The Acting Podcast

2023 was a really intense year. Two strikes, wars, a contracting Industry, inflation, lingering effects of the pandemic, etc. And that intensity revealed some powerful lessons that every actor must hear and understand in order to be a working actor in 2024.  Risa and Steve delve into the lessons of 2023 that point to the new reality for actors and light the path to success in the New Year!

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Ep. 50: The Strike is Over. Here?s What to Do Now.

Ep. 47: A.I. is Coming for your Jobs. Here's What to Do.

Ep. 46: What to do when The Industry Stops

Ep. 45: The Healing Required to Be an Actor

Ep. 43: How To Be A Happy Actor

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Ok, so the Industry is back. But it won't be business as usual. It can't be. Too much has changed. And if you want to book work in this new reality, you're going to have to change too. So listen in and let us know what speaks to you! You can meet this moment, but it won't be easy. Risa and Steve discuss where the Industry is at right now and the important first steps that every actor must take now that the strike is over.

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Guests & Resources:

Industry podcast:

- Episode 35: Is It Time to Give Up Acting?

- Episode 45: The Healing Required to Be An Actor

- Episode 46: What to do when The Industry Stops

- Episode 49: How to Redefine Your Career For This Moment

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The BGB Actors Summit Video: How To Redefine Your Career For This Moment w/ Risa & Steve

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

This is a new world for actors. And the Industry that emerges on the other side of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes will be different than anything we've ever seen.

The ways in which Actors have thought about their careers for over a century are, in many ways, no longer relevant.

So, what's an Actor to do?

Risa and Steve shed light on this strange new world, offer insight into what it might look like, and discuss the action that Actors can (and must) take right now if they want to have a career on the other side of all of this.

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Guests & Resources:

Listen to other related episodes: 

Episode 46: - ?What to do when the Industry Stops? with Risa & Steve

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The BGB Actors Summit Video: How To Redefine Your Career For This Moment w/ Risa & Steve

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

John Levey loves his job. He loves actors. He loves storytelling. He loves diving into the worlds each character inhabits. He?s been loving it for 40 years and is one of the masters of this passion profession, having won multiple Emmys and Artios awards, putting actors into groundbreaking roles on some of the most popular television shows of all time- E.R., The West Wing, China Beach, and Shameless, to name just a few. Listen in as Risa & Steve have an honest conversation with the legendary John Frank Levey.

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John Frank Levey?s IMDb?

Listen to other related episodes: 

Check out John?s book, RIGHT FOR THE ROLE: 

While there are many books that catalog Hollywood?from the classic to the profane, gritty to salacious?few tell the tale of how entertainment?s biggest names became the biggest names.

Right for the Role shares the story straight from an insider who?s been central to that process for decades. Four-time Emmy-award-winning casting director John Frank Levey hasn?t just witnessed some of the world?s greatest acting talents make it in Hollywood; in many cases, he?s had a major hand in it.

As the casting director for numerous iconic TV series, including ER, The West Wing and Shameless, Levey saw firsthand that household names like George Clooney, Anthony Edwards and Allison Janney had ?it??and then watched their ?it? propel them into the stratosphere.

In Right for the Role, Levey manages to tell a story of life among the glitterati while never losing his exuberance for being a part of the process. Through his colorful tales of meeting incredible talent early in their careers?including Josh Gad, Lucy Liu and a just-out-of-Julliard Jessica Chastain?Levey documents his transformation from a novice casting director to one of the greats in the field.

Beyond teaching readers how to spot what it takes to make it in Hollywood, how casting has changed since the 1980s (when telephones had cords!) or how to live in a world of glamor and gusto, Levey?s stories also show how to play a central role in a show?s success without losing a sense of wonder.

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

Generative A.I. is not the future. It is here. Now. And as the technology gets better and better, and audiences become less able to discern whether or not the actor on their favorite TV show or movie is human or A.I., the Industry will choose A.I. generated actors over human actors. A.I. actors are cheaper, less demanding, don?t have a union, and don?t require inconveniences like air, water, food, physical space, etc. 

But as Generative A.I. comes for your jobs, it forces all of us to ponder important questions that, left unanswered, could lead to the end of the acting profession altogether. 

What does it mean to be human?  

What is the actual difference between a human actor and an A.I. actor? 

Risa and Steve explore this new technology and the kind of work human actors will need to do to keep their jobs. Listen in! 

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Guests & Resources:

Back To All Episodes

Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

We wholeheartedly support the writers as they fight for what they rightly deserve. And also, a strike means that the Industry is slowing/shutting down. For actors, that can mean fewer auditions and less hope of booking jobs. It can bring up fear and disappointment, especially after three years of pandemic-related uncertainty. In this episode, Risa and Steve offer tools to navigate it all, and reveal some of the incredible opportunities that present themselves when the Industry stops.

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Guests & Resources:

Ep. 36: The Pursuit of Happiness - with Caroline Lindy, Dominic Burgess, Ellyn Jameson & Johnathan McClain

Ep. 43: How To Be A Happy Actor

Ep. 27: Not Just An Actor: Making Your Own Box?

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

As an actor, your vulnerability and emotional sensitivity are not only tools of your art. They are your products.  But being a sensitive person in an often cold, emotionally violent industry can be a train wreck waiting to happen.  Risa and Steve explore the kind of consistent healing necessary to stay open enough to bring the fullness of your talent to your auditions, and not compromise your mental health while doing it.

Your nervous system is your tool and your product.  It?s also a sacred element of your being, through which you receive and process the world around you.  Your past experiences and dormant emotions can fuel your work, but they can also make you miserable. You need to be sensitive to do great acting work and book acting jobs, but the industry in which you?re operating often offers emotional violence, disinterest and the inability to see to any of your needs.  While the industry needs to be kinder and softer (even in the interest of finance).  it won?t happen anytime soon.  So, you are going to have to do the labor of looking at your pain and taking steps towards healing.  Risa and Steve explore the way in which actors can heal and offer their own healing journeys.

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Guests & Resources:

Ep. 41: Fighting Isolation: Why You Need an Artistic Community

Ep. 35: Is It Time To Give Up Acting?

Ep. 10: Saying Yes to the No: Managing Rejection?

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

Actors can often see CDs as faceless, soulless gate-keepers with the potential to grant wishes or kill dreams. This perception is not only wrong, but it?s bad for an actor?s business.  Casting directors are human beings who, like you, often struggle to do good work in an emotionally violent industry. In fact, the humanity of casting directors- their ability to be emotionally affected, to be moved- is often the reason an actor gets a callback and gets cast. Actors must believe then and constantly remind themselves that casting directors have the capacity to be emotionally moved by their work.  This discussion with Michelle Allen and the story of how and why she walked away is a great reminder.  Email us at [email protected] and comment on our IG posts! 

In a business this competitive, navigating the slings and arrows to find happiness is a revolutionary act. Pursuing an acting career is hard. Heck, just being an actor, an artist in a violent world, is hard. You can feel unseen, discouraged and lost. There are challenges at every turn. And yet, amidst all the challenges, there is a way to be an actor, to pursue an acting career, and be a happy, whole human being. It takes focus and discipline but it?s possible. Risa and Steve sit down with BGB Master Teachers, Sydney Walsh and Cate Cohen, to discuss the path to happiness as an actor. Listen in and let us know what resonates with you. Email us at [email protected] and comment on our IG posts!

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Guests & Resources:

Cate Cohen- BGB Master Teacher, actor, writer

Sydney Walsh - BGB Master Teacher, actor, writer

Listen to other related episodes: 

Episode 28: The Practice That Leads To Success

Episode 36: The Pursuit Of Happiness - w/ Caroline, Dominic, Ellyn, Johnathan

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21 Ways To Make Casting Directors Happy

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

Beyond the BS- mastering the latest audition/self-tape ?trends,? getting the hottest agent or hiring the best personal trainer- there exist the real, less-talked about elements of success. After many decades in the business and a decade of guiding some of the best and most successful actors on the planet at the BGB Studio, Risa and Steve reveal the bad-ass practices that not everyone has the capacity for, but that are required for success. This is how amateurs become professionals. This is that Next level shit. Listen in.

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Guests & Resources:

Podcast Ep. 28: The Practice That Leads To Success

Podcast Ep. 22: The Booking Mindset 

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

An artistic community is an essential part of your success. In order to do amazing audition/self-tape work consistently, you'll have to combat the isolation and inhumanity of the Industry with the collaboration, connection, and care that you only find from community. The right artistic community lifts you up, challenges you to be better, keeps you accountable, reinforces your values, reminds you that you are an actor, and that art matters. On the 10 year anniversary of BGB, Risa and Steve explore the power of this artistic community, and how you can leverage artistic community for your own success.

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Guests & Resources:

Podcast Ep: 33 - Why Acting Teachers Suck

Podcast Ep: 1- How to Make it in Hollywood 

SIGN UP for our BGB Career Master Class series!

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

Risa sat down to talk about the Commercial Casting world with not one- but two incredibly talented commercial casting directors. Danielle Eskinazi (to whom Risa gave her first job decades ago!) and Renita Gale (see bios below) are both long standing CDs who are passionate and talented artists and truly care about actors. We are excited to have you listen as they share how they got into the biz, why they have stayed, how the commercial landscape has changed and lots about the audition process these days. AND why we all must walk through the door when the universe opens it for us. Commercials are a major opportunity for actors to book work- and Danielle and Renita LOVE being dream makers.

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Guests & Resources:

Danielle Eskinazi

https://www.daniellecasting.com/

Danielle Eskinazi is an award-winning casting director with an eye for talent and a sixth sense when it comes to spotting substance beneath the surface. With over two decades casting films, television, theater, and commercials, Danielle has cast such known talent as David Bowie, Rosanna Arquette, and Woody Harrelson, while also launching the careers of now-successful actors including Hank Azaria and Milla Jovovich. She is highly respected in the business for her creativity, integrity, and ability to draw out audition-nailing performances.

After several years of casting films, Danielle dove into the fast paced world of commercials. Today Danielle Eskinazi Casting has cast over 3,000 national and regional spots and is known for finding edgy, interesting, and talented actors to suit her directors' and clients' needs. Danielle has been nominated for the Talent Managers Association prestigious Seymour Heller Award for Best Commercial Casting Director of 2009, and was a runner up twice for Favorite Commercial Casting Director in Back Stage West.

She has been sharing her insights by teaching workshops, and speaking on panels including one at the SAG Foundation, which was aired Internationally. Danielle is also affiliated with the AFI Women's Program, helping first-time directors cast their shorts. More about Danielle at https://www.daniellecasting.com.

Renita Gale

https://www.renitacasting.com

Renita Gale is an undisputed ?Who?s Who? in the world of Casting. With a supernatural eye for spotting superstar talent and matching them with projects, Renita has been WOW-ing her clients since 1999. She has cast some of the most beloved and memorable commercials, music videos, feature films and themed entertainment projects. An innovator and visionary in the casting world, Renita began offering her clients virtual casting solutions including actor self-tapes and other remote audition options, long before times demanded it. She?s truly an expert in this arena. Renita loves what she does and feels exhilarated when she gets to collaborate on projects with a focus on inclusion, diversity, inspiration, empowerment and adding value to the world. Renita is a master in the world of personal-growth and development.  Over the last few years, Renita has been studying Human Design and experimenting with it in her own life. She has found this system to be a valuable asset in her repertoire and now includes Human Design in her 1-on-1 sessions. 

A multi-passionate accomplisher, Renita continues to redefine what is possible as the grateful (and busy) mother of a miraculous 9 year old boy, a casting director, voice-actor, model and content creator. Renita can be found on Instagram @RenitaCasting and via her website https://www.renitacasting.com/

What Casting Wants: 3 Top Casting Directors Tell It Like It Is

Get the Perfect Imperfect Self-Tape Guide here!

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

 Risa and Steve sat down to talk about the Self-Tape crisis- an actual creative and professional crisis that actors, casting directors, agents, managers, and others in our business are experiencing right now.

Self-tapes are here to stay. But at this point in their evolution, they have the potential to consume you; to pull the entire focus of time and attention as you navigate the technical elements, the lack of collaboration, and the limitations of the process. We see a crisis in our Industry. The proliferation of this process has made actors forget about art. It?s time to take stock, to rework what the self-tape is, and stir up a Revolution in the process that places art first. And PS: that?s how you book work! 

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Guests & Resources:

Listen to our other Self-Tape podcasts! Getting Right With Self-Tapes and Self-Tapes Don't Have to Hurt

Get the Perfect Imperfect Self-Tape Guide here!

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

Richard Hicks is a Casting Director for film, television and theatre (see bio below). He?s done it all, he loves it all, and his work is beautiful. We?re excited to have you listen to our conversation with Richard, and we hope that it humanizes casting directors even more, which is one of our missions- to remind each other and our community always that we are ALL dancing between art and commerce, and we are doing it together. That the faces of the business are simply human beings, often vulnerable, navigating the Industry while making work the best they know how. And that casting directors love actors and are your champions. Richard has always been and will always be that.

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Here?s some of what Richard Hicks has accomplished in the past decades? so far? 

Richard??s films include Hell or High Water, The Mustang, Together Together, Gravity, Zero Dark Thirty, Hairspray, Lars And The Real Girl, O.G., Christopher Guest?s For Your Consideration and A Mighty Wind, Walter Salles? On The Road and Ken Loach?s Bread and Roses. Upcoming films include Luckiest Girl Alive (Netflix), Samaritan (Amazon Prime) , Family and Lost On A Mountain in Maine.  Richard also casts for the Sundance Directors Lab.

Richard is an Emmy winner for HBO?s Game Change as well as a three-time Emmy nominee for Recount, Temple Grandin and the series Curb Your Enthusiasm. Other work for television includes ROAR (AppleTV+), American Gods (Starz), Married (FX), The No.1 Ladies? Detective Agency for Anthony Minghella, along with numerous other pilots and series.  Upcoming work includes the limited series The Last Thing He Told Me (AppleTV+).

Richard is also a two-time past president of the Casting Society of America, a current governor of the Casting Directors branch at AMPAS, and a founding member of the Casting Directors union, the CSA.

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

Jason Clodfelter is hardly whom you might think of when you imagine a big Hollywood Studio TV (Co) President. He?s sensitive, caring, personable, charming, thoughtful, and an artist - a fantastic writer, director, actor, and collaborator. Risa got to know Jason in class every week where the work was intimate and intense, and he went all in. And, as he tells us here, his job at Sony TV became an act of artistry, something he needed if he was going to continue to work in what can be considered a soul-sucking job. But he found another way! 

And listen in to what Jason says about self tapes- what he knows and doesn't know about your experience with self-tapes. 

But mostly, we want you to listen to Jason?s humanity. He?s not some faceless power-broker executive. He?s a human being.

Check out Jason?s (impressive) Bio on this page so that you get a feel for his executive and production work, and our conversation with him will show you the incredible human being and artist he is. Which gives us all hope for our Industry!

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Guests & Resources:

Jason Clodfelter, a 16-year plus SPE veteran, serves as Co-President of Sony Pictures Television Studios, the production arm of SPE?s television business alongside the studio President, Jeff Frost. In his position, Jason oversees all creative aspects of the television studio including U.S. Drama and Comedy Development, U.S. Scripted & Current Programming, Global Programming & Development, Talent & Casting, Movies & Miniseries, Gemstone Studios, Affirm Television, and TriStar Television. Under Clodfelter?s purview as Co-President, the studio has produced multiple high-profile scripted series for broadcast, cable, and streaming outlets including The Boys, Cobra Kai, Wheel of Time, Outlander, The Afterparty, Black Monday, Them, The Blacklist, For All Mankind, The Good Doctor, SWAT, and Better Call Saul.

Prior to serving as Co-President, Jason was the Executive Vice President of U.S. Drama Development and Programming for Sony Pictures Television (SPT), spearheading the development and production of titles such as Breaking Bad, Damage, Drop Dead Diva, Justified, Preacher, Sneaky Pete, and Masters of Sex.    

Prior to joining SPT in 2006, he served as Vice President of development for Spelling Television, Inc., where he developed the series Wanted and Saving Grace.  

Earlier in his career, Jason  was the producer behind the short films, Crabgrass Manifesto, which screened at the Sundance Film Festival, and Something Close to Heaven (written and directed by Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black), which made its television debut on The Sundance Channel. 

He studied Film and TV at USC School of Cinematic Arts and shortly thereafter began his career at John Wells Productions where he owes much of his training to acclaimed director, Paris Barclay.

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

Nothing makes Risa and Steve happier than creating space and facilitating a path for actors to find their voices as creators: filmmakers, writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, etc. When they started BGB, Risa and Steve brought their love of the process of creating from theatre, film, and television into the work that they- and all our teachers- practice in class. And out of that, they have nurtured the fullest expression of each artist?s unique voice, along with the practice of artistic leadership. In and out of class, we all make films together and we continue to watch BGB actors take the reins in their work and collaborate together in the world. It?s been incredible to witness and to be a part of. 

Risa sat down with four BGB actors turned writers/producers/directors who have collaborated together in class and have evolved over the past few years as serious creative contenders in our business. Caroline Lindy, Dominic Burgess, Ellyn Jameson, and Johnathan McClain are the real deal. They are working TV professionals and filmmakers. And that?s because they have done the work of making work. They?ve written and directed and produced short films, feature films, and television shows, realizing their voices in ways they never imagined possible. They did it by doing it. They DO it by doing it. 

They also value collaboration and partnership in this process, because we are mostly not meant to do this alone. Out of those collaborations, more and more work has sprung. 

And here on The Acting Podcast, they each share how trusting their heart and gut have guided their talent. And the work has flowed from that. This is everything! 

Listen in to this conversation recorded in person at BGB- which was also a beautiful reunion for Risa and these four filmmakers. We know it?ll resonate with you as it did with Risa, and our hope for you is the same as it was and is for these four amazing artists: Do what you love, find more of what you love, realize the potential of your unique creative voice in acting and beyond, and love it all. 

Oh, and after they finished recording the podcast, Caroline, Dom, Ellyn, and Johnathan each shared some incredible news about the projects that are in the works that they can?t fully talk about because the final contracts are signed- but? there is a financed feature film, a deal to write a feature, a directing gig on an upcoming major miniseries, and several more scripts and films in the works. As it should be!

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Guests & Resources:

Caroline Lindy - Caroline won a grant in 2019 from Women in Film to write/direct a short, Your Monster, now being made into a feature with Merman and Bombo Productions. She was a recent finalist in the Tribeca/CHANEL Women's Filmmaker Program, and she is a freelance commercial director in LA. Her new film, Aspirational Slut, is a hyper-sexual romantic comedy that won the 2022 Audience Award at SXSW. http://www.carolinelindy.com/

Dominic Burgess - Dominic Burgess was born in 1982, in Stoke-on-Trent, England (Just like the Captain of the R.M.S. TITANIC, fact fans). He developed a penchant for performing after playing Biff in a High School production of DEATH OF A SALESMAN. He was awarded a scholarship to the prestigious Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA) in London, where he studied acting for three years. Public productions included TWELFTH NIGHT (as Malvolio), THE END OF THE FOOD CHAIN (as Robbo) and THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON?T THEY? (as Rocky Gravo).Dominic?s first television role upon graduating was the BBC?s award-winning Sci-Fi behemoth DOCTOR WHO, where he met a grisly fate at the hand of the Daleks. (Dominic?s Doctor will always be Sylvester McCoy.) Dominic arrived in Los Angeles, just a suitcase and his laptop in hand in January 2008, just in time for the Writer?s Strike? He didn?t know anyone in Los Angeles and subsequently has many stories to tell you about living situations he found himself in through Craigslist. As an actor, Dominic can be found on STAR TREK: PICARD, THE GOOD PLACE, THE MAGICIANS, and can soon be seen in THEM: COVENANT, BETTER THINGS, and in the feature film BREAKING NEWS IN YUBA COUNTY alongside Allison Janney, Awkwafina, and Regina Hall. As a writer/director, Dominic?s debut short film SAM DID IT stars Alfred Molina and is available through Amazon Prime and can also be found online. It picked up multiple awards through the film festival circuit and lead to Dominic being selected for Ryan Murphy?s Director?s Half Initiative, where he shadowed on 9-1-1. Dominic?s feature film projects RING GOES SOUTH and CHECK SURROUNDINGS FOR SAFETY both trended on the Blacklist in the weeks after their release. Currently in pre-production, Dominic has written and is set to direct his debut feature PRODUCTS OF WAR. An avid lover of nature, Dom is interested in ways to get involved in wildlife preservation, and as of going to press? he is a proud cat parent to five rescued felines (Frodo, Pippin, Ripley, Blink and Nub-Nub)? but there?s every possibility there might be more now? so many more? ?

Dom's BGB Teacher Page

Ellyn Jameson - Ellyn is an actor, photographer and producer based in Los Angeles, CA. After an unconventional childhood growing as a military brat, Ellyn settled down in the Midwest for a few years to earn her BFA in Acting from CCM (the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati). Her recent work as an actor/producer includes the feature film Seven Days (official selection at Cinequest Film Festival 2022) and the raunchy short film Aspirational Slut which won the Audience Award at SXSW 2022. As a photographer, Ellyn works primarily with film, creating meaningful visual stories for other artists and brands. www.ellynjameson.com

Johnathan McClain - Johnathan McClain is an actor and writer whose diverse, 25-year career spans the worlds of theatre, film, television, and publishing. As an actor he has an extensive stage and screen resumé, including two seasons as the lead of the TV Land sitcom RETIRED AT 35; recurring on the final season of AMC?s MAD MEN; co-starring with Edward James Olmos, Kathleen Quinlan, and George Lopez in the feature film WALKING WITH HERB (written by the late, great Tony Award Winner and Academy Award nominee Mark Medoff); as well as dozens of other film; stage; and series regular, recurring, and guest starring roles. As a writer, he has developed and sold multiple TV series and features, including a pilot presently in development with MGM Television and the recently released, critically acclaimed FilmNation/Focus Features film THE OUTFIT ? currently in theaters ? which Johnathan co-wrote with Academy Award Winner Graham Moore (THE IMITATION GAME) and which stars Academy Award Winner Mark Rylance, Zoey Deutch, Dylan O?Brien, Johnny Flynn, and Simon Russell Beale.(He is also the co-author of eight worldwide bestselling romance novels, which is its own bizarre story that he?ll tell you about if you ask him.) He believes success comes from finding and using your unique voice and believing unwaveringly that you are enough. Because you are.

Johnathan's BGB Teacher Page

Find our guests on Instagram:

@ellynjameson

@cglindy

@dominicburgess1

@mrjmcclain

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Every actor will inevitably find themselves in the desert, struggling to make it all work.  At many points along the way, you will look at yourself in the mirror and wonder if it's time to step away from your passion, your pursuit. Is it time to give up acting?  Risa and Steve discuss this important? and scary question.  Listen in- we invite you to ask the question and find some answers in this episode!

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Often we think of successful Industry folks as out of reach and fancy and intimidating- especially after decades of huge success. And here at BGB and on the Acting Podcast we try to dispel that belief and remind ourselves that we are ALL human in this, we all face challenges, we are all figuring it out day to day.

Steve and I had great privilege to zoom this week with brilliant, acclaimed casting director, April Webster, and talked with her about the amazing work she has done over decades, how she approaches and has always approached the work- including the iconic franchises of Star Wars and Star Trek, how that?s all changed in the world of self-tapes and zoom auditions, what advice she has for actors, and what means the most to her about the work we do TOGETHER. We love the heart, humanity, intuition, deep love of the work, and a powerful mind-heart-body-spirit connection that April brings to her casting, and we?re thrilled to bring this inspiring conversation to you.  

Listen in, and stick with it; there is so much wisdom here from one of the greatest casting directors ever.

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Guests & Resources:

April Webster is one of the most prominent and successful film and television casting directors in the world, and has been for decades. As an independent casting director she loves working on an eclectic mix of film, television, and theater projects that challenge and inspire her. She comes from theater and returns to it with such passion and to fill her tank. April has also directed extensively in the theater; she is inherently a director, which makes her an even better casting director.

In the film world April has worked on incredibly high end and iconic projects with amazing filmmakers, including collaborations with J.J. Abrams, Carlton Cuse, Roland Emmerich, Brad Bird, and most recently Jon M. Chu. And to mention a few films -- there?s Star Wars, Star Trek ?Beyond?, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Mission Impossible III, Tomorrowland, The Patriot ? the list goes on. And she has cast so many TV pilots and series we love- including Lost, Bates Motel, Criminal Minds, The Strain, the new series, Clarice, and shows for Netflix and Amazon, including Stephen King?s Lisey?s Story, Tom Clancy?s Jack Ryan, Altered Carbon and Umbrella Academy. And? Stephen King?s 11/22/63 for HULU and BAD ROBOT.

April has received two MEDIA ACCESS AWARDS, Casting Society ARTIOS awards for the pilot casting of C.S.I., LOST, and the films STAR TREK and STAR WARS: The Rise of Skywalker. And she has won an Emmy for LOST.  April is also the proud recipient of the CSA HOYT BOWERS award for Excellence in Casting. She serves on the Equity in Entertainment Committee of the Casting Society of America.

And most of all, April Webster loves, gets, and advocates for actors. Collaborating with actors, as a fellow artist, is her superpower and her greatest joy.

April has an IMDb page that you can check out here!

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At their best, acting teachers have the ability to create a healthy space in which actors can engage in the consistent practice of their art, deepening their awareness and understanding of themselves and the world. And also, acting teachers have a legacy of falling short. There are amazing teachers doing the hard work of examining ego in the interest of facilitating growth in others. And on the other end of the spectrum there are actual abusive predators who leverage the unearned status and power that is sadly associated with the title "Acting Teacher." And in the middle there are all sorts of biases, ignorance of power structures, and social influences at play (often around gender, race, Queerness, ability), or even just a rigidity about what acting should be.

We hear actors' experiences about acting teachers, and there are conversations that need to happen around the dynamics at play.  Every acting teacher, studio, school, or academy must examine their beliefs and practices.  No acting teacher or studio is above this conversation. That includes us. And every actor must be aware of the dynamics involved so they train and grow in a healthy environment.

Listen to the conversation with Risa and Steve. It?s provocative. And we want to hear your thoughts! Email us at [email protected] or DM us on Instagram @bgbstudio.

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

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Risa and Steve sit down in-person with Sam Valentine aka One Broke Actress. Sam is a working actor, a content creator, a coach, a podcaster, an actor?s advocate, the poster actor for the side hustle, with a significant social media presence and a foray into youtube, and the creator of One Broke Actress. Together they talk about what BROKE really means and how to embrace it. And they dive into what gets Sam up in the morning, what drives her and fires her up, and what continues to challenge her, even after all this new success. AND how One Broke Actress has changed how she approaches all areas of her career and her creative life, which we?re really interested in as it relates to all of you listening.

So wherever you?re listening, take a page from Sam?s playbook and consider what steps you can take- steps that are authentic to you- to turn your talent into work. Sam?s journey is inspiring; we want yours to be as well!

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Guests & Resources:

Sam?s IG: https://www.instagram.com/onebrokeactress/

One Broke Actress site: https://onebrokeactress.com/

Sam?s IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3921523/

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In this first episode of Season 3, Risa and Steve talk about how to navigate this new and challenging time in order to find your way in an Industry that?s also redefining itself. We?ve all changed in the past 2 years, and now, Risa and Steve invite you to start with the following: Stop, look inside, create space, and figure out who you are right now so that your acting can be current, an expression of this very moment. From there, you can offer your art with presence, vulnerability, listening, self-awareness, kindness, empathy, human connection, artistic leadership, and generosity.

These are values that we practice and celebrate here at BGB, values and practices that will affect your audience on an emotional level and fill a great need in the Industry. Which is now- more than ever- a direct path to success. And yet success isn?t measured in jobs booked; it?s measured in the ups and downs of a career that happens over decades. So, your health (mental, emotional, physical, spiritual) is essential in order to take care of both you and your community and to become a whole, happy artist, your tank full, offering your voice, your talent, your art!

Have a listen! We know this will resonate. Let us know what speaks to you. Email us and find us on social to continue the conversation.

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

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CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
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JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

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In this conversation about that big topic: Self-Tapes- taking up most of the audition real estate- Risa and Steve offer ways in which you can move past all the (real, tangible) challenges of self-taping, even the trauma around it, and discover the freedom, joy, and deep curiosity you need to get the attention of any Casting Director and book work regularly. Your Self-Tapes don?t have to hurt anymore! We're excited to offer ways to shift your mindset, bring all of your talent to bear in your work on-camera- even if you?re home alone, turn your Self-Tapes into art, and return to feeling like an actor, always. And when you do that, you?re able to show up fully, confidently, and creatively free, again and again, and inevitably success follows.

So listen, open your hearts and minds, and see how this discussion helps you re-imagine your Self-Tapes!

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CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
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JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

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BGB Master Teacher Sydney Walsh teaches Risa how she makes steak, shares insight on mushrooms as she cooks them LIVE, and connects it all to your audition + self-tape practice. ?You can follow the recipe and still be deeply creative.? Just like cooking? as an actor, you must create space and time to prepare a meal and allow it to simmer and grow into something delicious. This goes for your self-tape or audition as well- being fully present in order to allow your imagination to inform what you create and be in the process of making something new each time. You must allow each ?take?- each dish- to unveil itself in the moment, accepting and inviting that it will be different and fresh every time, trusting the process of cooking it, and thus enabling a more profound, pure, and inventive creation. Listen in to this inspired conversation for a whole bunch of ?aha? moments! And check out all of Sydney?s classes on her BGB PAGE!

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Guests & Resources:

HERE?S MORE about BGB Master Teacher, Sydney Walsh.

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We?re sharing a special conversation Risa + Steve had on a recent IG LIVE that has become a fantastic podcast episode about Practice! Here we go deep into what kind of practice you need to cultivate in order to book jobs, to rekindle the joy your work, and to have the confidence you?re looking for to meet this amazing and challenging career path you?ve chosen for yourself. Listen in and see what aligns with you as well as what mindset shifts you might start to make to solidify a practice for your career, for your art, for your life. Want to join the conversation? Listen in and then share your thoughts and questions with us on social @BGBStudio

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Guests & Resources:

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

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Risa and Steve sit down with an incredible group of successful multi-hyphenates- Milena Govich, Will McCormack, Grasie Mercedes, and Brea Grant- all of whom started their journeys as actors and have since grown into other roles in the Industry, making names for themselves as writers, directors, producers, and showrunners. Together they discuss their unique paths, and how they?ve found empowerment and fulfillment by stretching themselves in multiple areas of their careers, acquiring agency to expand their artistic lives in the process. P.S. And it?s made them stronger, freer actors.

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Guests & Resources:

Milena Govich:  IMDb, Instagram, Twitter

Will McCormack:  IMDb, Instagram

Grasie Mercedes:  IMDb, Instagram, Not (Blank) Enough podcast

Brea Grant:  IMDb, Official Site, Instagram

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Risa and Steve sit down with a dynamic group of actor-parents- Heather Brooker, Eddie Cahill, Anna Silk, and Cate Cohen- all with extensive and varied careers ? to talk about what it means to be a parent while navigating their artistic careers & the Industry. They discuss their journeys, their challenges, their joys, their big realizations- and how parenting has not only deeply informed their acting, but how acting has made them much better parents. We love this talk and hope it brings you new clarity and wisdom, as it did for us. Note: Parenthood has been hugely challenging during Covid, and we offer all actor parent our deep empathy, support, and love!

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Guests & Resources:

Heather Brooker:  Official Site, Motherhood in Hollywood Podcast,  IMDb, Instagram, Twitter

Eddie Cahill:  IMDb, Instagram, Twitter

Anna Silk:  IMDb, Instagram

Cate Cohen:  BGB Teacher Page, Official Site, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

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CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

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In the midst of this time of great uncertainty and upheaval for actors across the globe, and as the Industry slowly reopens, it is paramount for actors to be aware of new on-set protocols, how to advocate for yourselves in every area of your work and careers- including having a voice in your union- and how to keep your creative spirit alive. In that pursuit, we are thrilled to offer our conversation with Gabrielle Carteris, president of SAG-AFTRA, and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA?s chief operating officer as well as the union?s Safety & Reopening Lead, currently working with specialists in the science and medical fields to advocate for a safe reopening for actors and everyone in the Industry.

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Guests & Resources:

Gabrielle Carteris

IG: @gabriellecarteris

Gabrielle Carteris was re-elected SAG-AFTRA president on August 29, 2019. Carteris became president April 9, 2016, after serving two terms as executive vice president. Carteris became a household name playing Andrea Zuckerman on BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 and recently starred in BH90210, a revival of the iconic show. Her extensive resume includes work in television, film and the stage, with recent credits including a recurring role on Code Black and guest-starring roles on CRIMINAL MINDS, MAKE IT OR BREAK IT, THE EVENT, LONGMIRE and THE MIDDLE. As a producer, Carteris created LIFESTORIES, a series of specials, and GABRIELLE, a talk show that she also hosted. In her role as SAG-AFTRA president, Carteris chairs the National TV/Theatrical Contracts Negotiating Committee and leads the President?s Task Force on Education, Outreach and Engagement. Carteris is a vice president of the AFL-CIO and serves on the executive council and represents SAG-AFTRA with the International Federation of Actors (FIA).

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland

IG: @duncanci

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland is chief operating officer and general counsel of SAG-AFTRA. Crabtree-Ireland oversees the legal aspects of collective bargaining and contract enforcement for all SAG-AFTRA collective bargaining agreements, as well as SAG-AFTRA?s legal, government affairs, professional representatives, international affairs, governance and diversity operations.

He is a co-chair of the board of trustees of the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund, a member of the boards of SoundExchange and the SAG-AFTRA & Industry Sound Recordings Distribution Fund, a delegate to the International Federation of Actors (FIA) and teaches international law as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California Law School. He is a past treasurer of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, a past Co-President of the LGBT Bar Association of Los Angeles, and serves by appointment as a judge pro tem of the Los Angeles Superior Court.

SAG-AFTRA Covid resources:

1-844-SAFERSET

www.sagaftra.org/backtowork

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In this episode, Risa and Steve talk with Mia Schachter- one of Hollywood?s top intimacy coordinators- about their role in the Industry + how actors can advocate for themselves in any situation with regards to intimacy, sex, nudity, and consent of all kinds. Whether choreographing sex scenes, negotiating nudity riders, or simply having the backs of actors on set, Mia discusses what they actually do (and you?ll find this as fascinating and necessary as we did), along with their background, the challenges around creating safe sets, what they do to help actors feel safe and empowered, and how they see the future of film and television- and acting- in regards to intimacy, boundaries, and facilitating the kind of freedom necessary for artists to dive into creating their deepest, most vulnerable work. This is a vital conversation for all actors and Industry professionals, and we want to hear from you on what speaks to you from this discussion!

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Guests & Resources:

MIA SCHACHTER:

Broadway World: Mia Schachter Keeping It Safe at THE WILD PARTY

Mia: IMDb + IG + Website

Mia Schachter was born and raised in Los Angeles and returned in 2018 after working in theater in New York City for nearly ten years. Their background in theater, dance, casting, gender studies, and neuroscience informs their work. Their educational background includes a BA in Philosophy from Columbia with an emphasis on ethics and identity. Working for networks like HBO, Netflix, and Freeform, Mia?s job is to attune to the needs of actors and directors with scenes that include simulated sex, nudity, and sexual content, in order to make sure that everyone is emotionally and mentally safe on set, while helping showrunners and directors achieve their creative vision. They work with actors, directors, writers, producers, legal teams at studios and networks, costume and make up designers, and production crews, negotiating everything from sex simulation choreography to nudity riders, to providing emotional support to actors in intimate situations. Just like a stunt coordinator, they help make scenes look real and stay safe.

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Casting titan Mary Vernieu, whose company Betty Mae Casting is known for working with prestige directors and indie talent alike, joins Risa and Steve in this episode for an in-depth discussion of the casting process, the importance of preparation, championing and nurturing actors and filmmakers, and always approaching the work of acting, auditioning, and casting with creativity, joy, flexibility, and play. Mary?s journey has been incredible so far; she?s created a meaningful, creative family at Betty Mae, and is deeply grateful for it all. We are thrilled to share this insightful and moving conversation with you. Fun fact: Mary started in Risa?s office in 1990 and says she ?learned everything she knows from Risa.? She built her casting empire soon thereafter? Betty Mae is now 25 years old!

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Guests & Resources:

MARY VERNIEU:

Betty Mae Casting: IG, Facebook + Official site

Mary?s IMDb

Mary Vernieu started her casting career working with Risa (a few) decades ago (first on The Doors with Oliver Stone), and since then she?s built a casting empire with her company Betty Mae Casting, in which she honors and supports filmmakers, new and established. Mary has cast over 300 features and several TV shows during her career, including recently Dolemite is My Name, Knives Out, I, Tonya, Black Swan, and the HBO series Euphoria. With an eye for talent in both actors and filmmakers, she has developed and enjoys long-standing working relationships with many acclaimed directors such as Darren Aronofsky, David Ayer, David O. Russell, Robert Rodriguez, and Rian Johnson. In 2013, Mary won an Artios Award for the casting of Silver Linings Playbook and was nominated for two more Artios Awards last year for A Star is Born and Deadpool II. In addition to her casting work, Mary has also recently ventured into producing for such films as Trust Me, Come Simi, and Spare Room.

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Booking work starts with a booking mindset. In this episode, Risa and Steve break down the ways in which to shift your approach to booking work and cultivate a consistent practice in order to do amazing work all the time, whether in a high-pressure audition setting, self-tape, on set, in rehearsal, or in your approach to your career. Listen in and learn how to change your norm from nervousness, self-consciousness, even self-defeat, to believing in yourself, being self-aware, proactive, and deeply knowing your power as an actor and your value as an artist. Go ahead and do some journaling on your ?why,? on your purpose, when you?re done listening. We want to hear from you!

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Guests & Resources:

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

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Risa and Steve sat down with Audrey Moore, a passionate artist, popular podcast host, and actor?s advocate. She has an incredible focus and discipline in how she engages in the business of acting, as well as her craft, and she?s here to share her journey. Listen in to this juicy talk about what it means to be a story ninja, how to normalize the audition experience, the importance of developing a consistent and practical practice, and the origin story behind her hugely renowned podcast AUDREY HELPS ACTORS! Our question to you after listening: What is your devoted and passionate practice?

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Guests & Resources:

AUDREY MOORE:

Audrey Helps Actors Podcast

IG: @audreyscoresmoore + the @audreyhelpsactorspodcast

Audrey Moore is a working actor with credits that include her series regular role in the Netflix show GODLESS as well as many recurring and guest appearances on BETTER CALL SAUL, LUCIFER, THE OA, CASTLE ROCK, and many, many more. Audrey also hosts a hugely popular podcast, AUDREY HELPS ACTORS in which she talks with other working actors and Industry experts about the struggles and opportunities of being a working professional.

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Sarah Finn is the award-winning casting director of Oscar winners and blockbusters alike. Best known for her work casting the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, she has also cast a huge range of films and TV shows [full bio below]. In this episode Sarah talks with Risa and Steve about her casting journey- its joys and challenges, about her unique process, and about how to approach the work from a place of creative collaboration, curiosity, and a deep love for acting. Fun fact: Sarah started her epic casting adventure as Risa?s assistant a couple of decades ago.

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Guests & Resources:

SARAH FINN:

IMDb + Instagram

Sarah Finn is an award-winning Casting Director who has cast over 100 feature films. Known for casting the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, just a few of those films include Captain America, Thor, Guardians of The Galaxy, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Captain Marvel. She has also earned recognition for the groundbreaking cultural sensations and multiple Oscar-winners Black Panther, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and 2006?s Best Picture, Crash.  Those three films also all won the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and earned her the Casting Society of America?s highest honor, the Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting.  To date, 43 of her films have opened at #1 in the Domestic Box- Office.  In 2019 alone Sarah cast 4 out of the top 5 grossing films in the world ? Avengers: Endgame, The Lion King, Spider-Man: Far from Home and Captain Marvel. For Disney+, she cast the breakout Star Wars hit series The Mandalorian and is currently in charge of casting Marvel?s entire new slate of streaming projects.  A graduate of Yale University and member of AMPAS (Executive Committee, Casting Branch), Sarah has served on the Executive Board of Women in Film and is on the Board of Advisors for the highly acclaimed Master Class educational series.  She is also a founding participant in the Time?s Up Movement.

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No matter how bad things get, art brings hope. In this first episode of Season 2, Risa and Steve speak to being an artist in 2020 in the face of a worldwide pandemic, systemic racism, and an election; where the Industry is headed, and whatever uncertainty and distress result from it all. And how keeping hope- and your art- alive is both a soul-serving necessity and a revolutionary declaration that we are still here, we are still feeling, we are still human. All you have to do is show up!

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Guests & Resources:

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

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Risa, Billy, and Leah (whose history together runs deep) sat down together (over Zoom) to talk about how actors and CDs are breaking down barriers and connecting in this ?new normal? via social media challenges, IG LIVES, and open calls, including the massively popular monologue challenge that Leah ran and took boldly into a daily Instagram LIVE. They spoke about how they?re each making the new virtual space work, what they want from actors during these challenging months (and actually, always), + what the future of casting will bring. It?s a dynamic and honest conversation, giving you a peek into the minds and hearts of these veteran, award-winning, actor-loving Casting Directors.

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Guests & Resources:

Leah Daniels-Butler

IG: @ldbcasting

Leah Daniels-Butler is a casting director and producer responsible for launching the careers of talented actors like Gabourey Sidibe, star of the Academy Award winning film PRECIOUS, and other notables. She served as Casting Director for television?s #1 show EMPIRE on Fox. Leah began her career as a casting assistant in 1991. In 1994, Leah landed a coveted casting position as the assistant to Leslie Litt, Senior VP of Casting at Warner Brothers. Within two years, she earned a promotion to casting executive and began working on award-winning projects like FRIENDS and SUDDENLY SUSAN. Both shows earned Primetime Emmy Awards for acting roles. In 2001, Leah left WBTV to start LDB Casting, the company she owns and operates today. Leah works across genres securing talent for films like 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS and THE PAPERBOY. She is the recipient of the Hamilton Award for Outstanding Casting for her work on THE BUTLER and the Casting Society of America?s ?Outstanding Achievement in Casting for a Television Drama? award for her work on EMPIRE. The Casting Society of America recently appointed her to its board of directors, where she serves as the only African-American member of the board.

Billy Hopkins

IG: @williamphopkins

Billy Hopkins casts film, television, and theatre. His credits include FATAL ATTRACTION, JFK, GOOD WILL HUNTING, PRECIOUS, LEE DANIELS? THE BUTLER, and MUDBOUND, among many many others. He cast the pilots for ROSEANNE and SEX AND THE CITY. Billy and Risa were casting partners throughout the 80s and into the 90s, and together cast so many iconic films. Billy was also responsible for the casting of the 1992 Broadway production of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, the 1990 Broadway production of SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, and the 1988 Broadway production of SPEED THE PLOW, to name a few.  He has also directed numerous stage productions. Billy received the Emmy Award for casting WHEN THEY SEE US.

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In this special bonus episode of The Acting Podcast, Risa and Steve spoke with an incredible group of Casting Directors (in a Zoom roundtable) who are sharing challenges, open calls, and calls for reels on social media, and doing Instagram Lives, all with the intention of being in collaboration with actors and to keep their own artistry alive during these challenging time. Erica Bream, Jason Kennedy, Ramani Leah, Seth Caskey, Cara Chute Rosenbaum, Andrea Bunker, Becky Silverman, and Ryan Glorioso are all offering generously to artists all over the world in ways to bring actors? unique voices to our collective work right now. We were so moved by what they had to say about the gorgeous, brave work they?re seeing from thousands of artists around the globe, and we hope this episode will bring inspiration and encouragement to you and artists everywhere!

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Guests & Resources:

Andrea Bunker (BIG LITTLE LIES,  SHARP OBJECTS,  A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS) IG: @andreabunkerla

Erica Bream (ALTERED CARBON,  11.22.63,  STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS) IG: @ericasbreamcast

Seth Caskey (GLOW,  SIREN,  DON?T LOOK DEEPER) IG: @sethcaskey

Jason Kennedy (NCIS, NCIS: LOS ANGELES,  ELIZABETHTOWN) IG: @kennedycasting

Ramani Leah (BATES MOTEL,  11.22.63) IG: @topramani

Becky Silverman (CRIMINAL MINDS, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, DAY ONE) IG: @bsvogue99

Ryan Glorioso (Location Casting for LOOKING FOR ALASKA,  ON BECOMING A GOD IN CENTRAL FLORIDA,  13 REASONS WHY) IG: @ryglo

Cara Chute Rosenbaum (THE MINDY PROJECT,  JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL,  AMERICAN CRIME STORY: THE PEOPLE VS. OJ SIMPSON) IG: @ccrcasting

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For today?s special bonus episode of THE ACTING PODCAST, we gathered together our brilliant BGB Master Teachers for an important, frank discussion about coping during the time of the coronavirus, the necessity of creating space for community and artistry to happen, and how the Industry is already starting to shift throughout this as a result ? and in many ways, for the better. We are blown away by the generosity, courage, and leadership of these fierce artists, our BGB Teachers, and by the incredible, moving work happening here in our BGB Zoom classes. We couldn?t do any of this without them! We hope this talk offers hope and heart, as it did for us, and as we connect on our shared experience as artists everywhere.

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Guests & Resources:

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

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Risa and Steve sat down together via Zoom for a special bonus episode of The Acting Podcast to speak to our community of artists all over the world about life, art, and healing in the time of Corona. Listen in to what they?ve been discovering about our collective need for artistic expression as we all move through this challenging time. In this, they suggest ways in which we can each maintain- and even cultivate- open hearts and artistry in the face of a global pandemic. The message through all of this is clear: We believe in the power of creating in our collective community. We?re here for you. And we?re all in this together.

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Guests & Resources:

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

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Pilot Season. Whether you?re going out for series regulars non-stop or dreaming of your first co-star, this time of year is fraught. In this episode, Risa, Steve, and a special guest- Casting Director Becky Silverman- break down the idea of Pilot Season (what it means + what?s really going on behind the scenes) and what you can do to have an active Pilot Season of your own- with or without the Industry?s permission.

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Guests & Resources:

Becky Silverman:  IMDb

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Welcome to 2020. It?s a New Year. A new decade. Now is the time to take stock, to refocus, and to move forward from this moment on with a clarity of vision and purposeful, practical action. What does that look like for you? How do you start? In this special bonus episode, listen in as Risa and Steve guide and encourage you to step into this new beginning from a place of artistic power and creative certainty.

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?It?s important for you to take stock. If you are living in the suffering of this thing, you have to release that. This is a great time of year to say, I release that, and I come back to myself and what is important to me, what I care about deeply, and who I am as a creative force.??

Guests & Resources:

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

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Bernie Telsey started his casting career back in the day alongside Risa, and popped into BGB to sit down with Risa + Steve to talk about it all. As head of the massive- and massively successful- Telsey + Company in New York (and LA), Bernie Telsey is a true titan in the casting industry. In this episode, listen in as he talks to Risa and Steve about his passion for collaboration, what he hopes to see from actors in the audition room, and how his unique approach to casting- stemming from a deep love of the theater and the experience of connecting to a performance on a profound, emotional level- has made him one of the most sought-after (not to mention beloved) casting directors in the world.

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Guests & Resources:

BERNIE TELSEY:

Telsey + Company site

MCC Theater site

Since opening Telsey + Company in 1988, Bernie, along with his amazing staff of casting directors, associates, and assistants have cast such Broadway shows as Rent, Wicked, Hairspray, In the Heights, Kinky Boots, Hamilton, Network, Oklahoma!,To Kill a Mockingbird, as well as countless national tours, Off-Broadway productions, and regional theatre productions around the globe. Bernie and staff have worked on the feature films Margin Call, Mary Poppins Returns, The Greatest Showman, Into the Woods, Rachel Getting Married, and many many more, including the upcoming film adaptation of In the Heights. Television projects include Fosse/Verdon, This Is Us, The Big C, Masters of Sex, Ugly Betty, Rent Live, Jesus Christ Superstar Live, as well as upcoming shows for HBO, Netflix, and AppleTV+. Telsey + Company have won an Emmy Award and an Independent Spirit Award for casting and and have been nominated for loads more. Bernie was the 2016 recipient of the Casting Society of America?s Hoyt Bowers Award for his huge contributions to casting. As an office, Telsey + Company have won 25 CSA Artios Awards. Bernie serves as the New York Vice President of the Casting Society of America and serves on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Bernie is also one of the artistic directors of MCC Theater in New York, a thriving off Broadway company, newly housed on the west side, the heart of all the work he does.

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Knowing how to talk to your family about your career can be a landmine filled with all kinds of emotional pitfalls: shame, insecurity, trying to impress them, a need for validation, and a lack of transparency about where you?re actually at and why you keep doing what you?re doing. In this episode, Risa and Steve break down how you can approach and communicate with your loved ones from a place of compassion, setting healthy boundaries, releasing expectations, and claiming artistic empowerment by taking full ownership- without apology- of what you do and why. Before you go home for the holidays or engage with your family in any way that may feel loaded, have a listen!

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Guests & Resources:

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

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Listen in as Risa and Steve explore every angle of rejection ? from the feelings triggered when it happens ? to the perspective from the creative team (behind the camera) ? and, most importantly, what you can do to take care of yourself, stay focused, and even thrive on your artistic journey in the face of rejection. Learn how you can bounce back as you cultivate your passion and your creativity, and continuing to bring yourself fully into any audition room and any meeting, time and time again. Be ready to collaborate, to offer your talent freely and with generosity, and do your best work, no matter the outcome. Say YES to the NO!

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?There is so much that is joyful about acting. You get to feel and express deep elements of the human experience that most people out there in the world won?t even go near, because they can?t, or don?t have the courage. You get to feel that multiple times a day. So you can focus on the joy of it and let that lead you. And that?s the work of loving the work.??

Guests & Resources:

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

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In the wake of the ongoing #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, conversations surrounding consent as an actor in this Industry are more vital than ever. In this panel, Risa talks with powerhouse advocates in our Industry: television director and actor Laura Innes, TV producer Laurie Zaks, actor and advocate Esmé Bianco, actor and journalist Margaret Judson, and actor Nick Ballard. This is an honest and provocative conversation that covers everything from nudity on set and intimacy coordinators to redefining what it means to request and offer consent with agency, while doing deep, creative work in storytelling, in business dealings, and in everyday life.

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Guests & Resources:

Esmé Bianco:  Instagram, Twitter, IMDb, The Huffington Post: What It?s Like To Film ?Game Of Thrones? Sex Scenes As A Survivor Of Abuse

Margaret Judson:  Official Site, NY Times Op-Ed: How Do You Play a Porn Star in the #MeToo Era?

Laurie Zaks:  Mandeville Films, Twitter, Instagram

Laura Innes:  IMDb

Nick Ballard:  Instagram, Twitter, IMDb

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In our recent BGB class, ?The Business of Acting,? Risa had the opportunity to sit down with Josiah Akinyele, an agent at Innovative Artists. Listen in as they discuss the agent/client relationship, how to ?make it,?along with Josiah?s unique journey from a challenging upbringing in Africa and the U.S.- to working at Banana Republic- to discovering his path and passion as a Hollywood agent. Josiah talks about what he needs from his clients (and potential clients), why the Industry is more competitive than ever right now, and what it takes for actors to be seen and find real success in our business.

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Guests & Resources:

Josiah Akinyele

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Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

In this episode of The Acting Podcast, Risa and Steve tackle the most frequently asked question of all: ?How do I get an agent?? They break it all down, covering everything from cultivating industry relationships and the practical, business side of communicating to advocating for yourself in your work and in the Industry so that you?re ready to engage with agents and managers. Listen in as they champion you to reclaim your power, create connection, bring your value to every aspect of you career, and understand what?s ultimately important in finding real success- with or without an agent.

Subscribe! And if you're loving the Podcast, leave a review and rating!

Your words will help connect us all and bring these valuable conversations to even more actors- and other artists- around the world.

?AND? Screenshot, post + tag us @bgbstudio on IG!

?If you?ve missed any episodes, catch up now!

Guests & Resources:

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

Back To All Episodes

Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

What do you do to prepare for an audition? How can you bring your full, authentic self to the work- while remaining flexible and relaxed in the room? In this episode, Risa and Steve break down audition preparation in the simplest, clearest terms, in order for you to start to transform your audition process? and book more work!

Subscribe! And if you're loving the Podcast, leave a review and rating!

Your words will help connect us all and bring these valuable conversations to even more actors- and other artists- around the world.

?AND? Screenshot, post + tag us @bgbstudio on IG!

?If you?ve missed any episodes, catch up now!

Guests & Resources:

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

Back To All Episodes

Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

In this episode of The Acting Podcast, Risa Bramon Garcia sits down with a group of brilliant women- Mindy Cohn, Harley Kozak, Dionne Audain, and Cate Cohen- all with extensive and varied careers as actors, writers, filmmakers and BGB Studio members ? to talk about what it means to be a woman in this business. They discuss their journeys, their challenges, being seen over 40, glass ceilings, ageism, plastic surgery, and what it means to be attractive, sensual, and powerful as they get older and wiser in Hollywood and beyond.

Subscribe! And if you're loving the Podcast, leave a review and rating!

Your words will help connect us all and bring these valuable conversations to even more actors- and other artists- around the world.

?AND? Screenshot, post + tag us @bgbstudio on IG!

?If you?ve missed any episodes, catch up now!

Guests & Resources:

Cate Cohen:  BGB Teacher Page, Official Site, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

Dionne Audain:  IMDb, Instagram, Twitter

Harley Kozak:  BGB Teacher Page, Official Site

Mindy Cohn:  Instagram

Back To All Episodes

Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

Creating your own work empowers you to take control of your own career. Natalie Britton and Kate Hamilton both started their careers as actors and are now well-versed in the fundamental shift that happens when you start making opportunities for yourself. They have combined experience producing over 17 award-winning short films in a 2 year time period, most recently under the umbrella of their production company ?Queen?s Gambit Films.? Listen in as Risa and Steve sit down and talk with these two powerhouse producer-actors, discussing everything from making the move from acting to producing, balancing creativity and parenthood, advice for first-time filmmakers, and the importance of giving yourself permission to take the next step into your own artistic and career success. This is a must-hear conversation!

Subscribe! And if you're loving the Podcast, leave a review and rating!

Your words will help connect us all and bring these valuable conversations to even more actors- and other artists- around the world.

?AND? Screenshot, post + tag us @bgbstudio on IG!

?If you?ve missed any episodes, catch up now!

Guests & Resources:

Kate Hamilton

Natalie Britton

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

Back To All Episodes

Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

The landscape is changing. Self-tapes are the new audition room. But how can you show up fully and do your best work when it?s just you, a camera, and an empty room? Listen as Risa and Steve debunk every myth about self-taping (the blue background, finding a reader, recreating the casting room, etc) and answer your burning questions about how to approach your self-tapes with power, with presence, with freedom, and as an opportunity to truly be in command of your artistry and your career. It?s time to get right with self-tapes!

Subscribe! And if you're loving the Podcast, leave a review and rating!

Your words will help connect us all and bring these valuable conversations to even more actors- and other artists- around the world.

?AND? Screenshot, post + tag us @bgbstudio on IG!

?If you?ve missed any episodes, catch up now!

?You have to show up in your self-tape unapologetically, ferociously, lovingly- and do the kind of bold, confident work you would do if you already had the part. While you?re making your self-tape, the part IS yours.??

Guests & Resources:

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

Back To All Episodes

Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

Creating your own path as an artist in this Industry ? on your own terms ? is a vital part of any actor?s journey. In this episode, Risa and Steve talk about their own personal journeys and career challenges, including the story of how they came together, creating The BGB Studio, and how their artistic struggles ? both individually and as a team ? have defined a path of unique and surprising fulfillment. Their stories serve as a vital reminder that growth and transformation are not only necessary components to any artistic pathway, they are the very things that expand each of us.

Subscribe! And if you're loving the Podcast, leave a review and rating!

Your words will help connect us all and bring these valuable conversations to even more actors- and other artists- around the world.

?AND? Screenshot, post + tag us @bgbstudio on IG!

?If you?ve missed any episodes, catch up now!

?Having a ?competitive edge? means always showing up with commitment, generosity, and courage. And that, brick by brick, builds the foundation of a career over time.?

Guests & Resources:

Risa Bramon Garcia - Meet Risa

Steve Braun - Meet Steve

Back To All Episodes

Meet us on Instagram and other social spaces where we hang out ? with tons more great advice, inspiration, and Industry intel.

@BGBStudio on IG + Twitter + TikTok + @theBGBStudio on Facebook. ??

CHECK OUT our Audition, Scene-Study, and Hybrid Classes!
SIGN UP for our BGB Group Career Coaching series!

JOIN US for The BGB Actors Summit: A virtual workshop with Risa & Steve

The BGB Sit-Down is back! Meet Risa + Steve in our Studio

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes