The Actor's Essential Checklist: Mastering the 'Boring Bits' Between Gigs - Ep 43

INTRO: 00:01
Two unemployed actors. Two unemployment actors. They're just between Welcome back to Two Unemployed Actors.

MAX: 00:12
I'm Max. I'm Sam. And we have a great show for you today. Of course. Talking about the boring bits. Now, before you switch off, uh boring bits as in what to do when you're not on set. And I know with the COVID lockdown, there's plenty of time to spend alone thinking about what it was like and reminiscing about life on set and the past, the distant past. So what can we be doing to help sharpen up our bits and pieces to make sure that when we're when everything is go and where auditions are coming in and set life is returning, um, we're primed and ready to take advantage of those opportunities. Yes. And what we're watching. And someone was on set recently. It wasn't Fred.

SAM: 00:54
It was me.

MAX: 00:56
So it'll be interesting to find out what you've been up to. So I guess to start off, because it's very apparent, like that with lot, not a lot of I mean, I've been doing voiceovers. I can't get my words out. Don't be that person today. Uh I've been doing lots of voiceovers lately, and that's great. So it's kept me in that sort of acting and sort of tech space as well. But I thought it's time for a refresh. So as this episode goes out into the atmosphere, the podcasting world, our rebrand is launched. And so I've been doing lots of exciting things like HTML and CSS coding and stuff. Had a micro sleeve just then. Uh but it's actually fun. I enjoy that bit. And but it's the boring stuff behind the scenes. It's the boring stuff behind the scenes that makes it sort of work, brings it all together. So it made me think there's stuff that we need to do as actors to have in our little toolkit, you know, the the head shots and that sort of stuff. But things like for me, like updating the show reel. Um, have I added uh do I want to do a self-tape and make it fresh in a certain like put some more drama in? Um have I added my latest work? I haven't put the interrogation in. No. Um, you know, so you know, maybe it's a TV C or it's a short film.

SAM: 02:09
Yeah, sure.

MAX: 02:10
Uh, or even just to re-edit it to keep it fresh and have a cut-down version you can chuck on social, or so there's stuff you can do when work's not coming in that can really help. Sure. And update the profiles. Okay, here's the profiles updated last week. IMDB. I actually did that on Friday with extra photos, so you can check it out and see how amazing it is. Um or or isn't Showcast and Casting Networks, a couple of Australian databases that that are used to cast, and agents certainly said you need those as a minimum. 100%. And a lot of the auditions, I mean, I've got an audition for Friday, Thursday, which came through on email, but normally it's through um one of those two platforms. YouTube, Vimeo, my socials, make sure they're all up to date. Uh voices.com is something extra for me because I do voices. Because I'm different. Um so like that when you start to list them, it's like, gosh, there's so much you have to do now.

SAM: 03:03
Yeah, half of it's business though. Business side of it. There's a business side of acting, you know.

MAX: 03:07
And and you just gotta make sure that you know you're you're available, like it's you're easy to find online, and when they do find your website or whatever it is, you're absolutely up to date. You know, all the links work.

SAM: 03:21
Um yeah, if you you want to be the first link when they someone searches your name.

MAX: 03:26
Yes, that's and for good reasons not when you got arrested or any of that sort of stuff.

SAM: 03:30
Yeah, it's gonna be a good, it's gonna I mean either one's exposure, isn't it? Any anything's exposure. All publicity is good publicity.

MAX: 03:37
At least I know who you're in the in the new world of virtue signalling, you'll be called out for all sorts of stuff. Uh new headshots. I I actually thought I might go and get some new headshots because I use Sally Fleg photography. Yes. Subtle plug there. You're welcome, Sally. And I know just last week, all these actors that I was following, been following, um, were there and getting fresh headshots, or at least publicising their latest headshots through Sally Fleg, and I'm like, oh, that just reminds me, I've got to get in there. And I'm thinking more like because I've got out of the last lot, certainly I've been doing lots of the businessman, policeman, father. That's great, but maybe it's time to do, you know, the criminal, get the hoodie, do it, do a darker shot. Yeah. Shadow across the face. I've got more character shots, is what I'm trying to say. Because um the ones I've got are helping me to sort of get roles that are kind of familiar to me. Yeah. But I think it's time to get in and have a few, like three or four different sort of character shots just to make it a bit more real. Yeah, sure. And a bit more diversity on my on my um platforms. Update the C V. Oh, that was a fun moment. Because I've got my CV in. For some reason, I do it in Adobe, I think. And so I've I've moved it all around and line them all up, and I'm a bit of a I I like to get the details right, correct. Yeah, and it's got to be line and lots of stuff. I'll put the grid lines on. I I recently added I mean that is the boring bit of the boring bit of update.

SAM: 05:02
I recently added a bio to my showcast, so you can add your bio PDF that people can download or look at. So I recently added one of those good like two or three paragraphs of just like about me.

MAX: 05:12
Because sometimes you're right, they just want to print out that and a headshot, and then there you go, and there's a whole stack for whoever. That's perfect. And if it helps it, even if help wants to get a role, it's worth it.

SAM: 05:22
Yeah, exactly.

MAX: 05:23
So yes, update CVs and and the and the old make sure you've got a few headshot copies in your in your bag, along with a couple of copies of your CVs. I've been there several times where have you got a CV or headshot? And yeah, here's both, you know. And other people still stand there going, that's what I should have done. Yeah. I should have listened to two unemployed actors taken notes and actioned it. Uh then I wouldn't be standing here. Oh yeah. Um, website. I've got to do my personal website update this week. Based on feedback of it looking like it's uh from the 90s, uh, I need to refresh it. Unlike you. I'm from the 70s, but uh no, I I've gotta I've gotta update it. So I've gotta I've gotta make that and I'm you know, just I've got this photo that I've like as the landing page. Okay. So it's the it's the page you get to first, and then there's just two buttons voiceovers acting.

SAM: 06:16
Perfect.

MAX: 06:17
So you can just go, because I'm trying to have it, how do I fit voiceovers in with the? And it's like, no, just give them because there's two different needs, so then you can have the voices done the way you need to, particularly your voice demos and and work stuff up, and then the acting one, obviously, you know, links to show real and blah and blah. Perfect. That's happening this week. Um business cards. So I because when things are normal, things being the world of the pandemic, uh, when it's normal, there's lots of face-to-face stuff, right? You're going to premiere, you're going to Q ⁇ A's, you're out there networking, it's still that old school stuff of face-to-face. And the business cards have sort of helped both with the podcast, because on one side is the podcast and it's got a chip in it, and on the other side, it's me, the actor, and voiceovers, and here's my contact number. And the chip is so that when you tap it against NFC, it can go to wherever you want it to go. Yeah. So even though I've handed out a lot of cards, I can go online and change where that link goes to.

SAM: 07:17
Oh, that's very cool.

MAX: 07:19
It is cool, isn't it? So there's like little bits and pieces to make it a bit yeah. My my life is so much more interesting. They really would want to hack me. How many did you get?

SAM: 07:27
How many did you buy?

MAX: 07:28
I think I bought a couple hundred, I can't remember. I've still got a few left. Like, I don't mean to get new ones, but it's like I'm just gonna make sure that I'm making sure like it's just a new, it's a different way for people to to remember you. Yeah. And even if I'm talking about the podcast, and it's like, well, here, don't worry about Googling it later, just tap that and it'll take you to the podcast, which is how it's currently set up. Um but it's just it's like it's another way to remember you. And if you don't if it's if it's a situation where you don't want to pull out your headshot, you know, um, and someone's about to write in their phones, here look, you know, just take that.

SAM: 07:58
Well, that's very cool. Because they could make I mean that that that um business card company could make a lot more money by not allowing you to do that.

MAX: 08:06
What do you mean?

SAM: 08:07
Well, if you're if you can't change the link, then you'd have to buy more with the new link if you didn't.

MAX: 08:12
Yeah, I see what you're saying. Yeah, yeah. Do you know what I mean? I do. But it's kind of look, it's worked out it's worked out quite it's worked out quite well. I know um I I was talking to a director that I went. No, I was talking to a director I worked with a while ago, and he said, because I was working on a second project with him, and he said, Oh, Maxie, I'll tell you what happened the other day. I I um I put my phone down um and I was chatting to the girlfriend, and the phone lit up and went to your website, and I realized I'd put it on top of a pile of business cards, and one of them was yours. So it kind of freaked me out. I mean, it's like, wait, wait, Max has got control of my phone and he's telling me something. It was a bit weird, but anyway, but hey, it works.

SAM: 08:48
So just it you just put it on top and it automatically takes.

MAX: 08:51
Yeah, you just tap it against your NFC phone and it takes you to wherever the link is. So at the moment, you you you tap it and it'll take you to the latest episode of the podcast.

unknown: 09:00
Oh, that's very cool.

MAX: 09:01
Which is basically the landing page because it has the latest episode and the YouTube in there.

SAM: 09:06
Oh, that's very cool.

MAX: 09:07
It's something different. And people that's what people say, like what? What has got a one? You know, and and you've got to actually like actually say um tap to get to the latest episode of the podcast under the Two Unemployed Actors of Podcast, because otherwise you wouldn't know. It looks like a normal business card. That's very cool, and I don't expect them to remember, even though I'm very important in my own world. Uh so yes, so and then acting stuff, actual on your feet, yeah, practicing stuff like accents for me, standard American, and I know from my acting coach who is American, uh, my my voice over coach, my voice, my accent coach, my god, how many coaches do I have in the team? And uh she said that even in America, a lot of American actors are being called back to do ADR in a standard American dialect, so it's certainly something that is the standard and you should have and a UK accent like RP, because I know mine's not good enough. I know sometimes I can't hear all of my imperfections, but yeah, I have been told very much it's a work in progress, so I need to keep practicing that. Okay, because I think that's kind of what you need to to have as a minimum.

SAM: 10:12
Well, talking about actually getting up and acting, I was on it on a set again, on set again on Saturday.

MAX: 10:19
Yay! Because I follow you on social media, I knew that. Yes, it wasn't a surprise for you.

SAM: 10:25
Yeah, yeah, thank you. Um so it was cool, it was for a shoot. So I was contacted through Star Now, I didn't apply. Uh I was just contacted by someone.

MAX: 10:32
Star Now, there's another platform you need to.

SAM: 10:33
Star now's another platform. If you've got a good star now, it can get you a lot while while you're not getting much from your agents. How could I forget?

MAX: 10:39
And and yes, people contacting you directly.

SAM: 10:41
You just gotta, you know, you can't just rely on one person, go and get stuff yourself and and be on all the platforms, promote yourself. Um hustle. Yeah, and just get those contacts and connections with other people because then you get called back and do stuff. Anyway, I was contacted Three Star Now from this uh guy with a YouTube channel of three million subscribers. It's a motivational YouTube channel, it's called Fearless Motivation. Okay, it's a plug there. Um and it they kind of just put up videos to motivate you. It seems like one of those gym ones, but not all gym. Oh right, right. Yeah, and this guy contacted me and I said, Yeah, sure, let's let yeah, why not? I got paid for it as well, so that was great. And it ended up being filmed at Sydney Props. Oh, sorry, sorry, so in the studio So I actually got to film in one of the studios. Uh yeah, so it's about um kind of an alcoholic, drunk, abusive father, um and uh he has two sons who are twins. So I played both of them, which is really cool. My first kind of that idea, which was really fun. And so there was a younger version of me, me, teen version, and then an adult version. Right. So three different actors doing the that. Uh, and it's just about how no matter what your upbringing, no matter about nurture or environment, um, you can go on separate paths. So one twin is is doing well, he's successful, the other one's gone down a dark track of drugs and stealing. But this one's gone this way. They've both got the same up. So it's about that idea. It doesn't matter, you can be motivated to do other stuff. So I got to play both of them. I got to be like try to break into cars and like drink on the street and then other stuff. And pretend you didn't know how to break into a car, even though Actually, I I I found it interesting because I wasn't given the script, I was just kind of told what to do just before we started shooting. Yeah, okay. And I found it easier to be in the moment. Yeah. Because you have to. Yeah. Because you're just told then and you just do it. You just act, but you're not acting because you're just doing it. But it looks more real. And then I thought back, I was like, well, that's kind of what happened with not today. Because yes, I got the script, I knew what was happening, but you don't really know how it's gonna look and what's gonna and I find it I was talking to Jess about this, I find it easier and less nerve-wracking and less tense being on set with crew and a camera in my face than doing a self-tape with a camera in my face. Yeah. It must be more natural, it must be something almost like when you're like, okay, I have to do self-tape for this script, you know that you're gonna be sitting in front of in front of a camera on a chair or something, or standing. You know how the setup's gonna look like. If you've got a script for a show or a film or something on set, you know, you don't really it's there's this unexpected nature, and all you have to do is concentrate on the acting.

MAX: 13:17
And it depends on the on the format and stuff too. Like I know some actors like like John Voigt, you know, when he got that character in um well, it's how he works normally, but particularly referenced his character in Ray Donovan, where he would go to work early to be on set, and just to sit down in the set that's dressed to be his home, yeah, and walk around, you know, take a few books off the bookshelf, sit in the chair, uh, turn the lights on and off, that sort of thing, because then it's something it's like, yeah, the more prepared you are, and obviously he would know his lines and and who his character is and who he's talking to, etc. And the given circumstances, it's just being as comfortable as you can in that environment because then you know where the light switch is, you're not thinking about oh my god, now I've got to flick this off. How do I, you know, or you know, when I'm walking, what feels more comfortable, or you've you've done all that. So with all that prep, you can actually relax in and be in the moment. Yeah, so there's that side of it too.

SAM: 14:14
Exactly. And I I believe that uh at least with me, but I believe that you can go too far with that. Yeah. So obviously there's one side of the spectrum where you're not prepared at all, you don't know your lines, you don't know anything, hence you're gonna be stressed no matter what. Yep. And it's gonna look shit. Um, but then there's another route that you can go where you can be almost too comfortable. I know that for use of better, a better phrase, too comfortable where you're overthinking it. Yeah, you're like, can I do better with this? It becomes a black hole. You can like keep trying to do different things, or you're overthinking it, you can see the cogs moving, the you're acting, and you don't want to look like you're acting. And I guess I think there's that sweet spot where you're comfortable, you know the lines, yeah, but then you've got the freedom to do instinctual things.

MAX: 14:55
I think for me it's different for every project too. Like it's I can't sort of say, Well, this is how I'll do it when I get to here, I have to stop preparing to be too overprepared because like look at me purposely trying to be underprepared on the script side of it for the play because it's so physical. Yeah, but then other projects, like you look you look at actors who spent a year developing a character. Yeah. Um, you know, that uh or or others that that um prefer it's comedy and they like to to learn the lines but also have the ability to be a bit more flexible on the delivery of certain and have a few different alternatives up their sleeves, sure. And and feel that in the moment, like what feels funny and that spot all deliver, sort of thing.

SAM: 15:34
There's that level of unexpectedness, I guess, where um you kind of need that because like it I mean it's meant to look like the first time it's happening. Yeah. Unless it's not, but usually it is. So having that's why a lot of first takes, I guess, can be good ones, really great ones, because it's very instinctual. And it works differently for everyone. I believe like I agree with you that you there's you can't really be over prepared, but maybe overthinking. Yeah, 100% you can be overthinking. And I think that's a dangerous area to be in, especially for me at least.

MAX: 16:06
Because it's I mean when you think about it, you know, like in a day, you could be doing one scene and there's five or six takes per could be five or six takes per setup, and there might be four different camera setups. Well, you've done it 20 bloody times. You gotta keep trash everything.

SAM: 16:21
Yeah, like same with theatre, like professional Broadway productions are on for months.

MAX: 16:26
You're doing like 800 shows. It's so sad though that they're not. They tried to re I believe they were going to reopen shortly.

SAM: 16:34
800 shows, probably not 100, 200 shows. I don't know.

MAX: 16:37
I am so far from a Broadway singer. Um, but I think they were going to open shortly, I believe, and then with the flare-up again of COVID in the US, they've now postponed everything until next year on Broadway. Yeah. Well sad note.

SAM: 16:52
On on the note of Broadway musicals, Hamilton has come out on Disney Plus, whoever has that. Hamilton is the uh massive musical, won so many awards, written by Lynn Manuel Miranda. I we've I've now watched it twice on Disney Plus. I had a screening with some friends with uh to watch it, and it's if you haven't seen it, go see it. You know, the f first time I heard about Hamilton, people would describe it to me. They'd be like, yeah, it's RB and rap. And for me at least, I'm not a great big fan of rap rap. And it's not just RB and rap. There's music and the choreography's awesome, the staging is awesome, the storytelling's awesome, the writing is amazing. You know, like Lynn Manuel Miranda, who wrote the lyrics, the music, and just wrote it, also plays Alexander Hamilton, the lead. He put himself in it, and and and it's just so cleverly written, it's probably the only rap I'll ever enjoy. And uh because it's very intellectual rap. It's like and it's musical theatre, and it's it's amazing. You should watch it, Hamilton.

MAX: 17:48
It's in Australia, it's on Disney Plus.

SAM: 17:50
And what else are you watching? What else am I watching? Um what if we uh put you on the spot. No, we Jess and I finished The Politician, uh season two of The Politician, which is which is great. I I think season two is actually better than season one. Okay. We both agree on that. Um so that's a cool one that's on Netflix.

MAX: 18:07
There's so much drama in real politics at the moment. Yeah. Yeah. With Trump, it's like every tweet's a drama. Yeah. It's like how you make fictional politics more interesting, yeah, more crazy.

Speaker 2: 18:18
Yeah, exactly.

MAX: 18:19
I know the last series of House of Cards, the writers are like, we think of it, we look at the TV, and then like, oh my god, it's even worse in real life.

SAM: 18:25
Yeah, well, it's so stylistic. It's quite stylistic, actually. And it's they they Ben Platt plays the lead, who was Evan Hansen on Indievan Hansen. And he's really, really good. And and it's just it's all a bit crazy. Like uh they do amp up the intensity and almost stupidity of politics at times. Um yeah, i I'm not I don't want to give anything away, but there's it's just yeah, it's a great show. It's great, and I'm I we started uh Warrior Nun.

MAX: 18:56
Uh Warrior Nun. Warrior Nun. Okay.

SAM: 18:58
I was just looking through Netflix for a new show. Right. And I found this show called Warrior Nun. And it's set in Spain, but it's I think it's uh American. Um there she she I think the lead, she's a sp Spanish American actress. Um and she's a crime fighting nun? It's supernatural, it's pretty cool.

MAX: 19:18
Oh well, supernatural ones actually. So she fights evil spirits.

SAM: 19:22
Pretty spot on. Yeah I've only watched one episode, but it seems good. Okay. I'm still watching Supernatural as well. That's that's 15 seconds.

MAX: 19:29
Going through a ghosty phase?

SAM: 19:31
I've always been in that phase. Supernatural.

MAX: 19:34
Do you read Stephen King? Do you like it and all that sort of stuff?

SAM: 19:36
I actually, so I watched the new remake of It. I tried to watch it on Oh yeah. Sorry, the remake of It. And I watched it I tried to watch it on the on a plane ride home. And I got bored. Like it wasn't that scary, it was just really odd and weird. And Stephen King's awesome. I like a lot of his stuff, but um maybe it was just the remake. I haven't seen the old one, but the remake at least for me wasn't scary. It's kind of just got a bit tedious. Okay.

MAX: 20:05
Why don't you make a do you like it? No, I'm not particularly. Oh, I'm never working with I'm never working with Stephen King now. It's kind of I don't I don't know. I mean it's okay, it is what it is. Like, I mean there were a few jump scares in it for me, but that's you know, yeah, and the makeup and special effects is pretty awesome.

SAM: 20:23
But I think the acting and the makeup's very cool. Yeah. But but that i I when I was a kid, like mum and dad would always say, like, it, go watch that with when you when you get a girlfriend, go watch that. And scare the hell out of her and it's so scary, you know, you'll need each other, and I'll be like, it's not that scary. It's not that scary.

MAX: 20:39
That's funny, isn't it?

SAM: 20:40
Yeah, it's funny. You know why? It's because because of all our CGI and because of all our developments in makeup and all that stuff, we've we have I think we have scarier movies, scary ideas about that.

MAX: 20:49
But you just can't lose sight of the fact that you need a good story. Oh I I watched The Wretched last week. Yeah, skip it. Um look, it was Netflix? It's it has great special effects, and yes, there's a few jump scares. Uh no, I on Foxtel, but I think you can look at it, get it by on Google Play or Amazon or something as a movie to to rent or buy. And I don't know. I mean the special effects were great, it was great, but you just can't move away from the fact that you just need a really good story as well. You need to anchor in a really good story because there's also really good scary movies that don't have a lot of blood and gore and special effects that are scary the way they deal with building up the suspense.

SAM: 21:27
I think having something more real, like realistic, is scary because it's closer to home, it's more relatable. You know what I mean?

MAX: 21:35
Like well, I couldn't relate to anything in hereditary, and I found that absolutely scary. I went to the cinema, uh, quiet cinema, there's no kids, nothing, and and just some of the scenes were just scary because it would lure you into this sense of okay, everything that's happening is pretty normal, it's your average sort of setup, and that whatever that scene is, and then you'd be suddenly the switch had flick and it'd be. To the extraordinary, and I'd be like, What just happened? And some really scary, scary moments. The bit where she's moving across the ceiling and stuff, and what they find in the in the in the attic, and oh scary, and and and it was a really interesting story.

SAM: 22:13
Well, that's in a sense you can relate to it. Funny enough, I saw it twice. Oh no, you can relate because it's like attic, scary, dark, whatever, instead of just outright ridiculous. And you're like, I can't really understand why, you know, I'm you know, that sort of vibe. Yeah. So yeah, I see how that could be.

MAX: 22:28
Interesting. Well, I found uh a really interesting series on in Australia and Amazon Prime, uh British American called Terror about the two ships that left Britain to go through the Arctic. This is in the mid-1800s. Yeah, no, mid-1800s, and they get stuck in the ice. Uh they're an exploratory crew, so they're going to find a passage to shortcut to North America, etc. No, it's worse. And it's based on a true story, which which is also had some gravitas. What's it called again? Uh terror. And it's a short halfway a television series. I'm sort of halfway through that, and that's really holding my interest. And then you're learning a lot about the history of the time and what it's oh, it's definitely not a documentary, but um there's a lot of quality, great British actors who are very much familiar to me um in it. And I just think look, it's all come together to be it's interesting because of the premise. Yeah, right. Uh you know, they're they're stuck in the Arctic, hundreds of men. Um when does the food run out? When what happens when the leaders aren't respected? Who's this two IC? Is he gonna step up and and be in charge? And how is his style gonna jar with the crew? And like you've got the people in a group isolated in an extreme situation.

SAM: 23:41
Yeah, okay.

MAX: 23:42
You've got other ic ic things that happen, like uh um other players that sort of come into it, other characters that sort of come into it to add another um angle to it all, and you've got you know, polar bears and all the usual environmental stuff that can add scares and that really did take lives at the time. It's just like there's just so much going on. And I'm also learning about the history. It's a hell of a way to do it, but uh it was really, really um full on some of the episodes were were pretty scary, others were just really informative, like it's really interesting what happened and how it happened. Yeah, right. So, yes, hell of a way to make history interesting. But I've I've had I've had a couple of misses on movies, threats being one of them.

SAM: 24:23
Yeah.

MAX: 24:24
Uh, and uh nothing really memorable of late that I've watched in the movie world.

SAM: 24:28
Yeah, fair enough.

MAX: 24:29
But I mean there's not a lot's been pushed back, like the cinema's only opened last week in Australia.

SAM: 24:33
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

MAX: 24:33
And a lot of it is stuff that was on just before it was cancelled, like JoJo Rabbit, um really David Copperfield, a few yeah, because the new a lot of new stuff is David Copperfield one uh where he uh is a documentary on him?

SAM: 24:46
Is that what that is?

MAX: 24:46
I don't know what it is, I haven't looked at it. It's not really my cup of tea. But the point is, uh a lot of stuff, a lot of productions launch has been pushed back. You look at Quiet Place, No Time to Die, were a couple of the big ones, and uh August and I think November respectively for those two. But because of the whole global COVID thing, because the model has moved from a regional to a more global launch date, yeah, as technology's caught up. We know when things are being marketed in America and in England, and you know, well, we want it. So launching at the same time globally is a big thing. Yeah, okay. Uh, and it's easier to s to spend your marketing dollars globally all at once rather than regionally each step at a time. So you can get more efficiency and more of an effective launch for your marketing dollars by doing a global launch. Okay. So if if your key markets, like North America, for example, are under severe lockdown for the second time and and cinemas aren't open, or people aren't just wanting to go to the cinema, you're not gonna want to launch right about now. And it's like the Titanic, you can't move it on a dime. You know, you've got to make these decisions that take six months to implement. You can't just go, wait, it's all good now, let's launch tomorrow. Yeah, uh so I think what's happened is we're we're back in the cinemas, but we're just waiting for stuff to drop. We're just waiting for stuff to drop now. Um that's okay. So, yeah, so it's been quiet, and I've been enjoying catching up on some series and looking at like like Terror was written up in a magazine, I sort of read it, and the and the and the guy who writes um reviews there, I kind of identify with you know how you find your guy or your girl, and it's kind of like everything they recommend is kind of wow, yeah, spot on, you know. And you're willing to take a punt on some stuff. Like, I really uh because Amazon Prime I got to watch Kate Mulvaney in the Al Pacino one. Don't tell me I've forgotten that.

SAM: 26:39
Oh no, sorry. You've told me before.

MAX: 26:41
Sorry, Kate. And also uh Little Fires Everywhere, which was an amazing series. Reese Witherspoon uh produced it. She her production company is just buying book rights, left, right, and centre. It's amazing. But um uh which was really good. Little Fires Everywhere, there you go, there's another one to watch. And then I hadn't really gone back to Amazon Prime much. Mind you, I've got so many friggin' apps, I'm just hard to keep track now what's where and what I haven't seen and stuff. But then um in the write-up, it was oh look, it's really out of the left field, uh, but it's really great, the drama, the way it's portrayed, yeah, right, the effects, plus it's a true story, and I'm like, okay, it's piqued my interest, and otherwise I wouldn't have given it a shot.

SAM: 27:22
Yeah, right, okay.

MAX: 27:25
That's the other thing that comes to the boring bits on my list. I was like, read prolifically, watch a lot, yes, um, apart from you know, doing a social media plan, that sort of stuff, working through scenes and monologues, but yeah, watching stuff and that keeping current, like especially like for us, we want to work in the Australian industry. What are your top five Australian shows? Like what what about the difference between show A and show B? Like, whether you love them or not, you've got to know them.

unknown: 27:52
Yeah.

MAX: 27:52
Because you're gonna end up, hopefully, in the room with some of the creatives.

SAM: 27:56
Yeah.

MAX: 27:56
At some point. Yeah. Um, you want to be able to I think you want to be able to do it.

SAM: 28:02
Animal Kingdom, Palm Beach, let's television series. More series?

MAX: 28:06
Well uh television series. All of the above. Because I I got neighbours. It's easier for me to do theatre and then series.

SAM: 28:14
Yeah.

MAX: 28:14
But but uh theatre and then films than series TV series. But yeah, I mean it's just something you need to know. If you want to work in the business, if you want to know and work with these people, at least be familiar with the work.

SAM: 28:25
You're just gonna know who they are.

MAX: 28:26
Yeah. Yeah. So um Grant says that a lot as well. Yeah, yeah. You know, you want to live in this world. So earn your place. Um, yeah, so there's lots of stuff, there's lots of segues to everything. It's all sort of tied together today. Yeah. Uh hopefully I'll get to work on set again. Well, look, it feels normal. I feel great just being able to get an audition from the agent and go and it's a company that I've worked with before, so you know, and it's you've got to have your lines all sorted out. And I looked at it going, oh sh, you know, I've only got a few days, you know, blah blah blah. Three lines, I'll be okay if I stumble, if I f that up, I do not deserve to be on to be an actor. So, um, so like I'll I'm looking forward to that, but just getting the audition, it's like, oh yes, you know, it's starting to come back to some sort of normal now where we're auditioning face to face again.

Speaker 2: 29:11
Yeah, yeah, it's good.

MAX: 29:13
Wow. So, but like if it's slow where you are, or what you're doing, don't worry. Put your nervous energy into something constructive, like any of the multiple bits and pieces on the list, and I'll put it on our Facebook uh page when the episode goes live, just so you can see what I've been doing, and maybe some of it will gel to you, or you'll go, Wow, I need to do a website, or yes, headshots, that's right, it's time. Yeah, um, no time like now. And then when the opportunities do come, you're easy to find, and you've got all the right tools to make it work, to make that opportunity go less from luck and more to skill. Yeah, don't we? For a good little speech, I might put that on a bumper sticker, that little less the whole thing. Turn your opportunity less luck, more skill. More skill, less luck. I don't know, I'll come up with it. This is why I'm not advertising. I'm better on re reading other people's words. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Some actors are better with a script. That's me. Yeah, that's me. Anyway, on that note, have you got anything else to add? No, that's pretty much it. How about you, Fred? No, he's changing shadows. How about you? Say something, Fred. No, he doesn't trust you, neither do I. Fair enough. I'm Max. I'm Sam. And we're two unemployed actors. We will be with you next week. Don't forget to like and subscribe. All your favorite podcast platforms. We're on YouTube. See you next week. See you later.

Speaker 2: 30:36
Bye. Two unemployed actors.