We've got another acting podcast today! Actor Jessy Hodges joins us on the Box Angeles podcast episode 347. Jessy stops by the bungalow and discusses the evolving landscape of auditioning, the importance of making your own stuff, whether or not we should be concerned about artificial intelligence, studying at Tisch in a program that emphasized body awareness, and more!

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BEATS--
00:00 - Jessy slates her name.
00:10 - Introduction.
00:52 - Podcasts and Odenkirk-Provissiero management.
03:01 - Conversations with actor reps.
05:40 - Callbacks.
06:48 - Audition volume and a spokesperson gig.
08:34 - Shifting away from commercials.
11:24 - Making your own short films.
17:21 - Using AI as actors.
23:34 - Audition coaching and self tapes.
29:20 - Standing out in auditions.
33:52 - Attending the Experimental Theatre Wing at Tisch School.
42:53 - How Jessy discovered NYU in high school.
47:25 - Being a series regular on a multi-cam in Indebted.
54:40 - Who took a chance on Jessy.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/347

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MORE JESSY HODGES --
Check Jessy's IMDb.
Follow Jessy on Instagram @jessyhodges.
Watch Jessy's short film Every Part of You.

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MORE BOX ANGELES --
Support Box Angeles (and access the audio archives) on Patreon.
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Actor Matt Jones stops by the bungalow and discusses his unwillingness to pay for self tapes, the state of television, never being happier personally, and more!

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BEATS --
00:00 - Matt slates his name.
00:22 - Introduction.
01:20 - Sneaking things into slates.
04:38 - Not wanting to pay for self tapes.
06:33 - Matt is a fan of the podcast clips.
11:25 - Matt's voice work and AI.
14:15 - Apple shows and the state of TV.
17:12 - Still having to audition.
21:58 - Gersh Agency and not needing validation.
24:38 - Coaching baseball.
27:01 - Walking away from the business.
28:55 - Never being happier personally.
30:35 - TV money not being what it was.
33:33 - Bob Hearts Abishola talent cost-reduction move.
38:45 - Should new actors be optimistic.
47:16 - Did Gersh try to sell Matt.
48:40 - Commercials.
51:03 - The math for cost of living in LA.
56:22 - Matt's soapbox.
59:24 - Who took a chance on Matt.
1:01:08 - Matt Jones XLVIII.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/346

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MORE MATT JONES --
Check Matt's IMDb.
Follow Matt on Instagram @mattjonesisdead.
Matt's first Box Angeles -- boxangeles.com/092.

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MORE BOX ANGELES --
Support Box Angeles (and access the audio archives) on Patreon.
Follow Box Angeles on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

Actor Adam Shapiro stops by the bungalow and discusses how he stands out in this industry by bending the rules, what he learned working as a casting assistant, his passion project turned side hustle Shappy Pretzel, and more!
 

Adam's IMDb and Instagram @shappyshaps.

00:00 - Introduction.
01:35 - Adam slates his name.
02:05 - How Jason Winer changed Adam's career.
09:25 - An Adam Shapiro type.
13:04 - Modulating voice.
16:21 - Adam's slate trick.
17:24 - Working as a casting assistant.
22:29 - Breaking rules.
26:13 - Carnegie Melon*, small resumes and demo reel commentary.
35:55 - Getting offered The Bear.
38:45 - Side hustles, passion projects and Schappy Pretzel.
50:06 - Shifting into a business and dividing time.
57:53 - A Kate Winslet SAG awards story and buying Leo's house.
1:03:22 - How the Oscars started buying pretzels
1:07:15 - Who took a chance on Adam.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/345

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

Follow Box Angeles on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

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

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

Follow Box Angeles on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

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

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

Follow Box Angeles on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

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

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

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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

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

Follow Box Angeles on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

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.

Follow Box Angeles on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

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

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

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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.

Follow Box Angeles on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.