Mentors on the Mic: Your guide to pursuing a career in the Entertainment industry

Joshua: Joshua is a diverse, singing actor who has worked on Broadway and regionally at esteemed theaters such as Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Arena Stage, Theatre Under the Stars, Folger Theatre, Triad Stage, and Signature Theatre. His television appearances include "FBI," "Law and Order," "Law and Order: Organized Crime," "Law and Order: SVU," "Lincoln Rhyme," and HBO’s "Paterno." Joshua co-founded and served as Artistic Director of the Helen Hayes Award-winning No Rules Theatre Company in Washington, DC, and Winston-Salem, NC.

Mike Labbadia (co-host) an actor, producer, writer and filmmaker, a “multipassionate” you can say. As a company member of BEDLAM he's appeared Off-Broadway in shows from Arcadia to Julius Caesar. Regional work includes Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Gulfshore Playhouse, Penguin Rep and Virginia Rep. He's in the upcoming film "On the End" with Tim Blake Nelson. As a producer he's had films premiere at prestigious festivals around the world.

In this episode, we discuss these "Rules" actors should break:

06:15 - Rule 1 - Don't pitch yourself

9:03 - Rule 2 - Don't complain to our Reps

12:45 - Rule 3 - We can only be one "kind of artist"

17:15 - Rule 4 - Wait until you have a big project to grow an audience

21:20 - Rule 5 - Don't actively pursue industry relationships

15:52 - Rule 6 - Take on Gig work to support your career

30:29 - Rule 7 - Let the Industry define you as an artist

PODCAST DESCRIPTION: “CREATIVE RISK”, is a new podcast hosted by actors Joshua Morgan and Mike Labbadia of Artist’s Strategy where they explore all things art, entrepreneurialism and everything in between. The acting industry is more volatile and competitive than ever before, therefore the artist must evolve in order to take radical ownership over their creative businesses. Each episode, Mike and Joshua will get raw and unfiltered, giving hot takes and cutting edge strategies on how to build a sustainable career in the arts. 

Guest:

For Joshua Morgan :

Website IMDb Instagram Broadway World

For Podcast: Spotify Apple Podcasts Youtube Instagram TikTok

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like this episode, check out my episode on their podcast"

Apple Podcasts Spotify

A graduate from Aberystwyth University, BEN THOMPSON left Wales and London to settle in New York. Soon after arriving he joined the Tribeca Film Festival where he is currently the VP of Shorts Programming. From the start of his career as a filmmaker Ben has always had a keen interest in short form storytelling and discovered while at Tribeca a passion for programming and presenting short films to new and engaged audiences. He is fascinated by the influence film has on our world and culture and travels to search out new stories from around the globe. He has watched over 12,000 short films for Tribeca alone.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Internships that prepared him for working at Tribeca Festival

• Pros/Cons for submitting early to film festivals

• The process for programming short film blocks for the festival and advice for short film filmmakers who want to submit to festivals like Tribeca (timing, theme, etc)

• Whether filmmakers can monetize short films and the value from having your short in a festival

• Festivals are seasonal work and the different festivals he used to work in one year and moving to a full time position

• What goes into a Festival Coordinator position and working as a liaison between the festival and the filmmakers

• Whether it’s important to have celebrities or famous people in short films

• What’s important in a cover letter - description and how you are positioning your film

• What he recommends is the most important investment in creating your short film.

• Benefits he’s seen of screening at Tribeca and other opportunities available for short film filmmakers at the festival

• Internal scoring process at Tribeca

• Advice for those who want to be a programmer at a festival

Guest:

LinkedIn Tribeca Profile

2025 Tribeca Festival Submissions overview

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠TRIBECA SERIES: RESOURCES, PROGRAMS and AWARDS with Director of Artist Programs Bryce Norbitz

Becoming... Festival Director and Senior VP of Programming at Tribeca Festival Cara Cusumano

Presenting... Part 2 of my Filmmaker Roundtable at the Hampton International Film Festival.

In this episode, we talk to the filmmaking teams of four short films. We delve into the process of creating their films and their experience at the festival.

Including:

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you like this episode, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hampton Film Festival Filmmaker Roundtable - ADULT BEST FRIENDS, LOS FRIKIS, A MAN WITH SOLE: THE IMPACT OF KENNETH COLE (Part 1)

⁠⁠⁠TRIBECA SERIES: RESOURCES, PROGRAMS and AWARDS with Director of Artist Programs Bryce Norbitz⁠

Tom Nesher - Director & Writer

Born in Los Angeles in 1996, Tom Nesher is a graduate of the Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film School. She directed

Logline:

When Eden’s beloved brother suddenly dies, she takes desperate measures to fill the void. Once she discovers he

Come Closer won the Viewpoints Award at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. It recognizes films that present "bold and exceptional voices" in independent cinema.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Her first feature film ‘Come Closer’ after directing three short films

• The 5 year filmmaking process which included 4 months of rehearsal

• Adapting the film as she processed her grief over the years

• Tom’s experience at Tribeca Film Festival

• Her unique process with her actors: they read it, they improvised the scenes, and then Tom rewrote it

• Her advice for filmmakers is to trust and listen to your crew and your team

Guest: IMDb Instagram

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like this episode, check out TRIBECA: Tim Blake Nelson, Andrew Liner and Vincent Grashaw for "BANG BANG"

Presenting... Part 1 of my Filmmaker Roundtable at the Hampton International Film Festival.

In this episode, we talk to the filmmaking teams of two feature narratives and one documentary. We delve into the process of creating their films and their experience at the festival.

Including:

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠TRIBECA SERIES: RESOURCES, PROGRAMS and AWARDS with Director of Artist Programs Bryce Norbitz⁠

Carol Baum has produced thirty-four movies, seventeen of them independently. Before becoming an independent producer, Baum was co-president of Sandollar Productions, Dolly Parton and Sandy Gallin’s production company, for ten years, where she produced such hits as Father of the Bride; the Academy Award-winning HBO documentary Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt; Tidy Endings; I.Q.; Jacknife; True Identity; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Gross Anatomy; Shining Through; Straight Talk; and Kicking and Screaming. As an indie producer, Baum made, among other movies, The Good Girl; My First Mister; $5 A Day; You Kill Me; and Boychoir. She has produced five television movies for Hallmark and several documentaries. 

Baum currently teaches producing in the Film and Television Production Division at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. She is also a mentor for the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The lesson she learned working at her first job at Bantam Books which led to the purchase and development of the autobiography of Malcolm X

• Being an advocate for the material and develop your taste

• Getting pregnant and working freelance for awhile

• Her 5 years at Palomar Pictures working on projects like The Stepford Wives and then moving to LA with her husband and becoming the studio VP at Lorimar

• Becoming known for developing “The Shining” at the Producer’s Circle

• Being a VP at 20th Century Fox and what she sees as the difference between a producer and an Executive

• Working at Dolly Parton’s company Sandollar

• How The Fountainhead made her love the business and why she thinks its important for young producers to watch movies from the 40s and 50s

• Launching the careers of David O. Russell and Mike White

• The story of developing with Father of the Bride and getting the rights from Ted Turner, the invention of Martin Short’s character, and how Jack Nicholson was thrown as a possibility for Steve Martin’s role

• Developing multiple projects as a producer and how it’s all about timing. She said that if David Cronenberg hadn’t had success with The Fly, he wouldn’t have been able to do Dead Ringers.

• Her recommendations for writers on what is commercially viable right now

• Carol’s explanation for spec scripts for films

• Her recommendation for writers on how to get an agent

Guest:

IMDb Wikipedia Website

Buy her book!

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Do’s and Don’ts of PITCHING YOUR FILM with Hollywood Producer Carol Baum

Cara Cusumano has been with Tribeca since 2008, during which time the festival has become a globally respected showcase for film and TV premieres, live music, talks, interdisciplinary events, and talent discovery. During her tenure as Festival Director, Tribeca has been called “an annual powerhouse” (Time Out), “reliably and inarguably excellent” (Village Voice), and “one of the most prestigious festivals of the new millennium” (Playlist). She has served on nominating committees for the Cinema Eye Honors, the International Documentary Association Awards, the Gotham Awards, and the Irish Film and Television Academy Awards, and festival juries including CPH:DOX, Los Cabos Film Festival, DOC NYC, Nordisk Panorama, Bogota Audiovisual Market (BAM), and the Nantucket Film Festival. She holds a degree in Film from Columbia University’s Barnard College, and an MA in Cinema Studies from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Internships and her first job as short film programmer at Brooklyn Film Festival

• The different programming teams involved in Tribeca and how she oversees them all

• Choosing films to be featured at Tribeca

• Typical day-to-day routine

• Networking at film festival and how do you get a seasonal job there

• Famous filmmakers/cast vs unknown first time filmmakers and films coming with distribution and film coming in without distribution

• Want a job at Tribeca or any festival? Cara’s recommendation for a starting position in the screening committee

• Advice for filmmakers who are hoping to get their film into a festival including in the pre-production and post-production stages of their films

• How to identify what films are “right” for Tribeca Festival

• Collaborations and partnerships with brands like Chanel, Mazda, Indeed, AT&T, and Canva

Guest:

Linkedin Instagram Tribeca Website

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TRIBECA SERIES: RESOURCES, PROGRAMS and AWARDS with Director of Artist Programs Bryce Norbitz

Bryan Smiley is President & Chief Content Officer of Hartbeat, the global multi-platform media company founded by Kevin Hart.

Named to Variety’s 2022 “New Leaders” and Hollywood Reporter’s 2018 ”Next Gen” and “Rising Executives 35 under 35” lists, Smiley oversees Hartbeat production, financing, and development, including the company’s 70+ projects in development and more than 20 projects released in 2022 across top tier partners including Netflix, Peacock, SiriusXM, Netflix, Audible and more.

In 2021, Smiley negotiated a first look deal with Netflix to produce feature films for the streamer, a strategic move that would allow Hartbeat to continue creating content during a

In this episode, we talk about:

• Working as an assistant story editor out of college and how networking helped him get to New Regency

• How his early assistant roles taught him about the business and how he identified where the company needed help and resources

• His work as Vice President of Creative Development & Production at Columbia Pictures, a Sony Pictures Entertainment company

• How the range of his individual companies that he co-founded (list them) help him in his role today

• Why he’s never had a fear of failure and the reality of starting a business

• How he transitioned to development with an executive position at a studio

• Some of his favorite deals at SONY with Steph Curry a multi-picture deal with Issa Rae

• A breakdown of the divisions at Hartbeat and his rise to President and CCO

• Their hands-on, full-service approach to projects including their show “Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart & Kenan Thompson” on Peacock

• His 4 picture guarantee and first look deal with Netflix and his thoughts on the importance of a first look deal in the current marketplace

• How they decide what project to take on and develop?

• Some pivotal moments and decisions that impacted his career

Guest:

⁠Linkedin⁠ ⁠Hartbeat website⁠ ⁠IMDb⁠

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

ROB DECINA - In December of 2018, Rob Decina was named VP, Casting in NY for CBS Studios. He has contributed to the casting of many shows across several broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms, including: Your Honor, The Comey Rule (SHOWTIME), Nancy Drew & The Dynasty (CW), Diary of a Future President (Disney+), Guilty Party & The Game (Paramount+) and Swagger ( Apple TV+).

At CBS, he developed two programs: a Casting Fellowship, designed to encourage diversity and inclusion in the profession of casting, and an Educational Outreach Program, where he speaks to colleges and conservatories about auditioning. Previous episodic television casting credits include, Insatiable for Netflix, Shades of Blue for NBC, as well as pilots for the CW Network. His book, The Art of Auditioning: Techniques for Television had its second edition published in April of 2022.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Directing and casting internships and first full time job was a casting assistant at Warner Bros

• How a forgotten resume at Disney led to a job at Warner Bros

• His personal favorite story of working The West Wing

• Differences between working for a network and working freelance with your own casting office and why networks focus on pilots and hire out for the rest of the season

• The projects he had turned down at Rob Decina casting

• Casting a soap opera like Guiding Light for a decade and how different it was in comparison to other projects

• Role of VP of Casting at CBS Entertainment (combination of studio and network) and how it works there

• Tips for dealing with nerves ahead of the in-person audition or callback

• Accepting an associate position later in his career

• His book: The Art of Auditioning: Techniques for Television

Guest:

IMDb LinkedIn

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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With 15 wins and 76 nominations, Bernard Telsey is one of the premier Casting Directors in the industry. Casting our favorite films, television shows, and Broadway shows, Telsey Casting is well known for excellence in casting. From the original production of RENT to NBC's This Is Us to Only Murders in the Building to Wicked (both the upcoming movie and the show), their office is constantly busy.

In this episode, we talk about:

• His first job as a casting assistant and building his rolodex of actors

• Casting RENT as an off-Broadway musical and why it was a difficult year long process

• Putting an ad in the Village Voice for a rock musician for RENT

• That ideally, he would like to be part of the early development process of a project

• Giving Casting their credit and how that has evolved

• How is the office doing post-pandemic

• What he sees in actors who shine with 4 lines or for a lead role, like in the case of Annaleigh Ashford

• How actors can get on their radar and what projects Telsey is working on now

Guest:

Website Wikipedia MCC Website

Instagram for MCC Theater

Instagram for The Telsey Office

IMDb

Host:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneMiller⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MentorsontheMic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MichelleSimoneM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook page:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.facebook.com/mentorsonthemic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.michellesimonemiller.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mentorsonthemic.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/24mmichelle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠