Brian Breaks Character

I'm giddy about today's guest on the podcast: Broadway Music Director BRAD HAAK. Why???

1. Original Music Director for Broadway shows like Mary Poppins, An American in Paris, and Lestat… He continues to create world-class musical theatre through arranging & conducting.
2. He's my best-est friend. We met at Northwestern (I've known him for 28 years) so you know I get him to spill allllllll the tea on the famous peeps he works with, including... Beyoncé, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Stephen Sondheim, and Audra McDonald... just to name a few! They've been awarded a total of 62 Grammys, 15 Tonys, and 4 Academy Awards – not bad company to keep!
3. We shared a 500 sq foot apartment in NYC on the corner of 29th Street & 10th Avenue for 7 years ← BEFORE The High Line, and BEFORE it was cool to live there. 🐁

Of course I'm really proud of my bestie Brad for those accomplishments. But his ability to balance the ups and downs of a freelance career with his dogged passion for creating incredibly affecting, Broadway-caliber musical storytelling is why I knew he'd be a great guest for the pod.

Listen to learn how Brad mastered the ability to be an artist in his own right while collaborating with some of the biggest names in the bizniz.

HERE'S THE TUNE YOU'LL SING AFTER YOU LISTEN:

• Best Practices for Being "in the room where it happens" with the Fanciest of People
• Attention Must Be Paid (!!!) to Your Passion → listen for why!
• The #1 (& Easiest) Way to Standout with Your Musical Theatre Self-Tapes
• What Most Catches the Attention of Musical Directors
• How to Be Certain You've Chosen The *Perfect* Material

I have ZERO doubt this conversation will supercharge your creativity and forever change the way you collaborate!

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Brian Breaks Character!

If you loved this episode, please subscribe and leave an honest review. Your review helps boost the show and gives us the chance to help more creatives get out of suffering for their art and into action. Be sure to leave your IG handle when you do so I can send a VIP episode to say thank you.

CONNECT WITH BRAD

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/haakmusic

Website

https://www.bradhaakmusic.com/

Read What Brad's Currently Reading

https://amzn.to/3EODplb

Subscribe To The Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1570747490

Watch The Uncut Behind-the-scenes Video Of This Episode On YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/brianpatacca

Need New Representation? Get In On This Free Training:

https://makeagentswantyou.com

Follow Me On Instagram For A First-look At Our Guests And Upcoming Episodes!

https://www.instagram.com/briansaysthat

Episode Transcript

https://brianbreakscharacter.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Ep.+88+-+Brad+Haak-+Transcript.pdf

Anthony Meindl thinks a lot like me: creativity is your birthright, ignore it at your own – and the world's – peril.

We both believe creativity is by no means monolithic, but the painter and the actor, the writer, and the photographer can suffer the same setbacks and upside-down thinking that might inspire an artist to think they are not important. Touché I say to the itty bitty sh*tty committee in our minds that try.

I had a feeling that this guest was going to bring up all the feels and we would have an electric conversation together and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

If you're an actor, you know Anthony Meindl – his studio AMAW just celebrated 25 years and has locations in 9 cities around the world.

And if you're a creative person (who isn't?) you might know him from one of his 5 best-selling books: At Left Brain Turn Right, Alphabet Soup For Grown-Ups, Book The F#©️king Job, You Knew When You Were 2…Or his newest book… Unstuck: A Life Manual On How To Be More Creative, Overcome Your Obstacles, And Get Shit Done.

I read this book and it was like jaw drop after jaw drop because I felt like each chapter could have been its own all day meditation. We talk all about this and we get into some of the softer parts of what it means to be an actor. You know that I value vulnerability (Spoiler Alert: Anthony gets real vulnerable in this chat. I got a few Oprah moments!) by the conversations that we have around our spirituality that comes with creativity and our own calling towards that which we are meant to do while we are on the planet.

I believe this conversation with Anthony will uplift and certainly inspire you.

Here are just a few takeaways

• The Myth of Imposter Syndrome & How to Shut it Down
• How romance, creativity and money can get in the way and/or foster your own greatness
• Your impact is larger than what's in front of you
• Meditation will completely change how you see the world, how you see yourself and how you move through the world

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Brian Breaks Character!

If you loved this episode, please subscribe and leave an honest review. Your review helps boost the show and gives us the chance to help more creatives get out of suffering for their art and into action. Be sure to leave your IG handle when you do so I can send a VIP episode to say thank you.

CONNECT WITH ANTHONY

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/anthonymeindl/

Website or IMDb Link:

www.anthonymeindl.com

Read UNSTUCK

https://amzn.to/3ekYJUC

Subscribe To The Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1570747490

Watch The Uncut Behind-the-scenes Video Of This Episode On YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/brianpatacca

Need New Representation? Get In On This Free Training:

https://makeagentswantyou.com

Follow Me On Instagram For A First-look At Our Guests And Upcoming Episodes!

https://www.instagram.com/briansaysthat

Episode Transcript

https://brianbreakscharacter.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Ep.+87+-+Get+Unstuck+with+Anthony+Meindl-+Transcript.pdf

This week's guest on the pod is TV writer & author Robert King – his latest book No One Here Is Like Me dropped just two weeks ago. A searingly honest, hilarious, and vulnerable look into what it means to be Black (and Black-ish) in America, Robert's memoir uses social commentary in a storytelling style that makes you feel like you're chilling with your best friend.If your best friend was a prolific TV writer & multiracial artist (and Barack Obama gave him parenting advice.) As a television writer he knows comedy: He writes for ABC's The Chase, Leslie Jones on Supermarket Sweep, and he was one of the head writers for Hulu's Up Early Tonight, Abbi Crutchfield's late night show. And the podcast lives up to its name in this episode (he breaks me!): Robert reveals his own book writing process while offering ME some advice on writing mine! (HINT: you don't have to do it alone ). SOME HIGHLIGHTS

• The #1 Mistake We Can Make When We Sit Down to Write
• Writers' Rooms! How to Lead with Your Voice when No One There Looks Like You
• President Obama's Parenting Advice
• How Creating Stories from Your Own Experience Attracts Abundance

This conversation is so intimate and special; I truly felt like I was sitting on the couch next to a friend. No matter what kind of creative you are – you're going to love meeting Robert and you'll put your earbuds down feeling inspired after listening.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Brian Breaks Character!

If you loved this episode, please subscribe and leave an honest review. Your review helps boost the show and gives us the chance to help more creatives get out of suffering for their art and into action. Be sure to leave your IG handle when you do so I can send a VIP episode to say thank you.

CONNECT WITH ROBERT

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/robkingofficial

Website

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3214019

Read NO ONE HERE IS LIKE ME

https://try.scribd.com/robertking

Subscribe To The Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1570747490

Watch The Uncut Behind-the-scenes Video Of This Episode On YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/brianpatacca

Need New Representation? Get In On This Free Training:

https://makeagentswantyou.com

Follow Me On Instagram For A First-look At Our Guests And Upcoming Episodes!

https://www.instagram.com/briansaysthat

Episode Transcript

https://brianbreakscharacter.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Ep.+86+-+No+One+Here+is+Like+Me+with+TV+writer+%26+author+Robert+King+-+Transcript.pdf

This will be the last episode in our series this month devoted to getting you more auditions and this one is a doozy because I have 2 very special guests, Alyshia Ochse (That One Audition) and Anna LaMadrid (Put Me On Self-Tape). These two powerhouses are the co-founders of The New Triple Threat - the FIRST online holistic actor training membership program. A program designed to help you with the 3 big pillars of an acting career - Craft, Tech and the Business.

They came in as guest teachers to my program Actor Operating System, a group coaching program where I help actors set up a system to support their careers and hold themselves accountable. By bringing in experts like this I'm always trying to expand the skills and the minds of my clients and let me tell you, Anna and Alyshia showed up.

No matter where you are in your relationship to at home self tapes. You need to know that this episode is going to uplift you. Anna and Alyshia do not hold back.

Here are just a few of the juicy takeaways

• How to train yourself to be prepared for set
• How to avoid getting stressed out when it comes to self-taping
• The Staircase Analogy and why you need to focus on that first step

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Brian Breaks Character!

If you loved this episode, please subscribe and leave an honest review. Your review helps boost the show and gives us the chance to help more creatives get out of suffering for their art and into action. Be sure to leave your IG handle when you do so I can send a VIP episode to say thank you.

THE NEW TRIPLE THREAT

www.thenewtriplethreat.com

CONNECT WITH ANNA & ALYSHIA

ANNA

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/the_annalamadrid/

https://www.instagram.com/putmeonselftape/

Website

https://www.anna-lamadrid.com/

https://www.putmeonselftape.com/

ALYSHIA

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/alyshiaochse

Website

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1865462/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/that-one-audition-with-alyshia-ochse/id1262208420

Subscribe To The Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1570747490

Watch The Uncut Behind-the-scenes Video Of This Episode On YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/brianpatacca

Follow Me On Instagram For A First-look At Our Guests And Upcoming Episodes!

https://www.instagram.com/briansaysthat

Episode Transcript

https://brianbreakscharacter.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Ep.+85+-+Book+the+Job+with+Alyshia+Ochse+%26+Anna+LaMadrid+of+The+New+Triple+Threat%C2%A0+-+Transcript.pdf

If you want to know a verifiable way to get more auditions, grab your notebook for Part Two of my interview with Blair Hickey and Brian Wold, the Co-Founders of CastingAbout and Consultants for Breakdown Services.

I locked them in a Zoom room and forced them to tell me ALLLLLL THE INSIDER SECRETS of how actors can make themselves unforgettable on Actors Access… and there were just too many juicy takeaways for one episode.

In this episode, we dive deeper into how to create and maintain those strong relationships with casting directors – especially now that those relationships are 90% online. HERE ARE THE TOP 3 INSIDER TAKEAWAYS

• We all know that "booking the room" is more important than booking the job, but B&B tell us exactly how to use this power to turn into repeat success
• Why you must tell YOUR story while also serving the story of the script – When you don't do this you leave auditions on the table and stay firmly planted in the callback-only zone
• Yes, technology has changed the way the industry works, but your job stays the same, so don't fall into the trap of distractions

Brian Wold has over three decades of experience in public relations, marketing and business communications. Blair Hickey has been a working actor for almost 30 years (The Big Bang Theory, NCIS: LA, Heroes). Combining their skills and expertise, Blair and Brian created CastingAbout, the online casting and production guide for professional actors. In 2009, CastingAbout was acquired by Breakdown Services, where both continue to work as consultants.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Brian Breaks Character!

If you loved this episode, please subscribe and leave an honest review. Your review helps boost the show and gives us the chance to help more creatives get out of suffering for their art and into action. Be sure to leave your IG handle when you do so I can send a VIP episode to say thank you.

CONNECT WITH BRIAN & BLAIR

Website

https://castingabout.com

Subscribe To The Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brian-breaks-character/id1570747490

Watch The Uncut Behind-The-Scenes Videos Of The Podcast On YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/brianpatacca

Want More Auditions?

www.YourAuditionMagnet.com

Follow Me On Instagram For A First-look At Our Guests And Upcoming Episodes!

https://www.instagram.com/briansaysthat

Episode Transcript:

https://brianbreakscharacter.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Ep.84+-+Transcript.pdf

Your Audition Magnet questions answered! If you're tired of not seeing the kind of auditions you want from your casting, profiles or representation, this program is designed to help. But I get that you might have some questions… so I gathered together the questions I hear most often, and answered them in this video. First of all, what IS Audition Magnet? My understanding is that the course is videos that we complete independently on a schedule and then attend group coaching calls with Brian. Is that correct? When are the calls? What if I can't make it to the Q&A coaching calls? I already know my headshots and reel are terrible so what's the point? What is the community facet of the course? It can feel so tiresome to go about this alone. I'm afraid I'll just sign up and won't follow through. What if I don't have a lot of work on my resume? I have lots of training but haven't booked much yet. Can I still benefit from this course? I'm in France, England, Canada, Australia and we don't use Actors Access. Will this even apply to me?

I already have a solid social media following.

I'm feeling hesitant – when is this going to be offered again? I have a rep and they already use my Actors Access profile, so why do I need this course? Visit www.YourAuditionMagnet.com to check out the program entirely designed to 3X your auditions!

I'm gonna guess you have an Actors Access/Breakdown Express profile so Casting Directors can find you. And even though the site has *some* free functionality, I'm also gonna guess that you plunk down $68/year (plus any other fees) so you can host your video files and get access to the best auditions out there.

YOU AND 1.3 MILLION OTHER ACTORS USE ACTORS ACCESS.

I'm sharing that BIG number so you make it a priority to listen to this episode of Brian Breaks Character. Today's guests are Blair Hickey and Brian Wold, the Co-Founders of CastingAbout and Consultants for Breakdown Services… I locked them in a Zoom room and forced them to tell me ALLLLLL THE INSIDER SECRETS of how actors can make themselves unforgettable on Actors Access.

And look, you may have heard from them before… but I'm gonna guess that was before 'the panorama' and before 94% of your auditions were self-tapes. So this is brand-new intel that will actually move the dial on getting more auditions in the new normal.

HERE ARE THE TOP 5 INSIDER TAKEAWAYS

• The latest developments regarding virtual auditions and online casting.
• The realities of how casting directors receive and review submissions (and why some STAND OUT more than others).
• How to avoid the most common mistakes actors (and sometimes agents) make when submitting.
• How to turn your online submissions into AUDITIONS.
• Strategies to create and maintain strong working relationships with the casting community even online.

Brian Wold has over 3 decades of experience in public relations, marketing and business communications. Blair Hickey has been a working actor for almost 30 years (The Big Bang Theory, NCIS: LA, Heroes). Combining their skills and expertise, Blair and Brian created CastingAbout, the online casting and production guide for professional actors. In 2009, CastingAbout was acquired by Breakdown Services, where both continue to work as consultants.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Brian Breaks Character!

If you loved this episode, please subscribe and leave an honest review. Your review helps boost the show and gives us the chance to help more creatives get out of suffering for their art and into action. Be sure to leave your IG handle when you do so I can send a VIP episode to say thank you.

CONNECT WITH BRIAN & BLAIR

Website

https://castingabout.com

Subscribe To The Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brian-breaks-character/id1570747490

Watch The Uncut Behind-The-Scenes Videos Of The Podcast On YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/brianpatacca

Want More Auditions?

www.YourAuditionMagnet.com

Follow Me On Instagram For A First-look At Our Guests And Upcoming Episodes!

https://www.instagram.com/briansaysthat

Episode Transcript:

https://brianbreakscharacter.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Ep.83+-+Transcript.docx.pdf

Any chance you were super freaked out by the Casting Networks' update? It was a doozy.

And whether or not you think the update is good or bad, it doesn't matter, change can be HARD.

So I'm here to help... On this episode of Brian Breaks Character, I sat down with the powers that be from Casting Networks, Katie O'Connor Enterprise Sale Manager for the West Coast and Scott Madej the Manager of Global Talent Support to ask tough questions about the overhaul on their website.

In this interview, you'll hear how this big change came about, how much better it is for you, what casting thinks of it all… PLUS you'll pick up some tips for HOW TO MAKE YOUR PROFILE MO' BETTA.

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

• Don't underestimate the power of your casting profile
• How to use the CN media bank to your advantage
• The best way to write your bio
• Where to focus your energy when you start to work on your *new* profile
• Work from home advantage: Casting is sometimes seeing up to 30% more actors for a role

CONNECT WITH Katie & Scott

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/castingnetworks/

Website

http://castingnetworks.com/

Subscribe To The Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1570747490

Watch The Uncut Behind-the-scenes Videos Of The Podcast On YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/brianpatacca

Want More Auditions? Get In On This Free Training:

https://www.gimmegimmemoreauditions.com/

Follow Me On Instagram For A First-look At Our Guests And Upcoming Episodes!

https://www.instagram.com/briansaysthat

Episode Transcript:

https://brianbreakscharacter.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Ep.+82+-+Casting+Networks'+Survival+Guide+with+Katie+O'Connor+%26+Scott+Madej+-+Transcript.pdf

Episode 81 of Brian Breaks Character is the 3rd episode in our September Series devoted to helping you get more AUDITIONS. So, I invited Cesar Ramos from my team to the pod because he's a working actor (out there doing the thing & facing the same challenges you are)... and because he asks the best questions!

Listen for These TAKEAWAYS:

• Use your casting profile to tell the story of where you're going not just where you've been
• Unless you are offer only - your reps use your casting profiles
• Your materials are good enough, it's your casting profile that needs the update

And… If you want to get more auditions (and of course you do!) then don't miss a single episode this month cuz that's all we're gonna be talking about... plus it all culminates in the FREE hour-long training:

GIMME GIMME MORE AUDITIONS 🙋🏿‍♀️🙋🏽🙋🏻‍♂️

A Proven 3-Part Framework to Get More Auditions for Worthwhile, Paid Projects

There are three dates to choose from: September 15th (tomorrow!), 18th or 20th. I will not offer a replay, you gotta register to get the goods!

Go to https://www.gimmegimmemoreauditions.com/ to save your spot.

CONNECT WITH CESAR

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/mrceezr

Website

https://www.imdb.me/cesar.ramos

Subscribe To The Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1570747490

Watch The Uncut Behind-the-scenes Video Of This Episode On YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/brianpatacca

Want More Auditions? Get In On This Free Training:

https://www.gimmegimmemoreauditions.com/

Follow Me On Instagram For A First-look At Our Guests And Upcoming Episodes!

https://www.instagram.com/briansaysthat

Episode Transcript

https://brianbreakscharacter.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Ep.+81+-+Get+More+Auditions+with+Cesar+Ramos+-+Transcript+(1).pdf

You signed up for Actors Access and Casting Networks… And maybe you've got a Casting Profile on 3 other sites too! Maybe you even have reps submitting you in addition to submitting yourself… And maybe it still feels like you're not getting enough auditions?! And the first place you MIGHT look is your headshots… or maybe your reel? Did you ever stop to think that it could be your casting profile? WHAAAAAA?!?!?!?

EVERY SINGLE episode of Brian Breaks Character for the month of September is devoted to helping you to get more AUDITIONS ← and we're dropping 6 episodes this month so get ready to gear up!

On this episode, Sam Valentine, the One Broke Actress herself has got me in the hot seat to ask allll the questions about your casting profiles – where you might be wasting your time (and money!).

CONNECT WITH SAM

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/onebrokeactress

Website

https://onebrokeactress.com/

Subscribe To The Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1570747490

Watch The Uncut Behind-the-scenes Video Of This Episode On YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/brianpatacca

Want More Auditions? Get In On This Free Training:

https://www.gimmegimmemoreauditions.com/

Follow Me On Instagram For A First-look At Our Guests And Upcoming Episodes!

https://www.instagram.com/briansaysthat

Episode Transcript

https://brianbreakscharacter.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Ep.+80+-+Your+Casting+Profiles+with+Sam+Valentine+-+Transcript.pdf