August 25, 2024 • 31 mins
Welcome to "Making It Happen: A Career in the Performing Arts," where we delve into the intricacies of breaking into the performing arts industry for yourself or your child, teen, or young adult. Join Leesa Csolak, CEO and founder of Making It Happen, as she converses with passionate professionals dedicated to helping talented individuals achieve successful careers in the arts.
In this episode, Leesa sits down with Anthony Meindl, a renowned acting coach and founder of Anthony Meindl's Actor Workshop. Discover Anthony's unique journey and his philosophy on acting, teaching, and navigating the ever-evolving entertainment landscape. From the impact of technological advancements to the importance of staying versatile and connected, this episode is packed with valuable insights for aspiring artists and their families.
For more information about Leesa's courses, how-to videos, live webinars, in-person seminars, and free guides, visit lbctalent.com. To connect with Anthony and learn more about his actor workshop, visit anthonymeindel.com and follow him on social media at @anthonymeindelstudios.
Tune in next Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern for part two of the interview with Anthony Meindl.
Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for notifications!
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Music.
(00:06):
Welcome to Making It Happen, a career in the performing arts where we discuss
how to break into the performing arts industry for yourself or your child, teen, or young adult.
Guests include professionals who are passionate and share my vision of helping
talented individuals land professional representation and have successful careers in the arts.
My name is Lisa Solek and I am the CEO and founder of Making It Happen,
(00:28):
a career in the performing arts, having helped hundreds of clients break into
the performing arts business on stage, in films, television,
commercial work, and more.
This podcast is supplemental to my groundbreaking online courses.
For more information, check out all the ways you can benefit from my courses,
my how-to videos, live webinars, in-person seminars, and free guides. Go to lbctalent.com.
(00:51):
My guest today is Anthony Meindel.
Hi, Anthony. How are you? Hey, how's it going, everybody? I'm telling you,
I am very excited to talk to you.
I know my son had a little bit of, you know, kind of interaction with you years
ago. I don't know. Quite a while. Yeah.
2018 maybe or something. I don't even know. I think he was there for,
(01:13):
I mean, quite a while at the school.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. He was young at the time. Yeah, he was. He was early 20s,
right? Maybe. He was actually, I think he was like, he might have been 19.
Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Okay. So, yeah, he was at Pace University for a year,
but then he became a ping pong ball between LA and New York.
And so that's kind of how it went down.
But it was wonderful to work with you.
(01:36):
Yeah, we worked together on a number of things. He's super talented.
I'm so excited for all this Broadway success.
And yes, yeah, he's a singer and dancer and mover and shaker.
Yeah, he does all the things. He does all the things. Yes, which I was happy to support.
My husband was happy to support, which is why I'm so excited you're here.
So can you can you introduce yourself? And then let's talk about how you landed where you landed.
(02:01):
Yeah, I mean, I'm Anthony Mindle. Hello, everybody. I mean, I'm not wearing Halloween makeup.
I'm not on the gridiron. And I'm like putting, you know, whatever.
I never played football, but I think they put stuff underneath our eyes to deflect
the sun. Yes, right. Yeah, right.
Yes. I had eye surgery. So everything is fine.
That's why I'm bruised. So anyway, I can see. So that's the important thing. Yes.
(02:24):
As I said, I'm Anthony. And I live here in LA.
I've had a school here for, oh my gosh, 27 years now, 28 years. And.
Over the last decade, we've had 10 schools all over the world,
including Sydney and London and New York and Atlanta and Vancouver.
And it's been quite the journey. I've taught, in addition to that,
(02:44):
I've taught everywhere from Art Center to, oh my gosh, everywhere, Helsinki, Brussels.
I was just actually looking at this this morning and I was like,
I can't believe how, yeah, it's really, I feel really honored that I've taught
in so many prestigious places.
So, yeah, and my philosophy about acting is, is very, I think it came about
(03:07):
at a time where I felt like and it still is because it's always an organic changing thing.
But it came about at a time where I felt like it was time to kind of reinvestigate
maybe the philosophy around acting training.
And I think it's much simpler than people make it. It doesn't mean it's easy.
Anything worth doing is is going to take a lot of elbow grease.
(03:28):
Yeah you know uh time and grit
and fortitude and all those things and yeah i
totally agree with you that it is it is easier
than people make it out to be i'm one i did read
some of your your material online so that
i could kind of get an idea where you're coming from and i agree and we align
kind of perfectly which is interesting we'll talk about the school a little
(03:52):
bit down the road i think and But I would love to know how you and when you
knew that this was your path.
Because I saw that you have done a lot of professional work yourself.
You did a lot of commercials. You've been the lead in different series and done some work there.
So when did you know this was it for you? That's a good question.
(04:14):
I don't live my life ever believing that this was it.
Or I think there are many tributaries on a path, connected to a path.
And I'm on the meandering, explorative, seeking journey, like I'm sure everybody is.
Part of my teaching is to make that more conscious to people.
I think, you know, part of the challenge of being in the business,
(04:36):
especially because the business is changing so quickly,
you know, because of post-COVID and now the two strikes and big tech taking
over, and we could talk about all this. I think it's very important.
And also the rise of social media, whether we like it or not. I'm not always a fan.
However, it has created new platforms and opportunities for people to create
(05:00):
in ways in which are new, different, diversified, and not.
The traditional gatekeepers who used to make decisions about whether or not
you had talent, they're still there, but there's so many different ways to create.
And so for your young listeners or parents, for your young listeners,
it used to be when I started, there was like one or two paths. And there are so many.
(05:22):
And for me, I just kind of keep going where my joy is and where the challenges
are. I'm interested in...
I just finished a movie about the climate crisis. So I'm very interested in
keep challenging myself to exploring things that are uncomfortable or we need
to take a look at or explore through a different lens.
And that's kind of what my teaching and my philosophy has been about.
(05:44):
Did you go to school for acting? I didn't note that.
Yeah, of course. Yeah, I went, I actually went to Cal State LA and then I got
my master's degree in London.
Oh, nice. Great place to be. Yeah, it was great.
I, you know, my emphasis was on Shakespeare and then I moved to New York and
then I was pounding the pavement.
I was waiting tables and, you know, and then I started getting work as an actor theatrically.
(06:08):
And then like most actors move to LA or you move to New York, whatever.
Yeah, or you do the ping pong ball back and forth, depending on the work.
Yeah, for sure. For sure.
Yeah. So when did you realize that the teaching was going to be like a very
direct path to a certain degree?
Like when did that change for you because I have a story
that aligns with that when I had moved to LA I
(06:31):
was teaching a little bit I mean I was still acting a lot
I was booking jobs I performed at the Hollywood Bowl I was doing a lot of work
I think had I stayed on that trajectory I would be a work a day actor like you
know not saying I'd be famous or anything but I was working but I found that
I I started to feel maybe less fulfilled.
(06:52):
In some of the things that I was going out for.
And as my own spiritual journey was unfolding and the things that I was interested
in exploring, oftentimes the industry.
Is not in alignment with, you know, we forget that Hollywood is a huge corporation.
It's a multi multi multi billion dollar corporation.
And I always like to remind my students that if they make something that is
(07:15):
a beautiful piece of art, that's kind of like the outlier that is not their directive.
Their directive is to churn out content and to churn out content at whatever
level it you know, the saying one man's trash is another man's treasure.
So I have I have no judgments, but I think they just want to create as much
content as possible so people are watching. They don't really care if it's high art.
(07:39):
And so for me as an artist, I started to find myself less and less interested
in maybe some of the things that I was going out for and doing.
And at the same time, I was really interested in exploring the genesis of acting
philosophy, where it comes from, why do we do it, what does it really mean?
How do we use ourselves in a way that
(08:01):
is unique because everybody on here
who's listening is unique and they have their own story to tell and also
last point storytelling forget about hollywood storytelling
has been around since man has been around the dawn of man that's right we sat
around we shared stories that's how some some a great great granddaughter knew
(08:23):
not to eat a berry that was poisonous because sadly other people were taken out,
you know, see, I'm really fascinated in that,
like the etymological,
like historical.
Ontological aspect of what it means to be, yeah, it's really cool.
So that's what gets me excited. Yeah. The history and all of that.
(08:44):
So you were saying- We're all stories.
We're all stories. Yeah, for sure. For sure. And that needs to be,
the stories need to be told, you know, people need to hear what that's about
because that's the human, you know, kind of, that's the space that we're in. And yeah, so question.
So did you have at the time when you were,
performing and you were auditioning, did you have friends that were struggling?
(09:05):
And did you have any need?
Did you have any pull or like, were you drawn to helping them understand all
of this? Was it more internal for yourself?
Yeah, I think it was all of it. I mean, I was struggling as well.
Like any, you know, any artists you're like, you have a breakthrough or you
get a job and then you think that immediately that's going to mean X,
Y, Z and doesn't, and never listen.
I think for, again, for your listeners, the journey is long.
(09:28):
Like we say, the shortcut is the long path.
Victories, you have to celebrate whatever victories you have,
but also not have any expectations that a victory or a job booking or a huge
show or whatever necessarily means.
This is why it's something else because you just have to fully immerse yourself
in what that is at that moment.
(09:49):
Because that's how people have careers because you just keep doing the work.
It's just about the work.
That's it. Yeah. But why do you think that people have that misconception.
You know, like when we talk about, because this is what I'm fighting for,
you know, like the average person, sadly, there's not enough information out there.
And there's this kind of like, I don't know if it's all smoke and mirrors that
(10:11):
the industry is showing.
And so the average person, like if I went, literally took a walk down the street,
because my neighbors know what I do and what my kids do and everything.
And they're all so kind of intrigued to the point of, you know, thinking I'm famous.
I'm like, what are you even thinking like, why is it like that?
Because when you start working and when the young person starts working,
(10:33):
whether it's a child, teen, or a young adult coming out of college and they
get their first job, that's what they think. Exactly what you just said.
They think, oh, this is it. This is fame and fortune.
Or I booked a small part in that giant movie and that's going to make my career.
And now I'm like A-list, I'm going.
They don't understand how the hierarchy works within in the industry and what
(10:54):
the, the, the ladder wrongs you have to climb and how there are a lot of detours,
you know, and a lot of different,
I don't know, like not that, not that it's a bad thing, but you have to have
a perspective similar to what you're explaining that is healthy,
but how can that be healthy if they're healthy?
If they're preconceived notions of how this industry works are incorrect.
(11:17):
So how do we change that? Well, I mean, you said everything there.
That's really helpful. I think, you know, yeah. I mean, I think what I would
add is, again, we forget that we live in a multi-billion dollar industry.
And part of the media's job is to spin a story in a way.
Like, listen, what's great about Hollywood is things can change overnight.
(11:37):
That's the miracle and the wonderful hopefulness of it.
Yeah, it keeps us tethered to the work. but also in
unscrupulous hands in in the hands of like
the like you said the shadow and or the you know
what's the saying like oh my gosh smoke and mirrors oh the smoke and mirrors
that i said like there are a lot of charlatans out there who really cash in
(11:59):
on hooray for hollywood yeah exactly hey parent give me ten thousand dollars
and i'll make your kid a star exactly parents pay for it.
It's very upsetting. It is upsetting. I wish there was a licensing or something
happening where we could have a license number that you're allowed to teach
(12:20):
and you're allowed to help people because you know the industry and you go through
some kind of testing system.
They have done that. They have done that in the state of California.
But Lisa, it's to me, again, it missed the mark because a lot of talent searches
are happening out of state. They happen out of state.
So there is no regulation in Nevada. Yes, yes, yes. You know,
(12:44):
some guy who says he's a quote unquote producer can like.
Do one of those scam things in Nevada and, and the parents are paying $10,000
for their kid to be seen by, again, I'm going to put it in quotes, a producer.
Right. It's just, it's a grab the money and go kind of person.
So it's regulated, but it's so international.
(13:05):
It's, it's not regulated. I don't know.
I think, I guess my thing is in terms of overreach when it was,
I remember this this was many years ago, when they started trying to,
you know, kind of clamp down on this, the people who were affected by it were casting directors.
And again, it was an overreach because a lot of casting directors,
(13:27):
most of the casting directors I know, or all the casting directors I know are totally legit.
And so they, the whole pay for play thing happened like 15 years ago,
where they were no longer allowed to represent the company or
the studio that they were working for and get you know
they were they were getting only like 50 for a
session right per student but all of a
(13:49):
sudden this overreach and trying to
get rid of the bad seeds it really it it actually hurt the casting directors
who use it as an opportunity legit so really i know actor back in the day when
i started the school some actors that was the only way they got work yeah right
But it also then penalized the actors because then actors who did not have reps,
(14:12):
did not have a manager or an agent, had no other way to get seen by casting
directors. Yes, yes, understood.
Sorry, I went off on a tangent. No, I'm with you. I am completely with you on this.
Yeah, it is definitely a challenge. But I wish that the general public had more
real information is what the bottom line is, don't we all?
I mean, everybody who's in it feels that way, I think. If I can jump in,
(14:34):
Lisa, I think the thing is, I think if, let's say...
A listener, a parent wants to get their child in front of somebody,
I think they have to really do their research because it's, it is available
on IMDb Pro and you can go to their company's website and see if the person
is really a legitimate person.
And to me, a legitimate person is like, you know, a showrunner or a producer
(14:57):
or a casting director on a major show, you know, or a movie that you know of
and you've heard of. Right.
And I think that's the first thing because people, people throw around these
titles in Hollywood and they've had nothing to do with any of that process.
Any of the real, yeah. Any of the real work. They have no idea what's really going on.
(15:18):
And then they're trying to just, I don't know. Or anybody can say they're a
manager. That's not licensed at all in California.
Yeah. Same here. Yeah. Same. It's not, you don't need the license number.
You don't need anything. You can just do it. And, and it's just scary,
but But let's jump back into your world.
So I asked you about like leaning into the teaching and like the philosophy
(15:40):
and like all of that and where you landed and whether that was spurred by your
friends and yourself in the space you were in when you took that pivot.
It because it looks like, and I could be wrong with my research,
but it looks like you, you pivoted to the teaching side and,
and didn't do the performance side.
(16:00):
Is that correct? Or did you continue to make your own?
Did you continue to make your own films? I continue to do it all. Yeah.
Like, I mean, when I was, when I performed at the Hollywood bowl,
I still had, you know, I had classes during the day.
And then at night, some of my students came and watched me perform.
Like it was very much a organic synergist. I was doing all of it.
I was writing, I was directing, I was teaching, I was acting, I was performing.
(16:23):
And that, that continues, it still continues even today.
I just shot an HBO show, which I can't say what it is. And I don't,
who knows if I'll get cut out of it or whatever.
But the point is, is I still, I still am interested in doing all of it.
Yeah. Yeah. You have to, I also think this is a good point.
I also think it's very important when, when students are looking for teachers,
(16:44):
I think it's very dangerous for a teacher to not be just to be teaching.
I think the teachers have to be in it in some organic way.
I was getting there. I was getting there.
First of all, it's a vulnerable thing because if a teacher is not themselves
putting themselves in a position where they're vulnerable, then it becomes like
(17:06):
it's a power structure or I know more than you or you know what I mean?
And they can berate the student. Well, how many university, yes,
how many university programs have teachers that have never been on set,
they haven't been really on a stage other than maybe in school,
and they have a degree in acting they have
a master's in acting they have a doctor in acting and they're very heady in
the way they teach and that makes i believe in
(17:27):
my my philosophy makes students a little
bit like crazy they're like they get too heady into it they're hyper analyzing
everything hyper analyzing what the what they want what casting wants what the
director producer wants instead of just like living in that space in that moment
which i saw on your podcast you had a whole on your YouTube,
(17:49):
I think I saw that you talked about that whole in the moment.
Well, I just think the teacher, I'm not interested in academic training.
I think there's a place for it, I guess. But in university programs,
I never taught in university programs. So I was taught.
In that, but I myself as a teacher never have. And I'm just interested in a
more organic staying connected to the business because how do you help educate
(18:14):
young people if you're removed from it?
You absolutely have to be in it because you have to be feeling what they're
feeling and understanding.
Even like you said earlier, there have been so many shifts more recently.
You know, I remember years ago, we use the Madison Avenue guidebook to like
get in touch with people.
Do Do you remember that? I don't know if you're younger than me,
but like that's what we were using. No, but there was the drama log.
(18:37):
No, was it the drama? There was something when I first moved to LA, they had a directory.
Same thing, but it was a directory with casting directors and agents and managers' names.
You would look them up and drive a drop off your headshot.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And now things have shifted so quickly.
I think the whole self-tape land was happening anyway. way.
(18:58):
I think it was heading in that direction prior to COVID, but COVID just solidified that so much.
And then you mentioned earlier too, the strikes and how that has put everything
in a different light and a different space.
And now there's all these different studios cropping up in Las Vegas and New
Mexico, like all of that that's happening, which in the long run is probably
(19:19):
going to be good for the industry.
It's going to give more opportunity to more projects, but at At some point,
is it going to fall off the cliff?
Well, I haven't. You want to hear my thoughts? Yes, I want to hear.
That's why I brought it up. I want to hear what you think. Well,
I want to try to paint this.
Here's the, okay, let me start with the good news. The good news is just like
in the old days when, the old days, I wasn't alive back then,
(19:40):
but when the silent films, when TV,
you know, became popular and every household had a TV practically,
you know, the business is always going to go through different iterations of
expansion and contraction and new forms.
So that's going to keep happening. And new platforms will be created because of it.
(20:00):
I do think, however, what's different,
and I don't know, I don't, I'm not, I am a good prognosticator sometimes because
I have a crystal ball, but I think the difference now is that Hollywood is being
bought and eaten up by big tech.
And I think big tech, they don't really care about the things that.
(20:25):
Traditional unions care about artists oh
yeah unions representation i don't
think they care they don't care it's all about money that's
right so even though they may care about or
they may be building a studio in new mexico
which i know they did or las vegas and that's great because it
gives people in a different area opportunity yeah
(20:47):
opportunity yeah of course is about i think
is like it doesn't really work that way
for people who are working drivers or
technicians or people who are working behind the camera yes right yeah but for
artists because there are not there aren't as many artists in those locations
yes and also artists who maybe don't have access to training in those locations
(21:11):
yes they're still going to do casting out of a main hut let's say say, LA.
But then the burden of finding a place to put yourself up, being a local hire,
is again falling upon the artist.
I am always going to fight for the artist first.
So I think the reason why they're outsourcing is because it's cheaper.
That's why it's heading to international production.
(21:34):
Because they don't have to pay union. They don't have to pay the same amount of money.
And also, I just had lunch with a really well-known casting
director who's been a long time friend of mine and he was telling me he's worked
with all the big studios and one company when he
was casting this project for them they literally the amount that they were offering
for the lead roles was so low that but it was non-negotiable and they also knew
(21:59):
that people people are desperate to work even including quite famous people
so people your audience isn't aware
of, you know, what's happening behind the scenes is it's really changed.
And so people are willing to work for less money and not being able to really
make a living wage because these tech companies know that they can get talent
(22:23):
regardless. They can get away with it.
Because people want to work. So it's a very, it's going to work itself out,
but we are in a very challenging Time. I think right now, yeah.
Well, you know, then let's talk about too, when we'll be right before SAG and
after merged right before that happened.
And that was when all of the cable networks were starting to become popular.
(22:48):
All the streaming platforms and all of the subscription based everything.
And I remember at that time thinking before it was even a thing going,
Oh my gosh, what is going to happen?
The residuals are going to fall away. How are we going to make a living?
How is this going to really work?
And that's, that's been, although it's been a while, I don't remember exactly
what year that was, but it was during the time 25 years ago.
(23:13):
Yeah. Yeah. And they're just trying to catch up with the strike now with some
of that, you know, and trying to keep up with it. And then, of course, you have the AI thing.
That's a story for another day, maybe. yeah we would yeah
that would that's a whole other pandora's box but i think it is something we
have to track again i think for me because of
i guess in terms of what the work that i do with actors
(23:34):
and having schools all over the world and being a part of such a great artist
community i myself even forget hollywood doesn't care their job is to make product
at the least amount of cost possible yeah yeah the first people to get cut or
to feel the effects of that are generally annoyed the artists.
It's always been that way during Shakespeare's time.
(23:55):
He was trying to get money for his next production, you know,
and the actors were like sewing costumes and performing every night.
So it's part of the actor's challenge, I think, you know, and we just have to keep adapting.
Well, you know what, that even brings us back around to what you were saying
(24:15):
that you You do everything.
And I think that is so true because I look at my life and the amount of places
in the industry that I have touched and done and worked with.
And for your friends who work in casting and they need help and they're short staffed or something.
And they're like, listen, I have to get this done in the next three days. Can you help?
You know? And then of course, it's creating art, doing choreography for something
(24:38):
or for whatever I would, there were so many different things in so many different
places, hence where I landed now.
But I think I think that's so important. And it sounds like you're in that same
space for the artists to continue to do what they're supposed to be doing,
because that's just going to breed community.
It's going to breed support.
It's going to breed opportunities and networking for them to get involved with
(25:00):
other things. showing up at that film festival, that tiny little film festival
somewhere where their film is being shown.
And now they're meeting other people that are at a higher level.
Like all that is so, so important.
Do you, can you talk a little bit about that? Like, do you, do you teach any of that in your classes?
Like, do you talk to your students about the networking piece?
Can you mention something about that?
I mean, I always feel like networking is a word that we don't really understand.
(25:24):
Like networking isn't like, I mean, it's fine. Go out and go to a party or go
go to a mixer somewhere, you know, go to a club.
But most people who are doing the work that we want to be engaged with are not at clubs at midnight.
You know, and that's a very Hollywood thing. So it's fun.
You're young, go and experience that stuff. But I think when you're talking
(25:45):
about networking, I think we want to think of it in terms of what do you have to share?
What is it? Have you just finished a product? Have you just,
you know, do you have a new TikTok?
Let's just say to you, what is it that you have to share with somebody that
can get them excited about.
What you have to offer and i think we forget that that's
what really networking is about like we want to meet people who are like
(26:06):
oh wow you have a podcast i'd love to be on your podcast and this is
what i've done xyz to talk about yeah you know and it it's hard to network when
you don't have stuff going on and then one could argue well what if i don't
have stuff going on well then to me the person is there the canvas is their
art you are the greatest art piece you're ever going to be.
(26:26):
So if you don't have a new movie coming out, you can still be in class or you're
working on a play or something that you're very excited about.
And you talk about, wow, I'm really doing this and I'm working on this kind of material.
I think to talk in artistic terms is very exciting.
And that's who I want to talk with. You know what I mean?
(26:46):
So that's what I have always thought networking should be.
Yeah. I love that. Yeah. Well, that's like, you know, there's,
I don't want to mention any names at the moment, but people in the Broadway
space will probably figure out who I'm talking about.
I've interviewed her on my podcast already and, and her background listening
to her, you know, the interview that I had with her, she, she just had videos
(27:08):
of her choreography with her friends, like these content, do you know what I mean?
These concept, excuse me, concept videos that she put up on her.
She didn't even have it on her social media.
I believe it It was just on her website and there was like four of them and
she suddenly started to get, and she was a Broadway performer initially and
she suddenly started to get all of these inquiries regarding her choreo.
(27:30):
And now she's choreographing for Broadway.
She choreographed for the Tony's in 2023 when we couldn't during the strike
when they couldn't have any of the, you know, the speaking, you know,
written, it was just all music and dance. Yeah. So, so.
That is something that I think the young people don't realize.
Again, they're so hell bent on like booking something, like getting into the
(27:53):
casting call and booking and wanting to be that person that people say yes to
instead of saying yes to themselves in a way, I guess.
I don't know. Talk about your teaching philosophy a little bit.
I think the platforms have changed. So like you just said, like,
everybody has, you know, a platform where they can post their stuff.
And your job isn't to judge what you think other people will like or not like
(28:15):
your job is to uniquely present what you're interested. I always say create
the thing you wish existed.
And somebody out there might get it, you know what I mean? And so that is cool.
I also think my own personal feelings about this, notwithstanding,
I think a lot of people in the art world nowadays, rather than a TV show or
a movie, are making their money on product deals.
(28:37):
And I think we can't neglect the fact that because of TikTok,
because of Instagram, because of social media, everything is becoming like a
branded, it's brandotainment, brandfotainment is what I call it.
I love that. You're watching like a movie, but then you're like,
wait a minute, is this an ad for a TikTok product?
Right. Because it is. I think eventually, Lisa, it's all going to be that.
(28:57):
But I guess my point is, is i think if young
people have access to getting
brand deals you utilize that to have money to keep creating content to learn
to go to class to grow yeah so you know yeah i think it's important for young
those are those are new possibilities that i didn't have you know when i was
(29:20):
a young performer so it's different it's cool it's it's.
It's interesting. Yeah. I mean, I think a lot of actor, singer,
dancers fall into as a supplement to their income.
If they're working performers, even they're teaching, they're supporting other actors.
They're, you know, they're in that kind of a space and hopefully not waiting
(29:40):
tables like they used to talk about years ago, but a lot.
I used to do it. Nothing wrong with that. It's a respectable job.
You get to meet people. I always just tell people, you just,
you cannot just be waiting for the phone to ring.
Get out and live your life it's also it just
can't all be about acting acting is like
acting is maybe when we look at the totality
(30:02):
of our lives it's going to be maybe less than two percent
of who you really are you know what i mean who we
are as stardust who we are as the universe i mean that's
been proven scientifically so it's it's great
that that feels like it's a vehicle that
you want to explore but you also might i think
you should be open and inclusive to other expressions of
(30:23):
your creativity yeah you might discover you're a painter or a
calligraphist you might be a
designer or a choreographer or i
just think you should just be open to being curious rather than i gotta get
this job thanks for watching the making it happen a career in the performing
arts podcast tune in next sunday at 8 p.m eastern for part two of my interview
(30:47):
with anthony If you'd like to connect with Anthony and Anthony Meindel's actor workshop.
Go to anthonymindel.com and follow him on socials at anthonymindelstudios.
Need more info and details about the professional performance industry?
Visit lbctalent.com and schedule your free, no-obligation consultation and follow
(31:08):
me on socials at lisasolek underscore lbctalent.
By sharing our stories, we can help other talented individuals land the career of their dreams.
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Music.
Music.
(00:06):
Welcome to Making It Happen, a career in the performing arts where we discuss
how to break into the performing arts industry for yourself or your child, teen, or young adult.
Guests include professionals who are passionate and share my vision of helping
talented individuals land professional representation and have successful careers in the arts.
My name is Lisa Solek and I am the CEO and founder of Making It Happen,
(00:28):
a career in the performing arts, having helped hundreds of clients break into
the performing arts business on stage, in films, television,
commercial work, and more.
This podcast is supplemental to my groundbreaking online courses.
For more information, check out all the ways you can benefit from my courses,
my how-to videos, live webinars, in-person seminars, and free guides. Go to lbctalent.com.
(00:51):
My guest today is Anthony Meindel.
Hi, Anthony. How are you? Hey, how's it going, everybody? I'm telling you,
I am very excited to talk to you.
I know my son had a little bit of, you know, kind of interaction with you years
ago. I don't know. Quite a while. Yeah.
2018 maybe or something. I don't even know. I think he was there for,
(01:13):
I mean, quite a while at the school.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. He was young at the time. Yeah, he was. He was early 20s,
right? Maybe. He was actually, I think he was like, he might have been 19.
Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Okay. So, yeah, he was at Pace University for a year,
but then he became a ping pong ball between LA and New York.
And so that's kind of how it went down.
But it was wonderful to work with you.
(01:36):
Yeah, we worked together on a number of things. He's super talented.
I'm so excited for all this Broadway success.
And yes, yeah, he's a singer and dancer and mover and shaker.
Yeah, he does all the things. He does all the things. Yes, which I was happy to support.
My husband was happy to support, which is why I'm so excited you're here.
So can you can you introduce yourself? And then let's talk about how you landed where you landed.
(02:01):
Yeah, I mean, I'm Anthony Mindle. Hello, everybody. I mean, I'm not wearing Halloween makeup.
I'm not on the gridiron. And I'm like putting, you know, whatever.
I never played football, but I think they put stuff underneath our eyes to deflect
the sun. Yes, right. Yeah, right.
Yes. I had eye surgery. So everything is fine.
That's why I'm bruised. So anyway, I can see. So that's the important thing. Yes.
(02:24):
As I said, I'm Anthony. And I live here in LA.
I've had a school here for, oh my gosh, 27 years now, 28 years. And.
Over the last decade, we've had 10 schools all over the world,
including Sydney and London and New York and Atlanta and Vancouver.
And it's been quite the journey. I've taught, in addition to that,
(02:44):
I've taught everywhere from Art Center to, oh my gosh, everywhere, Helsinki, Brussels.
I was just actually looking at this this morning and I was like,
I can't believe how, yeah, it's really, I feel really honored that I've taught
in so many prestigious places.
So, yeah, and my philosophy about acting is, is very, I think it came about
(03:07):
at a time where I felt like and it still is because it's always an organic changing thing.
But it came about at a time where I felt like it was time to kind of reinvestigate
maybe the philosophy around acting training.
And I think it's much simpler than people make it. It doesn't mean it's easy.
Anything worth doing is is going to take a lot of elbow grease.
(03:28):
Yeah you know uh time and grit
and fortitude and all those things and yeah i
totally agree with you that it is it is easier
than people make it out to be i'm one i did read
some of your your material online so that
i could kind of get an idea where you're coming from and i agree and we align
kind of perfectly which is interesting we'll talk about the school a little
(03:52):
bit down the road i think and But I would love to know how you and when you
knew that this was your path.
Because I saw that you have done a lot of professional work yourself.
You did a lot of commercials. You've been the lead in different series and done some work there.
So when did you know this was it for you? That's a good question.
(04:14):
I don't live my life ever believing that this was it.
Or I think there are many tributaries on a path, connected to a path.
And I'm on the meandering, explorative, seeking journey, like I'm sure everybody is.
Part of my teaching is to make that more conscious to people.
I think, you know, part of the challenge of being in the business,
(04:36):
especially because the business is changing so quickly,
you know, because of post-COVID and now the two strikes and big tech taking
over, and we could talk about all this. I think it's very important.
And also the rise of social media, whether we like it or not. I'm not always a fan.
However, it has created new platforms and opportunities for people to create
(05:00):
in ways in which are new, different, diversified, and not.
The traditional gatekeepers who used to make decisions about whether or not
you had talent, they're still there, but there's so many different ways to create.
And so for your young listeners or parents, for your young listeners,
it used to be when I started, there was like one or two paths. And there are so many.
(05:22):
And for me, I just kind of keep going where my joy is and where the challenges
are. I'm interested in...
I just finished a movie about the climate crisis. So I'm very interested in
keep challenging myself to exploring things that are uncomfortable or we need
to take a look at or explore through a different lens.
And that's kind of what my teaching and my philosophy has been about.
(05:44):
Did you go to school for acting? I didn't note that.
Yeah, of course. Yeah, I went, I actually went to Cal State LA and then I got
my master's degree in London.
Oh, nice. Great place to be. Yeah, it was great.
I, you know, my emphasis was on Shakespeare and then I moved to New York and
then I was pounding the pavement.
I was waiting tables and, you know, and then I started getting work as an actor theatrically.
(06:08):
And then like most actors move to LA or you move to New York, whatever.
Yeah, or you do the ping pong ball back and forth, depending on the work.
Yeah, for sure. For sure.
Yeah. So when did you realize that the teaching was going to be like a very
direct path to a certain degree?
Like when did that change for you because I have a story
that aligns with that when I had moved to LA I
(06:31):
was teaching a little bit I mean I was still acting a lot
I was booking jobs I performed at the Hollywood Bowl I was doing a lot of work
I think had I stayed on that trajectory I would be a work a day actor like you
know not saying I'd be famous or anything but I was working but I found that
I I started to feel maybe less fulfilled.
(06:52):
In some of the things that I was going out for.
And as my own spiritual journey was unfolding and the things that I was interested
in exploring, oftentimes the industry.
Is not in alignment with, you know, we forget that Hollywood is a huge corporation.
It's a multi multi multi billion dollar corporation.
And I always like to remind my students that if they make something that is
(07:15):
a beautiful piece of art, that's kind of like the outlier that is not their directive.
Their directive is to churn out content and to churn out content at whatever
level it you know, the saying one man's trash is another man's treasure.
So I have I have no judgments, but I think they just want to create as much
content as possible so people are watching. They don't really care if it's high art.
(07:39):
And so for me as an artist, I started to find myself less and less interested
in maybe some of the things that I was going out for and doing.
And at the same time, I was really interested in exploring the genesis of acting
philosophy, where it comes from, why do we do it, what does it really mean?
How do we use ourselves in a way that
(08:01):
is unique because everybody on here
who's listening is unique and they have their own story to tell and also
last point storytelling forget about hollywood storytelling
has been around since man has been around the dawn of man that's right we sat
around we shared stories that's how some some a great great granddaughter knew
(08:23):
not to eat a berry that was poisonous because sadly other people were taken out,
you know, see, I'm really fascinated in that,
like the etymological,
like historical.
Ontological aspect of what it means to be, yeah, it's really cool.
So that's what gets me excited. Yeah. The history and all of that.
(08:44):
So you were saying- We're all stories.
We're all stories. Yeah, for sure. For sure. And that needs to be,
the stories need to be told, you know, people need to hear what that's about
because that's the human, you know, kind of, that's the space that we're in. And yeah, so question.
So did you have at the time when you were,
performing and you were auditioning, did you have friends that were struggling?
(09:05):
And did you have any need?
Did you have any pull or like, were you drawn to helping them understand all
of this? Was it more internal for yourself?
Yeah, I think it was all of it. I mean, I was struggling as well.
Like any, you know, any artists you're like, you have a breakthrough or you
get a job and then you think that immediately that's going to mean X,
Y, Z and doesn't, and never listen.
I think for, again, for your listeners, the journey is long.
(09:28):
Like we say, the shortcut is the long path.
Victories, you have to celebrate whatever victories you have,
but also not have any expectations that a victory or a job booking or a huge
show or whatever necessarily means.
This is why it's something else because you just have to fully immerse yourself
in what that is at that moment.
(09:49):
Because that's how people have careers because you just keep doing the work.
It's just about the work.
That's it. Yeah. But why do you think that people have that misconception.
You know, like when we talk about, because this is what I'm fighting for,
you know, like the average person, sadly, there's not enough information out there.
And there's this kind of like, I don't know if it's all smoke and mirrors that
(10:11):
the industry is showing.
And so the average person, like if I went, literally took a walk down the street,
because my neighbors know what I do and what my kids do and everything.
And they're all so kind of intrigued to the point of, you know, thinking I'm famous.
I'm like, what are you even thinking like, why is it like that?
Because when you start working and when the young person starts working,
(10:33):
whether it's a child, teen, or a young adult coming out of college and they
get their first job, that's what they think. Exactly what you just said.
They think, oh, this is it. This is fame and fortune.
Or I booked a small part in that giant movie and that's going to make my career.
And now I'm like A-list, I'm going.
They don't understand how the hierarchy works within in the industry and what
(10:54):
the, the, the ladder wrongs you have to climb and how there are a lot of detours,
you know, and a lot of different,
I don't know, like not that, not that it's a bad thing, but you have to have
a perspective similar to what you're explaining that is healthy,
but how can that be healthy if they're healthy?
If they're preconceived notions of how this industry works are incorrect.
(11:17):
So how do we change that? Well, I mean, you said everything there.
That's really helpful. I think, you know, yeah. I mean, I think what I would
add is, again, we forget that we live in a multi-billion dollar industry.
And part of the media's job is to spin a story in a way.
Like, listen, what's great about Hollywood is things can change overnight.
(11:37):
That's the miracle and the wonderful hopefulness of it.
Yeah, it keeps us tethered to the work. but also in
unscrupulous hands in in the hands of like
the like you said the shadow and or the you know
what's the saying like oh my gosh smoke and mirrors oh the smoke and mirrors
that i said like there are a lot of charlatans out there who really cash in
(11:59):
on hooray for hollywood yeah exactly hey parent give me ten thousand dollars
and i'll make your kid a star exactly parents pay for it.
It's very upsetting. It is upsetting. I wish there was a licensing or something
happening where we could have a license number that you're allowed to teach
(12:20):
and you're allowed to help people because you know the industry and you go through
some kind of testing system.
They have done that. They have done that in the state of California.
But Lisa, it's to me, again, it missed the mark because a lot of talent searches
are happening out of state. They happen out of state.
So there is no regulation in Nevada. Yes, yes, yes. You know,
(12:44):
some guy who says he's a quote unquote producer can like.
Do one of those scam things in Nevada and, and the parents are paying $10,000
for their kid to be seen by, again, I'm going to put it in quotes, a producer.
Right. It's just, it's a grab the money and go kind of person.
So it's regulated, but it's so international.
(13:05):
It's, it's not regulated. I don't know.
I think, I guess my thing is in terms of overreach when it was,
I remember this this was many years ago, when they started trying to,
you know, kind of clamp down on this, the people who were affected by it were casting directors.
And again, it was an overreach because a lot of casting directors,
(13:27):
most of the casting directors I know, or all the casting directors I know are totally legit.
And so they, the whole pay for play thing happened like 15 years ago,
where they were no longer allowed to represent the company or
the studio that they were working for and get you know
they were they were getting only like 50 for a
session right per student but all of a
(13:49):
sudden this overreach and trying to
get rid of the bad seeds it really it it actually hurt the casting directors
who use it as an opportunity legit so really i know actor back in the day when
i started the school some actors that was the only way they got work yeah right
But it also then penalized the actors because then actors who did not have reps,
(14:12):
did not have a manager or an agent, had no other way to get seen by casting
directors. Yes, yes, understood.
Sorry, I went off on a tangent. No, I'm with you. I am completely with you on this.
Yeah, it is definitely a challenge. But I wish that the general public had more
real information is what the bottom line is, don't we all?
I mean, everybody who's in it feels that way, I think. If I can jump in,
(14:34):
Lisa, I think the thing is, I think if, let's say...
A listener, a parent wants to get their child in front of somebody,
I think they have to really do their research because it's, it is available
on IMDb Pro and you can go to their company's website and see if the person
is really a legitimate person.
And to me, a legitimate person is like, you know, a showrunner or a producer
(14:57):
or a casting director on a major show, you know, or a movie that you know of
and you've heard of. Right.
And I think that's the first thing because people, people throw around these
titles in Hollywood and they've had nothing to do with any of that process.
Any of the real, yeah. Any of the real work. They have no idea what's really going on.
(15:18):
And then they're trying to just, I don't know. Or anybody can say they're a
manager. That's not licensed at all in California.
Yeah. Same here. Yeah. Same. It's not, you don't need the license number.
You don't need anything. You can just do it. And, and it's just scary,
but But let's jump back into your world.
So I asked you about like leaning into the teaching and like the philosophy
(15:40):
and like all of that and where you landed and whether that was spurred by your
friends and yourself in the space you were in when you took that pivot.
It because it looks like, and I could be wrong with my research,
but it looks like you, you pivoted to the teaching side and,
and didn't do the performance side.
(16:00):
Is that correct? Or did you continue to make your own?
Did you continue to make your own films? I continue to do it all. Yeah.
Like, I mean, when I was, when I performed at the Hollywood bowl,
I still had, you know, I had classes during the day.
And then at night, some of my students came and watched me perform.
Like it was very much a organic synergist. I was doing all of it.
I was writing, I was directing, I was teaching, I was acting, I was performing.
(16:23):
And that, that continues, it still continues even today.
I just shot an HBO show, which I can't say what it is. And I don't,
who knows if I'll get cut out of it or whatever.
But the point is, is I still, I still am interested in doing all of it.
Yeah. Yeah. You have to, I also think this is a good point.
I also think it's very important when, when students are looking for teachers,
(16:44):
I think it's very dangerous for a teacher to not be just to be teaching.
I think the teachers have to be in it in some organic way.
I was getting there. I was getting there.
First of all, it's a vulnerable thing because if a teacher is not themselves
putting themselves in a position where they're vulnerable, then it becomes like
(17:06):
it's a power structure or I know more than you or you know what I mean?
And they can berate the student. Well, how many university, yes,
how many university programs have teachers that have never been on set,
they haven't been really on a stage other than maybe in school,
and they have a degree in acting they have
a master's in acting they have a doctor in acting and they're very heady in
the way they teach and that makes i believe in
(17:27):
my my philosophy makes students a little
bit like crazy they're like they get too heady into it they're hyper analyzing
everything hyper analyzing what the what they want what casting wants what the
director producer wants instead of just like living in that space in that moment
which i saw on your podcast you had a whole on your YouTube,
(17:49):
I think I saw that you talked about that whole in the moment.
Well, I just think the teacher, I'm not interested in academic training.
I think there's a place for it, I guess. But in university programs,
I never taught in university programs. So I was taught.
In that, but I myself as a teacher never have. And I'm just interested in a
more organic staying connected to the business because how do you help educate
(18:14):
young people if you're removed from it?
You absolutely have to be in it because you have to be feeling what they're
feeling and understanding.
Even like you said earlier, there have been so many shifts more recently.
You know, I remember years ago, we use the Madison Avenue guidebook to like
get in touch with people.
Do Do you remember that? I don't know if you're younger than me,
but like that's what we were using. No, but there was the drama log.
(18:37):
No, was it the drama? There was something when I first moved to LA, they had a directory.
Same thing, but it was a directory with casting directors and agents and managers' names.
You would look them up and drive a drop off your headshot.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And now things have shifted so quickly.
I think the whole self-tape land was happening anyway. way.
(18:58):
I think it was heading in that direction prior to COVID, but COVID just solidified that so much.
And then you mentioned earlier too, the strikes and how that has put everything
in a different light and a different space.
And now there's all these different studios cropping up in Las Vegas and New
Mexico, like all of that that's happening, which in the long run is probably
(19:19):
going to be good for the industry.
It's going to give more opportunity to more projects, but at At some point,
is it going to fall off the cliff?
Well, I haven't. You want to hear my thoughts? Yes, I want to hear.
That's why I brought it up. I want to hear what you think. Well,
I want to try to paint this.
Here's the, okay, let me start with the good news. The good news is just like
in the old days when, the old days, I wasn't alive back then,
(19:40):
but when the silent films, when TV,
you know, became popular and every household had a TV practically,
you know, the business is always going to go through different iterations of
expansion and contraction and new forms.
So that's going to keep happening. And new platforms will be created because of it.
(20:00):
I do think, however, what's different,
and I don't know, I don't, I'm not, I am a good prognosticator sometimes because
I have a crystal ball, but I think the difference now is that Hollywood is being
bought and eaten up by big tech.
And I think big tech, they don't really care about the things that.
(20:25):
Traditional unions care about artists oh
yeah unions representation i don't
think they care they don't care it's all about money that's
right so even though they may care about or
they may be building a studio in new mexico
which i know they did or las vegas and that's great because it
gives people in a different area opportunity yeah
(20:47):
opportunity yeah of course is about i think
is like it doesn't really work that way
for people who are working drivers or
technicians or people who are working behind the camera yes right yeah but for
artists because there are not there aren't as many artists in those locations
yes and also artists who maybe don't have access to training in those locations
(21:11):
yes they're still going to do casting out of a main hut let's say say, LA.
But then the burden of finding a place to put yourself up, being a local hire,
is again falling upon the artist.
I am always going to fight for the artist first.
So I think the reason why they're outsourcing is because it's cheaper.
That's why it's heading to international production.
(21:34):
Because they don't have to pay union. They don't have to pay the same amount of money.
And also, I just had lunch with a really well-known casting
director who's been a long time friend of mine and he was telling me he's worked
with all the big studios and one company when he
was casting this project for them they literally the amount that they were offering
for the lead roles was so low that but it was non-negotiable and they also knew
(21:59):
that people people are desperate to work even including quite famous people
so people your audience isn't aware
of, you know, what's happening behind the scenes is it's really changed.
And so people are willing to work for less money and not being able to really
make a living wage because these tech companies know that they can get talent
(22:23):
regardless. They can get away with it.
Because people want to work. So it's a very, it's going to work itself out,
but we are in a very challenging Time. I think right now, yeah.
Well, you know, then let's talk about too, when we'll be right before SAG and
after merged right before that happened.
And that was when all of the cable networks were starting to become popular.
(22:48):
All the streaming platforms and all of the subscription based everything.
And I remember at that time thinking before it was even a thing going,
Oh my gosh, what is going to happen?
The residuals are going to fall away. How are we going to make a living?
How is this going to really work?
And that's, that's been, although it's been a while, I don't remember exactly
what year that was, but it was during the time 25 years ago.
(23:13):
Yeah. Yeah. And they're just trying to catch up with the strike now with some
of that, you know, and trying to keep up with it. And then, of course, you have the AI thing.
That's a story for another day, maybe. yeah we would yeah
that would that's a whole other pandora's box but i think it is something we
have to track again i think for me because of
i guess in terms of what the work that i do with actors
(23:34):
and having schools all over the world and being a part of such a great artist
community i myself even forget hollywood doesn't care their job is to make product
at the least amount of cost possible yeah yeah the first people to get cut or
to feel the effects of that are generally annoyed the artists.
It's always been that way during Shakespeare's time.
(23:55):
He was trying to get money for his next production, you know,
and the actors were like sewing costumes and performing every night.
So it's part of the actor's challenge, I think, you know, and we just have to keep adapting.
Well, you know what, that even brings us back around to what you were saying
(24:15):
that you You do everything.
And I think that is so true because I look at my life and the amount of places
in the industry that I have touched and done and worked with.
And for your friends who work in casting and they need help and they're short staffed or something.
And they're like, listen, I have to get this done in the next three days. Can you help?
You know? And then of course, it's creating art, doing choreography for something
(24:38):
or for whatever I would, there were so many different things in so many different
places, hence where I landed now.
But I think I think that's so important. And it sounds like you're in that same
space for the artists to continue to do what they're supposed to be doing,
because that's just going to breed community.
It's going to breed support.
It's going to breed opportunities and networking for them to get involved with
(25:00):
other things. showing up at that film festival, that tiny little film festival
somewhere where their film is being shown.
And now they're meeting other people that are at a higher level.
Like all that is so, so important.
Do you, can you talk a little bit about that? Like, do you, do you teach any of that in your classes?
Like, do you talk to your students about the networking piece?
Can you mention something about that?
I mean, I always feel like networking is a word that we don't really understand.
(25:24):
Like networking isn't like, I mean, it's fine. Go out and go to a party or go
go to a mixer somewhere, you know, go to a club.
But most people who are doing the work that we want to be engaged with are not at clubs at midnight.
You know, and that's a very Hollywood thing. So it's fun.
You're young, go and experience that stuff. But I think when you're talking
(25:45):
about networking, I think we want to think of it in terms of what do you have to share?
What is it? Have you just finished a product? Have you just,
you know, do you have a new TikTok?
Let's just say to you, what is it that you have to share with somebody that
can get them excited about.
What you have to offer and i think we forget that that's
what really networking is about like we want to meet people who are like
(26:06):
oh wow you have a podcast i'd love to be on your podcast and this is
what i've done xyz to talk about yeah you know and it it's hard to network when
you don't have stuff going on and then one could argue well what if i don't
have stuff going on well then to me the person is there the canvas is their
art you are the greatest art piece you're ever going to be.
(26:26):
So if you don't have a new movie coming out, you can still be in class or you're
working on a play or something that you're very excited about.
And you talk about, wow, I'm really doing this and I'm working on this kind of material.
I think to talk in artistic terms is very exciting.
And that's who I want to talk with. You know what I mean?
(26:46):
So that's what I have always thought networking should be.
Yeah. I love that. Yeah. Well, that's like, you know, there's,
I don't want to mention any names at the moment, but people in the Broadway
space will probably figure out who I'm talking about.
I've interviewed her on my podcast already and, and her background listening
to her, you know, the interview that I had with her, she, she just had videos
(27:08):
of her choreography with her friends, like these content, do you know what I mean?
These concept, excuse me, concept videos that she put up on her.
She didn't even have it on her social media.
I believe it It was just on her website and there was like four of them and
she suddenly started to get, and she was a Broadway performer initially and
she suddenly started to get all of these inquiries regarding her choreo.
(27:30):
And now she's choreographing for Broadway.
She choreographed for the Tony's in 2023 when we couldn't during the strike
when they couldn't have any of the, you know, the speaking, you know,
written, it was just all music and dance. Yeah. So, so.
That is something that I think the young people don't realize.
Again, they're so hell bent on like booking something, like getting into the
(27:53):
casting call and booking and wanting to be that person that people say yes to
instead of saying yes to themselves in a way, I guess.
I don't know. Talk about your teaching philosophy a little bit.
I think the platforms have changed. So like you just said, like,
everybody has, you know, a platform where they can post their stuff.
And your job isn't to judge what you think other people will like or not like
(28:15):
your job is to uniquely present what you're interested. I always say create
the thing you wish existed.
And somebody out there might get it, you know what I mean? And so that is cool.
I also think my own personal feelings about this, notwithstanding,
I think a lot of people in the art world nowadays, rather than a TV show or
a movie, are making their money on product deals.
(28:37):
And I think we can't neglect the fact that because of TikTok,
because of Instagram, because of social media, everything is becoming like a
branded, it's brandotainment, brandfotainment is what I call it.
I love that. You're watching like a movie, but then you're like,
wait a minute, is this an ad for a TikTok product?
Right. Because it is. I think eventually, Lisa, it's all going to be that.
(28:57):
But I guess my point is, is i think if young
people have access to getting
brand deals you utilize that to have money to keep creating content to learn
to go to class to grow yeah so you know yeah i think it's important for young
those are those are new possibilities that i didn't have you know when i was
(29:20):
a young performer so it's different it's cool it's it's.
It's interesting. Yeah. I mean, I think a lot of actor, singer,
dancers fall into as a supplement to their income.
If they're working performers, even they're teaching, they're supporting other actors.
They're, you know, they're in that kind of a space and hopefully not waiting
(29:40):
tables like they used to talk about years ago, but a lot.
I used to do it. Nothing wrong with that. It's a respectable job.
You get to meet people. I always just tell people, you just,
you cannot just be waiting for the phone to ring.
Get out and live your life it's also it just
can't all be about acting acting is like
acting is maybe when we look at the totality
(30:02):
of our lives it's going to be maybe less than two percent
of who you really are you know what i mean who we
are as stardust who we are as the universe i mean that's
been proven scientifically so it's it's great
that that feels like it's a vehicle that
you want to explore but you also might i think
you should be open and inclusive to other expressions of
(30:23):
your creativity yeah you might discover you're a painter or a
calligraphist you might be a
designer or a choreographer or i
just think you should just be open to being curious rather than i gotta get
this job thanks for watching the making it happen a career in the performing
arts podcast tune in next sunday at 8 p.m eastern for part two of my interview
(30:47):
with anthony If you'd like to connect with Anthony and Anthony Meindel's actor workshop.
Go to anthonymindel.com and follow him on socials at anthonymindelstudios.
Need more info and details about the professional performance industry?
Visit lbctalent.com and schedule your free, no-obligation consultation and follow
(31:08):
me on socials at lisasolek underscore lbctalent.
By sharing our stories, we can help other talented individuals land the career of their dreams.
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