Acting: Conversations on Craft

Every time I interview somebody in the industry, I learn something new.  My conversation with Heidi Rew and Mike Stoudt was no exception.  Heidi and Mike are the co-founders/co-owners of Atlanta Voiceover Studio, which they opened in 2016. Not only do they run the studio, they are themselves full-time voiceover actors, podcast hosts, and on-camera actors. They have a YouTube channel with great videos that cover many aspects of the Voiceover industry and they also have an online training program at Provoiceovertraining.com. During our conversation we talked about several things, from home studio set up to key mistakes voice actors make.  What I loved most was their passion and enthusiasm for the industry and their craft. Heidi thinks, “the cool thing about VO is that all voices are needed.” But quickly adds, “it isn’t just about the voice.” Mike wants actors to know, “It’s a process, you’re going to fail and that’s OK.  Give yourself time to learn and grow.” He also says, “If this is what you want to do, do it.”  You can probably guess who voiced the NIKE ad. Heidi Rew is a voiceover talent, actress, host, co-owner of Atlanta Voiceover Studio and former radio DJ. She can be heard in commercials for various companies, including Autonation, GE, Hallmark, Jiffy Lube, Build-a-Bear, Subway, and Belk, to name a few. Mike has more than 21 years experience in broadcast radio, with the bulk of his time working in one of the nation’s top markets, Atlanta, Georgia. He’s been a voice actor for about that long, as well. In addition to being a nationally recognized voice talent, he’s also worked as an actor since 2005. Whether it’s radio, film or TV, you might have heard or seen Mike at some point. His voiceover body of work includes promos for The Talking Dead (on-going), Warby Parker (on-going), NIKE, Sour Patch Kids, Budweiser, Monroe Shocks, and hundreds more.Learn more about their classes, the resources they offer, and to listen to their podcast go to: https://atlantavoiceoverstudio.comhttps://provoiceovertraining.comhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYwd8G0-JJP-wi9Sd56JWjw/abouthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/atlanta-voiceover-studio/id1455893244To learn more about them: https://heidirew.comhttps://www.mikestoudt.comFollow them on IG and FB by going to: @atlantavoiceoverstudioIf you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/446862949543735 and visit the group site. Follow me:IG @tarmeydanielle Twitter @TarmeyDanielle imdb.me/danielletarmey 

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

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

I was so excited to have the opportunity to talk to Risa Bramon Garcia, co-founder and master teacher of The BGB Studio in LA. I wanted to know why it was so important to her to empower the actors in her studio and around the world. "There is a big difference between the actor who takes ownership of their talent and the actor who does not," she says. Risa goes on to explain that when actors do the work for its own sake, then they feel like they belong.

We also talked about the importance for actors to write and the need for more varied stories to be told.

Risa's passion for all that she does in the industry was clear throughout. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Risa as much as I did.

In addition to being co-founder and master teacher at The BGB Studio, Risa has worked consistently as a director, producer, casting director, and writer. She's had the great fortune to have collaborated with some of the most talented, passionate, and groundbreaking artists in the world both in theatre and film/TV.

Risa's passion for teaching and coaching has lead to her collaboration with Steve Braun in The BGB Studio, a creative space and community they created as an artistic home for actors, writers, directors, filmmakers, and casting directors. Here she gets to do it all!

You can read more about Risa and The BGB Studio on their website: https://bramongarciabraun.com

You can listen to their podcast which is full of great information for actors: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-acting-podcast/id1203009952

5 Self-Care Practices: https://5-self-care-practices.bramongarciabraun.com

Meditation bundle: https://bramongarciabraun.com/train-online/3-in-1-challenge-bundle/

Follow Risa on IG @risabg

Follow The BGB Studio on IG @bgbstudio

On Twitter @BGBStudio

If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to the FB group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/446862949543735

Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle

on Twitter @TarmeyDanielle

Not letting the script push you around is something that Burgess Jenkins says in class a lot. But, as actors, we are also told to honor the writing. So, what exactly does Burgess mean? Do we not stick to the writing and the stage directions? For him it’s more about opening up the possibilities that are inherently in the script.

He says, too often, beginners typically box themselves in with one single idea based on what the script says. That will make it difficult for actors to be more fluid or flexible and they won’t be able to internalize notes given by casting directors or directors. We have to remember that If it says, “he/she slaps the table in anger”, each of us displays our anger differently.

Burgess says the writer is simply trying to convey the emotions of the scene to the reader. You have to bring your version of what the writer is saying. For him it goes back to the difference between executing ideas and “finding the greatness in the work that is underneath.”

So do you want to be like everyone else, slapping the table? Or do you want to be the actor that has internalized the emotional context of the scene and taken ownership? Hopefully this episode will guide you towards being an original.

Burgess has been in a myriad of projects ranging from arthouse independents to blockbuster films. He is best known for his role as Ray Budds, in Remember the Titans, opposite Denzel Washington. He was Hilary Swank’s husband in The Reaping and most recently worked with Shirley McClean and Mira Sorvino. He’s had several recurring roles on such shows as the Young and the Restless, Army Wives, and One Tree Hill.

When he is not acting, he is an instructor at the Actors Group studio in Winston-Salem, which is a training ground for film and television actors.

If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/ and visit the group site.

Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle

on Twitter @TarmeyDanielle

Find out more about Actors Group: https://www.actorsgroup.net/

Find out more about Burgess Jenkins: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0420792/

When I asked the founders of the Atlanta Actors Collective what they hoped the future of their organization would be, Kevon Pryce didn’t hesitate, “I want to take over the world. I want us to be THE Actors Collective.” It is clear throughout our conversation that it isn’t for any kind of self-aggrandizement purposes that he says this. He, along with Sarah Toran and Rashal James, started the AAC to create a community for actors and creatives based in the Atlanta market. Their goal was, and still is, to strengthen the sense of community and to provide the resources and help that they didn’t have when they moved to Atlanta. It is clear when talking to these young people, they believe that in helping each other we all succeed. As they say, “There’s power in collaboration. There’s power in community.”

Sarah Toran is a model, actor and voiceover artist from Chicago, IL; where she trained at Second City. She moved to Atlanta to continue to pursue her acting career in a warmer climate. She has met so many other talented creatives in the tv & film industry through classes, intensives, workshops, events and of course on-set. She has been in numerous short films and television shows and is excited about the new projects she is working on.

Kevon Pryce is a writer and filmmaker based in Atlanta, Georgia. He writes film news, short stories, poems, and screenplays. His films have screened at festivals across the southeast such as Atlanta Film Festival, Rome International Film Festival, and Sidewalk Film Festival.

Rashal James is a trained Actor/Voice Actor from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Originally starting out in the music industry as a rapper he then decided to pursue a career in film. He trained with a few instructors and soon found like-minded individuals who shared his enthusiasm for acting and helping other actors find resources to hone their skills. Catch Rashal’s work on Disney +, The CW, and Lifetime Movie Network.

Together they co-founded the Atlanta Actors Collective. A group focused on building relationships between tv & film industry creatives and is an informational resource for the acting community in Atlanta.

If you want to find out more about the Atlanta Actors Collective:

Follow them on IG @atlantaactorscollective

https://www.facebook.com/atlantaactorscollective

If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/ and visit the group site.

Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle

on Twitter @TarmeyDanielle

Passionate is one of the first descriptors that comes to mind when talking about casting director, Rhavynn Drummer. She is passionate about her job and about working with actors.

Our conversation covered topics ranging from auditioning, taking risks, to advice she has for actors of color. To actors and creatives of color she says, “Don’t wait for me.”

She wants all actors to trust their gift because she relies on our artistry. She tells us, “Take risks…show me your artistry.”

Rhavynn Drummer is an award-winning producer, director, and casting director who has always had a love for actors and great performances. She began her career in casting at Tyler Perry Studios in 2007 and continues to cast all of his films, plays, and TV shows.

She has directed and produced such projects as Good Girls and Brooklyn.Blue.Sky and was recently hired as an adjunct professor in the theatre and communication studies department at Clark Atlanta University.

(bio extracted in part from her website)

You can connect with Rhayvnn on most social media platforms.

Website: rhayvnndrummer.com

IG @rhavynn

Twitter @RhavynnDrummer

If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/ and visit the group site.

Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle

on Twitter @TarmeyDanielle

NOTE: There were a few technical glitches in this episode that I did my best to clean up. I apologize for the small echoes heard occasionally and the clothing hitting the mic sounds.

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

For Burgess Jenkins, the work of an actor is mostly in the preparation. Your prep is what launches you into any scene and enables you to live the experience. He says once you’ve done the work in your preparation and created your “bridge” to the character fully, then it’s time to play.” All too often Burgess says he sees actors try to control the scene while they are in it. If you do that, then it’s impossible to be artistic and creative “in a big way” and where is the fun in that?

Burgess has been in a myriad of projects ranging from arthouse independents to blockbuster films. He is best known for his role as Ray Budds, in Remember the Titans, opposite Denzel Washington. He was Hilary Swank’s husband in The Reaping and most recently worked with Shirley McClean and Mira Sorvino. He’s had several recurring roles on such shows as the Young and the Restless, Army Wives, and One Tree Hill.

When he is not acting, he is an instructor at the Actors Group studio in Winston-Salem, which is a training ground for film and television actors.

If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/ and visit the group site.

Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle, on Twitter @TarmeyDanielle

Find out more about Actors Group: https://www.actorsgroup.net/

Find out more about Burgess Jenkins: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0420792/

In the final installment of my conversations on how people stayed creative during the time of COVID, I spoke to Dr. Joseph Mills, Charis Jeffers, and Noelle Mills-Tarmey.

Joe Mills stated creativity looks a lot like wandering, but what he’s really doing is collecting material. He says the creative person has to, “be willing to let yourself have leisure to collect the material to be able to work with it.” For him there is a distinct difference between creativity and productivity. It is important to separate the two as the pressure to be productive can stifle the creativity.

For Charis, my second guest, it was important to keep working. As she says, “I need to be in that creative space so that I don’t lose that mindset.” The many monologue challenges offered by casting directors gave her an emotional outlet. It helped that there were deadlines attached, otherwise she claims she would never have completed any of the challenges and writng opportunities that were offered.

Noelle

When Noelle responded to my question, I thought it would be interesting to get the perspective of a teenager going through this. According to her, writing letters, making lists, creating a YouTube channel were activities that helped keep her mind of the fact that she was stuck at home on her own (well, with her parents).

If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/ and visit the group page.

Follow me on IG @tarmeydanielle, on Twitter @TarmeyDanielle

Find out more about writer and poet Dr. Joseph Mills

https://www.josephrobertmills.com

Follow on IG @josephrmills

On FB https://www.facebook.com/joe.mills.334

Find out more about Charis:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4949626/

Follow her on IG @carrots_jeffers

Website https://www.charisjeffers.com/

Noelle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHjDO_C0xIo