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 3: How Actors Find Calm in the Chaos on Set with Jasmine ‘JJ’ Leech
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Check out her IMDb: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm13324533/
This week on the show, I chat with the brilliant JJ Leach. She's a producer, assistant director, and one of the few people who truly understands both sides of the camera.
We met doing theatre, but it was on film sets where JJ really found her groove. With a background in psychology and a deep love for storytelling, she’s now the calm in the chaos. Running sets, lifting up directors, and creating safe, focused environments for actors to actually do their job.
We talk about finding your lane in the industry, what actors don’t understand about production, and how her empathy makes her a total weapon on set.
You’re gonna love this one.
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🎵 Theme music by Nick Gun: soundcloud.com/nickgun
Hi, I'm JJ Leach and you should go pluck yourself.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you guys can tell from my pale skin or the bags in my eyes or the sound of my voice, but I have been hit with the worst flu in the history of flus, so I'm going to have to keep this intro fairly short because I can't breathe. Welcome to Go. Pluck Yourself. The Actor's Pursuit. I've been trying to find the energy to record this intro for over a week now. This is the best I've felt in about eight days. It's the first time I've been able to sit upright. So I'm really sorry for the lack of energy, but please don't conflate that with the lack of enthusiasm, because I am really excited to share this episode with you, and that's because my guest this week is not only a very talented actor, but she's also one of the kindest filmmakers that you'll ever meet, if you're ever so lucky to be on a film set with her. My guest this week is Jasmine JJ Leach and I met her way back in 2020 when we were both performing in the Laramie Project, and she is an absolute delight and it's a really interesting chat in terms of understanding the work both in front of and behind the camera, because Jazzy has done both, and I always think that if you can gain a well-rounded understanding of the ins and outs of filmmaking as a whole, whether that's in front of or behind the camera or both, then you're giving yourself a really big advantage. And JJ has used her experience to really strengthen her skills to be the perfect connection between actor and filmmaker, which is an essential quality, especially if you're working as an AD, which is what she does. Just for the record, I did not have the flu when I recorded this chat with Jazz. She's fine, she's healthy. This is weeks afterwards, not to destroy the illusion.
Speaker 2:Okay, just a little bit of context. Uh, just before we get into the episode, if you're not totally savvy with film lingo, you will hear us use the term AD quite a lot in this episode. Ad stands for assistant director and they basically keep the day on schedule and coordinate everything and they're also the point of contact for most of the actors. That's a really simplified version of it, but it's a really complicated job and basically, if a set is running smoothly, you can thank the AD. I also mention Red Phoenix, which is the independent theatre company where Jazzy and I met doing Laramie Project. We also talk about MAPS, which is the film school that Jazzy and I both went to, but not in the same year. It's not where we met. Maps is a school that loads of Adelaide filmmakers have gone through, famously the Filippo brothers or the Raka Raka brothers of talk to me and bring her back fame, go adelaide.
Speaker 2:Okay, I'm about to pass out, but, jazzy, I'm really sorry that I couldn't be the hype man that your episode deserves. But, guys, I promise you that this episode you're gonna you guys are gonna get so much out of it. It's a really insightful chat. It's full of really valid advice and interesting perspectives, and I'm gonna let the conversation speak for itself, because I can't speak for anyone right now. So, without further ado, please enjoy my excellent chat with JJ Leach. You rocked up at my house today.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 2:And I was rudely on the phone.
Speaker 1:I feel like, for someone who is on the phone, you're the least rude I've ever come across.
Speaker 2:I did this. Wait, I said 1.15. It's 1.09. You looked at me and you're like mm. Sorry, George, she's here early.
Speaker 1:She got out of her car. Go back, get back in your car.
Speaker 2:I said 1.15.
Speaker 1:Exactly, yeah.
Speaker 2:And then I was like oh, okay, so it was rude of you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was quite rude of me.
Speaker 2:I can't believe you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I came out and I gave you a hug. While you were on the phone you were like get off me.
Speaker 2:She's hugging me man.
Speaker 1:No boundaries whatsoever.
Speaker 2:Does she know you're on the?
Speaker 1:I said yes, I'm here, yeah, okay.
Speaker 3:You know. All right, start billing now, I guess. So make it about me, yeah yeah.
Speaker 1:Today's about you Today's about me.
Speaker 2:Tell me about how we met.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's kind of crazy because we met doing a theatre show, which is I haven't done theatre since then. That was the last theatre show I did, yeah.
Speaker 2:How crazy is that. Well, you know, if you do another one, it might not be as good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, I actually had that fear, because that was a really good one. It was like it kind of reminded me what I really love about theater, like I'd done a few theater shows that I really enjoyed, but that was one. So we did the laramie project, which is like a drama about, like I mean it's. It's basically about this horrible thing that happened to a town, and then it's like real dialogue. What's the word Real?
Speaker 1:excerpts Verbatim, verbatim, yeah, verbatim theatre From the town and it was one of those shows that just like everybody really connected and everybody really cared about what we were doing and you kind of like you have this like true ensemble, I think, which was really exciting.
Speaker 2:It was really special. Hey, yeah, something about that show. I spoke about this last week with Connor and it was the first time that I really felt connected to a script and I realised oh, this is why they like it. This is what they get out of it you know, but before that I was just kind of saying words on a stage.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:But I learnt so much in that process and I learned so much from everyone that I was working with.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was a really nice one where everyone was kind of helping each other out, especially because it was American accents as well and it was like very specific areas in the US, without any ego, like teaching each other how to do that and then how to get into each character, because we all had like seven characters each, so you had to have something unique to all of them in, like physically, mentally, and all of them had like all these different experiences with this trauma. Like they all had kind of different traumas and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and such a versatile bunch of characters, we're like flipping from these horrible bigots to, you know, one of Matthew's best friends, or something.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Just with a quick beat of a change. You know one of Matthew's best friends or something. Yeah, yeah, just with a quick beat of a change you know, yeah, it was such a good challenge.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think everyone cared so much about the story and like what we were saying was really important and still, even though it's like from what the 80s 97,.
Speaker 2:I think, yeah, that's right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:It was still kind of relevant now and we all just wanted to do it justice for Matthew as well, you know, like we wanted to do a good job for him as well. I think it was kind of like a really driving part and there was like so many like actors with such big hearts as well. It was a really good one where I was like, oh, this is what it feels like to work collaboratively and have so much trust in the people that you're working with as well.
Speaker 2:It was so special.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was a really special time.
Speaker 2:What were you doing around that time?
Speaker 1:So I was in, like I was at MAPS, oh yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:A MAPS girl. I was a MAPS girl so I was there like five days a week and then we were rehearsing three days a week and then I think I had to miss a day or two on like some of the short films we were working on, because I was at rehearsal. Because at the start of the year I was like, oh, I can kind of skip a few rehearsals and I can still do film at the same time. But for this one I was like no, I've got to be there at every rehearsal, I've got to be amongst this.
Speaker 2:And it was nice. Well, it was kind of impossible not to be at all the rehearsals because, chances were, you were in one of the scenes because you're playing so many characters.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:How many?
Speaker 2:characters did you play?
Speaker 1:I think it was about seven.
Speaker 2:I think we all had like seven each right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah yeah, and I think it also like knowing what else is happening, because it's all happening in the town, you know, like you kind of want to know the story of what else and how it's affecting other people, and then like, because you'll have certain scenes with certain people and then it's kind of nice to know what their backstory is as well. Yeah, but yeah, so it was like a lot that like I was doing a lot, like I mean, everything feels important, but it was like that one in particular.
Speaker 1:I felt very grounded and like none of us got paid to do that you know like we all just did it for the love of theatre and the love of like working with other people and trying to say something important.
Speaker 2:Do you remember the last show?
Speaker 1:I wish I could say yes, but I don't Really Remind me remind me.
Speaker 2:I just remember the feeling coming up to the last scene of the show, yeah, and on stage I just remember thinking like, oh, this is it this? To the last scene of the show, yeah, and on stage I just remember thinking like, oh, this is it, this is the last time we get to tell this story and whatever I needed to sort of access there, it was purely the fact that I was sad about the show finishing and I kind of like, I kind of side-eyed a few people on the stage and I could see in their eyes they were like fuck it's nearly over you know that bond that we all had, I think.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Man, I've been like chasing that ever since.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I think that. Yeah, kind of like how you said earlier, like because it's the last theatre show I did, I was like I don't know if I can jump into another one that I don't feel so connected with, and I think you don't have to be connected that deeply with everything that you do.
Speaker 2:No, but like fuck, it's really nice, but it's so special when you find something, a project like that and an ensemble like that. Yeah, the whole experience was not just fun but just like special for all of us, I think.
Speaker 1:Was the Laramie Project, the first theatre show that you did, because I remember you hadn't been acting for a while, right?
Speaker 2:And then you came back in. I don't think I'd done a play for like 10 years.
Speaker 1:Which none of us could really believe, Like. I feel like it was one of those things that I kept on feeling like no, no, no, this guy's way too good, there's no way. He's like yeah, I took a bit of a break. I can't use this part you did very well and you're incredible.
Speaker 2:You're incredible. Well, I didn't tell you that, so you can tell me I'm incredible. Okay, I'm going to take the compliment.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just take it.
Speaker 2:That's very nice.
Speaker 1:But you know, it was like one of those things where I remember, because there was a few people in our ensemble that were like I'd heard of or seen act before and you were like this person. That kind of came in. It was like who?
Speaker 2:the fuck is this guy? It's me I'm ready to be the big short actor here, and then we saw you act. We were like, fuck, okay, he's an asshole, but he's good but he's got it you can't find him like that anymore um, I hadn't done a play in 10 years, but I'd done stuff. I'd done some film. I think I can't remember.
Speaker 1:But film and theatre is so different I don't know what the fuck, I was doing around that time I was lost. Yeah, 2020. That's why I went back to theatre, wasn't it a?
Speaker 2:COVID thing for you, because I mean we'd just come out like the world was kind of starting to open up again, yeah. You know, actually just before COVID I was thinking about doing some theatre and I think I Googled like amateur theatre Adelaide.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And Red Phoenix came up and I can't remember what show it was.
Speaker 1:Blue Stockings, blue Stockings, yeah, which I was in. You were in that, yeah, yeah, yeah. No way. That was earlier in the year, so there was Blue Stockings in like I want to say April-ish 2021.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, and then?
Speaker 1:Laramie Project was what?
Speaker 2:November, I think they auditioned people for it in 2020, before COVID happened, cause I can't really remember this, but like when I I checked my emails and there was like a whole lot of back and forth between, like, red Phoenix and me and I was obviously trying to set up an audition, but it never happened. And then COVID happened and I thought, oh, it's just, that's the end of that. But I don't know, like, after COVID happened and like you know, I was just a mess for a while, laramie Project came up and I was like, okay, I'm going to do this, I'm going to get back into theatre, and yeah, it was the best thing ever. But also between, for that 10 years, I don't even know what play I'd done, maybe high school.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, wow.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, probably my last play was when I was 18 in high school.
Speaker 3:Yeah, wow, you just ran back into it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just jumped back in. You did good Thanks man. So okay, and then what? So you did Laramie Project. You were studying at MAPS. What were you focusing on at MAPS?
Speaker 1:I wanted to try everything. So my plan was because, basically so I'd spent like four years doing my psych degree. So I not to brag, but I have a bachelor's in psychological science.
Speaker 1:Really, yeah, no way. So I did that for like four years and then I was meant to travel in 2020 and then that didn't happen. So I just ended up working and I kind of got back into theater because I was like I don't know what I'm doing with my life. And then my psych was like, well, what brings you joy? And I was like, I don't know what did you bring you joy? And I was like, oh, I guess I liked acting. So I just kind of like started doing it, like and doing stuff with Red Phoenix yeah anyway.
Speaker 1:so then I went into maps because I was like I still have this thing in the back of my head about doing something in film and I remember one film in particular. So what we do in the shadows is my favorite film of all time.
Speaker 2:Is that?
Speaker 3:It's Taika Waititi. Yeah, like the vampires, yeah, yeah, incredible, so funny. It's a mockumentary about vampires living in New. Zealand.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's just like that came out. What 2014? And.
Speaker 1:I was like oh, this is the kind of film that I'd want to make, kind of thing, whereas before I was like I don't know whatever. But then I kind of like said that's a pipe dream, I can never do that. And then after 2020, I was like I'm going to give film a go for a year and Maps was like a really good way that you could practically kind of understand what it was going to be like in the industry, because you're like doing 20 films yeah within the year and it's all overlapping and it's like you can have a go at almost anything and you can kind of like it's just all run and gun.
Speaker 1:It's not theory, yeah it's very practical yeah yeah but I was like I do a year of that and then I just kind of didn't stop yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah so where did you go from MAPS? You did one year, then One year, yeah, okay, so where did? You go from that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, what did I do? I feel like I just kind of kept making films. I kept on because I directed a couple times, wrote a couple times, but I really found that producing was where my brain worked the best, because I was like I'd much prefer to help somebody else like achieve their goal in a way, and it's, you know, it is my goal as well. But it's like I'd much rather deal with the straight line A to B and like this is what's achievable kind of vibe. So I've just kind of been doing that.
Speaker 2:So you like the problem solving aspect?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that and I love yeah, just kind of like putting all the puzzles pieces together and achieving something that you don't think you might have otherwise been able to, because I don't feel the need to like.
Speaker 1:Like there's certain stories in my life that I'm like I don't feel the need to tell it, like you know, whereas some people like really like I have, I'm really excited to tell this story and all this kind of stuff and I think similarly with, like the Laramie project, I was excited to help tell that story through those characters, kind of thing or like help explain something, and I think producing for me is like I'm helping other people tell their stories.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, yeah, facilitating that for them. Yeah, their stories, yeah, okay, yeah, facilitating that for them, yeah, yeah, that's really cool. But did you do you think that your acting experience has helped you a lot with your producing, because you understand the other, the sort of other approach to well, the other angle, you know? Because, someone is someone's coming at it from a really creative side and then producers are coming from it still understanding the creative side, but from a more, you know, analytical, or yeah yeah, no, that's kind of it, I think.
Speaker 1:More than anything, I think I've found working as an assistant director, I could sympathise more with the actors. True which was really good and it was like I've. I'm sorry, it was really good.
Speaker 3:You were really good. I was really good, I was really good.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm sure you were but it was one of those things where, like um, I think, especially coming from theater, where, like you know everything, you've worked on it for three months, you know exactly what's going on, all that kind of stuff. And then seeing actors in film where it's like they've come onto set, they might have never met the director before they, they might have not been able to play with the character, with the director, all this stuff. They don't know what shots we're doing. They don't know a whole lot of stuff.
Speaker 1:And so, as an assistant director, I'm always trying to tell the actors what's going on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, which is so important.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because the director yes, if you can develop a nice relationship with the director and they have the time for all that, that's like a holiday yeah, yeah the relationship you have with the ad is so, it's so essential and they they just make such a big difference to, to the vibe on a set you know and I'm sure you, you are awesome on a set as an ad I'm sure you make everyone feel very comfortable well, that's the point and I kind of feel that as an AD and a producer, I'm like what I try to do is like deal with all the logistics so that the director and the actors can play and so that they can feel that they're in this world and they can just play in that world more than anything else and they don't have to think about that kind of stuff, like tell them you know, know the logistics of what's happening, we're setting up for this shot, that's why we're waiting, all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1:But it's just like the more that people can like indulge in the story and, like you know, have have that freedom to just yeah. It brings me a lot of joy when people are able to to kind of relax because they they feel that they're in a space where they're being trusted, respected and they have a good understanding of what's going on and that they have the time to be able to ask questions and to be able to like, yeah, talk to the director about what they want and what they can achieve together as well.
Speaker 2:I think is so important, oh man that is so important, yeah, just knowing that they have someone to go to, that they feel safe to talk to, and just setting up that safe environment for anyone that you're in contact with on a set, and especially actors, because, yeah, especially for, like, day players or even extras.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And then, conversely, people that are less experienced, that haven't been on many sets, knowing that there's someone there that they can feel safe to approach and ask the dumb questions.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it makes a huge difference.
Speaker 1:I think yeah, definitely.
Speaker 2:Because how are you meant to strip all the anxieties away if you know, and and move past that and get, get along with the actual job which is connecting to your character and, you know, being present in the scene? That's really all you want to be focusing on, and there are so many other elements that you don't expect, like all the practical things and the blocking and all the waiting, you know, and the unsure feelings and everything. But yeah, having a good AD there Is that kind of your. Is that what you're pursuing at the moment?
Speaker 1:I kind of like I like to do a bit of both, because I think I love producing and AD.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I like being able to do both, because ADing you're more amongst everything and you're talking to all the departments a lot and you're kind of like like I love being on set and I love being amongst and knowing everything that's going on, but I also love producing and when I've been able to create a like have a really good team where I can kind of step back and just you know put out fires as I team, where I can kind of set back and just you know put out fires as I come up, and that kind of thing yeah is really nice, and then I can be a bit of a goofball on set yeah, I love to do yeah, it's one of my favorite things sometimes to just like be a bit of a menace.
Speaker 2:But yeah sometimes a bit too much but you gotta have fun where it's appropriate, you know? Yeah, definitely, and that's part of making people feel comfortable as well because it can get quite serious and hectic, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, which is, I think there's such a line between, like, you want to take your work seriously, but you also want to remember that we're not saving lives at the same time. You know, because I think everyone on a film set is always trying to do the best that they can to do their job in the best way possible. Yeah, and I always try to lead with that. Even if, like, someone's taking a long time to do something, I'm like they're just trying to do their job in the best way possible, you know.
Speaker 1:And it's like how can we all work together to help each other out to do that, to help each other out to do that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, but you're kind of sitting back and you're observing everyone and making sure that everyone is given the space to do their job right.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because when you're in it and you're working on one thing, you're only focused on that one thing. But to have someone sort of standing back and facilitating everyone and making sure they all get the same space is so important. Sets can be intense, I think, yeah, because they they can be kind of, um, they can definitely be intimidating if you're not experienced, but I think for me, like understanding that everyone is focusing on their job, they're not being rude yeah, yeah, they're just working, you know and they all feel the same.
Speaker 2:They all feel probably just as terrified as the the next person, um, but they all have a job to do and so not everyone's going to come in and hold your hand and be like okay, welcome. I mean, people are very lovely.
Speaker 4:ADs are great, you know, and you know nah, people are sweet.
Speaker 2:But sometimes it can be intimidating. And I observe like other actors, like if it's their first time on a set, or extras, are very like what do I do? What do I do? But just knowing that everyone feels like that, everyone's a little bit lost and intimidated, especially at first, and everyone's nervous and scared. We're all shitting ourselves, you know. But you know finding solidarity amongst your peers, you know extras tend to gather together.
Speaker 3:you know, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And do we call them extras anymore? I think we do. Okay, gather together, yeah, yeah, and do we?
Speaker 1:call them extras anymore. I think we do. Okay cool, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I thought they changed to like background actors or something.
Speaker 1:Oh, no, maybe they do. I was an extra recently for the first time, oh, really I saw you. You don't remember the one conversation we had recently, a period.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 4:See, okay, but that's the thing like when you're on a set like the day is such a blur.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I did bump into you on that tv series and that was so nice you look great.
Speaker 1:All the costumes are awesome yeah, yeah it was really cool really cool to wear that, and it was interesting being amongst a lot of like uh, fresh actors as well, and seeing what their experience was being on set and a lot of them cared so much about the project and so much Like often, like people think that extras are just trying to get their big break and they just, and you know, you get people like that, who are just like you know, like I don't know. Try to get as much screen time as possible?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know, which is kind of funny they shuffle to the front. Yeah, You're like. Yeah, it's not about you, man, but you look good.
Speaker 1:But there were so many people and I feel like I like to think this is a bit of an Adelaide thing. Like, I think Adelaide sets are really lovely and everybody cares a lot and you tend to weed out the arseholes pretty easily, but it was interesting seeing all these extras that just really cared so much about, like even just the continuity and they were like trying to be on top of the continuity so much and like they would be like, oh, I need I should ask um, like the ad, this I should, and like incredible ads that had all the patients in the world and it was yeah.
Speaker 1:So many of them were like, oh, but the continuity isn't quite right. Here I was was like we'll be okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:It's fine, they'll tell us where to go. Everyone, you know.
Speaker 2:It's really good of them to like be aware of that continuity, because that really is, like I'd say, the main part of the job, 100% as a background extra.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Because the ADs are not going to pick up on all of that, you know.
Speaker 1:No, yeah, when there's a hundred of them, they're not going to be out there. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, make sure you're doing the same thing in each of the takes. Yeah, that's really good, and if you're at that point when you're getting work as an extra, you just want experience on a set, it's a great opportunity because you have a front row seat to the action.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and if I was. I mean I did extras work when I was younger, like when I was a teenager, and that was my opportunity to just observe, like how a set was run. Don't make it about you, just watch and do your job. You know, yeah, yeah, I always say, like, with extras work, someone says like, how do I get it? How do I get into film? I might start as an extra, get on a film set and the two rules as an extra, but the rules are don't look at the camera and do as you're told and do as you're told.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah it's pretty straightforward it's pretty straightforward it was more exhausting than I thought it would be. Yeah, um, because there was lots of standing around, a lot of like you don't know what's going on, so you're ready the whole time. Yeah, I think extra work it's not valuable as an actor to learn how to act, but it's valuable to understanding how film sets work and I think, if you're going into an extra role, thinking this is going to help me become a better actor.
Speaker 2:No, it's not the place to learn how to act no no. It's just a front row seat.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, which is so valuable, even like, as, like an AD producer, I was like this is so valuable to understand how this is all, how everything is moving together, because a lot of it was like what I've already done, just on a bigger scale. Yeah. But it was, yeah, really nice to be able to sit back and actually watch it rather than like, because usually if I'm on a set I've got all these responsibilities, whereas for this. I'm just sitting around and I'm like oh, they look stressed. Yeah, I wonder why they're stressed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, not my problem.
Speaker 1:Not my problem, but I'll stand and walk wherever you need me to stand and walk and I'll try to explain to the other extras what's going on so that you don't have to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, See, there's that solidarity.
Speaker 1:Yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:It's so good. If you're doing extras work, you're going to be feeling quite nervous because it's probably one of your first sets. I guess, I don't know, there are people that do it like for a living right.
Speaker 1:I mean when there's enough work going around, I mean it's not bad. It's not bad work to just, you know, every now and then just be around on a set.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Why not?
Speaker 2:And also all those extras that you meet. You know you'll all start moving up together and gaining more experience together and you build a nice community. Yeah, yeah, and you take that community to the next sort of step of that career.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And next thing you'll be doing, you know, big scenes together.
Speaker 1:I feel like for me as well, just like, I mean, there's some extras that are just like retired people, that, like you know, they're just like I'll do this for a day, or, like you know, people who aren't necessarily actors but are like I'll be a body for a day.
Speaker 1:You know, aren't necessarily actors, but are like I'll be a body for a day. You know that's fine, but I think for me as well, seeing because I'm helping out with a short film at the moment and we had just put out auditions. So so then I got to see all these people that had been emailing me recently and I was like this is nice to be able to work with you for three days because, I think a part of getting roles is also are you going to be a nice person to work with, not just are you the best actor in the room.
Speaker 2:Are you?
Speaker 1:like, do I? Want to spend 12 hours a day.
Speaker 2:People don't understand how big of a thing that is. Like, yeah, are you a nice person, are you reliable, are you going to? Yeah, are you going to be professional?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think and also like, weirdly enough and it didn't really happen too much but every now and then, like I'd hear conversations from people where I was like you don't have enough sympathy to the people working here. You know it was a bit of oh, this isn't done well, this isn't done well, this was better. On another shoot I was on and I was like cool, I don't like that mentality because everyone's like kind of going back to my thing, where, like everybody's here trying to do the best that they can with what they're given right. So it's like if you have an extra going like they're not doing enough here and I'm gonna tell you how it's better on this other set.
Speaker 2:Just not be on this set, if you want literally just go yeah, yeah, you can go.
Speaker 1:Nobody's forcing you to. If you don't want to be here, you don't have to be here and I was like, okay, cool, I'm gonna put that in the back of my brain. If you're gonna audition for me, I'm gonna hope that you have like a better attitude towards the crew who are all working their asses off. Yeah, you know, like it's like I know everybody's working hard, like you're that actual was working really hard and they did a great job. But it's like don't forget that everybody else is also working really hard.
Speaker 2:Don't come onto a set and and point out all the flaws on the set there's, there's always going to be something yeah yeah, there's going to be issues that someone is dealing with in the background that you don't know about.
Speaker 1:Don't come on and complain about what's yeah, and I think, especially if you're like coming into like smaller budget productions at least for me I try to the vibe on set is one of the most important things, because the last thing I want to have is people regretting coming onto a set, especially if they're not being paid or they're not being paid a lot. Then it's like the least that I can try to give people is a good time on set and feel like they're valued, their work is valued and they're proud of what they're doing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Especially with those small budget things. People come onto it thinking they're going to get a trailer or something and they're going to get treated like Leonardo DiCaprio or something. You know, just be grateful that you're part of something. We're all in this because we are passionate about the project and we are all figuring it out too. Still, you know, we're all learning, always. You know, even though we're professionals, we are still learning.
Speaker 1:One thing that I kind of keep in mind is that, even as the budgets get bigger, there's still never enough money, you know, in a way because you're trying to stretch the budget as much as you can and it's like, okay, there's a bit of good budget, but we're doing bigger stunts or something Like there's always.
Speaker 1:You always feel like like every department could always do with a little bit of something else, or a little bit of something you know so it's this weird thing where, like, even though things get bigger, it still feels like we're all just kind of learning and like working with what we've got.
Speaker 3:Even if what?
Speaker 1:we've got is a better camera than what we had last week.
Speaker 2:We're still working with the same creative problem solving that you would in a smaller budget you know if that kind of makes sense? Yeah for sure. I think the mentality is no matter what your position is on a set, if you're an actor or part of the crew, everyone is making a film. Like we're all making a film. You are a filmmaker. If you're an actor, you're part of that filmmaking process, you know. So come into it with the mindset of solving problems, not finding problems. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:That's a T-shirt.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we'll put that on a mug. You can buy that on our website. It's a big mug. It's a big mug, I think. Yeah, there are people that come on and point out the flaws in a set, and sometimes there are flaws in a set.
Speaker 1:Not sometimes. There always is, there's always going to be flaws.
Speaker 2:There's always like. There's politics, there's bitchiness. You know, it's all there.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Don't be part of that shit. Just go in and solve the problems that you're able to solve. Stay in your lane, yeah yeah.
Speaker 1:It's very important to um, yeah, and. I think being grateful as well, and it sounds weird like sometimes it's really fucking hard and you don't want to feel grateful like I totally get that. You're allowed to like be annoyed about certain things on set, but I think like I constantly try to be grateful that I'm able to to do something in the industry and that you know I'm able to do it with such an incredible team as well.
Speaker 1:I think you kind of look around you and you're like we're all able to be here and that's kind of incredible.
Speaker 2:And you know what you're getting out of it, though, like there's a reason why you're working some jobs for free and you don't do everything for free. I know that, but there are certain things you're like. Okay, I understand what this project is. I understand that it's a very low budget and everyone's doing this for nothing and I don't have to do it.
Speaker 1:Very true. That's actually a really good thing to remember. You don't have to do that.
Speaker 2:And, yes, set a standard for yourself. But I'm a little bit flexible with that because I do a lot of student films and I do a lot of things for free because I'm meeting the community and I get to try things that maybe I would feel less comfortable trying on a higher stakes project. But then my standards are also if you're going to hire me for a commercial, you better bloody pay me. And if I know there's a massive budget on a project and you're hiring me for my acting services, you know I'm not doing that shit for free, but they wouldn't do that anyway. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:So yeah it is about understanding what each project is and what we're all in it for. You know, we, we, just we like making things yeah, you know and the way it works in australia is not the way it works in Australia is not the way it works in the US. You know there are no budgets here. We are scrounging to get funding for anything. Yeah yeah. So if you want to create opportunities for yourself to make things, expect that you're not going to make any money out of it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 2:Know your standards. You know, understand your standards. Respect yourself. Don't let people walk all over you, don't you know? If you don't want to do favors for people, don't do them, but understand what you're getting out of that project.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it's. It's really good to be able to, um, yeah, have that mentality of I'm choosing to do this project, not I have to do this project.
Speaker 1:You're like okay, these are the reasons why I'm gonna be here yeah, and this is like you know where your line is, like, okay, I'll do this commercial, but I'm not gonna do it if I'm not gonna get paid x amount, you know. Or I'll do this project because I want to work with these people, because there's times that you're like shooting outside in the rain. You're like I fuck, what am I doing here? You know know, like I've asked myself on set so many times what am I doing here? And if you've thought about it a little bit beforehand, you can be like, oh yeah, no, that's why I'm here. No, I remember now. No, it's okay, and I can continue. And you can kind of go into it with a good attitude, because you know, sometimes it just takes a few little like everyone having a shit day and then everybody, you know it just seeps into everybody. It spreads yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, and it's like if you can just try to keep everybody, yeah, it's such a.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you can set the tone.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, if it starts to shift.
Speaker 2:You can, you know, just maintain that positive energy, you know, yeah, yeah, I'm not going to let that happen. I'm here because I love it and it's a privilege to be able to do this. Yeah, even for free. Even for free, yeah Like how lucky we are to be able to. This is how we spend our spare time. Even this like this is just like incredible that we're able to do this yeah.
Speaker 1:Awesome, very lucky Do you have anything that's like like the reason why you act or you make films or, you like, do podcasts. Is there something about the industry?
Speaker 2:that like is the reason why you do it. Well, there's a reason why I do it. Acting is something I found that I latched onto because I got so much fulfillment out of it. Okay, as a, when we're kids, we play, play right, and then at some point along that, along our, in our lives, we forget to play, we stop playing and we work and we go to the pub and drink and that's our play right. And for so long I was just kind of lost in that, in that void of like what the fuck do I do for enjoyment? I don't know what I'd like anymore. And, yes, there were, there were moments where I like played music full time and that was really, really fun and fulfilling.
Speaker 2:But when I stopped singing because I had some vocal issues, then I was really like I don't know who I am anymore because I didn't have a creative outlet and I also didn't have a community. And then I worked for many years like in banks and I worked at TAFE SA and I worked in a warehouse for three years and I left those jobs when I did Laramie Project and I started my own business so I could be flexible and free to take on acting work and I quit drinking five years ago. Fuck yeah, it lines up exactly when I started Laramie Project. But I found something that I can obsess over. But I feel so fulfilled doing this and I am absolutely obsessed with it.
Speaker 2:It's all that goes through my head all the time and I started the podcast because I want to talk about it all the time and I might as well film it, you know. But also it was a chance for me to play again and be creative and meet friends. I think, for, I don't know, for a few years, I don't, I don't think I could name a friend do you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:Like I was, just you kind of get a bit lost as an adult, like you don't remember how to just connect with people unless you go drinking yeah, yeah, that's such a good point and then it's not a real connection, no, but finding something that you really are passionate about, or finding something that allows you to be authentic around other people, um, that was huge for me.
Speaker 2:So that's why I do it, because I just really like we're. We're all on this journey together and we're all sort of getting the same thing out of it. I think so we all have that. We all have so many things in common and we're all sort of getting the same thing out of it. I think so we all have that.
Speaker 2:We all have so many things in common and we're all just as deluded as each other, yeah it's the group delusional. Yeah, yeah, yeah but now I really like if I didn't have this, I don't know. That scares me a lot. And now ai scares the shit out of me because I I watch a video of like vo3 and I'm like no one's asked for this shit yeah, yeah, I'm like I, I need this.
Speaker 2:Don't take this away from me. But then I think about, like, if I compare that to the music industry, and there's shitty factory pop music out there that exists and it hasn't replaced real music, you know. So you can watch fake videos if you want, but I don't think the general population is going to take that on, you know yeah, there's always gonna.
Speaker 2:You can't replace like theater you know, yeah no, literally yeah, yeah, yeah, but it scares the shit out of me because I don't, I can't, I can't have this taken away from me no, yeah, no, I get what you mean.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think there's always going to be something that like, because people can like tell the difference between like a vinyl record and a CD.
Speaker 4:you know, like you can, you can't really. It's a size yeah.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's what it is. Yeah, I thought it was something else.
Speaker 2:You ever try to play a vinyl on a CD player?
Speaker 1:It doesn't work.
Speaker 2:That's where you know you've.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, it doesn't.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1:And that's how you work out, cause you can't work it out before then, there's no way to compare it.
Speaker 2:There's no way to know.
Speaker 1:But then you put it next to it and you're like oh, this isn't why, okay, but I do this.
Speaker 2:Because I do this? Because, like, I found a community, like it's giving me something that I like if you find something that you're really passionate about and you're privileged enough to be living in the country where that is possible.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2:Do it 100% yeah. I mean, I found something that I really love and I didn't know what things I loved for a long time, you know. So I've latched on to this thing that I really love and I'm around the people that I really love and I feel so lucky to have found that, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I remember it was like a concept that I hadn't even thought of before, where my mum had said something about how like she was, and it wasn't like a jealousy, but it was just like an acknowledgement of like she's not someone that really found her passion in life.
Speaker 1:And that's not to mean that she's like sad or anything like that. She just she did a job that she could do with people that she liked, but she never had anything that she's like. I'm deeply passionate about this thing and that's going to be my career and that's going to be all this kind of stuff. And she was like it's really cool when people find that, and I was like, fuck, that is like it's special to be able to find that, and not only is it something that you're passionate about, but something that you're capable of doing because of your circumstances of doing, because of your skill set as well you
Speaker 2:know, like a two, a two, two but you care about it and that's why you want to get better at it. Like I want to do it, and so I have to get good at it yeah, yeah, because otherwise I can't do it. Yeah, but even, even still, you can. You can do it at any level you can do you? Can do a play and just like have fun that's all but still enjoy, enjoy the community and enjoy like putting yourself out there and having a go at something you know.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I just I'm obsessed with like doing this. I'm like I have to get pretty good at it. I think you know to be able to sort of stay in it.
Speaker 1:And you have to be okay with being not good at it to start off with and kind of go through that.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:I saw some like quote from like Bill Hader recently. That was like something about acting is really embarrassing and any form of art is really embarrassing yeah you kind of? Have to get past that.
Speaker 2:And then you can do some really cool stuff it's very, it is very embarrassing, so embarrassing, this is embarrassing yeah, I'm embarrassed for you. You're embarrassed, you should be yeah.
Speaker 1:No, I'm deeply embarrassed. No, but it is. It's this kind of vulnerable thing exposing you.
Speaker 2:If you can get through that and understand that, yes, this is going to feel weird and it's going to feel embarrassing and all those thoughts are going to be there. If you can get through those, though, once you've done it and you've made something, people will go that was cool, man, and you'll be like, thank god, because it felt awful you know it felt awkward and embarrassing and I didn't know if it was right I remember I had an actress come in for an audition once and um we were going for the second.
Speaker 1:Like you know, the actor comes in with what they give a go with a role and then, the director gives notes. And then the director was like okay, cool, like have you got those, you're happy to give it another go?
Speaker 1:And she was like, yeah, sure, we'll just see what happens kind of thing and I was like that's such a good mentality to have, because it was like I'm going to take it on, but I'm also relinquishing some level of control in a way where it's just like we're just going to see what happens and if it's what you want, it's what you want. If it's not, then I'm just not the right person for it, kind of.
Speaker 1:Thing because I think so much of acting like people think that they have to be the best actor in the room but that's such as not a small amount of it. But that's one part of getting a role, and keeping that role is being a good actor, whereas I think the other part of it is what you naturally bring to it and what you look like.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't think they are always going for the best actor though, no.
Speaker 3:Good casting directors aren't going for the best actor.
Speaker 2:They're going for who's right for that role and whatever circumstances fit around that role. You know like you might not be right for a role right now but at another point in your life you are yeah because, you can access whatever it is. You need access for that person. You know, if you can empathize with that person at this time in your life, with your experiences so far you know then you might be right for it.
Speaker 2:But, at other points, like I mean, I didn't act for like 10 years because I wasn't able to you know, yeah, yeah. I was not in the right headspace to be able to access any of that.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because, for whatever reason you know, yeah, and I think it's like, whatever your experiences are and what you're going for and how that um it, whether you'll bring it, consciously or unconsciously, um whether that's what the director is looking for or not. I mean, they might not even think they're looking for something, and then you might, for whatever reason, because you've been able to access something or because you have been through whatever. You naturally bring that with you and they don't know what it is, but they're like that's perfect for that role.
Speaker 2:They're looking for something real.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And if you can bring something real, then you might surprise them, you know.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I think they want to be surprised with authenticity.
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah, yeah, I think being a to be surprised with authenticity.
Speaker 1:Yes, you know. Yeah, yeah, I think being a bit comfortable as well is always helpful, or is it? There's this I feel like I keep quoting people now, but Jason Bateman has a quote that he uses a lot on the Smart List.
Speaker 2:Oh, I know what it is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Sexy indifference. That's the one. Yes, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I was almost going to say it at the same time, but I got embarrassed.
Speaker 2:We could have had a Connor Paulinger moment.
Speaker 1:And then I thought what I know, and I was like I'm going to get it mixed up, I'm going to say indifference.
Speaker 2:I was like that's not right, indifference except see yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but that's it, like. It's just like. I think that's the same mentality of like oh we'll see what happens, or you know, like you said, like being able to play, that we haven't been able to do that since we were kids like it's that kind of sexy indifference of like, I'm just gonna see what happens, I'm gonna see what I can bring, but I'm, um, yeah, not gonna be too in my head about it yeah kind of thing I think it's a really good mentality to have and means that I think as well, like if you bring that to an audition, you, you're going to bring that to the day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because I think, in a way, you want to put in a lot of work into your roles, right, because you can tell the difference between someone who's created a whole backstory and someone who has just read the surface level of what a character is going to be Like. There's always a lot of work that goes into it. I think there's also, naturally, what you bring in, what you bring to the role.
Speaker 2:So I think I think everyone works in a different way, and some on some jobs and for some people you need to spend a bit more time on it, you know, and learn more about this person that you're trying to figure out you know yeah definitely, and other times you can just rely on instincts, you know.
Speaker 2:But I work very differently to a lot of other people and we all do. You know Some people really put on a lot of, put in a lot of analytical work and when I do that it does help, you know, and sometimes you're given a lot of backstory that's not even going to be shown in the narrative but it's there and it does help. But it's communication from, like, the writer or the director, like this is who this person is. You know we're not going to show any of this in the story, but it's just going to help you. So, whatever happens on the day day, you're coming at it from the right angle. You know what?
Speaker 2:I mean yeah, yeah but, yeah, have trying to trying to control it too much is is where people's I don't know, I don't, I think, I really don't want to be, I don't want to tell people how to do it, you know, because it is so different for everyone yeah, very true yeah, but yeah, I feel I don't know.
Speaker 1:I just have this like thing of where I see actors go for roles that I'm like I see them setting themselves up for failure. You know, in a way, and I see these actors that could be fantastic but they just keep putting themselves up for roles that I don't think are perfect for them. If you can understand who you are and what you're doing, I think naturally bringing that I keep coming back to this because it's like there's only so much acting that you can do. You know, in a way where it's like you can have all of that work behind you and it's never wasted work. But I think if you're putting in all of this work for a role, that is is just not going to be right for you. Like I'd hate to see that with actors.
Speaker 1:And then they like, why am I not getting roles? Why am I not succeeding? And it's like you have this avenue that you can succeed in, but you're setting yourself up for failure. You know if they find what they can do and whether their voice is best translated or whatever. I think everybody can do an incredible job and a lot of it does have to do, I think, with how you look, unfortunately. But there's this Scottish actress that's like she always gets these roles as a villain and as a witch and all this kind of stuff, and there's this quote from her where she's like I was blessed with this face that is great for these roles and she's not mad about it.
Speaker 1:She's not going to like, she's not going to be the sweet person in a lot of stuff, and it's kind of like you kind of have to accept that, I think, and kind of go okay, this is, this is where I'm gonna succeed the best because, yeah, as an actor, you're rejected so many times it's, it's one of the, it's a cliche, but you know that whole.
Speaker 2:You are enough kind of thing, you know, start with yourself you know, yeah, yeah, because you can. What they want is to see a real person, and you are already a real person you know?
Speaker 1:No, that's so true. You don't have to try.
Speaker 2:I don't think you need to go too far beyond that initially. Well, I don't know ever. I don't know what I'm talking about, but. I bring myself to every single role, you know, even if it's very different to who I am. And yeah, I might not agree with the characters' values, but I could connect with how they got there or relate it to something else.
Speaker 3:That isn't so horrible, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, Well, you know, I could understand what it's like to feel lonely, and that's why he's acting out against these people. Yeah, but that's me bringing myself to that experience and being like, okay, if this was my circumstance, if this was my education, I could understand what this might feel like, you know. Yeah, yeah, I don't have to agree with it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you don't have to like every character that you're portraying, but you can understand them. It doesn't mean you forgive them, but you can have a level of understanding to them, I think. And allowing yourself to be a little bit in that character, especially when you've got something like film acting, where it's like it's really zeroed in on, it's like an X-ray the lens.
Speaker 1:The lens can see through, like everything in a way, if you don't allow yourself to like, love yourself enough to be able to have that scene, then you're always going to have a level of mask in your acting right. Yeah. So it's like you kind of have to let a little bit of yourself in and love yourself a little bit, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, If we talk about loving yourself. That was a big shift for me, you know, and probably why I couldn't do it for a while.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we don't have to go too deep on that, but you know what I mean. Like it was accepting yourself.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:That's not an easy boundary to get over for anyone.
Speaker 3:You know yeah.
Speaker 2:It's such a journey, man, but I think the closer you can get to even just understanding yourself, you know we don't have to get to some place of enlightenment to express yourself in any sort of artistic way. Just understanding the way you work at this point in your life.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and accepting your flaws Until you're perfect in your own eyes before you can start something you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, accepting your flaws, I think is a big part of it, and that yeah kind of yeah, understanding yourself and it's like it's not something that you're going to wake up one day and be like, oh I know myself completely and now I can act. It's just being able to kind of continue to have that conversation with yourself or something you know that you can like continue on and like have some sympathy for yourself, or like, yeah, yeah, understanding it's caring for yourself and yeah, understanding that.
Speaker 2:Okay, today, today I'm anxious, because sometimes I get anxious, so my disposition needs to be a little bit awkward. I might not be as talkative today.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:But that's okay because people get it. And my other mode is like kind of manic and like hey, hey, it's going on. But I need to be like that today, yeah. Yeah, because I feel okay or maybe I'm masking something, but just understanding my modes is is big for me and like if I'm, if I'm in a social situation and I'm not feeling so talkative, I can still be there and just be like, well, I might not talk as much and I might just listen today, but yeah, yeah, and I might be really overbearing on the next one. You know, that's just me understanding how I, how I work.
Speaker 1:yeah, because you're not the same every day as well and you've got to forgive yourself for that as well, like. I think for me. Sorry, I feel like I've interrupted your thought, but no, that was the end.
Speaker 2:That was the end, thank god.
Speaker 1:You interrupted um, because I have like this thing about like sometimes um, when I meet people at like networking events or at like parties. There's something about that environment that generally I end up being that like bigger personality or that like because I do get a lot of energy from people. So I kind of go into this mode.
Speaker 3:I'm like, oh there's this person and there's this person.
Speaker 1:And then we're like, oh my God, that's the best idea ever for her.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm like that too in those situations, and then I'd get in the car and I'm like that too in those situations, and then I'd get in the car I'm like fucking calm down, chris, like jesus, that sounds great. That sounds great yeah but you know.
Speaker 1:But then like. But then I get worried about like oh, this is, if people mostly see me in that mode, that's what they're gonna expect. And like even, um, in in like a working environment, in like a friendship, in a relationship or whatever. I'm just like I have to be that all the time for them now, and then you kind of have to go wait, no, I'm a fully fledged person. This is one mode.
Speaker 1:I have other modes where I'm like more anxious and it's just, yeah, understanding a bit more about yourself, I think, is always going to be helpful in any aspect of your life, that you can kind of go okay, this is what we're feeling at the moment. I'm acknowledging that I'm, you know, gonna act accordingly for myself and also for other people, that it's like your emotions are always valid yeah but it's what you do with that.
Speaker 1:You know your behavior from that. Like, if I go to a yeah, a networking event, I'm like I'm feeling really flat and I don't think I'm gonna be able to their names and it's like okay, I'm going to acknowledge that I'm like I'm having a low day, but I'm going to continue, and it just means that, like I'm going to ask people more questions so I can listen more.
Speaker 1:You know, Like you have a behavior that can help you get through it kind of thing rather than being like well, I feel shit, so people are going to have to deal with me being shit today.
Speaker 2:It Like well, I feel shit, so people are going to have to deal with me being shit today. It's like well, I should be having Imagine asking someone about them. Imagine that, imagine that Whoa crazy, wow Imagine being curious about how someone else is going Genuinely.
Speaker 1:Genuinely, and then listening to their answer.
Speaker 2:Sorry, I zoned out what.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then you listen to the hey and then, so the other part is right that you're listening with your ear, yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay, slow down.
Speaker 1:That was too many things. But you are grateful to be in an industry where you have a community yeah, yeah, and I think you know like there's so many different areas of film that you can work in, and I've made my peace with the fact that I don't know exactly where I'll end up yeah but I think I'll end up around people that I like because you work it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like I said, like you're working so many hours, yeah, um, I don't want such a big part of my life to be like you get to the end of the day and you're like thank God, I'm at my real life now. It's like no, the whole thing is meant to be your life?
Speaker 2:What else do you do? What's your real job?
Speaker 1:My real job, the one that actually pays.
Speaker 2:I love that question. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I work in retail. Don't say it like that, you have a job.
Speaker 4:I have a job and I am grateful for that job. I clean toilets.
Speaker 2:Yeah yeah, not just toilets.
Speaker 1:That's the worst part, hey you clean a lot of things. I'm good at it, you know, yeah, and it's like I am also grateful for that job because I can like yeah, I can do it without thinking too much. It's very flexible hours. I get discounts on things like hard drives that I can buy for film sets. A hundred percent.
Speaker 2:A hundred percent discount's great. That's called stealing. How often are you on a film set?
Speaker 1:I have a project like every two to three months. I would say Early September is the next time I'll be shooting. Right. And I might jump on other stuff in between, but that's the next one. I'm helping produce and I think AD as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I'll have a time where I'm like, oh shit, I don't have anything for the next two or three months, but something will come up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so where can you go from here? What? Would that next sort of journey or that next step look like.
Speaker 1:I need to get on long form. That's my goal for the year is to get on a long form where I'm doing more than like a month or so.
Speaker 2:Like as an AD or a producer.
Speaker 1:Either really. So I need to get either into the production office, which would be something to do with producing, or as an AD, which would probably be like a third or something. I've been hired as like a field producer on certain things, which, um, has been helpful, but that's very much more commercial work. But I think if you can kind of weirdly market yourself on film sets where you're just like, well it's, it's kind of weird to put into conversation, but sometimes people are really curious and if you're doing your job right, then they will want to talk to you and they'll want to see how they can utilize you in the future.
Speaker 1:And if you make it clear that this is where you want to be in the future, then they'll at least, that's my theory. It's kind of hard to know if this is going to work, like I feel like a lot of what I do is like taking um chances on people, that like I'm almost like investing in these projects because I'm investing in the people as well and I'm like okay, if this producer that's co-producing with me, or this um director or this dp, if they then get opportunities, they'll bring me with them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know as well. Or like it's always the more work I do, the more I know people as well. So it's like yeah, that's.
Speaker 2:That's the big thing with experience, isn't? It because it's like.
Speaker 2:You're building connections, you're networking on the job. You know, because when you're there in it, when you're on set or in the production office that you are, you're not just keeping to yourself necessarily, you are authentically, you know, having conversations with people and being curious about what their goals are and sharing your goals with them too, and hopefully you can help each other out down the track and rise with the tide you know, without being a ladder climber you know, yeah, yeah. Are you in this for the right reasons?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Are you going to step on other people's toes to get higher up the ladder? You know, yeah.
Speaker 1:yeah, I had someone who I got on as a runner for the short film we just did and I met him for a day on that TV show that I was an extra on. I met him as the bus driver for all the extras. Really. Chatted to him for like five, ten minutes. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And then someone was like, because I was still trying to find extras and Nicole Schoen, who we love, she was on set, asking people being like who wants to be on this as an extra? And all this kind of stuff, yeah, awesome. This guy had emailed me and he's like hey, happy to be an extra, also happy to help out because I've been doing unit on this thing. And I was like I remember you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, was like I remember you, yeah. And I was like, oh, you had a really good vibe. And I was like, yeah, no, definitely come on. If you want to do extra days, I'll have you as a runner.
Speaker 1:And like I was chatting to him and he was like, why did you like trust me to, I'm like you just you were nice you were nice you were capable at your job, you were nice, I trusted you and it was just like this weird thing and you know, sometimes it doesn't always work out perfect, but it's just like like that, even just the five, ten minutes of interacting with someone and seeing that they're on top of their shit and that they're nice.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Can do a lot for you, yeah.
Speaker 2:That's gold. Thank you that was all gold. Thank you Okay. I'm not good at segues. Okay, what's something I've been. How can we bring this up? Do you have like a thing that you always end?
Speaker 1:on that. You always ask everyone for their advice, or no?
Speaker 2:no, it's just, I want the advice to be organic, okay I don't want to be the advice guy and that's, but I was making content which was just advice yeah, and I haven't. I didn't post any of it. I made heaps of it yeah, yeah it's um. You don't have all the answers I don't, and there's not one way to do it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, very true, yeah.
Speaker 2:And it's not my business to tell someone how they go about it, because I didn't follow any of the rules. Very true actually I came at it from a different angle.
Speaker 1:I think, like you said, like most things, where you're like trying to give someone advice and you're trying to help someone in the industry because I think you'll come across it always like I think, whether it's on set, whether it's out and about, where it's a networking thing, everybody wants to know advice and know how to do it yeah, yeah but I think it's it.
Speaker 1:I think it's just about gathering a bunch of information and being like I'm gonna try some of these totally and whichever one works, works and I think the more that you just understand everybody's experiences and how, how they feel and how they, etc. Etc. It's like then you just kind of work out what works best for you. It's almost like when you get notes on a script where you're not just going to take the notes from one person and use them as gospel. You kind of get notes from a bunch of different people and if like 10 people all kind of have this similar note, then you're like maybe I'll take that one on board.
Speaker 2:But you don't have to take on all of them. No, then you're like, maybe I'll take that one on board, yeah, but you don't have to take on all of them.
Speaker 1:No, that's how I feel anyway, because it might not register with you. No, yeah, so you have like advice and then you pull from that in the moment what you think is going to work. You know, you give yourself all the tools to then be spontaneous, be present and be malleable with your goals and malleable with where you're heading, and just kind of.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, it's like there are so many different schools of thought for acting. You can learn about them all.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and pick and choose.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, you might not even be aware that you're picking something. You're just True, you're just accessing it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I mean I learned how to act because I listened to a lot of podcasts. Like that was honestly like and like considering different points of view, and then be like right, I need a film set because I want to try something. I mean, I like acting advice, but I don't necessarily take it all and same with direction. Like if I have a conversation with my director and they say something to me that doesn't fit with the way I work, it just means the conversation needs to keep going a little bit. Okay, so what you're saying is this this is sort of where we're going with this, and then I'll try to word it in the way that works for me and if that aligns with their vision, you know, then we're onto something.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know it's about figuring out what works for you, understanding yourself again. Yeah, yeah, exactly, and then you can have a clear communication on that and being malleable is really important because everyone's going to approach it differently and every director is going to come at it from a different angle.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Some directors might give you heaps and some might give you nothing, and both are fine.
Speaker 1:Yeah yeah, there's so much unpredictability in the arts, in working in a film set. There's so much that's like you can plan the perfect set in the world, but something's always going to change, you know.
Speaker 1:So it's like, yeah, having those tools ready so that you can be malleable and you can be adaptable and be okay with that and not too scared of that as well yeah, I think it's really good yeah, because because you don't really have control over it no, yeah, yeah, you got to let go of a lot of control, I think, um in working in any department in film, because there's only one, like certain aspects, that you can have an impact on, and yeah um, I think being able to see it as like, as something that you can have an impact on, and I think being able to see it as something that you can have an element of letting go, I think, kind of frees you to be able to play, to be able to be adaptable, where you're like I don't know which take they're going to use, but that's okay, like I'm just going to play and have a go and trust that they're.
Speaker 2:Give them options. Yeah, yeah yeah, it frees you up from trying to get it right and trying to control what this thing is, because you might not know the vision.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:The director is. They might know it, or they're figuring it out, or they might figure it out in the edit.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, might change. That's what I was going to say, and you just don't have control over any of that, and that's fine. Yeah, that's actually okay.
Speaker 2:It's very freeing, I think.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Jazz. This was really fun.
Speaker 1:This was really fun.
Speaker 2:So where can we find you on socials?
Speaker 1:So you can find me at JJ Leachie, so JJ L-E-C-H-I-E on Instagram. That's where I put everything and there's a little link tree on there if you want to see what I've been working on.
Speaker 2:Yep and if there are any producers out there. Please hire me or anyone looking for an amazing AD who's going to make their actors feel very safe? Jj.
Speaker 1:That's the idea, and everybody feels safe.
Speaker 2:Thanks so much for being here, man. This is really really sweet. I'm so glad you're here and, like all, your insights and your thoughts are gold. That's awesome man.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for having me. I was so honoured that you asked me to be on here and like have a chat with you, and it's just a nice excuse to catch up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, dude, I'm just catching up with my mates. Yeah, this is good, thank you. Thanks so much, man. That was a sweet one, right, guys? Thank you so much for listening. Thank you so much for watching.
Speaker 2:Make sure you check out JJ Leach on all socials. I've got to go rest my voice and try not to cough, because I am shooting a movie in four days and if I don't have a voice by then, then I'm proper fucked. So take it easy, guys. You know the drill Share, follow, subscribe, Show all the love. Follow us on Instagram at gopluckyourselfpod, or follow me at featuring underscore Chris, underscore gun. If you want to support the show, you can do so by going to patreoncom slash gopluckyourselfpod to keep this thing going through sickness and in health for as little as $5 a month. Thank you so much for anyone that's already contributed. You guys are the true MVPs. Theme music is by my totally dope cousin, nick Gunn. You can check him out on SoundCloud soundcloudcom slash Nick Gunn. My name is Chris Gunn. I'm going to go take a nap and, hey, go pluck yourself.