Acting: Conversations on Craft – Details, episodes & analysis

Working in the entertainment industry is brutal. Success isn’t linear and you hear no more than yes. As Leanna Adams says in this episode, we as actors “eat rejection for breakfast…sometimes lunch, and dinner too.” Leanna Adams and Kristinia Arjona sat down and spoke to me about the process of making their independent film: Christmas With Jerks released on Prime in December 2023.  Throughout our conversation they kept going back to the fact that you have to ask people around you for help. As Kristina said, “no one can help you if they don’t know what you need.”

They emphasized leaning on their community and the need to be kind. “If you don’t have money, you have to be kind,” Kristina said.  In the Indie world she says, “you can’t get away with being rude and poor! From a production stand point, there’s no longevity there.” 

For many of us, fear prevents us from taking that first step. Kristina encourages everyone listening to send that email, reach out to that one person who will be honest and kind. Leanna said she “started this project with so much fear.” It was fear of the unknown and fear of failure. But for her, learning was also key. So, as Leanna says, “If your goal is to learn, you can’t fail.” 

Leanna and Kristina's first feature, "Christmas with Jerks" was written, shot and sold in less than a year and is now on streamers. Leanna's feature scripts have been optioned and have also earned a Nicholl QF, various “Best ofs,” and a spot at The 2020 Lab at the Athena Film Fest. Her short films have screened around North America, some airing on Fox and TBS. Leanna loves action comedies the most.

Kristina Arjona is a certified Intimacy Coordinator through Intimacy Professionals Association. Kristina spent 10 years working in the Atlanta film industry as an actor, director, and 1st AD before moving into intimacy coordinating. She graduated with a BFA in Acting and BA in Theatrical Design and Production from Elon University before moving into film and now works in both Atlanta and Wilmington.

Kristina uses her skills on both sides of the lens to increase effective communication and safety for everyone involved. Proudly queer and Latina, Kristina is particularly passionate about working with material involving queer stories, BIPOC characters, and trauma-informed care in sexual violence-related scenes. 
Learn more about Leanna Adams

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1568405/

https://www.leannaadams.com/

Follow on IG @leannaadams

Learn more about Kristina Arjona

https://www.kristinaarjona.com

https://www.atlintimacycoordinator.com

https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm6223011/about

Follow her on IG @Kristina.Arjona & @ATLIntimacyCoordinator
Connect with me: 

IG: @tarmeydanielle

TikTok: @danielletarmey

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

Before I talk about the amazing conversation that Heidi Dean was gracious enough to have with me, I need to add a quick note that this conversation was recorded before Twitter changed its name to X. Now most of you probably know that Heidi Dean is known in the industry as the top social media strategist for actors. She has also recently published a book, Social Media for Actors, 100 essential tips to grow, thrive, and survive online. When I was trying to figure out how to introduce this episode, I realized that I always seem to say the same thing about my guests: how they are passionate about what they do, how they love to help actors, and how they have given me great information to share. But it’s true every single time! And Heidi Dean is no exception. So if you are like me and have a love/hate relationship with social media then you will get a lot out of this conversation. If you are part of the, “I hate Social Media” club, Heidi gets it! She too, was once part of that club. That is, until she started to understand the power it had to connect her to people. And it isn’t about the numbers. As she says, social media enabled her, “to connect with the right people on my own terms.” Over a decade later, it has become her career, her mission, her passion to help as many actors as possible optimize their use of social media for their careers. While she steers away from saying we, as actors, “should” use social media, she does wonder why we wouldn’t. It’s free, it’s creative, and it’s not going away. I gave her a whole host of reasons why some of us don’t want to use it, don’t like it, don’t want to learn and she came back with a whole host of reasons why that is, and how to change our mindset. And it is a change in mindset that, as this conversation shows, could help our careers. So I hope you enjoy my conversation with social media guru, Heidi Dean.  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, voice actors and audiobook narrators. Heidi turns social media rookies into ROCKSTARS! Connect with Heidi Dean:Website: www.Marketing4actors.comJoin her Community: www.TechSavvyActors.comInstagram & TikTok: @Marketing4actorsX/Twitter: @marketing4actorYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@heididean30 Post Ideas: https://marketing4actors.com/30posts/Heidi's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Social-Media-Actors-Essential-Survive/dp/B0CVHMQRCFConnect with me: IG: @tarmeydanielleTikTok: @danielletarmeyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle

One of the things I love about doing this podcast is the opportunity it gives me to talk to experts in the field. This episode, again, did not disappoint. It was such a pleasure to talk to four-time Emmy nominated writer, Vera Herbert, who is best known for her work on THIS IS US. Vera had advice for both writers who want to break into the field and for actors. She said that it’s always a good idea for writers to get a chance to act, even just one line.  She says it gives them an understanding of everything that the actors have to juggle while on set. Conversely, she feels it is important for actors to consider the writer’s role.  She said it was important for actors to consider the whole of the script or the whole of the story.  Actors need to trust that the writers know what they are doing.  According to Vera, it is important to know more about everyone else’s job.  Why? Because, “it enables you to be more empathetic and more collaborative” and, ultimately will lead to a better project.  Vera is a four-time Emmy-nominated writer and producer, most recently known for her work on THIS IS US. She won the 2017 Writers Guild Award for Outstanding Writing for Episodic Drama for her THIS IS US episode “The Trip” and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for her episode “Still Here” in 2018. Her original screenplay DON’T MAKE ME GO was produced this summer as a feature film for Amazon directed by Hannah Marks and starring John Cho; it is currently in post-production, set to be released in 2022. She started her career as a writer on MTV’s AWKWARD. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and lives in Burbank with her husband. If you would like to learn more about Verahttps://pro.imdb.com/name/nm3418687?s=60bee507-cf25-3a5d-7e1e-08bbc25827be&site_preference=normalIf you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/and visit the group site. Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle and on Twitter @TarmeyDanielleimdb.me/danielletarmey  

To say that Erica Arvold is passionate about what she does is an understatement.  Most actors know her as a casting director but, as she likes to point out, she is so much more than that.  She is a producer, a director, and a committed educator.  But one of the things that I most appreciate about Erica is how she loves learning about other people.  If you’ve auditioned for Erica you know that during Covid she started the 30 second stories where actors got to share 30 seconds about themselves that was not related to acting.  And at the end of our conversation, she asked me a question.  That has never happened.  Now you won’t hear that part as I edited it out because the podcast is not about me.  What it did show is that, for Erica, it is as much about the other person as it is about herself.  I hope you enjoy my conversation with Erica Arvold as much as I did.  Erica Arvold, owner and CEO of Arvold, has spent 30 years as a casting director, educator, speaker, producer, writer, director and an advocate for screen artists. Erica has contributed to, participated in, or helmed the making of over 140 films, 85 television shows, and countless multimedia & commercial projects.  Casting credits include The Black Phone, Red Notice, Dopesick, Swagger, The Good Lord Bird, House of Cards, Charm City Kings, Harriet, and Lincoln. Erica directed the short films Thursday and Here Today, for which she won ‘Best First Time Director’ at Indie Short Fest Los Angeles. She has served as a producer on projects including Coming Through the Rye, Elemental, House Hunting, Josephine, Texas Rein, Time Machine Guitar, and Wish You Well. She has been nominated for CSA’s Artios Award five times, inducted into First Lady of Virginia’s Opportunity Hall of Fame for contributing to the economic growth in the state. In 2010, Erica founded Arvold.Education to cultivate artistic growth in actors and filmmakers, which quickly expanded into offering classes for all humans. Her collaboration with master teacher/actor/director Richard Warner is now Arvold Warner Studio, and focuses on actor & multi-hyphenate screen artist training.  Erica’s career is so full and extensive that you can learn more at her website https://www.arvold.com/casting/ On IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0038145/on IG: https://www.instagram.com/arvoldofficialon Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvoldofficial If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/and visit the group site. Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle and on Twitter @TarmeyDanielle

I was so excited to have the opportunity to talk to Risa Bramon Garcia, co-founder and master teacher of The BGB Studio in LA. I wanted to know why it was so important to her to empower the actors in her studio and around the world. "There is a big difference between the actor who takes ownership of their talent and the actor who does not," she says. Risa goes on to explain that when actors do the work for its own sake, then they feel like they belong. We also talked about the importance for actors to write and the need for more varied stories to be told. Risa's passion for all that she does in the industry was clear throughout. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Risa as much as I did. In addition to being co-founder and master teacher at The BGB Studio, Risa has worked consistently as a director, producer, casting director, and writer. She's had the great fortune to have collaborated with some of the most talented, passionate, and groundbreaking artists in the world both in theatre and film/TV. Risa's passion for teaching and coaching has lead to her collaboration with Steve Braun in The BGB Studio, a creative space and community they created as an artistic home for actors, writers, directors, filmmakers, and casting directors. Here she gets to do it all! You can read more about Risa and The BGB Studio on their website: https://bramongarciabraun.com You can listen to their podcast which is full of great information for actors: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-acting-podcast/id1203009952 5 Self-Care Practices: https://5-self-care-practices.bramongarciabraun.com Meditation bundle: https://bramongarciabraun.com/train-online/3-in-1-challenge-bundle/ Follow Risa on IG @risabg Follow The BGB Studio on IG @bgbstudio On Twitter @BGBStudio If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to the FB group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/446862949543735 Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle on Twitter @TarmeyDanielle

Not letting the script push you around is something that Burgess Jenkins says in class a lot. But, as actors, we are also told to honor the writing. So, what exactly does Burgess mean? Do we not stick to the writing and the stage directions? For him it’s more about opening up the possibilities that are inherently in the script. He says, too often, beginners typically box themselves in with one single idea based on what the script says. That will make it difficult for actors to be more fluid or flexible and they won’t be able to internalize notes given by casting directors or directors. We have to remember that If it says, “he/she slaps the table in anger”, each of us displays our anger differently. Burgess says the writer is simply trying to convey the emotions of the scene to the reader. You have to bring your version of what the writer is saying. For him it goes back to the difference between executing ideas and “finding the greatness in the work that is underneath.” So do you want to be like everyone else, slapping the table? Or do you want to be the actor that has internalized the emotional context of the scene and taken ownership? Hopefully this episode will guide you towards being an original. Burgess has been in a myriad of projects ranging from arthouse independents to blockbuster films. He is best known for his role as Ray Budds, in Remember the Titans, opposite Denzel Washington. He was Hilary Swank’s husband in The Reaping and most recently worked with Shirley McClean and Mira Sorvino. He’s had several recurring roles on such shows as the Young and the Restless, Army Wives, and One Tree Hill. When he is not acting, he is an instructor at the Actors Group studio in Winston-Salem, which is a training ground for film and television actors. If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/ and visit the group site. Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle on Twitter @TarmeyDanielle Find out more about Actors Group: https://www.actorsgroup.net/ Find out more about Burgess Jenkins: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0420792/

When I asked the founders of the Atlanta Actors Collective what they hoped the future of their organization would be, Kevon Pryce didn’t hesitate, “I want to take over the world. I want us to be THE Actors Collective.” It is clear throughout our conversation that it isn’t for any kind of self-aggrandizement purposes that he says this. He, along with Sarah Toran and Rashal James, started the AAC to create a community for actors and creatives based in the Atlanta market. Their goal was, and still is, to strengthen the sense of community and to provide the resources and help that they didn’t have when they moved to Atlanta. It is clear when talking to these young people, they believe that in helping each other we all succeed. As they say, “There’s power in collaboration. There’s power in community.” Sarah Toran is a model, actor and voiceover artist from Chicago, IL; where she trained at Second City. She moved to Atlanta to continue to pursue her acting career in a warmer climate. She has met so many other talented creatives in the tv & film industry through classes, intensives, workshops, events and of course on-set. She has been in numerous short films and television shows and is excited about the new projects she is working on. Kevon Pryce is a writer and filmmaker based in Atlanta, Georgia. He writes film news, short stories, poems, and screenplays. His films have screened at festivals across the southeast such as Atlanta Film Festival, Rome International Film Festival, and Sidewalk Film Festival. Rashal James is a trained Actor/Voice Actor from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Originally starting out in the music industry as a rapper he then decided to pursue a career in film. He trained with a few instructors and soon found like-minded individuals who shared his enthusiasm for acting and helping other actors find resources to hone their skills. Catch Rashal’s work on Disney +, The CW, and Lifetime Movie Network. Together they co-founded the Atlanta Actors Collective. A group focused on building relationships between tv & film industry creatives and is an informational resource for the acting community in Atlanta. If you want to find out more about the Atlanta Actors Collective: Follow them on IG @atlantaactorscollective https://www.facebook.com/atlantaactorscollective If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/ and visit the group site. Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle on Twitter @TarmeyDanielle

Passionate is one of the first descriptors that comes to mind when talking about casting director, Rhavynn Drummer. She is passionate about her job and about working with actors. Our conversation covered topics ranging from auditioning, taking risks, to advice she has for actors of color. To actors and creatives of color she says, “Don’t wait for me.” She wants all actors to trust their gift because she relies on our artistry. She tells us, “Take risks…show me your artistry.” Rhavynn Drummer is an award-winning producer, director, and casting director who has always had a love for actors and great performances. She began her career in casting at Tyler Perry Studios in 2007 and continues to cast all of his films, plays, and TV shows. She has directed and produced such projects as Good Girls and Brooklyn.Blue.Sky and was recently hired as an adjunct professor in the theatre and communication studies department at Clark Atlanta University. (bio extracted in part from her website) You can connect with Rhayvnn on most social media platforms. Website: rhayvnndrummer.com IG @rhavynn Twitter @RhavynnDrummer If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/ and visit the group site. Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle on Twitter @TarmeyDanielle NOTE: There were a few technical glitches in this episode that I did my best to clean up. I apologize for the small echoes heard occasionally and the clothing hitting the mic sounds.

In this episode I talk to Burgess Jenkins about the importance of investing in the other person in your scene. Even if you have good ideas that you want to put on "display", you can never leave the other person out because that is when “the ride begins.” Actors have to overcome the fear or anxiety of not knowing what is coming next. Burgess says that you can book and be a good actor “executing” the work, but you will never be great if you don’t take the other person in and react to what they are giving you. He says, “you should not be working when the camera comes on. You should be free to experience it with the other person and go dance.”Burgess has been in a myriad of projects ranging from arthouse independents to blockbuster films. He is best known for his role as Ray Budds, in Remember the Titans, opposite Denzel Washington. He was Hilary Swank’s husband in The Reaping and most recently worked with Shirley McClean and Mira Sorvino. He’s had several recurring roles on such shows as the Young and the Restless, Army Wives, and One Tree Hill. When he is not acting, he is an instructor at the Actors Group studio in Winston-Salem, which is a training ground for film and television actors. If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/ and visit the group site. Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle, on Twitter @TarmeyDanielleFind out more about Actors Group: https://www.actorsgroup.net/Find out more about Burgess Jenkins: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0420792/ ykMu6yUD5Fk8AOH97peO

For Burgess Jenkins, the work of an actor is mostly in the preparation. Your prep is what launches you into any scene and enables you to live the experience. He says once you’ve done the work in your preparation and created your “bridge” to the character fully, then it’s time to play.” All too often Burgess says he sees actors try to control the scene while they are in it. If you do that, then it’s impossible to be artistic and creative “in a big way” and where is the fun in that? Burgess has been in a myriad of projects ranging from arthouse independents to blockbuster films. He is best known for his role as Ray Budds, in Remember the Titans, opposite Denzel Washington. He was Hilary Swank’s husband in The Reaping and most recently worked with Shirley McClean and Mira Sorvino. He’s had several recurring roles on such shows as the Young and the Restless, Army Wives, and One Tree Hill. When he is not acting, he is an instructor at the Actors Group studio in Winston-Salem, which is a training ground for film and television actors. If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/ and visit the group site. Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle, on Twitter @TarmeyDanielle Find out more about Actors Group: https://www.actorsgroup.net/ Find out more about Burgess Jenkins: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0420792/