With 15 wins and 76 nominations, Bernard Telsey is one of the premier Casting Directors in the industry. Casting our favorite films, television shows, and Broadway shows, Telsey Casting is well known for excellence in casting. From the original production of RENT to NBC's This Is Us to Only Murders in the Building to Wicked (both the upcoming movie and the show), their office is constantly busy.

In this episode, we talk about:

• His first job as a casting assistant and building his rolodex of actors

• Casting RENT as an off-Broadway musical and why it was a difficult year long process

• Putting an ad in the Village Voice for a rock musician for RENT

• That ideally, he would like to be part of the early development process of a project

• Giving Casting their credit and how that has evolved

• How is the office doing post-pandemic

• What he sees in actors who shine with 4 lines or for a lead role, like in the case of Annaleigh Ashford

• How actors can get on their radar and what projects Telsey is working on now

Guest:

Website Wikipedia MCC Website

Instagram for MCC Theater

Instagram for The Telsey Office

IMDb

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you like this episode, check out Becoming... Casting Director Susanne Scheel ("Past Lives," "The Wife")

LIVE on the Red Carpet of the World Premiere of the film "All That We Love."

Starring:                      

MARGARET CHO (Cast)

JESSE TYLER FERGUSON (Cast)

KENNETH CHOI (Cast) (Halloweentown, Captain America, Ironside, American Crime Story, The Wolf of Wall Street

ALICE LEE (Cast)

ATSUKO OKATSUKA (Cast)

DEVON BOSTICK (Cast) (Pppenheimer, Saw 4 and 5, Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies)

YEN TAN (Writer, Director) 

Missi Pyle (Just my Luck, Soul Place, A Cinderella Story (with Lucy Hale), Dodgeball, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

Logline: Upon the loss of her beloved dog, Emma Gwon faces an empty nest and renewed feelings for her estranged ex-husband, as she navigates the joy and sorrow of starting anew.

Host: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For more like this, try ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NYWIFT Muse Awards RED CARPET: Kyra Sedgwick, Alex Borstein, Tantoo Cardinal & more⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Image: NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Devon Bostick, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Atsuko Okatsuka, Yen Tan, Alice Lee and Kenneth Choi attend the "All That We Love" premiere during the 2024 Tribeca Festival at SVA Theater on June 08, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)

BRYCE NORBITZ is currently the Director of Artist Programs at Tribeca Studios, where they oversee filmmaker development programming. Prior to this, they served as the Director of the Stowe Launch Program at Stowe Story Labs. Bryce also has extensive experience at the Tribeca Film Institute, where they held various roles including Director of Scripted Programs, Manager of Artist Programs, and Coordinator of Artist Programs. Bryce supported both scripted and documentary programming, executed events, reviewed submissions, and provided creative feedback and mentorship to filmmakers.

In this episode, we discuss: Kickstart with Canva: A Creative Program in collaboration with Tribeca Session #1 (June 10th, 4pm at Tribeca Festival, max 90 creators - ⁠Register Here⁠) - Creating a Dynamic Pitch Deck with Canva Session #2 (July, remotely, max 300 creators) - DETAILS COMING SOON Session #3 (August, remotely, max 300 creators) - DETAILS COMING SOON THROUGH HER LENS THL Submissions email:  THLSubmissions@tribecafilm.com AT&T Untold Stories Pitch Attendee program The 2023 winner’s premiere Guest: LinkedIn Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Winter Dunn is an award winning producer, director and actress. She produced Numa Perrier’s debut feature film, JEZEBEL which premiered at SXSW 2019 and was awarded Best Narrative Feature at the American Black Film Festival that same year. JEZEBEL has been acquired by Ava DuVernay and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Previously, Winter served as a producer / director for media maven Condé Nast Entertainment. Her celebrity video features for Vanity Fair, Vogue, Architectural Digest, GQ, Allure and other media brands have garnered over 60 million views and counting.

Most recently, Dunn directed season one of SoulPancake, Overbrook and 206 Productions’ upcoming docuseries, “All Her with Angela Rye'' for Quibi. Check out Winter Dunn Productions’ debut film, JUNEBUG, which premiered at the 2020 American Black Film Festival, streaming on FoxSoul and Tubi.

She is a 2021 Project Involve Directing Fellow with Film Independent.

In this episode we talk about: 

•  Landing her first PA gig for a Black independent production company 

•  The making of Jezebel from concept and production, to post and delivery 

•  Manifesting Netflix and SXSW for Jezebel, including what it was like when Ava Duvernay's distribution company ARRAY acquired the film in January 2020 and released it on Netflix.  

•  Going to SXSW and how the Jezebel team set themselves apart to sold out theaters 

•  Learning how to be a producer 

•  Working at Conde Nast and understanding how to execute specific brand voices (including her work with Kim and Kanye (Architectural Digest), Billie Eillish (Vanity Fair's: Same Interview, The Third Year), and more. 

•  How creating web series content evolved into creating longer form series and features 

•  Authentic portrayals of POC and the importance of telling Black stories by Black voices 

•  Her thoughts on being a Directing Fellow with Film Independent 

IMDB Website Instagram

Host: 

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller 

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM 

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic 

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Bob Ellis is an American music executive and manager who has worked with musicians including Billy Preston, Chaka Khan, Meat Loaf, Rufus, Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood and many others. Bob joins the show to spill about the music industry and how social media has impacted the industry and music quality. Stay tuned in to hear the crazy story of how Bob and Michelle met!

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Meeting and representing Billy Preston while working at a PR agency

•  The story behind Rufus and Chaka Khan’s “Tell Me Something Good”

•  Opening Woody’s club that gave a stage to Spin Doctor, Dave Matthews, Red Hot Chili Peppers and other timeless artists in their early days

•  The evolution of music and how technology and Tik Tok has changed tour life and the music industry

•  Producing Chef Roblé and other shows

•  Being in the right place at the right time

•  How to manage different talent personalities

Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ellis_Silberstein

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Jay Francis is the Vice President of Current Series and Diversity and Inclusion at Disney Television Animation. He has over 15 years’ experience in managing the creative direction of series’ production, and has worked on award winning shows including Phineas and Ferb, Big City Greens, and Amphibia. Jay plays an important role in driving the push for more authentic storytelling that represents the world in which we live.

In this episode we talk about:

•  The key to a great pitch

• Transitioning from independent animation production to recruitment for primetime animation television

•  How accessible a career in animation can be

•  Working for Disney and how the company has embraced Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in development

•  His first internship at a local ABC affiliate in Boston

•  His first animation internship at DIC Entertainment

•  Leaving his job to launch Little Gangster Entertainment

•  Animation networking opportunities for VO Actors, Animators and more

•  Finding a lucrative kickstart creating video games using what he learned from animation

•  The importance of diverse and authentic storytelling through animation

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-francis-81a3002

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Jenny Ravitz is a NYC-based casting director at Jonathan Strauss Casting. She is currently casting shows including NBC's hit shows Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Chicago Med. She has years of knowledge of the casting industry after working at some of the top casting offices in New York City. Jenny is here to share her journey and provide an inside look at what it is like to help create a Chicago universe that reaches over 8 million home viewers per episode.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Finding her passion as a Casting Director through working as an Assistant Director

•  Working 80 hours a week while interning at Telsey + Company and Cindy Tolan casting offices and bartending at a local sports bar

•  The movie that connected Jenny and Michelle for the first time

•  The important role of identity, visibility, and authentic representation in casting

•  An inside look at how Jenny reviews auditions, makes selects, and presents an offer

•  How agent pitches can help or hurt an actor (and if she reads all of them!)

•  The benefit of self tapes over actor reels

•  Whether she likes slate shots

•  The national reach of the shows she casts

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5989503/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jennyravitzcasting

If you like this episode, check out Episode 2.2 to hear about Emmy winning Casting Director Julie Schubert (The Departed, Marvel shows on Netflix, Devil Wears Prada, etc)

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Chris Mann is a vocalist, musician, and actor who has performed as the lead in just under 700 shows of “The Phantom of the Opera” during his first major acting debut. He got fourth place on The Voice in 2012 and has continued to soar through the music industry with Billboard charting releases of his studio albums Roads, Constellation, and his most recent release, Noise. Chris joins the show to share how he has achieved his success despite facing devastating setbacks along the way.

In this episode we talk about:

• Signing his first ever record deal with Sony Music Group
  
• His first session job on Glee
  
• His experience on The Voice, what happens behind the scenes, and singing with Christina Aguilera
  
• Creating his viral parody music video “My Corona” which has tracked over 14 million views and inspired a host of quarantine themed music videos
  
• Classical church singing and earning his degree in Opera
  
• The process of recording sessions
  
• Recording Disney soundtracks and hearing himself in amusement parks and grocery stores
  
• The point when he contemplated giving up on pursuing a solo career

If you like this episode, check out Episode 2.1 to hear about Emmy nominated Musician and Composer Beau Black (Disney's The Lion Guard, The Mickey Show, etc)

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Mann_(singer)

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4985711/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3

Website: https://chrismannmusic.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialchrismann/?hl=en

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Jill Hoppenheim is the owner and creative director at Bagg Street Productions, an award winning creative content agency known for creating captivating marketing campaigns, branded content, and  scripted series for TV/Film including 24, Homeland, The Handmaid’s Tale, Glow, Family Guy and more. Jill has over ten year’s experience in entertainment marketing and breaks down her track to success.

In this episode we talk about:

• Her move from Montreal, Canada to Los Angeles while still on her student visa
  
• The job which introduced her to Entertainment Marketing
  
• The launch and inspiration behind Bagg Street Productions
  
• Getting her MFA in Documentary and production
  
• The process behind beginning to create original scripted content
  
• Jill’s top tip for anyone starting out as a content producer
  
• Her favorite kind of stories to tell
  
• Her mentor and inspiration

If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.14 to hear about Award Winning Producer Damon Lee.

Resources:

Website: https://www.baggstreet.com/

Imdb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1673836/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-hoppenheim/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baggstreet/

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

13:57 starting a company is like a newborn you couldn’t take your eyes off of it

37:45 2 things that she learned and reminded and kept with her

38:38 your greatest thing as a producer to have is material. you have to love it

41:20 - be creative in pitching and getting meetings

Ben Giroux is an Actor, Director, and Producer best known for his role as The Toddler on Nickelodeon’s Henry Danger and Danger Force. He is also known for voicing Mikey Munroe in the animated series Bunsen is a Beast on Nickelodeon. His other TV credits include Psych, NCIS, Bones, Sam & Cat, Hart of Dixie, FML, and The Big Show Show. His success carries off screen where he has amassed over 4.5 million followers on TikTok and over 100k on Instagram. In this episode we talk about: How he traveled across the country in the final months of his enrollment at the University of Southern California to audition for a Farrelly Brothers pilot on Fox. Being one half of a comedy hip-hop duo and creating a viral music video that landed him on the Billboard Top 100 charts Performing with the Backstreet Boys and other celebrities How TikTok has impacted his acting and creativity His transition from actor to director and how he believes the way he runs his sets has contributed to his success Becoming a writer and pitching projects in the industry Resources: Website: https://bengiroux.com/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Giroux IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1575638/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bengiroux/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bengirouxtv?lang=en Message Ben on Instagram to ask about his rates for Voiceover Coaching. Learn from the best! If you like this episode, check out Episode 2.1 to hear Beau Black's story, Emmy nominated Musician, Producer, VO Actor, and voice behind many Disney shows. Host: Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM Mentors on the Mic Facebook page Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Julie Schubert is an Emmy award-winning Casting Director. She has brought some of the best actors to beloved movies and shows. Some of her most notable credits include House of Cards, Daredevil, Luke Cage, Manifest, The Departed, The Devil Wears Prada, 50 Shades Darker, 50 Shades Freed and more. Julie has climbed the ladder from intern to director and is joining us to spill some of her secrets to success.

In this episode we talk about:

• How working at her family restaurant business led her to a career in entertainment
  
• What it means to be a casting director and what to look for in an actor
  
• Earning her first casting director credit
  
• The moment she won her first Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Casting
  
• The “local hire” conundrum
  
• Tips on how to shoot a self tape audition
  
• How to become a casting director and where to find casting training programs

Resources:

IMDB

Emmy Awards and Nominations

If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.12 to hear about Casting Director Kim Graham (who cast me in SHOWTIME's Homeland)

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Facebook page Website Youtube

Beau Black is currently writing music for 3 shows and 2 TV Features for Disney. He is an Emmy nominated composer, songwriter, musician, voice actor, and producer.  

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Being nominated for a 2017 Daytime Emmy Creative Arts Award for composing the song “Sisi Ni Sawa” from The Lion Guard

•  Writing music for Commercials including m Commercials such as Aveeno (with Jennifer Aniston), Sally Hansen, HP, Google Play, Mercedes, Target, Samsung, McDonalds, Wendy’s

•  Working on music for Miles from Tomorrowland (opening song), Penn Zero: Part time Hero (composed with Ryan Shore), The Lion Guard —> went to Number 2 on Billboard’s Top Soundtrack Albums chart, Mickey and the Roadster Racers, The Rocketeer (2019 TV Series) 11 episodes, Mickey Mouse Mixed Up Adventures, Jake and the Neverending Pirates

•  Composing 93 songs for Disney's The Lion Guard

•  Music Video for theme song for The Lion Guard with over 9 million views

•  First album "Meant to Be"

•  Singing on stage for thousands as a kid with his Dad, Jay Black from Jay and the Americans (responsible for "This Magic Moment" and "Cara Mia")

Resources: 

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beau_Black

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6872541/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/beaublack5

Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQt9M4E4nXA

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

In Napolean Hill's book Think and Grow Rich, he describes Mastermind Groups as: “A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.” Mastermind Groups are a valuable form of peer-to-peer mentorship, uniting you with your colleagues in an effort to grow and build your business. What better way to share the importance of Mastermind Groups than by sharing with you a discussion with my own?

Twice a month, I get together with 4 intelligent, savvy, badass female podcast hosts:

Abby Zufelt is a digital marketing and social media strategist. She is also the Host of Working Girl Talk podcast.

Anna Keenan is the Regional Marketing and Philanthropic Manager at Kendra Scott and Host of the Self Made Sister Podcast.

Christine O' Donnell is an Emmy Nominated Journalist, Founder of Bright Sighted Podcasting, and Host of the Podcast Coaching with Christine podcast.

Megan Accardo is a former CAA Executive turned Business Coach and Host of Power Your Purpose podcast.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  The importance of Mastermind Groups

•  Creative Marketing Tips to build audience for Podcasts: Pinterest, Tik Toks, Clubhouse

•  Acquiring Interns for our Business

•  My awesome Clubhouse story

•  Clubhouse Best Practices

•  How to grow your brand by leveraging your expertise

•  Naming your podcasts

•  Finding the Best Guests and what do you look for (How to Book yourself on Podcasts)

•  Being a Speaker at various Podcasting Events like Podcast Movement

Michelle was a Guest on Megan's Podcast recently! Network Like a Pro: Make Connections & Move your Career Forward with Michelle Mille‪r‬

Anna Keenan's Instagram

Megan Accardo's Instagram

Abby Zufelt's Instagram

Christine O'Donnell's Instagram

If you like this episode, check out Bonus Episode 3 on How to get a Mentor

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Bonus Episode LIVE from the RED CARPET of the New York Women in Film and Television Muse Awards.

First ever red carpet interviews with:

- Tantoo Cardinal (04:41)

- Michele Stephenson (05:31)

- Raney Aronson-Rath (07:40)

- Sibyl Reymundo-Santiago (09:32)

- Alex Borstein (11:00)

- Pat Swinney Kaufman (14:31)

- Kyra Sedgwick (16:55)

- Latasha Gillespie (18:30)

Bios:

Tantoo Cardinal is an award-winning actress of Indigenous descent, who was most recently on screen with Robert DeNiro and Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese’s newest feature, Killers of the Flower Moon, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023 and hit theatres worldwide in October 2023.

Filmmaker, artist and author, Michèle Stephenson. Her feature documentary, American Promise, was nominated for three Emmys and won the Jury Prize at Sundance. Her work, Stateless, was nominated for a Canadian Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary.

Raney Aronson-Rath is the editor-in-chief and executive producer of FRONTLINE, PBS’ flagship investigative journalism series, produced at GBH in Boston. Under her leadership, FRONTLINE has evolved into a multi-platform organization, expanded its reporting capacity, and won every major award in broadcast journalism. She won the Erin Roth Award for Excellence in Journalism at the Muse Awards.

Sybil Reymundo-Santiago is a Board Member at NYWIFT and the Executive Director of the SoHo International Film Festival.

Alex Borstein most recently completed the fifth and final season of THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL where she can be seen starring as ‘Susie Myerson’ for which she has won two Emmy Awards and was nominated again this year for ‘Outstanding Supporting Actress’. Alex is well-known for her role as ‘Lois’ on FAMILY GUY for which she won an Emmy Award and was previously nominated for her writing/producing work on the series. She won the "Made in NY" Award.

Kyra Sedgwick is an award-winning actress, producer and director, whose role in the critically acclaimed series The Closer earned her both an Emmy and a Golden Globe. She was last seen in season two of the smash hit Amazon series The Summer I Turned Pretty. Sedgwick recently directed the feature film Space Oddity, starring Kyle Allen and Alexandra Shipp, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Sedgwick also directed an episode of HBO’s upcoming The Girls on the Bus.

Latasha Gillespie is the Head of Global Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) for Amazon MGM Studios, Prime Video and Freevee. Under her leadership, Amazon MGM Studios created the entertainment industry’s first Inclusion Policy and Playbook, and standardized DEIA into its greenlight process.

Special thanks to Annika Horne for helping me on the red carpet, Rob Peter Paul of the Art of Kindness podcast for resources and tips, NYWIFT, and the team at Falco Ink.

Photo Credit: Starpix

Caption: NAME at New York Women In Film & Television (NYWIFT) 44th Annual Muse Awards at Cipriani 42nd Street.

Resources:

• Check out my earlier episode with NYWIFT called: ⁠What is NYWIFT and how can it be a resource for you?⁠
• ⁠"Made in NY" of the Office of Media and Entertainment⁠
• More info on ⁠New York Women in Film and Television⁠

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This episode was recorded LIVE on Facebook.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  4 Tips on How to get a Mentor

• How to cultivate a relationship with a Mentor over time

Episodes Referenced:

Episode 1 - Stan Brooks - From the Mailroom to Hollywood Producer & Director

Episode 21 - Linda Mendoza - From page to Comedy TV/Film Director of Scrubs, The Good Place, Blackish, and more

If you like this episode, check out Bonus Episode 4 on The Importance of a Mastermind Group

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Here is a Highlight Reel with advice from top DIRECTORS of Season 1 including Stan Brooks, Kristin Hanggi, Linda Mendoza, and Jason Ensler.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  How one future Director stood out working in the Mailroom

•  How one Director made the jump into Narrative Television

•  How to transition from Producer to Director

•  Are you waiting for permission to Create? How one director realized that she could just do it

•  Using the available resources around you to create your work

•  What you need to sacrifice for your career

•  What Quincy Jones told one Director that might help you

Episode 1 - Stan Brooks - From the Mailroom to Hollywood Producer & Director

Episode 21 - Linda Mendoza - From page to Comedy TV/Film Director of Scrubs, The Good Place, Blackish, and more

Episode 9 - Kristin Hanggi - From playing pretend to Film, TV, & Tony Nominated Director of Rock of Ages

Episode 16 - Jason Ensler - From PSAs to Executive Producer/Director of HULU's "Love Victor" and other Top TV shows

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

People kept asking for more information on me (thanks guys!). Since I can't interview myself, I asked my good friends of the popular Voices of Misery podcast if I could use some of their interview for a Bonus Episode.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  How I started acting and my first outside school gigs on The Rosie O' Donnell show and the Off Broadway play "I Never Saw Another Butterfly"

•  Best advice for any actor

•  How I booked a Hand Modeling campaign for Samsung

•  Dealing with nerves in the audition room

•  Being cancelled from TV shows like HBOs "Crashing" and "The Night Of"

•  Being cut from Winter’s Tale

• What’s my fallback and how I look at that question

Full Episode of the Voices of Misery interview:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nerd-new-friend-actress-michelle-simone-miller-shoot/id1445643241?i=1000490639287

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Linda Mendoza is an Emmy nominated, Comedy Director Extraordinaire. Her credits are extensive, directing episodes of Scrubs, Gilmore Girls, The Mindy Project, The Good Place, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Ugly Betty, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Grownish, The Chris Rock Show, Girlfriends, The Bernie Mac Show, The Tick, Liv & Maddie, 30 Rock, and many, many more. She has also been the go to Director for many Comedy specials including Tiffany Haddish (Black Mitzvah and 6 episodes of They Ready), Katherine Ryan, Wanda Sykes, Jamie Fox's Laffapalooza, Caroline Rhea, and various Mark Twain Prize specials (Ellen Degeneres, David Letterman, Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Bill Cosby, Carl Reiner, and George Carlin).  She has been nominated for 2 DGA Awards, a Primetime Emmy, a NAACP Award, and an ALMA Award (which she won).

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Why she gave up $8k a month to work on SNL

•  How Bernie Mac helped her transition into Narrative

•  Her new TV Special, Yearly Departed, starring Tiffany Haddish, Sarah Silverman, Rachel Brosnahan, Natasha Leggero (Hosted by Phoebe Robinson) Comedy special features eulogies for the year 2020 with a line-up of all-women comedians discussing everything from casual sex to beige Band-Aids and everything in between that we've "lost" in 2020. - Premiering on Amazon Prime Video on December 30th, 2020

•  Her first directing experience

•  Her Comedy special 'pet peeves'

•  Often being told that she was the first female director that a show has ever had

•  Her Mentors, including Bruce Gowers (famous for Bohemian Rhapsody Music video)

•  BTS on various Mark Twain Specials and Comedy Specials

•  What makes her the best at what she does

•  How a Mexican girl from Detroit, who everyone thought was Chinese, made it as a TV director

Resources:

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Mendoza

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0579318/

Yearly Departed: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13321268/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adetroitmendoza/?hl=en

Recommendation: If you like this Episode, check out Episode 1.17 to TV Director Jason Ensler (currently directing HULU's Love, Victor).

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Scott Feinberg is an Awards Columnist for The Hollywood Reporter. He is also the Host of the incredibly popular podcast "Awards Chatter," where he has interviewed over 350 incredible guests including Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Oprah, and Denzel Washington. He is considered by many as an Oscar Oracle, helping many people (including myself) win their Oscar pools. Having previously created one of the first successful Oscar blogs called "And the Winner is..." he was hired to create something similar out of college for the LA Times. 

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Some tips and tactics to predicting the Oscar winners every year

•  The Jennifer Lawrence episode (one of my favorites) and how the emotionality of that interview developed

•  The evolution of Awards Chatter podcast into an expose of the body of work of the guest

• How his love for films and the Awards shows turned into a job

•  How Oscar campaigns are similar to elections

•  Why there is a human factor into picking winners

•  What's strategic about the way he starts his interviews/episodes

•  How he started his website prior to The Hollywood Reporter and had studios buy ads

•  Sneak peek of a new episode with Sophia Loren

•  How he does all of the research for a guest himself and why that's so important to him

•  How he profiles anonymous Academy members

Resources:

Feinberg Forecast: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/topic/award-predictions-feinberg-forecast

Awards Chatter podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/awards-chatter/id1039032256

Jennifer Lawrence episode: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/awards-chatter-podcast-jennifer-lawrence-mother-1059777

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scott_feinberg/?hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-feinberg-a3517012

Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottfeinberg

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8901539/

If you like this Episode, check out Episode 1.19 to listen to E! Correspondent and Host of Rotten Tomatoes Naz Perez.

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Naz Perez is a TV Producer, Host & Podcaster. She is a true Renaissance Woman, juggling hosting responsibilities at Rotten Tomatoes, Dodger Stadium, E! Daily/Nightly Pop, T-Mobile, and the 'I don't get it' podcast. She is currently working her dream job at Rotten Tomatoes, hosting the tri-weekly show "The Ketchup," covering Movies and Television, and the weekly show "Binge Guide" covering what to watch next. After starting out at The Ellen Show and on E! True Hollywood story, she produced 5 seasons of The Bachelor.

Forbes (Jun 15 2020) - “Essentially, you create your dream job by making the work that you’re doing valuable to you and by seeking opportunities that fall in line with who you are deep down.”

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Whether she enjoyed working at The Ellen Show

•  Being a Stadium Host for Dodger stadium (50,000 people)

•  Naz produced 5 seasons of ABC’s The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise and 2 Seasons of Freeform’s Happily Ever After: Ben & Lauren, & The Twins.

•  Overcoming her perfectionist tendencies and creating her own work

•  The origin story of her podcast 'I don't get it' with The Bachelor's Ashley and Lauren Iaconetti

•  How she got her Dream job interviewing celebrities at Rotten Tomatoes

•  Why she founded Heart Broken Anonymous, the support group for people that are heart broken

•  The social experiment that is the Bachelor and what she liked and disliked working there

•  Lugged around the phantom camera battery for the NBA organization

•  Living in a kids toy room while she worked at Ellen

•  Creating the Athletic fashion blog for Style

•  Leaving Ellen for a 3 month gig at E!

Resources:

Website: https://nazperez.com/

I don't Get it podcast: https://idontgetit.libsyn.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nazperez/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naz-perez-b7162b35/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nazperezz?lang=en

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6265821/

Rotten Tomatoes segment "The Ketchup": https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=GLzxDZpUh-8

Recent Forbes Interview: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebekahbastian/2020/06/15/trailblazers-naz-pereztv-host-producer-podcaster-and-founder-of-heartbroken-anonymous/?sh=72fe76092b9d

Recommendation: If you like this Episode, check out Episode 1.20 to listen to Hollywood Reporter columnist and Awards Chatter podcast Host Scott Feinberg.

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

David Grae is a Writer and Executive Producer of Television. He's written for Joan of Arcadia, Without a Trace, Gilmore Girls, Castle, and Madam Secretary. At the latter, he moved up to Executive Producer of the 6 season show. He was second in command to Creator and Show runner, Barbara Hall. He started off writing spec scripts and directing his Off-Off-Off Broadway play 'Moose Mating' in NYC, before directing the play in LA. He invested $25k of his own money to put up the production, an investment that paid off.

In this episode, we talk about:

•   Meeting his Best Friend and Mentor in the business, Barbara Hall

•   Investing $25k of his own money of his play 'Moose Mating' in LA

•  Advice for writers on how to approach meetings for Television

•  #1 thing he wants from writers in his writer's room

•  Working on the final season of Gilmore Girls without Amy Sherman Palladino

•  Why he really came into his own as a writer on Castle

•  What are his greatest strengths as EP

•  How was it casting Madam Secretary where there are such diverse languages and ethnicities represented

•  How do you move up in the writers room (contribute more, leader in the room)

•  What does he think of casting Actors with little to no credits

• How aware did he have to be of ratings on a Network show

• How much preparation goes into a meeting for an already established show

Resources:

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1205551/

Great Interview with David Grae: https://www.writingclasses.com/toolbox/author-q-a/david-grae

Recommendation: If you like this Episode, check out Episode 1.11 with TV Writer Matt Witten (Pretty Little Liars, Medium, House, Law & Order)

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Erika Karnell is an Agent with BRS/GAGE Talent Agency, representing actors in TV, Film, and Theater. BRS/GAGE clients include Series Regulars and recurring actors on Station 19, Claws, and Madam Secretary, as well as Guest Stars on NCIS: New Orleans, Elementary, Gotham, and Mr. Robot. BRS/GAGE Talent agency clients have appeared in almost every Broadway musical, including The Lion King, Aladdin, Hamilton, Come From Away, Moulin Rouge, and Waitress. In this episode, we talk about: •   Why she knew instantly that she wanted to work for The Gage group •   What's a "medium sized" Talent Agency and why BRS/GAGE Talent operates like a boutique agency •  What it means to operate with a "Team approach" as opposed to a "Point person approach" •  What's her pitch strategy to Casting Directors •  How to climb up the ladder in an Agency •  What are the type of clients that should reach out to BRS/GAGE Talent? How does she meet her client? •  Working with developmental actors (And what that means) •  Why she loves teaching actors •  Does she like when actors write to her about roles •  Why it's not a good idea for actors to go to LA for pilot season •  How she started at The National Association of Talent Representatives Resources: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-karnell-3140863  Recommendation: If you like this Episode, check out Episode 1.13 with Talent Agent at Buchwald agency Jonathan Mason Host: Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Jason Ensler is an Executive Producer and Director of some of your favorite TV shows. After graduating USC with an MFA in Cinema/Television production, Jason directed PSAs for a friend's marketing company and his alma mater, Brandeis University. That led to being part of a creative team at NBC 2000, promoting campaigns for NBC shows like The West Wing, Scrubs, Frasier, The Olympics and The NBA. Eventually, he started directing and producing shows such as The West Wing, The Newsroom, Scrubs, Gossip Girl, Franklin & Bash, The Passage, The Exorcist, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Red Band Society, and most recently, Love, Victor on HULU (to name a few).

In this episode, we talk about:

•   Getting to work with Aaron Sorkin on The Newsroom and getting him to sing "The Surrey with the fringe on Top" (musical theater) a cappella

•  How it is to direct Hulu’s Love, Victor in the midst of the pandemic

•   What a Tone Meeting is and why it's important before filming a TV show

•  What he likes about doing pilots vs an already established episodic

•  The difference between working on Streaming vs network show

•  A seminal meeting with Director Chuck Russell that changed his path (directed The Mask, Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3, The Blob, Eraser, The Scorpion King)

•  How difficult was it to go from directing light comedies to dramas

•  Is it important to leave the bubble of Hollywood as a filmmaker

•  What he's looking forward to in his career

Episodes mentioned:

Episode 1 - Stan Brooks https://kite.link/stan

Resources:

Website: https://jasonenslerfilm.com/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Ensler

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0258128/

Mockumentary for NBC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPP_Fpsi_LU

Twitter: @Jason_Ensler

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.21 with TV Director Linda Mendoza (The Good Place, Scrubs, Black-ish, Yearly Departed).

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Elizabeth Van Metre is currently an Alert Desk Anchor/Reporter/Fill-In Anchor on Channel 13. Upon graduating college, she got an editorial internship at a Tabloid, researching storylines, collecting information, attending red carpets, and transcribing interviews. She was offered a full time reporting job shortly after. Subsequently, she worked at The New York Daily News and Entertainment Tonight, before getting her Master in Journalism at Columbia University. She has spent the last 3.5 years working in front of the camera in News. She produced and anchored the daily morning show "Today in Wyoming," before moving to her current role in Missouri.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  In Tabloids, who are these so called 'sources' and why Tabloids can't completely make up stories (though maybe the sources can)

•  Do the Kardashians call in the Tabloids? 

•   "The Amanda Bynes Story" or where Elizabeth draws the line

•  How she grew her >52K Tik Tok following

•  Great advice for people wanting to get into Entertainment, including if you haven’t seen the job you want listed

•  What these sources often get in return for their stories

•  What happens when a tabloid calls a PR team with a story?

•  What sort of photo do the paparazzi and tabloids hope to get

•  Why it’s important that your PR team thinks you are their number 1 priority

•  After a Tik Tok blew up, a celebrity's team contacted her directly

•  Why Paris Hilton commented on her Tik Tok story

•  Why Elizabeth gave up Entertainment reporting for a career in News outside of NYC

•  Whether she ever hopes to come back to NYC for her career

• Resources:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-vanmetre-93958327/

Tik Tok: @ElizabethVanMetre

Instagram: @Elizabethrosevm

Website: https://www.liketoknow.it/ElizabethRoseVM

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.20 with Hollywood Reporter columnist Scott Feinberg (and Host of Awards Chatter podcast)

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

I recorded the intro to this episode earlier this week and already it's outdated! The strike is over! We can now talk about how GREAT Carol Baum is.

Carol Baum has produced thirty-four movies, seventeen of them independently. Before becoming an independent producer, Baum was co-president of Sandollar Productions, Dolly Parton and Sandy Gallin’s production company, for ten years, where she produced such hits as Father of the Bride; the Academy Award-winning HBO documentary Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt; Tidy Endings; I.Q.; Jacknife; True Identity; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Gross Anatomy; Shining Through; Straight Talk; and Kicking and Screaming. As an indie producer, Baum made, among other movies, including The Good Girl; You Kill Me; and Boychoir. She has produced five television movies for Hallmark and several documentaries. 

Her roots are in New York City, where she spent her early career in publishing, working for both Bantam Books and Random House and scouting for the English publisher Corgi. While in New York, she developed Ira Levin’s The Stepford Wives, Stephen King’s The Shining, and Ira Levin’s The Boys from Brazil. When she relocated to Los Angeles, Baum became a studio vice president at Twentieth Century Fox and a senior vice president at Lorimar, where she developed Taylor Hackford’s An Officer and a Gentleman. Following her stint as an executive, she produced David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers.

Baum currently teaches producing in the Film and Television Production Division at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. She is also a mentor for the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC.

Guest:

IMDb Website Wikipedia

Carole's book ⁠Creative Producing: a pitch-to-picture guide to movie development⁠ is available wherever you buy books.

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Mentioned on this episode:

Best Podcasts for Actors (Backstage)

6 Must Listen to Podcasts for Actors (TheaterArtLife)

30 Best Acting Podcasts (Feedspot)

Join me at this virtual panel brought to you by SAG-AFTRA Actors with Podcasts for Actors

For more like this, try Excerpt from ⁠⁠⁠Creative Producing: a Pitch-to-Picture Guide to Movie Development⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Carol Baum

Damon Lee is an Award-winning Producer and CEO of Deacon Media. Not only has he been the Executive Producer for two of the top five grossing African American themed films of the past decade, but he is responsible for the first and only cross-over from animated web series to live action feature film. His projects have included Beyonce, Idris Elba, Taraji P. Henson, Issa Rae, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, John Legend, Loretta Devine, Chris Brown, Regina King, and more. He won an NAACP award for Outstanding Television Movie, Sins of the Mother, the second most watched original film in Lifetime's history.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How he got his first job working for John Singleton, Director of Boyz in the Hood, Higher Learning, Poetic Justice, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Four Brothers

• Vice President of Production for Hollywood legend Joel Silver, Producer of The Matrix and Conspiracy Theory

• Becoming Vice President of Production at MGM after only 5 years of being in LA

• Fighting for his credit on Obsessed (starring Beyonce and Idris Elba)

• Diversity in Hollywood, pushing for people of color in front of and behind the camera

• Being Executive VP at Urban Entertainment and developing the animated web series Undercover Brother, grossing $100,000,000.

• Joel Silver and Amy Pascal fighting over him

• How he used to believe he had to 'Minimize self to Maximize opportunity'

• Getting an NAACP award for Sins of the Mother

• Executive producing 'This Christmas' starring Idris Elba, Loretta Devine, Chris Brown, Regina King, and Meki Pfiefer.

• Being an Executive Producer on Lifetime's  'Taken From Me,' garnering an Emmy nomination for lead actress performance by Taraji P. Henson

• Micro aggressions in Hollywood - defining the line that no one can cross

• Incredible story about how he was able to go to the Peter Stark Producing program

• Connection with Episode 1 Mentor, Stan Brooks - https://kite.link/stan

Resources:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/-damon-lee-/

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0497083/

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.1 with Emmy winning Producer and Director Stan Brooks.

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Mentors on the Mic Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Jonathan Mason is a Theatrical or legit agent at Don Buchwald & Associates in NY (film, TV, and theater). In addition to celebrity clients, he also represents actors in some of your favorite television shows, streaming shows, and films. Buchwald is a top tier bi coastal agency with name recognition, offering representation in commercial, print, digital, branded lifestyle, film, TV, theater, literary, social media influencers, and voiceover.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The incredible journey Jonathan took to get to Buchwald, including working as a PA, Background Artist, Assistant at Channel 5 News, Finance, and Casting

• Why our previous Mentor, Kim Graham, is an integral part of his story

• Working at Channel 5 News during the OJ Simpson Trial

• Tips from Don Lemon in the 90s

• Rising from Intern to Agent in 2 years

• Why he was considered "too old" to work as a Casting Assistant or an Agent's Assistant and how he pushed his way through

• Starting in your 30s in a new position in Entertainment and how to pivot

• How Buchwald currently submits actors on their roster

• How and when he pitches his actors

• The biggest lesson I learned from Jon which got me paid

• What he looks for in actors who come in (What CDs does he know, footage, cd recommendations)

• What’s he's seeing now and where he’s seeing production pick up

Resources:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/agentdbamason?lang=en

Buchwald Website: https://www.buchwald.com/

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.12 with Casting Associate of Homeland, Kim Graham.

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Kim Graham has been the Associate Casting Director for the Emmy award winning casting office of Judy Henderson Casting since 2003. She casts for Film, TV, Commercials, Theater, and more. Most notably, Kim cast all seasons of Showtime's critically acclaimed, award-winning Homeland, starring Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin. She has also been an independent Casting Director on numerous projects.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How she toured opera as a competitive singer and why she quit

• Her journey from casting intern to associate

• Being introduced to one of her icons, Julie Andrews

• What she pulled from her waitressing experiences to casting projects

• What it was like to cast Homeland with actors from all over the world

• Casting me in Homeland and why my episode's storyline was so memorable

• Great advice for actors including how to approach auditions, how to approach Co-stars vs bigger roles, advice on how to slate and more

• What advice she would tell her younger self about auditioning

• Answers some of your questions posted on Social Media including: What's the best way for a post grad to get out there? What agents does she usually see actors from? What are bad habits of actors she most commonly sees at auditions?

Resources:

Website: https://www.kimberlygraham.net/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-graham-6953697/

Condensed On Camera Intensive class: https://www.kimberlygraham.net/events/condensed-on-camera-intensive

Contact Kim for additional info on classes: https://www.kimberlygraham.net/

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.13 with Talent Agent Jon Mason at Buchwald Agency.

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Matt Witten is a Playwright, Novelist, TV writer, and Teacher. He started writing plays, with The Deal winning a Clauder Playwriting Competition in 1989.  He's written four novels starring amateur sleuth Jacob Berns, include Breakfast at Madeline's, Grand Delusion, Strange Bedfellows, and The Killing Bee. His next book, The Necklace is coming out next year with his book already optioned by a huge production company.  He's written for a long list of Television shows, including Law & Order, House, Medium, Supernatural, Pretty Little Liars, CSI Miami, Women's Murder Club, JAG, and more. 

In this episode, we talk about:

• How he got his first literary and TV agent, with substantive tips for unrepresented writers

• A trick that helped him in his pitch meeting for Law & Order

• How a writer's room works for a Television show and the importance of a RBI

• Hierarchy of a writer's room

• Whether actors inspire writers and whether writers write with an actor (or someone) in mind

• How he went from tv show to tv show and what the hardest part of his tv career was

• What he liked about writing for Pretty Little Liars and why it was different than writing for other shows

• Some advice for actors, including what he looks for in casting the roles he writes for (what stands out)

• His new book The Necklace coming out next year and what big production company has already optioned the movie rights

Check out our Facebook page for more of Matt's episode!

He answers the questions:

1. What are his thoughts on TV writing Fellowships and Festivals?

2. When writing a script, do you go with your gut or what you think people want to hear?

3. How do you approach writing for women?

Resources:

Website: https://mattwittenwriter.com/

Wikipedia for Matt Witten: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Witten

Books: https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Witten/e/B00AG1DXKW%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0936976/

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.18 with Executive Producer and TV Writer David Grae (Madam Secretary, Joan of Arcadia, Without a Trace, Gilmore Girls)

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Ron West is a co-founder and principal of Thruline Entertainment, a prominent Management and Production company. Thruline manages incredible actors and writers including Oscar Winner Alison Janney, Eric Stonestreet, Michael Cera, Sarah Silverman, Rob Estes, Lindsay Sloane, Annie Mumolo (Bridesmaids), six time Emmy award winner Barry Julien, director Zak Hilditch (1922), and more. Many Thruline clients have been honored with nominations and wins at the Academy Awards, BAFTAs, Golden Globes, the Emmy Awards, Tonys, Writers/Directors/Screen Actors Guild Awards, and The Grammys, to name a few. As a production company, Thruline produced 'The Great' on Hulu (Starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult), Steven Soderbergh's new Quibi show 'Wireless,' the hit USA dramedy 'Psych,' to name a few.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  Starting in the Mailroom at ICM Agency, including driving around a young Natalie Portman and her mother to different Studios

•  Becoming an agent after only 1 year and 9 months, followed by VP, Head of Television Talent at ICM (youngest Agency dept head)

• Why he decided to create Thruline Entertainment with his partners

• What makes a good Agent, why he was good at it, and why he likes being a Manager instead

•  Why he decided to create Thruline Entertainment with his partnerss being a Manager instead

•  How much, on average, he devotes to management, administrative, development and reading scripts

•  How he decides what productions and scripts to work on

•  How he stood out at ICM

•  What makes him different as a Manager and then how he attracts the sort of clients that he wants

Resources:

Website: https://thruline.com/

Trailer for 'The Great' on Hulu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJGedvRfHYg

Trailer for 'Wireless' on Quibi: https://www.looper.com/243703/wireless-trailer-teases-steven-soderberghs-quibi-thriller/

IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1930137/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.1 with Emmy winning Producer and Director Stan Brooks.

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Kristin Hanggi is a Theater, Television, and Film Director, as well as a Writer, Teacher, and poet. She is well known for directing and developing the international smash-hit Rock of Ages, which received five Tony Award nominations. Kristin was only 31 when she received her Tony Nomination for Best Direction of a Musical. Since then, she traveled the world directing productions of Rock of Ages all over the world. Recently, she has directed Episode 6 of Julie and The Phantoms, which came out on Netflix last week, Thursday, September 10th. 

In this episode, we talk about:

• The story of how she got the call that she was on the list of possible directors for Julie and The Phantoms while on vacation in Italy (including a zoom interview with Netflix and call with Kenny Ortega)

• Stories about how she would get the resources to put together a production without a high budget

• Her experience directing Pussycat Dolls at The Roxy at 24, with celebrities like Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera, and Charlize Theron

• How she started having ideas for a musical about rock and roll (which led into Rock of Ages)

• The craziest weekend that involved a breakup, funding falling through for a show, and a call that started Rock of Ages

• Creating during the pandemic

• How it felt to be nominated for a Tony award for Best Director

• How she manifested people and opportunities in her life

• What realization propelled her to directing more film

Resources: 

Kristin's Instagram and Twitter: @hanggiLove 

Website: https://www.kristinhanggi.com/ 

Create Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1075015782555354 

Pre-order Kristin's book - https://www.amazon.com/God-Sex-Musical-Theatre-Meditations/dp/194934228X 

Julie and The Phantom on Netflix - https://www.netflix.com/title/80230534 

IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1539392/ 

Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristin_Hanggi 

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.21 with TV Director Linda Mendoza (Scrubs, The Good Place, Yearly Departed, Black-ish).

Host: 

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller 

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM 

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Serena Kerrigan, also known as Serena F*cking Kerrigan, SFK, and “The Queen of Confidence,” does not wait for someone to give her a role, she creates that role for herself. This incredibly popular Content Creator, video producer, and Confidence Coach has amassed an engaged and loyal following of 70k+ on Instagram and 150k+ on Tik Tok. Only a few months ago, she created, produced, and hosted Let’s F*cking Date, the first reality show on Instagram Live, which The Today Show called a "Must Watch" and Guest of a Guest called "Better than the Bachelor."

Please note that is episode is explicit and has some cursing.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Where and how she came up with her SFK persona

•  Where and how she came up with her SFK personaDate, which starts on Wednesday, September 9th

•  How she grew her loyal and engaged social media following

•  Creating massive amounts of content while at Refinery 29, including the first bilingual show Celebrando with Serena series and later, the Ask Serena series

•  The story behind when she knew she had to leave her job at Refinery 29

•  How she auditioned for her first job as the voice of a character on Go, Diego, Go! on a voicemail

•  Whether she would ever think about making her own kid’s show

• The incredible diversity portrayed in Children’s programming and why it’s important to have authentic casting

•  Manifesting all of her success and why it’s important to be confident and say your dreams aloud

•  The incredible advice she got from her father about creating her own opportunities

•  Tips for how to build your Confidence

•  What she tells herself after losing out on a personal or professional opportunity

Resources:

Website: https://www.serenakerrigan.com/

Instagram: @SerenaKerrigan @Letsfuckingdate

Book a Coaching Session with Serena: https://square.site/book/857PGFV26S609/sfk-lfg

Pre-Order her Let's F*cking Date Card game: https://letsfuckingdate.com/products/card-game

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.19 with E! Correspondent and Host of Rotten Tomatoes and Dodger Stadium.

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Arun Narayanan is an Editorial Analyst of Metadata Research and Development at Netflix. He started as an intern for Avi Arad Productions and Michael De Luca Productions while getting his Masters in Film and Television Productions at USC. After many freelance jobs including Background work, quality control for DVDs, media technician work, editing, production, and writing, Arun has always aspired for balance between his practical and creative pursuits. Now he splits his time between his career at Netflix and his writing.

In this episode, we talk about: 

• How he collected, categorized and analyzed metadata for Disney (including Star Wars and Marvel movies, Black-ish, Greys Anatomy, etc) 

• What is metadata and tagging and how do large Networks like Disney and Netflix utilize it? 

• What he is currently working on at Netflix 

• His short film at USC called Jonas and the Machine with Robert Funke (writer/creator for On Becoming a God in Central Florida starring Kirsten Dunst) 

• Cool internships with Avi Arad Productions (The Amazing Spiderman, Iron Man, X Men) and Michael De Luca (The Social Network, Captain Phillips, Moneyball) *** I'd like to clarify here that although he was an intern for Michael de Luca during the time of filming Captain Phillips, he did not work on it, as I refer to in the episode.

• Writer of the Movie TIME CAPSULE with PixL featuring Reginald VelJohnson and Chris Kattan 

• His awesome web series Arun Considers 

• How he hated his first job at Pepsi Co, despite the great pay and company car 

• What he learned from the MFA program at USC 

• How he got his agent 

Resources: 

Arun's Instagram and Twitter: @arunconsiders 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arunconsiders 

Website: https://www.arunconsiders.com/ 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/narayananarun/ 

Jonas and the Machine: https://vimeo.com/40645082 

Pork Fried Rice: https://vimeo.com/33809973 

Occupied:  https://vimeo.com/34244232 

*** CORRECTION - In the Intro, I referred to Arun as the 'human behind the algorithm' and that 'he and his team' work at Netflix. I would like to make it extremely clear that Arun is 'one of the humans behind the algorithm' and he is 'part of a team.'

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.6 with VP of Content Acquisitions and Co-productions at Cartoon Network and Boomerang.

Host: 

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller 

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM 

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Adina Pitt is the Vice President of Content Acquisitions and Co Productions at Cartoon Network and Boomerang. She started as a PA on a movie in Puerto Rico, moving her way through wonderful internships and a Masters in Early Childhood Development and Educational Communication and Technology from NYU. This proved perfect for her goal to work in Children’s Entertainment. After 10 years at Nickelodeon, Adina found her home at Cartoon Network.

In this episode, we talk about: 

• The difficult process of getting that first paying job 

• Why she decided to get her Masters 

• Why she stayed in NY after grad school (as opposed to returning to Puerto Rico) 

• What is programming acquisitions and how she got into it 

• How she looks at content and what makes shows specific or differential for the Network 

• Working at Nickelodeon for 10 years 

• Discussion of why reboots are so meaningful and popular 

• Gender disparity in the workplace and the importance of women supporting women 

• Advice on Networking and acquiring Mentors 

• Evolution of Children’s programming in Puerto Rico 

• What she misses most about working in her office 

• Working on the music cue sheets for Degrassi or proposals for Arthur 

• Filling live audiences for Where in the World is Carmen San Diego 

Resources: 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adina-pitt-4a86334/ 

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.7 with Writer and Editorial Analyst at Netflix.

Host: 

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller 

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM 

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

David Pepose is a Ringo award-winning Graphic Novelist, sporting two successful Comic Book series "Spencer and Locke" and "Going to the Chapel." He started out as a Temp at DC Entertainment, before transitioning to a Literary Assistant at Heroes and Villains Entertainment and writing Reviews for Newsarama (the ESPN of Comics). He also learned a lot from his time writing press releases at CBS about what it means to have a slow build as a writer. David takes us in on the exciting world of Comic Books, complete with his first experience at Comic Con and getting optioned very quickly into the launch of Spencer and Locke (film rights).

In this episode, we talk about:

• How he sold his first graphic novel "Spencer and Locke"

• An exclusive first look at his upcoming new series The O.Z.  + Kickstarter bit.ly/TheOZComic

• His first experience at Comic Con

• The initial rejections of his comic book, including "This is the best pitch we'll never publish"

• The Production of Comic Books, as well as the breakdown of the different markets

• How writing press releases for CBS and comic reviews for Newsarama helped him with writing his books

• Some of the great incentives his kickstarter is offering

• Little teaser for future of film or additional adaptations

• The fun story behind the inspiration of his second series, Going to the Chapel

• Being nominated for Ringo Awards against the heavy hitters of the industry (achievement in comic books)

• How he got his first illustrator

• Breaking 400+ pages of comics scripts written this year

Resources:

David's Instagram and Facebook: @davidpeposecomics

Twitter: @peposed

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peposed/

bit.ly/TheOZComic

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.11 with TV Writer and Novelist Matt Witten.

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

One of Carol's superpowers as a successful producer is her relationships with WRITERs. She is credited for starting the careers of David O’Russell, Noah Baumbach, and Mike White, in addition to being Former VP at 20th Century Fox and Co-President of Sandollar Productions (founded by Dolly Parton and Sandy Gallin).

This is an excerpt from Carol Baum's new book:

⁠⁠⁠Creative Producing: a pitch-to-picture guide to Movie Development⁠⁠⁠. It is available wherever you buy books.

Here we delve into Do's and Don'ts for talking to Writers, with some incredible stories along the way.

Chapter 5 - Script Development, pages 49-52.

Carol Baum has produced thirty-four movies, seventeen of them independently. Before becoming an independent producer, Baum was co-president of Sandollar Productions, Dolly Parton and Sandy Gallin’s production company, for ten years, where she produced such hits as Father of the Bride; the Academy Award-winning HBO documentary Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt; Tidy Endings; I.Q.; Jacknife; True Identity; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Gross Anatomy; Shining Through; Straight Talk; and Kicking and Screaming. As an indie producer, Baum made, among other movies, including The Good Girl; You Kill Me; and Boychoir. She has produced five television movies for Hallmark and several documentaries. 

Her roots are in New York City, where she spent her early career in publishing, working for both Bantam Books and Random House and scouting for the English publisher Corgi. While in New York, she developed Ira Levin’s The Stepford Wives, Stephen King’s The Shining, and Ira Levin’s The Boys from Brazil. When she relocated to Los Angeles, Baum became a studio vice president at Twentieth Century Fox and a senior vice president at Lorimar, where she developed Taylor Hackford’s An Officer and a Gentleman. Following her stint as an executive, she produced David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers.

Baum currently teaches producing in the Film and Television Production Division at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. She is also a mentor for the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC.

Guest:

⁠IMDb⁠ ⁠Website⁠ ⁠Wikipedia⁠

Carole's book ⁠⁠Creative Producing: a pitch-to-picture guide to movie development⁠⁠ is available wherever you buy books.

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Mentioned on this episode:

⁠Best Podcasts for Actors (Backstage)⁠

⁠6 Must Listen to Podcasts for Actors (TheaterArtLife)⁠

⁠30 Best Acting Podcasts (Feedspot)⁠

Join me at this virtual panel brought to you by SAG-AFTRA ⁠Actors with Podcasts for Actors⁠

Kerri Berney is currently the Director of Multi-platform and Strategic Research at NBCUniversal Media. Kerri is a badass career woman who has worked in several areas of the Television industry including production, public relations, development, and at a literary agency. She shares with us her journey from an intern for Stan Brooks (Episode 1), to a Literary Assistant at Dytman & Associates, to Scholastic Entertainment, to Sony Pictures Television, to Oxygen Media Network, to VH1/VH1 Classic/CMT, to her current home at NBC.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The responsibilities of a Director of Multi-platform and Strategic Research at NBC

• How she landed her first internship at Once Upon a Time Films for Stan Brooks

• Shutting down her life in LA to drive cross country alone for a job at Scholastic Entertainment

• Working Comic Con - How she took the initiative to read and pitch comic books

• Making the decision to go back to school to get her Masters in TV-Radio-Film at Syracuse

• Starting her first real job in Research at Oxygen Media Network

• Attending the Glee Concert with the Network Executives

• Having to try out for her position when the company was taken over

• Thoughts on the future of Television 

Resources:

Kerri's instagram: @newyorkerinewyork @klberney

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerri-berney-718137/

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.10 with Hollywood Producer and Manager Ron West.

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Michael Pitt is a Production Manager with over 70 credits in film and television, including Ocean’s 8, Person of Interest, Nurse Jackie, Sex and the City movies 1 and 2, I am Legend, The Devil wears Prada, 30 Rock, and more. He has had multiple roles on set, including Production Assistant, Second second Assistant Director, Second Assistant Director, First Assistant Director, and Production Manager.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How he went from $500 a week on a Friday to $2,500 a week the following Monday
• How bitterness of a lost job led him to huge life lesson
• Discussions on plans to resume filming with the threat of COVID
• How to network, follow up and meet people in the industry
• A breakdown of various role responsibilities, including PA (Production Assistants), AD (Assistant Director), Second Second AD, Second AD, First AD, and Production Managers.
• Starting as a Production Assistant for $30 a day at 16 years old on the comedy, Disorderlies starring Ralph Bellamy and the rap group, The Fat Boys.
• Process to get into the Director’s Guild of America, including a psychological test.
• Taking the risky and rather unconventional route of becoming a Production Manager through the AD track.
• Difficult learning curve from First AD to Production Manager

Resources:

IMDB: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0685855/?ref_=m_nmfm_nm

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.6 with VP of Content Acquisitions and Co-Productions at Cartoon Network and Boomerang (his wife).

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Jacklyn Collier and Shawlini Munjunath-Holbrook, or Jacks and Shawl, are the Hosts of Hallmark Channels’ Bubbly Sesh, the official Hallmark Channels' podcast, where they talk about Hallmark movies, shows, romance and relationships.

In this episode, you'll learn:

- How these ladies took their love of Hallmark movies and turned it into the official podcast for the network.

- The benefits of having this huge sponsor behind them,

- The best parts of hosting this podcast together

- How their podcast led to acting roles on a Hallmark movie and other major collaborations

Resources:

Instagram: @shawlinivmh @jacklyncollier @thebubblysesh

Twitter: @shawlinivmh @JacklynCTweets @thebubblysesh

Hallmark Channels' Bubbly Sesh Website: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/thebubblysesh

Bundle Custom Board Games: https://www.thebundlegame.com/

Subscribe, Rate and Review Hallmark Channels' Bubbly Sesh, which can be found on Itunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Castbox, and more

Subscribe, Rate and Review Shawlini's podcast Feel the Good with Shawl, which can be found on Itunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Castbox, and more

Subscribe, Rate and Review Mentors on the Mic

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.8 with Content Creator and Host of first TV show on IG Live Serena Kerrigan.

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

Stan Brooks is a talented and highly regarded film and television producer and director. He has produced more than 70 films for film and television since 1989, some going on to be nominated and win Emmys. In this episode, we discuss his first job in the industry, working in the mailroom at a company called Filmways. He explains his incredible subsequent journey to becoming a Producer and now, Director.

In this episode, we talk about:

• His transition from AFI (American Film Institute) to the “real world."
• The simple and memorable advice his grandfather gave him before his first job.
• How a tiny film "Perfect Sisters" turned into a successful teen thriller with an Oscar winning cast
• His involvement in the making of Oscar winning “Rain Man.”
• Why he got unapproved 3x in a row to direct his first film
• An incredible story regarding the screening of the film “Submerged” at the White House.
• Thoughts about filming during this time.
• His charitable organization, The Hollywood Indies Little League Foundation.
• Directing 2 episodes of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Resources:

IMBD: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0112253/

Stan & Deliver Website: https://www.stananddeliver.com/about

Recommends seeing Searching for Allison Porchnik by Jason Ensler

https://ensemble.brandeis.edu/hapi/v1/contents/permalinks/Pg65Qes9/view

Subscribe, Rate and Review Mentors on the Mic on Apple Podcasts

Recommendation: If you like this episode, check out Episode 1.14 with Producer/Director/CEO of Deacon Media, Damon Lee.

Host:

Instagram: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneMiller

Twitter: @MentorsontheMic @MichelleSimoneM

Website: www.michellesimonemiller.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle

What do you look for in a Mentor? Every Monday, NYC Native actress Michelle Miller will be talking to some of the most interesting Mentors in Entertainment, including Directors, Producers, Network executives, Actors, and more. Her guests will share how they started, how they moved up and any advice they have for us today. Every path is different. A career in Entertainment is anything but linear. Let’s learn and be inspired together listening to Mentors on the Mic.

Ready to elevate your social media game? Join us for an enlightening session with Heidi Dean, a master of social media strategy, as we uncover the secrets to crafting an irresistible online persona.

In this engaging episode, we're diving into your most pressing questions:

1. How can you build a compelling brand on Instagram? Heidi shares practical steps to showcase your unique identity.

2. What is Heidi's process? How did she start her social media profile without a team?

3. Mastering the art of a captivating first impression: bio optimization, highlight bubbles, and hashtag strategies.

4. What's the ideal posting strategy? Heidi reveals tips for keeping your audience engaged and coming back for more.

5. Achieve networking excellence: Explore collaboration, engagement, and strategic growth while nurturing valuable connections.

But wait, there's more! Heidi Dean opens her digital playbook:

1. Behind the scenes: Heidi's content creation journey from a one-person operation to a well-coordinated team.

2. Repurposing magic: Discover her step-by-step process for tailoring content across different channels, from blogs to TikTok.

3. Decoding analytics: Gain insights into Instagram analytics, watch time, audience retention, and more.

4. Essential tools of the trade: Heidi reveals her favorite apps for crafting standout content.

5. Engaging your audience: Should you speak directly to your followers or ride the trend wave? Heidi shares her winning approach.

6. Networking like a pro: From casting directors to writers, learn Heidi's tips for building authentic connections online.

Uncover a wealth of social media insights and supercharge your online presence. Tune in to this episode and embrace the digital spotlight with confidence!

Heidi Dean is known as the industry’s top social media strategist for actors and the creator of Marketing4actors.com. She’s a social media writer for Backstage Magazine and a frequent speaker at film festivals, SAG-AFTRA, AEA, conferences, podcasts and universities across the country. Her clients include Emmy Award-winners, Broadway stars, series regulars, directors, producers, casting directors and voice actors. Heidi turns social media rookies into ROCKSTARS!

Guest:

30 Days of Post Ideas for Actors (for free): ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠https://www.marketing4actors.com/30posts⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@Marketing4actors⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@heididean⁠⁠⁠

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like this episode, check out:

• ⁠⁠⁠3 Tips for Building your Audience and Creating your Content Strategy with PR Expert Aliza Licht (BONUS)⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠3 Actionable tips to starting your PR strategy before getting a publicist⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mini-Series: Creating Atomic Habits with Guest host Kate Bone (part 1)⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you're wondering, "How can we use Instagram highlights to network effectively and even book jobs?" – you're in for a treat.

Join us as Heidi Dean, the renowned social media strategist, unravels her secret playbook to harness Instagram Highlights for networking and job opportunities. Get ready to revamp your approach and master the art of strategic storytelling. Heidi's tips will empower you to turn your Instagram profile into a networking powerhouse, boosting your chances of landing those coveted gigs.

🌐 Network like a pro using Instagram Highlights 🎬 Craft compelling stories that resonate 📚 Showcase your versatile talent and skills 🌟 Elevate your online presence and visibility

Tune in now to embark on a journey of enhancing your networking prowess through Instagram Highlights. With Heidi Dean's expert guidance, you'll be primed to conquer the digital realm, connect with industry insiders, and pave the way for remarkable career opportunities.

Heidi Dean is known as the industry’s top social media strategist for actors and the creator of Marketing4actors.com. She’s a social media writer for Backstage Magazine and a frequent speaker at film festivals, SAG-AFTRA, AEA, conferences, podcasts and universities across the country. Her clients include Emmy Award-winners, Broadway stars, series regulars, directors, producers, casting directors and voice actors. Heidi turns social media rookies into ROCKSTARS!

Guest:

30 Days of Post Ideas for Actors (for free): ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠https://www.marketing4actors.com/30posts⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@Marketing4actors⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@heididean⁠⁠⁠

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like this episode, check out:

• ⁠⁠⁠3 Tips for Building your Audience and Creating your Content Strategy with PR Expert Aliza Licht (BONUS)⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠3 Actionable tips to starting your PR strategy before getting a publicist⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mini-Series: Creating Atomic Habits with Guest host Kate Bone (part 1)⁠⁠⁠⁠

As mentioned on the podcast:

The Actors Rise Newsletter - Sign up here!

The Actor's Work Ethic podcast - Listen here

Dreaming of making your social media posts go viral?

Join us in this dynamic episode as we team up with social media strategist for actors, Heidi Dean, to unveil the secrets of going viral.

Discover three powerful strategies to transform your online presence and create a buzz that resonates. From engaging content to trending techniques, we're here to elevate your actor journey to new heights. Tune in to explore the uncharted territory of social media during the strike and learn how to captivate your audience like never before.

Lights, camera, viral success!

Heidi Dean is known as the industry’s top social media strategist for actors and the creator of Marketing4actors.com. She’s a social media writer for Backstage Magazine and a frequent speaker at film festivals, SAG-AFTRA, AEA, conferences, podcasts and universities across the country. Her clients include Emmy Award-winners, Broadway stars, series regulars, directors, producers, casting directors and voice actors. Heidi turns social media rookies into ROCKSTARS!

Guest:

Website: ⁠⁠www.Marketing4actors.com⁠⁠

30 Days of Post Ideas for Actors (for free): ⁠⁠

https://www.marketing4actors.com/30posts⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠@Marketing4actors⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@heididean⁠⁠

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like this episode, check out:

• ⁠⁠3 Tips for Building your Audience and Creating your Content Strategy with PR Expert Aliza Licht (BONUS)⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠3 Actionable tips to starting your PR strategy before getting a publicist⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠Mini-Series: Creating Atomic Habits with Guest host Kate Bone (part 1)⁠⁠⁠

Now before you go crazy and DM me that there's a SAG-AFTRA strike and I can't talk about a CBS production, listen to the episode intro, I address it all!

KELTIE KNIGHT is a three-time Emmy award-winning television host whose credits include CBS's ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT, THE THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE ON CBS, THE GRAMMYS RED CARPET LIVE and currently is the Chief Correspondent for E! NEWS. She is a NYT bestselling author, and her podcast LADYGANG has reached an impressive 180 million downloads worldwide. Knight is the creator, executive producer and host of the new CBS Primetime Series SUPERFAN.

In this episode, we talk about:

• First jobs and living in a shoe box in NYC

• BTS on the Taylor Swift MTV VMA performance in 2009 after Kanye took her mic from her

• What made her, Becca Tobin and Jac Vanek start the LADYGANG podcast and what strengths they each brought to the table

• Co-creating her new show SUPERFAN with LL Cool J, Shania Twain, Little Big Town, and Gloria Estefan, plus the crazy prizes for fans

• 3 tips for pitching a show (and one bonus tip)

• Giveaways from legendary musical artists to twitter or X @superfancbs

Guest: Wikipedia

Website LADYGANG podcast

SUPERFAN on CBS

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you like this episode, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Becoming... Showrunner of Friends and Grace & Frankie Marta Kauffman

What CAN actors do during the SAG-AFTRA strike?

The SAG-AFTRA strike (not to mention the WGA strike) is causing ripples in the Entertainment industry. I've been consistently getting asked:

- What are we allowed to talk about on social media?

- How do we still stay pro-active?

- What can we post about?

- How do we further our careers when we can't even audition?

- How do we network right now?

That's why my first episode of this 4 part mini series is all about social media strategy during the SAG-AFTRA strike, now that we can't talk about TV/Film.

Heidi Dean is known as the industry’s top social media strategist for actors and the creator of Marketing4actors.com. She’s a social media writer for Backstage Magazine and a frequent speaker at film festivals, SAG-AFTRA, AEA, conferences, podcasts and universities across the country. Her clients include Emmy Award-winners, Broadway stars, series regulars, directors, producers, casting directors and voice actors. Heidi turns social media rookies into ROCKSTARS!

Guest:

Website: www.Marketing4actors.com

30 Days of Post Ideas for Actors (for free): https://www.marketing4actors.com/30posts

Instagram: @Marketing4actors

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heididean

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like this episode, check out:

• Mini-Series: Creating Atomic Habits with Guest host Kate Bone (part 1)
• 3 Tips for Building your Audience and Creating your Content Strategy with PR Expert Aliza Licht (BONUS)
• 3 Actionable tips to starting your PR strategy before getting a publicist

Let's end Season 4 with another interview with a Series Regular, shall we? I'm so happy to have Melissa Navia on the podcast. I've known her for years as a working actor in NY, booking co-stars and guest stars in some of our favorite NY shows. During the pandemic, Melissa booked the dream gig, a Series Regular role of Lieutenant Erica Ortegas on the incredible Paramount+ show: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The second season debuted on June 15th and has already been renewed for a third season.  On the television side, Navia’s most recent credits include recurring on CBS’s Bull and AMC’s Dietland. She also recently guest starred on NBC’s New Amsterdam and Showtime’s Billions and Homeland.  On the big screen, Navia has appeared in a variety of indie films and shorts. In 2013, she won the award for Best Actress at the Wild Rose Independent Film Festival for her leading role as ‘Dawn’ in “The Paragon Cortex.” Navia has also appeared in films like “Sleeping with the Fishes,” “Bel Canto,” “The Chosen,” “Hymns,” and “What It Was,” among others. In March 2020, she made her Off-Broadway debut in the world premiere of the highly praised “Bundle of Sticks” from J. Julian Christopher at INTAR Theatre. Navia is Colombian-American. She plays the banjo and is also the creator of the upcoming essay collection and stand-up show, Girl With Short Hair.

In this episode, we talk about:

• First audition she booked with her agent was Girl Most Likely with Kristin Wiig and first co-star on The Affair

• Joining SAG-AFTRA with advice to actors on when they should join

• The story of how she booked her first guest star on Billions, which included losing out to another role

• The crazy story of choosing between a second episode of Billions and a role on Homeland

• If she change how she approached self tapes that helped with booking her series regular role on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

• How the callback for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds went and how she felt when she found out she booked the role

• Tips and encouragement for actors who want to book a Series Regular

• Working with the co-Showrunners and crew, including Akiva Goldsman (who I have worked with on the feature film Winter’s Tale, but who also did films like A Beautiful Mind, I am Legend, Cinderella Man, and more)

• Great story: How wardrobe gave her a heads up about a sword fight scene

• How her creative ventures like writing and stand up help her as a creative/actor

Guest: IMDb Wikipedia Instagram Twitter Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you like this episode, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Becoming... Actress and Series Regular Madison Shamoun ("The Lake," "Blackish," "#blackAF")⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ads: Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cave Day⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ right now. Only $40 for the first 3 months!

LIVE on the Red Carpet of the World Premiere of the film "Sacramento."

Starring: Michael Cera, Kristen Stewart, Michael Angarano, and Maya Erskine

Written by: Michael Angarano and Chris Smith

Interviews including Michael Angarano, Chris Smith, AJ Mendez, and Iman Karram

Logline: Ricky, an energetic and free-spirited young man convinces Glenn, his long-time friend who's settled into domestic life, to go on an impromptu road trip from Los Angeles to Sacramento.

Host: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For more like this, try ⁠⁠NYWIFT Muse Awards RED CARPET: Kyra Sedgwick, Alex Borstein, Tantoo Cardinal & more

⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

B-roll Videos: Edited byGetty Video @ Getty Images

"Sacramento" Premiere - 2024 Tribeca Festival (EPK Clips HD)

Michael Indjeian is a Daytime Emmy® winning Producer & Daytime Emmy® nominated Director with 5 total Daytime Emmy® nominations (2019-2022), and 26 years in film & television.  Michael is known for producing the feature film, Follow Her (2022), and producing (57 episodes) & directing (7 episodes) the 2-time Daytime Emmy® winning PBS travel show, Samantha Brown’s Places to Love (Seasons 1-6).  His work also includes serving as the UPM (USA Unit) for the Harvey Keitel film, Chosen (2016), Line Producer/UPM for the pilot, Laying Low (2017), and Director/Producer/Writer for the LIFE winning short film, Lucky Day (2007).

In the commercial & non-broadcast arena, Michael has achieved 70+ industry awards and produced & directed 800+ projects for clients that include HBO, AMC, Fox, USA, Discovery, Sony, Hertz, Gap, Pepsi, Avon & Super Bowl XLVIII.  Michael began his production career during the New York City Hip Hop scene in 1996 contributing to iconic music videos for Diddy, Wu-Tang Clan, Lauryn Hill, Faith Evans and 112.  Michael grew up in Cliffside Park, NJ and graduated with a BA from Virginia Tech.

In this episode, we talk about:

• His first job working on P Diddy's Music Video and what stayed with him all of these years since

• Starting at 30fps productions and being Involved in over 800+ projects there for clients including Sony, Pepsi, Avon, Hertz, Gap, Motorola, HBO, AMC, USA, Discovery, TV Guide, MTV, TD Waterhouse, Black & Decker, Lane Bryant, Marchon, Doubleday and IRS

• Writing, directing and producing the short films Scores to Settle and Lucky Day for film competitions, while working a full time job

• Working as a producer on the 2-time Daytime Emmy® winning PBS travel show Samantha Brown’s Places to Love

• How he came upon the film Follow Her, which was written by actress Dani Barker

• Working on the feature film The Good Half starring David Arquette, Brittany Snow, and Nick Jonas wrapping in January, with the world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival

• His experience on set in front of the camera and why he finds it important to do all roles

• What’s something he wishes a filmmaker would know before connecting with him

• The ideal amount of time he would want for preproduction on a feature film and how he would go about recommending how to determine your budget

Guest:

IMDb

LinkedIn

Company Website - Giddy Productions

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and www.mentorsonthemic.com

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We mention the episode Becoming... Legendary Acting Coach Bob Krakower

If you like this episode, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Becoming... Film Producer Gaylyn Fraiche and former VP of Film & TV of Hello Sunshine ("Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2," "Cheetah Girls 2")

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ads: Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cave Day⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ right now. Only $40 for the first 3 months!

Fiona and Sophia Robert are Producers, Writers, and Actors who have written roles for themselves in two feature films: The Country Club and A View of the World from Fifth Avenue. While The Country Club is available to stream right now, A View of the World from Fifth Avenue was cast by Mentor Julie Schubert and just premiered at Bentonville Film Festival.

Robert Sisters Pictures is an award-winning film production company founded in 2018. Created by sisters Fiona and Sophia Robert, the team writes, produces, directs, and stars in their films. TAll Robert Sisters productions aim to have an inclusive and gender-balanced crew behind the scenes, earning their second feature film, A VIEW OF THE WORLD FROM FIFTH AVENUE, the ReFrame stamp of approval. The Robert Sisters’ first feature, THE COUNTRY CLUB played five festivals taking home “Best Feature Comedy” upon its premiere at the Manhattan Film Festival and the “Marlyn Mason First Prize“ at Flicker’s Rhode Island Film Festival. The film was sold to Good Deed Entertainment for domestic distribution, and Archstone for International Sales. It will be released worldwide June 2023. The Robert Sisters’ second feature, A VIEW OF THE WORLD FROM FIFTH AVENUE will world premiere as one of twelve films in Narrative Competition at Bentonville Film Festival June 2023 founded by Geena Davis.

In this episode, we talk about:

• When they decided to make your own production company and was it before or after they wrote The Country Club?

• The story behind writing their first feature film The Country Club

• Their process for writing a film together and their steps towards pre-production of a feature film

• Lessons that they took to their second feature film from first film

• Made A View of the World from Fifth Avenue in just over a year with recent premiere at Bentonville Film Festival

• Sophia being directed by her sister Fiona and Fiona’s directing tips she’s learned along the way

• Tips for actors on their self tapes

• What the ReFrame Stamp of Approval is and why it’s important for them to promote equity

• Working with Casting Directors Julie Schubert and Kate Gifford to cast their films

Guest: ⁠Website⁠

⁠Fiona's IG⁠ ⁠Sophia's IG⁠⁠

⁠The Country Club IG⁠

⁠A View from Fifth Avenue IG⁠

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episodes we talk about: Becoming... Emmy winning Casting Director Julie Schubert and Becoming... Legendary Acting Coach Bob Krakower and Becoming... Executive Vice President at Maven Screen Media Jenny Halper ("The Kindergarten Teacher," "A Mouthful of Air")

If you like this episode, check out: ⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to join our Mailing list.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ads: Check out The Actor's Retreat by the Casting Director's Cut for schedule and ticket information. The Actor's Retreat (Comedy) is a 2 days of virtual Acting Masterclasses. Classes include Improv Master Class with Ian Roberts (Co-Founder of UCB), Ace Your Self Tape: Comedy with Erica S. Bream, CSA & Cara Chute Rosenbaum, CSA, and Comedy Master Class with Larry Moss. There will also be various workshops perfect for actors like Morning Pages from The Artist’s Way and Hypnosis for Actors: Using Hypnotherapy to Reach an Optimal Mindset.