What does it take for a stand-up comic working the clubs in New York City to transition to a career in acting? What does it take to get up on stage and tell jokes to an unknown crowd every night of the week? What happens if you bomb? What happens if you book? What is the meaning of this life?! In this bonus episode of Big Break Pod, Thomas tackles all of these questions—and a few more existential ones—with Alec Tracey, a friend and stand-up comic who haunts the funny halls of the Big Apple. Alec shares his journey into comedy, his path to sobriety, and how he's thinking about his future in the big city. Thomas lays down some real talk about the highs and heartbreaks of auditioning in one of the world's most competitive markets. Alec is a comic who wants to be an actor. Thomas is an actor who wants to be a comic. What could possibly go wrong? (Spoiler: Absolutely nothing. This episode is awesome!) Find Alec Tracey on IG @alectttown.

Entirely not due to popular demand, but rather Thomas' own selfish interest in talking shop with his brother, we're dropping this BONUS EPISODE from Season 1 featuring Kris Eber, Emmy-award-winning producer! The topic of this episode is safety on set—specifically, how risk is calculated and managed by attentive producers. The role of a producer is multifaceted, but chief among their responsibilities is managing the investment a studio makes in a production, which inherently involves managing risk. At the time this episode was recorded, actor Alec Baldwin's trial for the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins had just been dismissed on technical legal grounds. It was the first major on-set death in a studio production in decades. If you're interested in the organization, management, and behind-the-scenes work of filmmaking, this is a great episode for you!

In this inaugural episode of Big Break Pod, host and creator Thomas M Copeland introduces you in broad strokes to the show, why it exists, and what you can expect to get out of listening and engaging with each episode! PLUS, we introduce our friend of the show Kris Eber, Emmy-award winning half-hour comedy series producer behind The Mayor, The Kids Are Alright, Dave, and most recently, Muppets Mayhem for Disney+. Why would a producer with such accomplished accolades be willing to join such a scrappy little outfit? Because Kris thinks Thomas is really handsome. Just kidding! It's because Kris is Thomas' older brother, and the two love to talk business. Thomas wraps the episode with four things he learned in four years as a ambitious, learning, and now, finally, working actor.

You'll find more information on each episode at BigBreakPod.com. Find video of this show on YouTube (@bigbreakpod) and on IG (@bigbreakpod). Thomas' personal website is castingtom.com (IG: @castingtom). To reach the show, please email bigbreakpod@gmail.com. This show is sponsored by ShowCoach - a community of actors making their self-tapes better. Learn more at http://showcoach.app or download the app now from App Store/Android Play.

About Kris: Kris Eber is an Emmy-award winning short-format television producer with a stream of impressive credits over nearly 25 years in Hollywood, including most recently executive producing Dave for FX, The Muppets Mayhem for Apple TV, The Kids are Alright, The Mayor, and many more. Kris is a graduate of The Film School at Florida State University, after which he began his career with Industrial Light & Magic in 2000. Kris also happens to be the big brother of Big Break Pod host and creator, Thomas M. Copeland.

Kicking off our first season with a WHIZ BANG is Bill Barretta, Emmy-award winning actor, puppeteer, and ineffable and effectual creator! Thomas and Bill talk about what to expect from professional conservatory theatre training, as Thomas enters The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City with the Fall 2024 cohort, Bill's alma mater; how to create lively characters from our instincts and observations of the world around us; and why The Muppets continue to hold staying power in American culture and entertainment. If nothing else, you don't want to miss Bill's impression of Sanford Meisner, the story of how he created Pepe the King Prawn, and so many other little quips and whips throughout this hilarious roller-coaster ride through Bill's beautiful, untamable brain. If you love creativity, you'll absolutely love Bill and Thomas' exchanges throughout this episode! For more "Bill" in your life, subscribe to his podcast, The Baretta Brothers, available on all major platforms, and find even more content at https://www.thebarrettabrothers.com.

About Bill: Bill Barretta is an Emmy-award actor and long-time Muppets puppeteer. He began performing with The Jim Henson Company in 1991, landing the lead character of Earl Sinclair on the ABC hit television series Dinosaurs and would soon become one of the leading Core Muppet performers. His characters include Pepe the King Prawn, Johnny Fiama, Big Mean Carl and Bobo the Bear, to name a few. In addition, Barretta is honored to carry on several of Jim Henson's iconic and beloved creations: Rowlf the Dog, The Swedish Chef and Dr. Teeth.

Over the last thirty years Barretta has also directed, executive produced, written and coordinated for many Muppet projects to name a few; Muppet Treasure Island, Muppets Tonight, Muppets From Space, The Muppets 2011 feature, The Muppets 2015 ABC series, the 2021 Disney+ Halloween special Muppets Haunted Mansion and countless appearances, talk shows, commercials, social media content and live shows including Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, James Corden, Long John Silvers, Pizza Hut,

Subway, Lipton, Toyota, PAM, Adidas, Geico, MuppetFest's Muppet Show Live, The Muppets Take the Hollywood Bowl, The Muppets Take the O2.

Most recently for Disney+, Bill served as a Co-creator, Writer, Director, Muppet Performer and Executive Producer of The Muppets Mayhem.…Oh, and he's a nice Italian boy.

Take a journey with Thomas and Miami-based independent filmmaker Michael Ruiz-Unger as they discuss in detail what it takes to write, direct, and produce your own short film! Michael would know a thing or two about it. Michael wrote, and Thomas performed in, "Save the Flea" a short film that first premiered at the Miami Film Festival in 2023, taking the Audience Award in the short film category. The film has since gone on to make the festival rounds across the U.S. Thomas and Michael discuss how to conceptualize and nurture an idea for a film, the (sometimes grueling) writing process, financing your project, casting, shooting, editing, and making festival debuts - not to mention what you do with your film after the festival rounds go cold. Don't miss this unique opportunity to peer into the minds of a filmmaker who wrote a character that an actor he hired brought to life on the big screen. Michael can be found on IG (@skywalkerhand) and on his website at https://michaelruizunger.com. You can stream Save The Flea on the PBS website here: https://www.pbs.org/video/save-the-flea-and-ladyfinger-avzk9x/

About Michael: Michael Ruiz-Unger is a Cuban-American filmmaker who grew up around Miami's underground punk scene, filming short films and music videos. In college, he interned at Oscilloscope Laboratories which solidified his love of filmmaking, specifically directing and editing. In 2016, he ventured into the world of comic book writing. His graphic novel Dark Beach, a sci-fi noir thriller, was published by Simon and Schuster and is now optioned at Fabula. In 2022, he was given funding by Oolite Arts and The Miami Film Festival to create his short film Save The Flea, which took place inside of an active flea market. The short went on to win the audience award at the Miami Film Festival as well as selections into Fantasia Film Festival, the New York Latino Film Festival and comic-con international Independent film festival (San Diego Comic Con).

We all remember the iconic film that defined the early 2000s rom-com genre: the popular jock can't date the girl next door until her offbeat sister finds her own date, leading him to hire a rugged bad boy to charm her. Loosely based on William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, it was also Heath Ledger's major film debut. You know it as 10 Things I Hate About You, but for director Gil Junger, It's just one of the many impactful projects he has led over his forty-year Hollywood career.

In today's episode, Gil joins Thomas to discuss what he looks for in an extraordinary audition, his advice on how actors should approach cold reads, and the craft of filmmaking from a director's perspective. But that's only part of the conversation. The heart of this interview is a deep, hour-long dive into the unexpected and often unexplored corners of the creative psyche. Gil opens up about the extreme highs and lows of his career, sharing why—despite our best efforts to manage it—anxiety, doubt, and insecurity are experiences all humans (and especially actors) grapple with. Should we continue to combat these feelings or embrace them? This thought-provoking discussion exemplifies Gil's out-of-the-box thinking and his unique approach to creativity.

And of course, they also touch on Heath Ledger's first American audition with Gil—a story that's unforgettable on its own. Don't miss this one!

To learn more about Gil's actor workshops, visit https://thebreakthruco.com/.

About Gil: Director, writer, and producer Gil Junger is a creative powerhouse, perhaps best known for his debut film 10 Things I Hate About You, which became a defining moment for a generation. He received Emmy and DGA award nominations for directing Ellen DeGeneres's groundbreaking "coming out" episode on ELLEN. Drawing on his vast experience, Gil founded the Breakthru Company to revolutionize the industry's approach to nurturing talent, helping actors overcome self-limiting beliefs and trust their authentic voices, building a direct, unfiltered connection to their creative gifts.

In this episode, Thomas engages in a personal and insightful conversation with Bianka Krausch, founder of Talent Direct Agency (TDA). As Thomas's representative agency in the Southeast regions, including Miami and Atlanta, TDA holds a special place in his professional journey. Together, they delve into:

• The Genesis of TDA: Bianka shares the story behind the establishment of Talent Direct Agency, highlighting its evolution and mission in the entertainment industry.

• Spotting Talent: Insights into what catches Bianka's eye in talent submissions, offering valuable advice for aspiring actors, performers, and models aiming to stand out.

• Florida's Film Landscape: A discussion on the past, present, and future of filmmaking in Florida, exploring the state's unique opportunities and challenges.

And don't miss Thomas' telling of how he captured the attention of TDA talent rep Sabine Dibbern, a clever and simple little strategy that led to his representation by TDA nearly four years ago.

For more information about Talent Direct Agency and their work, visit their website at talentdirectagency.com. Be sure to subscribe to their newsletter, which is FREE, and full of little golden nuggets for actors, and follow them on IG @talentdirectagency.

About Bianka: Biank is a founder, owner, and agent at Talent Direct Agency (TDA), a talent agency representing the Southeastern markets for film, fashion, and television. She's deeply involved in the film and television industry, serving as the Film Florida Community Outreach Coordinator, a Board Member and South Florida Branch Co-Chair for Women in Film and TV (WIFT), and newly appointed Board Member for Subtropic Film Festival based in Palm Beach County. Bianka lives in Palm Beach County and is a mother of three wonderful children.