The Background Scoop

In this episode I talk about my Voiceover and Advanced Audition Techniques classes at The Alliance Theatre, a BankofAmerica gig I did, the Love Is Illusion movie I recently shot, Herbal Tea Therapy, coloring my hair for Colorsmith, and my thoughts on Squid Game. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, I talk about Snake Oil, a new game show on Fox, my commercial auditions class at The Alliance Theatre, followed by another class called Voiceover: Audiobook Narration. And how I finally, finally, finally landed an agent. Plus my day filming a Popeye's commercial and what happened when I volunteered for the hot seat with Amy Jo Berman. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, I talk about two different court TV shows I worked on recently, a user generated content project I did (otherwise known as UGC), visiting a college campus where a TV show I worked on was set, doing my first web series, and the start of a Commercial Audition class I'm taking at The Alliance Theatre. Since I'm doing much less background and more real acting these days, I should probably rename this "The Acting Scoop," but that would likely be too complicated a thing to do, so I'll just skip it.   Here's the link to the "Final Cut" podcast episode I was in: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finalcutpodcastss-show/id1477744778?i=1000619289220 If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, I talk about an Ally Bank commercial, my Film III Class at The Alliance Theatre, a weird Booth Filler Job I did at a convention in downtown Atlanta, and a few odd background jobs I've done, although I have pretty much stopped doing those. And then there may or may not be content about a documentary series I applied to. It turns out I have what may be confidential information in here, so when I release this, it means I didn't get that job. But if there's nothing in here about it, then it means I've removed that content because I'm actually moving forward. We'll have to wait and see. So, if you hear no details about a docuseries, that's why. Which also means although I've finished recording this episode in mid-June 2023, I may have to wait to release it, until I get a definitive answer on the documentary reality show. [A month later] I was notified on July 26, 2023 that I was not moving forward for the dating show, so I was free to release this episode! If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, I talk about a student film I just worked on called "Hang Up The Gloves," which I didn't even have to audition for, another student film called "The School Mistress," playing Abraham Lincoln in an independent film called "American Civil War," completing my Film II class at the Alliance Theatre, and my continued group coaching with Amy Jo Berman. Let me tell you that sometimes you get sucked into watching all kinds of television and movies to prepare for a scene. In my case this was several Bernie Madoff productions and a cute TV show on Amazon called "The Summer I Turned Pretty." Not that I ever turned pretty growing up. And there was actually no specific summer when I felt I turned handsome. Finally, a crazy orange bird has been attacking my house for the past 3 weeks, but I scared it away with three plastic owls I bought on Amazon. Similarly, growing up Greek Orthodox, my parents scared me away from Easter service without having to buy anything online.  They were both clever and frugal. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, I talk about group coaching with Amy Jo Berman, which I just signed up for. I'm in her Unstoppable Actor Next Level program. This woman is amazing, and she's not paying me to say that. My 16 days as Secret Service on a project that just wouldn't end. A funny experience with someone who Googled me before we met. My first ever corporate photo shoot for a major company. And how my conversations with a Ukrainian guy on set really opened my eyes. And that's one of the most valuable aspects of acting--meeting people whose perspective will invaluably change yours. It's a beautiful almost spring day in the neighborhood, and I'd love to be outside, but I owe you all some content, so here I am. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, I recap the end of my five month stint on "The Resident," distinguishing between the actor and the character they play, a random newbie named Britni whom I met in the real world, a bad stand-in experience, making a movie within a movie, cat actors, and working the same project twice on the same day. I also rave about Amy Jo Berman and how I've joined her Next Level Unstoppable Actor group coaching program. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebackgroundscoop/support

I thought this was a fitting name for this episode because Megalopolis rhymes with my last name, Stavropoulos. "Mega" is Greek for big, and "poulos" is Greek for people. So, Megalopolis, literally translates to big people or big city. And so big can be interpreted however you want to, literally or figuratively. Literally, I am not a large person. Figuratively, I am big in some aspects and very small in others, but I won't go into details because this is not a self-help podcast. In this episode, I talk about The Resident, my Film I class at The Alliance Theatre, and filming "The Devil Comes Dressed For Church Too" with Planet Muzick Studios. This wraps up Season 2 of my podcast, but I will be back next year (2023) with a potentially new format focusing on interview with peers in the TV & film space. Oh, and I jumped on the Lensa avatar bandwagon recently as was so happy with one of the Cyborg creations I got that I replaced my podcast cover art with it. Hope you like it! If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, I talk about my new Film I class at The Alliance Theatre, making a commercial for the drug BIKTARVY, auditioning using my perfected ZOOM technique, an in-person table read in Birmingham, and my usual experiences on "The Resident." I tell a story about how Malcolm Jamal Warner apologized to me on set one day . . . in front of everyone. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends all about it. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, I talking about filming a Febreze commercial with a SCAD student, filming the PSA portion of a music video, and my usual experiences on "The Resident." That includes almost cheating and executing a complicated walk & talk. I also talk a bit about physical headshots, and my experience printing these out after using only digital copies for the past three years. Hint: use a high-quality photography establishment, not your corner drugstore. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends all about it. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, since I've been doing nothing but The Resident for two months now (mid-July to mid-September), all I talk about is this TV show. But I do cover some new learnings, including multiple start marks, auditioning for a sleeping role, set grafitti, misinterpreting marks as a stand-in, having a famous actor speak to me, and celebrating the show's 100th episode. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends all about it. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, I talk mostly about my first month as core background on Fox's hit TV show, The Resident, Season 6. Yes, I am rubbing noses daily with Leela, Padma, Devon, Conrad, Cade, Billie, and Dr. Voss. I haven't worked with Dr. Bell just yet. And, I've been spending an average of one day per week filming at The High Museum of Art in midtown and the rest of the time on set in Conyers. And I'm basically getting one ON CALL day per week, when I don't have to go in unless they call me and tell me to, and they have never called me in. At least not yet. But before I get to telling you all about The Resident, my last gig before this was a few days on ECHO, a new Marvel show. And, I think I talk a bit about my rehearsals for the movie, The Devil Comes Dressed to Church Too! Which we are finally set to film in Birmingham in late September. I play Gerald. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends all about it. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode is a bonus episode created using a video of part of Season 1, Episode 15: SAGgy White Eve. I'm experimenting with video podcasting, which is available on the Spotify platform. I simply upload a video on Anchor.fm, and the audio portion appears on all the platforms except Spotify, which contains the video instead. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, the golden nugget is cold reads, which I've now done in my Acting III: Scene Study class at the Alliance Theatre. I also cover why a live audition beats a taped one, recording auditions with friends, my most recent monologue from "Up in the Air," and being a supporting actor in an independent film. All within the context of my never-ending stories about my days on set and in class. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends all about it. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

Here are 8 monologues I recorded in April 2022 as part of one of my acting classes. Until I have a reel with footage from speaking roles, I at least have monologues to submit to agencies and/or casting directors. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends all about it. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, I primarily talk about some of the featured roles I've played lately, how synchronicity plays a role in where your acting career goes, how easy it can be to find yourself in the finished product, the unique and somewhat peculiar way Tyler Perry makes his TV shows, giving people a second chance, and Greek Holidays. All told through stories from recent background jobs I've had. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends all about it. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, I primarily talk about Monologues, Taped Auditions, and Live Auditions, to the extent that I have done all 3 of these. I'm just a beginner, but I think you'll glean some valuable points by listening to what I've done and learned in the process. I include some actual monologues I did for my acting class and a snippet of a role I played for that class. And, of course, the usual stories from recent background jobs I've had. But I'm cutting way back on these. Seriously. I feel as if I've been there, done that, and talked it to death. So, I'm shifting the content to focus more on the acting work and including background content as it relates to any points I'm trying to make. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

Here's what I talk about in this episode: I talk about scams, taping auditions, some shows I've recently worked on such as Monarch and The Wonder Years for the sixth time, some movies I've been involved in recently such as Creed III and Landscape with Invisible Hand, as well as a student film I did called On Demand. I also talk about the wonderful acting class I'm taking at The Alliance Theatre right now. And I close with some recorded voiceover material I recently did. This may be the last episode for me for a while. I kind of feel like I've said everything there is to say about background acting, and in 2022, I feel like I'm now morphing into a real actor or a non-background actor if you will, whatever you want to call it. So, hopefully, those who have been following along will continue to listen and tune in and see how that all pans out. It may be a bit before I get back to this. Once I've got enough material to talk about that going forward. So, again, thanks for tuning in, and we'll talk to you soon. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

Here's what I talk about in this episode: Perseverence, Networking, Actcicles, Feedback, Medical Emergencies, and Auditioning for roles. I'll use recent acting experiences to support my message so you can clearly see how it's exemplified. And I'll attempt to sum up the moral of each story for you so you don't have to think too hard about it. Think Aesop's Fables, but in the 21st century for people who don't like read and would rather listen. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode, I talk about doing a bank robbery scene, standing in for an actor on Ordinary Joe, a garden party in Buckhead, playing a lawyer in a courtroom, and how much I really loved how Hawkeye came out. I am clearly seen as a threat walking past Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld in the snow. Warning: I also talk about how my dog, Sugar, died just before Christmas and the pros and cons of letting your pet go naturally vs. having them euthanized. Finally, I got my first line in a film for an independent filmmaker, which was nothing like the background work I've done. I also auditioned to play a South Carolina lawyer in the late nineteenth century. And, I attended two workshops at Alliance Theatre and am registered for an acting class that starts in January 2022. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode is chock full of more stories of my life on set over the past month and what I've learned. I did The Game, Ordinary Joe, The Walking Dead, The Wonder Years, and cancelled The Staircase. If you haven't heard, Netflix Released their most expensive movie ever, Red Notice, at theatres on Friday, November 5 and streaming on Netflix a week later. I've watched it twice already. I am impressed beyond belief at how well this came out and honestly feel that it's an instant classic. I plan to buy several copies and give them as Christmas gifts, that is, if it's out on DVD in time. The one very strange this is that after waiting a year, part of you has moved on so far that you don't even care. But then when you watch it, it brings you right back to those glorious 9 weeks we spent holed up in the Crowne Plaza Peachtree City on Route 74. I've already heard rumors that there's discussion about making 2 more of these at the same time. That would be grant. As usual, listen and enjoy yourselves as you live vicariously through my bumbling background stints. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

Ozark, Ordinary Joe, The Wonder Years, and The Staircase. You'll see a pattern here. I'm leaning more towards television lately because it's easier, more predictable work, and you get to see the results fairly quickly. Like 4-8 weeks vs. the year or more that a film takes. Yes, Red Notice, which I covered extensively in the first episode is finally being released on November 5, 2021 after I finished my work on it last November. But it will be worth the wait. This episode is about the close knit families that form on projects, how it feels to work on a show you watch and love, encountering people you don't remember, discovering that someone's impersonating you online, the wonders of a science fair, hair readiness, protesting, FOMO, screaming on queue, shuttling to nowhere, hair color, exposing yourself, and building friendships over time. That's a lot, I know. I can't possibly summarize everything here or limit my content because it's a lot of little things I pick up along the way. But if you listen closely, you'll find some golden nuggets. And that's the whole point. If you learn just one thing from me, it's a lesson you don't have to learn yourself. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode is primarily about what it's like to play a featured background role (sometimes called a specialty role) as well as playing a role that's almost a principal role, except it has no lines. I cover the complexity of driving your car on set, how driving a manual transmission complicates it, and that it's possible and really nice to teach your friends to drive a stick if they need to for a role. I discuss how complicated scenes with lots of people crossing can be dangerous. I describe the importance of understanding the scene you're in so you don't waste time trying to figure it out on your own. And recognizing that you will be treated differently as your roles become more prominent; enjoy this but don't forget who you are and that it's important to treat others as you want to be treated yourself. Finally, I recount a fitting story about a famous Roman emperor and my inability to recognize who I'd be playing before I arrived. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Linktree https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode is primarily about the seven-day job I did on a Marvel production recently and what I learned from that experience. It's about ghost passes and clean plates What it's like to dance to no music or to music that won't actually be in the scene. How inclement weather impacts production here in the South. The power of background actors even if they're NOT in a union. And how really talented Pas can provide support and emotional positivity to your job. I cover what happens when you're fighting over HVAC with your neighbors. The risk of being literally forgotten in a scene because no one came to geet you. How COVID has changed access to Crafty food. And finally, how the delta variant is taking some productions a year into the past to ensure the safety of all. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: https://linktr.ee/Djstavropoulos --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode is about how doing background work can ruin your viewing experience, what core stand-in means, director-selected roles, how establishing scenes work, and making yourself heard when you're given no lines. Although many background jobs can have hundreds of people, I talk about doing background with no principal actors and doing stand-in with no background. Both are much more intimate because there are fewer people and moving parts and all eyes are on you. I also discuss handling weirdos on set as well as a COVID case that shut down production for two days and what I learned about it on a Google Meets Town Hall. Damn you, Delta variant! For added interest, I've included a bit about Meerkat Manor which is back on after 20 years and my trip to Cape Cod with my dog, where I met interesting people and drove through cities in Virginia with very odd names. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode is about SAG-AFTRA, divorce, and finding yourself in the middle of a foreign city that doesn't really exist. No airlines fly there; you have to take a shuttle bus that seats only 8 people, and there's only one of them, so getting a hundred people there can take as long as a cross-country flight. I've decided that to protect myself from potential lawsuits, I'm no longer going to mention any of the real names of anything I've worked on unless it's already been released. I also cover how to remove duplicate IMDB pages, getting injured on the set, and the perils of working in the hot, summer sun. As well as sexual harassment, meeting Cleopatra (really), and how to pretend to get money out of a broken down ATM from the early 1990s. You can even WATCH a portion of this episode on my YouTube channel, D. J. Stavropoulos (see the link below). If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode is about being part of a large caucus and working all night long. More specifically, a one-day job on Season 2 of The First Lady with Viola Davis. And an all-nighter on the remake of a movie called The Valet. It's about what happens when you don't carefully read your call-time email. Looking for hints that you'll be working until 7 AM the next day. How unexpected precipitation can totally rain on your filming parade and delay the shoot. How the simple act of brining the right outfit can backfire on you. How using your car in a scene can have you literally backpedaling. The importance of ignoring the principal actors to remain employed. And, last but not least, how being the right height in the right place at the right time can land you a promotion and a raise. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode is about roadkill. Yes, those dead animals in the road and my reaction to them when driving down local roads to get to my background jobs. Especially those an hour away south of the city. I also make a revelatory discovery that a finished product can be so good that people find it hard to watch. It's a figurative roadkill. The Underground Railroad is just that. I include stories about friends I made during my first 11 days on a very popular show filmed down in Senoia. I don't watch the show because it's too gory, but you can bet my eyes will be glued to Season 11 when it premieres. Trying to figure out how to calculate your hourly rate? I talk about that, too. And always always always choose a multi-day job over several one-day jobs if you can. When you get old, be aware that you may lose your ability to recognize people you lived with in a COVID bubble for nine weeks, so err on the side of approaching complete strangers who look like them. Finally, even with a name as uncommon as mine, someone somewhere will name a disease after you. They may cleverly sandwich it between EN and IS, but it will be clear as day to you that your given name, Demetrios, has been hijacked. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode is primarily about The First Lady (a new Showtime series) and about being featured, which is when a scene clearly shows you, the background actor, versus having you appear in the background, possibly not visible at all. I discuss getting feedback as a featured actor and some of the challenges I encountered with fake rain having an old car driven towards me by a stunt woman. I talk about the boredom of not getting used, the danger of working two consecutive days on one or more projects, not-so-rapid COVID tests, and the ups and downs of back-to-back availability inquiries and last minute cancellations by either you or the casting companies. I've also included the first podcast voicemail I've gotten from a listener. And me reading the first review that someone posted about The Background Scoop on Apple Podcasts. Included are stories that exemplify these ideas and illustrate how they've impacted me personally and shaped how I think about doing background work. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode is about getting excited about opportunities but then getting rejected or cancelled by the production at the last minute. About rushing out for last minute calls and getting COVID tests. About how 12 hours on a project translated to mere seconds or minutes in the finished product. About boarding your pet when you have no idea of your call time or how long you will be on set. About seeing yourself in the finished product and possibly ending up on the cutting room floor and the disappointment that brings. About how to track your jobs so that you can easily find yourself when the show or film airs; it's not always easy if you don't take good notes. About using background opportunities to explore parts of yourself you've kept hidden away for years. And finally, there's a few tidbits about IMDB and recording your work so that the whole world can see what you've been in. Included are stories that exemplify these ideas and illustrate how they've impacted me personally and shaped how I think about doing background work. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode is about the complexity and simplicity of making shows and movies, eavesdropping on famous people and then researching them online, running into old friends, and making new ones. Most of all, it's about meeting and connecting with people on the set. It's also about doing period work during a period when you were actually alive as a kid! It creates a new perspective on the world when you're filming a period you were actually part of. Finally, it's about what you're willing to do to get a role, in this case shaving your face in advance or finding out you might have to and wondering how you'll respond to that if it happens. Included are stories that exemplify these ideas and illustrate how they've impacted me personally and shaped how I think about doing background work. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

Is it real or is it fake? The film and TV industry's job is to entertain you with productions that look as real as possible. And in order to do that, they have to create reality with a lot of fake things. In other words, nothing is filmed without creating the right set, whether it's built from scratch or discovered by a location scout and turned into something that it isn't really. Since acting is pretending you're someone you're not, it's only logical that you're doing this in an environment that is also pretending to be something it's not. There's lots of fakery going on, and it's half the fun of doing this work because many times it even fools the best of us. Here are some stories of non-real situations I've been in as well as what jobs I've done recently and how each exemplifies this fake vs. real concept. I vividly remember my first day on set, spending 10 hours on Ozark, only to get in my car and drive back into the real world, which was incredibly strange after being in this fake one all day. You get used to it. And, if you're like me, the excitement of discovering what fakeness you'll encounter on today's job never wears off. Here's to pretending all the way home and never letting it bore you. It's fascinating! If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

Some call them "extras," but BG (or Background) is the industry term for people hired to work on a film or TV production that aren't the main actors. They're those people literally in the background that you don't even really notice, but they play a very big and important role in creating a reality that makes the production believable. When you're making a movie or TV show, you want it to look real, and in the real world, there are usually people in the background. Consider this: you're walking down the street to meet a friend at Starbucks for a coffee. You go inside and order from the Barista. You, your friend, and the barista are the main characters. Everyone else there is background.  OK, so why this podcast? Why here? Why now? I've lived in Atlanta, GA for almost 25 years now, and stumbled into this industry about a year ago (October 2019 to be exact). I was just minding my own business selling real estate but uncovered another world (on another planet) within an industry that's booming here right now. People call it "Yallywood" (a portmanteau of Y'all and Hollywood) for good reason. Don't quote me on this, but I believe there are more productions being done here on Georgia than anywhere else in the country due to the tax incentives. So, a whole new industry has popped up. And people are flocking to it. Like me, but it was an accident. Really. I responded to an email from a company called Nine9. I paid them some money. Not to throw them under the bus, but it probably wasn't worth it, and everyone I met consider them to be a "scam" (perhaps true).  I got wind of some Facebook pages and websites that posted open calls for background work, and the rest is history. Between October 2019 and March 2020 (roughly six months), I worked on 30 projects. I've learned a lot. And my goal here is to share some useful information about the business for those just getting into it, coupled with real-life stories of what I've encountered along the way. Some good. Some bad. It's not my primary source of income (I sell real estate full-time), but it's a fascinating way to spend your days (if you have the flexibility), meet interesting people, make some money, and (at some point hopefully) see yourself on the big screen. I hope you enjoy listening. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

The film and TV industry is probably unlike any other, and it makes sense to explore this a bit if you're considering background acting. I've done close to 40 jobs at this point and have been exposed to all kinds of things that are quite different from the cultures of Corporate America and real estate, where I currently operate. This episode is dedicated to the unique characteristics of the industry. What's its like in terms of people and behaviors and what to expect if you're not used to this. Be prepared! It may not be at all what you're used to. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

S1Making money is one of the primary reasons for doing background acting. Yes, it's fun and exciting to do this work, but if there weren't money involved, would you offer up your time for free? Some people would, and there are background acting jobs that pay nothing. This episode is about those that do. How the pay structure works. How you get paid. And how taxes are handled. I've added some personal stories along the way to help explain pay-related situations I've been in and how I've resolved them. I wouldn't say background acting is a get-rich-quick scheme to follow. But then again, the pay is relative to how valuable your time is and what you can make doing other things. For me, it's just one of many concurrent streams of income. I've never worked for free and the most I've made is about $24,000 for just a few months of work on a single project. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

The film & TV industry has a whole vocabulary of its own, which was the original subject of this episode. I hadn't intended on doing an entire show about The First Wives Club. But I did this TV show three times in the past two weeks, and a number of things happened that I wanted to talk about. I do cover some industry terminology here, but your best bet to learn the most common terms is to listen to Season 1, Episode 4, where I cover terms such as crafty, your mark, pantomime, banana, and martini shot. So, instead of just sharing some new terminology, I talk about experiences and provide insight into pantomime vs. talking, getting crafty food, leading when no one else is, how to juggle multiple submissions for the same day, revised call times, cattle calls, and running into old friends.  If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

I had a number of things go wrong on a single day on a project in January of 2021, so I recorded snippets that I had planned to intersperse into other episodes, but I very quickly realized I had enough material for an entire episode. So, this episode is dedicated to all the possible things that could go wrong, what's gone wrong for me, and how I addressed it. Clearly, it's not an all-inclusive list because there's probably an infinite number of things that could go wrong, and I alone have experienced only some of these. But, by sharing my real-life stories with you, you'll get a sense of some of the challenges of working in the industry so you're better prepared to handle similar situations. Listen in to my real-world bellyaching and maybe you, too, can solve the same challenges when they happen to you. And they will.  If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode covers things you'll encounter on the set on a typical day of a background job, if there is such a thing, since they're all different. But they all have a set of things in common and generally work the same way. The structure of the day, signing in/signing out, crafty and meals, wardrobe, props, holding, and the filming itself. This assumes you've gone through the effort of finding, applying, and being chosen for a background job and then going to a fitting and getting a COVID test before working. There are lots of details that make up the day itself. Consider this a high-level overview of what to expect. For some of these topics, I'll devote an entire episode to them and go into a lot more detail. Here's what I cover in this episode: Arriving & Signing In Wardrobe Hair & Makeup Props Holding Crafty & Meals Filming, and Wrapping Up at the End of the      Day If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

This episode covers everything you need to know and do between the time you accept a background booking and arriving on set the day of the job. This consists of fitting(s), COVID testing, signing a non-disclosure agreement, getting the final logistics the day before, and packing what you need for your day of the shoot. These typically happen quickly if there's only a week or less between your booking and the shooting date; otherwise, they can span weeks. There are lots of moving parts here being coordinated by resources on the production itself since the casting company got you the job but has little to no role in executing these activities. Be aware of what's expected and prepare yourself to be complete these items as scheduled so you're ready to go on your big day. If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

In this episode I cover how to find background jobs and how to submit for them. There are many companies hiring in Atlanta, and most use websites and Facebook to advertise these jobs. Most are totally free. I describe what to expect to submit for a job, what pictures you'll typically need, and how to track your submissions. If a casting company reaches out to you, they'll cover specific topics when confirming you for a job. Including details about fittings and COVID testing. You won't find out everything until the day before the job. Remember that this is a commitment you're making, and casting companies expect professionalism, accountability, and reliability when hiring. Do your best to present yourself in a way that shows you're serious, and you'll be on your way to making a great first impression.  Here are the website links I mention in this episode: http://www.centralcasting.com http://www.tammysmithcasting.com/ https://www.backstage.com/resources/detail/castingdirector/catrett-locke-casting-aka-cl-casting-82285/ http://www.castingtaylormade.com http://www.hyltoncasting,com If you like this podcast, please provide a rating on whatever platform you're listening on and tell your friends. If you like what you heard and want to see more, here are my social media links: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/d.j.stavropoulos Instagram http://www.instagram.com/d.j.stavropoulos LinkedIn http://www.Linkedin.com/in/djstavropoulos Pinterest http://www.Pinterest.com/djstavropoulos Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/djstavropoulos YouTube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67CJvv-jrWtPbTQWhu79Qg?view_as=subscriber IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm12147879/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support

Here's a taste of what this podcast is about. No pun intended. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebackgroundscoop/support