How We Role: A Podcast for Actors by Casting Networks
How We Role: A Podcast for Actors by Casting Networks, breaks down an actor's journey, one topic at a time. Join award-winning actor, writer and host Robert Peterpaul alongside industry talent and experts as they discuss how to build a successful career as a performer and beyond in the entertainment industry. From inspirational casting stories to practical advice on the craft of acting, tune in to expand your skill set and book that role.
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How We Role: A Podcast for Actors by Casting Networks
Ultimate Self-Tape Audition Guide for Actors with Casting Director Erica A. Hart
Casting Director Erica A. Hart joins How We Role to discuss self-tape auditions and the self-worth behind a successful one. From making strong choices to using props effectively, the kind-hearted and award-winning casting professional gives host Robert Peterpaul her ultimate guide to producing tapes that build relationships and get results.
ERICA A. HART, CSA, was born and raised in Washington, DC, and studied film and television at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She started at ABC Primetime Casting and then moved to independent casting. TV/Streaming: BLACK MIRROR (SEASON 6 US CASTING), A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW (SEASON 4), THAT DAMN MICHAEL CHE, JODIE, BUST DOWN, THE GIRLS ON THE BUS, THE EQUALIZER (SEASON 4 & SEASON 5) and SURVIVAL OF THE THICKEST (SEASON 2). Broadway: CHICKEN & BISCUITS, PASS OVER, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, JAJA'S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING. FILM (Selected): WE STRANGERS (SXSW), VEO VEO A FAMILY (TRIBECA), THE SURROGATE (SXSW), LAPSIS (SXSW), CUPIDS (TRIBECA), and NATIVES (SXSW). OFF-BROADWAY: HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF (NYTW), SATURDAY CHURCH (NYTW), SCARLETT DREAMS (MIDNIGHT THEATRICALS). Regional: EL COQUI (LONG WHARF THEATRE). MUSIC VIDEOS: FIGHT FOR YOU (H.E.R. - OSCAR WINNING SONG) and GET SOME (GHOSTED - PREMIERED AT SXSW). Erica is an Artios award winner, is on the Board of the Casting Society, a member of the TV Academy, and an educator at different colleges and universities. Website: www.hartcasting.com
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I'm casting director Erica A Hart, and this is how we Roll.
Speaker 2:When it comes to working in entertainment, there's a lot of hows, and they all boil down to how we navigate this wild industry. While how we follow our dreams is uncertain, how we roll along the way is in our hands. Welcome to how we Roll, a podcast for actors by Casting Networks. Hello friends, lately I've been pondering how can I craft the best self-tape audition possible. To answer this question and uncover an ultimate approach to self-tapes, I knew I had to call my kind friend who has made it her mission to uplift actors, and wow, did she come through on this topic. If you're like me, you're going to want to share this with every actor you know.
Speaker 2:Today's guest is casting director Erica A Hart. Erica A Hart fell in love with the arts growing up as a dancer in Washington DC. Her interest in casting peaked when she studied film and television at NYU. From there, she cut her teeth at ABC primetime casting and then moved into the world of independent casting. There Erica has made a mark across mediums. Erika's TV and streaming credits include Netflix's Black Mirror and Survival of the Thickest, max's A Black Lady Sketch Show that Damn Michael Che and the Girls on the Bus, and Queen Latifah's hit the Equalizer on CBS.
Speaker 2:On the big screen, erika has cast for films like we Strangers, vovoa Family, the Surrogate, lapsus and Cupid's. The beloved casting director has also lent her talents to Broadway shows like Chicken and Biscuits, passover, death of a Salesman and Jaja's African Hair Braiding. Oh, and she's worked on music videos like for hers Oscar-winning song Fight For you. Erica is an Ardeos Award winner on the board of the Casting Society of America, a member of the Television Academy and an all-around empowering educator at various colleges, universities and workshops. To learn more, please visit heartcastingcom. Here's how we roll with self-tapes starring casting director Erica A Hart. Today we have on an old pal of mine who is a beloved casting director of the stage and screen. She does it all. Welcome, my incredible friend Erica Hart.
Speaker 1:Hello, hello RPP, how are you?
Speaker 2:I am so pumped to talk to you, as I already told you multiple times, and I feel like I need to start just by congratulating you not only on everything, but the RDOs awards more recently. Thank you. You produced and then you won. I was so happy to see you there shining.
Speaker 1:Oh, thank you. No, it's. It's definitely a labor of love to produce that show. It's me, elizabeth Barrett, julie Tucker and Portia Black in New York that are running the show, and you know, it's just. It's always beautiful to be in community with other casting folk and agents and managers, and you were there, sir um, so it's always, it's always a joy to be around. Uh, you know love and community and colleagues and everything in between, and the icing on the cake is that I won that night too.
Speaker 2:So it was a beautiful night, so well-deserved, the love that I felt in that room. I mean, I know over the years how much people love you and I love you, but do you feel all the love in this business that people have for you Because, like people, really love you?
Speaker 1:Your name is said and people are just beaming with joy.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's very sweet, no, just beaming with joy, oh that's very sweet, no, I think. I think you know the love goes all the ways. I think this business is is a great business, but sometimes, you know, things get a little tricky and I think leading with kindness and leading with generosity can only go the right way. So it's, it's just always lovely to see all of my colleagues shine and it was amazing to see like the next generation do their thing, like it was just, it was just a really great night to see the passing of the torch of this next generation come, come up, and I'm excited for all of my colleagues, regardless of the generation. But to see, to see that was that's really awesome.
Speaker 2:Let me tell y'all listening at home, erica was not just cheering people on and producing the event, but she was recording people's speeches for them. She was just bopping up doing all the things. I mean you wear so many hats so I guess before you got to wearing all these hats for context I'd love to start with. Maybe you did it as a child growing up. But I just have a few questions about kind of your Marvel origin story of your life.
Speaker 2:So to start on a sweeter note growing up in DC, I believe what was sort of your waltz into the arts, which I'll say because I think it might have been dance. It was dance.
Speaker 1:That was my entry point. So it wasn't a waltz, but it was more of a of a tendu and a shuffle step. So it was. You know, when you're little you take your ballet tap class. So it was. It was it was dance. That was my introduction to the arts tab class. So it was it was it was dance. That was my introduction to the arts. And then I was always in arts camp, you know where it be, like arts and crafts or doing a dance class or doing a play, but I never, like was an actress, like that wasn't the thing that called me. It was dance and then film. I got my first camera when I was nine and I started to be, you know, the little niece or the little cousin or the daughter, with the camera just up in your face and doing things like that. And then I learned to edit and I edited, you know, my family films or my sister's ballet recital or just little things like that.
Speaker 1:So that was really good, because whenever I was a kid it would turn into a short film shoot and they're kind of like yeah, exactly no, my friend Joyce, we would go over to her house and we would make these like crazy improv films where, like they're probably in some basement somewhere, but we would do that like since elementary school, and then we would do it in high school and it would just be. It would just be really, really fun. So that was kind of my, my tip into the entertainment industry.
Speaker 2:Well, I guess progressing forward a little bit, and it's always so much fun and kind of weird to research you in a way, but I've done it before because I've interviewed you and just be reminded how impressive you are. You know, I think you were sort of cast as a casting director, which is a corny way to put it in college.
Speaker 1:From what I read is that when you discovered your love for casting, Exactly, you know, my freshman year of film school I went to NYU my freshman year a film friend of mine, emily Harold, wanted to make a film outside of the curriculum our freshman year, and she was very adamant on everybody having their own specific jobs. So, like you were the producer, you only produced, you were the writer, you only wrote. And then we printed out a crew list, crew list and she was the director. And the second to last thing was casting director. And because I had the dance background, I was like, well, I know what an audition is. So that means I know what a casting director is.
Speaker 1:I had no idea, I'd never heard of that term or that job, but I, because I knew of a little piece of it that meant for me that I could do the bigger piece. Um, and while everyone was doing, you know, being the best writer or trying to be the best director, I was in the corner doing that thing and that thing was casting, and nobody saw me as a threat and they saw me as an asset. So they said, oh, you did that thing for that film, can you do that thing for my film? And this big binder full of headshots and resumes that I would just carry around with me, and I cast all through college.
Speaker 2:So cool. Also everyone at home. I'm going to encourage you to whip out a journal and just start writing down lines that Erica says, because you said something just now that was like I knew a little piece and so there was the possibility I could do the whole puzzle, which I just I need a calendar of you.
Speaker 1:That's my, that's my, that's, that's the definition of my career. It's sort of just like, oh, especially if it's like a new genre that I haven't done. So it's like, oh, I haven't cast an animated feature, but I've cast a tv show, so that means I can cast an animated feature and that's, that's what kind of happened. So, yeah, I always, I always talk about you know, you can't necessarily stand in your way. There are going to be many other people that will stand in your way, but you can't be the one to stand in your way. You, you always have to be your own. Yes, person.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Coming from love, I think, over fear of not booking X, Y, Z, which is, you know, it can be hard when, if you're lucky enough to have multiple auditions a week, you know you can have multiple opportunities to choose the love over fear and just choose your love. You know let's talk about it you can have multiple opportunities to choose love over fear and just choose your love for the way you love to do.
Speaker 1:Let's talk about it.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, I do want to talk about something. I think you told me this story and you've probably told it since One of the times I first met you. I don't know why I remember this, because most of the times that we were together, we were doing the upfronts at ABC and it was like this fun backstage wild vibe, but I remember you telling the story about how you got started with John or that is just really inspiring. So would you mind sort of recounting that to listeners?
Speaker 1:Yeah, refreshing me. Yeah, no, I mean, this is. This is the definition of not stating in your way. So when I graduated college, I had already entered NBC casting for a year, which was great, because I got to see what studio network casting looked like with Jen and Trey, and then I also got to see what independent casting looks like with Jen, katya and Jessica, because they were casting 30 Rock in house. So it was really great. A best of both worlds.
Speaker 2:So I had done a year, sorry to interrupt.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, that was 2011 to 2012.
Speaker 2:I think we were there at the same time I interned at ABC when I was in college in 2011. What a good time. Access Hollywood, baby, okay.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow. So yeah, you know getting off at 4750th Street every Monday and Friday because that's where I would be. So I did a year of that and then I did four years of casting everybody's you know shorts. So I had a casting resume, to say the least. And when I graduated from college, a friend of mine saw on our school's website that ABC was looking for a full-time it was temporary but a full-time paid internship in their casting department at ABC. And my friend Joe was like Erica, you have to apply to this. But in big, bold letters it said do not apply unless you are a full-time student.
Speaker 1:And I had just graduated and I was a little different than I am now. I still follow rules, but I'm not necessarily afraid of you know certain things. But I was very much of a rule follower and I was afraid of getting in trouble and so I was like I can't apply. I can't apply. Like it says, I just graduated. What are you talking about? You're crazy. He was like Erica, you have to apply.
Speaker 1:We went back and forth and I applied, I just did it. I was scared blank list. And a couple of days later I get a call from this guy named Vince and he was like so I see that you applied for the internship but can't be an intern. And I'm like, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, but do you want to be an assistant? And that job wasn't posted anywhere. They knew someone that they were probably going to hire, but because of my resume, they saw something in me that fit better for this position. Again, that wasn't posted, that nobody knew about. Then the position that I couldn't do technically. So that's why I always say like if I was the one to stand in my own way, who knows what would have happened?
Speaker 1:But because I put myself out there and I applied to a job that maybe I shouldn't have, you know, based on the fact that I just graduated, but you never know what's on the other side of the door.
Speaker 1:You never know, like as an actor, okay, if you go in for that EPA, if you go in for something or you submit that self-tape that you feel like I don't think I'm right for this. Like, okay, you might not be, but a casting director is requesting your self-tape so they might see something in you that you don't see within yourself, is requesting yourself tape so they might see something in you that you don't see within yourself and what is right, what is wrong. This whole business is based off of opinion and let's just say that maybe you know you don't fit in that episode, or you don't fit in that season, or you don't fit in whatever. That casting director is working on something else that you might fit, or they might be a friend with someone else that, oh my God, you should see this person. I know you're working on this project, so you never know what's what's behind the table and you never know what you don't know.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I love that Would you say. It's sort of like boils down to you for just following your gut you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, we have it. We have the instincts, we have the gut, we have the little spidey senses that go off. You know, I always say, like, if you, if you're uncomfortable, like if you know stranger danger, if you're like I don't know about the people, like then, like you, run away, you know, because there's some crazy run for the hills, go away. But if you, if you feel uncomfortable because you are afraid of failing, what does that mean? You know, if you're afraid of not being perfect, that's something that I always have to fight myself on because I am a perfectionist. That's something that I always have to fight myself on because I am a perfectionist. And it's like, well, if I'm not going to be good at it, then you know I might not try it. But it's like, what is good at something? You know, it's all so relative, so I just I just try to tell myself this is like. You know you, you got to just try, you got to show up.
Speaker 1:Showing up is 50 percent of the thing. And even if you're like, well, I am an actor I'm not interested in, you know, working on set, or I'm not interested in working on stage or whatever, you never know who's going to be on set with you. You know, if a friend's like, hey, I'm creating a short film, do you want to just come on by and be a PA, or come on and hold the boom mic or whatever, if you just say yes and you show up for the day, you never know who's going to be on set. That is like, hey, do you want to do this thing? Or hey, I'm sure that you're an actor, I have this project that you would be perfect for. You just never know what. What other doors open when you walk through one of them yes, oh, there's another one.
Speaker 2:Everybody take a shot. No, write it down. Yeah, I, I feel that so pour yourself a drink.
Speaker 1:What are?
Speaker 2:we drinking.
Speaker 1:What are we drinking? A?
Speaker 2:mug of tea, a throat coat, but. I literally booked a small role in a film Because I did social media for the production company. So it's sort of what we're speaking to. It's just building relationships, being a human. And then you know we all have each other to look out for.
Speaker 2:And I love that like positive outlook you have, because it true, you never know where life's going to take you and why. Why are we agreeing with these things in our brain when our brain's wrong? About a million things a day? You know, we have this narrator in our mind, who? There's science behind this.
Speaker 1:If I'm if I can geek out for a second.
Speaker 2:I mean, I read this book called the science of Storytelling, and now I fully think I'm a scientist.
Speaker 1:Oh sure, sure, sure.
Speaker 2:But we have this narrator in our brain who literally is making up reasons for why things happen. And then we believe it. And it's not necessarily the truth. The truth is in our hippocampus or something I don't know the terms.
Speaker 1:Actually Hippocampus is probably not the right term.
Speaker 2:That sounds great Thank you In our brain that we can't access. So there's a lot of experiments behind it. It sort of goes back to what you're saying, which is just why not believe the good thing, why not believe in yourself?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I talk about this all day. Now we're just getting into like life. But like you know, if you're worried about stuff.
Speaker 1:if you're worried about something that you haven't even done yet, then you're going to worry twice. You know it's like I'm worrying, I'm worrying, I'm worrying, I'm worrying. And then you get there, you're going to worry, worry, worry. And then you're about to do the thing, you're going to worry, worry, worry. It's like why are you worrying? Just like maybe, yeah, you could. You know, if you jump off you could fall, but you, maybe you could fly. You know it what you preach. This is very much of things that I wake up trying to tell myself every day. You know it's easier to say something to someone else than to say it to yourself, but yeah, I try to, you know, push myself and see what else, what else can happen, what else can happen.
Speaker 2:I love that. It's a work in progress, but so is life.
Speaker 1:There's no completion to life until it until lights out. Until you're gone, see you later.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, I think all this advice is really applicable to today's topic, which we should probably get into Self tapes, the self done, done, done. Grab your snorkel. We're going to deep dive into this to give our actor friends. Sorry, this is so cheesy Guidance through self tape, step by step.
Speaker 1:OK, so starting at the ground level here.
Speaker 2:Oh, she's a guidance through creating their best self-tape, step by step. Okay, so starting at the ground level here, what is your basic thought on the actual purpose or philosophy of a self-tape? Just to set the grass in the field.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow, the purpose and philosophy. What do you? What do you mean by the purpose and philosophy? Robert Peter Paul.
Speaker 2:Like for people that we just hear the word self-tape and I think it's sort of obvious what it is. It's a virtual audition, but what is, like, the main purpose that people can distill it down to when they're sort of spiraling or in the moment, what's something that maybe people can remind themselves of? Oh, this is just me showing them me. You know what Exactly?
Speaker 1:It's well, number one, it's an audition, like we can put the business of it, you know, for you know it's an audition. But behind all of that, that word audition, it's exactly what you said. It's an introduction to you, regardless if I've met you before or I've seen you before, or you're a best friend of mine, or whatever you may be, may be, I am still getting a side of you through this work that I have yet to see. You know, maybe it's someone who doesn't do a lot of I do a lot of comedy, so maybe it's someone who doesn't do a lot of comedy, but I'm giving this, them, this opportunity to show that skill off, you know. Or maybe it's, or vice versa, someone who does a lot of comedy and now here's a drama, you know, and vice versa, someone who does a lot of plays and now in television. You know, it's just, it's just another opportunity, yeah, and I think just taking it as a win, because the truth of the matter is we're not requesting everyone who submits a self-tape. So I'm co-casting the equalizer this season, season four, and we released something for cop number two, and I think cop number two literally had three lines. We had 1200 submissions for cop number two.
Speaker 1:I did not request 1200 tapes for cop number two. I requested maybe 40 of them. So out of that 40, that is a very small percentage of the whole and so that's what I'm telling people all the time is like you got to take your victories when you can realize that every casting director is not giving every single actor that opportunity that you have been given, regardless if it is a network show, a series regular on a network show. Two lines in a movie you know lead of a student film. Two lines in a movie, you know. Lead of a student film, whatever it may be, you are a small part of the whole and just realizing that, like as you move along that journey of that audition process, whatever that may be, let's say that I request 40 of those 1200 submissions to self tape, I might get 30 self tapes because maybe a couple of people passed on the project, maybe someone's not available, maybe they just didn't submit a self tape, and so maybe I get 30 self-tapes because maybe a couple of people passed on the project, maybe someone's not available, Maybe they just didn't submit a self-tape, and so maybe I get 30 self-tapes in total from that 40, from that 1,200.
Speaker 1:That 30, I'm not sending my creative team 30 self-tapes, I'm sending them anywhere between 5 and 8, maybe 5 and 10. So, again, numbers are going smaller, probability is going higher. So it's just everything along the way. And the journey matters, right. The journey, the long train, whatever you want to call it, the long train ride, everything matters. So I think a self-tape is an introduction, it's an open door, it's an audition, it's a opportunity.
Speaker 2:Wow, look at all we gleamed from that weird question of mine. I think that's such wonderful reminders because the more you're sort of persevering through this business and just trying to keep going, the more you realize over the years and it's hard to remember this sometimes but we're all just people trying to connect with people and so it's hard to ride that line between business and, I don't know, just being yourself, cause you have to sort of present yourself professionally. I mean you can't really do a cartwheel into a self tape and be like and then do too much, but it might be a little bit too much. Yeah, a little little flip, just be yourself.
Speaker 1:So this is a good place to start. You have to be yourself. You have to, that's you know. I think now more than ever, I'm getting this one question where I didn't know where it comes from, but I'm getting. How do I pop? How do I be unique, how do I do this? And I'm like, if you're trying to answer that question, you're going to fail every single time. If you're trying to answer the question of what do they want? How do they want it, what, how do they see me, all of it, if you're trying to answer those questions, you're going to fail every single time because you're not a mind reader. I'm not a mind reader. I've been with them for three months and I don't know what they want.
Speaker 1:You know this is your job. You're like. You know we're in this together. You know they don't know what they want. They don't. They're there. You're there to show them what they want. You know your choices, your opinions, your point of view on the work that dictates how they move Right. And so when people talk about the power in the room, the power of watching the self tape or whatever it may be, the zoom room or whatever actors, you all dictate how that removes, how that zoom removes what that self tape moves or not, you know. So it's, it's the. It's your choices, your point of view, your opinion that dictates how things move.
Speaker 2:I love that, and that goes back to what you said before too it's we don't really know what they want. You think you maybe know what they want, but if you go down that road maybe you're just going to kind of blend in with everybody else and it's not going to be authentic.
Speaker 1:So just be yourself.
Speaker 2:Even if you're the wild card, be yourself.
Speaker 1:You don't fit the breakdown.
Speaker 2:Have you seen that Ryan Reynolds movie Just Friends a long time ago? Throwback it's not relevant to the conversation at all.
Speaker 2:There's a scene where the mom's like be yourself, be yourself, okay. Anyway, I think we're moving into a nice place to discuss breakdowns. Yes, this is something I don't know if it's talked about enough, but I would love your thoughts on sort of breaking down the breakdown. As an actor, what do you think are the key things for actors to take away? Because, again, sometimes I know you're giving us as much information as you have, but sometimes we can hone in on one thing and it's like, well, playing optimistic intern isn't necessarily like a tangible action, do you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, what are your thoughts there? That's a really great question, I think, and and something that should be talked about more, I think. Number one, the breakdown, is there to help answer some questions that you might have about the project, about the role, about the casting office. Like, go going through the breakdown literally from top to bottom will only help you. So so I know a lot. Especially in 2024 and years before, we're dealing with a lot of genre mixing, right?
Speaker 1:Shows that are comedies are really dramas. Shows that are dramas are, you know, genre. What is that? But I think a lot of people have questions about tone and if you see who those executive producers are, if you see who those producers are, you see who those non-writing producers are, you see who that director is, you see who, what network it's on, there are a lot of questions that can be answered just by doing five minutes of research on each person, on that breakdown, you know, so that you could get a little bit of clarity.
Speaker 1:Hopefully, you know you get a script, but if it's an episodic situation so like the equalizer, which has been on for four seasons you're not going to get the full script. But if it's a new show, you'll hopefully get the pilot of the script. If it's a movie, of course, so hopefully you'll get the movie. If it's a play, you'll get the play, hopefully, et cetera, et cetera. So you can do your research there. But even if you read it, you're like I don't know if this is a comedy or drama, you know. And so just going through and seeing, you know, oh, this producer also produced this. Or even if they haven't had a show before, they have had something before. A network, a streamer is not going to give anyone just a show before A network, a streamer is not going to give anyone just a show. You know they have done something. If it's a film at a major festival or a short at a major festival or another show on a network or whatever, they have a body of work somewhere or an interview somewhere that you can just look at for five minutes. Maybe there's an actor already attached Right, and you can say like, oh, so this actor's in it. So it could possibly not that it's guaranteed, but it could possibly be something like this or something like that. You know giving yourself, you know we learned in school context clues, these are your context clues to figure it out.
Speaker 1:And then, when you get to your role's breakdown or your role's description, you know, I think similar to what you said about, like the optimistic intern, we are still 3D, you know, we are still full faceted people. So, like, I wouldn't necessarily say if you're going in for the optimistic intern to come in like the goth, you know, like that's not going to help you at all. But what you, unless you know and I'm speaking from a lens of like, if you have more material, so right. If the optimistic intern has three lines and it of like, if you have more material, so right. If the optimistic intern has three lines and it's like, hey, how are you today? You know, like you know what to do with that, right. But if this is a a bigger co-star or bigger or guest star, recur or series regular, just realize that like we all have things that make us people, that like we all have things that make us people, and so what you don't want, possibly, is to make it all. One note you want to figure out.
Speaker 1:Okay, so optimism, optimistic, what does that mean?
Speaker 1:You know, because each emotion has three emotions attached to it, or three personality trait, or personality trait has three personality traits attached to it.
Speaker 1:So it's breaking down that word, really, and being like oh, this wouldn't that, this and that and this, that, and then using the text also as a guide, doing your script analysis. You know what? Where are they? Who are they talking to? What relation are they with that person? What makes them optimistic? You know, where did they come Like? Were they pessimistic before and now they are optimistic? Do they have a dark side that they're hiding and they are optimistic? All of this stuff, your five questions, all of that goes into making that character and making your choices, because there's so many ways to show joy, there's so many ways to show happiness, there's so many ways to show optimism, and seeing all of those ways is exciting and that's what makes me show up to the job every single day, because if I give 40 people the opportunity to do optimistic intern, it's really exciting to see 40 different ways of how that is digested and how that is understood and how that is acted.
Speaker 2:Yes, and I think too, if you relate to a lot of these terms in the breakdown and you're getting called in for things, or just in life, if you feel like people are calling you any of these adjectives, that's probably something you don't have to put on or try and spend too much energy in, because if you're exuding that energy already, it might just be, a hat on a hat if you're sort of like trying to make it too you know going too wild with it, but you covered a lot of my questions already in that.
Speaker 2:That is incredible and I think the tone thing is super helpful. I was going to ask you a lot about tone. Did agents ever straight up say you know, my client would love to know what the tone is? Do you ever get questions specifically about tone and is that acceptable?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think any question is acceptable. I do honestly think, especially now in a world where A things are blending so much with tone and genre and, two, where you know we might not be in the room with each other. So I just want you to be as successful as humanly possible. Sure, there are going to be trial and error. There are going to be as successful as humanly possible. Sure, there are going to be trial and error. They're going to be things, and even if we were in the room, you know they're going to be so many things.
Speaker 1:Sometimes in the room it's like we figuring this out together, babe like I have no idea either either, you know um, especially like if I'm not even allowed to read the script, if there's like an nda situation and like all I have are like two pages of sides that everyone's doing.
Speaker 1:It's's sort of just like, well, we don't go to go on this journey together and we don't figure it out, and that's why, another thing I, especially now, I am a fan, unless you have, like you know, 20 page sides. You know I'm a fan, I'm a fan of submitting to two takes of a side, you know. But two different takes, right. So differences, like we're talking about tone, motivation, relationship, yeah, so me talking to my friend Robert Peter Paul is different than me talking to someone that I may not like as much, you know, like those are two different, those are two different conversations in two different ways. You know, I think that's that's always, that's always. Um, I think for me I can't speak for everybody else, that's always encouraged, for me, especially, you have three lines, and even that can I take.
Speaker 1:Your order Can be said infinite amount of ways. Did you start your shift? Are you ending your shift? Did you just get in a fight with your boss? Are you on your way out? Are you just starting the job, whatever it may be, there are many ways to say that. So again, I'm totally fine with you sending in two takes, maybe three takes, of the couple of one liners and then two takes of, like you know, a two to three four page scene.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm glad you brought that up because I think that is something to again trust your gut about. If you have 20 pages, you definitely shouldn't send in two takes of that.
Speaker 1:Maybe make a strong decision and then, if they see, something, and hopefully no one's sending you a 20 page sign.
Speaker 2:Well, Erica no, I would say more so musical theater. Sometimes you get those giant packets, but you know, usually usually everyone tries the best they can to make it as small as possible, which we appreciate. Yes, we talked about tone, which I think is so helpful. Another thing you touched on is making a choice, which is something you talk about really excellently. From what I've read and from what I see in my feed, you have these amazing little clips on Instagram that people are sharing of you all over. I think actors are told make a choice, and it can be subjective. It means something a little different to the receiver and then the person saying it To you is it sort of just like making a strong, having a strong idea on the material, or a strong take? You know what is?
Speaker 1:your thought on making a choice. So when people say choice, they mean opinion, they mean point of view, Right, and so baseline foundation is do something you know and like. As actors, you're already doing something, hopefully because you are acting Right. So, again, all of these characters be at number one on the call sheet to bus driver number 27. That has one line and the one line is hey, you know, regardless of where you are.
Speaker 2:I love those. I see those in TV shows and I say, yeah, I'm so excited, it's amazing. Regardless of who they are, it's a human being thing.
Speaker 1:Regardless of who they are, it's a human being, right? So, like human beings have breath, they have movement, they have, you know, life, they have things to do. So I think you know making a choice is just doing something with the material that you find true and natural. I think you know, with film and TV, if there's a scene at a coffee shop, I don't want to see two actors having a conversation at a coffee shop. I want to see two people having a conversation at a coffee shop, and so when people are like you're being too big for me, that's meaning I can see an actor, I can see the work, I can see the craft I can see, well, I mean not so much the craft, but I can see the work, I can see the craft I can see. Well, I mean not so much the craft, but I can see the work, you know, and I don't want to see the work, I just want to see y'all have a conversation. It's a voyeuristic experience, right, and so I think that's that's something to think about. You know, if you watch your tapes back because everyone should watch their tapes back, right, everybody's rewatching their tapes after they do them tapes back, right, everybody's rewatching their tapes after they do them. It's just like checking work, you know, checking your math, oh, you know, if you had a spelling test, you would just check to see if you know all of the things lined up. But you're checking your, your work, and you're seeing something and you're like, oh okay, maybe I got to do this again. I, I feel like I, and again nothing's. There are no right or wrong choices, it's just a choice, because this whole business is relative and especially with television, you have your showrunner, right, but then you also have a producers, you have a director, probably every single episode, and different director every single episode. You have different writers every single episode. So it's different, right. And so the director for episode three is going to be different than the episode four and they have two different tastes, right, you know, like it's like sometimes a dinner party this person's like the chicken, this person wants the fish, this person wants the beef, this person's a vegan, this person's on a juice cleanse and I can just say you want some water. You know, is that what we're doing today? Just realize, and that's why I said you got to release the what do they want? Because it changes number one and number two, it could change if it's on a television show, for a film and play and musicals. Those are different.
Speaker 1:But but you just gotta. You gotta do something. You can't think about playing it safe. I get a lot of that question should I just play it safe? It's like no, you're gonna get lost in the shuffle. You're gonna get lost in the pile. On the of my mouth, though, don't do something like you said. Don't just do a cartwheel in the middle of the scene, because it's like I'm going to shock them. You know this is going to make me pop. I'm going to start to beatbox during this like like scene. It's like that makes no sense. But if it makes sense and it's true and it's natural for you, then maybe.
Speaker 2:Yeah, try something, but just don't do it. To do it because that that's not going to be true and that's not going to be natural. Yeah, no, you're so right. I'm laughing because I made a really strong choice in a tape the other day that I was talking to my wife about and I'm like is this too much? But I really felt in my gut that it fit the character and everything you think about from like should I shave? Should I not shave? What shirt am I wearing? All these things can kind of add pressure, you know. Should I be memorized? How do I look?
Speaker 1:on camera what?
Speaker 2:setting. Should I put my ring light on? Is the ring light too bright? I know in this job we can get sort of oversaturated with that and it's important to learn all these things, but at the end of the day, let's say, someone listening right now is about to go do a self-tape what are sort?
Speaker 2:of the actor, things you want them to remember. Prep-wise, I mean, this is our job, but if you could just give people something to latch onto to remind them. All this stuff is icing on the cake, but what really matters is you.
Speaker 1:I know that's so woo-woo, but I always say it's the visitor vase rule. You had it within you the whole time, you know you were.
Speaker 2:You were wearing the ruby slippers.
Speaker 1:All you had to do was just click them three times One, two, three. You know. But you need the journey to realize that you need to, and you need to pick up friends along the way and, like I think Wizard of Oz is just so you know everything. But but yeah, you have it. You know, like you've been doing this for, even if you just got out of school, or this is your first self tape, or this is, you know, your 50th self tape today, like, regardless of what it is, someone is asking you to do something. Someone sees something in you that makes them think that you can get the job Right. Because, again, we're not asking everyone to do it. At the end of the day, one person's going to get the job Right, because, again, we're not asking everyone to do it. At the end of the day, one person's going to get the job and that person could be you, because you're giving this opportunity Right.
Speaker 1:So it's just very much of like someone is seeing something in you that maybe you do see in yourself and you're like, okay, let's play, you know. Or maybe it's like I don't know what the heck I'm doing, you know, but just realize that every single casting professional who is sending you a self-tape, for whatever medium it may be, thinks you can book this job, regardless of what the job is Bus driver number 27, series regular, lead of a movie, whatever it may be, this casting director, whomever is sending you this opportunity, the self-tape thinks you can book it. And so I think that might take away some of the stuff of like, well, if I do this and if I do that, sure, okay, fine. But I think self-tape, technically, I just need to hear you and I just need to see you. It doesn't need to be shot on an Ari Alexa, it doesn't need to be a fancy.
Speaker 1:Alexa return it doesn't need to be a fancy alexa return, it doesn't have to have a fancy microphone. I don't need a fancy backdrop, I don't need anything. All I need is you right, because you can put up the fancy backdrop, you can put it on, you can put your fancy camera on a fancy uh tripod. You could have a fancy ring light or a fancy three camera setup, but without you in it, it's just some stuff you know, and so I think, just go in and do what you can do. Tara Rubin often says do the doables, because at the end of the day there, I know, at the end of the day, there are so many things that are out of your control, so many things. Maybe we cast the lead and the lead is 6-5 and you're not not even five feet. Or vice versa, the lead is five feet and you're six, five, you know, and it's like well, we could get an Apple box, but you know, whatever, whatever, like it's, there are just so many things that are not in your control. But there are things that are in your control being prepared, you know. I think people are like well, I am prepared, I am off book, and it's like okay, that's great, and not to say that you have to be off book. You just have to know the material. You have to know it. If that's memorization for you, great. If that is just being familiar with the material, great. Whatever your process is is your process, but there's so many things that go along with the preparation.
Speaker 1:Did you read the breakdown? Did you read the script? Did you do your research? Do you know that the show is on ABC, which is different than NBC, which is different than FX, which is different than Netflix, which is different than all of those things? Have you done your research?
Speaker 1:If you're going in for SVU, have you watched an episode? If you're going in for Blue Bloods, have you watched an episode? If you're going in for Equalizer, have you watched an episode? If you're going in for a new Chris Brancato show, have you watched an episode of Godfather of Harlem? Have you watched an episode of Narcos?
Speaker 1:You know like these people have canons and that's your work, that's a part of the stuff. So, informed actors and as a smart actor, you know, and once you have all of that stuff, then it should become easier to just walk in the room and do what you can do, because all of that stuff is just in the back of your head, at the front of the head, is the work and the character and everything else, and you can be present, right, you can be present, you could be listening, right, you can digest the information that's given to you so that then you can react into the way that it. You know, you, you can do it, um. So, yeah, I think at the end of the day, we're just, we're just looking for you.
Speaker 2:These are all gems, because you're the one sort of, I guess, have a metaphor in the spotlight, but there's a set behind you, there's props, I mean all this stuff is in the background. It's not what you're focusing on in your audition. You're not sort of inner monologuing, the fact that you know the equalizer is this specific tone as you're doing the audition. But you have that, as you're saying, that wealth of knowledge, and I think that's all so helpful. Oh, my goodness. And as you were talking, it reminded me too. It's just such a joy to be thought of, isn't it In this world, just so many thoughts in our brain for someone to actually think of you and give you an.
Speaker 1:I always I. But even you know, even when I'm, you know, invited somewhere, or even if someone's you know, if I'm up for a job or something, I always say like, thank you for inviting me to the table. You know, thank you for including me. You know, thank you for inviting me. You know, regardless if I get it or if I go or things like that, it's just like you said, it's, it's flattering to be thought of, it's flattering to be included, it's flattering to be in community, whatever that, whatever that means.
Speaker 2:I love that. Well, as you were speaking, we've heard some sirens, which I think is great. People listening from around the world will hear this New York City vibe. I think it's so fun.
Speaker 1:Coming to you from Harlem.
Speaker 2:Coming to us live. We got the godmother of Harlem over here. That's hilarious, loud. Obviously there's a bit, but we get certain technical things that we're taught when we're making a tape right, and I think it boils down to just not being distracting. But do you have certain repeat mistakes? You see that I don't know if they cost an actor a job because you're so lovely. You'd probably say, hey, can you refilm this? Maybe not on the beach or whatever it is. Are there certain things, I guess, technical wise, that you'd want to shout out?
Speaker 1:I just think you know this might not be a technical thing, but I do think it could boil down technically is just follow the instructions that are being given to you. So if there's a specific order, that they want the scenes, even though that there's scene one and scene two, maybe the instructions say actually put scene two first. You know if there's a certain way that they want their tape labeled, if they want clips instead of one situation, if they want you to say a certain thing in your slate, if they want you to include, you know if you're going in for a dancer. If they want you to include, you know the given choreography. If they want you to include, that you know. Whatever that may be, just follow those instructions, because when you do get on set, when you do get to the theater, that's going to be your life is following instructions and that's kind of like we're not put. It's not like. You know some, some celebrities, writers, that say they only want green and M&Ms.
Speaker 1:And that's not necessarily our patch Red.
Speaker 1:Sour Patch Kids. It's not necessarily necessarily for them, it's just to see that you actually read the writer. You know, um, we're not trying to trick you, you know, or anything. That's just to help you and to push it forward. But technically again, we just need to hear you and see you don't feel like you have to buy anything like. The phones are great, you know, these tablets are great, um, but yeah, no, no, nothing, nothing technical. I would just say always check your work, always check your work. I've gotten a lot of tapes where I'm like I'm supposed to hear that in the beginning, I don't know if I'm supposed to hear you.
Speaker 1:I don't think I'm supposed to hear that. So just double check before you hit send or upload or whatever Even if you want to redownload the tape just to make sure that you put the exact take and the exact tape Take with a.
Speaker 1:K and tape with a P, the exact one that you want, and they could be like oh crap, I didn't mean to upload take five. I meant to upload take three, take five, I meant to upload take three. You know, just just double check your work, cause I I just don't want you to send the wrong thing when you didn't mean to.
Speaker 2:No, that's so smart and I can imagine as a casting director on the other side. You know, I don't want to put this on y'all, but I would feel a certain type of way of someone submitted a tape and it was wonderful, but they didn't follow the instructions.
Speaker 1:It wasn't labeled clearly.
Speaker 2:It was submitted in the wrong order. It was all one file versus being single files. Whatever it is, I would subliminally feel a little like okay, this person maybe doesn't think they care as much, Do you know what I mean? So I think it can only help you to, to just be more diligent in that way, yeah, and I think you know there's a love.
Speaker 1:it's just a level of professionalism, I think you know. I think you know one time is one time. I'm never going to hold someone for one time, though if it becomes a pattern, then it becomes a spidey sense of. Do I trust this actor? Because, again, I work on the equalizer and our scene opposite of Queen Latifah. Can I trust you enough to be OK in that situation? Can I trust you enough to be in a scene opposite of Ice-T or Mariska Hargitay or Tom Selleck or whomever it may be? You know, because you're you're the guest in the home. And can I trust you to be a good house guest? You know, can I trust you to be a good house guest? You know, can I trust you to show up on time? And so if the deadline is 3 PM on a Tuesday and life gone, life, you know, life has gone to life.
Speaker 1:So, like, if you're like Erica, I'm so sorry I got into something crazy today Can I get an extension? That's totally fine, of course. If I can give it to you, I'm going to give it to you. Sometimes I can't, but even if I can, like, hey, I can't give you a full day, but I can give you an extra two hours. Does that work? Yes, that's perfect, thank you so much. You know, and sometimes I can give you an extra day, but if it becomes a pattern where you're always asking for an extension, then my spidey sensors are going to go off and be like do I trust you enough to come to a 4am Monday morning call time all the way out in in city Island, bronx? Do I trust you enough to do that, you know.
Speaker 1:So I think everything comes into everything, comes into play when it comes into this in the room, out of the room, all of that, it's still a. You know, I am sending you to set and just realize that you, coming to set, you are bringing the people that brought you there, right. So like, yes, you are representing yourself, but you're also representing your representation, if you have it, you're representing that casting office. You know you're representing everybody, uh, so just just realize that, like it's your reputation, but when something goes wrong, we get the call, you know, and that's, that's a, that's a thing.
Speaker 1:So just just realize that, like, this is a fun business and it's a business that we all love, but it is a business and I just don't want anybody to get lost in the way or have something happen to them, when it's not what you mean at all. It's just maybe you have a time management issue, maybe you have an attention to detail, right, and maybe if something is due at 3 pm on a Tuesday, maybe you really need to be setting it at 1 pm on a Tuesday so that, like, you can get there for the 3 pm on a Tuesday you know, and that's just a self thing, you know, but yeah, I think just just just be as professional as humanly possible for that day.
Speaker 2:It all boils down to that. You don't want to get a bad reputation. You're speaking of, not bad reputations. Queen Latifah, I was her assistant for the day when I interned at NBC, and she was the most fun person ever. I'm just going to put she's amazing.
Speaker 2:I love her so much, and so are you and the time is trickling away, so we're going to take this up a notch. For a little self-tape flash round, I'm going to throw out some statements or topics around casting and you please just name the first thing that comes into your beautiful brain.
Speaker 1:I apologize in advance.
Speaker 2:No, it's going to be great, and you've already answered so many of my questions, so I might even skip a few of them. Let's start with the slate. Slating is the hardest part. What would you like to say about slating?
Speaker 1:beautiful scenes of Gabriella. Now my slate is I'm Erica, right, so it's an introduction. It's your first time being introduced to you as a human. Now, if you're going in for a serial killer, I don't need the serial killer in the in the slate, right, um, because then it's sort of just like oh, are you a serial killer? You know, super sweet but super simple. You know, hey, america by four, new York city, that's baseline, what we basically need, right, they'll maybe tell you some introductions on instructions on what they possibly might need. You know, they might need to know certain things or whatever, but it doesn't need to be a whole meal.
Speaker 1:I think also, like if, when I was doing the first episode of Love Life season two, the role that Jessica Williams got was a member of, it was a KA, which is a sorority, a black sorority, and so the women that were auditioning that were a KA's some of them put that in their slates. You know, and I'm a proud KA, you know it doesn't mean you're going to book the role, but that just gives me a little bit, a little bit about you. That is similar to that role, you know, and it's quick boom, boom, boom, you know. So, again, the slate is important, but it's not the end. All be all. But there are moments where you know your tape might not be, uh, exactly what they're looking for, but something in your slate is like oh, wait a minute.
Speaker 2:What are you doing over there?
Speaker 1:That's really interesting, you know, and don't feel like, on a technical level, it's totally fine If I see the cat, it's totally fine If I see the, the, the oven, like, don't feel like. Oh my God, I live in a New York apartment, I you know, take all of that away, take all that away.
Speaker 2:That's a relief, because the full slate sometimes is tough to get.
Speaker 1:the full body it's tough Show the cat in the oven and the mom and the in the poster of Beyonce.
Speaker 2:It's totally fine, oh, I love that. That might actually help. Honestly, you know this ain't Texas, but you can show that poster.
Speaker 1:This ain't Texas, but you can show that poster.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I did one time slate and saying that I had like camera experience because it was for the role of a cameraman, and they said it in their email. Okay, I'm going to bust you through this. Yes, sorry. No, you're good.
Speaker 1:Wardrobe. It's important. Wardrobe is important. I think you know, and I should have prefaced this beginning of the podcast. This is my opinion. You can't see me, but I am pointing to myself. This is my opinion. I think wardrobe this is my opinion, Isn't that?
Speaker 2:like a famous reality TV, probably.
Speaker 1:I think it's a Real.
Speaker 2:Housewives thing.
Speaker 1:Sorry, I was about to say that sounded like a Real Housewives thing. We love it. No, I'd be sorry. I think it's important.
Speaker 1:I think if you're going in for a goth and you wear all pink, you're doing yourself a disservice. I think if you're going in for the young lawyer at a high law firm and you come in with a Rip Abercrombie and Fitch t-shirt, you're doing yourself a disservice. I think we all live in a world and we all, and people, dress a certain way in that world. Now, don't go buy and you know, go out and buy an Armani suit just because the character wears an Armani suit. But look nice, you know, I think it also helps you as the actor. You know, we feel different when we have, when we have, the blazer on. We feel different. If we have the dress on, we feel different if we're wearing all black. You know it's, it's, it's it's just to help you. And watching it again, do the doables. That is something that you can do that you won't be thinking about later. Uh, maybe I should have worn the blazer. You know, it's just something that you that, again, you don't even have to think about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, someone said this to me once when interviewing for a muggle job. They said someone else is always going to wear the tie, so you might as well bust out.
Speaker 1:Someone else is going to wear the tie, so good. So then you don't have to think about well, what if I wore the tie?
Speaker 2:Exactly, it won't keep you up at night, all right. Well, this could go down a different note, but I might know the answer that you're going to say to this, but I shouldn't guess. I'm not a mind reader. Props.
Speaker 1:I knew you were going to bring it up. I was like the next thing is going to be props. I'm a huge fan of props. I'm a huge fan of props. As long as the scene doesn't become a prop, you know, as long as the scene is not all about the bagel or all about the water bottle or all about the fist or all about the vat, like it still should be about you.
Speaker 1:But now that we're doing self taping, if you're drinking a glass of water, again you can't see me. It doesn't make sense for you to mime it in my mind like get the glass, get the water, take a sip. You know. If you're using a phone, we all have them, use a phone. Or if you're using your phone to self tape, use your case. Whatever it may be, you know, I just think again, it puts you in the scene, it just helps it along. You feel different. But if you use a cup, fill the cup with water. That is one of my biggest pet peeves in watching television is an empty cup. I'm like there is not a thing in that damn cup.
Speaker 2:Put just a film recently where they had a you might've seen this done like a UV pen, and then after each take they would come over and shine the UV light to see if your glass was at the exact level as it was in the last take.
Speaker 1:Oh, my God, that's a mess. Okay, come on.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But, like again, you feel different holding a cup that has liquid in it versus it not. So I'm a fan of props. I say, yes, props but just don't, don't go overdo it, don't overdo it.
Speaker 2:Okay, props to that being word perfect.
Speaker 1:You know, I think, just remember and I'm going to try to speed through this, the words are their babies, their words are their babies. Right, and I think, also, living in the self-tape world, the pro of the self-tape is that you can do it multiple times, right? And so, especially for those tricky one-liners or the tricky two-liners or the tricky three-liners, get those right. Like, get those couple of lines, get those there, because then that shows I can trust you. Right, Because nerves are going to kick in and you're going to be next to the star and blah, blah, blah. And like, you're not going to have four hours to shoot your three line scene, You're not going to have four hours to shoot your two line. You know two scenes, you know moment Um. So I would say, just realize that words are babies.
Speaker 1:Perfection doesn't exist, though, you know. So that's why it's like, whatever your process is, if it's memorization, if it's being, um, familiar with the work, whatever it may be, but if your first line is written a certain way, get that first line, you know, because that's your introduction. You can't have a second chance to have a first impression. So, you know, really, really try your darndest, especially if it's a self-tape. In person. That's totally different. Say the scene as if you were on stage. You wouldn't stop and be like oh I'm so sorry, I totally forgot that line. Let me go back. You wouldn't say that in a 1600 house people house, Um, you would just keep going. You know, but I think with a self-tapes. You know, perfection doesn't exist, but try your darndest to get it right.
Speaker 2:Yes, I love that and of course it's all subjective and medium wise. It definitely influenced what you're doing. You know if you're doing a play versus a sketch show and then improv might come in. Which is my next little button here. Is it is improv, is it like a golden rule you have for that, or is it sort of like cause we're seeing it?
Speaker 1:more and more in TV, film, maybe not network. Yeah, yeah, I think it's project based by project based. I think, you know, of course, comedy is a little bit looser, goosier, but even then, you know, words are babies and words are powerful. And I think and that's a question to ask, you know, hopefully, you know, if I'm working on a comedy, I'll sometimes be like, you know, do the, do the one take as written, but then do the second take, maybe fully improv.
Speaker 1:You know, and sometimes we get that from our producers, you know the being like, yeah, this is like a curve where you know the, the script is an outline and we kind of are going to be improv-ing the whole time, you know, and that's a very different show than, say, like a Shonda Rhimes show where those words are her words, you know, and that is what it should be. So, so, yeah, do, do your, do your best and figure out what it is. And sometimes you're like, if you don't have the button or the last line of the scene, and you're like I kind of, I kind of still want to have my last thing. Your last thing doesn't have to be verbal, it can be an action, it can be a look, it can be a sound, it can be a lean in a lean, for whatever that may. Sometimes the improv doesn't have to be verbal.
Speaker 2:And at the top of the tape too. I think it's important to remember we're all coming from somewhere we're all living life before we say can I get you? Yes?
Speaker 1:exactly those three lines. I always say a little business at the top your line and then a little bit. You're never just stuck, you said. You're never just standing there delivering a line, Like you're either entering or exiting, or like maybe you flip your notepad to start taking somebody's order, Like there are little things you can do to get yourself into that scene. And that's where watching television and watching films and going to movies and going to theater and things like that will help you to be, or just like observing life. Observing life, that's where all of this comes from, and just being like, oh yeah, the taxi driver starts the car and then says where are you going? You know, like different things like that can can help.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's so important and do help. It's like a mullet, it's like a business in the top and then at the end you can have a little party in the back a little party in the back deadline, flexibility, technical mistakes I mean you kind of hit all these finding a good reader, any, any thoughts there um someone who's not gonna upstage you, I guess?
Speaker 1:someone who's not gonna stage you. It is your audition, right? So someone's not gonna stage you some. It doesn't have to be an actor per se. It just needs to be someone who keeps up with your cues and someone who doesn't have a distracting voice, whatever that may be Realizing that it is your audition. Run it a few times, you know. I think that's very important. But we've all been in situations where the reader, even in person, isn't great, you know. So I think now it's your time that you can cast your reader.
Speaker 1:You know, I think that's fun. I think that's a fun situation that you could possibly have. But again, don't feel like it could be your mom, it could be your sister. I have a lot of tapes where I hear their kids be their reader. You know, and that's sweet, you know, it just needs to be someone who can read, who can keep up with your cues, who doesn't have a distracting voice. You know, in person, that would be great. But you know, sometimes we don't have someone that lives with us. Sometimes we have to zoom somebody or call somebody and put them on speaker. That's totally fine.
Speaker 1:The only thing I would say is, again, even in person, you should rehearse it. But even if you're, if you're doing a technological reader, you should possibly do it multiple times so that you can get the timing, cause sometimes there's a delay, sometimes there's a lag, sometimes, you know, figuring out the sound, like if I'm using my phone, making sure that the phone, if that's your sound source, is closer to you than it is to your reader, so that you come in a little bit clearer and hotter than your reader. You know, I still need to hear your reader, but, like if you're only using your phone as your sound source, which is fine. You should move it a little bit closer to you so that I can hear you. Hear you more.
Speaker 2:Yeah, have you ever in the history of ever said who is that reader and then tried to call the reader?
Speaker 1:Yes, oh my God, that happened with girls on the bus. Someone, someone read, and I messaged the agent. I was like, who's their reader? I think I want to see them for a certain role. And it happened to be a voiceover actor actually, who was, and it was like it's her wonderful husband, so and so who is a voiceover actor? And I was like, great, I'd love to see him. Or do you rep him, or do reps, you know? And so I sent him an appointment.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that happens all the time, or when you recognize the voice, you know you recognize the voice. Maybe it's their friend or their spouse, or you know a the voice, maybe it's their friend or their spouse, or you know a parent or something and you're like, is christopher walken reading with them? Yeah, like I had. I had. I had miles flohessy. Uh, read something for che a while ago and it was a. He was a rookie cop and I needed like a sergeant and he had his dad, robert flohessy, read and it's like there's the sergeant yep, so cool that's amazing, and everyone watch girls on the bus.
Speaker 2:By the way, we've been loving it is so good it is so good.
Speaker 1:Thank you streaming on max now.
Speaker 2:I know we got to roll out but before we do, this has certainly all been inspiring. I would love to end on an even more inspiring finale by getting some erica isms, because like dolly parton, I feel like you're becoming sort of famous for your quick phrases, which I've known for like over a decade now, seeing you do workshops and stuff like that. So I'd love to ask you and again, I'm still workshopping this a got and a give. So first what's the best piece of advice you got from someone in this industry?
Speaker 1:Wow, the best piece of advice that I have gotten. It's kind of similar. What I've been saying is, like you can't Marcy Marcy Phillips would say always, you know what's for you, is for you, you know your time. It's like it's always when you repeat something that it really hits. You know, don't be worried about your friend over there, Don't be worried about what your friend over here has. Like, your journey is yours, right, and whatever they have going on, that's great for them and support them and love them and like really see them succeed. And that has nothing to do with your success, right? So just because they might be successful, that has nothing to do with your success.
Speaker 1:Like you are still on your journey. It's not if it's going to happen, it's when it's going to happen. It might not happen in the package that you always thought it was going to be, but it will be a package that it is meant to be, and so I think that's something that is something that I really hold on on to, because I think there's a lot of sometimes noise that's happening and you're like, oh, what's happening over there? It's like I'm not necessarily want to say like, stay in your lane. I think sometimes you do have to hop from lane to lane to figure it out, but I think sometimes, like you, just have to focus on your journey and just support your friends. You know, Um, and then you know when it will hit, it'll hit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, put on that blinker when you change the lane. Be intentional. It's much more fun to celebrate friends. Become a.
Speaker 1:Grinch and think like why not me? It's like because it has nothing to do with you.
Speaker 2:I almost did my Grinch impression, but I'm going to write it in because we got one more minute left and I would love to end here by getting. It might be similar, but do you have a piece of advice you would want to give to listeners looking to consistently work as actors?
Speaker 1:I think for me, especially in this time of a pandemic and two strikes and just the world that we live in, finding out who you are without the camera, finding out who you are when the curtain goes down, finding out who you are when this goes away right, because that's who you are and that's what everything will be based on. So don't give, don't get a give away the things that you grew up loving. So like if you were someone who loves to paint, still paint. If you're someone who loves to go rock climbing, still rock climb. If you're someone who loves to take long walks, take long walks.
Speaker 1:Find things that fill your cup and make you feel good, that have nothing to do with this business, because the truth of the matter is, even the actors that you look up to, they're not working 52 weeks out of the year. You know they are. You know they are doing something that that makes them feel good, and sometimes it's out of privilege, you know. Sometimes it's like, oh, I can take a break, and sometimes it's like, well, I'm taking a break because I don't have anything at the moment, you know, but when you don't have anything at the moment, I'm using air quotes what can you do to make yourself feel full, make yourself feel content, because happiness that's a totally different podcast.
Speaker 1:But what is something that can fill you up and keep the joy going, even if you're on a job? Hell, let's talk about it. Even if you're on the job and it's rough and tough and ready and you're just like I need to go to a spin class right now, you know, like that is what's going to center me. Find the things that fill you up and that center you and your community. Your community, like this is a journey, like I said, wizard of Oz, you find your friends along the way. Keep those people close. There is no competition Because, again, what is meant for you is meant for you, because, again, what is meant for you is meant for you. So, like, keep your people close and check in on your people and have a good time.
Speaker 2:You're so good, it's entertainment, it's fun, you're so right and you can bring all that to the set. I used to do background work with my nanny, which is a whole other story my grandma. I did a couple of background work with her when I was in college and we used to take walks around the set during the 10 hour days, because that is what recenters both of us and I'm going to go take a long walk right now and just relish in this time together.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:Thank you for all you do. You know to lead with joy in this industry and make us actors feel really safe. And to be cheesy, I did write this down. Your last name, hart, is on point, I don't know if anyone's ever told you that, yes, this is how the kids do it now. Did you know that?
Speaker 1:I know it's the K-pop thing or they do. They do this thing. I've never seen that. I don't know. I don't know. The Gen Z's yeah, they're doing this, but I'm doing old school millennial using both hands.
Speaker 2:I love it. I love it. We got to stay strong. Well, I have so much love for you. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1:Love you. Thanks, Robert.
