Where Working Actors Talk

The first episode of season 2 is here!! This week we talk to actor and SKS alum Raymond Lee. He walks us through his entire career, from moving to LA, getting his SAG card, the importance of a strong actor community (which he found at SKS!), booking his first series regular role, working with Tom Cruise on Top Gun, and his incredible experience as the lead on Quantum Leap. There is so much amazing advice for actors in this episode and we are so excited to share it with you! WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR: 1:05 How Ray got his SAG card acting in a Verizon droid commercial 3:11 Acting in theatre in LA and what led him to create his clown troupe, Four Clowns, and the opportuniites that followed because of it. 7:46 Auditioning for TV roles in LA and the huge difference between theatre training and audition training. Discovering SKS and how it helped in train his audition muscle. “And it was so important at that time to learn how to audition, because auditioning is such a strength and a skill in and of itself. Once you're on set, it can feel a lot different. But it was important that we had to figure out how to audition, which is where SKS case came in.” 10:04 At SKS I took away the most important lesson of all, which is to stay positive, to stay hopeful 10:24: You don't rise to the occasion. You fall to the level of your training. 12:56 Demystifying the audition process in classes at SKS 15:46 You didn't come to LA to sit on the bench…… 18:19 Relocating to New York after being cast in the play Vietcong and how the role helped transform him into a true leading male actor. 19:47 How Colleen helped bring the leading man out of him during and audition coaching. 24:07 When actors say “I want to make this different”. It's already different – YOU make it different. Embrace what you bring to the role. 25:21 The process of auditioning and booking the Alan Ball show Here and Now. 30:01 How becoming a dad changed Ray and changed the types of roles he was playing. 34:23 Ray shares his epic audition story for Top Gun: Maverick. 40:09 Life lessons from Tom Cruise on set of Top Gun. “as an actor, you can never know enough. I can do everything now at my age, because I was interested in doing everything. You need to be good at everything, because you never know when you're going to use this stuff.” 44:05 INSIDE STAN KIRSCH STUDIOS SEGMENT (our ode to James Lipton) 48:17 How Ray took care of himself during the long hours of shooting Quantum Leap. 51:14 Colleen and Ray working together on Quantum Leap and how special it was to watch the first episode.

This week we talk with Hollywood power couple and writing team, Kimberly and Brant Daugherty. Just in time for the holiday season, we chat all about how they went from dating, to writing partners, how they sold and starred in their first Christmas movie (A Christmas Movie Christmas), what inspired their latest Hallmark Christmas hit (Joyeux Noel), how writing and directing has helped them grow as actors, and all the projects they have on the horizon. This is one busy couple, and we are so grateful for their time. WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR: 2:17: Kimberly's origin story. What brought her to LA and how she got into acting. How she got her SAG card, booked her first movie and got her first reps. 8:07: How Kimberly found SKS and started taking acting class with us. What is her favorite part of the SKS acting and audition training style. 10:01: Brant's origin story. How he went from behind the scenes as a PA on Bring it On, to getting an agent and jump starting his acting career. (Thank you Holland Roden)! 12:07 Brant and Kimberly meeting at Holland's birthday dinner 10 years before they actually started dating. 14:54 Brant may best be known for his role on Pretty Little Liars, but find out what role is most dear to him to date. 20:22 How Brant and Kimberly became writing partners a year after dating and what they learned from each other in the process. 22:01 How the concept for A Christmas Movie Christmas was born! 26:43 The process of getting the movie sold to Marvista Entertainment (which happened a lot faster than you might think!) 28:49 Was it always a given that they would play the leads, or was that something they were willing to give up, if they had to, in order to get the film made. Was it hard to wear so many hats on set, as both writers and actors? 33:53 How they manage the highs and the lows of this business. 37:50 All about their most recent Hallmark Christmas movie, Joyeux Noel, which recently premiered on the Hallmark Channel and was the most watched cable program of the ENTIRE day!! 41:40: “I think you guys have hacked life. ‘I want to go to Europe, I want to see these markets. Let's write it, set it in Europe, pitch it, do it. Live our best life' 41:54: “Someone is out there doing that, and why shouldn't it be us? Someone's got that job…why not me” – Brant Daugherty 42:07: What would they tell our listeners who are feeling inspired by this episode? What is one actionable thing they could do today to get on the track of writing a project or creating something? 49:01 How Brant's 1 episode arc on Pretty Little Liars turned into 7 seasons! 51:10 “My goal every day was not to get fired” – Brant Daugherty 51:24 What's next for this dyanamic duo (besides having a 2.5 year old AND a newborn on the way!!) Spoiler alert: Kim has 4 projects currently in development!! 56:16 Are there any acting roles that they are dying to play, whether it's a type of character or genre? A Christmas Movie Christmas: https://www.hulu.com/movie/a-christmas-movie-christmas-91260c22-f865-4331-a03a-b5a5e34f2e0b Joyeux Noel: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/joyeux-noel

This week we talk with a woman who wears soooo many hats, and does it seamlessly. Dani Scott is an actress and producer currently working with Redacted Media. She lives for falling in love with new characters and complex stories, all with the goal of being a go-to comedic actress and award winning filmmaker. She has produced and starred in two features in the last three years, A Christmas Sunset and the upcoming The Demon Detective. She has worked for several comedy shows, as well as NCIS: LA, and has acted in several indie shorts and feature films. After graduating with her degree in acting from the University of Washington, she worked in casting in Seattle and LA for several years, before transitioning back to acting and starting as a producer in 2020. She has a penchant for sweets, is obsessed with dogs, and plans to travel the world her entire life. I LOVE this episode, because it reminds us that we have more control than we think in this crazy industry. Find out how SHE took control and became a wildly successful self-made producer, how her years in casting have helped her in every facet of her career, and her advice to any of you wanting to start producing for yourself! WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR: 1:07 Dani's origin story in the business. How she got to LA, and the incredible advice her mentor, casting director, Jodi Rothfield gave her before moving out. (A must listen for any new actor moving to LA!) 4:55 How she immediately became a casting associate for a major television show, working under head casting director, Lisa Soltau. 7:54 Do casting directors give actors a second chance if they had a bad audition? 11:05 Casting WANTS to find new talent! They really do! 12:45 There is something charming about people on TV. Audiences want to watch the charm - even if you are playing the villain. Don't lose YOUR charm when you start acting! 20:30 The life changing moment Dani knew she wanted to switch gears and focus on acting and producing. 24:28 Working in casting led her to taking acting classes at Stan Kirsch Studios. She would look at other actor's resume's who she thought were great and see where they studied! 25:05 How studying acting at SKS was a game changer for her. 33:34 How she self produced her very first film, A Christmas Sunset, (during the pandemic, no less!) 39:09 How she got A Christmas Sunset to Amazon once it was finished. 40:47 All about her latest produced film, The Demon Detective - and everything she learned to do (or not to do) from her experience producing and acting in A Christmas Sunset. 52:58 For those listening, who are inspired to follow in Dani's footsteps and self create - what is one thing you could do today to help get things moving in the right direction. Dani's IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7880072/ Check out A Christmas Sunset: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Sunset-Cassandra-James/dp/B093JSLB67 For more information about our acting classes, audition coaching and audition taping, head over to http://stankirschstudios.com/services

This week we talk all things Demo Reels with 3 time Emmy-nominated writer, editor and producer Joe Gressis. Joe has been named Best Demo Reel Editor by Backstage Magazine twice, and he is here to share so many tips and tricks on what makes a great demo reel edit. This is a must listen for any working actor in LA! We taped this during the pandemic, and it is still, to this day, our most requested zoom recording! WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR: :43 Colleen meeting Joe at a SAG-AFTRA workshop and knowing immediately she wanted to work with him. 4:27 How working on the other side of production has helped him hone in on what casting directors, and directors are looking for in Demo Reels when they watch them 5:22 What are your thoughts on having multiple reels. Just comedy, just drama, everything mashed together? 8:28 What's the deal with length? Is shorter really better? Do you need a speed reel? 11:24 Trim the fat of the scene, and make sure it is focused mostly on you (while still making sense, of course). 12:03 “You have served the project by being in it, and now the project needs to serve you”. 13:42 Do you front load your demo with scenes that show famous actors, even if it's not your best work? 16:55 How do you make your demo reel “pop”. 23:44 All about “air checks” and how to get footage. You can't have a reel if you can't get your footage! To find out more about Joe visit https://www.joesreels.com/ To find out more about our LA and online acting classes visit www.stankirschstudios.com/services

Welcome to the SKS Acting Podcast, Where Working Actors Talk. This week Colleen Foy chats with one of my favorite people of all time and a former SKS teacher Josh Brener. Josh is one of the most talented actors I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and with over 70 IMDB credits, he is a wealth of knowledge in the entertainment industry. We hear how he prepped for some of the biggest auditions of his career,  the importance of trusting you're enough as an actor, his thoughts on self tapes vs in person auditions… and how he handles the inevitable disappointments that every actor faces. WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR: 2:31 Josh's origin story. Why he got into acting and why he decided to move to LA. 4:32 How Josh got his first acting agent and his SAG card and booking his first series regular on GLORY DAYS. 7:55 His audition process for THE INTERNSHIP - how he prepped for his chemistry read with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, while also being in consideration for WE'RE THE MILLERS and prepping to chemistry read with Jason Sudeikis. 15:43 When and how to use improv and "scripted' ad libs in auditions. 18:06 The importance of preparation and rehearsing under duress. "Play how you practice and practice how you play" - How the SKS style of teaching got him ready for these high stake situations. 21:20 The mental game of auditioning and how that differs from "acting". 24:02 Finding the note behind a note when a casting director or director tell you to "be'' the essence of another famous actor. Finding your version of that and bringing yourself to it. "Lead with yourself". 31:54 Trusting you are enough as an actor and you don't have to "do" so much. "You're thinking you're alive, you're present. And I think that's just the trust thing, right? Like, I don't have to, I don't have to turn it on here. Because this is enough." 38:24 How does Josh handle the inevitable disappointments that come with being an auditioning actor. Q&A FROM THE AUDIENCE 44:21 What is your dream role, that may not be something you would typically be cast as. 46:21 How do things change once you've been a series regular. Do you get treated differently when you audition. Are things different having one of the top 3 agencies? 50:31 Auditioning in the room vs. self taped auditions. 58:07 What do you do in between jobs, especially now during the WGA and SAG strikes, to stay inspired and feel creative. 1:02:42 Did you feel like the further you went into voiceover that you were seen being pulled out of live action more than Did you feel like it actually opened more doors for you? FOR MORE INFO ON SKS SERVICES VISIT: https://stankirschstudios.com/services

This week Colleen Foy chats with the incomparable Adam Tsekhman. Adam tells us how a family trip to Moscow landed him his first job in television, how he turned a recurring role into a series regular on a major hit tv show, how he handles disappointments in the industry, the importance of gratitude, and his feelings on saying no to jobs. He is charming, insightful, witty and just so real. Enjoy! WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO HEAR: :20 How did he first come to SKS, and what was his biggest take away from studying with us? 4:09 Adam's origin story: How he got into acting. 8:15 How his dad pushed him to leave NY and move to LA. "LA's not coming to you. You have to push it, you have to be aggressive". 9:48 How a family trip to Moscow led to his first television role. 13:42 The process of getting his first acting agent in Los Angeles. 18:51 All about finding his niche/branding as an actor, and how he feels about being typecast. 25:32 Making his own projects - Comrades and Americanastan and his thoughts on pushing the envelope and being controversial. "Everyone is fucking worried about being offensive. Not me, Colleen". 31:03 The casting process on DC's LEGENDS OF TOMORROW. 36:39 Why it's important to be a team player, be grateful, be a good person. Don't be an asshole. 40:42 How he took a 3 episode arc and turned it into a series regular. 43:50 When and how to fight for more as an actor and the fear it can bring up. 54:50 The process of auditioning for NIGHT AGENT and what it was like working on the show. 1:02:13 A little love for Colleen being an amazing actress, acting coach, and overall incredible person! FOR MORE INFO ON SKS VISIT: https://stankirschstudios.com/services

This week we have an illuminating chat with New York Times bestselling audiobook actor Elizabeth Knowelden. Listen as this multi-talented actress, singer and director opens our eyes to the wonderful world of voice narration, an industry untouched by the covid pandemic OR the current double strikes. Learn all the ins and outs and gain a ton of tips and tricks! (Transcript coming soon) **Disclaimer - This was recorded during a record heat wave in LA.  There will be a bit of AC noise throughout the episode. We understand the irony, given that this is an episode dedicated to voice acting and the technical aspects of it. 2:48 Elizabeth's journey from England to LA Starting in drama school in the UK. Knowing at a young age she was meant to end up in America. After drama school, joined a networking week in LA and moved out within 6 months. 7:35 What brought her to SKS When she moved to LA, she was auditing classes that were disturbing and left a bad taste in her mouth Had a lunch with a best friend who told her SKS was different and from the first consultation she knew this was the kind of school she wanted to be a part of. "Because there were certain things in the just the formulation of a script that if you don't do them, or if you do do them, it makes it much easier for them to visualize you and see you on screen in their specific show" It was like the heaven's opened up. 10:53 What brought her into voice artistry? Audio dramas that led to audio books Many different little tangents and random roads that led her down this path 13:58 Recording her first audio book Going into a studio vs building her at home studio during covid. Prepping for audio books and the characters. Audio books, audio drama, video games not being affected by the strike or covid. The beauty of being generate income from your own home, doing what you love. There is room for everyone's voice in this world. 23:12 What would she tell someone listening who wants to pursue audio narration? For audio books you do not need an agent. Everything else voice related, you do need an agent. Make a great demo reel. For audiobooks, send your demo to audio book producers and publishing houses. 35:15 Questions from the audience Do you ever struggle with the balance of slowing down your pace, but also trying to maintain the appropriate energy for the performance, Do you annotate your script to help you with changes of energy in the book. How to you maintain your vocal health? How do you go about cultivating relationships with producers and publishers? Any tricks for keeping track of the different characters?

This week we are diving into part 2 of our social media series, sitting down with Ulysses Morazan. Uly is not only an incredible actor, but over the past 5 years, he and his "current husband" have built and monetized a massive social media following with over 432,000 TikTok followers to date. Listen as he demystifies the process, and find out how this newfound passion has helped him in his acting career.  For all the laughs, follow him and his current husband on tiktok @ulyandernesto WHAT YOU'LL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE: 2:41 How did you start your social media? *Started 5 years ago with his boyfriend (now "current" husband). *Began filming just for fun and fell in love with the creative process. *Started with the commitment of doing one youtube video a week, knowing that consistency was the most important thing. *Youtube felt a bit oversaturated, so they decided to get an IG account. That began growing much faster, and brands started reaching out. *Follow the money! *Everything changed with TikTok - so much easier to show who you are in video vs images. AND they got in at the beginning before it was oversaturated. 8:15 What makes a video go viral? *Hook in your audience as fast as possible to keep them on the platform as long as possible. *Video content being in "list" form (Buzzfeed is great at this!) *MAKE REALLY GOOD CONTENT. *Capitalize on a current trend. *Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason. You can do everything "right', and it doesn't catch on. *Why Uly prefers videos NOT go viral, and instead cares about the community he is growing, the community that already likes and cares about his content. 12:31 Navigating the success of social media: *How did they navigate their first brand deals and how did they get them? *When did he decide to quit his day job and rely solely on this income? *How important branding is, and how he and Ernesto discovered what they are "selling". *The "I Love Lucy" formula and why it works for them. *How figuring out his branding on social media has helped his branding as an actor. *Has his following helped his acting career? 30:39 What should someone do who is just starting out? *It can be overwhelming at first - so just focus on 5 influencers you would like to model yourself actor. Ask yourself what your "version" of that is. Pay attention to their content. *Rip the bandaid off and just start posting, and realize it's not that scary and it gets easier and easier. *Be authentic...viewers are craving authenticity.

This week we sit down with Sam Valentine of the wildly popular podcast, One Broke Actress. Find out how she turned a private blog, into one of THE most influential and listened to podcasts amongst actors today. How she parlayed the success of One Broke Actress into a full blown career, which then allowed her to qualify for SAG health insurance for the first time ever since joining the union in 2017. She inspires us, she educates us, she makes us laugh! 0:00 Intro to Sam and how she started in LA 4:27 How to deal with bad reps. 6:37 Learning that theatre acting and tv/film auditioning are VERY different. 13:01 Starting One Broke Actress as a blog. 16:57 How One Broke Actress the podcast took off. 21:14 Signing the SAG contract for the podcast in Feb 2023, and how it led to SAG health insurance. 29:23 Is there a learning curve to social media? 37:05 Dealing with others judging your social media. 40:45 Sam's favorite episodes of her podcast over the years. Check out more about Sam and all of her platforms: https://onebrokeactress.com

We welcome Stephanie Czajkowski, who's inspiring journey is unlike any we have ever brought you. We talk about how, through her 3 cancer diagnosis, she embraced her power, discovered exactly who she is, and how it helped her approach her acting career in a whole new empowered way. She is a fighter, a survivor, and her attitude is so contagious we know  this talk with leave you full of inspiration and ready to take on the world.

This week, we sit down with actor and SKS alum Tim Chiou. We learn all about his start in the industry, his unbelievable chemistry read for NBC'S THE COMPANY YOU KEEP, how his auditions have changed since being a series regular...... and we hear his thoughts on the writer's strike.

SKS teachers, Colleen Foy, Brock Ciarlelli, Angela Fornero and Aleks Ristic, sit down with a cocktail and real talk about the tv/film industry and their life as auditioning actors. The talk about how to ward off burnout, keeping your creative muscles working, radical acceptance, how to be unfuckwithable, how to silence perfectionism and the feeling of "I MUST book this job", finding the joy in acting. They cover everything from nerves in the audition room and on set, to table reads and how to us them to your benefit, what tv shows actors should be watching, how to stay in contact with casting without crossing boundaries, and how they REALLY feel about "to memorize, or not to memorize" lines. Nothing is off the table in this chat! Get ready to get inspired and learn a ton!

With a combined 280 credits on IMDB, you won't want to miss this epic round table zoom event. We talk all about their start in the industry, the greatest challenges each of them have faced in auditions and on set, how to say no when something doesn't serve you and KNOWING YOUR WORTH!! There are so many truth bombs in this discussion that will blow your mind! Inspired doesn't even begin to describe how I felt after hearing this! Our guests: Catherine Haena Kim - most recently booked and shot the series lead of the ABC drama “The Company You Keep” opposite Milo Ventimiglia (THIS IS US) Bayardo De Murguia - Most recently booked an AMAZING recurring role on Apple Tv+'s hit show Acapulco. You will also recognize him as a series regular on the Netflix Show, TINY PRETTY THINGS, and he just completed filming on the Lifetime movie FATAL FANDOM. Hayley Marie Norman - She recently wrapped production on the Hulu series DOLLFACE, and was seen all of last year in a recurring role on NBC's Kenan. Matthew Jayson Cwern - Matt basically never stops working! He has 6 tv show under his belt in 2022 alone, including THE BLACKLIST and NCIS: Los Angeles Hosted by our studio director: Colleen Foy, whose latest movie BLONDE is set to be released on Sept 23, 2022

Join Caitlin and Colleen as they chat about the farewell season of THIS IS US, her incredible journey as Madison, and of course all things acting! Caitlin is one of the most generous actors out there and we are so thrilled she was able to work this into her shooting schedule!

When we recorded this chat, we couldn't mention the name of the film Staci was producing for Netflix starring Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, but now we can happily say we are so glad to get a behind the scenes look with Staci! And if you haven't seen DON'T LOOK UP, yet - we suggest you #Netflixandchill immediately!! As an actor, she has appeared in VICE, THE BIG SHORT, AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D, 90210, and PARKS AND RECREATION. From her position in production, she's gained a new understanding of how the business works. Former Thursday night SKS student and teacher.

Alan is a multi-hyphenate in the truest sense. In front of the lens, he plays the internationally renowned detective, JACK REACHER for Amazon, based on the best-selling novels which have sold over 100,000,000 copies worldwide. Production is currently under way for Reacher's first season. His turn as the pill-popping, alcoholic, vigilante, “Hawk” on HBO Max and Netflix's hit drama, TITANS has garnered Alan praise from critics and fans alike. The show's gritty third season will be released later this year. Past titles include “Gloss” in THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE, “Raphael” in Paramount's, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES franchise and work alongside Robert Zemeckis as, BEOWULF. Alan has also found success behind the camera as an accomplished writer, director and producer. He produced and co-financed Amazon's SEBERG, which sold internationally at Cannes in 2018 and premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in 2019. His first foray into writing and producing lead to the cultishly beloved Lionsgate feature, BMS: THE RISE OF THADLAND. He made his feature directorial debut with DARK WEB: CICADA 3301, a dark comedy he also produced, starred in and co-wrote with Joshua Montcalm. He sold the film to Lionsgate and it will be released March 2021. He wrote and directed the award-winning, short film, TREE HOUSE TIME MACHINE which he subsequently sold to Gunpowder & Sky subsidiary Dust. ​ When not on location, Alan enjoys boating and fishing near his quiet beach-side residence in sunny Florida or rugged hikes near his cabin tucked away in the north Georgia mountains with his wife, three young boys and their hefty Cane Corso, Bear.

Elaine Loh spent over a decade as a working actor, training and teaching at SKS and booking roles on JANE THE VIRGIN, SUPERSTORE, S.W.A.T., IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY..., NCIS:LA, and many more, before finding her true passion - telling stories about our inclusive, diverse, and dynamic world. She was chosen as one of the Top 25 Writers to Watch in 2019 by the International Screenwriters Association. She has had scripts place in the world-renowned PAGE Awards, Austin Film Festival, Final Draft Big Break, and the ISA. She is currently writing for the GOSSIP GIRL reboot at HBO Max as well as DYNASTY. Bashir Gavriel is a former model turned writer/actor and a proud "Jamerican," signifying his Jamaican upbringing and American birth. A cardio/thoracic Registered Nurse, Bashir initially worked as a medical supervisor on dozens of TV shows and films. Studying at SKS on Monday nights, he has appeared on CRIMINAL MINDS, DEXTER, FRANKLIN & BASH, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, and DAYS OF OUR LIVES, to name a few. In 2016, he joined the WGA by selling a pilot script, PAROLED, to USA Network. As a writers' assistant on the new POWER spin-off series for Starz, he co-wrote and produced the series' second episode with Showrunner Sascha Penn just before quarantine.

Stan sits down with two of the stars of NBC’s six season smash hit GRIMM, David Giuntoli and Bitsie Tulloch, who married in 2017. Listen in as David and Bitsie discuss how they got into acting, faced challenges, received breaks and used their diligence and tenacity to carve out enormously successful careers both in front of and behind the camera. The couple also discuss their personal lives - meeting one another, dating and marrying - all while working together. Don’t miss this candid, insightful and inspirational episode! Produced by Keith Garabedian. Music composed by William Boreing. Special thanks to Kristyn Green.

Stan sits down in front of a live SKS audience with the award winning cast of Freeform’s comedy hit BABY DADDY - Melissa Peterman, Chelsea Kane, Jean Luc Bilodeau, Tahj Mowry and Derek Theler. Listen in as each guest details how they got into the business, describes their BABY DADDY audition process, what it’s like to work on a multi-cam comedy for multiple seasons and more! Don’t miss this eye opening, inspirational, and hysterical episode! Produced by Keith Garabedian, Music composed by William Boreing. Special thanks to Kristyn Green and Lindsay Boreing.