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Acting: Conversations on Craft

Acting: Conversations on Craft

Written by: Danielle Tarmey
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A series of conversations with industry professionals about the craft of acting for film and television. I sit down with experts in the field and ask questions that help actors better understand what it takes to hone your craft and ultimatley book roles.

Danielle Tarmey Art Entertainment & Performing Arts
Episodes
  • The Truth of Who You Are: A Conversation with director, Gil Junger

    The Truth of Who You Are: A Conversation with director, Gil Junger
    Aug 11 2025

    What a privilege it was to be able to sit down and have thisconversation with director Gil Junger. Gil is best known for his directorial debut film, 10 Things I hate about you with Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, and Joseph Gordon Levitt. He also has directed over 200 episodes of network TV, including the iconic episode of the show Ellen when Ellen Degeneres’ characterreveals that she is gay.

    Our conversation ran from what he has seen in 90% ofauditions (that didn’t book) to comedy, to what to bring once you are on set.

    While Gil continues to direct, three years ago he startedthe Breakthru Company to help actors with the audition process. He points out, what better way to learn what a director wants than to learn from a director!

    Gil believes the self-limiting beliefs are the thoughts thatstop us from being totally free in any given audition. He goes on to say that if you show the director or casting director an authentic performance, that is what will make them lean forward and pay attention. All we have to do is to show a compelling version, our own version, of how we would play the character.

    For Gil it all boils down to strong self-love and movingaway from trying to figure out what the directors want. He says, “stop asking yourself what “they” want and …show me the truth of who you are!”

    Yeah, that is easier said than done! In this conversationGil takes me through the steps he teaches his students in the hopes of getting them much closer to showing casting, directors, and ultimately the audience, the truth of who they are.

    Connect with Gil and learn more about the Breakthru Company:

    IG: https://www.instagram.com/breakthrucompany/?hl=en

    Website: https://thebreakthruco.com/meet-gil/

    IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0432627/

    Connect with me:

    IG: https://www.instagram.com/tarmeydanielle/

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danielletarmey

    IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1368938/
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    46 mins
  • Money, Momentum, and Making Movies: A Conversation with Leanna Adams and Kristina Arjona about Independent Filmmaking

    Money, Momentum, and Making Movies: A Conversation with Leanna Adams and Kristina Arjona about Independent Filmmaking
    Sep 5 2024

    Working in the entertainment industry is brutal. Success isn’t linear and you hear no more than yes. As Leanna Adams says in this episode, we as actors “eat rejection for breakfast…sometimes lunch, and dinner too.” Leanna Adams and Kristinia Arjona sat down and spoke to me about the process of making their independent film: Christmas With Jerks released on Prime in December 2023. Throughout our conversation they kept going back to the fact that you have to ask people around you for help. As Kristina said, “no one can help you if they don’t know what you need.”

    They emphasized leaning on their community and the need to be kind. “If you don’t have money, you have to be kind,” Kristina said. In the Indie world she says, “you can’t get away with being rude and poor! From a production stand point, there’s no longevity there.”

    For many of us, fear prevents us from taking that first step. Kristina encourages everyone listening to send that email, reach out to that one person who will be honest and kind. Leanna said she “started this project with so much fear.” It was fear of the unknown and fear of failure. But for her, learning was also key. So, as Leanna says, “If your goal is to learn, you can’t fail.”

    Leanna and Kristina's first feature, "Christmas with Jerks" was written, shot and sold in less than a year and is now on streamers. Leanna's feature scripts have been optioned and have also earned a Nicholl QF, various “Best ofs,” and a spot at The 2020 Lab at the Athena Film Fest. Her short films have screened around North America, some airing on Fox and TBS. Leanna loves action comedies the most.

    Kristina Arjona is a certified Intimacy Coordinator through Intimacy Professionals Association. Kristina spent 10 years working in the Atlanta film industry as an actor, director, and 1st AD before moving into intimacy coordinating. She graduated with a BFA in Acting and BA in Theatrical Design and Production from Elon University before moving into film and now works in both Atlanta and Wilmington.

    Kristina uses her skills on both sides of the lens to increase effective communication and safety for everyone involved. Proudly queer and Latina, Kristina is particularly passionate about working with material involving queer stories, BIPOC characters, and trauma-informed care in sexual violence-related scenes.
    Learn more about Leanna Adams

    https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1568405/

    https://www.leannaadams.com/

    Follow on IG @leannaadams

    Learn more about Kristina Arjona

    https://www.kristinaarjona.com

    https://www.atlintimacycoordinator.com

    https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm6223011/about

    Follow her on IG @Kristina.Arjona & @ATLIntimacyCoordinator
    Connect with me:

    IG: @tarmeydanielle

    TikTok: @danielletarmey

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle
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    53 mins
  • Episode 38: Episode 38: From Stumbling Blocks to Stepping Stones: A Conversation with Heidi Dean About the Power of Social Media

    Episode 38: Episode 38: From Stumbling Blocks to Stepping Stones: A Conversation with Heidi Dean About the Power of Social Media
    Mar 22 2024
    Before I talk about the amazing conversation that Heidi Dean was gracious enough to have with me, I need to add a quick note that this conversation was recorded before Twitter changed its name to X. Now most of you probably know that Heidi Dean is known in the industry as the top social media strategist for actors. She has also recently published a book, Social Media for Actors, 100 essential tips to grow, thrive, and survive online. When I was trying to figure out how to introduce this episode, I realized that I always seem to say the same thing about my guests: how they are passionate about what they do, how they love to help actors, and how they have given me great information to share. But it’s true every single time! And Heidi Dean is no exception. So if you are like me and have a love/hate relationship with social media then you will get a lot out of this conversation. If you are part of the, “I hate Social Media” club, Heidi gets it! She too, was once part of that club. That is, until she started to understand the power it had to connect her to people. And it isn’t about the numbers. As she says, social media enabled her, “to connect with the right people on my own terms.” Over a decade later, it has become her career, her mission, her passion to help as many actors as possible optimize their use of social media for their careers. While she steers away from saying we, as actors, “should” use social media, she does wonder why we wouldn’t. It’s free, it’s creative, and it’s not going away. I gave her a whole host of reasons why some of us don’t want to use it, don’t like it, don’t want to learn and she came back with a whole host of reasons why that is, and how to change our mindset. And it is a change in mindset that, as this conversation shows, could help our careers. So I hope you enjoy my conversation with social media guru, Heidi Dean. Heidi Dean is known as the industry’s top social media strategist for actors and the creator of Marketing4actors.com. She’s a social media writer for Backstage Magazine and a frequent speaker at film festivals, SAG-AFTRA, AEA, conferences, podcasts and universities across the country. Her clients include Emmy Award-winners, Broadway stars, series regulars, directors, producers, casting directors, voice actors and audiobook narrators. Heidi turns social media rookies into ROCKSTARS! Connect with Heidi Dean:Website: www.Marketing4actors.comJoin her Community: www.TechSavvyActors.comInstagram & TikTok: @Marketing4actorsX/Twitter: @marketing4actorYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@heididean30 Post Ideas: https://marketing4actors.com/30posts/Heidi's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Social-Media-Actors-Essential-Survive/dp/B0CVHMQRCFConnect with me: IG: @tarmeydanielleTikTok: @danielletarmeyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle
    Show More Show Less
    52 mins
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