Crafting Characters: Resilience, Mentorship, and Modern Filmmaking Insights

Ever wondered how a chance encounter in Alabama could lead to the bustling streets of Hollywood? KeriAnne Dawson, founder and director of the Actors' Den, shares her incredible journey from the modeling world to becoming a seasoned SAG-AFTRA member. Her story starts with a unique blend of serendipity and sheer determination, capturing the essence of risk-taking and relentless drive. Alongside her inspiring narrative, we sip on a Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale, capturing the comforting flavors reminiscent of a cozy holiday season.

From the early days of acting in Munich to the struggles of living in a tent on the beach with nothing but a Jeep and a credit card, Tim share's his path to Hollywood. Their tales are not just about the glitz and glamour; it's a tribute to resilience, mentorship, and the willingness to embrace the raw grit of an uncertain journey. We also discuss her reflections on the evolving entertainment industry, highlighting the potential pitfalls and opportunities brought about by modern technology, CGI, and AI. This conversation is a beacon of hope for anyone chasing a dream, emphasizing that perseverance can indeed turn a spark of passion into a successful career.

The podcast takes a light-hearted turn as we reminisce about favorite TV shows, from the nostalgic 80s themes of Cobra Kai to the charm of period pieces like Outlander. KeriAnne's work at the Actors' Den comes to life as she talks about nurturing aspiring actors and embracing authenticity. With anecdotes about celebrity encounters, such as unforgettable moments with Pamela Anderson and David Hasselhoff, the episode is both entertaining and insightful. Whether you're an aspiring actor or simply a fan of engaging stories, KeriAnne's journey offers valuable lessons and inspiration to keep pushing forward, regardless of the challenges ahead.

Sponsor of this episode:  Digital Boardwalk
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Transcript

Speaker 1 0:25

Hey, hey everyone. Welcome to another exciting episode of Nerds on Tap, where we get nerdy for an hour with exciting discussions around entrepreneurship, business and technology. Today we have the amazing Carrie Ann Dawson joining us on the show. Carrie Ann is the founder and director of the Actors' Den. She is a member of SAG or the Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, since 1993. She has a variety of acting experiences, both on stage and screen, as well as in teaching and directing children's workshops and musical cabarets. She enjoys teaching aspiring actors the skills that they will need in order to develop characters in any given circumstances. Carrie-anne is a mom of two and a wife to an amazing local musician. Circumstances Carrie Ann is a mom of two and a wife to an amazing local musician, so her favorite pastime is, of course, spending time with her family cooking, watching movies, listening to lots of music and taking walks on the beach at night. Welcome to the show, carrie Ann.

Speaker 2 1:37

Thank you so much, glad to be here. You've done your homework on me.

Speaker 1 1:41

Well, if you've listened to this show before, what do we do first?

Speaker 2 1:46

Introduce oh stalk.

Speaker 1 1:55

We drink a beer. We drink a beer, tim, tell me what we're having. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Nerds on Tap. I'm your host, tim Shue, and I couldn't be more excited to embark on this nerdy adventure with all of you. So grab your favorite brew, because things are about to get exciting 3, 2, 1, go.

Speaker 3 2:18

Alright. So the first beer that we have is the Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale from Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company. They took a cold-conditioned cream ale, brewed with a hint of flaked corn and bourbon vanilla beans, and aged it in a freshly decanted bourbon barrels for at least six weeks. Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale's medium body makes it the perfect barrel-aged beer for an all-day event.

Speaker 1 2:47

So I'm a regular beer drinker. I like Pilsners and, of course, lagers. So this to me it's not my style. Do you want to taste yours?

Speaker 2 2:59

Yes, I will do that, let me grab it.

Speaker 1 3:02

There you go.

Speaker 2 3:03

That's kind of far away from me.

Speaker 1 3:04

It's very. You know what it tastes like Christmas.

Speaker 2 3:14

You know what it makes me want to open some presents.

Speaker 1 3:16

Yeah, I know I like this. Now I'm ready to decorate.

Speaker 2 3:19

Yeah, I say cheers on that. Yeah, that's nice yeah.

Speaker 1 3:22

Cheers to you being on the show.

Speaker 2 3:25

Oh, thank you so much glad to be here.

Speaker 1 3:26

So Carrie Ann um tell me about your journey to Hollywood. I mean, I've seen pics of you from back in the day hugging. Oh, you know Billy Idol, paul Stanley, gary Busey, jay Leno, vanilla Ice, alice Cooper and a few more, all of which I am a fan of, so you must have made more than just a splash.

Speaker 2 3:53

I like that terminology there. Yeah, you know what? It's interesting how I ended up in Hollywood, because my mother actually helped me get there. So my mother was managing Lake Forest Yacht Club in Daphne, Alabama, so very local, and I didn't have really a lot of inspiration there, you know, to go to Hollywood at the time. But then they were working on a movie, I think, on the USS Alabama in Mobile area and they came in.

Speaker 2 4:24

The whole crew came in one night for dinner and drinks and my mother's like hey, here's a picture of my daughter, you guys need someone on the show or on the movie or whatever. And so, wow, she's beautiful. And I mean I was way cuter back then. But one thing led to another and then, um, the one of the girls actually, who was a makeup artist really thought she's like you're so outgoing, you have, you know, you have, you're so funny, you're so creative, you should come to Hollywood. And I was like, well, wow, I never thought about that before. So, um, okay, you know it was that simple for me um and then the adventure begins.

Speaker 2 5:05

The adventure did begin, so, like probably two weeks to a month after they wrapped up the film, I ended up moving to hollywood. But, um, I didn't really know I was going to move there yet. I was going to visit for two weeks and then I ended up. My mother ended up sending me macaroni and cheese and raviolis and she's sending me stuff to Hollywood, thinking, you know, my daughter's not coming back home, she's going to stay out there, so I need to feed her and make sure she's eating. But one thing did lead to another. But I started off as a model I was doing. I became a Hawaiian Tropic girl.

Speaker 1 5:41

So I saw her Hawaiian Tropic girl on a postcard.

Speaker 2 5:45

You did yeah.

Speaker 1 5:46

Oh, okay, so didn't you do a series of postcards?

Speaker 2 5:51

I did.

Speaker 1 5:51

While you were out there, I did yes. So was that one of the first gigs you had, or is that different than what we're talking about here?

Speaker 2 5:58

It actually was one of the first gigs that I had as a model, because I started doing Venus swimwear too and if you remember, there was a Smut magazine, National Enquirer. You know everything was just garbage, you know just, but it was one of those interesting ads that they put in there and you saw me running and jumping with my swimsuit on for Venus swimwear. So that's how it started for me, as just a model, and one thing kind of led to another.

Speaker 1 6:28

Is that when you caught the bug, because we all do at one point. It may not be at the beginning, might be in the middle, some catch it later in life.

Speaker 2 6:36

It's interesting, you know, at the age that I was. You know, tim, I think for me you didn't really.

Speaker 1 6:44

How old were you? How old were you?

Speaker 2 6:45

I was 20.

Speaker 1 6:47

20.

Speaker 2 6:47

Okay, I was 20. Very naive 20 year old. Be honest, I was smart, but I was not you know at the time, because I didn't expect that Everything that I saw on TV, I had no idea that I was going to be a part of that in a world you know.

Speaker 2 7:05

So when I became a part of that world, it was just so surreal, it was unbelievable. It's like am I really here, pinch me? People only dream about hanging out and doing the things that I'm doing, hanging out with the people that you're hanging out with and modeling and just working on the set. One thing led to another, but then after that I ended up getting an agent and the agency just started sending me out on stuff. So I was in all the old shows. There's this old show called Models Inc and I was just. I played one of the models, so that was just right up my alley, yeah, it was very cool.

Speaker 2 7:36

You know I was. I didn't know where it was going to go, but I thought, well, this is exciting that I'm a part of it. You know, and um, it was just um, it was so simple for me because you just walked on the set and you did what they asked you to do and you made friends and they made it easy you know, because you become family when you're on the set, you know, for a long time, and then so you didn't know, prior to 20 year old Carrie Ann, you didn't know that that was a path you were going to take.

Speaker 1 8:03

What were you originally going to grow up to be?

Speaker 2 8:06

I always thought I was going to be a nurse a nurse.

Speaker 1 8:08

I really did. Well, that's a change.

Speaker 2 8:10

Well, it is, it is. And I just, I did do six months of prerequisites, yeah yeah, I did Um six months of prerequisite, prerequisites, oh yeah. And then, um, I ended up doing medical assisting stuff because there was a year wait to get into the nursing program. But I thought, what am I going to do? I need something to fall back on. So I just started doing medical stuff. But I realized when I went into the medical field that it wasn't for me at all we carry that acting bug in common.

Speaker 1 8:41

I mean, what we're doing now. This is my backup, this is my. You know IT was my backup. I wanted to be an actor.

Speaker 2 8:50

And I want to ask you about that actually.

From Homeless Kid to Hollywood

Speaker 1 8:52

Well, you know, something a lot of people don't know is I caught the acting bug at a really early age. I did plays in elementary and middle school and in middle school I was living in Munich, Germany. I was going to an American high school. They were middle school. I was living in Munich, Germany. I was going to an American high school. They were middle school. I was in eighth grade, Moved back here in ninth grade and in eighth grade they were filming a movie in Munich called Inside the Third Reich. Oh, wow, and it was a big production, yeah, Huge production. They had all the craft trailers and all the and it was my. So they came to our school scouting seventh and eighth graders and they were looking to pick two kids to be in this movie that they needed, and they needed kids that spoke English, because the director was American.

Speaker 2 9:42

Okay.

Speaker 1 9:42

And there were a lot of Germans on set and I was one of two kids selected out of several hundred kids and I guess I had to look. It's a compliment. There was no audition, it was all about the look and I play a homeless kid, which was not far off from my first bout in Hollywood. Play a homeless kid. There's a fight that breaks out. I'm kind of like an extra but I'm crying. They wanted me to cry and I'm in this alleyway crying, and then the fight opens up and it zooms in on me.

Speaker 2 10:17

They asked you to cry and you just were able to reproduce.

Speaker 1 10:20

They were like you're either going to be a paper boy or you're going to be a homeless kid. It was middle of winter. They were like you're either going to be a paper boy or you're going to be a homeless kid. It was middle of winter, it was ice cold outside and they put me in these ripped up garbs, they cut my hair, they did all this stuff. I was in a trailer getting ready and I thought oh my God, this is awesome. I love this life. It's a good feeling.

Speaker 1 10:38

I had my own trailer with these other two kids. It was fricking cool. But, um, that was my first bug. And then fast forward, uh, moved to Hollywood when I was 24, 25 years old. Yeah, and I was a late bloomer. Well, I had just gotten out of the Navy.

Speaker 2 11:02

Oh, okay.

Speaker 1 11:03

And I was literally one week out of the Navy and I traveled to Hollywood with no contacts, nothing, and I lived in a tent.

Speaker 2 11:11

So you came out of the Navy Several months and you're just like I want to go to Hollywood. Yeah, my dad was mad. What a big transition.

Speaker 1 11:17

My dad told me I was going to be a bum. Oh you're going to be a bum. And I said, dad, I'm going to be the best damn bum California has ever seen, and I was, but I will. To this day since Hollywood, I haven't eaten another Beanie Weenie.

Speaker 2 11:35

Oh no ramen noodles.

Speaker 1 11:37

Another bag of ramen noodles, saltines and peanut butter and jelly. Well, you have a wife now, so she's probably making sure, but I lived off of that for several months and and uh upgraded to a small studio apartment and then just kind of progressed from there. And had I not gone to California to do that, I wouldn't have met the mentors that got me back into this industry and helped me develop in this industry.

Speaker 2 12:05

That's wonderful.

Speaker 1 12:06

You know fate.

Speaker 2 12:08

Everything is fate. I think Fate is a hunter. I mean it does find us, you know, no matter what you do. While we're busy planning, I think life is taking over sometimes with us, but that's wonderful. So I want to know about the tent living. I mean I see that a lot.

Speaker 1 12:24

So this is funny, because I couldn't afford to stay at a normal campground.

Speaker 1 12:28

Oh normal campground at the time was probably 15 to $25 a night. Oh, I didn't have any money. Wow, I had, um, and now you know, I I wasn't. I'm completely destitute. I mean, I had a Jeep, I had a credit card, but I chose to live that way because I was trying to get out of my rut so I could get on my feet, and the campground where I stayed on the beach was an overnighter for RVs, so all it had was a picnic table, a fire pit and a faucet that stuck up out of the ground. So when I wanted to shower, that was my next question.

Speaker 1 13:08

Yeah, so every three or four days, I would yeah. I know I stuck. I would drive down to this campground that took quarters in a shower and I would feed it quarters and take a shower every few days. So yeah, I was that stinky kid going to auditions.

Speaker 2 13:24

Did it smell like a urinal by any chance at that place it might have.

Speaker 1 13:29

It might have. But that's my story, that's how I kind of started, and then I kind of just grew into it from there.

Speaker 2 13:36

And I think it's great that you're telling it because you know, I think it gives people hope too that you know they can go through some hard times and some hardships and come out being successful sometimes.

Speaker 1 13:48

Let me ask you to maybe give your knowledge to the audience on taking the leap or not. My quote would be do it while you're young, because life happens as you get older. It would be hard, almost impossible, for me to just go now and try that all over, but when you're young you got stories to tell your grandchildren.

Speaker 2 14:13

It's absolutely true. I think that back in the day, though, when we were going, when we were in Hollywood, I think it was a lot. I mean, I hate to say it, but it's true. I think it was easier back in the day. You think it was, I do.

Speaker 1 14:25

Even with the access to YouTube and all the media outlets they have now.

Speaker 2 14:31

Well, now I feel like everything is. There's just too much technology involved for me. I like the naturalness of how it used to be in Hollywood, where, if I auditioned, Headshots. Yes.

Speaker 1 14:43

Resume on the back?

Speaker 2 14:44

Yes, because when they see your face they get to see your personality. It's like you're a talking headshot, you know, just walking in. They get to hear you and see you and see your facial expressions and how they can change and how you're not just this one person and that headshot. And I got to go to Paramount, you know, parked my car and it's like, oh, you know, carrie ann, come in, park my car and I auditioned for commercials and stuff like that. It was just, it was a lot of fun, um, because you got to meet people, you got to actually be physically there and it just seemed easier for me. I don't know why. And I got accepted more, um, but then again, that was the age that was. We didn't have all this technology, we didn't have you, this technology, we didn't have the internet, we didn't have cell phones. Back in the day, you just got a phone call.

Speaker 1 15:29

It definitely made it hard. I think I had either a pager or A pager. Yes, yeah, and that's actually the number that was on my. I had a little business card with my headshot on it. It said Tim Schee. I still have that.

Speaker 2 15:43

Do you really? Yeah, it's funny.

Speaker 1 15:47

It doesn't look any my daughter said Dad, that doesn't look anything like you. I go well it was me.

Speaker 2 15:51

It was me a long, long time ago.

Speaker 2 15:52

It's interesting, but nowadays kids are doing, they're auditioning at home. They can audition in the comforts of their own homes the comforts of their own homes, you know. And they, um, they set up, like a little gray, you know, uh, a sheet, you know. Or they buy a backdrop and they set up their lighting and their cameras. They do it with their iPhones. Now, you don't have to set up all this, you know, um, you don't have a whole lot going on, you just set up your iPhone and a few lighting.

Speaker 1 16:17

But other than the ease of being able to prep and do what they're doing, doesn't it create more competition in the space Cause now?

Speaker 2 17:21

anybody can do it. You're absolutely right about that. You know, um, it goes back to the fate thing. You know you either have it or you don't. Right, you got to have that. Look that they're looking for the eye color, the hair, the timing. You know, yes, um, you have to be right for the part. I mean exactly right. I really think that there is a lot of competition. I think it hinders a lot of people.

Speaker 2 17:47

I have some of my students that are actually signed with agents right now and they're feeling a little defeated right now because of the fact that it's not happening quick enough for them. They want to get that big role. You know they're waiting for that big role and I said, well, just hang in there, because what's happening is we had to go through COVID. So we had COVID happen. That shut down everything, it slowed down everything, it stopped everything in its tracks. And then we had the SAG after strike, which stopped production, which stopped everything in its tracks. So now everything's playing catch up. So I say to my students now, if you get signed, well, look they, they obviously like you, they want you, they've accepted you, um, because they saw you perform through, maybe over zoom, um, or through a self tape and they like you so. So that's a. That's a wonderful thing. Your foot's in the door, so don't stop.

Speaker 1 18:39

But I'm sure you share your wisdom about a lot of these old school actors that spent their lives in Hollywood without making a splash and then one day in their 40s, some of them in their was it who? Was it Not Christopher Walken? Christopher Walken, did he? There was, some of them very famous actors that hit in their 40s and 50s.

Speaker 2 19:03

Yeah, there's a few that actually did.

Speaker 1 19:05

But they had been doing it for 20, 25 years.

Speaker 2 19:09

That's right, it's so funny. One of the biggest things out there was when you went to a restaurant in Hollywood to eat and you would ask. They would say, yeah, I'm an actor too, you know, and they're waiting tables and this and that you know, but they finally do get their break. Um, oh gosh.

Speaker 1 19:28

Every time I would go into a bar and mingle and a girl would ask me oh, what do you do? And I'd go, I'm an actor. And they'd go. Oh yeah, what restaurant? I swear to god. Okay, well, moving on, that's that's so funny because I thought it was cool to say I'm an actor.

Speaker 2 19:50

It is so I actually did a short film with john cryer from two and a half men, yeah, and of course he was ducky and pretty and pink.

Favorite TV Shows and Acting Inspirations

Speaker 2 19:58

one of my all-time favorite movies, very good movie, so it was called the Waiter and it was a short film and so I just had a small little part in it. But a friend of mine was directing it and wrote it and everything. It was very interesting because it was the opposite. So he was trying to be a waiter, not an actor, and so it was really interesting because, um, he wanted to be the head waiter. It was just a meme going on in hollywood about like everybody wants to be an actor, so everybody's a waiter or waitress yeah, and this was a reversal, so it was just really funny who wrote that?

Speaker 2 20:33

um, oh you remember.

Speaker 1 20:35

I don't remember off, I just love. But I can get back to you on that, because I do have it. Because it's such a real concept.

Speaker 2 20:41

Yeah, I have the VHS. That's how old it was, but it was a great concept.

Speaker 1 20:48

So I'm going to keep moving on here. We're going to get into some more fun stuff before we go into segment two, when we get really nerdy and start talking about AI and acting oh boy. But before we do, let's get into some fun questions. So what shows or movies are you currently hooked on or would you recommend? Now, this is totally off the subject of acting. Let's just get into some fun freelance stuff If we're talking about a series.

Speaker 2 21:12

I am from the 80s, so I'm a big, huge Cobra Kai fan. And I love Stranger Things because it's about the 80s as well, so I'm all about that I've seen all those. And Outlander.

Speaker 1 21:25

Okay.

Speaker 2 21:26

I love the period pieces a lot because it takes me back in time.

Speaker 1 21:30

Yeah.

Speaker 2 21:31

Have you ever seen it yet?

Speaker 1 21:32

No, I haven't gotten into Outlander. Wow, wonderful show. I am caught up on Yellowstone. Yeah, yellowstone. This is the funny thing, I am caught up on Yellowstone.

Speaker 2 21:39

Yeah, Yellowstone.

Speaker 1 21:40

This is the funny thing. I had this conversation the other day with someone. My favorite Yellowstones are the prequels like 1923, I think it was, and 1883.

Speaker 2 21:50

Yes.

Speaker 1 21:50

Just because of the era piece, part of it.

Speaker 2 21:54

Yes and the costumes and the historical facts, yes.

Speaker 1 21:59

What does it make you feel like? What does it make you feel like it takes you there? Costumes and the historical facts.

Speaker 2 22:01

you know that in the way that you know just what does it make you feel. Like, what does it make you feel? It takes you there. It takes you there.

Speaker 1 22:05

And it's, it's kind of an it's wow. Yeah, I had no idea that they had to cross. You know, there there's a scene I think it's in 1883 where they're crossing a small river and how difficult that was at that time with a carriage river, river.

Speaker 2 22:21

Yeah, and how difficult that was at that time with a carriage, did you see that? Yeah, it's insane, yeah, um, so what shows are you following?

Speaker 1 22:26

I finished cobra kai I've watched yellowstone um.

Speaker 2 22:30

I'm watching um what about outer banks? Did you ever get on I?

Speaker 1 22:33

don't get in outer banks uh it's for the young little weird, a weird little poppy show right now called AI Bio. Oh, I haven't seen it. It's kind of a quirky little show I've been following, so are there any you commonly hear from students that inspired them to get into acting?

Speaker 2 22:54

You know I get a lot of. When I was younger, I just always wanted to act. I just found it fun. I get a lot of the simplicity of why they want to do acting. It's really cute, actually, because I'll ask them why do you want to be an actor? Who's your favorite actor? What is your favorite movie? And if you were stuck sitting in a movie theater for the whole day and you could pick any movie that you want to watch and it can only be one one and you can watch it over and over and over, what movie would it be? It kind of allows me to get to know them and a little bit it.

Speaker 2 23:28

It allows me to um see what they like know, what they like and why, and it gives me, um, you know a big heads up on their character and what they want, um, and then I'll, and I'll ask them the same thing about music. You know a big heads up on their character and what they want, um, and then I'll, and I'll ask them the same thing about music. You know, if you're stuck in an elevator for like an hour what would be your favorite song.

Speaker 2 23:47

But, um, I get a lot of different answers. You know I have one that's really cute. She's a little she's, she's so funny. I said if you could play a role, what role would you play and why? You, why? And she goes well, I want to be a mafia wife. And she goes into Goodfellas. Now, this little girl, she's 13 years old, but her dad's Italian, they're an Italian family, they're out of New Jersey, and I just couldn't believe it. She knows everything, she's watched every mafia movie out there and she wants to play a role as a mafia wife. And she's so serious, she just is so serious. I couldn't believe it.

Speaker 2 24:26

I was like so nothing else, that's it. But she won me over just because it's like. I understand I come from an Italian family, so I get how they are and they love those movies family so I get how they are and you know they, they love those movies.

Speaker 1 24:43

You know it's funny talking about what. What inspired us to be actors, or whatever we I think you and I knew from a very early age we were going to be actors. But what inspired me to make the move to Hollywood? I worked a four on, four, four off shift in the Navy and I was on my way out and I was trying to figure out my next thing and I hadn't yet set on going to Hollywood. I was still trying to figure out where I was going to go, what I was going to do, and I popped a people magazine open to the centerfold and it was a whole article on Brad Pitt, this new up and coming actor in 94, 95. I think I don't know if it was River Runs Through it or what was that other big movie he did.

Speaker 2 25:21

Thelma and Louise?

Speaker 1 25:22

No, it was the big, big production where?

Speaker 2 25:28

Okay, I'm drawing a blank. Come on, Tim.

Speaker 3 25:32

I don't know. I can look it up though.

Speaker 1 25:35

He'll come up with it. I read that article. He went out there with like 300 bucks in his pocket and a little red. He called it the red runabout. It was a rabbit it was yeah. And he went to a reading with a girlfriend of his and she was up for a part and he was just in there to read with her and they picked him.

Speaker 2 25:58

Yeah, I'm going to Juliette Lewis.

Speaker 1 26:00

I think that's. Yeah, that was his girlfriend.

Speaker 2 26:02

I think she got him started in the business. Yeah, and she was doing um what's eating, gilbert great oh, yeah, stuff like that, yeah, yeah, they were they were a nice couple.

Speaker 1 26:11

That's what.

Celebrity Encounters and Root Beer Tasting

Speaker 3 26:12

Yeah, leo in that so a couple of his older movies um, the dark Side of the Sun, happy Together, cutting Class, johnny Suede, thelma and Louise. These are all before Cool World, before A River Runs Through it, 1992., california, 1993. I do True Romance. It was on one of my walls. Interview with the Vampire was 1994. The one where he has the two brothers, that's one of my walls. Interview with the Vampire was 1994. The one where he has the two brothers.

Speaker 2 26:41

That's one of my personal favorites With the two brothers and the dad With the two brothers and the dad, the shotgun Legends of the Fall.

Speaker 1 26:46

Legends of the Fall.

Speaker 3 26:48

Yes, that's the movie. Oh what?

Speaker 2 26:49

a wonderful movie that was. Now I want to go back and watch it again. I do, too. Came out oh my god. It's just away from my oh good acting, and that's what elevated him having those actors around him. Yes, oh yes. So I love that movie. So much.

Speaker 1 27:05

Let's close this segment and go into ai. Let's let's finish up by um share one fun fact or memorable moment from your career, one thing that you can think about that just pops in your head. That was just a cool moment.

Speaker 2 27:23

Probably working on Baywatch.

Speaker 1 27:26

Okay, you were on Baywatch.

Speaker 2 27:29

Yes, I was on Baywatch for like three years on and off. It wasn't every day, but it was weekly to every two.

Speaker 1 27:37

You were a lifeguard.

Speaker 2 27:38

I was a second unit lifeguard. Okay, and also a little background here and there. A second unit lifeguard, okay, and also a little background here and there if they needed me on the set. But yeah, I still have my bathing suit.

Speaker 1 27:45

So you were hanging out with Pamela Anderson.

Speaker 2 27:47

Yes.

Speaker 1 27:48

And David.

Speaker 2 27:48

Hasselhoff I was hanging out with him. So one of the funniest things that occurred to me on that show is the fact that I'm walking along and we're on a break so it was cut, let's go eat the whole thing. David Hasselhoff was funny. He got along with everybody.

Speaker 2 28:04

He just talked to everybody and he's like I went to walk off and he goes. Hey, yeah, he goes. Do you work out? Not really, only on the beach here. It was just so funny to me because I really didn't work out, because back in the day, when you're in your early 20s, you don't have to do a whole lot of working out, because your metabolism is there, your metabolism is there, but I just thought it was so funny. But Little Richard was on the show.

Speaker 3 28:30

Oh, wow.

Speaker 2 28:31

And Little Richard, and I'll never forget this moment. In a nutshell version we were sitting on top of a picnic table and he was getting ready to do his scene on the show and he was a guest on the show. And anyway, he says to me I'm just so nervous, I'm so nervous. I'm like why are you nervous? Do you know who you are? Yeah, do you understand who you are? But I think he was older and he was just nervous. So he wanted to do the right thing and be the right. But I just I found that really touching, that he was opening up to me.

Speaker 1 29:03

Yeah.

Speaker 2 29:04

I didn't even know, he didn't know me.

Speaker 1 29:05

They're humans.

Speaker 2 29:06

And I thought that was a very defining moment for me because of the fact that he was human. He was just so down to earth. Yeah, so sweet, so nice, so gentle to everybody on the set, you know, just like family, you know.

Speaker 1 29:20

That's awesome.

Speaker 2 29:21

Very personable guy, but yeah, that was it.

Speaker 1 29:24

Tim, what's our next beer?

Speaker 3 29:28

All right, so our next one in line is the Abita Root Beer from the Abita Brewing Company in Abita Springs, louisiana and Abita Springs, louisiana. Abita root beer is made with a hot mix process using spring water, herbs, vanilla and yucca, which creates foam. Unlike most soft drink manufacturers, abita sweetens its root beer with pure Louisiana cane sugar. The resulting taste is reminiscent of soft drinks made in the 1940s and 1950s, before bottlers turned to corn, sugar and fructose.

Speaker 1 30:04

Yeah, so this is good yes.

Speaker 3 30:06

Yeah, so some uh soft drink makers add caffeine to their product, but a beta is naturally caffeine free.

Speaker 2 30:13

Oh, wow.

Speaker 1 30:14

It's very good. Um, definitely a throwback root beer.

Speaker 2 30:18

I love that. It's like all the time it's sweet.

Acting Coach Embraces Natural Talent

Speaker 1 30:21

I'm not, you know I don't eat a lot of sugar, so that that definitely hit me I think, yeah, I think, only a few sips and you're good yeah, oh, yeah, yeah I like the vanilla very tasty. Yeah, you can taste the vanilla in that we don't drink a lot of non-alcoholic stuff on this show, but we're starting to invite more of that with with different of variation of guests like yourself yes I'm kind of pleased about it, because that is a that that's a pleasant tone to start our next segment.

Speaker 1 30:49

I love that, yes um, tell me about the actors. So. So this next segment we're going to talk about ai and we're going to talk about the actors. Dan, very exciting, that's how we met, because I reached out to you looking for actors.

Speaker 2 31:05

You know, that was exciting. Actually, I was like oh good, Because as soon as I met you and you're like yeah, I need some actors, my actors got super excited. They're so excited. Yes, Sign me up.

Speaker 1 31:17

They were so awesome. I mean, they did such. Your son was incredible. I really enjoyed working with him.

Speaker 2 31:23

Yeah, you met Crosby, my son.

Speaker 1 31:24

Yeah, and. Clay Clay's like another son Clay was really awesome.

Speaker 2 31:28

Been with me a long time.

Speaker 1 31:29

And the firefighter. What was his name?

Speaker 2 31:31

Oh.

Speaker 1 31:32

He's one of your students, right?

Speaker 2 31:34

Yes, god, oh Lord, what's his name? Now I'm going to draw a blank.

Speaker 1 31:38

He hasn't been with me for like two years now. Kind of stunk for him because some of the stuff we were supposed to film with him didn't happen.

Speaker 2 31:45

Oh, but you know what? I hadn't talked to him in a while because he had to go into firefighting. His dad wanted him. He needed something else to fall back on, but he was very excited. As soon as I asked him, he didn't hesitate one bit. He's like when and where.

Speaker 1 31:59

They communicated really well. They reached out. Tell me about the Actors' Den and your mission to help these students, and what is the mission and what are you trying to achieve with these students?

Speaker 2 32:10

You know, my mission is always to make sure that they are, first and foremost, being themselves. I said, you know, first and foremost, I just want you to be yourself times two. You know, I don't want you to have to be a chameleon and act like somebody else and be somebody else. I want you to dress up your own characters, you know, bring out the intent of your own character. You know who, you know the who's, what's, the why's, the where's and everything like that we have. We have so much fun doing this too. Because they're like oh, miss Carrie Ann, you mean, I can dress my character up any way I want to. And I said absolutely, you can, you can, but let's stay, you know, script it.

Speaker 2 32:46

Stay on script with it, you know.

Speaker 1 32:49

Do you do the? What's the? It's been so long, that's okay.

Speaker 2 32:52

What is?

Speaker 1 32:53

the exercise with your jaw, with the movement of your mouth. Well, so that's the tongue twisters, with the movement of your mouth.

Speaker 2 32:59

Well, so that's the tongue twisters, yeah, we do a lot of tongue twisters in there Talk about that for a minute.

Speaker 2 33:02

Well, the tongue twisters are interesting because it helps them read better. It gives them you know like it helps release stress in their jaw, their tongue they don't get as tongue tied when they're reading their scenes and stuff like that. So, for example, let's see if I can do this without messing it up. The big black bug bit a big black bear and the big black bear bled black blood. And they have to say that three times and I asked them please just enunciate.

Speaker 1 33:36

Yeah, so let's start with the bug.

Speaker 2 33:38

Ready, the big black bug, the big black, the big Ah.

Speaker 1 33:39

The big black bug bit a big bear, bit a big black bear, and the big black bear bled black blood, bled black blood.

Speaker 2 33:45

Yeah, you do it on your own. The big, say it one more time the big black bug bit a big black bear.

Speaker 1 33:50

The big black bug bit a big, big black.

Speaker 2 33:55

Tim.

Speaker 1 33:57

Edge, edge, you can't interrupt our show with laughter. The big black bug bit a big black bear and the big black bear drew black blood. I got it, let's move on.

Speaker 2 34:14

Okay, so he almost had it, so that's okay, let's move on. Okay, so he almost had it, so that's okay, that's all right. So the tongue twisters are really good, and then we go into doing a monologue work or a scene.

Speaker 1 34:28

We're losing it on this show and there's no alcohol on this show. How is this happening?

Speaker 2 34:32

And then Unique New York Say that three times.

Speaker 1 34:35

Unique New York, unique New York. Say that three times Unique New York. Unique New York.

Speaker 2 34:38

Unique New York. You know you live and need Unique New York.

Speaker 1 34:40

You know, you live and you need. You know, you need.

Speaker 2 34:45

Unique New York.

Speaker 1 34:45

Unique New York. You know you need Unique New York. You know you need Unique New York.

Speaker 2 34:50

Yes, yes, that's very good actually, and Sally sells seashells by the seashore is a big one for the smaller kids.

Speaker 1 34:57

You'd be surprised tim edge skips through the tulips in the middle of the night um, I do, yeah, so the mission that sounds lovely, by the way so how do you incorporate technology in your teaching methods at the actors den? Do you use any sort? Because we talked earlier about how you love the simplicity, way back when we were coming up.

Speaker 2 35:23

I do. I like the realism of acting. I like natural emotion. I think it's overwhelming in today's world with the CGI stuff and everything, but we'll get into that in just a little bit.

Speaker 1 35:38

We'll get into the CGI but how are you incorporating technology? I know you are, because you're having to communicate, you're having to Zoom, probably with some students. You're doing some of that. So there's that technology.

Speaker 2 35:51

Exactly, I have my students doing screen tests live through Zoom. How does that?

Speaker 1 35:57

work oh it's amazing.

Speaker 2 35:59

It's amazing. So all of them go on at the same time. I mean there could be like 30, 40, whatever on at the same time and they're auditioning in front of agencies.

Speaker 3 36:12

Wow.

Speaker 2 36:13

And yeah, it's amazing that they can do that. You can literally be in your own room, set it up, have your computer open. I love this. I love this part of it because you don't have to travel to Los Angeles or the big cities or Atlanta. You can just sit in the comforts of your own home. So you go on Zoom and you're getting ready to do your scene. So you practice. You have a good couple weeks to practice with your scene partner and then, when it's time to do screen test live, you have like nine to 10 agencies that are going to be on zoom with them, that are going to watch them perform. Each one each and they do it in pairs, two at a time.

Speaker 1 36:52

But, being in their own home, are they able to do? You feel like they're expressing themselves more and they're really getting into character more because they have that privacy, even though they're on Zoom with these folks, tim, I do.

Speaker 2 37:05

I really think they're allowed, they're more relaxed, they can just come out of their shell. You know, and also.

Speaker 1 37:11

But what happens? What happens when they transition and they're on set?

Speaker 2 37:15

I know that's very good and we practice that in the studio. So we do go over that. We go over all of that. I make them do it in front of everybody, so they have to do their monologues and scenes in front of the class. I sometimes make the parents stay in there, because the biggest thing with my students sometimes is they don't like it when their parents are in the room because they feel judged and they know that their parents are going to, because they know them so well that they know that they just have to do this one look and the parent already.

Speaker 1 37:44

I know, I know that, but they do that.

Speaker 2 37:46

They do that, but they end up I said if you can do this in front of your parents, then you're golden. You can do it in front of anyone, honestly, but they do it in front of the class, they do it in front of their peers, the other actors, and they build up their confidence one block at a time. The more they come in, the more they learn on how to route themselves toward having more confidence. And I mean that in a way like, for example, I had one student just could not barely open the mouth to get a word out, so nervous, so just very nervous. And I said to this person I had one student just could not barely open the mouth to get a word out, so nervous, so just very nervous. And I said, I said to this person I said you know what? Um, I just want you to be yourself, just, please, just be yourself, but times two, that's it.

Speaker 2 38:29

I'm giving you a script. Let's, let's take it down, let's break it down one line at a time, okay, and as soon as they do that, they feel so confident. So well, how did that sound? Let's say let's say it again, do that line again, but do it a different way. Let's do it three different ways with three different emotions, and how does that sound to you? And then they start feeling it and they start getting more comfortable.

Speaker 2 38:49

They do they they really pick up on that. They get into their own little rhythm, you know, if you will, and they um, that's how they're building up their confidence. I just make them do it over and over again until it sounds right to them. I never want them to leave my, my studio not knowing why they did it, and I want to know what they got out of it, you know and it's a wonderful feeling for them. It's a wonderful feeling for me as an acting coach, cause I've been doing this over 20 years.

Speaker 1 39:15

I just remember back in the day standing in line for a John Hughes film.

Speaker 2 39:19

Yes, we called that Cattle Call. Oh my God, it was called Cattle Call. It was horrible in the heat and then you get in there.

Speaker 1 39:27

you're soaking wet. Yeah, you finally get in front of two or three people that are auditioning you. You're already worn out. You feel like a total wreck, just ready to go and you're nervous as all get out and oh my God, I remember that cattle call I bombed, oh bomb, the hell out of it, I was so I just was ready to go home and have a beer.

Speaker 2 39:52

So what did they ask you to do? Do you remember? I don't even I.

Speaker 1 39:56

I well, we had our sides and I I was uh reading and I remember I was prepping for it. We you get the sides once you get into the auditorium, or it was an auditorium or gym or whatever and I just how'd you like those cold reads? Yeah, no, it was awful. It was awful because I read it completely. I I misread what the character was supposed to be. Oh, supposed to be.

Speaker 2 40:22

Yeah.

Speaker 1 40:22

Because I only had a few minutes.

Speaker 2 40:24

Yes, you were nervous, that's why.

Speaker 1 40:25

And I was nervous.

Speaker 2 40:26

Yeah.

Speaker 1 40:27

And when I left there I was like, oh well, yeah.

Speaker 2 40:29

Moving on.

Speaker 1 40:30

Yes, and in the beginning, when I first got out there, rejection was really hard to take because I'm like why don't they like me?

Speaker 2 40:38

I think a lot of people go through that, tim, you know, but you explained, it's timing, it's timing, it's the look.

Speaker 1 40:44

It's all of these things. So how? So? We talked about collaboration between the agencies and your students, and I'm sure the students collaborate the same way using Zoom. Your students, and I'm sure the students collaborate the same way using zoom how do you prepare them, the students, for a future where um AI might play a significant role in their careers? I mean because the world is a change.

Speaker 2 41:08

This is all new for me too, all this deep fake stuff and I mean I fast and furious comes to mind with, uh, paul Walker.

Speaker 1 41:16

Yeah, I mean the newest one, he's in it. Yeah, but he's been gone for so long and it looks mostly real.

Speaker 2 41:25

Well, I had to make my notes because I wanted to make sure that I didn't skip a beat with you on this. You know, and I think that for me I had it can feel artificial. You know first for me, because I come from the 70s, 80s, and so I know what's real and what's not, especially when characters or environments appear too digitally perfect, you can tell when something's just too perfect. Personally for me, I come from a very um imperfect world. Um, I'm the most imperfect, perfect person. Does that make sense?

Speaker 1 42:06

I'm the most imperfect person, whatever.

Speaker 2 42:08

But I, um, I feel like if you dress something up way too much, then it just looks fake. It's almost just like what people are putting filters on their faces and everything these days. It's like nobody wants to. And I feel that way with movie making because movie making it means a lot to me. I love a good movie and I have to feel it and it has to reel me in right, so with them. I don't know if I'm answering your question or not.

Speaker 1 42:31

No, yeah, keep going.

Speaker 3 42:32

Okay.

Speaker 2 42:33

I'm going to put my glass on because I don't make my notes. But first of all, it's limiting creative freedom or forcing studios to prioritize visual effects over story.

Speaker 1 42:44

Okay, does that make sense? Yeah?

Speaker 2 42:46

How does that make sense to you? Because it makes sense, but anyway. But there are some key points to it. There's some good stuff with it.

Speaker 1 42:55

So when you talk about so, to me it depends on the movie being made sure that is if it's action thriller.

Speaker 2 43:04

Yeah but even in the action movies it it's really hard when the entire thing is cgi versus little hints like jurassic park yeah, well, little hints of cgi, yeah, like where they're using a little bit of cgi just to kind of just enough to compliment it, just to compliment it what's already been, yeah, you know, I think spielberg uh is good with that very good he's, isn't he? Yes, it's one of my favorites.

Speaker 1 43:29

He's doing mine too well, I I'm all across the spectrum, because I like scorsese, you know, hit, you know, and I love mafia movies.

Speaker 2 43:38

Oh, yeah, but.

Speaker 1 43:38

I also love. One of my favorite movies of all time is ET.

Speaker 2 43:42

Oh, come on. People all know that we all love ET. Yes, but you got the throwback to the 80s.

CGI in Modern Filmmaking Debate

Speaker 1 43:46

Yes, you know everything in there resonated with us as kids, but it was you know and he used to. I think it was a. I think ET was a mix of animatronics and someone in a suit.

Speaker 2 44:02

Yes, absolutely. But even then it just seemed more natural for me. I don't know why it wasn't overdone.

Speaker 1 44:10

That's the evolution of CGI.

Speaker 2 44:12

Star Wars was filmed back when CGI, really Back in the 70s, they had to use modeling. Back in the 70s, yeah, and they had to use modeling. They had to use modeling, yeah, yes.

Speaker 1 44:22

So, but getting back on topic, here we're talking about AI. Let's stay on the AI topic. So deepfakes is a real concern for a lot of actors and wasn't there a negotiation between SAG and AMPTP. See, Now you got me. My tongues are totally twisted.

Speaker 2 44:41

You need some tongue twisters. The big black bear Generative.

Speaker 1 44:44

AI became the major sticking point. Back in July, studios claim they offered a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors' digital likenesses, because otherwise they'd be able to use them in whatever and not pay them digital likenesses, because otherwise they'd be able to use them in whatever and not pay them.

Speaker 2 45:03

Well, that's the thing. You know, um, it's very disheartening when I, when I was listening to that and hearing it, and Fran Drescher, um, really, she was, you know, so upset about it and she made it known to everybody in the SAG-AFTRA industry how upset she really was. She wasn't holding back and she wasn't, you know, but, um, to me it's like you know what about the background um actors? You know so what? What was going to happen with background actors? What was going to happen to them was they're going to be cut right out. Why? Because cgi has stepped in and they've already. They've recorded, videoed whatever they do. They've already recorded, videoed whatever they do. They've taken all the background. They're going to reuse it for other things and then they just piece it in, like in a Coliseum.

Speaker 1 45:42

I wonder if the new Gladiator movie. What did they do there?

Speaker 2 45:46

I haven't seen it yet. I don't know. I haven't seen it yet. Think about that.

Speaker 1 45:50

They can trickle in all those likenesses of the actors. You don't know when you're watching the movie, because you're focused on the main characters.

Speaker 2 45:57

Right, and I encourage my actors to go work on and be background. I want them to be on the set, I want them to get their foot in the door, I want them to see how things are done on a day-to-day basis on, you know, being on the set of a movie. But if they come in and wipe them out, there's no background. You just know, that's it.

Speaker 1 46:18

Yeah, we're getting a little short on time, okay, so I'm going to ask you one more question before we get into the third segment, yep. What are, give me one of your biggest challenges and one of your biggest rewards of running the Actors Den.

Speaker 2 46:33

One of my biggest challenges probably to convince the new students that come in that they're just not ready yet, when they are completely ready in their own minds. Oh, I'm ready to do acting.

Speaker 2 46:47

I want to get an agent today, you know, oh, yeah, yeah yeah, and so that's a challenge for me, because you know you don't want to let them down, you know you don't want to be that one to just I don't know just kind of burn their little fire out. You know you don't want to let them down, you know you don't want to be that one to just I don't know just kind of burn their little fire out, you know. So for me that's a big challenge because you don't want to hurt their feelings. So I'm just very matter of fact.

Speaker 2 47:07

I'm like, well, you have to have some training, you know, let's see how much natural ability you have, and then let's you go from there but they also have to learn rejection and absolutely so I was just gonna say um, you know, if you are, if you're on the set of a movie and you're in the middle of doing a scene and you got lucky enough to get in there so quickly and you mess something up or you say something wrong or you or your actions weren't right on the mark, um, the last thing you want is a director yelling at you, going uh yeah, are you, do we have?

Speaker 1 47:43

do we have any?

Speaker 2 47:43

acting yeah uh, you know capabilities here. Did you have any acting classes? Yeah, you know, and it's interesting, but, um, the most rewarding for me would be, um, to see them getting signed with an agency because they are ready, yeah, and to have those beautiful little notes that they write me behind closed doors and they send it to me on a text or an email or they'll call me and they just thank you for everything that you've done for my child.

Speaker 2 48:15

You know, if it weren't for you, you, they wouldn't have gotten this far, they wouldn't have you know. So they call me a little diamond in the rough and I laugh about that. I'm like, oh, I just. Oh, okay, I never considered myself a diamond in the rough, but I, it sounds you are, if you're catapulting.

Speaker 1 48:31

No, you know someone who has the the real desire and the real passion to move forward with it and not just doing it as a side thing when they dive into it. You're the catalyst for that.

Speaker 2 48:44

I'm so passionate about what I do. I, I, really I, I. It takes me hours to get curriculum ready, cause I try to you know gear it toward them on that note. Yeah.

Speaker 1 48:54

Let's have another beer, let's do that Sounds good.

Speaker 2 48:56

I was wondering when you're going to edge. Let's do that Sounds good. I was wondering when you were going to end Edge. What do you got?

Speaker 3 48:58

All right. So our last beer that we have is the Crabby's Ginger Beer from the brewing company John Crabby's and Co Beer in Scotland. For more than 200 years, Crabby's has shipped its ginger beer from the Far East, following the pioneering footsteps of the first Scots merchant adventurers. Hence their distinctive elephant trademark. Following a top secret recipe, the steeped ginger is combined with the quality ingredients and matured for eight weeks to release a deliciously distinctive flavor. Yeah, that's distinctive.

Speaker 1 49:36

I was just going to say that's distinctive, all right.

Speaker 2 49:38

I was just going to say, yeah, ditto.

Speaker 1 49:42

I'm not, it's.

Speaker 2 49:46

Yeah, well to me.

Speaker 1 49:47

Tim, I'm going to need a good lager after this You've got a lot. I'm kidding. No, it's good. Well, we're going to dive in. So just to kind of continue off that last segment a little bit audience. We were talking about CGI in modern films, carrie Ann films that are all CGI, yay or nay? I think I know the answer to that.

Speaker 2 50:10

Ask that again.

Speaker 1 50:11

Films that are all CGI. Yay or nay.

Speaker 2 50:15

Nay.

Speaker 1 50:16

Are you?

Speaker 2 50:16

kidding me? Is that a rhetorical question? Well in the past we talked about, especially for us at our age.

Speaker 1 50:23

Filmmakers solely depended on practical effects back in the day and optical tricks to shape audience perception, utilizing techniques like camera angles and lens selection and elaborately designed sets.

Speaker 2 50:38

I love that.

Speaker 1 50:39

Now it's easier because everything's digital. I know I'm in the middle of editing a video right now and how much easier it is than it was just 20 years ago to edit and how much more powerful the machines are to enable us to do that.

Speaker 1 50:54

But yeah, you know watching techniques in old movies and we talked about star wars earlier how they built a, a, a model set they did, yeah, and that was more exciting, brought those planes in, you know, or the spaceships, and hovered above and the way it gave that appeal that they were flying in space yes when c when CGI didn't really exist. It really wasn't there. Chroma Key was kind of there.

Speaker 2 51:26

I want to get back to that. I do too. It's time consuming, and I think that's why they just want to nix it, but I love it. I think it shows your creativity but, I, love it I think it's, it's um.

Speaker 1 51:41

It shows your creativity. You know, and they used to paint um, uh, paint by hand.

Speaker 2 51:44

Yeah, oh, all the time you know they'd always have that um someone coming in and doing the murals and the. It was awesome.

Speaker 1 51:51

Now it's green screen and volumetric LEDs and all of those things. And you know, the set extensions were painted, the backdrops were painted.

Speaker 2 52:02

We don't have any of that I think, use it where it really needs to be used. Tim, you know Like I think that when there's for stunts, environmental stuff, if you just can't create it, just put a little you know little something something there, create it. Um, just put a little you know a little something something there. But um, I I had made a note. It says um to enhance character design and animation.

Speaker 2 52:23

Okay, okay, that's, that's wonderful yeah you have cgi for things like that. I think it makes it more creative oh yeah, it's, it's toy story.

Speaker 1 52:32

Yes, one of my favorites, that's the first one that comes to mind. Absolutely, that's a good one. That's amazing. I mean, it won what? How many awards. I mean that is an amazing example of that.

Speaker 2 52:41

Absolutely, and I yes and just, and it's very pleasing, though it's not overwhelming, you know it's not too much.

Speaker 1 52:48

What about Avatar? I wasn't a big Avatar fan, really.

Speaker 2 52:55

I wasn't a big avatar for them.

Speaker 1 52:57

Like you probably are.

Speaker 2 52:58

I mean, you know I'm not, that's just, it wasn't for me.

Speaker 1 53:02

But what did you like about it? I think I liked the story more than anything in that, especially the first one. I just thought the story was a great story to be, told and the way it. You know the way the uh it introduced the characters, yeah, the, the cgi characters, the way the cgi characters were introduced at the beginning.

Speaker 2 53:23

You know when he steps into that character how did he run off the set like, yeah, yeah, I like that. Yeah, it was exhilarating.

Speaker 1 53:32

So how would you teach aspiring actors to interact with CGI elements? Tell me, because that's a thing, right.

Speaker 2 53:39

Wow, is it?

Speaker 1 53:42

I don't know, I mean.

Speaker 2 53:43

How would they do it?

Speaker 1 53:44

Now, if they're going in for a TV show, obviously there's not going to be a whole lot of CGI. But if they're going into a movie with CGI and they've never done that before if you're interacting with a dinosaur, yeah. That's coming down and breathing on you.

Balancing Traditional Acting With Modern Technology

Speaker 2 53:57

Well, you're interacting with a dinosaur that's coming down and breathing on you. Well, that's interesting. I'm not sure if I can answer it 100% the way you probably need me to, but I always have my students pretend like I'll put something right in front of them and I'll follow them around the room, like my clapperboard, and I'll follow them around the room. I'm like now, just pretend, this is something else, okay.

Speaker 1 54:17

Okay, I need you to around the room.

Speaker 2 54:18

I'm like now just pretend this is something else, okay, okay.

Speaker 1 54:20

I need you to just stay focused. Okay, there you go.

Speaker 2 54:21

I need you to stay focused. I need you to say your lines, just like you normally would, but except, this is going to be in front of you or we're going to put it like right on the side of you and I'm going to follow you through the room. So, basically, I'm blocking them, I give them blocking points. You know, um, they love that. I think it helps them to get out of their shell a little bit more to um not be distracted, um, cause they get distracted so easily until I start teaching them how to do that. And then they're like oh, I got, I see what you're saying.

Speaker 1 54:53

Have you ever given acting lessons? Are you good on time? Are you good on time? Are you good?

Speaker 2 54:58

on. Yes, I don't even know what time it is. I'm not in.

Speaker 1 55:00

Yeah, have you, have you ever given acting lessons to someone that just wanted to create content on social media?

Speaker 2 55:07

um, I don't think they've told me about it, but I'm sure I have you think they are.

Speaker 1 55:11

You think that's what they're I don't know. That's a good question you might want to ask your students that, because that's uh wow my, I mean my daughter. You know she's getting into doing that stuff really yeah, that's wonderful, she's an incredible editor really she edits all her own stuff and she's 12 isn't it interesting, though, that they're born into this they're born into they're born into.

Speaker 2 55:33

I mean that's it's second nature technology first nature.

Speaker 1 55:36

Without the technology you, I mean we grew up changing a tire on a car. I don't think the kids know, how to do any of that.

Speaker 2 55:45

Yes.

Speaker 1 55:46

So how do you balance traditional? I'm zooming through these, but it's very important, because how do you balance traditional acting methods, like we've talked about throughout? The show with modern technological advancements. So do you balance those methods when you're teaching your student, knowing that they're going to have to interact or do things with not necessarily a human?

Speaker 2 56:16

Yeah, you know um. This is all new for me too. Yeah it is actually because the because I've, I'm very um, I just want them to be who they are, be themselves, right as far as a distraction. I would go back to just saying you know, just know that there's going to be a lot of distractions. Someone opens the door. Don't look, just keep going. You know, don't worry about who's walking in. As far as I'm so old fashioned Tim.

Speaker 1 56:44

No, that's, I love the realism of just being yourself.

Speaker 2 56:48

Times to just you know, I'm not really up on all the CGI stuff as much as I should be right now and I need to die, but that's not what they're coming to you for.

Speaker 1 56:59

I'm asking that because we have to get nerdy in here but they're coming to you to learn how to pull that character out of them and how to express their emotions in the middle of a scene, right?

Speaker 2 57:10

Yes, they have a short time to bring out the intent of a character, you know, and they have to do a good job doing it. You know, the one thing about doing television, film and television is that you can yell, cut and redo it over and over and over again. But hopefully with my students they don't have to have to, you know, do it over and over again, only because they're trained to know that they need to nail it as soon as possible, like I make sure you know that they don't. It's okay to mess up your human You're not a robot but at the same time, I want you to really focus on the character that you're portraying. I want you to bring out the intent of your character, dress up your character. Where are you in the room? Where are you at that? Where are you in the room? What is your?

Speaker 1 57:58

I'm right here.

Speaker 2 57:59

Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 1 58:00

I'm right here.

Speaker 2 58:02

I'm sitting next to you it helps them act better if they know where they are. You know where are they in the in the scene, where are they, you know? Put yourself in that scene, put yourself in the scene, put yourself in that place and then you're gonna, you're gonna, you're gonna do great, you're gonna feel it more. You, I'm an empathy coach, so I like to empathize.

Speaker 1 58:20

I feel like that, but I do, I feel it. Can you feel it?

Speaker 2 58:23

yeah, I can feel it, I'm in the air tonight hold on what that's right.

Speaker 1 58:36

What advice would you give to actors who are just starting out?

Speaker 2 58:41

take your time take your time yeah do it right.

Speaker 1 58:44

Yes, take your time don't rush it.

Speaker 2 58:47

You know we, as we talked about earlier in the show here, um, you know fate is a hunter fate, you know it's gonna to find them and they're going to know when they're ready. Don't rush it. Take your time. Don't be someone you're not. Be yourself Always. Go back to that, yeah.

Speaker 1 59:09

So we're going to close the show with a series of rapid fire questions.

Speaker 2 59:14

Oh goodness.

Speaker 1 59:15

Are you ready?

Speaker 2 59:17

I think so. Now you haven't been told anything. What's my favorite color? Pink, okay. What's your favorite color? My daughter's is purple, okay, her entire room is purple. Oh wow, crazy, that's, great.

Speaker 1 59:26

If you could, only, here we go. Are you ready? If you could only watch one movie, for the rest would it be?

Speaker 2 59:33

Oh, you got that from. Did you get that from me?

Speaker 1 59:35

No, go ahead, I don't know, I don't write this the Breakfast Club. Okay, I kind of knew that.

Speaker 2 59:40

Did you?

Speaker 1 59:41

I love, I love all the well, you mentioned it earlier, I need a t-shirt.

Speaker 2 59:44

Do you have a t-shirt for me, john Hughes? I'm only John Hughes movies.

Speaker 1 59:47

No, but we do have a nerds on tap t-shirt for you, oh and a hat.

Speaker 2 59:52

Yes, I'll represent.

Speaker 1 59:55

What's one piece of advice you'd give to aspiring actors in one sentence. I think you already did it.

Speaker 2 1:00:01

Yeah, yeah, I would just say take your time, don't rush it.

Speaker 1 1:00:04

Favorite celebrity encounter.

Speaker 2 1:00:06

Go. I love John Travolta.

Speaker 1 1:00:09

All right, yeah, I love John Travolta, I love Kate.

Speaker 2 1:00:12

Winslet as well. That movie right there, yes, yes.

Speaker 1 1:00:14

Absolutely my favorite. Winslet as well. Yes, yes, absolutely my favorite movie.

Speaker 2 1:00:17

He's ever done. Why is that? Why is that?

Speaker 1 1:00:18

I love paul fix.

Speaker 2 1:00:19

Well, I'm a big why do you love it, though? Quentin tarantino is probably my favorite.

Speaker 1 1:00:25

Uh, I mean, I can watch every single one of his movies, yeah, multiple times I got to serve him a beer you did quentin tarantino yeah, pretty cool, yeah, I did because we were on a nice long break, and so I was like oh, I need a job in between.

Speaker 2 1:00:42

And so I worked at Barney's Beanery in Hollywood.

Speaker 1 1:00:44

What's your go-to karaoke song?

Speaker 2 1:00:50

Oh my God, I don't do karaoke.

Speaker 1 1:00:53

If you could sing a song. But if I could sing a song, well, I think you just did.

Speaker 2 1:00:59

Okay, if you could sing a song. Well, I think you just did. Okay, yes, in the air tonight, there we go. I would bomb it. But yeah, I don't think I would.

Speaker 1 1:01:01

I don't know if I'd sing that one pineapple on pizza, yes, or? No, uh no good if you were cast in a superhero movie. Would would you rather be the hero or the villain?

Speaker 2 1:01:12

I would be the hero all right.

Speaker 1 1:01:14

If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be?

Speaker 2 1:01:18

Oh Jim.

Speaker 1 1:01:19

Morrison.

Nerdy Community With Carrie Ann Dawson

Speaker 2 1:01:21

Would you? Yeah, you would.

Speaker 3 1:01:22

Yeah.

Speaker 2 1:01:23

Oh my God, oh gosh, that's a good question.

Speaker 1 1:01:31

Oh my God, I got her stumped Tim, oh my.

Speaker 2 1:01:32

God. Well, I'm trying to think of her name Breakfast at Tiffany's. What's her name? Audrey Hepburn. There you go.

Speaker 1 1:01:41

Oh, james Todd, Are you listening to this? He's a big Audrey.

Speaker 2 1:01:44

Hepburn. I love Audrey Hepburn.

Speaker 1 1:01:45

Yeah, what's a talent you have that most people don't know about.

Speaker 2 1:01:52

Uh-oh, being able to laugh at myself.

Speaker 1 1:01:56

All right.

Speaker 2 1:01:56

Is that a talent? I don't even know.

Speaker 1 1:01:58

What's a hobby? You've always wanted to try, but haven't yet.

Speaker 2 1:02:03

Art drawing.

Speaker 1 1:02:04

Okay, and finally, what's the last thing you binge-watched? Cobra Kai.

Speaker 2 1:02:09

Yeah, actually, cobra Kai and Outlander. Yes, yes.

Speaker 1 1:02:16

Yep. Well, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for getting nerdy with me and Carrie Ann Dawson for an hour or so. Carrie Ann, why don't you share with the audience anything they might want to know about the Actors Den, where they can find you on social media or the internet, or how to get a hold of you in case they want to reach out and yes be a student, or if they know someone, like a child, that might want to get inspired go.

Speaker 2 1:02:46

Absolutely, you can. Um come to the actor's den, wwwtheactorsdencom, and um it has all the information on there that you'll need and if you have any questions, you can just it has my phone number on there. You can just call me. I'm very personable.

Speaker 1 1:03:00

Awesome, and thank you to Digital Boardwalk for sponsoring the show and SmarterWeb. You can find them at digitalboardwalkcom and smarterwebnet. Thanks and have a nerdy day.

Speaker 2 1:03:12

Thank you, thank you.

Speaker 1 1:03:15

Cheers. My fellow nerds and beer lovers. Stay tuned for more Nerds on Tap. Oh, and one more thing Help us spread the nerdy love and the love for grape brews by sharing this podcast with your friends, colleagues and fellow beer enthusiasts. Let's build a community that embraces curiosity, innovation and the enjoyment of a cold one.