Director Anu Valia (Rooster, Shrinking, Shrill, The Other Two) joins us on the Box Angeles podcast. Anu stops by the bungalow and discusses her journey from Sundance to directing television, why success doesn't happen overnight, the problems with self-tape auditions, working with stars like Steve Carell and Harrison Ford, what directors look for when casting actors, and more!

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BEATS --
00:00 - Anu slates.
00:11 - Introduction.
01:53 - Why In-Person Conversations Matter.
03:09 - Making Shorts and Finding Her Voice.
07:47 - What Makes a Great Short Film?
09:15 - Finding Your Voice in Television Directing.
11:23 - What Really Happened After Sundance.
13:22 - Turning Opportunities Into a Career.
16:09 - Luck, Timing, and Hollywood Gatekeepers.
19:46 - Why Self-Tapes Are Failing Actors.
27:00 - How Directors Actually Watch Auditions.
29:18 - Advice for One-Line Auditions.
32:41 - Helping Actors Feel Comfortable on Set.
37:07 - Directing Steve Carell and Harrison Ford.
42:18 - Building Trust With Established Actors.
48:47 - How TV Directors Find Work.
50:51 - Who Took a Chance on Anu Valia?

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/365

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Writer and showrunner Alan Freedland (King of the Hill, Due Date, The Freak Brothers) joins us on the Box Angeles podcast episode 364. Alan stops by the bungalow and discusses breaking into television, working with a writing partner, how writers get work, the changing economics of Hollywood, and what actors should know about auditions and casting, and more!

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BEATS --
00:00 – Alan slates.
00:14 – Introduction.
2:14 – Doing Second City improv in Chicago.
4:03 – “Alan” being the correct spelling and Hawaii story.
6:59 – Birthday week and introversion.
8:34 – Work procurement as a writer.
13:36 – Meeting writing Partner Alan Cohen.
17:35 – Splitting the checks and working together as a duo.
24:26 – Approach to casting.
32:36 – Self tapes.
35:04 – Advising kids not to pursue show business.
36:02 – Writing rooms.
39:20 – AI and optimism in the business.
43:57 – King of the Hill reboot using new writers.
45:54 – Where is the Emmy and Palisades fire and Vuori.
48:22 – Is writing just work now.
50:15 – Hobbies.
54:27 – Who took a chance on Alan.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/364

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Actor Angel Parker (The Rookie, Marvel's Runaways) joins us on the Box Angeles podcast episode 363. Angel stops by the bungalow and discusses commuting to Los Angeles, her relationship with her reps, how she tries to do stuff for her acting daily, and more!

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BEATS--
00:00 - Angel slates.
00:11 - Introduction.
02:10 - Moving to St. Louis and commuting to Los Angeles.
13:24 - Self awareness to turn down work.
14:22 - Work as a local hire.
18:26 - Relationship with reps.
27:21 - Advice to young actors.
29:37 - Optimism about show business.
32:50 - What Angel does to "Touch the grass".
35:46 - Continuing acting education.
37:03 - Quitting.
39:40 - Supporting other actors.
43:54 - 'The Rookie' role growing over seasons.
48:44 - Guest stars struggling on set.
50:24 - Pay growth on 'The Rookie'.
56:15 - Who took a chance on Angel.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/363

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Actor Brandon Sornberger (Young Sheldon, St. Denis Medical) joins us on the Box Angeles podcast episode 362. Brandon stops by the bungalow and discusses therapy, nihilism, evolving perspective on acting, and finding gratitude amidst Hollywood’s challenges, and more!

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BEATS--
00:00 - Brandon slates.
00:12 - Introduction.
02:05 - Brandon's sixth time on the podcast.
03:10 - Going to therapy.
07:28 - Chasing something with acting.
10:45 - "Make your own stuff".
14:46 - Appreciating being on set and getting humbled.
18:29 - Frustrated at auditions.
20:12 - Nihilism in regards to life and the industry.
24:59 - Setting goals and not hitting them.
29:53 - Current auditions.
33:23 - Moving the goalposts and being good with what you have.
40:45 - Acting as a "hobby".
46:59 - Life changes effecting acting.
50:59 - Livng forever and crying.
53:49 - Life changes.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/362

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Actor Brian Thomas Smith (The Big Bang Theory, Bad Monkey) joins us on the Box Angeles podcast episode 361. Brian stops by the bungalow and discusses going 0 for 6 on avails last year, why he still chooses to audition for commercials, how he used to crash auditions, doing reality shows before acting, and more!

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BEATS--
00:00 - Brian slates.
00:14 - Introduction.
01:56 - The podcast clips on Instagram.
03:09 - Handsome and funny.
06:11 - Facial hair.
09:48 - Outlook for 2026.
12:58 - Stuart Fails To Save The Universe.
14:29 - Zack spinoff of The Big Bang Theory.
20:01 - Getting multiple episodes added after booking the one.
23:29 - Pay rate with more episodes.
25:12 - Self tapes.
28:59 - Sticking with commercials.
31:17 - Getting caught in the KMR scandal.
32:52 - Crashing commercial auditions.
36:42 - Last day job.
40:25 - Pivot from commercials to TV.
43:34 - Being on reality shows before success.
47:35 - Hobbies like basketball league.
50:46 - Who took a chance on Brian.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/361

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Actor Courtney Richards (Insecure, Alex, Inc.) joins us on the Box Angeles podcast episode 360. Courtney stops by the bungalow and discusses audition confidence, booking momentum, commercial comedy, mindset shifts, what success really means, and more!

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BEATS--
00:00 - Courtney slates.
00:14 - Introduction.
01:42 - Meeting at a commercial callback.
04:53 - What is success.
08:07 - How much is Courtney auditioning.
09:27 - Secret sauce to booking.
13:03 - Understanding the comedy.
19:18 - Anti keeping track of auditions.
21:51 - Audition rituals.
24:40 - Courtney's kids acting now.
26:37 - Self tapes.
28:44 - Growing up in Minnesota.
30:50 - Day job sellings houses.
35:52 - Taking classes after moving to LA.
42:56 - Commercial pay going down.
46:59 - Hobbies.
52:28 - Who took a chance on Courtney.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/360

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Actor - and commercial session director - Reece Rios (Scandal, Ray Donovan, Young Sheldon) joins us on the Box Angeles podcast episode 359. Reece stops by the bungalow and discusses the nuances of auditioning, the impact of self-tapes, the psychological demands of the entertainment industry, what he's learned from teaching the Commercial Class, and more!

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BEATS--
00:00 - Reece slates.
00:10 - Introduction.
02:35 - Time spent on video games.
09:03 - Session directing.
12:35 - How exhausting that job is.
17:46 - Giving actors the benefit of the doubt.
24:23 - Returning to in person auditions more lately.
27:26 - Thoughts on self tapes.
31:23 - Have self tapes impacted quality of in person auditions.
33:01 - What does session directing teach you as an actor.
40:09 - The need for a psychology of acting class.
43:33 - Journey to joining Groundlings Sunday Company.
48:06 - Why Reece books more dramatic work.
54:04 - Six different named roles in Scandal for the same character.
1:03:36 - Who took a chance on Reece.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/359

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Actor Harvey Guillen (What We Do in the Shadows, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, The Thundermans) joins us on the Box Angeles podcast episode 358. Harvey stops by the bungalow and discusses the value of every role, even one-liners, how unexpected chances shape a career, his approach to self-tapes versus in-person auditions, how to manage relationships with representation, and more!

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BEATS--
00:00 - Harvey slates.
00:10 - Introduction.
02:07 - Companion the best film of the year.
06:56 - Being offered that role and awkward meetings with directors.
10:30 - Never being above an audition and how one line can be a whole scene.
14:21 - Not knowing what could come of booking the room auditions.
17:50 - How audition for What We Do In The Shadows came to be.
20:48 - Preferring in-person over self tapes.
23:06 - Zoom audition slots.
26:24 - Coaching for auditions.
28:21 - Saying no to things.
31:30 - Does the team help with auditions.
35:09 - Seeing people lose jobs on set.
38:59 - Audition volume and working weeks in a year.
42:04 - Breaking into voice work.
47:58 - Relationship with reps.
52:47 - How Emmys events come about.
54:55 - Oh Mary potential.
57:21 - Whot took a chance on Harvey.

The full video and pics -- boxangeles.com/358

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