How to Spot Bad Directors & Navigate the New Self-Tape World | Ep 45

MAX: 00:12
Welcome back to Two Unemployed Actors. I'm Max. I'm Sam. And today I'll update you on my latest corporate job. Some info on TV C casting from a casting director, which always helps. I mean, we'll take any advice from anyone, really. We're just hustling. And uh Sammy's gonna talk about Sam.

SAM: 00:31
As always. As always, it's all I know. And you've checked on my amazing stories. Speaking of which, what have you been up to? Remember last week I spoke about um someone asking us Jess and I to audition and but wanting us to have specific locations and specific props and the rest of that.

MAX: 00:49
That's quite an involved self-test.

SAM: 00:52
Apparently it was miscommunication. She didn't make it clear that she didn't necessarily want all that.

MAX: 00:57
Anyway. But then why put it in there? Then why ask for it?

SAM: 01:01
I don't know, it's bizarre.

MAX: 01:02
Anyway, she she wife simply just asked for what you need.

SAM: 01:04
Yeah. Well, she contacted us a day after it was meant to be in and said, Are you guys still auditioning? Which gave us like, Are we the only ones you have?

MAX: 01:14
Um You mean are they auditioning?

SAM: 01:17
Well no, so they No, she she called it.

MAX: 01:19
So the people right after it had closed. After the closed case, call us and be like, Are you still auditioning? Because we didn't send end up sending one in because of everything. Because it's uh Stanley Kubrick special. Yeah. With 50 million takes per let's get the pigeon in the shot. Yeah.

SAM: 01:33
Yeah, exactly. And we were like, okay, when do you need it? She's like, I need in by tomorrow. And this is like at night. This is like 7 p.m.

MAX: 01:40
Awesome. I mean, we're used to that stuff. You get the sides the night before, audition the next day, but that's probably a bit Yeah, and I don't know why she's calling us afterwards. Anyway, so well, I think you know what's happened with a detailed list of what they needed in a self-test, it was never gonna happen. People looking at that risk versus reward, the labor uh for free versus will I get this? And then it's like nah.

SAM: 02:00
I was like, I d I can't we can't read it. Jess was like, let's just try it, let's just do it, and and we were like good on Jess. I think it's she pushed me to do my best to get him off the couch and right into the bed because that was the scene. Take the beer out of his hands, mate, we've got to go work. So we kind of did a like, let's just do it. Yeah. And it was multiple scenes, quite an emotional thing for me to do, actually. It was weird. And sent that in and sent our stuff in. Okay. And she said, okay. No, that night. She went out that night. Oh, of course. She got back to us and said, like, oh, we like what you're doing on this stuff. Can we she was like, Can you do a zoom call today? Like today. We're having a zoom call with the crew. Can you do it at eleven? Can you do it at eleven? I was like, I felt like saying, actually, you know, I'm I don't I'm busy today.

MAX: 02:49
But why does the crew need to be in on the case? I don't know. It was a it's a weird situation.

SAM: 02:53
Anyway, got on the call, she didn't tell us what it was gonna be about. And she was like, I just want to see some acting from you guys. I was like, what are you talking about?

MAX: 03:00
What the hell did we just send you? We just sent you stuff. Did you not look at it? Oh, did you look at it and not at all?

SAM: 03:05
She was like, Sam, I want to see more of you because you you put your head in your like you put your hands in on on your face when you did the emotional part. And I was like, Well, in the I actually said to her, Well, in the script it says his head falls to his chest. So I was doing exactly what you said. Yeah. Um and she was like, No, it's okay, we'll have the camera on the floor. I was like, Of course you will. That's an interesting shot. In my head, I was like, It's the vomiting spirit. And move my head up. Oh my god. It's probably easier than having the camera on the floor.

MAX: 03:33
Because you can fall to the chest and cheat the camera and sort of look up a bit. It's like, you know.

SAM: 03:36
But but so we did all that. It was a very weird situation. Um, so weird. She was like, Jess and Sam, can you do like a chemistry thing?

MAX: 03:44
I don't I So when she said crew, so who's on the call?

SAM: 03:46
Her and uh her, the DOP, uh, the producer, and someone else.

MAX: 03:53
So why the DOP and the mystery person?

SAM: 03:55
This is a really, really amateur production that we've got. Okay.

MAX: 03:58
But it sounds like they're they're trying really hard to make it sound like it's more involved than it is.

SAM: 04:03
I said I said to Jess, they're making it seem they're trying to make it seem like it's really professional and it's doing the exact opposite. Because she actually said to us, she's like, and if you guys don't get it, don't worry, you know, like like I'll I'll How many Zoom calls are they doing? This is one Zoom call. Like, don't worry, like you like we'll I'll work with you again in the future sometime. It's like, yeah, we know, we've done this before, it's okay. Oh my god. Anyway, um, and she kind of asked me to do, she was like, do a scene where you're where you're looking um at photographs of Jess with another guy. And I was like, okay, alright, I'll I we weren't prepared to actually act on this tape on this Zoom call, but I I'll do it. Um so I started started like pretending uh to do it, and I was kind of like, she was like, Good, can you get more angry? Like more angry. And I was like, Hold on, can I have context? So am uh was I suspicious of this of this occurring, or does it come as a surprise for me? She's like, No, not a surprise, not a surprise. Okay, you took the photos and you're re-looking at it.

MAX: 04:58
And I was like, You took the photos of her with another guy.

SAM: 05:00
Yeah, and you're re-looking at it. Do it like that, no surprise. And I said, and I said, Okay, so I wouldn't get so angry as to scream, which she wanted me to do if I'm just if I knew it, if I took the photos and I'm reliving it. It's kind of an internal anyway. She's just so I did it and the scream didn't come out like it's like you're confused, you don't know what the hell's going on. And she said, and she said, Okay, just just scream angrily for me. I just need to see that. I was like, Okay, let me just do it. Why yeah, acting's just about, you know, just just doing stuff. You don't, it's no, there's no thought, there's no it's not hard, don't worry, guys. It's not hard. Anyway, long story short, we hung up on that Zoom call, and I literally, as I hung up, I was like, we're not doing it, Jess.

MAX: 05:41
Yeah, because if that's what it's like trying to get the role and trying to talk, talk to them and get information from them that you need as an actor. Yeah, what's what would it be like on scene?

SAM: 05:50
I know she didn't she didn't know how to direct actors.

MAX: 05:52
I mean, look, at the end of the day, I've walked in with those. Remember, I did those five auditions and they had those five, you know, a character a week for five weeks with that, pretty much with AFTT. I it was with another school that no, it was with AFTT. I didn't get the role, but I walked in and they were as nervous, and they said, Look, we're this is our first like auditioning process ever. Um, and to be fair, they did look more nervous than me, and they did say that. They're like, Look, you know, but we what we want to do is see if you can fit into the role. And I'm like, Yeah, okay. Have you read the script yet? We just had a constructive conversation because they wanted the best person for the role because they've lived with this script for a long time. I wanted to give it my best, as professional as if it was a you know, full on paid gig. Yeah, there we go. And uh we connected that way because our objectives were the same. Beautiful. We weren't trying to be anything when we weren't.

SAM: 06:47
Well, on a lighter note as well, I got had a I got a message from my agent today. Got a Helga's commercial audition. Good.

MAX: 06:56
In the room or self-tapes? No, no, no, self-tapes.

SAM: 06:58
It's always we're living in a world of self-tapes. But um, I got it today. They said preferably can we have it by tomorrow, latest Monday. I was like, okay, I could do it over the weekend. Or I could be one of those guys who's just like shows how prepared I can be and get it done. So I shot it actually. I got home from work at three. Yep, shot it. I'm a bit I'm gonna edit it when I get home and then came to you now. Um, so I'll send it in by tonight.

MAX: 07:25
Good. So hopefully that's good. Don't kill yourself, because it sounds like they're not gonna look at everything until Monday anyway.

SAM: 07:30
No, yeah, so but I did want to send it in. I've done I've done it, so it's with Anusha Marrakesh, I think. Uh, casting, and she seems like from the paragraph that she left it, that she seems very, very cool. And you spoke about a a couple of podcasts ago.

MAX: 07:44
Yeah, she had a QA talking about how you can be the best in the room.

SAM: 07:48
Yeah, she seems really genuine. She says, I want kind of real people slash actors, you know, like real, you know, uh to have a campaign that you can see someone on screen and relate to, you know, you can't really do that with a model who's got makeup and hair done and all this stuff. You know, she wants a real people quirky kind of she seems like one of those cool, quirky people, so I kind of played along to that and and did the self-tape kind of funny how she wanted it. But a lot there's a s it's singing, so it's got like a jingle. Yeah, so we got gotta do that, and so fingers crossed to get it. I feel like you know, just because I'm excited and just was like, yeah, fuck it, let's just do it. Yep. Like those are the ones you usually get. I'm not jinxing it, but I you she wanted the relaxed kind of look. That's great. That's cool. And also, so someone that I uh I I knew I met through three weeks in spring when I was doing that musical. Yep, I remember that. She she's done a lot of crew stuff and she is still doing a lot of crew stuff, and she's working on the film Ruby's Choice. Okay. Don't know if you've heard of it. I have heard of Ruby's Choice. I think you brought it up. I think it sounded familiar to me when I heard it. Um, with Jane Seymour. Um, and it's I think it's it it's independent but collaboration with Screen Australia. Yep. And she was like, Look, do you want to be a featured extra in this scene? And I was like, Oh yeah, hell yeah. So then so I'm doing that on Monday. That's great. Got to be in Roseville at 5 30 a.m.

MAX: 09:06
Where's that?

SAM: 09:07
Exactly.

MAX: 09:09
We have to cross hands at parade.

SAM: 09:10
Yeah. Oh no, I'll fall off the face of the earth. For those of you not in C, it's okay. No, so that's exciting being in an actual feature film with someone like that. Yeah. And I did actually contact my agent and say, I've heard as well, apparently they're still in the casting process because I think it's Ben Parkinson. Okay. Um, is it possible that that there is an actual role role? If a word or anything, just walk on and say something. But everything's getting busier. I'm now doing like have a kind of part-timey job. Yep. Um at a managing a canteen and all this acting's coming.

MAX: 09:41
It is, and I think I think it's a sign of the times for the industry in Australia where there is just so much backlog. Um, the bread and butter of every casting director is television commercials, and there's just so much happening. There's so much happening, which is great. But also, there's like 18 feature films coming to be made here, whether they're Australian or or independent or uh from the big studios overseas. Because I know I know LA is running at 20% of what they need to be running at to be at you know full full production. But one thing that just dropped recently was uh Nicole Kidman's production company, Blossom Productions, I think it's called, um, filming in in around Byron Bay. Uh just got just got uh confirmed uh last week, like days ago, uh, as being shot in New South Wales. Uh and it's uh over a hundred million dollars. I think it's a I think it's a mini-series based on uh books by Lane Moriarty who did Big Little Eyes and with Reese Ritherspoon Reese Witherspoons production company. So Greenlit already. That's great. So yeah, so $100 million confirmed for New South Wales from one production. So I mean, like it's starting to happen. And if you're gonna make a movie right now, let's be honest, where would you like to make it where there's less chance of catching COVID? It's just another hundred million dollars for the industry and bring it on more acting opportunities.

SAM: 11:02
Are they casting?

MAX: 11:03
Are they casting? And obviously there's a lot of second-tier the um I can't remember now. There's a lot of second-tier roles. What I mean by second tier is you know, you're gonna cast your find your main cast, whether they're from America or local, just get the best people. Uh, they're trying to find as many of those local as possible. And then looking for groups of children, for example, and just looking for those that were local. I mean, you can imagine the difficulty when you've only got a certain amount of time to work with children of a certain age to get them to set if they're not and put them up in the local area if they're not from from there, yeah.

SAM: 11:36
Exactly.

MAX: 11:36
And easier too, with the COVID-19 situation to have people moving around local to them and not traveling too much.

SAM: 11:43
Yeah. Well now casting agents are going not just through agents that posting on Facebook or putting it through Star Now because of COVID and and just a self-taped world, so you can actually find stuff um a lot more easily that are that are that are more, I guess, it's a wise of casting.

MAX: 12:00
Because we've come out of hell of a drought. Uh hell of a drought. So it certainly feels like it. But yeah, it's really ramping up. It's getting a lot busier. I know for me, like I've had a job a week for the last few weeks and I've got. How is your corporate? Yes, the corporate job. So um, well, what happened was I was on hold for yesterday. So I was on hold for a Wednesday.

SAM: 12:17
Okay.

MAX: 12:18
And I I got a text message Friday afternoon saying, um, where are you travelling from? What's your pot what's your uh shirt size?

SAM: 12:26
Two very random questions. Unless you're connected. Unless you're an actor. But like connected together. Unless you're unless you're an actor.

MAX: 12:34
And uh so um I replied, uh Bondi Junction and Medium. Um been good gym days. And so I I'm only lying to myself, aren't I really? No, no, no anyway, no, no, medium. And so I I said thinking thinking it was uh okay, well they've locked in Wednesday, but I actually applied for another job and uh was the other one. So no, he said um we were looking to film it for Friday, which is why I'd forgotten about it because I'm already getting on. Okay, yeah. Friday's come and gone. We I got the job a couple of days ago, and they want a Facebook advertisement filmed. Cool. Um they've got an office and it'll be Sunday, so half a day, Sunday in the rocks in in the city. Great office. And this is the difference between a small job and a and and and a smaller, smallish, tiny job. So if you remember from last episode, I talked through what happened with a smallish job, which was very small, and in fact, no production company, just dealing with the HR department of a blue chip multinational. And it was just hard work as an actor, but you know, patience and everything was fine. And we got through it. So check out last week's episode for more on that. But then I've I'm dealing with someone who's a pro who runs a production company. Yeah, so this job is already easier for me. What size are you? Where you're traveling from, I've got to organise the the location. Um, it's a small crew, short job, Facebook ad. It's for Clean Group Australia. Um and they've got this new technology to help electrify and positively charge the chemicals as they come out so it actually sticks around things to clean them better.

SAM: 14:10
Okay.

MAX: 14:11
Because it's that kind of world we're living in, so it's very pertinent. So they wanted an Australian face for that launch in Australia, which makes absolute sense, right? Localising it. So I did a bit of research. They said, Oh, look, we've got the script, and the what they sent through is just huge. Because, you know, it's written by a committee in the organization, everyone wants to chuck everything and it makes sense, and everyone's got something to say. And next thing you know, it's five pages for a Facebook ad, right? No, really, it was five pages. So he's gone, I've chopped it down. I'll give you extra if you want to do the script. And lo and behold, my 20 years of corporate sales has kicked in, and I'm like, Yeah, okay, I just read through the script and just chopped and changed it and called out the big points, looked at their website, like it's 15 minutes, but you know, extra money, and it's obviously the more work I put in there, the easier it'll be for me when I'm presenting to camera. So I said, Will it be an auto cue? Because you know, it just helps you relax a little bit more and he's gonna set sort that out. And uh so already a few messages and I know what I'm doing.

SAM: 15:03
Awesome.

MAX: 15:04
I turn up on Sunday and uh the client's there, so I'm on my best behavior, and the uh the uh uh production uh company manager was there, and he said, Look, the camera guy's called in sick, so it's it's all me. Uh luckily he knows what he's doing. So he said just the setups are gonna take a bit longer because I'm doing lighting and sound and everything. I thought no worries. So it just allowed me to take more time to get changed, get familiar with the script, read it out loud, walk around, it's my office, that sort of thing. Cool. And uh then on action, bang, just straight to the auto queue and make it look as natural as possible. And that's that's that's kind of cool for me. That's kind of I don't find that too hard. In fact, I find that that's the most comfortable for me. And lo and behold, I had to represent, you know, relax, relatable. You know, it's a serious subject, but you know, I'm talking with you, not at you, sort of thing. Yeah. So it really went quite smooth. And uh even at the end, you know, the clients gone in and said, Um, have you got have you got Max's details just so we know we can use him again? I'm like, I'm like, yeah, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. And because I was chatting to the guy as well, the guy being Mark from the production company. Uh the guy, the dude, and the dude said, uh he he's he uh because I talked to him about voiceovers as well, because I do voiceovers, you know, plenty of time to talk during setups. So we got this text message uh last night, oh look, they want to do a voiceover intro before I introduce the ad. Could you are you able to do that? And I said I sent him a quote, accepted that, recorded it this morning, sent it through to him, and and there we go. He's already paid. Like it's just it's just how easy, efficient, effective, and look, it's another production company that's got me on their books, so I'm happy. And another corporate job, so it's all happening. And then to make matters better, I uh uh went for that audition when was it? A couple weeks ago, last week, I think it was I can't remember, for uh a television commercial for an insurance company. Um and it actually was in the room, so I was interacting with my on-screen wife and talking to my on-screen son, uh, but I was the only actor in the room because of the COVID at a distance.

SAM: 17:11
So I'm actually on on uh on a screen? As in your on-screen son and your on-screen wife.

MAX: 17:18
Yeah.

SAM: 17:18
When they weren't in the room.

MAX: 17:19
No, they weren't in the room, no. Were they recorded? No, they weren't there at all. It's just a- Oh, you were fake talking. Yeah, exactly. So it's just auditioning with but I'm the only one in the room and I'm talking to my wife. Thanks for the coffee, Cheryl. Talking to my son, Nick, you know, drive carefully, whatever. There's not even the casting agents there, you're just in a room with three people. Yeah. And they're all like, uh, where's the where's the exit? No. Um it was it so it was it was really good. I think I've worked with them before. I can't remember. Oh my god, my memory. But um, but uh, I got it. I'm happy. I'm a happy chap. So on Monday, I've got a sell life insurance and make it sound really interesting for uh 90 second or 60 second or 30 second. Well, I don't know about amazing. That's probably a bit of a strong word. Okay, good, it's great, you know. It's it's not the same script Nero's getting, I'm sure of that. But uh you got it through the agent? It's wonderful dry copy, yes, yes, through the agent. And uh so really happy with that. So like it's it's all happening now. I've I've and then voiceovers are still going, so I'm actually, yeah, I'm having to use colours in my diary now, so I know what I'm doing. So at least I can pretend I know what I'm doing.

SAM: 18:19
It's good to be busy, like we've always said, busy actors are happy actors.

MAX: 18:21
Exactly exactly, exactly. So out there and pressing the flesh and meeting people, talking to people, doing corporate jobs, and and just you know, the difference between the small job that I was making a point of last week where you know it's just a lot of hard work for a little reward versus working with a production company. Uh even if it's seven of them in the room or one of them, it's still, you know, because that's what they do. And they're used to working with actors, and it just made it flow so quickly. We got so much, even a lot of B-roll stuff of you know, Max the the owner of the clean group walking through checking everything's clean or whatever it was I was doing, because we just had the time. It was, it was, it just flowed really well, which is great. And there's moments where, okay, I'm going through and talking through the script, and then the clients there going, Can you mention um blah blah blah blah? And I'm like, Yep, sure. And then it goes, and blah blah blah, and blah blah blah. I'm like, okay, no worries. And then I'm processing that in my head, how I'm gonna relate that to camera, and then it's like action, and then it's like, and then I've got just gotta say, yeah. So the salesy, the salesy person in me uh was rewarded because it was back in that world, so that made it a bit easier. But yeah, there were so many moments where, oh, do you think you could say it this way or that way? And while you're doing that, don't forget to hold it so the logo is up here and blah blah blah. And I'm like just repeating in my head the key words that I needed so that it kind of flowed in my own words when I finally said action, because it literally was a little bit seat of the pants. Um, but that's what happens when the client says sometimes. Yeah, sure. Like the television commercials like that I've done, you know, you've got the client as in, you've got the production company, and then you've got the client who is perhaps the marketing department of an insurance company, for example, and they're category people, category managers, and they'll turn up for scones and nothins and uh and uh and a and uh soft drink and get the day out of the office, and uh not really do too much other than check the rushes and sort of go, yeah, that looks good, or that looks, yeah, that's fine, or that's on brand, or you know, or you can't have that colour in it, that's a competitor colour or something. All the important things that they'll get fired for. I had time to do another QA with another casting director through the MEAA, so the union here in Australia. It was the casting director of Nick Hammond Casting, who are based in Melbourne, which for those of you overseas, Melbourne is now a COVID hotspot and they're in a six-week lockdown. But hey, they're still casting. And as she said, well, this is our second lockdown, so we're kind of not we're doing before it was scrambling, going, have we got the technology? What do we need to do? Well, now it's like okay, let's just press play on plan B. So business as usual, really, and a lot of TVCs as well. Um, which again, like I said, they're bread and butter. So she's she's been oh sorry, uh, Amy Mett, M-E-T, Amy Met was there uh to talk about her 30 years of casting. About a hundred of us on the Zoom call.

Speaker 2: 21:13
Oh, cool.

MAX: 21:14
Um, and you're able to ask questions. A lot of it's stuff we know, and and also things like um, please don't send me your headshot and ask me to represent you because that's not all we do. So, you know, it's like I'm like, oh my god, actors, come on, we could do better than that. Yeah, it's the casting thing. Yeah, things like uh really going through agents and showcast, they really love using showcast because there's a great self-test facility there. So if you're gonna cast something, it's a really easy way to bring together all of the self tapes actors sent through and and vet them. So showcast have stepped up at a time when it's all about self tapes, as you said. So it look if it's casting networks, they'll get it and put it onto Showcast, but it's not like you have to have a showcast account, especially if you're going through an agent. But it helps. A lot of a lot of times people think, Oh, why didn't they pick me? I'll look At the ad, and it's nothing like what I was. Like, you know, you walk in a room and they'll look the same as you're completely different. Like, what's going on? You know, why do I waste my time? The client has the final say. So they'll present like their short list, and they'll know they really want to work with person A and B because they were so good at taking direction, it's gonna be so much smoother on set, and blah blah. The client will go, no, don't like that. Could be it, yeah, or looks too similar to the last day we did, or too tall, or something. You know, like it could be anything because it's we're talking about marketing managers at at Bluechip organizations, um, not directors, not producers, not you know, these are the clients, it's their ad, they're paying for it.

SAM: 22:37
It's kind of good if you look different to everyone else in the room because the casting agent and the client will be watching the same looking people over and over again, and then something fresh comes that can sometimes be a good thing.

MAX: 22:47
It depends on the brief because if they are looking for a certain specific type, that's very true as well, then they'll expect to sit that's true.

SAM: 22:53
But like that, like sitting and watching heaps of tapes, if you've got someone fresh looking compared to everyone else, it can be even even if you don't get that particular role they'll remember you, maybe more. You know, could be like out of all the guys with black hair, do you remember the you remember the old one?

MAX: 23:06
The girl with blonde hair in the old one? That guy with the dress, yeah.

SAM: 23:11
Remember that old one from Two Unemployed Actors?

MAX: 23:13
Yeah, yeah, yeah. The guy is doing alright. I'm complaining. I think I I think I the brief said no twenties, we need 30s, and I've cast as 40 something with a teenage son who drives. So an older teenage son, probably your age. Don't call me dad. So I'm getting my kids are getting older, and that's okay. Um, there was a five years of partying and working on the Gold Coast that could have resulted in lots of incidents, but no. I just get nervous on Father's Day now every time we check the mail, just in case, you know.

SAM: 23:42
Hey dad. That's how many are you are you unsure if you have children out there?

MAX: 23:49
If you're listening, no. If you're listening. So the client the client has final say, and it could be um, it could be that superficial. It could be that they really want someone and the casting director doesn't see it as the right fit, and they'll push sometimes, but at the end of the day, the client's got the final say, yeah. And it's all about the self-tape, as we know at the moment, as you've said, as we've said many times on the program. So that doesn't mean sit down and wait and you know, buy the most expensive video camera you can afford and um wait for the phone to ring. That means use your phone, like can record yourself doing scenes, work on a scene for a few days, yeah, and then do it to camera and keep doing it to camera and then see how you look and make those adjustments and try and just keep practicing, keep it fresh. Yeah. So when the opportunity lands in your lap, you're ready to go. Because yes, it's going to be about self-tapes for a long time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, rare is like that. Was the first time I've been in a room for an audition where when I did that audition for the TVC that I got. So I've got 100% strike rate. Uh if I don't include every self-test this year. Oh my god. So um and there's and there's no need to go to a studio too. Like, she's noticed that a lot of people, not a lot, but some people are hiring out a studio and trying to get the lighting or the like, don't you don't need to that. Like, they're happy to see you in the home.

SAM: 25:06
Also, having having being in this self-tape world at the moment, yeah, it also can be harder because casting agents can see more people than they used to. Yeah. So there's a bigger pool of fish. That's right. You've got to be the biggest one there. Well, you don't and as in best. Yes.

MAX: 25:20
And uh when you're in the room, when you make it into the room, if it's a if it's a callback or if it you're actually lucky enough to have an actual audition in a room with a casting director, um, you don't know what the blocking's gonna be like, you don't know what the direction's gonna be like. If there's lines, know them, please. Because you've got to be able to be flexible in the room. It's all about flexibility. Yeah. Because they'll say you're getting out of a car and you're having a cup of coffee and you've got to do all that. Like it's and then they'll give you some weird direction or something. Like, just go with it. Yeah, don't it's not like you're there, you know, because you've been up all night working out 5,000 different ways to get out of the car and make yourself a cup of coffee. So be flexible. Don't be the person that goes, I don't know why I would do that. Don't, don't, don't do that.

SAM: 25:58
Oh, I hate it. Yeah, that doesn't make sense.

MAX: 26:00
Don't be that person. The script script and the brief, the script and brief allow you to prepare a little bit. So know the the client if you can.

SAM: 26:09
Yeah, and try and do it in as many ways as you can because you may be asked to do one of the ways you practiced, and then you're good for it.

MAX: 26:15
It could be. So know the script and the brief. Um, the brief gives you lots of clues. It could even say the client is, which is great. So I know for a couple of ads, I've I've a couple of auditions I've looked online, and you know, their colour is blue, everything's blue. Yeah, that's their brand. So, or a blue polo. Um, and and so you can get clues on on what to wear as well. Yeah, in a research. Um so that that can help. But uh yes, and also through in some showreel advice, don't because looking at a lot of reels and happy to get as most casting directors would say, happy to see work. Um, but sick of looking at show reels where there's like music over the top of a scene, and it's like if it's not a nightclub scene and there's supposed to be some doof-doof in the background, don't put it in there. It's just distracting. Yeah. So it look, basically, it's busy, but it's productively busy, it's constructively busy, no free work at the moment for me. I'm I I can't do student films, that sort of stuff. I know I've booked on two when the world starts to get slowly back to normal that I said yes to a while ago. One with the two guys that run their production company that straight out of graduation, graduating from film school, and we'll be interviewing them in the coming weeks. Uh so there's something it's called Flood and Fire, this movie, right? And it's not even the movie that I was auditioning for them for. I auditioned I auditioned for a movie and then got a part in a different movie they were making. Yeah. Finally got to make that movie that I cast for, which we haven't, which isn't uh finished editing yet, but soon. And then Flood and Fire, it actually got postponed at Christmas because the shoot was during the fires. We had some large fires in Sydney.

SAM: 27:54
Yeah, I remember.

MAX: 27:55
And where where the location was was actually in a place where there was no fires, but all around it was burning. Yeah, you didn't do it. To the point where there is no fire brigade there because they're all fighting the actual fires. So if something does happen, which is could be likely considering you're surrounded by flames, um, no help was coming. So we thought it might be a good idea to postpone that. And then then the postpone date comes and goes because of the plague. So it's like, you know, why call it flood and fire? It's it's it's the plague, the fire, uh, floods, locusts, whatever else is going. It's like we will get there. We will get there. The apocalypse is coming. It's hilarious. Just sometimes how things work. Yeah. But um, so that's coming up. That's oh, it's crazy. I know. I read that book. It's important. Uh so scary. So that's so there's stuff coming up, and then the play is still a TBC based on getting the approval uh from the playwright to be able to use it uh early next year. Awesome. So, yeah, in the meantime, it's just keep staying fresh, and there's still a lot of stuff happening. There's lots of QA's happening. I think um there's so many ways to stay engaged still with industry and people who are accessible and still talking to actors um online. Zoom is an amazing thing. Make sure you follow us on Facebook, on Twitter, I tweet, YouTube, uh, YouTube as well. Yes, we've got a great YouTube channel where you can see behind the scenes footage and also each and every episode that is filmed live. So I'm Max. I'm Sam. And we are two unemployed actors.