Heartbreak High Reboots, Set Mishaps, & Staying Motivated | Ep 65

MAX: 00:12
Welcome back to Two Unemployed Actors. I'm Max.

SAM: 00:15
I'm Sam.

MAX: 00:15
And we have a full show today. I've got instead of printing out my usual list of Fred, no humping the arm, mate.

SAM: 00:21
Usual list of Fred.

MAX: 00:22
For those of you listening and not looking in our YouTube channel, Fred is decided that as soon as the camera goes on, he wants to hump.

SAM: 00:29
He thinks it's a porno.

MAX: 00:30
And yeah, he turns it into a porn shoot. Um the vet took his balls away three years ago, so he's got nothing to sing about. But anyway. It looks like could you read my handwriting?

SAM: 00:47
You have the worst handwriting out of everyone I know.

MAX: 00:51
Because I've had a couple of days on set and I'm I'm a bit stuffed, you know, feeling my age. Excuses. So yeah, that's my excuse. For the bad scribbled, I've scribbled stuff down in a real hurry as I came downstairs. I'll be talking about something if I can read my handwriting.

SAM: 01:05
Yep, that's good.

MAX: 01:06
But Sam, you've been busy. Because we missed uh we missed a week last week. You've been full on, mate.

SAM: 01:10
Tell us what's been going on. Yeah, um, well found Don't leave anything out. I will not. I will go in full detail. This will be about two-hour episode. Um so yesterday found out that not today, that short film that I did uh was accepted into a film festival in Cannes, not Cannes Film Festival, but it's a festival in Cannes, Indie Shorts Awards.

MAX: 01:32
Oh, brilliant.

SAM: 01:33
Um, which is very exciting. Still pending on some others, which is also exciting. But uh yeah, it was great. I got a text from the director being like, um, you know what happened. I haven't found any flights to France, but it looks like our world premiere will be in France. So that's pretty cool.

MAX: 01:52
That's great. Congratulations, that's awesome achievement.

SAM: 01:54
Yeah, and it's awesome, and I guess I can just add that onto my show reel somehow. Absolutely.

MAX: 01:58
And it's because it's a full-on series short film remembering correctly. It's it's it's decent, very emotional. Yeah, yeah, and it's well shot.

SAM: 02:06
It's well shot. So I think we're in the category for best foreign film. Okay, great. Which is funny, because well, we are foreign. I know, I know, it's funny, isn't it? I know.

MAX: 02:13
There are a couple other to Khan's absolutely foreign.

SAM: 02:15
And this is the first year that this one has run, so hit or miss, but I think it could be really good. And there's a couple other Aussie films in the running, so should be good. Best of luck, champ. Break break a leg, as I say.

MAX: 02:28
Thanks, buddy. Um, because I think you've now you've just finished shooting what we talk of, you and short films together. Finished shooting this direction, which we talked a little about last week. Yes. And I do have a confession to make. Um I voiced over the start and the end. Yeah, you did. So, which is fantastic. Not sure how what I can talk about, but I can say that I'm my booming voiceover is in the first scene and then and the last, I believe. And um uh it's great. So you just said off off camera that you actually it's the first time we've been in a short film together.

SAM: 03:02
So it's true. Technically, like Max's face isn't seen, but it's seen here, Sam.

MAX: 03:09
You can hear me. It's good enough, it's good enough.

SAM: 03:11
For those who don't know, I did a short film called Misdirection and then we needed a voiceover artist for the beginning and the end. Yeah. Um and I suggested Max, and he just told me that he did actually like the guy approached him. It was good fun.

MAX: 03:22
So it was really good fun. So I I'm pretty excited. I can't wait to share when that when that comes out because it sounds exciting. I can say it sounds exciting because it's my voice.

SAM: 03:30
We should we should share it and be like two unemployed actors get get employed briefly for a short film.

MAX: 03:35
Yeah, yeah, together. Um, that's great. No, I enjoyed I enjoyed working through that. I did a couple of redoes uh to get the right boom and the right sound. I basically just recorded me yelling into the microphone um with a bit of acting, obviously, and then they'll add the effects later. Yeah, you know, you just me yelling into a mic, that's all it is. Uh sprinkling a bit of acting. Yeah. Bit of acting magic. There we go.

SAM: 03:56
Uh I also I have an audition today, I got a message from my agent. Um it's awesome.

MAX: 04:00
Oh, you've had it or are you having one? No, I'm gonna do a self-take this afternoon. That's why for those watching on the podcast channel, we're we're matching in our acting uniforms, the black t-shirts. Although I didn't have an audition today. No, it just passed the small test as being clean.

SAM: 04:14
I had my side job today, that's why I'm wearing this. Oh, right. Yeah. So we're both not these details, these details. So what's the audition? Tell us.

MAX: 04:22
Is it television commercial or is it film?

SAM: 04:25
It's I'm not quite sure what they're gonna use it for. It's for Canva. You know that.

MAX: 04:32
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So it could be social media advertising or something. Yeah.

SAM: 04:34
Canva's huge that it's spending on social media, but I I have to speak for the audition, US accent as well. Uh so it's gonna be interesting, it's gonna be fun. So I've got to send that back by tonight. So that's it's gonna be good. Um so hopefully I get it.

MAX: 04:48
Yeah, best of luck.

SAM: 04:49
I it seems like it's more online stuff just because of the the the amount I'd be paid based on speaking.

MAX: 04:57
I mean, obviously clarify it, yeah, but they do heaps.

SAM: 04:59
But that's that's all good. And we're all another thing that we're all waiting on. Maybe not you. I don't know, maybe you know. Maybe not, maybe I'll sleep through it. Every youngish That's not me actor in Australia, New Zealand are waiting on Heartbreak High. The reboot to get an audition. Everyone's submitted. I feel like all the everyone's agents have submitted them. My agents submitted me, I submitted myself.

MAX: 05:23
Everyone on the shoot, I could play one of the teachers.

SAM: 05:26
Do it.

MAX: 05:26
And I remember the original with I think Zoe Caritis and Oh my god, they were going back a lot of this is 90s we're talking about.

SAM: 05:34
Fred, no, no. So the no everyone on the shoot at in Cooked, which is a film I'm doing in Newcastle, has applied and gone through, and it's just like oh it's all happening. You it's so many people. You just don't you know that there's everyone who applies, but you don't know how many people actually apply.

MAX: 05:52
I know it's worse when you because if you're on your own just applying, like you know you're one of many, but to actually meet all the others or like a lot of people applying, it just rubs it in.

SAM: 06:01
Yeah, it's just it's but um that's exciting and should be good. It should be good, yeah.

MAX: 06:08
I can tell how enthusiastic you sound good.

SAM: 06:10
Except the original correct me if I'm wrong, was more ethnic than just white people, right?

MAX: 06:15
It was more ethnic and ahead of its time in terms of diversity representation.

SAM: 06:19
So I have a feeling they're not gonna go backwards in the 90s.

MAX: 06:22
That was I think if I remember correctly, it was a school sort of in the outer-ish suburbs of Melbourne. Okay, um, and there was a lot of that teenage angst up and coming sort of um issues relevant at the time, um, and then the relationships between you know the teachers and the and the students and that you know, all the drama, all the layers of dwarma. Yeah, so it was quite successful. Um, I'm not surprised they're gonna reboot it. It's interesting, it's it's yeah, 20 odd years later, but um it's gonna be on Netflix.

SAM: 06:54
This is big, it's a big one. No, it'd be great, isn't it?

MAX: 07:04
I I've been busy rehearsing with a play still. We're still go for lipstick on the 24th or 27th. Tickets available, just check out my socials. Um, and rehearsals, we've moved on from my place because we need a bigger space. We need we need a space that actually represents the length of the stage because we're actually getting to the stage where being a comedy farce, there's lots of movement and it's just as complicated blocking as it is, you know, how you'd live your lines and remembering your lines, sure. Um, and having survived a smaller space being my dining room without furniture, um, and our heckler in Fred, uh, I think if we can perform a a stumble run in that environment, we're fine. We're fine. So rehearsals have been going really well for that. I got doors at the back in my carport as we speak, because there was a moment where they're like, Oh, we've got a tight budget. You don't need doors in this, you know, we can just hang some beads or some paper streamers or something or a flag from the doorway. I'm like, how do you how do you slam a paper door? How do you slam? You know, and the whole premise is a comedy fast, everyone's coming in and out of the doors.

SAM: 08:14
Yeah, so that's the important part.

MAX: 08:15
I'm like, the one thing we can't do without. Anyway, so um fortunately there was someone giving them away for free. I thank them very much for the con for their contribution to the arts and volunteered to pick them up. Oh good.

SAM: 08:28
Is it one of those faux doors, the one on wheels and no, no, no?

MAX: 08:31
Well, I mean it will be, but it's they're real doors, thank, thank goodness. Um but we're going to I don't think we're building like a full set. Um what we'd rather do is just have the doors real and and set up so uh they'll be you know done to proper standards for stage props, so they won't just fall on top of you after you walk through them, and then like a like a dark curtain between or curtains between the doors. Oh yeah. So you won't be able to see us running around and stumbling around in the background, which would be just as exciting as our stumbling around and running around in the foreground. Um, but uh that's kind of all we need. That and that and some key furniture which we've already got. My costume, I mean, I'm just bringing my old KFC tradie costume with me, which is I call it a costume, but to any normal do I why guy, it's what they'd normally wear when they're doing you know maintenance. But for me, because I'm so far from that, it's a it's a costume. Yeah. And I've it's I've used it in so many different um on set so many different times. So Hank the Handyman uh lives on. Um and KFC. Yeah, yeah, I got it from my KFC once. You've got you've got a good memory back in the day. Um I've used it on my MITA 10 DIY video where I'm telling everyone how to build stuff. Uh and uh a short film, I think. And I can't remember. Yeah, it's it's had a workout, it's had a run, definitely tax deductible. Good. Um so so that's happening. So the play's moving forward, and we're really excited. We're getting to the stage now where we're looking forward to using the space and really refining our blocking um and making it even funnier. And I'm spending even more time thinking about ways to deliver different things and and all that sort of stuff. So once we start rehearsing with props, oh my god, it gets real because we're lots of things are getting thrown around and we're running around, and it's like the timing's got to be spot on. So it's making me a bit nervous, but anyway, we'll get there. Um one thing I'd like to talk about. Uh speaking of short films earlier, uh I because I've been had lots of businessmen, lawyer, doctor, and all the uniforms, you know, policemen, lots of stuff. I thought it'd be great to sort of play against type. And one film I did with the guys who I filmed the interrogation with, yeah, who have their own little production company uh that we interviewed on on the on this uh podcast actually, uh Jack and Jacob, they uh sent me the um well actually the taking is the is is the script I originally editioned with to get on their radar. It just so happened that for whatever reason we end up I cast in the interrogation and we recorded that first. But uh the taking goes back till I think early last year, but um it's it's set to go, it's released on social now. So if you look up the taking Jacob Wood on YouTube, you'll be able to see it. Or check it out on our socials, I'll share it on the podcast, Facebook, and all that. I think um I really enjoyed it because it's so against type for me. Like playing this a really dark movie, uh, really dark role. This guy's suffered some trauma, whatever it is, he's not altogether there, but then there's a moment where you think maybe he is, maybe he's right, maybe everything he says makes sense. Um, and when I put it into my showreel, I edited a few bits in the showreel, and I shared it with a couple of people, and they just step back and said, Well, look, that show reel is like it's pretty dark. That's that's really dark, that show reel. And I'm like, Well, that's that's okay, because it's got me uh another short reel where I'm having this really domestic argument and quite brutal argument with um uh actress that plays my my wife, and uh then there's a few other um not so fun moments in it, so it is quite quite dark and dark show reel, yeah. And I don't mind that because you know clean cut maxi with all these headshots of that and his body of work has certainly got a lot of the whole you know, fun, loving dad, um, you know, business-like stuff. Like, I think if I get cast that off the sh off the headshot, I don't mind showing my range on on the showreel. And so, like, look, I really enjoyed putting that together. It's a full-on character, and like it took a lot out of me filming that. Like, I I can still remember on set, so uh, I'm so glad it turned out even better than I expected. The next one to drop is Water Under the Bridge, which will be a few weeks away. Again, another full-on choice for me, like this abusive father.

SAM: 12:43
Is that but from the same guys?

MAX: 12:45
No, this is with afters, where I got called in at the last minute with a mate of mine I'd worked on the interrogation with, he was cast in it, had to step out for scheduling, and just tap me on the shoulder. I'm like, Yeah, sure, I'll I'll look at the script without committing, because you know I don't like doing unpaid stuff now. And although it's afters and it's unpaid, I looked at the script and it's like it was great. This script is awesome. Yeah, yeah. And a Zoom meeting later, and they really knew what they were doing. And this is just after afters had published globally with the help of the MEAA, their uh because they developed um uh policies and guidelines around working on set during COVID, uh, which have allowed a lot of productions to keep rolling around the world, including a lot in Australia. We're we're getting lots of stuff here at the moment because we've sort of got under control, touch wood. Yeah, um, but um that was a great production again, pretty pretty full on uh being this abusive construction worker, father you know, screaming at the daughter and all that sort of stuff. But uh yeah, no, so I I'm looking forward to that dropping soon. Water under the bridge. Very cool. Can't wait. Um I've got so I've got now I've got a show reel of me like presenting to camera, because I'm getting lots of that corporate y stuff.

Speaker 2: 13:52
Yep.

MAX: 13:53
And the agents got access to that too, for like maybe a TV C or something. Um and then I've got my standard showreel and then a US show reel, which I haven't worked on for a while. I think that's the next one.

Speaker 2: 14:04
Yep.

MAX: 14:04
Um, and then I I might try and put together some of the lighter character moments because I'll have it a separate sort of because it re I mean look when you step back and go, what's the show reel for? It's great at showing your agent what you can do so they know sort of how to submit you.

SAM: 14:20
But also showing like because you m many people get cast off casting networks now, and like casting directors will look at your profile. Yeah. So they'll look at the show reel too if you have it up there. Yeah, and you want to hope they see the whole thing.

MAX: 14:32
You want to see um what you can do pretty much.

SAM: 14:34
Your headshot doesn't do it all.

MAX: 14:36
No, and what I like to do is like I've got my I've got all the show reels there, all three US, Australian, and um uh presenting to camera. So depending on the role, that's what I'll submit.

SAM: 14:47
Yeah, nice.

MAX: 14:48
Um and I think that's that's that's nice to have. And then Ajahn's also got some of my stuff that's hidden on Vimeo where you know, if it's a particular style of comedy or whatever, they can just submit submit that. So look, so it's all it's all coming together, and I'm really like literally I was so excited with the taking. I kid you not, as soon as I got it, by the end of the day, I'd already recut my favourite bits into the showreel. It was it was it was that it's you know when you're that excited.

SAM: 15:12
I did that with not today, isn't it? Oh my god.

MAX: 15:14
I'm like, oh my god, I'm so excited, so excited. And then shared it, got some feedback and then recut it again slightly, and then um that's the latest show reel. So feel free to check it out on my YouTube channel and um comment as you will. But uh yeah, really excited. So big news. I just finished, I just wrapped on set with my 50 worder, my little guest cast role on a television show in Australia that I can't talk about in too much detail, but um it'll probably be a couple of months before it goes to air.

SAM: 15:42
Yeah, they're so ahead.

MAX: 15:43
There's a studio spot, um, and then there's me on location for a couple of days um running around in the foreground, interacting with the regulars, and I did get a I did get a line, which I was very happy about. I wasn't mic'd up, so I don't know if it's gonna make the cut, but hey, you know, you never know. The boom. That's fine. I hope so. Well outdoors. Um I won't even say I can't even say where because it'll give it away.

SAM: 16:06
They'll have to W with some random I'll do it. I'll W.

MAX: 16:11
No. So it was really fun. I think I think it's great to like my experience, like um working on lots of corporate stuff of various stages of professional professionalism with the production companies I work with, like some are low budget and the sort of you know, let's it's a bit sort of make it up as you go along. One I did with a literally giving me the script just before. Uh so with that, if you can operate in that environment and pull off a piece to camera that you that looks like you're relaxed and you're just talking normally, then a set that's really busy and really full on, and you don't have the budget to do lots and lots of takes, um, you can just thrive in that. You can just be dropped in and go, yep, no worries. Like I think what was what was important for me because it's a scene that's quite big, involving a number of extras that they don't normally work with that number. They had two third ADs to help. Yeah, um, lots of um lots of assets around, various emergency vehicles, that sort of stuff. Uh at least half a dozen of the series regulars. It's like it's like a massive scene. And shooting three cameras at once in another shop with a steady cam, you know, running up the beach, running along, doing a 360. Um, like this is the sort of stuff they don't normally do. So I'm like, I'll turn up ready to rock and roll until they tell me to go home. So I'm I'm not worried about what was my call time, when does it finish, when's lunch, because I know they're in territory they're not normally in.

Speaker 2: 17:35
Yeah.

MAX: 17:36
So my goal was just to shut up and watch. And you can see the director came out, he directed me a couple of times, but really when I'm looking at the shot, I'm standing there, I'm watching how the director talks to the DOP, how he talks to uh the cast, how they do a line read. By that stage, they've got basic blocking, then they'll do a just a cast blocking, and from that, by that stage, I already know where I'm gonna be and what I'm gonna do. And then the first AD will be briefed uh and be talking to uh sound, everyone else, and then uh to the other ADs who'll be directing background. Um, and in the mix of that, whether it's director, first AD, or third ADs, whoever is you know, telling me where to go, what to do, um that that that then is yep, got it, thumbs up and off I go, knowing where I should start, where I should finish. And my goal then is to be as low maintenance as possible.

Speaker 3: 18:28
Yep.

MAX: 18:28
It's clearly not about me as much as I might like to believe. It's not. Um there's a lot of moving parts. There's two ADs trying to coordinate a lot of extras amongst each other. Um so the last thing I want to do is have to be directed by them, the first AD, the over and over again. So success for me, and it happened, which is great in every where you know, I want you to start here, cross after the first cast member before the couple come running up, and then the director wants you to stay in frame and stay in shot. So just you know, I'm like, yep, no worries, got it, got it, got it. Knowing you know what I'm gonna do. I've already visualised it from when the cast were talking, we're doing the lines line reads. I I've got it sorted, so I can just go do that and no worries. Um, and it was great because then you're really working with the team, you're going with the tide and adding stuff that's gonna be valuable, as opposed to going against the tide and saying, what if I did this? What if I did what you know, just yeah, head down, bum up, you know, eyes open, mouth shut. Um, but look, I got on really well, particularly with the ADs. It was great. I mean, at the end of the day, they're the ones, Fred. No, they're the ones um putting you in the action. So um I was sure to thank them when I left for the opportunity and and for their what do I say, constant nagging. Um, yeah, which is great. Good stuff. So look, I it was really amazing, like just walked in the middle of it. Um, and with a television series too, you know, that especially when you're a 50-word or when you're a guestie, like the series regulars, like they've got this relationship and with all the the crew as well, and it's like they've got all their shorthand, you know, they just this is what they do all the time. Yeah, and so it's great just to shut up and watch because you could really see and learn a lot from that. And it's easier for you, like when I'm talking to the cast members, like just when to talk, when not to talk, whatever, because you're watching what's happening, and as an actor, you're already injured. You're gonna observe all that observing, exactly, you're right. Yeah, so quite enjoyed. There was a couple of hiccups on set. There was a uh like look what not to do, okay. There was another one with the 50 word up who um what not to do ended up well kind of like extra being in. No, no, no. It was like an like an extra, like being injured, and um let's just get you under control, mate, because the show is not about you. It's not 200 actors and a dog. So where you know, more more used like as a featured extra where you're interacting with the cast without any dialogue, and um so you're injured, and then there's another scene where I think she's gonna be in the studio, in the hospital, in the bed, whatever, injured. But um, and I can see why they wanted some actors in those particular roles because they can't afford for an extra that close to camera to sort of do something round or whatever.

SAM: 21:00
Yeah.

MAX: 21:01
Having said that, you know, like as running around, handing out first aid stuff is all I'll say. Um some you know, uh someone decided on a couple of the takes to unwrap the bandage and start wrapping it around, and they're wrapping it round a leg and sorting the leg out and that, and then uh someone's just fifty-year liner, yeah, 50 word or an extra were teamed up to look injured. And um like I'm I sort of said, Oh, that's oh you've you've done the full bandage sort of thing. I didn't want to say anything too much. Like, yeah, oh yeah, I've done my bronze, you know, whatever I can do my first days. And I just walked away thinking, uh it's okay, they've obviously been told to do that, you know. Then we were setting up for the next scene, which uh was shot two scenes later, but is the actual flow on from that moment. And continuity w we'll quit stressed. They walked on and said, Look, um just and this is happening behind me, do you who told you to put the bandage on? Uh blah blah blah blah, whatever, whatever, I don't know. And then well because out of the four four takes two of them two four four clean takes, four good takes, that the editor will then decide what to use. You've got two way of wearing the bandage and two way not. And we're trying to work out what to do now. Because not only in this scene where you'll be visible, but also in the studio scene where you're in the hospital. And we want to make sure because that's a big like your leg wrapped in a bandage kind of stands out of it. And after art department makeup did a great job on the wounds, like they were really looking like the walking- it looked like a zombie apocalypse type of thing.

SAM: 22:35
Oh no.

MAX: 22:35
But look, it was great. I I I enjoyed it. And I think I at that moment I I just chose chose to sort of walk away. It was getting a bit uncomfortable because then they'd step back, the continuity'd step back, and then the ADs came in and said, you know, well, who told you to do, you know, don't you've got to make sure that someone tells you to do that when we're blah blah blah mic rookie mistake, you know. Yeah. It was like a 15-year-old extra who who knew not to, you know, like you just you do what you're told.

SAM: 23:01
Don't there's no need to whack older extras. You know what I mean?

MAX: 23:05
But this was an actor, 50 word, who was next to the extra who was doing it's her leg. I mean weird. So it was uncomfortable enough for me just to walk away because how did you know the 15-year-old because he was like the 15-year-old she well the well, so you've got the 50-worder and the extra involved in this situation that I was a bit uncomfortable, walked away from let them deal with it.

Speaker 2: 23:23
Yep.

MAX: 23:24
Um, but separate to that, there's plenty of extras. One of whom I threw another bandage at when I was being Mr. First 80 Good Samaritan was uh a 15-year-old girl, and she she yeah, she's fine. She just kept throwing it back to me so I could reset faster and uh get ready to do it again. So not putting it on or because you know, we'll just sit there and they tell you what to do. I mean, it's quite an easy role if you listen. So I'm like, ooh, okay, that happened. But um no, look, it was but it was considering considering the amount involved, the amount of um amount of people on set at any one time, and we're dealing with all sorts of bits and pieces, which I'll talk about after it's um it was it was impressive and I was impressed, and I had a great, I had a really I had a great fun time. Oh good. I really enjoyed it, which is awesome.

SAM: 24:09
Good, good, good. Well, talking about that we you brought up your headshots, but talking about headshots, uh the comp my company that I'm trying, my business that I'm trying to get. Sam phone photography. San Phone photography, I have my first two clients technically, they're mates from the from the cooked shoot. So kind of clients. We'll call them guinea pigs, but yeah, yeah. No, but but they're they're two clients. Yeah, and they're they're I've given them like a really good discount, obviously. But um I want so so that's great, that's gonna come off the ground. I'll I'll probably use their shots.

MAX: 24:37
And isn't it great when you can do something that's related to you the industry that you're really interested in?

SAM: 24:42
And I hope that this then takes me out of hospitality.

MAX: 24:45
Yeah, because your survival job is then related, like like voiceovers and actually. 100%. Absolutely.

SAM: 24:50
And Jess and I just did a photo shoot the other night, which was great, just practicing a bunch of photos and it looks great. Not not necessarily the headshots, but they're pretty cool. Yeah, good. Um, but yeah, talking about talking about wanting to get out of your side job that has nothing to do with the industry. Survival jobs. Let's have a quick talk about being overwhelmed because there are plenty of people out there who are overwhelmed. This is two overwhelmed actors. Yes. Um, no, so so especially today, I was quite overwhelmed just because you know, in this industry, when you're starting out, yeah, generally you can't make enough money to sustain.

MAX: 25:23
No, you're you're saying yes a lot.

SAM: 25:24
Yeah, and you and you need that that job that earns you a bit of cash. But then so for me, for example, I you know, I'm doing this film, um, I have auditions, I want more auditions. Yep. Um, but then I also have to go back to a normal job and you're thinking about everything else, and it just doesn't feel right. And I felt quite overwhelmed. Yeah. And you're doing all that at the same time, but it's okay to feel overwhelmed, and there's people to talk to. You just talk to family.

MAX: 25:50
It's normal, it's normal. There's gonna be moments when it gets busy, and you've got personal life, Sam, survival job Sam, and acting Sam.

SAM: 25:57
Exactly.

MAX: 25:58
And if you're busy in all three, it's gonna feel yeah. It's okay to step back and go 100%. I'm I'm I'm overwhelmed, I recognise it, but it's gonna get a bit quieter shortly, and organise some time for myself.

SAM: 26:10
Talk talk to people, talk to your family, talk to your friends, but especially talk to people who understand what you're going through as well in the sense of they're in the same industry as you, they're creatives, and you know, like they can appreciate what what's happening. It's gonna get hard, it's gonna get it's gonna get uh tedious. Obviously, it takes a long time, but you can't give up. It's a good point. If it's something you want to do, you can't give up. Absolutely.

MAX: 26:32
It's a good point you raised, Sam. And I we talked to Simon Ward a couple episodes ago, who is a psychologist as well as um an actor and is on the MEAA Wellness Committee, which is all about promoting wellness for stage and and and set productions. Um, so it's it's a valid point. I think the flip side to your point also is isn't it good to be busy as an actor? Isn't that what we love? We love it when we're busy as actors, it's a great experience. And considering the world being so unreal at the moment with the coronavirus, it's great to be in a country, in industry, in a country where there are still opportunities at the moment. So the flip side's kind of if it because I'm I'm an optimist, as you can't tell. I like to sort of spin it, so at least I'm still motivated and have some energy.

Speaker 2: 27:15
Yeah.

MAX: 27:15
But I'm the first to say, like what we were talking off camera before, about about how you know I slept in this morning and had naps on the couch, had to go for a walk with Fred and get a coffee just before the podcast.

SAM: 27:25
Fair enough sometimes.

MAX: 27:26
Because I had two full days on set in the sun um running and jumping, so like it's okay to be overwhelmed.

SAM: 27:32
Don't let anyone tell you that like you can't do what you want to do. You know, if someone's like, Oh, you're an aspiring actor. No, you're an actor. You are an actor. You're not aspiring, you're doing it, you're getting there.

MAX: 27:42
And it's I remember my cousin introduced me a few weeks ago at a party, and this is Max, he wants to be an actor. I said, No, I am an actor. Yeah, don't you? I get I get paid and everything.

SAM: 27:52
You're a creative and you're a performer. What makes you a performer makes you an actor, you know? You decide that. That's you. You're a creative. Don't I think you're right, Shane?

MAX: 28:01
I realised long ago when I was when I was a teenager doing radio and broadcasting to air, and I'm like, I realised then no matter what I do on my show, yeah, I'm never gonna make everyone who hears it happy with me all the time.

Speaker 3: 28:14
No.

MAX: 28:15
There's always gonna be someone who thinks that's wrong, that could be better, or why don't you try this? Yeah. And once you get over that and you realise, yeah, you're never gonna, especially for those growing up with social media where you feel pressure to keep up with your mates and the rest of it, particularly those in front of the camera, um, it can be really tough. Once you realise, look, you're not gonna make everyone happy all the time. You can give yourself a bit of a pat on the back and a bit of a break and say, chill.

SAM: 28:38
Yeah, nice.

MAX: 28:39
Have another drink. No, don't drink. Random tangent. Don't be better than that. Talking about drinks.

SAM: 28:42
Don't have Scotch and Tokes. Ran random tangent. Yes. I was out the other night at uh a place. It's called Shady Pine's Saloon.

MAX: 28:50
It was like a little bit I fought, I've tripped up a couple times.

SAM: 28:52
So went there with a group of uh the guys who live in Sydney from the cooked film. And we bumped into Joel Edgerton and Chris Pratt.

MAX: 29:02
Oh well done. And we bought we bought them two wines. Oh, did you? I was gonna say, what did you do? Because I was just meant to you weren't entirely sure.

SAM: 29:09
We didn't want to be like, hey, hey, hey, hey. Yeah. We wanted to just be like so they were at a whole table with people. Of course. Um, and Chris Pratt was lovely. He actually like said, What's your name? What do you guys do? Oh yeah, love to like work with you, you guys are good looking lads or whatever. He says, Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's a great man. Um but we bought we just wanted to buy them, we bought them two bowls of wine, says we said, We're actors too, we're in a film at the moment, we just wanted to buy you wine. You guys are awesome, thanks so much. We didn't want to annoy them too much, and that was it. But we were sitting at a table right next to them.

MAX: 29:36
Oh, okay. So kind of stalkerish, but not.

SAM: 29:38
Well, they they sat down after us. Right. That's amazing. That's good. Um, but it was, yeah, it but that stuff, it was really surreal. And that stuff's crazy because one of our mates went to the toilet and there were four guys standing there trying to take a photo with Chris Pratt, and all he wants to do is urinate.

MAX: 29:53
Toilet mates, that's a bit quite a bit of a personal selfie, too. That one that's kind of I mean, for a relaxed dude with a sense of humour.

SAM: 30:01
I I don't know how relaxed he'd been. But everything's here now. Sydney is the new LA at the Australia is Thor.

MAX: 30:08
That's right. Chris is in.

SAM: 30:10
Yeah, Chris is here for Thor. Joel is just here, I think, but he's he must be Aussie. Maybe he's looking for a gig. But is it Chris Chris Hemsworth's here as well? I think like all in the world.

MAX: 30:21
Liam Hensworth just finished his action flick. I think I spoke about last time. They were doing a car chase in Canberra, actually, down the road here. Oh yeah. I mean there's nothing much else to do in Canberra, really, but uh Questacon. Yeah, I've lived on. Um but yeah, and after that, two hours. Yeah, yeah. Um but yeah, no, so yeah, there's lots of productions being booked. I know we touched on it last time, but um, it's still happening, I think, for those actors with a solid US show reel um and a good agent submitting you for stuff, like hopefully it's only a matter of time because there's a lot booked for this year and next year, it's quite the boom.

SAM: 30:52
Yes.

MAX: 30:52
Which is good. So, wow, what a full show. We're doing alright. That was a good show. Yeah, we're doing okay. Nice, we're doing okay. Um for two actors to be busy enough to fill a podcast each week, I think we're doing alright. We're doing okay. I'm just giving myself a pat on the back now so I don't feel too overwhelmed. And then I'm gonna go have a nap.

SAM: 31:09
Do it. Lucky you.

MAX: 31:11
You've been doing you've been listening to two unemployed actors. I'm Max. I'm Sam. And before I choke on my coffee, keep Oh my god. It's just not happening today, is it? Make sure you subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, follow us and engage with us even on social media, and you'll be hearing from us again next week. See ya. Bye.