Full Transcript for Actor Networking that Feels Authentic & Builds Community with CD Erica Jensen

important, no matter what our job is in this wild life, but especially in this people-driven business. 00:06:13.129 --> 00:06:20.450 So to start and I know it might sound like an obvious question I just wonder for you what do you think the purpose of networking is? 00:06:22.401 --> 00:06:26.459 Well, I like what you said, like reframing it as community building. 00:06:26.459 --> 00:06:54.978 I think the purpose is again to expand who you know and who you have as people that you can rely on and people who you want to work with, and I really like this idea of finding your people, finding your community, and that's what it is, for me at least. 00:06:54.978 --> 00:07:28.233 A lot of the things that I think we might be talking about today are things that I do myself, because I also think that community building helps you expand as a human being, expand as a person, and maybe that takes I love that you said that, because maybe that takes some of the pressure off Like maybe it's not as scary if we think about all of us as human beings and wanting to be with people who share your values. 00:07:28.974 --> 00:07:29.235 Yeah. 00:07:29.719 --> 00:07:32.327 And share your creative spirit. 00:07:33.271 --> 00:07:36.129 Yeah, and I think we've all heard this phrase so many times. 00:07:36.129 --> 00:07:44.151 Creative spirit yeah, and I think we've all heard this phrase so many times, probably been pounded into our brains, but I know, for me it was sort of a game changer and a work in progress. 00:07:44.170 --> 00:08:02.526 When I say game changer to hear you know book the room, not the job, and I think of it a lot of the times is when you go to a party you're also nervous, but you're excited to meet other people and just make new friends and I think, if you can put the emphasis on that, there is, like you said, a little bit of the pressure taken out of that balloon and I also conjured up the Shonda Rhimes of it all. 00:08:02.586 --> 00:08:11.771 You know the famous monologue where, I think in Grey's Anatomy, they're saying you're my people, you're my person Because it is like you said, we get by with a little bit of help from our friends. 00:08:11.771 --> 00:08:21.524 I mean, how many more things can I quote here? 00:08:21.524 --> 00:08:24.411 I don't know, Erica, but you touched on it, and I wonder what is your personal relationship with networking like Is? 00:08:24.451 --> 00:08:25.435 it something you personally find a little scary. 00:08:25.435 --> 00:08:25.776 Do you enjoy it? 00:08:25.776 --> 00:08:28.361 I don't know if enjoy is the right word, but I do. 00:08:28.361 --> 00:08:29.863 Well, ok, you know what? 00:08:29.863 --> 00:08:36.494 Actually, let me put it this way I do like meeting new people. 00:08:36.494 --> 00:08:37.855 I really do. 00:08:37.855 --> 00:08:41.548 I have a curiosity about people and what they do. 00:08:41.548 --> 00:08:43.312 You can ask my partners. 00:08:43.312 --> 00:08:57.590 I ask a lot of questions and I always want to learn about other people and like what they're doing and how they're doing it, and I think that's so important. 00:08:57.590 --> 00:09:04.953 So leading with curiosity always, I think, is a big thing. 00:09:04.953 --> 00:09:20.403 Taking it off of, you know, anytime we can take it off of ourselves and put that energy on toward someone that we're truly interested in, energy on toward someone that we're truly interested in. 00:09:20.403 --> 00:09:20.942 Like I'll do little things. 00:09:20.962 --> 00:10:13.018 Like if I'm watching a TV show and I'm really I'm particularly inspired by the casting, I might reach out to the casting director and say and tell them just how much I loved what they did, and that's not anything, you know, that's not me trying to get anything, that's just me uh wanting to express um, a uh like uh, I want to, you know, just express how much I enjoyed somebody's work and, um, I'm not expecting anything from that, but I hope that it that, you know, perhaps it leads to maybe a continued friendship or like a building, like a network of colleagues that I, that I want to talk to and share experiences with, like especially professional experiences. 00:10:13.018 --> 00:10:16.610 Maybe I can learn more about my job. 00:10:16.610 --> 00:10:18.144 I'll give like an example. 00:10:18.144 --> 00:10:21.013 There's a show called Master of None. 00:10:21.596 --> 00:10:21.859 Oh yeah. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:34.394 Yeah, casting director Cody Becky did that show and there was an episode where the episode is called I Love New York. 00:10:47.419 --> 00:11:00.282 And the episode is called I Love New York and it's one of the episodes that just like floored me, because they cast there are cab drivers in that episode because of their work, because of what that person did. 00:11:00.282 --> 00:11:04.910 It just sort of blew me away and I found it very inspiring. 00:11:04.910 --> 00:11:07.040 So I wrote to Cody to let them know. 00:11:07.040 --> 00:11:20.588 And you know, like I said, like I just think that when you are inspired by someone's work and it's something that you maybe want to emulate for yourself, or you want to work with that person reaching out. 00:11:20.788 --> 00:11:29.783 People love, love it when you reach out to them enough in an authentic way, because you were moved by something that they did or something you saw, something they made. 00:11:29.783 --> 00:11:36.715 So I really encourage that you're not bothering anybody by, you know, by just sending the email. 00:11:38.143 --> 00:11:39.126 Yeah, send that email. 00:11:39.439 --> 00:11:50.586 Send it Say, hey, I really loved, I saw, you know, whatever you saw, like I saw this play and I loved your work and you know, I just think that that can. 00:11:50.586 --> 00:11:55.014 That kind of authenticity is very welcome. 00:11:55.879 --> 00:11:57.062 Yeah, you know it's so funny. 00:11:57.062 --> 00:12:06.540 You bring up Cody because I went in for Masters of None for a little bit and at

one of the last auditions he took a moment just to compliment me and say something nice. 00:12:07.242 --> 00:12:09.967 And it changed my entire day. 00:12:09.967 --> 00:12:15.047 It changed the way I saw all the auditions I did that week and there's kind of science behind that. 00:12:15.047 --> 00:12:25.350 So even if you don't everybody build a relationship with somebody, at least you're saying something good and putting it out there in the world and affecting someone in a positive way and it feels good to do that. 00:12:25.350 --> 00:12:28.332 You know it's not why we do it, but I think that's really beautiful. 00:12:28.332 --> 00:12:32.183 You would bring up that aspect of kindness which we need more of in this world. 00:12:32.183 --> 00:12:33.547 We need more of yeah. 00:12:33.586 --> 00:12:35.330 Can I tell you so? 00:12:35.330 --> 00:12:35.971 I went to. 00:12:35.971 --> 00:12:40.849 There's a coffee shop near my house and I was meeting before this. 00:12:40.849 --> 00:12:42.111 Right before this, I was meeting. 00:12:42.899 --> 00:12:45.629 Oh, we're caffeinated, we're ready to go, we're ready to go, yeah. 00:12:47.240 --> 00:12:56.331 Well, I don't go into this place that often but I went in and the barista was like. 00:12:56.331 --> 00:12:58.293 He said he's like oh. 00:12:58.293 --> 00:13:01.663 I yawned and he said oh, you need some espresso. 00:13:01.663 --> 00:13:02.686 And I said I do. 00:13:02.686 --> 00:13:05.192 And he said how about an almond milk latte? 00:13:05.192 --> 00:13:10.721 I said sure, and then we had a discussion about almond milk versus oat milk and like how our journeys with that. 00:13:11.562 --> 00:13:19.674 And then once when he made my latte, he said to me he said you're Erica Jensen, aren't you? 00:13:19.674 --> 00:13:24.947 And I said yes, and he said you're a casting director. 00:13:24.947 --> 00:13:33.870 And he said I am an actor and he'd written down his information and he said I usually play this kind of role. 00:13:33.870 --> 00:13:35.713 He said you know, he was so sweet and he's like I usually play this kinds of role. 00:13:35.713 --> 00:13:39.468 He said you know, he was so sweet and he's like I usually play these kinds of roles. 00:13:39.468 --> 00:13:59.971 And he was kind of going, but he did it in such a way that was just so sweet and thoughtful and he'd written down like all his information on like a you know, just like a paper bag and handed it to me and I can't wait to bring him in for something because it was just like really sweet, and I just thought this is like he saw an opportunity. 00:14:00.432 --> 00:14:06.542 Like I don't get recognized, you know, like if anybody says anything to me, it's that they think I'm Maya Rudolph usually. 00:14:06.982 --> 00:14:08.365 Oh my God, what a compliment. 00:14:08.365 --> 00:14:10.932 Oh my gosh, which is fine, I'm happy with that. 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:18.974 But I was like, so I was kind of moved by the fact that, like, first of all, that he like how did he even recognize me? 00:14:18.974 --> 00:14:21.186 That was one thing. 00:14:21.186 --> 00:14:35.149 And then and then just the way he approached it was so sincere and sweet and genuine and not invasive, yeah, and I really I love that. 00:14:35.149 --> 00:14:36.924 So I've got his information now. 00:14:36.924 --> 00:14:37.987 I can't wait. 00:14:37.987 --> 00:14:41.557 Next time I have something, you know, I'll definitely like see if I can. 00:14:42.259 --> 00:14:45.000 Yeah, how cool that that happened today, right before this conversation. 00:14:46.105 --> 00:14:46.707 Yeah, exactly. 00:14:47.100 --> 00:14:47.561 I love that. 00:14:47.561 --> 00:14:58.216 That story was, I guess, told and created and you know you can frame that brown paper bag with their number and put it in the Museum of Broadway one day or something, or the Academy Museum, you know exactly. 00:14:58.216 --> 00:15:15.615 All of this actually brings up a really interesting point to me, erica, which is that I feel like as actors sometimes we do make the best connections just with people not thinking of them as their title, and so everybody out there, when we're going out to network, here we go. 00:15:15.615 --> 00:15:22.698 Do you think there's something actors can do, mindset wise, to put them in the best headspace possible for this? 00:15:22.698 --> 00:15:26.196 Because you met someone after having some banter at a coffee shop. 00:15:26.196 --> 00:15:39.073 You know an audition setting can be so different and you might be friendly and curious and asking questions, but I'm sure you'd sometimes see actors with their brains ticking sort of thinking OK, how can I answer this in the most interesting way possible? 00:15:39.073 --> 00:15:44.841 So what do you think actors can do to kind of just like take a breath and be in that authentic place? 00:15:56.345 --> 00:15:57.609 what you're saying is maybe like how I would answer. 00:15:57.609 --> 00:15:58.631 It is again just remembering to be. 00:15:58.631 --> 00:16:00.658 The person that you're talking to is a human being. 00:16:00.658 --> 00:16:16.811 Having curiosity about another human being is always, I think again taking that breath and remembering that everyone that I work with you know, I feel, is um on the actor's side. 00:16:16.811 --> 00:16:21.373 You know, when I'm in an audition situation, I think very old ideas about like what's the word? 00:16:21.373 --> 00:16:22.474 Like power dynamics. 00:16:44.686 --> 00:16:58.245 Like the power dynamics and like there's some kind of adversarial, that these relationships are adversarial or antagonistic somehow, and for me they're really just not Like. 00:16:58.245 --> 00:17:15.187 I don't see it that way and I understand why maybe actors feel that way, particularly if they're feeling a little frustrated, which we all are Because, like especially now, like feel, you know, the feeling in the air is pretty challenging right now. 00:17:15.408 --> 00:17:33.427 Um, for lots of

reasons that aren't just about um all of us, but are about like bigger picture, um, uh, but what I want actors to know more than anything is that, um, I, you know, I'm always, you know, we're all we're. 00:17:33.427 --> 00:17:59.392 Every casting director I know at least advocates is like a big advocate for actors, and so we're always wanting to know, wanting to know like the authentic person that's coming in the room Like we want an authentic experience always and it doesn't mean you know, so we don't want you to. 00:17:59.633 --> 00:18:06.854 We don't want actors to overthink or try to do like what they think we want to see. 00:18:06.854 --> 00:18:12.611 We want them, we want the, we want it to come from who they are and it's the same. 00:18:12.611 --> 00:18:31.550 And it's the same with a conversation Like if I'm, you know, out in the world again, you know, like I said, that person I just met at the coffee shop, again very authentic, just like he recognized me, he said something nice and that's all I ever want. 00:18:32.732 --> 00:18:34.355 I'm a total sucker for kindness. 00:18:35.438 --> 00:18:46.759 Same Kindness is my philosophy and I love that you say that and I think it speaks to you too, because both parties sort of have to be open to view it in the way that it may be authentically, genuinely is. 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:50.427 You know, it's a tricky thing this life and it makes me wonder. 00:18:50.427 --> 00:18:57.432 You know, part of networking is making a first impression, and I just want to put that buzz phrase out there. 00:18:57.432 --> 00:18:59.135 First impressions, I guess. 00:18:59.135 --> 00:19:02.831 How have you come to trust them over the years? 00:19:02.831 --> 00:19:04.817 What are your thoughts on them? 00:19:05.164 --> 00:19:07.394 Yeah, that's a really really good question. 00:19:07.825 --> 00:19:20.172 I know it's a tricky thing, it's tricky because, you know, there are so many ways now that we make first impressions and, like, sometimes those first impressions come from social media. 00:19:20.172 --> 00:19:41.971 And so when I'm thinking about first impressions, like there might be ways that I've like gotten an impression of a person before I've even met them, right Because of social media, because of website, because an actor has a website and I might go to their website too. 00:19:41.971 --> 00:19:50.826 I do explore websites a lot, especially like when I don't know an actor, when I've not met them in person or seen them in an audition space. 00:19:50.826 --> 00:19:58.617 If I want to get to know them, figure out if they might be right for what I'm working on, I will definitely go to like their website. 00:19:58.617 --> 00:20:02.611 So that's going to be like my first impression, right. 00:20:02.611 --> 00:20:10.166 And so we sort of have to think about what first impressions are these days. 00:20:10.468 --> 00:20:20.016 It's not just like the handshake or the like it's not always going to be like the physical interaction, because so much of what we're doing is online now. 00:20:20.016 --> 00:20:32.173 A lot of times now, like self tapes are going to be like a first impression If I've never met the actor and they're submitting a tape for something I've invited them to submit a tape for. 00:20:32.173 --> 00:20:35.819 That's going to be my first impression of them, right yeah? 00:20:36.306 --> 00:20:37.491 And the slate, I guess. 00:20:37.792 --> 00:20:38.154 And the slate. 00:20:38.214 --> 00:20:42.537 yeah, Just to hop there for a second, like if you're having an actor come in for the first time. 00:20:42.537 --> 00:20:45.073 Let's say, coffee shop comes on in, does the slate? 00:20:45.433 --> 00:20:45.615 Yeah. 00:20:46.206 --> 00:20:48.402 Do you like a little bit of personality in the slate? 00:20:48.402 --> 00:20:48.743 I do yeah. 00:20:48.743 --> 00:20:49.465 Do you like just business? 00:20:49.465 --> 00:20:49.906 I do yeah, Okay. 00:20:50.288 --> 00:20:55.136 I do, but I also don't want everybody to start thinking like oh gosh, I've got to come up with something like. 00:20:55.136 --> 00:20:58.269 I've got to come up with like 50 wigs in 50 seconds. 00:20:58.464 --> 00:21:05.419 Yeah, I've got to like think of like a way to like you know again, like, if it's like authentic, like what is authentic to you. 00:21:05.419 --> 00:21:18.134 On occasion we might give an instruction in like a slate to share something, and usually the sharing is connected to whatever it is we're working on, connected to the project. 00:21:18.134 --> 00:21:24.894 If I'm asking, like in the slate you know, name, height, location, that's perfect, that's totally fine. 00:21:25.977 --> 00:21:36.230 And then, like my impression of you is going to come from your level of professionalism, did you read the instructions, um, and the slate? 00:21:36.230 --> 00:21:40.077 Have you prepared all the material that I asked to prepare? 00:21:40.077 --> 00:21:41.306 Can I, um? 00:21:41.306 --> 00:21:43.290 Is your tape um? 00:21:43.290 --> 00:21:44.354 Like? 00:21:44.354 --> 00:21:45.518 Can I, uh? 00:21:45.518 --> 00:21:46.519 Can I hear you? 00:21:46.519 --> 00:21:47.363 Can I see you? 00:21:47.363 --> 00:21:57.070 You know properly, you know Um, and then so that level of professionalism is going to be my first, you know, and then so that level of professionalism is going to be my first, my first impression. 00:21:57.151 --> 00:21:58.270 Yeah, yeah, that makes total sense. 00:21:58.270 --> 00:22:05.736 I loved reading about you in the sense of you saying that casting director is sort of like matchmaking, which is such a fun analogy. 00:22:06.156 --> 00:22:16.002 You know there's so many folks that listen to this podcast that feel like they're never going to get their match because, for whatever reason, they just feel like they don't have any connection to the industry, they don't know anybody. 00:22:16.002 --> 00:23:15.199 And you know, the flip positive side of everything going on now

even though there's a surplus maybe for casting to view is that there are more opportunities, there are more digital ways, no matter where you live, to get seen. 00:23:15.199 --> 00:23:30.509 And in this sort of overloaded world with maybe generic networking and people just following a course or taking one interview that they heard and kind of running with a buzz quote, what does authentic networking kind of look like to you? 00:23:30.509 --> 00:23:36.105 You gave a great example of it earlier, especially, I guess, in regards to actors first breaking in. 00:23:37.509 --> 00:23:53.615 Yes, yes. 00:23:53.634 --> 00:23:56.676 So I love that you're talking about the overload, because there is, it does feel like we're in, like a we're in a. 00:23:56.696 --> 00:24:27.381 We're in a time now where everything so much of what we, the house, get out of the house, get off the sofa, go see shows Volunteering at theaters is a big thing, box office or volunteers finding those places, those smaller theater companies that need help getting out there to do that. 00:24:27.381 --> 00:24:44.500 If you can volunteer time in some way, I think that that is a great way to meet people and yeah, so again it goes back to what we said before like building community, not credits, right, not just credits. 00:24:44.680 --> 00:24:45.422 Oh, I love that. 00:24:45.742 --> 00:24:49.540 Yeah, yeah, yeah, building community, not just credits, and I think that that's like a big thing. 00:24:49.540 --> 00:24:54.704 Like, um, the other thing invite your friends over to read plays and scripts and things like that. 00:24:54.704 --> 00:24:58.982 Like, you know, um, who knows what comes of that? 00:24:58.982 --> 00:25:02.115 Like, but don't have expectations necessarily that anything comes of it. 00:25:02.115 --> 00:25:07.807 It's just I've got friends, or invite people that you want to get to know better. 00:25:07.807 --> 00:25:10.417 Who do you want to get to know better? 00:25:10.417 --> 00:25:14.146 Invite them over to read plays with you. 00:25:14.146 --> 00:25:17.257 You know we have. 00:25:17.257 --> 00:25:28.125 You know the big thing now that I that I encourage and I know that everyone's not capable of this but self-produced work, content creation. 00:25:28.125 --> 00:25:54.089 It doesn't have to be content that you post online necessarily, or on social media, but like, if you are that kind of person, if you're a writer, if you're a, or if you want to even explore writing, or if you even want to explore producing something else, that that like really inspires you so that? 00:25:54.109 --> 00:25:56.295 kind of then you've got a little bit more control and that gives you other ways to break in. 00:25:56.295 --> 00:26:27.133 Or someone who wants to write plays, or you want to write a web series, submitting like getting those things done and then getting those things out there to festivals, writing short plays that get into like those short play festivals, that's a big deal, you know,

like anything that kind of like again, and then you find, and then that's going to just help, that's going to build your network authentically, because people who want to go to the Sam French you know short play festival you're going to meet them. 00:26:27.914 --> 00:26:31.741 And then you know Red Bull. 00:26:31.741 --> 00:26:35.469 Yeah, like Red Bull Theater, they have like short play festivals, you know like. 00:26:35.489 --> 00:26:37.652 Red Bull gives you wings, you know, and Red Bull gives you wings. 00:26:37.652 --> 00:26:39.075 There you go, and Red Bull gives you wings, you know. 00:26:39.994 --> 00:26:40.796 And Red Bull gives you wings. 00:26:40.935 --> 00:26:41.955 There you go. 00:26:41.955 --> 00:26:43.076 I love all these tangible ways. 00:26:43.076 --> 00:26:57.925 We're really big on tangible advice, so I really appreciate that and I mentally started creating a newsletter to my friends saying we're doing a monthly play reading, because I feel like a lot of us maybe did some of these things during the pandemic to pass the time and maybe got fatigued and that was such a blur. 00:26:57.925 --> 00:27:08.853 But bringing all of these back or starting them up for the first time, like you said, can only lead to meeting like-minded is such a tricky phrase, but sort of like your people, I guess we could say. 00:27:08.853 --> 00:27:12.218 And I think this is all so helpful. 00:27:12.218 --> 00:27:17.087 I wonder for you do you have a favorite way you like to build relationships with actors? 00:27:17.087 --> 00:27:18.200 I know you teach a lot. 00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:20.120 I know you audition a lot. 00:27:20.120 --> 00:27:22.718 Is there something that you you know most enjoy? 00:27:23.499 --> 00:27:24.682 Well, teaching is a big one. 00:27:24.682 --> 00:27:36.298 I love, I love teaching and so and I like and I love building relationships that way, because it gives me an opportunity to really get to know the actors. 00:27:36.298 --> 00:27:44.049 Like the actors that I'm working with, and also watching their progress over time is something that really excites me. 00:27:44.049 --> 00:28:04.537 Watching somebody just really progress that way In this day of, like lots of self-tapes, I've been able to maybe, not I've been able to see more work from actors that I might not have been able to see work from before. 00:28:05.697 --> 00:28:08.097 And whether you know the actors a lot of actors are not. 00:28:08.097 --> 00:28:35.148 They don't know this because they're throwing you know, they're sending their casting something and I'm not able to, maybe and like, maybe some actors are not getting called back for that thing. 00:28:35.148 --> 00:28:48.673 When I see someone that excites me, you know I keep them in mind for other things and then that builds my network of actors who I want to bring in and introduce to the teams that I'm working with. 00:28:48.673 --> 00:28:54.845 I love being able to introduce new people to the teams I'm working with. 00:28:54.845 --> 00:28:58.619 I was just, I saw the play Well, it's called. 00:28:58.619 --> 00:28:59.543 Well, I'll Let you Go. 00:29:00.734 --> 00:29:01.378 Oh yeah, great thing, so good, I loved it so much. 00:29:01.378 --> 00:29:01.614 Well it's called. 00:29:01.614 --> 00:29:02.004 Well, I'll Let you Go. 00:29:01.943 --> 00:29:21.397 Oh yeah, I've heard great things so good, I loved it so much, and there was an actor in it who I did not know and and I was just having a meeting about another, about another show, and I mentioned this actor's name and now, you know, I was like I don't know him. 00:29:21.397 --> 00:29:22.521 I saw him on stage. 00:29:22.521 --> 00:29:26.241 I thought he was amazing and I'd love to. 00:29:26.241 --> 00:29:30.137 And now we're, you know, seriously considering him for this play that I'm working on. 00:29:30.137 --> 00:29:33.826 So I can't say who it is, because it's not, you know, I don't know. 00:29:34.954 --> 00:29:36.115 You better say it or I'm leaving. 00:29:36.235 --> 00:29:51.105 No, I know we're in like that, we're in the early stages and so, but that is another, but that is another way, you know, like just me again, like taking my own advice and just like getting off the sofa, going to see things, like I see, I try to see a lot of plays, I try to go to the theater a lot, I. 00:29:51.105 --> 00:29:57.089 That's a way that. 00:29:57.869 --> 00:30:01.913 I have a lot of casting directors and aspiring you know casting professionals that listen to. 00:30:01.913 --> 00:30:04.714 So I think that's helpful for them, but also for actors. 00:30:04.714 --> 00:30:11.002 The way you put it something clicked in my brain, even though it's so obvious is that casting directors are also networking. 00:30:11.002 --> 00:30:21.962 Even though it might feel kind of awkward and scary and like you're going to put them off if you say something or just make that connection, it actually is helping them, because if they don't have a network of actors, they can't really do their job. 00:30:21.962 --> 00:30:32.584 So I think it's a beautiful sort of insight to just have you say that, and I've heard you say in the past there's so many great articles about you, you're so amazing. 00:30:32.584 --> 00:30:37.940 It's good to have casting people that like you and call you in, especially in a time where just getting an audition is a win. 00:30:37.940 --> 00:30:50.882 What would you say on demystifying sort of the fact that it kind of happens overnight Because you might see someone on self-tape and then not have something for them, you know, until like a year or two or more later? 00:30:51.083 --> 00:30:51.704 Or more yeah. 00:30:52.115 --> 00:30:52.978 Yeah, so would you say. 00:30:52.978 --> 00:30:55.306 It's sort of a long game networking. 00:30:55.656 --> 00:30:58.156 Yeah, yeah, networking is a long game and you have to. 00:30:58.658 --> 00:31:23.862 you know you need to sometimes like remind- people that you're, that you're out there, I

would say not to be afraid, like once you've established a relationship with somebody, like once you've like been invited to audition for them, making sure that you maintain that by letting them know what you're up to. 00:31:23.862 --> 00:31:29.412 You know, like when you've got something going on, not being afraid to drop them a note saying hey, inviting them to the things that you're in, even if they haven't brought you in in a while. 00:31:29.412 --> 00:31:33.483 It's likely that they just haven't had anything for you. 00:31:33.483 --> 00:31:41.787 It's not like it's not that you did anything wrong or it's not that you're not talented or that you're not, like you know, a good actor. 00:31:41.787 --> 00:31:42.147 Yeah. 00:31:43.776 --> 00:31:44.096 I love that. 00:31:44.096 --> 00:31:46.424 We just heard maybe a cab honking in the background. 00:31:46.424 --> 00:31:49.524 It might get blurred out in post, but everybody there was a cab. 00:31:49.524 --> 00:31:51.860 This is so New York for my LA people listening. 00:31:52.021 --> 00:31:53.625 I know, I know yeah. 00:31:54.655 --> 00:31:55.860 Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you, though. 00:31:56.174 --> 00:31:57.999 No no, no, no, I'm on a. 00:31:57.999 --> 00:32:03.229 This is a very quiet place room that I'm in, but I am looking out a window. 00:32:04.596 --> 00:32:07.163 Oh well, that's probably why the lighting's so good yeah that's nice. 00:32:07.183 --> 00:32:12.767 Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's underrated too is just also taking a moment as creative people to look out the window. 00:32:12.767 --> 00:32:16.945 I know that sounds kind of silly and woo-woo, but I talk about that a bit on here. 00:32:16.945 --> 00:32:25.739 I just feel like being bored is a little underrated these days. 00:32:25.739 --> 00:32:26.040 I think so too. 00:32:26.040 --> 00:32:27.184 Yeah, you know, yeah, and we should create our own things. 00:32:27.184 --> 00:32:37.274 And at the same time, don't forget that that sometimes, like the seeds are planted for something creative because you're just like sitting in the grass, you know so, anyway, that's where my brain goes there, but you were talking about the long cave. 00:32:37.315 --> 00:32:42.237 Yeah, yes, and I'm going to keep talking about that, and I also just want to add to what you're saying. 00:32:42.237 --> 00:33:03.742 I set up my like I set up my remote workspace to look out, to look out the window so that I can like look up and like look out and and just yeah, and just take moments to just see at the trees and look at the pretty houses and the architecture. 00:33:03.742 --> 00:33:06.023 Yeah, it's nice, but anyway, yeah. 00:33:06.023 --> 00:33:12.125 So the long game, one of the things, a strategy that I can't take credit for this. 00:33:12.205 --> 00:33:33.673 But another casting director, friend of mine, sujata Pace, I'm not sure, if you know her, yeah, she's wonderful, but she talks about like keeping lists, like, ok, my list of like immediate friends, family, and then, like the second column is like casting directors, agents, managers. 00:33:33.673 --> 00:33:38.753 And then, like the third column is like who haven't I been in touch with in like three, four or five years? 00:33:38.753 --> 00:33:42.637 Haven't I been in touch with in like three, four, five years? 00:33:42.637 --> 00:33:44.382 And who can I, who should I reach out to and like reconnect with you? 00:33:44.382 --> 00:33:46.867 Know, looking at those lists, like who knows what happens from that? 00:33:46.867 --> 00:34:54.351 Maybe nothing Again, keeping your expectations again genuine, and like the desire to reconnect with people that you've lost touch with? 00:34:54.351 --> 00:34:59.708 Maybe, but who knows, like maybe something does come from that you don't. 00:34:59.708 --> 00:35:13.869 You just don't know Like the number of times that, like I'll be like working on something and I just get a random email from someone that I haven't heard from in a really long time, like all of a sudden I'm like, oh yeah, that that person. 00:35:14.490 --> 00:35:14.730 Yeah. 00:35:15.190 --> 00:35:16.552 Jane Jane Right. 00:35:16.552 --> 00:35:29.882 Jane I love Jane, but I haven't, you know, haven't talked to Jane in a really long time and she, jane just so happened to like email and it just so happens to align with like something I'm working on and, great, I can bring Jane in for this thing. 00:35:34.985 --> 00:35:37.711 Just putting yourself out there is such a great lesson in itself, and I found that to be true too in my own life. 00:35:37.711 --> 00:35:58.099 Even sometimes, just responding to someone I know's Instagram story, it's like, oh hey, wait, the stars are aligning you, which can be. 00:35:58.099 --> 00:36:09.683 I hate to call them a stepping stone in the TV film world, because they're just a win in itself, but how do you think actors can kind of use those little little things to create memorable connections? 00:36:09.703 --> 00:36:17.349 Yeah, yeah, I think having those wins they are. 00:36:17.349 --> 00:36:17.889 They're wins. 00:36:17.889 --> 00:36:18.090 Like. 00:36:18.090 --> 00:36:44.673 It's always impressive to me when someone books a co-star and I'm always you know making sure again that you've got those things that you've shot like accessible somehow and letting people know like, hey, I'm on this TV show, you know I'm doing this. 00:36:46.826 --> 00:36:56.140 Anything that you're doing, making sure that you let people know that you're that it and just remembering it's not a bother. 00:36:56.140 --> 00:37:02.738 It's not a bother to remind people of who you are and what you're doing, especially when you have something going on. 00:37:02.738 --> 00:37:10.439 That's the best time to look at that list of folks that you haven't been in touch with in a while, making sure that they know what you're doing, that you're still around. 00:37:11.365 --> 00:37:23.936 And that's sort of what a social network is for right, it's to be

social, but don't forget to feed the other side too, which is to amp people up, champion them, and you know, maybe the underbelly of this, as we enter the fall and spooky season. 00:37:23.936 --> 00:37:29.981 Erica, without naming folks, I wonder can you share any horror stories or networking knots? 00:37:29.981 --> 00:37:39.267 What people should avoid doing people should avoid doing. 00:37:39.287 --> 00:37:40.049 What should people avoid doing? 00:37:40.049 --> 00:37:45.800 Well, okay, here's something that people should avoid doing. 00:37:45.800 --> 00:37:50.606 We all understand I'm always a little turned off when people say things like I need a job, or I want to. 00:37:50.606 --> 00:37:59.272 You know, I want to, you know, I want this, I know that, like we all know that already, you know, like I know. 00:37:59.272 --> 00:38:04.215 Or when people are defensive, like immediately defensive. 00:38:06.737 --> 00:38:14.582 It's really off-putting when I'm first meeting someone and I'm perceived as the bad guy because of my position. 00:38:14.582 --> 00:38:16.743 I'm very sensitive. 00:38:16.743 --> 00:38:26.615 Yeah, I'm a very sensitive person and I never have seen myself or I've never seen this job as like a. 00:38:26.615 --> 00:38:33.996 I've always seen my job as like a positive, and I think it's just because of how I work and how I work with my partners. 00:38:33.996 --> 00:38:42.195 I've been mentored to be generous, you know, and to be kind, and I didn't need to be mentored to do that. 00:38:42.195 --> 00:38:43.370 I'm already that person. 00:38:43.965 --> 00:39:04.649 But I know, and I also understand that that might not always be how other people move through the world, through the world, but the immediate impression that somehow, because of my position, I'm not going to be that, that there has to be a defensiveness, that's a little bit, that's a turnoff, it makes me not want to work. 00:39:04.649 --> 00:39:08.608 You know that that will make me not want to work with somebody. 00:39:08.608 --> 00:39:10.836 And then like yeah. 00:39:10.836 --> 00:39:13.828 And then like again, like what I said, like the sort of obvious, like well, I need a job. 00:39:13.828 --> 00:39:14.331 I'm like yeah, so so do I. 00:39:14.331 --> 00:39:16.585 You then like again, like what I said, like the sort of obvious, like well, I need a job Like yeah, so do I. 00:39:17.345 --> 00:39:18.848 We all do, we all need a job. 00:39:18.848 --> 00:39:21.993 Yeah, yeah, so like you know the trick or treat. 00:39:21.993 --> 00:39:22.694 I need a job. 00:39:22.694 --> 00:39:23.356 Trick or treat. 00:39:23.396 --> 00:39:37.211 I need a job, yeah, like I need a job yeah, we all need jobs that are positive, which is like, again, like showing genuine curiosity and asking questions and like being you know. 00:39:37.211 --> 00:39:45.596 Like you know, we have a you know, we have a play on Broadway right now Purpose, and which run, don't walk everyone. 00:39:45.776 --> 00:39:50.749

Yeah, try to get there before it closes, it's so good, so good, so good Deserves all the acclaim. 00:39:51.130 --> 00:39:58.500 Yeah, it's so good and, like you know, anytime anybody wants to talk to me about that because they loved it so much, you know I'm like, yes, I will talk to you about that. 00:39:58.500 --> 00:40:09.940 And finding those ways of connection, you know, like finding ways to connect that are not just about the industry, you know like I'm always happy to do that, you know. 00:40:11.725 --> 00:40:12.807 Yeah, I love that so much. 00:40:12.807 --> 00:40:24.321 First of all, I'm so grateful that you lead with kindness and that you are generous and that you enjoy questions, because we can put that generosity to the test with all these questions we have from our listeners and our Casting Networks users. 00:40:24.321 --> 00:40:29.250 Great, they sent in a flurry of cues here just for you and we got a lot. 00:40:29.250 --> 00:40:31.633 I had to pick some everybody, I'm sorry. 00:40:31.633 --> 00:40:36.979 I tried to pick the most common ones and I thought we could just try and answer them in a little flash round, if you're down, okay. 00:40:37.019 --> 00:40:37.359 I'm down. 00:40:37.539 --> 00:40:38.140 Yep Okay. 00:40:38.140 --> 00:40:44.012 The first one is from Janet at Janet's underscore. 00:40:44.012 --> 00:40:49.265 Life simply wants to know how can I not hate networking so much? 00:40:49.265 --> 00:40:50.829 I'm an introvert. 00:40:50.829 --> 00:40:52.111 Help me, Erica. 00:40:53.674 --> 00:40:55.497 I know I'm a little bit of an introvert myself. 00:40:55.497 --> 00:41:21.613 So one of the things that I try to do again is I, if I want to, if I'm, if I'm curious about meeting somebody, what I do, what I encourage, is doing a little research about that person beforehand and then having something like in my pocket to say or ask, ask, you know, ask that person, get that conversation started in a way that um again takes the pressure off of me. 00:41:21.613 --> 00:41:25.643 Um and um again. 00:41:25.643 --> 00:41:46.676 I know I've repeated this a million times now, but just leading with curiosity, um and um, if you find that you're like in a such like, you know, like you're in a situation where like, say, you've just seen a play, for example, and then you see somebody that you want to meet, you've already got an in right there, you know, like you're both at the same play and you get to talk and you can talk to them about the play. 00:41:46.805 --> 00:41:56.646 You can just say hey, I really liked, you know, you can compliment them on their thing and then talk about the play, and that's genuine, that's authentic. 00:41:57.147 --> 00:41:57.307 Yeah. 00:41:58.048 --> 00:42:00.369 Yeah, so I think that there's just ways to. 00:42:00.369 --> 00:42:11.338 I so relate to this because I am also someone who is very introverted be very quiet. 00:42:11.338 --> 00:42:26.412 You know I can be very shy about like approaching people, but finding

that in just finding that way that like feels you know that's excellent advice. 00:42:26.432 --> 00:42:27.999 Good, yeah, yeah, I once heard to listen for the weird thing. 00:42:28.019 --> 00:42:30.588 So when you're talking to somebody, oh I love that, listen for the weird thing. 00:42:30.588 --> 00:42:35.947 If they say, oh, I just took the subway here and there was, you know, someone in a Santa suit did this. 00:42:35.947 --> 00:42:37.549 But anyway, I'm going to this later. 00:42:37.549 --> 00:42:40.813 It's like wait, someone in a Santa suit Tell me about sort of like listen for the weird thing. 00:42:40.813 --> 00:42:48.121 And that's a nice tangible way, if you're feeling a little awkward or shy, to just like play that own game in your head and be curious. 00:42:48.765 --> 00:42:49.286 I love that. 00:42:49.286 --> 00:42:50.608 I'm going to write that down. 00:42:50.608 --> 00:42:52.211 Listen for the weird thing oh, okay. 00:42:52.231 --> 00:42:55.756 Well, I've already written down mentally like 80 things you've said, so this will be nice trade. 00:42:55.756 --> 00:42:59.322 Our next question is from eliza and emma, I believe. 00:42:59.322 --> 00:43:05.313 Hello the at d o u c e at duquette dot twins. 00:43:05.313 --> 00:43:09.420 How can we break the ice and approach people organically? 00:43:10.867 --> 00:43:13.511 how can you break the ice and approach people organically? 00:43:13.511 --> 00:43:55.899 Well, again, I think it just depends on who they are knowing something about them before you go in, like before you meet them, making sure you've done your research, making sure that you again, like, have questions no-transcript to get. 00:43:55.853 --> 00:43:56.077 That's going to go a long way. 00:43:56.077 --> 00:44:02.857 Yeah, oh, I love that follow up with gratitude and I I think too there's something to be said for that old trick and maybe somebody listening hasn't heard it, so I'll just say it of repeating someone's name when you first meet them. 00:44:02.857 --> 00:44:11.689 Yes, so it's sort of like, after you walk away, take a moment to to follow up on your own brain and just say, oh, okay, that person was this and they do this and that's a human. 00:44:11.689 --> 00:44:17.597 I now know on this green and blue circle that we're on so well, speaking of sort of this. 00:44:17.597 --> 00:44:21.181 Our next question is from my friend, jake underscore S30. 00:44:21.181 --> 00:44:26.337 What's the best way to network virtually with agents and casting directors? 00:44:26.337 --> 00:44:30.336 You touched on that a little bit, but anything tangible there? 00:44:31.025 --> 00:44:33.835 Well listen, email is your friend. 00:44:33.835 --> 00:44:47.285 Well listen, email is your friend. 00:44:47.305 --> 00:44:50.467 And so, I think, one of the things that you can do is utilize, like, using online services, you know, like casting networks, for example. 00:44:50.467 --> 00:44:51.047 Everybody have a cookie. 00:44:51.047 --> 00:44:51.427 Take

a little shot. 00:44:51.427 --> 00:44:51.687 There we go. 00:44:51.708 --> 00:45:16.280 Yes, and when you see something that you want to be seen for, for example, finding out, like who's the casting director or finding out who's the director, or finding out who's the playwright, and using email to you know hit them up directly and you know and see where that, see how, see if, if there's room for you to be seen, for you to audition. 00:45:16.980 --> 00:45:17.861 That's really smart. 00:45:18.201 --> 00:45:19.001 Yeah, I think it. 00:45:19.001 --> 00:45:23.023 I do think that's smart, I think that I think that that can like really help. 00:45:27.965 --> 00:45:28.446 I think so too. 00:45:28.446 --> 00:45:30.953 I want to, before you move on to your next bullet. 00:45:30.953 --> 00:45:31.755 There, I might be about this. 00:45:31.755 --> 00:45:33.900 Forgive me if it is, but what's your ideal cold email. 00:45:33.900 --> 00:45:37.492 Do you like like a little sentence, sort of like pitch of who someone is in in a human way? 00:45:37.492 --> 00:45:45.293 Do you like it just be quick and say hey, I saw you're doing this, would love to pick your brain, yeah totally, uh, yeah, um, uh, I love the um. 00:45:45.494 --> 00:45:50.767 Hey, I saw that you're doing this um and I really love this because I love. 00:45:50.767 --> 00:45:55.894 You know I have a connection to this material because you know there's some reason. 00:45:55.894 --> 00:46:00.321 You know I really feel connected to this character and I'd love to be seen for it. 00:46:00.321 --> 00:46:05.838 Now I will offer this doesn't work on every casting director. 00:46:05.838 --> 00:46:13.556 There are some casting directors who don't want you to tell them what you want to be seen for, like the specific role, because they want to make the determination role because they want to make the determination. 00:46:13.997 --> 00:46:28.880 So I would say that, like for some people, just you know, I think maybe keeping it at like I saw that you're casting this, I, I, I would really love, love to be seen for this, um, uh, yeah, I think that that's. 00:46:28.880 --> 00:46:29.482 I think. 00:46:29.482 --> 00:46:33.929 Just, I think going that route it doesn't mean that you are going to get the audition, but it does. 00:46:33.929 --> 00:46:42.060 But just making that effort is, um, it's better than not um yeah, getting on the radar. 00:46:42.181 --> 00:46:48.678 You know you never know who's going to see you on the sonar radar and call you in, but just like keep being on that little screen with the little beeps and the green and the. 00:46:48.698 --> 00:46:57.890 I don't know what I'm talking about now yeah, yeah, but in terms of um, I think the question maybe I don't know if I answered the question exactly I think about online. 00:46:57.890 --> 00:47:03.954 I want to just say that I do think having a social media presence can be useful. 00:47:03.954 --> 00:47:10.938 I think is, again, it has to be, it has to be approached authentically. 00:47:10.938 --> 00:47:41.191 If you like social media and you want to be on social media sharing work that you do Like, if you're particularly like I see a lot of musical theater people posting like themselves singing songs or like playing instruments, or I also will see actors who posted, maybe, auditions that they've had as examples of their work, and I think that that can be useful and as long as that feels authentic for you. 00:47:41.251 --> 00:48:06.648 I don't I'm not asking everybody to run out and have a social media presence, but if you do, the other thing that you need to make sure that you do is for every post that you do, that you post, everything that you post, post about yourself make sure you uplift two or three other um, other other people or things that you you know that, that you really enjoy that, speak to your values. 00:48:06.648 --> 00:48:18.484 Um, that yeah, so that you're, so that you're continuing to again think more broadly, think in like a more human way. 00:48:18.484 --> 00:48:18.986 Yeah. 00:48:19.447 --> 00:48:30.939 And not only is that kind, but technically, I believe all these social media platforms value that in the algorithm, so it actually helps get it's sort of like the science of kindness. 00:48:30.939 --> 00:48:38.915 It helps get your stuff out there, like kindness always gives back and it's not why you do it, but it's a reason, another reason why you like, why not and why not? 00:48:38.915 --> 00:48:43.094 The next question actually has to do with social media, which is from Andrew Azuna. 00:48:43.094 --> 00:48:44.157 Ooh, I love that name. 00:48:44.157 --> 00:48:50.947 Andrew wants to know is it okay to DM folks on Instagram that are maybe more well-known in the industry? 00:48:52.829 --> 00:49:05.137 Uh, you know, I think that you can, but it doesn't, but just but, but, but again, like it, it's there and you know, I think social media makes the world a little smaller. 00:49:05.137 --> 00:49:09.414 We do have access, you know, maybe in a way that we didn't before you. 00:49:09.414 --> 00:49:15.551 You have access to folks who are participating on social media in a way that you didn't, that we, that we haven't before. 00:49:15.551 --> 00:49:19.957 It doesn't mean that you're going to hear back, you know. 00:49:19.957 --> 00:49:45.090 So I think, as long as you're again approaching things with like, you're being authentic and kind and leading with like and leading with something that's positive, you know, but I wouldn't like, I wouldn't say that that that should be your, your, your, your. 00:49:45.090 --> 00:49:46.353 You know a habit that you. 00:49:47.616 --> 00:49:48.318 That makes sense. 00:49:48.318 --> 00:49:49.650 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:49:49.650 --> 00:49:52.752 Well, thank you, erica, and thank you all for submitting your cues. 00:49:52.752 --> 00:49:56.030 You can submit them via Casting Networks or at Rob Peterpaul. 00:49:56.030 --> 00:49:57.471 Hey, I'll accept

them as well. 00:49:57.471 --> 00:50:06.855 You co-founded a wonderful organization that I do want to shout out, that does a lot of what we've talked about here today, which I believe is called she Collective. 00:50:06.855 --> 00:50:10.515 It's a creative, safe space for women and non-binary folks. 00:50:10.515 --> 00:50:25.002 Thank you for your work there, first of all, and I wonder what lessons about trust-based networking from that experience do you think can apply to all actors when they go to meet new people professionally? 00:50:25.045 --> 00:51:01.401 I wonder if you've seen any lessons come out of your work there why, why I started she collective was to create a safe space, you know, for for women and non-binary people, um, uh, to um be able to, you know, explore their work and um, work in a, in a way where they, you know, where they felt like they were being supported, um and um, and they can be a little bit more fearless perhaps, um, but um, uh, and. 00:51:01.401 --> 00:51:16.840 And the thing that I really that I really want to emphasize, what thing that I emphasize with she collective again, is community building and um, and trying to relieve the transactional nature of the business. 00:51:17.105 --> 00:51:29.561 You know, like I again like I just feel like when you're working from that space, when everything's transactional, it just feels it does. 00:51:29.561 --> 00:51:31.172 It feels it doesn't feel good. 00:51:31.172 --> 00:51:34.587 It doesn't feel good to work that way and it feels like you have to. 00:51:34.587 --> 00:51:43.886 You're constantly bending yourself to be what other people want you to be If you're, if you're working from that space. 00:51:43.886 --> 00:51:59.390 And so I want the, I want the folks who come to me through she and take classes which at she Collective and take classes at she Collective, and want them to feel like they are connecting with their authentic self and that that's enough. 00:51:59.990 --> 00:52:24.817 Like being yourself is you're going to find the people who want to work with you and who you want to work with you know and not, and again, like relieving that idea of the trend of, of of it all being transactional, I just, yeah, I don't, I don't like it and I don't think that and I don't think I'm being naive, you know. 00:52:24.817 --> 00:52:28.158 I think that there's like I understand what this industry is. 00:52:28.158 --> 00:52:37.860 I don't want to sound like you know, I'm not like you know, I get it, but at the same time, I do think that we can operate differently. 00:52:37.860 --> 00:52:40.441 And if more of us are operating differently, then things change. 00:52:41.121 --> 00:52:52.505 Yeah, I love that so much too, because even as actors it's sort of like don't audition to get the job because you're going to get something in a transaction, audition because it's a chance to do what you love to do yeah. 00:52:52.505 --> 00:52:58.588 So it sort of puts the emphasis on the passion, the

people, versus maybe you know, getting something, yeah. 00:52:58.588 --> 00:53:20.778 Oh, okay, random, but you said when you were acting you didn't feel like you were very good at auditioning and I would feel remiss not to ask you when I have you here, since you coach a lot about auditioning, I'm wondering what you see most of all being on the other side now and I guess what your sort of number one just audition tip in general is for actors. 00:53:21.559 --> 00:53:21.819 Yeah. 00:53:22.099 --> 00:53:23.399 I'm sure you never got that question. 00:53:23.760 --> 00:53:28.602 No, well, ok, the reason why I wasn't good at auditioning, I think, is because I would get. 00:53:28.602 --> 00:53:42.530 I would just get so nervous that I would fall asleep, like I would fall asleep in the audition, like in the waiting room. 00:53:42.530 --> 00:53:43.092 Oh, literally fall asleep. 00:53:43.092 --> 00:53:43.614 Literally fall asleep. 00:53:43.614 --> 00:53:44.356 Yeah, I would just like pass out. 00:53:44.376 --> 00:53:49.928 And like I think that I think auditioning for me, I think, um, I I really loved, I really enjoyed being an actor in the bubble of graduate school. 00:53:49.928 --> 00:54:02.582 When I got out into the world of New York City and I saw what it, what, like the kind of stamina you have to have, I realized that that wasn't for me. 00:54:02.582 --> 00:54:35.367 So I think that's more what I meant when I said I wasn't good at auditioning the, what you need, the stamina and the, and the continued like looking for work and looking for someone to just see you, like trying to find things to audition for and then balancing that with like a survival job, like that was like I just realized it just wasn't what I, how I wanted to move, like it just wasn't like what I could. 00:54:35.367 --> 00:54:43.800 I couldn't do it and just the day to day of that was just very hard for me. 00:54:57.425 --> 00:55:10.967 When I see actors who can navigate all of that and who are prepared, you know, because they've read the script, they've they've researched who's in the room, they have they just feel they have like a real passion for what they're doing, people who just love what they're doing and you can see it and you can feel it. 00:55:10.967 --> 00:55:16.035 You can feel it when somebody comes in and they've made choices, they they're, they're excited to be there. 00:55:16.035 --> 00:55:19.099 Um, um, you know it is. 00:55:19.099 --> 00:55:23.045 They see it as an opportunity rather than like a hassle. 00:55:23.045 --> 00:55:26.030 You know um and and um. 00:55:26.030 --> 00:55:30.178 So that's, those are the things that like that I love. 00:55:30.178 --> 00:55:45.361 I love that kind of energy, you know, and you can see it in people's self tapes, like if someone, if, like if I have a lot of, if I have somebody who I've invited to like send a tape in like a few times and I keep getting the same response back, like there's always like a reason why they can't. 00:55:46.005 --> 00:55:53.069 Then I then I sort of feel like maybe that person just doesn't want to, maybe this isn't the what they should be, maybe they're, maybe they're. 00:55:53.069 --> 00:55:54.313 They don't want to do this. 00:55:55.385 --> 00:55:56.067 They can't prioritize it. 00:55:56.087 --> 00:56:01.345 Yeah, if you can't prior, yeah, if you can't prioritize it, then I'm not judging, that's fine. 00:56:01.345 --> 00:56:06.456 But then you have to kind of look at your life like, okay, do I want to do this, like for real? 00:56:06.476 --> 00:56:09.850 um because it's just because it is. 00:56:09.910 --> 00:56:17.588 It's just harder than when I started, like this is, this is a lot harder, like having to make tapes um, that's hard. 00:56:17.588 --> 00:56:19.008 I know how hard that is. 00:56:19.008 --> 00:56:20.289 Like I understand that. 00:56:20.289 --> 00:56:21.190 That's like really hard. 00:56:21.190 --> 00:56:27.174 It's harder than just getting like an appointment and then showing up. 00:56:28.054 --> 00:56:45.247 You know it makes me wonder, to kind of like come full circle a bit, because a lot of the questions and the other ones I have for you I think do come back to just that authenticity leading with kindness, being yourself, sort of, if it feels like something you're proud of. 00:56:45.247 --> 00:56:55.521 If you wouldn't, let's say, be embarrassed if somebody screenshotting the email and posting it you know not that anyone's going to do that If it feels authentic to you, then that's probably the way to go and to trust in. 00:56:56.346 --> 00:57:14.632 I think a lot of the business things and even little pieces of advice that we run with that maybe make sense can put pressure on us, and so I just wonder what do you think is a good way to recenter yourself as an actor, now that we've talked about all of this, and allow yourself to then shine through in your interactions and in your work? 00:57:15.585 --> 00:57:16.747 Yeah, okay. 00:57:16.747 --> 00:57:32.027 So one of the things I think is finding the ways that you care for yourself, like the self-care you know, like self-care is such a big thing, right, yeah, but it's true. 00:57:32.027 --> 00:57:57.338 Like finding ways to like and also your relationship with auditioning, because that is so much of what you're doing, like you hope at least like as an actor, reframing how you think about auditioning, reframing how you think about self tapes you know like, and seeing it more as an opportunity rather than like a hassle. 00:57:57.338 --> 00:57:57.998 How? 00:57:58.038 --> 00:57:58.218 do you? 00:57:58.258 --> 00:58:09.730 make it like, how do you make it something that's not terrible, you know, like, maybe, like again, like going back to like OK, I have this self tape I have to do. 00:58:09.730 --> 00:58:19.398 Maybe I have some friends around who can help me with that, and that way it's a little bit more, it might be a little bit more fun, um, um, uh. 00:58:19.398 -->

00:58:58.095 So, yeah, I just think that there's like, yeah, making things fun, um, you can't always make it fun, but finding ways that, uh, that help you reset your mind, and again, you're not always going to be successful at that, right, you're going to have like just bad days, that's just the way it is, but not living in that space all the time, you know, like I wonder how we can all not live in, like, if that is not the constant. 00:58:59.086 --> 00:59:04.018 And if it is the constant, then maybe just take a step back and say, hey, do I still want to do this? 00:59:04.018 --> 00:59:07.172 It's OK if you don't want to do it anymore. 00:59:07.814 --> 00:59:08.055 Yeah. 00:59:08.625 --> 00:59:09.689 You can give yourself a break. 00:59:09.689 --> 00:59:10.732 Let yourself off the hook. 00:59:11.394 --> 00:59:19.996 Yeah, you know, take a break and also find it's OK if you don't want to do it the way you've been doing it anymore too. 00:59:19.996 --> 00:59:31.587 You know, I think a lot of us get stuck in this ring light backdrop situation now, and I mean, for the first time in a long time, I had a scene recently where the person was sitting on a bed eating cake, and so you know what? 00:59:31.587 --> 00:59:46.856 I put my backdrop behind me on the bed and I did it, and then I got a callback because it felt it was more fun for me and I mean, I think there's something to be said everybody for maybe, like breaking the rules a little bit sometimes and making it your own in a professional sense. 00:59:46.856 --> 00:59:53.439 So I love everything you're sharing and you know, speaking of that self-care, I got to go on my daily walk soon and let you go. 00:59:53.520 --> 00:59:56.962 But before we do, erica, can we play a very quick surprise game? 00:59:56.962 --> 00:59:59.823 Sure, do-do-do-do-do-do. 00:59:59.823 --> 01:00:01.451 I know we didn't know where that was going to build to. 01:00:01.451 --> 01:00:04.091 We're like what we're at the top of the coaster now. 01:00:04.091 --> 01:00:13.777 This is called Casting Keywords and basically I'm going to name a keyword or a phrase that you're going very familiar with as a phenomenal casting director. 01:00:13.777 --> 01:00:22.686 You just tell me the first piece of tangible advice for actors that pops into your brain and we'll move through it kind of quick if that's cool. 01:00:23.147 --> 01:00:23.969 I'll try yes. 01:00:23.969 --> 01:00:25.413 I know that I talk a lot. 01:00:25.774 --> 01:00:26.295 You'll succeed. 01:00:26.295 --> 01:00:27.237 Oh, you can talk a lot. 01:00:27.237 --> 01:00:28.348 I just want to respect your time. 01:00:28.348 --> 01:00:29.953 So do you talk as much as you want, please. 01:00:29.953 --> 01:00:34.310 You're blessing us all, okay, so the first one we have here is headshots. 01:00:37.095 --> 01:00:38.036 Look like you want a good day. 01:00:38.918 --> 01:00:39.419 Oh, I love that. 01:00:43.115 --> 01:00:48.949 The slate Name, height, location, and usually it's great if it's

separate from. 01:00:48.949 --> 01:01:02.779 I usually like it if the slate is separate from the and it's very OK if you have like a slate that you've created and you want to just tack that on to your. 01:01:02.779 --> 01:01:03.880 Yeah. 01:01:04.441 --> 01:01:05.061 I think that's fine. 01:01:05.061 --> 01:01:06.202 Yeah, that's a great idea. 01:01:06.202 --> 01:01:06.662 I love that. 01:01:06.662 --> 01:01:10.013 Ok, yeah, breaking down a breakdown as an actor. 01:01:11.666 --> 01:01:13.994 OK, so breakdowns this is good. 01:01:13.994 --> 01:01:16.795 Okay, so breakdowns this is good, depending on what it is. 01:01:16.795 --> 01:01:25.939 Make sure that you, if it's a Broadway show, there's a big likelihood that a lot of those roles have already been cast or there's offers out on the roles. 01:01:25.939 --> 01:01:30.901 That should not stop you from like going to the EPA. 01:01:30.901 --> 01:01:36.323 Always go to EPAs for everything If you know. 01:01:36.323 --> 01:01:42.114 But like if it's like if it's a regional job, there might be some offers that have already gone out on some of the roles. 01:01:42.114 --> 01:01:47.335 You should always, but you should always pursue because you don't know exactly what's happening with it. 01:01:47.335 --> 01:01:48.927 But go to EPAs. 01:01:48.927 --> 01:01:50.228 People Just go to EPAs. 01:01:50.228 --> 01:01:50.449 You know. 01:01:50.449 --> 01:01:58.920 If you can make sure, you go, yeah, that's a way to like, that's a way to expand again, that's a way to expand your network, expand your community yeah, I love that, and then it's a. 01:01:59.120 --> 01:02:02.700 It's a free way usually too, you know, although it costs your time and your energy. 01:02:02.700 --> 01:02:04.547 But I love that, always, always pursue. 01:02:04.547 --> 01:02:09.962 I think that's brilliant, taking adjustments taking adjustments. 01:02:10.323 --> 01:02:12.609 Okay, make sure you take the adjustment like you know. 01:02:12.609 --> 01:02:15.317 Yeah, just do it like make sure that you the adjustment. 01:02:15.317 --> 01:02:23.151 Just do it Like make sure that you do If you're given an adjustment and you don't understand, make sure you ask the question. 01:02:23.151 --> 01:02:25.152 Ask for more details. 01:02:25.152 --> 01:02:27.853 You know that's the hardest thing. 01:02:27.853 --> 01:02:34.636 I think for me is like watching someone get an adjustment and then they don't do it. 01:02:34.636 --> 01:02:39.530 And it's probably because they just don't understand what the director's saying, but they don't want to ask. 01:02:40.112 --> 01:02:41.856 Yeah, don't be afraid to ask. 01:02:41.896 --> 01:02:43.289 Don't be afraid to ask the audition. 01:02:43.289 --> 01:02:45.519 It's your audition, so make sure that you ask. 01:02:46.061 --> 01:02:46.724 I love that so much. 01:02:46.724 --> 01:02:47.726 It goes back to curiosity. 01:02:47.726 --> 01:02:48.748 I wonder. 01:02:48.748 --> 01:02:52.734 Okay, the next word here is improv, so I wonder what you think about that. 01:02:52.774 --> 01:02:54.236 Yes, yes, yes, yes. 01:02:54.236 --> 01:02:56.739 Okay, improv, um, this is a good one. 01:02:56.739 --> 01:03:04.999 Um, I think, making sure that you honor the writer's words writers want to hear what they've written. 01:03:04.999 --> 01:03:11.237 Um, if you want to improv something like right at the end, um that's okay. 01:03:11.237 --> 01:03:12.039 Sometimes. 01:03:12.039 --> 01:03:15.889 If there's like a little improv at the beginning to get you into the scene, that's okay too. 01:03:15.889 --> 01:03:19.612 That can be okay. 01:03:19.612 --> 01:03:26.720 If you're given definite like strict permission, strict permission to improvise something, then please go with it. 01:03:26.720 --> 01:03:28.101 You know, make sure that you do. 01:03:28.101 --> 01:03:39.754 I think that I think improvving happens a lot in like commercials and some TV shows. 01:03:39.754 --> 01:03:43.284 Like sometimes they'll give you like an opportunity to improvise on it for TV. 01:03:43.846 --> 01:03:46.734 Not so much with theater, you know, yeah, yeah. 01:03:47.236 --> 01:03:51.268 Yeah, we don't do too much improvising at theater, although sometimes like an EPA. 01:03:51.309 --> 01:03:53.836 if you're in person, you got to improvise if something happens in the room. 01:03:53.836 --> 01:04:01.255 You know if, like, the ceiling falls down, if there's a leak I've kind of seen it all If someone's granola bar falls out of their mouth, I think it's okay to address it. 01:04:02.026 --> 01:04:02.728 I think that's okay. 01:04:02.728 --> 01:04:05.976 Yes, please, yeah, don't pretend like things aren't happening around you. 01:04:06.925 --> 01:04:09.467 Yeah, cause people people aren't doing that that are on Broadway shows. 01:04:09.467 --> 01:04:09.947 You know the. 01:04:09.947 --> 01:04:14.970 I saw a show recently where the lamp prop shattered on stage and they had to make a little bit of a bit out of it. 01:04:14.970 --> 01:04:20.694 So, yeah, try to be present in that way, and I have so enjoyed being present with you. 01:04:20.694 --> 01:04:29.320 Before I let you go, I would just love if you could give us the best piece of advice that you've gotten and then have to give. 01:04:29.320 --> 01:04:33.502 So we always end with a gotten and a given, if that makes sense in this industry. 01:04:34.143 --> 01:04:39.069 Okay, let me see the best piece of advice that I've gotten. 01:04:39.069 --> 01:04:41.314 Oh, that's so hard, oh gosh. 01:04:41.654 --> 01:04:42.556 I know, these are big ones. 01:04:42.997 --> 01:04:43.679 These are big ones. 01:04:43.805 --> 01:04:49.585 Best piece of advice I've gotten is In this moment too, you reserve the right to change your mind. 01:04:50.326 --> 01:04:56.429 Yeah Is about mostly, I think, like advice that's around. 01:04:56.429 --> 01:04:58.050 Maybe this is both. 01:04:58.050 --> 01:05:17.801 You know this is answers for both, but like the right thing comes, you know, like the when you are present and when you are at, you know, maybe like at your most quiet. 01:05:17.801 --> 01:05:38.100 You know, and if you're listening, if you're paying attention, then you know the things that are right for you will come, and sometimes it might feel like the wrong thing, but maybe there's always learning in whatever comes right. 01:05:39.346 --> 01:05:40.311 Oh, I love that so much. 01:05:40.385 --> 01:05:47.009 Yeah, there's always learning in whatever comes, and sometimes you're not going to get this role that you're dying to get. 01:05:47.009 --> 01:05:50.926 Or, for me, maybe I'm not going to get this job that I really, really want. 01:05:50.926 --> 01:06:07.734 It's going to go to somebody else, and I believe that that's because things land where they're supposed to land, and it just means that there's going to be space for me for the thing that is right for me. 01:06:08.015 --> 01:06:12.665 Yeah, and the prep you sort of did for that meeting or that audition is going to come in handy one day down the road. 01:06:12.665 --> 01:06:13.644 It's going to come in handy somewhere down the road, yeah. 01:06:13.622 --> 01:06:13.916 Yeah, I love that. 01:06:13.916 --> 01:06:15.410 My nanny always says come in handy one day down the road, it's going to come in handy somewhere down the road. 01:06:15.410 --> 01:06:15.527 Yeah. 01:06:15.845 --> 01:06:16.507 Yeah, I love that. 01:06:16.507 --> 01:06:18.774 My nanny always says watch what comes into the void. 01:06:18.774 --> 01:06:27.874 Yes, I think it's nice to just sort of let things come to you sometimes while you're proactively, you know, following your dream and doing what you love and speaking of. 01:06:27.874 --> 01:06:34.716 I loved listening to my friend Jennifer Apple's podcast with you Empowered Artists Collective, so I want to shout that out as I was preparing for this. 01:06:34.716 --> 01:06:38.722 That was such a great conversation as well, and I hope you enjoyed this one. 01:06:38.722 --> 01:06:44.593 Erica, Thank you just for enriching this community by being you and leading with kindness. 01:06:44.593 --> 01:06:45.415 We're lucky to have you. 01:06:45.965 --> 01:06:47.270 Well, thank you so much for having me. 01:06:47.270 --> 01:06:48.254 This was so much fun. 01:06:48.254 --> 01:06:49.489 I love talking about this. 01:06:49.489 --> 01:06:50.453 Thank you, oh, I'm glad. 01:06:50.745 --> 01:06:51.868 We'll come back anytime.