Mentors on the Mic: Your guide to pursuing a career in the Entertainment industry

ROB BURNETT is the writer/director of the feature film The Fundamentals of Caring, as well as a five-time Emmy Award-winning executive producer and head writer of The Late Show with David Letterman. In the course of his career he has received 34 Emmy nominations. Burnett began his career with David Letterman in 1985 as a 22-year-old intern.  In 1988 he joined the show’s writing staff, and at 29 be...

In Memoriam had its World Premiere at the Tribeca Festival 2026. It stars Marc Maron, Lily Gladstone, Sharon Stone, Judy Greer, Justin Long, Talia Ryder, and more. This is a video podcast. Sponsor: Thank you to our sponsor ⁠⁠Studio Pilates South Slope⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Studio Pilates Cobble Hill⁠⁠! Check out the Intro offer here for ⁠⁠Studio Pilates South Slope⁠⁠ and the Intro Offer for ⁠⁠Studio Pilates Cob...

I had the pleasure of speaking with the filmmakers of the 'Competitive Edge' Shorts film block at the 25th Anniversary season of the Tribeca Festival. The description for this block is: These narrative shorts pack a punch as sports and performance take center stage. ISABEL LAMERS| Director & Writer of 'Kaya (ᜃᜌ)' Isabel Lamers is a Filipina-German actor, director, writer and producer based in Los...

I had the pleasure of speaking with some of the filmmakers of the 'Love Fictionally' Shorts film block at the 25th Anniversary season of the Tribeca Festival. These films premiered at Tribeca on Friday, June 25th, with additional screenings on Saturday, June 13th at 8:30pm and Sunday, June 14th at 2:00pm. I moderated a Q&A after the screening on June 13th. The description for this block is: Take a...

SWITCH had it's World Premiere at the Tribeca Festival 2026 in the Indie TV Narrative Showcase. Public 1 (Premiere) Screening - Sunday, June 7 at 8:30PM at Shorts Theater at Spring StudiosPublic 2 Screening - Monday, June 8 at 6:30PM at AMC 19th St. East 6 Public 3 Screening - Sunday, June 14 at 2:15 PM at AMC 19th St. East 6 Sponsor: Thank you to our sponsor Studio Pilates South Slope and Studio...

Iconoclast had its World Premiere at the Tribeca Festival 2026 on Tuesday, June 9th. Sponsor: Thank you to our sponsor ⁠Studio Pilates South Slope⁠ and ⁠Studio Pilates Cobble Hill⁠! Check out the Intro offer here for ⁠Studio Pilates South Slope⁠ and the Intro Offer for ⁠Studio Pilates Cobble Hill⁠. 6 classes for only $60!!! Synopsis: Gabriel Basso (The Night Agent) writes, directs and stars in thi...

Discover Lillian's inspiring journey from winning a $1 million pitch prize at the Tribeca Festival to creating a heartfelt film that resonates across cultures and emotions. In this episode, we explore filmmaking, storytelling, audience connection, and the power of authentic expression. Main Topics & Insights: Lilian's experience winning the Tribeca x AT&T Untold Stories award of $1 million and men...

Dive into the fascinating world of book-to-screen adaptations with host Michelle Miller and special guest Esther, exploring everything from casting choices to narrative changes that impact how we experience beloved series like Off Campus. Discover behind-the-scenes insights, fan reactions, and the future of adaptations in this lively discussion that fans and industry insiders won’t want to miss. M...

Karlee Fomalont, CSA is an Artios Award winning Casting Director, 4-time Artios Award Nominee, and graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where her acting training made for a seamless transition into casting. She began her career at CBS Primetime NY and ABC Primetime NY before moving into independent casting. Karlee has worked with Rori Bergman for 10 years, film credits include: “A Complete Un...

This is a complete breakdown of everything you want to know about the Tribeca Festival, including approx 3 recommendations per category. June 3rd-14th Films Short Films Tribeca X Storytelling Summit Vulture  Talks Audio Games Feature Films: Happy Hours (with Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Mary-Louise Parker, Constance Wu) Written and Directed by Katie Holmes. Produced by Celine Rattray of Maven Scr...

What started as a fluke has turned into a full-blown passion. After having her first baby, KELSIE RAE was devouring at least a romance novel a week. One day, she had an idea for a story of her own and—without telling her husband or family—she wrote her first book in just over a month. That story, later published as Taking the Chance, was the beginning of an unexpected author journey that’s now cap...

Ever thought about going to Book Con? Book Con is back after a 5 year hiatus and what better way to come out of our podcast hiatus than with an episode all about this large scale event. I was fortunate enough to get a press badge to cover the weekend, although I was only able to go to Day 1 because of a prior commitment. This episode covers the good, the bad, and the ugly from the longest lines im...

Clayton Farris is a Los Angeles–based actor and writer whose sharp comedic instincts and grounded performances have made him a standout across screen and digital platforms. He’s appeared in acclaimed series like American Crime Story: Impeachment, 9-1-1: Lone Star, The Morning Show, and NCIS, while also building a cult following online through his dry humor and deeply relatable sketches. He stars a...

The Ken Burns documentary series The American Revolution will premiere on PBS on November 16, 2025. This six-part, 12-hour series will explore the war for American independence from the perspectives of various individuals, including political leaders, soldiers, civilians, Native Americans, and enslaved people. These red carpet interviews were conducted by Annika Horne. Interviews include: Emmy-win...

Colombian writer-director Jose Antonio Negret first made waves when his debut film TOWARDS DARKNESS premiered in competition at the Tribeca Film Festival. It starred America Ferrera, and was distributed by MGM. Negret was subsequently named by The Hollywood Reporter as one of their "Top 10 Latino Directors to Watch.' His follow-up was SECONDS APART, a supernatural thriller released by Lionsgate, w...

Adam Finberg's STAR PEOPLE starring actor and recording artist Kat Cunning (The Deuce, On Swift Horses), McCabe Slye (Destroyer, Fear Street Trilogy), Connor Paolo ( The Last Stop in Yuma County, Revenge, Gossip Girl), Eddie Martinez (The Sinner, Night Swim), Bradley Fisher (Westworld), and Adriana Aluna Martinez (Duster) will open in theaters July 25, with a VOD release to follow nationwide on al...

Jessica Daniels is an Emmy and Artios Award-winning casting director for film and television, with credits including Will Trent, Dying for Sex, The 40-Year-Old Version, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, and 30 Rock. A New York native and former VP of Casting at Walt Disney Television Studios, she has spent over two decades championing talent. Jessica is passionate about storytelling and sees casti...

Join us as we delve into the fascinating career beginnings of Luke Kirby and Daniel Serafini-Sauli. In this episode, they share their first steps into the entertainment industry, with Daniel recounting his role in the Tony Award-winning revival of "A View from the Bridge" and Luke narrating a documentary for the National Film Board of Canada. Their stories reveal the challenges and triumphs of bre...

Happy 5 Year Anniversary Mentors on the Mic Episode! For our 5th Anniversary, I am sharing a solo episode where I discuss some of my favorite films, short films, pilots, Talks, Tribeca X panels, and Docs that I saw at Tribeca 2025. Some of these projects will be featured with interviews in the podcast, including Gonzo Girl, Honeyjoon, Dead Language, Seasoned, Mother, May I have a Kidney, Everythin...

⁠EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE GREAT⁠ in Theaters now! Director Jon S Baird Writer Steven Rogers The Smart family's life takes a dramatic turn when tragedy forces them to confront their oversized dreams, struggles with identity and chaotic regional theater life. As theater manager parents (Allison Janney and Bryan Cranston) work to support their two sons — a hunky football star (Jack Champion) and his...

This is the Full interview with Paul Schnee. PAUL SCHNEE is originally from Wilmington, Delaware and is a graduate of Kenyon College. After graduating, Paul worked at ICM for agent Sam Cohn, then as assistant to director Mike Nichols. He and Kerry formed Barden / Schnee Casting in 2008. Paul is a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences...

Veronica Reyes-How is an award winning writer/actor/producer based in NYC. A graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A in Mathematics, she left a career in technology consulting to pursue acting when an open-call audition resulted in her booking the national tour of Rent. Her big break came when she was one of ten actorschosen for the ABC/Disney Talent Showcase. Mentored by ABC/Disney, she...

Jeffrey Seller's shows have garnered twenty-two Tony Awards, including four for Best Musical, and his Broadway productions and tours have grossed more than $4.6 billion and reached more than 43 million attendees. Jeffrey is the only producer to have mounted two Pulitzer Prize–winning musicals—Hamilton and Rent. He also revolutionized theater accessibility with the $20 ticket lottery for Rent, maki...

Patricia Arquette is a 4th generation actor. She received the Academy Award for her work in “Boyhood,” the critically acclaimed 12-year project from Richard Linklater, for which she also won the Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG, New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics, and Independent Spirit Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. Patricia will make her directing debut this...

This is a 3 part mini Casting Director series, sponsored by Casting Networks. We're so excited to bring Emmy winning Casting Director Jule Tucker back on the podcast! Julie Tucker is a two time Emmy winning Casting Director (7 times nominated). Her list of credits include projects such as Queen Latifah’s "The Equalizer," "The Hot Zone, Anthrax," and the Jennifer Lopez feature film, "Marry Me." Pas...