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/

My guest on this episode of the Hometown to Hollywood podcast is Mike Manning. Mike is an award-winning actor and Emmy-winning producer.

As an actor, Manning is most known for his roles in Disney's snowboarding movie Cloud 9, and MTV's Teen Wolf. Other TV credits include Hawaii Five-0, Major Crimes, The Bay, Crash & Bernstein, Operation Cupcake, and Days of Our Lives.

When not performing, Manning works as a producer, co-founding Chhibber Mann Productions in 2015. He's been involved behind the camera on dozens of films including the Showtime documentary Kidnapped for Christ, Jinn, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, Folk Hero and Funny Guy, M.F.A., and Lost in America, featuring Halle Berry, Rosario Dawson, Jewel, and Tiffany Haddish.

We discuss how he started acting professionally, his training, how he broke into producing, the power of storytelling to change the world, the importance of nonprofit work, advice for young actors, and much more.

Listen all the way to the end for a brilliant piñata metaphor about acting-!

Some of my favorite quotes from our conversation:

• “At one time I was taking Meisner, Groundlings, scene study, comedy, and another class.”
• “So much of this industry is just confidence.”
• “It wasn’t until I felt like I had earned my seat at the table that I was able to walk into a room and make bold choices.”
• “One of my favorite sayings is, ‘Talent might give you a head start, but hard work keeps you in the race.’”
• “There’s something magical about being lost in a character on set that I absolutely love.”
• “I try to give myself as many tools in my ‘batman toolbelt’ as possible as an actor.”
• “The best thing about producing is going to the theatre on premiere day and watching the audience watch your film for the first time.”
• “You need to have something that has nothing to do with acting that will fulfill your soul and keep you sane.”
• “I’m a firm believer that if someone works hard enough, they will get their shot.”
• “The parents’ job, and the actor’s job is when that shot comes… to be ready for it.”
• “Hopefully somebody listening is somebody I’ll work with someday.”

Look for Mike in Days of Our Lives, and Spike Lee’s most recent film, Son of the South, out now.

Follow Mike Manning HERE:

Instagram: @MikeCManning

FaceBook: @MikeCManning

Personal website: https://www.mikemanning.info/

Chhibber Mann website: http://www.chmannproductions.com/

Today my guest on the Hometown to Hollywood podcast is talent manager Sherry Kayne, co-founder of Moxie Artists.

Sherry's clients are working in TV, Film, commercials and print, Broadway and professional stage productions and National Tours. They include Haley Reinhart, Catherine Mary Stewart, Akira Akbar, Quvenzhané Wallis, JD McCrary, Young Dylan, Mackenzie Hancsicsak, and more.

We discuss social media, star quality, what makes for good acting and a good relationship with your agent or manager, the importance of letting young actors have a life, thoughts around education, and MUCH more. Join us!

Some of my favorite quotes from our conversation:

• “You need to bring yourself to the role in order for it to feel authentic.”
• “I’m there to guide my clients in the entirely of their career, not just the next audition.”
• “You need a good headshot… that’s your calling card.”
• “It’s not the prettiest picture that catches their attention… it’s something in the eyes, some kind of emotion that makes casting want to call them in.”
• “Watch out for the scammers… someone approaching you in the mall is probably not the right person.”
• “Please, please, please do not get involved in the Mama Drama.”
• “It’s very important to network here. So much of this industry is about connections.”
• “I think you should get involved in short films if you can, so you start to develop a reel.”
• “It’s more important than ever to have a great self-tape setup. It doesn’t have to cost a lot.”
• “Trust that your agent or manager are doing everything they can to get you seen.”
• “Your rep should be passionate about you.”
• “If you want to be a great theatre actor, go to college.”
• You should do community theatre. It’s great. That’s the first step to getting over stage fright.”
• “Patience is very important in this industry.”
• “Win the room, not the role. If you win the room, they’ll keep calling you back over and over.”

Follow Sherry Kayne here:

Website: https://moxieartists.com/

Instagram: @sherrykayne

Today my guest on this episode of the Hometown to Hollywood podcast is actor Patrick Fabian. Patrick is truly a career actor, working steadily for almost 30 years, primarily in television. He is best known for his roles in Better Call Saul, Big Love, Veronica Mars, The Last Exorcism, Must Love Dogs, and Star Trek: Voyager. Recent guest stars include Lucifer, Code Black, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Grimm, Scorpion, The Newsroom, Longmire, Castle and Scandal. Patrick also played my daughter Dove’s father in the Disney Channel original movie Cloud Nine.

We discuss his training, how he broke into the LA market after college, lessons he’s learned over his 27-year career, advice for young artists, and much more.

Listen to the first 10 minutes here for free, or become a Friend of the Podcast for just $5 a month — and get access to the full interview, as well as access to the entire collection of over 100 other inspiring and educational episodes designed to help you succeed in the entertainment industry.

Some of my favorite quotes from our conversation:

• “I arrive in California, I see palm trees for the first time, & I thought, ‘I am never going back.’”
• “Class is to keep your tools sharp.”
• “Don’t live beyond your means… that means you give yourself the opportunity to choose to do art, as opposed to waiting tables.”
• “Being a professional actor to me means you have your union card.”
• “My professors told me, ‘You need to work. If you’re lucky, you’ll get paid for something about 5 years out.”
• “My job is to go in and show them I know how to act; then my job is to leave and let it go.”
• “I believe that opportunities will come for you, and you will finally be able to go ahead and book work.”
• “Nobody wants you to be an actor… you’re the one who has to want to be an actor, and you have to take the responsibility for that.”
• “I’ve done some jobs that were just terrible… I’ve been terrible in them, they were terribly written, terribly directed… but then I’ve been in some really great things.”
• “If you show them that you know how to act, you know your craft, & that you are good to work with… you have a real running shot of having a career.”
• “You’re supposed to have disappointments, you’re supposed to fail. Things are supposed to not work out.”
• “Being able to handle your disappointments and successes with equal grace would behoove you.”
• “I love artists. Art is important. If you have chosen to be an artist, you have chosen a noble and a necessary profession.”

Steven Vincent, VP Music & Soundtracks at Disney Branded TV

Today my guest on the Hometown to Hollywood podcast is Steven Vincent, Vice President of Music & Soundtracks at Disney Branded Television. He is the man behind the music you love from not only the Disney Plus and The Disney Channel, but also Disney XD, ABC Family, and more, since 2007.

Steven Vincent advises and collaborates with TV series and TV movie producers on script development and creating original music, as well as licensed songs. He works with recording artists, songwriters and composers in conjunction with Disney Publishing, Disney Music Group and Radio Disney as well as external labels, publishers and management.

On the talent side, he has supervised the TV music careers of Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Jonas Bros, Zendaya, Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Bridgit Mendler, Bella Thorne, Ross Lynch, Laura Marano, Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgens.

Vincent has a degree in Music Composition from UCLA, and studied film scoring with Walter Scharf, David Raskin & Fred Karlin while winning scholarships from BMI and ASCAP. He has also worked as a film composer, arranger, producer, conductor and musician.

We discuss what he does in his work, what it’s like to work with young talent, how he creates the sound of the Disney shows and movies you love, advice for young talent (both songwriters and actor/singers) and much more. This is a fascinating dive into the world behind the music from so many of your favorite soundtracks— including The Cheetah Girls, Camp Rock, High School Musical, Disney Descendants, and much more. Join us!

Some of my favorite quotes from our conversation:

• “Leave your ego at home. You’re there to serve not just your vision, but the vision of the director, producers, writers, and the studio.”
• “In some ways, my job is figuring out what each new show or musical should sound like.”
• “I meet songwriters all the time… there are always new creative voices coming.”
• “I remember the first thing we did with Bella and Zendaya… Bella was really nervous, and Zendaya would stand on the other side of the glass and cheer her on.”
• “It’s about setting people up for success. That’s a lot of my job. Trying to nurture people and inspire them & provide them with the tools they need to be as successful as possible.”
• “They’re very determined, driven people. They just happen to be kids at the time.”
• “If you want to become a good songwriter, write a lot of songs… try and write one great song a week.”
• “If you want to work in music, be a musician. Don’t just be a singer.”
• “If you want to be a songwriter, you want to express something that somebody else is going to care about.”
• “If you want to be a singer that matters, that’s successful… learn how to use your instrument. The voice is very much an instrument.”
• Find any opportunity to perform in front of people. All of it counts. All of it helps prepare you.”
• “I’m all about creative expression… I think it’s really important in being a complete person.”

Feeling inspired? Take Steve Vincent’s advice to heart and try writing a song this week! Or singing in front of an audience, even if it’s just your family in the living room. Or writing a poem or learning an instrument. As he says, you can learn a lot of this online, even from YouTube. If you are serious about a career as a singer, take voice lessons so you learn how to safely use your instrument. If you want to be a triple threat, learn some basic dance.

And if you need a little help navigating the industry, invest in an online consultation with me. A single session can set you up for success and help you avoid the painful pitfalls that can cost you precious time as well as money.