Artistic Beginnings

As an entertainment professional do you watch a lot of tv and movies and call it “work”? In many cases that is totally legitimate. Melody and Mitch discuss how they have balanced their consumption of the arts and talk about where the line is for them. Listen to this episode to share your thoughts on what constitutes consumption of entertainment as “work” vs. a leisure activity. Can you turn off the actor inside, or are you always going to analyze acting styles and never give in to the story and get sucked into a new world? Reach out on Instagram @theartisticpod ( http://www.instagram.com/theartisticpod ) and we can chat!

To the New Girl’s Producer Laura Hunter Drago shares her story and digs into the process and path she took to making her work impactful and meaningful. Laura shares the milestones in her story and goes in depth on the experience of making To the New Girl possible! Join us this week and hear a great conversation with Laura. Laura Hunter Drago ( http://www.laurahunterdrago.com/ ) is a producer, writer, and actress ( http://www.imdb.me/laurahunterdrago ) living in Los Angeles, California. When she’s not making art, she works in marketing & web design. Laura is a proud SAG-AFTRA member and guest speaker at the SAG Conservatory, is the assistant editor-in-chief of Ms. in the Biz, and is the co-founder of New Girl Pictures ( http://www.newgirlpictures.com/ ). She also likes baking, obsessing over Olympic ice dancers, and having long conversations with her dog Buffy. She dislikes being bored. Most recently, Laura is finishing up post-production on her first feature, To The New Girl ( http://www.tothenewgirl.com/ ).

As we close out 2020 we realize not all is bad. I made some good decisions, some bad. One good one from this very long year. Has to spread love and cheer. In the form of a podcast with Melody my Sister Thanks to this podcast I never had to have missed her. With joy in my heart and Happiness in my mind. Sit back relax as I share a bit of a rewind... Thank you Melody! This episode is for you for an amazing time doing this podcast with you!

In this episode, we have a chat with our very own Gabrielle Friedman. She started her following on TikTok and is one of our favorite creators. She entertains and puts out content that moves and shakes the earth. If you want to learn more about what it takes to be a creator on TikTok or you want to just see how Gabrielle thinks about it, this is the episode for you! Check out Gabrielle on Instagram ( http://instagram.com/gabrielle.friedman ) and Tiktok ( https://www.tiktok.com/@yeehawgabrielle?source=h5_m ) @theartisticpod ( http://instagram.com/theartisticpod )

Join us on this wonderful journey into what Tik Tok is... For those non “Zoomers” out there join Mitch as he learns what Tik Tok is. Learn a lot about the state of the world through what Tik Tok is. If you like Tik Tok follow some of the people mentioned in the episode they are our top watches, and if you don’t like or don’t know Tik Tok listen and find out if it's worth a download for you later. Let us know your thoughts on the episode and Tik Tok on Instagram @theartisticpod ( http://instagram.com/theartisticpod ) and let's chat it up!

Hi Everyone! It has been a minute. Just wanted to check in and let you know that we have not forgotten about you! We love producing this podcast and we want to make sure you know we will be back soon with both Artistic Beginnings episodes and some of the new stuff we are working on now! While on this hiatus we are exploring more content to create and ideas to share with you. Hope you are doing well and let us know what you think Belly Button Round is...

This week we have our mom on again to share her sage advice on the pod! We can't wait to hear what you think of all the great tid bits of insight our mom shares! Connect with us and let us know how awesome our mom is! It's ok... don't be shy... we know. :D

Melody talks all about reputation in this episode as we revisit her past and talk about the positive and negative aspects of reputation in the entertainment industry. This is an episode you don't want to miss! Mel shares all the dirty details of a time where she was a troublemaker and the funny moments her shenanigans lead to! Lots of fun this episode with some heavy topics to boot!

Mitch shares a little about what he learned while in the arts and shares his insight into some of his experiences while acting and what he took away from it. Hopefully you can learn a bit about his experience and apply it to your own! We also chat a bit about character development. Kind of a fun topic huh? Let us know what you think!

We are still here every other week! This week we catch up, take a breather and get back to business! We will be changing up the flow a bit but we are still the same Artistic Beginnings you know and listen to occasionally... Love you all and check back in on us when you can!

Join us this week with a Masterclass in Breathing with our dad Steve Hollis! For this very special 50th episode we have our dad! We talk a bit about his past (more history of the Hollis family to come soon) and about breathing! Have you ever wanted to level up the way you live and how you perform? This episode is for you! Learn some of the technical aspects of breathing and get a whole new appreciation for the foundational importance of breathing in the performing arts! For more on our dad or if you want to take lessons with him (if he has space in the calendar) check out his website: https://www.stevehollismusic.com/

To wrap up our thoughts on College... Worth it? we discuss an article that was shared with us by a listener. It had some great topics and this writer has some great insight for the artistic community interested in learning how to make it as an actor from a different perspective. This article was written by "Secret Agent Man" a secret... writer at the backstage. Check out the article here: https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/agent-on-yale-juilliard-college-acting-programs-72103/ Also take a listen to our other college episodes if you have not already! They were fun and had some good nuggets to think about on your path to becoming an actor. Also feel free to drop us a review on itunes or send us a message on instagram @theartisticpod ( www.instagram.com/theartisticpod )

To round out our perspective on College as it relates to whether it is a good fit for you, we figured we should speak with someone that went to school for the arts... We know we were definitely coming off one sided so here is the gift of perspective! Get some! Brendon shares his story and great insight that should help inform your decision! Take a listen and hear some great advice from a great person! ___ This year, close to 100 performers (including myself!!!) - drawn from over 20 casts and spanning over 30 years - created The Christmas Schooner 2020. This online experience combines a newly orchestrated score and hours of footage into ONE performance. All of which, you can experience from the safety and comfort of your home. All of the proceeds from this event - including the time and talents of the performers and production team - will be donated to Season of Concern. A $20 donation to Season of Concern gets you a front row seat to this unique event. Be sure to mention “SCHOONER” when you make your donation, so you can receive a link and password to view the show. (SOC will send you an email with the video link/password). https://seasonofconcern.org/donate/ ( https://l.facebook.com/l.php?__tn__=-UK-R&c%5B0%5D=AT2G2924Gmj5WwDG8rAhBVLFtlFVTup-uRpzMqdIhiXkvIkfNgep-iDS2JnCF_2RD-MfwaMNDfsq5FMXfRnxPH0k2J7yLtFA0qqOQ-1jdKJWVw0Aqf2idhhyYea5HWPNZYyxOoqsNqBb8y6GKSNEzZdgBg&h=AT1CkYyT_dQ4ZwDg1FYWMOpeHmSfTs4WAAIC0YlRPcN4vjgmq6V9smW64qcBJNiC5qCF6KNAeQo83nCRR2BqNNQmq0pGAaRVIhzepiJnEPSnAOcHUW3FFgW7dblkivwEnBd3bKnApg&u=https%3A%2F%2Fseasonofconcern.org%2Fdonate%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2UrJp7eD4fiDAxMeM-tV44Edlwh4KdYjEK_OuLchvB8JtpCAG-IFIUkc4 ) This online performance will only be available from December 23rd, 7pm CST to December 27th, 7pm CST. View the video as much as you'd like during this specific time.

To continue the College episodes we talk about the Pros and Cons! So excited to share our thoughts on what the pros and cons of College are. In addition to talking college, we have a trip down memory lane with a show that Mitch did as a kid - The Christmas Schooner! It was such a great show to be a part of and this year a special COVID Virtual release of the show will be live online for your viewing pleasure! Many actors from the many years the show ran are putting together a virtual version of the show for a great cause! Season of Concern! to find out more about the cause check out this link: https://seasonofconcern.org/ and we will keep you posted on when you can see the christmas schooner online for a donation to season of concern! Stay tuned to this episode and the following episode as we hear from another Christmas Schooner alumni on his College experience Brendon Martin! He will share even more pros and cons than we cover in this episode based on his experience at Stanford!

As we take a break to be thankful for everything we have and for getting through difficult times we turn to what made us most happy this year and share a special project that we did this year for your ears only! Join us with this special short episode!!

Melody and Mitch talk about their College audition horror stories. Going to college for the performing arts wasn't the right call for us but what about you? There are pros and cons to going to college for the performing arts and not. We talk a bit about why we didn’t and why others may find value in it. This is going to be a series of episodes about College and the Performing Arts. We will talk with people that went to school, we will give our thoughts on it, and more! Let us know what you want to know about College. Do you have questions? https://www.instagram.com/theartisticpod/ www.artisticpodcast.com

This week we talk stage fright. How does it manifest? What are some examples? How can we fight it? We talk all about our experience with stage fright, talk about how people deal with it and learn a lot about what you might need to know about pursuing the arts with stage fright. Don’t let stage fright keep you from sharing your story. Stage fright impacts many of us. We all have stories to share, and a gift for our craft that is unique and important. We talk about what stage fright is, how people cope with it, the importance of working on tactics to manage stage fright, and what you can do for yourself and others that are impacted by stage fright. Let us know what your experience is with the performing arts and if you have any tips and tricks to handle stage fright! hosts@artisticpodcast.com *Links and Resources* Conquering Stage Fright | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA ( https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/social-anxiety-disorder/treatment/conquering-stage-fright ) Joe Kowan: How I beat stage fright ( https://www.ted.com/talks/joe_kowan_how_i_beat_stage_fright/discussion?referrer=playlist-before_public_speaking ) Speaking Up Without Freaking Out | Matt Abrahams | TEDxPaloAlto ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIXvKKEQQJo ) Megan Washington: Why I live in mortal dread of public speaking ( https://www.ted.com/talks/megan_washington_why_i_live_in_mortal_dread_of_public_speaking?language=en&referrer=playlist-before_public_speaking ) *Art of the week!* OPIA ( https://open.spotify.com/artist/70zHrrrPfBkVV44AEhFyyh ) - https://open.spotify.com/artist/70zHrrrPfBkVV44AEhFyyh COIN ( https://www.thisiscoin.com/ ) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBBxQDxHt1E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiYtI8Qezt8

Is play to play worth it? What is pay to play? Can it be good, is it all bad? Our mom Dawn Hollis ( http://www.dawnhollisacting.com ) is here to tell us the truth behind pay to play and the challenging part of the entertainment industry. With years of experience as an actress and working in the entertainment field our mom is a leading expert when it comes to understanding pretty much anything about being an actor and an artist. Listen to us gab on about pay to play and other performing arts topics in this weeks episode of Artistic Beginnings ( www.artisticpodcast.com )

This week Jodi Moore Lewis shares her story and we talk all about becoming an actor and fighting the cliche of being a performer in Los Angeles. Jodi opens up about how she felt about becoming a performer and her goal of becoming a working actor with a learner’s mindset instead of coming out to Los Angeles to be famous. She shares about her path from trying to be an actress, to becoming an Artist! Hear how Jodi stopped trying to act the way she imagined the casting directors would want her to act, and started acting authentically and telling the true story of the characters she was portraying. *Social Links* * Website ( https://www.jodimoorelewis.com/ ) * Instagram ( http://www.instagram.com/jooooodiiiiiii ) * Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/jodimoorelewis ) * IMDB ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5512663/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2 ) *Other Links* * Park Acrobats - Amazon ( https://www.amazon.com/Park-Acrobats/dp/B0882JFWRY ) www.artisticpodcast.com

This week we share our deepest darkest Actor’s Nightmares that cause us sleepless nights, and shed light on why we are the way we are... Join us as we talk about why we think we experience the nightmares, what we do to deal with it, and share our neurosis... We want to hear from you. Write in and share your actor’s nightmare that causes you to think about life deeply, maybe we will even share it (anonymously) on the show later on to let people know that they are not alone in having these earth shatteringly scary nightmares. We may even share our dad’s nightmares in later episodes if you all share this episode and give us a review on apple podcasts... ;) email us with your performing nightmares at hosts@artisticpodcast.com.

Shannon O’Connor is a delight and a half! Always over the top energy and ready to take on a challenge Shannon is a great example of an artist that takes on a ton of projects, has talents ranging from comedy to writing to modeling and keeps her head on straight during intense conversations! We were so happy to have Shannon on the show to talk about her path to performing, her tips on comedy, and the impressive way she leads her life! If you want to hear a great story teller with an eye for details that are knock out funny give this episode a listen! Check out Shannon elsewhere too: https://twitter.com/ShannonOconno https://www.instagram.com/so_shannonigans/ http://sjoconno.wordpress.com/ https://www.facebook.com/so.shananigans/

This week hear all about the story of a real power ranger Jacqueline Scislowski. She has great stories of her origins, working late nights as a child and her incredible levels of energy keeping her moving forward! She shares some great advice on what to consider when pursuing acting as a career. Should we as artists pursue other things while still working on our craft or simply just work on our craft and nothing else? Dig deep with us about the stories that give you an insight into how Jacqueline booked her work with Power Rangers! Also Margo Robbie is mentioned a few times in this episode. We all are big fans. https://www.jacquelinescislowski.com/ https://www.instagram.com/jacquelinescislowski/

Ari Axelrod, a performer, coach, and all around good person shares great stories and insight into the life as a performer, taking on adversity and treating each day as if it were your last. If you want to be inspired to follow your dreams, learn about Cabaret and hear the wonderful story of Ari this episode is the ticket! Enjoy the conversation and get ready for some impactful life moments told by Ari Axelrod! http://www.ariaxelrod.com/ *Other Links* https://www.bridgingthegapny.com/info ( https://www.bridgingthegapny.com ) https://www.broadwayhd.com/movies/AW2GtSHApx3F9_4AqeuS

This episode is with Chris Smith a social worker and performer working in the entertainment industry. He shares his wonderful winding path to his current passions and his involvement in the entertainment industry. We talk all about mental health and the work that Chris is involved in regarding mental health and social work within the actors fund and looking ahead. Given the conversation and timing of the impacts of COVID-19 you can certainly find some great insight into handling challenges, however if these topics trigger your own mental health please feel free to skip this episode. In addition to all of Chris’s work he is writing a book and has some great advice on keeping on a mentally strong path. More details to come on that however for more details on Chris and the other topics of this episode check out the links! *Links* *www.actorsfund.org* ( http://www.actorsfund.org/ ) *www.lookingaheadca.org* ( http://www.lookingaheadca.org/ ) *Other Links* * http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/Bet.shtml * https://davidgoggins.com/book/ * https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/adambvary/how-hollywood-failed-brad-renfro

This week we explore further into the stories that Brian shared with us all about his wonderful experiences and his journey to working with Bill Berloni ( http://www.theatricalanimals.com/ ). Brian shares his wonderful story about how he came to work with Bill, and shares his perspective on the wonderful history of the very first Sandy in the very first production of Annie!! Let us know what you think of this episode and if you want us to find out more about the wonderful world of Bill and Brian!

This week is all about Brian Michael Hoffman’s journey! He is an amazing actor and animal trainer with extensive experience in his field. He had the great opportunity to start doing what he loves from a young age and continue to do that consistently from college to his professional career. Brian is a wonderful story teller and has much to share about pursuing your career. Listen to this episode to learn about his unique journey, his incredible fortune in saying YES to the right things, and even more to come!

Yes. Resounding Yes. Memorization is super critical for the performing arts whether you are a musician, dancer, actor, or otherwise. It is a valuable skill that will allow you to accomplish your goals and mission in whatever project you are a part of. In this episode we talk about the importance of memorization, techniques we have learned and use to memorize lines, monologues and remember where to find things. Let us know if you have any memorization tips or hacks that allow you to remember an insane amount of information. We have built mind-castles and mind-theatres to remember more than just where we left our keys... Reach out on instagram @theartisticpod ( instagram.com/theartisticpod ) or by email hosts@artisticpodcast.com

This week we talk with Amy Wolk, a New York based performer and educator. Amy has a very interesting path and career in the entertainment industry. In addition to performing she is a tutor with On Location Education (Catchy right!?). Her path is super interesting and she shares a lot of great advice on why education is important, the job of acting, and much more!

This week we talk to Tuffet all about her journey and all of the accents along the way! Tuffet is a Dialect Coach and actress with major skills! She has a fun name and personality. Listen to this episode to get some great insight into Dialects and hear Mitch just flail at the very end trying to impress Tuffet... Spoiler... He does not... But you really do want to listen to the end and hear Mel and Tuffet talk in accents and hear Mitch struggle... schadenfreude ( https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schadenfreude ) artisticpodcast.com/episodes/

In this episode, we talk about what art means to people. Is art the final product that an audience sees... or is it the creative journey the artist goes on? There are a lot of opinions in this episode and we want to know what you think as well! Hit us up on instagram and share your thoughts! We know sometimes we can be wrong but we think we are right at the moment of publishing this episode... Prove us wrong ;) --- @theartisticpod ( https://www.instagram.com/theartisticpod/ ) www.artisticpodcast.com

Quitting is not actually quitting... This week we have Kyle Branzel on the show! Kyle is a great performing arts coach and he shares his journey in the entertainment industry. There are many great insights from this conversation including how to think about approaching your next step. He also has great resources and content that he shares on his website https://www.kylebranzel.com/. You can also find resources on our webpage for his episode here: https://www.artisticpodcast.com/episodes/kyle-branzel-ep-26/

Kim and Ket shared their story and we learned a lot from their creative journey. This week we share the story of their friendship, what they thought of each other, what they think of each other now, and how they started their podcast Kim and Ket Stay Alive Maybe. Check out the podcast: http://www.kimandketstayalive.com/listen Check out their patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kimandketstayalivemaybe

This week Kim Burns, an actress and Podcast Host shares her journey and all about her challenges, opportunities and milestones on her path to finding her identity. We talk about what mindset can do for your life in this industry, working with life coaches, balancing your reliance on identity and being happy in the performing arts industry. https://bit.ly/MoreKim

Ketryn Porter is an award winning actor living in Los Angeles. She is also a co-host of a wonderful hit podcast she produces with her best friend Kim Burns (see her in the next episode!). Ketryn shares her story to becoming a performer and what she has learned from her time in the arts. For more about the episode and Ketryn follow this link: bit.ly/MoreKetryn

This week we have Allison Sheff on the show. She is a performer, director, and all around cool person. She shares some great insight into her experiences that lead her to her passion for Directing. She has learned so much on her way and not just from courses and school, but through experience and observation. Listen to this episode and learn a ton about ways that you can leverage your current situation into your dream career! https://bit.ly/MoreAllison

This week we had the chance to speak with Nick Lorenzini. A creative with a experience in the performing arts in New York as a singer, dancer, actor. Nick is the definition of a performer, however he has not only taken a break from performing, but has taken on a 9-5 job in Corporate America! Listen to hear his journey, and what he has in store. We know you will learn a lot and gain perspective that you so gravely need as a performing creative. For more check out bit.ly/MoreNick

This week we have Juliana Hansen on the Pod! We were so happy to get to talk with Juliana all about her career, her winding path to Disney, her voice acting experience, her education, and much more! If you want to get some tips and tricks for becoming an actor this definitely an episode worth a listen. Check out more about Juliana and the Episode at https://bit.ly/moreJuliana

This week we have Angela Sauer, an LA based actor. We really enjoyed talking with Angela about some hard truths you have to face when you are pursuing the arts. Why are you doing it? Are you cut out for the arts? Listen to this episode to hear what it means for Angela to be an actor. It’s not about being a superstar or becoming famous... But it is about changing the world! For more about Angela check her out here: https://bit.ly/moreAngela

This week is all about Kaevon. A musician and producer of an all med student band The Anastomoses! It was great speaking with Kaevon about his background and how he is able to balance Medical school and his artistic passions. Check out his episode to get more insight into how to keep improving in the arts while still pursuing a full time career in another field! Find out more here: https://bit.ly/moreKaevon

In this episode we have Lianne on to talk all about her experience in creating films and working as an actress. She has held a number of jobs in her life that have given her a great perspective on the world. She takes chances to work on new projects by being open to opportunities and shares a little about how you can too! Check out more about the episode and links mentioned in the episode here: https://bit.ly/ArtisticOshea

This week we have Byram on the show to talk all about how to get inspired and in the right mindset to create your work. Byram is a music producer and performer. He has experience producing music for a variety of other artists and even has his own music that you can listen to on spotify and soundcloud. Our favorite is 'I might' on his EP "Forget". Check out his music and more on the website! artisticpodcast.com/episodes/Byram-ep-16

In this episode we speak with Michael Thomas Holmes is an Actor and Freelance Graphic Designer. We speak with him about how he pulls off working in two artistic careers and what lead him to pursue them in the first place. Learn this week why it is important to have an effective accurate website and hear some great stories of how Michael began his artistic journey! Find links and details on our website www.artisticpodcast.com ( https://bit.ly/mttotheholmes )

This week we have Tessa Germain on the show. Tessa is a film maker, director, and writer that has experience as an actor from an early age. We learned a lot from Tessa on how to do proper research on a story, develop characters, and use skills from previous passions! Find links and more details about Tessa at www.artisticpodcast.com/episodes/tessa-germaine-ep-14 ( http://www.artisticpodcast.com/episodes/tessa-germaine-ep-14 ).

This week we have Jeffrey Ashkin on the show! He is an actor, writer, producer, director, and podcast host! We had the chance to talk with him about how he gets his work produced, what it means to be passionate about the arts and get some great advice from him on what to prioritize. If you like what you hear you can find more of Jeff on his podcast " Coast 2 Coast 2 Coast ( https://redcircle.com/shows/9395e89e-0812-47c1-a6a9-24b9ae0d5f24/episodes/9654e051-03ab-4355-9f5e-cf79d7ba5ff1?fbclid=IwAR1VWnJETuhvmS7P9AEp2gFloBW06OrvrCFlQeMN5f8O3W_MyeHBb_zygL0 ) ".

This week we have Alex Mentzel. Alex not only started off in the arts early in life, but he did it in Germany. He grew up in an artistic household with great support from his parents, and is currently building a social impact start up called Averto ( https://www.averto.ly/ ). You can find out more about Alex and our other guests on our website www.artisticpodcast.com You can also find us on socials @theartisticpod ( https://www.instagram.com/theartisticpod/ ) !

This week we have Justin Miller. Justin is an accomplished director and teacher. He gave us a sneak peak into his life, his origin story and some of the struggles on his path to becoming the multitalented creative he is today.

This week we have Sebastian Shug. A talented creative that publishes his own work as well as the work of others. His passion for bringing art into the world and his willingness to share how he does it is intoxicating. In this episode we talk about his growth in the industry and why he does the hard work of publishing. Sebastian also talks about his own podcast and how he does audiobooks for some of his publishing work! Find links and more at Sebastian's episode page at www.Artisticpodcast.com/episodes/Sebastian-shug-ep-10 ( http://www.Artisticpodcast.com/episodes/Sebastian-shug-ep-10 ).

In this episode we speak with Tiege Dooley-Panko. A creative with many passions and a lot of experience that has lead her to a passion in writing and comedy. She is a multi talented creative that has gone from dancing, to news reporting, to comedy in as many years almost! Hear her story about her path to where she is now and how her experiences have gotten her to the point she is at right now!

Leo is a voice actor and professional singer in New York City. He got started in music in 2008, and in 2016 found himself in the booth for video games and animation. In this episode of Artistic Beginnings Leo reveals how important the arts were for his growth as a person. We also get the chance to talk with Leo about what it's like growing his Voice Acting career from scratch!

This week we have the fabulous music producer David Robinson on our show to talk about her path to the musician she is today! David has had a ton of experiences that have given her the chance to grow as a person in the arts and bring good into the world.

In this episode we catch up with actor Scott Alda Coffey. We hear stories from his life that lead him from his early introduction to the arts to his education in Theatre and now his path as an actor in Los Angeles. For more details on this episode with Scott check out www.artisticpodcast.com/episodes/Scott-Alda-Coffey-Ep-6