Acting: Conversations on Craft

These are interesting times we are living. In March all of our lives were disrupted. As states open up and the film/tv industry tries to find a new normal, I wanted to know what fellow creatives had been doing to stay creative during quarantine. In the next several episodes you will hear from actors, a school receptionist, a poet, and a teen. Each of them giving some insight into how they dealt with quarantine and the loss of their normal routines.

In today’s episode I talk to my friend and fellow actor, June Dare. She has always been involved in artistic endeavors, whether it is singing in choirs or with her sisters, acting in and co-producing theater productions, as well as appearing in several film, TV, and commercial works. With in-person events being shuttered June turned back to writing and singing with her sister in Nashville.

My second guest is actor and friend, Rodney Williams who used his downtime to study films more closely and try his own hand at writing, specifically in the thriller genre.

My last guest on this episode is a familiar one, Burgess Jenkins. Instead of imparting pearls of wisdom about the craft of acting he talks about trying his hand at a completely new creative endeavor: cutting hair.

Enjoy part II of Creativity in the time of COVID.

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 June Dare

@actorjunedare on IG

Actor June Dare on FB

IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3993982/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Find out more about Rodney Williams

@_noexcuses_begreat on IG

Rodney Williams on FB

IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10257800/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Find out more about Burgess Jenkins

@bjenkins34 on IG

IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0420792/

These are interesting times we are living. In March all of our lives were disrupted. Now as states open up and the film/tv industry tries to find a new normal, I wanted to know what fellow creatives had been doing to stay creative during quarantine. In the next several episodes you will hear from actors, a school receptionist, a poet, and a teen. Each of them giving some insight into how they dealt with quarantine and the loss of their normal routines.

In today’s episode I talk to Alison Haselden, who is an actor, a marketing consultant, and host of the podcast It’s a Slate of Mind. She has found that during this time she has had to adjust her thinking and be OK with her reduced list of things to do. Alison has found that she is having to “fight less with herself.” She also has fallen back on trusting her intuition more on a daily basis.

My second guest Laurin Christian, an actor and mental health advocate, has watched movies ranging from Midsommar to Ghostbusters and listened to music while dancing in her kitchen. Through these activities she has found herself often inspired by the acting, the stories, and/or the music.

My last guest on this episode is Donna Brown who works at the front desk of a charter school. She has used her downtime at home to forge lasting friendships through TikTok. Her favorite thing to do is duet with someone and, she says, she has found the TikTok community to be incredibly supportive of her creative endeavors. For her, it isn’t about the number of followers that she can get, it’s about making someone smile.

Enjoy this first episode of Creativity in the time of COVID.

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 Alison Haselden: on IG @alison_haselden, @itsaslateofmind

IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11027488/

Follow Laurin Christian: on IG @laurinchristian

Follow Donna Brown: on TikTok @lynndahand

For this episode I ask Jeryl Prescott to talk to me about the state of race relations in the film/tv industry. We talked about what she has experienced in Hollywood over the last 15-20 years. We talked about the roles Jordan Peele, Ava DuVernay, and Tyler Perry have played in breaking down stereotypes about what black and brown audiences want to watch. When I asked her what she hopes will come of the social unrest, with regards the industry, she says, “Hopefully we will get beyond the numbers game.” However, she does go on to say that the commitment for real change has to come from the top, “That’s where some of the most difficult conversations about bias and racism have to happen.”

Jeryl Prescott is an actress best known for her role as Jacqui on The Walking Dead and a series regular as Madame Xanadu on Swamp Thing. Jeryl has also worked on many other projects including Birth of a Nation and High Flying Bird.

Find out more about Jeryl Prescott https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1367802/ and on IG @therealjeryl

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

Actors often have preconceived notions of what the bad guy “acts” like and Burgess Jenkins says it is always a trap. Our character becomes two dimensional. As an actor who has played several bad guy roles, he says actors should say to themselves: “I’m the bad guy and there are no limits. It is candy land. I can do whatever I want.” The key, of course, is to figure out why the character is doing it. What motivates them? What has led to this? How can you justify what he/she is doing? Burgess says justification is one of the most important words for acting. “If, as an actor, you don’t embrace the concept of justification at every turn, then you’re missing out on all the fun.” The justification unlocks “your freedom to go forward with whatever you want to do.”

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 page.

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/

“Quit trying to hit someone else’s target.” This is something that we hear again and again in class. Burgess Jenkins, actor and founder of Actors Group studio, explains how actors must start doing the work for themselves. When we constantly try to please the teacher, or get applause from the audience, or do exactly what we think the casting director wants, then our work becomes forgettable.

He says what you should be seeking when you are acting, “…it’s the experience, it’s the creativity that you should be after.” If that’s what you crave or seek, then “by default the viewing audience will be drawn to you.”

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/

“You can’t take you out of the equation.” This is something that we hear again and again in class. Burgess Jenkins, actor and founder of Actors Group studio, explains how actors must build bridges between themselves and the characters they portray. How do we do this? By figuring out the emotional space our character lives in. You find what they are feeling and then reinsert yourself. The amount of work you have to do is based on how close your character is to yourself.

He says acting isn’t about putting on masks, it’s about taking them off. If you take yourself out of any character then it will be hollow and the experience won’t ring true for you or the audience.

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/

To be able to sit down with my film and TV agents for an entire hour and pick their brains was a gift. I was able to ask all the questions that have been going through my head since I signed with them.

In this second part of the conversation, we talked about why it is important to communicate with your agent and stay in contact with them, how fortunate actors in the SE market are, and how actors need to stay focused on their own individual careers.

Thom Milam is Co-Head of the Film and TV Department at People Store. He got his degree in Theater in Mississippi and went on to work as an agent in New York for many years. In 2015 he moved to Atlanta and started his position at People Store. He loves his career as an agent and describes himself as a professional cheerleader for actors. Thom wants every actor to remember that their “journey is different…each one of you is your own individual snowflake.” He goes on to say that although we are competing in a way, we are not in competition with anyone around us. Be the best “you” you can be. That is the way to book work.

Jennifer Hummel is an agent in the Film and TV Department at People Store and this is her first job out of college. Although she went to SCAD for Performance Studies, she knew early on that she was more interested in being an agent. She started in 2016 and has never looked back. As we talked about how often actors should check in with their agents Jennifer says, “you should stop by if you can, if we haven’t seen you in a while.” And when talking about watching their actors audition tapes, she explains that sometimes they get upset because they always go “actor over project.”

Find out more about People Store and their agents: https://peoplestore.net/

Follow People Store: IG @peoplestoreagency and on Twitter @People_Store

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/

To be able to sit down with my film and TV agents for an entire hour and pick their brains was a gift. I was able to ask all the questions that have been going through my head since I signed with them. In this first part of the conversation, we talked about the steps it takes to get representation, how to keep representation, and the difference between a manager and an agent.

Thom Milam is Co-Head of the Film and TV Department at People Store. He got his degree in Theater in Mississippi and went on to work as an agent in New York for many years. In 2015 he moved to Atlanta and started his position at People Store. He loves his career as an agent and describes himself as a professional cheerleader for actors. When asked what actors need to do to get an agent, he says training is the first thing he looks at. Communication is also key for him. If actors are “ghosting” and don’t respond to emails or phone calls that is a problem. He states, “if I care more about your career than you do, then it’s time for me to let you go.” Having said that he also wants actors to have a fulfilling life outside of acting. It helps keep you grounded.

Jennifer Hummel is an agent in the Film and TV Department at People Store and this is her first job out of college. Although she went to SCAD for Performance Studies, she knew early on that she was more interested in being an agent. She started in 2016 and has never looked back. For her, the first thing actors need to do before submitting to an agency is to get their materials in order and up to date. Communication is also key, as well as following suggestions that they, as agents, might give you. If they give you suggestions, she says, “it’s important to us that you follow our directions and that you’re doing everything that you can be doing, as an actor, to make you more marketable.”

But the very first test for all actors is following directions to submit to any agency. If you don’t do what they ask you to do from the very beginning, as Jennifer says, “it’s not inspiring.”

Find out more about People Store and their agents: https://peoplestore.net/

Follow People Store: IG @peoplestoreagency and on Twitter @People_Store

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/

When I was seeking an agent and auditioned with People Store, I walked in somewhat blind. If they said yes, what was my role in the process? Was I supposed to simply sit back and wait for auditions? If not, then what else was I supposed to do? How many auditions was I to expect? What if I didn’t get any? If I didn’t book anything would they drop me?

Assuming that many new actors feel this way, I thought the best people to ask would be my agents. Today’s conversation is with Lina Ramirez-Mills, Head of the Commercial Department, and Laura Crawford, Commercial Agent, at People Store.

Both Lina and Laura started working at People Store in 2018. They are both passionate about their role as agents and they love being advocates for actors. What do they say actors need to do to be successful? Be prompt, reliable, and humble. But the most important thing they look for before signing anyone is training.

When actors get discouraged, Lina reminds us, “we are always in your corner... fighting for you.” Laura adds, “Please don’t give up. If you are meant to do this, you are meant to do this…take a deep and just keep moving forward.”

Find out more about People Store and their agents: https://peoplestore.net/

Follow People Store: IG @peoplestoreagency and on Twitter @People_Store

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/

When a friend signed him up to be a featured extra on the movie the 5th Quarter, with Andie MacDowell and Aidan Quinn, Cranston Johnson was mad. He had no desire to be in the movies and had no idea what he was doing. That experience, however, changed his life.

In 2011 he started studying at Actors Group with Burgess Jenkins and since then he has been on Atlanta, Wu Assassins, The Fix, P Valley, and Filthy Rich. He is appearing in the upcoming films, The 24th, Son, and Women is Losers. His breakout role came in 2016 when he was cast as Detective Hanson on the television series, Hap and Leonard.

In our conversation we talked about how being an athlete has informed his acting, what he learned at Actors Group, what he continues to struggle with, and the impact Black Panther had on the industry for actors of color. Cranston’s advice to all actors is: continued study, persistence, and being a joy to work with. That trifecta, according to Cranston, will almost always guarantee any actor more work.

Find out more about Cranston Johnson: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4044252/

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/