Castability: The Podcast

Amanda Lenker Doyle, CSA sits down with her friends Joshua Morgan and Mike Labbadia of Artist's Strategy. Joshua founded Artist's Strategy with the mission of helping artists make art for the rest of their lives. Joshua and Mike (hosts of the "Creative Risk" podcast) share with us why applying business principles to building a creative career is the key to longevity and success. Join us as we discuss what it takes to build a creative business and all the pitfalls along the way.

Artist Strategy Website

Creative Risk Podcast

Artist Strategy Instagram

Today we chat with Castability member and last year's Castability Self Tape May winner, Hakam Shalabi. Hakam has submitted on Castability since the app began and has gotten to see his work transform over time. Guided by our partners at The Bridge for Acting's Practice Track, Hakam tracked his practice by showing up consistently and gathering data on his craft and materials. Casting scored him high in "The Rebel" archetype and those rebel inspired headshots got him his first Network TV role. Join us as we discuss benefits of practice and everything Self Tape May!

The Bridge for Actors

FYI: Get a discount code for The Bridge Practice Track after signing up for any Castability Membership tier!

Joe Towne is a Los Angeles based performer, award-winning writer, director, and teacher. He is also the CEO of The Performer's Mindset and the creator/host of The Better Podcast. For 20 years, he's coached business professionals, athletes, and actors – some of whom are selling that product you just bought or starring in that movie you Netflixed last night. As an actor, Joe has worked with Jennifer Love Hewitt, Hillary Swank, Rebel Wilson, and he most recently starred as the lead in The Art of Christmas. Today, he joins the Castability Podcast to talk about how to understand your data, the ways we can avoid burnout, and how we can overcome perfectionism to allow ourselves to show up as the artists we are.

— The Four Mindsets

— Athletes and Actors

— Perfectionism

— Toxic Habits of Creatives

— Deliberate Practice

— Casting Director Feedback + Constructive Criticism

— Regulating Emotions During Auditions

— The Amygdala Flight-Fright Response

— Remembering Our "Why"

Email us for more information on coaching with Joe: [email protected]

Episode Resources:

• Listen to Joe's episode with Audrey Moore, "Passion as Fuel"

• The Performer's Mindset Instagram

• Brené Brown's Podcast Interview on Burnout

• "Burnout" by Emily Nagoski & Amelia Nagoski

• "Chatter" by Ethan Cross

• "Peak Performance" by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness

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Learn more about the Castability app right here.

And keep updated with us on our IG!

Ready to work? Download the app here for iOS or Google Play!

As Castability gears up for the next Show Up Challenge starting January 15th 2024, we hear from members who completed the challenge last year and they share how they transformed as actors during the process. Easier time picking takes, faster memorization, and so much more. Amanda Lenker Doyle answers important Q and A's on how to stand out (in a good way!) and the rarely discussed process of casting before they ever call in actors. Welcome to season two of Castability, the podcast!

— This Season's Theme

— How to Stand out 

— Dacre Montgomery's Audition Tape

— What does Casting do before they call in actors

— Does it matter if you are not local to NY and LA anymore?

— What made Tracee Ellis Ross shine during her audition fro Black-ish

— How members improved their craft from the Show Up Challenge

— How to participate in this year's challenge

Chrissy Fiorilli-Ellington is an experienced Casting Director who has worked on character-driven projects for network television, premium cable, streamers, and festivals. She has a knack for identifying future superstars and has cast videos with household names that have been viewed billions of times. Her work has been featured at Sundance, SXSW, TriBeCa, and Cannes. Her primary focus is on great storytelling. She is an artist at heart who brings world-class expertise with a side of comedy to her work. Joined by Amanda Lenker Doyle, CSA, the two discuss their journeys as Casting Directors up until today, where the industry is going, and all you need to know about getting cast in comedy.

— Chrissy's Career

— Chrissy's Relationship to Her Husband, Tate Ellington

— Working as CollegeHumor's Head of Casting

— How the Pandemic effected the Casting Industry

— Casting Comedy TV, Film, Sketch, and YouTube

— Amanda and Chrissy's Partnership

— Living in LA in 2023

— What Makes a Person Funny

— The Casting Process

— Casting Dramas, Procedurals, and CW Shows

— The Transformation of the Internet

— Diversifying Revenue Streams

— Being a Multi-Hyphenate

Episode Resources:

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Learn more about the Castability app right here.

And keep updated with us on our IG!

Ready to work? Download the app here for iOS or Google Play!

Megan Channell is an acting coach, actress, director, and producer who has appeared in some of your favorite shows and films. She portrays Rachel in "Bull" (CBS), played the recurring role of Katarina Löw in "Hunters" (Amazon) alongside Al Pacino, and most recently shot the pilot "Getaway" for NBC. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Megan sits down with Taylor to discuss some of her favorite acting tips, stories, and words of encouragement for anyone out there who may be struggling with the ups and downs of this career.

— Having Commercial Success as an Actor

— Cultivating Spontaneity in Your Acting

— Basement Acting

— Getting Specific & Accountable With Your Goals

— What an "Event" Is

— Building Emotional Intelligence

— How Emotions Effect the Voice

— Auditioning for & Booking Katarina Löw in Hunters

— Accessing Your Own Work

— Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable

— Minimizing the Pretend

— How Working at a Production Company Changed Megan's Acting

— Understanding Patterns in Storytelling

— The Strike

Episode Resources:

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Learn more about the Castability app right here.

And keep updated with us on our IG!

Ready to work? Download the app here for iOS or Google Play!

Alexandra Wright is the founder of The Delta Acting Community. She holds a B.A. from the University of Southern California and an M.F.A. from the American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University. She has performed and studied worldwide, including Paris, London, Moscow, and Scotland. She specializes in teaching Voice, Shakespeare, Emotional Theory, and On Camera Technique at UCLA, Loyola Marymount, Azusa Pacific, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and BGB Studio. The Castability staff sits down with Alex to discuss all things grad school, the best way to practice self-tapes, and what most people miss when talking about branding and character types for actors.

— Studying in Russia

— The Pros and Cons of Getting an MFA in Acting

— On Stage vs. On Camera Acting: Is There a Difference?

— The Etude Exercise

— Consistency in Self-Taping

— Why Perfection is Hurting You

— Acting Process for the Theatre vs. for the Camera

— Archetypes & Script Analysis

— What Most Branding Tips Get Wrong

— How Alex Found Her Type

— Filming Reel Scenes On Your Own

— Targeted Submissions for Representation

Episode Resources:

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Learn more about the Castability app right here.

And keep updated with us on our IG!

Ready to work? Download the app here for iOS or Google Play!

Jordan Blum is a prolific writer and producer who has worked on some of your favorite shows and comic books. Jordan has written and produced over 118 episodes of "American Dad!" and recently wrapped showrunning  "M.O.D.O.K." - a series he co-created with Patton Oswalt. He also has his own comic book series with Patton called "Minor Threats". In this episode, he sits down with Amanda Lenker Doyle, CSA, to discuss his journey in the industry, the impact of AI and media consolidation on the industry, and why joy and passion shine above all.

— The Value of Unions & Collaborating with Different Guilds

— Jordan's journey from Assistant to Executive Producer on American Dad

— Voice Acting vs. Live Action

— Working with Auteur Showrunners

— Becoming Writer/Co-creator of Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.

— Writing for Established Characters

— Working with Established Actors

— Writer Pay on TV

— Writing New Characters

— Intellectual Property vs. Original Characters

— Being a Multi-Hyphenate

— Working on Community with Dan Harmon

— Jordan's Writing Process

— How Animators & Actors Collaborate

— AI & The Future

— Pitching Yourself

— Favorite Movies & TV Shows

Episode Resources:

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Learn more about the Castability app right here.

And keep updated with us on our IG!

Ready to work? Download the app here for iOS or Google Play!

Izzy Stevens is an actor, producer, director, coach, and CEO of Indie Spunk. Originally from Sydney, Australia,Izzy is a creative person's creative person. As a filmmaker's coach, Izzy enjoys collaborating with others and helping them find creative fulfillment. You may be familiar with her work on projects such as Occupation, Occupation: Rainfall, Sea Form, Leap, and Puberty Blues, all of which have received critical acclaim. In this episode, Izzy discusses how to balance creative passion with practicality, how to deal with the fear of losing interest in a project, and how to persevere despite setbacks. This info is vital for anyone who wants to pursue their creative aspirations but needs guidance on navigating the highs and lows along the creative journey.

— Booking 2 Series Regulars Early On

— Filmmaking School

— Female Directors

— Creating, Pursuing, and Achieving Career Goals

— Overcoming the Fear of Imperfection

— The Value of Curiosity

— Crowdfunding

— Film Festivals

— Collaboration and Community

— Taking Risks and Coping with Rejection

— Growth Through Imperfect Work Over Time

— Challenges and Rewards of Making Your Own Work

Link to check out micro-budge bootcamp & sign up for my free intro class ‘Money Doesn’t Make Your Film’ — www.indiespunk.com/bootcamp

Episode Resources:

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Learn more about the Castability app right here.

And keep updated with us on our IG!

Ready to work? Download the app here for iOS or Google Play!

Amanda Lenker Doyle, CSA, sits down to interview editor and VFX artist Spencer Houck. You may know his work from Cobra Kai, Pitch Perfect, Bumper in Berlin, Community, Super Troopers 2, HAPPILY, and Silent Retreat. Spencer focuses on the importance of various editing aspects such as continuity, non-verbal communication, and the use of actors' eyes. He also highlights the importance of non-verbal communication in creating authentic and truthful stories, specifically mentioning the role of an actor's eyes in conveying emotion and meaning. This episode is a must-listen for a peek into the creative process of editing and the crucial role it plays in bringing stories to life.

— Challenges of Editing Films & TV Shows

— Editing Movie Trailers vs. Film/TV Editing

— Importance of Understanding the Story and Characters

— Editor's Cut, Director's Cut, Producer's Cut

— Weighing Pros and Cons of Cutting Scenes and Characters

— Importance of Continuity for both Editors and Actors

— Being Aware of One's Physical Self on Camera

— The Power of Non-Verbal Communication in Film and TV

— How Eyes Effect Performance

— The Role of Editors in the Filmmaking Process

— Inspiration for Getting into Editing

— Editing Heroes and Influences

— Staying True to Authenticity and Truth in Storytelling

Episode Resources:

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Learn more about the Castability app right here.

And keep updated with us on our IG!

Ready to work? Download the app here for iOS or Google Play!