The Acting Business Boot Camp Podcast

About Ryan:

RYAN ELIZABETH CUNNINGHAM (she/her) is a queer writer/director and Emmy and Peabody award-winning producer who recently launched the development company Running Woman with the goal of telling stories that haven’t been heard before. 

She represented the TV projects THE FUGITIVE GAME (2018), TRANSMANIA (2019), and MARY (2020) in the IFP (now The Gotham) Project Forum. Ryan is very passionate about promoting equality, women’s issues, LGBTQ+ stories, and neurodiversity in her work.

She's EP/Director on the standup special ILANA GLAZER: THE PLANET IS BURNING (Amazon), the docuseries EXPECTING AMY (HBO Max), and an upcoming Pride special for Showtime.  Select TV producer credits include BROAD CITY and INSIDE AMY SCHUMER (Comedy Central), SEARCH PARTY and THE LAST O.G. (TBS); LOUIE (FX); STRANGERS (Facebook); THE SHIVERING TRUTH (Adult Swim); HORACE AND PETE (Hulu); THE ELECTRIC COMPANY (PBS), as well as several prominent...

Send your picture and resume to me: [email protected]

About Colleen:

Colleen Labella is the Director of Development for Leslye Headland's company, Shoot to Midnight. She is a producer on the new Freeform hit series SINGLE DRUNK FEMALE. Colleen worked on Fox's ALMOST FAMILY and Showtime's BLACK MONDAY, and she currently has a number of projects in development under Shoot to Midnight with 20th Century Fox.

Colleen also directs theatre in the greater Los Angeles area. Credits include: fml: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life at the University of San Diego, Canyon for Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, and a journey through minimalism at the Walt Disney Concert Hall featuring the LA Philharmonic. 

She holds her BFA in Acting from the University of Connecticut and trained at Tisch's Experimental Theatre Wing at NYU, as well as Shakespeare's Globe in England. Colleen focuses her work on women, collaborative...

About Stacye: 

After an illustrious career at Paradigm Talent Agency where Stacye Mayer has represented a diverse roster of actors she recently celebrated a successful year at Webb Sweeney Murphy talent (WSM).

Over the expanse of her career, she’s been part of the discovery & accomplishments of many actors’ careers. The list of numerous commercials she’s booked is endless but know that she’s collaborated creatively on many national campaigns, regional spots like state lotteries; as well as a long list of ads produced just for social/digital media. More recently she’s giving those with a good mic and an in-home studio an opportunity in the VoiceOver space as well.

Stacye is constantly looking to expand her commercial roster and cultivate new talent to reach their fame in this industry!

It’s the agent's job to introduce you to the Casting Director.

Once you make that connection, if you are doing callbacks, you are doing it right.

...

About Wolfie:

Wolfie Trausch is an in-demand voice-over director, casting director, voice actor, and loop group coordinator.

He works as a freelance English Dubbing Director for the top dubbing houses in Los Angeles, and directs an array of genres, from dramas to comedies, animated series, and video games. Some top credits include Netflix's To The Lake, Amazon's Parot, and HBO's Laetitia.

What is dubbing?

How dubbing is different.

Rhythmo Band by Voice Cue

Leave your baggage at the door and have an openness to play, be present, and be on time.

How to be a great dubber:

• Fully commit to the acting
• Timing is key
• You’re matching a performance
• All the technical aspects
• You are doing one pass
• You’re the principal

How have things changed since covid?

•  We were all in studio
•  Internet latency

Union vs. Nonunion

The rise of Dubbing

Biggest Pet Peeves:

•  Being late for a session
•  Difficult to schedule
•  Not honoring your...

Send your picture and resume to [email protected]

What to get your reps for the holidays:

$25 gift is fine

Avoid food and alcohol

Who to give to:

• Casting Director who you’ve booked a few jobs through over the years
• Agent and/or Manager
• Casting Director Agent or Manager who you’ve gotten a lot of stuff through get something a little more expensive

What to get:

• Movie Tickets
• Amazon Gift Card
• Find out if they like something
• Favorite restaurant
• Donate to a charity
• Flowers

Holiday Triggers:

From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie:

"There are many positive triggers that remind us of Christmas (or Hannukah): snow, decorations, songs, wrapped packages, a nativity scene, or a star, stockings hung on a fireplace. And these "triggers" can evoke in us the warm, nostalgic feelings of the holiday celebration.

There are other kinds of triggers, though, that may be less apparent and evoke different feelings and memories.

Our mind is like a powerful...

About Judy:

Judy Henderson has been honored by The Ross Reports as one of the top 20 US Film Casting Directors.

Highlights include Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting in a Drama Series. 2 Emmy nominations for Outstanding Casting in a Drama Series. 4 Artios Awards for Outstanding Achievement TV Series and Theatre Drama Casting. Artios nomination for Independent Film Feature Casting, and 8 Artios nominations for Off-Broadway Theatre Drama Casting.

She has cast innumerable national on-camera and voice-over television commercials. She is a member of the Casting Society of America and Local 817 of the Teamsters Theatrical Union. Select Film credits include Before Midnight, Paranormal 2, 12 and Holding, L.I.E. (6 Independent Spirit Award Nominations, Winner of Best Debut Performance Award), and Before Sunrise. Select TV credits include Homeland-(Emmy Award and 2 Artios Awards - Showtime Series), Love And Betrayal: The Mia Farrow Story (Fox), and Land of Little Rain (PBS). Broadway credits...

What is required in this Industry: persistence, consistence, and tenacity.

Episode 101: The 6 Business Tools Every Actor Must Have

Episode 102: What is Your Strength Story?

Episode 103: 3 Tips to Up your Voiceover Auditions with Roger Becker

Episode 104: What to Get Your Reps for the Holidays & The Crucial Follow up List

Episode 105: What Would You Do if You Were Brave?

Episode 106: The 3 Must-Knows Before Beginning Your Content Creation Journey with Bill Timoney

Episode 107: Social Media for Actors - The 5 Things you Absolutely Need to Know with Heidi Dean

Episode 108: Goal Setting for the Actor

Episode 109: How to Maintain Your Actor Goals

Episode 110: Why Your Sound Sucks, Common Mistakes Voice Actors are Making from Home with Frank Verderosa

Episode 111: Affirmations, Energy and Truth & Our Consensus

Episode 112: Three Steps to Learning an Accent with Amanda Quaid

Episode 113: Your Life's (and Career's) Potential

Episode 114: How to Get the Most out of Your Acting Class...

About Adrienne:

Adrienne is a renowned Independent Casting Director.

Her films have premiered at Sundance, Toronto, Cannes, Tribeca, Berlin, South by Southwest, Seattle, and many other prominent film festivals, many taking home prestigious awards. She is always working and always keeping an eye out for new talent. She cast both film and TV Union and Non-Union. Please check out her IMDB and her website www.AdrienneStern.com 

U.S. Theater Programs that Adrienne feels put young actors in the industry right out of the gate:

• Carnegie Mellon
• Point Park
• BU
• NYU
• Howard University
• Elon
• Temple

Tips for finding the right school:

• Look at alumni
• Think about what you want and what’s the best fit for you
• Have a second thing that makes you just as happy

How do creatives contact you?

• Often work with a lot of clients
• Don’t want to turn down a project, because they will find someone else and they will become part of their family
• Writer, director, or...

About Jen:

Jen Rudin is the head of the animation department at ICM Partners. She joined ICM in July 2020 following two decades as an award-winning casting director. Rudin grew up in New York City and began her professional acting career at age eight. She is the author of Confessions of a Casting Director: Help Actors Land Any Role with Secrets from Inside the Audition Room published by HarperCollins. 

Jen spent seven years as a Casting Executive at The Walt Disney Company. From 2002-2007, Jen served as head of casting for Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California and she won the 2006 Artios Award for casting Chicken Little and the 2010 Artios Award for The Princess and the Frog. From 2007-2009, she served as Director of Casting and Talent Development for Disney Theatrical Productions in New York City.  

"As a casting director, if you’re good, we will bring you back because we depend on...

About Jason:

Jason has been head of the commercial voice-over department of Stewart Talent NY for 15 years. He initially trained as an actor and screenwriter at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts before making the shift to the business side of entertainment. His first job was at the William Morris Agency where he served as booth director for their commercial department, able to draw upon his creative background to effectively interpret copy and direct talent. When Stewart Talent was looking to start up their own voice-over department in NY, Jason jumped at the opportunity.

The last 15 years have seen huge amounts of growth for the division, including the hiring of additional voice-over and on-camera agents, and he represents a flourishing roster of clients.

The massive importance of networking as an actor is equally important on the agent side.

Jason's Advice to Actors:

• Be honest about your skills
• Communicate book outs
• Be aware of your commercial exclusivities
• Knowing your type is...