The Acting Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

It’s Horror month. Halloween… and all. 🎃

In the spirit of spooky movies, I talk with 2 of our amazing BGB Master Teachers, Sydney Walsh & Corey Parker, on Zoom (so you can watch!) about what it was like to act in the HORROR genre- they each have starred in a few iconic Horror Movies. We talk Horror movie acting, and acting in any Genre, plus what it was like to audition in the 80s and 90s when big filmmakers were in the room, along with Casting Directors (like me!) who collaborated with actors, brought them back in many times (for the same role and other roles), celebrated in their talent, and advocated for them! It was a time of true collaboration, when filmmakers figured out their movies with actors in the audition room. 

While those days are gone (and we’ve surely romanticized them 💘), we also fully believe and talk about how YOU can bring that same sense of liberation, exploration, discovery, and a collaborative spirit to the work you do on camera- in self-tapes, Zoom auditions, and on set- whether it’s a student film, a short you create, or a big show or movie. YOU get to show up with agency and generosity- with something to offer the storytellers… as a true collaborator. 

So… Listen in! There are fun stories here, as well as practical advice on how to work freely and boldly in any and all genres, AND how to show up in the same spirit in your self-tapes as we three felt “in the room” in the 80s! 

(Don’t forget to rate and review us so that we can reach more actors around the world!) 

Risa 👻

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‍More On Risa

More On Steve

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Guests & Resources:

Check out these links to learn more about Syd and Corey:

SYDNEY WALSH + her IMDb

COREY PARKER + his IMDb

‍Listen to other related The Acting Podcast episodes:

Episode 55: What Are You Waiting For? You Are The Industry.

Episode 53: Finding Freedom & Power in Script Analysis

Episode 43: How To Be A Happy Actor

Episode 29: Cooking Your Self-Tape

Credits:

Producer: BGB STAFF

Tech + Design: Mitchell Braxton & Aswathi Menon

Music: SAM DEWEES + ANDY ABELOW

Back To All Episodes

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

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

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

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

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

Are You Ready For Class? Check out all BGB Classes!

An actor's mindset can make or break a career. Your job is to open your heart, remain sensitive and open. And you’re asked to do that job in an Industry that doesn't have the capacity to care for your needs and in which scarcity is the norm. You will lose faith. It’s inevitable. But how gracefully you can find it again is the difference between auditioning with the full power of your talent, and allowing fear and self-consciousness to drain you of your power when you’re trying to book work. 

Risa and Steve examine what it takes to create and maintain the kind of abundant mindset that leads to success, even when you’re losing faith. 

Listen in and let us know what resonates with you!

“If you hear a voice within you say, 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent Van Gogh.

More On Risa

More On Steve

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

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

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

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

Guests & Resources:

Listen to other related episodes: 

EPISODE 22: The Booking Mindset

EPISODE 42: That Next Level Shit

EPISODE 43: How To Be A Happy Actor

EPISODE 45: The Healing Required to Be an Actor

Credits:

Producer:

BGB STAFF

Tech + Design: MITCHELL BRAXTON

Music: SAM DEWEES + ANDY ABELOW

Back To All Episodes

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

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

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

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

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

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

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

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

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

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

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

Guests & Resources:

John Frank Levey’s IMDb‍

Listen to other related episodes: 

• What Casting Wants:
  3 Top Casting Directors Tell It Like It Is
• Episode 12: - Bernie Telsey: The King of Casting
• Episode 20: - Sarah Finn: Superhero of Casting
• Episode 23: - Mary Queen of Casting: A Candid Conversation w/ Mary Vernieu
• Episode 38: - Richard Hicks, CD: We’re All In This Together

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

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

Right for the Role shares the story straight from an insider who’s been central to that process for decades. Four-time Emmy-award-winning casting director John Frank Levey hasn’t just witnessed some of the world’s greatest acting talents make it in Hollywood; in many cases, he’s had a major hand in it.

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

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

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

Back To All Episodes

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

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

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

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

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

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

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

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

What does it mean to be human?  

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

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

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

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

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

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

Guests & Resources:

• Episode 46: - “What to do when the Industry Stops” with Risa & Steve
• Episode 43: - “How to be a Happy Actor” with Sydney Walsh & Cate Cohen, Risa & Steve
• Episode 41: - “Fighting Isolation: Why You Need an Artistic Community” BGB 10 year anniversary episode with Risa & Steve
• Episode 36: - “The Pursuit of Happiness” With Caroline Lindy, Dominic Burgess, Ellyn Jameson & Johnathan McClain, & Risa

Back To All Episodes

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

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

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

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

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

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

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

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

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

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

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

Guests & Resources:

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

Ep. 43: How To Be A Happy Actor

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

Back To All Episodes

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

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

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

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

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

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

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

Your nervous system is your tool and your product.  It’s also a sacred element of your being, through which you receive and process the world around you.  Your past experiences and dormant emotions can fuel your work, but they can also make you miserable. You need to be sensitive to do great acting work and book acting jobs, but the industry in which you’re operating often offers emotional violence, disinterest and the inability to see to any of your needs.  While the industry needs to be kinder and softer (even in the interest of finance), it won’t happen anytime soon.  So, you are going to have to do the labor of looking at your pain and taking steps towards healing.  Risa and Steve explore the way in which actors can heal and offer their own healing journeys.

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

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

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

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

Guests & Resources:

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

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

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

Back To All Episodes

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

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

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

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

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

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

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

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

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

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

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

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

Guests & Resources:

Cate Cohen- BGB Master Teacher, actor, writer

Sydney Walsh - BGB Master Teacher, actor, writer

Listen to other related episodes: 

Episode 28: The Practice That Leads To Success

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

Opt in:

21 Ways To Make Casting Directors Happy

Back To All Episodes

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

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

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

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

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

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

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

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

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

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

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

Guests & Resources:

Podcast Ep. 28: The Practice That Leads To Success

Podcast Ep. 22: The Booking Mindset 

SIGN UP for our BGB Career Master Class series!

Back To All Episodes

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

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

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

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

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

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes

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

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

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

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

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

Guests & Resources:

Podcast Ep: 33 - Why Acting Teachers Suck

Podcast Ep: 1- How to Make it in Hollywood 

SIGN UP for our BGB Career Master Class series!

Back To All Episodes

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

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

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

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

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

Are You Ready For Class?

All BGB Classes