Rollin' With Olan

From casting to drumming, today’s guest has had an incredible journey through Hollywood. As an Albuquerque native, Francis Ruiz got his entertainment start doing casting alongside our very own Jeff Olan back in the early 90s. Fast forward to today, he’s a drummer in the band Buckcherry, and you just gotta hear the stories of how it all came about. As Francis says, sometimes you just have to start...

We'll be back with another inspiring episode next week, and we have several more prepared for you. For now though, we know that a lot of our colleagues, families and friends are dealing with some very tough challenges, and our hearts go out to you all. THANKS FOR ROLLIN' WITH OLAN!

When you’ve done more than 1,000 television episodes as an animation director, it’s safe to say you know a thing or two about bringing shows to life. Meet Ron Myrick – an absolute legend in the world of animation. With a number of movies under his belt as well, Ron Myrick has done it all, and in this episode we get a detailed look into the fascinating world of animation and how the magic really ha...

Don’t hope you’ll be successful - believe you’ll be successful. That can be a big step, especially for Europeans who might grow up with a different mindset. But Lívia Bielovič, also known as Liv, has certainly taken that step. From growing up in communism to learning five languages, Liv keeps taking big steps towards realizing more and more of her dreams. With lots of European projects on her resu...

Happy New Year! If you’re looking to make 2025 the year for you, this is the episode for you. Jeff shares his take on where Hollywood is headed and what to expect in terms of work in the entertainment industry. Joined by his producer Joergen, Jeff also discusses the kind of mindset that’s needed to set yourself up for success in the new year. It’s all about how you position yourself and how you ap...

Imagine being pregnant on set and having Denzel Washington rub your belly for good luck in between takes while shooting Training Day. That’s just one of Nicole Rubio’s epic experiences from her journey through Hollywood. From Raiderette to actress to script supervisor to television director, Nicole has done it all. And she’s worked on shows like Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago P.D., FBI: Most W...

Third generation boom operator? Wow! This guy knows about sound. And he’s worked on huge shows like Deadwood, Scandal and True Detective. You’ll hear some fascinating stories straight from the field on this one. Favorite part of the job? Meeting all kinds of folks in the industry and going to different locations for unique experiences. It’s amazing to see where Hollywood can take you. And Chris wi...

Don’t try this at home! But do check out these incredible stories from one of our favorite stunt people in the industry. From epic girl fights in Mean Girls to Doritos Super Bowl commercials, Courtney Schwartz has done it all. Hear how she went from ballet dancing as a kid to jumping into stunt training at 15 and her journey through Hollywood from there, which includes an Emmy nomination for Stran...

Happy Thanksgiving! Sometimes the best thing to do is reflect and tap into gratitude. That’s what Jeff is doing in today’s episode as he shares more details from his journey that are sure to leave you inspired. In Hollywood, everybody starts with a dream. And for some, that dream turns into a goal. But for many, that goal isn’t always achieved, but other magical things happen. That’s the power of...

Who knew that seeing the movie Benji at a young age would spark the love for films and the entertainment industry that would ultimately put Steven Escobar on a path to become a world-class editor and ultimately win an Emmy Award. Every story in Hollywood is unique, and this one is no different. After first working on music videos, including one for Selena in 1996, Steven Escobar got his first edit...

Yes, it’s true – you can become an Assistant Director and then a Director! Just check out this conversation with Anneke Scott as she shares her journey through Hollywood, showing us all what is possible when we go for it. She loved dancing but couldn’t quite make enough money, didn’t want to do anymore school and ultimately asked herself: “What if I go behind the camera?” So she moved from Florida...

Have you ever sat down with a horror film director? Well, now is your chance. Chad Ferrin has directed over a dozen horror films, written several and acted in a few as well, and he brings a unique perspective on success in entertainment. From growing up on a farm in Minnesota and becoming a vegetarian, Chad shares stories from his journey, including the time when he bought a condo and then sold it...

Happy Halloween! Joe Castro is a director, producer and a truly gifted special effects artist, and he has a very sick mind – in a good way! Joe talks us through his journey through Hollywood after getting his start at 15 in San Antonio, Texas. He gets into all the crazy bloody stuff while also touching on how some of his personal life has affected his professional career. Make sure to check out th...

This is an entertainment publicist like none other. Nan Sumski was the first and only Head of Publicity for Spelling Television, Aaron Spelling’s production company, which delivered iconic TV series like 7th Heaven, Beverly Hills 90210, Charmed, Dynasty and Melrose Place. Nan tells incredible stories about the early days of working with George Clooney as well as the story of how she met Jeff 40 ye...

This time Jeff is joined by the show’s sponsor as well as its producer. Glen Ward is the CEO of Source & Cast, and he talks about how and why the company came onboard as the exclusive founding sponsor of Rollin’ With Olan. Jeff shares more about the purpose of the podcast and how he’s motivated to help others in the entertainment industry. It’s a great conversation from behind the scenes about...

From being the first “Leggo My Eggo” kid as a child actor, to losing his best friend as a young adult, to becoming an executive and having a long career in the industry, Ricky Powell is in a unique position to teach us about happiness. He spent 25 years working at NBC, and early on he discovered Tony Robbins and his original mentor Jim Rohn, setting him on a path to understand what happiness and s...

This guest is a true legend. He has worked on some of the most epic projects you can imagine, and he’s recognized in the industry as one of the truly great ones. What a treat! Just listen to the stories he tells.   From his early days working on the iconic show Miami Vice to the four months of prep work for Night at the Museum, Marty has done it all, including developing deep relationships with ot...

We celebrated the launch of this podcast with a live session the day the first episode dropped, and it was awesome. Jeff shared more of his perspectives and answered questions from this amazing community in entertainment.  In this recording, you’ll get some real wisdom from Jeff about how to find your path to success in entertainment, and we give the best answer we can to the classic question: Am...

Imagine how much you would learn if you directed 250 episodes of TV shows. Then imagine compressing that into one podcast episode. Bethany Rooney’s resume is incredible, and she shares so generously about her outstanding work. After telling the story of how she got started when she moved to LA from Ohio, she breaks down everything that goes into how she prepares for an episodic TV show, how she he...

What’s possible to accomplish once you start doing background acting? When you listen to this episode, you’ll realize the sky is truly the limit. These three people are so much more than just background actors, but that’s how they got going.  Louie Novoa, Millette Pauley and Ramona Case have all been doing background acting and stand-in work for decades, and their stories remind us that anybody ca...

This is a legendary guest. Her stories are something else. Dishing on Robert Redford, Bob Dylan and Martin Scorsese just to name a few, Sally Kirkland shares more than we could have imagined from her 64 years of acting and all her other adventures in entertainment.  Sally Kirkland is a survivor - in more ways than one. She’s had a life and a career most can only dream of, but there are lessons in...

What does it take to make a great independent film? Hear from Demise writer, director and producer, Yara Estrada Lowe, and two of the lead actors, Carlo Mendez and Liz Fenning, to get the full picture of everything that goes into independent filmmaking.  Jeff Olan also had the pleasure of being one of the executive producers of the movie and was delighted to bring these amazing folks back together...

How do you end up with a script signed by John Travolta and Nicolas Cage? You cast the background actors for the blockbuster movie Face/Off. That’s the kind of work Vanessa Portillo does, and she has some amazing stories.  Actors will learn a ton from how Vanessa breaks down how she works and how actors can keep leveling up. She also reminds us all how small the casting community is and that casti...

How does a person go from wanting to attend law school to becoming a DGA Award winner? Well, 1st Assistant Director Nicole Burke realized she prefers giving directions over taking them, and inevitably she was thrust into a business she did not intend to be in. But there are so many ways to navigate Hollywood and ultimately find what makes you both happy and successful. Early on, a well-known and r...

Welcome to Rollin' With Olan, a unique look into the past, present and future of Hollywood. You'll find longtime casting director and filmmaker Jeff Olan in deep conversations with all kinds of successful people in entertainment to cover areas of the industry that aren't typically explored in detail. The goal of this show is to help everyone with a stake in entertainment navigate Ho...