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The Acting Business Boot Camp Podcast

Episode 243: Not Working to Working - Interview with Juan Carlos Diaz

business tips Aug 02, 2023

Learn More About The Working Actor Road Map

About Juan Carlos:

Juan Carlos Diaz is an actor born and raised in New York City. He began acting at the age of six in various school plays and musicals while in private school.

While still in high school, he began working at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre under the direction of Miriam Colon Valle, which led to his first Equity production at the age of 17 at New Media Repertory Theatre, where he immediately became part of the children's theatre company there.  

Juan Carlos holds a BA in theatre from Bard College, where he studied under the tutelage of JoAnne Akalaitis and Liz Smith.  

His work can be seen in BULL, HALSTON, LAW & ORDER, LAW & ORDER SVU, The Last Thing He Wanted (with ANNE HATHAWAY), and many other TV shows and films.


I've always been a good listener so I can figure out the homework later and take notes.

I went for the audition, and then this went on for about two years. I would even get...

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Episode 242: Letting Go of Chaos in Chaotic Times

core work Jul 26, 2023


Improv Class

I have a choice. I can get involved with the turmoil and, you know, continue to make it more miserable for others and for myself. Or I can stand for peace and reason and strength within myself.

It's really about keeping the focus on yourself during the chaotic times, especially when there's so much chaos around us right now.

The Language of Letting Go

"Letting go of chaos. No good work comes from unrest. Unrest, fear, anger, or sadness may motivate us. These feelings are sometimes intended to compel action. But our best work emerges after these feelings have been replaced by peace."

When I am too hot in my response or my reaction, I'm just getting into the problem and trying to control it.

A response is a reaction with a pause and a thought behind it. And really, what I'm talking about there is when I have given myself a cushion of peace.

Because I don't do my best thinking, I don't make my best choices when deeply embroiled in fear, anger, sadness, or some other huge...

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Episode 241: Inspiration from Martha Graham

core work Jul 19, 2023

Broaden your improv skills with Peggy Etra

I take pride in this podcast that I just let you see me for who I am, a flawed human being.

Cause that's what artists and characters are.

I try to use these little mistakes I make as teaching tools on how to be kinder to ourselves.

"I confess that I had a burning desire to be excellent but no faith that I could be. Martha said to me very quietly, there is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action.

And because there is only you. And because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly to keep the channel open.

You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges...

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Bonus Episode: Yeah, Now We Got 2 Strikes

business tips Jul 14, 2023

Yeah. Shit, we don't have one strike going on. We now got two.

So, what are we going to do about it? Well, I think the first thing I'm just going to do is I'm just going to share with you my feelings about it.

I do think this strike is necessary. AI is terrifying for the actor, and I am so proud and honored to be a part of a union that recognizes that.

Having your image so that a company just can use it, however they want to use it is just unacceptable.

I don't think it's worth it.

So what do we do now?

Free Masterclass

The three pillars are the three things that I really think you want to focus on.

Two of them in particular right now.

One, you're acting training. This is not the time to slide.

This is the time to ensure you are still going to the gym.

This is the time to work out your actor body.

I have the Acting Business Bootcamp Strike Challenge that I gave all of my Weekly Accountability Group actors.

It's a monologue workout to keep you going as an actor.

I'm asking for you...

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Episode 240: Scarcity Thinking Around the Strike(s)

core work Jul 12, 2023

Peggy's Improv Class

I'm just going to talk about scarcity.  

What is scarcity thinking?  

It's not enough. There's not enough. 

There isn't enough work out there.  

There isn't any work out there.  

Jealousy is a type of scarcity thinking because it is not acknowledging that there is enough for everyone.  

And this kind of thinking as an actor really only hurts you. 

The phrase is, you take the poison and wait for somebody else to die.  

And, you know, it's the same thing with scarcity thinking.  

First of all, it's not true. Scarcity thinking is based in your ego thought. It's not based in universal thought. And I always talk about kind of like turning your internal dial to universe as opposed to ego.  

The thing about me and my ego is that I know my ego.  

Even though you think by the word ego, it would want everything good for me. I have learned over many years of studying this work and practicing it that it's...

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Episode 239: It's Time to Celebrate YOU

core work Jul 05, 2023

Free Masterclass

Today we are going to talk about celebrating.

The Language of Letting Go

"Take time to celebrate."

Now the funny thing is that I rarely take time to celebrate, and I need to keep doing it more and more and more because it is in the times of celebration, and it's in our resting times that we are getting prepared to do and accomplish more.

But it's so important to reward ourselves. It's one of the things I talk about in time management to reward ourselves for all our hard work.

"Celebrate your successes, your growth, your accomplishments. Celebrate you. And who you are because through celebration, we are truly loving the self. We are truly celebrating who we are."

And isn't that what we are putting out to the business? We want to put out, "Hey, I've got this great product. It's me!"

I mean, isn't that what it's all about? It's show business. Let me show you me.

It's important to have joy.

"For too long, we have been too hard on ourselves. Others have spilled negative...

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Episode 238: A Message to Drama School Grads

business tips Jun 28, 2023

Okay, now what? We graduated, and there's a fucking writer's strike, and a pending actors strike. Wait, this is not what I showed up for.  

I've been a member of SAG AFTRA for over 30 years and a working actress for over 30 years. 

And let me tell you something, I've been through a lot of strikes, and you know what the greatest thing about them is? They end.  

There is a lot you can do right now, and that's getting ready.  

The number one thing I recommend to actors getting out of drama school is learning "the Language of the Agents and the Casting Directors."

If you think you learned it in drama school, I am here to tell you that, no, you did not. Chances are that you did not learn what the industry was like from the agents and the casting director's points of view. 

Some of the things to know, though, is that yes, you are the newbies on the block, and you are fresh meat. Everybody's all excited about you, but this is the thing you need to know is there...

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Episode 237: Letting the Past Hold You Back

core work Jun 21, 2023

You Can Heal Your Life

Letting the Past Hold You Back.

"Many people come to me and say they cannot enjoy today because of something that happened in the past.

Because they did not do something or do it in a certain way in the past, they cannot live a full life today. Because they no longer have something they had in the past they cannot enjoy today. Because they were hurt in the past, they will not accept love now. Because something unpleasant happened when they did something once, they are sure it will happen again today. Because they once did something that they are sorry for, they are sure there are bad people around them forever. Because once someone did something to them, it is now all that other person's fault their life is not where they want it to be today. Because they became angry over a situation in the past, they will hold on to that self, self-righteousness. Because of some very old experience where they were treated badly, they will never forgive and forget."

Ways...

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Episode 236: Interview with Guildhall's Wendy Allnutt

acting training Jun 14, 2023

Learn about Wendy's Class

About Wendy:

Wendy Allnutt trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama. She held the post of Head of Movement at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for 25 years and is a founder member of L'Oltrarno, Acting School in Florence. Other teaching credits include Colorado College USA, Conservatoire Stratford Ontario, Canada, Penn State summer schools, Laboratorio Internationale Teatro Degli Astrussi in Montalcino/St Mineato, l'Accademia SilviovD'Amico, Rome, LAMDA, Colby London Programme, BESG, and BADA.

Movement Director: Sky TV's Fungus the Bogeyman (2016), BBC's Walking with Cavemen, and The Iceman Murderer. Wendy has been the Master of Movement at Shakespeare's Globe 1st season and recently Henry V1 parts 1, 2, and 3. Revival choreographer for Welsh National Opera's Magic Flute (Out of Joint / RNT) She Stoops to Conquer and A Laughing Matter, Romeo, and Juliet & Private Lives (Mercury) Brothers Karamazov, Maybe and Private...

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Episode 235: Letting Go of What We Want as an Actor

core work Jun 07, 2023

Free month of The Weekly Adjustment Coaching Group

The Language of Letting Go

"It is important to identify what we want and what we need, but where does this concept leave us? Well, generally, what it leaves us with is a large but clearly identified package of currently unmet wants and needs, but we've taken the risk to stop denying and to start accepting what we want and need.

But the problem is now that the want or the need hangs there unmet. This can be frustrating. Painful, annoying, and sometimes obsession producing."

After identifying our needs, there is a next step in getting our wants and needs met. The next step is letting go of our wants and needs after we have painstakingly identified what they are and the steps to achieve them.

We let go. We give them up on a mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical level. It's not always easy to get to this place, but this is usually where we need to go."

I'm not talking here about giving up as an actor and giving up your dream.

...

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