June 23, 2020 • 49 mins
It’s truly believable that Ty Johnston-Chavis doesn’t know there is a “glass ceiling.” She envisions what “can be” and she uses her grace and compassion, her experience and wisdom and her absolute belief that every person has the right to become their best self and she sails forward to do good work and open doors for those traveling with her.
A respected international leader, producer and collaborator in the entertainment industry, Ty has worked closely with TV and film veterans such as Mark Koops, executive producer and creator of The Biggest Loser and Ugly Betty, award-winning filmmaker Tracey Edmonds of Soul Food and Jumping the Broom, executive producer & creator Mona Scott-Young of Love and Hip Hop and legendary filmmaker Robert Townsend of The Five Heartbeats, Parenthood and The Meteor Man.
As Founder and CEO of T.Y. Entertainment, creates, acquires, develops, manages, produces and ensures the distribution of scripted and unscripted film, television and new media productions. Her network relationships and collaborations include Lifetime, BET, ESPN, Harpo Films, MGM, Nickelodeon, The Speed Channel, TV One, and the Bahamas’ ZNS-TV. In addition, she leverages new markets by partnering with the streaming distribution market.
Ty’s generosity as a mentor and the success of those she mentors is legendary. She has given hundreds of people the opportunity to gain experience, nurture their talents, gain access to industry decision- makers and build successful entertainment industry careers.
In 2011, Ty created and launched The Atlanta Pitch Summit, a marketplace where screenwriters and producers pitch film and TV projects to key entertainment executives. Since its launch, The Atlanta Pitch Summit has connected many aspiring artists with Hollywood decision makers including producer Will Packer, Screen Gems Studios SVP Kris Bagwell and Connie Orlando, EVP at BET. As the Summit’s Founder and CEO, Ty’s entrepreneurial talents and experience ensure that every aspect of the Summit runs like clockwork. From speakers’ travel and accommodations, to scheduling, PR and catering, from appreciative support and recognition for the Summit’s volunteers, production team and industry guests, to handing Summit finances and follow-ups in every department, Ty is an extraordinary model for how to develop and run an organization responsibly, equitably and with great benefits to all who participate.
Ty also spends her time as a Lead Mentor for Comcast/NBCUniversal-The Farm. This is a 12-week world-class incubator and accelerator program created by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs to provide a complete business and management curriculum. In addition, Ty is the co-founder of the organization Reel Divas; an advocacy membership guild comprised of 20 professional founding members-women of color working in the TV & Film industry as writers, producers & directors. This organization is the largest collaboration of women of color that create, inspire and provide access to infinite opportunities that impact our culture.
An amazing mom, wife and daughter, Ty has 3 daughters Kennedy 18, Karis 7 and Kyler 3 and their 18 months old son, Kruz. Ty and her husband Kelz owns and operates three high volume restaurants in Atlanta. They make sure that Ty’s dad thrives and enjoys his independence and retirement with them as one large family.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
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 transition to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Thomas.
I audition every rapper from Biggie's 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 Ye 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. Meditation of the day. Opportunity
(01:07):
does not send letters of introduction, Naomi Sims. We need
to be able to recognize the signs that are before us.
Miracles have a way of appearing through other people, or
through something as simple as reading an article in a newspaper.
When I am against the wall, I sit back, quietly
(01:28):
and patiently wait for the right answer. I freelance, I
go from gig to gig. I have learned to not
only recognize the miracles, but to expect them. I will
have my antennas out and ready to grasp the right opportunity.
(01:48):
Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore.
I am thrilled beyond thrillization, if that is the word
to introduce my guests. She is a producer, she's a filmmaker.
She's a teacher, a professor. I love that about her.
(02:11):
She's a professor, she is a visionary and an overall
creative being. Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for
Tye Johnston Cheves. Thankful, thank you, You're welcome. I am
(02:31):
so happy to have you on this show. I wanted
you on the show because I know that um actors
get together. Your pencils, your pen your phones, whatever you
take to document information, you need to get it together.
Right now. Tie is going to drop NonStop jewels for
(02:54):
you guys, NonStop, So I want to start at the beginning.
Tie first of all ties in Atlanta, George is so
shout out to Atlanta, Georgia, and we're blowing you guys.
Sprinkled us too, So stay well and healthy, you know. Um,
So let's talk about how you got started. Let's talk
about the beginning. Well, the beginning is really cool, you know.
(03:17):
For me, the beginning started when I was nine years
old as a little girl doing business in Bristol, Connecticut.
So my parents actually had me affiliated with a modeling
acting agency, and so I went to an audition and
my very first audition I nailed it, which was a
Toys r US commercial. So right then, you know, I
(03:39):
had an opportunity to become a Toys r Us kid.
And so like my first faith mask that I had
to put on, not the ones were wearing right now
in Corona, right, but the one that is called Shira.
So I was so proud of that. And so I
was working within you know, green screen before it was
green screen, I mean we had a black background, you know.
(04:00):
And so fast forward all the way to being an adult.
I was really an aspiring actor, you know, all all
this entire time, so you know, I fall underneath your wings, Tracy,
And so I really wanted to be in front of
the camera for many years, which I had an opportunity
to do. But then when I realized I went to
(04:20):
an audition for a lions Gate feature many moons ago.
I really don't want to say when that was, but
when I did, you know, I was just so resourceful
for the crew. When I actually went to auditions, I
was the very first person at the audition, standing on
the front line. And so that producer, that director, that
(04:41):
production coordinator, they said to me, Um, we're not from here,
We're from New Jersey and from New York. You know, Um,
we just have a couple of questions like where do
you get this at? And where do you get that at?
And so actually that day I was the very first
person that they were casting. So I had all the
answers to all the questions right, And they said to me,
they said, UM, okay, great, your audition was good, but
(05:05):
you know, it seems like to me, you might need
to be on this side of the table. Do you
have time to stay and hang out with us? So
I did. So that contracted me to my producing gig,
which was a lions Gate film that was produced with
Maverick Entertainment with the three hundred and fifty thousand dollar
budget that I had to manage. And so again this
(05:27):
was back in like y two k days. Literally I know,
you know how to make this happen. But you know,
the group that I actually auditioned for became my film
family to this day. You know. One of them became
my mentor you know, always guided me through the entire process.
Another became a really close friend director of mine, Mr
(05:49):
Melvin James, who you know, oh yeah, yeah, in New
York with you it's I mean, he comes from Donnie
Broscoe days, you know, so people you know, great understand
a film when we were shooting film on magazines, you know,
And so I was really proud of during that time,
but I didn't know how it was really going to
continue transpiring all the way to you know that I
(06:10):
just said in myself, I like being behind the scenes,
behind the scenes is powerful. Behind the scene, you can
make decisions behind the scenes, you can put people in
place of being employed like this is cool. And at
the same time, I was still putting myself in the
faith of the lens. So I was like, I'm not
really missing anything. I can have a little you know feature,
(06:33):
I'd have a little supporting role, lines and all at
the same time here we are today. That's that's impressive, tie,
because I think that when you think about three hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, when you think about being responsible
for that for a studio like lions Gate, that sounds
(06:55):
like a lot of pressure and a lot of anxiety.
But it seems like you walked to it, You accepted
the challenge. Was it a situation where because you became
the producer Was it something like you learned these lessons
as you went along, right, Because just give us an
overall definition of what a producer's job is. Yeah, well,
(07:17):
you know, a producer and tails of a lot of
different you know variables of course. Um, you know, it's
it's from everything of finding you know, the funds to
really make that particular project happen, or all the way
down to finding distribution. So in this particular feature back
(07:37):
in y u K. You know, I was really responsible
for being hands on on set. So the person who
actually hired me, he was more of the guy who
just funded the project. He didn't want to have any
means of being on set. You know, he wanted to
continue with his day job, which was he was a
find a vice president for a bank during that time,
and that's what he did. So he didn't want to
(07:59):
be on set at wrangling talent. You don't want to
be on set passing out checks for payroll for any
of that. So I was, you know, the person to
make all that happen. I just accepted it, like you said,
for you know, for all the means of being able
to continue on and being the best that I can
and try to really achieve more than what I was
achieving during that time. So I always think it's important,
(08:22):
like in acting classes, to get the basis and we'll
talk about that, but to get a foundation. But I
think it's important that actors know how to work on
a set. What is the relationship between an actor and
a producer on set? You know, I believe that between
an actor and a producer on set should be you know,
(08:43):
really like a should I say, I'm gonna say, a
very positive relationship between both, you know, a very respectable
relationship that you know that that person is still your employer,
that person is still the person that you're to answer to,
but also to like creatively. You know, those persons could
(09:06):
really work together and make sure that the things that
aren't necessarily that are delivered. Um, you know that you
might not necessarily see that they could actually be played out.
You know, sometimes you're not you're not able to get
you know, an actor might not be able to really
express themselves to the director. Right. That's you know, actor
(09:27):
director really kind of more parallel that they right. But
sometimes you have those producers that like, for me, I'm
like an all around producer. I'm a creative producer and
a producer that's able to handle paperwork, logistics, all of that.
But sometimes an actor is not able to express themselves
clearly to a director, so they'll come to a producer
(09:49):
somebody who gets it because now you're the person who
has employed everybody, right right, I'm not saying that it's
a complaint, but it might even be a suggestion and
an overall suggestion for the crew and overall suggestion to
make sure that the production value is more greater than
what it is. And a lot of times actors they
(10:09):
don't feel like that their voice could really be heard
unless it's on camera. So that's why I feel like
I'm able to come in and make you know, make
sure that actors um you know that they feel like
their presence is known, you know, before, during, and after
(10:30):
you know, production is set and being on set. That's
great because that gives actors a feeling that they have
an ally. Like you said, if you can't talk to
if there's a especially if it's a celebrity director and
may not you know, you may not he or she
may not be approachable in the audition space. Tell us
like some things that you like and you don't like
(10:53):
in terms of actors coming into the audition space, and
usually when you come into the audition, we are at
the call that stage, right, Okay, It's just very rare
that a producer is going to be in the audition
space with the casting director and insistent during the pre screening.
This was back in the old days. But let's say
we have a live audition. You actors, you have passed
(11:16):
the first process of the pre screening, and now you
are in a callback with a producer. I've been in
all the situations, but using it more so for what
you're you're sharing of being in the callback. You know,
I'm thinking about sellable, marketable moments when I see an actor,
you know, so I'm already at that stage of what
is a good sell? You know, Um, can this person
(11:37):
still share or portrayed this character for my advertisers if
it's dealing with television for them to be able to
carry out like a long term contract with us, you know,
is this character believable? Is this actor believable? Because you're
kind of dealing with the two body part and you know,
or a two person part. And also to you know,
(11:59):
you want to look at if they are genuine enough,
you know, through their lines of delivery. You know, again,
is it believable? So I really think at that point,
I am already at the edit stage. I'm at the
post state when I meet and see that actor. I've
been in that space before, so you tap into their
passion and sometimes a lot of actors they're workable and
(12:21):
you want to see the growth of them. And I
think that's a part of what I've always loved with acting,
is that there's a development stage because their talent, you know,
just they're an artist, you know, anybody in the space
that is of that creative space. I like to see
the phases and how much they've grown. I don't you know,
I don't insist for an actor to come on set
(12:42):
and just nail it and get it in there perfect
every time. No, that that's no room for them to grow,
you know. So I mean I've worked with people and
I've seen people in the time that they've done thirty
and forty films and you know, they're still considered maybe
a C listed actor because might be that local superstar.
And that's great because now they've grown within their craft.
(13:07):
So you know, as long as that you're growing and
we're able to see that on our end, you'll you'll
definitely be reusable. Let's say that's and memorable, right because
you're because as a producer, you'll tell directors or you
might tell casting directors your friends, I saw this great actor,
and then that's how their name starts to circulate out there.
(13:29):
And and another thing is, you know actors, you want
them to be solid. You know, you want them to
be solid all around within their work. So it's not
about them having this recognizable phase. You know, you have
the talent actor and you already know the grade of
actors A, B and C, and so you might have
that C grade of actors that they're a solid actor
you can get that deliverable moment from them with then
(13:51):
you know that that phase of the scene, so you
know you could trust that actor. I think actors right
now they need to earn you know, to be trusted.
M I've never heard that. I love that they need
to earn an neither trathing. No, you need to write that,
Dowal So because that was so valide right there, Because
(14:14):
you're right in the casting process, right, a casting director
has to trust that you can handle the character once
you're cast, right, we don't make that decision, but when
that decision is made, we have to trust that. But
working with you as a producer on the set, we
have to trust that you'll do the work. We have
to trust that you're there. One of the things that
you said in terms of I don't know if actors
(14:39):
know we communicate in this way. But yes, there's a
liss asters less actors see and de liss actors in
your experience you've worked with them all. How difficult is
it or is it difficult at all? When you're dealing
What is the difference between let's say, working with the
A list actor and you know a day player who
(14:59):
is an unknown. Well, the difference is, you know, you
have your celebrity moments. You know, you gotta really be
on your queue working with talent, you know. And I've
managed talent before, you know, in my days. So and
I'm saying, not like manage them just for a moment,
manage them for seven to eight years. So I know
(15:19):
what it's like the talent needs. And so the talent
wants to make sure that you know, their overall need
is is there and taken care of on set and
only that even within the processes that we don't see
on camera or off camera, So they want to make
(15:39):
sure that those are met, you know. Um more so,
I just believe that talent wants to again have their
have their voice all around and they're not skipped over,
you know, of any moments of the production processes. So
in terms of classes and co chain, how important is
(16:01):
it for actors to study their craft? Well, I love
the point that Tracy has always recognized you have to
you got to work your acting muscles, right you guys
on here, you know, I know my Tracy's alumni, you
guys already know that you have to continue to study
(16:22):
your craft. You have to put in your work and
It's not just about doing it in the mirror, you
know what I'm saying. It's not about I mean, you
really have to have some uh some live structure here.
You have to put your heels um uh into the
concrete and dig in deep. You know. You still have
to get your you know, everybody say get your feet wet,
(16:43):
you know, so you still have to do that. And
even though that right now we're operating in the virtual space,
there's still room for you to grow, um, you know,
being clever on your own and just really creating your
own monologues, recording those, doing your own self takee playing
those back, you know, and also to making sure that
(17:03):
you're connecting with people who are in the industry. It's
not hard for you to really go out there and say, hey, listen,
I'm an aspiring actor. You know, here it is. I've
you know, put together a self tape. Here's my real
you know, please critique it for me and be open
to that process, because how is it for us to gain,
(17:24):
you know, the valuable strengths that we need as an actor,
you know, if we're not open for the constructive criticism.
So that's really hard. If you know you're having these
moments that are like their breakdown moments or you know,
I you know, I want to stay here, you know
what I mean. I've coached actors and I'm not even anything,
(17:47):
but I've coached them. I've coached them afar as a
producer for them to stay motivated, you know, because stuff
doesn't happen fast. We make it look microwavable sometimes. Yeah.
Actually within the internet circuit that we're all playing a
part of now, um, and we're looking at people. But
(18:08):
you know, the work goes on and on. I mean study.
And when I say study, I'm saying, go back to
you know, the early nineteen hundreds, go back to when
it was only men cutting film. You know, let's let's
take it there, when it was only men cutting film,
when it was only you know, uh, you know sewing,
(18:28):
you know, sewing the thread of film together. That you
know what I'm saying. So study on that end as
an actor. Right, that's great advice. Now that's a jewel,
because you're right, there is a difference or when female
writers men were writing for women. You know, I love
(18:50):
that you said that. You Now, one thing that I
do love about Quentin Tarantino is that he always asked
for a woman to cut his film. The reason why
you feel that a woman is a little bit more
emotional at any point of state right for scenes for
his particular films and his scenes to be played out,
that a woman knows how to carry that out, just
(19:12):
as if she's having birth, you understand, so something so
study things like that, you know, so that way you
know what to give on camera. It's all going to
be a great parallel, you know, for an actor with
the background of a film and what goes on and
the reasons why. So this is still a part of it.
(19:35):
That is a great point tie because um, I did
a film finding Forrester with Sean Connery, and um, Sean
Connery he was not only was he the actor, but
he was the producer of the film. But when he shot.
Because I would always have my clients, whether it was
(19:55):
Buster or Eve, I would always have them come out
of their trailer and watch Jeffrey watch Sean Connery right,
and Sean Conry would be critiquing his light like you
know what I mean. He'd be in the scene he'd
be like, wait, hold on, I don't feel my life
like But he knew every aspect of not just my lines,
(20:16):
but like, what's the last looks? Do you know what
last looks are? And you know going so. But but
that when you are involved, not just as an actor,
and I say this stactors too, when you as a
day player. If you're cast in Grayson and Me and
let's say you're a restaurant owner, when you go to
your wardrobe fitting, the wardrobe person has five to ten
(20:39):
outfits that they perceive you to be for that character.
But when you do the work on your character, you
know what you wear. So you can say, nah, my
character wouldn't wear skinny jeans, like because he has this
you know, hip problem and blah blah blah blah blah.
But if you don't know your character, you will accept
(21:00):
they give you and say, well, that's a cute outfit.
Absolutely what it's about, yep, having a voice speaking up,
you know, And it doesn't mean that it's gonna be overruled,
but it definitely means that you know you're in tune with,
you know, the character that you're supposed to be delivering exactly.
So ty tell them some of your credits. I always
(21:20):
steer them to IMDb dot com. But I want to
give you a chance to tell us some of your
films and what you're currently doing. Um, and then I
also want to talk about Terry Vaughan and what you
guys are doing in Atlanta. I think it's a nice
cool well, as my shirt says, I produce right, So, um,
(21:43):
you know, I've I've been in the industry for you know,
close to twenty years now, behind the scenes, and so
I you know, one thing that I had not done
and I can kind of keep myself in the foot
is really keep up with my IMDb. I didn't really
affiliate myself along with that. I really affiliated myself just
strictly to the industry and creating a name for the industry.
But you know, some of the past recent films that
(22:05):
I've produced, you know, you know, all of them gone
to television. Loved by Chance that was one of the
most past recent and that went to U. M. C.
And um also to Love Will Make You Do or
The Thing that Love Will Make You Do? I could
the Thing that makes Love will Make You Do right right,
and that was a b et you know, love story,
(22:26):
and that was really like a holiday feature and it
always rolls around for holidays. But you know, I've always
been at the grass route with development for an independent artists,
and so I love that and that's the stage that
you know, I work most comfortably in. And what I
say that is, you know, I'm doing that all day,
(22:48):
all night, in my sleep. It doesn't matter. You know,
I don't necessarily have to have a contract to do
that because you know, it's all in my inbox. It's
it's everywhere, right. So, you know, some of my credits
also aligned with you know, being a former professor. So
I taught five years of television and film production for
(23:09):
the Art Institute of Atlanta. I created their curriculum along
with a couple of other, um you know, universities and
creating classes for them. And so I've been in that
space for quite some time of you know, those that
actually want to pitch projects and put their project into
the next production phase and see life out of that project.
(23:31):
You know, I've always put myself in that situation. I
don't know why, but it just always came as a
strong interest to me. And really, you know a part
of that really became research. You know, what did we
you know, what as independent artists, what do they really need,
you know, to keep going forward? Whether if you're in
(23:51):
front of the camera or in back of the camera,
and so um, you know, as a producer, I really
brought a lot of life to that. And so that's
what's them to the Atlanta Pitch Summit. And so I
always was going out to l A for you know, um,
pitching projects for name people, it doesn't matter, or I
(24:15):
was listening to pitches you know, for myself and and
being able to bring that back in. But when when
I was going back and forth to l A, I
said to myself, why is this happening, Like why am
I burning myself out? You know, let let this really
take place on the East coast and you know, put
something in place for Atlanta. So established in twenty eleven
(24:38):
was the Atlanta Pitch Summit, which Tracy Moore, the spirited actor,
you know, celebrity, so he was a part of the
first brain of and it was amazing, like we had
like people like walking in and out that whole entire weekend.
It was at Georgia Tech Um Institute and one of
(25:00):
their conference centers, and um, you know we've had everybody
to grace the Atlantic pip Summit from just dropping some yeah,
drop up, drop up network names, you know, all the
way from b ET two again U m C to
Swirl Films to TV one two, MGM Studios, Lifetime, Harpo Films, Nickelodeon.
(25:28):
I mean when I tell you everybody, like everybody, you know,
people are looking for content, and just this just lets
you know that this is this became the marketplace of
where you're able to find you know, content meets distribution.
And so again, where you know where we would stand
(25:50):
is that the very first day would end up being
where you know, you're able to learn all about pitching,
all that good and stuff, learn about packaging, and then
the very next day turn around and actually do it
to an executive sitting right across from you. Yeah. Yeah,
(26:11):
it was, I mean, and what I loved about it,
I guess I want to say, like between thirty five
and forty people. I mean, I know I got twenty
two pitches. Those were from the people that I liked,
But I saw a lot of people in that five minutes, right,
So so imagine you know, we only did it, like
(26:31):
back then, we only did it for like a four
hour window when you came, because people were still a
little bit larry whether or not did content really exist
in Georgia. Let's just say that, you know, the content
really exists. That's the visionary part of TIE. You guys,
way before Atlanta became oh it's hard and way before. Yeah.
(26:53):
So you know, the content really exists in Georgia. You know,
how could it really sustain itself? You know, oh no,
it's only Tyler Perry. So you know, we had to
prove that wrong. And so you know, content has been
you know, being developed and produced out of here. It's
just that these creators they have to have a platform
for it. So where are they to go? You know,
who were they to call? You know, because they can't
(27:16):
just keep their content on a hard drive or become
closet writers. You know, it's them, so they have to
have an outlet. And and not everybody knows about the
Atlantic Pitch Summit, but many of them have heard of it.
You know. Again, you know, we've just been a growing
um entity and we we were on hiatus for a
couple of years, but that was only to bring it back,
(27:38):
you know, bigger and better. And now we're even looking
into a little bit more of a which I wanted
to do that before you know, Corona even set in
and before um, should I say in the past two years,
but looking at it being a little bit more of
a virtual platform and it going to you know, more
(27:59):
of an app, and so we're looking at more of
that and and that being taking place. So we're actually
in the middle of developing and we're developing a couple
of academies to go along with that. When I say academy,
you know online universities that are going to take place
with helping those all around. UM. We also have something
(28:22):
called the Master Pitch Series, So we took part in
that about a month ago and that was great of
sharing um the same information online as you're able to
get at the summit itself. So people are utilizing those resources.
Just all of the above. Tracy, excellent. Well, I told
(28:44):
you was gonna go by fast, and we have. I
told you That's why I said, UM, don't worry, audience,
she's coming back. She's got much much more. I do
want to ask you this for my spirited actors and
also the actors that are listening. How important Like now
the Atlanta is uh, it's an epic center. Now you
(29:04):
don't have to be in l A or New York anymore.
Do actors feed from New York. Do they need to
come down there? I mean, I know we also live
in the self tape world, but what do you suggest
to actors from New York and Los Angeles who are like, oh,
Atlanta is the place I need to go to Atlanta?
What do you think about that? Well, let me say this,
now that we're kind of featured a little bit more
(29:25):
in our new normal, I would say, you know, safely,
you know, stay put, but reach out to any and
everybody that you can. I mean, Atlanta has become a
little bit more of the development hub, and if you're
able to contact yourself with producers, directors, and writers here
in this area, I would definitely suggest for you too,
because you just never know who knows who. It's always
(29:47):
really cool to get in on the groundbreaking of something.
You don't have to commit, you know, but share that interest.
I mean, last night, you know, I sent the script
to you know, Christine Swanson, and I was excited did
because I was like, this, sister here, I'm what listen
when I know we got one and a half minute,
I'm gonna make it real quick. I'm gonna get ten
(30:08):
seconds of that. She's gone on our show next week.
I don't Tracy what I saw the Clark's sisters. I
was like, I need this chick to direct one of
my films, and I got the film for her. Okay.
So when I'm saying, I looked at the technical part
of her being a director, and I'm like, and love
what she's doing. I need to see that on screen
(30:29):
for myself with this paper script right here that I
have in my hand. So connect with people. It happened.
I don't know where the sister lives. That's okay, but
you see what I'm saying. People are still reaching out
to people and that's what you gotta do. So this
is how this is an example. Audience and Spirited Act
alumni listening next Tuesday. Christine Swanson is the guest on
(30:55):
the Spirited Actor podcast. I've known Christine tie for over
twenty years. I met her when she did her feature film.
It was entered in the first Acapuco Black Filmmakers Festival.
I was writing the fifteen passenger van taking us to
the hotel and she was with her husband and we
(31:18):
just hit it off and I said, you know what,
I think you're gonna win and went to her screening.
She ended up winning and we've been friends ever since.
So this is how it works, Tye, give me the script.
I'm talking to Christine. Now, see this is how it works.
This is what's called we help each other out. Yes,
(31:38):
I got that. So we'll do a sidebar, um, if
you could just lead jump the cast for it. When
I tell you this is like, this film is stunning,
Meryl Street, Octovia Spencer, I mean, this is that award
winning film crazy. Okay, So I got three award winning
spirited actors on the line and we got transition into
(32:00):
class in session where I'm gonna really let you give
your nuggets. But Ty Johnston Chavez Javez, she is coming back,
you guys. So um, I'm just so grateful, so blessed.
I have mad, mad mad love for Ty y'all don't
understand and her culinary skills. But Tracy, I didn't even
(32:24):
get a chance to drop. I'm married a chef. I
don't have three restaurants here in Atlanta, high volume. Go
to Kell's Kitchen a t L Instagram. Look at our food.
I mean is a family owned business. And when I
tell you, like, it's nothing like being able to take
all that when you and I was doing back in
the day and really package it into a menu. I
(32:48):
flattered that she included me of that I was sitting
watching in all like yo, the way she was dicing
the onions, and she taught me potato leek soup. To
this day, I make potato leak too because of time.
I'm just saying, so, ladies and gentlemen, let's put our
hands together for Ty Johnston Chavez. Very cool, very cool.
(33:12):
Thank you so much, Ti, And when we come back,
we're gonna do Class in Session on the Spirited Actor
Podcast with me Tracy Moore. Welcome back to the Spirited
Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore, and we are still
blessed to have Ti Johnson Chavez with us. Producer extraordinary,
(33:34):
I mean, I just want to say, visionary, creative being
and just a major force in the entertainment industry overall.
So now Class in Session, Tie. What we do is
we have our Spirited Actor alumni Leanna Motto, Lianne Hey,
and we have Marlon Fernandez Hi, and we have Miss
(34:01):
Jelisa capri Oy. So Lean and Marlon are going to
read the scene. Jliss is going to read all the
stage action and then you will give them constructive criticism
or whatever you feel, and then they're just gonna read
the lines. We're not going to read the stage or
anything like after that, are you guys ready? Okay? And
(34:23):
actually interior coffee shop day, Rick and Tracy are catching
up over coffee in their own world. They pick up
right where they left off. So it was the well
drowed up, still waiting on that perfect thing. It's all
(34:45):
the way dry, but I'm still hopeful. I mean, the
Lord hasn't filmed me yet, right, But what about you?
Than I'm trying. I'm trying, man, It's it's just not it.
But I don't know if if I ever found someone
(35:05):
like me and chuckles, that's so humble. What do you
mean like you? I'm saying, like my heart is right,
I'm not out here trying to hurt anybody. I'm really
(35:25):
just trying to find my wife someone that could encourage me.
Mm I'll be picking these girls up off the floor. Yeah,
definitely what you're attractive. And I don't know, I don't
know if like the good guy wins these days anymore. Now,
(35:48):
we definitely win. It's just a matter of teaming up
with the right girl. She looks at him with the
side eye. Woman. Mm hmm, thank you. Not a lot
of them out there like you've dog. I'm shot. I'm
gonna snatch that up. Yeah, I agree. I mean that's
(36:10):
why I keep telling myself it's not me. It's then
She smiles big. You always have a smile on your face.
It's like you come in and you make things easier. Yeah,
man's peace. Man, someone out there, I mean, isn't that
(36:32):
what a woman supposed to be. She's just listening and
he's checked out, still going with his thoughts. Yeah, shine,
you got the juice? He looks at it. Something shipped what?
She's uncomfortable? What? I don't really know what I'm saying, Trace,
(36:59):
But you're in awkward pause between them. She doesn't know
how to get out of the moment. She hesitates and
points to the coffee bar. M hmm, that's weird. Do
you want something? Shakes his head. No. She heads to
the counter. He watches her ponders, but he likes it.
(37:23):
I think I found it, he smirks. Okay, all right,
Leon and Marlon take it away. Miss tie who wrote
these lines? I need to deal with the writer first?
She is, Yeah, you better do that, you know what
I'm saying, because honestly, that's where it starts with, right,
(37:45):
because in order for an actor to really turn around
some lines, they have to get the lines to really
think themselves into it and feel like they can give
these deliberables right. So I was feeling it. So for one,
kudos to you as the writer, because sometimes people they
could take the lines and reconstruct them and make them
(38:07):
right right, because sometimes they're not always right in the
very beginning, so it's like a give or take. But
you did your thing right. Not only that, my brother
over here, he made me feel like I was a
part of the culture. Okay, So that's what I was
really feeling, because you know, it just really depends on
where you are and the vibe. But I felt like
(38:29):
this was that I don't want to say that boogie
down Bronx New York vibe, but I just felt like,
you know, this was the era, even in the space
that we're in now. But it's like, man, I'm I'm
you know, no matter how hard I'm trying to here,
like I'm I'm still trying, you know what I'm saying.
So I really my my empathy was with him. I
(38:51):
wanted to. Yeah, my empathy was with him. I wanted
somebody like yourself, for you to be the she i
ra right, for you to be the shera and grasp
with this brother because he has not found his queen right,
he hadn't found what what it was to fulfill his spirit.
So therefore, could you be that person? Could you really
(39:14):
vibe with him on all those levels? Right now? I'm
I was so far in the scene that I was
like I was deep in the scene, like I had
heard cars passing, you know, like I was really in there.
And I'm glad that you guys, you portrayed that to
give me the feel of that. So I want you
(39:34):
to continue doing that. I mean, I give this a
full A plus, you know. The only thing, so seriously,
I give this the full A plus. The only thing
now that I have to see the magic of the
physical I have to physical connection. I have to make
sure that you know if you was giving him a
little bit of elbow, that I can see that right,
(39:57):
the smirking you know, with your kneecap, I'm just see that,
you know what I'm saying. So I need to see
like the body language moving forward, and that's something to
always pay attention to as an actor as well. It's
not just your mind, Like, what is the body language?
(40:17):
Tracy already know there's a book that we should read
about which was the five language of you know, love language? Yeah, right,
the love language? So what was the love language within
this scene? You know? So I'm I mean, you guys
was taking me. I could have been in love Jones
(40:37):
if I wanted to just well, thank good yea. Well,
you guys got some really great stuff. So at the end,
tie whatever, however, we can get in touch with you.
I would love for actors to be able to forward
over their picture and resume in reels to you. But
definitely these three will get their works to you. Melissa,
(40:58):
we're gonna squeeze her in. She's gonna do a one
minute monologue for you, and you'll be able to get her.
But Leam has been writing since we started class in session.
She's been writing the scenes all right. Well, to listen,
whenever you're ready, you could start your mind a life
for her. No, now you wait a minute, bad man,
(41:18):
remind you that you walked out of my life, that
the other way around, you walked out on me. That
time has past you think that you can just most
back into my life like nothing happened. I don't know
what kind of fantasy world you're living in. It's the
real world. Think it's not okay me. You don't know
(41:41):
what kind of hurt you cause Mom and me. I mean,
that's what really gets to me. You You have no
idea the damage that you do to people, and that
you left sitting by that window, sen Oh, waiting for
you to come home, and you know, even showed up.
(42:02):
How do you think that made me feel? H M,
I don't. I don't even care anymore, okay, I mean
I washed my hands with you, so from that one,
as far as I'm concerned, I have no father. See right, Tracy,
(42:24):
and you docing these actors that are just like Golden
Globe Award pre entry winners. Can you just keep doing that? Now?
I'm I'm saying no, I wow, Like sister, when I
was let me tell you where my chill came at. Firstly,
(42:46):
you made me listen, right, I literally was texting for
a second, right, I was texting. Shame on me. It
was all good cause, but you gave me listen because
of the striking, powerful vibration in your voice. Right, So
(43:09):
when I'm telling you, like not only the emotion, but
the capture of what is it that you was trying
to land in your voice, It's like you had a
unidirectional microphone already attached to you, right through the iPhone
screw Samsung, you had a unidirectional microphone attached to you
(43:30):
to vibrate me. Right. Where I listened at was when
you said and you didn't even listen, right, that was
a point. And then when you said when you was
talking to your father, that just blew me away because
I didn't know, like before then, it could have been
a boyfriend, it could have been an ex it could
(43:51):
have been a husband, you know, somebody. I didn't expect
for you to say my father, So that even rooted
even more. Right, So, you didn't ever know who you're
gonna capture, right, So you gotta think about your audience. Actors,
Please think about your audience every single time that you're delivering,
because you don't know who you're moving in that you
(44:12):
don't know who you're seeking to in that audience. You know,
I've always had a great relationship with my father, But
for those that who didn't, But for those that who
cried out for those who you know, possibly needed just
that voice. You was that voice, and thank you, thank you,
(44:35):
thank you very much. That was beautiful. Side. That was beautiful.
Oh my god, see why I love her? Moving? Very moving,
You're great touching. Yes, she did she did it, Lean Marlin, Melissa.
You guys, you guys walked away with some gems like seriously, Lee,
(45:00):
and it just encourage you to keep writing it. Where
can actors reach out to you? It's my email address.
They can reach out to my email address, which is
t Y J dot Media at gmail dot com. So
like Tom Yellow, John dot M E d I A
at gmail dot com. Okay, so you guys get your
(45:22):
pictures and resumes today while it's fresh in her mind. Yeah, okay,
and other actors reported Tracy, I hope you recorded all this. Yes, yes,
we got it, because this is the deal. Like, I'm
gonna have to go through this. There's so many jewels
that you gave us. I'm just gonna have to promote
the hell out of you. So but look at the
(45:46):
institute that you've built, Tracy, Like look at your you
know what I'm saying. I mean, I was telling my
husband this morning, I played your interlude for you know,
the I Heart Radio beginning right the prelude, and I
was just like, oh my god. I was like Tracy,
she goed back thirty years. If you don't know the
story of the One Way to Take It from San Francisco,
(46:08):
you don't know Tracy Like man, she is fun. Oh
and I am a reflection of time. And I would
tell you when we connected, we have never disconnected. And
not only is she I mean I consider myself working
(46:29):
with her and she is my producer. As a friend,
she is just opened up her home to me, especially
at a time when my son during this accident, like
she was there for me. So this is family. This
is a boss. This is before a boss. They said boss,
that's what you were, So I don't know what we
(46:50):
called you before. Then we're gonna have Tie back on
the show because she is absolutely incredible. So I just
want to thank you again much love. Tie Thank you
so much for being a part of the show. We
all love you. Thank you. Okay, So next on the
Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore, we have give
(47:11):
love and now it's time forgive love. Everything happens for
a reason. I wanted to find an exercise that I loved.
So I found swimming, absolutely positively love swimming. At first
I was terrified, but I was in the water with
the senior citizens, and I was doing awkward aerobic classes
(47:32):
with the senior citizens and three ft of water. And
then I got the courage to ask one of the
retirees to teach me how to swim well. I went
from holding for dear life to the side of the
pool to entering a swimming competition where I swam seventy
laps in fifty seven minutes. Everything happens for a reason.
(47:57):
If I did not release that fear I always think about,
I would have never met Coach Rich who taught me
how to swim. I would have never been around the
senior citizen splashers who all became like my grandparents. I
would have never had the confidence and the courage to
(48:19):
approach something else that I was afraid to do. Fear
has a way of propelling you into your dreams, and
fear is an illusion. It does not exist. Everything in
your life happens for a reason. And the next time
you approach something with fear, say to yourself, what will
I miss out if I don't do it. Who will
(48:42):
I not meet if I don't do it? And when
you do it, you realize there's no fear, it doesn't exist.
It's all an illusion, and you gain the confidence and
you've gained the self esteem to approach another challenge in
your life. I want to be a lifeguard now, and
(49:03):
guess what I can if I choose to Everything happens
for a reason and don't allow fear to disrupt your group.
Thank you for joining us on the Spirited Actor Podcast
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 transition to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Thomas.
I audition every rapper from Biggie's 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 Ye 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. Meditation of the day. Opportunity
(01:07):
does not send letters of introduction, Naomi Sims. We need
to be able to recognize the signs that are before us.
Miracles have a way of appearing through other people, or
through something as simple as reading an article in a newspaper.
When I am against the wall, I sit back, quietly
(01:28):
and patiently wait for the right answer. I freelance, I
go from gig to gig. I have learned to not
only recognize the miracles, but to expect them. I will
have my antennas out and ready to grasp the right opportunity.
(01:48):
Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore.
I am thrilled beyond thrillization, if that is the word
to introduce my guests. She is a producer, she's a filmmaker.
She's a teacher, a professor. I love that about her.
(02:11):
She's a professor, she is a visionary and an overall
creative being. Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for
Tye Johnston Cheves. Thankful, thank you, You're welcome. I am
(02:31):
so happy to have you on this show. I wanted
you on the show because I know that um actors
get together. Your pencils, your pen your phones, whatever you
take to document information, you need to get it together.
Right now. Tie is going to drop NonStop jewels for
(02:54):
you guys, NonStop, So I want to start at the beginning.
Tie first of all ties in Atlanta, George is so
shout out to Atlanta, Georgia, and we're blowing you guys.
Sprinkled us too, So stay well and healthy, you know. Um,
So let's talk about how you got started. Let's talk
about the beginning. Well, the beginning is really cool, you know.
(03:17):
For me, the beginning started when I was nine years
old as a little girl doing business in Bristol, Connecticut.
So my parents actually had me affiliated with a modeling
acting agency, and so I went to an audition and
my very first audition I nailed it, which was a
Toys r US commercial. So right then, you know, I
(03:39):
had an opportunity to become a Toys r Us kid.
And so like my first faith mask that I had
to put on, not the ones were wearing right now
in Corona, right, but the one that is called Shira.
So I was so proud of that. And so I
was working within you know, green screen before it was
green screen, I mean we had a black background, you know.
(04:00):
And so fast forward all the way to being an adult.
I was really an aspiring actor, you know, all all
this entire time, so you know, I fall underneath your wings, Tracy,
And so I really wanted to be in front of
the camera for many years, which I had an opportunity
to do. But then when I realized I went to
(04:20):
an audition for a lions Gate feature many moons ago.
I really don't want to say when that was, but
when I did, you know, I was just so resourceful
for the crew. When I actually went to auditions, I
was the very first person at the audition, standing on
the front line. And so that producer, that director, that
(04:41):
production coordinator, they said to me, Um, we're not from here,
We're from New Jersey and from New York. You know, Um,
we just have a couple of questions like where do
you get this at? And where do you get that at?
And so actually that day I was the very first
person that they were casting. So I had all the
answers to all the questions right, And they said to me,
they said, UM, okay, great, your audition was good, but
(05:05):
you know, it seems like to me, you might need
to be on this side of the table. Do you
have time to stay and hang out with us? So
I did. So that contracted me to my producing gig,
which was a lions Gate film that was produced with
Maverick Entertainment with the three hundred and fifty thousand dollar
budget that I had to manage. And so again this
(05:27):
was back in like y two k days. Literally I know,
you know how to make this happen. But you know,
the group that I actually auditioned for became my film
family to this day. You know. One of them became
my mentor you know, always guided me through the entire process.
Another became a really close friend director of mine, Mr
(05:49):
Melvin James, who you know, oh yeah, yeah, in New
York with you it's I mean, he comes from Donnie
Broscoe days, you know, so people you know, great understand
a film when we were shooting film on magazines, you know,
And so I was really proud of during that time,
but I didn't know how it was really going to
continue transpiring all the way to you know that I
(06:10):
just said in myself, I like being behind the scenes,
behind the scenes is powerful. Behind the scene, you can
make decisions behind the scenes, you can put people in
place of being employed like this is cool. And at
the same time, I was still putting myself in the
faith of the lens. So I was like, I'm not
really missing anything. I can have a little you know feature,
(06:33):
I'd have a little supporting role, lines and all at
the same time here we are today. That's that's impressive, tie,
because I think that when you think about three hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, when you think about being responsible
for that for a studio like lions Gate, that sounds
(06:55):
like a lot of pressure and a lot of anxiety.
But it seems like you walked to it, You accepted
the challenge. Was it a situation where because you became
the producer Was it something like you learned these lessons
as you went along, right, Because just give us an
overall definition of what a producer's job is. Yeah, well,
(07:17):
you know, a producer and tails of a lot of
different you know variables of course. Um, you know, it's
it's from everything of finding you know, the funds to
really make that particular project happen, or all the way
down to finding distribution. So in this particular feature back
(07:37):
in y u K. You know, I was really responsible
for being hands on on set. So the person who
actually hired me, he was more of the guy who
just funded the project. He didn't want to have any
means of being on set. You know, he wanted to
continue with his day job, which was he was a
find a vice president for a bank during that time,
and that's what he did. So he didn't want to
(07:59):
be on set at wrangling talent. You don't want to
be on set passing out checks for payroll for any
of that. So I was, you know, the person to
make all that happen. I just accepted it, like you said,
for you know, for all the means of being able
to continue on and being the best that I can
and try to really achieve more than what I was
achieving during that time. So I always think it's important,
(08:22):
like in acting classes, to get the basis and we'll
talk about that, but to get a foundation. But I
think it's important that actors know how to work on
a set. What is the relationship between an actor and
a producer on set? You know, I believe that between
an actor and a producer on set should be you know,
(08:43):
really like a should I say, I'm gonna say, a
very positive relationship between both, you know, a very respectable
relationship that you know that that person is still your employer,
that person is still the person that you're to answer to,
but also to like creatively. You know, those persons could
(09:06):
really work together and make sure that the things that
aren't necessarily that are delivered. Um, you know that you
might not necessarily see that they could actually be played out.
You know, sometimes you're not you're not able to get
you know, an actor might not be able to really
express themselves to the director. Right. That's you know, actor
(09:27):
director really kind of more parallel that they right. But
sometimes you have those producers that like, for me, I'm
like an all around producer. I'm a creative producer and
a producer that's able to handle paperwork, logistics, all of that.
But sometimes an actor is not able to express themselves
clearly to a director, so they'll come to a producer
(09:49):
somebody who gets it because now you're the person who
has employed everybody, right right, I'm not saying that it's
a complaint, but it might even be a suggestion and
an overall suggestion for the crew and overall suggestion to
make sure that the production value is more greater than
what it is. And a lot of times actors they
(10:09):
don't feel like that their voice could really be heard
unless it's on camera. So that's why I feel like
I'm able to come in and make you know, make
sure that actors um you know that they feel like
their presence is known, you know, before, during, and after
(10:30):
you know, production is set and being on set. That's
great because that gives actors a feeling that they have
an ally. Like you said, if you can't talk to
if there's a especially if it's a celebrity director and
may not you know, you may not he or she
may not be approachable in the audition space. Tell us
like some things that you like and you don't like
(10:53):
in terms of actors coming into the audition space, and
usually when you come into the audition, we are at
the call that stage, right, Okay, It's just very rare
that a producer is going to be in the audition
space with the casting director and insistent during the pre screening.
This was back in the old days. But let's say
we have a live audition. You actors, you have passed
(11:16):
the first process of the pre screening, and now you
are in a callback with a producer. I've been in
all the situations, but using it more so for what
you're you're sharing of being in the callback. You know,
I'm thinking about sellable, marketable moments when I see an actor,
you know, so I'm already at that stage of what
is a good sell? You know, Um, can this person
(11:37):
still share or portrayed this character for my advertisers if
it's dealing with television for them to be able to
carry out like a long term contract with us, you know,
is this character believable? Is this actor believable? Because you're
kind of dealing with the two body part and you know,
or a two person part. And also to you know,
(11:59):
you want to look at if they are genuine enough,
you know, through their lines of delivery. You know, again,
is it believable? So I really think at that point,
I am already at the edit stage. I'm at the
post state when I meet and see that actor. I've
been in that space before, so you tap into their
passion and sometimes a lot of actors they're workable and
(12:21):
you want to see the growth of them. And I
think that's a part of what I've always loved with acting,
is that there's a development stage because their talent, you know,
just they're an artist, you know, anybody in the space
that is of that creative space. I like to see
the phases and how much they've grown. I don't you know,
I don't insist for an actor to come on set
(12:42):
and just nail it and get it in there perfect
every time. No, that that's no room for them to grow,
you know. So I mean I've worked with people and
I've seen people in the time that they've done thirty
and forty films and you know, they're still considered maybe
a C listed actor because might be that local superstar.
And that's great because now they've grown within their craft.
(13:07):
So you know, as long as that you're growing and
we're able to see that on our end, you'll you'll
definitely be reusable. Let's say that's and memorable, right because
you're because as a producer, you'll tell directors or you
might tell casting directors your friends, I saw this great actor,
and then that's how their name starts to circulate out there.
(13:29):
And and another thing is, you know actors, you want
them to be solid. You know, you want them to
be solid all around within their work. So it's not
about them having this recognizable phase. You know, you have
the talent actor and you already know the grade of
actors A, B and C, and so you might have
that C grade of actors that they're a solid actor
you can get that deliverable moment from them with then
(13:51):
you know that that phase of the scene, so you
know you could trust that actor. I think actors right
now they need to earn you know, to be trusted.
M I've never heard that. I love that they need
to earn an neither trathing. No, you need to write that,
Dowal So because that was so valide right there, Because
(14:14):
you're right in the casting process, right, a casting director
has to trust that you can handle the character once
you're cast, right, we don't make that decision, but when
that decision is made, we have to trust that. But
working with you as a producer on the set, we
have to trust that you'll do the work. We have
to trust that you're there. One of the things that
you said in terms of I don't know if actors
(14:39):
know we communicate in this way. But yes, there's a
liss asters less actors see and de liss actors in
your experience you've worked with them all. How difficult is
it or is it difficult at all? When you're dealing
What is the difference between let's say, working with the
A list actor and you know a day player who
(14:59):
is an unknown. Well, the difference is, you know, you
have your celebrity moments. You know, you gotta really be
on your queue working with talent, you know. And I've
managed talent before, you know, in my days. So and
I'm saying, not like manage them just for a moment,
manage them for seven to eight years. So I know
(15:19):
what it's like the talent needs. And so the talent
wants to make sure that you know, their overall need
is is there and taken care of on set and
only that even within the processes that we don't see
on camera or off camera, So they want to make
(15:39):
sure that those are met, you know. Um more so,
I just believe that talent wants to again have their
have their voice all around and they're not skipped over,
you know, of any moments of the production processes. So
in terms of classes and co chain, how important is
(16:01):
it for actors to study their craft? Well, I love
the point that Tracy has always recognized you have to
you got to work your acting muscles, right you guys
on here, you know, I know my Tracy's alumni, you
guys already know that you have to continue to study
(16:22):
your craft. You have to put in your work and
It's not just about doing it in the mirror, you
know what I'm saying. It's not about I mean, you
really have to have some uh some live structure here.
You have to put your heels um uh into the
concrete and dig in deep. You know. You still have
to get your you know, everybody say get your feet wet,
(16:43):
you know, so you still have to do that. And
even though that right now we're operating in the virtual space,
there's still room for you to grow, um, you know,
being clever on your own and just really creating your
own monologues, recording those, doing your own self takee playing
those back, you know, and also to making sure that
(17:03):
you're connecting with people who are in the industry. It's
not hard for you to really go out there and say, hey, listen,
I'm an aspiring actor. You know, here it is. I've
you know, put together a self tape. Here's my real
you know, please critique it for me and be open
to that process, because how is it for us to gain,
(17:24):
you know, the valuable strengths that we need as an actor,
you know, if we're not open for the constructive criticism.
So that's really hard. If you know you're having these
moments that are like their breakdown moments or you know,
I you know, I want to stay here, you know
what I mean. I've coached actors and I'm not even anything,
(17:47):
but I've coached them. I've coached them afar as a
producer for them to stay motivated, you know, because stuff
doesn't happen fast. We make it look microwavable sometimes. Yeah.
Actually within the internet circuit that we're all playing a
part of now, um, and we're looking at people. But
(18:08):
you know, the work goes on and on. I mean study.
And when I say study, I'm saying, go back to
you know, the early nineteen hundreds, go back to when
it was only men cutting film. You know, let's let's
take it there, when it was only men cutting film,
when it was only you know, uh, you know sewing,
(18:28):
you know, sewing the thread of film together. That you
know what I'm saying. So study on that end as
an actor. Right, that's great advice. Now that's a jewel,
because you're right, there is a difference or when female
writers men were writing for women. You know, I love
(18:50):
that you said that. You Now, one thing that I
do love about Quentin Tarantino is that he always asked
for a woman to cut his film. The reason why
you feel that a woman is a little bit more
emotional at any point of state right for scenes for
his particular films and his scenes to be played out,
that a woman knows how to carry that out, just
(19:12):
as if she's having birth, you understand, so something so
study things like that, you know, so that way you
know what to give on camera. It's all going to
be a great parallel, you know, for an actor with
the background of a film and what goes on and
the reasons why. So this is still a part of it.
(19:35):
That is a great point tie because um, I did
a film finding Forrester with Sean Connery, and um, Sean
Connery he was not only was he the actor, but
he was the producer of the film. But when he shot.
Because I would always have my clients, whether it was
(19:55):
Buster or Eve, I would always have them come out
of their trailer and watch Jeffrey watch Sean Connery right,
and Sean Conry would be critiquing his light like you
know what I mean. He'd be in the scene he'd
be like, wait, hold on, I don't feel my life
like But he knew every aspect of not just my lines,
(20:16):
but like, what's the last looks? Do you know what
last looks are? And you know going so. But but
that when you are involved, not just as an actor,
and I say this stactors too, when you as a
day player. If you're cast in Grayson and Me and
let's say you're a restaurant owner, when you go to
your wardrobe fitting, the wardrobe person has five to ten
(20:39):
outfits that they perceive you to be for that character.
But when you do the work on your character, you
know what you wear. So you can say, nah, my
character wouldn't wear skinny jeans, like because he has this
you know, hip problem and blah blah blah blah blah.
But if you don't know your character, you will accept
(21:00):
they give you and say, well, that's a cute outfit.
Absolutely what it's about, yep, having a voice speaking up,
you know, And it doesn't mean that it's gonna be overruled,
but it definitely means that you know you're in tune with,
you know, the character that you're supposed to be delivering exactly.
So ty tell them some of your credits. I always
(21:20):
steer them to IMDb dot com. But I want to
give you a chance to tell us some of your
films and what you're currently doing. Um, and then I
also want to talk about Terry Vaughan and what you
guys are doing in Atlanta. I think it's a nice
cool well, as my shirt says, I produce right, So, um,
(21:43):
you know, I've I've been in the industry for you know,
close to twenty years now, behind the scenes, and so
I you know, one thing that I had not done
and I can kind of keep myself in the foot
is really keep up with my IMDb. I didn't really
affiliate myself along with that. I really affiliated myself just
strictly to the industry and creating a name for the industry.
But you know, some of the past recent films that
(22:05):
I've produced, you know, you know, all of them gone
to television. Loved by Chance that was one of the
most past recent and that went to U. M. C.
And um also to Love Will Make You Do or
The Thing that Love Will Make You Do? I could
the Thing that makes Love will Make You Do right right,
and that was a b et you know, love story,
(22:26):
and that was really like a holiday feature and it
always rolls around for holidays. But you know, I've always
been at the grass route with development for an independent artists,
and so I love that and that's the stage that
you know, I work most comfortably in. And what I
say that is, you know, I'm doing that all day,
(22:48):
all night, in my sleep. It doesn't matter. You know,
I don't necessarily have to have a contract to do
that because you know, it's all in my inbox. It's
it's everywhere, right. So, you know, some of my credits
also aligned with you know, being a former professor. So
I taught five years of television and film production for
(23:09):
the Art Institute of Atlanta. I created their curriculum along
with a couple of other, um you know, universities and
creating classes for them. And so I've been in that
space for quite some time of you know, those that
actually want to pitch projects and put their project into
the next production phase and see life out of that project.
(23:31):
You know, I've always put myself in that situation. I
don't know why, but it just always came as a
strong interest to me. And really, you know a part
of that really became research. You know, what did we
you know, what as independent artists, what do they really need,
you know, to keep going forward? Whether if you're in
(23:51):
front of the camera or in back of the camera,
and so um, you know, as a producer, I really
brought a lot of life to that. And so that's
what's them to the Atlanta Pitch Summit. And so I
always was going out to l A for you know, um,
pitching projects for name people, it doesn't matter, or I
(24:15):
was listening to pitches you know, for myself and and
being able to bring that back in. But when when
I was going back and forth to l A, I
said to myself, why is this happening, Like why am
I burning myself out? You know, let let this really
take place on the East coast and you know, put
something in place for Atlanta. So established in twenty eleven
(24:38):
was the Atlanta Pitch Summit, which Tracy Moore, the spirited actor,
you know, celebrity, so he was a part of the
first brain of and it was amazing, like we had
like people like walking in and out that whole entire weekend.
It was at Georgia Tech Um Institute and one of
(25:00):
their conference centers, and um, you know we've had everybody
to grace the Atlantic pip Summit from just dropping some yeah,
drop up, drop up network names, you know, all the
way from b ET two again U m C to
Swirl Films to TV one two, MGM Studios, Lifetime, Harpo Films, Nickelodeon.
(25:28):
I mean when I tell you everybody, like everybody, you know,
people are looking for content, and just this just lets
you know that this is this became the marketplace of
where you're able to find you know, content meets distribution.
And so again, where you know where we would stand
(25:50):
is that the very first day would end up being
where you know, you're able to learn all about pitching,
all that good and stuff, learn about packaging, and then
the very next day turn around and actually do it
to an executive sitting right across from you. Yeah. Yeah,
(26:11):
it was, I mean, and what I loved about it,
I guess I want to say, like between thirty five
and forty people. I mean, I know I got twenty
two pitches. Those were from the people that I liked,
But I saw a lot of people in that five minutes, right,
So so imagine you know, we only did it, like
(26:31):
back then, we only did it for like a four
hour window when you came, because people were still a
little bit larry whether or not did content really exist
in Georgia. Let's just say that, you know, the content
really exists. That's the visionary part of TIE. You guys,
way before Atlanta became oh it's hard and way before. Yeah.
(26:53):
So you know, the content really exists in Georgia. You know,
how could it really sustain itself? You know, oh no,
it's only Tyler Perry. So you know, we had to
prove that wrong. And so you know, content has been
you know, being developed and produced out of here. It's
just that these creators they have to have a platform
for it. So where are they to go? You know,
who were they to call? You know, because they can't
(27:16):
just keep their content on a hard drive or become
closet writers. You know, it's them, so they have to
have an outlet. And and not everybody knows about the
Atlantic Pitch Summit, but many of them have heard of it.
You know. Again, you know, we've just been a growing
um entity and we we were on hiatus for a
couple of years, but that was only to bring it back,
(27:38):
you know, bigger and better. And now we're even looking
into a little bit more of a which I wanted
to do that before you know, Corona even set in
and before um, should I say in the past two years,
but looking at it being a little bit more of
a virtual platform and it going to you know, more
(27:59):
of an app, and so we're looking at more of
that and and that being taking place. So we're actually
in the middle of developing and we're developing a couple
of academies to go along with that. When I say academy,
you know online universities that are going to take place
with helping those all around. UM. We also have something
(28:22):
called the Master Pitch Series, So we took part in
that about a month ago and that was great of
sharing um the same information online as you're able to
get at the summit itself. So people are utilizing those resources.
Just all of the above. Tracy, excellent. Well, I told
(28:44):
you was gonna go by fast, and we have. I
told you That's why I said, UM, don't worry, audience,
she's coming back. She's got much much more. I do
want to ask you this for my spirited actors and
also the actors that are listening. How important Like now
the Atlanta is uh, it's an epic center. Now you
(29:04):
don't have to be in l A or New York anymore.
Do actors feed from New York. Do they need to
come down there? I mean, I know we also live
in the self tape world, but what do you suggest
to actors from New York and Los Angeles who are like, oh,
Atlanta is the place I need to go to Atlanta?
What do you think about that? Well, let me say this,
now that we're kind of featured a little bit more
(29:25):
in our new normal, I would say, you know, safely,
you know, stay put, but reach out to any and
everybody that you can. I mean, Atlanta has become a
little bit more of the development hub, and if you're
able to contact yourself with producers, directors, and writers here
in this area, I would definitely suggest for you too,
because you just never know who knows who. It's always
(29:47):
really cool to get in on the groundbreaking of something.
You don't have to commit, you know, but share that interest.
I mean, last night, you know, I sent the script
to you know, Christine Swanson, and I was excited did
because I was like, this, sister here, I'm what listen
when I know we got one and a half minute,
I'm gonna make it real quick. I'm gonna get ten
(30:08):
seconds of that. She's gone on our show next week.
I don't Tracy what I saw the Clark's sisters. I
was like, I need this chick to direct one of
my films, and I got the film for her. Okay.
So when I'm saying, I looked at the technical part
of her being a director, and I'm like, and love
what she's doing. I need to see that on screen
(30:29):
for myself with this paper script right here that I
have in my hand. So connect with people. It happened.
I don't know where the sister lives. That's okay, but
you see what I'm saying. People are still reaching out
to people and that's what you gotta do. So this
is how this is an example. Audience and Spirited Act
alumni listening next Tuesday. Christine Swanson is the guest on
(30:55):
the Spirited Actor podcast. I've known Christine tie for over
twenty years. I met her when she did her feature film.
It was entered in the first Acapuco Black Filmmakers Festival.
I was writing the fifteen passenger van taking us to
the hotel and she was with her husband and we
(31:18):
just hit it off and I said, you know what,
I think you're gonna win and went to her screening.
She ended up winning and we've been friends ever since.
So this is how it works, Tye, give me the script.
I'm talking to Christine. Now, see this is how it works.
This is what's called we help each other out. Yes,
(31:38):
I got that. So we'll do a sidebar, um, if
you could just lead jump the cast for it. When
I tell you this is like, this film is stunning,
Meryl Street, Octovia Spencer, I mean, this is that award
winning film crazy. Okay, So I got three award winning
spirited actors on the line and we got transition into
(32:00):
class in session where I'm gonna really let you give
your nuggets. But Ty Johnston Chavez Javez, she is coming back,
you guys. So um, I'm just so grateful, so blessed.
I have mad, mad mad love for Ty y'all don't
understand and her culinary skills. But Tracy, I didn't even
(32:24):
get a chance to drop. I'm married a chef. I
don't have three restaurants here in Atlanta, high volume. Go
to Kell's Kitchen a t L Instagram. Look at our food.
I mean is a family owned business. And when I
tell you, like, it's nothing like being able to take
all that when you and I was doing back in
the day and really package it into a menu. I
(32:48):
flattered that she included me of that I was sitting
watching in all like yo, the way she was dicing
the onions, and she taught me potato leek soup. To
this day, I make potato leak too because of time.
I'm just saying, so, ladies and gentlemen, let's put our
hands together for Ty Johnston Chavez. Very cool, very cool.
(33:12):
Thank you so much, Ti, And when we come back,
we're gonna do Class in Session on the Spirited Actor
Podcast with me Tracy Moore. Welcome back to the Spirited
Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore, and we are still
blessed to have Ti Johnson Chavez with us. Producer extraordinary,
(33:34):
I mean, I just want to say, visionary, creative being
and just a major force in the entertainment industry overall.
So now Class in Session, Tie. What we do is
we have our Spirited Actor alumni Leanna Motto, Lianne Hey,
and we have Marlon Fernandez Hi, and we have Miss
(34:01):
Jelisa capri Oy. So Lean and Marlon are going to
read the scene. Jliss is going to read all the
stage action and then you will give them constructive criticism
or whatever you feel, and then they're just gonna read
the lines. We're not going to read the stage or
anything like after that, are you guys ready? Okay? And
(34:23):
actually interior coffee shop day, Rick and Tracy are catching
up over coffee in their own world. They pick up
right where they left off. So it was the well
drowed up, still waiting on that perfect thing. It's all
(34:45):
the way dry, but I'm still hopeful. I mean, the
Lord hasn't filmed me yet, right, But what about you?
Than I'm trying. I'm trying, man, It's it's just not it.
But I don't know if if I ever found someone
(35:05):
like me and chuckles, that's so humble. What do you
mean like you? I'm saying, like my heart is right,
I'm not out here trying to hurt anybody. I'm really
(35:25):
just trying to find my wife someone that could encourage me.
Mm I'll be picking these girls up off the floor. Yeah,
definitely what you're attractive. And I don't know, I don't
know if like the good guy wins these days anymore. Now,
(35:48):
we definitely win. It's just a matter of teaming up
with the right girl. She looks at him with the
side eye. Woman. Mm hmm, thank you. Not a lot
of them out there like you've dog. I'm shot. I'm
gonna snatch that up. Yeah, I agree. I mean that's
(36:10):
why I keep telling myself it's not me. It's then
She smiles big. You always have a smile on your face.
It's like you come in and you make things easier. Yeah,
man's peace. Man, someone out there, I mean, isn't that
(36:32):
what a woman supposed to be. She's just listening and
he's checked out, still going with his thoughts. Yeah, shine,
you got the juice? He looks at it. Something shipped what?
She's uncomfortable? What? I don't really know what I'm saying, Trace,
(36:59):
But you're in awkward pause between them. She doesn't know
how to get out of the moment. She hesitates and
points to the coffee bar. M hmm, that's weird. Do
you want something? Shakes his head. No. She heads to
the counter. He watches her ponders, but he likes it.
(37:23):
I think I found it, he smirks. Okay, all right,
Leon and Marlon take it away. Miss tie who wrote
these lines? I need to deal with the writer first?
She is, Yeah, you better do that, you know what
I'm saying, because honestly, that's where it starts with, right,
(37:45):
because in order for an actor to really turn around
some lines, they have to get the lines to really
think themselves into it and feel like they can give
these deliberables right. So I was feeling it. So for one,
kudos to you as the writer, because sometimes people they
could take the lines and reconstruct them and make them
(38:07):
right right, because sometimes they're not always right in the
very beginning, so it's like a give or take. But
you did your thing right. Not only that, my brother
over here, he made me feel like I was a
part of the culture. Okay, So that's what I was
really feeling, because you know, it just really depends on
where you are and the vibe. But I felt like
(38:29):
this was that I don't want to say that boogie
down Bronx New York vibe, but I just felt like,
you know, this was the era, even in the space
that we're in now. But it's like, man, I'm I'm
you know, no matter how hard I'm trying to here,
like I'm I'm still trying, you know what I'm saying.
So I really my my empathy was with him. I
(38:51):
wanted to. Yeah, my empathy was with him. I wanted
somebody like yourself, for you to be the she i
ra right, for you to be the shera and grasp
with this brother because he has not found his queen right,
he hadn't found what what it was to fulfill his spirit.
So therefore, could you be that person? Could you really
(39:14):
vibe with him on all those levels? Right now? I'm
I was so far in the scene that I was
like I was deep in the scene, like I had
heard cars passing, you know, like I was really in there.
And I'm glad that you guys, you portrayed that to
give me the feel of that. So I want you
(39:34):
to continue doing that. I mean, I give this a
full A plus, you know. The only thing, so seriously,
I give this the full A plus. The only thing
now that I have to see the magic of the
physical I have to physical connection. I have to make
sure that you know if you was giving him a
little bit of elbow, that I can see that right,
(39:57):
the smirking you know, with your kneecap, I'm just see that,
you know what I'm saying. So I need to see
like the body language moving forward, and that's something to
always pay attention to as an actor as well. It's
not just your mind, Like, what is the body language?
(40:17):
Tracy already know there's a book that we should read
about which was the five language of you know, love language? Yeah, right,
the love language? So what was the love language within
this scene? You know? So I'm I mean, you guys
was taking me. I could have been in love Jones
(40:37):
if I wanted to just well, thank good yea. Well,
you guys got some really great stuff. So at the end,
tie whatever, however, we can get in touch with you.
I would love for actors to be able to forward
over their picture and resume in reels to you. But
definitely these three will get their works to you. Melissa,
(40:58):
we're gonna squeeze her in. She's gonna do a one
minute monologue for you, and you'll be able to get her.
But Leam has been writing since we started class in session.
She's been writing the scenes all right. Well, to listen,
whenever you're ready, you could start your mind a life
for her. No, now you wait a minute, bad man,
(41:18):
remind you that you walked out of my life, that
the other way around, you walked out on me. That
time has past you think that you can just most
back into my life like nothing happened. I don't know
what kind of fantasy world you're living in. It's the
real world. Think it's not okay me. You don't know
(41:41):
what kind of hurt you cause Mom and me. I mean,
that's what really gets to me. You You have no
idea the damage that you do to people, and that
you left sitting by that window, sen Oh, waiting for
you to come home, and you know, even showed up.
(42:02):
How do you think that made me feel? H M,
I don't. I don't even care anymore, okay, I mean
I washed my hands with you, so from that one,
as far as I'm concerned, I have no father. See right, Tracy,
(42:24):
and you docing these actors that are just like Golden
Globe Award pre entry winners. Can you just keep doing that? Now?
I'm I'm saying no, I wow, Like sister, when I
was let me tell you where my chill came at. Firstly,
(42:46):
you made me listen, right, I literally was texting for
a second, right, I was texting. Shame on me. It
was all good cause, but you gave me listen because
of the striking, powerful vibration in your voice. Right, So
(43:09):
when I'm telling you, like not only the emotion, but
the capture of what is it that you was trying
to land in your voice, It's like you had a
unidirectional microphone already attached to you, right through the iPhone
screw Samsung, you had a unidirectional microphone attached to you
(43:30):
to vibrate me. Right. Where I listened at was when
you said and you didn't even listen, right, that was
a point. And then when you said when you was
talking to your father, that just blew me away because
I didn't know, like before then, it could have been
a boyfriend, it could have been an ex it could
(43:51):
have been a husband, you know, somebody. I didn't expect
for you to say my father, So that even rooted
even more. Right, So, you didn't ever know who you're
gonna capture, right, So you gotta think about your audience. Actors,
Please think about your audience every single time that you're delivering,
because you don't know who you're moving in that you
(44:12):
don't know who you're seeking to in that audience. You know,
I've always had a great relationship with my father, But
for those that who didn't, But for those that who
cried out for those who you know, possibly needed just
that voice. You was that voice, and thank you, thank you,
(44:35):
thank you very much. That was beautiful. Side. That was beautiful.
Oh my god, see why I love her? Moving? Very moving,
You're great touching. Yes, she did she did it, Lean Marlin, Melissa.
You guys, you guys walked away with some gems like seriously, Lee,
(45:00):
and it just encourage you to keep writing it. Where
can actors reach out to you? It's my email address.
They can reach out to my email address, which is
t Y J dot Media at gmail dot com. So
like Tom Yellow, John dot M E d I A
at gmail dot com. Okay, so you guys get your
(45:22):
pictures and resumes today while it's fresh in her mind. Yeah, okay,
and other actors reported Tracy, I hope you recorded all this. Yes, yes,
we got it, because this is the deal. Like, I'm
gonna have to go through this. There's so many jewels
that you gave us. I'm just gonna have to promote
the hell out of you. So but look at the
(45:46):
institute that you've built, Tracy, Like look at your you
know what I'm saying. I mean, I was telling my
husband this morning, I played your interlude for you know,
the I Heart Radio beginning right the prelude, and I
was just like, oh my god. I was like Tracy,
she goed back thirty years. If you don't know the
story of the One Way to Take It from San Francisco,
(46:08):
you don't know Tracy Like man, she is fun. Oh
and I am a reflection of time. And I would
tell you when we connected, we have never disconnected. And
not only is she I mean I consider myself working
(46:29):
with her and she is my producer. As a friend,
she is just opened up her home to me, especially
at a time when my son during this accident, like
she was there for me. So this is family. This
is a boss. This is before a boss. They said boss,
that's what you were, So I don't know what we
(46:50):
called you before. Then we're gonna have Tie back on
the show because she is absolutely incredible. So I just
want to thank you again much love. Tie Thank you
so much for being a part of the show. We
all love you. Thank you. Okay, So next on the
Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore, we have give
(47:11):
love and now it's time forgive love. Everything happens for
a reason. I wanted to find an exercise that I loved.
So I found swimming, absolutely positively love swimming. At first
I was terrified, but I was in the water with
the senior citizens, and I was doing awkward aerobic classes
(47:32):
with the senior citizens and three ft of water. And
then I got the courage to ask one of the
retirees to teach me how to swim well. I went
from holding for dear life to the side of the
pool to entering a swimming competition where I swam seventy
laps in fifty seven minutes. Everything happens for a reason.
(47:57):
If I did not release that fear I always think about,
I would have never met Coach Rich who taught me
how to swim. I would have never been around the
senior citizen splashers who all became like my grandparents. I
would have never had the confidence and the courage to
(48:19):
approach something else that I was afraid to do. Fear
has a way of propelling you into your dreams, and
fear is an illusion. It does not exist. Everything in
your life happens for a reason. And the next time
you approach something with fear, say to yourself, what will
I miss out if I don't do it. Who will
(48:42):
I not meet if I don't do it? And when
you do it, you realize there's no fear, it doesn't exist.
It's all an illusion, and you gain the confidence and
you've gained the self esteem to approach another challenge in
your life. I want to be a lifeguard now, and
(49:03):
guess what I can if I choose to Everything happens
for a reason and don't allow fear to disrupt your group.
Thank you for joining us on the Spirited Actor Podcast
with me Tracy Moore. I look forward to our next
Spirited podcast. Thank you
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.