Box Angeles (for Actors)

Casting director Lindsay Bronson stops by the bungalow and discusses best practices when auditioning with kids, commonalities between people who book frequently, how new people can get seen, and more!

Lindsay's IMDb and Instagram @lindsaybronson.

00:00 - Introduction.
01:43 - Lindsay slates her name.
03:40 - Focusing on kid, beauty and real-people casting.
04:55 - Best practices auditioning with kids.
17:45 - Adult actors have a lot going on.
18:33 - Mike crying after an audition.
20:34 - Discussing Mike's recent self tapes for AHC Casting.
24:37 - General actor feedback.
26:44 - Slates and multiple takes.
31:25 - Group auditions.
33:23 - People that book frequently.
39:54 - How do new people get in front of casting.
44:31 - Pivoting from acting to casting.
48:55 - How they find casting help.
50:24 - What makes the best session directors.
53:21 - Monitoring casting sessions.
55:35 - What's going on in actor's lives.
57:44 - Last minute self tapes.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/344

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Actor Craig Cackowski stops by the bungalow and discusses improv post covid, the joy he gets from teaching, what roles he is currently going out for, and more!

Craig's IMDb and Instagram @ccackowski.

00:00 - Introduction.
01:30 - Craig slates his name.
02:22 - Improv hangouts.
08:46 - How Craig is handling post improv theatre closures.
17:47 - Day jobs.
20:36 - Joy teaching improv.
23:00 - Mike's half bits.
24:54 - Would Craig walk away from teaching.
26:53 - 70 episodes of Drunk History.
31:17 - Negotiating rates.
36:30 - Reflecting on Craig's career thus far.
39:56 - Craig's type.
43:06 - How does Craig step away.
47:43 - Audition numbers.
49:43 - Taking acting classes.
55:07 - Who took a chance on Craig.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/343

Craig's first Box Angeles -- boxangeles.com/013

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Director Sarah Adina Smith stops by the bungalow and discusses the importance of finding a creative ally, her first look deal with Amazon, having to audition as a director, and more!

Sarah's IMDb and Instagram @sarahadinasmith.

00:00 - Introduction.
01:37 - Sarah slates her name.
02:19 - Adapting things for the screen like Lessons in Chemistry.
08:15 - Directing things you write and finding collaboration.
12:45 - Sarah didn't direct the first feature she co-wrote Goodbye World.
13:45 - Juggling multiple jobs on set and finding a creative ally.
17:10 - A first look deal with Amazon.
25:46 - How much involvement in casting.
28:00 - Picking casting directors.
30:45 - Do actors ever surprise you.
39:10 - Structure and time management.
43:27 - Having no life when directing.
44:35 - Prep for shoots.
48:17 - Work procurement.
49:06 - Pitching yourself as a director.
53:59 - Who took a chance on Sarah.
56:50 - Mike's short film, again.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/342

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Actor Brendan Jennings stops by the bungalow and discusses his relationship with improv, what he learned about casting while writing on A.P. Bio, how to approach career lulls, and more!

Brendan's IMDb and Instagram @jenningsbrendan.

00:00 - Introduction.
01:55 - Brendan slates his name.
04:32 - Brendan's improv superpower.
15:50 - Self deprecation not working in Hollywood.
17:41 - Manager Naomi Odenkirk getting casting to come to shows.
21:33 - Cook County Social Club (minus Tim Robinson).
24:20 - Self tapes.
30:58 - Casting as a writer on A.P. Bio.
40:27 - Reps watching tapes.
46:25 - Big auditions and less opportunity.
48:26 - Working through lulls.
51:58 - The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window.
55:23 - Who took a chance on Brendan.
57:17 - Quitting day jobs.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/341

Brendan's first Box Angeles -- boxangeles.com/071

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Actor Frank Caeti stops by the bungalow and discusses struggles with the business side, having an exitential crisis looking back on his career, and more!

Frank's IMDb and Instagram @frankcaeti.

00:00 - Introduction.
01:30 - Frank slates his name.
03:30 - Going to producers for a lead in Modern Family.
05:20 - Experiences auditioning for big roles, like Ron Swanson and Michael Scott.
11:59 - Not having as many big opportunites.
13:48 - Struggling with the business side of acting.
18:00 - Being artisticly proactive.
24:38 - Emailing reps in small batches.
26:27 - Frank and Mike's chracter types.
32:33 - Reflecting on Frank's career to this point.
39:00 - Comparison and envy.
42:32 - Subsidizing artists.
46:57 - Appreciating all gigs.
48:24 - Day jobs.
53:55 - Livng our truths.
59:18 - Who took a chance on Frank.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/340

Support Box Angeles (and access the audio archives) on Patreon.

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Casting Director Maya Adrabi stops by the bungalow and discusses the problem with self tapes, callback rates, how she feels about using your space in auditions, and more!

Maya's IMDb and Instagram @mayashoots.

00:00 - Introduction.
02:16 - Maya slates her name.
03:14 - AHC video explanations on auditions.
05:06 - The problem with and rise of self tapes.
11:36 - When self tapes make sense.
13:12 - Pushing back on self tapes.
14:40 - Turning down work.
15:25 - Casting's relationship with production companies.
16:51 - Spreading out work across the AHC office.
18:20 - Mike's high audition numbers for AHC.
22:20 - Callback rates.
24:00 - The SAG-AFTRA talent pool runs deep.
32:22 - Giving feedback to actors.
34:22 - Casting (and this industry) is fear based.
39:17 - The old adage that casting is rooting for you.
42:17 - Full body shots.
44:17 - Blacklist actors.
47:12 - The idea of using your space for an audition.
53:04 - Props in auditions.
54:08 - Maya starting out in acting.
1:03:04 - Who took a chance on Maya.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/339

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Writer Alex Rubens stops by the bungalow and discusses his shift to working on more animated shows, the intricacies of being a showrunner, wanting to write when he isn't working, and more!

Alex's IMDb.

00:00 - Introduction.
01:41 - Alex slates his name.
05:38 - Dating, therapy and podcasts.
10:03 - Moving to animation since our last interview.
14:42 - How does one become a showrunner.
22:02 - Showrunner duties on Krapopolis.
23:55 - Differences between writing animation and live action.
27:11 - Making corporate decisions as a showrunner.
29:15 - Post production in animation.
31:06 - Writing alongside animators.
33:33 - Rick and Morty interactions and cult phenonemon feedback.
36:38 - The Rick and Morty writer's room.
39:10 - Writing puberty jokes on Big Mouth.
41:51 - Writer interviews.
44:30 - Animation not being WGA.
46:07 - Sourcing writing talent.
47:26 - Working all year.
52:37 - Casting.
55:20 - Avoiding positive feedback as a showrunner.
57:55 - What Alex does to step away.
1:04:34 - Who took a chance on Alex.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/338

Alex' first Box Angeles -- boxangeles.com/137

Support Box Angeles (and access the audio archives) on Patreon.

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Actor Kimia Behpoornia stops by the bungalow and discusses performing in Asssscat, the pressure of booking things without auditioning, walking around Los Angeles, and more!

Kimia's IMDb and Instagram @childclown.

00:00 - Introduction.
01:37 - Kimia slates her name.
03:15 - Casting workshops.
04:56 - Embarassing yourself and bad shows.
08:21 - Asssscat.
13:32 - Taking improv in elementary school as a shy kid and taking a ton of classes.
19:59 - Attending UCLA for theatre.
21:50 - Unique college theatre classes.
25:40 - Pursuing acting and reps after graduating.
29:04 - Working day jobs like teaching kids to swim.
32:36 - Starting to book work early.
36:35 - Taking a break from commercials.
44:09 - What Kimia gets herself versus agents.
45:16 - Booking Abbot Elementary without auditioning.
50:01 - Processing things after they happen.
51:40 - Surviving off of acting and reflecting.
55:27 - Budgeting time.
57:13 - Walking around LA.
1:01:02 - Who took a chance on Kimia.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/337

Support Box Angeles (and access the audio archives) on Patreon.

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Actor Jeremy Brandt stops by the bungalow and discusses how one audition can change everything, his contract as the Captial One guy, working a day job as a United pilot, and more!

Jeremy's IMDb and Instagram @Jer_Brandt.

00:00 - Introduction.
02:17 - Jeremy slates his name.
03:29 - Being the spokesman for Capital One.
06:53 - Celebs doing commercials.
09:42 - What having a contract with Capital One entails.
16:22 - What commercials Jeremy was doing prior.
18.26 - Expecting Capital One to be small when auditioning.
23:46 - Winning and reading the room.
29:50 - How many commercials in the first Capital One run.
33:03 - Why Jeremy hasn't done a podcast.
34:44 - Going to UCLA and then being a snowboard instructor before going to flight school.
42:45 - Working as a United pilot until being furloughed after 9/11.
44:44 - Giving acting a shot after a cross country road trip.
46:58 - Jeremy's current day job as a United airlines pilot.
52:48 - Does Jeremy get recognized when flying.
58:35 - Always being one audition away.
1:01:34 - Who took a chance on Jeremy.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/336

Support Box Angeles (and access the audio archives) on Patreon.

Follow Box Angeles on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

Acting teacher John Rosenfeld stops by the bungalow and discusses the mood of actors right now, his problem with audition classes, why he shifted his focus from acting to teaching, and more!

John's IMDb and Instagram @johnrosenfeldstudios.

00:00 - Introduction.
02:19 - John slates his name.
03:02 - Bald brotherhood.
07:18 - Dissappointment and finding the nuance in each student.
11:58 - The mood of students right now.
14:43 - Doing things in your control.
16:58 - John drives and loves sports.
19:58 - Does TV feel like homework.
21:15 - Audition classes.
29:53 - Online classes.
35:23 - John's actor and coach tree.
39:23 - Coaching famous people.
45:02 - Why John pivoted to teaching.
52:19 - Would John act today.
57:14 - How many students does John decline.
1:00:03 - Advice for co-star auditions.
1:02:36 - Who took a chance on John.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/335

John's first Box Angeles -- boxangeles.com/246

Support Box Angeles (and access the audio archives) on Patreon.

Follow Box Angeles on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.