In this episode, SAG-AFTRA actor, director, producer and Breakthrough Reels Founder and Lead Editor Chris Bylsma discusses what actors and directors can do to dramatically improve their reels and clips, as well as actions that actors can take on set to become go-to actors for directors and producers.

Chris is known for his roles as "Sean Leibold” in El Camino, "Charlie Bowdre" in Vincent D'Onofrio's The Kid and "Pastor Garrett Moore" in Godless.

In this episode, SAG-AFTRA actor, Academy member, teacher and coach Devielle Johnson discusses his insights on resilience in this tough industry—as an actor, and specifically as an African-American actor.

A professional actor for 17-plus years, Devielle splits his time between multiple markets. He’s booked numerous film and television roles, from a recurring role on FOX’s Lucifer to roles in Smallville, Grimm, Bates Motel and other episodics, to roles in films such as Interrogation. He trains with Margie Haber Studio in L.A. and is professionally trained in Meisner from Playhouse West and The Acting School. He’s represented in the L.A., Vancouver, Seattle, Portland and New Mexico markets.

In this episode, producer, Cannes Producers Network Fellow and South by Southwest (SXSW) Mentor Roy Wol discusses his acclaimed production company (Studio Autonomous), mentorship, innovative fundraising strategies, European versus U.S. film markets and distribution's key role in telling globally important stories that bridge audiences.  

Roy's most recent features are breaking ground:

The Garden Left Behind won at SXSW and is considered by Rotten Tomatoes to be one of the best LGBTQ films ever made, and Americanish was the first-ever Muslim-American rom-com directed by an American-Muslim Hijabi woman.

In this episode, filmmaker Wes Hurley joins host Genevieve Trainor to discuss his life's story and how film helped him escape his harrowing existence in Russia.

Potato Dreams of America is Wes's autobiographical coming-of-age dark comedy about a young, closeted Russian boy in the disintegrating USSR who, terrified of others finding out he's gay, escapes to the U.S. with his mother — a Russian prison doctor who becomes a mail-order bride.

Potato Dreams of America premiered at South by Southwest (SXSW) in 2021 and is receiving acclaim for its timely view into the starkly different worlds of growing up in Russia versus the United States — and the elusive American Dream.

It was released theatrically in the U.S. in January 2022 and is available on most streaming sites. Click here (IMDb) for worldwide release information.

In the second half of the show, Milton and James share details on local training opportunities within the NM film community.

In this episode, British-Nigerian casting director, actor, teacher, and producer Dr. Nike Imoru shares her thoughts with artists who may be struggling to find their place in the industry and in our creative world. Based in the Pacific Northwest U.S., she's helping to transform the industry and opportunities for fellow filmmakers and actors around the globe.

In this episode, we dive into how you can change your trajectory for the better by accelerating your good luck.

This week on Cinemascope, Milton and James discuss how different social issues are depicted by directors in their movies.  Plus, more about the importance of teaching on-set safety in film schools.