Latest / The Demia Avery Show / The Self-Tape Mistakes Costing Actors Auditions Right Now | Matthew Cornwell | Get Taped

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The Self-Tape Mistakes Costing Actors Auditions Right Now | Matthew Cornwell | Get Taped · The Demia Avery Show

0:03
[music]
0:31
>> Hello everyone. This is Demia Avery with
0:33
the Demia Avery show the industry. Now
0:36
this is the show where actors,
0:38
creatives, and industry professionals
0:41
come together to talk about the business
0:43
behind the business. So today we're
0:45
sitting down with someone who has helped
0:48
countless actors navigate auditions,
0:51
self-tapes, and career decisions. He's a
0:54
working actor, an educator, and the
0:57
co-owner of Get Taped, one of Atlanta's
0:59
most trusted resources for actors. We're
1:02
talking self-tapes, auditions, industry
1:06
myths, career advice, and maybe even a
1:08
few stories from behind the scenes. So
1:10
let's jump right into it. Please welcome
1:13
Matthew Cornwell. Welcome.
1:16
>> Thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be
1:18
here and what a lovely introduction.
1:20
>> Oh, thank you so much. Thank you so
1:22
much. Now before we get into it
1:26
everything, please tell us a little more
1:29
about Get Taped. For those who who don't
1:31
know anything about Get Taped, I don't
1:32
know who that could possibly be, but for
1:35
those who don't know, and um tell us a
1:38
little bit about your journey and how
1:40
did you go from engineering to acting
1:42
and be eventually becoming co-owner of
1:45
one of Atlanta's most trusted actor
1:47
resources?
1:49
>> Yeah. So as you said, I was an engineer
1:52
in a former life and that's actually
1:53
what brought me to Atlanta was I was
1:55
getting my master's degree at Georgia
1:57
Tech. Uh back when I thought that was
1:59
sort of the the logical thing to do with
2:01
my life was to pursue something that was
2:03
steady income. I mean, what a what a
2:05
novel idea. Um
2:08
but all through my life I had uh
2:10
been artistic uh starting with drawing
2:12
and painting and then uh discovered
2:14
acting in high school and continued a
2:16
little bit of in in my undergrad, but
2:18
then when I came to Georgia Tech I
2:19
started doing more once I
2:21
became sort of more familiar with the
2:23
the city.
2:24
Flash forward to I had a a job at in a
2:27
corporate uh sort of uh
2:30
a corporate setting for a couple years,
2:32
but I by that time I'd gotten my first
2:34
agent, who I'm actually still with uh 24
2:37
years later.
2:38
And um when I decided to leave that job,
2:42
uh which was a basically in the
2:43
consulting world, I decided to just see,
2:46
you know, with this extra time can I
2:47
start to actually put more investment
2:50
into this career when, you know, we're
2:52
talking back in 2000 and well, this
2:55
would have been 2003, 2004 when there
2:58
still wasn't much of an industry here in
2:59
Atlanta. Um but uh I decided to kind of
3:03
just keep going with that as as long as
3:05
it seemed viable. And those were the
3:08
poor years, right? Those were the years
3:09
of living uh pay to paycheck to paycheck
3:12
and those paychecks coming from seven,
3:14
eight different sources.
3:16
Um and then in '05, that's when
3:18
self-taping kind of started. There was a
3:21
couple productions that were on the
3:22
coast uh over on the East Coast like uh
3:25
I think Army was maybe starting up and
3:28
they started they started requesting
3:29
tapes uh of the agents. And so at at at
3:33
the agency uh that I was at, um the
3:36
owner knew that I was technically
3:38
proficient and she asked me to go ahead
3:40
and
3:41
help set up the room there because they
3:43
were asking the agents to put all the
3:44
actors on tape.
3:45
>> Okay.
3:46
>> And uh and so then I became sort of the
3:49
de facto technical person who not only
3:52
set up the physical room, but then was
3:53
actually the reader for for those
3:55
actors. And
3:58
sort of those next 5 years was the the
4:00
growth of our TV and film business here
4:04
in Atlanta as we got the first tax
4:06
incentive and then that got revamped and
4:09
that's when stuff really started coming
4:10
here.
4:11
And so by 2010, which is when
4:14
my wife and I Brooke got married
4:16
and she was actually coincidentally
4:18
doing the same thing at her agency. She
4:19
had she was doing the reading for the
4:21
actors and and helping put actors on
4:23
tape.
4:24
But by 2010, that became such a
4:28
a drain on the resources of the agencies
4:30
to continue to do this for the actors
4:32
because now it was happening so often.
4:34
Every day they were having to put actors
4:35
on tape.
4:36
>> Yeah.
4:37
>> So they had to kind of start to
4:40
one by one the agencies started to stop
4:42
offering that to the actors, which then
4:45
created a vacuum, a need for actors to
4:48
figure out well, how do I get taped now?
4:50
>> Yeah.
4:51
>> Which is one of the reasons why we we
4:52
called it that, right? We just said,
4:53
well, let's just call it get taped. That
4:55
sounds like [laughter] a
4:57
logical name.
4:58
>> That's so funny. I remember I remember
5:01
my sister. I remember Jerry Avery for
5:03
those
5:04
Jerry Avery over at the Avery agency. I
5:06
remember her having people come into the
5:10
office all the time and it was just I
5:13
mean it was just so many people. It was
5:14
back-to-back and
5:16
I can't imagine. I was like, oh my
5:18
goodness. So I remember those times.
5:21
>> Yeah. And and not only was it a a
5:24
a drain on the resources of like having
5:25
to have a physical space, the equipment,
5:28
and then someone dedicated to taping all
5:29
day, but then, you know, of course, if
5:32
if I'm at my agent's office, I want to
5:34
pop in and say hello and multiply that
5:36
by dozens of actors and then now the
5:39
agent can't get a day's work done
5:41
because they're trying to be nice to
5:43
each of their actors coming through and
5:45
wanting to steal 5 minutes of their
5:46
time.
5:47
>> Yeah.
5:47
>> And so it's it was a it was just sort of
5:50
inevitable that the agents were going to
5:51
have to outsource that and and sort of
5:54
put that on the actor. And so we were
5:56
doing it out of our apartment when we
5:58
got married and that started growing
6:00
to from like one a week to one a day and
6:03
then it it became too much for our, you
6:05
know, our house to our little apartment.
6:08
So we that's when we first moved into an
6:10
actual space in 20 2012.
6:14
>> Mhm.
6:14
>> And it just kind of grew from there.
6:15
We've been through a few different
6:16
locations as leases came up and and as
6:19
we needed, you know,
6:22
a different space, a bigger space.
6:24
And then it's it's grown to the point
6:25
now where we now offer classes and
6:28
workshops and career consultations and
6:30
and all these other things.
6:32
And that that's just been sort of the
6:33
natural growth of of our business.
6:36
>> That's amazing. Now, I'm going to I'm
6:38
going to rely on your expertise here. So
6:40
what's the difference do you think
6:42
between a self-tape that gets watched
6:47
and a self-tape that gets remembered?
6:50
>> Ooh, I love the way you phrased that.
6:53
Cuz
6:54
you know, if if you get a casting
6:55
director in a public forum,
6:58
they of course are going to say that
6:59
they watch everything. And and not that
7:02
I would question that integrity at all,
7:05
but I I think it's a very interesting
7:06
distinction to say, "Yeah, yeah, I watch
7:08
all of them, but you know, what do I
7:09
remember? What what's sort of sticky in
7:12
my brain?" And
7:14
um
7:15
part of this is my opinion, but but it's
7:16
also the I think the compilation of all
7:18
of those Q&A's that I've attended and
7:21
interviews that I've seen with casting
7:23
as well. So it's it's sort of all of
7:25
that together, which is
7:27
um you know, a tape that's remembered is
7:29
someone that
7:30
maybe
7:32
mysteriously, I mean, this feels almost
7:33
like it's a paradox that you're just
7:35
being yourself. I think the the tapes or
7:39
the auditions that stand out for the
7:40
wrong reasons are when actors sort of
7:43
fall victim to this idea that I have to
7:45
do something. I have to have a gimmick.
7:46
I have to do something to stand out and
7:49
I need to make a bold choice and
7:52
and then that bold choice is coming from
7:55
maybe even a point of fear like I'm I'm
7:56
I'm I'm I'm I'm fearing not getting this
7:59
this booking and so I need to do
8:01
something drastic.
8:02
>> Yeah.
8:03
>> And so that's a reason to stand out for
8:05
the for the wrong, you know, reasons.
8:07
>> Mhm.
8:08
>> Um but the ones I get remembered are the
8:10
are the actors who who trust that they
8:12
were requested for a reason that they
8:15
actually fit this this role already in
8:17
some way and they're in tune with that
8:20
part of themselves. Like they like when
8:22
I get called in for a cop, I know why
8:23
I'm getting called in for cop.
8:25
>> Yeah.
8:25
>> And so I don't have to make crazy bold
8:27
choices in order to be memorable. I
8:30
actually get have to do the opposite and
8:32
and start to trust myself.
8:34
>> Yeah.
8:34
>> Which sounds so painfully simple and yet
8:37
it's it's very hard for actors to
8:39
embrace that.
8:40
And I think the reason is a lot of us
8:42
get into this business because we love
8:44
the idea of hiding behind a mask, of
8:46
putting on a costume, of
8:48
becoming a character. And so if you tell
8:50
someone, "No, no, no, stop trying to put
8:52
something on and actually I just need
8:54
you to reveal your your true self."
8:57
>> Yeah.
8:57
>> That feels like, "Oh, that's exposing. I
9:00
DON'T
9:00
>> SELF.
9:01
>> [laughter]
9:03
>> I'M SUPPOSED TO BE ACTING. I'm not
9:04
supposed to show you my true self.
9:07
>> Exactly. And that's that's that's
9:09
intimidating to a lot of people until
9:10
they realize that that is what becomes
9:13
memorable is trusting that there is
9:15
something about this face and this
9:17
essence that that will stick with them
9:19
if I trust it. But if I try to mask it
9:21
and build upon it and distract you with
9:24
something that actually can do the
9:26
opposite and make me go, "Ah, I really
9:29
was hoping that this was going to be a
9:30
good read." and then they and they move
9:31
on to the next one.
9:33
>> And that actually brings me to my next
9:35
question. You have you kind of touched
9:37
on it, but if you wanted to add
9:38
something to it when people are
9:41
self-taping,
9:42
what are they spending way too much time
9:46
worrying about? And and what should they
9:48
actually be focusing on? You know what I
9:50
mean?
9:51
>> Mhm.
9:52
I think that they
9:54
I'm seeing a
9:55
a vast majority are worried too much
9:57
about the actual lines.
10:00
Um and I want to be careful with that
10:02
because on the one hand, I fully support
10:05
and I hold myself accountable to
10:07
respecting the writer. Uh I want to get
10:09
into that writer's head to understand
10:11
why they wrote the character this way.
10:13
And and if it's written not the way I
10:16
talk, I'm going to do my darndest to
10:18
figure out how to um digest that
10:21
dialogue and make it feel natural when
10:23
it does come out of my mouth.
10:24
>> Right.
10:24
>> Um
10:25
that said, um that's the way you
10:27
practice, uh you know, in the rehearsal
10:30
before you get into the taping room.
10:32
>> Mhm.
10:32
>> Um and and I think too many people are
10:34
then stepping into that taping room
10:36
where now it's game time. You know, it's
10:37
it's the time to to to show up and and
10:41
you know, hit that home run or it's
10:43
World Cup season, so maybe it's the you
10:44
know, to to make that goal. And if
10:47
you're thinking about those mechanical
10:49
things of do I have my lines down? Do uh
10:52
you know, do I have all these things
10:54
down? Um now I'm in my head and I'm not
10:57
present in the moment.
10:58
>> Mhm.
10:59
>> And so so many actors are carrying that
11:02
last bit of rehearsal into the room and
11:05
it can really get in their way because
11:06
now they want to do a second take simply
11:08
because they missed one word.
11:10
>> Yeah.
11:10
>> And they weren't able to let go and be
11:12
free.
11:13
>> Yeah.
11:13
>> And so I think that's the thing that
11:15
actors
11:16
uh you know, be concerned with it in
11:17
your prep and in your rehearsal. But
11:19
it's like when you step into that that
11:21
space, whether it's at home or whether
11:22
it's in a a taping service like this,
11:25
uh that's the time to let go. This is
11:26
the time to play. This is the time to
11:28
start noticing the room and noticing
11:31
your reader and and then incorporate
11:33
that into the performance as opposed to
11:36
being, you know, sort of locked in this
11:37
memory of
11:39
what you're trying to accomplish.
11:41
>> Yeah. Now,
11:43
just in your opinion, a lot of actors
11:45
think that success comes down to talent
11:48
alone.
11:50
Um for what you've seen, what do you
11:52
think separates actors who keep moving
11:55
forward from those who stay stuck?
11:59
>> Mhm.
12:01
I think um all of us are susceptible,
12:04
all of us actors. I think I mean all
12:06
humans, but but in the in the world of
12:07
the arts, maybe it's it's it's a it's a
12:09
bigger problem of of dealing with the
12:12
disappointments because, you know, we're
12:14
putting a piece of ourselves out there
12:17
every time we audition and it is it is
12:18
hurtful.
12:20
Um it it hurts our our hearts when we
12:22
don't get booked. And and even if I can
12:24
intellectually understand that it's for
12:27
a thousand reasons that I didn't get
12:29
booked and it has nothing to do with
12:30
anything personal. Right. Even when I
12:32
can, you know, get my mind around that,
12:34
it it still hurts the heart and and so,
12:37
you know, if you have a hundred
12:38
auditions and don't book any,
12:40
that's, you know, that's chipping away
12:42
at at um
12:44
your sanity sometimes.
12:45
>> Yeah.
12:46
>> And and so, uh
12:48
you know, actors can get really bogged
12:50
down in that and
12:53
that can then, understandably, um
12:56
make it hard to hang in there. You know,
12:57
like the old classic poster of the
12:59
kitten hanging out on a branch and it
13:00
says hang in there.
13:01
>> Yeah.
13:02
>> Um and and so, I think a lot of
13:05
uh eventually you need luck in the
13:06
industry. You know, there has to be some
13:08
measure of luck, but but I like the old
13:10
definition of the preparation meeting
13:12
opportunity.
13:13
>> Right.
13:13
>> That you have to show up to get lucky
13:16
and um
13:18
again, understandably, so many actors
13:19
get worn down that they end up um
13:22
becoming very pessimistic or they stop
13:24
doing in work um or they just leave the
13:27
industry all together
13:28
for greener pastures.
13:30
And I think it's the ones that sort of
13:32
build that foundation of training
13:34
and then understand that it's going to
13:36
be a marathon and that it's
13:39
it's going to be the long game and I
13:40
just need to hang in there and and I do
13:42
need to keep my mental game in check
13:45
because if I allow those no's, you know,
13:47
those rejections to to wear me down,
13:51
then then I won't be here long enough to
13:54
to actually experience that luck that
13:56
will potentially bring success.
13:59
>> Yeah. Now, okay, so let's say
14:02
cuz you talked about preparation meeting
14:04
opportunity.
14:06
Let's say I moved to Atlanta just
14:07
yesterday.
14:09
I got a headshot,
14:10
a resume,
14:12
and a dream.
14:14
In your opinion, cuz I can ask this
14:16
question to 20 different people and
14:18
they'd give me the same different
14:20
answer. What's the very first thing you
14:22
tell me to do if that if that's all I
14:24
have right now? What what would be the
14:26
first thing that you would tell me to
14:27
do?
14:28
>> It's interesting cuz
14:30
cuz I'm sure you can ask your sister
14:31
this too that when an actor comes and is
14:33
like, "What's what's wrong? What am I
14:34
missing? You know, what's the next
14:35
thing?" And
14:36
and and it's sometimes it's it's it is
14:40
the materials sometimes. Like even if
14:41
you have a headshot and a resume,
14:43
sometimes that headshot isn't good for
14:44
this market.
14:46
>> Mhm.
14:46
>> So that's that's sort of like the easy
14:47
answer cuz it's tangible. The the harder
14:49
answer
14:51
is building a network because if you do
14:54
have a resume, even if it's just a
14:55
couple independent projects, student
14:57
films, there's nothing wrong with those
14:59
cuz you do have to start somewhere. And
15:01
let's say you have a great headshot and
15:02
let's say you also have some great
15:03
training. Like those aren't the weak
15:05
links,
15:06
then it is going to be about building a
15:08
community, which is very tough in this
15:10
digital age, even in Atlanta where
15:13
southern hospitality does ring true, you
15:15
know, like people are very welcoming and
15:17
nice here. It can be very difficult to
15:20
figure out like, you know, where is my
15:22
tribe? Who are my people? How do I get
15:25
plugged in? And so when people do ask me
15:27
that, um sometimes it's about like uh in
15:30
the in the spring is the Atlanta Film
15:32
Festival and and like just being around
15:34
other artists and filmmakers can be a
15:36
way to start to to build that community
15:39
uh at least expose yourself. I think the
15:41
48 Hour Film Project just happened here
15:43
in Atlanta, but those types of events um
15:45
anytime you see screenings and in public
15:47
events that
15:49
you can show up at um to start to rub
15:51
shoulders with other artists and other
15:53
filmmakers and other actors
15:55
um because if all those other boxes have
15:57
been checked of like good headshot, uh
15:59
somewhat of a resume, and even um uh
16:02
training, then then it really is getting
16:05
to know people and and exposing yourself
16:07
um
16:08
and you know,
16:09
if you come to get tape to tape, right?
16:11
That's going to cost you money. So I
16:13
highly uh
16:15
uh encourage people to do all the free
16:16
stuff, right? Go to the events that are
16:18
free, the Q&A's that are free, and and
16:21
start to get to know your city and your
16:24
market um
16:26
although if you don't have a home setup
16:27
and you are going to use a taping
16:29
service, then you know, do the buffet.
16:31
Check out all the taping services cuz
16:33
you'll you're going to find something
16:34
different about each one.
16:36
Um you're going to find the one that
16:37
really does align with your energy and
16:40
your vibe such that you might find that
16:43
that's a home for you and you actually
16:45
start to get to know those people.
16:47
Um
16:48
cuz the the the faster you can build
16:49
that network, uh
16:51
the less you'll feel isolated and sort
16:55
of wondering what you should be doing.
16:57
Um
16:58
and so yeah, trying to find those
16:59
resources which it's not always easy. I
17:02
I completely understand.
17:03
>> Yeah. Now you worked both as an actor, a
17:07
coach. Now what piece of advice do you
17:11
find yourself
17:12
giving over and over and over again, but
17:16
you know, because they still need to
17:18
hear it.
17:19
Do you have anything like that?
17:21
>> Yeah, I I I would say a lot of the the
17:24
when someone asks me for feedback in the
17:25
room, um
17:27
uh after the let's say they've done a
17:29
couple takes and we're watching playback
17:31
and you know, they're they're they're
17:32
looking for some sort of reassurance or
17:34
or some sort of input or even a career
17:37
consultation if someone is is coming in
17:39
for that, um it's uh again, it kind of
17:43
goes back to something that we touched
17:44
on, which is um
17:46
so much so that so much of actors so
17:49
many actors are looking to to find
17:51
something uh find that success, find the
17:53
character. You know, they're in the
17:55
search and so often the answer I mean,
17:57
it sounds like I'm some sort of uh uh
18:00
Zen guru here. You know, but the answer
18:02
is within. Um
18:04
and what I [clears throat] mean by that
18:05
is is it's so hard to wake up in the
18:07
morning, look in the mirror and and and
18:10
look at that reflection and say, "Yes,
18:12
this is what casting is looking for."
18:14
>> Yeah.
18:14
>> This face, this personality. And uh you
18:18
know, we hear about imposter syndrome,
18:19
that can happen not only at the audition
18:21
phase, but even on set.
18:22
>> Yeah.
18:23
>> So, uh usually the the guidance or the
18:25
feedback that I'm giving is is somewhere
18:27
in that neighborhood of trying to
18:29
reassure someone, which can be hard to
18:31
do in in you know, 30 seconds when we're
18:33
in the room between takes. But to
18:35
reassure someone that no no no, trust
18:38
that you are enough. Like the the fact
18:40
that you got called in
18:42
and and Jerah could could could verify
18:44
this. The fact that they're auditioning
18:45
means that not only did Jerah believe in
18:48
that actor such that he submitted them,
18:50
>> Yeah.
18:50
>> but casting said, "Yes, I want to see
18:52
them for this role." And so, it's like
18:54
you already have two cheerleaders who
18:56
think you can do this, who think the
18:58
core of who you are is enough. You need
19:01
the training, you need all those other
19:02
things, of course. Uh you know, craft is
19:04
important, but so many actors have the
19:06
craft, have whatever that minimum
19:08
requirement is. It's it's more that
19:11
mindset of they they think that it can't
19:13
be that simple. I have to be doing
19:16
something on top of that to convince
19:18
them.
19:19
And and it really is beautiful when an
19:21
actor um comes to that realization that
19:24
what they showed up with today is enough
19:26
and that they can rest in that and they
19:28
can even celebrate that
19:30
whether or not they book it, you know,
19:31
but if they can be confident and
19:33
comfortable with themselves,
19:35
um that that's that's so much of the
19:37
game right there.
19:39
>> I love that you said that even if they
19:41
don't book it that to at least just
19:44
celebrate that you have the opportunity
19:46
to to even do that. That's I I love that
19:50
because like you said earlier that you
19:52
hear you get that rejection over and
19:55
over and that's just part of the game
19:56
until you you know, you will get a yes,
19:59
but you know, you hear that all the
20:01
time. So I think that's amazing what you
20:03
said of there. Now, I do want to have a
20:05
little fun.
20:07
So I might catch you off guard a little
20:08
bit. So if actors were action figures,
20:13
what three accessories should every
20:15
actor come with in the box when they
20:18
come to record with you?
20:20
>> [laughter]
20:22
>> I love that.
20:24
Uh they'd have to have a cell phone,
20:26
right? To to not only record their
20:28
audition, but you know, to take that
20:30
that selfie every once in a while
20:31
because we we all know social media is
20:34
is important.
20:35
Um so cell phone
20:37
gosh, 20 years ago it would have been
20:39
they'd have to have a headshot, right?
20:41
They'd have to have a headshot. Nowadays
20:42
we don't we don't need the physical
20:43
headshot. Um
20:46
probably because and and for better for
20:49
worse, you know, I made sure I was
20:50
clean-shaven today. So maybe something
20:52
in the in the realm of of I don't want
20:54
to say vanity, but in you know, like for
20:56
me it might be a mustache comb. You
20:58
know, so my action figure would have a
20:59
little mustache comb to make sure my
21:00
mustache is
21:01
>> Right.
21:02
>> is right.
21:03
Um or it might be a compact mirror or
21:05
you know, some sort of a product to to
21:08
to touch up last second. Um
21:10
>> Yeah.
21:11
>> Cuz until you're on set, you know, when
21:12
you have everybody else taking care of
21:14
you, we have to take care of ourselves.
21:16
And then, uh the third thing would let's
21:18
see. It would be something around
21:19
self-care in in terms of
21:22
uh whether it's uh um
21:25
Ooh, what would it be in a in a physical
21:27
like form for for an accessory? But it'd
21:30
be something to um
21:33
you know, to maybe practice mindfulness
21:35
or or maybe even like a
21:38
a lavender-scented something or other to
21:40
kind of calm the nerves when you're
21:41
sitting in the audition room.
21:43
>> Yeah.
21:44
>> So, a candle, right? So, just so that we
21:45
can do something physical, right? It
21:47
would be
21:48
It'd be It'd be really weird to walk
21:50
around with a candle, but
21:51
>> [laughter]
21:52
>> Hey, whatever your method is, whatever
21:54
works for you, I'm okay with that.
21:57
I'm okay with that. Now, you've seen a
21:59
lot of auditions over the years. Now,
22:01
without saying any names,
22:04
what's one of the funniest or most
22:06
memorable moments you've ever witnessed,
22:08
you think?
22:10
>> Ooh.
22:11
Um
22:12
So, we've been taping actors for now
22:14
over uh gosh, you know, it's well over
22:17
decade. And so, this would have been in
22:19
one of our first locations.
22:21
Uh
22:22
It was It was one of these like cute
22:24
moments of of an actor um
22:27
uh celebrating themselves, which is so
22:29
rare, but in a way that that also
22:31
revealed their newness. And so, the
22:33
actor um
22:35
uh did a did a a take and and I was
22:38
there ready to to help them out if if
22:40
necessary. You know, we we take the
22:41
posture of you're here to do your work,
22:43
so we're not going to interfere. If you
22:45
engage us and ask us, then, you know, if
22:47
we have any sort of thoughts, we will
22:48
give them to you. But we really do want
22:50
to defer to the actor and let them do
22:52
the work they came to do. And so, this
22:53
actor, he does a take and then he
22:55
watches playback. And I'm waiting for
22:57
him to be like, "Ah, gosh, yeah, I need
22:59
to do that again."
23:01
But instead, afterwards, he he just kind
23:03
of there was like this pause as he's
23:05
staring at himself and he goes,
23:07
"Man, am I am I trying to win an Oscar
23:09
here or what?"
23:10
And he was he was enamored with the
23:13
performance. And and it and it and it
23:16
tickled me cuz on the one hand, you
23:18
know, I saw a very green actor who um
23:21
who who who was not ready for primetime.
23:23
Um
23:24
And so, you know, there there was a
23:26
little bit of a gap in understanding
23:27
there of of of what would sort of book
23:29
the role. But I love the fact that he he
23:32
was able to love himself in that moment,
23:34
which like I said is so rare. Most
23:36
actors
23:37
the best thing they'll say is, "I didn't
23:39
hate it." And it's just like, "Aw."
23:43
What? I don't want you to hate it, you
23:45
know?
23:46
So, for him to be so far on the other
23:48
side of the the spectrum of, you know,
23:50
thinking it was an Oscar-winning
23:51
performance, I was like, "Hey, if that
23:53
means you're leaving here feeling good
23:54
about yourself." And even if he had
23:56
asked me for for help, it's like, "I'm
23:59
not going to be able to, you know,
24:00
elevate his craft in one little session
24:02
to to something else."
24:04
So, uh to me that was a win for him that
24:06
that he was, you know, really feeling
24:09
good about that work. And my my hope is
24:12
that then he just continues to train.
24:14
Um
24:15
But then we have a thousand He's already
24:16
there.
24:17
>> already there at the at the at the Oscar
24:19
thing. So.
24:21
>> [laughter]
24:22
>> Exactly.
24:23
But but then there's just there's so
24:25
many crazy stories of of what casting
24:28
has asked actors to do um
24:30
that, you know, they'll they'll come in
24:32
and be like, "So, this is what, you
24:33
know, what I have to do." And uh so it
24:35
it's a constant um
24:37
new new experience every day for us of
24:40
of like what is this actor going to have
24:41
to do.
24:42
Um
24:43
so, yeah. So so many stories when it
24:45
comes to what happens in that taping
24:47
room.
24:48
>> Now, I'm going to take this a little
24:50
little further. So, if the walls of Get
24:53
Tape could talk,
24:55
what do you think they'd say about the
24:56
actors?
24:58
>> Um
25:00
it would be uh this uh this
25:03
this curiosity of of why did they do it?
25:06
Um which which you could take it two
25:08
different ways. It could be that sort of
25:10
uh
25:11
cuz when the actors are coming in with
25:12
the weight of the world, the weight of
25:14
the industry, the
25:16
uh the amount of time it's been since
25:18
their last booking, um you know, I think
25:21
the walls would be like you know,
25:23
something else might make you happier.
25:24
And so, you know, have you have you
25:27
discovered your why? Like what keeps you
25:29
coming back? Is it
25:30
>> Yeah.
25:31
>> Uh I think it was like Einstein, his
25:32
definition of insanity was doing the
25:34
same thing over and over and expecting a
25:36
different outcome. Um and so sometimes
25:39
actors it it I think the walls would be
25:41
like yeah, it seems like nothing is
25:43
changing in terms of your mindset. Um
25:46
and so I wonder if they know why they're
25:49
doing it. Um
25:51
and on the on the flip side, right?
25:53
Especially cuz we're in a corporate
25:54
building. So all of our neighbors are
25:56
just like normal people doing normal
25:58
corporate jobs.
25:59
So I think in that sense the walls would
26:01
also be like uh I am fascinated like
26:04
with this. Like why would anyone
26:06
voluntarily choose to expose themselves
26:08
like this? Expose their vulnerabilities,
26:10
expose their inner you know, these inner
26:13
parts of their personality. So I think
26:15
it could be either way, the the
26:16
curiosity of of um the why. Like why why
26:19
do they do this? Cuz it it is so
26:21
fascinating to the outside world.
26:23
>> Yeah.
26:25
Wow.
26:26
You know what? And that that is such a
26:28
good point cuz most of us we think we
26:29
know why, but we don't have a clear
26:33
a clear reason. And I I think what
26:35
you're saying it it has to be it should
26:38
be clear.
26:39
It should be clear and then that way
26:41
that it continues continues to help you
26:43
go on your your journey and stay
26:45
inspired if you remember that cuz
26:47
sometimes we forget. I know I forget all
26:49
the time. So
26:51
>> [laughter]
26:52
>> So awesome. Now, this is a little bit of
26:56
a personal question only because I love
27:00
when people have businesses, I do
27:02
believe that the more that they know
27:05
about the person behind the business,
27:08
the more that they trust
27:10
your services and and your advice and
27:13
things like that. I promise you it's not
27:15
too personal. It's fun. It's fun.
27:18
>> [laughter]
27:19
>> Okay, so we got to do this and then we
27:21
have a little bit of a rapid-fire game.
27:23
I hope you will enjoy.
27:25
So, this is my last question. If we
27:26
looked at your Netflix watch list
27:31
or movie collection right now, what
27:32
actor or movie would we find that you
27:35
never get tired of watching?
27:39
>> Um, let's see.
27:42
It would probably be Wow.
27:45
There's a few. Uh, I'm I'm thinking of
27:47
like the stuff that we're watching right
27:48
now, my wife and I and and whatnot, but
27:50
like
27:51
um,
27:54
it would
27:55
I'll just go with my gut. Chris Pratt.
27:57
Um, and I've enjoyed his journey from
28:01
sort of dopey uh,
28:03
actor on on Parks and Recreation to
28:06
becoming leading man, um, but also, you
28:09
know, watching him navigate his personal
28:10
life and and not being shy about his
28:12
faith, uh, you know, in a in a public
28:14
way, which can be dangerous, you know,
28:16
for a big celebrity who is sort of at
28:19
the top of their game to to be so open
28:21
with with their spiritu- spirituality or
28:23
their or their religion like that. Um,
28:25
and he's just one of those guys that
28:27
even if the the project itself isn't
28:29
that great, uh,
28:30
I know that he won't ever sort of let me
28:33
down in terms of like, yeah, that's
28:34
that's Chris Pratt bringing Chris Pratt
28:36
and that's that's why I'm watching it.
28:37
So,
28:38
um,
28:39
yeah, he he's the first one that comes
28:40
to mind.
28:41
>> Awesome. Awesome. Now, we're going to
28:43
play a little bit of
28:45
rapid-fire. So,
28:48
one word answers only. You ready?
28:50
>> Great.
28:51
>> Self-tape or in-person audition?
28:55
>> In-person.
28:57
>> Comedy or drama?
28:59
>> Comedy.
29:01
>> Marvel or DC?
29:03
>> Ooh.
29:04
DC.
29:06
>> Let's see. Coffee or tea?
29:09
>> Coffee.
29:11
>> Dream actor to work with?
29:15
>> Uh,
29:17
Charlize Theron.
29:19
>> Oh,
29:20
>> [laughter]
29:20
>> the most underrated acting skill?
29:23
>> Improv.
29:25
>> Mm.
29:26
One word that describes Atlanta's film
29:29
industry.
29:32
>> Um,
29:35
burgeoning. Sort of
29:37
What I think that I think I'm saying it
29:39
right, like on the cusp of like
29:40
exploding, you know?
29:41
>> Yeah.
29:42
Awesome. Awesome. Thank you so much for
29:45
playing that with
29:46
>> [laughter]
29:47
>> for playing that
29:48
>> that challenge.
29:50
>> So, do me a favor and tell everybody how
29:52
they can, um,
29:54
go if you have a website or social
29:56
media, if they need to get in touch with
29:58
you, how do they do that?
30:00
>> Yeah. Um, the website is gettape.com.
30:02
There's a hyphen in there, so it's
30:04
get-taped.com.
30:07
On Instagram, uh, it's just all one
30:09
word, get taped, uh, which has, you
30:12
know, the g e t t a p e d.
30:14
Um, we're
30:16
not on TikTok, uh, but we are also on
30:18
Facebook. Uh, but Instagram is the best
30:21
or the website. And and that's where you
30:23
you can learn about all of our services
30:25
and
30:26
and also then to get in touch with
30:27
myself or Brooke or any of our staff.
30:30
>> Awesome. All right. Well, Matthew, thank
30:32
you so much for spending time with us
30:34
today.
30:36
And to everyone watching, whether you're
30:38
just getting started or you've been
30:39
chasing your dreams for years, remember
30:42
that every professional in this industry
30:44
started as a beginner. Keep learning,
30:46
keep growing, keep creating
30:48
opportunities for yourself. I'm Demia
30:50
Avery, and this has been the Demia Avery
30:53
show, The Industry. Thank you, Matthew.
30:56
>> You're so welcome. Thanks for having me.
30:58
>> Have a good one.
31:00
>> [laughter]