October 8, 2024 • 39 mins
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and
TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transitioned to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Domez.
I auditioned every rapper from biggiees Balls to Tupac, and
(00:24):
I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help
transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from
Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Yee from The
Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons to name a few. I
also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel
(00:45):
I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director,
I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an
acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in
that room. Now I know, I know actors want to
get the job. I get that, but being remembered by
casting director that is powerful. And now it's time for
(01:05):
meditation of the day. Patience is not the ability to wait,
but the ability to keep a good attitude while you're waiting.
There are plenty of reasons why people choose this business.
I feel that it's important that you understand all the
reasons you are pursuing a career as an actor. One
(01:25):
of the most common reasons that I've heard is to
be famous. Fame has a lot of consequences. The most
obvious one is your lack of privacy. If this doesn't
bother you, then great, but if it does, then you
need to reevaluate your career choice. There are a lot
of perks in this business, but it is important that
(01:47):
you remain grounded and focused. One of the ways you
can do that is by understanding what your true goals
really are. Today, I will respect my private to see
Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I love this show.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
I love the opportunity to be able to share with
you some of the most brilliant, dynamic, powerful forces in Hollywood.
And I have the pleasure October two, thoy nineteen to
go to a film festival in Amsterdam and meet this
amazing woman and you're gonna listen, trust me, at the
(02:31):
end of this you're going to agree and do a
standing ovation for her. I would like to introduce the
amazing producer extraordinaire and my friend Dominique Telson, He's.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
The amazing one.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
But okay, no, I'm reflecting you.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
That's what I'm doing. I'm so happy to have you
on the show. There's just so many questions that I
want to ask, because I feel like this is such
a riveting time for creativity. But first, I want to
start at the beginning because a lot of our actors,
they write, and especially in this age of shooting on
(03:18):
an iPhone, they put together their own projects. But I
want them to know from you know, an established successful
producer in this industry, how did you start in this industry?
Where did it begin for you?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Very very early, I wanted I was a journalism major.
I wanted to do journalism, so I was, you know,
from a very early age. I was interested in story
and telling stories and how that gets done and the
curiosity of all of that, and found my way, you know,
decided that journalism was going to be my way. In
graduated from Hunter College in New York and went to
(03:55):
do some job interviews.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yes, go New York and go Hunter.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
And I went to my first interview and the guy
told me communications degrees.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Come a dime a dozen. What are you going to?
What else can you do?
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Thanks for your encouragement, Yeah, encouragement.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
So but anyway, I was able to get an internship
at ABC. And at ABC it was in the editorial department.
And the editorial department you basically had to read every
single publication and every news article and then come up
with ten ideas to present to senior management about, you know,
things that were going on in the world and what
(04:32):
what the what the station's point of view should be,
you know, the the pros, the cons and what what
what what you thought our point of view could be.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Which was a lot for an intern to do.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
But anyway, we did that and then also the rose
was that we also got to shoot it. We had
to go interview somebody. So I got the real full
experience of like, you know, pitching and producing, you know,
making it happen and and you know, selling.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
It into the buckety mugs.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
So that was a great education and I realized probably
I wanted a little more than journalism when I finally
moved out to LA And when I was in LA,
I got a job at the acquisitions department of Showtime Networks,
and acquisis is basically you look at the finished films
and you decide, you know, which ones are going to
go on the air. And for Black History Month. As
(05:22):
the only black person and the only female by the way,
in the department, they would always come to me and say, hey,
twy History Month, what are we putting on? You know?
So I'd brush and try to find some short films
that could fill the roster. And you know, one thing
I noticed is that, gosh, you know, these these some
of these filmmakers, but there's talent here, but they only
had a little bit more money, you know. So I
(05:43):
went to one year, I had thirty thousand dollars left
in the budget, and I went to my bosses and
I said, listen, we're thirty thousand dollars left. We could
give this back to the company, or we can maybe
what if we did a contest, you know, with these
filmmakers at shorts that we found, and if well, you know,
and we give that we pick a winner to make
a film for us next year for thirty thousand, which
(06:05):
at the time was pretty much more than what some
of them had obviously, so great idea, A great idea.
So I march over to Viacom Pictures at the time,
who were the ones that made the movies. But their
movies were like six million and above. And they looked
at me like I was nuts and said, six million,
thirty dollars.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
You don't know, we don't we can't do that.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
So I said to one of this guy, John Vacy,
who I always remember, he's now a professor at Chapman.
He said to me, listen, if you I said, listen,
if you mentor me, I'll do it.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
You know, I'll do all the work. Just tell me
what to do.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
And he did and that that was the first one
was a short film by Bobby Martist, who a lot
of people know. He's the writer, director, actor, filmmaker. And
we fought every single day. It was a wonderful experience
and from there, you know, you know, it was a
blessing and I'm and I was blessed because then Jerry
(07:02):
Offsea came to town and he said, we want to
make fifty movies a year.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
And then I had experience, so.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I knew, you know, I knew the process and I
was confident in the process. And that's how I got
into being a producer at child time. Basically, you were
your own producer, and I just learned and learned until
now I'm I'm independent, which is my love.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Well, I have to say, you know, working as a
casting director and also as an acting coach on the
set with my clients and working with some of the
best producers as yourself being a producer, can you let
our audience know what are what are the characteristics? What
are the things that you need, the tools that you
need to become a great producer. Because for me, I've
(07:47):
always had this interpretation that you guys put out fires,
whatever the fire is, that's what you guys do, and
you're great at that, and so I really want the
audience to understand what that process is.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Well, you know, really, the producer's job starts way before
we get on set.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Okay, the producer's job.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
I'm producing right now the film something that is probably
not going to go until next year's spring. But I'm
I have to get the money. I have to get
people on board. I have to get the actors engaged.
I have to make sure the script is you know,
something that I.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
You know what, that's the beginning.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I have to make sure script are the idea is
number one, that's something that I really love and passionate
enough about that I will be okay spending two years
getting this out into the world and then even after that.
So that's probably number one. So finding that material and
it can be anywhere. Something that I'm working on now
(08:51):
that we had to stop in the middle of COVID.
Actually was a girl that came up to me at Sundance.
And that was at Sundance. I was premature, was premier
at Sunday, and so it was kind of an indeed,
you know if Sunday it's very indie, and she came
and had this drug story and I was.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Like, oh, yeah, whatever, a drug story. I've had those.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
And then she told me it was her story and
I started listening, and you know, I'm passionate about the story.
It's not a big movie, but but I love it.
I have another you know, it's it's about it's about
a story that you feel like you can live with
the best of enemies. That I did. I love I
love the woman, I love the people involved. So it
became my mission to work to get it done. So
(09:32):
once you once you start there, that that's probably number one.
I think of being a I think of being a
good producer. I was actually just having this conversation over
the weekend with a with a with an actress that
I'm working with. My job is to be able to
listen to the filmmaker and be able to help them
help themselves get to that get to that place.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
So if I'm starting out.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
With material that doesn't have a director, it's finding the director.
But so then it's about putting the team together. And
I'm trying to be very careful about putting a team together.
I want people who are really passionate about what they
do but also want to contribute to the collaboration, like
I want you to fight for and be the best
(10:17):
actor in this role.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
I know I'm talking to an acting group and this.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Role is like you see it, you feel it, you
hear and that is awesome.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
I want that.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
But I also want someone who can listen to the
director and the producer and say, oh, this is what
you meant. Okay, let me I could see that too,
Because my job as a producer is really to build
the sandbox around the film so that everyone feels respected,
appreciated and can do the work so that the sandbox
runs smoothly. And if I do that, correctly, I'll have
(10:49):
less fires to put out when we're actually in production. Really,
production is the kind of like the time that I
can take a breath. If I've done my job correctly beforehand,
then production should go well. Happens, of course, But if
Mike already put together, they know how they're working together,
we can put those fires out very easily. So I
would say the number one thing for me as a
(11:10):
producer is finding good material that I'm passionate about. Number
two putting a team together that is equally as passionate,
and so we are aiming for the same goal and
going towards the you know, making the same movie together,
that we respect and listen to each other, and that
we're all in it for the right reasons. And that's
that's what I try to do. And I try to
make that environment be great for everyone.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
That's excellent. And what is your role with actors? What
is their relationship with you?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
So I'm also a very big respector of the director
actor relations. I respect that, but I found more and more,
maybe it's because I'm getting older, I don't know that
the actor also needs someone else that they can, you know,
kind of say something to maybe they want to test
something out, and they don't really want to go to
the director right away because they want to be prepared,
(12:03):
you know, like you know, you want to kind of
be able to talk about something. Maybe it's a woman issue,
you know, my boyfriend helping me. I'm very serious, whatever
it is. So I try to provide that space for
the actors, but make sure that whatever is happening, that
the that the director's needs and what he's seeing. Especially,
I mean I make sure I agree with director's vision too.
(12:25):
We should have worked that out in the eight weeks
of prep or whatever it was. But making sure that,
you know, giving them a second voice, maybe a different
way to to describe it. Like I just was on
a film and you know it's a director who's man
and he's you know, maybe doesn't see a perspective of
(12:46):
a woman sometimes, and I can maybe help gel that.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Together, just like I do for every position.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Actually, just let me help you, Let me help you
translate what he might be saying, the little bit that
you're not hearing. But I'm very respected of my director,
and I make sure that that relationship is very strong.
So that so that because that's the movie, and so
I just try to provide the therapist. The therapist I
thought you knew with the actor is about helping them
(13:14):
feel confident, strong, you know, yes, you can talk to him.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Well, he told me this, so maybe you might want
to think about that, you know.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
I think, you know, just just helping them feel comfortable
and also feel their creation is being met but matched
with the director's creativity and our overall goal for the
film's creativity.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
I have to say Dominique I and I can vouch
for her, ladies and gentlemen, because I had the pleasure
of being on the set with Dominique in the cold.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Winter was it? It was it January or no? But
it was November and November.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Okay, because we had just gotten that Yeah, you were
November in Brooklyn. Here today Billy Crystal director starring as
well with Tiffany Hattish and I grew up in the
independent world. My first film was Just Another Girl on
Irt in you know, the early nineties. I grew up
with yellers, screamers like people who I was like, are
(14:15):
we just making a movie?
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Here?
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Are we curing cancer? Because the way that they were
emotionally involved on the set. And I watched you on
the set of here today, And I said to myself
back in the day, I would have enjoyed so much
more of the experience had I worked with a producer
(14:38):
like you, who you don't have to yell you Still
everyone was pleasant with you. You you moved on that set,
and there was I felt everything that you just said
about creating a team. I felt that on that set,
but I felt the respect, I felt your power. We're
(15:01):
but without yelling, ladies and gentlemen and having heart a
text on this set. So I commend you for that because.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
You don't have to.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
You know, sometimes producers can be a bit much, and
I'm sure you've had that experience.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Yeah, I've been on panels where I've been skewered for
other people's ins at look, I thought.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
That that was to me. I always say, and I've
worked with a lot of successful directors and producers that
people work together when they feel that they can trust
like actors. If I choose not to be a screamer yeller,
because that's not what I am, but I say the
same thing that screamer and yellers say. It's how you
say it, and I feel like it's important for me
(15:46):
and my class is to create a safe space of
comfort and trust so that actors will take risks, because
if they're afraid, you know, or intimidating, you know, they're
going to hold back. So as a I just wanted
to commend you on that because that it felt good
on your set and that's so important act for everyone
(16:09):
crew as well to feel good. So yeah, and they
were just so welcoming. They didn't even know me, but
it was like which like to lead, which like to sit?
And the directors I was like, wait, so it's so cool,
So thank you. Before I met Dominique, you guys in
Amsterdam last year, I did not know that Dominique was.
She was a producer of some of my favorite films.
(16:31):
An interview with God Dominique, Yeah, that was one of
my favorite films.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Really Okay, so I can't take a lot of credit
for that one, but actually I can.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
No, I'll take a little just that's just kind.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Of the story was created before I got to the
Stude Films and it was a project that they were
working on. And what I did for that film probably
is I got the lead actor who was not the
actor that they were trying, Brenton Thwaites, who was known
one at the time, and I felt added this little
bit of magic to the film that with other maybe
(17:08):
somebody else would not have worked to believe who that
character was. And I think his vulnerability in the film
made it so able to be appreciated. And just you
know that I was the only Was I the only
woman on that one? I think I was the only woman, yeah,
on that one. And so it just sometimes I feel
like you do need a little bit of female energy.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
You just do, sorry, guys.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
And and you know, it was a special film. There
was something really super special about that and I was
just randomly, you know, looking for something and connected immediately.
And also the best of frenemies. Oh god that with
Taraji v Hinston and say I'm.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Rock withst of enemies that that was my baby.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Well let's talk about your baby, because now we have
I know on Netflix viewership of Black Stories has gone up.
They said three hundred and ninety seve percent. So I'm
sure were people and especially now while people are home,
people are watching this. So how did this film come
to you?
Speaker 2 (18:08):
So I had just started at as Dude Films and
it was a blind don't send all blind submissions.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
It's not that anymore.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
But it was a blind submission, but he sent it
and it just I looked up who Anne Atwater was,
you know, it was about Ann Atwater and I just
looked up. I'd never heard of her, and I looked
up who Anne Atwater was and this and I read
a draft of the script and it was.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
It was very good.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
When I got it. And then I met the filmmakers,
and I'll tell you on that one, everybody was so
passionate that it was, you know, you had to calm
people down a little bit, but it was something that sheer.
I don't know, God, thank you got that one made,
because it fell down so many times from Taraji getting
(18:53):
on Empire, I think more. I don't know. Something happened
with Empire that she really couldn't do it. We had
to wait another year year before it came through. The
financing came fell out. Half of it. Had to get
my company to step up and pay the whole financing,
which they were only doing half, you know. Selling the
investor who you know lived in Georgia, wealthy man. And
(19:16):
when I first met I think I might have told
you this one.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
I walked into his office and I'm.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Pitching and I'm big into my pitch, and I thought
to myself, oh, shoot, he might be like one of
the colonizers that I'm talking about right now, you know,
And I looked at him, but whatever, I was too
far deep. So all the work that I talk about
that producers have to do to get it on the
table was just just just doubly hard on that one,
(19:40):
to the point where, you know, when we had our
final budget and it was we were about we had
already gone on a location scout, flown to Georgia to
do a location scout, and one of my director and
my other person had an all out battle that I thought,
that's it, after all this were done, And so it
(20:00):
was just such a hard thing to get me. But
I'm so proud of actually getting it made, and then
I'm proud of what it was. And I'm so much respect,
so much respect for Taraji, who poured her heart, and
so once she got on set, I was I was
afraid I was going to get a diva, to be
very honest, but she was amazing, really committed, really passionate,
(20:23):
knew her lines every day and really just kind of
embodied the character. People make fun of the breasts that
she got. But that was her, you know, that was
she wanted it. We were in production sneakily taking a
little bit of boob out every day, just like that.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Just a little.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
But she was passionate about the film and the director
who was Caucasian, and that wound up biting us. But
it was his story. He found it. He you know,
he wrote it. You know, again, collaboration of a team
that really stood behind the material and wanted to see
it get done.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Tai. When I work with that, I love the fact
that she insisted on that characteristic about her character because
knowing Taraji and how she goes into character development, she
probably has a story you know, like my like I'm
sure there was justification as.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Aunties and a grandma.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
She was, she was, she was.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
We heard all of that on set, which was great.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
That's excellent. The climate today, Dominique, like, where where do
you think in terms of storytellers work that you're looking
for because we are in a different place with black
lives matters, and and I feel a difference. I grew
up in the late sixties, and I feel a difference
(21:45):
because it's not stopping, you know, I feel the passion
and the and the persistence of you know, John Lewis
rest in peace. You know, So, how are the stories
going to be affected in this in this climate.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
I think we're doubling down.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
I think we're doubling down. And people are, you know,
are more convicted uh uh than ever of telling their stories,
telling their stories their way and going outside the box creating.
I actually just spent time with Tiffany and uh and
(22:25):
she was talking about.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Some of the things that she wants to do.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
It would blow you away. I mean it's amazing, and uh,
you know, Taraji's creating like the just I feel like
I feel like there's a veil lifted off of the
creative community of like because one thing, COVID has been
horrible in so so many ways, but the that with
(22:50):
with the Black Lives Matter has just, I think, become
a formula for empowering people all people to go after
what they want, to go after what they need.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
And the good.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
News is for us in entertainment, people love entertainment. People
want to hear from us, people want to hear your story,
people want to identify with your story, and people want
to live through your story. So so so I feel
like there's a veil lifted and everybody and then the
(23:25):
suits you know, on the other side, are realizing, you
know what these black some of these black stories, white story,
Chinese story, Indians or whatever it is, there's something for
all of us, and so we have to be a
little better about looking out for that. And so I
feel like that's open up. On the other hand, guys,
you know when you're when you're doing your stories, like
get your act together, you know, proofread your stuff, you know,
(23:49):
make sure this it's not grammatically incorrect, like it's you know,
I'll read something, but if I'm starting to read and
I can tell that it's like not And I'm not
saying professional I went to Harvard.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
I'm just saying, like, speak English.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
You know, we're writing in English, and make it neat
and clear and look like you took as much care
in sending it and preparing it that I will take
to read it that you would want me to take
to read it.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Dominique, when I tell you on everything that I am,
I am so happy that you said that. I had
a situation recently. I coached Cardi b and Hustler, and
someone approached me about a script that was going to
change the trajectory of her career. That was music to
my ears because in working with Buster Rhymes, we went
(24:37):
from chaff and we got this little film finding Forrester
and I was all over it. I was like, please,
you got me do it. But I was just understanding
his trajectory of his film career. They sent me the script.
It was one hundred and forty six pages. I called
them and I said, I'm not reading this unless this
is the next Black Panther or Gandhi. A script is
(24:57):
ninety to one hundred and twenty five pages a reason.
There's an art in writing screen in screenwriting, so just
because and he's a book writer, and I tried to explain,
just because you wrote a book, that's great and I
applaud you, but transitioning that to a screenplay is totally different,
(25:18):
and people have to respect the process of final draft,
not more document put it in the proper format. And
when I had a conversation and I said, your slug lines,
you don't he had slug lines were interior office day
and then the hyphen day twenty three. So every slug
(25:41):
line he identified the day. I said, you don't do
the days. That's the first ads shop, and he was like, well,
I vehemently disagree with you. I was like, let me
just step off this because I was, you know, trying
to help out a friend. But I think that that
is an extremely important point.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Anyone that you that you're helping quote and says, he
vehemently disagrees with what he came for you.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
And I had to say, you know, and not being
you know, this is business, it's it's I I gave
my constructive criticism back to him, and then he told
me he disagreed. But I said to him, you came
to me. Yeah, I already have the relationship with her agent,
(26:31):
so you're coming to me and then this is what
I do. So now now I'm taking it personal, and
I think we shouldn't have this conversation. You know, it's
how important is training and education in this business?
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (26:48):
I mean, you know, there's everything's available to you now, YouTube, Google, like,
there's no reason why you you you can find anything
you want if you're if you're really you know, passionate
and really want to do this, every resource is available
to you free of charge somewhere online. I know I've
used it, and I pick up a fasaurus.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
You don't always have to say walk. If you describe
an adjective can tell us so much. I use this
dominique in my class as an exercise. Present day exterior
Harry's apartment night. Harry strolls across his living room floor
to a mahogany table and picks up a rotary phone
to dial. We spend at least thirty minutes on just
(27:34):
that one sentence. Nouns tell us something about your character.
Verbs tell us something about your character, and as actors,
you should be detectives to pull that out. So all day,
Harry's older, Harry's rich, Harry likes Antie all day. So
that's why I say it is an art to write
(27:55):
a screenplay. You have to understand, you know what you're doing.
I have two more questions because I feel like somebody's
going to hit me and say, Tracy, we got.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
To go, and they did.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
He just hit me, Okay.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
As a producer, there are times when you are the
only female in the room, or you are the only
African American woman. What are the dynamics of that?
Speaker 2 (28:15):
I mean, honestly, that's happened to me my whole life.
It's just that it's not really New I went to
lots of white schools growing up, so it's like you
just kind.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Of, you know, I'm happy to be me, and that you.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Know, there's no one whatever color, that's really so much
smarter than you.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
There really isn't.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
You just just be yourself, you know, And so I
always remember that. But I will tell you there's only
one time that I walked into a completely white room.
And I'm never like afraid, that's not my thing. But
there was only one time when we were going to
a marketing meeting for Best of Enemies, and I walked
(28:56):
into a conference room at the distributor of twenty five
people that were going to tell us about how they
were going to market the movie. And I was the
only only black person in the room. Wow. And that's
the only time that I went, oh, okay, yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Well, I mean I had just quickly I had that experience.
I was doing a TV show for one of my clients,
and I'm like you, I've always I mean, Tracy Moore
is very generic. When I was casting, nobody knew what
I was. I just got hired and I just did
my job. But when I was in a writing room,
a writer's room for the TV show and the client
(29:37):
was African American and all the white writers were telling
her how she would speak. And I was sitting on
my hands because you know, I was the acting coach.
But I was like, okay, I'm to just go with this.
But I was like wow. And then she had fire
in her and she said, let me just make this clear.
Since I am co executive producer, you can't tell me
(30:00):
what I would say and how I would say that
as an African American woman. So we're gonna shut that down.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
And then we're going to.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
Just and so that. And it was like and everybody's like, okay, you.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
Know, but because that's the only way you get us
in the room too, Like you know, I was when
I was at show time, it was myself and Prillian
and Bokay the only two black execs.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
You know.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
It was like, you know, we need more of us,
you know, and we need more of us to be
to be doing to be doing that as much as everyone.
And I feel like there's a lot of people who
really believe in the one world. You know. I'm Caribbean,
so I believe in the one world, you know, don't.
I don't really have the wasn't. I wasn't. I wasn't
even born in America, immigrants with no green car until
(30:44):
I graduated high school, came to the country, you know,
that whole experience, until I won that sixth grade spelling bee.
You know that.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Okay, don't sleep on company go.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
But so you we have that, we have to deal
with that, and I don't. I try. I try very
hard not to make it an issue unless you make
me make it an issue, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
That's true. I just admire the fact that you know,
you're great at what you do, You're successful at what
you do, and you do that. It doesn't you know,
we don't have to identify you as a woman, as
a black woman.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
You're a great.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Producer and that's what counts, and you have the credits
and the awards to say that. So I just want
to leave off with whatever. I always ask our guests
to give us some jewels, some diamonds that you can
bestow to our actors. What's that thing that you want
them to know or they should work on.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
I mean, build your tribe, you know, team, team, you
know all that stuff.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
The collaboration and working with other people is great.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
Find the people that you can collaborate with, that you
trust their opinions. And you know, I learned this actually
I told Billy Crystal this, but I'd learned this from
him a long time ago. I went to an award
show where he was being honored, and I just happened
to be in the room and he talked about his
tribe and it was Rob Reiner and and I'm forgetting
(32:14):
all the names now, but Julia, Julia, Louise Dreyfus and
all the people that he came and all built together,
and they all be and they were all in the
room and they they said, look, when we were still friends,
we still like vibe off of each other.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
We don't have to work on the same projects.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
But if I need to check on a line or
directing thing, I'll call Rob. You know, So build your
tribe and just you know, you know, be true to
the to the to the people that you have there,
and bring bring bring everybody together.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
It's possible and it's the best. Well.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
I have to say, I'm a proud to be a
part of to have an X tribe because she's my
sex and the city best friend. So ladies and gentlemen,
please put your hands together and get up, bud your
seats for Dominique Telson.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
I'm a behind the scenes person, but thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
Listen behind the scenes looks Bruce is standing up behind
the scenes. That's where it matters. That's where it matters.
I'm a behind the scenes person too. Without us, the
production wing go on. So I applaud and appreciate, love you,
Thank you so much. Dominique is going to hang out
with us and we are going to be back on
(33:27):
the Spirited Actor Podcast with class in session and welcome
back to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore,
and we still have Dominique Telson in the house, ladies
and gentlemen, and she is going to bless us by
listening to Spirit Actor alumni Lean Amado, Lianne. Thank you here, Dominique.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
Nice to meet you.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
And we have Melissa caprie Hi.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
You're amazing. Dominique, thank you for all the work that
you do.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
Oh, thank you.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
And Samuel Brice. He's new to the scene.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
And it's definitely a pleasure to be here with Tracy
and Dominique. I appreciate you both, all of you.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Thank you, Sam Okay. So Melissa is going to she
is going to be reading the narrative and the Cisilian
and sam. Okay, whenever you ready, you guys.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
Interior Jail cel Queensboro Correctional Facility Day. Tracy impatiently paces
back and forth in herself, constantly peeking out as best
she can. She's waiting for something. A moment later, Ceo
Thompson comes strolling by.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
I' mean wait for you to come back.
Speaker 5 (34:41):
It's like that.
Speaker 1 (34:43):
No, it ain't like that.
Speaker 4 (34:46):
He proceeds to walk away.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Wait. Today is Niba's birthday. Can you please help me
out and just let me call her? I just need a.
Speaker 5 (34:56):
Minute there, watching you. Your mouth keeps getting you in trouble.
I mean, I like what you do with it.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
He's a bitch for that. You didn't help me none.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
All right, me and me at the store. I get
you want something, don't you? We just fucking did.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Fuck out of here.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
He walks off, unbothered, balls in his court. She turns round,
pissed and locks eyes on her tough his picture. She
yells out fuck.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
He comes back.
Speaker 5 (35:29):
I told you to watch your mouth with.
Speaker 4 (35:31):
Hating her eyes and her voice.
Speaker 5 (35:32):
Low, fine, give me the funk out of here. You
gotta talk to me like that in there too.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
He takes out his keys and then locks her cell door.
She bites her tongue and walks out.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
He follows, seeing excellent, very good you guys. Okay, dominic
I'm gonna throw it to you, whatever words you have.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
I was waiting for next me too. What's happening now?
I mean, I think that's that's good. I've never looked
at an.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Acting zoom before. That was good.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
I mean I saw your frustration. I felt your frustration
throughout your body, so you know, that's that's always good.
I love the nonverbal and the way you're able to
you know, I knew something was about to go down
down before you started, so that that's great. And if
i'm if I'm watching you in the audition room, I
would probably notice that about you, just so you know.
And you, sir, we're also good.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
You don't give us ship, which was good.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
Listen, you both had me engaged and I wanted to
know more, and to me, that's the that's the gift,
right right, That's that's what you want to do. So congratulations,
thank you.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
And we also say Dominique in terms of our spirited actors.
If it's okay that I forward you their photo and
resume so that you can have it.
Speaker 3 (36:45):
From now.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
I'll do you one better whenever I have something that
i'm casting, either well mostly LA or.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
LA Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Probably I'm going to be in UK, but I don't
know if anybody from here is worth it to go
to UK. But l A and LA and probably Atlanta
are the next thing. So when I have those, I'll
send Tracy what I'm looking for. So anybody in your
and your roster that you feel would work well, I'll
make sure that you can have a chance to get
(37:14):
them submitted.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
I appreciate love that so much and I definitely will
be honest. This is what I'm telling you. My friends,
I love them, were so great so Tominie, I just
want to thank you so much for taking the time.
I know you're on the West coast, she's on the
others and she got up early for us, but we appreciate,
love you and all of your successes. And once again,
(37:40):
I'll be seeing you soon because I missed my sex
in the city.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Yeah, so not easy, guys, but stay with it, okay,
it's worth it.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Thank you so much, and we'll be back on the
spirited actor podcast with Give Love and Now It's time
Forgive Love. Don't Stop Dreaming. August is a very special
time of the year for me because thirty seven years
(38:08):
ago this year, I traveled three thousand miles with two
hundred dollars, a one way ticket and a trunk from
San Francisco to New York City because I had a dream. Now,
my parents were behind me when I was walking through
the airport. Unbeknownst to me, they were betting, and they
(38:29):
were betting that I was going to be back home
in two weeks. Well, two weeks turned into thirty seven years.
Never give up on your dreams. Never allow anybody else's
fear to deter you from your dreams, because that's what
they'll do. They will put their fears on you. My
(38:51):
brother said, I was going to get my jewelry stolen.
I was going to get my fingers cut off because
they take your rings. Well, I had to remind my
brothers that I didn't have any jewelry, so I wasn't
afraid of that happening to me. It didn't matter their
fears from you don't know anyone in New York City to.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
They're gonna kill you.
Speaker 1 (39:16):
I still went anyway and I'm still here. Don't ever
let anyone destroy or change your outlook of what you
know is true for you, dream your dream, and stay convicted.
Thank you for joining us on the Spirited Actor Podcast
(39:38):
with me Tracy Moore. I look forward to our next
Spirited podcast. Thank you,
Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and
TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transitioned to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Domez.
I auditioned every rapper from biggiees Balls to Tupac, and
(00:24):
I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help
transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from
Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Yee from The
Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons to name a few. I
also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel
(00:45):
I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director,
I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an
acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in
that room. Now I know, I know actors want to
get the job. I get that, but being remembered by
casting director that is powerful. And now it's time for
(01:05):
meditation of the day. Patience is not the ability to wait,
but the ability to keep a good attitude while you're waiting.
There are plenty of reasons why people choose this business.
I feel that it's important that you understand all the
reasons you are pursuing a career as an actor. One
(01:25):
of the most common reasons that I've heard is to
be famous. Fame has a lot of consequences. The most
obvious one is your lack of privacy. If this doesn't
bother you, then great, but if it does, then you
need to reevaluate your career choice. There are a lot
of perks in this business, but it is important that
(01:47):
you remain grounded and focused. One of the ways you
can do that is by understanding what your true goals
really are. Today, I will respect my private to see
Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I love this show.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
I love the opportunity to be able to share with
you some of the most brilliant, dynamic, powerful forces in Hollywood.
And I have the pleasure October two, thoy nineteen to
go to a film festival in Amsterdam and meet this
amazing woman and you're gonna listen, trust me, at the
(02:31):
end of this you're going to agree and do a
standing ovation for her. I would like to introduce the
amazing producer extraordinaire and my friend Dominique Telson, He's.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
The amazing one.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
But okay, no, I'm reflecting you.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
That's what I'm doing. I'm so happy to have you
on the show. There's just so many questions that I
want to ask, because I feel like this is such
a riveting time for creativity. But first, I want to
start at the beginning because a lot of our actors,
they write, and especially in this age of shooting on
(03:18):
an iPhone, they put together their own projects. But I
want them to know from you know, an established successful
producer in this industry, how did you start in this industry?
Where did it begin for you?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Very very early, I wanted I was a journalism major.
I wanted to do journalism, so I was, you know,
from a very early age. I was interested in story
and telling stories and how that gets done and the
curiosity of all of that, and found my way, you know,
decided that journalism was going to be my way. In
graduated from Hunter College in New York and went to
(03:55):
do some job interviews.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yes, go New York and go Hunter.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
And I went to my first interview and the guy
told me communications degrees.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Come a dime a dozen. What are you going to?
What else can you do?
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Thanks for your encouragement, Yeah, encouragement.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
So but anyway, I was able to get an internship
at ABC. And at ABC it was in the editorial department.
And the editorial department you basically had to read every
single publication and every news article and then come up
with ten ideas to present to senior management about, you know,
things that were going on in the world and what
(04:32):
what the what the station's point of view should be,
you know, the the pros, the cons and what what
what what you thought our point of view could be.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Which was a lot for an intern to do.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
But anyway, we did that and then also the rose
was that we also got to shoot it. We had
to go interview somebody. So I got the real full
experience of like, you know, pitching and producing, you know,
making it happen and and you know, selling.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
It into the buckety mugs.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
So that was a great education and I realized probably
I wanted a little more than journalism when I finally
moved out to LA And when I was in LA,
I got a job at the acquisitions department of Showtime Networks,
and acquisis is basically you look at the finished films
and you decide, you know, which ones are going to
go on the air. And for Black History Month. As
(05:22):
the only black person and the only female by the way,
in the department, they would always come to me and say, hey,
twy History Month, what are we putting on? You know?
So I'd brush and try to find some short films
that could fill the roster. And you know, one thing
I noticed is that, gosh, you know, these these some
of these filmmakers, but there's talent here, but they only
had a little bit more money, you know. So I
(05:43):
went to one year, I had thirty thousand dollars left
in the budget, and I went to my bosses and
I said, listen, we're thirty thousand dollars left. We could
give this back to the company, or we can maybe
what if we did a contest, you know, with these
filmmakers at shorts that we found, and if well, you know,
and we give that we pick a winner to make
a film for us next year for thirty thousand, which
(06:05):
at the time was pretty much more than what some
of them had obviously, so great idea, A great idea.
So I march over to Viacom Pictures at the time,
who were the ones that made the movies. But their
movies were like six million and above. And they looked
at me like I was nuts and said, six million,
thirty dollars.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
You don't know, we don't we can't do that.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
So I said to one of this guy, John Vacy,
who I always remember, he's now a professor at Chapman.
He said to me, listen, if you I said, listen,
if you mentor me, I'll do it.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
You know, I'll do all the work. Just tell me
what to do.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
And he did and that that was the first one
was a short film by Bobby Martist, who a lot
of people know. He's the writer, director, actor, filmmaker. And
we fought every single day. It was a wonderful experience
and from there, you know, you know, it was a
blessing and I'm and I was blessed because then Jerry
(07:02):
Offsea came to town and he said, we want to
make fifty movies a year.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
And then I had experience, so.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
I knew, you know, I knew the process and I
was confident in the process. And that's how I got
into being a producer at child time. Basically, you were
your own producer, and I just learned and learned until
now I'm I'm independent, which is my love.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Well, I have to say, you know, working as a
casting director and also as an acting coach on the
set with my clients and working with some of the
best producers as yourself being a producer, can you let
our audience know what are what are the characteristics? What
are the things that you need, the tools that you
need to become a great producer. Because for me, I've
(07:47):
always had this interpretation that you guys put out fires,
whatever the fire is, that's what you guys do, and
you're great at that, and so I really want the
audience to understand what that process is.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Well, you know, really, the producer's job starts way before
we get on set.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Okay, the producer's job.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
I'm producing right now the film something that is probably
not going to go until next year's spring. But I'm
I have to get the money. I have to get
people on board. I have to get the actors engaged.
I have to make sure the script is you know,
something that I.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
You know what, that's the beginning.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I have to make sure script are the idea is
number one, that's something that I really love and passionate
enough about that I will be okay spending two years
getting this out into the world and then even after that.
So that's probably number one. So finding that material and
it can be anywhere. Something that I'm working on now
(08:51):
that we had to stop in the middle of COVID.
Actually was a girl that came up to me at Sundance.
And that was at Sundance. I was premature, was premier
at Sunday, and so it was kind of an indeed,
you know if Sunday it's very indie, and she came
and had this drug story and I was.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Like, oh, yeah, whatever, a drug story. I've had those.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
And then she told me it was her story and
I started listening, and you know, I'm passionate about the story.
It's not a big movie, but but I love it.
I have another you know, it's it's about it's about
a story that you feel like you can live with
the best of enemies. That I did. I love I
love the woman, I love the people involved. So it
became my mission to work to get it done. So
(09:32):
once you once you start there, that that's probably number one.
I think of being a I think of being a
good producer. I was actually just having this conversation over
the weekend with a with a with an actress that
I'm working with. My job is to be able to
listen to the filmmaker and be able to help them
help themselves get to that get to that place.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
So if I'm starting out.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
With material that doesn't have a director, it's finding the director.
But so then it's about putting the team together. And
I'm trying to be very careful about putting a team together.
I want people who are really passionate about what they
do but also want to contribute to the collaboration, like
I want you to fight for and be the best
(10:17):
actor in this role.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
I know I'm talking to an acting group and this.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Role is like you see it, you feel it, you
hear and that is awesome.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
I want that.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
But I also want someone who can listen to the
director and the producer and say, oh, this is what
you meant. Okay, let me I could see that too,
Because my job as a producer is really to build
the sandbox around the film so that everyone feels respected,
appreciated and can do the work so that the sandbox
runs smoothly. And if I do that, correctly, I'll have
(10:49):
less fires to put out when we're actually in production. Really,
production is the kind of like the time that I
can take a breath. If I've done my job correctly beforehand,
then production should go well. Happens, of course, But if
Mike already put together, they know how they're working together,
we can put those fires out very easily. So I
would say the number one thing for me as a
(11:10):
producer is finding good material that I'm passionate about. Number
two putting a team together that is equally as passionate,
and so we are aiming for the same goal and
going towards the you know, making the same movie together,
that we respect and listen to each other, and that
we're all in it for the right reasons. And that's
that's what I try to do. And I try to
make that environment be great for everyone.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
That's excellent. And what is your role with actors? What
is their relationship with you?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
So I'm also a very big respector of the director
actor relations. I respect that, but I found more and more,
maybe it's because I'm getting older, I don't know that
the actor also needs someone else that they can, you know,
kind of say something to maybe they want to test
something out, and they don't really want to go to
the director right away because they want to be prepared,
(12:03):
you know, like you know, you want to kind of
be able to talk about something. Maybe it's a woman issue,
you know, my boyfriend helping me. I'm very serious, whatever
it is. So I try to provide that space for
the actors, but make sure that whatever is happening, that
the that the director's needs and what he's seeing. Especially,
I mean I make sure I agree with director's vision too.
(12:25):
We should have worked that out in the eight weeks
of prep or whatever it was. But making sure that,
you know, giving them a second voice, maybe a different
way to to describe it. Like I just was on
a film and you know it's a director who's man
and he's you know, maybe doesn't see a perspective of
(12:46):
a woman sometimes, and I can maybe help gel that.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Together, just like I do for every position.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Actually, just let me help you, Let me help you
translate what he might be saying, the little bit that
you're not hearing. But I'm very respected of my director,
and I make sure that that relationship is very strong.
So that so that because that's the movie, and so
I just try to provide the therapist. The therapist I
thought you knew with the actor is about helping them
(13:14):
feel confident, strong, you know, yes, you can talk to him.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Well, he told me this, so maybe you might want
to think about that, you know.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
I think, you know, just just helping them feel comfortable
and also feel their creation is being met but matched
with the director's creativity and our overall goal for the
film's creativity.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
I have to say Dominique I and I can vouch
for her, ladies and gentlemen, because I had the pleasure
of being on the set with Dominique in the cold.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Winter was it? It was it January or no? But
it was November and November.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Okay, because we had just gotten that Yeah, you were
November in Brooklyn. Here today Billy Crystal director starring as
well with Tiffany Hattish and I grew up in the
independent world. My first film was Just Another Girl on
Irt in you know, the early nineties. I grew up
with yellers, screamers like people who I was like, are
(14:15):
we just making a movie?
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Here?
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Are we curing cancer? Because the way that they were
emotionally involved on the set. And I watched you on
the set of here today, And I said to myself
back in the day, I would have enjoyed so much
more of the experience had I worked with a producer
(14:38):
like you, who you don't have to yell you Still
everyone was pleasant with you. You you moved on that set,
and there was I felt everything that you just said
about creating a team. I felt that on that set,
but I felt the respect, I felt your power. We're
(15:01):
but without yelling, ladies and gentlemen and having heart a
text on this set. So I commend you for that because.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
You don't have to.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
You know, sometimes producers can be a bit much, and
I'm sure you've had that experience.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Yeah, I've been on panels where I've been skewered for
other people's ins at look, I thought.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
That that was to me. I always say, and I've
worked with a lot of successful directors and producers that
people work together when they feel that they can trust
like actors. If I choose not to be a screamer yeller,
because that's not what I am, but I say the
same thing that screamer and yellers say. It's how you
say it, and I feel like it's important for me
(15:46):
and my class is to create a safe space of
comfort and trust so that actors will take risks, because
if they're afraid, you know, or intimidating, you know, they're
going to hold back. So as a I just wanted
to commend you on that because that it felt good
on your set and that's so important act for everyone
(16:09):
crew as well to feel good. So yeah, and they
were just so welcoming. They didn't even know me, but
it was like which like to lead, which like to sit?
And the directors I was like, wait, so it's so cool,
So thank you. Before I met Dominique, you guys in
Amsterdam last year, I did not know that Dominique was.
She was a producer of some of my favorite films.
(16:31):
An interview with God Dominique, Yeah, that was one of
my favorite films.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Really Okay, so I can't take a lot of credit
for that one, but actually I can.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
No, I'll take a little just that's just kind.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Of the story was created before I got to the
Stude Films and it was a project that they were
working on. And what I did for that film probably
is I got the lead actor who was not the
actor that they were trying, Brenton Thwaites, who was known
one at the time, and I felt added this little
bit of magic to the film that with other maybe
(17:08):
somebody else would not have worked to believe who that
character was. And I think his vulnerability in the film
made it so able to be appreciated. And just you
know that I was the only Was I the only
woman on that one? I think I was the only woman, yeah,
on that one. And so it just sometimes I feel
like you do need a little bit of female energy.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
You just do, sorry, guys.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
And and you know, it was a special film. There
was something really super special about that and I was
just randomly, you know, looking for something and connected immediately.
And also the best of frenemies. Oh god that with
Taraji v Hinston and say I'm.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Rock withst of enemies that that was my baby.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Well let's talk about your baby, because now we have
I know on Netflix viewership of Black Stories has gone up.
They said three hundred and ninety seve percent. So I'm
sure were people and especially now while people are home,
people are watching this. So how did this film come
to you?
Speaker 2 (18:08):
So I had just started at as Dude Films and
it was a blind don't send all blind submissions.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
It's not that anymore.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
But it was a blind submission, but he sent it
and it just I looked up who Anne Atwater was,
you know, it was about Ann Atwater and I just
looked up. I'd never heard of her, and I looked
up who Anne Atwater was and this and I read
a draft of the script and it was.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
It was very good.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
When I got it. And then I met the filmmakers,
and I'll tell you on that one, everybody was so
passionate that it was, you know, you had to calm
people down a little bit, but it was something that sheer.
I don't know, God, thank you got that one made,
because it fell down so many times from Taraji getting
(18:53):
on Empire, I think more. I don't know. Something happened
with Empire that she really couldn't do it. We had
to wait another year year before it came through. The
financing came fell out. Half of it. Had to get
my company to step up and pay the whole financing,
which they were only doing half, you know. Selling the
investor who you know lived in Georgia, wealthy man. And
(19:16):
when I first met I think I might have told
you this one.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
I walked into his office and I'm.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Pitching and I'm big into my pitch, and I thought
to myself, oh, shoot, he might be like one of
the colonizers that I'm talking about right now, you know,
And I looked at him, but whatever, I was too
far deep. So all the work that I talk about
that producers have to do to get it on the
table was just just just doubly hard on that one,
(19:40):
to the point where, you know, when we had our
final budget and it was we were about we had
already gone on a location scout, flown to Georgia to
do a location scout, and one of my director and
my other person had an all out battle that I thought,
that's it, after all this were done, And so it
(20:00):
was just such a hard thing to get me. But
I'm so proud of actually getting it made, and then
I'm proud of what it was. And I'm so much respect,
so much respect for Taraji, who poured her heart, and
so once she got on set, I was I was
afraid I was going to get a diva, to be
very honest, but she was amazing, really committed, really passionate,
(20:23):
knew her lines every day and really just kind of
embodied the character. People make fun of the breasts that
she got. But that was her, you know, that was
she wanted it. We were in production sneakily taking a
little bit of boob out every day, just like that.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Just a little.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
But she was passionate about the film and the director
who was Caucasian, and that wound up biting us. But
it was his story. He found it. He you know,
he wrote it. You know, again, collaboration of a team
that really stood behind the material and wanted to see
it get done.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Tai. When I work with that, I love the fact
that she insisted on that characteristic about her character because
knowing Taraji and how she goes into character development, she
probably has a story you know, like my like I'm
sure there was justification as.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Aunties and a grandma.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
She was, she was, she was.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
We heard all of that on set, which was great.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
That's excellent. The climate today, Dominique, like, where where do
you think in terms of storytellers work that you're looking
for because we are in a different place with black
lives matters, and and I feel a difference. I grew
up in the late sixties, and I feel a difference
(21:45):
because it's not stopping, you know, I feel the passion
and the and the persistence of you know, John Lewis
rest in peace. You know, So, how are the stories
going to be affected in this in this climate.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
I think we're doubling down.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
I think we're doubling down. And people are, you know,
are more convicted uh uh than ever of telling their stories,
telling their stories their way and going outside the box creating.
I actually just spent time with Tiffany and uh and
(22:25):
she was talking about.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Some of the things that she wants to do.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
It would blow you away. I mean it's amazing, and uh,
you know, Taraji's creating like the just I feel like
I feel like there's a veil lifted off of the
creative community of like because one thing, COVID has been
horrible in so so many ways, but the that with
(22:50):
with the Black Lives Matter has just, I think, become
a formula for empowering people all people to go after
what they want, to go after what they need.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
And the good.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
News is for us in entertainment, people love entertainment. People
want to hear from us, people want to hear your story,
people want to identify with your story, and people want
to live through your story. So so so I feel
like there's a veil lifted and everybody and then the
(23:25):
suits you know, on the other side, are realizing, you
know what these black some of these black stories, white story,
Chinese story, Indians or whatever it is, there's something for
all of us, and so we have to be a
little better about looking out for that. And so I
feel like that's open up. On the other hand, guys,
you know when you're when you're doing your stories, like
get your act together, you know, proofread your stuff, you know,
(23:49):
make sure this it's not grammatically incorrect, like it's you know,
I'll read something, but if I'm starting to read and
I can tell that it's like not And I'm not
saying professional I went to Harvard.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
I'm just saying, like, speak English.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
You know, we're writing in English, and make it neat
and clear and look like you took as much care
in sending it and preparing it that I will take
to read it that you would want me to take
to read it.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Dominique, when I tell you on everything that I am,
I am so happy that you said that. I had
a situation recently. I coached Cardi b and Hustler, and
someone approached me about a script that was going to
change the trajectory of her career. That was music to
my ears because in working with Buster Rhymes, we went
(24:37):
from chaff and we got this little film finding Forrester
and I was all over it. I was like, please,
you got me do it. But I was just understanding
his trajectory of his film career. They sent me the script.
It was one hundred and forty six pages. I called
them and I said, I'm not reading this unless this
is the next Black Panther or Gandhi. A script is
(24:57):
ninety to one hundred and twenty five pages a reason.
There's an art in writing screen in screenwriting, so just
because and he's a book writer, and I tried to explain,
just because you wrote a book, that's great and I
applaud you, but transitioning that to a screenplay is totally different,
(25:18):
and people have to respect the process of final draft,
not more document put it in the proper format. And
when I had a conversation and I said, your slug lines,
you don't he had slug lines were interior office day
and then the hyphen day twenty three. So every slug
(25:41):
line he identified the day. I said, you don't do
the days. That's the first ads shop, and he was like, well,
I vehemently disagree with you. I was like, let me
just step off this because I was, you know, trying
to help out a friend. But I think that that
is an extremely important point.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Anyone that you that you're helping quote and says, he
vehemently disagrees with what he came for you.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
And I had to say, you know, and not being
you know, this is business, it's it's I I gave
my constructive criticism back to him, and then he told
me he disagreed. But I said to him, you came
to me. Yeah, I already have the relationship with her agent,
(26:31):
so you're coming to me and then this is what
I do. So now now I'm taking it personal, and
I think we shouldn't have this conversation. You know, it's
how important is training and education in this business?
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (26:48):
I mean, you know, there's everything's available to you now, YouTube, Google, like,
there's no reason why you you you can find anything
you want if you're if you're really you know, passionate
and really want to do this, every resource is available
to you free of charge somewhere online. I know I've
used it, and I pick up a fasaurus.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
You don't always have to say walk. If you describe
an adjective can tell us so much. I use this
dominique in my class as an exercise. Present day exterior
Harry's apartment night. Harry strolls across his living room floor
to a mahogany table and picks up a rotary phone
to dial. We spend at least thirty minutes on just
(27:34):
that one sentence. Nouns tell us something about your character.
Verbs tell us something about your character, and as actors,
you should be detectives to pull that out. So all day,
Harry's older, Harry's rich, Harry likes Antie all day. So
that's why I say it is an art to write
(27:55):
a screenplay. You have to understand, you know what you're doing.
I have two more questions because I feel like somebody's
going to hit me and say, Tracy, we got.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
To go, and they did.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
He just hit me, Okay.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
As a producer, there are times when you are the
only female in the room, or you are the only
African American woman. What are the dynamics of that?
Speaker 2 (28:15):
I mean, honestly, that's happened to me my whole life.
It's just that it's not really New I went to
lots of white schools growing up, so it's like you
just kind.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Of, you know, I'm happy to be me, and that you.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Know, there's no one whatever color, that's really so much
smarter than you.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
There really isn't.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
You just just be yourself, you know, And so I
always remember that. But I will tell you there's only
one time that I walked into a completely white room.
And I'm never like afraid, that's not my thing. But
there was only one time when we were going to
a marketing meeting for Best of Enemies, and I walked
(28:56):
into a conference room at the distributor of twenty five
people that were going to tell us about how they
were going to market the movie. And I was the
only only black person in the room. Wow. And that's
the only time that I went, oh, okay, yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Well, I mean I had just quickly I had that experience.
I was doing a TV show for one of my clients,
and I'm like you, I've always I mean, Tracy Moore
is very generic. When I was casting, nobody knew what
I was. I just got hired and I just did
my job. But when I was in a writing room,
a writer's room for the TV show and the client
(29:37):
was African American and all the white writers were telling
her how she would speak. And I was sitting on
my hands because you know, I was the acting coach.
But I was like, okay, I'm to just go with this.
But I was like wow. And then she had fire
in her and she said, let me just make this clear.
Since I am co executive producer, you can't tell me
(30:00):
what I would say and how I would say that
as an African American woman. So we're gonna shut that down.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
And then we're going to.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
Just and so that. And it was like and everybody's like, okay, you.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
Know, but because that's the only way you get us
in the room too, Like you know, I was when
I was at show time, it was myself and Prillian
and Bokay the only two black execs.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
You know.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
It was like, you know, we need more of us,
you know, and we need more of us to be
to be doing to be doing that as much as everyone.
And I feel like there's a lot of people who
really believe in the one world. You know. I'm Caribbean,
so I believe in the one world, you know, don't.
I don't really have the wasn't. I wasn't. I wasn't
even born in America, immigrants with no green car until
(30:44):
I graduated high school, came to the country, you know,
that whole experience, until I won that sixth grade spelling bee.
You know that.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Okay, don't sleep on company go.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
But so you we have that, we have to deal
with that, and I don't. I try. I try very
hard not to make it an issue unless you make
me make it an issue, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
That's true. I just admire the fact that you know,
you're great at what you do, You're successful at what
you do, and you do that. It doesn't you know,
we don't have to identify you as a woman, as
a black woman.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
You're a great.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Producer and that's what counts, and you have the credits
and the awards to say that. So I just want
to leave off with whatever. I always ask our guests
to give us some jewels, some diamonds that you can
bestow to our actors. What's that thing that you want
them to know or they should work on.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
I mean, build your tribe, you know, team, team, you
know all that stuff.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
The collaboration and working with other people is great.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
Find the people that you can collaborate with, that you
trust their opinions. And you know, I learned this actually
I told Billy Crystal this, but I'd learned this from
him a long time ago. I went to an award
show where he was being honored, and I just happened
to be in the room and he talked about his
tribe and it was Rob Reiner and and I'm forgetting
(32:14):
all the names now, but Julia, Julia, Louise Dreyfus and
all the people that he came and all built together,
and they all be and they were all in the
room and they they said, look, when we were still friends,
we still like vibe off of each other.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
We don't have to work on the same projects.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
But if I need to check on a line or
directing thing, I'll call Rob. You know, So build your
tribe and just you know, you know, be true to
the to the to the people that you have there,
and bring bring bring everybody together.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
It's possible and it's the best. Well.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
I have to say, I'm a proud to be a
part of to have an X tribe because she's my
sex and the city best friend. So ladies and gentlemen,
please put your hands together and get up, bud your
seats for Dominique Telson.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
I'm a behind the scenes person, but thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
Listen behind the scenes looks Bruce is standing up behind
the scenes. That's where it matters. That's where it matters.
I'm a behind the scenes person too. Without us, the
production wing go on. So I applaud and appreciate, love you,
Thank you so much. Dominique is going to hang out
with us and we are going to be back on
(33:27):
the Spirited Actor Podcast with class in session and welcome
back to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore,
and we still have Dominique Telson in the house, ladies
and gentlemen, and she is going to bless us by
listening to Spirit Actor alumni Lean Amado, Lianne. Thank you here, Dominique.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
Nice to meet you.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
And we have Melissa caprie Hi.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
You're amazing. Dominique, thank you for all the work that
you do.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
Oh, thank you.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
And Samuel Brice. He's new to the scene.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
And it's definitely a pleasure to be here with Tracy
and Dominique. I appreciate you both, all of you.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Thank you, Sam Okay. So Melissa is going to she
is going to be reading the narrative and the Cisilian
and sam. Okay, whenever you ready, you guys.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
Interior Jail cel Queensboro Correctional Facility Day. Tracy impatiently paces
back and forth in herself, constantly peeking out as best
she can. She's waiting for something. A moment later, Ceo
Thompson comes strolling by.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
I' mean wait for you to come back.
Speaker 5 (34:41):
It's like that.
Speaker 1 (34:43):
No, it ain't like that.
Speaker 4 (34:46):
He proceeds to walk away.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Wait. Today is Niba's birthday. Can you please help me
out and just let me call her? I just need a.
Speaker 5 (34:56):
Minute there, watching you. Your mouth keeps getting you in trouble.
I mean, I like what you do with it.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
He's a bitch for that. You didn't help me none.
Speaker 5 (35:08):
All right, me and me at the store. I get
you want something, don't you? We just fucking did.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Fuck out of here.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
He walks off, unbothered, balls in his court. She turns round,
pissed and locks eyes on her tough his picture. She
yells out fuck.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
He comes back.
Speaker 5 (35:29):
I told you to watch your mouth with.
Speaker 4 (35:31):
Hating her eyes and her voice.
Speaker 5 (35:32):
Low, fine, give me the funk out of here. You
gotta talk to me like that in there too.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
He takes out his keys and then locks her cell door.
She bites her tongue and walks out.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
He follows, seeing excellent, very good you guys. Okay, dominic
I'm gonna throw it to you, whatever words you have.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
I was waiting for next me too. What's happening now?
I mean, I think that's that's good. I've never looked
at an.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Acting zoom before. That was good.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
I mean I saw your frustration. I felt your frustration
throughout your body, so you know, that's that's always good.
I love the nonverbal and the way you're able to
you know, I knew something was about to go down
down before you started, so that that's great. And if
i'm if I'm watching you in the audition room, I
would probably notice that about you, just so you know.
And you, sir, we're also good.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
You don't give us ship, which was good.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
Listen, you both had me engaged and I wanted to
know more, and to me, that's the that's the gift,
right right, That's that's what you want to do. So congratulations,
thank you.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
And we also say Dominique in terms of our spirited actors.
If it's okay that I forward you their photo and
resume so that you can have it.
Speaker 3 (36:45):
From now.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
I'll do you one better whenever I have something that
i'm casting, either well mostly LA or.
Speaker 3 (36:52):
LA Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Probably I'm going to be in UK, but I don't
know if anybody from here is worth it to go
to UK. But l A and LA and probably Atlanta
are the next thing. So when I have those, I'll
send Tracy what I'm looking for. So anybody in your
and your roster that you feel would work well, I'll
make sure that you can have a chance to get
(37:14):
them submitted.
Speaker 1 (37:16):
I appreciate love that so much and I definitely will
be honest. This is what I'm telling you. My friends,
I love them, were so great so Tominie, I just
want to thank you so much for taking the time.
I know you're on the West coast, she's on the
others and she got up early for us, but we appreciate,
love you and all of your successes. And once again,
(37:40):
I'll be seeing you soon because I missed my sex
in the city.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Yeah, so not easy, guys, but stay with it, okay,
it's worth it.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Thank you so much, and we'll be back on the
spirited actor podcast with Give Love and Now It's time
Forgive Love. Don't Stop Dreaming. August is a very special
time of the year for me because thirty seven years
(38:08):
ago this year, I traveled three thousand miles with two
hundred dollars, a one way ticket and a trunk from
San Francisco to New York City because I had a dream. Now,
my parents were behind me when I was walking through
the airport. Unbeknownst to me, they were betting, and they
(38:29):
were betting that I was going to be back home
in two weeks. Well, two weeks turned into thirty seven years.
Never give up on your dreams. Never allow anybody else's
fear to deter you from your dreams, because that's what
they'll do. They will put their fears on you. My
(38:51):
brother said, I was going to get my jewelry stolen.
I was going to get my fingers cut off because
they take your rings. Well, I had to remind my
brothers that I didn't have any jewelry, so I wasn't
afraid of that happening to me. It didn't matter their
fears from you don't know anyone in New York City to.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
They're gonna kill you.
Speaker 1 (39:16):
I still went anyway and I'm still here. Don't ever
let anyone destroy or change your outlook of what you
know is true for you, dream your dream, and stay convicted.
Thank you for joining us on the Spirited Actor Podcast
(39:38):
with me Tracy Moore. I look forward to our next
Spirited podcast. Thank you,
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