My guest on this very special Hometown to Hollywood podcast episode is director, producer, and choreographer Kenny Ortega.

Kenny has directed many iconic film, TV and theatre projects, but he is best known for his work directing Newsies, Hocus Pocus, This is It, High School Musical 1,2, and 3, and Descendants 1, 2, and 3, as well as creating choreography for Michael Jackson, Cher, Madonna, Gloria Estefan, and Elton John. He has won three Emmy awards and two Directors Guild of America awards, among many others, and was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He recently produced and directed Julie and The Phantoms for Netflix.

In this very inspiring conversation, Kenny Ortega shares how he began in the industry, how he made the jump from choreography to directing, his approach to directing, what he looks for in an actor, audition advice, casting, advice for both parents of young actors as well as for actors, and so much more.

Some of my favorite quotes from our conversation:

• “I couldn’t be one of those people that sit on the sidelines and go, ‘I wonder what it would have been like had I pursued what I love in this world.’”
• “I worked as a choreographer for some of the most incredibly gifted, talented, and GOOD human beings… they taught me that I could be successful and also have a heart.”
• “I look for heart. Promise. Truth. Imagination. Wit.”
• “I wanted my actors to feel brave, and fearless, and confident, and feel that they could have a voice with me.”
• “Learn to pick up choreography quickly so that you can then surrender yourself to the work, and what’s behind the movement is YOU… your spirit, your soul, your heart, your personality.”
• “I’m always seeking for every performer—dancer, singer, actor—that they have that ability to surrender themselves to the work.”
• “Go online and watch audition tapes, they’re there.”
• “When you’re walking into an audition—whether it be in the room with a director, or virtually—bring your truth.”
• “Read The Hollywood Parents Guide by Bonnie Wallace… I’m telling you, there aren’t any other books! It’s an incredible book, and I highly, highly recommend it to any parent who has a child that wants to enter into the business, or that is already in the business.”
• “Get a good education. Learn everything you can because it ALL comes in handy for an actor.”
• “Don’t let anybody tell you what you can do. Or can’t do.”
• “Imagination is everything. And imagination can create reality, but you have to work for it. And you have to study for it. And you have to soldier for it. And pay your dues for it.”
• “Quit getting angry and get better. Don’t get lost in frustration. Get lost in study and dedication. And perseverance.”
• “There can’t be a B Plan when you want to be an actor. Because it requires too much. The A Plan requires too much for you to share yourself with a B Plan.”
• “That child still lives within me… had it not been for that little boy who refused to let go of his dreams, who refused to let anybody stop him from what he pursued… I will be grateful to him for the rest of my life for what he gave to me. This gift that I own today.”

Follow Kenny Ortega HERE:

Instagram: @kennyortegablog

Twitter: @kennyortegablog

Today my guest on this episode of the Hometown to Hollywood podcast is Jillian Clare.

Jillian has been in the entertainment industry since the young age of 7.

Having grown up on the soap opera Days Of Our Lives, Jillian went on to star in the Victorious special Freak the Freak Out, as well as roles in several other indie films and TV series.

Besides acting, Jillian has taken her turn behind the camera as well. She recently produced and starred in the indie film Pretty Broken which premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival. In the last four years, she has directed two hit teen feature films To The Beat! and To The Beat! Back 2 School making her one of the only female directors to direct both the original and sequel in a films' series.

We discuss her experience as a young child actor, her school experience, transitioning from a child actor to a teen actor to an adult actor, the CHSPE, why she got into directing and producing, auditioning advice, her podcast Thanks for Coming In, and much more. Join us!

Follow Jillian HERE:

Website: https://www.jillianclare.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jillianclare

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillianclare/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialjillianclare

Podcast: https://thanksforcominginpodcast.com/

Hi, thanks for joining us! This is Bonnie Wallace, author of The Hollywood Parents Guide, Young Hollywood Actors, and Top Hollywood Acting Teachers, and today my guest on this podcast is television director Jody Margolin Hahn.

Jody started her career working with sitcom writers. She has directed over 150 episodes of television, including The Conners for ABC, Call Me Kat and The Cool Kids for FOX, One Day at a Time, Fuller House, Mr. Iglesias, Alexa & Katie, and others for Netflix, Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel. She recently completed her first short film, "Yes/No" and directed the pilot and multiple episodes of the Netflix series, The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia. She’s a member of the Director’s Guild of America.

We discuss how she started directing, what it really takes to direct TV, differences between multi-cam and single cam shows, what she looks for in an actor, advice for auditions and self-tapes, advice for parents of young actors as well as for young actors themselves, and MUCH more. Join us!

Some of my favorite quotes from our conversation:

• “I was that kid who put on plays in the backyard. I was the star, and the director, and made my sister play the boy and my neighbor the tree.”
• “I realized I didn’t want to be in the writer’s room; I wanted to be with the actors, in rehearsal and on stage.”
• “It starts with the script… I visualize how I’m going to make these scenes work.”
• “If you know how to tell a story visually, and work with actors, and edit, then you can do single-cam.”
• “To me, it’s more difficult to do multi-cam because you’re working with 4 cameras all the time and it’s very fast-paced.”
• “I think it’s easier to go from multi-cam to single-cam than it is to go from single to multi.”
• “It’s always fun to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.”
• “I look for actors who aren’t afraid to make choices, who come in prepared, who are collaborative and willing to make adjustments and play. Who are giving to other actors.”
• “I like actors who are kind and come into a project because they want to be there.”
• “Be confident. Walk into that room assuming you’ve already got the job.”
• “You don’t know what they’re looking for. And sometimes THEY don’t know what they’re looking for.”
• “If you want to direct, then direct. Write something and direct your friends in it.”
• “More and more people are getting opportunities that have never had opportunities before, and that’s a great thing.”

Follow Jody Margolin Hahn HERE:

Instagram: @jodyfm

Website: https://jodyhahn.com/