Hollywood Dream Maker: Acting class with Master Teacher Billy Gallo

Movies used to be good, and now they are kind of shitty . After taking a film class almost by chance, Mike Cheda spent years honing his craft as a scriptwriter and executive producer at HBO and the Walt Disney Studios before feeling he "aged out" of being a working screenwriter and becoming a Professional Script Consultant. He is best known for co-authoring 1999's Chill Factor with Cuba Gooding, J...

We're all here because, for some odd reason, we have this uncanny ability to believe in imaginary circumstances really, really hard. So much that they are our own, in the most intimate kind of way. Mike Markoff knew he belonged on stage at a very young age. He started acting in the Chicago theater scene when he was eight, and five years later; he was already acting for a traveling theater company...

Now that I am where I am and look back, everything I did prepared me to create the Manhattan Model Studio. Diana Gallo, aka The Model Maker, has over 20 years of experience modeling professionally, appearing on magazine covers, commercials, television shows, movies, music videos, and print catalogs. She owns the Manhattan Model Studio, where she coaches and mentors aspiring models to get their car...

Create the character. Load it up with your soul. Leave a piece of your soul behind in that audition, and they will feel it. Most aspiring actors walk into an audition hoping they don't forget their lines and somebody likes them enough to give them a call. However, if you make the right choices, you can maximize your chances of getting the part. In today's solo episode, I share tips and advice to u...

What I love about the stories of how people become actors is that we were filling wounds, and when we get underneath, we understand there are subconscious beliefs that brought us here. Anastasia Griffith is a film and TV Actress and an Empowerment Coach for Actresses, known for starring in the award-winning dramas "Damages" and "Once Upon A Time." Despite her success in Hollywood and the UK, where...

They're not really accidents at all. It's not some lightning strike of good fortune that's bashing you in the head; it's a result of your being on a journey. John Frank Levey didn't know it, but his life was about to radically change the afternoon his mother took him to the theatre. He was a confused 12-year-old boy, unsure of his role in his family, school, and friendships, and emotionally unstab...

I don't teach acting; I don't want to see anybody act. I want to see you be real. The camera is a lie detector, but it's also a truth detector.  In today's episode, the last one before the end-of-the-year break, I take a moment to look back at the fantastic things we've accomplished with this pod, thank every one of you, the audience, for supporting and sharing the show, and review some of th...

If you really want something, do it, and then just keep doing it, and doing it until you get really good at it. Born in New York and raised in Chicago, David Llauger Meiselman grew up in a gypsy, artsy-fartsy environment that heavily influenced him, so after he turned 18, he went back to New York to "do theatre" out there. The Big Apple was just too much for him, so he tried LA, where he found the...

Attack the roles that are easy to get, make your name, and once you've made a mark, tell your agent, Hey, give me some opportunities that I can use to stretch myself creatively. Actor and Director Maximilian Carlo Martini was born in New York. His father was a Roman sculptor and Doctor of Philosophy and Phenomenology, and his mother was a law enforcement officer in Texas. Curiously enough, Max Mar...

In this special episode, we celebrate the life of Cedric "Beastie" Jones. Cedric was a loving father and husband, a caring son, a supportive brother, a leader in his community, a father figure to many, a friend, and a true inspiration.  He moved to L.A. to become an actor, and as he didn't know the meaning of the word "quit," he simply never stopped believing, went after his dreams with a ven...

"Find out what makes you happy and walk towards it. Then run towards it. Then chase it. Then, hold on and never let go! Then you'll be happy." Zavian Monegan grew up in South Central LA, where gang violence, prostitution, and drug abuse were just an unavoidable part of the landscape. Although a quiet, timid part of himself wholeheartedly knew that life was more than being hood rich or having hood...

"Voiceover used to be such a niche profession. Now, because of technology, it's very inexpensive, and anybody can go out and make a demo. Still, in my opinion, cream rises to the top." Alyson Steel is a professional Voiceover Actor known for her extraordinary vocal range. She graduated from the HS of Performing Arts in NYC, received her BA from Queens College while doing recurring work on the soap...

Do you want to become an actor and have no idea where to start?  Today's episode is a step-by-step guide to getting into the film industry. If you dream of being part of massive Hollywood productions or sharing the set with your favorite actors, this guide is all you need to get yourself in the game. When I got to Hollywood with $200 bucks in my pocket and a one-way ticket in the 80s, creatin...

More effort doesn't necessarily mean better. There's always a smarter way to work in the arts.  Patrick Muldoon grew up in San Pedro, 20 miles south of Hollywood. His father was a lawyer who dreamed of starting the Muldoon & Muldoon Law Firm, but after his first acting class, Patrick knew he would never be a lawyer; he wanted to be an actor. Patrick landed huge parts early in his career;...

As the writers and actors strike in Hollywood continues and there is "no end in sight," this hiatus in the industry doesn't mean you should transform into a couch potato and wait for the phone to ring.   In today's episode, I share tips and advice on transforming this "break" into preparation for your next audition, role, or script. You'll hear how visualizing served me throughout my lif...

"You don't always have to get an A. Sometimes, take it easy and let the universe take you for a ride." Originally from Serbia and fluent in four languages, Sean Dubravac was passionate about helping underdeveloped countries; he wanted to work at the UN or an NGO, so he graduated in International Development Studies from UCLA. As he needed to make money to pay for his college degree, he started thr...

Many people believe all actors are millionaires and their lives are these eternal holidays in luxurious yachts celebrity magazines shove on our faces. That couldn't be further from the truth. Most actors are hardworking people, barely making a living and grinding for the love of acting.  Writers and Screen Actors Guild's strikes are trying to protect those actors; in other words, they are sta...

Half the battle is doing what you said you will; if you can't do what you said, try. People respect effort.  Randall J. Bacon always knew he had what it takes to perform at a high level, and although he never thought of becoming an actor, the same work ethic that made him break several records as a football player in high school made him a talented actor and resourceful producer. Randall is a...

If you don't love sitting in a fricking room with a script and trying to work it out, leave because that is the job. Born in Austria, Danny Nucci and his family moved to Italy and lived in Treviso until he was seven, then relocated to NY, where he would learn English and get his Queens accent. Although by 19, Danny already had reasonable success and was making a living as an actor thanks to a role...

How often do you take a break, breathe, and ground yourself?  Not many aspiring actors know this, but to produce great acting, you must be relaxed, and most importantly, your instrument must be relaxed; you must get out of your head and sit still in your heart. Breathing and meditation techniques are shortcuts to a relaxed state of mind, and the more you train that muscle, the easier it'll be...

Whenever somebody comes into a set with a gun, you must ensure it is either a prop gun or hasn't live rounds.  It is really easy to get hurt during a fight scene that isn't properly rehearsed or if you are not paying attention while using blood squibs on shootings scenes. Paying attention to small details can be the difference between having a fantastic experience on set or spending the night...

"When you have an ego and care about what people think, it's deadly; you can never be comfortable having both. But when you don't care what people think, you fly." Maurice Benard is a movie and TV veteran and Emmy Award winner who recently starred as John Gotti in Lifetime's acclaimed "Victoria Gotti: My Father's Daughter." Maurice has worked on major hit studio films, like "Nightmare Cinema," wit...

When you walk into an audition room, your energy speaks before you do.  Luca Pizzoleo is an independent filmmaker and photographer; he wrote, directed, and produced the award-winning short films "In The Valley Of The Moon" and "Seeking Rebirth" and his upcoming short, "The Tragic Death Of A Frenchman."  Raz Fritz is a young actor who fell in love with acting as a kid. He loves embodying...

Even when you think you've seen it all, done it all, acting always has a lesson to teach you.  Today's solo episode is all about the experience of being cast for General Hospital (again!) has taught me. Although my last character in the series was shot dead, I proved to the show's producers that I could play a different character.  In this episode, I talk about why developing serious sel...

"Actors don't retire; we die." Born in Santiago De Las Vegas, Cuba, Marlene Forte knew she wanted to be an actress when she was 10, although she only made her dreams come true when she was 28. In the middle, she studied law, worked her butt off, and conquered every obstacle an immigrant, single mom could find. She played Marta's mom in Knives Out and is known for her work in Star Trek, The Haunted...