different things will resonate with us. So it's not necessarily like, yeah, we can't measure our skill level. It's just whatever we're focusing on in the moment. For example, Meisner, some people it really clicks for and it really will work for their imagination or their emotions for other people. It's not there and that's okay. It doesn't make them less or more of an actor. Just something else will resonate later down.

Jakub (13:39)

Exactly.

Yeah.

Cause like I

David John Clark (14:03)

It's a bit like,

sorry, we're all talking about that toolbox, isn't it? So your teachers are giving you a toolbox full of tools and you're choosing which ones you're leaving in there. Now throw that one out, throw that. I love this one. I'm keeping that.

Sienna (14:07)

Yeah.

Jakub (14:08)

Mm-hmm.

Sienna (14:11)

Mm-hmm.

Jakub (14:14)

Yeah

Sienna (14:14)

Yeah,

it's not always easy. Yeah.

Jakub (14:17)

He's like throwing stuff at us like use this no use this no use this no and

then sometimes he's like yeah this works and then you have like an aha moment and yeah

Sienna (14:26)

Yeah.

David John Clark (14:26)

Okay.

Connor Clark (14:26)

Yeah.

David John Clark (14:28)

That's awesome. And do you find the formality of the training at times? This is crap. I know how to do this. Or do you just take it on board and learn from it, grow from it?

Jakub (14:41)

Yeah, I think I've never had a moment I think where I've gone, man, this is just so bad. I'm going to stop everything. It's there's a lot of the training is there's always something in what you're doing, even if like, you're doing the process of actioning, where you put a verb for every line that you say. I don't particularly like doing that all the time. But I found that when I'm stuck on a line, it works. I put it on there and it works. I think it's

Sienna (15:02)

No.

Connor Clark (15:03)

Never.

Jakub (15:09)

using like if you're thrown five things, one of them might help and if none of them help, then that's fine. I think it's a lot of self driven learning in that area I think is a lot of yeah.

David John Clark (15:20)

Nice.

Connor Clark (15:22)

And and yeah

off of that it's like there's for me there's been lots of times where I'll be in class and I'll be like I don't see why I'm learning this like this is kind of this doesn't work for me this is kind of silly but then months later I will call back to that and be like I can use this and maybe it will actually help so it's like

you're getting a bunch of tools, putting in your toolbox that you don't really care about, but then when you need it, you know, it will be in there. So it's good. Yeah. As long as you learn it, even if it doesn't work when you first learn it, you have it there in case you need to reach back to discover something else.

David John Clark (15:52)

It's deep down. It's in there somewhere.

Sienna (15:54)

Mmm.

Jakub (15:55)

in your heart.

⁓

Because it's like

David John Clark (16:03)

One

of the biggest things I find with the formal training is I scoff at it all the time is the, what animal am I? Now you guys have all done that. Yeah.

Jakub (16:12)

Dude, I don't know, man. I think I love that stuff. That stuff,

Sienna (16:13)

We just did that a few days ago.

Jakub (16:17)

so you see this is another thing where the animal stuff might not work with everyone, but for me, I just love it. It's like, you just get to play, have fun. it's, it works in my brain. Cause I think strangely sometimes it's helpful to, helpful to pretend to be a raccoon on the floor.

Sienna (16:21)

Yeah

David John Clark (16:30)

Yeah.

A raccoon. A raccoon. Do we even have raccoons in Australia? No.

Jakub (16:36)

Raccoon, raccoon? No.

Connor Clark (16:39)

Okay.

Sienna (16:40)

Jake is the spirit out of all of them.

David John Clark (16:42)

I love it. Guys,

what do you think is the biggest advantage of starting your acting journey young? If you can, if you think you can find an advantage of it, what's the part no one really warns you about as well? And you can use me as a comparison as an old actor.

Sienna (16:57)

⁓

I wasn't going to use you as a comparison, but something that really stood out to me when we first started was how much stuff you have to unlearn. And I feel like because we start so young, the habits aren't as solidified possibly. So for example, something I got dealt with a lot with posture, especially when I start to get tense, my shoulders are coming up and stuff. I find I could be wrong, but...

because I'm slightly younger, it's a bit easier that that's gone now, that's been completely wired out of me. And it's not as long of a habit that they've had to try and break. It could be an atri-point, yeah.

Connor Clark (17:36)

Mm.

Jakub (17:37)

Mm.

David John Clark (17:37)

Nice.

Connor Clark (17:40)

Yeah, no,

that's absolutely.

Jakub (17:41)

Yeah, I also think because we're so young we don't have lots of life experience in many areas. We're told to observe a lot, really make sure, be mindful when something does happen. Not that you always are, yes, how can I use this in my acting when I know someone tragically dies, like, yes, finally. It's just like, no, that's a tangent. Anyway, it's more about

I think for me, find mindfulness is a big thing that we do at a uni as part of the formal training. It's been grounded and I often find applying that to my life. I take note of a lot more things and I notice more things. You observe things, you can understand them. So like it's a bit of a life hack I've learnt is to, yeah.

David John Clark (18:28)

No, that's nice.

I keep, I'm expecting my wife to come in, Kellie or Connor's mum and say, see, I told you mindfulness. So.

Sienna (18:37)

Mindblows,

yeah, you never think about it, but it really is a strong part of acting for us.

Connor Clark (18:40)

Yeah.

Jakub (18:41)

Very good.

David John Clark (18:44)

I love it. love it.

Jakub (18:47)

I'll sit still

David John Clark (18:48)

So a bit more on that, starting your journey as early actors. So when you guys hear the phrase late bloomer actor, what honestly comes to mind and has that idea changed since being around me or other old actors?

Jakub (19:04)

Well, mean, didn't Alan didn't Alan Rickman start at like 45? Isn't he technically a late bloomer actor? Like, yeah.

David John Clark (19:09)

Yep, yep, yes, Samuel L. Jackson, was a late

bloomer, Harrison Ford, there's a lot.

Jakub (19:15)

Yeah, well, I never I never

heard the term ever before. just I never thought of it about that. Like that late bloomer. I mean, just just bloom later. I don't see a negative with that at all. Yeah.

Sienna (19:19)

Yeah, nor have I.

David John Clark (19:30)

Beautiful.

Connor Clark (19:31)

Yeah, no.

I obviously coin it to this podcast and you, that's all I know. If I hear that term now, I go, that's my dad. ⁓ But yeah. But when I think about it, it's just like, it's just people who find either their skill or their interest and love in acting and film, just after they've

Sienna (19:37)

Yeah.

Jakub (19:38)

yeah,

yeah, that's

I also think that I think that's Connor's Dad.

Sienna (19:44)

Yeah.

David John Clark (19:45)

I love it.

Connor Clark (20:00)

experienced life obviously like like you i don't remember when you're first like when you're doing your first extra background roles and stuff but you started like your first most of your life in like the in your job and and all that so it's just it's just people who find their love and their ability for it afterwards while we've kind of just it was one of the first things we found so it's just the same thing just at a different point in life kind of

David John Clark (20:26)

Hmm.

Sienna (20:29)

Yeah, I don't think it makes anyone less or more passionate or anything. It's just like, we've just taken our time to get there, but the craft is, it's always there.

David John Clark (20:39)

I love

it. And you know, and it doesn't mean that none of you three will become late bloomer actors. Now I hope, and I think I've seen your talent. I think you're all going on to amazing careers straight out of university. So, but there are, there are a lot of actors that did what your journey that you've been on and then went and had kids or went and got their lawyer job because mum and dad said you have to be a lawyer or the plumber or whatever. And then they've come back to it later in life. So that's, that is that late bloomer journey. So I was just really curious to hear it

Jakub (20:51)

kind.

David John Clark (21:09)

come from your point of view and see what your expectations are. So at this stage of your training guys, just coming back on your training, what feels more important to you? Talent, discipline or resilience? And has this answer shifted since your first year?

Sienna (21:27)

Wow.

David John Clark (21:28)

Yeah, get your thinking now. There is an exam at the end of this.

Connor Clark (21:28)

Yeah, I gotta think about I can absolutely...

Sienna (21:32)

Let me put my glasses on.

Connor Clark (21:32)

I can... ⁓ what? Huh? I can absolutely say when I started, talent was like one of the bigger ones. I was just like, gotta be the best, you know? I gotta have the skills for it. ⁓ But being in third year now and after all the learning...

Jakub (21:34)

provide four references, MLA9.

Connor Clark (21:55)

I think talent is one of the, I wouldn't even focus on it. I wouldn't even say you need to think about talent because it's, it's something you build. It's a skill you work on. So absolutely discipline and resilience should be other top things that, what am I saying? Top things that like really build that you really use. Cause you need to be, our course is nine to five Monday to Friday. We need to be disciplined to

come in every day and stay on top of that. We need to be resilient over the hard physical work and still manage to push through and just not give up when you have one bad day. So no, yeah.

Jakub (22:36)

Yeah, I mean,

yeah, I definitely think talent is talent is only important in your first impressions with people and it can only get you so far. I think to engage in the discipline is to be resilient. So I think both of those things kind of go together. I think it's like talent versus hard work. Talent with hard work will get you anywhere. But hard work

on its own can also get you anywhere. because like progress is nonlinear, some days you'll be, some days you'll be like, it completely depends on absolutely nothing. Sometimes it can just be circumstance that you're not in control of. But I think something that the professional training helps with is understanding that what they're after is you as you are now. And that can only improve as time goes on,

if you continue to work hard, I think is.

David John Clark (23:37)

Awesome, awesome. What's your thoughts on that Sienna? ⁓ More so, Connor said something about you have those harder days. So do you find that you have those days where you just go, I don't want to do this anymore. And you've got to find that way to push through.

Sienna (23:42)

I was.

Yeah.

I was, yeah, cause I wanted to comment on the resilience. And I definitely think, especially at the start of this year, I think resilience, if we're doing a tier, would say resilience, discipline, talent. Because I think discipline is great. Discipline is putting your head down and doing the work, but resilience almost to me is still finding the fun in it. Like it's a bit lighter and it's just kind of...

giving yourself a bit of grace by saying, it's okay that I'm not doing okay. And I'm still going to try anyway. So the resilience feels like finding the fun in it still, because especially going three years into this course, nine to five, it's so intense. Sometimes that spark isn't always going to be there because stress and everything else starts to take over. But resilience and knowing, yeah, just letting go and trusting it a bit

and having fun. I feel like that for me has definitely become an important thing I have to bring into my acting every day.

David John Clark (24:54)

That is brilliant. And do you see that being a strong skillset to take out into the working field? Connor would know this because he sees what my downs are as a, as an, I'll say: as a career actor. So as a working actor out being out there. So it's about that resilience of being able to ride the troughs because there's a lot more of them than the, than the peaks. So do you guys see that being part of your toolbox now?

Jakub (24:55)

Mm.

Sienna (25:13)

huh.

Connor Clark (25:19)

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, if you, yeah, you get like 20 nos, 14 just non responses in a row. That's absolutely something that's just going to make you want to like give that, give up. But you, it's just, you got to remember that it's going to happen like that. Someday you'll get your yes, but you won't if you just stop.

Jakub (25:20)

Hmm. Yeah.

Sienna (25:20)

100 % all the no's

we're going to get from auditions.

Jakub (25:40)

Yeah.

I also think the this course I'm finding in particular has been really helpful in creating ways so that you can sustain the creativity when you are a career actor and you're finding jobs but you're not getting employment. Like I think something that's really underrated in my opinion is the skill to make your own work and to be able to create your own opportunities I think is something like that's why 48 hour and all those that stuff is great.

Because it gives creatives who aren't able to find outlets all the time to make their own, I think. And that's kind of where the discipline and resilience for me, where I find that to be important because talent can't get you that tool to be able to do that, I think.

David John Clark (26:22)

All right.

No, I love

it. And you guys, do you see yourselves taking that out from this course? This ability to make your own work and you understand what it's like out there. And so when I'm not getting real work or real auditions, I'll make my own work to get those connections and networking, et cetera. You see the benefits of that already.

Jakub (26:53)

Yeah.

Sienna (26:54)

Yeah.

Jakub (26:54)

Yeah, I think so. like, ⁓ doing 48 hour, see lots of like, Electric Milk, the team that won best film, most of those people went to Flinders and we were like, we have great relationships and friendships with all those people. like, I mean, I find it hard because I have trouble seeing it as networking. I forget that you have to do that.

I just kind of just talk to people like, yeah, this guy's pretty cool. I'm like, ⁓ this person is this. I'm like, ⁓ So yeah, I think being. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

David John Clark (27:28)

It's about industry connections. I use the word

networking all the time, but I come from a public service background and networking for me is a negative word because networking is a job for the boys and being the right person, knowing the right connections. And yes, that does happen in this industry, but it's about having the right connection so that they know that you can then collaborate with them and vice versa.

Jakub (27:36)

Mm.

Sienna (27:41)

Mm.

Jakub (27:50)

Yeah,

I suppose that's where the experience difference comes in. Because to be honest, I don't really know what networking is. I don't know what all of that entails. I think, obviously, the more you engage in the world of the industry, the more you'd understand that. I suppose there are some things you can really only learn being a career actor in industry, I suppose.

David John Clark (28:14)

I love the way that we're molding the two lines in that what I've learned as a late bloomer and what you got and that you guys are seeing these things already. What's something you think older actors, and I use the word older, not old, older actors tend to overthink and Connor might be able to answer this because he sees a lot more of me, but what do you think older actors tend to overthink that you feel more relaxed about?

Sienna (28:29)

Hahaha

David John Clark (28:39)

And something you suspect you might be underestimating right now.

Connor Clark (28:44)

I feel like younger actors are just like, not saying like they're better at it, but I think they just, they find the fun easier in it rather than seeing like, getting a script and like getting an audition or whatever. I think it's very easy to think of it as this is a be all end all life to make this the best audition I've ever done. I need to be the only person the director looks at.

But I think we kind of, see it, we just find the fun in it. Exploring the subtext, who the character is. We like finding all the little details and just kind of knowing that you don't have to be the best that comes through on the audition. You just have to be proud of what you've done with it, with your decisions and just, you know, hoping that you've made a creative decision enough that stands out a little bit more.

I just think it might just be because we're younger and older actors have lived a lot longer than us. I just think we're able to find a lot more just like fun and freeness and other stuff.

David John Clark (29:54)

But do you guys, as what Connor's saying, Sienna and Jakub on expanding on that. So that is great that you have that, but can you see that changing when it becomes a necessity? So when you're out there auditioning and you need work and, and, it becomes that little bit, desperation, can you feel that changing? Or do you think you can say, I'm going to hold onto that fun and I'm going to work, I'm going to bring that into my professional audition career.

Sienna (30:21)

like to hope we

can but in reality...

David John Clark (30:24)

you

Jakub (30:24)

Well, yeah,

I mean, I kind of see that as part of the discipline is finding ways to keep it fresh and how can I sustain this? And I also think a big thing I think I underestimate and overestimate, I think everyone does, is the amount of time that we have to. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, like, because I, I often think I'll be 21 when I graduate, I have so much time to do stuff, but then

Sienna (30:33)

Mm.

I was literally gonna bring up the you have time. I thought it was very relevant to this.

Connor Clark (30:47)

time.

Jakub (30:54)

I can see it happening. I'll turn 30 and be like, what? Like, huh? And I don't know what it's like for older actors who start later in life, but I think something I would find intimidating if I was starting older would be, well, I haven't had much time to hone all this stuff. How much time will I have to do that? But I think that comes from fear of...

Sienna (30:57)

Mm. Mm.

Hmm.

Jakub (31:20)

failing and I think that fear of failing is what stops a lot of actors from finding the fun in it. It's always thinking, what if it goes wrong or I can't believe I have to do this? I think you kind of have to gaslight yourself and being like, this is going to be the best thing ever. Because when you do it, you'll do it the best that you can.

David John Clark (31:38)

I love that. So do you guys in your training, do you see much of the business side of acting? I talk about it a lot on my podcast and I focused on the business side of acting last year. So that's a whole topic in itself and you might not have any idea what I'm talking about, but is there any aspects of what you need to do after you walk out the door?

Sienna (32:01)

I think that's more up to our honours year. We, yeah, if we, cause we're getting our bachelor's at the end of this year, the year after is our honours, which I believe to call it the networking year, which I think is where we will figure out how to handle ourselves outside of the course and making those connections and preparing for life without nine to five uni. ⁓ Yep. ⁓

Jakub (32:04)

Yeah, I think yeah

David John Clark (32:04)

Okay.

Connor Clark (32:05)

Mmm.

David John Clark (32:29)

Now it's good to hear. ⁓

Connor Clark (32:30)

Yeah, yeah, because we,

Jakub (32:31)

Like, yeah.

Connor Clark (32:31)

Honest, Honour's year is where we do is where you do ⁓ a big, a big part of it is your is just making show reels. So you learn how to make that for yourself so you can put it with your portfolio and stuff. And like Sienna said, it's just a lot of connecting with people in the industry outside of uni, get learning names and just getting yourself out there. So when you finish, someone might be able to be like,

Sienna (32:38)

me.

Jakub (32:44)

I mean, yeah.

Connor Clark (32:57)

there's this role I have and there's that one kid I met way back in Flinders, they might be good for it. So yeah, Sienna is right.

Jakub (33:03)

See,

I keep forgetting to think about the business side of things. I just go, yeah, this is acting. it's a job though. I keep forgetting that you have to build those things. Something that we're always told is think about what you want to do when you leave. I get very caught up in the fun of it that I forget about the business side of it.

Sienna (33:08)

Yeah

Jakub (33:26)

Yeah.

David John Clark (33:27)

So Connor, you see a lot of the stuff that I do on my end. I've taken this professionally from day one and I put you on the spot here. But if you had to find one or two things about how I do my acting career, not the acting itself, because that's just acting, but the, the business side of it that you could then tell Sienna and Jakub and everyone else. If you could only tell them two things, what would you say that you've seen from me?

Connor Clark (33:52)

Like, good things? Like things I think are really good about- Yeah.

David John Clark (33:53)

Yeah. On the, on the business side, no,

Jakub (33:56)

worst

David John Clark (33:56)

no bad

Jakub (33:56)

of the worst.

David John Clark (33:56)

things where I screw up. I mean, Hey, Hey, Hey, if you've got something I need to know, then feel free to tell me, but we'll come back to that on the business side of it, on the things that I do with my networking and my recording and the spreadsheets and IMDB, anything like that, anything that really stands out that if it had to be two things, you say, my dad does this and it's what I'm going to be doing from day one.

Sienna (33:57)

horrible things,

the things you're not said to do.

Connor Clark (33:58)

Well, I mean, it... Yeah, ⁓

Sienna (34:03)

Hey, let's do this off camera.

Connor Clark (34:04)

Peace.

Jakub (34:05)

shared here. It's all content.

Connor Clark (34:09)

Yeah.

Okay, I kind of got three. You showed me you made an Excel spreadsheet of your auditions, what you audition for, if you got it, director, whatnot. I think that's a really good thing just to keep track of. I know that's not really like business side, but, I think that's, I think it's a really good thing to keep track of. Cause then you look back at it.

David John Clark (34:39)

I think it is.

Sienna (34:40)

I feel like that's massive business.

Connor Clark (34:44)

see what you've gotten auditions for and the simple fact that you've gotten auditions is enough to be like a little push, like a little drive to keep going. Because you see you're getting these. And then you get to see like the people you've met and you get these names there that you can remember. So I really like that. That's really important. Second thing, you run the Adelaide Actors and Extras thing on Facebook, right?

David John Clark (35:01)

Awesome, awesome.

Mm-hmm.

Connor Clark (35:11)

Yeah, I think that's a lot of fun. are the leader of this massive group with a bunch of Adelaide actors. So you've just got this massive network of massive like hive of connections there that you can just reach out to at any point. I've seen a lot of people say unpaid casting call, need two extras here. It's just such an easy way to immediately grab even like the tiniest little role. And I think that's really helpful

Sienna (35:11)

What do you do? Hey.

Jakub (35:30)

Very cool.

Connor Clark (35:40)

for any actor that they can just join that. ⁓ And I had a third thing. Obviously the, just the IMDB and stuff like that, getting, having a profile for yourself that other people can find regardless of what, regardless, yeah. Regardless of what, yeah, exactly. Regardless of what credits you have or how many things you've been in, literally just having your own

David John Clark (35:44)

Awesome. ⁓

Jakub (35:58)

Yeah, that's like, yeah, it's like social media.

Sienna (36:01)

That's really good.

David John Clark (36:01)

building on

it.

Connor Clark (36:09)

social profile on IMDB or anything that shows that you're an actor doing work, I think is really important to just have.

David John Clark (36:18)

That's awesome. That's awesome. Now I wanted to get that and I wanted to see how Sienna and Jakub sort of reacted to it. Is there anything there guys that you went, my God, I didn't even think about that.

Sienna (36:30)

I love a good Excel spreadsheet, so I might be keeping that one in the bank.

Connor Clark (36:35)

You

David John Clark (36:36)

And that's something that starts off a blank document, but it quickly builds, quickly builds and it does. And I'm going to expand on it. need to put connections in there. So I've got names of who, you know, producers that were involved as well, not just the casting director so that you can go, oh, who was that person that was involved in that audition or that show? And it also shows you where your additions were and where, and you know, you, that you got a callback, but you didn't get the second one or you didn't get a callback or you were, or you got it, whether it was paid, whether it wasn't paid, who the casting director was. So.

Sienna (36:48)

Yeah.

David John Clark (37:06)

I thoroughly recommend you guys do that from day one because it's, it's, that's part of that business plan of knowing where you've come from and where you're going.

Jakub (37:15)

Like doing your taxes! Right down what you're spending and you gotta Yeah, that's actually was something that I didn't think about was the social media aspect of everything. And then making a profile and making yourself known through that. Because I Yeah.

Sienna (37:15)

Hmm.

David John Clark (37:17)

And you have to learn all that too.

Sienna (37:20)

And we will have to do with that one.

Connor Clark (37:20)

Huh. ⁓

David John Clark (37:22)

Ha

And it is so hard guys, there's so many, because

you've got IMDB, Casting Network, Showcast, Altai, Star Now, Backstage. They're the ones I use here in Australia. And so then if you go to America, you know, Connor's hoping to maybe go to Canada, then you've got to do it over there. IMDB, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn. That's everything I do. And that's for David John Clark, the actor. Not yet. And then I've...

Sienna (37:48)

Mm.

you

Jakub (37:55)

Truth Social

David John Clark (37:59)

And then I've got to replicate it all again for The Late Bloomer Actor. I'm not trying to scare you off or anything.

Connor Clark (38:05)

Yeah

Sienna (38:05)

Yeah.

I do think we are quite privileged though, because the beauty of us being in this age of like modern technology to be able to have an Instagram profile completely designated to my acting and a director, all they have to do is search up my name and boom, you've got half of, you can understand who I am almost instantly from that type of stuff. Like it is great and it should be an opportunity that we

Jakub (38:08)

No, no, there's a good things to think about. Yeah.

Sienna (38:34)

use and we don't waste that kind of way of displaying ourselves to the public.

David John Clark (38:36)

Definitely.

Now here's a question for all of you. Have you Googled your names yet? It's surprising how much acting stuff comes up. Were you surprised?

Sienna (38:45)

I have, I did it a while ago.

⁓

Not so much recently, but kind of this is a bit of a tangent like primary school photos that I didn't know were on the internet. ⁓

Jakub (38:58)

Oh no, yeah, I searched up your name one

time and we found these pictures of you in your 10 and you're like, ah, that's me in your 10. We're like,

Sienna (39:06)

Yep. I know my name's out there, what can I do?

David John Clark (39:06)

Delete,

Well, I actually Googled both Sienna and Jakub. I Googled you to try and get some background and your, and I, but I typed in your name actor. So your name (actor) and got acting results. And so you building a presence on there. It's coming up. So, it is quite an interesting tool to see what's coming up. So it's kind of done it already.

Sienna (39:15)

my god! Background check.

Jakub (39:17)

Damn.

Sienna (39:22)

⁓

Yeah, my would be.

Connor Clark (39:30)

Boo.

Yeah,

Anna, all your TikToks are here.

Jakub (39:34)

Okay.

Sienna (39:36)

Yeah, I don't want the TikToks out there that's... no! ⁓

Jakub (39:39)

I haven't seen your TikToks, maybe.

David John Clark (39:44)

All right. Awesome.

Awesome. We could go on this tangent for a long time. It's a good thing to look at as you build your career and have that because that is a journey that people, it's an avenue, I should say, that people would look for you straight away. So, and then building all these profiles and maintaining them. The worst thing that you can do is not have them maintained. So if you start them early and then as soon as you get the next credit, you go through

all your platforms and update them. It's an easier process other than or you wait six months and you go, geez, I've worked, I've done 10 jobs now. I've got to update 10 credits into 10 platforms. So, just a bit of advice here from the Late Bloomer Actor podcast to my young acting friends here. So, speaking of Late Bloomer Actors, if you guys could borrow one thing from a Late Bloomer Actor, and I've written mindsets, and again, I wait for my wife to come in and start laughing at me.

Jakub (40:25)

and

Sienna (40:28)

Good advice.

David John Clark (40:40)

Mindset, confidence or life experience. If you could borrow one of those things, what would it be?

Jakub (40:40)

Good.

Life experience! Because it's unique to everyone and it's very good, special.

Sienna (40:49)

you

David John Clark (40:56)

Love it. Love it.

Connor Clark (40:58)

Is bank savings

an option? Because I'd probably take that.

Sienna (41:00)

you

David John Clark (41:01)

I've got more life experience

in bank savings.

Sienna (41:04)

No!

Connor Clark (41:09)

Yeah, no, yeah, life experience, think just be to have something to, build off on, obviously not like relive. Cause that's bad. Don't, don't method act like that. That's terrible. ⁓ But yeah, but just to have the knowledge and emotion and build off of.

David John Clark (41:20)

The bad moments in that world.

No.

Jakub (41:24)

Do it.

Sienna (41:29)

Mm.

David John Clark (41:31)

Awesome. And flipping that around, what do you think late bloomer actors could generally learn from young actors coming through training now? Sienna? Put you on the spot.

Sienna (41:32)

That's true.

I always want

to go back to the tangent. It was the thing drilled into us in first year was you have time. And I think the privilege of getting to be younger means we there's a little less stress to be successful. I think we can still play around and still have fun. Whereas I know I'm going to, even when I get older, start to stress and think, ⁓ I'm not doing as well. Like I'm not getting those auditions. How much longer can I

Connor Clark (41:54)

more time.

Sienna (42:09)

keep this up and that sort of timeframe forces a negative mindset.

Jakub (42:10)

Hmm.

David John Clark (42:14)

Nice.

Jakub (42:15)

like Well,

yeah, I think similar to that I think because where I look at it is how young you were is determined by when you die? You never know when you're gonna die So technically you're young until you die. That's how I see that and that's how I trick myself into to being like I have all these I I don't have any sense I

David John Clark (42:30)

Mmm.

Sienna (42:37)

And the light-blood actor should take Jakub's mentality.

David John Clark (42:37)

Nice.

Connor Clark (42:44)

Sienna

and I had to think about it. We both went...

Sienna (42:46)

yeah, you lost me.

Jakub (42:47)

Because like

if you die at 30, you were young when you were 10, but if you die at 100, you were young up until you were probably 80, you know, like, so it's all about perspective, I think.

David John Clark (43:02)

And then in this world of acting, it's also the journey that can just keep on going. You most people in a career, they're going to get the career and retire at 60. That's preservation age for superannuation, et cetera. But as an actor, don't have to, you probably wouldn't retire at 60. You can keep on going. I mean, we've got actors working in their 80s and 90s. So unless you've been so successful all your life as an actor that you go, you know, I just don't want to do it anymore. So.

Jakub (43:20)

Yeah, yeah.

David John Clark (43:29)

That's really interesting. Thank you guys. That's awesome. So as we wind up and get to the end of the show, let's fast forward five years. What do you hope stays the same about how you feel right now? And what do you hope changes?

Jakub (43:49)

That's a good question.

Connor Clark (43:51)

Well. ⁓

Sienna (43:51)

It's

so hard to know what to change when I feel like I wouldn't know what's right or wrong in five years. I don't have the wisdom to know that right now I'm not doing the right thing in five years.

Connor Clark (43:59)

Yeah, ⁓

Jakub (44:02)

Hmm. Well, yeah, I, yeah.

David John Clark (44:07)

No, no, that's good.

Jakub (44:07)

Well, I would hope in five years, I would be able to look back five years and know what it was I was doing right and wrong and what I need to be doing better. I think that's the same every day, year, month, week is what I'd hope for myself. Is that it's not so much being anywhere else, but knowing where to look for.

Where to look ahead maybe. Yeah. Yeah.

Connor Clark (44:31)

Yeah, that's

kind of what I was going to say. I think I would hope I would just be able to know kind of what to do quicker. Like if I get a script or something, I'd hope I'd be able to know what I want to do with it a little bit quicker then. And I guess that counts for what I'd get rid of is my second guessing and my my doubting and stuff. I'd hope I'd get rid of the

David John Clark (44:58)

Awesome.

Connor Clark (45:00)

as much of the negative mindset as I can.

David John Clark (45:04)

Beautiful.

Jakub (45:04)

I

would like to understand how business side of it works. Yeah. ⁓

Sienna (45:08)

In five years, Jakub's going to be business ready.

David John Clark (45:10)

Well, maybe

I should, maybe I should do a course on myself, or maybe you can talk to your teachers and say, well, can we bring on The Late Bloomer Actor for a whole class and I can become a university instructor. How we go there. All right guys. Where do you, where do you guys want to go? What, what, what do you see happening? I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong, you're all wanting to sign up for the, what's next year called again? The honours. I believe you're all.

Connor Clark (45:21)

Holy

Sienna (45:22)

That would be cool.

Jakub (45:24)

That would be cool.

Connor Clark (45:25)

Surely.

Honours?

Sienna (45:38)

Honours.

Jakub (45:38)

Honours.

here. Yeah, yeah.

Sienna (45:38)

Yeah.

David John Clark (45:41)

So after the honours, let's go around the room, but what would you like to do from then? Sienna, since you're on my main screen. Well, I don't know, somehow your image is last. You're the last person to spoke when I start speaking, And you're the lady and I'm a gentleman, so!

Sienna (45:48)

Why, why, I feel like I'm always first.

Connor Clark (45:51)

you

Sienna (45:57)

right, right, right, okay. ⁓

thank you. I've always spoken that I really do want to go to Europe to do some workshops and stuff because I'm very fascinated. Well, it's kind of where a lot of acting craft started over there and sort of the technique started to form. I really want to go into film, but recently this year, theater itself has been standing out to me a lot more.

But I've been to America, there is one thing that has drilled into my brain is not to tunnel vision myself into one thing by going, I'm a film actor. I'm only doing film. The industry is too competitive and too niche that you can't, you have to do voiceover acting, you have to do theater acting and can do animation, video character movement stuff. I think it would just be

finding things to do and things, because we're free, we don't have to do nine to five uni, I can go do what I want to do.

David John Clark (46:57)

I love that. That's a really good point because the times have changed to a point where we used to have theatre actors, TV actors and film actors. And then all of a sudden film actors started working in TV and TV actors started working film and then everyone started doing theatre. Not because they needed the money, it might have helped. Then they got lot more opportunities as well, but because they could expand their skill sets. Because I've seen so many actors come on

into classes that were primarily theater based out of school and that, and it's a different skill set and you've got to change your tone. So, but once I learnt how to film on TV and with that little frame, so to speak, it was good. And so they had more skills in their toolbox. So you, that's, that's certainly a great plan. And yeah, then you can choose, Hey, I really would like to focus on theater. I'm going to go to New York for a year. If you can afford to find somewhere to live, but.

Sienna (47:50)

It'll be saving up

Jakub (47:51)

That's a question.

Sienna (47:51)

for a year then going for two months.

Connor Clark (47:53)

you

David John Clark (47:54)

Jakub, Jakub, what's your plan, if any?

Jakub (47:57)

I

don't know. I feel I probably I know I should be thinking more about career wise and all that stuff and the idea of networking but I don't know I I don't like thinking about that stuff and probably that'll change as I get older but

Connor Clark (48:10)

Mm-hmm.

David John Clark (48:14)

No, when you finish university and then you realize you've got nothing to do.

Sienna (48:17)

That's

next year,

Jakub (48:17)

You know that too, but I'll

Connor Clark (48:17)

Yeah.

Jakub (48:19)

cross the bridge when

I get there.

Sienna (48:21)

Yeah.

David John Clark (48:21)

No, no,

and that's not a bad thing, mate. It's not a bad thing at all.

Jakub (48:24)

Yeah, because

I think I really enjoy learning about acting. And I honestly think the stuff that we learn in our course, and it's in lots of other courses around the world, the foundational elements of that, the discipline, the mindfulness, the work, the physical work that we do, at least for me, it really helps kind of keep my brain functioning in a way that's helpful.

And like, think those foundations can be applied to any line of work in any, anywhere. It's not just, it's not just about acting. So I think I'd really like to learn more about the craft, I suppose, kind of like go to Europe or somewhere and just consume a bunch more in information. It's probably a good idea to take advantage of being young, I suppose.

David John Clark (49:00)

Definitely.

Jakub (49:19)

being able to take more time to hone skills and do all those things before I throw myself into the industry.

David John Clark (49:25)

Definitely. But

definitely, but you're still looking for that agent and trying to get the work because the best school is on set. So I've, I can't remember the names of, there was a brother, sister team. The brother went to WAAPA, but the sister who was planning to do that as well, she ended up on Home and Away. And, and they both came out of three years of that with a very similar skill set

Sienna (49:33)

⁓

Jakub (49:34)

Mm-hmm.

Wow, okay.

David John Clark (49:52)

except she got paid for three years and had a bit of a name. I wish I could remember their names, but not saying that either path is positive or negative. Doors open at certain amount of times. And just before I ask kind of the same question, but all I would recommend guys is that there's two things here that I would tell you don't, you always need to be acting, whether that's doing self tapes or your own work or working for real, getting paid.

Sienna (49:54)

Yeah.

Jakub (49:54)

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah,

David John Clark (50:18)

But don't get into the mindset of, I need to always be trained. Don't I, know some people that they just do class after class after class and they're always, Oh, I'm seeing this teacher. I'm seeing that teacher, but they've never put themselves forward for work. And that's what you're doing. You're, you're, we're getting into the world of acting to get a job and to, to be in a film or TV or on stage. So, yes, definitely always be doing something, but have that focus of, trying to get work. And if

Sienna (50:30)

and

David John Clark (50:44)

I would have to give one other recommendation and Connor knows this is that take what you learn from school, but then have to get that industry skillset. So I thoroughly recommend you looking into Les Chantery in Sydney. I've done his three day course in Sydney in person and now I do online. He teaches audition technique about that, how to get the work.

We can all act is what he says. You can all act and you guys can act. I've seen you, but auditions are a complete different thing. I don't know how much they focus on that in university, but certainly how do I make myself stand out when I submit that tape. So certainly look into that. Connor, what's your plans young man?

Connor Clark (51:27)

I mean,

yeah, I shamefully, didn't even think about the, didn't even think about the workshops and stuff. Like you said in Europe, Sienna, I've always just said, make some money and go to Canada. Cause that's where a lot of the film industry is. That's where a lot of the TV shows are being filmed and stuff. I'm not too certain on how the

Jakub (51:31)

Shame!

Connor Clark (51:50)

training and workshops and classes are in Canada compared to like Europe and stuff.

David John Clark (51:57)

Everywhere's got something. Yeah.

Connor Clark (51:58)

Yeah, so

Sienna (51:58)

Yeah.

Jakub (51:58)

Yeah, they're

Connor Clark (51:59)

I

Jakub (51:59)

all based on the same material. It's just yeah.

Connor Clark (51:59)

think, hmm, so yeah, I think, I mean, it's what I've been saying. So I'm just going to stick with it. Go to Canada, live there for a bit, get an agent, try and get jobs. But just never forget that there's always more learning. There's always something for you to learn, whether it's on set or from a one weekend class or something.

You never know everything, so always keep learning.

Sienna (52:30)

Yeah, like honing that curiosity continuously.

David John Clark (52:33)

Awesome. Now, you guys are all saying things that almost lead us into our last question. So as we wind up, here we go. I gave you a chance, but I have a tradition on the show now, which I've used on and off. But as we round up, this tradition is I try to ask my guests at the end of each episode, what would be your t-shirt quote? Now it doesn't have to be acting relating. It doesn't have to be anything.

Jakub (52:34)

Stay curious.

Connor Clark (52:40)

⁓ god.

David John Clark (53:00)

What would you put on a t-shirt that you're willing to walk out that says something, a message about whatever you want and you have to be in public. So it can't be rude or political, too political.

Connor Clark (53:12)

Go on, Sienna. Go on, Sienna.

Sienna (53:12)

Damn it. I'm done

Jakub (53:15)

Well, I'll see you in a year or so.

Sienna (53:16)

now.

⁓

Wait, am I going first? ⁓ Thank you, thank you.

Connor Clark (53:22)

Yeah, go ahead. ⁓

Jakub (53:23)

Yeah.

David John Clark (53:23)

Apparently the boys think they're gentlemen now and I know they're gentlemen, so.

Connor Clark (53:27)

No, I just know

Jakub (53:28)

So

Connor Clark (53:28)

your- I just wanna hear your quote. Say it.

Jakub (53:28)

⁓ yeah, I just, I just, you're at the top for me in the camera line, so.

Connor Clark (53:34)

Same!

Sienna (53:35)

Okay, one thing I learned at the end of the... Backstory, I'm a people pleaser. I really struggle with trying to feel like I'm doing it right, rather than just doing it for the love of it and just seeing what happens. So I've double checked we are allowed to use profanity to some degree on this. I would get a quote just saying, Fuck It! And that would just be my...

David John Clark (54:03)

And you're willing to walk around in public with that.

Connor Clark (54:03)

like

Sienna (54:06)

I think it would do good for other people as well. Someone walking past might see that shirt and go, yeah, you're right. And then go do something.

Jakub (54:12)

Right, yeah.

David John Clark (54:13)

⁓ And it'll be

it'll be F star asterisk K. Yeah, that's cool. We we get it. Of course. No, I love it. And you could put something on the back of the shirt then that expanded on it if you want to do. Awesome. Thank you, Jakub. Jakub, you're up.

Sienna (54:17)

Yeah, would be. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't want to be too much.

Connor Clark (54:17)

Peace.

Sienna (54:25)

Yeah, maybe it says nicely on the back.

Connor Clark (54:30)

Respectfully.

Jakub (54:33)

I really liked the, you have time. I have time thing. I think that idea of have time till it runs out.

Sienna (54:36)

you

David John Clark (54:43)

Nice.

Jakub (54:43)

It could be at any moment. So just use it. I think like that idea.

David John Clark (54:46)

Love it.

Sienna (54:48)

This shirt's getting really long.

Connor Clark (54:49)

Yeah, weirdly

morbid, damn. You know, I think one of the things that I agreed with was a-

Jakub (54:51)

Everything I said will be on this shirt including... ⁓

Sienna (54:52)

Just get smaller and smaller.

Jakub (54:57)

I think that I agree

with it.

David John Clark (54:59)

Tins around the second half on the back of the shirt.

Connor Clark (54:59)

Thanks

Jakub (55:02)

Inside the shirt as well

David John Clark (55:04)

And a QR code to finish with!

Connor Clark (55:07)

Hmm. Leads to... Well, I could never... I could never... I could never think of one. Because I... You know me, I can never just focus on one thing. So I obviously have like two options. And yeah, Funnily enough, I really learned both of them from the thing that got me really into acting. And that's High School Musical. ⁓

Sienna (55:08)

you

David John Clark (55:09)

Kata, lucky last man, lucky last.

Two shirts, front and back.

Sienna (55:25)

That's cheating.

David John Clark (55:34)

musical,

the musical, the... how do you say? I always get confused.

Connor Clark (55:36)

High school

musical, the musical, the series. So yeah, my first quote, I've, that's it. It's that, it's, cause I have to think about that. When we're in uni, I have to remember I'm not the only one in this. We're all in this together. And it's it's cliche and cringe, but it works for me. And the second one is obviously a thing that's always been said in the industry,

David John Clark (55:40)

That's right.

Sienna (55:42)

crazy.

Jakub (55:43)

We're all in this together? Is it actually it?

Sienna (55:46)

my god!

Good quit.

Jakub (55:51)

Mm-hmm.

Connor Clark (56:04)

Trust the process. Even if it's in acting, if it's in life, if you're waiting for a job interview, if you're sent a risky text and you're waiting for the person to reply, just you trust the process and you just let things happen.

Sienna (56:06)

Hello.

David John Clark (56:19)

Awesome.

Jakub (56:20)

Yeah, that's good.

Sienna (56:21)

big one.

David John Clark (56:23)

Well, guys, thank you very much. This has been an absolute pleasure to have future stars on the podcast. And I know Sienna and Jakub, this will be your first credit on IMDB because you will be credited for this. Now, I haven't done it yet and I don't know if it's possible, but podcasts can be SAG-AFTRA qualified. So I will be looking into whether my podcast can be

Sienna (56:30)

you

Jakub (56:36)

Okay. Okay.

Sienna (56:36)

Very exciting.

Connor Clark (56:38)

Yay.

Sienna (56:48)

⁓ yeah.

David John Clark (56:49)

taken under SAG-AFTRA. So it might be in the future.

You might be able to get SAG-AFTRA, unionship. So as we finish up, and I wanted to leave this to last because this is for everyone on YouTube, because the people listening, I'm going to leave it. If you're listening, I'll explain it. But firstly, Connor, there is a picture of a young man behind you. you, I don't know. Is that Timothee Chalamet? Timothee Chalamet? Is that how you say it? Chalamet? Is that how you say it? Yeah.

Connor Clark (56:51)

Yeah.

Jakub (57:09)

That's my idol right there. It's actually, it's Bob Dylan really. That's what it is.

Connor Clark (57:15)

So this

is actually

Sienna (57:17)

It's Bob Dylan.

Connor Clark (57:17)

Bob Dylan. It's the Bob Dylan actually. ⁓ If you want to understand, I'm not going to explain it. If you want to understand it, go watch Fiasco by Papaya Productions on YouTube. 48 hour film. Yeah.

Jakub (57:20)

Hard.

David John Clark (57:20)

D Bob Dylan himself. ⁓

Sienna (57:23)

You gotta watch.

David John Clark (57:32)

on YouTube.

Sienna (57:33)

Is it on YouTube? ⁓

Jakub (57:35)

It's on YouTube,

David John Clark (57:35)

It is. also

Sienna (57:36)

didn't know that.

David John Clark (57:37)

now, Jakub, I didn't ask this question, but how much in acting is ad libbing? and my brain has just got, what's the other word? Improv. How much do you bring that into your acting? Obviously you've done that a bit of a training. So what do you feel of improv? And before you answer it, I'm going to share my screen.

Sienna (57:47)

Impro?

Jakub (57:48)

Improvising? Yeah.

David John Clark (58:01)

And we can watch this quickly and then you can explain it.

Sienna (58:02)

for a screenshot.

my god.

David John Clark (58:29)

Hahaha

Sienna (58:31)

you

No.

David John Clark (58:38)

I'd love.

Jakub (58:42)

I love those.

Connor Clark (58:44)

my god, this is so good.

Jakub (58:47)

Shout out Oscar Baldwin nominated best performance. Shout out Oscar Baldwin.

David John Clark (58:47)

Okay

Connor Clark (58:47)

Good

Sienna (58:49)

Yes, that's Oscar, one of the actors.

Connor Clark (58:50)

Oscar Baldwin!

David John Clark (58:54)

I've stopped sharing, haven't I yet?

Connor Clark (58:55)

Hopefully next year you

can get all the honours in one podcast episode.

Sienna (59:01)

Yep, we'll have to draw numbers on who can speak.

David John Clark (59:01)

That might be done. Okay, so.

Connor Clark (59:03)

Two questions each.

David John Clark (59:05)

Jakub

just, just explained that was, I believe that song and everything that you did with that character, a lot of it was improv. Explain what it's from, why and how you came up with that song.

Jakub (59:18)

Well, I guess a part of the thing behind ad libbing and improv is it has to kind of come from just absolutely nowhere. You kind of have to, cause something that, the, two directors, Maisie and Behesia did was they structured the story and something that we learn about improv is that you map, you use the structure to find freedom within the, the structure that you make.

David John Clark (59:20)

Okay.

Jakub (59:44)

So because we had the story and because we had the, all the elements already chosen, it gave me complete freedom to just speak whatever just came out of my mouth within the framework that we had made. And a lot of that, I think I've said this three times now, comes from being grounded, the mindfulness, just letting yourself completely just flush out all self-conscious observations of yourself.

Being like, ⁓ I shouldn't say this all. This isn't me saying this. It's like, you're having fun. It's all about having fun, I think, if I had to. We had lots of fun. Yeah.

David John Clark (1:00:17)

And you had fun with that. And that was from the 48 hour film challenge,

Papaya Productions. And the name of the film is Fiasco. Correct. And you were playing your character's name was. Yeah. Fiasco. And the reason that Connor had that picture in the background was used in the film is your character thought that was. James Dean.

Jakub (1:00:29)

Dave Fiasco.

Bob Dylan.

Bob Dylan. Bob Dylan. Don't ever say that mate, it's Bob Dylan and you know that.

Connor Clark (1:00:40)

I'm Steve.

Sienna (1:00:40)

Yep, yep, it was his inspiration.

David John Clark (1:00:44)

Know that I love it. Awesome.

Guys, thank you very much. This has been fantastic. Hey, let's bring you all back on when you're big and famous or let's, let's look at next year, perhaps as a special episode. Let's see if we can get into the, into the studio down at Flinders and get everyone in a big setting. So I'll leave that one with you guys to organize. And maybe we can use the first year of Flinders film students to maybe do the sound and camera work and something like that. That would be awesome. Something.

Jakub (1:01:12)

⁓

Connor Clark (1:01:13)

Very

Sienna (1:01:13)

like

Jakub (1:01:13)

That could be pretty cool,

David John Clark (1:01:13)

huge. So any

Sienna (1:01:14)

a little industry.

Connor Clark (1:01:14)

cool.

David John Clark (1:01:15)

final words from everyone? I'm to go backwards. Connor, any final words?

Connor Clark (1:01:21)

You have time.

David John Clark (1:01:23)

That's your t-shirt quote. ⁓

Connor Clark (1:01:24)

No, no, that wasn't, that was, that was, that was...

Uh, uh, thanks for watching.

Sienna (1:01:27)

was checking this t-shirt.

David John Clark (1:01:30)

No, I was, Jakub, word my man.

Jakub (1:01:32)

You have no time, it's running out. Hurry, hurry yourself, rush yourself.

Connor Clark (1:01:34)

you

Jakub (1:01:36)

You have no time. No, this was very fun. Thank you for having me on. It was very cool, very cool, yeah.

Connor Clark (1:01:38)

Yeah.

David John Clark (1:01:41)

It's been a pleasure.

And Sienna, you get the final word. Almost.

Sienna (1:01:45)

⁓ Make sure you subscribe

to The Late Bloomer Actor today. T-shirts available on the merch website. ⁓ Thank you for having me on. It's really great to share minds and just chat about the love of acting.

David John Clark (1:01:51)

I'm now committed to some t-shirts. I love it. Guys, thank you. And you guys are wonderful.

Jakub (1:01:52)

other shirt.

Connor Clark (1:01:54)

Look what you've done.

Jakub (1:01:56)

Take a shirt.

David John Clark (1:02:00)

You're all a wonderful group of actors. I've seen your work. I've seen where you're going and I can't wait to see where you take it in the future. And please, please take me with you. Connor's got his hand up. Yeah, of course you can. And you can have the last word, dude.

Connor Clark (1:02:09)

Can I say one more thing? ⁓ This will

Jakub (1:02:12)

Let me just say this.

Connor Clark (1:02:13)

be released on the 15th, right?

David John Clark (1:02:16)

Of February 2026. Yes.

Connor Clark (1:02:19)

⁓

Head to the Flinders Drama Drama Center website or AdelaideFringe.com and come see Spring Awakening and The Kid, two amazing shows that will be on at the end of February. Buy tickets, come see it. Thank you.

David John Clark (1:02:34)

I love it.

Jakub (1:02:34)

Happy Valentine's

Day to all those who...

David John Clark (1:02:37)

Awesome.

Connor Clark (1:02:37)

Yep.

Sienna (1:02:39)

Ha

Connor Clark (1:02:40)

Alright.

David John Clark (1:02:41)

All right. I'm going to say goodbye. I'm to hit stop recording.

Jakub (1:02:43)

I don't know about that.

Sienna (1:02:43)

Thank you.

David John Clark (1:02:45)

Thank you, team.

Absolutely wonderful. It's been a pleasure.

Sienna (1:02:48)

Thanks. Thanks, Dad.

Jakub (1:02:48)

Yeah. Thanks.

Connor Clark (1:02:48)

Thanks dad, I'll see you in a minute.