What are Two Unemployed Actors Watching? Episode 81

Max Belmonte 00:12
Welcome back to Two Unemployed Actors I'm Max.

Sam Folden 00:14
I am Sam

Max Belmonte 00:15

And I hope you enjoyed last week's episode on just how we survive locked down and kept busy
as actors. Today we're going to talk you through what we're watching on TV and give you some
key takeouts as Actors. And don't wait for parts. Why that mantra is strong with us. Now update
quickly, make sure you subscribe because next week we're interviewing Christiaan Van Vuuren,
an Actor, Writer and Director, but known for Bondi Hipsters fame and Sami, in huge news in the
coming weeks and interview with Director Sam Hargrave from the set of Extraction Two so.
Yeah. Be sure to subscribe wherever you're getting a podcast from because you don't want to
miss a minute of what we've got coming up for you. Sammy, I'm comfortable here actually. I
got my carrot and ginger juice. I'm comfy. I'm ready. I'm pretending I'm healthy, basically,
because the few regrets coming out of lockdown. One of them is the lack of exercise.

Sam Folden 01:16
Not eating healthy. Yeah. Lack of exercise. So mine is not eating healthy.

Max Belmonte 01:21
I'm blaming the pandemic for everything basically. So yeah,

Sam Folden 01:24
I've got my camomile tea okay. Which I just burnt my tongue on just before we started
recording.

Max Belmonte 01:30
Too hot. Too bad. Moving on.

Sam Folden 01:33
Yes.

Max Belmonte 01:34
What have you been watching?

Sam Folden 01:36
Let's keep going. What have I been watching?

Max Belmonte 01:38
Yes. Oh, what's what's kept you through locked down and and do you binge? Are you are you a
binger?

Sam Folden 01:46
I am such a binge and the ironic thing is that I don't have 'Binge', but I am a binger. I like...
asking me what have I watched? You know, this will cover? Let's release four podcasts on this. I
think so many things. I watched... I'm watching M anifest at the moment. It's a TV show, right?
It it's about a bunch of people generally it focuses around kind of family dynamic, and then
moves to other people as well. So it's about a bunch of people who get on a plane plane from
Jamaica back to New York. And their families kind of split up a bit just because one plane didn't
have enough seats. So a couple of them stayed back and went on a later flight anyway, the
point is that they fly to back home for them. It feels like three hours they land and it's been five
and a half years.

Max Belmonte 02:43
I just gotta say I'm loving what Wait, what, five and a half years?

Sam Folden 02:48
So for them, it feels like three hours and nothing's changed their land. They're like what's going
on. And so it's sorry, but

Max Belmonte 02:54
that's a great premise for story. But but just quietly because we haven't been able to fly
overseas for a couple of years. I'm noticing even on my YouTube selections, I'm watching more
of these flight reviews and stuff just dreaming that I can still try it. It's a show based around
flying.

Sam Folden 03:13
After watching this, you won't want to fly. To be honest, I'm not a fan of flying. I hate that. I feel
claustrophobic with so many people and you're breathing the same air and it's just I mean,
short flights are okay. It's hard but you're not in first class all the time. Like you Max of course.

Max Belmonte 03:32
The pointy end.

Sam Folden 03:36
One day, one day, I'll go first class one day, it'll be like an hour flight to like Tasmania or
something like that. Let's go to

Max Belmonte 03:41
Save all your points.

Sam Folden 03:43
Yeah, exactly. But ya know, it's a cool TV show and it's super draws you in. It's super cool. It
starts a bit slow but then you get into it and then there's this whole mystical aspect but it's kind
of crime solving as well. And it's I think it's built really well because you then you're connected
to all these different passengers as well right from the flight and they'd come into the store
every and it's so that's pretty cool shower. I'm watching okay, I'm also I also watched what do
you want to do want to jump back and forth between shows have watched

Max Belmonte 04:19
I don't mind... I'm... for me one that one that piqued my interest was Mayor of Eastown with
Kate Winslet a couple of Aussie actors in there as well Guy Pearce and and Gary Rice. Just it's
one of the shows that kind of crept up on me that it's on cable TV here. And I don't know maybe
I missed it. But it didn't seem like there was a whole lot promoting it. But all of a sudden it was
there and I watched the first episode and the characters are all so rich. It was really easy to
sort of be drawn into the world. It really and the script was done. It's so small Honestly, like the,
you know, not 1000 words to describe every everything and set up every scene. It's just it's
done really smartly, it's sort of presumes that the audience aren't stupid and we don't need to
be spoon fed everything. And I kind of liked the way it sort of grows on us. Yeah. So it was a
television series on Foxtel here in Australia, and but one I've been looking forward to and would
absolutely binge if I could, but it came out in weekly installments. Yellowstone. Love
Yellowstone is someone put me on to it after well, just about when the second series had
dropped, and I found myself binging it and also wanting to go horse riding but I'm like, that's it.
That once you get to know the characters, it's really interesting how the storylines that unfold.
And then And then, in pops Costner, Yes, Kevin Costner and in pops Jacki Weaver in the latest
latest series. Aussie actress for Animal Kingdom faint. Yeah, fantastic. So

Sam Folden 06:04
we met we met a good friend of hers interviewed her. Anyway, we do.

Max Belmonte 06:09
We did Kate Fitzpatrick. But I have to say Yellowstone. It's been so rich for storylines, they've
spun off another series 1893. So it's kind of, you know, the founding moments of the farm
because they're, they're literally going across one side of America to the next. So it's
interesting. I don't find it quite as engaging as the Yellowstone. But I'm sort of, you know, yeah,
I'm kind of getting into it. But interestingly, the writer and showrunner Taylor Sheridan also
started another series Mayor of Kingstown with Jeremy Renner. And I've absolutely loved that
one really good. Diane Wiest is in it as well. Really, really smartly written. A kind of it's really
sharp, the script. I really love it great characters. I think that's one of the streamers here in
Australia may have kinks down it might be Amazon Prime, maybe. But I can't remember I get
so confused because I've got so many streaming subscriptions at the moment. But again, that's
another one that's sort of dropped with weekly episodes. Too many one season and everyone's
having to find out the second season but one thing that I have I'm absolutely happy to admit
that I binged Ozark I absolutely like I'm hanging out and refreshing Netflix waiting for to drop.
Like, on the day at the time. I'm like, any second round crashing? I know. Right? Who does
that? And then, like any minute, I mean, it's the day come on. And then obviously now hanging
like everyone else around the world for the other half of season four to drop. Can't wait.

Sam Folden 08:06
Have you seen the TV show? The Great?

Max Belmonte 08:10
Who's In the Great.

Sam Folden 08:12
So Nicholas Hoult.

Max Belmonte 08:14
Oh, yes, yes.

Sam Folden 08:15
Nicholas Hoult plays Peter, Peter, the great son

Max Belmonte 08:22
right

Sam Folden 08:23
of Russia.

Max Belmonte 08:24
Is this the one Elle Fanning's in

Sam Folden 08:28
Yeah, Elle Fanning

Max Belmonte 08:30
Yeah, that's, that's I'm thinking of the right one.

Sam Folden 08:32
I think you are Elle Fanning is because well, and she's American. And I didn't realize that
because her accent is pretty cool. Very posh very back in that time sort of accent. But it is
brilliant. It is so good. Just started watching it. And then she got me into it. I was like, No, I don't
like period shows that much. And then she explained it satirical. Super cleverly written show, I
think there's a lot of modern swearing, modern language, they all have British accents, even
though Elle Fanning's character Catherine the Great is from Austria, I think. And then it's set in
Russia. They all have British accents. It doesn't matter. So it's super funny and super satirical.
Super, quite violent, as well. But we just got stuck in and we binge that, and we're just waiting
for the next season to come out. Yeah, I'd recommend that to anyone. And I'm one of those
people who don't enjoy period pieces that much so

Max Belmonte 09:42
They're not they're not cheap to make period pieces. But that one that one is one that's on my
list. Yeah.

Sam Folden 09:49
It's a good one. And I'd suggest it it's a good mixture of it's almost black comedy in some
sections of it. But I like I've been saying it multiple times. I think the best way to describe To
satirical and it's so it's like some parts of it is based in truth. And it's stylistic, and they're
wearing kind of big French kind of fashion. So it's all a mixture of all these different things.
Yeah, it's awesome. I also watched and I'm Disney films, I think very well written, but always
written for adults, obviously, but I watched soul Have you seen sold? No. That's I'd suggest that
that's got Jamie Foxx in the lead. And I think it's brilliant because it's about an ambitious
musician. And he is in a trailer but he pretty much dies and you see his soul so it's kind of play
on words a little bit because, you know, soul music and all that. Yeah. And it's I just cried at the
end so much, I could not contain myself and it made me feel well yeah, it speaks. It speaks on
purpose. And don't put too much pressure on yourself. Like, your purpose in living doesn't have
to be an actual specific purpose. Your purpose can just be living just enjoy the one life you
have. And I think it's really really cool. And what Disney did was when you saw him as a soul it
was more animated kind of style. And then Disney made it quite a real realistic looking
animation when He was on earth kind of thing when he was himself and you see all the other
humans it's really well done almost looks live action in that sense all the lighting and the
atmosphere and all that so I think it was it's probably one of my favorite Disney films now of all
time.

Max Belmonte 11:56
The technology is amazing the way they can bring animated characters to life.

Sam Folden 12:02
Yeah, awesome. And then all these tools now to create lighting that looks real because we
never used to have that so people's skin like animated skin or CGI skin would look plastic. Now
we know that light passes through skin and gives that ready color or, or you create a world and
how shadows bounce off others specific

Max Belmonte 12:21
kinds of scenes stuff of even like Monsters, Inc, where to get the for all the all the bits of further
move. And the grass and the trees that like nature's really, really tough but anyway, yeah, it's
it's amazing takes forever to do but it's amazing. I think the last time I spoke to someone, and it
was a q&a, and I can't rewards for now but industry industry thing, back in the back of the day,
we were able to meet up. And from one of the big production houses, whether it's a Pixar or, or
Disney, I can't remember but the Australian talking about how it took two and a half years to
make one of those Disney type films, the animated ones is going to so longer than the
hundreds of 300 people across three offices in North America and also Canada and, and Sydney
to pull off that sort of like it's just it's amazing.

Sam Folden 13:27
You look at those visual visual effects credits at the end of films. And it's just keeps going. And
there's multiple companies and it's just names everywhere. It's it's so much work because you
get one company to do this many scenes or this particular effect or whatever.

Max Belmonte 13:45
army of people across three continents across two continents, army of people to bring it to life
over a couple of years. And of course, all the actors when they do get to come in, you know,
you're all recorded independently of each other. So it's not as though you get to react and act
and exactly in the room. Yeah. You probably meet meet meet the cast for the first time at the
premiere.

Sam Folden 14:06
Yeah, well, exactly. Yeah. Especially with that stuff. And I did work experience at animal logic
when I was in your 10 Oh, yeah. And they're in the midst of doing Lego Movie and stuff. And
they were just doing one part of it. And you've got this massive building these massive
processes for the computers and all this team. And they're just doing one part of this massive
film. It's incredible how much work goes into that stuff.

Max Belmonte 14:31
I've got enough trouble just editing my show reel every now and then. But that does my head.
I'm trying to think of all all the stuff that's involved.

Sam Folden 14:38
Send it off to each company's show for you.

Max Belmonte 14:44
Well, I think one thing we've touched on in the past too is when it comes to the work schedule
for TV, because, you know, one minute you're auditioning 50 worders or lead or supporting and
television shows and you Next thing, you know, if when you get over the line, you're thrown
into a really tight and heavy work schedule, particularly if you're if your characters featured,
you know you in a few episodes, you've and some of the changes arrive late to sometimes. So
you don't always get a lot of time to rehearse, and you get changes come in late, and you just
got to be ready to rock and roll. You can't really the budgets not there, you know, the pilot, the
first series to be able to wait on you, when you're in the right mindset, and you've got the latest
changes down pat and the rest of her it's just a full on heavy work, I think with the feedback
we're getting sort of consistently to is that, you know, you've just got to be prepared. Because
that's, that's something you can control. And if you're as prepared as possible, from the
moment, you know, you really understand your character, and your character's overall
motivations, then, as you get each, like the size for each episode, and you're actually, you
know, you're able to navigate why your characters in the scene what they want out of it, and
you're prepared to try it different ways. When changes come in at the last minute, and that
they kind of will just slide in, it's not really going to change, hopefully, you know the narrative
too much. And you can, you can, you can be a bit more flexible, both in dealing with things that
happen last minute, but also embracing things that happened last minute and improvising

Sam Folden 16:39
the more, you know, your character, the more you're prepared, the more real and natural that
character will look. Because you can then play with that. And and the improv is where all the
natural comes from all the other little mannerisms here and there that you bring in when you
feel most comfortable. When you don't know your character, then it's going to look fake itself.

Max Belmonte 17:01
I think, I think what helped me when I when I did a few nights in the play was, I mean, apart
from the rehearsals, you know, you're you're keeping work fit, you know, you use your
auditioning, you're constantly looking at scripts, you're constantly analyzing scripts. It just
helps them like it's not a massive change, when suddenly you've got to do a few shows back to
back. It's not a huge move out of your comfort zone. So staying, staying work fit wherever you
can. And then, yeah, putting the work in when you've got the part to really make sure you're
prepped. Because things are always gonna happen last minute, there's always going to be
changes, there's always going to be problems that need to be solved or whatever. And it's
great to be a part of a solution and go Yeah, no dramas, I can I can do that. No problems. You
can do minutes in 15 minute monologue in a few minutes. Yep. Yep. Exactly.

Sam Folden 18:03
Jumping back real quick to like knowing your character. Yeah, I remember hearing this
awesome, quote, I'm gonna paraphrase completely, but it was like it was pretty much don't
don't hate your character. Like, even if they're this disgusting person. You as the actor can't
hate them. Because, because then you can't you're not going to be able to relate to them.
Because when you become that character, they unless they do, but they don't hate
themselves. Yep. Yep. It's gonna be harder. And I found it super interesting. Because you know,
you can be playing the worst character of it, you know, like as in could be playing a pedophile,
you could be playing what you could be playing so many different, awful characters that you
personally disliked, we got to kind of get out of that head zone.

Max Belmonte 18:53
You certainly got to work harder with some than others. To find redeeming features. Yeah.

Sam Folden 19:00
You got to try and then find as weird as it sounds, the relatable aspects that you have to this
awful character. So then you can actually get in that mindset of being them?

Max Belmonte 19:13
Well, I think the last short film I did with AFTRS was a character that certainly written like
domestic violence is in there, and he's the perpetrator and the mental and emotional abuse as
well. Like it just sort of hangs over at all the alcoholism. And yeah, one of the reasons I got the
part is because I said, you know, this character, I kind of feel sorry for him in a way like, he
doesn't wake up every day intending to do harm to his daughter. But he hasn't. He's not
equipped with the tools to be able to deal with everything that's happening to him. Jimmy's life
and the passing of his wife and all the rest of it. To be able to deal with that, effectively, he's
got none of that. So the only outlet is when he loses his temper, whether it's in traffic or, or to
his daughter, it certainly doesn't excuse the behavior at all. And it's hard to watch. But in order
to live as that character, you know, you're right, you've got to find some sort of redeeming
features. And even if it is, look, this character's motivation isn't to do harm. It's just a byproduct
of who he is. You can sort of look for those layers, you've got to dig deeper and deeper and
deeper sometimes to find them because they couldn't be a more interesting character, as well,
because the director said, Look, you know, we're getting people going, Oh, I haven't played an
asshole for a while I love to play and I saw this guy's real. It's like, well, hang on, you know, if
that's your only takeaway, you know, he's not a two dimensional or caricature of someone, you
know, make it real. It's like our police officer want to be a police officer, where you're playing a
character whose job happens to be as a police officer, like there's, there's layers there. You
know, and sometimes if the character is pretty dark, yeah, you're looking harder for those
redeeming features. But even some of the some of the mannerisms and stuff I made similar to
sort of try and make it a bit easier to but I tell you what I did, I did need some nice chill music
to come out of that, that that mindset after each each day shooting you

Sam Folden 21:31
get, you get Yeah, 100% you get a engulfed in that character. It's Yes. Well, that's why you
have all these method actors who find it hard to come out or damages them mentally. And I
when I did the short film, not today, there's about a kid who committed suicide, there are some
intense emotional scenes. And one of those times, like, like Jess helped out on set, and one of
those times, she was up doing her job on Zed. I got out at the moment, and I was like, I need
someone that I know who I'm familiar with. I need some comfort right now. That was intense.
So it's great that you had just fine, Jess. Yeah. Yes. She was honest that because people
actually had their job on set it to be that comfort for

Max Belmonte 22:18
what sort of support was there on set was there? What did they did they say, Look, you know,
let us know, when you feel comfortable enough to be able to start shooting will give you a bit
more time?

Sam Folden 22:32
Yeah, I mean, I, the the director, and the cinematographer who were enjoy, they were a team
and this, I got familiar with them. And we became very friendly very quickly, and we were all
competing with each other. Everyone on set was great and friendly, and buying. I dealt with
those scenes, by joking around with the guys straight afterwards. Yeah, you can't sit in that
moment too much. Obviously, before you start taking you gotta get in the headspace can't just
joke into action. Okay, I'm gonna be sad. No, it's not gonna work. But straight off, you know,
when jumping into making jokes, let's talk about something else really helped as well. And
having just there helped a tremendous amount as well. But just everyone on set was so
comforting. And, well,

Max Belmonte 23:23
one thing that we another thing we get consistent feedback on is, you know, staying busy as
actors not not waiting for the phone to ring and the agent to call you and all that, you know, to
actually be out there doing stuff being engaged. And I think there's several, there's several
layers to that, that, you know, engaged in your industry. So knowing who's who in the industry,
the casting directors, the q&a is the events, the industry affiliated events, or, you know,
Australian television strain films, what's being what's being made locally. And I think that's,
that's one part of it. And another part is, you know, a dialogue with the agent, you know, what's
happening at the moment, what are you looking forward? What are you hearing that people
need? Do I need to refresh anything, you know, and then there's the actual staying on your feet
and staying Workfit audition? Ready? Yeah. All that sort of stuff.

Sam Folden 24:22
Yeah. Yeah, I felt called Corporate to that as well. Sometimes, you know, you don't, you got to
keep those accents up. You gotta keep that skill up. You can't just be like, Oh, I've got an
audition for an American role to brush up on my accent. You don't have time for that. And I
definitely feel corporate for that. But that's a very, that's a good point. That's a very important
factor, I think.

Max Belmonte 24:43
Yeah, yeah. Because then you know, the more you're engaged in every way possible in the
industry, the more you're learning all the time. And the more you're out there, letting everyone
know your work, fit and ready for opportunities. Should they come your way and then when
they do, you're ready to rock and roll.

Sam Folden 24:59
100%.

Max Belmonte 25:00
Fun tips here at Two Unemployed

Sam Folden 25:06
Always. You've got to listen to the Two Unemployed guys..... I mean that came out wrong

Max Belmonte 25:12
I'll give you a writing update to I've just I've almost finished the scene, the scenes for the pilot
episode. I'm so excited. So I'm just about to get back to the script and very cool put pen to
paper and and finished the pilot script. I'm super excited and getting permission to film. I'm still
chasing that permission to film in the in the space which is save any production money that
that that make it easier for me when I'm pitching but

Sam Folden 25:42
I hate getting ready to film in space. That sounds very ambitious. I'm

Max Belmonte 25:48
gonna build my spaceship and then you know, I'm starting with Lego and it's just an Elon Musk.
It's a 1000 step plan. You're

Sam Folden 25:56
gonna build your spaceship out of Lego. Well,

Max Belmonte 25:59
I'll be I'll glue it together. I'm not I'm not an amateur.

Sam Folden 26:04
Yeah

Max Belmonte 26:09
maybe filming in this space in my brain.

Sam Folden 26:13
Yeah,

Max Belmonte 26:13
Plenty of that. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss an episode. We've got lots of exciting
stuff coming up. You're listening to Two Unemployed Actors. I'm Max.

Sam Folden 26:22
I'm Sam.

Max Belmonte 26:22
And you'll hear us next week. Bye