When a Bell Rings

This week, Max and Kelley discuss the importance of meditating and reflecting on your art and what creativity you can accomplish. We discuss different meditation techniques, including Yoga Nidra it is considered sleep yoga, non-sleep deep rest,, and it's meant to reset your nervous system.

If you want to check out some of the practitioners, here are a few that Max suggests:
Ayla Nova - Yoga Nidra - here is a link to a YouTube intro video.
Ally Boothroyd - here is a link to a 10-minute YouTube video.
Ram Dass - here is a link to a YouTube video.

We can all practice a sense of well being whether you meditate for 1 minute, 10 minutes or more. It's good for your mental health and can increase your creativity. If you find yourself distracted at first, that's normal; keep working at it. 

For more on Creative Actors Lab, check our website, www.creativeactorslab.com. You can always find us at our Instagram page, @creative_actors_lab, Facebook page, @CreativeActorsLab, Linked-In - Creative Actors Lab, and YouTube Channel - @CreativeActorsLab . If you would like to support our work - this is our Patreon Page. Thanks so much for listening!

This week, Kelley and Max look at the person who has influenced Kelley's acting journey the most: Viola Spolin.  Viola Spolin was an actress, educator, director, author, and the creator of theater games, a system of actor training that uses games she devised to teach the formal rules of the Theater organically. Her groundbreaking book Improvisation for the Theater transformed American theater and revolutionized how acting is taught. Here is a link to the website. Her son, Paul Sills, founded the legendary Second City improv group.

Kelley uses many of her methods in her teaching, including A & B mirror exercises, The Library, and movement exercises.  Her creative and life journey is truly inspiring. 

If you want to learn more or order her book Improvisation for the Theater, which was first printed in 1963, you can order it on her website or Amazon.    Click here to look at a complete list of her books at the Northwestern University Press. 

For more on Creative Actors Lab, check our website, www.creativeactorslab.com. You can always find us at our Instagram page, @creative_actors_lab, Facebook page, @CreativeActorsLab, Linked-In - Creative Actors Lab, and YouTube Channel - @CreativeActorsLab . If you would like to support our work - this is our Patreon Page. Thanks so much for listening!

Join Max and Kelley as we look at iconic character descriptions in screenplays from Rick Blaine in Casablanca to Annie Wilkes in Misery to Apollo Creed in Rocky and Rose Maxson in Fences, and many other characters in between. We discuss the impact these characters had in their films and why writing good descriptions is vital for both the actor and the writer.  You get to hear the actual description as it was in the script and how an actor would interpret that character. 

For more on Creative Actors Lab, check our website, www.creativeactorslab.com. You can always find us at our Instagram page, @creative_actors_lab, Facebook page, @CreativeActorsLab, Linked-In - Creative Actors Lab, and YouTube Channel - @CreativeActorsLab . If you would like to support our work - this is our Patreon Page. Thanks so much for listening!

Max and Kelley discuss the importance of Set Etiquette whether you're on stage or on a TV or Movie set. They use personal examples of the do's and dont's such as:

• Do be kind and show good manners. 
• Don't ask for a selfie with a lead. 
• Do be on time. 
• Don't try to manifest by telling a lead you will be their co-star one day. (Yes, we saw that happen)

We also talk about how being professional and nice to the Assistant Directors and Production Assistants might land you in a scene with the leads. It's good practical advice so that if you're on set, you know what to do.  We use examples from The Resident, Will Trent and some small independent films and theater experiences.  Enjoy!

For more on Creative Actors Lab, check our website, www.creativeactorslab.com. You can always find us at our Instagram page, @creative_actors_lab, Facebook page, @CreativeActorsLab, Linked-In - Creative Actors Lab, and YouTube Channel - @CreativeActorsLab . If you would like to support our work - this is our Patreon Page. Thanks so much for listening!

This week, Max and Kelley interview fellow podcaster and the person who gave us great advice on starting our own show, Hersh from HERshyt Show. She's a retired combat veteran and also a FEMA hero who helps people and families get the help they need during a disaster.  One huge suggestion, keep an inventory of what you have in your home and put special documents in safe place, either a fire proof box or safe deposit box or have big receipts scanned and kept in the cloud. She gives great advice on handling those tough times, her creative process, and some information on Season 4 of HERshyt Show.  It's a wonderful and lively interview.  

Some of the resources she suggested were:
www.Fema.gov
www.usda.gov

For more on Hersh and HERshyt Show - check out these links:
Buzzsprout: https://thehershytshow.buzzsprout.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehershytshow
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehershytshow ​​​​
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/thehershytshow
email: thehershtyshow@gmail.com
SUBSCRIBE on to HERShyt Show on Youtube at: http://bit.ly/HERshyt

For more on Creative Actors Lab, check our website, www.creativeactorslab.com. You can always find us at our Instagram page, @creative_actors_lab, Facebook page, @CreativeActorsLab, Linked-In - Creative Actors Lab, and YouTube Channel - @CreativeActorsLab . If you would like to support our work - this is our Patreon Page. Thanks so much for listening!

Max is flying solo in this episode as he talks about doing something he's always wanted to do - voice-over work.  He'll take you through his journey and even cold read a few scripts from Edge Studio, which specializes in voice-overs and has a library of over 6,500 free voice-over commercial scripts, narration, and animation. It's a great place to practice your voice-over skills.  Here's the link to the Edge Studio script library so you can try it out for yourself. 

For more on Creative Actors Lab, check our website, www.creativeactorslab.com. You can always find us at our Instagram page, @creative_actors_lab, Facebook page, @CreativeActorsLab, Linked-In - Creative Actors Lab, and YouTube Channel - @CreativeActorsLab . If you would like to support our work - this is our Patreon Page. Thanks so much for listening!

This week, Kelley and Max interview their student, Brandon Winget and talk about the acting and writing process. Brandon recently played Keith the Ghost on When a Bell Rings as well as also doing work with Brett Newton of LA Reels for a short film as well. We also put Brandon in the Hot seat and ask him probing question like his favorite sandwich, favorite action movie and we learn more about the love of his life, his wife, Jessie who he met in high school. 

Join us as we learn more about Brandon and how rewarding being a creative coach can be. 

For more on Creative Actors Lab, check our website, www.creativeactorslab.com. You can always find us at our Instagram page, @creative_actors_lab, Facebook page, @CreativeActorsLab, Linked-In - Creative Actors Lab, and YouTube Channel - @CreativeActorsLab . If you would like to support our work - this is our Patreon Page. Thanks so much for listening!

Kelley is flying solo this week and talks about how to make a resolution to allow yourself to be more creative and not block ideas that might some when you're working on another project. It's those creative detours that can often produce amazing results because you didn't plan them.  We're also looking at having guests on to discuss their creative process and how they get to where they're going. 

For more on Creative Actors Lab, check our website, www.creativeactorslab.com. You can always find us at our Instagram page, @creative_actors_lab, Facebook page, @CreativeActorsLab, Linked-In - Creative Actors Lab, and YouTube Channel - @CreativeActorsLab . If you would like to support our work - this is our Patreon Page. Thanks so much for listening!

This is our homage to It's a Wonderful Life.  A ghost hunter whose life seems to be in decline learns what the world would be like without him with the help of a fallen angel and a ghost on a fateful Christmas Eve.  

We have a wonderful cast of voice actors, including: 
Mezi Mulugeta as Em 
Dean Atkinson as Jack Bronson
Brandon Winget as Keith the Ghost 
Shiyla Gantt as Jack's Mom, Angela
Justin Deen as Jack's Father, Ted Bronson
Chiron Broderick as Dave
Liz Ireland as Jack's Grandmother, Nana
Tammi Latela as Mrs. Albury
Jaylee Thomas as Frank Jenkins
Carlos Tovar as Chris, the Bartender, and Larry Dane
Amber Grimm as Bruce Dane
Danielle Grimm as Teen Jack
Max Grimm as the Demon and Man
Kelley Cody-Grimm, as the Nurse and Hostess

Join us as Jack Bronson gets some divine intervention from Em, an angel who needs to help Jack so she can get back into the good graces of her "boss" with the help of Keith, the ghost.  It's a heartwarming episode with some spicy language, so it's PG-13. 

For more on Creative Actors Lab, check our website, www.creativeactorslab.com. You can always find us at our Instagram page, @creative_actors_lab, Facebook page, @CreativeActorsLab, Linked-In - Creative Actors Lab, and YouTube Channel - @CreativeActorsLab . If you would like to support our work - this is our Patreon Page. Thanks so much for listening!

This week's special guest is Queen Evi who talks about a wide range of subjects from first loves, how to govern, and favorite sandwiches.  She talks about her kingdom and how to teach her daughters how to stand in their power. 

It's also a good way to explore any characters by asking them questions and then answering as that character. The questions include: 

• Who was your first love?
• Favorite foods as a child. 
• What do you regret? 
• How would you like to be remembered? 

It helps you deep dive into your character and having some fun at the same time. 

For more on Creative Actors Lab, check our website, www.creativeactorslab.com. You can always find us at our Instagram page, @creative_actors_lab, Facebook page, @CreativeActorsLab, Linked-In - Creative Actors Lab, and YouTube Channel - @CreativeActorsLab . If you would like to support our work - this is our Patreon Page. Thanks so much for listening!