My guest today is professional voice actress, Natalie Hitzel. You've heard her across commercials, cartoons, video games and talking toys for brands like Disney, Lego, Pixar and Coca-cola.

In this episode we talk about:

• Her journey into the industry and experience working for these big brands•The craft of voice work

•The Audition Grind

•The realities of freelancing

•How Ai could impact voice artists

TDZ Episode 014 - Natalie Hitzel

Follow Natalie Hitzel:

IG: natalie_hitzelWebsite: www.nataliehitzel.comLinkedin: Natalie Hitzel

The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ If you prefer to listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FMIr4zzMZMgQhd3SBUYqz?si=vg_AaJS5QdO6cCQffTIFYw

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Mike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎TDZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedascenzozone/

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

#podcast #tdz #actor #voice #voiceover #podcast #creative #creativity #acting #videogames #cartoons #talkingtoys

Alex Ganetakos is a prolific, award-winning TV writer and producer who's worked across almost every TV genre. Her credits include 6Teen, Paw Patrol, Hotel Transylvania: The Series, Total Drama Island, Dylan's Playtime Adventures and many, many more.

In this episode we talk about:

• Her journey into the TV and film industry

• The Craft of writing and pitching

• What it was like working on some of your favourite shows

• Advice for young writers and more

TDZ Episode 013: Alex Ganetakos

The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ If you prefer to listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FMIr4zzMZMgQhd3SBUYqz?si=vg_AaJS5QdO6cCQffTIFYw

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Mike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎TDZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedascenzozone/

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

#podcast #tdz #tv #writing #writerscommunity #writer #animation #cartoons #hoteltransilvânia #6teen #pawpatrol #totaldrama

Nitish Sakhuja (Nitty Sak) is a Toronto-born comedian now living in Los Angeles who has been featured on Just For Laughs, The Winnipeg Comedy festival and more. He recently dropped a new comedy special, "High, I'm Nitty" (link below) and in March 2026 he'll be opening for Russel Peters on tour in India.

In today's episode we talk about:

• Nitty's journey from growing up in Toronto to moving to Los Angeles

• The Craft and business of standup comedy

• Weed, magic mushrooms & life philosophy

• Losing 100 Pounds during COVID

TDZ Episode 12 - Nitish Sakhuja

Follow Nitty SakIG: ‪@nittysak‬

Website: https://www.nitishsakhuja.com/

Comedy Special: "High, I'm Nitty"    • Nitish Sakhuja - High I'm Nitty (Comedy Sp...  

Comedy Special: "Person"   • Nitish Sakhuja: Person  (FULL COMEDY SPECIAL)  

The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe:    / @thedascenzozone  

◼︎ If you prefer to listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FMIr4z...

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr...

◼︎Mike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz...

◼︎TDZ Instagram:   / thedascenzozone  

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

#podcast #tdz #comedy #standupcomedy #russellpeters #podcast

My guest today is director and producer Melanie Orr. Her work spans comedy, drama, and mystery... from Mistletoe Murders and The Hardy Boys to Children Ruin Everything and the new Netflix series Ripple.

We talk about:

• Her journey from script supervisor to award-winning director

• The importance collaboration

•Facing imposter syndrome

• The craft of directing

• Why persistence, empathy, and relationships matter in filmmaking.

TDZ 011 - Melanie Orr

Follow Melanie: IG: @laughingmel

The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ If you prefer to listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FMIr4zzMZMgQhd3SBUYqz?si=vg_AaJS5QdO6cCQffTIFYw

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Mike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎TDZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedascenzozone/

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

#podcast #tdz #director #hardyboys #ripple

Chris Meneses went from immigrating to Canada with nothing to becoming a top performer in luxury car sales — and later building systems that scaled entire dealerships. In this episode, we dive into the mindset, strategies, and hard lessons behind his rise.

In this podcast we talk about:

• How Chris became the #1 salesperson in just 3 months using video and CRM systems

• His transition from acting to luxury car sales

• Using content and automation to scale sales and operations

• Overcoming language barriers, failure, and self-doubt

• Balancing ambition with mental health, family, and personal growth

• Leadership, continuous learning, and building SOPs that last

Follow Chris here:

• IG: @chris.bizdev

• Skool Course: www.skool.com/the-skool-of-unplugging

The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe:    / @thedascenzozone  

◼︎ If you prefer to listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FMIr4z...

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr...

◼︎Mike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz...

◼︎TDZ Instagram:   / thedascenzozone  

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

#podcast #tdz #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #cars

Dr. Margot Lattanzi is a naturopathic doctor who has helped hundreds of people heal the root cause of their health concerns. She has training in fertility, pediatric care, cosmetic acupuncture and more. In today's episode we talk about:

• Naturopathy and Holistic Healthcare

• Exploring Naturopathic Medicine's Appeal

• Challenges in Natural Medicine Research

• Acupuncture

• Hormones and Nervous System Balance

• Anxiety Management and Wellness Strategies

• Sleep Optimization, Caffeine Impact, and Burnout

Follow Dr. Margot Lattanzi, ND

IG: @doctormargotndwww.doctormargotnd.com

The D'Ascenzo Zone: ◼︎Subscribe:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FMIr4zzMZMgQhd3SBUYqz?si=vg_AaJS5QdO6cCQffTIFYw

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Mike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎TDZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedascenzozone/

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

#podcast #tdz #health #naturopathy #naturopathie #naturopathicmedicine #wellness #wellnesstips

Sebby Cluer is a director known for his sharp eye and comedic chops. His credits include Kenny vs. Spenny, The Office Movers, Decoys, My Ninety Year Old Roommate and many, many more.

In this episode we talk about:

◼︎Sebby's Journey in TV & Film

◼︎The craft of directing

◼︎Behind the scenes insights

◼︎Advice for aspiring directors and creatives

Follow Sebby Cluer:

IG: @ drcluer

The D'Ascenzo Zone: Comedy shorts & A podcast! ◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1◼︎ If you prefer to listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FMIr4zzMZMgQhd3SBUYqz?si=vg_AaJS5QdO6cCQffTIFYw◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72 ◼︎Mike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en◼︎TDZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedascenzozone/◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone#podcast #tdz #tv #film #director #directing

Founders of Evolve to Excel, Vanessa Zingaro and Greg Sutton are a husband and wife team who have coached thousands of clients to transform their body, mind and habits through fitness and nutrition. From building muscle, to losing weight to improving your relationship with food, they bring real world strategies that actually work.

TDZ Episode 007 - Vanessa Zingaro and Greg Sutton

We talk about:

◼︎Greg & Vanessa’s Journey + Coaching Philosophy

◼︎Motivation & Mindset Tools

◼︎Forming Healthy Habits

◼︎Approaches to nutrition & fitness

◼︎GLP-1 Medications (WeGovy, Ozempic)

◼︎Protein, Creatine & Supplements

Follow Vanessa & Greg at Evolve to

Excelwww.evolvetoexcel.com

◼︎IG: @evolvetoexcel

◼︎IG: @vanessa_zingaro_

◼︎IG: @coach.greg.sut

The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe:    / @thedascenzozone  

◼︎ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FMIr4z...

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr...

◼︎Mike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz...

◼︎TDZ Instagram:   @thedascenzozone  

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

#podcast #tdz #fitness #nutrition #health

Heather Gallant is an actor and sketch comedy performer best known for her breakout role as Carla on Crave TV’s The Office Movers. She co-created the hilarious sketch troupe Herbeaver, that performed monthly shows for years at Toronto’s iconic Comedy Bar. Heather has also appeared in many other projects including some of your favourite commercials and my webseries Headliners, which you can watch right here on this channel.

TDZ Podcast 006 - Heather GallantIn this episode we talk about:

• Her path from theatre school to sketch comedy to acting

• Her roles on Headliners, the Office Movers and more.

• The realities and camaraderie of working on low-budget Canadian TV

• Auditions, memorizing lines, and overcoming perfectionism

• Finding a comedic voice and navigating different audiences

• Real advice for young performers on taking risks and staying authentic

Follow Heather Gallant:

◼︎Instagram: @heatherisgallant

◼︎Watch her on Headliners here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhwP1Doz8Ho&list=PLr66TOUAOapLHeBOK-8aPN5cu1tqpvint

◼︎And watch her on The Office Movers on Crave TV!

The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ If you prefer to listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7FMIr4zzMZMgQhd3SBUYqz?si=vg_AaJS5QdO6cCQffTIFYw

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Mike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎TDZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedascenzozone/

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone

#podcast #tdz #sketch #comedy #theofficemovers

Merrill Hagan is an American powerhouse writer and producer across TV, film, comics and videogames. His credits include fan favourites from DC, Marvel, Netflix, Adult Swim, Nickelodeon and more. He’s written everything from Teen Titans Go! to Magic School Bus, and helped shape some of the biggest animated series on TV.

In this conversation, we talk about:

◼︎Breaking into the industry, surviving it, and what it actually takes to build a career in animation

◼︎Comics

◼︎Working on shows for Netflix, Marvel, DC & more

◼︎The craft of writing and pitching

◼︎The state of the animation Industry

TDZ Episode 005 - Merrill Hagan

Follow Merrill Hagan

◼︎ Instagram: @merrill_hagan

◼︎https://www.merrillhagan.com

Follow The D'Ascenzo Zone:

◼︎Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCphk_rom3ggaW9qhFlIDrag?sub_confirmation=1

◼︎ Check out my children's book: https://www.amazon.ca/Tiffy-Spiffy-Mr-Michael-DAscenzo/dp/B0CKGVFP72

◼︎Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikedascenz/?hl=en

◼︎Tik Tok: tiktok.com/@thedascenzozone