Go Pluck Yourself: The Actor’s Pursuit
Go Pluck Yourself! Because the Hollywood cavalry is not on its way to pluck you from obscurity like the proverbial claws of a claw machine. Only you are responsible for your little dent in this industry. No one is coming to pluck you out of the crowd — You have to pluck yourself.
Join actor Chris Gun as he chats to his creative pals about life as an actor navigating this wonderful industry.
These are the conversations that actors and filmmakers have between takes, between shoot dates, whilst waiting for their next gig. An insight into what life is really like for a creative on their way “up”.
This is Go Pluck Yourself - The Actor’s Pursuit
Presented by Chris Gun
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Go Pluck Yourself: The Actor’s Pursuit
Ep 2: Drama School, Delusion & Death of Ego with Connor Pullinger
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▶️ Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@gopluckyourselfpod
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Check out his IMDb: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm10747641/
Watch his latest short film Bulldog: https://youtu.be/8DpCJGqrV7c?si=vWCfriew_gTo5fKi
This week on the show, I chat with award winning actor Connor Pullinger, and it’s packed full of the stuff you can only learn through experience. How to take dodgy direction and turn it into something real, how to deal with self doubt, and how to stop chasing perfection and just enjoy the work again.
Connor trained full time at drama school. I came in through short films, workshops, and throwing myself at whatever I could. Different paths, but we connected on what actually matters: the craft, the mindset, and making sure you enjoy every part of the process.
We also get into social media, relationships, and how to create your own version of success without burning out.
If you’re an actor or filmmaker, you’re gonna love it!
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Thanks for listening. Let me know what you think.
🎵 Theme music by Nick Gun: soundcloud.com/nickgun
My name is Connor Pullinger and you should go pluck yourself.
Speaker 2:Hello, welcome to Go Pluck Yourself the Actor's Pursuit. My name is Chris Gunn. Thanks for being here. Episode 2. Oh my God, we're doing it.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you guys have heard of this concept of doing one thing every day that gets you closer to your goal. I don't necessarily think I believe in that or anything. I'm not like a hustle culture guy. But if you are trying to follow that rule, why don't you make Thursday the day that you listen to this podcast? I'm going to be releasing an episode every single Thursday at the same time every week. So make sure that you hit subscribe or follow on whatever platform you're listening or watching on, so that you get that notification every Thursday morning so you can start the day with some creative inspiration. By the way, where are you listening? Are you having the day off? Are you tying your shoes for your morning run? Are you rotting in bed? Are you on your way to an audition? Screenshot your podcast player and tag me in your story at gopluckyourselfpod and let me know where you'd like to listen.
Speaker 2:You know, I honestly think that so much of my acting education has come from listening to podcasts. You know, I started a cleaning business about four years ago, so I would literally spend every single day with my headphones on just listening to acting podcasts, all day, every day. I think I've listened to like 280 episodes of In the Envelope by Backstage and 300 episodes of Smartless. I also listen to Blind Boy. It's not an acting podcast, but it sure gets you thinking.
Speaker 2:But I love it and it's part of the reason why I wanted to start this podcast. You know there's like a million and one interviews out there of the big stars which are just so great and so useful and have been great resources for me and my learning. But I wanted to speak to the people that are still on their way up. You know what I mean, like the unknowns. You know those that are still trying to claw their way out of obscurity. And, yes, it's extremely helpful to listen to those that have already made it big, and I definitely want to be spotting this podcast with some bigger names if I can, but I really want to be talking to the actors that are going through it right now. You know what's it really like to be pursuing this extremely uncertain career in 2025?
Speaker 2:So yeah that's what this podcast is for. What are you going through right now as an actor? So I hope this helps. I hope it opens you up to some different perspectives and I hope you feel welcome in this community, because you are. This is a space where we can all connect and all hear from each other. Well, okay, I'm ranting. We are going to get to my guests in just a minute. If you want to skip ahead past all this patter and get straight to the chat, go for it.
Speaker 2:I don't mind, but I just wanted to say the biggest thank you for all the love you guys have shared for episode one, because you know what it's really scary putting something like this out into the world. It's bloody terrifying. And I know that you guys can relate to that because I've seen some of you guys posting some of your own stuff and we have this kind of tendency, as creatives, to preface everything that we put online with this little message of like hey, by the way, I feel very awkward doing this and, yes, it always feels awkward, it always feels selfish and self-indulgent and you can't help but think these things like nobody cares, or people think you're annoying. You can't help but think these things like nobody cares or people think you're annoying. But I think these feelings just inherently come with the act of putting yourself out into the world like that and look. That kind of negative self-talk is real, it's there, it's heavy, but it's not helpful to me and it's irrelevant. And I know that because there have been so many beautiful messages from so many of you. You know who you are, have been so many beautiful messages from so many of you. You know who you are. So thank you so much for anyone that's reached out and just sent me messages of support telling me that they really enjoyed episode one and telling me to keep going. It absolutely means the world to me to hear from you guys. Thank you everyone that's listened to the first episode. I think we've got to like 230 views on YouTube, which is pretty good for a first episode for a channel that didn't exist a week ago. You know, all right, here we go.
Speaker 2:Guys, my guest this week is a local treasure. He's extremely prolific. If you're a local actor or filmmaker, you've definitely seen his face or seen some of his work, and if you haven't, it's truly an honor to introduce him to you. He completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts honors in acting back in 2023. And since since then, he's not only been working consistently, but he's been absolutely cleaning up with awards with any film that he's associated with. In fact, two of his recent films are nominated for Best Short in next year's Actor Awards, and that's for the Bear Hunt, directed by Lily Drummond, and for Great Deliverance, directed by Guy Henderson Two absolutely stunning looking films that I cannot wait to see. He's also just finished shooting another short called Be Seen Not Heard, directed by Louis Dawson, so keep an eye out for that one. Oh, and his short film Bulldog apparently it's just hit 80,000 views on YouTube, so make sure you check that one out. I'll put a link to that film in the show notes.
Speaker 2:But yeah, have I said his name yet? No, guys, it's Connor Pullinger, and it's a really great chat. It was recorded at 9.30 am on a Saturday morning. I'd forgotten that I'd rescheduled a cleaning client for that exact same time, but I made it work. Also, I think my stomach kept grumbling through this chat. I don't think you can hear it on the microphones, but it was a bit distracting.
Speaker 2:Give Connor a follow. You can follow him on Instagram at Connor Pullinger, or on TikTok at Connor Pulley. And look, I usually like to give a little advice disclaimer at the start of an episode, and that certainly applies for me for any of the bullshit that I project onto you guys, but it definitely does not apply for Connor, because Connor is a very talented and very insightful trained actor. So you know, listen up guys. You know the drill guys. Subscribe to the YouTube channel, follow on whatever platform you're using to listen and share this episode. Any and all engagement really helps this podcast reach the right audience. So thank you so much for doing that. Okay, that is enough rambling. Please enjoy my delightful chat with the marvellous Connor Pullinger. I raced back here.
Speaker 2:Yeah double booked, so I was cleaning a house like two minutes away Today, today.
Speaker 1:Nice.
Speaker 2:And then I, so I went there, I did one hour of cleaning and I'm like I'm going to come back and finish the job because I wanted to do this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, good, yeah. So here I am. So here we are with Coffee Dark. Post-holiday blues have kicked in. Well, they've been kicking in.
Speaker 2:Oh, tell me about France. What are we doing in France, Connor? Well, Chris, I went to Cannes Film.
Speaker 1:Festival, which was Cannes Film Festival. Yeah, everyone says it differently. I'm just going to say Cannes. Sorry if you don't like that.
Speaker 2:How do they say it?
Speaker 1:over there, cannes, they're like Cannes, careful. It was like famous people everywhere. Oh yeah, turn to your left. I didn't see Tom Cruise, but like Tom Cruise was there, do you know what I mean?
Speaker 2:Yeah, Tom Cruise. But like Tom Cruise was there, do you know what I mean? Yeah, and that's kind of ridiculous. You could feel his vibe. He was there, you could feel it, tom.
Speaker 1:Cruise is nearby. Yeah, something's not right, but it's so cool, like it's just like amazing and you can't really fathom it. Being in Australia, you feel so far away from that sort of stuff. And then when I was in France, I was walking past those people and I was like, oh my.
Speaker 2:God, you're shorter than I thought. Yeah, yeah, we're the same height.
Speaker 1:That's weird.
Speaker 2:Oh, we do have hope.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:We don't have to be six foot.
Speaker 1:No, although we are both six foot, we just don't have to be. We are so tall.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're both very tall. Yeah, turn the cameras off, right now so sweet man Good, I've been busy, I've been acting. We love to hear it so good.
Speaker 1:Thank God. Yeah, you know, like that's what it's all about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've been in Melbourne shooting a commercial.
Speaker 1:How was it?
Speaker 2:So fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah, was it long.
Speaker 2:It was a two-day shoot, very ambitious. Oh For a 60-second online commercial it was. It was great. There were a lot of shots Like. I played two characters and so I played like the main protagonist. Sure, I play his dad when I'm a baby.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah.
Speaker 2:And then I play his dad. When I'm grown up, I play like the dad as an old man and a middle-aged man.
Speaker 1:Did you get aged up? Yeah, like prosthetics, but it's just for one shot.
Speaker 2:They were going to do the latex and stuff. They're like oh, is this just a wide? Because I had to do a plate, so like I was sitting at the sitting at a dinner table and I'm in the same frame as my young self, and so they they framed it up and I'm sitting there with all the the old so man makeup like facing yeah and so I'd like do that shot and I'd have like a stand in to play young me.
Speaker 1:Oh, my God.
Speaker 2:And then I would like it was just a 60 second ad. So it's a quick, quick moment, sure, and I'm like applauding myself, cool. And then I would jump up, run to hair and makeup. They're like scrub all the all the lines and wrinkles out of my lines and wrinkles. Oh, come on, I put a wig on me because I had like a curly little wig Like these kind of curls or like a mullet vibe, no, like kind of like that, but a little more volume, uh-huh.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And so I chucked on my wig and then I was like clean. I ripped off the moustache because the old man had a big bushy moustache.
Speaker 1:That's so sick. So fun, and then I'd jump back into the frame and sit where my stand-in was and he goes and sits where old man me was, and then a couple of takes Moving magic, boom, wow, that's so fun, so fun. Is it going to be out soon, do we know?
Speaker 2:I don't know, maybe a couple months.
Speaker 1:Hopefully Sounds like a pretty edit yeah, see it's like it's, it's annoying, we can't just do that. I mean, we want to be doing that every day, I know, but when it?
Speaker 2:comes. It's so good, I know. And then when they, when you realize it's the last shot of the shoot, oh, you're like is this, is this the last shot? Could this be the last shot? I'm just gonna do a few really bad takes yeah, let me stumble yeah can I just do that again. A shot for me, can I do? Can.
Speaker 1:I do a silly one yeah.
Speaker 2:It's so sad when they wrap.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then it's just like I'll see you on the next one. Yeah, see you never If you want to hire me again.
Speaker 2:And then we all hug. Yes, everyone's best friends, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Did you know any of the director is from New Zealand and I worked with him 13 years ago, so he um, he called me two months ago and was like you're acting. I'm like I've always been acting. He's like oh, I didn't know, but you've been posting. See, he's like can you come to Melbourne? I want you for an ad? Cool, there you go. So you never know, 13, every 13 years you might get hired, okay, there you go, so you never know Every 13 years, you might get hired, okay.
Speaker 1:I can live with that. It's not bad, I'll wait, okay, so I've got like 11 more years. Yeah, yeah, cool, nah, cool. You know I've spoken about social media like heaps with friends, like other actors, random people, because they're like, oh my God, you're so busy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, why I'm so busy? Yeah, why do you think you're so busy? Because you are Like. You sent me a list of your credits.
Speaker 1:I was like fuck man. Some of those were done in like 2022, but they just kept going. That's not that long ago. Well, I sort of I'm a bit of a workaholic and I think it's my if I'm not doing anything.
Speaker 1:I have to go and see something that will like stimulate my brain in terms of like going to see theater or totally watch a ton of films and stuff. Yeah, I feel creative juices leaking and I'm like I just need to start doing something or or putting my eyes on something that's going to make me feel something. Yeah, because otherwise complacency is crazy. You can just like get a little too comfortable. Luckily, I've been kind of going from job to job or like thing to thing. That's kept my brain active, it's been cool.
Speaker 1:Like I when did we meet?
Speaker 2:When did we meet? I don't know, god, I don't know. Did you do like a workshop, teresa Palmer, the Teresa Palmer one? I was going to say yes, did we meet at?
Speaker 1:that I think we did oh shit, and I probably knew of you through the Adelaide. You know the community, but I think we properly met then, which was 2023? Four Fuck, how did I know?
Speaker 2:Was that last year? I don't even know Not last year I was like yeah, maybe, but I only just sort of started getting back into that world around then. Oh, did you have a break? Well, not a break, just took my foot off the gas, just circumstance. Yeah, wasn't in the right headspace to do that kind of stuff?
Speaker 1:Was it hard to get back into it?
Speaker 2:No, I realized that I loved it, yeah, and before that I didn't realize what I loved. Yeah, yeah yeah, you know post-COVID. Yeah, everyone was kind of lost.
Speaker 1:Weird.
Speaker 2:No one knew who they were anymore. Covid was a weird time, just kind of recovering from that period and being like I need to get back into it. What is it that I like doing again?
Speaker 1:Reconnect. How do I be creative Self?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's how I like Looked out for workshops and stuff and they Cool.
Speaker 1:And then it Picked up like majorly. I didn't realise you even had a break. I thought you were just like.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, I've been doing it Gunning for it, gunning for it, doing it, since I was like a teenager.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. When did you?
Speaker 2:start, maybe 14. Yeah, well, no, I mean performing since I was a child. Yeah, baby, baby, baby on stage. I did a piano recital when I was four. Oh, okay, true, so I was always on stage. Yeah, but never called myself an actor until maybe five years ago. What about you? Where?
Speaker 1:did it all begin? Where did it all begin? It was the same. I was like a child dancer, singer, actor.
Speaker 1:Yeah, nice Like I couldn't stop and I loved watching TV. Yeah, like that, I watched doctor who and I was like I want to be in that. I bought the action figures so that I could be that. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I was always trying to create my own stories and, like insert myself in that. And then I did all the primary school high school performances and then I did, like the youth drama classes outside of high school because I wasn't getting enough. Where was that? It was, say, arts. At the time, south australian youth arts is in unley, close by my school, was great and I was so supportive of creative arts. Yeah, but my school was a bit more like mathematic and musical focused. So a lot of the students were, they were interested in drama, but they weren't from like drama families or creative households, right, whereas this youth arts everyone was from creative households and that's why they're at these extracurricular.
Speaker 2:What about your household? Was it like a?
Speaker 1:Well, my sister's an actor and I saw her have to fight loads of people to be like no, this is what I want to do. No, this is what I want to do. This is what I want to do yeah specifically teachers. Teachers are just weird about it they're like but maths methods like I don't enjoy that yeah, if I, if I'm in that class, I'm not going to do well.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And so she sort of paved the way that when it came to my turn I was like well, you let her in, so I'm not going to do anything else. I remember in year 12, I was like I guess I could be a psychologist.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:But you know, it just wasn't my calling and I was like it's the only thing I want to do, Yep, so I'm just going to have to try and I'm just going to have to be a bit delusional and just keep trying.
Speaker 2:Where would we be without delusion?
Speaker 1:That's what yeah, that's a great point. Where would we be? Sometimes you need to be a little bit crazy. Yeah, and like if you're not convinced no one else is going to be convinced Absolutely, which is a whole thing.
Speaker 2:Yes, it's kind of that fake it till you make it kind of thing, but also yeah, with the knowledge and the skill to back it up. Absolutely. Yeah, you can't just lie. No, like that's psychopathic. Yeah, if you sort of know what you're talking about, awesome, and you only sort of need to know Like a little bit, just a little bit.
Speaker 1:Sometimes you just have to be in the right place, right time, and it's all going to work out Well?
Speaker 2:there is that, but you create your own opportunities. You know, you set that up for yourself, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so it all sort of fell into place just naturally, like I did this youth arts class and then randomly casting directors came in. Oh, this is at, say Arts.
Speaker 2:Wow, randomly so how old were you? Oh really, how old were you around this time?
Speaker 1:I was like 17, 16. Nice, but I like knew I wanted to be an actor, but I was like well, I don't know how you do it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm just going to like study.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so well, not at that point I knew I wanted to do it after school, but I was like I don't even know the schools, yeah. But then I got like a actual job and I worked with people who were doing it for a living and I was like what, what kind of job? Uh, it was a living. And I was like what, what kind of job?
Speaker 1:as a supporting character on the hunting nice and it was like we were literally scouted from like little drama classes. Wow, if now I started getting those auditions, I would have freaked out and been like this is like really cool. But back then, I was like oh my god, what the hell. I just got this like group audition. How fun is that? Let me try it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was just fun. Back then it was fun. It's still fun now it's fun.
Speaker 1:But now there's just so much pressure because it's my, it's what I want to do as a job. Yeah, and it is what I wanted to do as a job. But it's just a silly thought that suddenly I was like, okay, well, now I've done it, I can do it, so I just started going.
Speaker 2:But how lucky you are to have had that experience. That sort of landed you with the mindset of like I can do it now. Yeah, because I think the number one thing that stops people from pursuing it is like I'm not able to do that. There's like a block. Yeah, there's some kind of block. Like I, I'm not able to do that. There's like a block. Yeah, there's some kind of block.
Speaker 1:Like I'm just not going to get over that fence. But I was like I somehow got around the fence.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I was like well, why, why not?
Speaker 1:Why not? Yeah, yeah. And so you know, you get the agent and you just start. You'd start doing it, but I was like, well, let's learn how to act while I'm auditioning for stuff. If I happen to book something cool, we'll make it work what you?
Speaker 2:you would leave drama school. Yeah, that was I never booked, so, so obviously you didn't book.
Speaker 1:Congrats, I'm a flop, yeah, but no, it was just like a good little backup plan of a black woman.
Speaker 2:What is Like if you don't book a job?
Speaker 1:at least I'm at drama school and I'm learning to be a better actor. Absolutely. That's kind of the backup plan for acting was acting. Yeah, you've got to fall back yeah.
Speaker 2:You're not wasting your time.
Speaker 1:No, I don't know.
Speaker 2:Like just sitting around waiting to be cast in something or waiting to suddenly know how to, how to act or whatever. You are actively learning.
Speaker 1:So I was, I, yeah, I went to drama school and did that whole thing and then did four years of that, yeah, yeah, and graduated in 2023.
Speaker 2:And then here, we are, here you are. And how was drama school? Tell me about that.
Speaker 1:It was like it was so good, it was so rewarding. Where'd you go? I went to Flinders Drama Center at Flinders University and it was like it truly taught me how to act. But more than that, it sort of developed me as a person which I don't think you can unless you go to therapy. It was therapy it was kind of therapy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what was the? If you could like summarize the main, the main developmental takeaway from drama school, like what? Was it that got you over that line, from you being just another actor or actually building some kind of individuality in what you do like. What was it? What was the key moment in growth for you?
Speaker 1:um, I became like super aware of myself just in everything, um my identity, my body, the way I present myself, establishing myself as a creative. And you, it was just like you get so in drama school. You'll do three shows a year right Three theatre shows, which is insane.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You're in three shows that you get to do for five weeks each. That's a big chunk of the year. Yeah, just acting, that's amazing. Yeah, it's unreal that's what we all want, and so in drama school you get that every year like fuck that's.
Speaker 1:That's so sick yeah so the teachers, they, they, and the directors, they look at you and they say this person needs to access this. Okay, well, there's a part of themselves that they're going to get a lot out of this character, and so they sort of do this mind map and then you get this character and you're like, oh God.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And it was like third year when that all sort of started for me, because after two years I was like first year was weird because of COVID, you know, but then two years, you sort of it's all about the establishing yourself and like breathing exercises and walking around the room, you know. Yeah.
Speaker 2:That's real. It's real yeah.
Speaker 1:But it's actually so helpful.
Speaker 2:What's the benefit of all that? What did you get out of that Grounding?
Speaker 1:yourself and sort of stripping the ego because, everyone goes oh my God, I got into drama school. I'm top shit.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And you're not.
Speaker 2:You're not top shit and you need to relearn that every now and then.
Speaker 1:Like I could do breathing exercises all year round.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I should do breathing exercises all year, just to like.
Speaker 2:Just so you don't pass out. Yeah Right, physiologically.
Speaker 1:Just to reconnect with like what, where, who, everything, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is.
Speaker 1:I mean, I find getting into like a meditative state is is what it is, you know. Yeah, how do you even teach, being present and aware. I don't know, it just happens and it's like. That's why it's a fouryear course. It's a long time, but by the end of it you're a different person.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's really interesting because I didn't study, but that's interesting that that's the takeaway you got out of four years of study. I mean, I would assume that it's something really analytical and I'm sure you learned all the different styles and craft and all that other stuff. But the key thing that you took away from it is this, like personal insight and stripping of the ego and grounding yourself and breathing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Well, you're like you totally do learn the analysis side of it. But you work. You and the methodologies, you learn them all. But the point is, you learn them all so you can pick what one works for you. But if you don't know who you are, how are you going to pick? How are you going to pick what works best for you If you're like I guess I'm this kind of person?
Speaker 2:You don't even know yourself. Yeah, but also with, like, different styles and different forms of craft. Yeah, you know, they talk about the toolbox. You know the toolbox. We're definitely going to get into cliches here, cool yeah. Like I don't know what I'm using and maybe I should have studied. It's not the path I took.
Speaker 1:I just didn't have time or whatever.
Speaker 2:Now, I'm 33. I'm like I'm not doing that, you're good. I couldn't not be in the industry for four years, right now but I still feel like the tools that I do use. I don't know what they are, necessarily, I couldn't, I couldn't articulate them or put my finger on them, but I'm sure I'm picking from different, different tools. You know picking and choosing as, yeah, you know ad hoc, you know, depending on what, what the character or the scene or the project calls for.
Speaker 1:So yeah, reliant on context, yeah, it's not like. One style is for this kind of person? No.
Speaker 2:It's like this might work for you today but, it might not work for you this other day.
Speaker 1:And also, like a director might be like what is that that you're using? Whatever it is, it's working.
Speaker 2:Do you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:Or they'll be like no, I want you to use this and you're like, hey, I'll try, and that's flexibility, is everything.
Speaker 2:Have you had directors like direct you from that angle, like in terms of like? Can you approach it through this craft or this style?
Speaker 1:not really, not really like I've had. Most of my theater work has been with people that trained at flinders drama center, so we all have the same kind of basis of training.
Speaker 2:So it's like I see, so you're speaking the same language totally, which is awesome.
Speaker 1:It's so helpful, yeah, but in film work I've done a lot that's and like they're they study through different means or they just picked up a camera and started yeah, being successful. So that's great.
Speaker 2:But then they're speaking different language because they're. I mean, this is part of the reason why I wanted to start this podcast is because I wanted to open up the conversation between different like filmmakers and actors, like how do we actually speak to each other and where's the disconnect there? Because I have experienced that disconnect with directors or people that have studied like cinematography and they want to try their hand in directing but they have no idea what language we speak, and vice versa.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's so hard, like if you have not spoken to an actor about, like, what works for you before the project starts, I don't know, like if you've not done a course with just working with actors or even for an actor to, we should ideally be able to translate whatever we're told yeah to what works for us, but that's not always the case. Sometimes you do, you are left a bit in the dark and you just have to be like okay, break it down. You want me to look left, look right, look up, look down and cry, yeah I'll try because you you will get that type of direction.
Speaker 2:That's very practical direction. It's up to us to justify that in terms like through our character.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly, you know, and that is part of the job. Like, not every director is going to speak that language.
Speaker 1:And the job is to make it look like a real person just did that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, because I would get, like, I guess, kind of defensive or something. But like, what do you mean? You want me to just be angry? What am I angry about? Yeah, like I need to know why Exactly. But you know it's my job to translate that to okay, you want it louder? I'm like I'm not just going to do it louder, like there's a reason why this character is being louder and that's up to me to figure that out yeah and I don't have to necessarily have that conversation with the director.
Speaker 2:You know like especially if the time constraints, whatever, sometimes you just got to knuckle down and get it done and also sometimes the director is getting getting feedback from the dp saying I just need him to hit this light on this line. So I need him to lean over on this line or look up on this line and you're like, okay, so this is literally just a blocking thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But I have to make it look real.
Speaker 1:Totally and make it look natural. That is the thing. Just make it look natural, sell it. I remember there was one that was like can you just like ruffle your hair it? I remember there was one that was like can you just like ruffle your hair? You just like, ruffle your hair.
Speaker 1:I'm like, but why like, okay, yes, I can do that yeah like the act of just like pulling my hand out of nowhere and just ruffling my hair, but it's like, yeah, it's like I guess we can, but I yeah, things like that that are hard. And then you, and then you it's on film, so you watch it forever and you're like but only you know Exactly, only you know, how unnatural that felt. Yeah, and if everyone else knows, fuck, nah, no one's noticing that shit. This flows sort of greatly into like the watching of our work.
Speaker 1:Like and sometimes a moment can feel clunky in the moment, but somehow it works and you're just like I need to just like trust. These people are on the other end of the camera. They're seeing it.
Speaker 2:I'm not, they're not gonna let you look stupid.
Speaker 1:No, exactly they've edited it, you know they've looked yeah but sometimes you watch it and you're like that was not my best work, and now it's in a movie.
Speaker 2:It it's immortalized yeah.
Speaker 1:You're like well, after festivals it goes and you're going to sit there and take it.
Speaker 2:But that's when it's hard to watch. But in terms of, like, learning from your own work at this stage in our, in our careers, it's important, right, yeah, and there are people that don't watch their work and they think they're Christian Bale.
Speaker 1:Yeah, or I don't even know what they think, but it's just like a weird it might just be too cringe.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can understand that, sure, but what about, like watching playback?
Speaker 1:as we go.
Speaker 2:Because that's a different story.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's different, because sometimes that's yeah, that's different, cause sometimes like I would watch it from afar you know, not like getting close up and that's not going to help me.
Speaker 2:Cause. Then you're too concerned with like oh, I'm just trying to like, I just want my eyebrows to look good on this shot, and then that's, that's where your way out of it, then what's going?
Speaker 1:But if you're like, let me just look at it from afar, oh, they walk off that way. I just need to like stare that way a bit more.
Speaker 2:So this is like a blocking thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and it's like I can easily do that. Yeah, that's an easy fix, but if I'm right up and like, yes, I think watch it back for the sake of the film.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Not for the sake of Trying to get it right yeah.
Speaker 2:In the moment. Yeah, that's a mistake. Like even this commercial there was like Did you watch? I watched when I needed to. Like you were saying like there was a shot where I'm running through the crowd and I've got three beats that I needed to hit, like three different extras that I needed to sort of interact with. Yeah and they're crossing camera and so I needed to time it properly.
Speaker 2:We're doing multiple takes so we can figure out the timing of it. So that's when I watch it back and be like okay, when he gets to here, I need to be here.
Speaker 1:That's blocking right, yeah, okay.
Speaker 2:So, but in terms of watching a finished project back, do it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree, yeah, I'm like come on, on what are we doing? You're running out the room when your film's on.
Speaker 2:I love watching my films.
Speaker 1:I'm like I did it man. Yeah, I made a movie, hopefully made friends with the filmmakers so be proud of their work.
Speaker 2:I know proud of your own. How arrogant, literally.
Speaker 1:I'm not watching it, though they're like oh what, okay what, why did you come? Yeah? We all put in a lot of effort here, yeah like a lot of people are just going to be like, oh, fuck me, I guess.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, you don't want to see the work, weird. So true, but like sometimes, if you've seen it a lot of times, you're like, okay, I don't need to watch again. Yeah, and it's not it might be because of the filmmakers, but it's definitely.
Speaker 1:I'm a big part in that.
Speaker 2:I'm like I was still figuring it out, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and there are some films that look on the converse side. You're like I don't think I want to watch this, as you're like sort of as you're driving home yeah, from say you're like, I think I did terrible work today. I don't think I want to watch that, but you, you got it and sometimes it works yeah, sometimes, and sometimes that's the motivation you need.
Speaker 2:It's like that's a big learning thing as well, like I was convinced this was bad work and it worked and somehow, like within the whole context of it all, it just fits in. You're like I want to shut up. It kind of makes you trust yourself a little bit more that, like you're not as terrible as you think you are.
Speaker 1:Yeah, self-doubt.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:How do you cope?
Speaker 2:Self-doubt.
Speaker 1:Yeah, about it all.
Speaker 2:I'm in much more of a fuck it. Let's just have some fun attitude these days, cool, and I'm much more comfortable than I used to be. Yeah, because I'm not. I understand that. The key is not trying to get it right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and.
Speaker 2:I used to really put a lot of pressure on myself to get it right and I realized that it's a process.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:The takes are there because we are figuring it out, we're working it and we're playing and we're having a collaborative conversation.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And it's okay to fail, you know. Yeah, the cliche, but there it is.
Speaker 1:It's true, it is it's true. Yeah, you've got to just sort of get over it. You do Sometimes. You just have to get over it.
Speaker 2:Swallow it and be like, yeah, you have a job to do, yeah, and they've hired you and they've auditioned a lot of people and they've gone. We trust you. And that's kind of scary, but you have to take something out of that and be like they trust me because they know I can do it and I think I can do it too, now you know yeah. Delusion.
Speaker 1:It's delusion at first, but then people, people believe you with good reason because you've gone through the process, you've auditioned, showed the fuck you know yeah yeah, it's true.
Speaker 2:What about you man like, do you, do you suffer from this imposter syndrome? Or the self-doubt thing like yes?
Speaker 1:yeah, sometimes when you, when you, sometimes the imposter syndrome can be a thing, but also realistically, you know, sometimes you just got to be like, look, we made a film and everyone put their A game into it, and if it goes far, it's gone far. You can't be like as if this is happening to me.
Speaker 2:It didn't win the festival. Yeah, exactly this is happening to me, just fucking deal with it.
Speaker 1:It didn't win the festival. Yeah, exactly Like. Just go with it, yes, and Turn up, let it wash, let it wash over and soak it in, because it's not. These moments are not going to last forever, so just enjoy it, absolutely, for Christ's sake.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're so we are so lucky to be able to do this, even even if, yeah, we're so lucky to be able to do this, even if whatever you call success, you know we are so privileged to have the life that we live, where we, in our free time, we can choose to be actors and strive to be an actor, like how fucking lucky we are you know, we might as well, it would be rude not to. We might as well. It'd be rude not to.
Speaker 1:We might as well just like enjoy it, since we've chosen it as a career. I agree, you know it can be hard, and drama school was hard because it was every day. But at the end of the day you get to do what you love and you chose it for a reason, so just do it. Yeah, you chose it for a reason, so just do it. Yeah, yeah, I'm with you, man. And then now the the bursts of when we get work. I love it so much because it's like it's not every day.
Speaker 2:No, you know, I know it's special because there's so much time between jobs, so much time, yeah, but I was thinking about this today, I think, because, you know, you kind of have this idea that people are miserable between jobs and all the auditions and the rejection and all that. And I just love it all. Yeah, I think it's so exciting. I love going for auditions, I love sending them off and be like great, I hope I get it. But you know, moving on, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:And then getting the phone calls and being like you've got to call back and be like cool, all right, I still haven't got it, but like it's so exciting. And then losing it and being like, yeah, it's all right, I've already moved on to the next thing, it's fine, but it's all such a privilege. And then when you do get to do a job, it's like, okay, I've got two days, I've got two days here. It's all happening right now. I bet I'm going to put my phone away and I'm going to fucking be present.
Speaker 2:I'm going to be here, you know, and just talk to everyone I can and smile because I just love it. I love it so much, man, yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm with friends. Yeah, it's the best. It's true, because everyone can go oh, I got an audition. You know, I got an audition, I've got three days to do it. It's like, yeah, but the feeling when I get email notification new request I'm like yes, and I'm like reading everything about it. And I'm like on all the articles reading because give me the information.
Speaker 2:Let me read it.
Speaker 1:And then you do it and you're like I really thought I nailed that.
Speaker 2:And you don't hear anything. No, of course.
Speaker 1:You're like oh, okay whatever you know.
Speaker 2:But there's another one.
Speaker 1:Into the vacuum and then you get another one and it can be like it can go a little crazy if you're like, oh my God, I just learned so many pages of dialogue for nothing. But it wasn't for nothing, because someone watched it, hopefully. Or they saw your thumbnail and thought oh, he looks like so-and-so, we could maybe get him in for it.
Speaker 2:I don't think there's any wasted opportunity.
Speaker 1:No, I don't think there's any wasted audition. I've landed auditions.
Speaker 2:I've landed roles based on auditions. I did like 10 projects back. Yeah, how cool is that. And I didn't have to audition for the one I got how cool is that. Because it's the same casting director. I'm like I've seen, I've seen it.
Speaker 1:I've seen this character in something else, yeah.
Speaker 2:Let's get him.
Speaker 1:So there's no wasted. And when you just see the same casting directors pop up, you're like, look, they don't hate me yeah, so you're on their radar eventually they're gonna like they're trying to get you, they're trying to get you something, and so you, just, you just keep chipping away.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's really kind of weird.
Speaker 1:And then there's the whole like with self-tapes. There's a whole like my script analysis is I've got a method, I've got a. This is the way I do it, but sometimes you get it like the day after that due the next day, like okay.
Speaker 2:You've got to streamline that shit.
Speaker 1:I'm doing one today Might as well, just do this one that I just got in as well. I don't know the lines yet, let's just do it on the go.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And sometimes those are the ones that I get callbacks for. Why do you?
Speaker 2:think that is what is that?
Speaker 1:Well, it's because I'm obviously like fluid with it, or you know, I'm not overthinking the choices, I'm just doing them. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Or literally relying on your instinct Cooking them up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, being like this line means this, because it's all analysis, right, like I firmly believe that reading comprehension is everything. It's understanding what the hell is going on. Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2:I believe that reading comprehension is everything, absolutely it's understanding what the hell is going on?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't know, like sentence structure is important and like these writers are, they're smart, so like just do what it says. But like sometimes analyzing too much can be a whole trap. Yeah, I don't know, it's so weird. Yeah, like, how do you even quantify what's a good audition? It's all vibes, isn't it? It's vibes. I hate that it's all vibes.
Speaker 1:I've got a vibe meter in my studio oh shit, I broke it Damn, damn, oh, I'm booking that one in. Yeah, do you find that like when? You don't have the time to overthink it, like, do you find that you have more success in those auditions? Um, well, I kind of feel like, oh, let's just throw this one in, let's just hope for the best. Yeah, maybe that's the feeling. That kind of uncertainty is is why I need to be chasing it, which is a weird thing in itself. Well, I think you probably.
Speaker 2:You're probably so good at the process now that you can streamline it.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And you should trust that you can do it very quickly.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It doesn't always have to be a long drawn out process. It can just be like I know how to analyze a script. I don't even like. I don't write any notes.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm just like you, just turn up. Turn up write any notes, yeah I'm just like you, just turn up, turn up, turn up. Sometimes I wear shoes. Oh yeah, you know, sometimes like, yeah, I don't know, but I but learning that process and and being able to streamline it is and trusting that you can. You can do that on the on the go yeah is. I think we should give ourselves much more credit than than we do, you know it's so um routine at this point.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've got this set up and I'm like I need this, this, this, this. I'm going to need a chair, so I guess I'll just pull the chair over. I've got like an hour before work. Yeah, let's just smash it out and send it in. Yeah, that's kind of crazy that you know that's the process auditioning for huge jobs, like jobs that you'd be, like God, I'd kill to be in that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And and you've just sent in like a one and a half minute video that you've done in my dad's bedroom. I use my dad's bedroom because he's got the best light set up. Sorry, dad, I'm just going to. Yeah, can you just wake up? I've got to. No, stay there. Stay there, it's fine. No, he's always out the house. God, I'm not afraid.
Speaker 2:Sorry Dad, I'll leave you to it, I'm not afraid.
Speaker 1:And so you know, I call up a friend from drama school or something. I'm like can we just like do this weird tape really quick?
Speaker 2:What a weird. But not wanting it too much is going to work in your favor, right.
Speaker 1:Because everyone's like we can see the desperation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they can, they can smell it.
Speaker 1:Oh my god, yeah god forbid.
Speaker 2:Actors want to act, but also, yeah, of course we want it. Everyone wants the gig. Yeah, but if you give yourself the the time to build it up in your head, you're like I really, really, I need this gig. Then that and that's what's going through your head when you're performing the scene.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like that's not what the character's thinking about.
Speaker 2:The character's not going. I hope I get this movie. I hope so yeah. No, yeah, so you know, I don't think we allow, we should not allow ourselves time to get to that point where we're like. I really need this. No, you're right, just be like. I got an audition, I I got an audition, I'm going to jump in.
Speaker 1:What does this?
Speaker 2:character want Go. Let's do it quick Because realistically I guess it's.
Speaker 1:they'll just open the tape and be like oh he doesn't quite look what we thought. Next, well, that's it.
Speaker 2:And also we go through so many auditions, hopefully. I know you do.
Speaker 1:I shouldn't be here now. I shouldn't be auditioning.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you landed the job? Yeah, because you've done a really last minute audition. You didn't have time to overthink it, you just like nailed it Because I did it in like 15 minutes. Yeah, but how do you prepare for jobs?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I loved the research component at uni and I loved writing essays and stuff. So if I can make like a master doc of all the things I need to know, that's what I'm going to do and I want to. I'll make a playlist, I'll make a mood board.
Speaker 2:Yeah, nice.
Speaker 1:But it's cringy, but it just helps me get in the world. I'll try and talk to the director and be like what movies should I be watching to get a vibe? It's just all and then just conversations. You know, it's kind of, but it's also case by case.
Speaker 2:Sometimes all I have to do is listen to a song a couple times and like, cut my hair and suddenly how do you know you're ready to play a character Like how do you feel, how do you know when you're connected to a character?
Speaker 1:Costume helps. Yeah, being on set yeah, I know it's just part of the thing, but if we're like filming in a house and I don't know what the house looks like, I'm like I won't know till I get there.
Speaker 1:I need to know, I want to know what this house looks like. Yeah, but that's just part of like I'm a bit of a troll freak, I guess, and I just need to like I'll become familiar when I get there, that like trusting that it'll, it'll happen, oh yeah. When you get there, yeah, it's all the homework, yeah, and your brain is like loaded up with the words and the meanings and the objectives and the. You know what the purpose of the film is, or the whatever the video like. You need to know sort of where. Where are we placing this in terms of everything that's ever been made? Yeah, what's the point? And then, once you get in the shoes, like go for broke, yeah, and just be free, be free.
Speaker 2:And just don't overthink it, because part of the preparation it should not be pre-loading.
Speaker 1:I know how you're gonna do it no, and like you, haven't heard how the other actor is going to say their words, unless there's a rehearsal process, in which case there's a fight scene or something that's very different.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but again there's like choreography or blocking or something or just a dance, you know. Or in terms of like even getting dialogue and not speaking over each other and making sure you know there's all that sort of practical stuff that you have to keep in the back of your mind if you need it, if it comes up.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But in terms of, yeah, like getting onto set, trusting that in the build up to this, this shoot or this day, it's been sitting in my head. I can't exactly put my finger on what it was it's been sitting in my head. I can't exactly put my finger on what it was. I don't even have my notes, which it might help you or some people like purge their ideas and just get them down, because you know again like it's going to work differently for different people. I'm not really a rote learner, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah okay, I'm more of an audible learner, you know. I have to listen to lines.
Speaker 1:I'll record them oh yeah, do you know what I mean? Line learning yeah, we can get into that.
Speaker 2:How do you learn lines? It's repetition.
Speaker 1:It's different for each thing. There's, like this, one method where you write out the first letter of each word and then it's like Morse code.
Speaker 2:Yeah, do you do that?
Speaker 1:I have for big paragraphs.
Speaker 2:See, I've never tried that, but then I did. I just assumed it wouldn't work for me.
Speaker 1:Sure, I don't know why. Like no, yeah, I was always like no, that's not my style, but then I did it because there was this one paragraph I just couldn't learn Because it had like when it's good writing, it's sometimes good writing is really hard to learn. Sometimes bad writing is really hard to learn. Actually, cut that out, I don't know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:No, I know, I know what you mean. I don't know what I mean by that but, like I, I have heard that, like you know, it's good writing if the lines are easy to learn.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Because they make sense, cause they make sense and there's like logic you can justify it. But if a line you're like what does that even mean? Why are they saying that they're just filling in? Then your brain like rejects that. Yeah, I find that sometimes I'm like I just have to change that yeah for this self-tape. I just can't say that line, do you?
Speaker 2:ever just discard a line just because you're like it doesn't make sense.
Speaker 1:Um, I don't think a, a honey or a, a baby or a or a, um, a darling or a, one of those kind of words that are so sort of um, maybe their character specific yeah, it's not.
Speaker 2:It's not necessarily a line or a word that's going to drive the story, but it might say something about the character, yeah, and their relationship, the other person.
Speaker 1:But you're like, yeah, it's true, yeah, but it might say something about the character.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and their relationship to the other person yeah, that's true, yeah.
Speaker 1:But that's kind of just repetition. You just say it, I'll say it through the day and it just sounds normal.
Speaker 2:I find like doing sort of mundane activities.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Those are really good places to learn lines yeah, I'm always in the kitchen and I'm just playing it. I did a play last year that was just paragraphs. It was like a monologue like this yeah, and myself and the other actor.
Speaker 2:Oh, I know, this play fags dag. Yeah, that's amazing. It was so much dialogue with henry cooper.
Speaker 1:Henry cooper he's the best king, isn't he the best? Are you out there?
Speaker 2:we love you henry, we love you hen, we love you, henry.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was just like A really mammoth task Directed by Conner Reedy, the also king. It's so much dialogue. Well it's storytelling and it was easy to learn. Because, it's well written storytelling. Who wrote that? It was written by Geoffrey J Fowler and Chris Isaacs, and we actually got to meet Geoffrey, wow.
Speaker 2:Did he see the show?
Speaker 1:No, I wish, I wish, I wish. Well, actually, that would have been terrifying, but it would have been cool. Maybe he found out afterwards. Yeah, yeah, that was a really rewarding.
Speaker 2:I was just beaming, I was like you guys are so funny.
Speaker 1:Because all the thoughts flow on from one another.
Speaker 2:So you, talk about one thing. It's going to come up later, yeah you've just got to sow the seed.
Speaker 1:It's hard if you miss a line and then you're like I didn't set that up, yeah, and you've just thrown henry under the bus. Yeah, sorry, mate. Which was that happened in rehearsals once we like we were doing like three runs a day, yeah, of the show, and then we were like, oh, that moment's a bit weak, let's just redo that, yeah section every single time I do a play.
Speaker 2:I think there is no way I can learn this. And then by the time we're performing. I'm like I could rattle this off like it's a song I've known for 30 years. How crazy, just trusting that it's going to work.
Speaker 1:It's going to go in, it's going to go in there was this one monologue I did in a play called Whore. It was this guy having this full freakout in the supermarket and he was talking about like washing powder and detergent, and the monologue didn't make sense. Well, it makes sense in the context of the story, but as a piece of writing.
Speaker 2:Just shit writing. Definitely not, it's very boring, but it was so hard to learn. Yeah.
Speaker 1:And I had to make the walls of my bedroom the supermarket. Yeah, that was. I was cracked out for that process. Yeah, like how fun yeah.
Speaker 2:That's the kind of brain training anyone should do, and just such a rewarding challenge as well when you are able to do it.
Speaker 1:And you're like.
Speaker 2:I got this Like this. I cannot believe I can do this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you're like not even thinking about knowing the lines anymore, because you're thinking about what the character's thinking and suddenly you're at the end of it and you're just like we all just went on that together.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and they become your thoughts.
Speaker 1:So cool, it's so cool, it is just repetition eh, pretty much Putting it in my body really helps. Do repetition a pretty much putting it in my body really helps. Do you move around when you rehearse? Yeah, yeah, and like, if there's one line that I don't, I can't get, I'll like make a little dance move interesting, and then I'm, and then it's there that's really.
Speaker 2:Do you like connecting it to?
Speaker 1:your body. I'm like actually putting it there yeah yeah, that's so interesting, which is not that helpful for self-tapes because there's such a quick turnaround, but it's great for longer form stuff If there's a physicality to it. I think I just heard your stomach growl there.
Speaker 2:That was you, that was me I was like wow. But, yeah, knowing that it's been in your head, yeah, and trusting that on the day, once I get into the room, yeah, then it's going to happen. Trusting myself and trusting that I am able to free myself from myself and it's going to work.
Speaker 1:It's so fun it's so fun. I'm just thinking about all the times I've been driving to set on the first day.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:That's fucking scary, so scary.
Speaker 2:But it's so fun, it's so rewarding.
Speaker 1:And then afterwards you're like exhausted, but you're so tired and you haven't even. I haven't even got on my phone because I've just been so present Like the day's gone. And here we are.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I love that feeling.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I don't get it. And people are happy and I made. I had great conversations with people.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I giggled. I cracked some silly jokes and we made a bit of a film.
Speaker 2:What about like being a day player?
Speaker 1:right.
Speaker 2:That's hard eh. Yeah, because you don't get the opportunity to get to know everyone and you're usually there like three weeks into a shoot and everyone's besties. Yeah, and you're usually there like three weeks into a shoot and everyone's besties.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you're like hey, but I remember like what's the vibe here? Yeah, like should I be. Is that joke an inside joke?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, what's that inside joke mean? Yeah, it's like for a just time.
Speaker 1:Sometimes you just need to turn up.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And it's not about you. You're just a cog in the machine, that's it. And that's okay, that's really okay.
Speaker 2:And it's not just okay, it is, it has to be the mindset.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're not the center of attention, yeah you're a day player.
Speaker 2:You're not. You're not going to steal the scene. You have to understand where you fit in the context of that moment and how you fit around the protagonist's story. What's your purpose for them?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and just do that, yeah, because it ain't about you bro.
Speaker 2:It's not about you, yeah.
Speaker 1:I remember we heard about it like through uni. My teacher was like most working actors are just those people They'll come in, because she was working in Vancouver, yeah, and so she was in like Supernatural and like those kind of Vancouver shows that just pump out episodes. She'd just turn up die for an episode and that was the job Like you'd just turn up and you'd just die, and no one cares if you're bringing in an Oscar-worthy performance, you just need to die.
Speaker 2:Like that's the start, make sure the story's being sold and you're, that're that little.
Speaker 1:yeah, cog and it's like do all your prep but like shut up and die yeah, but that's really funny like yeah and it's funny that we do like. I've done four years of training and I would like I would die to die.
Speaker 2:I want to die in supernatural, yes I'll turn up and just like hit a wall and blood splashes but if I don't leave a set covered in blood and sweat, what was the point? Was I even acting?
Speaker 1:Like if I don't have dirt under my nails there's not real dirt, it's like painted dirt.
Speaker 2:If I can still speak without like, if my throat isn't killing me, was I even?
Speaker 1:acting yeah.
Speaker 2:When you're on a set. Okay, obviously you're there to do the job. Yeah, have you noticed this flow and effect from job to job?
Speaker 1:Well, like I've been so lucky in that it's, you meet someone on a job and then suddenly they're on the next three jobs and you become great friends. Because you're spending so much time together and film sets are weird because it's like instant bestie mode. You start sharing weird things about each other and that's just the nature.
Speaker 2:Because there's so much time waiting, and also you're all in the same game. You're all part of the same struggle and you all have the same dream. You're all just as delusional as each other. So you know you have something in common. Yeah, you don't even need that weird like are we compatible?
Speaker 1:because of course we're going to be compatible as friends, because we consume the same types of things. Yeah, ever since, I think like first year at uni, I did some random short films that I saw through Facebook and they were like Maps, the school I went to Maps Get out 15 years ago.
Speaker 1:Whoa, oh my God. Well, I'm talking your language right now. There was a Maps film. I'm quite old, this boomer. It was a Maps film directed by Andrea Rizos, and on that set I was meeting all these people and they were so nice and I was like, oh my God, these people were so fun. This was just like a hangout Switch to now they're working on every film since, isn't that?
Speaker 2:crazy when I did this show the other day. Yes, I knew the whole crew. I know and they're all like and I was like. These guys were at Flinders like two years ago.
Speaker 1:How beautiful. Yeah, there's no better feeling than getting to a set and being like we're doing it, guys, we're doing it, it's so fun.
Speaker 2:It feels like we're rising with the tide you know together.
Speaker 1:Silly little reunions. And then you make something and you're like, okay, I won't see you for a couple of weeks, but I will see you soon.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and when I do we, I love that stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that is how the flow on effect works. I guess on paper that is networking, but it's not networking because it's friends hanging out making stuff.
Speaker 2:Well, that's a much healthier way to look at it, yeah, which is what it should be. It should be genuinely interested in what they're doing and make genuine connections. I love what I do.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I genuinely want you to also achieve what you want to achieve.
Speaker 1:And if that means we work together, let's enjoy that together. Yeah, whoa, whoa Together.
Speaker 2:I'm your co-creator. That was a beautiful moment. That was that's got to be.
Speaker 1:You're welcome for that.
Speaker 2:I'm sure that sounded good. I'm sure it did. We'll have that on stereo together, together.
Speaker 1:Yeah you can't like fake that stuff because it's just kind of. If I didn't do that first film in first year drama school, which was separate to drama school, I would have met them eventually, but isn't it crazy yeah, well it is.
Speaker 2:Isn't it weird looking back on the steps that you took? Yeah, I love thinking about that. It's so weird, even the jobs that I've had outside of acting Everything or like COVID and being trapped in that apartment and being like I need to socialize Because I did a play you did. I did a play in 2020. Was that for the French? Oh, yeah, yeah, that one that was french. Yeah, that was like two years ago. That was two years that was recent.
Speaker 1:It was your 2020. Play laramie project.
Speaker 2:Oh my god, yeah, I'm familiar I hadn't done a play in 10 years, and that that's I. I was not involved in acting okay, I was out of it, I was just drinking myself. Silly bold choice. Well, I didn't know anything about it. I Googled amateur theatre.
Speaker 1:Adelaide.
Speaker 2:Cool and Red Phoenix came up.
Speaker 1:But it was like the best thing I've ever done, because that is, they're like recreating real people. Verbatim theatre, that's the word.
Speaker 2:So it's based on the interviews that they did back in 1998, whenever it was Heavy, it's heavy. So heavy. And we're playing 10 characters each.
Speaker 1:What a welcome back. No seven or 10. Yeah, unreal, Welcome back to acting.
Speaker 2:But we had such a tight-knit ensemble. Like we all loved each other so much and we cared so deeply about the story and it was the first time that I was like I got it, like I understood why we were doing this Cool, because I was like, oh, I wasn't just performing, I wasn't just like feeding my ego and being like look at me, mum, you know, I was like understanding a script and analysing it and workshopping. So fun it was. So, yeah, it was really meaningful and, yeah, we sold out every show.
Speaker 1:Sick. I fell in love with TV and film, first as a kid, you know. And then I fell in love with acting myself through theatre. Yeah, and like being on stage in front of an audience. And then you find, oh wait, you can do the TV thing as well. And then that became a passion.
Speaker 2:But it was like theatre is just where it starts you can use the skills that you learn in theatre to actually amplify your skills in TV and film.
Speaker 1:It's all connected. It is, and they make you a better actor. I think you've got to do both you have to, man, you should do both.
Speaker 2:I think you have to Because there, because there was a big thing, at least here in Adelaide for a long time, where people would say are you film or theatre? I reject, I reject that, yeah, because it's like what do you mean? I'm an actor.
Speaker 1:I have to do both. I remember I did a workshop and it was like an audition workshop for drama schools and everyone was like, what do you want to be when you're older? And I was like I want to be an actor who works on stage and screen. Yeah, and the whole room went you can't do both yeah. And I was like whoa, I can't believe this is a thing though.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was like, but that was the same, like. It was the naive brain where I was like but I want to do it, so I'm gonna try and do it. Yeah, what do you mean? The lady that was teaching the workshop was a stage and screen actor, so I don't know why she was shocked, because I was like diva, you do this, this is my thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was like I know you do this, yeah. Yeah, I've seen your cv. It's kind of strange and I I'd stand by it. I'm a stage and screen actor and I want to do both If they'll both have me. You know, like they're very different.
Speaker 2:They're different and they're the same in other ways and you obviously nail both and they feed my soul thank you, I need to see you on stage. I haven't done a play in ages. Do another I would love to Do. I Got a good script that they want me for. Um, I do love it because, well, you get to sit with the project for a lot longer yeah, and you fall in love with it.
Speaker 2:You know, um, but you. That's where I learned how to act, because you have, you know, with amateur theater, you got more time than a professional You've got three months with this script.
Speaker 1:I know that's a luxury. I know Maybe not you know.
Speaker 2:Well, it was good for me, because that's where I learnt how to act, sure and like I could probably streamline that into like a five-week rehearsal now. Yeah, oh, now.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Sure but three months to have a script and to get to know your ensemble and all that time to understand, to analyze your character and their story and build this world, and then being able to apply the skills that you've learned through that process and streamline them into a five-week rehearsal or a day you know, when you have to jump onto set tomorrow and be like all right, I know exactly what the process is and I can I can streamline that, like there's no linear way of like training or like you actually you don't have to go to drama school.
Speaker 1:You're proof of it, you don't. You could find your training through those amateur theater, things Like if you, it's all about experience. If you don't do anything, that's like why you're not an actor, because you're not practicing. But if you apply yourself, yeah, there is not one pathway. No, no, or you can be really lucky and walk the street and get scouted and then you've set. But you know, yeah, good luck.
Speaker 2:Yeah, good luck with that, if that's, if that's your um yeah, I don't think there is one pathway in. Obviously, yeah, because I I didn't. But I, I sometimes I think about like, oh, should I have, but at the time, like during my 20s I was, I was just preoccupied yeah, I had done I had done some acting like I've done some good commercials and certainly done some theatre, but then I just got distracted with life and relationships and Classic Alcohol and shit you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that guy oh and music.
Speaker 2:You know, I was playing music full time and then by the time I was like I fell in love with acting again. I was like I can't afford to not be in the industry. I can't be studying right now because I'm getting old.
Speaker 1:It's scary Like. I'm putting your life on hold for that long.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Even though you're like, you're developing yourself as a person and a creative actor, it does feel like, oh my God, I'm so far away from where everything's happening.
Speaker 2:But what you do get out of drama school is you have a community.
Speaker 1:Yeah, every single day what you're saying and that must be.
Speaker 2:I mean, that's what I get out of theatre.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Going to rehearsal every day with my ensemble and you know who your collaborators are, you know who like juxtaposes your skills and we just knew that, whatever, when we were on stage together, it was just like a fun experience for everyone. And like we fed each other creatively, and so it was because we spent that long together. Four years is a long time and it's like if I was working a part-time job for four years I'd be like get me out of here.
Speaker 1:And by the end of drama school I was like get me out of here. But I'd be like get me out of here, and by the end of drama school I was like get me out of here.
Speaker 2:But for I want to, I want to act, I want to do the thing.
Speaker 1:We've been talking about it and doing it in these walls for so long. But the good thing is, the fourth year was like they know that and they expect that, so they sort of allowed industry people to come watch us.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so you were exposed to the people that you needed to sort of take you on to the next step totally so.
Speaker 1:It's like opening doors that would have been locked really hard to find if you're not. Yeah, part of that process, you know, yeah it can be kind of everyone else is like what goes on at flinders, because it's like a fortress but it's like they want to facilitate good actors and so and it seems to have worked really well for you, hopefully yeah, but I want to try.
Speaker 2:You're getting in rooms and people know your rooms what's in the door and then it's.
Speaker 1:It's funny when people are like well, I thought you were so much older, thanks. They're like.
Speaker 2:I thought you graduated years ago and I was like well, so do you think that's a perception that you sort of put out in the world.
Speaker 1:Yeah, kind of I think it goes back to the how people see you and I was like I was making stuff and doing stuff and telling the world about it. So, people thought I was like a functioning part of the industry, from whatever day. They thought that.
Speaker 2:It's wild, isn't it? It's so essential.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's honestly. It feels like a cheat code. I was posting all of that Like being myself and being proud of the stuff I do, because then people were becoming aware of it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I feel people are not making the most of this thing that we have in our hands.
Speaker 1:It's so. Who gives a fuck? Just post it. I don't know. Is it that deep? No, no.
Speaker 2:No one's watching it anyway.
Speaker 1:No one fucking cares.
Speaker 2:But the right people are. Yeah, it's hard, it's a hard sort of threshold to go over.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:That cringe threshold yeah. Like come on, we're all a bit cringe, yeah once you just get over the fact we're actors.
Speaker 1:Man like yeah, we're wearing wigs.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you wait till you see my salami ad man it's so funny I'm so sad, yeah, and but it's honestly for me since I just like I said, fuck it man, I'm gonna start posting because I'm not wasting these opportunities, these moments when you know you get a decent film and you're like like no one's going to do that for you. You're not going to get some PR team emailing you being like right, let's go, and if you miss that boat it'll sail away.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And so I say make the most of any opportunity that you get and make a big deal out of it, and people's perception of you will whatever happens to it, something's happening to it. They're thinking of you, yeah, even just it's nice being in the forefront of people's minds, yeah, whether that's other filmmakers or just people that are interested in yeah this world that aren't part of it. I really like people. It's really helpful.
Speaker 1:Like they say I've seen your stuff and how do I go about being an actor? I'm sure you get that heaps Like this is what I did. Do whatever, Just do something about it. If you want to be an actor, do something about it.
Speaker 2:So what would you tell those people?
Speaker 1:Sign up to a class or just pick something and do that, and then it's a thing. Go to amateur theatre.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Oh my god.
Speaker 2:Go to a workshop or an adult beginner's drama class or something Literally anything. Or go make a shitty film with your friends. Yeah, do the 48 hour film challenge yeah, come on, you guys had some serious success in that. You that just took you to ridiculous. Tell us what the film was called.
Speaker 1:The film is called. This is fine. It's about three housemates, so good it's. It's ridiculous, but we got the genre climate change which is a genre now apparently Fucking what?
Speaker 2:All right.
Speaker 1:The moment I saw it, I was like it was climate change or superhero, Okay, and I was like can I opt?
Speaker 2:out.
Speaker 1:I was like oh, whatever you know I'll hang out, and so we went for climate change. It's about three housemates that are denying climate change and the world is on fire around them, but they're they're just so stuck in their own toxic optimism. Yeah, totally. They're just like oblivious, obnoxious, etc. And it's like a.
Speaker 1:It's a, it's a comedy, but it's pretty uh, satirical, it's satirical, okay, yeah and I actually only did 12 hours work, like because I was there probably from eight till eight, yeah, on the filming day, and so I'm like, hey, that's me done. That was so fun, love that. Good luck to the edit, see ya. And then suddenly we won. And then you go to see the film, went to seattle and then it went to France and you're like you won last year, we did yeah, so, come on, this is a victory, this is amazing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, look at us.
Speaker 1:Come on, but it's crazy the reach that those films can have.
Speaker 2:I cannot understand how you guys made that in 48 hours. It's very ambitious, really talented people.
Speaker 1:Yeah, rainn Williams. Yeah, queen director I can list off everybody. Charlie Alderson wrote it. He keeps winning script awards. Nice, yeah, makes sense. Who shot that? Jack Morton, oh, that's right, jack, he's such a sweet guy. Yeah, he's so cute. But no one goes into it thinking that let's make a 48 hour film and go to France with it. No, because what the fuck? It's just a shock, right? I think yours went to Portugal, I think so Like. I didn't really I didn't really hear what happened to it after that Because I looked up.
Speaker 2:But then of course we're like is anyone going to fly themselves to Portugal? It was like nah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I didn't have the time to go to Seattle, but Zoe, who was in the film, she did go to Seattle and she made friends with all the 48-hour people. What a moment though the world becomes smaller.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And it's because you just say yes, You're like yeah, what's one weekend I'll do it yeah. Why not? And then I got a two-week Europe trip out of it. This, yeah, yeah, why not? Yeah, why not?
Speaker 2:I always come across like misconceptions with acting People have this idea of what it is and how to do it and so much of teaching. It is just like undoing all those misconceptions, myths and stuff Like what? Well, one is like character and like people think that character is solely physical traits or something.
Speaker 1:Oh, do you know what I mean? Like it's the language they use it's the attitude to the world. You know it's funny enough. The physical does help you know, for fact stack.
Speaker 1:I was pulled down to the earth a bit because my character, he wasn't confident. He's not the type of guy to walk around with his chest out, and then it's the language they use. The writers done that for a reason. Yeah, play up bits of your yourself and let that inform some of the character. I love that, especially in film. I find that because you can't fight what you look like.
Speaker 2:Are you conscious of like how your character is presenting in the world?
Speaker 1:you're not. You're not like part of the, unless the character is really self-conscious, in which case, yeah, unless, yeah, unless it's true to the character, yeah then you're like, yeah, you don't want to be thinking about how you look, I don't. No, I'll crash the fuck out.
Speaker 2:We have no choice in that. Yeah, it's good. I just ask that because, to any like newer actors out there that might be listening to the one actor out there that's listening- hey, Thanks for watching.
Speaker 1:Mum, Thanks for listening guys.
Speaker 2:That's something I see a lot with, like new actors. When we're developing a character, then all they're thinking about is like their physical traits and that's it, and it's like this very shallow approach, you know.
Speaker 1:Which it certainly is a great starting point Can be.
Speaker 2:Can be.
Speaker 1:I think a character can just be a guy that's lost his bus ticket totally and he might stand the same way you do yeah but like it's being aware of how you stand normally and let it be an informed choice.
Speaker 2:Yeah don't just like oh, do you make those choices early on, or do you let them come to you?
Speaker 1:I start. My general thing is that I start big and then strip, so like in rehearsals. If I don't start bigger or like more broader choices, then I can't find the specific stuff. If I'm already starting with specific stuff, there's kind of like it's harder to recalculate.
Speaker 2:Yeah, cause you lock yourself into something.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but if you're like I'm just going to be like really open and responsive to anything and then we can find what actually works, yeah, cause you're you're in a playful sort of yeah, it's all play, it's all play, yeah.
Speaker 2:You're trying lots of different things. You, it's all play. It's all play. Yeah, you're trying lots of different things. You're open to lots of different things, and how are you supposed to know what fits if you haven't tried it on? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:You can't play the final performance in rehearsal one.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:But some people like you've got to go through that discovery. Yeah, Relax, Relax it down and just like be more fluid with it all and you'll find good things yeah, I like it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and where can we find you on socials?
Speaker 1:yes, my instagram is connor pullinger, which is just my name, and then I do have a tiktok. It's connor pulley uh, pullinger, just cut it at the eye um, where I do a little bit of dancing and I earn a bit of money, do you?
Speaker 2:you Because of that, yeah.
Speaker 1:That's so good, silly.
Speaker 2:So fun For some reason.
Speaker 1:I just get emails and I'm like, yeah, I'll make a TikTok about it Really. Oh, I was wondering what the story was there. Guys, I'm not a sellout, all right, come on, you're just a hustler. I'm a hustler there you go Catch me on those socials. Let's connect. I love it.
Speaker 2:Thanks so much, man Thanks for having me Dude.
Speaker 1:this is awesome. Yeah, this is so fun. It's great to just talk.
Speaker 2:Yeah, isn't it good? Yeah, I love these conversations, man. Yeah, come back anytime, though. Thanks so much. Thanks for listening guys. Thanks, man. See you soon man wasn't that sweet. I absolutely loved having that conversation. So many pearls of wisdom. Thank you so much for listening.
Speaker 2:I really hope you got a lot out of that conversation and hey guys, if you really like what I'm doing here and you want to help support the show and keep this thing going, you can do so by signing up to the patreon at patreoncom slash, go, pluck yourself, pod and contributing as little as five dollars a month towards the show. Now here's the thing. I'm not interested in doing any sort of tiered payment system with Patreon. If you can't afford to contribute to the show, that's totally fine. You'll still be able to listen for free. You'll get the exact same show. All contributions are completely voluntary. Think about it like when you see a busker and you can either drop in a fiver or you can just give him a smile and enjoy the music. You know, either way, I'm still going to sing to you.
Speaker 2:Okay, two things to remember with Patreon. One, if you're using an iPhone, don't use the Patreon app, because Apple will take 30% of your contribution just for using this stupid app. But you can avoid the 30% fee by using a browser like Safari or Chrome. It's an easy fix. Two, when you go into Patreon, make sure you click See Membership Options. Don't press join for free. Joining for free does absolutely nothing. It's just a way for Patreon to take your data. It doesn't mean you're contributing anything towards the show at all. So press, see membership options. When you go to patreoncom, slash gopluckyourselfpod Guys.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for listening. Please join me next week. I have another really great friend on the show actor, producer, assistant director Jazzy, aka JJ Leach. It's a really lovely chat. She's got some amazing insights. She's the first filmmaker I've had on the show, but not the last. If you want a perspective from someone that works behind the camera, it's definitely one that you don't want to miss. So please subscribe and follow so you don't miss that episode with JJ Leach. All right, guys, my name is Chris Gunn and hey, go pluck yourself.