Big Break Pod

What does it take for a stand-up comic working the clubs in New York City to transition to a career in acting? What does it take to get up on stage and tell jokes to an unknown crowd every night of the week? What happens if you bomb? What happens if you book? What is the meaning of this life?! In this bonus episode of Big Break Pod, Thomas tackles all of these questions—and a few more existential ones—wit...

Entirely not due to popular demand, but rather Thomas' own selfish interest in talking shop with his brother, we're dropping this BONUS EPISODE from Season 1 featuring Kris Eber, Emmy-award-winning producer! The topic of this episode is safety on set—specifically, how risk is calculated and managed by attentive producers. The role of a producer is multifaceted, but chief among their responsibilities is managing the investment a stu...

Congratulations - you've just found one of the most insightful interviews ever conducted between an actor and an accomplished casting director. In this episode, Thomas speaks with John Frank Levey, the legendary 4-time Emmy Award winning casting director behind some of television's biggest hits including E.R., The West Wing, Shameless, and many, many other productions! Thomas spends much of the episode talking to Frank...

If you're an aspiring actor, or just recently bitten by the bug to perform, or if you have simply only given some thought to acting - think again and run away from the terrible idea as fast as you can. No! Just kidding! But you should listen to this episode. You're what Thomas and Wendy Alane Wright refer to as a "baby actor", and we love you for it - or, at least, Wendy really does. Wendy Alane Wright is an acting coa...

This episode is a treat for all the film, TV, and commercial directors out there! Step into the creative realm of directing through the lens of a producer with Emmy-Award winning producer Kris Eber! Kris talks with Thomas about his experiences working with directors of episodic comedy TV that he respects the most, how they operate on and off set, and what exactly he consistently sees in the best directors he's worked w...

We're going to exit stage right today and welcome Ben Gabler on the show! Ben is an accomplished founder in tech and currently CEO at Rocket.net, one of the world's fastest growing Wordpress website hosting platforms. Ben is also an old friend of Thomas', having grown up together in Jupiter, Florida. As Thomas and Ben split ways after high school, their careers and life experiences diverged, but also moved in a kind of...

Today's episode deviates a bit from the normal structure of the show, as Thomas dedicates an entire episode to what it means to be a professional in your craft. Let’s set some ground rules first: when we say "craft," we mean anything that requires practice, skill, or talent—something you create that brings you joy or fulfillment. It could be acting, comedy, dance, abstract performance, writing, or even quilt-making, fo...

Lori S. Wyman, M.S., C.S.A., is dedicated to helping actors pursue their passions so they can live their dreams. If you've ever had the pleasure of being cast by her, taken one of her workshops, or read her book The Organic Actor, you know how true this is. But there's so much more to glean from her 40 years in the South Florida casting industry.

In this episode, Thomas engages in a personal and insightful conversation with Bianka Krausch, founder of Talent Direct Agency (TDA). As Thomas's representative agency in the Southeast regions, including Miami and Atlanta, TDA holds a special place in his professional journey. Together, they delve into:

We all remember the iconic film that defined the early 2000s rom-com genre: the popular jock can’t date the girl next door until her offbeat sister finds her own date, leading him to hire a rugged bad boy to charm her. Loosely based on William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, it was also Heath Ledger’s major film debut. You know it as 10 Things I Hate About You, but for director Gil Junger, It's just one of the m...

Take a journey with Thomas and Miami-based independent filmmaker Michael Ruiz-Unger as they discuss in detail what it takes to write, direct, and produce your own short film! Michael would know a thing or two about it. Michael wrote, and Thomas performed in, "Save the Flea" a short film that first premiered at the Miami Film Festival in 2023, taking the Audience Award in the short film category. The film has since gone...

Kicking off our first season with a WHIZ BANG is Bill Barretta, Emmy-award winning actor, puppeteer, and ineffable and effectual creator! Thomas and Bill talk about what to expect from professional conservatory theatre training, as Thomas enters The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City with the Fall 2024 cohort, Bill's alma mater; how to create lively characters from our instincts and observations of the world aroun...

In this inaugural episode of Big Break Pod, host and creator Thomas M Copeland introduces you in broad strokes to the show, why it exists, and what you can expect to get out of listening and engaging with each episode! PLUS, we introduce our friend of the show Kris Eber, Emmy-award winning half-hour comedy series producer behind The Mayor, The Kids Are Alright, Dave, and most recently, Muppets Mayhem for Disney+. Why would a produc...

Welcome to Season 1 of The Big Break Podcast. Hi, I'm Thomas M. Copeland. I'm an actor, entrepreneur, and writer. And I'm the creator and host of The Big Break podcast. Our episodes will take you behind the scenes and deep into the professional world of acting, filmmaking, writing, shooting, and directing film, TV, plays, short stories, and other creative passions. We'll talk about the industry's dirtiest words, the business of sho...