On this episode I chat with Casting Director Gary Zuckerbrod. Gary has cast movies like Pulp Fiction, Frequency and The Kissing Booth as well as shows such as The Last Ship and Rizzoli & Isles.

We talk about:

• The parallels Gary sees between Casting and his work as a life coach.
• Why he can't build the "perfect" actor and what he looks for.
• The story behind how Ving Rhames came to be cast on "Monday Mornings"
• How sometimes it's just somebodies time and everything clicks into place.
• Why it's so easy to see when an actor is in their head.
• The importance of always practising your craft.
• How we're most likely looking at no more in person auditions.
• What it was like working with Quentin Tarantino on Pulp Fiction.

You can follow Gary on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zuckcasts?lang=en

Enjoy the show!

On episode 35 I talk to Casting Director Richard Hicks who has cast some of the biggest movies you can think of; from Gravity, Zero Dark Thirty and Hell or High Water to Yes Man, Dude, Where's My Car? And Bean. Richard was the President of the Casting Society of America and is a former Actor who trained at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.

We chat about:

• The things you can do to claim your power back as an actor.
• Why it's so important to let go of the "hunger" for the job.
• The two mindset traps that actors sometimes fall into.
• Why you need to have a clear understanding of the meaning behind what you're doing and your drive for wanting it.
• What you can do when you're not getting auditions.
• How Richard prefers to be contacted by actors.
• The fact that a good actor will not look for the Casting Directors validation or approval when they do their audition.

You can follow Richard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardHCasting and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardHicksCasting/

Enjoy the show!

On episode 34 I speak with author and engineer Norman McCombs, who's debut novel "A Reason To Be" Is out now. Norman is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, which honored him with the EDISON Medal, their highest patent award. He has received numerous other awards for technical achievement, including the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Obama for developing the portable oxygen concentrator credited with saving and extending the lives of millions with lung diseases. He has over two hundred patents worldwide, primarily for air separation technology used for a myriad of oxygen applications around the world.

We talk about:

• Norman's work in developing and patenting the portable Oxygen concentrator
• How he managed to be the sole carer for his wife who had Alzheimer's and dementia.
• The things that helped him to come out of and manage depression after his wife's passing.
• His findings and passion for genealogy and understanding where we come from.
• The process of writing his debut novel and his upcoming memoir.
• What President Obama said to him when honoring him with The National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
• The thoughts that went through his mind as he found himself at the entrance to the East Wing of The White House.

For more on Norman and his book, go to: https://www.normanmccombs.com/

Enjoy the show!

On episode 33 I chat with film producer Douglas Cox of Shadowhouse Films. Douglas produced the horror film "Host" during Lockdown, which was all shot over Zoom and has received critical acclaim within the horror community and main stream media. He is part of the BFI Insight programme, with past work including the short film "Dawn of the Deaf" which was screened at festivals like Sundance and the BFI London Film Festival.

We talk about:

• The journey of developing, filming and delivering a feature film within 3 months at the height of lockdown!
• The importance of momentum as a filmmaker
• Where the idea for "Host" came from
• Why finding your tribe is essential - Finding collaborators where there is a mutual level of trust and ambition.
• How he's learned by doing.
• Being comfortable saying "No"

You can follow Douglas on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/douglasbcox and find out more on Shadowhouse films here: http://www.shadowhousefilms.co.uk/

The trailer to Host is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNlKbqHqGcY and you can watch the film on https://www.shudder.com/ and use code SHUTIN for a 30 day free trial.

Enjoy the show!

On episode 32 of the show I chat with filmmaker Laura Torenbeek of Green Film Productions. Laura is currently working as a production coordinator at the Northern Film School as well as a freelancer directing / producing film content. She's recently finished the short Candy Floss and is now creating the web series Girls with Capes through her production company Green Film Productions.

We chat about:

• The importance of exploring the things you are interested in.
• Finding your filmmaking tribe and really thinking about who you want to work with.
• Some of the big things you need to consider when working with child actors.
• Advice for people new to film festivals on how to select the right ones for your project.
• Her experience in crowdfunding her own projects.
• Some ideas on how you can continue to be creative and learn your craft.

You can find out more about Laura at greenfilmproductions.co.uk and https://www.instagram.com/thegreenfilmmaker/

Enjoy the show!

On this episode I'm joined by Costume Designer Ailsa Windsor. Ailsa works across film and TV and has been involved on projects such as Harlots (Hulu), The Infiltrator and the upcoming feature film 355. She has a First Class Degree in Costume with Textiles and an MA in Costume with Professional Engagement. She shares some really fascinating insights into how Film & TV costumes are made and the immense scale of the entire process. 

We talk about:

• The collaborative process between costume and the rest of the crew on a film or show.
•  Where inspiration for a costume can come from.
• The process of visioning and crafting a costume.
• Advice for getting into the world of costume design.
• The various costume roles that exist on a project and what they involve.
• The way in which costume and actors collaborate on bringing the vision and story to life.
• What makes good costume design.
• The process of breaking down a garment and why it's essential.
• How certain pieces become iconic.

For more on Ailsa please check out http://ailsawindsor.co.uk/

Enjoy the show!

On this episode I chat with producer Alexandra Blue of Bluebird Productions. Alexandra is an award-winning creative producer with a talent lead approach. She was recently selected for the BFI’s flagship Insight emerging producer programme, supporting the next generation of UK producers bringing original feature films to the screen.  

We talk about:

• Her move from Australia to the UK and working at companies like Warp Films and Heyday.
• The benefit of doing an internship and her views on working for "free"
• The importance of creating your own stuff and learning by doing.
• Why short films are just as important as ever.
• The public funding body model and how it works.
• Why you should find collaborators at a similar level to you.
• What you need to consider when pitching.

For more on Bluebird Productions go to: https://www.bluebirdproductions.com.au/

You can follow Alexandra at: https://twitter.com/alexandrablue4

Enjoy the show!

On episode 29 of the show I'm joined by BAFTA nominated producer Farah Abushwesha. Her production company is Rocliffe and she created the BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Competition and Showcase. She has made comedy content used by the White House, a Netflix Original and an Irish Film Board commission to celebrate the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising. She was Screen International's Star of Tomorrow 2017 and was the 2020 BFI Vision Awardee.

We talk about:

• The ethos behind her company Rocliffe, including the new writing showcase it offers and the two books Farah wrote on Screenwriting and Low Budget Filmmaking.
• Measuring your expectations and being prepared for constructive feedback.
• Why you shouldn't be afraid to reach out to people.
• The possible impact of Covid on the film industry.
• How you should know exactly what your project is and why you should partner with the right person for you and your vision.
• The importance of committing to a career and not a single script or project.

You can find out more about Rocliffe here: https://www.rocliffe.com/

And Farah's book on Low Budget Filmmaking is at this link: http://kamerabooks.co.uk/index1.php?imprint=4&isbn=9781843449140

You can follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/farahabushwesha

Enjoy the show!

On this episode I'm joined by Jeremy Gordon, CSA who has been a Casting Director and Producer in LA for 15 years working in the studio/network world as well as the indie world spanning mediums from film & TV to digital platforms, podcasts and more. 

We talk about:

• Jeremy's work as Casting Director and Producer on the original IGTV series, Quarantine, a first of its kind digital series shot 100% on Zoom and is donating 100% of the proceeds to the SAG AFTRA Foundation Covid-19 Disaster Relief Fund.
• What draws him to the world of indie films.
• Some of his casting bugbears.
• What it's all about teamwork when it comes to making any kind of artistic project. 
• The role of social media as part of an actors overall approach to the business.
• Taking care of all the things that are in your control when it comes to Self-Taping.
• How this current climate is giving actors the chance to learn about more areas of the business.

You can follow Jeremy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeremyCasts and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremygordon/ 

Enjoy the show!

On this episode of the show I talk to writer and speaker Karin Freeland, who successfully navigated her way through a mid-life crisis to leave Corporate America and launch her career as an author. 

We talk about:

• Her time as an actress and the eventual move into the corporate world.
• The experience of having a mid-life crisis.
• Advice on how to handle self-imposed pressure and fears.
• Her journey as an author and the writing process.

To find out more about Karin go to www.karinfreeland.com

You can also follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karinfreeland/

Enjoy the show!